The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 292: what you’re looking at

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

286 i Flint’s office; you remember all about that, of | course—that’s No, 38.,”’ Jonathan was bursting with passion, and could | have knocked Barney senseless. ‘“And then,” continued the Pug, “there’s that little job with the detective in Epping Forest, which makes No, 4. And ——” ; “Tf you don’t hold your tongtle,” said Jonathan, with a bitter oath, “I'll strangle you.” *“Which would make job No. 5,” said the Pug, laughing. , 2 For some time Barney, and Jonathan communed together in whispers; and though Gale with ano- ther officer listened with the greatest attention, they could not catch a single word that. passed between them. “When did they catch you?” Tat bes ‘Tn the hospital,” said Barney, cursing: his own ill luck, riszsad He explained all the circumstances of his meeting with Warner, and of the wounds he received, Jonathan was greatly surprised when he heard all this, and bit his lips in anger. r%% “T wouldn’t care: what. I suffered,” said -he,.*‘ if those old devils, Flint and Warner, were also here.” “Nor I,” said Barney; “it ain’t fair nohow that two should suffer and not-all ;-but:did you hear the news 2” t idol | ag ‘What news ?” “ About Bromley Tfall.”’ “No ; what was it ?” “Why, they are going to search: the place from top to bottom—for old Giles, ‘the-gardener, swears the place is haunted.” @ ) Old Giles ought tobe put into a lunatic asylum,” said Jonathan, “he has been at:Bromley Hall many, many years, and should have died-long ago, for all the good he has been to any/one.”’ | ' ‘He claims to be master of Bromley Hall,” said Barney, ‘He cannot be, for I bought it.” “Let that be as it may, he says he can prove that you are a murderer, and if you escape the charges that are now preferred against you} there are-many others that he can well prove.” ‘Speak lower,” said Jonathan ; “it is bad enotigh for us to be here on one charge, without letting every one know all our secrets.”’ pes ‘“ But what had we better do?” ‘* Escape is impossible,” Barney whispered. ‘‘ Nothing is impossible to determined men,” said Jonathan in Barney’s ear. “ How do you mean?” F ‘Won't money do any ¢o0d?” “T haven’t any,” “ Nor 1,” * But we might bribe the gaolers in some other way ; by promises, or the liké.” “T fear there is no chanee : but at all events I'll try.” o How?” “Oh, leave that to me, and if I get off yon may be sure I'll endeavour to set you free also, if you promise to do the right thing with me afterwards,” “How do you mean?” ¥ ‘Why, old Flint must have plenty of coin hid away somewhere,” - : ‘No, he has not, the treasure is lost,” “No matter; they can but hang us once,” said Barney ina whisper. “If I get ten yards start of any of them, the devil himself will not catch me.’’ Barney did not say anything more to his friend at) that moment, but next morhing, when he was about to be removed to the yan which was to take THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDIS YOUNG CAPTAIN. him to the House of Detention, he walked along the — stone corridors meekly and humbly. But directly he got into the street, he tripped up the ofticer who held him, gave a sudden and vicious kick at another which almost lamed the man, and made his escape before any one had the slightest notion whither he had fled or how. Jonathan was not so fortunate, for two officers conducted him to the van, and they held him 80 tight by the coat collar that he was almost suffo- cated, ' When Barney made his escape he xan like a deer. t He did not go into the public, streets, but ‘ran through numberless lanes and alley ways round about Drury Lane; until at last he was completely exhausted, i He had not a farthing of money wherewith to buy a loaf, and he sat crouching on the step of a coffee-house door. ' While thus he sat meditating what to-do, who should come out but old Flint. “The very.man I wanted,” said Barney, “But lor, ain’t the old ’un tugged out to the nines and no mistake,” | ! : ‘“‘ Hullo, old man,” said he, touching Flint, upon the shoulder, ‘‘ Hullo, old man; haven’t yer got an odd copper to give a poor cove?” Flint’ perceived who it was that addressed him, but did not wish to be ‘recognised. In his hurry then he turned away his head, and put a hand into his pocket, and felt for a farthing, He gave it.to Barney, and passed out, it Oh, erikey,” said the Pug ; “here’sa jolly go; the old man has gone and give me a ‘quid’ by mis- take. It was certainly a great mistake on Flint’s part. lfe did not’at first wish to give Barney anything ; but fearful’of being recognised, and in order’ to get vid of his ugly acquaintance, he had given a sovereign away in mistake for a farthing, The old man did not realize his mistake and loss, but hurried away. “Tl follow the old bloke ; he's well wp, now,'and ean stand a ‘tenner’ without mnch grumbling.” Now old Flint ;was afraid that Barney would follow him, and, therefore, the first thing he did when he got ont of the street was to call a eab. But Barney, to use his own words, “ wasall there,” and was not going to be * humbugged’’, any longer, j “If there is any money floating I must kaye part,” thought he, “ or I'll know the reason why.” He, therefore, followed the four wheeler, and got up behind, — When it arrived at the residence of Count Schmidt he got down .and went on the other gide of the way. Oh, that’s the house, eh, is it?” thought the Pug: “and a nobby place it looks, too. I wonder who the devil this Count Schmidt is?” he thought ; “old Klint ain’t related ta the aristocracy, as I ever heerd on. There must be some little game on hand here. I'll stop and wateb.” He went and bought himself a pipe and some tobacco, and, after haying several “goes” ‘of gin near by, he stood looking through the tap-room window watching the cab, which still remained in the street waiting for old Flint, But while the Pug is waiting and drinking a large amount of gin and water in the tap-room, let us follow old Flint into the presence of ‘Count Schmidt.” A servant introduced the old lawyer into the drawing-room, he tt ees com ((o GVOOKS