THE BEGINNING OF A CAREER 219 



ill sight across the downs. The perspiration oozed 

 out of his every pore, and he was so timid that he 

 rode past the diligence two or three times before he 

 could muster sufficient resolution to pronounce the 

 sino-le word ' Stand ! ' But at lenQ-th he found 

 courage in the thought that he must begin, or go 

 home as poor as he came out, and so, turning short 

 round, he ordered the driver to stop, and in less than 

 two minutes had robbed the two passengers of their 

 watches and money, saying that he was much obliged 

 to them, for he w^as in great w^ant ; and so, wishing 

 them a pleasant journey, departed in the direction of 

 Salisbury and Devizes. By the time he reached 

 Poulshot he had robbed three single travellers on 

 horseback and two on foot, and had secured a booty 

 of nearly £40 and seven watches. 



This filial visit coming to an end, he returned 

 home to Newport, Isle of Wight, by way of Andover, 

 Winchester, and Southampton. On his way across 

 Salisbury Plain he stopped a post-chaise, several 

 farmers on horseback, one on foot, and two country- 

 women returning from market, going in sight of the 

 last person into Andover, and putting up his horse 

 at the ' Swan,' where he stayed for an hour. 



This successful beffinnino- fired our hero for more 

 adventures, and the autumn of the same year found 

 him, equipped with new pistols, a fine suit of clothes, 

 and a horse stolen at Riiio-wood, makins; his wav to 

 Salisbury, wdth the intention of riding into the neigh- 

 bourhood of Exeter before commencins; business. But 

 between Salisbury and Blandford he could not resist 

 the temptation of robbing a diligence and a gentleman 



