o see what a pitiful
dejected fellow he now appeared, who had but a few hours before filled
me with such terror and confusion. My companion was so much encouraged
by this alteration in his appearance that, going up to the thief, he
presented his clenched fists to his nose, and declared he would either
cudgel or box with the prisoner for a guinea, which he immediately
produced, and began to strip, but was dissuaded from this adventure by
me, who represented to him the folly of the undertaking, as Rifle
was now in the hands of justice, which would, no doubt, give us all
satisfaction enough.

But what made me repent of our impertinent curiosity was our being
detained by the captors, as evidence against him, when we were just
going to set forward. However, there was no remedy; we were obliged to
comply, and accordingly joined in the cavalcade, which luckily took the
same road that we had proposed to follow. Abort the twilight we arrived
at the place of our destination, but as the justice was gone to visit
a gentleman in the country, with whom (we understood) he would probably
stay all night, the robber was confined in an empty garret, three
stories high, from which it seemed impossible for him to escape; this,
nevertheless, was the case; for next morning when they went up stairs to
bring him before the justice, the bird was flown, having got out at the
window upon the roof from whence he continued his route along the tops
of the adjoining houses, and entered another garret where he skulked
until the family were asleep; at which time he ventured down stairs, and
let himself out by the street-door, which was open.

This event was a great disappointment to those that apprehended him, who
were flushed with the hopes of the reward; but gave me great joy, as
I was permitted now to continue my journey, without any further
molestation. Resolving to make up for the small progress we had hitherto
made, we this day travelled with great vigour and before night reached
a market town twenty miles from the place from whence we set out in the
morning, without meeting any adventure worth notice. Here having taken
up our lodging at an in, I found myself so fatigued that I began to
despair of performing our journey on foot, and desired Strap to inquire
if there were any waggon, return horses, or any cheap carriage in this
place, to depart for London next day. He was informed that the waggon
from Newcastle to London had halted there two night