now it happened that in their journeying their paths crossed that of the orcs who now were renewing their march , but in a direction other than that they had for long pur- sued , for now fearing the escape of their prisoner they made for a place where they knew the trees were thinner and a track ran for many a league easy to pursue ; wherefore that evening , or ever they came to the spot that flinding sought , they heard a shouting and a rough singing that was afar in the woods but drawing near ; nor did they hide too soon ere the whole of that orc-band passed nigh to them , and some of the captains were mounted upon small horses , and to one of these was turin tied by the wrists so that he must trot or be dragged cruelly .