The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

98 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. grave; there’s somebody moaning and groaning. Well, what’s to come to us if we can’t even sleep here in quiet? Why, even the grave-stones tell lies.” Another groan came full upon his ear, and Troubled Tom rose up and listened, when it was repeated, several times. ‘*Oh,” said Tom, ‘‘somebody else is in trouble. I dare suy nobody’s without their troubles. Well, let’s see what it is, for I can’t sleep here with that groaning in my ears.” He rose, and going to the spot where he thought the sounds came from, he came to the rubbish that had been hastily kicked before the secret entrance to the vault by the mendicant before he left the churchyard in the officer’s apparel. The groans came fast, and there were some other noises, too, below, indicative that there wasa living human being down there. ‘‘Oh,” thought Troubled Tum, ‘‘I never knew of this place before. Here’s where the gentleman is lodged, eh? Won't Jem be glad ?—he’ll be pleased enough. This isthe gentleman that gave him so much trouble, and who nearly smashed my stomach. Oh, oh! very well,—for pour Jem’s sake I must take some trouble in this affair, which will not end for months. I would I could only give a guess when it will be all over. Oh, it’s a terrible trouble to do anybody a good turn.” Tom now left the churchyard, by the wicket gate, and slowly wended his way to the Morton Arms, where he found Jem, the hostler, to whom he had related all that he had seen and heard. Jem, to whom this information was of the highest impor- tance, instantly set about getting together a few stout hands, and then some cords; the constable was sent for, and the sexton, in all making a company of nine or ten men. They were all ready, and set out at once for the churchyard, which they soon reached, and the party became silent and grave: there was a kind of awe creeping over them, and Jem and Tom were the first to enter the churchyard, and then the rest followed. They had scarcely gone a dozen steps when.their ears were saluted by a loud groan; they started, and some of them looked pale. ‘‘That’s him,” said Tom, ‘‘ this way—here, beneath this win- dow.” “Why, that’s the very spot,” muttered Jem to himself, ‘“ that T saw him disappear, and couldn't tell what had become of him. ‘* And here’s the hole,” said Tom, pointing to the ill-concealed aperture, down which Sam Lewis, the cunning Bow street offi- cer, had been thrust with such unceremoniousness, They immediately set about clearing the aperture, and then it was seen a man could dash down with ease and safety. ‘¢ This, then,” thought Jem, ‘‘ is the secret of the sudden dis- appearance: but now we shall have the man himself.” **Who’s to go down first ?” said Tom. “You,” said the constable. ‘‘Oh, dear, no,” said Tom; ‘‘I ain’t a-going to give myself so much trouble.” *Tt’s the sexton’s place,” said the constable, comicbooks. com