Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

116 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ee ee “Expensive! A dress of the poorest sort will best serve my turn,” : “Vhy, you shee, captainsh,” rejoined the old Jew, with a leer, “your appearansh ish sho dish- tinguished that itsh almosht impoashible to make you look like a chaw-baconsh ; if you. ish not vell dishguished you vill be recognished at vonsh, ‘Well, you shall have the clothes I wear, which you see are superfine, in exchange for a good dis- guise of any sort.” “Ve vill shee vot can be done, Mishter Shep- pard.” The rhbber threw off his clothes and ‘dressed. himself in a rough suit of the poorest materials supplied him by the old Hebrew. ‘By the shtaff of Jacobsh, it ish perfect!” cried the old rascal, with a chuckle of exultation. “Your own mother vould not ksow you, cap- » ginsb,” sai. ie ' “Thus I throw off the coil,” cried. Jack Shep- pard, flinging the richly laced and brocaded suit he had discarded across the room,* “as the serpent sheds his skin. I have done with the past.” For a moment he stood pondering deeply. His mind reverted to Edgeworth Bess, Poll Maggot, and Blueskin, . . He stamped his foot and exclaimed bitterly— ‘‘ Curse them! I should like to have borne away with me some kind remembrance of them ; but, after all,’~ he continued, inwardly, ““what an un- grateful villain I have been to my indulgent old. master, the carpenter ; to my generous benefactor, Kneebone. gratitude in. others, who have been myself such a thankless scoundrel? Wild! that villain! he lured- me, as the, fiend, would,tempt the soul of his victim, to destruction—he praised my _villanies, called my ruffianly violence, courage ; my priggish cunning, discretion; my vile deeds of street-robbery and house-breaking, acts of heroism!. O, how he must have laughed in his sleeve at the mad, fond fool who could be deceived by such paltry sham ! And now he has betrayed me and hunts me to the death! Hurrah for my new career! Welcome all its hardships; I will fly the cursed land, and breathe the breath of the fresh sea; and even yet I may fall in with the pirate-hunter—Roving Jack |” ‘Holy Abramsh !” chuckled the Jew, ‘‘ you are fery much dishturbed, captainsh ; vot ish de matter? Shack Sheppard ish not de poy to tremble and quake and frownsh ish prows and knash ish teeth pecaush de shoulder-clappersh ish down—dere ish shum pretty blowen, shum dimber yench in de casesh. Ish Edgevorth Bess de cruel fair ?” ‘Stash your clatter,” growled Sheppard, “ And, now, harkye, old Isaacs ; of course you know there is a reward offered for me ?” “Five hundred poundsh ?” F ances but you will not dare to betray me— al” ‘‘Not for five thoushand, gallant captainsh,” ‘No, for that will spoil your trade,” * Dat ish true.” **T have been a good customer,” “A va-ry goot cushtomer, prave captainsh ; I hope dat I shall not losesh your patronage,” “Tf you are faithful you shall be handsomely rewarded, You see this coat and these jewels? They are valuable, are they not?” “Dat all dependsh vhere you cot them, cap- tainsh,” returned the old fence, leering. ‘De shtuff is goot enough, but the clothesh must pe altered, and the jewelsh re-set, and all thish silver a COMIC OOK What right have I to complain of in-, procade mush be made into white proth (melted), Where did you get thish prave shuit vich becomesh your hanshome figure sho mosh petter than the disguish vich you have put on?” “Never fear, old mousetrap; I bought them, and paid for them, and now I'll tell you what I want in exchange.” yo I ‘Not mosh, = I hope you won’t expect too mosh ; I am always too liberal in‘pisness,” whined the Jew. ‘Ihave almost ruint myshelf.” ~“ Body and breeches! let’s have no haggling!” cried. Jack, impatiently, “time is precious, Give me ten guineas and a brace of barkers, and I will be content; Refuse me——” . “T vill not refush you nothing in reashon, cap- tainsh,” returned the Jew, with glistening eyes; ‘‘althongh I shall losesh py dish pargain, I vill not refush you nothing.” ‘* Shell out then,” ' The fence placed the money in the robber’s hands. ; ae He then went into a little room at the back of the shop, and after a few moments returned with a case of pistols in his hand. ~*“' */* ~ “Are they fed?” asked Sheppard, taking them from the box, and examining the primings. “Dey ish loaded to de muzzle,” returned the old fence ; “dey pelonged to poor Captainsh Hall.” Jack tried them with the ramrod, and then thrust them into his pocket. © : ‘And now I am off,” said Jack. ‘‘ Mark ye, old Isaacs, five hundred pounds is & good round sum— but who would sell his life for twice as much?— if you {betray me, there are those who will take care that you do not escape the punishment of treachery.” _The old fence, with cringing air and oily tones, protested everlasting friendship and fidelity to his old customer; +* ~~" > , as ack took a hasty farewell, and rushed out of the 8 Op. - . ¥ . " ~ ' . * It was growing dusk, and as Jack stepped quickly along he encountered a grave and decent-looking old gentleman, dressed in a brown coat with brass buttons, black stockings, and clogged shoes, - He tried to ayoid this passenger, but he stood in his way, and gazed intently upon his face, Seeing that he could not avoid his scrutiny Jack Sheppard resolved to put a bold face on the matter, and, touching his jragged cap, addressed him in a changed voice. , “Ax pardon, yer honour, but could yer helpa. poor lad on the road? Travelled all day, zur, and ain’t had a morsel of food ; can’t get no work.” The kind-looking old gentleman looked at him searchingly,. “Tt is strange,” he said, “how much you re- semble an old apprentice of mine,” “ And who might he be, yer honour?” “‘T will not offend you, friend, by mentioning his name,” returned the other, with a sigh, “but, though he went wrong, he was, as a boy, a bright, clever, good-humoured fellow, and I was very fond ofhim, However, take this, and may you soon find honest employment.” ‘Amen, master,” groaned Sheppard, with a pang of genuine contrition. ‘What is your trade?” ‘“‘T was a carpenter,” “Indeed !” said the old gentleman, with a look of surprise, ‘‘then, perhaps, I can serve you. Tam a fellow craftsman; my name is Owen Wood; I live in Wych Street. If you will call on me, I will See what can be done, Good evening, friend,”