The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

222 REYNOLDS’ WORKS him by the wrist, ‘‘don’t be a fool, I say. He can’t eat us, he doesn’t want to do us any harm, and if he did, we are two to one.” These words, hurriedly and whisperingly spoken, produced a speedy effect upon Ben Limber; they inspired him with courage, for a coward invariably derives a reassuring sensa- tion from the fortitude displayed by a braver companion. Starting up to his feet, he exclaimed, ‘‘ Well, what can we do? ”’ ‘“You have escaped, I suppose,” said Bealby, turning quickly toward the Burker. ‘“ But how did you get in here? ”’ ‘““ T’ve broke out of the cell, I climbed up a pipe, I got to the roof of this house, I crept in at the attic — ‘‘ Ah, the noise just now upon the stairs! ”’ Liinber. ‘To be sure,” rejoined the Burker, “ that was me. I didn’t know how to get out of the house; I was afeard of wenturing into the street, ’cos why it’s infested by them ’ere waggabones of bluebottles. So I listened at your door, I heard a good deal of what you was saying to each other. I found you was the right sort of chaps to help a poor devil in a difficulty, 1 bided my time; you went out to get more lush, and then— _ But, by your leave, talking of lush —”’ And the Burker, pouring a quantity of gin into a tumbler, drank it off at a draught, his eyes scarcely watering so accus- tomed was he to the potent alcoholic fluid. ‘How can we get the man out?” asked Limber of his friend. ‘How long ago was it you ae from your cell?” demanded Bealby, quickly. ‘A matter of three-quarters of an hour,” responded the Burker, “‘ and there’s every minute a chance of the discovery being made. If so, as for going out into the street unless unkimmon well disguised — But fust of all give us some hot water to get off this cussed beard.” “Yes, at once,”’ answered Bealby. ‘‘ Now I tell you what must be ‘dbiie. Bew. my boy, stick your cigar in your mouth, go and saunter down the street toward the police office aud the station, see if there’s anything strange going on — But stop one moment.” Mr. Bealby rushed to the window, drew aside the bc and looked through the panes. . | ejaculated 7) CORNICLIIOOKS (E(0)