"'My suspicion,'" proceeded Coates, "'is founded on a late instance. I mean the flagrant, undisturbed success of the notorious TURPIN, who hath robb'd in a manner scarce ever known before for several years, and is grown so insolent and impudent as to threaten particular persons, and become openly dangerous to the lives as well as fortunes of the people of England.'" "Better and better," shouted Jack, laughing immoderately. "Pray go on, sir." "'That a fellow,'" continued Coates, "'who is known to be a thief by the whole kingdom, shall for so long a time continue to rob us, and not only rob us, but make a jest of us----'" "Ha--ha--ha--capital! Excuse me, sir," roared Jack, laughing till the tears ran down his cheeks--"pray, pray, go on." "I see nothing to laugh at," replied Coates, somewhat offended; "however, I will conclude my letter, since I have begun it--'not only rob us, but make a jest of us, shall defy the laws, and laugh at justice, argues a want of public spirit, which should make every particular member of the community sensible of the public calamity, and ambitious of the honor of extirpating such a notorious highwayman from society, since he owes his long successes to no other cause than his immoderate impudence, and the sloth and pusillanimity of those who ought to bring him to justice.' I will not deny," continued Coates, "that, professing myself, as I do, to be a staunch new Whig, I had not some covert political object in penning this epistle.[22] Nevertheless, setting aside my principles----" "Right," observed Jack; "you Whigs, new or old, always set aside your principles." "Setting aside any political feeling I may entertain," continued Coates, disregarding the interruption, "I repeat, I am ambitious of extirpating this modern Cacus--this Autolycus of the eighteenth century." "And what course do you mean to pursue?" asked Jack, "for I suppose you do not expect to catch this '_ought-to-lick-us_,' as you call him, by a line in the newspapers." "I am in the habit of keeping my own counsel, sir," replied Coates, pettishly; "and to be plain with you, I hope to finger all the reward myself." "Oons, is there a reward offered for Turpin's apprehension?" asked Titus. "No less than two hundred pounds," answered Coates, "and that's no trifle, as you will both admit. Have you not seen the king's proclamation, Mr. Palmer?" "Not I," replied Jack, with affected indifference. "Nor I," added Titus, with some appearance of curiosity; "do you happen to have _that_ by you too?"