promised never
to defraud a customer for the future of the value of a pin's point,
provided he might be rescued from the present danger. Whether or not his
disburthening his conscience afforded him any ease I knew not, but he
slipped into bed again, and lay very quiet until the robber and his
mistress were asleep, and snored in concert; then, rising softly, he
untied a rope that was round his pack, which making fast to one end of
it, he opened the window with as little noise as possible, and lowered
his goods into the yard with great dexterity: then he moved gently to
our bedside and bade us farewell, telling us that, as we ran no risk we
might take our rest with great confidence, and in the morning assure the
landlord that we knew nothing of his escape, and, lastly, shaking us
by the hands, and wishing us all manner of success, he let himself drop
from the window without any danger, for the ground was not above a yard
from his feet as he hung on the outside.

Although I did not think proper to accompany him in his flight, I was
not at all free from apprehension when I reflected on what might be the
effect of the highwayman's disappointment; as he certainly intended to
make free with the pedlar's ware. Neither was my companion at more ease
in his mind, but on the contrary, so possessed with the dreadful idea of
Rifle, that he solicited me strongly to follow our countryman's example,
and so elude the fatal resentment of that terrible adventurer, who
would certainly wreak his vengeance on us as accomplices of the pedlar's
elopement. But I represented to him the danger of giving Rifle cause to
think we know his profession, and suggested that, if ever he should meet
us again on the road, he would look upon us as dangerous acquaintance,
and find it his interest to put us out of the way. I told him, withal,
my confidence in Betty's good nature, in which he acquiesced; and
during the remaining part of the night we concerted a proper method of
behaviour, to render us unsuspected in the morning.

It was no sooner day than Betty, entering our chamber, and perceiving
our window open, cried out, "Odds-bobs! sure you Scotchmen must have
hot constitutions to lie all night with the window open in such cold
weather." I feigned to start out of sleep, and, withdrawing the curtain,
called, "What's the matter?" When she showed me, I affected surprise,
and said, "Bless me! the window was shut when we went to bed." "I'll
be hanged," said s