"No, but speak low," whispered Waller, while Godfrey's breath was quite audible as he breathed hard in his excitement. "We were beginning to think that you did not mean to come." "What call had you got to think that?" grumbled the man in a hoarse whisper. "I went directly.--How are you, young gentleman?--My brother-in-law Jem had gone to sea, and I had to wait; and here I am now, large as life and twiced as ugly." "But has your brother-in-law come back?" "Oh, ay, he's got back." "And will he take my friend across to Cherbourg?" "Oh, I have been having a long fight with him about that, sir. He's got a nasty disposition, he has. I telled him that I'd give him a good price for doing the job, and that I'd go as far as three pounds." "What!" cried Waller. "I told you five." "To be sure you did, sir, but I warn't going to let him have all his own way, so I said three, meaning, if he argufied very much, to spring another pound and make it four. But he wouldn't. He stuck out for the five, and I had to promise him." "Oh, but you shouldn't have wasted time over that, Bunny." "Don't you tell me, Master Waller. I know brother Jem better than you do. He's a close-fisted one, brother Jem is, and he always takes care that them as buys his fish to sell ashore shan't have too much profit. Why, if I had offered him five pound right off he'd have held out for six. But don't you get wasting time talking. There aren't none to lose." "No time to lose? What do you mean?" said Waller. "Ah, you don't know, then? The soldiers is coming here to-night." "To-night! Nonsense!" cried Waller. "They have gone right away--to Chichester, I think." "Maybe they went, sir, but it warn't to Chichester; it was to Christchurch; and Tony Gusset got hold of something, and he's gone after them, and some one I know telled me they were coming here to-night, and don't mean to be put off this time." "Then I must go at once," cried Godfrey excitedly. "That's right, sir," said Bunny. "I brought you some things as will make you look like a fisher-lad when I have done with you. Can you slip them on in the dark?" "Oh, yes, of course he can," cried Waller. "I will help him." "The sooner the better, then, sir," whispered the man, and, busying himself with the knots in a great cotton handkerchief, he soon shook out a big, broad, canvas petticoat, such as the fishers use, sewed right up the middle so as to give it the semblance of a clumsy pair of trousers. Godfrey winced a little as he handled the stiff garment; but it was for liberty, and he soon had the canvas buttoned on.