"Yes," said Peg, coolly. "Follow me up the steps."
The woman led the way, and Jack followed.
The former rang the bell. An untidy servant girl made her
appearance.
"We will go up-stairs, Bridget," said Peg.
Without betraying any astonishment, the servant conducted them to an
upper room, and opened the door.
"If you will go in and take a seat," said Peg, "I will send Ida to
you immediately."
She closed the door after him, and very softly slipped the bolt
which had been placed on the outside. She then hastened downstairs,
and finding the proprietor of the house, who was a little old man
with a shrewd, twinkling eye, and a long aquiline nose, she said to
this man, who was a leading spirit among the coiners into whose
employ she and her husband had entered, "I want you to keep this lad
in confinement, until I give you notice that it will be safe to let
him go."
"What has he done?" asked the old man.
"He is acquainted with a secret dangerous to both of us," answered
Peg, with intentional prevarication; for she knew that, if it were
supposed that she only had an interest in Jack's detention, they
would not take the trouble to keep him.
"Ha!" exclaimed the old man; "is that so? Then, I warrant me, he
can't get out unless he has sharp claws."
"Fairly trapped, my young bird," thought Peg, as she hastened away;
"I rather think that will put a stop to your troublesome
interference for the present.
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