Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 209: what you’re looking at

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= lights me to find that my efforts are so highly appreciated by so discriminating a person as yourself.” Jonathan bowed deeply as he uttered these ambiguons compliments. ‘¢ T find,’ said the Secretary, after referring to meno- randa before him, that the rewards offered for the capture or destruction of this formidable pirate and his band are very considerable. In addition to the tive hundred pounds offered by the government, I find there are rewards offered by private persons, the aggregate amount of which is three hundred pounds; so if you succeed, it will be a good thing for you, Mr. Wild.” ‘¢ It is not so much the reward,” said Wild, as he pre- red to take his departure, “for that will be equally ivided among the men; but I desire to be of benefit to the community at large. Good day, my lord; I have your fall permission to take whatever steps I may consider t suited to accomplish the end in view.” “You have, Mr. Wild,” replied the Secretary. ieee CHAPTER CXLITI. JONATHAN WILD REACHES THE ENTRANCE TO TIIE PIRATES’ CAVERN IN THE CLIFP, Upon leaving the Secretary of State, Jonathan Wild made the best of his way to Newgate-street. When he arrived, although the time he had been absent was considerably under two hours, he found the men wait- ing for him. This, in combination with his success with the Secre- tary, put him into good humour. There were thirty men at least, all poweriul, well- armed fellows, and mounted upon strong, serviceable steeds, which, while they could endure a vast amount of fatigue, yet would get over the ground at a very creditable “rate. One was waiting for Jonathan himself. But before he mounted, he ran into his hozse, and bhnekied to his side a huge hanger, the largest size, indeed, ever manufactured, and stuffed his pockets with pistols. Nor did he omit to take with him a plentiful supply of ammupition. His hat, too, be threw off, and substituted another, which was curiously and cleverly supported with bands of iron, which combined all the advantages a helmet could have, without the inconvenience of the great weiglit. As he sallied forth from his house, thus fully armed and accoutred, he looked a very formidable individual indeed. Vaulting into the saddle with greater agility that any one, seeing bis bulky and unwieldy form, could have imnagined, le gave the orders for his men to follow. With something like a feeling of exultation at Lis heart, and pride to see himself at the head of so large and so well-armed a troop, Jonathan trotted off. It was the dinner hour, and the streets were thronged with foot passengers, who turued to gaze after the thief- taker and his troop with something akin to admiration. But curiosity wos the most predominant feeling, for at that time Jonathan Wild’s face was as well known as the dome of St. Paul’s is to-day. They guessed in a moment that it was an enterprise of more than an every day cliaracter which took him abroad with so strong a body guard, and many ran along upon the footpaths to sco which way he was going. But none exactly suspected his destination, or else the popular excitement would have been tmmense. Soon, then, be distanced all of these, and gained the broad and well-kept Dover-road, then a much_ busier thoroughfare than it is at the present time, when the railway conveys persons to the town, through which it passes, and bkewise to the continent. But when Jonathan lived, the most rapid mode of transit was by means of a post-chaise; and in general the journey was performed by stage-coaches. So, as be went, he attracted a good deal of attenticn. To relate minutely their progress from Loudon to Dover would be uninteresting, since nothing of an unuszal cha- racter occurred to diversify it. Midnight had passed when they arrived. They had made very few halts on the way, and the men were horribly faticued. BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE, eum rrr nee wr ae SS SS SS ——————— Ee (aed As for the horses, they were completely knocked up and had Dover been a couple of miles further, they woul never have reached it. Certainly Jonathan bimself could not help feeling tired, as the rest did; but the hard riding did not take so much effect upon his iron frame as it did upon some of his fol- lowers. He allowed them but a short interval for rest and re- fresliment. In the mean time he made his way to the sea-shore, and hired two large eight-oared boats, which would conve- niently contain himself and his men. From this it will be seen that be contemplated making his attack upon the pirates that very night—or rather morning. And he just saved himself by so doing. When he had completed this bnsiness of biring the boats, and given particular instructions for their being in readiness at the time be required, he made his way back to the inn where he bad lodged his men. This was tlie only rest they got. | He instructed them al) to look to their weapons, and sect them the example of so doiug This done, he marshalled them down to the sea-beach at once. The boats were there 1n readiness. It was not until this moment that Wild remembered what Hawkins had said about the necessity of bringing a lodder with him. But it was not too late to repair the omission, so he immediately sent off four of his men to borrow two in the king’s name, While they were gone, he occupied the time by placing the other men in the boats, and giving them more detailed instructions as to what they were severally to do when they reached their destination. He had not to wait long after he had finished his in- structions for the return of the men he had sent for the ladders. They bad sneceeded in obtaining two, which were long and strong, and admirably adapted for the purpose for which they were intended. One was placed in each boat, and then the order was given to push off. This was done. Jonathan, with a night-glass in his hand, stood at tho prow of the fcremost boat, directiug them which course they were to take. The men in the boat, however, knew perfectly well which was the cliff Jonathan meant when he told them it was the one upon which the residence of Colonel Thorne was situated. The distance they had to go was not very creat, but owing to the swell of the tide it took them rather a long time to reach it. They did not dare to hng the land too close, for fear they should be dashed upon the rocks, to which they were close. “That is the cliff, sir,” said the man in the boat, who seenied to be in some kind of command over his com- panions. “* Row towards it, then,” eried Wild, as he again car- ried the telescope to his eye, iu the hope that he should be able to distinguish the “crack” of which Hawkins had spoken. "But they had gone too far out from the land for it to be visible in the darkness. Their course, however, was now direct for the cliff. With feverish impatience, which every moment deepened in intensity, Wild looked out for the fissure. He was, to a certain extent, in donbt whether the in- formation which had been forwarded to hint was correct But upon the reader's mind there can be no such doubt. Already they know how Hawkins, by a slight careless- ness, had been discovered, and how promptly his treachery bad been punished. His life had paid the penalty. Of all this, it must not be forgotten, Jonathan was perfect ignorance, as well as of the presence of Edgw Bess in the cavern, “paneer rcmesenenenensestr menses cen A RS AE EE AIA OL DEL IIIT ECS SF COTE IE EO DOO 5} Cc HCO