Stranica 131 [131]
.
an
a
i
scullery or small brewing-place at the end
of the passage : the aperture was so small
that the inmates had probably not thought
it worth while to defend it more ágán, ha 3
but it was large enough to admit a boy of
Oliver’s size nevertheless. A very brief
exercise of Mr. Sikes’s art sufficed to
overcome the fastening of the lattice, and
it soon stood wide open also.
* Now listen, you young limb!” whis¬
oe Sikes, drawing a dark lantern from
is pocket, and throwing the glare full on
Oliver’s face; “I’m a-going to put you
through there. Take this light, go softly
up the steps straight afore you, and along
the little hall to tne street-door. Unfas¬
ten it, and let us in.”
“There s a bolt at the top you won’t be
able to reach,” interposed Toby. “Stand
upon one of the hall chairs; there are
three there, Bill, with a jolly large blue
unicorn and a gold pitchfork on ’em,
which is the old iad "8 arms.”
“ Keep quiet, can’t you!” replied Sikes
with a savage look. “The room door is
ee Wide,” replied ‘Toby, aft
“Wide,” repli oby, after peepin
in to satisfy himself. § The annie oF that
is that they always leave it open with a
catch, so that the dog, who’s got a bed in
here, may walk up and down the anc
when he feels wakeful. Ha! ha! Barney
’ticed him away to-night, so neat.”
Although Mr. Crackit spoke in a scarce¬
ly audible whisper, and laughed without
noise, Sikes imperiously commanded him
complied by first producing his lantern,
and placing it on the ground; and then
planting himself firmly with his head
against the wall beneath the window, and
his hands upon his knees, so as to make a
step of his back. This was no sooner
done than Sikes, mounting upon him, put
Oliver gently through the window, with
his feet first; and, without leaving hold
of his collar, planted him safely on the
floor inside,
4 Take this lantern,” said Sikes look¬
ing into the room. “You see the stairs
afore you ?”
Oliver, more dead than alive, gasped
out, “ Yes;” and Sikes, pointing to the
street-door with the pistol barrel briefly
advised him to take notice that he was
within shot all the way, and that if he
faltered he would fall dead that instant.
“Tt’s done in a minute,” said Sikes in
the same low whisper. “ Directly I leave
go of you, do your work. Hark!”
c What’s that?” whispered the other
man.
They listened intently.
“ Nothing,” said Sikes, releasing his
hold of Oliver. “Now!”
In the short time he had had to collect
his senses, the boy had firmly resolved
that, whether he died in the attempt or
not, he would make one effort to dart up
stairs from the hall and alarm the family.
Filled with this idea, he advanced at once,
but stealthily.
“Come. back!” suddenly cried Sikes
aloud. “ Back! back!”
Scared by the sudden breaking of the
dead stillness of the place, and a loud
cry which followed:it, Oliver let his lan¬
tern fall, and knew not whether to ad¬
vance or fly. ‘The cry was repeated—a
light appeared—a vision of two terrified
half-dressed men at the top of the stairs
swam before his eyes—a flash—a loud
noise—a smoke—a crash somewhere, but
ge he knew not,—and he staggered
ck.
Sikes had disappeared for an instant ;
but he was up again, and had him by the
collar before the smoke had cleared away.
He fired his own pistol after the men,
who were already retreating, and dragged
the boy up.
“Clasp your arm tighter,” said Sikes
as he drew him through the window.
“Give me a shawl here. They ’ve hit
him. Quick! Damnation, how the boy
bleeds !”
Then came the loud ringing of a bell,
mingled with the noise of fire-arms and
the shouts of men, and the sensation of be
ing carried over uneven ground at a rapid
pace. And then the noises grew confused
in the distance, and a cold deadly feeling
crept over the boy’s heart, and he saw or
heard no more.