The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 341: what you’re looking at

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

Se THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. SEE 335 I I i SE Eo ree peer emees and orders him to drive toa certain place, which he did, The four gents gets into my keb again, and I drives’em off to an oyster-room, where they had a jolly good feed of oysters, and when they had done, they writes a note and gives it to the waiter, who gives it to me, and the note said I was to call here for my money, as they had none. I goes into the oyster-room to try and find ’em, but the master was 1n a worse stew than I was ; for his customers had eaten four dozen natives each, besides ale and stout, and when the waiter returned from giving the note to me, the four coves had hooked it out by the back way without paying a rap.” Warner listened to what the cabman had to say, but “for the life of him,” he said, he couldn’t help laughing. The carman gave his testimony in a similar manner, He had been hired by two gentlemen to carry away a heavy piece of furniture; what it was he didn’t know. He took it to a warehouse down by the Thames, and waited there some time. The two gentlemen came at last, took charge of the goods, whatever they were, and gave him a note to Joel for his charges. “T know nothing of the whole business at all,” gaid Joel, “Except this, that I have been robbed of every penny I possessed in the world, and now, instead of being what I was but two hours ago, wealthy and independent, I am now as poor as the poorest beggar can be, and without means or income of any kind,” 7 For a moment all present maintained a dead silence, Old Flint sighed deeply, and could scarce believe it possible that such a great loss and so vast a mis- _ fortune could have fallen upon him so suddenly, But a few moments. before Warner's arrival, he had been congratulating himself on what he and Joel would be able to do with the large sum which was in their possession, ‘And now, as he looked across the room at _ Warner, who sat smiling;:;with a look of inhuman triumph, he felt certain in’ his own mind that he had been privy to the scheme which the four un- known men had carried out. Joel’s countenance was the very picture of blank despair. He was penniless, and knew not what to do. The cabman and carman also pressed him very hard for their money, but, save a very small amount in silver, he had nothing wherewith to pay them. In this emergency, and with a laugh, Warner - came to the rescue. | “TJ don’t like to see tired, honest.men like you: are done out of your money,” said he, ‘and rather than you should suffer, I will pay you myself,” And Warner put his band into his,pocket,and pulled out such a large handful of silver and-gold that made Joel’s avaricious eyes twinkle again with envy, Pree e . wld Flint, however, was now certain that, Warner knew something of the sudden and mysterious robbery. | : He bit his lips with anger, and rolled his old eyes about in a wild manner. “T always thought that devil Warner would prove more than a match for me,” the lawyer thought. | _ But he did not give his impressions any expression in words. f “Tf I were you, sir,’ said the cabman, politely, “ T would call in the police, and tell them all about it.” ‘‘So would I, sir,’ said the footman, very respect- fully. . “Yes, so would I,” said Warner; “let us Gall in the police by all means.” Old Flint gnashed his teeth at this remark. Joel’s blood curdled in his veins.at the word “police,” and he sat in an arm chair, pale as a sheet, and biting his finger nails in impotent rage. When the cabman, carman, and footman Jeft the apartment, old Flint tried to smile, as he observed, “Well, luck is against us this time; we have played the game, and have lost, my son.’’ ‘“You have played the game for a long time and very successfully, L think,” observed Warner, “ for I haven’t touched a single farthing of the booty yet,” “Nor I,” said old Flint, “It was no fault of yours that you did not, though,” said Warner ; “but you were too clever by half, old man. Instead of dealing fairly with me, you have always played the rogue and vagabond, and now you are reduced to your proper station— you are a penniless beggar. I always told you I would have revenge,” said Warner, bitterly, ‘‘ and so I have.’’ He rose to depart, and as he did.so old Plimt ap- proached him, to whisper. ‘“What is it you want?’ said Warner, ina surly tone. ~ *T want to ask a favour of you.” “What is it?—to get a rope to hang yourself with 2?” ‘‘No, not ‘that exactly,’ said.old,Flint, with a faint smile upon his face, ‘*‘ You were always fond of joking, you know, but the real truth is,my dear friend, I haven’t a shilling in the world, and——”’ “ Yes, I dare say, but, you don’t get anything out of me—no, not one farthing,’ And as he spoke these words, there was.a world of fierce hatred flashing from his small dark eyes, that caused Flint to wince again. “No, Flint, if you were drowning and one halt- penny would save yout life, that half-penny I would not give to you. We part now and foriever. While I thought you had old Ford’s riches in your keep- - ing, I would have followed you like your own shadow all the days of your life; but now that you have lost it and every hope of recovering it, you‘are harmless ; you can go your way and totter into the work- house.” | ‘Harmless, am 1?” said old Flint, with a vindic- tive look “no lam not harmless. Warner, beware ! I am an old man, but I can bite like a reptile, and in the dark too,” Seog . “Can you? ha, ha,” laughed Warner, scornfally. “ Perhaps you would like to turn informer? “Tt matters not what I intend to do; but you must remember, I have not yet forgotten all the insults and bodily injury ‘you Have’ inflicted on me, nor will I to my dying day. You will hang ‘yet, mark my words for it.”’ vo see ace % Tndeed | and for, what, pray? Our little job at the Red Honse, perhaps, you mean ?” JT do,” ; “Then there will be four of us who will hang together ; you, I, Jonathan, and ——” “Who else?” ; ‘‘Why, your son, yonder, the grand, penniless imposter, Count Schmidt, ha, ha! Count, eh, what next? Not much account now, I think, Good-day, Flint ; take care of yourself, Count.” Comicbooks C@