TONY.

Why that's it, mon, I have led them aftray, By jingo, there's not a pond or dough within five miles of the place but they can tell the tafte of,

HASTINGS.

Ha! ha! ha! I understand; you took them in a round, while they fuppofed themfelves going forward, and fo you have at laft brought them home again,

TONY.

You fhall hear. I firft took them down Featherbed-lane, where we duck faft in the mud. I then rattled them crack over the ftones of Up-and-down Hill-I then introduced them to the gibbet on Heavy-tree Heath, and from that with a circumbendibus, I fairly lodged them in the horse-pond at the bottom of the garden.

HASTINGS.

But no accident, I hope.

TONY.

No, no. Only mother is confoundedly frightened. She thinks herself forty-miles off. She's fick of the journey, and the cattle can scarce crawl. So if your own horfes be ready, you may whip off with coufin, and I'll be bound that no foul here can budge a foot to follow you.

HASTINGS.

My dear friend, how can I be grateful?

TONY.

TONY.

Aye, now its dear friend, noble 'fquire. Juft now, it was all idiot, cub, and run me through the guts. Damn your way of fighting, I say. After we take a knock in this part of the country, we kifs and be friends. But if you had run me through the guts, then I fhould be dead, and you might go kiss the hangman.

HASTINGS.

The rebuke is juft. But I must haften to relieve Mifs Neville; if you keep the old lady employed, I promise to take care of the young one.

TONY:

[Exit Haflings,

Never fear me. Here fhe comes. Vanish. She's got from the pond, and draggled up to the waist like a mermaid.

Enter Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Oh, Tony, I'm killed. Shook. Battered, to death. I fhall never furvive it. That laft jolt that laid us against the quickfet hedge has done my bufinefs.

TONY.

Alack, mamma, it was all your own fault. You would be for running away by night, without knowing one inch of the way.

Mrs.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

I wish we were at home again. I never met fo many accidents in so short a journey. Drench'd in the mud, overturned in a ditch, ftuck faft in a flough, jolted to a jelly, and at last to lose our way. Whereabouts do you think we are, Tony?

TONY.

By my guess we fhould come upon Crackskull common, about forty miles from home.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

O lud! O lud! The most notorious spot in all the country. We only want a robbery to make a complete night on't.

TONY.

Don't be afraid, mamma, don't be afraid. Two of the five that kept here are hanged, and the other three may not find us. Don't be afraid. Is that a man that's galloping behind us? No; it's only a tree. Don't be afraid.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

The fright will certainly kill me.

TONY.

Do you fee any thing like a black hat moving behind the thicket.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

As I'm alive, Tony, I fee a man coming towards Ah! I'm fure on't. If he perceives us we are undone.

us.

TONY.

(Afide) Father-in-law, be all that's unlucky, come to take one of his night walks. (To her) Ah, it's a highwayman with pistols as long as my arm. A damn'd ill-looking fellow.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Good Heaven defend us! He approaches.

TONY.!

Do you hide yourself in that thicket, and leave

me to manage him.

cough and cry hem.

clofe.

If there be any danger I'll When I cough be fure to keep [Mrs. Hardcaftle hides behind a tree in the back Scene.

Enter HARDCASTLE.

HARDCASTLE.

I'm mistaken, or I heard voices of people in want of help. Oh, Tony, is that you! I did not expect you fo foon back. Are your mother and her charge in fafety?

TONY.

Very safe, Sir, at my aunt Pedigree's. Hem.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

(From behind) Ah death! I find there's danger.

HARD

HARDCASTLE.

Forty miles in three hours; fure that's too much,

my youngster.

TONY.

Stout horfes and willing minds make short journeys, as they fay. Hem.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

(From behind) Sure he'll do the dear boy no

harm.

HARDCASTLE.

But I heard a voice here; I fhould be glad to know from whence it came.

TONY.

It was I, Sir, talking to myself, Sir. I was faying that forty miles in four hours was very good going. Hem. As to be fure it was. Hem. I have got a fort of cold by being out in the air. We'll go in, if you please. Hem.

HARDCASTLE.

But if you talk'd to yourself, you did not answer yourself. I'm certain I heard two voices, and am refolved (raifing his voice) to find the other out.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

(From behind) Oh! he's coming to find me out. Oh!

TONY.

What need you go, Sir, if I tell you. Hem. I'll lay down my life for the truth-hem-I'll tell you

all, Sir

[Detaining him. HARD