We had laid it out to make for a place we knew not so far from home.

We dursn't go there straight, of course, but nigh enough to make a dart to it whenever we had word that the coast was clear.
We knew directly we were missed the whole countryside would be turned out looking for us, and that every trooper within a hundred miles would be hoping for promotion in case he was lucky enough to drop on either of the Marstons or the notorious Starlight.

His name had been pretty well in every one's mouth before, and would be a little more before they were done with him.
It was too far to ride to the Hollow in a day, but Jim had got a place ready for us to keep dark in for a bit, in case we got clear off.
There's never any great trouble in us chaps finding a home for a week or two, and somebody to help us on our way as long as we've the notes to chuck about.

All the worse in the long run.

We rode hardish (some people would have called it a hand-gallop) most of the way; up hill and down, across the rocky creeks, through thick timber.