The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 308: what you’re looking at

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

— = =a B THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. CHAPTER XIV, THE FUGITIVES—THE CAVALIERS—THE PRO- POSITION—THE REPUBLIOAN OFFICER—THE DISCOVEBY—-THE DRUGGED WINE--THE AB- DUCTION OF ETTIE—THE FLIGHT TO THE SEASHORE—THE CONFLICT—THE SAILING OF THE SHIP. A sToRM which had long threatened, burat forth about midnight with astonishing fury, and loud peals of thunder roused from their slumbers the three inmates of a miserable hat, which then stood on a cliff jutting over the sea, near to the inconsiderable little village of Brighthelmstone. The walls of this hut were formed of mud, and a partition of similar material divided the interior into two unequal parts. In the largest of the two a few flickering embers yet blazed on the rude hearth, while on a block of wood, serving for a table, stood an expiring lamp, from which occasionally a fitful blaze would spring, and light with sudden glare surrounding objects. By ite aid might be discovered little that every fisher’s cabin might not boast of pos- sessing. No article of furniture adorned the hut, save an old high-backed chair. Strings of dried fish decorated the roof. A bench, fastened to the wall on one side the hearth, supplied the place of chairs, Immediately opposite the resting-place was the door which afforded egress to the inmates, and between that and the hearth was a decayed and broken casement, before which was hung a piece of old and dirty sail-cloth. A doorway led into the other chamber, and a shelf, on which were displayed a few drinking cups, completed the miserable aspect of the place. Seated on the chair, which was placed before the hearth, and gazing on the dying embers with & vacant stare, sat a young man, attired in tat- tered and mean habiliments. His skin, always dark, when seen by the un- certain light which the hut afforded, appeared almost to approach a Moorish tint. His eyes, likewise dark, were large and pene- trating; now abounding with deep thought, and then anon flashing with glee, as though their owner was one on whom the frowns of dame fortune had fallen in no trifling degree, but who possessed spirits of so mercurial a character, that the severest misfortune would descend upon him lightly, His features were so strongly marked as to approach coarseness in their expression; but a certain air of nobleness in his a ance, as though his spirit scorned the clothes which pru- dence commanded him to wear, proclaimed him elevated far above that rank which at the first glance would have been assigned him. Hia dark hair, curling in wild confasion over his shoulders, announced him to be one of those Cavaliers who were at that unfortunate period forced by stern fate to adopt almost incredible disguises to escape the barbarous warfare of their fanatical and victorious adversaries. A second person reclined at full length on the bench, and displayed a stout, short, square-built figure, whose garb showed his occupation to be that of a fisherman, and whose sleepy, passion- less eye, and features, announced his Datch parentage. This was Hans Kreuger, the owner of the hovel; while, at a trifling distance from the other two, lying stretched on the floor and mufiied up in a large cloak, reclined the manly figure of a person of middle age. The fire-watcher had dropped his eyelids. Loud snoring testified the profound repose Hans Kreuger enjoyed, and he who lay on the floor was buried also in slumber, when the sud- den bursting of the storm aroused them. “‘ Richard ! to arms !’’ shouted the young man, addressing his startled companion, and springing from his seat. A second burst of thunder passed over their heads, and distinctly might the waves be heard lashing with angry power the base of the “Tis but the storm,’’ muttered he to whom the ejaculation was addressed, with half-closed lips, “sleep on, sir; to-morrow we may per- chance pass without rest.” And following precept with practice, he again threw himself on the ground, and composed himself to slumber, ‘‘Right—right,’” answered the other, and suffering his form to sink into the capacious chair, once more he fixed a wandering gaze upon the embers. Hans, more accustomed to these storms in all their fury, did but turn upon his side, mutter * Der deyvil |’ and sleep again. Loud roared the spirit of the storm. Mighty gusta of wind swept o’er the deep. But sheltered by a rising rock from their vio- lence, the little hut remained safe from all danger of destruction. Bright flashes of lightning played across the horizon, and when the wiud paused in its wild career, torrents of rain descended. Suddenly the young man bent forward with convulsive motion, and then; starting from his seat, he uttered in the loudest whisper possible, ‘“ Richard! Richard! arouse thee! This cursed lamp,” and he dashed it to the ground, ‘¢has betrayed us,” “ How now, my lord? I hear nothing,” sleepily answered he who reposed on the ground, ‘Then arouse thy drowsy ears, and listen well. There! didst not hear it then? They come ! they come! Out with thy truaty blade, good Richard, let us not die like children |” _ The person addressed had started from his recumbent position, and listened attentively. *¢ Good sir, your ears ‘deceive you. It is not the sound of pursuers, but the cry of some bewildered traveller that comes borne on the blast.” ‘A traveller, Richard! What should a tra- veller do on a barren cliff like this at midnight? A feint, sir, 8 mere feint to draw us forth. Con- fusion on this vile disguise which forced me to discard my trusty sword.” At that moment the wind having sunk to a mere whisper, a loud and anguished cry for help distinctly reached the ears of all. ‘‘ My life on’t, there’s no disguise in that,” exclaimed Richard. “ There’s agony in the very sound.” GOVE OO © <S) \ CO