Throughout the night, the picture of his home, as he had left it when he rode out that morning; and the thought that it was now an empty shell, his wife dead, his daughters carried off, and his son lying between life and death, came to him with full force, and well nigh broke him down.
In the meantime, the little party were making across the hills, and before morning they came upon the northern road, fifteen miles from the Bairds' hold.

Here Oswald and Roger dismounted.

It was arranged that the men should return with the horses into the hills, and should there rest until late in the afternoon, and then mount and ride for Parton.
One or other of them was to come down, at seven o'clock each evening, to the road half a mile from the village; and was there to watch till nine.

If no one came along, they were then to return to their lodging.
"I feel stiff in the legs, master," Roger said; "a fifty-mile ride, up and down the hills, is no joke after a hard day's work." "They will soon come right again, Roger.

I feel stiff, myself, though pretty well accustomed to horse exercise.