Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 211: what you’re looking at

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

Ne eee SPRINGrHEEL D JACK: “So—so,’ said Jack. “ They are after ex- huming the body of some poor wretch. Even the home of the dead is not sacred from the rapacious hands of such villains as these,—and Doctor Potters can encourage them in their un- holy-work. J am certainly deceived in him, for I thought him above such an action. I will endeavour to disappoint him, and these scoundrels too; and I do not think but I shall be able to do so, for ‘tis evident one at least is afraid to tread this place without his companions follow in his footsteps. Rogues are generally cowards, and surely there can be no greater miscreant than a body-snatcher.”’ . So saying, Jack took his mask from his pocket, and, adjusting it to his face, drew his cloak around him, and passed through the gate into the churchyard. Stepping over the mounds, he made his way along till ie reached the shadow of a tall stone, on which was recorded the virtues of some departed spirit, and taking up a position behind it, waited and watched for the further proceed- ings of the body-snatchers. Presently they came back towards where he was hidden, but paused within a few yards of the stone. “This here’s the grave, I tell you,’ said the one who had been called Tom, sticking, as he spoke, a spade into the fresh turned mould. “Don’t you see how soft it is ?”’ “ All right, then, Tom. You set to work, and when you're tired we’ll take a turn. MHere’s the sack, on this stane.”’ And the man flung the sack he had brought with him over the stone behind which Jack was ensconced, and which nearly betrayed his presence by knocking his hat from his head. Jack, however, caught it in his hands; and the fellows set to work without any suspicion that there was another beside themselves in that consecrated ground. Spadeful after spadeful of the earth was thrown up, and the low thud of the iron blade as it entered the mould alone broke the silence for some time. At length, however, Tom paused in his labours, and, wiping the perspiration from his face with his sleeve, said— “Now, Joe, you give us hold of the lantern, and take a turn at the spade.” * Are you going to light up ?’’ said Joe, as they changed implements. “No, you fool; not till we get a little lower. What’s to hide the glim from being seen in the road? When we get another couple of foot down will be time enough.” : Jack crouched down to the earth, and peered round the stone at them. “ Callous-hearted scoundrels !”’ he muttered to himself. ‘ But you shall never disturb the remains of the being that lies there.” ‘What a thundering shame they bury ’em so deep,’ said Joe, as he laboured away with his spade. “It gives such a lot of trouble to get ’em out.” “Tf they didn’t, they might take a fancy to look and see if they was nailed,” said Tom. “Oh! lor’, wouldn’t the blokes as belongs to ’em holler, if they knowed we was after nailing it.” os a’ THE TERROR OF LONDON. 213 “They may holler, and be blowed to ’em, so Jong as we gets our price for it,” said Bill. “ And Imust say the doctor comes down pretty hand- some for a big un.” He'll have you one of these days, I expect,” said Joe. “You'd make a pretty corpse, you would.” ‘Stow it,” said Bill. chaff in a place like this.’’ “ Blowed if Bill ain’t a-shivering with cold,” said Joe. ‘“‘ Here,come and warm yourself at this fun, for blowed if I ain’t tired.” Bill now took the spade, and leaped into the hole. “TI say, Tom, hadn’t you better light the lantern ? I can’t see down here.” “"Tain’t deep enough yet to hide the glim from the road.” “Yes, it is.” “All right! you can have a light, if you’re frightened,” said Tom. ‘‘T-ain’t frightened. Only I can chuck out the earth better if I can see—can’t I, you fool 2” was the remark of Bill, uttered in a half-savage, half-frightened tone. “Just mind you don’t hit me with that spade,’ said Tom, as he knelt down beside the hole, and lowered a lantern into the gvaye. “There’s a match; set it alight, and I'll hold the glim down while you work.” Bill struck the match, and applied it to the wick in the lantern, which “was so constructed as to throw the rays of light only downwards, and was suspended to a stout cord which Tom held in his hand. “T don’t like such ‘Now, pull into it, good iuck to you!” said - Tom, as he moved the light so as to be out of the way of Bill’s spade. ‘Chuck it out in barrow loads, and we’ll soon have the box open.”’ “Never!” said Jack, setting his teeth firm, and rising from his crouching position. “Hallo! what’s that ?’” suddenly asked Joe, as Jack’s foot slipped from the little mound on which he stood. “What?” asked Tom and Bill in a breath. “Didn't you hear something ?” “No. What was it like?” was Tom’s ques- tion. “T don’t know.” “Stow it,” said Bill. this place.”’ Jack could hardly suppress a laugh at the evident cowardice of the three ruffans. He saw that it’ would take but Ittle to alarmthem. So, placing his hand to his mouth, he gave utterance to a deep, unearthly groan. With aery of terror, Tom let the lantern fall, and Bill dropped the spade from his grasp, while Joe clutched at Tom’s arm, and looked around in speechless horror. “What is it 2?” he gasped. shost! I’m sure it’s a ghost.” . eat -“ Help me out! help me out!” cried Bill, in his fright, seizing hold of the coat of Tom, and pulling him head first into the grave on top of him. : The earth was soft—a rather fortunate circum- stance for both of the :uffians; and grappling with each other they rose to their feet, and com~ menced scrambling out of the hole, ==Zcomicbook ““T don’t like joking in ‘Oh, lor’! it’s a ee —_ —— - ———< = ———————— ———— {ss LL a 8 —————E—E— | nn ee eee = (©)