The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

(yx THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. may—you will find that J, Peter Quelf, ALONE am more powerful than your whole society.” Max Bowden eyed him with the sternness of @ man. “ Beware !” he said, “ beware how you irritate us.” The dwarf burst into a loud, discordant Jaugh. ‘Threaten me as you will,’ he said; “I fear you not. Kill me now, and I shall die, satisfied that I shall be bitterly avenged. If my blood were to flow, the blood of dozens would flow to . atone for it,” “We deal not in assasination,” returned the captain. ‘‘ We leave that to you and your asso- ciates, You are expelled. Go; that is all I have to say, except that it will be as well for you never to show yourself here again, or to run counter to us in any way.” The dwarf made his way towards the door. “ Those who voted for me should come with me,” said he. ‘To those who do come, I offer better chances by far than they can hope to obtain by remaining here.” He looked anxiously round as he spoke. Some, of course, of those who had voted had done so in Quelf’s favour simply because they had a feeling of compunction about expelling anyone from the society. Others had voted for him because they adhered to hia side of the question. Of the latter there were five, ; These rose at once and followed him to the oor. The dwarf halted at the door, ** Pass out,” he cried to his friends, “and I will follow you.” He waited till they had disappeared. Then he drew from his bosom a dagger, and, advancing to the first table, etuck it, quivering, into the wood. ‘‘There,” he cried, ‘‘there ig my defiance, VENGEANCE AND DEATH is the motto of me and mine,” Then, without another word,§he hurried out. “Close the doors once more,” said Max Bowden. They were closed again immediately, and the captain continued, “My friends, after holding for a year the honourable office of captain to the sucicty, I resign it, Itjis my province to name the one whom I desire to be my successor ; but it is also your province to record by your votes your np- proval or disapproval of my choice. I need not tell you what pleasure it has given me to preside over this society, and the regret I feel at de- livering up my charge. But I have one cause which makes me experience the regret less, which is, tbat I have such unbounded confidence in my successor. The one whom I name as my candidate for the captaincy is Harold Fordyce, the apprentice of Frank Leslie, the armourer.” There was a loud murmur as he pronounced there words. A murmur of undoubted approbation. Richard Langham rose while this was proceed- ing. f I second this with all my heart,” hoe said, ‘Ts there any other candidate ?” | There was no reply. ‘* } have proposed,that Harold |Fordyce: shall be your captain for the ensuing year,” said Max Bowden. ‘Those who are against this will be kind enough to express their wishes by holding up their hands.” There was no response, “Those who are for this election will now hold up their hands.” At these words, every hand was raised, and then, amid loud cheers, Harold was conducted by Max to the chair at the end of the great room, and installed in his place. After this Harold made a short speech, speak- ing of the pleasure which it gave him to accept the office, and asking his friends to approve his choice of Richard Langham as Peter Quelf’s successor in the office of sub-lientenant. As may be imagined, the meeting enthusiasti- cally responded in favour of his proposition, and then the business was closed for the night, and the Apprentices set themselves to enjoyment. After the meeting, Richard Langham accom- panied the newly-elected captain on his way ome. “Harold,” he said, “I have had a strange order this day, or rather my master, Gregory Anvil, the blacksmith, has.” “ And what is that?” asked Harold. “Why,” said Langham, as he stepped into the old boat, ‘‘we have had an order for twenty- four iron bars. They are to be fitted to the windows of an old house. They will not say where the house is, or how we are to get to it. When they are done we are to take the bars and fit them to the windows on the premises. They are to be paid for in a princely manner; bat we are to be blindfolded when we take them home.” “ Quite a mystery,” said Harold, settling him- self indifferently to the oars. He had no sooner done s0, however, and pushed off into the broad, moonlit stream, than a sudden thought occurred to him. Prudence, however, was now, as it were, part of himeelf in consequence of the trials he had gone through, and he therefore, in spite of the eager wish he had to discover the whereabouts of the Lady Blanche, resolved to act cautiously. be “ Will you let me come and help you ?” said e, Dick Langbam thought a moment. “T will ask my master,” he said, “and let you know. But how can you aid me?” ‘Trust me, and I will,” anawered Harold. In his own min& the thought was— “Who knows if this strange incarceration has not something to do with Blanche Marche- ville P” Well,” said Dick, “if you will meet me to- morrow night you will find me just as I am going to the old house in the vehicle. I will say that you are one of my master’s other ap- prentices.”’ Eagerly , Harold waited for the following night. At length darkness came on. In theso matters the Young Apprentice had began to take the armourer into his confidence, and it was not unnitural, therefore, that he should detail to him the whole of the circum- stances which had occurred at the “ Leathern Bottle.” The giant listened intently, ~Z GOVE OO O14S . x(d),-f batt] Oe aw ; Ya