The String of Pearls (1850), p. 707

"We will soon let you know," said the man who had not been driving, knitting his brows. "No doubt, you thought you had nailed us nicely, my fine fellow."
"Nailed you?"
"Yes. You need not put on 'such an innocent look, I can tell yon. We are pretty good judges in these matters, and its quite sufficient for me to tell you that we know you."
"Know me?"
"Yes, to be sure. Did you think we were taken in by any such nonsense as your being tired, and so on?—No. We know you, I say, and this hour is your last. You have placed yourself in our power, and we will take good care of you now. There is a well in this lane which keeps secrets capitally."
Todd drew his pistol, and held it against the breast of this man,
"Attempt any violence," he said, "and I fire!"
"Oh, indeed! You are well prepared, are you? I must say that, for an exciseman, you are a bold fellow."
"A what?"
"An exciseman. You know well you have been on the look-out for us for the last week; It is of no use denying it. You thought you nabbed us, when you got into our cart."
Todd lowered his pistol.
"This is a foolish enough mistake," he said, " I am no more an exciseman than I am Commander-in-chief of the forces. What could have put such a thing into your heads?"
"Say you so?" cried the other. "But how will you make us believe it? That's the question."
"Well," said Todd, putting on a very candid look, "I don't know how a man is to set about proving that he is not an exciseman. I only know that I am not. The real truth is, that I am in debt, and being pressed by my creditors, have thought proper to get out of their way; and so I want to make the best of my way to Gravesend, that is all. I fancy, by your anger at the idea of my being an exciseman, that you are smugglers; and if so, I can only say that with all my heart, you may go on smuggling with the greatest success until the day of judgment, before I would interfere with you in the matter."
"Dare we believe him?" said one of the men to the other.
"I hardly know," replied the other; "and yet it would be rather a sad thing to take a man's life, when it might turn out that he was not what we took him for."
"How on earth am I to convince you?" said Todd.
"Where do you want to go to?"
"I want to get on board some vessel, I don't care what, so that it is bound to some continental port. My object, I tell you, is to get away, and that is all."
"Would the Port of Havre in France suit you?"
"Perfectly well."
The two men now whispered together for a few moments, and then, one of them, turning to Yodd, said:—
"The fact is that we are somewhat connected with a vessel bound for Havre, and it will sail tonight. If you are really what you pretend, and truly want to leave England, you can come with us, and we will give you a passage; but we expect to be paid for it."
"Nothing can be more reasonable." said Todd; "I will pay you a liberal price, and as I wish to go on board as soon as I can, you may feel yourself perfectly easv regarding your suspicions of my being an exciseman, by keeping me in your company, and placing me on board your own vessel as quickly as you can."
"Hang it, that's fair enough," cried one of them. "Come on, then, and let us get to the Lively William as soon as we can. It's rather a mercy we did not knock you on the head, though, at once."