Archie himself was now far away from the men-at-arms, and after proceeding until beyond all reach of pursuit, slackened his pace, and breaking into a walk continued his course some miles across the hills until he reached a lonely cottage where he was kindly received, and remained until next day.
The following morning he set out and journeyed to the spot, where, on leaving his retainers more than a week before, he had ordered them to await his coming.

It was another week before he obtained such news as enabled him again to join the king, who was staying at a woodcutter's hut in Selkirk Forest.

Hector came out with a deep bark of welcome.
"Well, Sir Archie," the king said, following his dog to the door, "and how has it fared with you since we last parted a fortnight since?
I have been hotly chased, and thought I should have been taken; but, thanks to the carelessness of the fellow who led my hound, Hector somehow slipped his collar and joined me, and I was able to shake off my pursuers, so that danger is over, and without sacrificing the life of my good dog." Archie smiled.

"Perchance, sir, it was not from any clumsiness that the hound got free, but that he was loosed by some friendly hand." "It may be so," the king replied; "but they would scarcely have intrusted him to a hand friendly to me.

Nor would his leader, even if so disposed, have ventured to slip the hound, seeing that the horsemen must have been close by at the time, and that such a deed would cost him his life.