Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 192: what you’re looking at

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

194 from them. I live with her, I do, and pay nine- pence a week for my lodging. She’s arum ‘un, but she’s a good ’un, sheis. Mind how you come; here’s the doorway. Mind, there’s a lot of the floor broke there, and you'll get your foot in the hole, if you don’t mind. There ain’t no bannisters to the stairs, so you'll have to be careful, or you’ll go pitching over em. Here, take hold of my hand, and don’t be frightened. I won't hurt you, ’cos [ like you for giving that chap aknock as nearly pulled my ears off.” The boy took hold of our hero’s arm, and endeavoured to lead him forward, The place was pitch dark, and an unwhole- some odour pervaded it, Jack was not a man to be intimidated by trifles, but still he did not feel so much at his ease as he could wish, and hesitated whether to go any further in that rookery, or make his way back and trust to fortune to evade his pursuers. While debating in his mind which course to pursue, several voices and the tramping of feet came plainly to his ears, and he knew that the officers pat others had turned into the dark entry. ‘““Go on, boy,”’ he said, ‘I will follow you, but if you lead me into a trap it will not be well for you.’ “T ain’t such a shoful as that,” replied the Jad. ‘““Mind ! there’s a step. No, I am only a poor crossing-sweeper, but I ain’t a going to sell you arter licking that chap for me. Joey Gibbons ain't a kid of that sort, I tell you. There, keep agin the wall. Mind! the next stair’s broken ; but what can you expect for ninepence a week ? Now we are on the landing ; up another lot, and that’s Mother Mokes’s room, where you can stop till the bobbies goes away, and then hook it,” ; rf oe what will Mother Mokes say?” asked ack. . *She ain’t there now; she’s along of her atall,”’ * At this hour?” “Ves, sir; it’s as good @ time as any in the 09 : ‘he work’s hard, or rather long hours, I should say,’ remarked Jack ; “ for I have seen her there early of & Morning.” rh Mig: so all poor people does. I works the a. 4 ‘The cellar-flap business ?” echoed Jack. ‘What's that ?”’ Why, stands on my head and dances on my hands, and plays the tune with my trotters.” “ Your what ?”’ ‘* Trotters—feet ! But here’s the door, It’s jolly dark, but I knows where there’s a bit of rushlight.” And the boy led Jack into a dark, unwhole- some apartment, as a loud shout from below told him his pursuers had reached the house. crossing from six o’clock in the morning till ten at ni iY and’ then does the cellar-flap busimess up till twelve.”’ ~ SPRING-HEEL’D JACK : THE TERROR OF LONDON. CHAPTER LXVILI. JACK DOES GOOD FOR TRADE, AND IS CURSED AND BLESSED IN A SHORT TIME. Jory the Sweeper closed the door quickly behind him as the shouts of those below reached his ears, and Jack felt the lad’s hand tremble on his arm. “T won’t get a light, sir,” hesaid; “’cos then they'll know somebody’s here. I thought we'd have give ’em the double, for *tain’t many as likes to come up this alley, in case they don’t get out safe again. Blowed if they ain't coming up the stairs! There!” | Jack listened, and could hear the tramp of boots on the worn and ricketty staircase. For a moment he began to suspect the boy had laid the trap for him, but the next instant he thought otherwise. : ‘‘Thev’ll soon havé this door down,” said Joe; “‘ for the patiels is split all up, and a kick would send it in, and if you goes back they’ll nab you.” ‘Ts there any other way of exit besides the door?” asked Jack, hurriedly. ‘< There’s the window.” | And ths boy led Jack aeross the room towards a frame minus several panes of glass, and through which the faint glimmer of a distant lamp came. “Where does this look into?” asked Jack, hurriedly, placing his hand upon the dusty sash. ‘ Berker’s-buildings.” : ae “Not into the place from which we entered the house.”’ <7 | ‘No, sir; into a wus place nor that.” ‘““ Worse ?” said Jack, in a tone of surprise.. “Yes, a good deal; ‘cos they’re most all thieves as lives there; chaps as dont sweep crossings, nor nuffin.” | | While the lad spoke Jack had opened the window, and looked out. He was about twenty feet from the ground of a dirty-looking court,and right beneath him was a heap of dust and vegetable refuse, but not a soul was in sight, and hurriedly placing a coin in the boy’s hand he mounted the rotten window- sill. 7 “ Now, boy, if you refuse to say which way I have gone I may get away.” “Quick, sir!” whispered the lad. “Here they are! Quick, sir! Vl hold my tongue.” There was a heavy blow upon the door, and rays of light streamed through two broad chinks In the panels: Jack hesitated not a moment, but gathering up the folds of his cloak; leaped from the sill, and alighted safely on the heap of rubbish. “Lor! don’t you know—ain’t you seen me?| He gathered himself up, tured and gazed towards the window, as the boy hurriedly closed it behind him. The next moment a flash of light from the window told Jack that his pursuers had entered the room. | | “They cannot harm the lad,” he said; “‘so I will get out of this confounded place as quickly | as possible.” He was about to make his way out of the court, when he was suddenly confronted by a big, burly, bull-headed fellow. The man stood right before him, and Jack started backwards, not in fear, but to place him- Gbhooksscom ee. (E(O) m - oo mee mg ® = as ~samengee het of