“Waste not another word with him, Thames,” cried Jack.  “Upon him!”

“Yield, villain, or die!” shouted Thames, drawing his sword and springing towards him.

“There’s my answer!” rejoined Wild, hurling the bludgeon at him, with such fatal effect, that striking him on the head it brought him instantly to the ground.

“Ah! traitor!” cried Jack, pulling the trigger of his pistol.

Anticipating this, Wild avoided the shot by suddenly, ducking his head.  He had a narrow escape, however; for, passing within an inch of him, the bullet burried itself deeply in the wall.

Before he could fire a second shot, Jack had to defend himself from the thief-taker, who, with his drawn hanger, furiously assaulted him.  Eluding the blow, Jack plucked his sword from the scabbard, and a desperate conflict began.

“Pick up that blade, Nab,” vociferated Wild, finding himself hotly pressed, “and stab him.  I won’t give him a chance.”

“Cowardly villain!” cried Jack, as the Jew, obeying the orders of his principal, snatched up the weapon of the murdered man, and assailed him.  “But I’ll yet disappoint you.”

And springing backwards, he darted suddenly through the door.

“After him,” cried Wild; “he mustn’t escape.  Dead or alive, I’ll have him.  Bring the link.”

And, followed by Abraham, he rushed out of the room.

Just as Jack got half way down the stairs, and Wild and the Jew reached the upper landing, the street-door was opened by Langley and Ireton, the latter of whom carried a lantern.

“Stop him!” shouted Jonathan from the stair-head, “stop him!  It’s Jack Sheppard!”

“Give way!” cried Jack fiercely.  “I’ll cut down him who opposes me.”

The head turnkey, in all probability, would have obeyed.  But, being pushed forward by his subordinate officer, he was compelled to make a stand.

“You’d better surrender quietly, Jack,” he cried; “you’ve no chance."’

Instead of regarding him, Jack glanced over the iron bannisters, and measured the distance.  But the fall was too great, and he abandoned the attempt.

“We have him!” cried Jonathan, hurrying down the steps.  “He can’t escape.”

As this was said, Jack turned with the swiftness of thought, and shortening his sword, prepared to plunge it into the thief-taker’s heart.  Before he could make the thrust, however, he was seized behind by Ireton, who flung himself upon him.

“Caught!” shouted the head-turnkey.  “I give you joy of the capture, Mr. Wild,” he added, as Jonathan came up, and assisted him to secure and disarm the prisoner.  “I was coming to give you intelligence of a comical trick played by this rascal, when I find him here—­the last place, I own, where I should have expected to find him.”

“You’ve arrived in the very nick of time,” rejoined Jonathan; “and I’ll take care your services are not overlooked.”