Old Death then took the light, and, followed by Jacob, cautiously ascended the stairs.
They entered the front-room on the first-floor. It was a parlour, very neatly furnished: but no one was there.
"The boy must be in the back chamber," murmured Old Death; and thither they proceeded.
Having opened the door as noiselessly as possible, they advanced slowly into the room; but scarcely had the candle shed its light upon the bed, when they beheld the boy—the object of their enterprise—cradled on the bare and beautifully modelled arm of a female also wrapped in slumber, and whose coal-black hair spread itself over the white pillow, and partially concealed her glowing bust.
"The Jewess!" whispered Jacob, in a rapid, concentrated tone.
Old Death instantly shaded the light with his hand, and retreated from the room, followed by the lad.
But at that moment a loud knock at the front-door was heard; and simultaneously a piercing shriek burst from the apartment below, where Toby Bunce had been left in charge of the landlady.
Old Death muttered a terrible curse, extinguished the light, and hastened down stairs as noiselessly as possible—Jacob following with equal caution.
"The back way," murmured Old Death: "but first go and help Toby, who is in some trouble or another with the landlady."
Jacob darted into the front-room; and as it was quite dark, he stumbled over a chair.