th with bacon and powder, forth I set on my wild-goose
chase.

For this I claim no bravery. I cared but little what came of it;
save for mother's sake, and Annie's, and the keeping of the farm, and
discomfiture of the Snowes, and lamenting of Lorna at my death, if die I
must in a lonesome manner, not found out till afterwards, and bleaching
bones left to weep over. However, I had a little kettle, and a pound and
a half of tobacco, and two dirty pipes and a clean one; also a bit of
clothes for change, also a brisket of hung venison, and four loaves of
farmhouse bread, and of the upper side of bacon a stone and a half it
might be--not to mention divers small things for campaigning, which may
come in handily, when no one else has gotten them.

We went away in merry style; my horse being ready for anything, and I
only glad of a bit of change, after months of working and brooding; with
no content to crown the work; no hope to hatch the brooding; or
without hatching to reckon it. Who could tell but what Lorna might be
discovered, or at any rate heard of, before the end of this campaign; if
campaign it could be called of a man who went to fight nobody, only
to redeem a runagate? And vexed as I was about the hay, and the
hunch-backed ricks John was sure to make (which spoil the look of a
farm-yard), still even this was better than to have the mows and houses
fired, as I had nightly expected, and been worn out with the worry of
it.

Yet there was one thing rather unfavourable to my present enterprise,
namely, that I knew nothing of the country I was bound to, nor even in
what part of it my business might be supposed to lie. For beside the
uncertainty caused by the conflict of reports, it was likely that King
Monmouth's army would be moving from place to place, according to the
prospect of supplies and of reinforcements. However, there would arise
more chance of getting news as I went on: and my road being towards the
east and south, Dulverton would not lie so very far aside of it, but
what it might be worth a visit, both to collect the latest tidings, and
to consult the maps and plans in Uncle Reuben's parlour. Therefore I
drew the off-hand rein, at the cross-road on the hills, and made for
the town; expecting perhaps to have breakfast with Master Huckaback, and
Ruth, to help and encourage us. This little maiden was now become a very
great favourite with me, having long outgrown, no doubt, her childish
fancies and follies, su