At the first opportunity, directly I felt strong enough, I crossed the heath and stealthily approached his place of concealment. In vain I gave the call of the red deer, for no welcome reply came from the yawning pit; and when at length I descended by the rude ladder I found the place dank and deserted. Captain Miles and his men had gone--whither?--to bondage, or to freedom?
Neither did I from that day set eyes on Black Lewis; he, too, had vanished, and thus all chance of communicating with the honest Captain seemed to be hopelessly lost.
One afternoon towards the close of September I was sent by my uncle into Lymington to procure some books that an acquaintance had promised him.
It was a blustering day, cold for the time of year, and on the journey I encountered several heavy showers that, for want of shelter, soaked me to the skin. However, I accomplished my errand, and laden with a heavy burden I trudged homewards, having also taken the opportunity of obtaining from a cutler's the blade of the dagger with which my father had been slain, I having left it some weeks before for the purpose of having a hilt fitted to it.
At the outskirts of the village I almost ran into the arms of Captain Jeremy, who was leading a heavy cob by the bridle.
For a few moments I could scarce believe my eyes; yet 'twas he, bold, jovial, and beaming with kindliness as of yore, before that fateful journey to the West.
"What cheer, ho!" he shouted. "I've sought you high and low."
"Oh, Captain Miles!" I exclaimed apprehensively, "is it safe for you to be seen, sir?"
"Safe?" he roared. "Why, safe as a parson's barn. Thanks to my patron Sir William Soams, of whom I have oft spoken beforetimes, and in no small measure to a heavy drain upon my hidden hoard, I've gained a pardon from His Majesty, and now I can flaunt my Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys, or any of his satellites, come what may. I've got a ship, lad! A. goodly vessel--as sweet a little craft as ever you'd clap eyes on betwixt Yarmouth and Bristol. Thanks once again to Sir William Soams, who threw himself into my plans, the Golden Hope has been chartered to seek the Madre treasure--and I'll warrant Sir William will receive a good per centum on his outlay. She lies at Poole, lad. We sailed her round from Deptford two days agone, I and the ten lads you saw in the hole on Brockenhurst Heath, they having made their way safely one by one to a rendezvous at Wapping; and I've ridden over from Poole to tell you the news, though I am but a sorry horseman."
"You rode well enough when you fled before the dragoons, sir."