"You seem a civil gentleman," returned the attorney, "and I am sorry too. Have a care as you go by Marlborough Downs: a parcel of whipper-snappers have been very busy there of late."
Jackson affected to be very much concerned at this news, and the attorney, noticing his apparent alarm, told him if he carried any considerable sum he must conceal it, or he would certainly lose all.
Jackson then pretended to thank him coldly, as if suspecting him of being some subtle insinuating spy; whereupon, the lawyer, to prove his own good faith, put his hand in his pocket and drew out a bag containing a hundred and fifty guineas. "These," said he, "I will so conceal in the saddle I ride upon that I will defy all the damned highwaymen in England to find them out. I have passed them several times in this manner, with good sums about me, and, for your further belief, I will show you in what way."
He then exhibited his hiding-place in the saddle, for which Jackson thanked him more genuinely than he suspected.
At that moment there came a note from his confederates at the other inn, to meet them at a certain place, and so, pretending he had business in the town, he left, and, meeting them, arranged that he and his fellow should change places with the other couple: that he should go forward and rob the traveller bound for Marlborough, while the others should turn about and relieve the attorney journeying to London.
The cunning scheme was neatly performed; but Jackson and his associate did not come off quite so well, the Marlborough traveller and his man making a stout resistance. Jackson was shot in the arm, and had the gentleman's horse not then been shot dead, they had very likely been taken prisoners. As it was, they captured a hundred and twenty guineas.
The next adventure entailed a great deal of work, and they were shamefully robbed of all their spoils, at the end of it, to the tune of over £180.
Hearing that a ship was to be paid off at Chatham on such a day, and well aware that the sailors would then be coming, post-haste, to London, to spend their money, they went to Shooter's Hill and hovered about there until evening, with very poor results. Next day they picked up a great many stragglers, and robbed them of their all; but always avoiding groups of travellers. A parson with very shabby clothes, and riding a sorry horse, then came on the hill. He looked so poor that they judged him to be worth hardly an attorney's retaining-fee; but, with time hanging heavy on their hands, they thought to have some sport with him, and stopped him and began to search his pockets for fun. But when he roared out, like a town bull, that he was undone, they suspected he carried more than they had thought, and searched more thoroughly; with the result that his pockets yielded fifteen pounds.
They were good enough to return him twenty shillings, on his swearing he would not set the hue-and-cry upon them, or inform any person he might meet upon the road, and then let him proceed; but it so chanced that he fell in with a sailor and advised him, if he had any money about him, to turn back, for there was a parcel of rogues up yonder on the hill who had but now robbed him and would do the like to any one else.