The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 267: what you’re looking at

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

He neared the place, gradually, until arriving at the door, he peered in and listened. Within the dark room, lit up only by 2 murky oil lamp, there were a motley assemblage. A man, in semi-military costume, was seated at a table in the centre of the room, while around him were old women and young women, men of all ages and all classes, Alsatians, soldiers, sailors, beggars, and thieves, and some who seemed a mixture of every class named. Blacklock, having taken an inspection of the interior, drew back. « [ have made some mistake here,” he muttered. “T have adopted a di which will be the ruin of my plan. Had I come in my own dress, I need have feared nothing, and now I am seriously afraid that I shall have to force my way in. Where can my friends be ?” e looked up and down the river, but at present there was no sign of any one’s approach. He feared to enter the den of infamy alone. Dennis was not in the room below, and it was, therefore, natural to believe that he was hidden away in some upper room, where he would be kept until the remainder of his money was paid to the ruffan in whose power the place was. So he waited. Presently, there was a sound upon the dark waters. It was a noise like the plashing of oars, Blacklock glanced out eagerly over the river. -<‘< Ahi” he cried, “They are approaching. Now, my worthy friends, you shall see how we paniah those who stand the way of great en nae In a few moments more a boat grazed against the bottom of the stairs, Six men were in it. They were the friends whom Blacklock ex- pected, and who had, in fact, promised to meet “Here we are,” cried a tall, ruffilanly-looking Alsatian, as he leaped ashore. ‘*T see you are, although rather late,”’ returned lacklock “T am aware of it. The truth is, I have been debating in my mind whether [ should come or not.' “ Pray why ?” “ Because the king’s business seems an unpleasant one. The last Aleatian who took up the *s quarrel got hanged,’’ “Ah! well,” cried Blacklock, “the king is dead, He has no more quarrels now to take up. We have to think now of Charles II.” The Alsatian burst into a loud, coarse laugh. “ Why do you laugh ?” exclaimed Blacklock. “Why, any one would think that Prince Charles was hidden here,’ cried the man. “I thought we were come to ferret out some boon companion of yours who had got in a scrape.” “So I have—so I have,” returned Blacklock ; “and, what is more, if we bring him out safe there is a golden coin for every one of you.” He was just about to knock at the door loudly, when a dark fcrm sprang forward, followed by several others. “Friend,” cried the néw-comer, “are you kept forcibly from entering this house ?” Blacklock looked doubtingly at the speaker. Young, open-faced, and decidedly handsome, THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. NOTIOE.—ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL OCOLOURBD PICTURE WILL BE GIVEN AWAY WITH No. 33. Others will foliow in a few weeks. (20) the stranger was one who would at the first glance be selected as a friend. It was, in fact, none other than Harold For- dyoe, the armourer’s apprentice. “ Well, my young friend,” he said, “I can acarcely anawer your question.” “ Why not?” “* Because I fancy that I shall be prevented ; but at present I don’t know, as I have not yet demanded admittance ; but, tell me, why do you “ Because I also am secking some one within there. We will join company, therefore, and if we cannot obtain what we want anyway else, we will force our way into the house.” *“‘ Very good,” said Blacklock, and advanced to the door. He knocked loudly, He received no answer. Again he knooked. Still no answer. length ; “ Open here,” he cried, at length, “ open here | We demand admittance !” i There was a loud langh within. in” don’t understand that word,” said a vo Blacklock knocked with the hilt of his sword. “We are friends,” he said, “but you can soon make us enemies,” “We're not particular about that,” returned the voice. “Go away—we don’t know your " voloe ; we can’t see your face, and I’ve no doubt yer wouldn't improve upon acquaintance.” Harold turned quietly to his companion, “We must force our way into this place,” cried he, and drawing his sword, he knocked again loudly. Still there was no reply. ‘‘ Now then,” said Id. Then with one acoord they put their shoulders to the door and pressed hard. Ié was very weakly hung on its hinges and soon yielded. Blacklock entered first, - Going in as he did, sword in hand, boldly, he created some astonishment among the occupants of the room. The soldier sprang to his feet, as did also the old woman who was serving out the liquor, and the half-dozen figures near her. ‘‘ Who the devil are you?” cried the soldier, fiercely. “A friend, whom you have turned into an enemy.’’ ‘Upon what errand did you come here ?” “YT came,” cried Blacklock, ‘to seek my friend, whom you or some others have detained here.” ‘« His name?” “He is called Dennis,” replied Blacklock ; “but come, this delay will not do. I will not bancy words with you; where is the land- 0 99 A load laugh greeted his words, and an old, dark-faced, and shrivelled woman pushed away forward through the crowd, and approached m, She placed her hands upon her hips as she did so, and stared in his face. ‘And pray who are you?” she cried, in an insolent tone.