The Mysteries of London; or, Revelations of the British Metropolis — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

224 MYSTERIES east all around him an eager and penetrating © look. : What the devil can this mean ? muttered he; © have my eyes failed me, that I cannot see a po- © lice boat by clear moonlight ?—ch, it must be the © bark of a real dog, though it is wonderfully like © that rascal @rufi’s. if He paused suddenly, stretch his head farther | beyond the boat’s side and looked with eager anx- © iety at a dark object in the water, which he had — only that moment perceived, and which appeared - to be moving towards him, in the wake of his © boat. Ho, ho, said he, what have we here? upon | my seul, it is a man, and a famous swimmer, too, —does he want, perhaps, to get hold of my cargo. By this time, the laird was within fifteen fa- ” thomsof theboat; he struck out more vigorously © than before, and in doing so, raised his head so 7 much above the water that Bob recognised his | features. q Well, well, only think of that, muttered he, 7 without, however, being ia the leastalarmed; who could have expected to see him here? I would 7 Father have bet that it was a policeman—upon 7 my word, I would,—but that’s no matter—I must 7 be well upon my guard, for he is a tough fellow, © and should I miss my first blow at him, my mer= chandise might be in danger. . Bob drew his knife and jumped to his feet. He perceived a, tall figure rising above the gunwale: : —in a second he and the laird were st re, bes fore each other. The two adversaries remained for a second. rs ‘ :