we whether Sir Launcelot was found. Being answered, "Ey, ey, safe
enough to see you made fast in the bilboes, brother"; he told the captain
he had something of consequence to communicate for his advantage; and
proposed that Crowe and Crabshaw should bail the action, which lay only
for a debt of three pounds.

Crowe stormed, and Crabshaw grinned at this modest proposal; but when
they understood that they could only be bound for his appearance, and
reflected that they need not part with him until his body should be
surrendered unto justice, they consented to give bail; and the bond being
executed, conveyed him directly to the house of our adventurer.

The boisterous Crowe introduced him to Sir Launcelot with such an abrupt
unconnected detail of his offence, as the knight could not understand
without Timothy's annotations. These were followed by some questions put
to the conjurer, who, laying aside his black gown, and plucking off his
white beard, exhibited to the astonished spectators the very individual
countenance of the empirical politician Ferret, who had played our hero
such a slippery trick after the electioneering adventure.

"I perceive," said he, "you are preparing to expostulate, and upbraid me
for having given a false information against you to the country justice.
I look upon mankind to be in a state of nature; a truth, which Hobbes has
stumbled upon by accident. I think every man has a right to avail
himself of his talents, even at the expense of his fellow-creatures; just
as we see the fish, and other animals of the creation, devouring one
another. I found the justice but one degree removed from idiotism, and
knowing that he would commit some blunder in the execution of his office,
which would lay him at your mercy, I contrived to make his folly the
instrument of my escape--I was dismissed without being obliged to sign
the information I had given; and you took ample vengeance for his tyranny
and impertinence. I came to London, where my circumstances obliged me to
live in disguise. In the character of a conjurer, I was consulted by
your follower, Crowe, and your squire, Crabshaw. I did little or nothing
but echo back the intelligence they brought me, except prognosticating
that Crabshaw would be hanged; a prediction to which I found myself so
irresistibly impelled, that I am persuaded it was the real effect of
inspiration. I am now arrested for a paltry sum of money, and, moreover,
liable to be sent