About midday
To amuse himself he continued in the same strain that he had heard Gerald adopt towards the merchants , and spoke in terms of apprehension of the dangers of the journey , and of the rough treatment that had befallen those who had ventured to offer opposition to the robbers . He was not long in discovering , by the anxious glances they cast round them , and by the manner of their questions , that some at least of the party were not to be relied upon in case of an encounter . He was rather surprised at Gerald remaining so long in company with the merchants , for their pace was a slow one , as they were followed by eight heavily laden mules , driven by two muleteers , and it would have been much pleasanter , he thought , to have trotted on at their usual pace . About midday , as they were passing along the edge of a thick wood , a party of men suddenly sprang out and ordered them to halt . Geoffrey shouted to the men with him to come on , and drawing his sword dashed forward . Two of the men only followed him . The others hesitated , until a shot from a musket knocked off one of their hats , whereupon the man and his comrades turned their horses ' heads and rode off at full speed .