114 I^HE BATH ROAD 



muzzle of one to the highwayman's head, he pulled 

 the trigger, while his unexpected assailant stood and 

 laughed. Beyond a snap and some sparks from the 

 bruised flint, nothing happened. With a curse, he 

 levelled the other pistol, and with the same result. 

 The man in the mask laughed louder. " No good, 

 friend Bounce, trying that game," said he, coolly ; 

 " the powder was carefully l)lown out of each of thy 

 pans, almost under thy nose. If thou dost not want 

 a bullet through thy head, just hand me over the 

 repeater in thy boot, the purse in thy hat, the bank- 

 notes in thy fob, the gold snuffbox in thy breast, 

 and the diamond ring up thy sleeve. Out with them," 

 he added, " in less time than thee took when I saw 

 thee put 'em there, or I'll send thee to Davy Jones, 

 and take 'em myself." 



The muzzle of the highwayman's pistol was at his 

 head — -the trigger at full cock. The flashing eyes that 

 sparkled behind the mask showed the unfortunate 

 traveller that here was no man to be trifled with. 

 He dropped his useless weapon, and with considerable 

 trepidation drew, one by one, from their places of 

 security the valuables mentioned by the highwayman, 

 who, when he had received them all, drew half a crown 

 from the purse, and, flinging it into the chaise, said, 

 casting off his Quaker speech, " There is enough to 

 pay your turnpikes. And, liarkee ! " he added, in a 

 more peremptory tone, " for the future, don't brag 

 quite so much." Turning his horse's head, he dis- 

 appeared, leaving the chaise and its occupant to 

 continue their journey. The latter speedily recog- 

 nized that the Quaker was none other than Hawkes 

 himself. 



