and Jarkmen, from the Arch Rogue to the
Needy Mizzler, fully sensible of the honor you have conferred upon us in
gracing Stop-Hole Abbey with your presence; and conceiving that we can
in no way evince our sense of your condescension so entirely as by
offering you the freedom of our crew, together with the privileges of an
Upright Man,[34] which you may be aware are considerable, and by
creating you an honorary member of the Vagrant Club, which we have
recently established; and in so doing, we would fain express the
sentiments of gratification and pride which we experience in enrolling
among our members one who has extended the glory of roguery so widely
over the land, and who has kicked up such a dust upon the highways of
England, as most effectually to blind the natives--one who is in himself
a legion--of highwaymen! Awaiting, with respectful deference, the
acquiescence of Captain Richard Turpin, we beg to tender him the freedom
of our crew."

"Really, gentlemen," said Turpin, who did not exactly see the drift of
this harangue, "you do me a vast deal of honor. I am quite at a loss to
conceive how I can possibly have merited so much attention at your
hands; and, indeed, I feel myself so unworthy----" Here Dick received an
expressive wink from Juniper, and therefore thought it prudent to alter
his expression. "Could I suppose myself at all deserving of so much
distinction," continued the modest speaker, "I should at once accept
your very obliging offer; but----"

"None so worthy," said the upright man.

"Can't hear of a refusal," said the knight of Malta.

"Refusal--impossible!" reiterated Juniper.

"No; no refusal," exclaimed a chorus of voices. "Dick Turpin must be one
of us. He shall be our dimber damber."

"Well, gentlemen, since you are so pressing," replied Turpin, "even so
be it. I _will_ be your dimber damber."

"Bravo! bravo!" cried the mob, _not_ "of gentlemen."

"About it, pals, at once," said the knight of Malta, flourishing
Excalibur. "By St. Thomas a Becket, we'll have as fine a scene as I
myself ever furnished to the Canterbury lieges."

"About what?" asked Dick.

"Your matriculation," replied Jerry. "There are certain forms to be
gone through, with an oath to be taken, merely a trifle. We'll have a
jolly booze when all's over. Come bing avast, my merry pals; to the
green, to the green: a Turpin! a Turpin! a new brother!"

"A Turpin! a Turpin! a new brother!" echoed the crew.

"I've brought