Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 230: what you’re looking at

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

250 _ pees © 220 62 Oe te ee eee ieee SS EE SS TS Se a 2 2 sky,” said Simon Smut, “but never could believe it without ocular demonstration. It strikes me forcibly as I’ve got it now.” Consternation and dismay had fallen on the spec- tators who had witnessed the late calamity. For some minutes they stared upwards, more than ever astounded at the mystic appearance of the piece of timber. ; : ‘‘ Thig is the devil’s work,” cried twenty voices. ‘Qn the contrary,” replied others, ‘the log appears to have been thrown to us from the skies.” “ Hold your tongues, you fools; I know how this comes; but say no more about it till we’ye finished our business.” Though Blueskin made this observation, he was as much in the dark as his companions, and knew as little as they how to account for the fall of the beam, Meanwhile nothing was to be seen on the New- gate tower, and the top of it was too high for the light of the torches to reach, The ponderous lump of wood lay across the pave- ment and roadway. Nothing was heard saye the groans of the wretches mangled beneathit. . — The first shock over, Blueskin fancied he had discovered the author of the mischief. His remarks appeared plausible to his associates. ‘‘ Depend upon it, friends,” he exclaimed, ‘‘ Jona- than Wild has recognized us, and intends defend- ing the citadel ; if so, we’ll umearth the fox before he fancies he has safely secured himself,” The men of slang looked first at the tall column of the Newgate tower, jutting its head into the black heavens, and then at the broad beam lying at its threshold. Something had damped the courage of the fierce assailants. ‘Once more to the attack, boys,” shouted Blue- skin. Not a soul moved a foot or stirred a finger, “ What !” continued the robber, ‘‘ are you fright- ened out of your wits by the little twig that has snapped over your heads?” ‘No, ’taint exactly that, captain,” replied the foremost man ; “ but the door is all clamped with bars and studded with iron. Our implements are of no use; the pincers fail to serve us.” ‘‘What do you require, then, to break it open?” asked Blueskin, “ We want a battering-ram,”’ “ Here it is, then,” replied the robber, indicating the fallen beam. “ Jonathan Wild has kindly sent youone, Thank you, Jonathan,” he added, making a mock obesance to the Newgate Tower, This piece of bravado on the part of Blueskin produced the desired effect, By some two hundred vigorous arms the log was picked up like a feather, then dashed against the door the smiths were unable to force. x The door yielded not, though the cavities of the tall column were heard to groan under the terrific shock, | At the moment a pitiless torrent of stones was hailed down upon the invaders of the Sanctuary, “This is no joke,” cried the captain of the party ; “the tower is shaking its balustrade upon us,” Blueskin was right ; an enormous piece of the parapet had been dislodged and hurled down, cracking skulls in all directions, Already heaps of killed and wounded lay bleed- ing at the feet of their comrades, who, nothing daunted, filled up the thinned ranks, The beam continued to batter, but without avail ; the door only groaned. ; And still the stones came showering down. It is almost unnecessary to tell that this unex- pected resistance which so exasperated the crowd, proceeded from Wirth Wolfgang, at the top of the tower, Presently the eyes of all were raised to this oint, They had descried, by the uncertain glimpses of — the moon, which had partially shown herself for a few moments, the figure of the Dutchman, lr i ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. “Ts there no way of forcing that infernal door to reach him?” cried Blueskin, in a fit of desperation, “ Shall we give it up for a bad job?” « Shall we leave Jael a captive still in the hands of the enemy ?” “Let us make one more trial,” “We shall never succeed.” “JT don’t know that,” * Where’s Simon Smut?” 7 “‘ Killed, no doubt; he was at our first attack,” “More’s the pity ; he could have helped us in this fix,” “ “Captaim,”’ said a gipsy, addressing Blueskin, ‘“‘he isn’t killed, for I saw him sneaking away from us just now.” “ S’death | the coward, to leave us in the lurch in the very nick of time! No! as I live, there he is, crawling up the pillar of the Newgate Tower.” There Simon Smut was, sure enough, The brave lad had ehosen an ingenious mode of reaching its summit, The shaft of the column was here and there in- dented with angles and projections which furnished a ready means of ascent to one accustomed to climbing as Simon had been as a chimney sweep. He mounted like a monkey up the jagged eminence, Heels, toes, elbow and knees were each in requi- sition. “Head, tail; back’ard amd forrard,” as he ex- returned Blueskin, | pressed himself, all went to work at once. He seemed as quick, darting, and sure-footed as one of the antelope species. Simon soon arrived at the balcony, and nimbly leaped upon if. The cheering of the vast multitude attended this feat, who rent the air with their loud huzzas. Simon Smut himself joined in the general shout. ~ But, all at once, the timorous youth was struck dumb with horror, He perceived Wirth Wolfgang crouching behind him, while his eyes displayed two balls of fire. ag he could utter a sound Wirth was upon im. He caught hold of the poor nervous Simon, Then pushed him with superhuman force from the pinnacle. Quietly resting his two elbows on the stone-work, the Dutchman regarded his luckless antagonist in his descent, ; , - It was not so perilous as anticipated, There was a shriek, a splash, and nothing more. Simon Smut had been hurled into a large tank of mater that exposed itself on a neighbouring roof, ; Of the circumstance the multitude beneath were unaware, A ery of horror-burst from ten thousand throats. — “Revenge and storm!” were the only words uttered. Then followed prodigous yells, curses and im: precations, intermingled with all languages, dialects and accents, “omicbooks7ecom | {