“There,” said he, with a sigh of satisfaction, when all was arranged, “we shall give our amiable friends a warm reception when they come.”
“But they will escape by the door,” said I, in much anxiety, “and we only shall perish.”
“Never mind that, Bob; we can only die once. Besides, they sha’n’t escape; trust me for that.”
As he spoke we heard approaching footsteps. Presently the key turned in the lock, and the door opened.
Story 2—Chapter 10.
Punctually, to a minute, our jailors returned, and once again drew up in a row before us.
“Now, lads, wot have ye got to say?”
“My friends,” began Jack, standing up and balancing himself on his one leg as well as he could, at the same time speaking with the utmost gravity and candour of expression, “my companion here in temporary distress—for I feel that it will be but temporary—has devolved upon me the interesting duty of making known to you the secret which has burthened his own mind for some time, and which has had so impressive and appropriate an effect upon yours. But first I must request you to lock the door, and hang the key on this nail at my elbow. You hesitate. Why? I am in chains; so is my comrade. We are two; you are four. It is merely a precaution to prevent the possibility of any one entering by stealth, and overhearing what I say.”