The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

26 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘‘ And so do I,” said the helmsman, whose name was Bradley. | ‘You both swear most solemnly that you fall into our views? ’’ demanded the Magsman. ‘“‘ We swear,” was the resolute and firm response. “ All right!’ exclaimed the Magsman, withdrawing his pistol from its menacing vicinage to the head of Watkins, while the Big Beggarman simultaneously released Bradley from the like state of jeopardy. The scene which we have just related scarcely occupied two minutes. The action was prompt, the discourse was rapid, brief, and to the point, and the understanding was therefore speedily come to and settled. None of the other sailors had overheard the conversation or noticed that any- thing unusual was going forward; for, in the first place, they were too far off to be within ear-shot of the words spoken on the after-part of the deck, especially in the midst of a roaring sea and a gushing hurricane, and, secondly, the night was much too dark to permit them to catch even a glimpse of the naked cutlasses or the pistols which the two murderers wielded. There were thus six more men in the ship to win over by fair means or coerce by foul, and Joe Warren did not doubt a successful issue to the adventure in either case. “Now summon three of the men, captain,” he said to Watkins, “ and tell them what has occurred.” This order was instantly obeyed; and the three sailors whom Watkins called aft heard, with mingled feelings of terror and surprise, that a mutiny had taken place on board, that their legitimate commander and first mate had been murdered, and that their adhesion was required to the new condition of things, under peril of their own lives. Two of them, influenced by the promises made and the hopes held out, instantaneously signified their assent, while fear induced the third to adopt a similar course. They were then ordered to stand aside, while the remaining three sailors were summoned in their turn to receive the startling communica- tion of all that had occurred on board within the previous quarter of an hour; and the result was completely satisfac- tory to the Magsman and the Big Beggarman. Copious allowances of spirits were now dealt around, and the tragic mutiny was succeeded by boisterous hilarity on board of the Royal George. (C(O) mG 6)(0)©) (C(O)