e made a desperate spring at Wild, bore him to the ground,
clutched at his throat, and would, infallibly, have strangled him, if
the keepers had not all thrown themselves upon him, and by main force
torn him off. His struggles were so violent, that, being a man of
tremendous strength, it was some time before they could master him, and
it required the combined efforts of all the four partners to put him
into irons. It appeared from what he said that he had been captured when
asleep,--that his liquor had been drugged,--otherwise, he would never
have allowed himself to be taken alive. Wild, he asserted, had robbed
him of a large sum of money, and till it was restored he would never
plead.

"We'll see that," replied Jonathan. "Take him to the bilbowes. Put him
in the stocks, and there let him sleep off his drunken fit. Whether he
pleads or not, he shall swing with his confederate, Jack Sheppard."

At this allusion to his leader, a shudder passed through Blueskin's
athletic frame.

"Where is he?" he cried. "Let me see him. Let me have a word with him,
and you may take all the money."

Jonathan made no answer, but motioned the partners to take him away.

As soon as Blueskin was removed, Wild intimated his intention of
visiting the Castle. He was accompanied by Ireton and Austin. The
massive door was unlocked, and they entered the cell. What was their
surprise to find it vacant, and the prisoner gone! Jonathan, could
scarcely believe his eyes. He looked fiercely and inquiringly from one
to the other of his companions; but, though both of them were
excessively frightened, neither appeared guilty. Before a word could be
said, however, a slight noise was heard in the chimney, and Jack with
his irons on descended from it. Without betraying the slightest
confusion, or making a single remark, he quietly resumed his seat.

"Amazement!" cried Wild. "How has he unfastened his padlock? Austin, it
must be owing to your negligence."

"My negligence, Mr. Wild," said the turnkey, trembling in every joint.
"I assure you, Sir, when I left him an hour ago, it was locked. I tried
it myself, Sir. I'm as much astonished as you. But I can't account for
it!"

"At all events, you shall answer for it," thundered Wild, with a bitter
imprecation.

"He's not to blame," said Jack, rising. "I opened the padlock with this
crooked nail, which I found in the floor. If you had arrived ten minutes
later, or if there hadn't been an iron bar in the ch