Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

84 returned the toll-keeper. “With that in his pos- session no thief will dare attack him,” Tom King laughed, “I would rather put faith in my own true steel or unerring fire-lock than in the influence of all the rascally thief-takers in Christendom,” he said. ‘But, thanks for your warning, friend, and a good night. Come, gentlemen, let us be going,” - The robbers spurred their horses and galloped on. “ Halt !” cried Turpin, The command was instantly obeyed. The sound of carriage wheels was distinctly heard. : ‘We are nearing our guest,” said Tom King. “ Aye, look yonder,” rejoined Turpin, pointing with his whip, The men looked in the direction thus indicated by their leader. A carriage was seen through the trees, passing along the high road. “No spot could be more favourable for our pur- pose than that where we shall overtake them,” said Turpin. “The road winds through the forest, and becomes narrower and more difficult every yard of the next two miles,” ‘But how!shall we reach them, captain?” asked Fielder. “Shall we follow up the chase ?” “ Or make a detour?” suggested Tom. ‘““We will turn down this lane,” said Turpin, “which will lead us into the main road. If we ride hard we shall outstrip them. ‘* Away, then |’? } The party turned into the lane, They galloped on ata rattling rate till they had neary reached the end of it, Here Turpin gave orders to them to draw rein. They did so. ‘Shall we mask ?” asked Fielder. “No, dam’me !—let us face it out,” cried Tom King, recklessly, But Turpin drew a black mask from his pocket, He put it on. The others imitated his example, Tom King shrugged his shoulders, “Well, I for one will go undisgui sed,” said he. “Don’t be a fool, Tom,” growled the other. ‘You shall mask, I say,” ‘‘Well, captain, I defer to you as: in duty bound,” returned Tom King. He then covered his handsome face with a black velvet mask, ‘‘ Before we proceed to work,” said he, “I must request that there shall be no ruffianly violence. Sir Ranulph is my mark; I have an account to settle with him, so you must leave him to me ; and as for Kate Dulcimer, she shall remain with him or return with me, as she pleases.” ‘A curse on your fads and caprices !” cried Dick Turpin, savagely. ‘Do you think I'll suffer you to imperil the necks of the whole band by such squeamish fooleries? Jf the gitl is suffered to escape, of course she will blow oa us, She must return with us, or, what is better, must be quieted. What compassion can you have for the wanton, heartless jilt ?”’ ‘“Not much, I own,” returned Tom; “but I warn you, Dick, whoever harms ‘her makes me his enemy.” “Hark, captain, the coach ix at hand!” inter- rupted one of the robbers, ‘Make ready, boys!” whisper ed Turpin, _—s— sieeeeme OU pee ee ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ee Od cd Ek I a Water BR sc 2h oe NS oe A kr CHAPTER XXXII. THE HIGHWAY ROBEERY—THE DUEL IN THE WwoopD. - THE lamps of the coach were now seen twinkling through the dark, wet leaves of the close-growing trees ; and sweeping round a sharp turn in the road, the cumbrous Magi oe by a pair of fine horses, rapidly approached. Dick Murpiit aid Tom King immediately leaped their horses over the thicket, and posted themselves in the middle of the road, “ Stand !”” shouted Turpin. The fat coachman uttered a shout of alarm, and ducked his head, as if he thought himself in danger of being instantly shot. “ Highwaymen!” cried the servants, leaping down from behind. Dick Turpin and Tom King rode up one on either side of the road, pistol in hand, Fielder and Rose emerged from the bushes some yards in the rear of the carriage. Bush, Gregory, and Nat Wetherby advanced in front. Thus beset, the footmen drew their pistols, and glared about them in great dismay, One of them, however, summoning courage, aimed his pistol at Dick Turpin. He fired. The report rang through the dim glades of the silent forest. ) , The bullet grazed Turpin’s cheek, Damning ‘and raving, the captain of the high- waymen presented his pistol. His finger was already curling round the trigger. Tom King struck up his arm with his riding whip. The pistol went off, and the bullet sped through — the air, shattering a branch far overhead. ‘‘Come, Dick, no bloodshed,” said Tom, “Tf we meet with any further resistance, we’ll cut the throats of the whole party ; but if they are . reasonable we will not proceed to extremities.” Turpin growled an oath, but lowered the second pistol, which he had drawn. ; One of the footmen tried to scramble up the bank, “Not so fast, young man!” laughed Tom, pointing his pistol at him, ‘We do not part yet; seize them, lads,” Fielder and Rose immediately dismounted, and roughly collared the trembling men, “Gag the infernal caterpillars |”? roared Turpin, ‘Pinion them and pitch ’em into the dyke.” Fielder took a coil of ropes from his saddle bow, and with the assistance of Bush and Rose bound the servants hand and foot, and gagged them with their own cravats, in each of which they had tied up a large stone. _ Meanwhile, pealing shrieks rang from the car- riage, Sir Ranulph burst open the door, and sprang out of the coach, a naked sword gleaming in his hand. “What outrage is this, villains ?”” nobleman, sternly. Tom King lifted his hat and bowed gracefully, _ “Your servant, Sir Ranulph,” he said, “There is No outrage intended. We are gentlemen, knights of the road, paladins of the high pad, and quite in- capable of any act of brutality or low ruffianism. You have borne off my sweetheart ; of course it was my bounden duty to give chase and do my best to rescue the lady, You will think it only reasonable that I.and my companions should be paid our trayel-~ ling expenses, and will not refuse me the satisfac. EDOOK (E(o cried the young a a ae ee -*