If an attack was threatened, Jessie was to mount behind her sister, and they were to take their place between Oswald and Roger, while their own man rode close behind them.
It was just ten o'clock as they rode through Parton.

Not a light was to be seen.

The whole place appeared wrapt in sleep.

They went through at a walk, so that, if any heard them, they would suppose that it was a belated party of the searchers, and would give the matter no further thought.
After riding for a short distance, they put the horses into a trot.
Four hours later they halted, at the point where the road down the Esk valley divided, one going to the ferry a few hundred yards farther on, while the other turned to the left, and followed the bank of the Liddel.
John had inquired about the ferry, and learned that the ferryboat no longer plied, as, since the troubles began, there was so little traffic that it did not pay the ferryman to remain there.

As they had already decided to cross by the ford, four miles higher up, this did not matter.