Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 369: what you’re looking at

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

ey Rw ie “You have lost your bearings for some time, I know, but I will scon tell you where we are exactly. I know to a, trifle already.” As he spoke, Blueskin raised himself in his stirrvos, and, as well as he could, looked about him. ” ‘Where do you make us out to be?” asked Jack, after he had finished his survey. ‘Why, about a mile from the village of Isleworth. Bo you know it?”’ “JT have heard of it, I think. It is somewhere near Kew, is it not?” “Yes. I fancy if we go there we shall stand as gcoda chance of obtaining shelter during the day as anywhere, aud then at night, you know, we must set out upow our voyage in quest of the buried treasure.” ‘Very well; agreed.” ‘* If we stop at some place not far from the banks of the Thames, we shall be able to go down all the way by boat, which I think will go along way towards enabling us to eluds Wild.” * T shouldn’t wonder.” © We should easily be able to hire a wherry that would answer our purpose.” “Oh! nodoubt. Do you think we had better push on, in case Wild should be behind us ?”’ ‘* No, I fancy we are far enough ; and, besides, we must not go too far, because of our excursion.” “ Very well; I submit implicitly to your judgment in that respect.” ‘¢T wonder what Wild will look like when he recovers and finds what has taken place? I would give no trifle to be by and witness his rage.”’ ** Tt would be awful.” ‘© T trust Ross will be wise enough to get out of the way. If he does not it will go hard with him, for Jonathan’s never very particular about what he does.” ‘‘ And especially when in such a passion as he would be then.” *T can picture him easily—furious with rage, and im- ee) cursing every one that happens to be around im. * And he won’t be any better tempered when he finds we have taken his three best horses out of the stable.” * He will be more exasperated against us than ever, but I fancy he will have a good deal of trouble in tracing us to our present whereabouts.” At this moment some more unequivocal symptoms of the coming day made themselves apparent in the eastern horizon. The feeble gray light, however, enabled the three fugitives to see not far in advauce of them the chimneys and roof-tops of a village, with its inevitable accompani- ments, a church spire and a windmill. In the distance, too, Richmond Hill could be distin- guished. “Here we are,” said Blueskin; ‘‘another five minutes and we shall enter the village.” fi .. Lee you think we shall find any one up so carly as is? ”? “T think so. Thereis a public-house where a coach stops at, and I think we shall very likely be able to find what wo want there.” “ But won’tit be rather hazardous for us to go to a public and much-resorted-to place like that ?” ‘No half so much so as to take up our quarters atsome out of the way inn.” ** How do you make that ont?” Jonathan Wild, with all his cunring, will never think of looking for us here.” ‘J begin to understand you.” “ He would think we should be afraid to stop there.”’ * Well, if you will belicve me, I think it running a very great risk indeed.” ‘Pho—pho. You will find that in this apparent danger will lie our safety.” **T trust we shall find it so.” * Come, then, you will see I am right.” “ Whereabouts is this inn ?” “Why, about a couple of hundred yards furtiier along the read.” “Ts that the sign that I can just see in the distauce ?” ** No, that is another.” Blueskin was rigit. The sign which Jack saw belonged ‘Why, if we are only careful to keep out of sight, BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. a RS TP SR RS: EE ae SE _ EL, Fr —GC——V—ee—ee °67 a. to a public-lonse, which was, however, closed, and had about it no signs of life whatever. Going further, however, they came to the ** Coach and Jforses,’ which was the sign of the 1un ef which Blueskin had spoken. This even was closed, but the gate at the side leading to the stables was open, so, guided by Blueskin, they took their way down it. Tne clattering of their horses’ hoofs attracted the atten- tion of a man who emerged from the stables. By his dress he appeared to be an ostler. He looked at cuy friends with something like surprise visivle upon his countenance. Doubtless it was seldom that vieitors made their ap- pearance so early at the inn. ¢ Blueskin did not give him time to speak, but addressed im. “Can we stay here for a few hours,” he asked, “ whic we give our cattle a rest ? We have travelled all mygbt, and we are so fatigned that we feel disinclined to procced farther.” “Yes, sir; all right,” replied the ostler. “ There ain't ne one up yet just at present, though they won't be long. However, I will call them and then attend to you.” So saying, the ostler hastened across the yard to the back door of the inn, upon which he executed a vigorous ttoo with his knuckles. Tu the meantime, Blueskin and Jack Sheppard alighted from their steeds and assisted Edgworth Bess to dis- mount, This the poor girl was glad enough to do, for slic was terribly fatigued. The least exertion seemed to prostrate her, but this was caused by the debility into which she had been thrown by her severe and receut illness. Nothing but the indomitability of Ler constitution could have kept her up. If her spirits had once failed, her bodily powers must have at once given way. When she reached the ground she would have fallen had it not been for the assistance which her two fricnds afforded her. The ostler’s summons upon the back door was responded to by some one opening it, and the landlord himself imme- diately appeared upon the threshold. He had witnessed the early arrival of the travellers from his bed-room window. a CHAPTER CCLVIII. THE BURIED TREASURE IS RECOVERED, AND BLUESKIN KEEPS HIS APPOINTMENT WITH ROSS, THE LANDLORD. A. FEW words soon set matters all right. A comfortable apartment and an attendant were pro- vided for Edgworth Bess. Blueskin and Jack Sheppard occupied a chamber between therm. There was nothing particular or suspicious-lool:ing about the three travellers. They seemed as though they had been on the road all night, and were mud-stained in conseqneuce, but that was all. The landlord, then, was quite willing to entertain them, and Edgeworth Bess had every attention paid to her. The day was passed at the “‘ Coach and Horses” with- out the occurrence of any particular incident. All three rested. They neither heard nor saw anything of Jonathan Wild, from which they concluded that he had wholly failed in his attenipt to get upon their track. And certainly te do so would require something more than an ordinary sagacity. And yet Blueskin and Jack, knowing his energetic dis- position, were all the time in dread, lest he should sud- denly make his appearance. It seemed as though they were destined to lave much trouble, and many a perilous adventure and hair-Dreadils escape before they succeeded ia carrying ont their lifeu- tion of leaving England. The obstacles which Wild would be able to put in the way of their doing so would be most formidable. Still they did not despair. . They were encouraged by the success which had hitherto attended their efforts. At length night came. EO DOO 3} SS} o(CO) 5}