Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

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Weegon’s come !” a 7 _ He walked straight to the bar where the landlady was ‘These words seemed in some confused manner to reach 8 anding. E é eat the bewildered intellects of the chief officer, for he opened © Missis,” he said—“ missis ! his eyes, and glared vacantly around him, like one haif . “Yee Jack, what is it 2” aroused from deep sleep. _ “Why, these gentlemen seem to have gous very quiet| “The waggon? Gi, yes, that’s right! Put him in— a, ail at once, don’t they ?” put him in!” _ Yes, the drunken wretches!” was the ungry reply.| “I told you that was what he wanted,” said Jack to _ T daresay they are all insensible.” | the waggoner. _ “Very likely,” said Jack. “And here comes the| Joe Blogden fell forward, and struck his head quite a - waggow.” : sharp blow on the table, after which he remained perfectly Well, what of that?” still. _ _ “Why, they agreed with mastery to ride inthe waggon. “Well, they’re a nice lot,” said the waggoner— a Didn't you hear something said about it?” - very nice lot. Lut, however, as my waggon is empty, I Yes, I did hear something; but I’m not going to | may as well take ’em as not; they are sure to give me __ trouble myself about such beasts; they should look after | something for my trouble.” __ their own business; I don’t intend to look after itfor| “Oh, yes!” said Jack, with a grin, “I shouldn't them,” Boao wonder if you don’t find ‘em to be very liberal.” ie Well, missis, what shall I do?” ; “Come on then,” said Ben, nothing loath; “you help — _ "Do as you like,” was the answer. “Iam not going | me, and we'll carry them into the waggon pretty quick.” to say a word to them, and trouble to wake them up if Jack “2nt a hand willingly enough, _ they’re asleep, or ask a single question; I only hope} The officers were one by one taken up and carried by _ their prisoner escapes.” the head and heels out of the inn and placed on the straw _ With these words, the landlady flounced round and | at the bottom of the waggon. a saa’ through the door into another room, where she| Some made a few convulsive movements. began working away at a prodigious rate, turning every In particular there was one on whom the drug did net _ Object topsy-turvy, as was her custom whenever her mind | seem to have produced so great an effect as the rest, for ‘was perturbed. he opened his eyes to their fullest extent, and in a thick, _ Phat’s the ticket!” said the ostler, as he slapped his | husky voice, said: thigh. “It could not be better; now I can manageit| ‘What’s the matter? Where aro we going ?” first rate !” * Into the waggon,” said Jack. ‘ _ _Atthis moment in walked the waggoner. He know “Oh, all right,” half-grunted, half-muttered the officer, the ostler at a glance, and nodded to him. : sleepily, ‘‘ the waggon, of course—I know—I——=” «Just see to my horses, will you, Jack ?” He lapsed off into silence, and the next moment was 1 Sa “Ob, yes!” Jack replied. ‘‘But, Ben, there’s oven | lying comfortably by the side of his companions. sth a lark here to-day, and ain’t the missis just mad, When they had all been bestowed, and the waggoner’s that’s all!” horse attended to, Jack and Ben returned to the bar to _ “Why, what's the matter?” asked the waggoner. | finish their jug, and just then, as fate would have it, the + Where’s the gaffer 2” landlady came out of the inner room. “Well, Pll tell you,” said the ostler. “But wait a_ bit, ‘Good evening,” said the waggoner to her. “TI'vo got I will draw you your jug. Missis has left me to look} a rummy load to-night, missis.” after tho place.” “The druuxen wretches!” she said, wrathfully. “ Have A jug of ale was accordingly drawn, and then the | you put them in the waggon ?” -_ ostler continued : ; ‘Yes, missis, I have.” “Why, Ben, a party of the rummest fellows came here ‘Well, it’s more than I would have done for them; _ to-day; they look to me like police officers ; but, how. | ‘hey deserve to be every one rolled into a ditch and left __ ever, they are out for a lark. They got master into the } there till sober!” - _ room and made him dead drunk, and now he’s upstairs on! ‘The ale was finished, andasthey went away the ostler __ the bed sleeping it off; and as for the rest of ’em_ they | nudged his friend in the ribs. have guzzled down such a quantity of wine that they are ‘“‘ Missis is awfully mad. ‘The old man has not been drunk for months, and she thought she’d got him quite as helpless as logs of wood.” © Well,” said Ben, ‘ but what of that?” out of it. Won’t there be a little bit of a row to-mor- row !” ‘4 Why,” said the ostler, “ of course some o’ these ciaps * Very likely,” said the waggoner. ‘I shall most likely be back by about this time to-mcrrow night, or perhaps gave in sooner than the rest, and the remainder, know- _- ing that about four were already so far gone as to be un- _ able to ride on horseback, determined to ask you | by daybreak the next morning,” _ togivethem aridein your waggon. Well, now they’re “ All right,” said Jack, ‘‘and then you can Iet me kno¥ all in the same pickle, and I suppose what they want is | how you have got on with those gents.” ~ to ride all together to London,” “Tecan; but L say, Jack.” «Qh, ah!” said Ben, who probably smelt out some- ¢ What ?” thing | pele to himself in the undertaking~-“ that’s ‘Suppose I was to go all the way to London and they tere not to wake up?” © Well 2?” ‘What should I do then 2?” it, no doubt.” “Well,” said Jack, ‘I should not like to take upon “ Well,” said Jack, scratching his head with a Jialf- puzzled air, ‘I scarcely know what tosay. I don’t miua myself to nay. Let us go into the room and wake one of them up and ask him.” This was agreed to, and to th, s00om avcordingly they | telling you what I think, and if 1 do yeu are not obliged t carry it out.” “Pht what?” said tne waggoner. “I don’t under- stand.” ‘Yes you de,” said the ostler. ‘I believe these men are officers—judging from their dress, I should say the was, and judging from their actions I should say they wasn’t, ’cause if isn’t usual for police officers to go about the country getting drank and riding back to Londen in a& waggoa, is it?” “T never heard of such a thing before,” eaid the wags goner,. Most vf the officers were still standing rourd the table _ in the position we have described; but some had fallen forward, av3 two had slipped under the table. That seems to be the head man,” said tho ostler, pointing to Blogden, ‘because he ordered everything and paid for it,and it was him that Made master so awfully drunk. I should think we'd better try to wake _. “Qh, just as you like!’ said the waggoner. “1 leave eck shook Blogden furiously for some moments, and =e § Pa o al =~ %) wee ————— SSE EE mn saa. eo zs ee a aes ve aes ~ | s vr 2 YS **/ ad 7 3s— ; _ - ‘a; . .. < mee Bee et ne eee See = ; fs - ae {c= ‘ par >