Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

een TT ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. “ Jack Sheppard ?” ‘Yes; he is concealed in this room.” _ { |‘ Belay, my hearty. What do you want with him ?” ‘‘T have a warrant to apprehend him,” 2 “Then you must give chase at once, for he is gone from hence,” returned Barabbas, clapping him on the shoulder; “but first tell me, are you acting under the orders of Mr. Wild?” “Yes; see, this is his signature. He has com- manded us to take Jack Sheppard, dead or alive, and we must obey.” “In that case I will assist you,” said Barabbas, with well-affected eagerness ; ‘‘and mind you let the great man know that we had a share in the capture of the rascal, for there’s a heavy reward offered for hinr I hear,” “ But where is he ?” ‘Not here. He left about ten minutes before your arrival.”’ « And why the deyil did you let him escape?” “ Avast, Master Quilt, how the devil were we to know that the governor wanted him to be taken? I always understood that Jack Sheppard was one of Mr, Wild’s lieges, in fact, his right-hand man.” | ‘‘No; they’ve quarrelled, and the governor has sworn to hang Jack, and he’ll do it, sure as fate.” ‘‘ Why, dam’me, now, we've lost a good chance of winning the governor’s approbation,” chuckled the dwarf; “but, come, we must hoist sail, and give chase at once, or it will be too late.” ** Which way has he gone ?” “To a caboose near the docks,” rejoined the dwarf; “‘I think they call it the ‘ Blind Beggar.’ Isn’t that the sign, Hans Trinkgelt ?” “Vaw, dat is right; de ‘Blind Beggars,’ yaw, yaw !” grunted the Dutchman. “This way, then, my hearties,’” screamed the dwarf, waving his hat, ‘I'll pilot you safe, never fear, and you may lay your life that Jack Sheppard will sleep to-night in Newgate,” With this he rushed out into the street, closely followed by the officers, as also by a jeering rabble of blackguards, and led them in a direction exactly opposite to that which Jack had taken, CHAPTER LII, CAPTURE OF JACK SHEPPARD AND BLUESKIN. But Jack Sheppard was not destined to escape so easily. - He scrambled over the wall, and, reaching the street, ran off at a great rate in the direction of Holborn. He turned to look if Blueskin were following. That worthy was descried toiling along in the rear, He hobbled painfully, and seemed to be suffer- ing from a wound, “ Hulloa, my pal, are you hurt?” asked Jack Sheppard, running to his partner, and supporting him by the arm, “That cursed dog !” groaned Blueskin, “ Just as I was scrambling over the wall, aninfernal brute of a mastiff set his fangs in my calf, and dragged me down again.” “What did you do?” “drew my chiver across his throat,” growled the robber, savagely ; “ but not before his cursed baying had alarmed the landlord, who, with his ostlers, came rushing after me; however, I let out right and left, and floored my assailants, scrambled over the wall, and here I am.’’ “We must get back to Hind's,” gaid Jack, moodily. ‘And yet I am half inclined to give myself up, for Iam sick of this cursed life, to be hunted like a beast by these cursed fhell-hounds, O44 J. OO ———— ——— com who thirst for my blood ; to be betrayed by my own pals, A nice trick you have played me, Joe.” ‘Cheer up, captain,” cried the elder robber. “T did all for the best. It warn’t possible that I could let you go. ‘And pretty Bess, lord love her eyes! she was frantic at the very thought of separation ; and arter all; captain, you might have got nailed by the pirates, and been made to walk the plank, or swung off at the yard-arm, not to mention the perils of the winds and the waves. Here you are free, and may queer the nubbing cheat in defiance of fifty Jonathan Wilds.” “That remains to be seen,” laughed a deep, ferocious voice, and a powerful man sprang out from the shadow of the wall. “Talk of the devil, and he’s sure to appear,” growled Blueskin, pulling outa pistol. Dashing Sheppard {aside, Jonathan Wild sprang upon Blueskin, and felled him to the earth by blow from his heavy bludgeon. vs Jack Sheppard drew his pistols, and aimed them at Wild’s head, ng “Devil! Ihave you at last!” he cried, with a shout of triumph. “ But this act of cutting off such a monster from the face of the earth—I have more than atoned for my worst crimes,” He drew the trigger, The pistols flashed in the pan. He looked in amaze at the weapons. “The cursed Jew has betrayed me !” Jonathan Wild laughed fiendishly. “Ts Jack as good as his master now ?” he ’said, drawing an immense horse-pistol from his belt, and clapping the muzzle to Sheppard’s head. . ‘Surrender, Jack,” he said. ~ “If you attempt resistance, I will lame you, and you shall go to the gallows on crutches.” Jack growled a terrible oath. He leaped upon the thief-taker, and hurled him backwards against the wall. Z. This pistol exploded. 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