Harry Gay had warned him that they were dangerous fellows; and Tom had not lived all this while in London without being well aware that there were ways and means of obtaining information, and that every man had his price.

If they suspected him to be concerned in the robbery, they would take every possible means to hunt him down.
Tom set his teeth as this thought came to him.

To be the victim of the spite of a party of low villains, who were only fit themselves for the hangman's halter! The thought was not to be borne.

Better, far better, the life of the forest with Captain Jack! There at least he would be free of this persecution; and perhaps the day would come when he should find his foes at his mercy, and take his revenge upon them! A very little brooding of this sort sufficed to set Tom's hot blood boiling.

He had no wish to join himself with freebooters and law breakers; but if they hunted him beyond a certain point, he would not hesitate to fly to those who would give him safety and a welcome.