The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

The lower floor of the tower formed an im- mense circular room which was at once ow dining hall and kitchen. The upper stories contained several dilapi- dated chambers, which were accessible by a spiral staircase of rough and narrow stones. A rope was fastened to the humid wall by staples of rusty iron to aid this inconvenient ascent. | A large fire sparkled in the immense fire-place of the room. A copper lamp, with three sockets hanging from the blackened beams of the ceiling, threw light over the apartment. In the midst of this atmosphere ten boys were sitting, two of them rising every now and then to see to the progress of the supper. The river boys of London, the wild rovers of the silver Thames, had resolved to give their old companion a good reception. Among them Harold had ever been a great favourite, Handsome, brave, generous, he was ever the one to strike for a friend. So when a sudden (and to them almost miraculous) stroke of fortune raised him from the position of an outcast to the honourable position of a London Apprentice, there was not one of the wild crew who envied him his good fortune. One and all regarded it as an honour to the “society,” for as such they were always pleased to call themselves. In another moment Harold and his two com- panions were among them. The greeting was something overpowering. Then the supper was brought forward ; game, soup, and roast venison and wine. ‘‘ No business for us to-night,” cried Rupert Changeling, “no business till we've shown respect to our old companion.” And to this every one responded so well that it was well for Harold that he was of a sober temperament, or he would have found it very difficult to keep on his legs. Supper being at last over, Harold, who through all the festivity had not lost sight of the main point, turned to Rupert Changeling. ‘‘ Rapert,”’ he said, “I trust you have not for- gotten what I asked you.” “Not I, Harold,” returned the river boy, “both last night and the night before we have been on the watch. The first night passed without any result. Although all twelve of us waited at different points, we saw nothing.” * And last night?” ‘It was different. We portioned ourselves exactly as on the preceding night. “ One night having passed without a murder, we imagined that the second would scarcely bring one forth, “Well, last night, I and George (a river boy now with ua) were posted near the house where the apprentices meet. “This, as you know, is near Southwark Bridge. “Well, from the point where we were, we could see the bridge as well as the house, and we waited while the apprentices sang their songs, and the lighta died out, and we thought our work was over for the night. THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, ‘ Just, however, as we were going to row away, there was an outcry on the bridge, “(Hil bil Watch! ‘Clubs and staves!’ ‘To Old Nick with the watch !’ shouted the ap- prentices. And then came a rush of people cn the bridge, and that big giant fellow with a mask over his face. | “They halted half way across the bridge, and then there was a fine set to; and presently the giant lifted up something in his arms and flang it over into the water. “We knew it was a woman by the clothes, and we made towards the spot where she fell, while they above us kept fighting o2 atill and shouting like mad.. ‘Tt was some time before we found her, but when we did find her she was still sensible, and crying out loudly for some one she called Ben. ‘¢ Ben, Ben! save me, save me!’ she kept ing. “ Good heavens!’ cried Harold, ‘it must be Lizzie, poor Ben Firebrace’s sweetheart,” You know her, then P” “Yes, I think so; but proceed with your tale,” ‘Well, as soon as the girl was safely in the boat I gave George the oars, and got him to land me near the bridge. ‘ The crowd had not yet dispersed, and I saw the giant making his way from among them: so as he knew nothing of me I determined I would follow him. “ After awhile he separated himself from the others, and returned the same way he had come. ‘I followed him at a distance and saw him make his way along a wide road until he reached an old dilapidated house. ‘“ Here he stopped and glanced round to sec if any one were looking. ‘ Then he gave a peculiar whistle, and a head was thrust out of a window. “¢ Who's there?’ asked a voice. ‘<The Crown and Liberty.’ “Then the giant was admitted, and all became dark and still again. “ Having taken especial note of where the place was so as to be able to find it again, I returned here. “The young girl was in the vault, lying insen- sible with grief and fear upon a heap of straw. “We all went to sleep, never thinking that the young girl would vanish as she did in the night.” ** Vanish |’? exclaimed Harold. ‘‘ Ave, vanish |” said Rupert. “Was there no clue at all? Could you not tell how she escaped ?’’ asked the Young Appren- tice, ‘‘ Escaped | oh, it was no escape. A cavalicr's glove upon the floor seemed to prove that she was carried off by some one,”’ ‘ Have you the glove ?”’ ‘Yes, I havé preserved it. See, here it is.” Harold took it eagerly from his hand, and examined it. It was a cavalier’s glove of delicate texture, and with the initials E. R. upon it. “It is my Lord Raymond’s,” Harold, murmured “What can ke want with Lizzie? EDOO