Rain was coming down in torrents, when Oswald and Roger started the next morning.

On leaving the town they turned to the left, with the intention of making a considerable detour; keeping well away from the road, as it was near this that the Welsh would be most likely watching.
They chose this side because, to the right of the road, the country was more broken, rising swell after swell towards Plinlimmon; and it was likely that the largest portion of the Welsh would be on that side, so that they could, at any time, retire to their fastnesses.
They were soon in the woods.

The streams they met with were turbid, and full to the brim.
"We shall have trouble with this water, Roger," Oswald said, as they waded across one, waist deep.

"This is but a little stream, but if there are larger ones, as is like enough, we shall have to swim before we are done.

There is one advantage; in such weather as this, even the Welsh will scarce be active." "They have not got much clothing to wet," Roger said.