This new style of street robbery must have been quite profitable, for of
course the boy in the basket was well instructed, and never snatched at
a shabby hat or a poor looking wig. The elder Low came to have a good
many imitators, and it happened in the course of time that many a worthy
citizen of London wished there were some harmless way of gluing his wig
to the top of his head, or that it were the custom to secure the hat by
means of strings tied under the chin.
As Ned Low grew up to be a strong young fellow, he also grew
discontented with the pilferings and petty plunders which were possible
to him in the London streets, and so he went to sea and sailed to
America. He landed in Boston, and, as it was necessary to work in order
to eat,--for opportunities of a dishonest livelihood had not yet opened
themselves before him,--he undertook to learn the trade of a rigger, but
as he was very badly suited to any sort of steady occupation, he soon
quarrelled with his master, ran away, and got on board a vessel bound
for Honduras.
For a time he earned a livelihood by cutting logwood, but it was not
long before he quarrelled with the captain of the vessel for whom he was
working, and finally became so enraged that he tried to kill him. He did
not succeed in this dastardly attempt, but as he could not commit murder
he decided to do the next worst thing, and so gathering together twelve
of the greatest rascals among his companions, they seized a boat, went
out to the captain's schooner, which was lying near shore, and took
possession of it.
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