Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

. ; IVAN THE of us ; and look here,”’ he added, in a loud whisper, “ if you don’t want to get a good ducking in them there white and ‘foamin’ billows, you’ll shut up as quick as possible. You ain’t at the ‘Forge’ now, mind ye, but among gentlemen and Apprentices, At this short speech of Darby’s, the old man turned pale, and looked inquiringly first at one and then another. ‘“‘ Tt is no use of denying it, old man, for we know you are one of Ivan’s most intimate friends, and as great an enemy of the Apprentices as any in London.” “ Who told ye this?” the old man growled. “ My apprentice there, Briny Bob, perhaps. Oh! that I had the rascal at home, I'd teach him to go prating of my affairs.’ —_- ‘‘ Nay, nay, none of yourthreats, oldman. MRecollect, you are now in owr power, not we in yours.” = e I see,” the old man growled, “ and suppose I be, what en ‘““ You must swear never to reveal aught you have seen and heard this night.” *€ . “ And if I don’t, what then, my brave-talking conspirators?” the old man said, with a look of scorn. * You must die !” said Harry, calmly. “Die, eh? You don’t mean that ?” “Yes, but we do, though,” answered all in a breath. ~ “And you Bob, and Joe, too ?” ** Yes, and no mistake, old ’un; and if I’d a known before as you belonged to Ivan’s crew, you and I wouldn’t have crossed the river so often together, I can tell ye,” said Bob. “Well, now that you’ve had your say, young ’uns,” the old man replied, “let me tell ye all one thing.” “ And what is that ?” “Why, instead of my life being in your hands, your lives are now in mine,” “Tn yours?” “Yes, in mine. Ha! ha! I see from your looks that I have turned the tables on ye all very nicely, for you must know that Ivan and a dozen of his bravest men are now in that little cottage yonder—that one with the light in the window.” “You don’t mean that ?” said Joe, looking deadly pale. “Yes, but I do, though. They came down the river with me, and would have crossed but for a storm.” “What object have they?” , “Why, to go and have the pleasure of looking at the body hanging on the cross roads at Blackheath, where the officers hung it, and then afterwards to sell the carcase to the doctors,” - “Oh, the blood-thirsty scoundrels !” groaned Darby, clench- ing his fist in rage. “ But if they are in that cottage it cannot do you any good, you cannot inform them of our presence here.’’ “‘Can’t I, though? You shall soon see, my brave lads.” So saying, the old man raised a hand to his mouth for the purpose of shouting. At that instant, however, Darby and Briny Bob dashed at the old man, and flung him wpon the ground, “ Gag him |” . “Bind him !” | } : “‘ Aye, aye,” said Bob, “Old Skinflint ain’t going to have it his own way always, so here goes to tie him up and cast him into the river. Dead men tell no tales.” “No, you must not do that,” said Harry; “gag and bind him well, and then place him in his boat. It will be an agree- able surprise to Ivan and his friends when the storm has abated.” So saying, old Skinflint, as he was called, was tightly bound both hand and foot, and placed in the boat, - “ Now, then,” said Bob, “ my apprenticeship is over, and so is yours, Joe, so we had better leaye this place as soon as pos- sible,” After consulting together for a short time, they agreed to replace the bodies in their own boat again, and endeavour to ascend the river. gm “For,” said Joe, “our boat here, and that of old Skinflint, will rouse suspicion, They might track us through the snow, but I defy the devil himself to track us on the river.” This wise counsel was followed by all, as being safest, par- TERRIBLE. » 109 ticularly as the wind had suddenly changed, and blew straight up the river. In a few moments all was ready, and Briny Bob, with the assistance of Joe, plunged into the water, and having placed Will Winter and Frank on board, all four of the young men pushed and shoved at the boat right manfully ; and soon the boat was off the sand and floating once more on the tide. It was well that they had been so quick about it, for they had scarcely got clear of the shore, and drifting up the river, when Ivan and his followers were seen to leave the cottage, and, with lanterns to guide them, reached the boat in which old Skinflint lay, gagged and bound, ee a CHAPTER LVI, THE CHASE AFTER HARRY PERCY AND WILL WINTER BY IVAN THE TERRIBLE AND HIS BAND, THE astonishment of Ivan was great when he perceived the state of old Skinflint. | The old man was unbound on the instant, but for some few moments he could not speak, on account of the very rough handling he had received from Darby and his apprentice, Briny Bob. A little brandy soon revived him, however, and he told his tale, to the amazement of every one. ‘‘ What, not hung?” “ Not dead ?”’ “ Reseued, and living ?” ‘Threatened to kill you?” : Such were the angry words of Ivan’s infuriated men. “And so Harry Percy did this?” growled Ivan. “A thousand curses on him! To be outwitted bya boy—oh, this is too much to bear! I will track him, however, and a thousand tortures shall wring his very soul !” Full of anger and revenge, he leaped into the boat, and was followed by his men. ‘‘ We will chase them,” said one, “The wind is favourable; we can soon ‘overtake them— we have more oars and stronger arms than they have,” said others, The boat was soon cast adrift from the shore, and dashed up the river at a frightful pace, rowed as it was by twelve powerful, determined men. Ivan stood at the helm, with eyes glaring in anger. “Pull away! pull away, men !” he said, grinding his teeth with passion. ‘ We shall soon overhaul them.” Such was the speed at which the boat was propelled through the water, that foam dashed over them in showers. ) They were gaining fast upon Harry Percy, and this Ivan’s crew acknowledged with loud shouts and cheers, “ Pull away, pull away, men!” still repeated Ivan, burning with impatience and revenge. “ Where is our sail?” It could not be found ! Briny Bob had stolen it, and, to Ivan’s intense mortifica- tion, he now saw it hoisted on Harry Percy’s boat, which greatly increased its speed. ‘Curses on them all!” growled Ivan, as he perceived Harry's boat in the distance now shooting far ahead at more than tripled speed. His oaths, however, were answered by lusty shonts from Harry and his friends who now gained fast upon their fierce pursuers at every moment. ; Briny Bob, however, was not so certain of escaping from Ivan by fair speed. ‘For, look you here, now that they have got sight of us they will pursue us until all’s blue.” * ‘What had we better do then?” said Harry, ‘If they do overtake us resistance is useless, for what are four unarmed youths compared to more than a dozen terrible men armed to the teeth ?” : : ‘‘ We must change our tack, and give them the slip, that’s all, young master.” “ But how?” ‘You shall soon see, when we get among the shipping,” said Bob, whistling and singing by fits and starts, COMIGDOOKsS Conn