be making arrangements for a fresh landing, and a new insurrection. The season is fine, the nights will be delightfully dark for a week to come, no time could be more pleasant or favourable for taking your first lesson in the art of escaping, and as I think you told me your finances were low, and you may perhaps have occasion for a little bribery and corruption, you had better take my purse to assist your proceedings."

During the latter part of this speech, which was delivered with his usual rapidity, he had dismounted; and now stood with his purse in one hand and his horse's bridle in the other, offering them both to Reuben, who was, however, much too generous in his own nature to take advantage of his friend's magnanimous proposal; suggesting that he himself might as well strike across the country on foot, while his comrade rode forward, and absolutely refusing to touch a shilling of the money.

"Look'ye, my young friend," said Fludyer, seating himself by the road-side, “when you have known me a little longer, you will have

VOL. I.

M

discovered that I am somewhat obstinate and inflexible in my purposes. If you do not instantly mount, I shall turn the animal loose, make my way down yonder lane, and leave you to your fate; and when your lost parents revisit England, they will have the misery of learning that you refused to preserve a life so dear to them, although the means were proffered to you."

"Do you indeed believe that they still exist -that they will be restored to my embraces?" eagerly exclaimed Reuben, whose objections were instantly overcome by this artful appeal to his feelings: "not for worlds would I lose that blessed chance, or afford them the shadow of a cause for reproaching my memory. When, oh, when will the blissful moment of our meeting

" if you

"Never!" interrupted Fludyer, waste another moment in vain aspirations; for, hark! that trumpet, sounding from the hill behind us, announces that the foremost of the scourers are hard upon our track. Up, up, and away! for if you stand one second longer upon punctilio, we may both chance to dance

upon nothing." So saying, he lifted rather than helped his companion into the saddle; and Reuben, determined not to deprive him of his purse, of which he would now, probably, have more need than himself, hastily exclaimed— "God bless you, my generous friend!" waved his hand, struck spurs into his horse, and again galloped rapidly forwards, neither knowing in what direction he was riding, nor what he should do when his steed would no longer enable him to continue his flight.

Thus did he press onwards for some miles without relaxing his speed, filled with gloomy apprehensions, which were increased by the threatenings of the wind, as it ever and anon bore to his ear the braying of a not very distant trumpet, until he reached a solitary alehouse, in front of which a man, who appeared to be its landlord, was sitting in the shade, smoking a pipe, with a tankard of ale by his side. The sight of a person thus pleasantly occupied, not only suggested to him the necessity of some refreshment for himself and his horse, but reminded him of Fludyer's advice, that, in order

to avoid betraying himself by his equipments, he should seize the first opportunity of exchanging his helmet for a hat. With this intention he drew up at the door; when the landlord started from his bench to receive him, exclaiming, "Sniggers! my noble captain, thee'lt surely be pleased to 'light; for thy poor beast's flanks do reek vor all the world like a lime-kiln, and thof he do look like a rare good 'n, I can zee by the zhaking of his tail that he ha'n't got much more go in him.”

"Thank ye, friend," replied Reuben: "I cannot tarry more than a few seconds; for I am bound upon an errand of life and death. But I am worried with this helmet, which, as you see, is too large for my head, and yet will not protect my eyes from the sun: would it suit you to receive it in exchange for your more comfortable beaver ?"

"What! swop my old castor for that 'ere vine helmet? how much must I gi' ye besides?" said the rustic, chinking the silver in his breeches' pocket.

"You may keep your money," replied Reu

ben, "if

you will only bring a pail of water for my horse, allow me to finish your tankard of

ale, and to fill my pockets with yonder biscuits that are ranged along the window."

"Done!" exclaimed the rustic, with an eager chuckle, at the same time reaching out his hat, and receiving the helmet in return; when, having deposited the latter in a place of safety, he handed up his tankard, ran to fetch a pail of water, which he popped down under the horse's nose, and bustling into the house for a large handful of biscuits, crammed them into Reuben's pocket, as if to bind the bargain, and prevent any possibility of a hitch in such a beneficial exchange. His chapman, however, who had no wish to break his bargain, finished the remainder of the tankard, allowed his horse to empty the pail, and speedily resumed his flight; when the landlord, bursting into a more audible chuckle than he had previously ventured to indulge, struck his hand upon his thigh, exclaiming, "Danged if that chap baint the softest flat ever I coom across!"-at the conclusion of which words, he clapped the helmet upon his