determined　to　live　quite　independent；　but　I　had　never　before　passed
  a　night　by　myself　abroad；　and　felt　a　little　apprehensive　at　the
  idea；　I　hoped；　however；　on　the　morrow；　to　be　a　little　more　prepared
  for　the　step；　so　I　determined　for　one　night　…　only　for　one　night
  longer　…　to　sleep　like　a　Christian；　but　human　determinations　are
  not　always　put　into　effect；　such　a　thing　as　opportunity　is
  frequently　wanting；　such　was　the　case　here。　　I　went　on　for　a
  considerable　time；　in　expectation　of　coming　to　some　rustic
  hostelry；　but　nothing　of　the　kind　presented　itself　to　my　eyes；　the
  country　in　which　I　now　was　seemed　almost　uninhabited；　not　a　house
  of　any　kind　was　to　be　seen　…　at　least　I　saw　none　…　though　it　is
  true　houses　might　be　near　without　my　seeing　them；　owing　to　the
  darkness　of　the　night；　for　neither　moon　nor　star　was　abroad。　　I
  heard；　occasionally；　the　bark　of　dogs；　but　the　sound　appeared　to
  come　from　an　immense　distance。　　The　rain　still　fell；　and　the　ground
  beneath　my　feet　was　wet　and　miry；　in　short；　it　was　a　night　in　which
  even　a　tramper　by　profession　would　feel　more　comfortable　in　being
  housed　than　abroad。　　I　followed　in　the　rear　of　the　cart；　the　pony
  still　proceeding　at　a　sturdy　pace；　till　methought　I　heard　other
  hoofs　than　those　of　my　own　nag；　I　listened　for　a　moment；　and
  distinctly　heard　the　sound　of　hoofs　approaching　at　a　great　rate；
  and　evidently　from　the　quarter　towards　which　I　and　my　little
  caravan　were　moving。　　We　were　in　a　dark　lane　…　so　dark　that　it　was
  impossible　for　me　to　see　my　own　hand。　　Apprehensive　that　some
  accident　might　occur；　I　ran　forward；　and；　seizing　the　pony　by　the
  bridle；　drew　him　as　near　as　I　could　to　the　hedge。　　On　came　the
  hoofs　…　trot；　trot；　trot；　and　evidently　more　than　those　of　one
  horse；　their　speed　as　they　advanced　appeared　to　slacken　…　it　was
  only；　however；　for　a　moment。　　I　heard　a　voice　cry；　'Push　on；　…　this
  is　a　desperate　robbing　place；　…　never　mind　the　dark'；　and　the　hoofs
  came　on　quicker　than　before。　　'Stop！'　said　I；　at　the　top　of　my
  voice；　'stop！　or　…　'　　Before　I　could　finish　what　I　was　about　to　say
  there　was　a　stumble；　a　heavy　fall；　a　cry；　and　a　groan；　and　putting
  out　my　foot　I　felt　what　I　conjectured　to　be　the　head　of　a　horse
  stretched　upon　the　road。　　'Lord　have　mercy　upon　us！　what's　the
  matter？'　exclaimed　a　voice。　　'Spare　my　life；'　cried　another　voice；
  apparently　from　the　ground；　'only　spare　my　life；　and　take　all　I
  have。'　　'Where　are　you；　Master　Wise？'　cried　the　other　voice。
  'Help！　here；　Master　Bat；'　cried　the　voice　from　the　ground；　'help　me
  up　or　I　shall　be　murdered。'　　'Why；　what's　the　matter？'　said　Bat。
  'Some　one　has　knocked　me　down；　and　is　robbing　me；'　said　the　voice
  from　the　ground。　　'Help！　murder！'　cried　Bat；　and；　regardless　of　the
  entreaties　of　the　man　on　the　ground　that　he　would　stay　and　help　him
  up；　he　urged　his　horse　forward　and　galloped　away　as　fast　as　he
  could。　　I　remained　for　some　time　quiet；　listening　to　various　groans
  and　exclamations　uttered　by　the　person　on　the　ground；　at　length　I
  said；　'Holloa！　are　you　hurt？'　　'Spare　my　life；　and　take　all　I
  have！'　said　the　voice　from　the　ground。　　'Have　they　not　done　robbing
  you　yet？'　said　I；　'when　they　have　finished　let　me　know；　and　I　will
  come　and　help　you。'　　'Who　is　that？'　said　the　voice；　'pray　come　and
  help　me；　and　do　me　no　mischief。'　　'You　were　saying　that　some　one
  was　robbing　you；'　said　I；　'don't　think　I　shall　come　till　he　is　gone
  away。'　　'Then　you　ben't　he？'　said　the　voice。　　'Aren't　you　robbed？'
  said　I。　　'Can't　say　I　be；'　said　the　voice；　'not　yet　at　any　rate；
  but　who　are　you？　　I　don't　know　you。'　　'A　traveller　whom　you　and
  your　partner　were　going　to　run　over　in　this　dark　lane；　you　almost
  frightened　me　out　of　my　senses。'　　'Frightened！'　said　the　voice；　in
  a　louder　tone；　'frightened！　oh！'　and　thereupon　I　heard　somebody
  getting　upon　his　legs。　　This　accomplished；　the　individual　proceeded
  to　attend　to　his　horse；　and　with　a　little　difficulty　raised　him
  upon　his　legs　also。　　'Aren't　you　hurt？'　said　I。　　'Hurt！'　said　the
  voice；　'not　I；　don't　think　it；　whatever　the　horse　may　be。　　I　tell
  you　what；　my　fellow；　I　thought　you　were　a　robber；　and　now　I　find
  you　are　not；　I　have　a　good　mind　…　'　　'To　do　what？'　　'To　serve　you
  out；　aren't　you　ashamed　…　？'　　'At　what？'　said　I；　'not　to　have
  robbed　you？　　Shall　I　set　about　it　now？'　　'Ha；　ha！'　said　the　man；
  dropping　the　bullying　tone　which　he　had　assumed；　'you　are　joking　…
  robbing！　who　talks　of　robbing？　　I　wonder　how　my　horse's　knees　are；
  not　much　hurt；　I　think　…　only　mired。'　　The　man；　whoever　he　was；
  then　got　upon　his　horse；　and；　after　moving　him　about　a　little；
  said；　'Good　night；　friend；　where　are　you？'　　'Here　I　am；'　said　I；
  'just　behind　you。'　　'You　are；　are　you？　　Take　that。'　　I　know　not
  what　he　did；　but　probably　pricking　his　horse　with　the　spur　the
  animal　kicked　out　violently；　one　of　his　heels　struck　me　on　the
  shoulder；　but　luckily　missed　my　face；　I　fell　back　with　the　violence
  of　the　blow；　whilst　the　fellow　scampered　off　at　a　great　rate。
  Stopping　at　some　distance；　he　loaded　me　with　abuse；　and　then；
  continuing　his　way　at　a　rapid　trot；　I　heard　no　more　of　him。
  'What　a　difference！'　said　I；　getting　up；　'last　night　I　was　feted　in
  the　hall　of　a　rich　genius；　and　to…night　I　am　knocked　down　and　mired
  in　a　dark　lane　by　the　heel　of　Master　Wise's　horse　…　I　wonder　who
  gave　him　that　name？　　And　yet　he　was　wise　enough　to　wreak　his
  revenge　upon　me；　and　I　was　not　wise　enough　to　keep　out　of　his　way。
  Well；　I　am　not　much　hurt；　so　it　is　of　little　consequence。'
  I　now　bethought　me　that；　as　I　had　a　carriage　of　my　own；　I　might　as
  well　make　use　of　it；　I　therefore　got　into　the　cart；　and；　taking　the
  reins　in　my　hand；　gave　an　encouraging　cry　to　the　pony；　whereupon
  the　sturdy　little　animal　started　again　at　as　brisk　a　pace　as　if　he
  had　not　already　come　many　a　long　mile。　　I　lay　half　reclining　in　the
  cart；　holding　the　reins　lazily；　and　allowing　the　animal　to　go　just
  where　he　pleased；　often　wondering　where　he　would　conduct　me。　　At
  length　I　felt　drowsy；　and　my　head　sank　upon　my　breast；　I　soon
  aroused　myself；　but　it　was　only　to　doze　again；　this　occurred
  several　times。　　Opening　my　eyes　after　a　doze　somewhat　longer　than
  the　others；　I　found　that　the　drizzling　rain　had　ceased；　a　corner　of
  the　moon　was　apparent　in　the　heavens；　casting　a　faint　light；　I
  looked　around　for　a　moment　or　two；　but　my　eyes　and　brain　were　heavy
  with　slumber；　and　I　could　scarcely　distinguish　where　we　were。　　I
  had　a　kind　of　dim　consciousness　that　we　were　traversing　an
  uninclosed　country　…　perhaps　a　heath；　I　thought；　however；　that　I
  saw　certain　large　black　objects　looming　in　the　distance；　which　I
  had　a　confused　idea　might　be　woods　or　plantations；　the　pony　still
  moved　at　his　usual　pace。　　I　did　not　find　the　jolting　of　the　cart　at
  all　disagreeable；　on　the　contrary；　it　had　quite　a　somniferous
  effect　upon　me。　　Again　my　eyes　closed；　I　opened　them　once　more；　but
  with　less　perception　in　them　than　before；　looked　forward；　and；
  muttering　something　about　woodlands；　I　placed　myself　in　an　easier
  posture　than　I　had　hitherto　done；　and　fairly　fell　asleep。
  How　long　I　continued　in　that　state　I　am　unable　to　say；　but　I
  believe　for　a　considerable　time；　I　was　suddenly　awakened　by　the
  ceasing　of　the　jolting　to　which　I　had　become　accustomed；　and　of
  which　I　was　perfectly　sensible　in　my　sleep。　　I　started　up　and
  looked　around　me；　the　moon　was　still　shining；　and　the　face　of　the
  heaven　was　studded　with　stars；　I　found　myself　amidst　a　maze　of
  bushes　of　various　kinds；　but　principally　hazel　and　holly；　through
  which　was　a　path　or　driftway　with　grass　growing　on　either　side；
  upon　which　the　pony　was　already　diligently　browsing。　　I　conjectured
  that　this　place　had　been　one　of　the　haunts　of　his　former　master；
  and；　on　dismounting　and　looking　about；　was　strengthened　in　that
  opinion　by　finding　a　spot　under　an　ash　tree　which；　from　its　burnt
  and　blackened　appearance；　seemed　to　have　been　frequently　used　as　a
  fireplace。　　I　will　take　up　my　quarters　here；　thought　I；　it　is　an
  excellent　spot　for　me　to　commence　my　new　profession　in；　I　was　quite
  right　to　trust　myself　to　the　guidance　of　the　pony。　　Unharnessing
  the　animal　without　delay；　I　permitted　him　to　browse　at　free　will　on
  the　grass；　convinced　that　he　would　not　wander　far　from　a　place　to
  which　he　was　so　much　attached；　I　then　pitched　the　little　tent　close
  beside　the　ash　tree　to　which　I　have　alluded；　and　conveyed　two　or
  three　articles　into　it；　and　instantly　felt　that　I　had　commenced
  housekeeping　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。　　Housekeeping；　however；
  without　a　fire　is　a　very　sorry　affair；　something　like　the
  housekeeping　of　children　in　their　toy　houses；　of　this　I　was　the
  more　sensible　from　feeling　very　cold　and　shivering；　owing　to　my
  late　exposure　to　the　rain；　and　sleeping　in　the　night　air。
  Collecting；　therefore；　all　the　dry　sticks　and　furze　I　could　find；　I