The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

: wt 1, Hy ip i / j i thf ENTRAPPED BY THE GYPSIES.--See Number, 19. “To you know that your life is forfeit, fool ? ” said Death-wing. ‘ You cannot mean that?” “T do, though, except on one condition.” “ Name it, then, most worthy Death-wing.” “ Have you liberated Phillip Redgill with the money I gave you for that purpose, or have you squandered it to-night in card-playing ? ”’ “Oh,no! Upon the honour of a gentleman, I assure you I procured his release.” “Indeed !” 66 Yes.” ‘You did it, say you?” “T did.” “ And how ?” “Well, then, most worthy Death-wing and gentle- men,” said Captain Jack, turning to the Crew around him, “I'll unburden my heart, and tell you the truth.” “For once in his life!’’ said Allick, with a bois- terous laugh. ‘‘ Go on, I am listening,”’ ‘Tn the Lt place,” said Captain Jack, beginning Oe We to invent a string of lies, “in the first place I took the fifteen hundred pounds—” “Two thousand pounds was the sum I gave you.” “Ahem—beg pardon—so it was—lI forgot all about it at the moment. Well, I took the two thousand pounds directly you gave it to me, and mounted my horse, so as to make all the haste [ could in order to return and see the famous game between old Gingles—” “ce Sir 2” “T beg pardon; I should have said Captain Death- wing and his friend Alick.”’ “Well ?” “T paid Colonel Blood £1,000 for his share.” ‘“‘ Did he give you a receipt ?” “ Why, no, I was in such a hurry I forgot to ask for one.” “And yet you promised to produce receipts for all your expenses.” “So I did, most august Death-wing; but, as I said, I was so much interested in your game of cards, I forgot to take note of my promise.”