Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

ws — wee oe - ee ae fi A i SPRLING-HEEL D JACK: At this moment Jerry reappeared. has the gal come round?” “Yes, she'll soon be all right now, if she'd only take a swig at the grog.” “ Won't she ?” ENOS, ‘‘Perhaps you don’t ask her properly,” said Jerry, sidling up to the bedside, and gazing com- miseratingly-upon Ellen. ‘‘ How do you feel now? Coming round a bit, glad to hear ; just take a pull at this rum, ’tis better than all the medicine in a doctor’s chest.’’ ‘‘ Would that it were poison,” muttered poor Ellen. “No, itain’t,” said Jerry quietly, as he caught only the last word, uttered as they were between sobs. ‘‘ Do you think we’d give you poison? Oh! no, its grog ; and a better drop can’t be found aboard another vessel in the Pool. Now, just take a little drop ; only a little—about half-a- pitt will save you catching cold.” Thus pressed Ellen suffered the vessel to be held to her lips, and tasted the spirit. ““Swig away, don’t be frightened of it,’’ said Jerry, when, after partaking of about a spoonful, = a ee es oe eee iC ~ - - - ——» — - SR THE TERROR OF LONDON. ‘‘ A friend of yours ?” ““ Yes, he who brought a girl to this ship, and threatened to rope’s-end him when he came on board.”’ «“T—J thought he was—but I don’t now ; oh! no, I don’t now.” | ¢ Jerry.” NIESE | “Where is the rope you intended for him? Quick, give it me.” | ) “T don’t know.” “ Not know 2” T4 No.” ‘Tis false ; give it to me.” ‘““ What—what for ?” asked Jerry. ‘You shall see; quick—you know who I am, don’t you ?” | “Yes, Davy Jones.” “ That’s right ; now the rope.” Jerry looked imploringly, but Jack stamped his foot, and struck such terror to Jerry’s soul, that that personage staggered a few paces along the deck, and picked up a piece of rope, and handed it to Jack, starting back instantly, from : te “Can’t—you must ; you said that a friend of | ‘¢There’s nobody on deck,” he said ; “ hallo, | mine was a land pirate.” i Ms —_— — ee —~ - fear that he would take hold of him. ‘“AHumph !” said Jack. ‘Do you know what I’m going to do with this ?” “No, no.”’ “T’m going to serve you as you would have served the gentleman you were wicked enough to call a land pirate.” ; Jerry winced and trembled more than ever. ‘‘Of course you are sensible enough to know that you can’t help yourself ?” Jerry felt that bis questioner spoke truly. The seaman was a powerfully built man, withan arm and hand that could almost have knocked down a bullock, but he was now so terror-stricken that he could not deny to himself that he was powerless as a child. He did not reply. Standing with knees knocking together, he could only glare with starting eyeballs upon the strange being before him. , ““ Jerry, come here.” This order, so far from being obeyed, was quite the reverse, for as Jack raised his arm Jerry retreated, and stumbled headlong backwards down the stairs to the cabin. | “ Hallo! what the devil are you after there, messmate ?” cried the voice of Peter. “The devil! the devil!” cried Jerry in | ~ affrighted tones. “Hi “You've been and got drunk, you have,” cried Peter, coming from the cabin and helping his friend to his feet. ‘“ No, no! Shut the door, shut the door! Oh! lor—oh! lor.” | “ What’s the matter with you, you fool ?” said Peter, as Jerry darted into the cabin and slammed the door to. a “The devil !” " “ What do you mean ?” Do you know what youhave| “Oh! I’ve seen him; he'll be coming here— ; | oh! lor—oh ! lor.” she put the can back with her hand. “I cannot.” “Well, if you can’t, you can’t,” said Jerry, laying the cup down, but not till he had tasted its contents. ‘‘ It’srare fine stuff this, and would bring a dead man to life if he drank enough of it. I say, Peter, it’s a rum go that chap’s, ain’t it; he’s a gone’un, I expect.” ‘“¢ Did you look into the boat?” “There, I never thought of that,” said Jerry. ‘Perhaps the fellow’s too much knocked up, or cot a landsman’s terror of climbing aboard by a - rope.” “Go and give him a hoist, Jerry, and bring him down here; Ill wager he’ll not refuse a pull at the grog.” Jerry once more took his departure from the cabin, leaving Peter to look after the still sob- bing Ellen. He had just reached the deck, when he found himself confronted with a tall figure robed in white, with a face so hideous that Jerry fairly started back, and nearly tumbled down the steps up which he had come. Now sailors are a superstitious class of men, and certainly Jerry was no exception to the general rule. In an instant the rough man was pale as a ghost, and trembling in every limb. His hair stood on end, and the blood stagnated round his heart. ‘“T want you,” said Jack, for he it was, in that hollow tone which he could so well assume. ‘Want me?” stammered Jerry. ‘Oh! lor! it’s Davy Jones. “ The same.”’ ‘* Pe—pe—Peter ?” gasped Jerry, ““ Silence.” . ce 2 eeeeeeen ‘* Silence, I say. clone ?” said Jack. ; No—o— !”— An awful groan at the top of the steps caused Phen listen. Jerry to fling his broad back against the door. “I can’t.” “What's that?” asked Peter, himself turning ey com cbooks.com