“With all my heart,” answered Wilton, and away they accordingly went, trotting as hard as they could go for the next four or five miles.  Nevertheless, although the scheme was so far successful, Wilton and the Messenger did not reach the village of High Halstow above an hour before sunset.  The horses were by this time tired, and the riders somewhat hungry.  Provisions were procured in haste to satisfy the appetite of the travellers, and the horses, too, were fed.  It was some time, however, before the tired animals would take their food, and Wilton and his companion at length determined to proceed on foot.  Before they did so, as both were perfectly ignorant of the way, application was made to the host for directions, and the reply, “Why, there are three roads you can take!” somewhat puzzled the inquirers, especially when it was followed by a demand of where they were going exactly.

“When I know that,” said the landlord, “I shall be able to tell you which is the best road.”

“Why, I asked the way to Cowley Castle,” said Wilton, both embarrassed and annoyed; for the Messenger stood coolly by, without any attempt to aid him, and, in truth, enjoying a little difficulty.

“But you are not going to Cowley Castle at this time of night,” said the man:  “why, the only house there is the great house, and that is empty.”

“My good friend,” said Wilton, “I suppose the next question you will ask me is, what is my business there?  I ask you the way to Cowley Castle, and pray, if you can, give me a straightforward answer.”

“I beg your pardon, sir,” replied the man, with a determined air—­“I have given you a straightforward answer.  There are three roads, all of them very good ones, and there is, besides, a footpath.”

As he spoke, he stared into Wilton’s face with a look half dogged, half jocular; but in the end, he added,—­

“Come, come, sir—­you might as well tell me the matter at once.  If you are going to Master Plessis’s—­the mountseer, as we call him here—­I’ll put you upon your road in a minute:  I mean the gentleman that, folks think, has some dealings with France.”

It struck Wilton, instantly, that this gentleman, who was supposed to have dealings with France, must have something to do with the detention of Laura, and he therefore replied, “Perhaps it may be as you suppose, my good friend.  At all events, put me upon the principal horse-road towards Cowley Castle.”

“Well, sir, well,” replied the host, “you have nothing to do but to turn to the right when you go out of the door, and then you will find a road to the left; then take the first road to the right, which will lead you straight down to Cowley Church.  Now, if you’re going to Master Plessis’s, you had better not go farther than that.”

“That way will not be difficult to find,” replied Wilton; and followed by the Messenger, he quitted the little inn, or rather public-house, for it was no better, and traced accurately the road the landlord had pointed out.