The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

OHAPTER IL THE TROOPEER'S LOVE, I must now return to Ben Firebrace and Harold, whom I left while I followed the fortunes of Lord Raymond and Captain Lackland. “ Why have you come to me!” asked Ben. “Te bring you good news, as I have sald,” returned Harold. “I bring you news of Lizzie.” “Of Lissie!” exclaimed the trooper, in ec- stacy. “ Ayo, that Ido,” said Harold. “She is over the water, in Lord Raymond’s house,” ‘* @uarded by that villain ?” “No; he is here in Alsatia. I saw him to- night ; I can swear to his face.” “ Good ; then, we shall not have him to con- tend with. When shall we go?” ‘* To-morrow, or, rather, to-night,” said Harold, “There is one here, I think, who could help us if he is well paid for it.” ‘Who mean you f” ‘Captain Lackland.” Ben Firebrace burst into a loud fit of laughter. “Captain Lackland!” he said. “Why, do you know what that man is? He is the biggest coward and braggart that ever roared within the precincts of Alsatia. He's no use.” ** Why, he was commissioned to kil! me.” “ He didn’t do it, though.” “That does not prove him a coward, How- ever, if he is @# coward, his friends are not, and he knows many who would aid us. Let us wnt As you please,” said Be h you please,” n; “perhaps, as you y, he may know those who can aid us, Oall m in,” Lackland was down atairs instructing Rad- stock when Harold came out, but he soon re- evel, my young hearty,” he cried, “ well, have I deceived you ?” “No. That you have not. Will you enter here? We wish to speak with you ona subject which may be the means of putting money in your purse.” The desperado clapped Harold on the back. ‘Bravo, my youngster,” he said, “ Bravo! That’s the style of things for me. Wherever danger is to be found there is the captain and his sword (Lackland and Armida—that’s the name of my sword) to be found also, provided — as this—provided there is money to be gained.’ By this time they had entered Ben’s room. “ Well, my fire-eater—my man of the sword— how are you ?”’ cried the trooper; “ what cheer ?” ‘Good cheer, good cheer, my friend,” said the captain, “and since you are about to become my employer I will send for a bottle of wine.” The wine having been brought up and partially disposed of, Ben told his story. The captain affected the air of a man who is about to assume the command of a great army. ‘‘We must storm this fortress, it seems,” he said ; “and this Lord Raymond, he is the same worthy who sent me upon my expedition after you, is he not?” ‘Yes, the same,” ‘Good ; then we shall have mutual cause to- gether. How many men do you need ?”’ 95 “Six will be sufficient; let them be well armed, bold and resolute men, and we will croas the river at dark to-morrow.” “Let us say nine o'clock, my friends,” said he, aloud. “Night is like charity, and covers a multitude of sins.” “Very well ; the time we leave to you.” 16 was soon after this that he was called to see Radstock, and started upon the exploring expedition in search of Lord Raymond's body. When he retarned, after finding that the man whom he had caused to be so grossly outraged had mysteriously disappeared, he proceeded, in spite of his terrible alarm, to divide with Rad- atock the spoils of the evening. After this, he obtained from the landlord a room where he could sleep for the night; and, hurrying into it, concealed himself like a baby beneath the bed-clothes, as if afraid of ghosts, _The trooper, meanwhile, in the innocence of his great love, alept soundly, dreaming of his mistress, whom he had now every hope of re- covering, and picturing glowing scenes of hap- Petre - in ive indeed trong in love in was Ben Fi an in the midst of battle, he had seen but ons face bat one voice, Now, in the stillness and seclusion of Alsatia, he had had time to ponder over the memory of his love; and though tired Nature had thrown him into a deep slumber, he still had her voice and her features plain before his eyes. How eagerly he watched for the evening of the day which was to bring him once more into the presence of his beloved, or, at any rate, a to give him an opportunity of fighting for er. Evening at length came, Uneasily Ben Firebrace looked out of his window over the dark river. Over there, on the Surrey shore, stood the house where lived his mistress; and as his yearning eyes atretched over the waters he could almost ‘gee the outline of the mansion—ocould almost fancy that he beheld his sweetheart lying weep- ing. her bed, sobbing herself off to sleep, and king of the one she so dearly loved. At nine precisely Harold entered with the captain. The Young Apprentice had been watching for some time at the door of the tavern for the arrival of the captain. In fact, Ben Firebrace’s conversation had so entirely consisted of praises, and hopes, and fears in regard to Lizzie, that the interview was far from being amusing. “Well, my noble captain,” cried Firebrace, who was now s0 fired by his anticipations that he forgot all abnut Lackland’s cowardice and bravado, “ you are here to time.”’ ‘‘ Military time, sir,” said Lackland, proudly “during my many campaigns I and Armida have always kept to one rule, and that rale is to keep to the exact moment—the exact letter of my promise. And here we are, Armida and I, while low wait six trusty followers.” ‘You are aman of your word,” cried Ben; “J admire you. Distribute to each mana gold piece, See, here are six,” The captain took them, and disappeared for a moment. % THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. GOVE OOO G (©, CO