The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 117 ‘¢ And, on a pinch——” * He'll split, and run away like a deer.” **You are right—that everybody knows. It’s a pity he has two Fh faults.” “What are they ?” ‘*Cowardice and talkativeness; Lord bless you, he’d talk a mermaid blind.” hin By and by I'll get him out by himself, and talk a little to im,” ‘* Very good.” The conversation now become genera), and every one took a share in it. The night wore on toward morn, in the midst of drinking, singing, jesting, and in narratives of exploits peculiar to the characters assembled in the kitchen, and when the mendicant, who had carefully refrained from over-indulgence at the bottle, was satisfied that everything wore an aspect suitable to his pur- pose, he whispered to Dashing Ned. ‘* Well, what now?’ inquired Ned. ‘““T want to speak to you out in the yard privately.” **Can’t you say it now? It’s infernally cold out there, now I’ve been sitting in the warmth of the fire.” ‘““You must come, Ned. J] have some suspicion; don’t let anybody notice your going out, Ned—be careful” ‘‘ Suspicion of what?” ‘‘ That you’re a fool; come and don’t ask any questions here.” Ned was not over pleased; but he knew the man he had to deal with, and watched with a sullen expression the eyes of the guests; and when he saw he was not notice he slipped out of the kitchen. In afew moments more, he had groped his way out into the yard, where the mendicant had stationed himself. ‘Where are you?” he muttered, as he wilked about; ‘‘I can hardly see.” ‘‘Here I am,” said the mendicant, as he stepped out from be- hind a cart; ‘‘ here I am.” ‘Well, what is it you want now? the room was comfortable and quiet enough.” ; “| know that, Ned, but this affair is mine, you know.” “IT do, but you——” “T promised you fairly, and [ll keep my word; but you haven’t completed the affair yet, so, until you have, you must do what is necessary.” ‘* Well, but haven’t I done so? what more do you want than what I have done? I did all that I could do.” “‘T don’t complain; but it’s no use your stopping there with the ale-mug before you. I know how it will be before long.” “Tm right enough.” : “Well, but you may not be; now, come this way, and I'll talk 0 you.” ‘‘ Why not here, as well as there e” ‘‘ Because it’s cold, and we may as well walk about; it’s better, and we can’t be listened to, and that you know is ayn object.” comicbooks. com