"I have it," said Peele. "Trust your money to me, and I will go to the Jew clothes dealer, get a handsome black satin suit and good boots, and you must all be put in livery and pass as my servants."
Thus costumed, and taking a pair of oars with them, the party ascended the Thames to Brentford, where they entered the inn of the "Three Pigeons." George called for the host, said he was a big squire in Kent, and that he had come up the river to make merry at Brentford. And he thereupon ordered supper and wine, and paid down out of the money he had in hand.
At dinner, Peele asked the host about the tide. When he heard that the tide did not set out till evening, "Confound it," said he, "I intended to stay here a few days, but I have not money enough with me to pay. I want to send a lackey to London for a bag of ten pounds that have not seen the sun and begun to melt. Have you a horse?" "Certainly I have," answered the taverner, "and I can lend it your man."
Accordingly, one of the good comrades was mounted and sent off to London. Presently in came the hostess with a petition. One of Mr. Peele's lackeys had been at her to beg his master to allow him to go as far as Kingston to visit a sweetheart he had there. If Mr. Peele would allow him to go he would promise to be back by nightfall.
"How can he?" asked George: "the distance is too great—if he runs, he cannot do it."
"For the matter of that," replied the landlady, "I have a mare, and will lend it him."
"Very well, let the rogue go."
So away went the fellow with the mare, but not to Kingston—he rode to London, where he met his fellow on the landlord's other horse. George Peele now sent for the barber to do his hair, and he was to mind and
