Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: ee -ealled for a glass of br andy-and-water, a te le selves at the bar, were the three rough- looking | public-house. They are on some expedition that — men he had seen leaving the doctor’s residence. Jack, as he gazed through the door-way, examined the trio minutely. They were a hang-gallows-looking lot, if ever there was one, and Jack felt sure they were neither of them likely to stop at trifles. They conversed with each other in whispers, ana, by the rapid looks which they continually cast around them, proved that they feared being watched, or were suspicious of listeners. Jack -entered the next compartment, ane an endeavoured to overhear their conversation. In this, however, he failed; not a sound was audible ; ‘and after about twenty minutes the fellows left the house. Jack swallowed the beverage that had been placed before him, and drawing his cloak around his form, did the same, only by another door, and a few moments afterwards. When he got out into the street he saw the trio at the corner, still in earnest conversation, and not wishing them to observe him, J ack passed by at a quick step. As he did so, they bade each other good night, and separated, one going the very way which Jack had taken, and the other two turn- ing off in different dir ections. There was something, however, in the tone in which the ‘‘good night” was uttered that made Jack believe they intended to meet again. So he slackened his pace to permit the man who was going the road he had taken to pass him, and in a few seconds the fellow was ahead of him. ‘“‘T’'ll keep you in sight,” thought Jack, “ and see what business you are up to; and it strikes me, if I do discover it, I shall not find it to be the most honourable in the world.” It was now getting late, and few shops re- mained open. ‘The number of pedestrians, too, lessened as the minutes flew by ; and after keep- ing the man in sight for about half-an-hour, Jack discovered that himself and the fellow he was following were the only two about, and that they were then in a lonely locality, near Bayswater. “Tt I go on much further, at the same distance between us, I shall excite the fellow’s suspicion that lam following him,’ said Jack to himself ; “so Tll turn off at the first opportunity, and come out into the road again further on.” He had _ scarcely made this resolve when a loud, peculiar whistle made him start. The man whom he was following turned quickly round, and Jack shrank close up under the wall of a house which he was passing at the moment of the signal. The man walked from the pathway into the road, and seemed to be looking back down the street as if to be certain that no one was about, then whistled in much the same way, evidently in answer to some preconcerted signal. Jack drew still further back into the shadow of the building, and the next moment another man made his way into the road from a narrow lane, a short distance from where Jacl stood. f As I thought !’’ muttered our hero to him- self. ‘It is one of those whom he parted from at the corner of the strect, after leaving the —_— ee eee ee -_- -_-——- — seer ee THE TERROR OF LONDON. mo —_ —a eC” S——tl™ aaa O_O SK will not, bear too close an inspection, and [ll find it out. But I must be careful. This place is lonely, and two desperate men may do much, Hallo! there’s another whistle.” This signal was answered by both the 1 men in company, and directly afterwards they were joined by a third person, whom Jack at once leaped to the conclusion was the other whom he had seen at the doctor’s. Then the trio pushes on along the road at a rapid pace. Jack, as soon as they started on their way, also moved for ward, but kept within the shadow of a tall hedge that now took the place of houses, and stepping lightly, quickened his pace so as to endeavour to come up with the men before him, and, if possible, ‘strive to learn on what errand | they were Lent. | Keeping his eyes fixed upon the three ae he gradually neared them, but suddenly they disappeared from his view, so suddenly indeed that Jack fairly paused in surprise. On looking up, however, he saw, looming it in the gloom, the t ant spire of a church, and in an instant he came to the conclusion they had passed into the grounds of the sacred edifice, through which he expected there was a pathway —a circumstance not uncommon in the church- yards at the period of our story. Starting forward again, then, Jack was not long in reaching the spot whence the man had disappear ed, and which proved, as he had _anti- cipated, to be a little gate leading into ‘the churehyard. But here he paused, and drew back afew steps, for the sound of voices reached his ears. « — The tones, though subdued, were still ontehiele , in the silence which reigned around the precincts of the dead, and Jack strained every nerve to catch the words which were uttered, and suc- ceeded. ‘“ You got the sack, Bill?” said one. “All right,’ was the reply ; ‘“‘and.Joe’s got the lantern. But are you sure you know the grave ?”’ ‘“Am I a fool?”’ was the reply to this question. ‘Didn't I see the old boy chuck the earth in this morning on top of the box?” -“ Well, you no need to be so humpy about it. He ‘“ Who's humpy P Ai “Hold your jaw,” said another, “and let’s get to work. "We must have the cold meat in the doctor’s house afore long, or we ll stand a onante of being stopped } with it.”’ 4 Hope it’s got a fawnee on its finger,’ one, ‘‘ Jolly soon have it off,’ remarked anutaea a “Rather!” chimed in the third. ‘¢ Would be fool to leave it there. But ’tain’t many corpuses as has got them ere thingsabout’em. Geton, Tom, and show us where the soft earth is. Fust Ill go and collar the old boy’s spade. I told you I watched where he slummed it. Just in that corner, between the bushes.” | ‘““ Well, go on, then ; and look alive.” ‘“Come with us.’’ “What for?” “Oh, nothing; only vou better come,’ was the reply, as the man moved over the mounds, followed by his companions. eg ee ee ae _— (E(o) | JOCK 7 (GE