Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

; =~ - - do wear a fine coat.and top-boots,’’. . “persons in the,streets.”’ estate ee - hh = - —_ = ee —_ a a eet - —s . _ —_— | SPRING-HEEL’D JACK ;, THE TERROR OF LONDON. _ side of the wall, whither; his pursuers could not follow him, and at once set to ringing the’ bell with .all his. might to arouse ‘the ‘inmates and make them/aequainted with their danger. ————— '*) ‘CHAPTER LXVI. ere TURN PROTECTS HIM. © . JACK PROTECTS, THE CROSSING-SWEEPER, WHO, IN Herne you are, sir... Don't walkthrough the oo mud, sir, ‘Here’s a mice, clean: crossing, sir ; swept it meself, sir, Drop.a copper; sir.’ “Get out, you young rascal. I don’t encourage a beb of dazy young, vagabonds,”’ was the reply _ of:a tall individual, as he stepped across a por- tion of a muddy road) which, had, been swept clean by a bare-headed jand bare-footed, ragged little boy, who followed the person across, 'trail- ing bis broom behind him. pond, Ui? _**Won’t you drop us a copper, sir? See how -niceand elean I, keep your boots, sir ;,and what a lot of trouble I saves your seryant, siv,’’ said the boy, pointing, to the, shining top-boots of the _ “Now, be off... I tell you I don’t encourage such lazy young thieves and vagabonds 4s you are,’ was the cruel reply. ' The lad looked in the ATLA face fora moment, cas if he thought. he could. not have’ heard aright what had been spoken ; then, drawing _ himself up, he retorted— . TZ ain’t no more,a'thief than, you are, if you “Yow insolent whelp!”.cried the man. © ‘I'll wring your ears off if you talk to me like that. Such -young vascals as youjought to be sent to the treadmill instead of being.suffered to annoy “J ain’t annoyed you,” said the. boy, ‘ un- less you’re annoyed because L.took you to be a gentleman, which you know you ain't... If you don’t like to patronise.a poor crossing-sweeper, I wonder yon ain’t ashamed to) patronise his crossing ; you don’t mind that, only the paying for a clean path you don’t like. If I sees you crossing again, I’llsweep the mud over it.” | The man raised his hand.and struck, the boy a heavy blow onthe side of the head. | This was too much for the youngster, who, with a howl, of. pain and rage, struck his broom into the heap of sloshy mud which edged the crossing, and sent a shower of it flying over the boots, pants, and coat ofthe man, then, turning, made a desperate bolt to get out of the way. ‘With an oath the man sprang after him, and ere he had reached the opposite side,of the road grasped him by his shoulder with one shand, while with the other he pulled the boy's ear so severely that ayshont, of indignation rose: from }) | ( 6h everery a .. words. or. actions of the young London Arab; but, the’ throats of.two. or three, persons who wit- nessed the deed. eek “ Tet the boy alone,’ cried one... __ »§ Hit;him: in-the face with your broom,” cried. another. . | “ For shame! sir,’ said a. third, seizing his arm, and rescuing the boy from) his, grasp, _.“For. shame! sir;. no provocation from that lad, however great, can, justify .s0 violent ‘an, assault from astrong man.’ audl + ‘Hear, hear! Bravo!” cried one, while the ee CO Glo ee -o191 A me eee sl el boy, thus released, rubbed his eyes, and cried lustily. | , ) : “Who the, deyil are you?’ eried -the’man, turning upon the boy’s champion, who, flinging his cloak back from his shoulders, stood protidly up before the enraged man. ; . « : -.Qne, sir, who is sorry to see forget himself as you have done’, . 4.5 _ Some swell-mobsman jor London pickpocket, I suppose,” sneered the man, and, find *these young vagabonds very handy in| your profes- sion.’’ : fo iblicd yak? . | The man stepped back on to the pavement as | he spoke, and Jack, for he it was, who had‘come to the boy’s aid, smarting under, the, gratuitous — insult, bounded on to the flags after him. | » ‘You are an insulting fellow,” said Jack, “as well as a. coward.” «") Lay Yer vivir “Take yourself off,” said the man,; “or d'll serve you the same. Go and. talk to your own kidney—pickpockets and crossing-sweepers:. ” “Rascal!” shouted Jack, . strikingy ottedair from the shoulder, and planting, a. .heavyrblow between the man’s eyes,, which..sent. him staggering backwards till kis head came’ in, ,con- tact with a large square, of glass in the window of a hardware-shop, which was ¢ shattered: iby the force of the blow. pe ‘*Jemery !. crikey! hooray! *’, yelled, the boy, commencing to dance an extempore horn- pipe in the mud, which he splashed about with his bare feet in the exuberance of his spirits. : A shout of laughter and approbation from the .bystanders mingled with the crash of the glass, the fall of china, and the prolonged scream of a nou very prepossessing-looking lady of questionable age, who stood behind the shop counter. : | : | The crash;caused Jack, as well as the others assembled, to start back in surprise and alarm, for, cértainly our hero had no. intention of ‘dash- ing the man’s head through the glass. | : His indignation at the insult he had received save place toa feeling of alarm, and he sprang forward, not to again strike, but to extricate the man from his, dangerous position. ora . Hurray!” yelled the delighted boy. “Shore him right. away through the chaney,. master. Oh, Jemini! here’s a lark! Take my broom and give him a hoist with it. I ain’t afraid you'll. steal it. Shove the muddy end in his waistecoat-pocket, and tumble him right through. S’help me tater! Hurray !” it And splash went his bare feet. again im the heap of slush, the young urchin not only sending the mud‘in showers up the legs of: his.own a, Maan! so-tar patched trousers; but. splashing it over the by-. standers. i HOY A Jack of. course. paid: no heedi either to the with; a,look, of pity. on:his: face; caught hold of, the shoulders of the punished man. » oi! As he did» so, other hands were stretched | forward. from the. opposite side of the window, and the-unprepossessing lady of the hardware establishment seized the hair ofthe imprisoned man, and twined. her fingers among the cluster- ing locks. d,s | } “You wretch! you villam:!/-you shan't get away ; you shall pay for the damage done to my oe LSuGO