CAPTURE OF BOULTER 227 



fcimily ordinary just ready. He accordingly sat 

 down at table, beside the landlord and three gentle- 

 men, one of whom eyed him with a searching scrutiny, 

 until, becoming; fullv satisfied that this w^as none 

 other than Boulter, the escaped prisoner, he beckoned 

 the landlord out of the room, and reminded him of 

 the duty and necessity which lay upon them of 

 securincr so notorious an offender. The landlord 

 then returned to the dining-room and desired Boulter 

 to accompany him to an adjoining parlour, where he 

 revealed to him the perilous state of affairs ; but 

 added, ' As you have never done me an injury, I wdsh 

 you no harm, so just pay your reckoning, and be off 

 as quick as you can.' 



Boulter bade him tell the strangers that they were 

 totally mistaken, that he was a London rider (that is 

 to say, a commercial traveller), and that his name 

 was White ; but having no wish to be the cause of a 

 disturbance in his house, he would take his advice 

 and go on his way. 



The landlord went back to his guests, and Boulter 

 got on his horse with all possible expedition. Once 

 fairly seated in the saddle, a single application of the 

 spur would have launched him beyond the reach of 

 these hungry pursuers, nor in such an emergency as 

 this would his pistol be harmlessly pointed against 

 those who thus souMit to earn the rewards offered for 

 his capture. Alas ! he had but placed his foot in the 

 stirrup when out rushed the false landlord and his 

 guests. They secured him, and being handed over to 

 the authorities, he was lodo-ed in Dorchester Gaol. 

 He was arraigned at Winchester with Caldwell (who 



