A number of men were standing behind them.
"I expected something of this sort," muttered Jack.

He looked at the hills on either side, but they were too steep to ride up on horseback; and as to abandoning the animals and taking to the hills on foot, it was not to be thought of, for the active peasants would easily overtake them.
"We must ride straight forward," he said; "there is no other way out of it.

There is level ground enough for a horse to pass round the left of the wagons.

Ride for that point as hard as you can, and when you are through keep straight forward for a quarter of a mile till we are together again.

Now!" Giving his horse the spur, Jack dashed off at full speed, followed closely by the troopers.