Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE. HUNTER. 15 Jack was silent, “ Your answer ?—but beware! I never break my word |” ‘Heaven help me, then!” said Jack, solemnly. “ Rather a thousand deaths than such dishonour ! There is no power on earth that could make me a base robber !” “Fool!” sneered Jonathan, answer ?” *‘T can give you no other,” was the boy’s reply. * You have thrown away your last chance,” growled the arch-villain, as he swished round his whinger, in order to cleave the young martyr in twain, Clash! The descending weapon was deftly parried by the blade of a small dress sword. The interposer was a short, slight, but well-built youth, about nineteen years of age, very showily dressed in a scarlet riding-coat, richly brocaded with gold lace, a three-cornered hat, also laced with gold, top-boots, and an ornamented baldrick, from which depended the scabbard of his small, silver-hilted sword, In bis belt were thrust a brace of handsomely- mounted pistols ; his linen and lace ruffles were of the daintiest white and finest texture ; his fingers were covered with brilliant rings, and a costly diamond brooch glistened in his fringe cravat; his complexion was psle, his eyes large, black, and lustrous ; his sleek black hair was close-cropped, and his head small and bullet-shaped. “This t2 me, Jack Sheppard?” roared Wild, lowering his sword, and staring at the youth in blank amazement, “Hark ye, governor,” returned the notorious house-breaker, “I’ve served ye faithfully, haven’t I? Will ye do me a favour?” “ Humpbh !” “Spare this dimber* little kiddy, just for my sake? I’ve taken a liking to him! he’s such a plucky one.” “Sorry to disoblige you, Jack,” returned Jonathan, firmly, “ but it can’t be done. It would be a bad precedent. I’ve said he shall die; my word's my bond.” “S'death !”’ cried Jack Sheppard, with rising anger. ‘‘ You won’t refuse such asmall favour to one of your best men? Haven’t I alwaysdone my duty, and handed over two-thirds of the swag without grumbling? Very well, governor be reasonable. This rash cull deserves a better fate than to be made a box of cold meat of; he’s <teel to the back- bone. Tl stand bail that he won’t whiddle* ; he’s no peach. At all events, give him a chance,” “T have given him a chance—a last chance,” re- turned Jonathan, sternly. ‘‘ He has thrown it away.” ‘“Pshaw! give him time, governor. The road to the nubbing-cheat,* like the floor of a certain place, is paved with good intentions. Thkere’s many a high tobyman that worked capitalt and came at last to be a Tyburn Show, that resisted temptation in the onset. Don't spoil a good baad for want of a little patience. Give him time to reflect—say an hour. Life’s sweet, and he may come to terms, If he don’t, why, then, curse him for a fool, say I, I wash my hands of him.” “Well, Jack, as I desire to gratify you when possible, as you’ve been useful to me, I think I can yield thus far without compromising my word. I will give bim an hour for reflection ; but if he obstinately persists in refusing my fair offer, he shall die, as sure as Newgate,” “Ig this your * Pretty. +t Inform. ] Gallows. § Commits offences ' punishable by death. “ Bravo! that’s jannock!” cried Jack Sheppard, delightedly. “You hear what good Mr, Wild says, my plummy kinchen? Why endure an hour's sus- pense? Strike a bargain at once ; join our gallant company. You shall be my pupil and pal, and I'll make a tip-top cracksman of ye, for who can teach you to slum a ken* in finer style than Jack Shep- pard ?” “I thank ye, it is kind of ye to wish to save me,” said the honest and heroic boy, in a frank and pleasant manner ; “but I would rather die a thou- sand deaths each day than live one hour the slave of this villain as you are, Jack Sheppard.” A shade of pain flickered over Jack Sheppard's pale face, and a faint blush rose to his cheek, Jonathan Wild glared like a demon, Once more he whirled round his heavy sword. Jack Sheppard caught his wrist. ‘Your promise, governor,” he said, quietly. “Right,” said Wild, curtly, as he sheathed his sword. “I'll keepit. Here, Quilt Arnold, Abraham, clap this kid into bilboes,* gag him, and pitch him down into the black hole.” In an instant the two satellites, one a fierce- looking ruffian, the other a miserable old Jew, seized the boy, handcuffed and gagged him, and tied his feet together. Barabbas roughly seized the helpless victim by the hair, and dragging him along to a dark recess in the cavern, pitched him down a black shaft, and let fall the heavy trap-hatch upon him, CHAPTER VIII. THE BOY MARTYR. JONATHAN WILD having thus disposed of our noble boy hero, turned to the pirate skipper. “Well, mynheer, what news from Amsterdam ?” “‘ Were goot, Meister Vild. De gelt is in de factor’s handsh, de vatches and goldshmitz notes vosh take in de ‘Raven,’ De jewelsh ish reset, Muntmeéister, Dat ish a fine cleversh fellow, Van Stein. Vot you call zat he is ?—de jeweller—ja—de lapidary? He zend you dish notesh,” ‘“Pay him when you return; but the papera, Wolfgang? The documents you found in that Dutch galliot you took ?” ‘“De papersh? Goot! Vot belonged to de Jacobite, Sir Jocylyn Tremaine and his frow—his vife—de Lady Annabel.” ‘“Yes; have you bought them ?” “Ja, Meister Vild ; but noting vos heard of ze frowlein—de childst vosh drown. I vill zhow de papersh to you iv you will come vith me, dere arl in my own shalloon. Come dis vay.” The Dutchman rose and stalked through the cavern followed by Wild. As soon as they were gone, Blueskin, Jack Shep- pard, and the rest, seated themselves at the table, bottles of wine and spirits were placed on the board. ‘Blueskin, Sheppard, and about half-a-dozen others of Jonathan Wild’s dependants, with the pirate crew, throwing off the restraint their leaders’ presence had imposed upon them, now broke out into uproarious merriment. “Captain, tip us a ranting stave,” suggested Blueskin. ‘Aye, aye! a song, Captain Sheppard! a song!” was the general shout, accompanied by a tremen- dous thumping of tables, and clattering of ttlcs and glasses, + Handcuffs, commiclooolk * Commit’ burglary. (CO)