In two or three minutes
they were at the fence, and they went over it almost like birds.
Harry heard two bullets hit the rails as they leaped--they were in
view then for a moment--but they merely increased his speed, as he and
St. Clair darted side by side through the corn, bending low again.
They heard the horsemen talking and swearing at the barrier, and then
they heard the beat of hoofs again.
"They'll divide and send a force around the field each way!" said
St. Clair.
"And some of them will dismount and pursue us through it on foot!"
"We can distance anybody on foot. Harry, when I heard those bullets
whistling about me I felt as if I could outrun a horse, or a giraffe,
or an antelope, or anything on earth! And thunder, Harry, I feel the
same way now!"
Bullets fired from the fence made the ploughed land fly not far from
them, and they lengthened their stride. Harry afterward said that
he did not remember stepping on that cornfield more than twice.
Fortunately for them the field, while not very wide, extended far to
right and left, and the pursuing horsemen were compelled to make a
great circuit.
Before the thudding hoofs came near they were over the fence again, and,
still with wonderful powers of flight, were scudding across the country
toward their own lines.
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