former topic, and at last told him plainly that the
best and shortest method to relieve their wants was to go on the
highway; and when he had once made this step, he scrupled not to make a
further, telling Gilburn that there was no such danger in those
practices as was generally apprehended, for that with a little care and
circumspection the gallows might be well enough avoided, which he said
was plain enough from his own adventures, since he had lived several
years in the profession, and by being cautious enough to look about him,
had escaped any confinement.

Gilburn heard this account with terror. He had never committed anything
of this kind hitherto, and knew very well that if he once engaged he
could never afterwards go back. Wilson seemed not at all uneasy at his
pause, but artfully introducing discourse on other subjects, plied him
in the meanwhile with liquor, until he saw him pretty warm, and then
resumed the story of his own adventures and of the facility of acquiring
money when a man is but well stored with courage and has ever so little
conduct. This artifice unfortunately had its effect, Wilson's
conversation and the fumes of liquor prevailing so far upon Gilburn
that, as he himself phrased it, he resolved at last upon business.

The day following, Gilburn provided himself with pistols, and removed
his quarters to go and live with Wilson, who encouraged him with all the
arguments he was able to stick to his new profession, and Gilburn in
return swore he would live and die with him. So at night they went out
together in quest of adventures. The road they took was towards
Paddington. A little after they were come into the fields, they attacked
a gentleman and took from him eight shillings, with which Gilburn was
very much pleased, though they had little luck after, so that they
returned at last to their lodgings, weary and fatigued, and were obliged
to mount guard the next morning. When their guard was over, they were,
as Mr. Gilburn expresses it in his last speech, as bare as a bird's
arse, so no time was to be lost, and accordingly that very night they
made their second expedition. Nobody coming in their way, Gilburn began
to fret, and at last falling into a downright passion, swore he would
rob the first man he met. He was as good as his word, and the booty he
got proved a tolerable provision for some days.

But guard-day drawing nigh again, Wilson told him there was no mounting
without money, and the sa