-"no interruptions if you please.
'But this noble principle,'" continued he, with great emphasis, "'though
not utterly lost, I cannot think at present so active as it ought to be
in a nation so jealous of her liberty.'"

"Good!" exclaimed Jack. "There is more than '_common sense_' in that
observation, Mr. Coates."

"'My suspicion,'" proceeded Coates, "'is founded on a late instance. I
mean the flagrant, undisturbed success of the notorious TURPIN, who hath
robb'd in a manner scarce ever known before for several years, and is
grown so insolent and impudent as to threaten particular persons, and
become openly dangerous to the lives as well as fortunes of the people
of England.'"

"Better and better," shouted Jack, laughing immoderately. "Pray go on,
sir."

"'That a fellow,'" continued Coates, "'who is known to be a thief by the
whole kingdom, shall for so long a time continue to rob us, and not only
rob us, but make a jest of us----'"

"Ha--ha--ha--capital! Excuse me, sir," roared Jack, laughing till the
tears ran down his cheeks--"pray, pray, go on."

"I see nothing to laugh at," replied Coates, somewhat offended;
"however, I will conclude my letter, since I have begun it--'not only
rob us, but make a jest of us, shall defy the laws, and laugh at
justice, argues a want of public spirit, which should make every
particular member of the community sensible of the public calamity, and
ambitious of the honor of extirpating such a notorious highwayman from
society, since he owes his long successes to no other cause than his
immoderate impudence, and the sloth and pusillanimity of those who ought
to bring him to justice.' I will not deny," continued Coates, "that,
professing myself, as I do, to be a staunch new Whig, I had not some
covert political object in penning this epistle.[22] Nevertheless,
setting aside my principles----"

"Right," observed Jack; "you Whigs, new or old, always set aside your
principles."

"Setting aside any political feeling I may entertain," continued Coates,
disregarding the interruption, "I repeat, I am ambitious of extirpating
this modern Cacus--this Autolycus of the eighteenth century."

"And what course do you mean to pursue?" asked Jack, "for I suppose you
do not expect to catch this '_ought-to-lick-us_,' as you call him, by a
line in the newspapers."

"I am in the habit of keeping my own counsel, sir," replied Coates,
pettishly; "and to be plain with you, I hope to finger all the re