o--three--four--five. Ha! your
company seems to be lacking."

"Giles must have ridden on," suggested Stephen, while Kit, growling
angrily, called on the lazy fellow, Will Wherry, to wake and show
himself. But the officials were greatly hurried, and as long as no
dangerous person got into Calais, it mattered little to them who might
be left outside, so they hurried on the waggon into the narrow street.

It was well that it was a summer night, for lodgings there were none.
Every hostel was full and all the houses besides. The earlier comers
assured Kit that it was of no use to try to go on. The streets up to
the wharf were choked, and he might think himself lucky to have his
waggon to sleep in. But the horses! And food? However, there was one
comfort--English tongues answered, if it was only with denials.

Kit's store of travelling money was at a low ebb, and it was nearly
exhausted by the time, at an exorbitant price, he had managed to get a
little hay and water for the horses, and a couple of loaves and a haunch
of bacon among the five hungry men. They were quite content to believe
that Master Giles had ridden on before and secured better quarters and
viands, nor could they much regret the absence of Will Wherry's wide
mouth.

Kit called Stephen to council in the morning. His funds would not
permit waiting for the missing ones, if he were to bring home any
reasonable proportion of gain to his master. He believed that Master
Headley would by no means risk the whole party loitering at Calais, when
it was highly probable that Giles might have joined some of the other
travellers, and embarked by himself.

After all, Kit's store had to be well-nigh expended before the horses,
waggon, and all, could find means to encounter the miseries of the
transit to Dover. Then, glad as he was to be on his native soil, his
spirits sank lower and lower as the waggon creaked on under the hot sun
towards London. He had actually brought home only four marks to make
over to his master; and although he could show a considerable score
against the King and various nobles, these debts were not apt to be
promptly discharged, and what was worse, two members of his party and
one horse were missing. He little knew how narrow an escape he had had
of losing a third!

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

AN INVASION.

"What shall be the maiden's fate?
Who shall be the maiden's mate?"
Scott.

No Giles Headley appeared to greet the trav