"Dear me!" said Sybil, half crying, half smiling; "I have been warned
that it is never well to begin any enterprise of which one does not know
the end. And I'm sure when I undertook to give a mask ball and take a
character in it, I had not the slightest idea that the masquerade would
last longer than a night, or that I should have to continue to act a
character."
"Never mind, darling; it is but for a season. Go on, Pendleton. You seem
to have settled everything in your own mind for us. Let us hear the rest
of your plan," said Mr. Berners.
"It is this," continued the Captain. "I will bring these disguises to
you to-morrow night. I will also have a covered cart, loaded with
turnips, potatoes, apples, and so forth; I will have this cart driven by
your faithful Joe down to the Blackville ferry-boat, in which of course
he can cross the river with his load of produce unsuspected and
unquestioned."
"Or even if some inquisitive gossip should ask him where he might be
going, Joe would be ready with his safe answer. He can beat us in
baffling inquiry," put in Sybil.
"Like all his race," laughed Lyon.
"The chance you have mentioned is provided for. Joe is instructed to
answer any haphazard questioner, that he is bringing the load to me,
which will be the truth."
"But proceed, dear Pendleton. Develop your whole plan," urged Mr.
Berners.
"Well, then, once safe on this side of the river, Joe will drive the
cart to some convenient spot, to which I myself will guide you."
"Ah, how much trouble you take for us, Pendleton!" sighed Lyon.
"Not at all. As far as I am concerned, it is a piquant adventure. Try to
look at it in that light. Well, to our subject. When you reach the cart
you can put your wife inside, and then mount the driver's seat, and
start upon your journey like a plain old farmer going to market to sell
his produce. As you will have but the one pair of horses for the whole
journey, you will see the necessity of making very short stages, in
order to enable them to complete it."
"Certainly."
"And now listen! Because you must make these short stages and frequent
stoppages, and because you must avoid the most travelled roads, it will
be necessary for you to take a map of the State, and follow the most
direct route to Norfolk."
"Which is not the turnpike road used by the mail stagecoaches, for that
diverges frequently five or ten miles to the right or left of the line,
to take in the populous villages," put in Lyon Berners.
"Yes; I see you comprehended me! Well, I should farther advise you, when
you reach Norfolk, to put up at some obscure inn near the wharves, and
to embark in the very first ship that sails for Europe, even if it
should set sail within an hour after your arrival."