The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street — page 376: what you’re looking at

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

<— = Pst? eae eee 2 eS a ee NS ten 368 THE STRING OF PEARLS. ‘‘T say, master Is there penny pieces or paving stones in this here, its deuced heavy, that it is.” ‘And so is this, Bill,’ said the other. ‘Oh, my eyes ain’t it. There must be a quarter of a pound of goose feathers in here.” “Ha! ha!” said Todd, ‘‘ How funny you both are.” © Funny ?” “Yes, to be sure, but come. This will put strength into you if you had none before.” He took a bottle and glass from acupboard, and gave each of the mena fall measure of such frightfully strong spirits, that they winked again, and the tears came into their eyes, as they drank it. ‘‘Now shoulder the little boxes, and come along,’ he said, ‘“‘ and I tell you what I'll do. Ifyou step in here in the evening, and I should happen to be at home, I’ll give each of you a shave for nothing, and polish you off in such a manner, that you will recollect it as long you live.” “Thank you, master—thank you. We'll come.” One of the porters helped his companion with the chest on to his back and head, and Todd then lent a helping hand with the other. “Charley,” he said. ‘‘ I shall be back in a quarter of an hour.” Away he went, preceding the porter by some half dozen steps only, but yet ever and anon keeping a wary eye upon the two chests, which contained cash, and jewels, sufficient to found a little kingdom. Ifhe got clear off with those two chests only, he felt that he would not give himself much uneasiness about what was left behind. But was Todd going to trust these two porters from out his own immediate neighbourhood, with the secret of the destination of the boxes? No. He was by far two crafy for that. After proceeding some distance, he took them round the unfrequented side of St. Paul’s Church yard, and stopping suddenly at the door of a house that was to let, he said— “ This will do.” **in here, master::’ “This will do. Pat them down,” The porters complied, and ‘‘odd set down upon one of the boxes, as he sald— “How much?” ‘A shilling each of us, master.” wm. there's double the money, and now be off, both of you, zbout your business.” The porters were rather surprised, butas they considered themselves sufficiently paid, they made no objection, and walked off with considerable alacrity, leaving Todd, and his treasure in the street, ‘“ Now for a coach,’ he muttered. Now fora coach. ‘ Here toy—to a ragged boy who was creeping on at some short distance. Haro a penny by fetching me a coach directly.” The boy dartec off, and in a very few minutes brought Tedd a hackney coach. The boxes, too, were got upon it by the united effort:s of Todd, the coachman, and the boy, and then, and not till thea did Todd -give the correct address of the wharf in Thames Street from which the Ham,burg ship was going, and in which he fully intended to embark that night. The ship was advertised to sail at the turn of the tide, which would be abom: four o clock in the morning. All this did not take long todo. The coach x umbled along Thames Street, but Todd was not aware that Mr. Crotchet hace g ot up behind the vehicle, but such was the fact, and when the lumbering old mae. hine stopped at the wharf, that gentleman got down, and felt quite satisfied 4 sith the dis- covery he had made. He’s a trying of it on, soliloquised Mr. Crog ched in the bolting line, but it ain’t no manner ofa go. He’ll swing, and he ec n't help % if he were to book himself to the moon, and there was a coach or ast tip as went all the way, and no stoppages. “Mem,” said Todd to himself. ‘To go to Colonel Jeffery’s, az 1d murder Tobias—Ha!”’ mere == rs eww Gace oe ae aE oOo” "SSO, SEEN ma DUS 1. Saipeeserwenmmeenre recap rn ER ROR = comicbooks.com