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CHAPTER THE SIXTH.
Looks after Oliver, and proceeds with his ad¬
ventures.
6 Wo.ves, tear your throats!” mutter¬
ed Sikes, grinding his teeth; “I wish I
was among some of you; you’d howl the
hoarser for it.”
As Sikes growled forth this impreca¬
tion with the most desperate ferocity that
his desperate nature was capable of, he
rested the body of the wounded boy
across his bended knee, and turned his
head for an instant to look back at his
pursuers.
There was little to be made out in the
mist and darkness; but the loud shouting
of men vibrated through the air, and the
barking of the neighbouring dogs, roused
by the sound of the alarm bell, resounded
in every direction.
cc Stop, you white-livered hound!” cried
the robber, shouting after ‘Toby Crackit,
who, making the best use of his long
legs, was already ahead,—* stop!"
The repetition of the word brought
Toby to a dead stand-still, for he was not
quite satisfied that he was beyond the
range of pistol-shot, and Sikes was in no
mood to be played with.
“ Bear a hand with the boy,” roared
Sikes, beckoning furiously to his confede¬
rate. ‘ Come back!”
Toby made a show.of returning, but
ventured in a low voice, broken for want
of breath, to intimate considerable reluc¬
tance as he came slowly along.
6 Quicker!” cried Sikes, laying the
boy in a dry ditch at his feet, and draw¬
ing a pistol from his pocket. “ Don’t play
the booby with me.”
At this moment the noise grew louder,
and Sikes again looking round, could dis¬
cern that the men who had given chase
were already climbing the gate of the
field in which he stood, and that a couple
of dogs were some paces in advance of
them.
sc [t"s all up, Bill,” cried Toby, “ drop
the kid and show ’em your heels.”” With
this parting advice, Mr. Crackit, pre¬
ferring the chance of being shot by his
friend to the certainty of being taken by
his enemies, fairly turned tail, and darted
off at full speed. Sikes clenched his
teeth, took one look round, threw over
the prostrate form of Oliver the cape in
which he had been hurriedly muffled, ran
along the front of the hedge as if to dis¬
tract the attention of those behind, from
|
it at right angles, and whirling his pistol
high into the air, cleared it at a bound
and was gone.
cc Ho, ho, there!” cried a tremulous
voice in the rear. “ Pincher, Neptune,
come here, come here!”
The dogs, which, in common with their
masters, seemed to have no particular
relish for the sport in which they were
engaged, readily answered to this com¬
mand: and three men, who had by this
time advanced some distance into the
field, stopped to take counsel together.
6 My advice, or leastways I should say,
my orders is,” said the fattest man of the
party, “that we ’mediately go home
again.”
“Tam agreeable to anything which is
agreeable to Mr. Giles,” said a shorter
man, who was by no means of a slim
figure, and who was very pale in the
face, and very polite, as frightened men
frequently are.
s [ shouldn’t wish to appear ill-man¬
nered, gentlemen,” said the third, who
had called the dogs back, “ Mr. Giles
ought to know.”
“Certainly,” replied the shorter man;
‘and whatever Mr. Giles says, it isn’t
our place to contradict him. No, no, I
know my sitiwation, — thank my stars I
know my sitiwation.” "To tell the truth,
the little man did seem to know his situa¬
tion, and to know perfectly well that it
was by no means a desirable one, for his
teeth chattered in his head as he spoke.
“You are afraid, Brittles," said Mr.
Giles.
6 [ ain’t,” said Brittles.
6 You are," said Giles.
6 You "re a falsehood, Mr. Giles,” said
Brittles.
c You ’re a lie, Brittles," said Mr.
Giles.
Now, these four retorts arose from Mr.
Giles’s taunt, and Mr. Giles’s taunt had
arisen from his indignation at having the
responsibility of going home again im¬
posed upon himself under cover of a com¬
pliment. The third man brought the
dispute to a close most philosophically.
“Tl tell you what it is, gentlemen,’
said he, “ we "re all afraid.”
“Speak for yourself, sir,” said Mr
Giles, who was the palest of the party.
‘So I do,” replied the man. “It’s
natural and proper to be afraid, under
such circumstances: I am.” |
* So am I,” said Brittles, “ only there "a
no call to tell a man he is, so bounce¬
second before another hedge which met
These frank admissions softened Mr