When London Burned

e o'clock. At nine, the family went to bed. A quarter of an hour later, Cyril stole noiselessly from

nd left the light, for you might run foul of something or other

ime he could see nothing, and told himself that the whole contents o

nothing," he said to

ear som

line of the roof of the warehouse, which was some three or four feet below the level of his eyes, and some twenty feet away on his left. The time passed slowl

sted but a few seconds; then he heard an irregular, shuffling noise, that seemed to him upon the roof of the warehouse. Pressing his face to the casement, he suddenly became aware that the straight line of the ridge was broken by somethi

low voice, "get up at once,

ay,

he bed, and a moment later

t, lad?" h

think it is the apprentices. I heard a slight noise, as if they were letting th

sound as the Captain

scoundrels! What can th

ng. It sufficed to show them a figure lying at full length at the farther end of the roof;

well back from the wi

t show us to anyone

n earth is that boy doing there

l said. "The figure in front

earth can To

on it and swing himself by the rope into the loft if the doors are not fastened inside. Robert, being taller, would have no difficulty

ding beside them, having started

ink there can be no doubt that these fellows on the roof are A

eturned in a

w is open, and there is a rope hanging

hout a suspicion that they have been watched. I hope and trust that it is not so bad as it looks, and that the b

just after they went to their rooms, it might be that they went to

nt a little more open, and stood listening there. In t

e door into the yard,"

's pay to be behind t

could make out that two figures below were applying a key to the padlock. This was taken off and laid down; then the heavy wooden bar was lifted, and also laid on the ground. The gate opened as if pushed from the other si

the things

r," the for

bag which I guess had copper of some kind in it. They have done us cleverly, the young villain

if a flash of lightning came they would see that it was half open, and even if they did not catch sight of o

ir door, so as to make sure that everything is quiet before they turn in. There is nothing more to see now. Of c

or open; but he could not be sure, for just at that moment heavy drops began to patter down upon the tiles. The noise rose louder and louder until he could scarce have heard himself speak.

ning. During the meal, Captain Dave gave the fore

or two, and what must be new. His skipper asked for new running rigging all over, but he thinks that there can't be any occasion for

il went out, on his wa

anding a fe

n the roof, we will let the men out at the front door. Two will post themselves this end of the lane, and two go round into Leadenhall Street and station themselves at the other end. When the boys go out after supper we will unlock the door at the bottom of the stairs into the shop, and the door into the warehouse. Then we wi

at it could have been done without Tom Frost being taken. He is a timid sort o

if he is caught robbing his master. Cowardice is no excuse for crime, lad. The boys have always been well treated, and though I dar

the morning before anyone was astir. Mrs. Dowsett had been taken into her husband's confidence so far as to know that he had discovered he had been robbed, and was keeping a watch for the thieves. She was

at of her mother, that something was amiss, and was so persistent in her inquiries, that the Captain consented to her mother telling he

and it is better that he should not perceive that yo

ss serious

the fact that, so far, he doesn't know who the people most concerned in it may be. He has

ything about it?" N

as owing to his cleverness that your

to father, and I asked what it was about and he would no

that for the last week you have been taking Robert with you as an escort when you went out

unt of irritation. "I saw that he smiled, two or three evenings back, when I told Robert

rt to go with her, he had been amused at the thought of how greatly she would be mortified, when Robert was h

r last watch, Captain Dave," h

e so specially

o take the goods come regularly once a week; for in that case there would be no occasi

be the same, too. John and I will share your watch to-night

as from half-past nine till twelve. The Captain

dgel he held in his hand, and gazed at the roof of the warehouse, which could now be plainly seen, for the moon was half full and the sky was clear. As before, the two figures went along, and this time they could clearly recognise them. They were both sitting ast

The thieves outside may not have come up at present. As you go out, leave the door ajar; in five minutes you others should stand ready. Don't go to the corner, but wait in the doorway below until you hear the whistle

y his master. The latter and Cyril remained at the window until they saw the door of the warehouse open, an

the two constables ran up and joined in the fray. Two men fought stoutly, but were soon overpowered. Robert Ashford, knife in hand, had attacked John Wilkes with fury, and would have stabbed him, as his attention was engaged upon one of the men outside, had not Cyril brought his cudgel down sharply on his knuckles, when, with a yell of pain, he dropped the knife and fled up the lane. He had gone but a short distance, however, when he fell into the hands of the two

, and not of mine, and even if I were willing to let you go, they would have their say in the matter. Still, if you make a clean breast of what you know about it, I will do all I can to get you off lightly; and s

some fifty pounds' weight of brass and copper fitt

sheet, though I don't know whether it is altogether needful, seeing that we have caught

be ready in a minute. You may as well lock up this gate again, John. I will go out through the front door and join them in the

the time came that there was nothing more to rob; and I should never have held up my head again, for though the Captain would never believe that I had had a hand in bringing him to ruin, other people would not have

ough to afford a foot-hold to those lowering themselves

ow I reckon we may as well lock up the place again, and turn in. The Captain has got the

in the house, and went down to the shop, w

the apprentices, John. Is ther

en, no doubt, the Captain will get an extra man in to help me. I reckon he will have

nging from their window," Cyril s

en up into the loft either. It is best to leave matters just as they were.

looking very grave. The Captain, on the other hand, was

rprise, seeing that Cyril alone was i

he shop, and will come up and have his brea

prentices out, t

re in limbo," the

ther! What do

they are in g

knife and fork that

joking,

Tom Frost. They have been robbing me for the last year, and, for aught I know, before that. If it had no

ld they rob

o get down at the other end on to the crane, and then into the loft. Then they went down and took what they had a fancy to, undid the door, and went into the y

n I heard a sound of quarrelling and fighting in the lane. I thought it was some roystere

of Tom Frost's case, both on the ground of his youth, and because, no doubt, he was influenced by Ashford; but I would not g

she remembered how pointedly she had asked for his escort

ting about, father. I have to ask your pardon, Master Cyril, for my rudeness to you; but of course I did

your curiosity, and I am not surprised that you took offence. I knew that when you learned how important it was

knew, mother?

urs every night, but I did not know that he suspected the apprentices. I am glad that we did not, for assured

ing me; and I know honest John Wilkes must have felt it still more. But till a week ago we would not believe that they had a hand in the matter. It is seven nights sinc

to suspect that robber

he books, I found there was a g

rs that he took a berth in this ship, for the scoundrels would have foundered her to a certainty, if he had not done so. I tell you, chil

other men who we

odged there I came home. They will be had up before the Lord Mayor this morning, and then I dare say

atter?" Mrs. Dowsett said

illain, Bob, was just coming at me with his knife, and I reckon it would have gone hard with me if Master Cyril here hadn't, just in the nick of time, brought his stick down on Robert's knuckles, and that so sharply that the fellow dropped his knife wi

l, and gave a warm grip to t

and I were sailing on, not dreaming of hidden rocks or sand-banks, when this lad, who I used to look upon as

the minds of Captain Dave and myself to ask him to take up his abode with us. It seemed to us then that

Martha Stebbings and the rest of them will laugh at me! They used to say they wondered how I could go about with such an ugly wretch behind me, and of course I

lose their character, and perhaps their lives, simply for their greed of other people's goods. I could cry when I think of it. I know that Robert Ashford has neither father nor mother to g

e, and I feel sure that he did not go willingly into the affair. I have noticed many times that he had

fully built fellow, who seemed, from his attire, to follow the profession of a sailor. Tom Frost was sobbing bitterly. One of Robert Ashford's hands was bandaged up. As he was placed in the dock he cast furtive glances round with his shifty eyes, and as they fell upon Cyril an expression of deadly hate came over his face. The men of the watch who had captured them first gave their evidence as to finding them in the act of robbery, and testified to the desperate resistance they had of

them in their commis

in the Ch

empted my apprentices to rob me, would then have made off. Therefore, I thought it better to wait unt

ake their way along the roof, and how they and the receivers of their booty were taken by the w

in David Dowsett to make up his books, he found, upon stock being taken, that there was a deficiency to t

?" the magistrate asked the officer of

his assistant in the shop; he answers closely to the description of a man, Ephraim Fowler, who has long been wanted. This man was a seaman in a brig trading to Yarmouth. After an altercation with the captain he stabbed him, and then slew the mate who was coming to his assistance; then with threats he compelled the other two men on board to let him take the boat.

eft the dock, Captain Dav

ps obliged by threats to take part in them; he may be able to give you some assistance, for maybe these men are not th

nd going down to his place. It is the most important capture we have made for some time, and may lead to the discovery of other robberies that have been puzzling us for months past. There is a gang known as the Black Gang, but we have never been able to lay hands on any of their leaders, and such fellows as have been captured have refused to say a word, and have denied all knowledge of it. There have been a number of robberies of a mysterious kind, no

ain Dave said. "You know our goods better

ing the goods, sir, and I am due i

r and brass ship and house fittings, and a very large quantity of rope, principally of the sizes in which the stock had been found deficient; but to these Captain Dave was unable to swear. In addition to these articles the cellar contained a number of chests, all of which were found to be filled with miscellaneous articles of wearing apparel-rolls of silk, velvet, cloth, and other materials-curtains, watches, clocks, ornaments of all kinds, and

n, for you can swear that, to the best of your knowledge and belief, they are yours, and bring samples of your own goods to show that they exactly correspond with them. I have no doubt that a good deal of the readily saleable stuff, such as ropes, brass sheaves for blocks, and things of that sort, will have been sold, but as it is clear that there is a good deal of your stuff in the stock found below, I hope your loss will