Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

Rg AT OTTO ate I TC FT AOE CaO, eee ee CRN ta: 0 TIES Bi RE NS Oe, ET. II LR YE = IL ATE LY EAE EI aa SS I PD PT OPS 20 SF CA a Rn == aa eA ee SO Gee EE ER - amore Vite Sen GDI SEPT pea ap ae te BLUESKDY; A ROMANCE, * In two ways.” How?” ‘ Sometimes they used to be returned to the owners, and at other times they used to be shipped off to Holland,’ *¢ Well, Blue, look here. As wo know very well, Johnny has not had much time for attending to hia bnsinegs latatly, go perhaps there has been a }3t shipped off, and no moze brought tc replace them.” ** That may be.” **Do not give up until you have thorougiziy searched the place. it ingots of silver I saw that we wanted. If we take those, it will be money in a small compass.” ** Well, come this way, Jack. I have my doubts, but perhaps we shall find what we want.” **As he spoke, Blueskin led the way across the empty warehouse to the little recess, or smaller chamber, 15 which the furnace was fixed. But ‘they felt no increase of temperature in this place. It was as cold ag the other, so the furnace evidently was not lighted, and had not been for some time, for it always left a heat in the place long after it wag extinguished. But on going to a corner near the furnace, the joy of our two friends can be imagined when they saw a glittering heap of the silver ingots they were so anxioug to possess, and looking as though they had cnly just been made. CHAPTER CCXXII. JaCK AND BLUESKIN DESPOIL WILD’S WAREHOUSE OF THE MOST VALUABLE PORTION OF ITS CONTENTS, AND AGREE TO BURY THE TREASURE. ** HERE’S luck, if you like, Blue,” exclaimed Jack, as he gaw the so-much-wished-for treasure. ‘ Here’s luck.” ‘Yes. I can tell you itis more than I hoped to find, Jack. Iam very glad. Our troubles are more than half over now. Why, here at least is a sum of money sufficient to last you years.” *“As you say, there must be; but come, Blue, do not let us waste a moment in talking. 1 am sure we have no time to spare. You take up as many as you can carry in your arms, and I will do the same. e will ut them down by the door of the shed, and then come or more.” ** Agreed, Jack. There is sound sense in that arrange- ment, but you must recollect you will have to carry the lantern.” “Oh! I will see about that. shiners.” In a very deliberate manner, Blueskin set to work. The ingots were of a small sizo, and his first pro- ceeding was to cram his pockets full of them. Then he got as many in his hands and arms as he could possibly carry. Then Jack took up some, and both staggered up the You pick up some of the steps. Phen, having deposited their precious burden close to the door of the shed, they descended again. This operation they continued several times, until they had removed nearly all the ingots. Then, as they had got about six times as much as they really wanted, they determined not to fetch any more. Besides, time was speeding on. **T have a mind to bring the horse and cart quietly into the yard, Jack, and load it. Think of the time and trouble it will save.” **Oh! I should say do it, by all means.” Very well. We can close the outer gate when we get it inside, and then if any one goes by, there won’t seem to be anything amiss.” This being agreed to, Blueskin unlocked the door of the ange. and our two friends cautiously emerged into the yard. All was still silent. There was not the least indication of an alarm having been given. But, upon looking up to the sky, they saw that it was beginning to change colour, and to rapidly grow lighter. Wo must make haste, Blue,” said Jack, ‘or we shall have daylight upon us before we finish.” ** We shall, indced; theo dawn is much efoser at hand than I shonld have thought.” “Jt has been a busy night, and I must say I am be- ginning to grow tired.” eas eee re oe ea was not those packages, but some of the} } say, the money must certainly . a eee an 7S See = ye Seema eet oy, -# S19 ** Never mind that. You hold the gate open, and I will go and fetch the horse and cart.” Jack Held the gate open aa he had been requested. Plueskin, owing to the precaution he had taken, found the horse and cart just where he had left it. Untying the ammal’s legs, he took him by the bridie, and, ag silently as he could, walked him into the yard. No sooner were they fairly inside than Jack closed the te. Tho cart was drawn close up to the shed, aad the ingots of silver loaded into it with speed and silence. At Jength all were safely in. Then, as before, Jack held open the yard gate, and led the horse out into the street. The instant that this was done, both scrambled into the cart, and Blueskin, taking the reins, drove off at a rapid pace. “ We may think ourselves most Incky,”’ said the latter ; “we have got away, you see, without raising the least alarm, and with ten times as much booty as I expected.” ‘‘ Portune favours us; but now, Blue, having got the money, there arises another rather important question.’ *¢ What is that?” “Why, where we are to dispose of it, until such time a3 we may want to make use of it.” **T don’t know.” ** Nor I.” *¢ Suppose we were to take it to Tumposii’s P ’’ “Trust a Jew with it?” “Why not?” ‘* Never.” *¢ TY am sure it would be safe.” ‘¢ Well, it might be, and I don’t say it would not, but I should not rest while he had it. No, Blue, you must think of some other place where we can keep it.” “That will be a difficult matter, and the worst of it is we have very little time to decide, for see, itis getting daylight already.” ‘So it is. But some place must be thought of. We ey carry all that lot about in our pockets, it is not ikely.’ “I never for a moment thought it. Can’t you suggest anything? I know you are fertile in expedients, Jack.” *“ Which way are you going ?”’ *¢ I was making straight for Tumposki’s.” moat thought 30. Now, I'll tell you what would do better than that.’ “What?” *‘ Why, turn the horse’s head round, and drive to some of the fields on the river-side below Chelsea. You will find there lots of lonely, rarely-visited spots, and I think the best thing we could do would be to bury the silver there. “Well, I daresay it would be safe.” Tt would, and I should recommend yon to bury it in small portions, which would diminish the chances of dis- covery, and we could fetch a little just as we wanted it, and turn it into guineas by degrees.” ‘Well, I’ll turn the horse, and do as you say.” ‘T think there cannot be two opinions about it being the best plan we could adopt.” ‘We shall be late.” ‘We shall, and yet we shall reach there almost before sunrise.” **T don’t doubt that.” ‘¢Then, about those desolate places we are not likely to find any one at that early hour, and besides, the mist off the water will serve as an excellent screen to hide us.” ‘You have laid hold of the right idea, Jack, but, as you bo buried in small quanti- ties in different places, so that if one is found, which ia not at all unlikely, we shall not lose the lot.” ‘'Dhat is just what I thought.” *FiZome on, then.” Blueskin, as soon as Jack had made up his mind, had turned the horse round, and drove in the direction of which he spoke, of course taking care not to pass near the Horseferry. On reaching Chelsea, about the spot where the hospital now stands, the character of the place fully bore out the description which Jack had given of 11. The numerous low-lying fields, then nowhere near an buildings, were covered with a dense white mist, whic roade it impossible for them to see far before nee ee ee 2 le WIR Og EIR Ue, ae Re fi V ry ne. a COIN ClOOOKS (S@) 5}