Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

=r SPRING-HEEL’D JACK; THE TERROR OF LONDON, laugh for it, and then I do not mind paying for fun. Let mesee. I know this spot well. The field past the white cottage,—yes, that’s where it is situated, and no fear of doing more than giving him a good fright. Roar away, old chap, roaraway!” ~. | And giving the horse another cut with the whip, Jack kept a good look out for a white cottage, which he had often admired for its pretty look. ““ Ah! there it is,” he said suddenly, as he caught signi of a little cottage with a white front, an | a tastefully-arranged flower garden before it. “There it is, and afew yards beyond the railings are down, and I can drive into the field. Yes, I can see the spot. , That’s it.” The cottage was passed, and, by a pull of the right-hand rein, he turned the horse on to the | going backwards. the, first position, footway, and urged the animal into the field, and towards a clump of trees, which, spite of the gloom of the night, could be plainly discernible about a hundred yards from the road. Close to these trees was a large round pond, but very shallow, not being more than three feet deep in the centre, a circumstance which Jack had noted by seeing a boy wade across it after a toy boat which he was able to bring ashore. ‘Towards this he urged the animal, while the driver, finding that the coach had left the road, called loudly for aid again through the window, to which he clung tenaciously. Without pausing, Jack drove the animal into the pond, and pulled up at last. right in its centre, where the horse, nothing loth to rest, bent its head and commenced to slake its thirst. Jack turned on the box and looked behind The cries of the man had ceased with the stoppage of the vehicle, and having no suspicion of where he was, and anxious to avail himseif of opportunity to vacate his unpleasant he flung open the door, and, without waiting to look or think, leaped out, and fell with a loud splash into the water. | Jack quietly crossed his legs and puffed away | at his cigar, which had not gone out, and gazed with a smile down upon the floundering driver. _ “e—he—help!” cried the man, beating desperately at the water with his hands, and, in his struggles, clutching at the fore legs of the horse. ~The animal evidently not relishing such treat- ment, began to kick, and down went the alarmed and. bewildered driver once more beneath the surface. However, he soon became cognisant of the fact that he was in a place where he could stand upright with ease, and an exclamation of pleasure escaped him. Having succeeded in again struggling to his; feet he grasped the reins, and patted the horse’s head as if to assure that quadruped that he had nothing to fear. ; “Poor horse,” he said. “ Wo—wo,’ he added, as the animal again showed symptons of | ‘© Here’s a pretty mess you’ve What the devil did you run rought me into. ite Post o—wo!’’ he away for, and where are we? continued, patting the animal, and oradually making towards the vehicle. “Let's get you out of this ere, and when I find the road, [ll 171 tan your hide, I will for you, you warmint, for playing up such pranks.” He had reached the fore wheel as he concluded, and placing his foot upon the step, raised himself up. “Run away, will you—run away, will you? Let me get. the reins in my hand, and you out of this mess, and war-hawks to you,’ old’ boy. I'll knock the flies off your ribs with that little bit of whipcord, if it’s in the socket. Oh! there —it—damn it, who are you ?” As he gazed up for the whip, and was about to spring upon the box, he caught sight of Jack’s face, lit up by the burning end of his cigar. “"Yowre a pretty fellow,’ said Jack, “ain't you? ‘There, don’t come alongside of mé in those wet clothes.’’ | “Why, Jack, is that you?” “Yes, and a pretty game you have been play- ing me,’ said Jack. | eae !” said the man, still standing on the step. ‘*Yes, and if this is how you serve a good fare when you get one, you don’t deserve another,” said Jack, in a feigned tone of annoyance. “Well, I’m blowed!” said the man, still more and more bewildered. “I can’t make it out.” “Can't you 2?” “No.” “Then I can.” What is it ?” |“ Whatis it? Why, that you got drunk while waiting for me, and when I was ready to start, you was nowhere to be found. I got on to'the box to wait for you, and the horse ran away with me, and never stopped till he got here ; and you, I suppose, was all the while behind the coach inciting him to a fiercer gallop by thump- ing on the panels, so as to alarm the poor brute.” ‘‘ Upon my soul ’’—— “Now, L dont want any excuses. conduct has been too bad.” “'Soring-heeled ” “T won't listen to you.” “But, sir, ] assure you I can’t make it out. I waited for you so long that, being very cold, I got inside the coach and fell aSleep, and never awoke till I heard the awful crash, and a bump- ing agin. the.back panels, and found that the coach was being dragged along at a fearful rate. The moment it stopped I got out, and here’s a pretty mess I’m in, for we’re right ina pond or a river, | don’t know which.” | ‘Had you been looking after your busi- Your ness this would not have happened, and I should not have been carried so many miles out of my way. im very sorry, sir—I’m sure I’m very sorry,” said the man; “and I supect I'll have to suffer for it, for I expect the coach is nearly broken to bits.” “Well, say no more about it,’ said Jack, “ond take your horse and vehicle out of this. Sit as far off from me as you can, if you please ; I don’t want to catch my death of cold.” The man proceeded to clamber up on to the box, when Jack, giving the reins, which he still held, a sudden jerk, the animal started forward, and the man, losing his. balance, tell backwards into the pond. ==comichbook