In an instant the mysterious being
vaulted on its back, and in a voice of resistless authority cried, 'To the
forest!--to the forest!' With this, he dashed forward, and the whole party,
hounds and men, hurried after him.
They rode at a furious pace for five or six miles over the great park, the
keepers wondering where their unearthly leader was taking them, and
almost fancying they were hurrying to perdition, when they descended
a hillside leading to the marsh, and halted before a huge beech-tree,
where Herne dismounted and pronounced certain mystic words,
accompanying them with strange gestures.
"Presently, he became silent and motionless. A flash of fire then burst
from the roots of the tree, and the forester Urswick stood before him.
But his aspect was more terrible and commanding than it had seemed
heretofore to the keepers.
'Welcome, Herne,' he cried; 'welcome, lord of the forest. And you his
comrades, and soon to be his followers, welcome too. The time is
come for the fulfilment of your promise to me. I require you to form a
band for Herne the Hunter, and to serve him as leader. Swear to obey
him, and the spell that hangs over you shall be broken.
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