He was to be the landlord of
the hotel, when Mrs. Cobbledick had gone to bliss, and Jemima was to
be his bride, and the landlady.
But early next morning there was trouble in the house. The watch was
missing, and nobody knew anything about it. Jemima helped her mother
to look for it, and could not find it. A constable was sent for, and
he questioned everyone in and about the house, and searched
everywhere without result. Last of all Jack was asked if he knew
anything of the missing watch. He was faithful and true. How could
he betray Jemima, his future partner in life? He said he "had never
seen no watch, and didn't know nothing whatsomever about no watch,"
and the next instant the constable pulled the watch out of Jack's
pocket.
At his trial he was asked what he had to say in his defence, and then
he told the truth, and said Jemima gave him the watch to keep until
she should ask for it. But there is a time for all things; and Jack
could never learn the proper time for telling the truth, or for
telling a lie; he was always in the wrong. The judge, in passing
sentence, said he had aggravated his crime by endeavouring to
implicate an innocent young lady in his villany, and gave him seven
years.
He was taken on board a hulk, where he found two or three hundred
other boys imprisoned. On the evening of his arrival a report was
circulated among them that they were all to be sent to another ship,
which was bound for Botany Bay, and that they would never see England
again.
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