The String of Pearls (1850), p. 588

and robbing Todd, There's not a soul in sight. Give him one of the knocks you used to give the poor devils you made the pies of, you know."
"Be quiet," said Todd, "I am amazed that a man of your profound sense and sagacity, should give ear to such idle rumours about me! I am really both shocked and surprised, Mr. Lupin!"
"Amen!" said Lupin. "You rob the old man, and we won't quarrel about any such nonsense, Todd. Here he comes, grinning like an old polecat. What business has a man of that age out at such a time as this?"
"None," said Todd, "except to provide us with a little money."
Todd cast a keen glance around him, and was convinced that the report of Mr. Lupin that no one was in sight was quite correct, so he stepped up to the old man, and said—
"Good morning, sir."
"Thieves! thieves!" cried the old man, and began to run, but Todd put out one of his long legs and tripped him up. Then pouncing upon him, he extracted a well-filled purse from his pocket, and holding it up to Lupin, he said—"
"This will do?"
"Rather," replied Lupin. "Come on."
Oft set Lupin again on a run, rather to the discomfiture of Todd, who had not had such a scampering about for a long time indeed ; but yet he felt the necessity of getting as soon as possible out of the immediate vicinity of the old man whom they had just robbed, so they did not stop until they got right away on the northern side of Finsbury Square.
That side of the ancient square of Finsbury was "not built then; and beyond it, where there is now such a squalid and uninviting neighbourhood, there was nothing but fields.
"Now," said Lupin. "Let us look at the purse!"
"Here it is," said Todd.
"It's very light."
The fact was, that notwithstanding the speed at which he was compelled to run to keep up with Lupin, or rather to keep a few paces only behind him, Todd had contrived to abstract the better nart of the contents from the purse, and to pocket them; for the story with w hich he had tickled the ears of Lupin of his having any money concealed in Caen Wood, Hampstead, was a mere delusion, got up for the purpose of making him, Lupin, more than commonly solicitous concerning his, Todd's, safety in the escape from Newgate.
"Yes," replied Todd, " it is light, but such as it is it may be of some service to us. Take it, Mr, Lupin, and you can be the treasurer: you know I can trust to you."
"Implicitly," said Lupin, as turning out the contents of the purse into his hand, he said—"Here are four guineas and a half, and about six or seven shillings in loose silver."
"Better than nothing," said Todd, with a look of great philosophy. "Our first care now is to get a breakfast."
"I don't know," said Lupin. "I took quite enough at the alderman's to last me some time. I should say, get out of London as quickly as we possibly can; and when we are at Caen Wood, we can, at our ease, consider what course we will feel inclined to take with our money in our pockets."
"A couple of thousands," said Todd.
"Exactly so. I move that we strike across the fields now at once, and make for Highgate and Hampstead, so that at each step we shall be leaving some danger behind us."
"Agreed," said Todd. "Come on! For my part I should like very much to find a conveyance of some sort; but that, I suppose, is impossible."
"Quite! Besides, on foot we are much less likely to be recognised and described. Come on, Todd; you ought to be able to walk to Hampstead, surely, after the little trifling exercise that you have had only."
"Trifling, do you call it?" said Todd, making one of his most hideous faces.