He was scarcely concealed when he heard the horsemen, who perceived they had overshot their mark, ride back.
By this time, Jonathan and the vast mob attending him, had come up, and the place was rendered almost as light as day by the links.
"He must be somewhere hereabouts," cried one of the horsemen, dismounting.

"We were close upon him when he suddenly disappeared." Jonathan made no answer, but snatching a torch from a bystander, jumped into the trench and commenced a diligent search.

Just as he had arrived at the mouth of the drain, and Jack felt certain he must be discovered, a loud shout was raised from the further end of the field that the fugitive was caught.

All the assemblage, accompanied by Jonathan, set off in this direction, when it turned out that the supposed housebreaker was a harmless beggar, who had been found asleep under a hedge.
Jonathan's vexation at the disappointment was expressed in the bitterest imprecations, and he returned as speedily as he could to the trench.

But he had now lost the precise spot; and thinking he had examined the drain, turned his attention to another quarter.
Meanwhile, the excitement of the chase had in some degree subsided.