ENTRAPPED BY THE GYPSIES.—See Number 19.
ENTRAPPED BY THE GYPSIES.—See Number 19.
ENTRAPPED BY THE GYPSIES.—See Number 19.
“Do you know that your life is forfeit, fool?” said Death-wing.
“You cannot mean that?”
“I do, though, except on one condition.”
“Name it, then, most worthy Death-wing.”
“Have you liberated Phillip Redgill with the money I gave you for that purpose, or have you squandered it to-night in card-playing?”
“Oh, no! Upon the honour of a gentleman, I assure you I procured his release.”
“Indeed!”
“Yes.”
“You did it, say you?”
“I did.”
“And how?”
“Well, then, most worthy Death-wing and gentlemen,” said Captain Jack, turning to the Crew around him, “I’ll unburden my heart, and tell you the truth.”
“For once in his life!” said Alick, with a boisterous laugh. “Go on, I am listening.”
“In the first place,” said Captain Jack, beginning to invent a string of lies, “in the first place I took the fifteen hundred pounds—”
“Two thousand pounds was the sum I gave you.”
“Ahem—beg pardon—so it was—I forgot all about it at the moment. Well, I took the two thousand pounds directly you gave it to me, and mounted my horse, so as to make all the haste I could in order to return and see the famous game between old Gingles—”
“Sir?”
“I beg pardon; I should have said Captain Death-wing and his friend Alick.”
“Well?”
“I paid Colonel Blood £1,000 for his share.”
“Did he give you a receipt?”
“Why, no, I was in such a hurry I forgot to ask for one.”
“And yet you promised to produce receipts for all your expenses.”
“So I did, most august Death-wing; but, as I said, I was so much interested in your game of cards, I forgot to take note of my promise.”
“Well, go on; what did you do with the other thousand?”
“I gave £250 to each of the three gaolers, and——”
“Why, you told me there were but two gaolers.”
“Did I? Ah, I forgot; I meant to have said three.”
“Well, and how did you lay out the other £250?”
“I gave it to the prisoner to help him along with in order to escape.”
“Very kind of you, indeed,” said several.
“Yes, wasn’t it?” said Captain Jack, who was now much pleased with the effect his lies had upon his grim hearers.
“You are sure you did not keep it for yourself?” asked Death-wing, in a savage tone.
“Keep it for myself? Impossible! I could not think of such a thing!”
“Of course not, as an honourable man——”
“As an honourable man, not having the least personal interest in such a matter, I could not think of——”
“Certainly not, certainly not. The noble captain of ‘the Baker’s dozen’ is too high-minded and honest to resort to such a trick.”
Captain Jack bowed very humbly to this compliment; but it must be confessed his knees began to tremble under him from fear.
“And did the prisoner escape?”
“He did.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive of it; I saw him do it.”
“And how did it happen, then?”
“As soon as I gave the money to the jailers, they entered his cell, unfastened his irons, loaned him some of their clothes, and I having procured a horse for the fugitive, he galloped away at full speed. After that I returned to see the match between you and Alick, and I came here with him to tell you all about it.”
“Very obliging of you,” said Death-wing, “very obliging, certainly; but it strikes me very forcibly you came here, expecting to find me alone, with the intent of robbing me.”
“Robbing you! Oh! you cannot think that. I am incapable of conceiving such a thing.”
“That may be; but who have you got to prove all you have said about the prisoner’s escape?”
“I did not think it necessary to bring the jailers with me to witness all I have said; but it is true, nevertheless, every word.”
“That may be; we shall quickly see.”
So speaking, Death-wing stamped his foot thrice heavily upon the floor.
A stranger answered the summons by entering the room.
He walked up towards Captain Jack, and confronted that officer boldly.
He looked pale, haggard, and worn.
It was Phillip Redgill himself.
Captain Jack could have sunk through the floor.
“Do you know this person?” said Death-wing, speaking to Phillip.
“I do, well; too well for my own comfort.”
“Did you hear his story about your escape?”
“I did; every word of it.”
“Was it true?”
“No; every word he uttered was a lie.”
“Did he not bargain not to arrest you for a certain sum?”
“He did.”
“On his promise, as a man of honour and a gentleman, you believed him?”
“I did.”
“You paid the price he demanded?”
“Yes; and no sooner did he receive it than he had me arrested.”
“Who assisted you to escape?”
“I know not, or how or when it was, Captain Death-wing. All I know is, that I fell into a deep sleep, and when I awoke to consciousness I was liberated from prison and safe and well here in this house, surrounded by several armed men of the Skeleton Crew.”
“Do you hear that, Captain Jack?” Alick asked, with a sneer.
“I do hear it.”
“All this was done,” said Death-wing, “while this gentleman here was betting at cards. Instead of paying the sum he spoke of, he lost every note in betting against me. In proof of it, I had every bank note marked, and here they are,” said he, presenting before Captain Jack’s own eyes the very notes he had lost in bets.
“He is a rogue!” said one.
“An infamous liar!” growled several.
“He is not worthy of life!”
“What shall we do with him?”
“Kill him! kill him!”
Captain Jack now felt cold perspiration oozing from every part of his body, and he trembled in every limb.
“You have boasted in your time of having done great things against the Skeleton Crew,” said Death-wing, with a grim smile, “but your tales are all lies, for a greater coward than you are never carried a sword, Captain Jack.”
“He is not fit to live!”
“I know he is not,” said Death-wing, “and he shall die, unless he promises to fulfil all we ask of him.”
“Name it—name anything you like, and I will do it,” said Captain Jack, trembling.
“In the first place, you received several thousand pounds from Phillip Redgill?”
“Yes, I did, worse luck.”
“Will you return it?”
“How can I do so?”
“That remains with yourself to think of. If you do not in less than a week, your life is not worth a farthing!”
“But I have no money.”
“Are you not captain of the Baker’s Dozen, as your men are called?”
“I am.”
“Well, then, get it how you can, but if you fail in doing so in less than a week, you die! Do you hear?”
“I do.”
“You will be watched and dogged both night and day, remember. There is not the least chance of your escaping me or my band.”
“Well, and what next?”
“You told Colonel Blood that Phillip Redgill did the murder?”
“I did.”
“And what proof have you?”
“The clothes which Redgill exchanged with Bob Bertram were given up to me by young Ned Warbeck. The proof is clear against Phillip Redgill.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
“But you must not ‘know so,’ if you value your life, Captain Jack!” said Death-wing, with an oath. “Don’t be so fast with your tongue, but listen to me.”
“I will.”
“You know Ned Warbeck?—Wildfire Ned, as he is called.”
“I do, well. He is one of the bravest—”
“Stop!” said Death-wing, with a fierce oath; “would you thus speak of my deadliest enemy?”
“Your enemy?”
“Yes, and that of all the band. I believe the young brat was born to bring disgrace and ruin on the Skeleton Crew, for ever since he was born misfortune has followed us.”
Captain Jack listened, but said not a word.
In his heart he loved Ned Warbeck, and hated both Redgill and his grim friends with his bitterest hate.
“Now, I tell you, Captain Jack, that this youth must die, by any means in your power or mine. Could you not, in some manner, fasten Farmer Bertram’s murder upon Ned Warbeck?”
“It is possible, but—
“No ‘buts’ with us—you must do one thing or the other. You must die here, where you now stand, or take a most solemn oath to arrest Ned Warbeck, and charge him with murder.”
“But where are the witnesses to carry out the charge of murder?”
“You can do that easily enough. Once he is in prison, there will be no difficulty in bringing up men to swear to anything we ask of them. Some of your own band, Captain Jack, could do that.”
“Yes, if they were well paid for it.”
“And so they shall be.”
“But where is the money to come from?”
“Oh, you must find that.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. Rob Colonel Blood, or whoever you choose. I care not what you do, so you obey my commands.”
“I will do as you wish,” said Captain Jack, who was over anxious to get away from such horrible-looking people. “Let me go, and I’ll fulfil any commands you like.”
“So be it. Remember your oath.”
“I will.”
“And also remember,” said Death-wing, “that every step you take, and every action you do, will be closely watched by some one or other of the Skeleton Crew.”
“I will not forget.”
“Then, on your bended knees, before all assembled, swear on this sword to fulfil my commands.”
“I will.”
Captain Jack fell upon his knees, and, then, in the midst of all assembled, swore to apprehend Ned Warbeck on the charge of murder, and to procure witnesses at any cost to support the charge.
In a few moments thereafter, Captain Jack was in the open air again, and free.
He knew not why or wherefore, but directly he got into the streets again, he ran from the house with great fleetness, like a hare which has escaped from a deadly snare.