“Mother!” she echoed,—“mother! why do you call me by that name?”
“Because you are my mother.”
“What!” she exclaimed, staring eagerly in his face. “Are you my son? Are you Jack?”
“I am,” replied Jack. “Heaven be praised she knows me at last.”
“Oh, Jack!” cried his mother, falling upon his neck, and covering him with kisses.
“Mother—dear mother!” said Jack, bursting into tears.
“You will never leave me,” sobbed the poor woman, straining him to her breast.
“Never—never!”
The words were scarcely pronounced, when the door was violently thrown open, and two men appeared at it. They were Jonathan Wild and Quilt Arnold.
“Ah!” exclaimed Jack, starting to his feet.