De Chesne came again to the house in London, to renew his
master's offer of a ship to carry Sir Walter overseas, and such
other assistance as Sir Walter might require But by now the
knight's arrangements were complete. His servant Cotterell had
come to inform him that his own boatswain, now in London, was the
owner of a ketch, at present lying at Tilbury, admirably suited
for the enterprise and entirely at Sir Walter's disposal. It had
been decided, then, with the agreement of Captain King, that they
should avail themselves of this; and accordingly Cotterell was
bidden desire the boatswain to have the craft made ready for sea
at once. In view of this, and anxious to avoid unnecessarily
compromising the French envoy, Sir Walter gratefully declined the
latter's offer.
And so we come at last to that July evening appointed for the
flight. Ralegh, who, having for some time discarded the use of
Manourie's ointment, had practically recovered his normal
appearance, covering his long white hair under a Spanish hat, and
muffling the half of his face in the folds of a cloak, came to
Wapping Stairs--that ill-omened place of execution of pirates and
sea-rovers--accompanied by Cotterell, who carried the knight's
cloak-bag, and by Sir Lewis and Sir Lewis's son.
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