rceived Strap coming up with a crowd of
people, armed up with different kinds of weapons; and among the rest a
farmer, who no sooner perceived the thief, whom we had secured, than he
cried with great emotion, "There's the fellow who robbed me an hour ago
of twenty pounds, in a canvas bag." He was immediately searched, and the
money found exactly as it had been described; upon which we committed
him to the charge of the countryman, who carried him to the town
of Hounslow, which, it seems, the farmer had alarmed; and I, having
satisfied the footman for his trouble, according to promise, returned
with Strap to the coach, where I found the captain and lawyer busy in
administering smelling bottles and cordials to the grave lady, who had
gone into a fit at the noise of firing.

When I had taken my seat, Miss Snapper, who from the coach had seen
everything that happened; made me a compliment on my behaviour, and said
she was glad to see me returned without having received any injury; her
mother too owned herself obliged to my resolution: the lawyer told me,
that I was entitled by act of parliament to a reward of forty pounds,
for having apprehended a highwayman. The soldier observed, with a
countenance in which impudence and shame struggling, produced some
disorder, that if I had not been in such a d--d hurry to get out of the
coach, he would have secured the rogues effectually, without all this
bustle and loss of time, by a scheme, which my heat and precipitation
ruined. "For my own part," continued he, "I am always extremely cool
on these occasions." "So it appeared, by your trembling," said the young
lady. "Death and d--ion!" cried he, "your sex protects you, madam; if any
man on earth durst tell me so much, I'd send him to hell, d--n my heart!
in an instant." So saying, he fixed his eyes upon me, and asked if I had
seen him tremble? I answered without hesitation, "Yes." "D--me,
sir!" said he, "d'ye doubt my courage?" I replied, "Very much." This
declaration quite disconcerted him. He looked blank, and pronounced with
a faltering voice, "Oh! it's very well: d--n my blood! I shall find
a time." I signified my contempt of him, by thrusting my tongue in my
cheek, which humbled him so much, that he scarce swore another oath
aloud during the whole journey.

The precise lady, having recruited her spirits by the help of some
strong waters, began a soliloquy, in which she wondered that any man,
who pretended to maintain the charac