practicable, would have been now too late.---"Surrender your
charge," said one of them; "we are the deliverers of the
commonwealth, who ease every man of his burden."

"You should not ease me of mine so lightly," muttered Gurth,
whose surly honesty could not be tamed even by the pressure of
immediate violence,---"had I it but in my power to give three
strokes in its defence."

"We shall see that presently," said the robber; and, speaking to
his companions, he added, "bring along the knave. I see he would
have his head broken, as well as his purse cut, and so be let
blood in two veins at once."

Gurth was hurried along agreeably to this mandate, and having
been dragged somewhat roughly over the bank, on the left-hand
side of the lane, found himself in a straggling thicket, which
lay betwixt it and the open common. He was compelled to follow
his rough conductors into the very depth of this cover, where
they stopt unexpectedly in an irregular open space, free in a
great measure from trees, and on which, therefore, the beams of
the moon fell without much interruption from boughs and leaves.
Here his captors were joined by two other persons, apparently
belonging to the gang. They had short swords by their sides, and
quarter-staves in their hands, and Gurth could now observe that
all six wore visors, which rendered their occupation a matter of
no question, even had their former proceedings left it in doubt.

"What money hast thou, churl?" said one of the thieves.