had simply shaken his head, opened his lips, and pointed to his
clenched teeth, signifying that he could not speak. He fell in
with the waggons as they came along and passed through the gate
without question. When a short distance away from the town he made
signs to the driver of the last waggon, that if he would give him
a lift in the cart he would pay for some drink. The carter nodded
and told him to climb up. After they had gone four miles from the
town, they came to a wayside inn.

"Now is the time, master, they are all going in to get some drink.
There is no one about."

The waggons all stopped there, for there had been no opportunity
for the drivers to obtain refreshments as they passed through the
town. All therefore sauntered into the inn, their salutations to
the host showing that they were accustomed to stop there. Paolo
followed them i n, and putting down the money for a large jug of
beer, handed it to the carter, and, shaking him by the hand, made
a motion that he was going no farther. Then he went back to the
end waggon. Hector had already pushed out the bags in front of him
and had with great difficulty crawled out.

"It is all right, master, we have a good ten minutes; there is no
one about, but you had better keep below the waggon rails until
you have got your disguise on."

A couple of minutes sufficed for this, then Hector leapt to the
ground, while Paolo replaced the sacks in their position; and then
together they hurried across some twenty yards of broken ground
and entered a wood.