Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. 294 words, Blueskin found himself in possession of the sum required, ‘You will be faithful and guard your trust,” said our hero, If Blueskin bad made no reply to the words addressed to him, the expression of his face would have given an answer. “T shall not touch a farthing of the blunt, Sir John, though I were parching and I had not a mag in my cly,” said the robber, “that which you have given me will be expended, to a fraction, in the service of Captain Sheppard,” “Your scheme then ?” *¢ You will shortly know.” ‘Should it fail ?” “Tt won’t— should it do so—why, hey for a rescue at the triple tree,”* Wirth Wolfgang, who had hitherto remained silent, now advanced. He fixed his keen grey eyes upon the speakers, then turned to address them. _ ‘“‘ Dat is right, dam right,” exclaimed the phleg- matic Hollander, “vat you say is very proper and very goot, but vat I shall say is better nor goot.” “The devil it is,” replied Blueskin, “then let’s have it at once, Wirth.” *Donder un blixon,” exclaimed the Dutchman, “how dat schnapps lapper of yours does run—away mit you.” “What scapper ?” ‘IT must have von vord mit mynheer in private,” “A secret, eh?” “Yaw, yaw.” “Can’t I pal in?” “Nein; not now, leaye de affair in mein hands and it will be settled pravely,” ‘While [ ——” ““Go back to de brandewine and hollandsche geneva, dat we left in de room below,” ‘‘Is the parley genuine ?”’ The Dutchman made no answer, but by way of assent, placed his hand upon his heart. “Your token ?” ‘“‘ Jack Sheppard,” As Wirth Wolfgang mentioned the well-loved name, Blueskin, without further hesitation, left our hero.and his companion alone, It should never be said of the faithful follower of the condemned robber that he stood in the way or offered any obstruction to the means that might effect his release, ‘De crow Sheppard’s kinchen is destined to de gibbet,” remarked Wirth Wolfgang, with solemnity, after a slight pause. “Alas, such was the fatal prophecy, which it ap- pears now is likely to be fulfilled,” ‘‘Berhaps not,” replied Wirth Wolfgang, “I may tell you something dat vill bring de colour in your cheeks, for I see dey are rader paler dan dey once was,” “They may well be so,” replied our hero; “the fate of my once firm friend afflicts me deeply,” “I have consulted, mynheer, dis lump of wood on de top of mein shoulders,” continued the Dutch- man, tapping his forehead, and indicating that by the latter, remark he alluded to his head, “and I fancy dat de fate of dis poor lad may be averted.” ‘Averted !” echoed Roving Jack, “Yaw,” continued Wirth Wolfgang, “to hang ‘Jack Sheppard’ there must be what you call ‘Jack Ketch ?”’ “A man of the name of Andrew Maryel at the present time fulfils that dreadful office,” * The triple tree or gallows at Tyburn, COT LCI OOK “ Dat'is true—but he must be” prevented in his vork. “He must be made to drink—drugged—incapa- ble of duing his dirty duty,” “But by what means can we——” ‘‘ Hush, hush, de lump of wood is busy,” inter- rupted the stolid Dutchman,*’again repeating his peculiar action with regard to his head. ‘“ Vhen de Sheriff,” continued the speaker, “shall find out dat de hangman is dronk,‘he will be on de horns of von dilemma, He will give a large sum to any one vat vill be his substitute. But,’ continued the Dutchman, “ nobody vill ondertake de job.” ** Then !” ‘‘T shall offer mein services,” “You !” : “Yes ; I shall take de place, JI, Wirth Wolfgang, once headsman of Amsterdam, and public execu- tioner of the Seven United Provinces of Holland,” We shall not attempt to convey any idea of the magical effect the singular announcement had upon Roving Jack. For some moments he remained silent, and seemed to loathe the presence of ‘one who had hurried into eternity so many human beings. At length, conquering the weakness, he remarked in a dry tone, ‘Supposeyyou succeed in obtaining your object, I can see no‘satisfactory result arising from it.” “Time will show—time<will show,” repeated the Dutchman. ‘TJ ‘do,"not see. how I can assist you in this matter,” said Roving Jack. “You can do so, materially,” replied Wirth Wolfgang. ‘‘ You’ must give me your promise to do one thing.” *‘ Name it |” ' “To have an empty carriage” waiting at the stables of the ‘White Lion,” on, the Edgware Road,” * : “Tt shall be there as"yon desire ; so appoint the time.” ‘“‘ One hour before de execution is to take place.’ “Good!” “Should I require furder assistance ?” «You will Have it.” ‘You must swear,” , “I do most solemnly,” said Roying Jack, in a firm voice, | “Dat will do,” said Wirth Wolfgang, with a placid smile on his countenance, and hastily quit- ting the apartment, he rejoined once more his com- panion Blueskin, CHAPTER CXXIX, A HANGMAN’S HISTORY. ON the morning appointed for the execution of Jack Sheppard, Andrew Marvel, the common hang- man, was up betimes. So early, forsooth, that an ordinary individual would have imagined that on those occasions when he was called upon to perform his terrible office he never went to bed at all. Such an idea would have been fallacious, and have shown how little the individual was acquainted with the character of the party in question, Yet Andrew Marvel, like other mortals, must take the customary repose due to nature, and take it * The “* White Lion,” in the Edgware Road (now the Metro- politan Music Hall), was in Jack Sheppard's time a lonely roadside inn; it was established in 1524, the year hops were first imported for the purpose of flavouring beer,