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.
'Aren'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.
'Aren'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?' 'To serve you out; aren't you ashamed--?' 'At what?' said I;
'not to have robbed you? Shall I set about it now?' 'Ha, ha!' said the
man, dropping the bullying tone which he had assumed; 'you are
joking--robbing! who talks of robbing? I wonder how my horse's knees
are; not much hurt, I think--only mired.' The man, whoever he was, then
got upon his horse; and, after moving him about a little, said, 'Good
night, friend; where are you?' 'Here I am,' said I, 'just behind you.'
'You are, are you? Take that.' I know not what he did, but probably
pricking his horse with the spur the animal kicked out violently; one of
his heels struck me on the shoulder, but luckily missed my face; I fell
back with the violence of the blow, whilst the fellow scampered off at a
great rate. Stopping at some distance, he loaded me with abuse, and
then, continuing his way at a rapid trot, I heard no more of him.

'What a difference!' said I, getting up; 'last night I was feted in the
hall of a rich genius, and to-night I am knocked down and mired in a dark
lane by the heel of Master Wise's horse--I wonder who