Cherry heard their laughter and their coarse words without understanding what it all meant; but a great terror took hold of her, and leaving her basket in the middle of the path, in the vain hope of tripping up the tipsy riders, she fled wildly along in the direction of home.

Her hood falling back, disclosed her pretty floating curls beneath, and so gave greater zest to the pursuit.

Fleet of foot she might be, but what availed that against the speed of the two fine horses?
She heard their galloping hoofs closer and closer behind her.

She knew that they were almost up with her now.

Even the osier beds would afford her no protection from horsemen, and she feared to trust herself to the slippery ooze when the daylight had fled.