He was informed that the waggon from Newcastle
to London had halted there two nights ago, and that it would be an
easy matter to overtake it, if not the next day, at farthest, the
day after the next. This piece of news gave us some satisfaction;
and, after having made a hearty supper on hashed mutton, we were
shown to our room, which contained two beds, the one allotted for
us, and the other for a very honest gentleman, who, we were told,
was then drinking below. Though we could have very well dispensed
with his company, we were glad to submit to this disposition, as
there was not another bed empty in the house; and accordingly went
to rest, after having secured our baggage under the bolster. About
two or three o'clock in the morning I was awaked out of a very
profound sleep by a dreadful noise in the chamber, which did not
fail to throw me into an agony of consternation, when I heard these
words pronounced with a terrible voice: "Blood and wounds! run the
halbert into the guts of him that's next you, and I'll blow the
other's brains out presently."
This dreadful salutation had no sooner reached the ears of Strap
than, starting out of bed, he ran against somebody in the dark, and
overturned him in an instant; at the same time bawling out, "Fire!
murder! fire!" a cry which in a moment alarmed the whole house, and
filled our chamber with a crowd of naked people.
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