'Walworth. Burn this as soon as read. Early in the week, or
say Wednesday, you might do what you know of, if you felt dis-
posed to try it. Now burn.'

When I had shown this to Herbert and had put it in the fire--
but not before we had both got it by heart--we considered what
to do. For, of course, my being disabled could now be no longer
kept out of view.

'I have thought it over, again and again,' said Herbert, 'and I
think I know a better course than taking a Thames waterman.
Take Startop. A good fellow, a skilled hand, fond of us, and en-
thusiastic and honourable.'

I had thought of him, more than once.

'But how much would you tell him, Herbert?'

'It is necessary to tell him very little. Let him suppose it a mere
freak, but a secret one, until the morning comes: then let him know
that there is urgent reason for your getting Provis aboard and
away. You go with him?'

'No doubt.'

'Where?'

It had seemed to me, in the many anxious considerations I had
given the point, almost indifferent what port we made for--Ham-
burg, Rotterdam, Antwerp--the place signified little, so that he
was out of England. Any foreign steamer that fell in our way and
would take us up would do. I had always proposed to myself to
get him well down the river in the boat; certainly well beyond
Gravesend, which was a critical place for search or inquiry if sus-
picion were afoot. As foreign steamers would leave London at
about the time of high-water, our plan would be to get down the
river by a previous ebb-tide, and lie by in some quiet spot until we
could pull off to one. The time when one would be due where we
lay, wherever that might me, could be calculated pretty nearly, if
we made inquiries beforehand.

Herbert assented to all this, and we went out immediately after
breakfast to pursue our investigations. We found that a steamer
for Hamburg was likely to suit our purpose best, and we directed

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