The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

es ee] a THE SKELETON CREW.;,.0B, WILDFIRE NED. scbeicieinentltl rie Psat Mea feet a oA e WEE 142 “¢ They. answered) all my, questions in a straight- forward manner. a Have you,any strangers living in. the village ? said I. «ce How do you mean ?? said they. © € Strangers J, mean, who have plenty of money, and don’t seem to) do any sort of work for a diving.’ “*Oh, yes,’ said one; ‘thereis a flashy -looking chap who stays at, the inn, and spends lots of money every night ; but what he does none of us know. He says he is a crown officer, but we think he must be a highwayman, or something of that sort, for he ‘has got the cut of one.all over.’ “© They described this fellow to me so well, that I made up my mind it must be no other than Captain Jack, a famous rascal I was bent on capturing. tented? promised to go ‘to the village ‘with me, and assist in “his capture, — “¢ We all walked along quietly, chatting together. “¢T gave them a good ‘pull’ at my brandy flask, and promised them an excellent reward if Captain Jack could be captured. «They said they were willing enough if I would pay them before hand. “*T pulled out my purse to do this, and next moment one of them gave me a stdden-blow on the head, and knocked me down. soe Before I could get my pistols out, the blow was repeated. “¢T struggled hard ; but i in a second or two one of them pulled out:a long knife and: jagged my throat, and the blood spurted out all’over me. “(See cut in No. 15). “*Tn a second they robbed’ me of everything, and darted away into the darkness of the forest, ‘‘¢T remained unconscious for some time, but my shouts and cries were heard, and soon afterwards two villagers, who were passing, raised me up and brought me here, and here I am a dying man.’” “This is what the stranger said, eh ?”? remarked Captain Jack;'picking his teeth, and looking, much pleased. “Yes; that is what he said, every word of it.” ‘* Are you sure ?” “Oh yes, for the landlord wrote it steer as he spoke. I ave’ just delivered it’ to Sir Richard Warbeck, in London here, that he may inquire into the mysterious affairat once.” * But did not the stranger make any other: re- marks before he died ?” «\Hedid.” . “What were they?” “He said. that he could’ swear that one of the’two men was none erber than’ Mad) Andrew in’ dis- guise.” s ‘Poor devil 1’ ‘And the other one,” observed Bates, “had he any idea who he was ?” ‘“‘ He said he thought it, must have: been Salfox Jack himself, in disguise.” “ Thunder and, lightning ! you don’t mean that 2” “T do, though; he signed his. name. as. best, he could to, the dying deposition.’ “Oh! it couldn’t have been Captain Sack.” said Bates ; “I'll swear to that.” “And 0 will I,’’ said Captain dack.; was impossible,”’ “Quite so,” said, Bates; “’tis a very serious charge to make against an innocent man.” “So it is, gentlemen; but. then, you. see, the character. of Captain Jack isn’t very good at, the best of times, s0 I hear, and the.dead man’s oath will be taken before that of any one else.” “Devilish queer affair,” said Jack, ‘the thing 7 post- boy. “Yes, somebody must. swing for it,” Saido the “ T wouldn’t like to, be in Captain Jack's shoes for all the money in the kingdom.” | ‘Perhaps you don’t know the captain, my. Jad,” said Jack, “or you 'd have a different epamon: ;/he is—”’ _ “One of the best men in all London,”: said Bates, tossing off his wine. | ‘‘ Honest as the day is long,” said. Jacks. “People. are mistaken about, him. (‘As'to murdering an innocent man inthe woods, and, robbing: him, too,” said Bates, “ why, bless you, itis out a the question. ? it “From what you say, aanne him,” said the: post- boy, “ one would think he wasn’t a rascal at all.??) 9 ‘Nor is ney said Jack; fiercely ; “ Vll Has my life on it.” « And so will I? v9 Raid Bates, drinking epriiy.d ‘« Perhaps you ‘know him, then, gentlemen ?” . “No, not éxactly’; but Ive seen him, and actually been in His company once or WE said Jack, “ So have J,” chimed in Bates, “he can Pans a capital song.” | 4 “ And dance ajig.”’ ; sae! “And handle a sword.” “Aye! that he can, and fight for an, hour,with the best gentleman in all England, ee said Bates,.i in conclusion. _ “ And was the dying man’s ‘deposition the only reason that made yow hurry up ‘to town. at such a terrible pace ?” » © Not exactly, gentleme en ; “What then ?”” | “When the dead man’s things were searched, we found papers, cards, and documents in his packets, all bearing , the name of Colonel Blood, and’ the supposition was, that fv was that individual. ¥ And was it 2? “ We baven’t found ant yet, for when I rode up to: his mansion, I found the place in great confusion, and the colonel was out of town, so it was supposed.” -* T heard he*had gone to Darlington,” said Bates. “Tf he did go there, then he m ust! have been killed,” said Jack, “ L knew: not that, poaaiisians but _ heard that his house had' ‘been robbed of >] its plate, jewels, and valuables; '.Many of ‘the household were killed or wounded in fighting with the robbers; and all was ina dreadful uproar.” — Wy Astonishing,” said Jack. more wine,* ; «5 * And have they any notion’ wii committed this audacious robbery, my boy)?’ “T heard, the butler say he had mpiéked up a sword in the. grounds, with the, name, of,‘ ‘om Bates’ upon it.’ ““T-h-e devil !? said. Jack, who now, for the first time, perceived that,Tom had lost.hissword in,the hurry and scuffle of getting away in. the boat. Old Bates, himself, felt, thunderstruck when he heard this, for; until that moment, he had thous” nothing about the sword he had lost. He poured ont a goblet of wine,drank it off at a draught to drown his.rising anger, ‘ What else did they discover, ?” Jack asked, | * There.is a tall black slave at the mansion, who, by signs and writing, made known to all assembled that there were several crown. officers AmQnE the robbers,” “Worse and worse,” said Bates. For a few moments no one spoke, The post-boy left the house, and ina © short Hime the house closed for the night. ome bibl more.” “ Here, Jandlord, COMMICL OO; K<KSiE©