been placed there for the cattle. Turbid as it was, he drank heartily of the element, which, to his parched palate, appeared the most delightful beverage he had ever quaffed; and by the assistance of his biscuits, happily not yet exhausted, finished, in solitude and darkness, a meal rendered delicious by a sense of the immediate liberty under which he partook of it. His recent vigils had induced an almost irresistible drowsiness, which, as the instant ardour of pursuit was over, he thought he might safely venture to gratify for a few hours: in this belief, he pulled some hay from a stack, constructed a rude sort of bed, threw himself down, and slept soundly till day-break.

On awakening next morning, he felt a considerable degree of perplexity as to the most prudent course to adopt. Many circumstances rendered it advisable to reach the sea-side as quickly as possible, more especially the hope that by betaking himself to the neighbourhood indicated by Fludyer, he might be fortunate enough to be picked up by some of the emissaries of Salton, who had promised to hover off

the coast for that purpose; or procure a conveyance to Holland by other means. He knew that he could not travel in the day-time without exposing himself to the danger of being arrested; but feeling the great importance of expedition in his movements, so as to anticipate the measures that might be adopted to prevent the escape of the fugitives; and recollecting that there was nothing in his

to ex

appearance cite particular suspicion, since he had carefully concealed his pistols, he gathered a thick stick, in order to confer upon himself a more rustic appearance, and emerging from the enclosures on the opposite side to that by which he had entered, boldly ventured into the open country. He avoided the high road as much as possible, cutting across the fields and downs in the direction of Lyme, and betaking himself to the hollows, or such woody covert as he could find, whenever he observed any parties of peasants or wayfarers, whom he thought it might be

safer to avoid.

From this circumstance, combined with his ignorance of the proper route, which occasion

ally led him astray, his progress was necessarily slow in spite of all his anxiety to advance, and he had not accomplished a great many miles of his approach to Lyme, although he had wandered over no inconsiderable tract of country, when fatigue and the approach of night compelled him to betake himself to a ruined, half roofless barn, which was the best shelteringplace he could obtain. Wearied by his exertions, and favoured by the mildness of the weather, he passed a better night than could have been expected from the miserable nature of the tenement; and prepared with renovated strength and spirits to resume his march on the following morning; but his stock of provisions was exhausted, and to obtain a fresh supply it became necessary to enter some hamlet, or detached public-house; he chose the latter as the least dangerous, while the more effectually to avert suspicion he determined to assume the character of a royalist making for the coast in the hope of arresting some of the runaway rebels, and of being well rewarded for his zeal and loyalty. His feint so far answered that he obtained a

most ungracious reception from the landlord of a lone ale-house, into the kitchen of which he had made his way with an air of confidence, for the cause of Monmouth was universally popular with the lower orders, and this rural Boniface was at no pains to conceal his scorn of those who from sordid motives could be base enough to betray any of the Duke's discomfited partisans. The King, he said, had no need of any additional spies or assistants, since the whole coast was patrolled night and day by parties of troops, while boats filled with armed men were perpetually rowing backwards and forwards to intercept the fugitives; and he intimated that there was more to be made by helping the unfortunate rebels to escape, than by bringing them in as prisoners, since he had been given to understand that several of the gentry who had been arrested had contrived to get away by bribing those who had seized them. In conclusion he bitterly abused the fishermen upon the coast, who in consequence of the alleged difficulty and danger of the enterprize under such circumstances, had charged an exorbitant price to

several of the better sort whom they had re-
ceived on board their smacks to be conveyed to

Holland;
and telling Reuben that he wished
the traffickers in blood-money all the success
they deserved, while he drew his fore-finger
under his left ear so as to render his meaning
by no means equivocal, the sturdy publican dis-
missed his guest from his gate, casting after
him a look that was not a whit more benevolent

than his recent gesture.

However he might flatter himself upon the success of his little finesse, Reuben found the information which it had enabled him to glean any thing rather than satisfactory. To learn that the point he had been so anxious to reach was guarded with an especial vigilance, was such a bitter disappointment to his hopes as almost induced him to abandon his first intention of making for Lyme; while the prospect of escape by bribing his captors, should he be seized, or of feeing the fishermen, should he even obtain unobstructed access to them, afforded him little consolation, since upon a reference to his finances it appeared that the cost of his