Hare Street on the summer evenings. I had found him always discreet and
silent, though I had not as yet given him any great confidence.)

"James," I said to him with great solemnity, "I have something to say to
you which must go no further."

He stood waiting on my word.

"A fellow hath been after me to-day--named Dangerfield--a very brown
man, with no hair on his face" (for so Mr. Chiffinch had told me). "He
hath been branded on the hand for some conviction. I tell you this that
you may know him if you see him again. I take him to be a Protestant
spy: but I do not know for certain."

He still stood waiting. He knew very well, I think, that I was on some
business, and that therefore I was in some danger too at such a time;
though I had never spoken to him of it.

"And another thing that I have to say to you is that we must ride for
Hare Street to-morrow, and arrive there by to-morrow night--without
lying anywhere on the road. You must have the horses here, and all
ready, by seven o'clock in the morning. And you must tell no one where
we are going to, to hinder any from following us, if we can help it. We
must lie at Hare Street a good while.

"And the third thing I have to say is this; that you must watch out very
shrewdly for any signs that we are known or suspected of anything. I
tell you plainly that both you and I may be in some danger for a while;
so if you have no taste for that, you had best begone. You will keep
quiet, I know very well."

"Sir, I will stay with you, if you please," said James, as the last word
was out of my mouth.

I gave him a look of pleasure; but no more; and he understood me very
well.

"Then that is all that I have to say. You may bring supper in as soon as
you like."

Before I lay down that night I had transferred His Majesty's packet to a
belt that I put next to my skin; and so I went to bed.

* * * * *

It was still pretty dark when we came out upon the Ware road upon the
next morning. I did not call James up to ride with me; for I had a great
number of things to think about; and first amongst them was the
commission which His Majesty had given me. What then could such a
business be?--a packet that I must carry with me, and deliver to a man
whose name should be given me afterwards! Why, then, was it entrusted to
me so soon? And why could not the name be given to me immediately? But
to such riddles there was no answer; and I left it presently