The whole gang being now dispersed, Turpin went into the country to renew his depredations on the highway. On a journey toward Cambridge, he met a man genteelly dressed, and well mounted; and expecting a good booty, he presented a pistol to the supposed gentleman, and demanded his money. The party thus stopped happened to be King, a similar character, who knew Turpin; and when the latter threatened destruction if he did not deliver his money, King burst into a fit of laughter, and said, “What! dog eat dog? Come, come, brother Turpin; if you don’t know me, I know you, and shall be glad of your company. These brethren in iniquity soon struck the bargain, and immediately entering on business, committed a number of robberies; till at length they were so well known, no public-house would receive them as guests. Thus situated, they fixed on a spot between the King’s Oak and the Loughton Road, on Epping Forest, where they found a cave large enough to provide shelter for themselves and horses. This cave was inclosed within a thicket of bushes and brambles, through which, unobserved, they could look and see passengers on the road. From this station they used to issue, and rob such a number of persons, that at length the very pedlars who travelled the road carried fire-arms for their defence; and, while they were in this retreat, Turpin’s wife used to supply them with necessaries, and frequently remained in the cave during the night.
Having taken a ride as far as Bungay, in Suffolk, they observed two young women
