Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ee 69 : “ Not far from the Owlet’s Roost ?” “Ha! that is the birth-place of that extra- ordinary boy, Roving Jack. I should have thought him the last person in the world to be in league with you.” “Pshaw! why not? We are both of the same profession—he is a robber-hunter, I a thief-taker. ‘What is the difference ?” “Clearly. The fact did not occur to me,” re- joined Sir Ranulph, with a laugh. “ But good- night, or rather morning, Mr. Wild.” “ Your servant, Sir Ranulph,” replied Jonathan. “Fear not for the successful issue of this enter- prise ; home! and dream blissfully of your pretty charmer, for she is yours on my word and promise. Trust me ; I never fail!” CHAPTER XXV, PREPARATIONS FOR A FOUL DEED. JONATHAN WILD’s house was situated in the Old Bailey. It was a large and gloomy-looking structure, and had much the aspect of a prison. After parting with Sir Ranulph Gayton, he hastened thither, accompanied by Quilt Arnold and Abraham Mendez. The rest of his followers he dismissed, ‘‘ Quilt,” said the thief-taker, as they proceeded, ‘‘T have an important job in hand to-night, and am close pressed for time; you and Abe must ac- company me. Are you prepared? It will be a profitable affair.” “T am ready, Mr. Wild; and I partly guess the nature of your business,” returned Quilt, “and, as you say, there is no time to lose.” “Dat ish truesh, Mishter Arnoldsh,” chuckled the Jew. “ Then you are aware of what has passed between me and Sir Ranulph, eh ?” enquired Wild, with a suspicious look. “Only by guess,” returned Quilt. “ You remem- ber I was present when you sent Nimble Nat on the touting lay to the ‘ Bear and Ragged Staff,’ and it is well known to all the lummy ones that the gay blood is smitten with Morgan Gray’s dimber little daughter,” ‘And, py de peard of Moshesh, dat is no von- dersh,’? laughed the old Jew. ‘ De covessh ish fery peautiful, almosh ash pretty ash Edgevorth Bess.” ‘Ha! ha! I always thought, Nab, that you had a sneaking kindness for Jack Sheppard’s autem mort,” said Quilt. “Do you tink I am inshenshible to de sharms of peauty ?” chuckled the hideous old rascal, shaking his bushy red beard. “Silence, both of you,” rejoined Wild, sternly. ‘Stay here, Abraham ; you, Quilt, come with me,” They were now standing on the steps of the thief-taker’s house. Wild took from his pocket a large key, and applied it to the lock; the bolt shot back witha loud clash, and the thick, iron-banded door swung heavily on its strong hinges. They entered the hall, which was spacious and flagged with stone. A lamp burned in an alcove; if the exterior of the house was sombre and prison-like the interior was still more so. Wild closed the street-door. He took up the lamp, and handed it to Quilt Arnold, ; He then produced from his capacious pocket a large bunch of keys, and their “ clank-clash ” rung thrilling through the echoing hall. He opened a second door, which was furnished with double locks and heavy chains and bars, Passing through this, he ascended a wide and vaulty staircase, the lamp twinkling weirdly like the elfin flame on a dark moor at midnight, They paused when they reached the first landing, a sort of gallery, with rows of large and strangely- guarded doors, and having all the appearance of a corridor of cells. “To the armoury?” inquired Quilt, upraising the lamp so as to throw its light upon a number painted on one of the doors. “No, to the magazine ; we shall have to crack the crib, Quilt,’ returned Wild, withagrin. ‘I am rather pleased with the job, for I am out of practice ; my hand begins to lose its cunning.” He unlocked another door, and they entered a large dark chamber bare of furniture, but sur- rounded on all sides by glazed cupboards and cases, This was Wild’s museum, which will be hereafter particularly described. As they passed over the creaking floor of the dark and stoney chamber, the faint light of the hand- lamp glinted on many a white, grinning skull, and showed up the deep indelible crimson stains on more than one garment or sparkled on various shackles and other fetters contained in the glass cases of the ghastly museum. Quilt Arnold cast a shuddering glance about him, and kept close upon the heels of his master, Jonathan Wild at once noticed this display of awe and terror on the part of his companion, and, with instinctive malice, he sought to increase it. “Tt is strange, Quilt, what a startling effect common sounds or objects present under the witch- ing spell of night and darkness, the mysterious hour of dreams and spectral illusions; many a bold heart has thrilled with a pang of mortal dread at the soughing of the wind through leafless branches, or the light rustle of a sere leaf on a dry path. Be- sides, we have such manifold testimony to the occasional re-appearance on earth of those spirits that have past the shadowy bourne of death, that ibe moust be some truth in the existence of such acts.’ ‘“‘ |—I—don’t believe a word of it, Mr, Wild,’ returned Quilt, edging closer, his teeth chattering and his hair stirring. “Well, I myself lend such tales no absolute credence,” rejoined the malignant thief-taker, in a careless tone, “yet sometimes I scarce know what to think. You know, for instance, that this very chamber is said to be haunted by the chost of that spice high toby gloak, poor Tom Hall, that was crapped last sessions. Well, one night as I was passing through this room, there appeared before me a form, thin, pale and mist-like——. Ha! do ye see that? Look!” ‘““W-where, where, Mr. Wild?” half shrieked Arnold, shutting his eyes, and actually staggering with fright. “Hum!” muttered Jonathan, reflectively. ‘It may have been but a shadow, Bah! what care I? Man or devil, I fear it not! Come, Quilt, every moment is precious.” So saying, he flung open a door which gave ad- mittance to a tolerably large room, the walls of which were hung with jemmies, centre-bits, pick- locks, and all kinds of burglarious implements in great number,” “Bring that bag, Quilt,” said the thief-taker, “put in this crowbar, a gimblet, and a few files. We shall scarcely want them, ’tis such an easy Cconnicloooks CO)