As I approached the brow of the hill, I suddenly remembered that I must once more pass the gibbet, and began to strain my eyes for it.  Presently I spied it, sure enough, its grim, gaunt outline looming through the murk, and instinctively I quickened my stride so as to pass it as soon as might be.

I was almost abreast of it when a figure rose from beneath it and slouched into the road to meet me.  I stopped there and then, and grasping my heavy staff waited its approach.

“Be that you, sir?” said a voice, and I recognized the voice of Tom Cragg.

“What are you doing—­and there of all places?”

“Oh—­I ain’t afeared of ’im,” answered Cragg, jerking his thumb towards the gibbet, “I ain’t afeard o’ none as ever drawed breath—­dead or livin’—­except it be ’is ’Ighness the Prince Regent.”

“And what do you want with me?”

“I ’opes as theer’s no offence, my lord,” said he, knuckling his forehead, and speaking in a tone that was a strange mixture of would-be comradeship and cringing servility.  “Cragg is my name, an’ craggy’s my natur’, but I know when I’m beat.  I knowed ye as soon as I laid my ‘peepers’ on ye, an’ if I said as it were a foul, why, when a man’s in ’is cups, d’ye see, ’e’s apt to shoot rayther wide o’ the gospel, d’ye see, an’ there was no offence, my lord, strike me blind!  I know you, an’ you know me—­Tom Cragg by name an’ craggy by—­”

“But I don’t know you,” said I, “and, for that matter, neither do you know me.”

“W’y, you ain’t got no whiskers, my lord—­leastways, not with you now, but—­”

“And what the devil has that got to do with it?” said I angrily.

“Disguises, p’raps!” said the fellow, with a sly leer, “arter that theer kidnappin’—­an’ me ‘avin’ laid out Sir Jarsper Trent, in Wych Street, accordin’ to your orders, my lord, the Prince give me word to ‘clear out’—­cut an’ run for it, till it blow’d over; an’ I thought, p’raps, knowin’ as you an’ ’im ’ad ’ad words, I thought as you ’ad ‘cut stick’ too—­”

“And I think—­that you are manifestly drunk,” said I, “if you still wish to fight, for any sum—­no matter how small—­put up your hands; if not, get out of my road.”  The craggy one stepped aside, somewhat hastily, which done, he removed his hat and stood staring and scratching his bullet-head as one in sore perplexity.

“I seen a many rum goes in my time,” said he, “but I never see so rummy a go as this ’ere—­strike me dead!”

So I left him, and strode on down the hill.  As I went, the moon shot out a feeble ray, through some rift in the rolling clouds, and, looking back, I saw him standing where I had left him beneath the gibbet, still scratching his bullethead, and staring after me down the hill.

Now, though the whole attitude and behavior of the fellow was puzzling to no small degree, my mind was too full of my own concerns to give much thought to him indeed, scarce was he out of my sight but I forgot him altogether; for, what with my weariness, the long, dark road before and behind me, and my empty pockets, I became a prey to great dejection.  So much so that I presently sank wearily beside the way, and, resting my chin in my hands, sat there, miserably enough, watching the night deepen about me.