The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

a rs ae ee THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED, 136 ae pM Die AS i Se ‘“ Are the doors closed ?” said Bates. “No one listening, I hope ?” “ Not a soul,’ said one and all. job ?” “Who among you loves Colonel Blood? tel me that,’’ said old Bates. The name was received with savage oaths. ‘‘Not one, I perceive,” said old Bates ; “so much the better. And now I'll tell you what I have on hand.” Solemn silence ensued, as Bates said, “ Blood is going down to Darlington to-night, to arrest Jack, who is here. I have put the colonel off the right scent.” “The devil !—to arrest me?” said Jack, with an oath. “ Silence ! Jack,’’ growled several, with threaten- ing looks. “Silence, and listen to Master Bates ; he is our captain now—not you.” “ Well, and while Blood is away on this wild- goose chase, Jack has proposed to rob his house.” ‘“‘ Capital idea,” said all. “So think I,” said Bates; ‘‘so come, prepare yourselves. Put masks in your pockets, and bring a rope ladder with you.” “ And dark lanterns,” said Jack. “ A small crowbar to wrench open the shutters,”’ siid Bates, “and in less than an hour we can ‘clean out’ the whole house. Dead silence must be kept —not a wird spoken by any one.” “Tf we meet with resistance—— ‘“Well, then, use your weapons fearlessly,” said Jack. “The night is dark and stormy—just the right weather to crack such a crib as his.” ‘“‘ Come, then,” said Bates, “ we'll, take a parting glass, and then away.” “ Agreed, agreed ! ”’ ‘¢ We musen’t all leave the house together, but go in twos and threes. Just as the clock strikes one, let every man meet at Colonel Blood’s house, and hide under the highway.” ahi plan was agreed to, and the Dozen separated. , * * * a ‘What is the 3) Colonel Blood’s splendid town house was situated in and surrounded by large and beautiful gardens, near the river bank, not far from Whitehall Gardens. The night in question, instead of becoming clearer, got more cloudy and stormy than ever. Few persons were to be seen moving about in the streets, for the weather was too boisterous and threatening. As the neighbouring church clocks chimed a quarter to one, a stranger might have perceived sundry persons cautiously approaching Colonel Blood’s house. Some came by land, but the majority hired a boat, and quietly rowed up the river until they got fairly under the garden walls. The last two persons who arrived, and they on foot, were Captain Jack and Tom Bates. As they approached Blood’s mansion, they were accosted by two night watchmen, who wanted to know their names and business, “ Name ?” said Jack, indignantly. “ Our business ?”’ said Bates, striking an atti:ude of great importance. ic Yes, name and business, gentlemen, if you ease,” “ And why so, knaves?” said Captain Jack. “ How dare you stop two gentlemen, and ask such im- pertinent questions ?”’ “We do but obey our orders, sirs,” said the night watchman, civilly. “From your dress and manner, I have no doubt you are'a couple of ‘ sparks’ return- ing home, but we have received special orders from Colonel Blood himself this very night, to allow no one to pass near his house, after certain hours, without demanding who and what they are.” “ Why, you impudent fellow,” said Bates, “ Colonel Blood is not in town—he left this evening.” « Ah, sirs, indeed, then you are beforehand with us—who told you ?” “ Why, the colonel himself, knaves,”’ said Bates. ‘‘ How dare you stop me and my companion ? We are most intimate friends of the colonel. My name is Captain Bates, an officer of the Crown.” “Captain Bates ? really, I beg pardon. I did not recollect you. I’m very sorry.” “Yes, sir, we are very sorry,” said the other ; “and the name of your tall friend is 4 “Captain! ah, yes, Captain Jenkins,” said Jack, on the instant. “You see, Captain Bates,” said one of the watch- men, very politely, ‘“‘ we have especial orders from the colonel himself to allow no one to pass towards his gardens without we know they are strictly honest and respectable.” “ And are not we strictly honest and respectable, then, villain ?” said Bates, blustering. “ Why, for two pins, ’d——” “‘Oh, there cannot be a doubt of that, sir,” said the trembling night watchman ; “ you could not be an officer of the crown, else.” “Quite right,” said Captain Jack, mollified, and drawing the patch over his eye still lower. “ But you see, Captain Bates, as an officer of the crown, you are fully aware that all sorts of knaves have tried to rob the gallant colonel ere now, and at this time, I fear me he has a greater enemy to contend with than ever before ; for I heard to-night, as a very great secret, that Captain Jack is no longer the chief of the crown officers, and has been degraded by the colonel ; in truth, we have especial orders to guard the place against him and his gang above all others.” “Captain Jack, eh?’ said Bates’s long-legged companion. “Ah! now I come to think of it, I heard something like that spoken of to-night, while attending the Countess of Gresham’s ball; a great villain that Captain Jack, I hear.” ‘Oh, monstrous,” said the watchmen, in chorus. “Oh, a perfect rogue and vagabond. Instead of doing his duty in arresting rogues and rascals, he has been ‘bribed to enormous amounts by them to allow them to remain at large.” ‘‘Shocking ! monstrous !” said Jack. ‘Horrible! he ought to be hanged,” said Bates, coughing, “which he will surely be, if the colonel only lays hands on him,” So speaking, and bidding them good night, Jack and Bates went on their way, laughing. ‘Fine fellow that Bates,’’ said one of the watch- men. “Yes ; only for his nose; why, it has got a piece clipped out of it, which spoils his beauty.” “He got that in a desperate duel—I once heard him say—but he killed his antagonist, run him through and through the body ; fine fellow is Bates. How much did he give you to drink his health with?” “A gold piece.” “Good luck to him, say I. Let us go into some wine-shop and have a bottle. What say you? Surely the house will be safe for half-an-hour.” So speaking, the two watchmen went int) the nearest wine-shop thaf was open. Both Bates and Jack had watched them. “ Now’s our time, Bates,” said Jack, They both disappeared down the dark carriage- way, which was screened by trees and bushes, oo = +2 AU (7 GComichooksscom