Also he made use of them to take a letter to the Doge of Venice, between which town and Genoa, although they hated each other bitterly, there was at the moment some kind of hollow truce.
So having drunk a cup of wine with him they bade him farewell.
Next morning the horses arrived, and with them two led beasts to carry their baggage, in charge of a Genoese guide.

So they departed on their long ride of something over two hundred English miles, which they hoped to cover in about a week.

In fact, it took them ten days, for the roads were very rough and the pack-beasts slow.

Once, too, after they had entered the territory of Venice, they were set on in a defile by four thieves, and might have met their end had not Grey Dick's eyes been so sharp.

As it was he saw them coming, and, having his bow at hand, for he did not like the look of the country or its inhabitants, leaped to earth and shot two of them with as many arrows, whereon the other two ran away.