It sometimes happens that a very valiant and resolute spirit is
contained in a small body. Bet Granger's little brothers, known in the
slums as the captain and the general, were as thin, as lanky, as
under-grown little chaps as could be found in Liverpool. Not a scrap of
superfluous flesh had they, and certainly not an iota of superfluous
growth. They were under-fed, under-sized; but nevertheless brave
spirits shone out of their eyes, and valiant and even martial ideas
animated their small frames. The "Cap'n" and the "Gen'ral" were
considered so plucky by the other boys--and girls of the neighborhood
that as a rule they were asked to take the command in a fight, and to
assume leading and distinguished positions in a general fray. Most
valiantly then would they strike out left or right--regardless of black
eyes, indifferent to bumps or blows. They looked like little furies on
these occasions, and the other children applauded and admired. It was
well known in Sparrow Street, and it was even beginning to be
recognized as a certain fact in Paradise Row, that when both the
captain and the general were engaged together in one encounter there
was not the smallest chance of the opposite side winning.
These untrained and somewhat desperate little bravos had also certain
instincts which taught them to espouse the cause of those weaker than
themselves: and it was often a ludicrous as well as a pathetic sight to
see these small champions leading the van, and eagerly supporting girls
and boys a great deal bigger than themselves. Their mother had
certainly told them that fighting was sinful; but it was the breath of
life to them, and when Thady was once asked what he liked best in the
world, he answered promptly, "Punchin' another feller's head." These
small boys were quite little braves in their way; but, as there is a
weak point in the most invincible armor, so were there conditions under
which the general and his gallant captain would undoubtedly show the
white feather. There was a presence which could effectually quench the
ardor of two pairs of keen eyes, could cause two little faces to blanch
to an unwholesome and sickly hue, could cause two little hearts to beat
anxiously, and could so affect the moral equilibrium of two very
steadfast little souls, that lies would fall glibly from their lips,
and the coward's weapons of deceit and subterfuge would be gladly used
by them in self-defence.
It was a father who had this effect upon his children; and the
torturing and ruining of these young child-lives was being effected in
the civilized England of our nineteeth century. Granger represented a
not too uncommon type of man, and Nat and Thady did not suffer more
than hundreds of other boys when exposed to his influence.
On the morning after Bet had written her letter to Will, she rose
early, and was preparing to go to the police-court, to look her last on
her lover, when the door of their one little room in Sparrow Street was
burst rudely open, and Granger, his face red and bloated, and his whole
manner indicating that he had reached the quarrelsome stage of
insobriety, entered the room with heavy strides. He was a big man,
powerfully made, and when in his present condition even Bet thought it
wisest to let him alone. He entered the room and glared about him
savagely. A great deal of this manner was put on, for he was acting a
part under Dent's instructions; but none of his children knew this, and
when striding across the room, he caught the poor little blue-eyed
captain by his ragged collar, the boy uttered a scream, and the
general, basely deserting his brother, rushed to Bet for protection.
"Give up that lad," shouted Granger, hoarsely. "I want the two of 'em.
They are my lads, and you have played the fool with 'em long enough. I
have got work as 'ull suit them, away in Warrington, and I'm going to
take 'em by an early train. There--hands off, Bet--give me the lads."
"Never," cried Bet. She looked like a wild creature about to be
deprived of her young. Holding one arm firmly round the general, she
gripped the little captain by the other hand.
"Gi' them up to me, father! You shan't have them--you shan't touch
them--there! What do you mean? You take 'em away to work at I knows not
what?--and they no more nor seven years old! Let 'em be--they're my
lads, and you shan't harm a hair of their heads."
The boys clung to her, with white faces. The man, savage and amazed at
this unexpected resistance, stood wavering for an instant. At that
moment it seemed to Bet as if a thousand furies possessed her, and a
thousand strengths were given to her. All the accumulated anguish of
the past week seemed to gather vehemence now, and to lend iron force to
her muscular arms. She wrenched the little captain quite away from the
red-faced, bloated man; and then, both arms freed for a moment, she
actually pushed him before her to the door, and, before he could utter
a word, or collect his scattered forces, she locked him out.
"There! lads," she said, turning round with a triumphant half laugh,
"you see as Bet's as good as her word."
"You're a born fighter," said the captain, in a tone of admiration. He
recovered his spirits and his courage on the spot, and in a few moments
he and the general were amusing themselves in acting the scene which
Bet had just gone through.
"Boys," said their sister's voice, after ten minutes had passed, and no
attack been made on the door, she concluded that Granger had for the
present withdrawn himself--"Boys, I'm a wanting to go out."
"Oh, no, Bet, no--father'll come back."
"But the door's werry strong. I'll lock it from the outside, and make
off with the key. I won't be long, boys; I'm a hungered to see
somebody--my heart draws me, and I'm in pain. You won't be in any
danger, dear lads, and I'll be back werry soon. I jest want to set eyes
on one face that I'll never see no more. You won't be afeard, ef
there's a locked door between you and father."
The rare tears which scarcely ever came to her stood in Bet's eyes.
"No, we won't be afeard," said the captain, running up to his
sister--"there ain't nought to be afeard of. You're wanting to see your
sweetheart--ain't yer, Bet?"
"No," said Bet, with an almost-cry--"I han't got a sweetheart now. All
the same, I hungers for the sight of a face. And I'll be back soon.
Don't you be fretting, lads. There'll be a locked door atween you and
harm."
She wrapped her shawl about her, waited for no further words, locked
the door on the little prisoners, and rushed downstairs. As she said,
her heart was drawing her. Nothing but that passionate hunger would
have caused her to forsake the children at this supreme moment. The
house was intensely quiet, for most of the lodgers had gone out on
their day's avocations. Not a sign of Granger was to be seen.
Bet walked fast, and presently reached the police-court, where Will was
to be tried. A crowd of people were waiting outside; a few policemen
stood about. The doors of the building were not yet open. Bet saw
Hester Wright standing very near the entrance. She made an effort to
get to her, and called her name over the heads of the crowd; but
Hester, after looking at her coldly, turned her back without making any
response. This action cut Bet to the quick. She found the tears again
springing to her eyes. Oh! for one glance, if only the last, of Will's
kind face. The minutes dragged themselves along; the crowd increased;
but as the right hour had not yet come, the doors remained fast shut.
At last, at the stroke of ten, they were opened, and Bet was pressing
in with the rest, when she felt a hand laid heavily on her arm. She
turned, to see the coarse black-eyed girl who had bought her beat from
Granger.
"Ef I was you, I'd go home, Bet," said the girl.
"You mind your own business," said Bet, shaking her off roughly.
"Well--there's a mischief brewing, and I saw what I saw. Don't you say
as you wasn't warned; and ef the two little chaps come to grief, it
ain't Louisa Perkins' fault."
These last words alarmed Bet.
"Say out yer say at once," she answered, clutching the girl now, and
forcing her back against the crowd who were pushing their way into the
building,--"say your say and have done," she repeated. "What has come
to the lads? I left them safe not an hour agone."
"I saw Granger making off with them."
"You didn't--that's a lie! I left them locked up safe in my room."
"Granger was hurrying off with them," repeated Louisa, "werry red in
the face, and mad like. The captain was crying, and t'other chap had a
red mark down his cheek--it's not a quarter of an hour by St. Giles'
clock as I saw him."
"Where was they going?" asked Bet. "Tell me quick, or I'll shake you."
"Down Castle Street, making for Lime Street and the railway station, I
expect."
Bet ceased to push inwards with the crowd. They went past her, and the
little police-court was soon filled to overflowing. Isaac Dent almost
rubbed against her shoulder as he went by. He winked at Louisa, but Bet
never noticed him.
"Hester--Hester Wright!" she suddenly called out.
Hester had not yet gone into the police-court. She was standing against
one of the posts of the door, watching the crowd as they filed past.
"Hester!" repeated Bet. "Hetty--Hetty! Come and speak to me for a
minute! I must go, but I want to send a message. Just one word,
Hetty,--Hetty, come!"
Perhaps Hester did not hear. At any rate, she neither turned nor
heeded. Bet gave a low despairing cry; then, flinging her shawl off her
shoulders, she ran as fast as if there were wings to her feet in the
direction of Sparrow Street.