The camp where they had come up with them before
was deserted, and Herebald and Bernulf now had for their task the
discovery of the direction the party had taken. Had they not been
fen-men they might not have succeeded. But by night they felt that they
were really on their trail. They had passed Peterborough and continued
on to the south, evidently going slowly, as became broken heads; and
Herebald and Bernulf came up with them by the side of Whittlesea Mere
early on the following day. As they came into view Richard Wood
evidently regarded the two Saxons with suspicion; but the men-at-arms
looked at them with nothing but indifference.
Herebald and Bernulf appeared not to notice; but, withdrawing to a
little distance, seemed to confer together and examine narrowly the
leaves and twigs and rushes to see if they were bent or broken by the
passage of a recent traveller. As they went earnestly about on all
sides of the camp at the Mere, and keeping ever in sight of it, the
curiosity of Richard Wood overcame his suspicion, and he beckoned them
to approach. His summons they at first seemed inclined to disregard,
but, as he continued beckoning, they at last went toward him with
apparent reluctance.
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