The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. person whoever it was that challenged is after him in a moment, and a ball d close to Harold’s head. ursuit, however, was a useless one. foung Apprentice had a long start, and 3 of old London Bridge was reached at in safety. are in haste, my young fricnd,”’ said the as he opened the door. o, indeed, I have been pursued almost gates by robbers,” returned the Young Lice, as he passed through, ‘“ Good- ite of the injunctions of the trooper whom seen at the mysterious house he would It inclined to remain and do battle with nge adversary, but an instinct which he iot account for urged him on towards rly, therefore, he crossed the old bridge ried to the “ Bull and Mouth,” where he d up his reeking horse and walked at a ace towards home. vat moment sounds.of distress reached were the cries of a female. ing his sword Harold sprang forward at the rescue. ad approached but within twenty yards e thought he recognised the voice, s that of Ettie Leslie. ie dark street it was difficult to tell . the sounds proceeded. a light was in the house, not a sign of 3 visible, tic at what seemed now to him a horrible _he hurried back, ach the spot where he had firat heard nds of distress he had to pass the en- to the court where he had seen the last lation of a cavalier, and in doing so now d issuing from the riverside the sounds iad first attracted his notice. sh down the court-yard was the}work of nt. 2, on the broad, rudely paved yard, where . abstracted a piece of the armourer's n the night of the murder of the cavalier, Ettie Lealie struggling in the arms of a hile near her stood the giant armourer. it in this Number.) Id felt, as may well be imagined, like tracted. tack these two men would be madness. ek help there scarcely seemed time. aver, there was the bare chance, and ‘the giant by, thereforo, at one bound, ed to the rear of the armourer'’s house. —help—help |” he oried ; “a murder and ‘! Help—help !” , soul stirred. . light was seen in any window. e armourer’s house all the people seemed n the other houses the inmates were dis- i, as I have said before, to interfere in mes, no matter what was happening. 5 had little chance of help. he echoes of his voice had died away, the girl’s cries were muffied ; she was carried p boat and steered by one whom Harold ought was Quelf the dwarf; the wherry yn making rapid way along the river. -) Tn an instant a thought flashed through the mind of Harold Fordyce. Despite his weariness ; despite the lateness of the hour ; despite the fact that Alicia Leslie was waiting for him, he would follow the boat, and either rescue Ettie or lay the truin for her rescue by ascertaining the place of her confinement. So, wasting no time, working while he thought, he rushed down to the bottom ef the atairs, and entered his boat. Eagerly he put off. Those he pursued were already in the centre of the river. They were making towards London Bridge. Not knowing their way on the Thames, they were steering so as to avoid the piles and shoals which inexperienced boatmen might run against . in the dark, This gave Harold an advantage. A river-boy from his birth almost, he knew well every inch of tke stream, and so directing the head of his boat towards the bridge, he sped away in his light skiff among the shadows where the occupants of the other boat could not see him. Oh! how he puiled. Oh! how every fibre of his heart thrilled to each stroke of the oar. At length the bridge was reached. The boats arrived almost at the same moment at the staira, but in the darkness Harol! was not seen. Ettie was lifted out, now quite insensible, by Lord Raymond, and then all hurried up the steps. Harold followed, with a beating heart, At the door of a house, near the gate of the bridge, they stopped and were admitted. “ Good,” thought Harold, “I will away to my brave comrades, the City apprentices. Before to-morrow’s night has reached its mid-hour you shall be free, dear Ettie,” Hardly had he spoken the words when he felt himself seized from behind ; a cloth was thrown over his head, and he was cast to the ground, helpless and nearly suffocated, CHAPTER XIV, ALICIA LESLIE AND LEICESTER THE APPRENTICE, THE armourer rose early on the morning of Ettie’s abduction, and was working hard in the shop, when Alicia entered, pale and distracted. ‘¢ What ails you, Alicia?” he cried, as he ad- vanced towards her with his great hammer in his hand. “ Oh, father, have you not heard it yet? Ettie is gone!” “Gone! Whither?” “TI know not. Her room is empty. There are signs of a struggle in it—the bed-clothes are torn off as if in a desperate fight for liberty.” The armourer waited to hear no more, but looking pale and angry, and still clutching his heavy hammer, as if expecting to see and com- . bat his enemy, he proceeded into the house. Alicia’s words were too true. The room bore plain evidence of a recent struggle, > in | (~ - EDOOo C <S)