The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. The boy complied, In such company ,there seemed little use in refusing. The captain seized the tankard, and after draining it nearly all at a draught, handed the measure to Harold. “ Forgive my thirst, young air,” he said ; “ the beer, no doubt, will do me more good than you. Lads of your age, I assure you, ought never to indulge in strong liquor. Now, Gobbler, tell me, is Master Firebrace here?” “Yes ; he is asleep in his room.” “Asleep { then he must be awakened. The news we bring him will not keep.” The insolence of the captain so took Harold’s breath away that he did not speak till they were half-way up the stairs, ‘What news do you bring to Ben Firebrace ?” he cried, as he halted on the first landing. ‘‘T know not. ‘Tis you who briog him news. Come, do not delay, time is cious; and besides drink and adventures, there is such a thing as sleep, of which I stand sorely in need.” ‘‘ Lead on, then,” said Harold; “and remem- ber, when I see Ben Firebrace, that my business is with him, and is private.” “ Certainly,” returned the captain. “I have no desire to listen ; I will watch outside.” They now stopped at the door of a room, which, on being opened, allowed the heavy snoring of a man to be heard; and, as Harold glanced in, he saw the trooper lying in a quiet sleep on the bed. * Close the door,” said the Young Apprentice to the desperado, “and watch as you said. shall not be long.” “ Ben,” he added, going to the bedside; “ Ben, wake up.” He now for the firat time saw that the sturdy soldier had a sword firmly grasped in bis hand. Ben leaped up as if he had becn caught sleep- ing on watch, and, bounding vut of the bed, sword in hand, placed himself on the defensive. ‘‘What! are you going to fipyht me, Captain Firebrace?” cried Harold, laughing. The voice brought Ben to his senses, ‘‘What, Harold,” he cried, “how came you here ?” “Through the door,” replied the Young Ap- prentice; “most probably the samo way that youcame. But, jesting apart, I have news for you, and, that my words may not be overheard, I beg you'll return to your bed and let me sit by your side and talk to you.” The trooper accordingly retired once more’; and Harold sat down near him, believing that Captain Lackland was keeping watch withont. The worthy captain, however, was otherwise engsged, or, if he was doing anything of the kind, it was watching them. not for them. Placing his ear to the key-hole he listened eagerly, striving to catch each syllable that fell from Harold's lips. Fauing in this, however, he paced to and fro along the passage, and was just making up his mind to go down into the bar and wait there when a voice near him startled him. He was, as my readers have seen, no real man of war, but an arrant coward and braggart, and the sound sent a chill through his blood. Ugh! he cried, sbuddering and jumping away. ‘What's that?” hand over his heart. “It is I,” said the voice, now sounding plainly from the window ; “open the casement and admit me at once.” He knew at once now the tones of the new comer. He was Lord Raymond. “ Here’s the devil to pay,” he muttered, as he now saw the face of his employer appear at the window, “What am I to do? Ah, I have it 7S h iekly thre b f saying, he quiekly w open the door o Firebrace’s apartment, drew the key, locked it on the outside, and placed the key in his pocket. Then he approacbed the window and opened it. Lord Raymond entered the corridor at once— pale and angry. ‘You have deceived me, you villain,” he cried threateningly. The captain raised his hands deprecatingly. “ No, no ; now don’t say that. [I am doing just as you wished, only I am not in such a confounded hurry as you are. I want to do the job prudently, so that I can't be called to ac- count for it five minutes ater it’s done.” ‘Oh! hang your prudence,” cried Lord Ray- mond, who had followed them along the river’s brink. “‘I believe you're afraid.” ‘ Afraid !” said the captain, placing his huge “Can you bring yourself to any my lord, such things of Captain Lack- land ?” ‘A truce to your nonsense,” said Lord Ray- mond, angrily. “Whom have you locked in yonder room ?”’ : “My victim is one.” ‘ Ah ! and the other?” “ A stalwart trooper, named Firebrace,” “ Those two alone?” ‘* Yes.” “Then we are man to man; let us enter at once and kill them.” The captain objected again. “Nay,” be cried. “You are too violent, too precipitate, If we were to make any such attempt we should be set upon by a hundred and bave no chance of escape. Is there so much hurry to shed the blood of this boy ?” ‘‘] wish it done and over,’’ returned Lord Ray- mond. “ When he is dead ard buried I shall be happy, and not till then.” “Good. Then by to-morrow evening both these desires of yours shall be fulfilled. For the present, leave it alone. If you make any attempt ere you will only help them to escape and do yourself no good. “Well, be it as you will. I shall be in Whitefriars for some time yet. I¢ you trick and deceive me I shall soon be ablé to purchase aid if I cannot command it.” “You talk of purchasing aid,” said the captain, “have you any money ?” “T have.” ‘Then let us have some, I must sleep and rest now, and shall not see you maybe until to- morrow evening. Let us have ten gold pieces,” Raymond searched in his pockets and drew out a purse. ‘“ Here, take this,” he said ; “I never make it a rule to pay before a bargain is completed There are twenty pieces of gold, however, in that purse ; and to-morrow night, if it is proved ( ran a O GOVE OOO 7 > eS CO