The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 154: what you’re looking at

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

148 “ And if I do?” “Why, then, I’ll take care you ain’t touched, You understand ?” “On the square ?”’ “Yes, on the square, provided——” “Perwided what ?” * You didn’t do it.” “No; on my soul I didn’t.” “Who did it, then?” **T don’t know.” “Don’t know ?” “No; I couldn’t swear to it; but I guesses who done it.” “Who?” “My chum as went with me to Bromley; him as you couldn’t find in the old Hall—Warner, I mean.” ‘‘ Warner isn’t his right name.” 2 “It’s the on’y name as I ever heerd him called yi? ‘But he goes by several names at times.” “That I knows nought about.” “And why did he do this horrid deed ?” ‘He acted as the doctor,” “But he isn’t one?” ‘No more nor me.” “Well ?” “But there were a lawyer in the mess, and it strikes me that the old rat done Warner out on the money, arter all,” “Was that the lawyer you and Warner were with the other day in the parlour of the public-house ?” “No; that’s another cove as Warner comed across.” ‘Oh, another, eh? Who, pray ?” a sbi old Jonathan, the master of Bromley a BA For a moment Gale said nothing, but thought deeply. “So, so, the master of Bromley Hall is mixed up in the affair,eh?” he mused. ‘This accounts for his sudden disappearance. What a deep, dark, mystery thisis. However, light is just beginning to dawn upon it.” After a time, Gale said, “Look here, Puggy; if you like to act on the ‘square’ with me I1l not charge you with this affair at all, for, as far as I know, you have not stolen anything, and all we could bring against you would be for entering the house with dishonest inten- tions.” ““Zactly. Vell,” said Puggy, rubbing his hands. ‘‘But that would be enough to send you to Port- land, you know, for it isn’t the first time you have been up before old Sir Richard, not by half-a- dozen.” ‘*T was always innocent.” ‘“‘T dare say you were,” said Gale, with a smile. “But that hasn’t anything to do with it. All I want to know is, will you help us in this matter ?”” ‘What, to go in the ‘ touting’ hire?” ‘<Yes,”’ ‘No objection in the world; but, then, a cove can’t start out with nothing in his pockets, I haven't got a mag.” ‘‘You shall have all that isnecessary, You know this old lawyer, Flint, well, you say ?” ‘Could pick him out of a regiment 0’ soldiers.” “And Jonathan also?” ‘In course I does.” ‘Well, then, when we get to London I will con- fer with the authorities, and I have no doubt but what they will release you in order that you may turn queen's evidence,” mn ——— THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. “ Queen’s evidence ? Whot, get up in the box, and ‘blow the whole gaff’ on ’em?”’ ‘“ Yes; why not?” * Couldn’t be done,” “Why not?” ‘‘T should have my Head broke. Why, there ain’t a cracksman in all England but would ‘spot’ me, and you’d find me some fine morning in the Thames or down Drury Lane with my head broke.” “Nonsense,” said Gale. But the detective very well knew the horror and contempt which “professional” rogues and vaga- bonds feel towards any one of their fraternity who “blow the gaff,” as Puggy termed it, or in other words “‘ split on their pals,” and turn informer. For some time Puggy made no reply ; but said, at last, with a sigh, “This time you’ve got mein Queer Street, Mr. Gale, and I doesn’t know which way to turn ; but I suppose I must do it.” “There is no must about it, Puggy ; you have only to consult your own interests ; if you'd rather be transported for life than tell the truth, why, then, do 80.” “Tt's a bargain,” said Puggy, at last. stand my friend, Mr. Gale?” “Yes; I am always the friend to those who act right.”’ ‘¢ But it’s d——d hard lines to go and split on a pal,” said Puggy. “ Not at all, when you serve the ends of justice.” “Tf I do this job, I must arterwards hook it to Australia, or my old chums will knife me.” ‘““No fear of that, Puggy, no one else shall know you. And if we can help it, you shan’t enter the witness-box at all.” “Not at all?” said Puggy, with a beaming face, ‘“Then that alters the question entirely,” said he, jubilant, ‘If I thought as how I shouldn’t have to stand up there afore old Sir Richard, and be quizzed at, and cursed by my old pals, I could do wonders, for I owe a grudge to more nor one as you knows on.” “ How do you mean ?” ““Vhy, among the ‘fences,’ and ‘ smashers ’ to be sure ?” “Do you know many of them ?” ‘‘ Vhy, in course I does. Vhy, there is one fence as I knows on in the (Petticoat) ‘Lane’ as would dazzle your werry eyes. Kept by a stingy, hard- fisted, crooked-backed Jew, as I have long had a erudge against.” “Well, one thing at a time,” said Gale. ‘* When we have finished this job, I dare say you will have plenty more to do,” In this manner they conversed on their way to London, the detective and the villain each moment getting more and more intimate. Puggy, even in his own mind, was a greater rascal now than ever. He kad all his life been more or less associated with the greatest rogues of London. But somehow he had nearly ays managed to slip through the clutches of the 1#W. And yet here he was, “half a fighting man,” as many called him, shaking like a leaf at the bare thought of punishment. More than that, he had made up his mind, as his own race was almost run, to turn “ informer” on those who had been among his best friends in life. As we have seen, he feared to appear in public. _ But he had resolved to act silently and secretly in the pay of the police. _ And the very detective, who sat laughing and joking beside him, loathed the rascal in his heart, You'll Comichbook