Miss Jenny, shaking him by the shoulder, bawled out,
"Sdeath! captain, is this a time to snore, when we are going to be
robbed? Get up for shame, and behave like a soldier and man of honour!"
Weazel pretended to be in a great passion for being disturbed, and swore
he would have his nap out if all the highwaymen in England surrounded
him. "D--n my blood! what are you afraid of?" continued he; at the same
time trembling with such agitation that the whole carriage shook. This
singular piece of behaviour incensed Miss Ramper so much that she cried,
"D--n your pitiful soul, you are as arrant a poltroon, as ever was
drummed out of a regiment. Stop the waggon, Joey--let me out, and by
G--d, if I have rhetoric enough, the thief shall not only take your
purse, but your skin also." So saying she leaped out with great agility.
By this time the horseman came up and happened to be a gentleman's
servant well known to Joey, who communicated the scheme, and desired
him to carry it on a little further, by going into the waggon, and
questioning those within. The stranger, consenting for the sake of
diversion, approached it, and in a terrible tone demanded, "Who have
we got here?" Isaac replied, with a lamentable voice, "Here's a poor
miserable sinner, who has got a small family to maintain, and nothing in
the world wherewithal, but these fifteen shillings which if you rob
me of we must all starve together." "Who's that sobbing in the other
corner?" said the supposed highwayman. "A poor unfortunate woman,"
answered Mrs. Weazle, "upon whom I beg you, for Christ's sake, to have
compassion." "Are you maid or wife," said he. "Wife, to my sorrow,"
said she. "Who, or where is your husband?" continued he. "My husband,"
replied Mrs. Weazel, "is an officer in the army and was left sick at the
last inn where we dined." "You must be mistaken, madam," said he, "for
I myself saw him get into the waggon this afternoon. But pray what smell
is that? Sure your lapdog has befouled himself; let me catch hold of the
nasty cur, I'll teach him better manners." Here he laid hold of one of
Weazel's legs, and pulled him out from under his wife's petticoat, where
he had concealed himself. The poor trembling captain, being detected in
his inglorious situation, rubbed his eyes, and affecting to wake out of
sleep, cried, "What's the matter? What's the matter?" "The matter is not
much," answered the horseman; "I only called in to inquire after your
health, and so adieu,