Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

214 —_—"_—_-—_—~ SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: “Oh, lor’! what was it, I wonder?” said Bill, as he reached the side of Joe. ‘* Tom, chuck up the lantern, good luck to you! chuck up the lantern.” The man handed the lantern to his com- panion, and was instantly by his side. ‘ Let’s go. Don’t let’s have anything to do with the body,” said: Bill. ‘‘ I don’t like these noises. And I expect if we go on any further we shall see the ghost of the chap, as well as hear him groan.” ‘Behold him, here!” cried Jack, springing up, and alighting right before the body-snatchers. ‘““Behold him, here! thou desecrators of the ° grave!” With a shriek that was truly awful, Bill reeled backwards, and fell into the hole he had assisted to make, while Joe, completel terror, fell upon his knees, and clasped his hands imploringly. Tom seemed spell-bound, for he did not move till a well-delivered blow from Jack’s fist sent him reeling over the loose earth and among the grass-covered mounds beyond it, where he rolled, shrieking aloud for mercy, and imploring his companions not to leave him. Jack dealt Joe a kick on the chest, which made that worthy bend still lower, and then hurled over a considerable quantity of the loose earth with his foot upon Bill, who was making frantic struggles to get out of his narrow prison. “Joe! Tom! help me out! Oh, lor’! Murder !—I—oh !”’ Another lot of the loose earth was dashed into his face, half blinding him, and amid the con- *fusion and terror, Jack quickly darted behind the stone. The moment he had disappeared, Joe and Tom sprang to their feet, and tore off like mad towards the gate by which they had entered the churchyard, evidently not caring what became of their companion, so long as they made good their escape. , As they disappeared through the little gate, Bill succeeded in scrambling out of the grave, and was about to rush after his companions, when Jack sprang out upon him, and, graspin him by the throat, hurled the terrified wrete on to the heap of newly turned-up mould, into which his body sank several inches. Placins his knee on his chest, Jack pinned him there ; but ere a minute had elapsed, he discovered that the man had fainted with excess of terror. CHAPTER ._LXXIV. JACK PLAYS A GAME WITH THE BODY-SNATCHERS. -Fiyvre that Bill the Body-snatcher was unable mor either to offer the slightest resistance or attempt to effect an escape, our hero rose from over the prostrate man and considered what he should do to punish the rascal for the part he had played in the sacrilegious drama; for Jack had no idea of allowing him to escape as easily as his companions had succeeded in doing. Casting his eyes towards the stone behind which he had secreted himself, he grasped the sack which had been thrown over it, and returned to the side of Bill, “—F cs a | en eg eee. overcome by his THE TERROR OF LONDON. ‘Pll have a game with him,” said Jack; “and | IT doubt not he will be less willing another time — to obtain subjects for a medical nian. ° If justice | were meted out to him, I'should hurl his worth: less carcase into the hole he has assgsted to dig. and cover him in along with the body he hoped to make a few pounds by tearing’ from’ its last resting-place. But I’m not an executioner’ I'll gag him, so that when he awakes to con: sciousness he shall be powerless to make any’ noise, and then tie him up in this sack and letvye him beside the grave, where I hope he will be discovered and punished.” Df P Jack tore the yellow silk kerchief from the man’s neck, and whisping it round till it wag not much thicker than an ‘ordinary rope, he’ forced the centre of it through the clenched teeth of the man, and tied the ends securely at the back of his head: oda ‘‘ He won’t halloo much now, I take it,” said’ Jack, as he viewed his work, ‘ But how can My secure his hands and feet to prevent his making his escape? Stay! a thought strikes me. His companions will not be long in recovering the — shock I gave them ; and though they may not return here, they will doubtless await this fellow somewhere near the place. What if they could be induced to believe that he had, unaided, got the body out of the coffin into the sack, and left it for his companions to carry off, while he hag taken his departure by another réute, through some cause or other? It would certainly be a good trick, not only to play upon the Aa themselves, but upon the doetor. I’ll put him in the sack ; but first, I’ll remove all his clothin but his shirt, so that he may appear as much like a corpse as possible.” rage So saying, Jack proceeded to wunrobe the fellow in no very gentle manner. ey While this operation was going on, the man awoke to sensibility; but finding the horrible figure still bending over him, he tried to shriek out, but of course no sound could emanate from his lips on account of the silken gag. iis Terror now seemed to lend him strength, in- stead of depriving him of it, and he kicked and fought desperately. a “You struggle in vain,” said Jack, as he pressed his half-nude body into the soft earth § | at the side of the grave. “ You came hither to rob the dead, and the dead now will have ven- geance upon you. You have assisted to open this grave, and it will be closed on top of you. Resistance is useless.. You have made your owa grave with your own hands, and w'th the dead, whom you have insulted, must you lay.” aa This was said in that hollow tone which Jack so often had recourse to, and he felt the limbs. tremble as with the agnue. a His struggles became less violent, and utter. despair seemed to have settled upon his soul. Flis chest heaved ; every muscle of his frame quivered ; and cold drops of perspiration started 7] out in beads on forehead, face, and body. | Jack could just see the agonised look upon his | face—a look that would have struck pity to the heart of our hero, but for the abhorrence he felt of the horrible deed that man had contemplated. | oele) and his companions al