The man drew nearer, with evident unwillingness. He removed his cloak from his face. “He paid me to do it,” growls he, motioning towards Anthony.
“Preserve us!” says Merciful Wiggleskirk. “’Tis Tobias Tomkins of our troop—he is no more a parson than I am, and not half so much so.”
“I had meant to ask Master Drumbleforth if he recognised him for a clergyman of the rural deanery,” says Alison. “But there’s no need. I have no more to say. And yet——” she paused and looked at Anthony once again. “I have played with fairer weapons than yours,” she says.
IV.
And now there was naught left but for Alison and myself to make good our escape. We had been favoured in the most marvellous fashion up to that time, but we were not yet out of danger, and it was necessary that we should lose no time in removing ourselves from a neighbourhood wherein there was so much to imperil us. So I desired Alison, Master Drumbleforth, and Merciful Wiggleskirk to accompany me to another apartment where we might discuss matters in privacy. Anthony Dacre and Tobias Tomkins I left in charge of John and Humphrey Stirk, bidding the latter have no mercy on them if they made any attempt to escape.
“And now,” says I, when the four of us were safely bestowed in another room, “what’s to be done next? ’Tis clear that we must quit this presently and put as many miles as possible between us and our enemies ere daybreak. The question,” I says, looking from one to the other, “is——where shall we go?”
“If I may speak,” says Merciful Wiggleskirk, “I say let us go to the Low Countries. I say us because I am going with you, master and mistress. Don’t say me nay—faith, you’ll find me useful enough ere we’ve come through our troubles,” he says.
“’Tis a long journey,” says I, doubtfully, looking at Alison.
“Long or short, ’tis a safe place that we shall find at the end on’t,” says Merciful. “And ’tis not so long either if we can but light on a ship at Hull.”
“I am of Master Wiggleskirk’s opinion,” says Master Drumbleforth.