lished
and offered a reward, but we did not care to venture the receiving the
reward.

So this was a robbery and no robbery, for little was lost by it, and
nothing was got by it, and I was quite sick of going out in a beggar's
dress; it did not answer at all, and besides, I thought it was ominous
and threatening.

While I was in this disguise, I fell in with a parcel of folks of a
worse kind than any I ever sorted with, and I saw a little into their
ways too. These were coiners of money, and they made some very good
offers to me, as to profit; but the part they would have had me have
embarked in was the most dangerous part. I mean that of the very
working the die, as they call it, which, had I been taken, had been
certain death, and that at a stake--I say, to be burnt to death at a
stake; so that though I was to appearance but a beggar, and they
promised mountains of gold and silver to me to engage, yet it would not
do. It is true, if I had been really a beggar, or had been desperate
as when I began, I might perhaps have closed with it; for what care
they to die that can't tell how to live? But at present this was not
my condition, at least I was for no such terrible risks as those;
besides, the very thoughts of being burnt at a stake struck terror into
my very soul, chilled my blood, and gave me the vapours to such a
degree, as I could not think of it without trembling.

This put an end to my disguise too, for as I did not like the proposal,
so I did not tell them so, but seemed to relish it, and promised to
meet again. But I durst see them no more; for if I had seen them, and
not complied, though I had declined it with the greatest assurance of
secrecy in the world, they would have gone near to have murdered me, to
make sure work, and make themselves easy, as they call it. What kind
of easiness that is, they may best judge that understand how easy men
are that can murder people to prevent danger.

This and horse-stealing were things quite out of my way, and I might
easily resolve I would have to more to say to them; my business seemed
to lie another way, and though it had hazard enough in it too, yet it
was more suitable to me, and what had more of art in it, and more room
to escape, and more chances for a-coming off if a surprise should
happen.

I had several proposals made also to me about that time, to come into a
gang of house-breakers; but that was a thing I had no mind to venture
at neither, any mor