Page:Merry frolicks, or, The comical cheats of Swalpo, a notorious pick-pocket.pdf/3

 thing of value. I have a broad piece, and that I'll ſecure. So clapping it into his mouth, he went confidently into the fair.

Swalpo deſired no more than to know if he had money, and where it lay. He gives a ſign to a hopeful boy of his, and giving him out ſome ſixpences and groats, told him what he ſhould do. The boy immediately runs, and falls down juſt before the countryman, and ſcattering the money, ſtarts up and roars like a bedlamite, crying he was undone, he muſt run away from his apprenticeſhip; his maſter was ſuch a furious fellow, he would certainly kill him. The countryman with other people gathered about, helping the boy to take the money. One of them ſays, have you recovered all? Yes, all the ſilver, ſays the boy, but what does that ſignify? There is a broad piece of gold that I was carrying to my maſter for a token ſent him from the country, and I, like a fool, muſt come through this unlucky place to loſe it: I ſhall be killed. What ſhall become of me?

Swalpo coming up, tells ſome of the byeſtanders, who were pitying of the boy, that he obſerved that country fellow there to ſtoop, and put ſomething into his mouth. Whereupon they flew upon him, and one of then wreſting open his mouth made him