Fields. They hauled out all the ornaments,
and what they thought of no value they trampled under foot, but the rest
they made off with. Several houses, either belonging to Romanists, or
inhabited by persons supposed to be favourable to them, we saw
completely gutted. The same sort of work went on for several days. At
last I got so completely mixed up with one of the mobs that I could not
get free of them.

"Here, you look a likely man to lead us!" exclaimed a fellow standing
near me. "Where shall we go next?"

I did not answer him, but endeavoured to get away. This did not suit
him.

"What does the captain say?" he exclaimed.

"To Sir George Saville's, to Sir George Saville's!" cried some one.

"Hurrah for Sir George Saville's in Leicester Fields! He was the very
man who brought the Romish Bill into Parliament. Down with his house,
down with it!" shouted another fellow. "Lead on, captain--lead on!"

I at once saw that this was a trick that the real leader of the mob
might be screened. I was determined to escape or I might be ruined. I
told Tom to keep his eye on me, and to follow my movements. The mob
began to move on, destroying one or two houses on their way. We at last
passed the entrance to a narrow lane. Leaping aside, I darted down it.
Tom followed. None of the mob missed me. I had got some way along the
lane when a big, ill-favoured-looking fellow rushed out of a house with
a thick stick in his hand, evidently with the intention of joining the
rioters. Seeing a gentleman, and probably thinking I was a Romanist
escaping from the mob, he immediately turned on me and aimed a blow at
my head. I was just turning a corner, and he did not see Tom Rockets,
but Tom saw him, and with a stroke of his fist felled him to the ground.
Some other persons in the neighbouring houses saw the transaction, and
the fellow quickly recovering there was a hue and cry made after us, the
people rushing from their doors just as dogs are seen to run out from
their kennels, yelping and barking when a stranger cur passes through
the village.

As we were unarmed we could do nothing to defend ourselves, and had to
trust to our heels for safety. Our pursuers were very likely, I knew,
to tear us in pieces without asking any questions, and before we had
time to explain who we were. I never ran faster in my life. How we
were to escape them I could not tell. On we went: I sang out to Tom to
stick by me, for if I should