t,
trot; and evidently more than those of one horse; their speed as they
advanced appeared to slacken--it was only, however, for a moment. I
heard a voice cry, "Push on,--this is a desperate robbing place,--never
mind the dark;" and the hoofs came on quicker than before. "Stop!" said
I, at the top of my voice; "stop! or . . . " Before I could finish what
I was about to say there was a stumble, a heavy fall, a cry, and a groan,
and putting out my foot I felt what I conjectured to be the head of a
horse stretched upon the road. "Lord have mercy upon us! what's the
matter?" exclaimed a voice. "Spare my life," cried another voice,
apparently from the ground; "only spare my life, and take all I have!"
"Where are you, Master Wise?" cried the other voice. "Help! here, Master
Bat," cried the voice from the ground, "help me up or I shall be
murdered." "Why, what's the matter?" said Bat. "Some one has knocked me
down, and is robbing me," said the voice from the ground. "Help!
murder!" cried Bat; and, regardless of the entreaties of the man on the
ground that he would stay and help him up, he urged his horse forward and
galloped away as fast as he could. I remained for some time quiet,
listening to various groans and exclamations uttered by the person on the
ground; at length I said, "Holloa! are you hurt?" "Spare my life, and
take all I have!" said the voice from the ground. "Have they not done
robbing you yet?" said I; "when they have finished let me know, and I
will come and help you." "Who is that?" said the voice; "pray come and
help me, and do me no mischief." "You were saying that some one was
robbing you," said I; "don't think I shall come till he is gone away."
"Then you ben't he?" said the voice. "Ar'n't you robbed?" said I. "Can't
say I be," said the voice; "not yet at any rate; but who are you? I
don't know you." "A traveller whom you and your partner were going to
run over in this dark lane; you almost frightened me out of my senses."
"Frightened!" said the voice, in a louder tone; "frightened! oh!" and
thereupon I heard somebody getting upon his legs. This accomplished, the
individual proceeded to attend to his horse, and with a little difficulty
raised him upon his legs also. "Ar'n't you hurt?" said I. "Hurt!" said
the voice; "not I; don't think it, whatever the horse may be. I tell you
what, my fellow, I thought you were a robber; and now I find you are not,
I have a good mind--" "To do what?"