58 A JACOBITE EXILE

The little bed-room that Charlie had used the two previ-
ous nights was given up to Mr. Jervoise, while Harry and
Charlie slept on some sheep-skins in front of the kitchen
fire. Two hours before daybreak they mounted, and,
guided by the farmer, rode to a shepherd’s hut far up
among the hills. Late in the afternoon a boy came up
from the farm with the news that the place had been
searched by a party of troopers. They had ridden away
without discovering that the fugitives had been at the farm,
but four of the party had been left in case Mr. Jervoise
should come there. The farmer, therefore, warned them
against coming back that way, as had been intended,
naming another place where he would meet them. As
soon as the sun was setting they mounted, and, accompa-
nied by the shepherd on a rough pony, started for Lan-
caster.

After riding for three hours they stopped at a lonely
farmhouse, at which Mr. Jervoise and his friends had held
their meeting on the previous day. Here they changed
their clothes for others that had been sent for their use
from Lancaster. Mr. Jervoise was attired as a small trader,
and the lads in garb suitable to boys in the same rank of
life. They still, however, retained their swords and the
pistols in their holsters. Three miles farther they met
their host as arranged at some cross-roads, and rode on
until within three miles of Lancaster. They then dis-
mounted, placed their pistols in their belts, and handed
their horses to the two men, who would take them back to
the hut in the hills, where they would remain until re-
quired. It was two o’clock in the morning when they
entered Lancaster, and going up to a small house standing
in a garden in the outskirts of the town, Mr. Jervoise gave
three low knocks in quick succession. ‘The door was
opened almost immediately. No light was shown, and
they entered in the dark, but as soon as the door was closed