Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 38: what you’re looking at

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50 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. $$$ Fe ee. your class because he was out-matched by numbers, and had come with the flag of truce in his hand.” “Dam’me, every messenger who brings such peace offerings may be sure of a welcome,” laughed Tom King. ‘“ Your pardon, Sir John.” ‘‘ Now, Jack, I mean to ask you a plain question, Are you happy in your present course of life ?” continued our hero, ‘‘ Happy?” said Jack, in surprise. “Bah! who is happy?” asked Tom King, “ Happy is a maudlin word.” “ Confound your clatter !’’ cried Sheppard, im- patiently. ‘* Let his honour speak,” ‘**T repeat the question, then, Jack.” ‘“No, I am not happy,” said Sheppard, as he threw himself into a chair and toyed with the jewelled rings on his fingers ; ‘‘and yet I ought to be—I always wished to be considered a fine, dashing fellow; to be a sort of hero, I have reached the height of that sort of renown that may be won by such as I; for I am the finest cracksman of the day ; I am lord of the lock and king of the key ; no prison can hold me; no crib is safe from me ; I can boast of more daring deeds, have taken more swag, than e’er a reeving blade of ’em all—yes, I’ve gained my wish—I am famous.”’ * Infamous, Jack,” ‘‘ Ha!” growled the young bousebreaker, instinc- tively clutching a pistol, But your motives are friendly ; pray, sir, proceed, but don’t play the chaplain ; this is not the Stone Hall of Newgate, and I am rather short-tempered.” “TI haye no wish to sermonize,” said Roving Jack. ‘Do you know, Sheppard, that you and I are some- what alike in disposition ?” Jack Sheppard laughed, “‘ How can that be?” he asked, ‘You are of a restless, roving, adventurous turn, so am I; you loye danger and excitement for its own sake ; you like to surmount the most desperate obstacles by your own subtlety, pluck, and perse- verance ; you are greedy of fame; in all this we resemble each other, But, Jack, you made a false start ; there are two roads ; you took the wrong one ; the one you have taken will lead to Tyburn ; and, as for your ‘fame,’ it may live in the vile ballads and romances that please the deprayed, but every honest youth will scout the idea of such as you being a hero, The deyil himself is famous in your fashion,” Jack Sheppard’s broad, black brows met in a sullen frown, and his pale cheek flushed with subdued anger, “‘ Hark ye, Sir John,” said Tom King ; as you are strong, be merciful. Born’as you are to wealth, ease and honour, you cannot appreciate the power of those temptations that beset poor rogues in a lower sphere than yourself,’’ “T can and do, Tom,” said our hero, warmly ; “and though I am now in possession of wealth, as you mention, the time has been when I was but a poor friendless boy with very uncertain prospects and Jack will tell you that I was once subjected to a severe trial.” “ That’s true,” said Jack Sheppard : “ol - ‘en ate sure he had killed ye.” tla “I plead no merit, Jack: in mye have actedasTdid” 9° 9) YOu Would “Yes ; I would be honest if T liked, no one should prevent me,” muttered Sheppard, in a sullen tone, “You should have been a soldier, a sailor, or an explorer of strange and Savage lands; then, Jack, with your skill, pluck and endurance. ; indeed have been a hero,” , FOU Wronnd “But I turned—thief /” muttered J ack, folding his arms, and bending his head, ‘““Come, Jack, it’s not too late to repent,” said our hero, ‘As I mean to aid the law in battling with strong-handed robbers on land and sea, I will take licence to save one now and then, who, I think, is worthy of a better fate than that which must attend such base and wretched courses, Let the past go, Jack! Live to redeem it ; we will sail as comrades, and see if we can pluck up ‘drowned hononr by the locks,’ if we can carve out fame in the cause of right and chivalry !” ** Blueskin wouldn’t hear of it,’ mumbled Jack, Bah! are you a coward that you cannot face his vulgar jibes and mockery ?” said our hero. “I thought you were one who could never be turned from your purpose ?”’ “But I haven’t made up my mind to anything yet,” said Jack Sheppard, sulkily. “But you will make up your mind, Jack, Iam sure, to join me in my yenturoug cruise,” returned our hero. ‘IT like you. Come, then, are we friends ?” ‘Till death |” returned the honse-breaker, grip- ping his hand. “Tama thief. You do not despise “ Asa thief I do; be you as bold, as generous as you will; but you cannot be either. It is hollow mockery and folly, Can a man be generous with what does not belong to‘him? Can a man be bold who is too much the coward to face hard work, but must filch like the sneak, the ‘ thief in the night?’ I like you, Jack, because I believe you to be a wild, brave spirit—lost and castaway, Come, then, join my band ; but that is nothing. What is my band? What amJI? Come out into the straight, plain paths of common honesty, and be aman! Where did you get those ruffles, that glittering brooch, that waistcoat of silver brocade ?” 5 1 Jack’s face flushed crimson, “Stole them, or 'the money that bought them. Woman! baby! will you be lured by such paltry, tawdry baits? Would you not be more proud and princely in the roughest guise, if your heart were free, and your hands clean of crime? A thief, Jack, a thief, a thief!” “Why don’t I kill ye?” hissed Jack ard, clutching his sword hilt, sensi ‘‘ Because Fyou know I tell you the truth from grateful and friendly motives,” returned Roving Jack, boldly smiling. “Do ye think that I ‘want to cant and preach ; that I, your very counterpart in some respects, wish to blame you for your pluck and deviltry? Not a whit; but; oh! Jack—a thief! a paltry, sneaking thief |” “But I can’t leave them ; they think so much of me ; and Edgeworth Bess,” muttered Jack Sheppard, irresolutely, “She will betray you, Jack.” “The Romany fortune-teller said she has threatened me in her passion,” returned Jack, with a careless laugh ; “ but I’ll never believe it of her.”* ““Egad ! woman is at the bottom of all mischief,” said Tom King, a dark cloud settling on his manly brow. “But for one of those ‘tinted’ sepulchres, so comely without, so loathsome within, I should not now be a gentleman of the high toby, Well, let the world wag, for, as the pirate says— ““* Tam what I am, And I don't care a d——n, For I sail ’neath the Jolly Oliver.’ + _| seas * Our young readers will remember that Jack Sheppard was betrayed by the girl whom he had rescued from prison, t The black fla g of piracy,