If you should lose the road, as is like enough, it being as evil and rough a track as well may be, you will like enough plunge into some bog or morass from which you may think yourself lucky to escape with life.

And if you do contrive to keep to the track, the light-heeled gentlemen of the road may swoop down upon you like birds of prey, and rob you of the little worldly wealth that you possess.

Wherefore I counsel you to pause ere you reach that ill-omened waste, and pass the night at the hostel there.

The beds may be something poor, but they will be better than the wet bog, and you will be less like to be robbed there than on the road." "I will take your good counsel, cousin," said Cuthbert.

"I have not much to lose, but that little is my all.