Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

“to go t’oder ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ~OF1 ‘bard clanked ominously, as he trod the hollow aisles, Suddenly he came upon the person he was seeking... _ He was seated with the utmost composure in one of the unoccupied niches in the body of the sacred building. _The costume of this individual was quaint and singular, while his movements were grave, im- perturbable, and deliberate. His dress consisted of a jerkin and breeches of brown frieze, highly ornamented with round small brass buttons ; the latter garment, being exceedingly full at the seat, and tight at the knees, proclaimed him to be one of the natives of the Netherlands or Holland. . Red hose, high boots, and a steeple hat completed his attire, The Dutchman also possessed other particularities, such as a weather-beaten, red, and broad face, eyes small and twinkling, and a beard and head of hair, both of which were bushy and stubborn. His sole occupation appeared to be that of smoking, if we may judge from the manrfer in which he contemplated the vapour emitted from his kindled pipe. Jonathan Wild in an instant recognised in the phlegmatic personage his old companion in crime Wirth Wolfgang. Neither spoke, but the former beckoned to the Dutchman to follow him, and proceeded until he came to the entrance porch. .Haying glided through it, both men were in the open grayeyard attached to the old church. Had they not been deeply engrossed in their own thoughts, they would have observed a figure creep stealthily along the outer wall, spring over it, and make his way cautiously to the ancient fabric. Having come toa halt, Jonathan Wild inquired, ‘‘What brings you here, Wirth?” After several whiffs the individual addressed took the pipe from his mouth, and in a rather mys- terious and husky voice, replied, ‘ ‘“Muntmeester, a leetle pusiness ant a leetle pleasure.” “Do you bring good or eyil tidings?” ‘Perhaps wad, perhaps goot—cela depénd—wot you call in English, as you like.” “Hang it, Wirth, let’s have no Dutch lingo, but “speak out, What do you want?” _ This was so grave a question, that the party of whom it was demanded continued under its con- templation more stolid than ever, and finally coughed, and shook his head in that manner in which a Hollander only can perform those opera- tions. “What do you want?” repeated Wild. “Mein vriend, I want vot you vouldn’t pay me some very long time ago.” - “T tell you that you have no proof that——” “Haven’t I! and perhaps I haven’t got no proof of someting else what you hafe done, which will sent you a long way at the expense of Jean _ Bull—hein.” ~*©Do you think I’m a fool ?” No, but I thinks you are a rogue. Listen, Mynheer Wild, I hafe got you letters safe, and other broofs what you know not.” “T must/manceavre with this fellow | “Come, come, I wants de money,” said Wirth Wolfgang, tapping the ashes out of his pipe on an adjacent tombstone ; “’tis dwo hundred and yivty pound, Pay me, Muntmeester, or I shall be obliged vay to work to make you.” Seeming to consent for the nonce to the Dutch- ee. OOO rm man’s demand, Jonathan Wild, masking his design with a countenance of deceit, addressed his as- sociate— ‘IT was but jesting with .you, Wirth, Wolfgang, You shall be paid, and ‘fully paid. As an earnest of my word take this ring on my finger ; its value is worth half the amount of the sum I am indebted to you.” ¢ “Very goot. I will take it as security.” “ “And you will not refuse to serve me in a little matter I have on hand?” | cere “Vill you pay me vell? I can’t afford to do vicket things so cheap, as; I did vonce. I’ve got a néw master since we last met, and he is a tyrant.” ‘ inst master ?”’? replied Wild, eagerly. , “‘ Who ‘is e 9) “Mien conscience,” ‘said Wirth, striking his breast. . At this remark the thief-taker gave a loud laugh. “You laugh. Many yolks laugh at vot they do not onderstand ; that is de case with you, Mynheer Wild, when I talk of conscience.” ty “ Well, well, since Ihave agreed to your terms, I trust we are to be better friends.” - i “Stop; you let me see in mien hand de two hondred and vivty pounds vot-you owe me, and I swear by all my hopes of habbiness in dis vorld and de next to make you von present.” “A present ?”’ “Don’t be in a hurry, mein yonker, I will, put into your hand that teufel’s imp, Roving Jack.” Positively stunned by the information, Jonathan Wild for the moment stood petrified, and in distrust looked fixedly at the Dutchman as if he would penetrate the very depths of his soul. . Recovering his self-possession, he uttered, with a sudden vehemence— “Can it be possible that the grave can give up the dead !” ; “ He escaped from de ruins where Jack Sheppard lay his body.” x “Yes, and——”’ ais ‘“Make for de river to get a boat.” “You were cruising and saw him hail you?” “Ja, ja; just so. I was set in de stern’ of mien shallop, when I heard de voice of some one con- cealed among de reeds dat grow along de water’s edge.” The Dutchman paused, aud then resumed— “TJ pull towards de bank, and there I find von man; he was pale, trembling, and covered of blood. I know his face, and say to myself, ‘ this, if I mistake not, will bring me some gelt.’ He was too faint and sick to notice me; and got into my boat for shelter and protection.” ; | “‘ Shelter and protection !” cried Wild, with a hideous grin. “The fool had better trusted him- self in the den of a lion. Well, how have you disposed of him ?” : “JT will tell you when I shall have filled mien hooker.” ~e ‘- The gentleman appealed to went through the mysterious ceremonial peculiar to himself of filling the bowl of his pipe, and with an ¢qually grave solemnity of lighting the same with’ apiece of German tinder. . Having buried himselfin a profundity of smoke and sober speculation, Wirth Wolfgang proceeded with his discourse. “ Donder und blitzen! when dis, what you call, . Roving Jack, got into my boats, he was so weak from de loss of de blood he fell down, and swooned quite away, having no more sense than if ‘he had taken a cask of brandewyn. ‘Dat is better nor good,’ thought I, as I clap my old séa-cloak over fee COMMGIOOKS=c