ry well suited being vacant, he had
applied and obtained it for him.

"Lose no time in setting out," he wrote, "for after a few weeks'
training we are to sail on board one of the ships belonging to the firm
for the Levant."

Mr Willoughby and the Colonel were highly pleased with this. It seemed
to open the way to Roger's advancement, while he would be able to
gratify his taste for the sea without being bound to it, as he would
have been had he sailed with Captain Benbow. The question arose how he
was to get to Bristol. The distance was considerable, upwards of sixty
miles in a straight line, and much more when the turnings of the roads
were calculated, which roads were in many places in a very bad
condition. Roger himself, who was eager to set out, proposed performing
the journey on a small horse or cob, with such luggage as could be
carried in his valise and saddle-bags, while the remainder was to be
sent by the stage-wagon from Lyme.

"But, my dear boy, you might be attacked by highwaymen, and robbed and
murdered on the road," said his father.

"I will try to beat off any highwaymen who may attack me, or gallop away
from them," answered Roger. "Besides, I doubt whether any gentlemen of
the road would think it worth while to attack a boy like me; they
generally fly at higher game. I have been talking to Tobias Platt, and
he says that old Tony, though he has not done much work of late, will
carry me well, and that if I do not push him too hard, I may do the
journey in three days, or four at the most."

Old Tony was a cob which Mr Willoughby had ridden several years, but
was now allowed to spend most of his days in the meadows. As no better
mode of conveyance could be suggested, it was arranged that Roger should
set out in a couple of days with his valise and saddle-bags, with a
brace of pistols and a sword for his protection, in the use of which he
had been well instructed by the Colonel. Old Tony in the meantime was
fed on oats to prepare him for the journey. Just as Roger was about to
set out, the Colonel received an intimation that his neighbour, Mr
Battiscombe, would proceed the following day in the same direction, and
he accordingly rode over to Langton to ask whether he would allow Roger
to travel in his company.

"With great pleasure," he replied, "although, as I have several places
to visit I may be longer about the journey than he would were he to go
alone."

This, however, was of little conse