as have recourse to the primary law of nature. Certain it was
that at this part of the road Mauleverer looked more anxiously from
his window than he had hitherto done, and apparently the increased
earnestness of his survey was not altogether without meeting its reward.

About a hundred yards to the left, three dark objects were just
discernible in the shade; a moment more, and the objects emerging grew
into the forms of three men, well mounted, and riding at a brisk trot.

"Only three!" thought Mauleverer, "that is well;" and leaning from the
front window with a pistol in either hand, Mauleverer cried out to
the postboys in a stern tone, "Drive on, and recollect what I told
you!--Remember!" he added to his servant. The postboys scarcely looked
round; but their spurs were buried in their horses, and the animals flew
on like lightning.

The three strangers made a halt, as if in conference; their decision was
prompt. Two wheeled round from their comrade, and darted at full gallop
by the carriage. Mauleverer's pistol was already protruded from the
front window, when to his astonishment, and to the utter baffling of his
ingenious admonition to his drivers, he beheld the two postboys knocked
from their horses one after the other with a celerity that scarcely
allowed him an exclamation; and before he had recovered his
self-possession, the horses taking fright (and their fright being
skilfully taken advantage of by the highwaymen), the carriage was fairly
whirled into a ditch on the right side of the road, and upset. Meanwhile
Smoothson had leaped from his station in the front; and having fired,
though without effect, at the third robber, who approached menacingly
towards him, he gained the time to open the carriage door and extricate
his master.

The moment Mauleverer found himself on terra firma, he prepared his
courage for offensive measures; and he and Smoothson, standing side
by side in front of the unfortunate vehicle, presented no unformidable
aspect to the enemy. The two robbers who had so decisively rid
themselves of the postboys acted with no less determination towards
the horses. One of them dismounted, cut the traces, and suffered the
plunging quadrupeds to go whither they listed. This measure was not,
however, allowed to be taken with impunity; a ball from Mauleverer's
pistol passed through the hat of the highwayman with an aim so slightly
erring that it whizzed among the locks of the astounded hero with a
sou