mmediately set off to find
the gate, or some entrance into the field, while the other man made
after Joey. Our hero retreated at full speed; the man followed, but
could not keep pace with our hero, as the road was newly-gravelled, and
he had no shoes. Joey, perceiving this, slackened his pace, and when
the man was close to him, turned short round, and aiming the stone with
great precision, hit him on the forehead, and the fellow fell down
senseless. In the meantime the other miscreant had taken the road in
the opposite direction to look for the gate; and Joey, now rid of his
assailant, perceived that in the hedge, opposite to the part of the road
where he now stood, there was a gap which he could get through. He
scrambled into the field, and ran for his bundle. The other man, who
had been delayed, the gate being locked, and fenced with thorns, had but
just gained the field when Joey had his bundle in his possession. Our
hero caught it up, and ran like lightning to the gap, tossed over his
bundle, and followed it, while the man was still a hundred yards from
him. Once more in the high road, Joey took to his heels, and having run
about two hundred yards, he looked back to ascertain if he was pursued,
and perceived the man standing over his comrade, who was lying where he
had fallen. Satisfied that he was now safe, Joey pursued his journey at
a less rapid rate, although he continued to look back every minute, just
by way of precaution; but the fellows, although they would not lose an
opportunity of what appeared such an easy robbery, had their own reasons
for continuing their journey, and getting away from that part of the
country.

Our hero pursued his way for two miles, looking out for some water by
the wayside to quench his thirst, when he observed in the distance that
there was something lying on the roadside. As he came nearer, he made
it out to be a man prostrate on the grass, apparently asleep, and a few
yards from where the man lay was a knife-grinder's wheel, and a few
other articles in the use of a travelling tinker; a fire, nearly
extinct, was throwing up a tiny column of smoke, and a saucepan, which
appeared to have been upset, was lying beside it. There was something
in the scene before him which created a suspicion in the mind of our
hero that all was not right; so, instead of passing on, he walked right
up to where the man lay, and soon discovered that his face and dress
were bloody. Joey knelt do