spirits! Those old maids are always glad to have an eye upon such fine,
dashing young fellows."

"Ay," cried the more erudite and sententious Augustus Tomlinson, roused
by success from his usual philosophical sobriety; "no work is so pleasant
as night-work, and the witches our ancestors burned were in the right to
ride out on their broomsticks with the awls and the stars. We are their
successors now, Ned. We are your true fly-by-nights!"

"Only," quoth Ned, "we are a cursed deal more clever than they were; for
they played their game without being a bit the richer for it, and we--I
say, Tomlinson, where the devil did you put that red morocco case?"

"Experience never enlightens the foolish," said Tomlinson, "or you would
have known, without asking, that I had put it in the very safest pocket
in my coat. 'Gad, how heavy it is!

"Well," cried Pepper, "I can't say I wish it were lighter! Only think of
our robbing my lord twice, and on the same road too!"

"I say, Lovett," exclaimed Tomlinson, "was it not odd that we should have
stumbled upon our Bath friend so unceremoniously? Lucky for us that we
are so strict in robbing in masks! He would not have thought the better
of Bath company if he had seen our faces."

Lovett, or rather Clifford, had hitherto been silent. He now turned
slowly in his saddle, and said: "As it was, the poor devil was very
nearly despatched. Long Ned was making short work with him, if I had not
interposed!"