The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

202 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. about, and returned to the cupboard on the stairs, which he bad not noticed before; for it was by far too artfully concealed to be found out, save upon the closest mspection. It was with much difficulty he contrived to open it; but he at length, after various attempts, succeeded in doing so, and then, to his joy, he found what he most needed. This was food. He had eaten nothing since the previous day, and now he was half famished, and his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. There was a large barrel, in which was placed the tap, and some jugs were at hand. In an instant the mendicant took one of the largest, and filled it with the beer which it contained; and while doing that, placed half a large meat-pie in his pocket, and the jug being full, he closed the door, but had scarcely reached the landing, when he heard the men below: ‘‘ There—there’s somebody at the beer.” ‘‘ Don’t be a fool—there’s nobody there—nobody at all. How are they to get at the beer ?” ‘‘ How can I tell till Isee? I tell you, there must have been somebody there.” ‘Go up with you, or let me pass. I think you are mad, or the house haunted, I don’t know which.” ** Nor © either,” replied the first; ‘‘ but [ll find out something or other befure I have done. I know I have heard the ran- ning of the beer, despite all you can say. I heard the door shut, too, and that’s more—so, come on.” | The two men uow came to the cupboard, and the mendicant reached the door of the closet. ‘¢ There,” said one, ‘‘ the door is all right, you see.” ‘‘Ab! Well, let us see if the beer is all right. Then you may laugh, because I can afford it, when I know the beer has not suffered.” | ‘* Ah! you wouldn’t care for anything, so long as you got beer with you.” ‘ Indeed I should not.” They now opened the door, and one of the men examined the tap very carefully, and then he said,— ‘*There has been some drawn here. Look, ’tis quite fresh, and besides, I laid the key here.” ‘* Nonsense! you haven’t drawn any beer this hour, it is true, but you couldn't tell how long that which hangs on the tap has 4 been there.” * Oh! don’t tell me. Give me the stone jug; we'll try it our- selves—I’m thirsty.” ‘‘The stone jug did yon say ?” ‘Yes, to be sure; it hung up on the right hand; it’s the big- gest of the lot.” ‘* [ don’t see it on the right or left,” said his companion. ‘*‘Nor I neither now. I'll swear it was here when we came here last. You saw it?” “Tdid. I hung it up myself.” ‘‘ Well, this is a pretty go, at all events. What’ll the club say to such goings on?” ‘‘ They won't believe a word about it.” comicbooks. com