The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

188 \ THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. Ne en nn ‘‘To be fooled by two such youths as they are |” he exclaimed, “Why, it is a perfect disgrace! Where is Tomasso ?” he asked, repeatedly. “He is without, in waiting on your honour,” said an attendant. ; ‘Call him in at once,” said the prefect, seating himself in an arm chair, and looking the picture of wrath. Tomasso entered, and politely bowed. The prefect ordered him to be seated. “ How is this, sir?’’ he began. . ‘What, sir?” asked Tomasso, innocently, al- though he knew all about it. ‘“Why, they tell-me those English youths have escaped.” ‘“‘ Indeed—im possible !” “No, sir, it is not impossible. They have gone, bag and baggage. How they managed to do so is a mystery.’’. “So it is, signor prefect, but I did my duty, I watched the place, but I did not see them depart.” “Strange, sir, strange; they could not have flown away.” “No, truly, signor prefect ; but if they have gone, they must have done so in a very mysterious way.” “No doubt. I have no hesitation in my mind ‘but that they have been tampering with some of our detectives,” “Impossible, signor. It cannot surely be that any of our honourable body have so disgraced themselves as to be bought over,” said Tomasso. Although, at the same time, he very well knew that the prefect himself was ‘‘ to be bought over” as easily as any one, if a good chance offered. ‘It is shocking, sir,’ continued the prefect, ‘‘that the culprits should have escaped us after all the time and money spent in their apprehension by the young Englishman, Signor Flint.” | “Quite, true, signor prefect, quite true. As you say, Signor Flint, or Schmidt, or whatever his name may be, is, no doubt, an open-hearted,' free-handed young gentleman, and deserves that success should crown his efforts.” “Perfectly right, Tomasso, perfectly right; but though they have escaped, I do not in any way blame you, for I am certain: we have not another officer in the force: who is more faithful and true than yourself,” Tomasso smiled, and bowed to his superior in a very respectful manner, ‘You know this young Englishman, Flint, well, Tomasso ?” “T do, signor. prefect.” ‘And are aware where he lives ?”’ Dg 9s bkne ‘Then go to him, tell him all that has happened, and confer with him as to the very best measures to be taken for the capture of these daring young Englishmen,” we ‘' I obey,” said Tomasso, and he left the prefect’s office, smiling archly. He was on his way to the hotel where Mr, Flint resided, when he was unexpectedly met by Joel himself, whose face was radiant with smiles, ‘“‘Have you heard the news?” gnid Joel. 6c No.”’ ‘““We have got ’em,”’ 6b Who (ae “ Why, Frank and Tom Ford.” “Who told you?” ‘‘ The prefect, this morning,” “Oh, indeed,” ‘Yes, and Iam now on my way to the pre fect’s office, to accompany the officers who are ordered to surround the hotel and capture them.” —_—- — oe to England again.” Tomasso laughed loudly. “What are you laughing about?” asked Joel, in disgust. ) ‘“Why, I was just on my way to your hotel to tell you some important news,” “Indeed! What was it? already ?” ‘‘No ; you would never guess,’ ‘¢‘ What is.it, then ?” ‘‘ Why, they have escaped.” res, p ““scaped |” gasped Joel, biting his lips in vexa- tion, ‘Yes ; they got away unknown to any one, and are now sailing in Captain Tom Ford’s vessel as fast as the wind can carry them,” “The devil !” ‘Tis true.” “And where are they bound for ?” “Why, to join the Boy Band of Volunteers, in Lombardy.” . “Excellent !” said Joel, plucking up courage again, ‘ Tnen, we may recapture them after all,” “ Yes, if——”’ “Tf what?” ‘Tf we have money enough to do it.” ‘‘ Oh, as to money, I have enough for that. My worthy father in England is very wealthy, and he would give anything to have those two villains safe in the hands of the law.” Haye you got then “Very considerate on his part,” said Tomasso, smiling. “Yes; but you know,” said Joel, ‘‘I have spent a large sum already.” ‘““T know you have.” “T loaned poor De Sangri a large sum.” “Which you will never get back again, for he is dead.” baa ‘“‘T know it, and am sorry. I should haye jumped for joy had he brained Frank Ford.” ‘2 ‘‘ But he didn’t do it, though, you see.” ‘‘No,” said Joel, with a fierce look; “the boot was on the other leg that time.” ‘‘True;, and yet the marquis was a professed duellist. He was never known to have been hit before... He was ‘a dead shot.’ ” ‘‘T know he was. Poor fellow, he’s a ‘dead’ shot now, and no mistake,”’ | ‘‘You are witty,” said the detective, laughing, “No, [am not, But what plan do you propose? How are we to get these two young villains in our hands again ?” ‘Tis easy enough.” “ How Q» “You have plenty of money, and that can do everything,” “True ; but what have you done with that two hundred pounds I gave you a month ago?” “T spent it in hiring men to watch them, I did not keep a penny for myself; I entered into your case for love only.” ‘I thank you, Tomasso,” said Joel, putting his hands into his pockets, ‘But I also gave you one hundred pounds last week.’’ ‘“ Which was also spent in bribing their young companion, Buttons,” ‘‘ Impossible !” “?Tis true, or how could I have gained all ‘the private information I did?” “Tn that case, if Master Buttons is leagued with us, all will go well; but I can tell you,” said Joel, sorrowfully, “ that my money is getting very, very low ; ‘all I have left is two hundred pounds, and when that is gone, if we do not succeed in capturing these two expert young villains, I fear I must return - ---oo ——s GEomichoo m