laurence rose also , and found himself and granby barred from the advancing men : cavendish had planted himself directly before laurence ; granby 's ensign thorne , only thirteen , was beside him ; bardesley and forthing and ferris had put themselves out front , and all in unison were herding them away towards a stand of scrub and thornbrake , with only gerry and sipho inside that protective circle with them : to be sheltered from harm as though he and granby were children , laurence thought , repulsed in every instinct .