Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 238: what you’re looking at

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

t OL yn eee See SS ee eee) — PF 8 rn aE — Fr a oe .~--- = " al a er ee a ‘ eS 240 SPRING-HEEL D JACK: somewhat startled you, young man,” said the cloaked figure ; “but be not alarmed. You are evidently in distress, and I can aid you.” At this the youth took a step towards the speaker, but recoiled back to the hedge, as his moist eyes rested on as hideous a face as he had ever imagined. ‘“‘ Who are you?” he gasped. ‘¢A friend to all good men, but a foe to bad ones. I heard your lamentations but now, and knew you required aid. Speak plainly ; can I aid you?” ‘First tell me who you are, for I confess your looks alarm me,” said the youth, gaining courage as he spoke. “T have alarmed a great many in my time. But in reply to your question, and to set your doubts at rest, lam known asSpring-heeled Jack.” “Ah! I have heard of you.” - “Doubtless. You are weak and ill “T am, indeed; but the treatment I have just received has rendered me almost powerless to move,”’ said the youth. “What treatment ?” asked Jack. The young man told our-hero of his request 9 to the waggoner, and stated, truthfully, every- |. thing that occurred between them. ‘‘ Why are you so anxious to reach London ?” asked Jack, when he had concluded. “That I may see a dying mother ere heaven takes her from this world,” said the youth, trembling as he spoke. | “You cannot: waik ?” . “No, I cannot; Tam too weak. I have not tasted food since yesterday morning, and am footsore, weary, and in pain. I have ‘already tramped fifty miles, but the remaining fifteen I cannot go, and she will die without giving me her blessing—die, believing I am callous-hearted and unfeeling.” . Jack felt pity for the lad before him, and drawine from his coat-pocket a small flask, ofttered it to him. ar “Drink the contents of that,’ he said. ‘‘It will put fresh life into you.’ ’Tis brandy.” _ The young man accepted the flask with thanks, and placed it to his lips. » ) ) ‘““No.conveyance canbe obtained here,” said Jack, “to convey you to your destination, or I would willingly aid you to ‘reach it: The waggon was your only chance,;'and the driver*must have been an‘ unfeeling rascal to refuse to help you on the road. - ar See ie te “ All) men have not hearts like yours,” said the youth, handing back the flask to Jack, “ and Robert Blackthorn will not forget your kindness, sir, though I doubt if he will ever be able to repay it, save by thanks.” “Never mind,” said Jack, “that’s sufficient forme. Idonotask more. Indeed I have not yet earned them. Your condition excites my sympathy, and your objects my deter- mination to aid you to obtain them. Sit down there under the hedge, and I will see if I eannot induce this waggoner to convey you to the metropolis.” The youth shook his head. “tt would be useless, sir. You would only meet with insult or outrage at his hands,’ said Blackthorn. b, 2588 @* eee se —_—_—__-_--—_— -----_- — THE TERROR OF LONDON. ‘“T have little fear of that,” said Jack, with a smile, which his mask hid from the other. “Do not try, sir, for Iam powerless to aid you should the ruffian assault you, as he did me,” said the youth. “ He will not dare attempt such a course with me ; for, thank heaven ! I have sufficient strength to protect myself. Do as I request you, and rest’ assured I will induce the man to turn his team back to pick you up.” The youth obeyed, but shook his head, doubt- ingly, as he did so; and Jack, gathering the folds of his cloak around him, sped away along th road after the waggon. = The slow pace at which it went rendered it an. easy task for Jack to come up with it, which he soon did. Roger Stokes had resumed his whistling, and with his eyes fixed upon his shadow on the eround before him, he neither heard nor saw the approach of our hero, who, gliding up behind the lumbering vehicle, seized the tail- board with one hand, while with the other he parted the thick canvas awning, so as to admit the passage of his body into the vehicle. The next moment he had sprung lightly up, and dropped in upon the loose straw that covered the floor of the waggon. ~ *’ - As he alighted, however, his foot rested upon the large, brown hand of the slumbering youth inside, who, with a howl of pain, started up, awake, into a sitting position. s But no higher could he rise..* The dim light of the lantern played upon the form and mask of Jack, and the yokel’s jaw dropped in utter terror and dismay, and he sat glaring at our hero, with his large goggle eyes, like one bereft of reason. = ~ — « Jack looked down upon him for some moments in silence. ‘Then, seating himself upon a large hamper, right before the youth, he said, in a deep, hollow voice— ~- °° °< vat « “‘ You’re a nice-looking youth, but if you open your mouth much wider, your head will drop “Eh! he! he!’ shuddered the boy. “Ye be the devil!” “So you know me, do you?” said Jack, “‘then the best thing you can do is to be silent, Jack did not finish the sentence, for the alarmed youth, springing to his feet, made a bolt at the parted canvas’at the back of the waggon, and, tumbling over the tailboard of the waggon, ran away down the road, shrieking loudly— ot ; “The devil !—oh! the devil!” CHAPTER LXXAXIIL JACK ALARMS THE WAGGONER, AND COMPELS :HIM TO DO THROUGH FEAR WHAT HE REFUSED BY ENTREATY. «I'nx boy’s cries, ringing out loudly on the night air, alarmed the driver of the team, and the whistle of that worthy was instantly hushedas — he started round to see the boy fleeing down the road at a speed he never could have given him credit for, and which, in fact, he would | JOO G ecom eS S.€O