Taking a sword from Colonel Wyndham, the king dubbed Harry knight.  Then giving his hand to the landlord to kiss, Charles, accompanied by his two companions, left the inn.

A few minutes later Harry started and joined his friends.  Jacob agreed at once to the proposal to throw the Roundheads off King Charles’ track.  The next day they started north, and traveled through Wiltshire up into Gloucestershire, still keeping their disguises as gypsies.  There they left their donkey with a peasant, telling him they would return in a fortnight’s time and claim it.  In a wood near they again changed their disguise, hid their gypsy dresses, and started north on foot.  In the evening they stopped at Fairford, and took up their abode at a small inn, where they asked for a private room.  They soon ascertained that the landlord was a follower of the Parliament.  Going toward the room into which they were shown, Jacob stumbled, and swore in a man’s voice, which caused the servant maid who was conducting them to start and look suspiciously at him.  Supper was brought, but Harry noticed that the landlord, who himself brought it in, glanced several times at Jacob.  They were eating their supper when they heard his footstep again coming along the passage.  Harry dropped on one knee, and was in the act of handing the jug in that attitude to Jacob, when the landlord entered.  Harry rose hastily, as if in confusion, and the landlord, setting down on the table a dish which he had brought, again retired.

“Throw up the window, Jacob, and listen,” Harry said.  “We must not be caught like rats in a trap.”

The window opened into a garden, and Jacob, listening, could hear footsteps as of men running in the streets.

“That is enough, then,” Harry said.  “The alarm is given.  Now let us be off.”  They leaped from the window, and they were soon making their way across the country.  They had not been gone a hundred yards before they heard a great shouting, and knew that their departure had been discovered.  They had not walked far that day and now pressed forward north.  They had filled their pockets with the remains of their supper, and after walking all night, left the road, and climbing into a haystack at a short distance, ate their breakfast and were soon fast asleep.

It was late in the afternoon before they awoke.  Then they walked on until, after darkness fell, they entered a small village.  Here they went into a shop to buy bread.  The woman looked at them earnestly.

“I do not know whether it concerns you,” she said, “but I will warn you that this morning a mounted man from Fairford came by warning all to seize a tall countryman with a young fellow and a woman with him, for that she was no other than King Charles.”

“Thanks, my good woman,” Jacob said.  “Thanks for your warning.  I do not say that I am he you name, but whether or no, the king shall hear some day of your good-will.”