And oh! could I have but taken warning by their disasters, I had been happy still, for I was yet free, and had nothing brought against me; but it could not be, my measure was not yet filled up.

My comrade, having the brand of an old offender, was executed; the young offender was spared, having obtained a reprieve, but lay starving a long while in prison, till at last she got her name into what they call a circuit pardon, and so came off.

This terrible example of my comrade frighted me heartily, and for a good while I made no excursions; but one night, in the Neighbourhood of my governess’s house, they cried “Fire.’ My governess looked out, for we were all up, and cried immediately that such a gentlewoman’s house was all of a light fire atop, and so indeed it was. Here she gives me a job. ‘Now, child,’ says she, ‘there is a rare opportunity, for the fire being so near that you may go to it before the street is blocked up with the crowd.’ She presently gave me my cue. ‘Go, child,’ says she, ‘to the house, and run in and tell the lady, or anybody you see, that you come to help them, and that you came from such a gentlewoman (that is, one of her acquaintance farther up the street).’ She gave me the like cue to the next house, naming another name that was also an acquaintance of the gentlewoman of the house.

Away I went, and, coming to the house, I found them all in confusion, you may be sure. I ran in, and finding one of the maids, ‘Lord! sweetheart,’ says I, ‘how came this dismal accident? Where is your mistress? Any how does she do? Is she safe? And where are the children? I come from Madam—to help you.’ Away runs the maid. ‘Madam, madam,’ says she, screaming as loud as she could yell, ‘here is a gentlewoman come from Madam—to help us.’ The poor woman, half out of her wits, with a bundle under her arm, an two little children, comes toward me. ‘Lord! madam,’ says I, ‘let me carry the poor children to Madam —,’ she desires you to send them; she’ll take care of the poor lambs;’ and immediately I takes one of them out of her hand, and she lifts the other up into my arms. ‘Ay, do, for God’s sake,’ says she, ‘carry them to her. Oh! thank her for her kindness.’ ‘Have you anything else to secure, madam?’ says I; ‘she will take care of it.’ ‘Oh dear! ay,’ says she, ‘God bless her, and thank her. Take this bundle of plate and carry it to her too. Oh, she is a good woman. Oh Lord! we are utterly ruined, utterly undone!’ And away she runs from me out of her wits, and the maids after her; and away comes I with the two children and the bundle.

I was no sooner got into the street but I saw another woman come to me. ‘Oh!’ says she, ‘mistress,’ in a piteous tone, ‘you will let fall the child. Come, this is a sad time; let me help you’; and immediately lays hold of my bundle to carry it for me. ‘No,’ says I; ‘if you will help me, take the child by the hand, and lead it for me but to the upper end of the street; I’ll go with you and satisfy you for your pains.’

She cou’d not avoid going, after what I said; but the creature, in short, was one of the same business with me, and wanted nothing but the bundle; however, she went with me to the door, for she could not help it. When we were come there I whispered her, ‘Go, child,’ said I, ‘I understand your trade; you may meet with purchase enough.’

She understood me and walked off. I thundered at the door with the children, and as the people were raised before by the noise of the fire, I was soon let in, and I said, ‘Is madam awake? Pray tell her Mrs.—desires the favour of her to take the two children in; poor lady, she will be undone, their house is all of a flame,’ They took the children in very civilly, pitied the family in distress, and away came I with my bundle. One of the maids asked me if I was not to leave the bundle too. I said, ‘No, sweetheart, ‘tis to go to another place; it does not belong to them.’

I was a great way out of the hurry now, and so I went on, clear of anybody’s inquiry, and brought the bundle of plate, which was very considerable, straight home, and gave it to my old governess. She told me she would not look into it, but bade me go out again to look for more.

She gave me the like cue to the gentlewoman of the next house to that which was on fire, and I did my endeavour to go, but by this time the alarm of fire was so great, and so many engines playing, and the street so thronged with people, that I could not get near the house whatever I would do; so I came back