o the jagged and gaping wound
on his head, and forced the flesh still more asunder, exerting all her
strength to force him on his back; but the bayonet was still in her
throat, and with the point descending towards the body, and Smallbones
forced and forced it down, till it was buried to the hilt. In a few
seconds the old hag loosed her hold, quivered, and fell back dead; and
the lad was so exhausted with the struggle, and his previous loss of
blood, that he fell into a swoon at the side of the corpse.

When Smallbones recovered, the candle was flickering in the socket. He
rose up in a sitting posture, and tried to recollect all that had
passed.

The alternating light of the candle flashed upon the body of the old
woman, and he remembered all. After a few minutes, he was able to rise,
and he sat down upon the bed, giddy and faint. It occurred to him that
he would soon be in the dark, and he would require the light to follow
up his intended movements; so he rose, and went to the cupboard to find
one. He found a candle, and he also found the bottle of cordial, of
which he drank all that was left, and felt himself revived, and capable
of acting. Having put the other candle into the candlestick, he looked
for water, washed himself, and bound up his head with his handkerchief.
He then wiped up the blood from the floor, threw some sand over the
part, and burnt the towel in the grate. His next task was one of more
difficulty, to lift up the body of the old woman, put it into the bed,
and cover it up with the clothes, previously drawing out the bayonet.
No blood issued from the wound--the haemorrhage was all internal. He
covered up the face, took the key of the door, and tried it in the lock,
put the candle under the grate to burn out safely, took possession of
the hammer; then having examined the door, he went out, locked it from
the outside, slid the key in beneath the door, and hastened away as fast
as he could. He was not met by any body, and was soon safe in the
street, with the bayonet, which he again concealed in his vest.

These precautions taken by Smallbones proved that the lad had conduct as
well as courage. He argued that it was not advisable that it should be
known that this fatal affray had taken place between the old woman and
himself. Satisfied with having preserved his life, he was unwilling to
be embroiled in a case of murder, as he wished to prosecute his designs
with his companions on board.