Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

62 IVAN THE TERRIBLE. “On Will Winter?” exclaimed Andy, with a look of sur- prise and triumph on his ugly, crime-marked face. ‘Ves, on Will Winter the ’Prentice’s Grand Master,” “ But how ?” 3 “How? Why, wait until he returns, seize him, away with him to prison, and accuse him of this job ; that’s the way to finish it in a scientific way. Think you we want any of Judge Jefferies spies prowling and sneaking after us at the Forge, and have us up for it?” The plan was agreed to, and the four villains hid them- selves in the shrubbery, lying in wait for Master Will, They had not remained thus secreted long when Ivan warned his companions with a low, bird-like whistle, and said, softly, ‘‘ He comes !|” CHAPTER XXXIV. THE LONDON APPRENTICES —THEIR GREAT POWER—MASTER WILL WINTER—THE PRESIDENT—BLUE JACKET’S CAP- TURE -THH OFFICERS ARE DOGGIED ON THEIR WAY TO LAMBETH TOWER—WATERMEN'’S APPRENTICES—NIGHT SPIES—MASTER WILL IS IN GREAT DANGER. THE youth who suddenly espied the armed escort on their way to Old Westminster Stairs at such astrange and unusual hour was called Will Winter. Young as he was, he was ‘“‘ President of the London Ap- prentices,” an organization that had still survived the tyranny of kings and the changes of time, a society most tenacious of their rights, liberties, and honour, possessing a secret and overwhelming power, before which potentates and Parlia- ments had often trembled, Simply as this youth was dressed, and gay as was his manner, with guitar slung carelessly on his back, he possessed a ‘signal horn’’ hid beneath his doublet which, had he blown it thrice, would have aroused thousands of the “ United Ap- prentices,” ready and willing to do his bidding and follow him, if need were, to the death. He had been to a secret meeting of “ the Apprentices” that night, and was just returning home, after serenading his sweetheart. He knew that Michael, the clothworker, to whom he was articled as ’prentice, would bully him for his late hours, and perhaps hand him over to the magistrates for punishment, It was unlawful in those days for ’prentices to be out after nine o’clock at night under heavy penalties, for the masters knew as well as the magistrates that the ’prentices’ power was almost unlimited, and that, therefore, it was dangerous to the State to allow them to assemble at late nightly meetings. As common constables had the right to arrest all ’prentices “after hours,’’ and clap them into prison, or heavily fine them, Master Will Winter immediately hid himself in a large and spacious old doorway as the armed escort advanced, Throwing his cloak around him, so as to conceal his features, he crouched into the deepest recesses of the deep doorway, and saw the soldiers tramp past within four feet of him, By the light of the moon he saw the face of the prisoner, and for a moment he stood thinking, as if puzzled to remember where he had seen it before. Flis face reminds me of a picture we have hung up in our guild room,” mused Master Will. ‘“ He was the son of Lord somebody, joined the ‘ United Apprentices,’ for the honour of the thing, under an assumed name, and was president for three years. Oh, what is his name?” said Master Will, vexed at his own want of memory. ‘“Who have ye there, comrades?” asked an armed patrol to the escort, “ He must be somebody of consequence to require ‘so many men to guard him?” “You are right,” one of the soldiers replied, as they still marched on; ‘it is somebody of consequence, you may be sure, This is the celebrated Fly-by-Night, Oaptain Blue Jacket ; we've caught him at last, He’s on the way to prison.” ‘Blue Jacket !” ejaculated Master Will, slapping his thigh in delight and surprise, “that is the name, by all that’s strange. I must watch, and see what becomes of him, No harm shall befall him, if the ’Prentices know it.” Throwing his black cloak around him, and resuming the mask which he had worn over his face, he stealthily followed the armed escort for a considerable distance. By keeping well within the shadows of the huge eaves of the many-gabled houses, he managed to creep close upon the heels of the soldiers unperceived by them, and overheard much of their conversation. After a long walk, the party reached Old Westminster Stairs, and embarked their prisoner in one of the boats tied up there. He saw Blue Jacket and his captors row up the river, and were soon out of sight. y “To Lambeth Tower, eh?” sighed Master Winter. “ They have sent him to a quiet and unsuspected place. There must be some_very grave reasons for all this caution and care, “ Would that I had a boat.” . “Who asks for a boat?” said the voice of some one unseen, J who was lying under a shed out of the fog and heavy dews, — Master Winter made no reply, but advanced towards the speaker, who he perceived was a strong robust youth of abont sixteen. Will Winter smiled, as he perceived the apprentice’s silver badge on the arm of the youth, and having spoken a single word in a very low whisper, the young waterman started as in great surprise and pleasure, and very respectfully doffed his cap with a most respectful bow. Before Master Will could utter another word the young fellow gaily tripped away, and was lost to view under the deep shadows of the boat-shed. “ Rise, lads, quick!’ he said, in a soft voice, to several | youths who were lying down in slumber, and who grumbled much and very angrily at the sudden.and rude disturbance of — their sleep. “Rise, I tell ye! The ‘P. P.” is here! (meaning the “*Prentices’ President.) Quick, I say! Up in an instant!” Directly the young waterman had whispered the magic ~ word, ““P. P.” into the ears of the drowsy youths, they jumped up, and rushed out with great alacrity. ‘‘ What brings him here?” asked one, in wonder. *‘Something’s up, you may be sure,” said another. “Have you heard the ‘signal horn ?’” asked another. Before they could pass many words between them Will Winter stepped into a fast and rakish-looking boat, and rowed by a crew of six watermen’s apprentices, soon was lost in — the dense fog that overhung the river. “To Lambeth Tower!” said Master Will, sitting in the “To Lambeth Tower, lads! Lay wellto your oars! One of our Past Grand’s is in the hands of the Philistines! To-morrow, when you hear the word passed through the city, arm yourselves, and repair each to his well- _ known rendezvous.” ‘Aye, aye, sir!” the ’prentices replied, and with invigorated exertion they dashed through the water at a great speed. “Yonder is Lambeth Tower light, sir,” said the spokesman of the party, in a tone of respect, oe ; “Pull well into shore, then, as close as you can, lads,so that we can see all that passes ; but don’t let us be discovered, or all will be lost !” is So saying, the boat ran close to the shore, and from their — place of concealment plainly saw all that was about to transpire, " _ Ina few minutes the splash of oars was heard approach: — ing. ‘4a It was the boat bearing Blue Jacket to prison. Ere it touched the shore a soldier on duty at the Tower © challenged it. rs The challenge was answered, the boat touched the shore, the soldiers jumped out, and conducted their prisoner towards the gloomy Tower. In a few moments numerous lanterns and torches appeared, and the heavy doors of the Tower creaked with a harsh sound — upon their rusty hinges. Colonel Rawley, the Keeper, appeared, and coarsely welcoming his prisoner with oaths and rude jests — closed the doors again, and ere long Blue Jacket found’him- Eomichooks.com stern and steering.