unimportant a matter for anyone within hearing to take any trouble
about.

Oswald, seeing that Roger needed no assistance, had occupied himself
with stripping off the outer pair of leggings; and had made these, with
his cloak and cap, into a bundle; and, pressing the drover's cap down
over his eyes, was ready by the time Roger came up to him.

"It was splendidly managed, Roger."

"It did well enough," the other said, carelessly. "It may be an hour
before anyone stumbles over them; and, long before that, we shall be at
sea."

They made their way back through quiet lanes until near the port, and
then boldly went down to the side of a small craft.

"You are just in time, my men," the skipper said. "In another five
minutes, we should be throwing off the ropes and hoisting sails. Now
that you have come, we shall do so, at once. The tide is just right for
us, and we have nothing further to stop for."

The boat was a large fishing smack, and had put into Dunbar but that
afternoon, with the intention of disposing of the catch. Two others
had, however, come in still earlier. The market being glutted, the
skipper had determined to take his catch, which was a heavy one, on to
Leith; and had agreed, for a very small sum, to carry the two drovers
to that port.

Oswald and Roger aided in getting up the sails, and in a few minutes
the smack was at sea. The wind was from the southwest, and the boat ran
rapidly up the coast.

"The earl will be in a nice way, when he finds that you have gone,"
Roger said, as he stood in the stern to watch the rapidly receding
towers of Dunbar. "There will be a hot hue and cry for you. The earl is
not accustomed to be thwarted, and they say that he is a mighty
hot-tempered man. I have no doubt that, as soon as his fellows bring
him word of what has happened to them, and he finds that you have
quitted the inn, he will send parties of horse out to scour the roads
to Berwick and Haddington; and to search the country, far and near."

"He is welcome to do that," Oswald said. "My fear is that he will send
down to the port, to inquire if any craft put out about the hour at
which his men were attacked. But even if he does so, there is no great
chance of our being overtaken. We are travelling fast, and in another
hour it will be dark; and long before daybreak we shall reach Leith,
having both wind and tide in our favour, all the way."

They kept an anxious watch, as long as there was light enough for t