'What! Wouldst thou rather have me? Canst thou bear starving?' 'Yes,' said she; 'with thee I can.' So that was settled, and nothing remained but to arrange when and how Dolly could escape from the house. 'Thou must put a light in thy window when everyone is asleep to-night,' said Jack. 'A light!' cried Dolly; 'but what good is that to thee?' 'Ay, a light; and as for the "good," leave that to me,' answered Jack, who had already thought of a friend to help him. 'And now farewell, lest they should seek for thee.' That evening he went to a trusty man, who was ostler at the inn of the World's End, and told him his story. 'Canst thou borrow thy master's mare for the night?' asked Jack anxiously. 'She is used to carry double, and my horse is not.' 'Ay, if she is in her stable before morning,' replied the ostler; and then Jack begged him to be at Raffle's shop at ten o'clock, and to whistle when he got there by way of a signal. Ten o'clock found them both at the appointed place, but they had to wait some time before the ostler announced that the promised light was in the window. Leaving both horses tied up a little way off--for Metcalfe had brought his own--they stole up to the Bensons' house and gave a faint tap at the door. Dolly was expecting Jack and came out, shutting the door after her. 'Not so fast,' said he; 'hast thou not brought any gowns? It would be well, as thou mayst not see thy mother for some time; and where is thy new pillion and cloth that thy father gavest thee?' 'Oh dear!' she replied, 'I had forgotten all that. I have nineteen or twenty gowns, and sure, I cannot bring them all. The pillion is in the other part of the house, but we must have it. As the door is shut, I will wake my sister, but she can keep a silent tongue.' She then threw some gravel at her sister's window, which, like her own, looked out on to the street, and in another moment the door was opened by Mistress Anne. 'I want my new tabby gown and the pillion,' whispered Dolly; and her sister, who knew more about the whole affair than Dolly had any idea of, showed no surprise at her request or at the sight of the two men standing in the shadow. 'The pillion? But it is in the room where Dickinson is lying,' she answered in some dismay. 'Oh, never mind, I will get it!' said Dolly, and, going upstairs, softly entered the room, which was lit by moonlight, and took up the pillion and cloth, which had been placed on a chair. 'Who is that?' asked Dickinson, awakened by her entrance. 'It is only me,' said the girl; 'I've come to fetch the pillion, so that I may brush it and have it ready for to-morrow.' 'That's well thought on,' replied the bridegroom; and, turning on his pillow, he fell asleep again.