ace,--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?" "To serve you out; ar'n'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