d
for an opportunity of distinguishing my courage under her eye, which I
believed could not fail of prepossessing her in my favour, when all of
a sudden Strap rode up to the coach door, and told us in a great fright,
that two men on horseback were crossing the heath (for by this time we
had passed Hounslow), and made directly towards us.

This piece of information was no sooner delivered, than Mrs. Snapper
began to scream, her daughter grew pale, the old lady pulled out
her purse to be in readiness, the lawyer's teeth chattered, while he
pronounced, "'Tis no matter--we'll sue the county and recover." The
captain gave evident signs of confusion: and I, after having commanded
the coachman to stop, opened the door, jumped out, and invited the
warrior to follow me. But, finding him backward and astonished, I took
his pistols, and, giving them to Strap, who had by this time alighted
and trembled very much, I mounted on horseback; and, taking my own
(which I could better depend upon) from the holsters, cocked them both,
and faced the robbers, who were now very near us. Seeing me ready to
oppose them on horseback, and another man armed a-foot, they made a
halt at some distance to reconnoitre us: and after having rode round
us twice, myself still facing about as they rode, went off the same
way they came, at a hand gallop. A gentleman's servant coming up with a
horse at the same time, I offered him a crown to assist me in pursuing
them, which he no sooner accepted, than I armed him with the officer's
pistols, and we galloped after the thieves, who, trusting to the
swiftness of their horses, stopped till we came within shot of them and
then, firing at us, put their nags to the full speed. We followed them
as fast as our beasts could carry us; but, not being so well mounted as
they, our efforts would have been to little purpose, had not the horse
of one of them stumbled, and thrown his rider with such violence over
his head, that he lay senseless when we came up, and was taken without
the least opposition; while his comrade consulted his own safety in
flight, without regarding the distress of his friend. We scarce had
time to make ourselves masters of his arms, and tie his hands together,
before he recovered his senses, when, learning his situation he affected
surprise, demanded to know by what authority we used a gentleman in
that manner, and had the impudence to threaten us with a prosecution for
robbery. In the meantime, we pe