Page:History of John M'Pherson, Dick Balf, and Gilder Roy.pdf/12



12                        give any part of it to his comrades after. When he has got so much insight and experience in this business as to make himself a complete master, he goes next into a crew of wool combers, whose bus- iness is to snatch hats, cloaks, wigs, and women's handkerchiefs, &c. off in the night; but at length being taken in the facts at Galway, by a gentleman who pur- sued him, and overtook him with a drawn sword in his hand; he was committed to                        gaol, and burned in the hand for the same offence. This business nut answering his pur- pose, he took up a resolution to com- mence highway robber. Being a little at a loss for a good nag to mount him- self or, he contrives to get one in this manner: he observed there was a neigh- bour of his landlord's in Galway, that had a very well bred gelding of a good size, very fit for the purpose, and that there were no obstacle to hinder him but the stable door, which was still kept lock- ed; to remove this difficulty, he went to                        an old comrade of his, whom he knew to                         be an expert pick-lock, and agreed with him to open the stable door the next