Mr. Wood"s reply, if he intended any, was cut short by a loud knocking at the door.
""Odd"s-my-life!--what"s that?" he cried, greatly alarmed.
"It"s Jonathan Wild come back with a troop of constables at his heels, to search the house," rejoined Mrs. Wood, in equal trepidation. "We shall all be murdered. Oh! that Mr. Kneebone were here to protect me!"
"If it _is_ Jonathan," rejoined Wood, "it is very well for Mr. Kneebone he"s not here. He"d have enough to do to protect himself, without attending to you. I declare I"m almost afraid to go to the door.
Something, I"m convinced, has happened to the boys."
"Has Jonathan Wild been here to-day?" asked Mrs. Sheppard, anxiously.
"To be sure he has!" returned Mrs. Wood; "and Blueskin, too. They"re only just gone, mercy on us! what a clatter," she added, as the knocking was repeated more violently than before.
While the carpenter irresolutely quitted the room, with a strong presentiment of ill upon his mind, a light quick step was heard descending the stairs, and before he could call out to prevent it, a man was admitted into the pa.s.sage.
"Is this Misther Wudd"s, my pretty miss?" demanded the rough voice of the Irish watchman.
"It is", seplied Winifred; "have you brought any tidings of Thames Darrell!"
"Troth have I!" replied Terence: "but, bless your angilic face, how did you contrive to guess that?"
"Is he well?--is he safe?--is he coming back," cried the little girl, disregarding the question.
"He"s in St. Giles"s round-house," answered Terence; "but tell Mr. Wudd I"m here, and have brought him a message from his unlawful son, and don"t be detainin" me, my darlin", for there"s not a minute to lose if the poor lad"s to be recused from the clutches of that thief and thief-taker o" the wurld, Jonathan Wild."
The carpenter, upon whom no part of this hurried dialogue had been lost, now made his appearance, and having obtained from Terence all the information which that personage could impart respecting the perilous situation of Thames, he declared himself ready to start to Saint Giles"s at once, and ran back to the room for his hat and stick; expressing his firm determination, as he pocketed his constable"s staff with which he thought it expedient to arm himself, of being direfully revenged upon the thief-taker: a determination in which he was strongly encouraged by his wife. Terence, meanwhile, who had followed him, did not remain silent, but recapitulated his story, for the benefit of Mrs. Sheppard.
The poor widow was thrown into an agony of distress on learning that a robbery had been committed, in which her son (for she could not doubt that Jack was one of the boys,) was implicated; nor was her anxiety alleviated by Mrs. Wood, who maintained stoutly, that if Thames had been led to do wrong, it must be through the instrumentality of his worthless companion.
"And there you"re right, you may dipind, marm," observed Terence.
"Master Thames Ditt--what"s his blessed name?--has honesty written in his handsome phiz; but as to his companion, Jack Sheppard, I think you call him, he"s a born and bred thief. Lord bless you marm! we sees plenty on "em in our purfession. Them young prigs is all alike. I seed he was one,--and a sharp un, too,--at a glance."
"Oh!" exclaimed the widow, covering her face with her hands.
"Take a drop of brandy before we start, watchman," said Wood, pouring out a gla.s.s of spirit, and presenting it to Terence, who smacked his lips as he disposed of it. "Won"t you be persuaded, Joan?" he added, making a similar offer to Mrs. Sheppard, which she gratefully declined.
"If you mean to accompany us, you may need it."
"You are very kind, Sir," returned the widow, "but I require no support.
Nothing stronger than water has pa.s.sed my lips for years."
"We may believe as much of that as we please, I suppose," observed the carpenter"s wife, with a sneer. "Mr. Wood," she continued, in an authoritative tone, seeing her husband ready to depart, "one word before you set out. If Jack Sheppard or his mother ever enter this house again, I leave it--that"s all. Now, do what you please. You know _my_ fixed determination."
Mr. Wood made no reply; but, hastily kissing his weeping daughter, and bidding her be of good cheer, hurried off. He was followed with equal celerity by Terence and the widow. Traversing what remained of Wych Street at a rapid pace, and speeding along Drury Lane, the trio soon found themselves in Kendrick Yard. When they came to the round-house, Terry"s courage failed him. Such was the terror inspired by Wild"s vindictive character, that few durst face him who had given him cause for displeasure. Aware that he should incur the thief-taker"s bitterest animosity by what he had done, the watchman, whose wrath against Quilt Arnold had evaporated during the walk, thought it more prudent not to hazard a meeting with his master, till the storm had, in some measure, blown over. Accordingly, having given Wood such directions as he thought necessary for his guidance, and received a handsome gratuity in return for his services, he departed.
It was not without considerable demur and delay on the part of Sharples that the carpenter and his companion could gain admittance to the round-house. Reconnoitring them through a small grated loophole, he refused to open the door till they had explained their business. This, Wood, acting upon Terry"s caution, was most unwilling to do; but, finding he had no alternative, he reluctantly made known his errand and the bolts were undrawn. Once in, the constable"s manner appeared totally changed. He was now as civil as he had just been insolent. Apologizing for their detention, he answered the questions put to him respecting the boys, by positively denying that any such prisoners had been entrusted to his charge, but offered to conduct him to every cell in the building to prove the truth of his a.s.sertion. He then barred and double-locked the door, took out the key, (a precautionary measure which, with a grim smile, he said he never omitted,) thrust it into his vest, and motioning the couple to follow him, led the way to the inner room. As Wood obeyed, his foot slipped; and, casting his eyes upon the floor, he perceived it splashed in several places with blood. From the freshness of the stains, which grew more frequent as they approached the adjoining chamber, it was evident some violence had been recently perpetrated, and the carpenter"s own blood froze within his veins as he thought, with a thrill of horror, that, perhaps on this very spot, not many minutes before his arrival, his adopted son might have been inhumanly butchered.
Nor was this impression removed as he stole a glance at Mrs. Sheppard, and saw from her terrified look that she had made the same alarming discovery as himself. But it was now too late to turn back, and, nerving himself for the shock he expected to encounter, he ventured after his conductor. No sooner had they entered the room than Sharples, who waited to usher them in, hastily retreated, closed the door, and turning the key, laughed loudly at the success of his stratagem. Vexation at his folly in suffering himself to be thus entrapped kept Wood for a short time silent. When he could find words, he tried by the most urgent solicitations to prevail upon the constable to let him out. But threats and entreaties--even promises were ineffectual; and the unlucky captive, after exhausting his powers of persuasion, was compelled to give up the point.
The room in which he was detained--that lately occupied by the Mohocks, who, it appeared, had been allowed to depart,--was calculated to inspire additional apprehension and disgust. Strongly impregnated with the mingled odours of tobacco, ale, brandy, and other liquors, the atmosphere was almost stifling. The benches running round the room, though fastened to the walls by iron clamps, had been forcibly wrenched off; while the table, which was similarly secured to the boards, was upset, and its contents--bottles, jugs, gla.s.ses, and bowls were broken and scattered about in all directions. Everything proclaimed the mischievous propensities of the recent occupants of the chamber.
Here lay a heap of knockers of all sizes, from the huge lion"s head to the small bra.s.s rapper: there, a collection of sign-boards, with the names and calling of the owners utterly obliterated. On this side stood the instruments with which the latter piece of pleasantry had been effected,--namely, a bucket filled with paint and a brush: on that was erected a trophy, consisting of a watchman"s rattle, a laced hat, with the crown knocked out, and its place supplied by a lantern, a campaign wig saturated with punch, a torn steen-kirk and ruffles, some half-dozen staves, and a broken sword.
As the carpenter"s gaze wandered over this scene of devastation, his attention was drawn by Mrs. Sheppard towards an appalling object in one corner. This was the body of a man, apparently lifeless, and stretched upon a mattress, with his head bound up in a linen cloth, through which the blood had oosed. Near the body, which, it will be surmised, was that of Abraham Mendez, two ruffianly personages were seated, quietly smoking, and bestowing no sort of attention upon the new-comers. Their conversation was conducted in the flash language, and, though unintelligible to Wood, was easily comprehended by this companion, who learnt, to her dismay, that the wounded man had received his hurt from her son, whose courage and dexterity formed the present subject of their discourse. From other obscure hints dropped by the speakers, Mrs.
Sheppard ascertained that Thames Darrell had been carried off--where she could not make out--by Jonathan Wild and Quilt Arnold; and that Jack had been induced to accompany Blueskin to the Mint. This intelligence, which she instantly communicated to the carpenter, drove him almost frantic.
He renewed his supplications to Sharples, but with no better success than heretofore; and the greater part of the night was pa.s.sed by him and the poor widow, whose anxiety, if possible, exceeded his own, in the most miserable state imaginable.
At length, about three o"clock, as the first glimmer of dawn became visible through the barred cas.e.m.e.nts of the round-house, the rattling of bolts and chains at the outer door told that some one was admitted.
Whoever this might be, the visit seemed to have some reference to the carpenter, for, shortly afterwards, Sharples made his appearance, and informed the captives they were free. Without waiting to have the information repeated, Wood rushed forth, determined as soon as he could procure a.s.sistance, to proceed to Jonathan Wild"s house in the Old Bailey; while Mrs. Sheppard, whose maternal fears drew her in another direction, hurried off to the Mint.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Flash Ken.
In an incredibly short s.p.a.ce of time,--for her anxiety lent wings to her feet,--Mrs. Sheppard reached the debtor"s garrison. From a scout stationed at the northern entrance, whom she addressed in the jargon of the place, with which long usage had formerly rendered her familiar, she ascertained that Blueskin, accompanied by a youth, whom she knew by the description must be her son, had arrived there about three hours before, and had proceeded to the Cross Shovels. This was enough for the poor widow. She felt she was now near her boy, and, nothing doubting her ability to rescue him from his perilous situation, she breathed a fervent prayer for his deliverance; and bending her steps towards the tavern in question, revolved within her mind as she walked along the best means of accomplishing her purpose. Aware of the cunning and desperate characters of the persons with whom she would have to deal,--aware, also, that she was in a quarter where no laws could be appealed to, nor a.s.sistance obtained, she felt the absolute necessity of caution. Accordingly, when she arrived at the Shovels, with which, as an old haunt in her bygone days of wretchedness she was well acquainted, instead of entering the princ.i.p.al apartment, which she saw at a glance was crowded with company of both s.e.xes, she turned into a small room on the left of the bar, and, as an excuse for so doing, called for something to drink. The drawers at the moment were too busy to attend to her, and she would have seized the opportunity of examining, unperceived, the a.s.semblage within, through a little curtained window that overlooked the adjoining chamber, if an impediment had not existed in the shape of Baptist Kettleby, whose portly person entirely obscured the view. The Master of the Mint, in the exercise of his two-fold office of governor and publican, was mounted upon a chair, and holding forth to his guests in a speech, to which Mrs. Sheppard was unwillingly compelled to listen.
"Gentlemen of the Mint," said the orator, "when I was first called, some fifty years ago, to the important office I hold, there existed across the water three places of refuge for the oppressed and persecuted debtor."
"We know it," cried several voices.
"It happened, gentlemen," pursued the Master, "on a particular occasion, about the time I"ve mentioned, that the Archduke of Alsatia, the Sovereign of the Savoy, and the Satrap of Salisbury Court, met by accident at the Cross Shovels. A jolly night we made of it, as you may suppose; for four such monarchs don"t often come together. Well, while we were smoking our pipes, and quaffing our punch, Alsatia turns to me and says, "Mint," says he, "you"re well off here."--"Pretty well," says I; "you"re not badly off at the Friars, for that matter."--"Oh! yes we are," says he.--"How so?" says I.--"It"s all up with us," says he; "they"ve taken away our charter."--"They can"t," says I.--"They have,"
says he.--"They can"t, I tell you," says I, in a bit of a pa.s.sion; "it"s unconst.i.tutional."--"Unconst.i.tutional or not," says Salisbury Court and Savoy, speaking together, "it"s true. We shall become a prey to the Philistines, and must turn honest in self-defence."--"No fear o" that,"
thought I.--"I see how it"ll be," observed Alsatia, "everybody"ll pay his debts, and only think of such a state of things as that."--"It"s _not_ to be thought of," says I, thumping the table till every gla.s.s on it jingled; "and I know a way as"ll prevent it."--"What is it, Mint?"
asked all three.--"Why, hang every bailiff that sets a foot in your territories, and you"re safe," says I.--"We"ll do it," said they, filling their gla.s.ses, and looking as fierce as King George"s grenadier guards; "here"s your health, Mint." But, gentlemen, though they talked so largely, and looked so fiercely, they did _not_ do it; they did _not_ hang the bailiffs; and where are they?"
"Ay, where are they?" echoed the company with indignant derision.
"Gentlemen," returned the Master, solemnly, "it is a question easily answered--they are NOWHERE! Had they hanged the bailiffs, the bailiffs would not have hanged them. We ourselves have been similarly circ.u.mstanced. Attacked by an infamous and unconst.i.tutional statute, pa.s.sed in the reign of the late usurper, William of Orange, (for I may remark that, if the right king had been upon the throne, that illegal enactment would never have received the royal a.s.sent--the Stuarts--Heaven preserve "em!--always siding with the debtors); attacked in this outrageous manner, I repeat, it has been all but "_up_" with US!
But the vigorous resistance offered on that memorable occasion by the patriotic inhabitants of Bermuda to the aggressions of arbitrary power, secured and established their privileges on a firmer basis than heretofore; and, while their pusillanimous allies were crushed and annihilated, they became more prosperous than ever. Gentlemen, I am proud to say that _I_ originated--that _I_ directed those measures. I hope to see the day, when not Southwark alone, but London itself shall become one Mint,--when all men shall be debtors, and none creditors,--when imprisonment for debt shall be utterly abolished,--when highway-robbery shall be accounted a pleasant pastime, and forgery an accomplishment,--when Tyburn and its gibbets shall be overthrown,--capital punishments discontinued,--Newgate, Ludgate, the Gatehouse, and the Compters razed to the ground,--Bridewell and Clerkenwell destroyed,--the Fleet, the King"s Bench, and the Marshalsea remembered only by name! But, in the mean time, as that day may possibly be farther off than I antic.i.p.ate, we are bound to make the most of the present. Take care of yourselves, gentlemen, and your governor will take care of you. Before I sit down, I have a toast to propose, which I am sure will be received, as it deserves to be, with enthusiasm. It is the health of a stranger,--of Mr. John Sheppard. His father was one of my old customers, and I am happy to find his son treading in his steps. He couldn"t be in better hands than those in which he has placed himself.
Gentlemen,--Mr. Sheppard"s good health, and success to him!"
Baptist"s toast was received with loud applause, and, as he sat down amid the cheers of the company, and a universal clatter of mugs and gla.s.ses, the widow"s view was no longer obstructed. Her eye wandered quickly over that riotous and disorderly a.s.semblage, until it settled upon one group more riotous and disorderly than the rest, of which her son formed the princ.i.p.al figure. The agonized mother could scarcely repress a scream at the spectacle that met her gaze. There sat Jack, evidently in the last stage of intoxication, with his collar opened, his dress disarranged, a pipe in his mouth, a bowl of punch and a half-emptied rummer before him,--there he sat, receiving and returning, or rather attempting to return,--for he was almost past consciousness,--the blandishments of a couple of females, one of whom had pa.s.sed her arm round his neck, while the other leaned over the back of his chair and appeared from her gestures to be whispering soft nonsense into his ear.
Both these ladies possessed considerable personal attractions. The younger of the two, who was seated next to Jack, and seemed to monopolize his attention, could not be more than seventeen, though her person had all the maturity of twenty. She had delicate oval features, light, laughing blue eyes, a pretty _nez retrousse_, (why have we not the term, since we have the best specimens of the feature?) teeth of pearly whiteness, and a brilliant complexion, set off by rich auburn hair, a very white neck and shoulders,--the latter, perhaps, a trifle too much exposed. The name of this damsel was Edgeworth Bess; and, as her fascinations will not, perhaps, be found to be without some influence upon the future fortunes of her boyish admirer, we have thought it worth while to be thus particular in describing them. The other _bona roba_, known amongst her companions as Mistress Poll Maggot, was a beauty on a much larger scale,--in fact, a perfect Amazon.
Nevertheless though nearly six feet high, and correspondingly proportioned, she was a model of symmetry, and boasted, with the frame of a Thalestris or a Trulla, the regular lineaments of the Medicean Venus. A man"s laced hat,--whether adopted from the caprice of the moment, or habitually worn, we are unable to state,--c.o.c.ked knowingly on her head, harmonized with her masculine appearance. Mrs. Maggot, as well as her companion Edgeworth Bess, was showily dressed; nor did either of them disdain the aid supposed to be lent to a fair skin by the contents of the patchbox. On an empty cask, which served him for a chair, and opposite Jack Sheppard, whose rapid progress in depravity afforded him the highest satisfaction, sat Blueskin, encouraging the two women in their odious task, and plying his victim with the gla.s.s as often as he deemed it expedient to do so. By this time, he had apparently accomplished all he desired; for moving the bottle out of Jack"s reach, he appropriated it entirely to his own use, leaving the devoted lad to the care of the females. Some few of the individuals seated at the other tables seemed to take an interest in the proceedings of Blueskin and his party, just as a bystander watches any other game; but, generally speaking, the company were too much occupied with their own concerns to pay attention to anything else. The a.s.semblage was for the most part, if not altogether, composed of persons to whom vice in all its aspects was too familiar to present much of novelty, in whatever form it was exhibited. Nor was Jack by any means the only stripling in the room. Not far from him was a knot of lads drinking, swearing, and playing at dice as eagerly and as skilfully as any of the older hands. Near to these hopeful youths sat a fence, or receiver, bargaining with a clouter, or pickpocket, for a _suit_,--or, to speak in more intelligible language, a watch and seals, two _cloaks_, commonly called watch-cases, and a _wedge-lobb,_ otherwise known as a silver snuff-box. Next to the receiver was a gang of housebreakers, laughing over their exploits, and planning fresh depredations; and next to the housebreakers came two gallant-looking gentlemen in long periwigs and riding-dresses, and equipped in all other respects for the road, with a roast fowl and a bottle of wine before them. Amid this varied throng,--varied in appearance, but alike in character,--one object alone, we have said, rivetted Mrs. Sheppard"s attention; and no sooner did she in some degree recover from the shock occasioned by the sight of her son"s debased condition, than, regardless of any other consideration except his instant removal from the contaminating society by which he was surrounded, and utterly forgetting the more cautious plan she meant to have adopted, she rushed into the room, and summoned him to follow her.
"Halloa!" cried Jack, looking round, and trying to fix his inebriate gaze upon the speaker,--"who"s that?"
"Your mother," replied Mrs. Sheppard. "Come home directly, Sir."
"Mother be----!" returned Jack. "Who is it, Bess?"
"How should I know?" replied Edgeworth Bess. "But if it _is_ your mother, send her about her business."
"That I will," replied Jack, "in the twinkling of a bedpost."
"Glad to see you once more in the Mint, Mrs. Sheppard," roared Blueskin, who antic.i.p.ated some fun. "Come and sit down by me."