The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 106: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 108 me in any place of safety till the morning, and let inquiries be made.” ‘Our time won’t allow us todo that,” said the guard. ‘“‘Of course,” said Ned, ‘‘she’s got her tale, but we are re- oni for her safe custody until we deliver her up into proper hands. ‘¢ What has she done, young man?” said a female voice inside the coach. ‘‘She’s a dangerous lunatic, ma’am,” said Ned. ‘‘She bas got a horrid propensity for pushing out children’s and babies’ eyes with the handles of tea-spoons, and putting in bulls’ eyes in- stead, and then telling ’em not to cry.” ‘Ob, poor things, poor things, poor things!” said the guard, in a toneof mock condolence. ‘‘ Push along, George—all right. We can’t do any good.” And again went the horn with its sonorous sounds. ‘‘Chip, chip,” said the coachman, and smack went the whip, and they started off in the same direction as before. The wheels grated over the hard road, and the whole machine was out of sight in a very few minutes. Mabel's heart sunk within her when she saw the entire failure of her attempt to‘escape from the presence of those men. She heard the sounds of the wheels, and the tramp of the borses’ feet, and the sound of the horn, all decreasing with a melancholy and dejected air. She could not but look upon this as the most com- plete and entire proof of the power these men held over her. ‘‘There.” said Dashing Ned, “ you see it’s no use your kickin and squealing like an eel that’s going to be skinned, and woul much rather not.” ‘* What motive can you have for tearing me away from those who have been friends—my parents to me, and are, indeed, the only ones that I know of ?” ‘* But I can tell you more than you already know, if I choose, but I have my reasons for doing what I do, and am not inclined to argue the matter with you. That will do for the present. ‘You are my child, and I have power over you, and will exert that power. Rest satisfied, for nothing more will I now say to you. Another time and piace, and I may argue this question with you, but not now. Ned, push on.” ‘With all my heart,” said Ned; ‘for to tell you the truth, I am very tired of sitting here, and my whiskers all dripping wet; and, moreover, it isn’t the pleasantest prospect, you know.” They put their horses into a round canter, and rode for some distance without meeting with any obstacle to impede them in their progress, or give them any uneasiness. Dashing Ned, of Newington, rode close by the side of Mabel, or a little behind, and the mendicant rode close by her, with her bridle in his hand, so that her horse was entirely under bis control, and she could make no effort to escape. “‘ We shall not be very long,” he said to the mendicant, ‘‘ be- fore we get to the Moonrakers and a good job, too.” ‘‘Yes,in about another mile and a half we shall come to the road that leads across the common, and then we are safe,” comicbooks. com