Caleb Williams

Caleb’s first idea is to flee to London because, although he has secured Forester’s help, he wants to save this as a “last resource” (238). After three hours, he arrives at a small town where he can take a coach to a bigger city, but it won’t come until the day after next. As Caleb approaches the inn, a man rides past him; soon after he hears a horse come up behind him again, so he slows down to let him pass and realizes it is the same man from earlier now heading back into town (241). The man rides up to him and asks if his name is Williams. Caleb says he knows why the man is there but that he will never go back to Ferdinando’s. The man says he is just there to deliver a letter.

The letter is from Mr. Forester and explains that Ferdinando has people looking for Caleb: If Caleb is innocent of Ferdinando’s charges, then he will return to town and clear his name. If Caleb does this, then Mr. Forester will help him (242). Caleb returns to Ferdinando’s home and meets him in the morning. Mr. Forester says that when he saw Ferdinando, he told him that he’d better have something tangible against Caleb.