Then four men on ponies approached from the dark trees, zig-zagged towards him so he didn’t know where to charge, and though he was soon fighting hard they managed to get my foot from the stirrup incidentally to muzzling him. By the rope on the muzzle they dragged him to a nearby tree to which they tethered him. He went on barking and striking muzzle and claws into the tough bark, making short dashes as far as he could.

I was picked up and immediately swung at my dark companions. But with a low guffaw someone caught my arm and held it away.

“What is this?” I said. “Can’t a traveller go a few miles even in the wilderness, without interference?”

“Bring a brand over and let’s see what we’ve got,” said someone. “Sounds like a youngster or a girl.”

A brand was brought, which told me there must be a fire well hidden behind the trees. It was thrust nearly in my face. I winced and blinked. The glare lit not only my face but theirs— “Bandits!” I said. “What is this?”

“By the Dugs of my Mother, if it’s not that whey-faced ladygirl, the one the Northern General left with us and Kond got killed with,” said a jovial man with lank plaits.

“What’re you doing here, love?”

“We thought you was a lone Southerner, that’s why we treated you this way. Sorry. Your leg all right?”

“Perhaps she is working for them. Why else should she be riding round here?”

“Use your nut. To join the Dragon when he arrives.”

“A right devil of a bird she got hold of, didn’t she?”

I said, “The Dragon? Is he coming?”

“Be there tomorrow morning, I should think, yes. Didn’t you know, then? There’s a Southern camp, maybe you sniffed them, over the rise, they want to reach the coast and warn their navy to be ready before the main Southern and Northern forces have time to get there—half the navy’s supposed to be in the middle of careening right now, which’ll be a right old hitch for them—they don’t know we’ve been trailing them all day. We’re gonna fall on them tonight when they’re snoring their sweet dreams.”

“Well,” I said reluctantly, “they no longer think they’re quite alone. They saw me—” I didn’t say I’d galloped right among them.

“Ah, don’t worry, it’s a nuisance but don’t think you’ve bitched it all. Just, it’ll mean a fight sooner and not so easy. Though actually I’d’ve thought they’d be after you before now. They’re a slow lot. Or perhaps they thought you was coming to join a camp they’d not guessed of—so maybe they’ve got scouts out now, sniffing for us.”