It was some time before his companions overtook him, for they were at first too convulsed by laughter at Cluny's extraordinary appearance to be able to run.

But presently, sobered by the conviction that something of extreme importance must have happened, they too started at their best speed, and presently came up with Cluny, upon whose pace the mile he had already run told heavily.
"For the sake of goodness, Cluny, go slower," one of them panted out as they came to him.

"We have nine miles yet to run, and if we go on like this we shall break down in another half mile, and have to walk the rest." Cluny himself, with all his anxiety to get on, was beginning to feel the same, and he slackened his pace to a slinging trot, which in little over an hour brought them to the wood..