Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 337: what you’re looking at

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

| Oe at cmy< BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. Wild earsed again, and then the whole party rushed down the stairs. . {lis long absence had made Quilt Arnold suspect that the landlord had played him false, and the first glance he cast inte the empty attic changed that suspicion into con- viction. On reaching the first landing, they dashed open the door that came first to their hand. They were at the window instantly. ; The first thing they caught sight of was the wall opposite. A: ‘nst this was a Jadder. On ue top of the wall was a figure. Two more were ascending. . “Fire!” roared Wild, as he saw what was taking place, “‘ fire! curse you all. Fire!” aes He drew a pistol from his own pocket, and cocking it, pulled the trigger, but no explosion followed. The priming had got wet while he was in the cistern. CHAPTER CCXXXII. JACK SHEPPARD, BLUESKIN, AND EDGWORTH BESS GET INTO NEWGATE-MARKET, BUT ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE HORSES IN WARWICK-LANE. But Quilt and the remainder of the band had got their weapons in better order, so Wild’s command was followed by a sheet of flame and 2 tremendous report. The amount of damage done could not, however, be ascertained, nor did they make the attempt, for, directly the discharge had taken place, Wild commanded his men to follow him down the stairs—his intention being to reach the yard of the house. This he would have no difficulty in doing, so we will leave him and once more turn our attention to the pro- ceedings of those in whom the reader must feel a much greater degree of interest. Blueskin snd Edgworth Bess reached the foot of the ladder in safety, and then, without delay, it was placed against the wall, on the other side of which, as the land- lord had told them, was Newgate-market—at that time a different place to what it is now, for the part we are des- cribing was destroyed by fire very many years ago. Jack Sheppard went first up the ladder, and in a minute or two was on the top of the wall. He was then rejoiced to find that there was a shed in the market, the highest portion of the roof of which wag about a foot bencath him. He did not hesitate to stand upon this, and while in this position he held the ladder firmly at the top. Blueskin did the same at the bottom, and then Edg- worth Bess commenced her perilous ascent. Dread of being captured by her enemies Jent her strength and courage, and ene went up the ladder step by step without the least accident. Seeing this, Blueskin, knowing how precious time was, conceived it unnecessary to coutinue standing at the foot of the ladder any longer, so he, too, commenced to climb. Such was the position of affairs when Wild gave the order to fire. Jack heard that order given, and his heart sank within him, but fortunately Edgworth Bess was almost on a level with where he stood. Rendered desperate by the peril with which she was menaced, Jack seized her by the arms and drew her rapidly and somewhat roughly over the wall on to the roof of the shed. He was only just in time. Almost before he had drawn her over there came the | discharge of the pistols. They felt as well as heard the bullets go whistling over their heads. But they were onhurt. Blueskin, however, was not so luciy. He was on the ladder, about a couple of feet from the top, when the volley was fired. He had no resource but to remaiu still. A sharp, stinging sensation made him aware that he had been hit in his right leg. Tt was a thousand wonders he did not lose his footing, but he retained it, and continued climbing rapidly to the top of the wall. He called out to Jack, and found him on the shed we have described. 339 Here Blueskin followed him, and the first thing he did was to draw up the ladder out of the yard, partly because he thought it might be nseful to them in assisting them to descend, and also because it would be debarring Wild from a ready means of following them. The roof of the shed was rather precipitous, and it was with difficulty that Jack and Edgworth Bess retained their positions upon if. *€ Are yon hurt ?”’ was Blueskin’s first question. ‘* No,” was the reply uttered by both his companions in one breath. ‘‘ Are you?” *T am afraid I am.” * WhereP” ** In the leg.” ‘* Ts it serious P” . “I can hardly tell, but I hope not. It bleeds very freely, and one of the first things 1 do must be to bandage it 93 up. “Wait till we get down on the ground,” said Jack. “Let me have the ladder, and I will place it ready.” *‘ It is here, lying beside me.” “All right, | have it. You look to Edgworth Bess for amoment. I have great hopes now that we shall get off in safety, without any farther hurt.” ‘* T trust go.”’ ** That’s it.” These last words were spoken by Jack in reference to the ladder, which, to his satisfaction, he found was plenty long enough to reach to the floor of the market. He was again the first to descend. But he was down in a moment. All right,” he cried; ‘‘follow me as quickly as you can.” ‘“T can manage by myself, I think,’ said Edgworth Bess to Blueskin; ‘* but, with your wounded leg, how shall you be able to descend ?” “Never mind me, I will manage somehow. I am getting pretty used to being knocked about, but, as for you, why, of course, that is quite another matter,” Edgworth Bess, without much aid from Blueskin, reached the floor of the market. Our old friend bore the pain and inconvenience of his wound like a martyr. He managed to slip down the ladder somehow. ‘* Now,” he said, “‘ you must just wait a moment while I bandage my wound, because, if I do not, not ouly shall I get weak from loss of blood, but I shall leave such a ie ood me, that Wild will be able to follow us blind- old. “PU bind it up for you,” said Jack, and, as he spoke, he pulled off his voluminous neckcloth. It was already in the shape of a bandage, so he had nothing more to do than to tie it tightly round his com- rade’s leg. Blueskin could tell there was no bone broken. Rein bullet had struck him in the fleshy part of the gh. Jack put the bandage on very skilfully, and by draw- ing it tight he was able to stop the bleeding entirely. Before the hemorrage had been copious, for the bullet had gone in at one side and out at the other; but perhaps this was better than if it had lodged in the wound. “Now, Jack,” said Blueskin, “*I am all right, and shall do very well. The next thing now is to get out of the market with all speed. I should not bea bit surprised if we were to find Wild waiting for us now at the gate in Warwick-lane.” ‘* He can scarcely have had time to reach there yet, I should think, Blue.” “Well, perhaps he hasn’t. Clearly, we must get ont of here as soon a8 we can, or else we shall be taken like rats in a trap, for Wild could easily surround the place.” ‘“Do you know the nearest way out?” asked Jack, ‘* because, if you do, lead the way.” “Follow me. I know exactly where we are. Two minutes will bring us to the archway in Warwick-lane.” Where,’ said Jack, “‘I hope we shall find our horses waiting for us.” **So do I. We have been much longer, we expected. Still, I trust all will be well.’ Blueskin, in spite of his wounded leg, set off at so rapid & pace through the dark and fetid alleys in the market- On A eC a though, than SES Se ht a eee | iS, GOMIGIOO (SO) 5}