Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/184

168 least; but the oddness of the circumstance deserved recording, and I made a note of it, without any date, thinking I should never be called upon to swear every word to its parish, as I have been obliged to do almost concerning the information furnished for this book.

Equally supvising, and much later as to date, was another business that happened while I was in-doors at the Swan on Snow hill. An ale brewer's dray stopped in the street, while the two men took a glass or two of gin at the bar with a friend. Any one who ever took a glass of good max there, knows how short a time this would take; but it was long enough for those who acted outside to carry off three barrels of ale! One would suppose there must have been six men, at least, to perform so much in so short a space of time; I was convinced no more than four were concerned in it, that is to say the friend, who paid for the gin, one of the draymen, and two active lads outside. They had (I dare say) a fine jollification at the holidays, that happened a few days thereafter (Christmas, 1817.) If any one doubts the fact of this robbery, let them go there and ask the landlord; and, although he will hum! and ha! and hey! before he gives an answer, I am persuaded he knows no more of it than what he