‘If it wasn’t for him, we’d never have found Smithfield market,’ said Yori. ‘We only just got to you in time.’

‘I guess he wasn’t as mad as his name!’ said Jack with a laugh.

‘Oh, he’s mad all right,’ cried Yori, gripping the reins tight as the horses galloped towards Newgate. ‘He wanted Akiko to dress up as a bird!’

As they approached the towering brickwork of Newgate, a bleary-eyed man emerged from the gatehouse and saw the cart hurtling towards him.

‘GUARD! CLOSE THE GATE!’ roared Sir Toby, tearing down Snow Hill with Sir Edmund and Sir Francis. The constables on foot had already given up the chase.

The guard rushed to release the portcullis and the old iron gate rattled down to block off the entrance back into the city. Yori yanked on the reins and steered the horses into Old Bailey Street. But they were going too fast. The cart tipped, then a wheel hit a pothole and flew off. They were thrown from their seats just before the cart smashed into the city wall. The terrified horses bolted away, dragging the splintered remains of the cart behind them.

Dazed, bleeding and bruised, Jack got unsteadily to his feet. ‘Everyone all right?’ he asked.

Akiko and Yori nodded. Practised in the art of ukemi, they’d each broken their fall and rolled smoothly across the pavement.

‘We have you now!’ shouted Sir Toby as he and his companions thundered down the road towards them.

Stumbling on, Jack led Akiko and Yori into a busy narrow side street. It would be less easy for Sir Toby to catch up with them and run them down. Weaving between the startled Londoners, Jack and his friends raced on into Fleet Ditch, past Ludgate and towards the banks of the River Thames. But that was where they ran out of road.

‘What now?’ asked Yori desperately.

Jack pointed to a rowing boat at the quayside. ‘Quick, the skiff!’

Leaping into the boat, Jack untied its mooring rope. A ferryman shouted at them, waving his fist angrily, but Akiko took an oar and pushed away from the quayside and then began to row hard. A moment later, Toby, Edmund and Francis pulled up at the riverside.

‘You cowardly swine! A pox upon ye!’ bellowed Sir Toby. ‘I’ll have your guts for garters, Fletcher! Upon my life, I will run you through with my sword until you bleed like a stuck pig!’ He continued to fume and curse, his face growing redder and redder with each insult, but he didn’t jump into a boat and follow them.

‘Why’s he giving up?’ asked Yori.

‘Perhaps he’s scared of water!’ smirked Jack, just glad the chase was over.

The ferryman, apoplectic with rage too, gestured furiously downriver, yelling, ‘The tide’s going out, you blithering idiots!’

Akiko frowned at Jack as she continued to paddle. ‘Why should that matter?’