Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/125

Rh drags the article towards him, and bolts off. Should the fare have gone into the house, the same end is attained by planting the article to be boned, a little on one side of the door, while honest Jarvy enters with another part of it. This last is the cleverest way by half; but some people by their vigilance prevent either the one or the other from taking place. At any rate, those who take hackney coaches with luggage (or indeed without) should never permit the driver to take up any one on the box, but peremptorily order such fellows off; they two being invariably dishonest palls: need it be added, that if he is thus driven from the box, he gets up behind, or runs alongside, the same hazard is incurred, of finding him lurking about the coach at the end of your ride!

The first-mentioned method of thieving, I have seen practised upon fruit in Covent Garden market, at the earliest dawn of morning, when I have been out upon my rambles. A coster-monger demands the price of cherries, and makes a fair bidding, which entitles him to look at the goods; these, being packed in two-peck baskets, placed one upon another, he removed the first between his legs, while he reaches after another basket. His confederate handed off the first, but the