orth with him and serve him as esquire. Don
Quixote, among other things, told him he ought to be ready to go with
him gladly, because at any moment an adventure might occur, that might
win an island in the twinkling of an eye and leave him governor of it.
On these and the like promises Sancho Panza (for so the laborer was
called) left wife and children, and engaged himself as esquire to his
neighbor. Don Quixote next set about getting some money; and selling
one thing and pawning another, and making a bad bargain in every case,
he got together a fair sum. He provided himself with a buckler, which
he begged as a loan from a friend, and restoring his battered helmet
as best he could, he warned his squire Sancho of the day and hour he
meant to set out, that he might provide himself with what he thought
most needful. Above all, he charged him to take _alforjas_ with him.
The other said he would, and that he meant to take also a very good
ass he had, as he was not much given to going on foot. About the ass,
Don Quixote hesitated a little, trying whether he could call to mind
any knight-errant taking with him an esquire mounted on ass-back, but
no instance occurred to his memory. For all that, however, he
determined to take him; intending to furnish him with a more honorable
mount when a chance of it presented itself, by appropriating the horse
of the first discourteous knight he encountered. Himself he provided
with shirts and such other things as he could, according to the
advice the host had given him; all which being settled and done,
without taking leave, Sancho Panza of his wife and children, or Don
Quixote of his housekeeper and niece, they sallied forth unseen by
anybody from the village one night, and made such good way in the
course of it that by daylight they held themselves safe from
discovery, even should search be made for them.

Sancho rode on his ass like a patriarch, with his _alforjas_ and
_bota_, and longing to see himself soon governor of the island his
master had promised him. Don Quixote decided upon taking the same
route and road he had taken on his first journey, that over the Campo
de Montiel, which he traveled with less discomfort than on the last
occasion; for as it was early morning and the rays of the sun fell on
them obliquely, the heat did not distress them.

And now said Sancho Panza to his master, "Your Worship will take care,
Senor Knight-Errant, not to forget about the island you have promi