they had all of them plenty of money. They now rode fast, inquiring at
the places which they passed through whether any fugitives had been
seen, and if they came to a town, inquiring, before they entered,
whether there were any Parliamentary troops. So well did they manage,
that after four days they had gained the skirts of the New Forest, and
concealed themselves in a thicket till night-time, when Edward proposed
that he should conduct his fellow-travellers to the cottage, where he
would leave them till his plans were arranged.

Edward had already arranged his plans. His great object was to ward off
any suspicion of where he had been, and of course any idea that the
Intendant had been a party to his acts; and the fortunate change of his
dress enabled him now to do so with success. He had decided to conduct
his two friends to the cottage that night, and the next morning to ride
over in his Parliamentary costume to the Intendant's house, and bring
the first news of the success of Cromwell and the defeat at Worcester;
by which stratagem it would appear as if he had been with the
Parliamentary, and not with the Royalist army.

As they had travelled along, they found that the news of Cromwell's
success had not yet arrived: in those times there was not the rapidity
of communication that we now have, and Edward thought it very probable
that he would be the first to communicate the intelligence to the
Intendant and those who resided near him.

As soon as it was dusk the three travellers left their retreat, and,
guided by Edward, soon arrived at the cottage. Their appearance at
first created no little consternation, for Humphrey and Pablo happened
to be in the yard when they heard the clattering of the swords and
accoutrements, and through the gloom observed, as they advanced, that
the party were troopers. At first Humphrey was for running on and
barring the door, but, on a second reflection, he felt that he could not
do a more imprudent thing, if there was danger; and he therefore
contented himself with hastily imparting the intelligence to his
sisters, and then remaining at the threshold to meet the coming of the
parties. The voice of Edward calling him by name dissipated all alarm,
and in another minute he was in the arms of his brother and sisters.

"First let us take our horses to the stable, Humphrey," said Edward,
after the first greeting was over, "and then we will come and partake of
anything that Alice can