My courage encreased, as I said, with my success, and having obliged those terraqueous militants to stand and deliver, I found my purse grow heavy, and believing I had made a competent fortune, I resolved, as _Gibbet_ says in the play, to buy myself a place in the houshold, and live as snug as ’ere a courtier of them all; with this view I was returning to _London_, from _Finchley Common_, which had been my last stage, when a gentleman rode up in a full gallop saying he was pursued by a highwayman, and desired me to accompany him in order to get out of the road. In the confusion I was in, at his mentioning being pursued, I began to fear for myself, and looking back saw two men, riding very fast after us, yet not so fast as to appear in pursuit, however I took the gentleman’s advice, and rode with him full speed, following the course he made which he directed to the right hand, from the high road across the country, when all of a sudden he snatched my reins, and desired me to deliver, or he would blow my brains to the Devil; I had neither time nor presence of mind, to refuse his unreasonable request, and he robbed me of all I had in the world, except twenty pounds I had left with a favourite girl, whom I then kept, after this he rode off, taking my pistols with him, leaving me to reflect on so unexpected an adventure; but I had no opportunity to consider much about it. I had no cash left, and I found myself in possession of no property on the face of the earth, but my horse and clothes, the former of which I was now resolved to sell, and never more venture my life to scrape up riches for other people to enjoy; I saw the hazard, the danger, and the folly in it, and with this determination I pursued my way to _London_, saying with Juvenal, _Cantabit Vacuus Viator_; where I arrived, and having sold my horse, walked to my lodgings, where to my amazement I found the bird flown, and nothing but the nest, and a few scattered feathers left behind. Thus in one day was I deprived of what I had been amassing for several months, to the value of three hundred pounds sterling, one hundred of which I laid out on my mistress in cloaths and equipage. I had cultivated a good acquaintance with several young Gentlemen (strangers to my new way of life) at _Art——rs_, and telling them I had a mind to see the world, made it my request to them to serve me. CHAP. X. _Tom Traveller continues his relation._