bolt the moon

obsolete To remove one's possessions and abscond from a household or place of residence in the middle of the night so as to avoid paying one's rent or other debts. It is rumored that, in his youth, the author once bolted the moon in the small seaside town where he resided for a time, leaving his landlord and dozens of tradesmen out of pocket for his debts. I can't believe you bolted the moon! That poor old lady was depending on your rent money! As his gambling debts in the city grew, so too did his desire to bolt the moon.