soon do you expect Mishter Vudd?” inquired the janizary, tauntingly.
“What’s that to you?” retorted Jack, surlily.
“Because I shouldn’t like to be out o’ the vay ven he arrives,” returned Abraham, in a jeering tone; “it vouldn’t be vell bred.”
“Vouldn’t it!” replied Jack, mimicking his snuffling voice; “then shtay vere you are, and be cursed to you.”
“It’s all up,” muttered Thames. “Mr. Wood will be intercepted. I’ve destroyed my only chance.”
“Not your only chance, Thames,” returned Jack, in the same undertone; “but your best. Never mind. We’ll turn the tables upon ’em yet. Do you think we could manage that old clothesman between us, if we got out of this box?”
“I’d manage him myself, if my arms were free,” replied Thames, boldly.
“Shpeak up, vill you?” cried Abraham, rapping his knuckles against the hatch. “I likes to hear vot you says. You can have no shecrets from me.”
“Vy don’t you talk to your partner, or Saint Giles, if you vant conversation, Aaron?” asked Jack, slyly.
“Because they’re in the next room, and the door’s shut; that’s vy, my jack-a-dandy!” replied Abraham, unsuspiciously.
“Oh! they are — are they?” muttered Jack, triumphantly; “that’ll do. Now for it, Thames! Make as great a row as you can to divert his attention.”
With this, he drew the spike from his pocket; and, drowning the sound of the operation by whistling, singing, shuffling, and other noises, contrived, in a few minutes, to liberate his companion from the handcuffs.
“Now, Jack,” cried Thames, warmly grasping Sheppard’s hand, “you are my friend again. I freely forgive you.”
Sheppard cordially returned the pressure; and, cautioning Thames, “not to let the ruffles drop, or they might tell a tale,” began to warble the following fragment of a robber melody:—
“Oh! give me a chisel, a knife, or a file,
And the dubsmen shall find that I’ll do it in style!
Tol-de-rol!”
“Vot the devil are you about, noisy?” inquired Abraham.
“Practising singing, Aaron,” replied Jack. “Vot are you?”
“Practising patience,” growled Abraham.
“Not before it’s needed,” returned Jack, aloud; adding in a whisper, “get upon my shoulders, Thames. Now you’re up, take this spike. Feel for the lock, and prize it open — you don’t need to be told how. When it’s done, I’ll push you through. Take care of the old clothesman, and leave the rest to me.
When the turnkey, next morning, stepp’d into his room,
The sight of the hole in the wall struck him dumb;
The sheriff’s black bracelets lay strewn on the ground,
But the lad that had worn ’em could nowhere be found.
Tol-de-rol!”
As Jack concluded his ditty, the door flew open with a crash, and Thames sprang through the aperture.
This manoeuvre was so suddenly executed that it took Abraham completely by surprise. He was standing at the moment close to the hatch, with his ear at the keyhole, and received a severe blow in the face. He staggered back a few paces; and, before he could recover himself, Thames tripped up his heels, and, placing the point of the spike at his throat, threatened to stab him if he attempted to stir, or cry out. Nor had Jack been idle all this time. Clearing the recess the instant after his companion, he flew to the door of the inner room, and, locking it, took out the key. The policy of this step was immediately apparent. Alarmed by the noise of the scuffle, Quilt and Sharples rushed to the assistance of their comrade. But they were too late. The entrance was barred against them; and they had the additional mortification of hearing Sheppard’s loud laughter at their discomfiture.
“I told you the prison wasn’t built that could hold me,” cried Jack.
“You’re not out yet, you young hound,” rejoined Quilt, striving ineffectually to burst open the door.
“But I soon shall be,” returned Jack; “take these,” he added, flinging the handcuffs against the wooden partition, “and wear ’em yourself.”
“Halloo, Nab!” vociferated Quilt. “What the devil are you about! Will you allow yourself to be beaten by a couple of kids?”
“Not if I can help it,” returned Abraham, making a desperate effort to regain his feet. “By my shalvation, boy,” he added, fiercely, “if you don’t take your hande off my peard, I’ll sthrangle you.”
“Help me, Jack!” shouted Thames, “or I shan’t be able to keep the villain down.”
“Stick the spike into him, then,” returned Sheppard, coolly, “while I unbar the outlet.”
But Thames had no intention of following his friend’s advice. Contenting himself with brandishing the weapon in the Jew’s eyes, he exerted all his force to prevent him from rising.
While this took place, while Quilt thundered at the inner door, and Jack drew back the bolts of the outer, a deep, manly voice was heard chanting — as if in contempt of the general uproar — the following strain:—
With pipe and punch upon the board,
And smiling nymphs around us;
No tavern could more mirth afford
Than old Saint Giles’s round-house!
The round-house! the round-house! The jolly — jolly round-house!
“The jolly, jolly round-house!” chorussed Sheppard, as the last bar yielded to his efforts. “Hurrah! come along, Thames; we’re free.”
“Not sho fasht — not sho fasht!” cried Abraham, struggling with Thames, and detaining him; “if you go, you musht take me along vid you.”
“Save yourself, Jack!” shouted Thames, sinking beneath the superior weight and strength of his opponent; “leave me to my fate!”
“Never,” replied Jack, hurrying towards him. And, snatching the spike from Thames, he struck the janizary a severe blow on the head. “I’ll make sure work this time,” he added, about to repeat the blow.
“Hold!” interposed Thames, “he can do no more mischief. Let us be gone.”
“As you please,” returned Jack, leaping up; “but I feel devilishly inclined to finish him. However, it would only be robbing the hangman of his dues.”
With this, he was preparing to follow his friend, when their egress was prevented by the sudden appearance of Jonathan Wild
