CHAPTER XII.--THE BOY CAPTIVE.
Let me beg the kind reader, who has followed me through my story thusfar, to recall an important personage who was left a prisoner in thehands of a band of wicked men who were evidently hiding from theofficers of the law.
In that boy captive the reader has doubtless recognized Will Raymond,for his mother had not taught him the name of his father, SchuylerCluett.
When he had been addressed upon the street by a gentleman, and sent onan important mission, he had been entrapped, for his face and age justsuited a purpose that was to be carried out through him.
What that purpose was will soon be made known.
The time of Will's capture was some months after the flight of themother with her children from the elegant country mansion of ColonelRichard Ivey.
So well had Mrs. Raymond, as I must now again call her, concealedherself, that the police and detectives, put upon her track by ColonelIvey, had been unable to find her where abouts, and it was believed thatshe had left New York for another place.
In an humble home, in a cheaper quarter of the city, the poor woman hadfound an abiding-place, for it could not be called a home.
The rooms were but three in number, and not so pleasant as those whereshe had lived in poverty before; but they were kept scrupulously clean,and were not uncomfortable.
As soon as she was fully settled, Mrs. Raymond paid her rent for sixmonths in advance; then she laid in a store of provisions, andpurchasing painting materials, again began to paint little pictures forsale, for she had but a small sum left of that which she had broughtwith her, and she must begin to earn more, she knew.
But the shock of her husband's return, as though from the grave, hadbeen a severe one, and she felt that she was by no means as well as shecould wish.
Gradually her nerves failed her, the mainsprings of life, and she becamealmost a confirmed invalid, unable to do but little.
Will and Pearl had again began attending the nearest public school, but,as the spring drew near and Mrs. Raymond's health failed her more andmore, her little daughter had remained at home with her, while her braveboy had given up his studies to earn what money he could, and this wasbut little, hardly enough to give them food, and, but for Mrs. Raymondhaving paid the rent, it would not have been sufficient to meet alldemands, moderate as they were.
It was while Will was skirmishing around in search of a stray penny toearn, that he had struck what had appeared to him a "bonanza," in thepromise of a couple of dollars for delivering a letter and keeping hismouth shut, at the same time afflicting himself with loss of memory, asthe one who paid him for his alleged services had demanded that heshould.
When, therefore, Will found himself a prisoner, the reader can wellimagine his feelings.
Brave boy that he was, his first thought was of his sick mother'sdistress at his absence, and his second of himself.
It flashed upon him, from the words of Jerry, the Night Hawk, the secretmanner of his gaining admission, the letter which had led him into atrap, that he was meant for some mysterious purpose of villainy.
The room in which he found himself had but one door, that by which hehad entered, and the ceiling ran up with the peaked roof, in which wereskylights for light and air.
It was a large room, occupying one side of the house, excepting wherethe little ante-chamber, or hall-way was taken off, and about the sideswere baths such as one sees in a steamboat's cabin.
A cupboard was in one end of the room, filled with dishes, and next toit was a dumb-waiter that came up from the lower depths somewhere.
On the opposite side a door was opened to what appeared to be anothercupboard, but in which Will saw at a glance a ladder, leading to an openskylight above.
In the centre of the room was a large table with chairs about it, andseated in various attitudes about it were a dozen men, who scowledviciously upon the boy as he was dragged into their presence by Jerry,the Night Hawk.
But Will, in spite of his perilous position, kept up a brave manner.
"What did ther kid come here for?" asked a man with a scowling face.
"Captain Cruel sent him, and writes that he'll do for the little job toplay on the Philadelphia man whose son died on our hands, and thus cutus out o' the reward," said Night Hawk Jerry, who seemed to be leader ofthe band of ruffians.
"He looks it sart'in, and I thought it were Billy come ter life ag'inwhen I seen his face; but will he do it?"
"He'll have to, Jack, or--" and the look and action of Night Hawk Jerrywere most significant, and did not escape the eyes of Will Raymond.
Wizard Will, the Wonder Worker Page 13