Penny Dreadfuls, 1866 · page 61 of 400
Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 61: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is an illustration page from a Victorian penny dreadful titled *The Knight of the Road*. The page features a wood-engraved illustration captioned "[Old Matthew Introduces a Fresh Ally]" depicting several men in period dress gathered in what appears to be a doorway or interior space. Below the illustration runs prose text describing a scene where characters—apparently highwaymen including someone named Tom and "Sixteen-String Jack"—discuss moving through a crowd toward the Governor's house while avoiding detection by police officers. The text emphasizes the need for cautious, indifferent behavior to escape notice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD. RES wo shall be noticed. Belisve me, I think all thi favourable to the accomplishmen nings are Tom nodded as he s ras om ment of your design. “I think so too ; the only thing is, that we should be ago in forcing our way through the throng.” 68, said Sixteen-String Jack, “there lies our danger. Some unexpected person may recognise 08.” We must run that risk,” said Tom; “and the best way will be to pnt on as much indifference as we are able. Come, follow me—we will delay no longer.”’ 4 Tom began slowly to push through the throng, and as if he had no particular object in doing so—as if he had no precise point he wished to reach, but seemed to be wandering ‘istlessly about, like the majority of those present. It was well that he had the presence of mind to act thus, for any injudicious haste would at once have had the effect of calling down special attention upon them. No. 180.—Biack Buss. No. 10. v a (4 a 143% ‘ S x < Oo nyt “, ny ’ ha 1%, ’ rh ~ ~ a. “~ ~ < i > SS a <- >= x > SS ~ - cor Uf HOME :' 9 no jl nrg see = foLD MATTHEW INTRODUCES A FRESH ALLY. | Short as was the distance, yet, owing to this cause, gome time elapsed before the highwaymen got fairly 1m front of the Governor’s house. But for this they cared not, had gone well. Now, however, came their greatest danger. Looking right and left, they could perceive many police officers, who were bent with exemplary closenes/ upon the duty that had been set them. The fact was that there was not one of them who @ not believe in his heart that the night would not pf over without Dick Turpin making some effort to hber himself. In such a case, they were animated by whe hope they would be instrumental in recapturing him—n¢ cause of any reward, but merely for the credit ¢ whole body of police officers. In ascending the steps of the for up to the present all Governor’s hor Prick ONS HALFY (E(@) AAIICE JOOKS_ GO