204 A JACOBITE EXILE

whole of the band, or whether they are only a portion of
it; nor do I know whether the men subsist by plundering
the peasants or venture on more serious crimes. Thank-
ing you for your great kindness during my stay at Warsaw,
I remain, yours gratefully,—Cuaruie Carsrairs.”

While he was occupied in writing this letter an animated
conversation was going on between the bandits. Charlie
gathered that this related to their future operations, but
more than this he could not learn. Ina postscript to the
letter he requested Allan Ramsay to hand over to the
bearer some of the clothes left in his lodgings, and to pay
him for his trouble.

“As to the money I left in your hands, I do not think
it worth while for you to send it. However much these
men may consider me a comrade, I have not sufficient
faith in their honesty to believe that money would reach
me safely; but if you send me a suit of clothes, two or
three gold pieces might be wrapped up in a piece of cloth
and shoved into the toe of ashoe. The parcel must be a
small one, or there would be little chance of the man
carrying it far. I will ask him, however, to bring me a
sword if you will buy one for me, and my pistols.”

He folded up the letter and gave it to the captain.
There was no means of fastening it, but this mattered little,
because, being. written in English, there was no chance of
its being read. The captain handed it to one of the men
with instructions for its delivery. The messenger started
at once; the others, after remaining a short time in the
hut, set out through the forest. After an hour’s walking
Charlie was unable to go further. The captain seeing
this ordered four of the men to stop with him and to follow
the next morning. As soon as he had gone on with the
rest of the band, the men set about collecting sticks and
making a fire. Charlie, who was utterly exhausted, threw
himself on the ground, and was not long before he fell