The knave would need both his hands to hold up his nag over the stones, and, if I turned on him suddenly enough, he might either drop his gun or fire it harmlessly.
But, in the meantime, something happened; as, at the last moment, things do happen.

While we were still fifty yards short of the place, I found his horse's nose creeping forward on a level with my crupper; and, still advancing, still advancing, until I could see it out of the tail of my eye, and my heart gave a great bound.

He was coming abreast of me: he was going to deliver himself into my hands! To cover my excitement, I began to whistle.
'Hush!' he muttered fiercely, his voice sounding so strange and unnatural, that my first thought was that he was ill; and I turned to him.

But he only said again,-- 'Hush! Pass by here quietly, Monsieur.' 'Why ?' I asked mutinously, curiosity getting the better of me.

For had I been wise I had taken no notice; every second his horse was coming up with mine.