The king's writ
runs but lamely in the Channel Isles and Wight, and if we wear some other
kit than this, maybe we shall find Newport as safe as St. Malo.'
This was just what I wanted, and so we settled there and then that we
would get the _Bonaventure_ to land us in the Isle of Wight instead of at
St. Malo. Since man first walked upon this earth, a tale of buried
treasure must have had a master-power to stir his blood, and mine was
hotly stirred. Even Elzevir, though he did not show it, was moved, I
thought, at heart; and we chafed in our cave prison, and those eight days
went wearily enough. Yet 'twas not time lost, for every day my leg grew
stronger; and like a wolf which I saw once in a cage at Dorchester Fair,
I spent hours in marching round the cave to kill the time and put more
vigour in my steps. Ratsey did not visit us again, but in spite of what
he said, met Elzevir more than once, and got money for him from
Dorchester and many other things he needed. It was after meeting Ratsey
that Elzevir came back one night, bringing a long whip in one hand, and
in the other a bundle which held clothes to mask us in the next scene.
There was a carter's smock for him, white and quilted over with
needlework, such as carters wear on the Down farms, and for me a smaller
one, and hats and leather leggings all to match.
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