Tothebeginningsofvirilecommonsenseheaddsthelastlightsofthechild”simagination；andhecanflinghimselfintobusinesswiththatsuperiorearnestnessthatproperlybelongstoplay。AndRowleywasaboymadetomyhand。Hehadahighsenseofromance，andasecretcultusforallsoldiersandcriminals。Histravellinglibraryconsistedofachap-booklifeofWallaceandsomesixpennypartsofthe”OldBaileySessionsPapers”byGurneytheshorthandwriter；andthechoicedepictshischaractertoahair。Youcanimaginehowhisnewprospectsbrightenedonaboyofthisdisposition。Tobetheservantandcompanionofafugitive，asoldier，andamurderer，rolledinone-tolivebystratagems，disguises，andfalsenames，inanatmosphereofmidnightandmysterysothickthatyoucouldcutitwithaknife-wasreally，I
believe，moredeartohimthanhismeals，thoughhewasagreattrencherman，andsomethingofagluttonbesides。Formyself，asthepegbywhichallthisromanticbusinesshung，Iwassimplyidolisedfromthatmoment；andhewouldratherhavesacrificedhishandthansurrenderedtheprivilegeofservingme。
Wearrangedthetermsofourcampaign，trudgingamicablyinthesnow，whichnow，withtheapproachofmorning，begantofalltopurpose。IchosethenameofRamornie，IimaginefromitslikenesstoRomaine；Rowley，fromanirresistibleconversionofideas，I
dubbedGammon。Hisdistresswaslaughabletowitness：hisownchoiceofanunassumingnicknamehadbeenClaudeDuval！Wesettledourprocedureatthevariousinnswhereweshouldalight，rehearsedourlittlemannerslikeapieceofdrilluntilitseemedimpossibleweshouldeverbetakenunprepared；andinallthesedispositions，youmaybesurethedespatch-boxwasnotforgotten。Whowastopickitup，whowastosetitdown，whowastoremainbesideit，whowastosleepwithit-therewasnocontingencyomitted，allwasgoneintowiththethoroughnessofadrill-sergeantontheonehandandachildwithanewplaythingontheother。”Isay，wouldn”titlookqueerifyouandmewastocometothepost-housewithallthisluggage？”saidRowley。”Idaresay”Ireplied。”Butwhatelseistobedone？””Well，now，sir-youhearme”saysRowley。”Ithinkitwouldlookmorenatural-likeifyouwastocometothepost-housealone，andwithnothinginyour”ands-morelikeagentleman，youknow。
Andyoumightsaythatyourservantandbaggagewasa-waitingforyouuptheroad。IthinkIcouldmanage，somehow，tomakeashiftwithallthemdrattedthings-leastwaysifyouwastogivemea”andupwiththematthestart。””AndIwouldseeyoufarenoughbeforeIallowedyoutotry，Mr。