The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 312: what you’re looking at

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

ER’ \ -ly 1 = (7- “ — ~ = yh inferior, he gains his point, s0 Richard at length agreed to forward the designs of the Cavalier, On returning to the hovel, they discovered the Dutchman still sleeping soundly. The stranger, or rather Harold, slept rest- lessly, probably overpowered by excess of fatigue, and the two confederates, as had been agreed, commenced roaring a revolutionary song, or psalm, of the time, with astonishing vigour. Almost the first word produced what they aimed at, and Harold started up perfectly free from the influence of Morpheus, “How now, friends! Is it dawn?” he de- manded. “ No,” answered Richard, “time flies not so swiftly, when danger lurks around. Drink,” he added, handing him acup of brandy, and dexter- ously slipping in the powder, “ drink to our toast, ‘ Down with Charles Stuart |’” ‘“‘ Charles Stuart,” said Haruld, “ folks say, has abandoned all hopes of playing tyrant here, and now only wishes to escape from England; I, for one, will not exult over a fallen enemy; let us therefore change the toast to ‘asafe escape from all enemies,’ and ll pledge you with all my heart.” “Amen, amen,” responded Richard; and Harold took a hearty draught and then returned the cup. Very few minutes elaps-d ere, wrapped in pro- found slumber, Harold once more reclined on the ground, and the Cavalier, who had watched him with eager attention, now sprang from his seat, In doing so the cup caught his eye. ‘“*Sdeath! he has not drank it all! We have no time to lose, his slumber will scarcely exceed two hours, What, ho! Hans, wouldst sleep for ever, man ?”’ An articulate grunt answered the question, and the Dutchman, distending his jaws most fearfully, rose gradually from his resting-place. Richard withdrew the rugged sail-cloth which hung before the window, and disclosed the eastern atmosphere glowing with embryo day. The light, which now shone in, rendered the lamp unnecessary. ‘* Hans, haste down to the coast, and row with all possible speed to yonder smack ; ask Captain Desmond if he can take two passengers instead of one; fail not to tell him the reward he will receive shall be proportionately increased. We will await thee on the beach, and now, good fellow, be quick ; remember life and death de- pends on speed.” 7 One might as well talk of speed to a tortoise, or to a snail, as to a Dutchman—the one will appreciate the meaning of the word as well as the other. Hans left the hovel at a most unpromisirg pace, followed by divers impatient looks from the Cavalier, who at length pursued his footsteps with renewed promises of reward, to the edge of the cliff, and from thence watched him as he descended the rugged path before mentioned to the beach. Arrived at the bottom, he proceeded to drag a small boat from a little cavity in the rock, wholly concealed at high tide, and, after divers delays, at last started, and, with tolerable speed, began to row towards the vessel, which the THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. brightening dawn now revealed, although some- what indistinctly, Clifford returned to the cottage, and found his companion had not been idle. He had removed the sleeping Apprentice to the farthest corner of the room, and covered him with a cloak, which effectually prevented his being noticed by a mere passer through the hut, and yet did not in the slightest degree tend to prevtnt respiration. ‘ Good,” said Clifford, “‘ now for the lady.” Richard sighed, and the speaker approached the door which led into the inner chamber, and tapped gently against it. It was immediately opened by the lady, Ettie, looking still more lovely, and ready for im- mediate departure. ‘TI am ready, dearest Harold, she said, as without raising her eyes she advanced a step, and presented her hand to Clifford, “let us leave this place—Oh, Heavens ! Who art thou?” “A friend, lady,” replied Clifford, bowing lowly, and speaking in a hoarser tone than natural, and without taking her hand, which had indeed been instantly withdrawn; “a friend and fugitive like thyself, commissioned by my eateemed comrade, Captain Fordyce, to condact you to the beach ; he has been fortunate enough to secure a passage from England, without entering the village of Brighthelmstone, and now impatiently awaits your coming at the boat.” “But why did he go before me—J am not going to cross the sea?””—inquired Ettie, no aus- picion of treachery entering her mind, but feeling somewhat offended with her lover for what she might justly esteem neglect. “It is a smuggler’s vessel, lady, and it was necessary that Harold should personally nego- clate a passage with the captain, he is ac- cordingly just now gone; it is highly probable that, if we haste, we shall join him ere he leaves the beach.” “ Oh ! let us haste, then,” added Ettie, taking the offered arm. They left the cottage, followed at a little dis- tance by Richard. It was a labour of much time, danger, and difficulty, to descend ; and when they succeeded in reaching the strand no trace of the Dutch- man’s arrival could they discover. The mist, however, shortly cleared away, and then the keen eye of Richard detected his boat close to the vessel. In fact, he had not commenced his return to the shore, “ We are too late, lady,” said Clifford, speak- ing still in his affected tone of voice, and con- cealing his features as much as possible without actually exciting suspicion, “ your lover has reached the ship ; but fear not, the boat will quickly retarn and convey us on board.” And, as though in corroboration of his words, Hans Kreuger jamped into the boat, and began to row towards the shore. Richard discovered a broken crag, and on this the trio seated themselves, all awaiting, with equal anxiety, the arrival of the tardy boatman. We must now return to Harold Fordyce. The guess of the Cavalier, that his sleep would last two hours, was very near the truth ; in about three-fourths of that time he became 4 » Pe J yh GOhVCOO © eS CO lin