H. B. Marriott Watson

“ The watchman stared at him, struggling with his returning wits. Suddenly Parton uttered an exclamation, and with a stroke of his arm knocked over the lantern. The room was plunged in darkness, but a thread of light came from the direction of the ladder. I heard the breathing of several men, of whom I was one. Parton's hand went silently down to my arm in a pressure of warning. Upon that I caught the noise of swift feet coming in a rush. I stood up and backed away. A cry and a groan came from near by, and after that a scuffling noise, and then silence. ”

“ V. CHERRY WHARF. THE very magnitude of a great city makes its solitude, and the aggregation of innumerable lives in one brief patch of earth is nearer to a wilderness than a vacant and a desert land. In London I lived unknown, unheeded, even unnoticed except by chance acquaintances. In London I came to feel myself as safe and warm as though I had never stepped outside the barriers of the law. No eyes pierced the darkness ”

“ A little later a slight noise overhead caused me to strain my eyes upwards, and I perceived gradually to emerge out of the night a long chain, rattling weakly as it dropped, and carrying a massive burden. It fell into the hold of the barge, whence I heard noises of the man at work. The bold ruffians were pillaging the wharf under the very noses of the river-police. I now had time to devote some thoughts to myself. The barge lay close to the wharf, and it was probable that I might drop into the water without attracting notice ”

“ When I discovered this I was amazed to find the huge tiller rolling free. I crept down into the little cabin, and discovered nothing but a small oil lamp feebly burning, a bunk, and some poor remnants of a meal. Not a soul was upon the boat. As I came to this conclusion, I was aware of the necessity of piloting the barge, for an angry oath in the night proclaimed that we had nearly run down upon a launch. I put the tiller straight, and the barge hummed down the tide ”

“ The watchman was there; he must have been overpowered.”
He was silent, pondering, and I spoke hastily. “If I may advise,” I said, “the best thing seems to be to run for assistance. The police can be summoned easily, and the thieves surprised.”
“That sounds good advice,” he replied, but still had the air of thought. “You look a fairly strong man,” he went on, scrutinising me. “How many are there?”
“Two in the wharf and one in the barge,” I replied.
“Barge!” he echoed, lifting his eyebrows. “Well, if they have dared so greatly, there is no reason why we shouldn't. ”

“ I descended into the cabin, and sat by the faint lantern with very unpleasant thoughts. I had fallen into the hands of a crew of miscreants, but I did not yet understand what sort of rascals they were. I was conscious that the barge was still moving, but that was all; and presently the motion ceased, we struck upon something, and finally there was silence above and below. A little afterwards the man who had been at the tiller descended into the cuddy-hole.
“Well, sonny, we're there,” said he cheerfully; “but you got to look after yourself, or else there 'll be mischief. ”

“ This lasted for the space of two minutes or more, and then a light flared from a match. I cowered underneath the bags which hid me.
“By Gawd,” said a horrid voice, which I recognised, “the watchman's gone: this isn't him. It's another bloke.” He swore foully. “We must mizzle with what we got.”
A moment later I heard their feet above, and a rattling of the chain informed me that they were descending to the boat. When I was sure of that I came out of my hiding-place, and, groping for the lantern, lit it. It illumined faintly the body of Mr. Parton curled in an awkward heap upon the floor.... ”

“ I moved invisible, a corpuscle in the arteries of the town—a starved and battered corpuscle, drifting I knew not whither, Yet it was long ere I dared to pass a_police-station, and when I came to take heart in my security, I found that my name and crime had vanished from the warning boards, and that I had passed into oblivion, so far as public interest was concerned. ”

“ We passed through the room and ascended softly to the loft above. It was in the floor above this again that the two thieves were at work by a dark lantern, and we could hear their feet moving overhead, What Mr. ”