Some of the others lay down for another sleep, while Pierre redressed the wounds that five of the men had received in the fight.
At twelve o'clock one of the lookouts reported that he could see, away out on the plain, a body of horsemen.

Philip at once went to examine them for himself.
"There must be some two hundred of them, I should say, by the size of the clump," he remarked to the soldier.
"About that, I should say, sir." "I expect they are hunting for us," Philip said.

"They must have heard from some villager that we were seen to ride round this way, the day before yesterday, or they would hardly be hunting in this neighbourhood for us.

It is well we moved in the night.
"I wish the Sieur D'Arblay and the Count de Laville were with us.
No doubt they were hidden away, as soon as the troop was seen, but one is never secure against treachery." Philip was restless and uncomfortable all day, and walked about the wood, impatiently longing for night to come.

As soon as it was dark they mounted, and rode back to the wood near Merlincourt.