The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 188: what you’re looking at

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

182 THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. “Tf any title can be devised suitable to Jack’s character it must be, that of director-general of the united forces of highwaymen, housebreakers) pickpockets, and private thieyes. | “ Now the maxims by which he supported himself in this capacity were these :—. “In the first place, he continually exhorted the plunderers to let him know precisely what goods they at any time took. ‘By which means he had it in his power to give a direct arfSwer to those who came to make in- quiries of him, 8S “If they complied faithfully with his injunctions he was a certain protector on alloccasions, | “And sometimes he had interest, enough to pro- cure them liberty when apprehended. “But if they pretended. to become independent and despise his rules, or. throw out any threatening speeches against. their,,companions, or grumbled at the composition made for them,in such cases as these Jack took the first opportunity of informing some of his creatures of the first fresh act they committed, 401 ghd “He immediately set, about, to apprehend, them, and Jaboured so indefatigably, therein that they never escaped him, pal ‘‘ Thus he not only procured.the reward for him- self, but also gained an opportunity of .pretending that he not only restored goods to their rightful owners, but also apprehended the thief as often as lay in his power. “In those parts of his business’ which were not hazardous, Captain Jack made the people tlem- selves take the first steps by publishing advertise- ments of things lost, and UWirecting them to be brought to him, Who was. empowered to .receive them, and pay such a reward as the person who lost them thought fit to offer, “Jack in this capacity appeared no otherwise tharas @ person on whose honour the injured per- son could rely. “ After he had gone on with this trade for several years with success he began to Jay aside much of his former caution, taking a larger house in Lam- beth than that in which he formerly lived, giving the woman, whom he called his wife, abundance of fine things, aud keeping an open office for the re- covery of stolen goods, “ Captain Jack’s fame at last came,to that height that persons of the highest quality would conde- scend to make use of his abilities wien they had the misfortune to lose their watches or other articles of value. * But as his method of treating those who applied to him for assistance might be misrepresented, what 18 given here may be rélied on. “Tn the first place, when a.person was introduced to Jack’s office it was hinted to him that a guinea a least must be deposited by way of fee for his advice, When this was complied with 7 brought out, pared with 8. large book .was “Then the loser was examined with much for- mality as to the time, place, and manner wherein the goods were missing, with a promise of careful investigation being made, and of hearing more concerning them in a few days, “Jack had not the least occasion for questions, but to amuse the persons he asked, _“For he knew beforehand all the circumstances connected with the robbery much better than they did, and perhaps had the very goods in his house at the time, “When the enquirers came a second time, Cap- tain Jack or Bates took care to amuse them again, “ He then told them that he had madeé enquiries, but was sorry to communicate the event to them, for that the thief, who was a_ bold, impudent fellow, rejected the offer that had been made him, pretending that he could sell the goods for double the price, and, indeed, would not hear a word of restitution, unless upon better terms, “* But,’ says Jack, ‘if I can but get to speak to him, I do not doubt of bringing him to reason.’ . ‘‘After two or three more attendances, Jack would say as a definite answer to the enquirer, “* Provided no questions were asked, and you gave so much money to the party who brought them, you might have the,things returned privately at such an hour,’ “This was always done with-an outward sign of friendship on his side, and with seeming frankness and generosity ; but when you came,to the last part of the agreement, that is to. say, what Jack himself expected for his trouble, then an air of coldness was put on, and he answered with. indifference, that what he did was purely from a principle of doing good, and as.a gratuity for the trouble he had taken, he left it entirely to yourself—-you might do as you thought proper, “When money was presented to him, he received it with the same cold indifference, always putting you in mind that he did not accept your gift as a- reward conferred upon himself, but as a fayour conferred upon you. _ ; ‘Thus, by his dexterity in his management, he fenced himself, against the rigour of the law, in the midst of these notorious transgressions of it, ‘For what could be imputed to him ? ‘*He neither saw the thief who took away the goods, nor received them after they were taken. ‘The method he pursued was neither dishonest or illegal; if you would believe his account of it, and no other account could be obtained of it. “Had Captain Jack or Bates continued satisfied with this way of dealing, he, in all probability, would have gone down to the grave in peace. “ But he was greedy. ‘And instead of keeping constant to this safe method, came at last to take the goods into his own house, giving those that stole them what he thought proper, and then making such a bargain with the loser as,;he, was able to bring him to, sending the porter himself, and taking, without ceremony, what- ever was offered to him, ‘‘A gentleman who dealt in silks had a piece of extraordinary rich material bespoke of him on purpose for a birthday suit, and, having bought such trimmings as was proper for it, the gentleman made the whole of it up into a parcel, and placed it at one end of the counter in expectation of it being valled for by the purchaser. “ Accordingly the nian came for it, but when the tradesman went to get him the goods the parcel was gone, and no account ¢ould possibly be had of it. ‘As the master had been all day in the shop, there was no pretence of charging his servants either of carelessness or dishonesty. ‘After an hour or so he saw no other remedy but communicating with Captain Jack in hopes of receiving some benefit from his assistance ; the loss consisting not so much of the things as in the dis- appointment of lis customer, 7 “As soon as he called at the house of Captain Jack and acquainted him with his business, the Ehoo (E(0) im <SEiGO