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Sikes's Last Stand
Near the Thames River, in one of the most wretched areas of London, was a place called Jacob's Island. It was surrounded by a muddy ditch 20 feet wide, when the tide came in, it was filled with water 6 or 8 feet deep. In a decaying old house overlooking this ditch sat Toby Crackit and Charley Bates.
"When did they capture Fagin?" asked Toby.
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| Sikes's Last Stand |
"Just this afternoon," Charley replied. "I escaped up the chimney. Noah got into the big empty water cask, head-first, but his legs stuck out so far that he was seen and captured too. Even The Cripples isn't safe anymore. Everyone was taken into custody. But you should have seen Fagin! He went down fighting, all muddy and bleeding."
Suddenly, a pattering noise was heard on the stairs outside, and Bill Sikes's dog bounded into the room through an open window. He was limping and almost dead from hunger and thirst.
"What's the meaning of this?" cried Toby. "I hope Sikes isn't coming here."
"He's probably out of the country by now."
Discussing Fagin's Capture.....
Both agreed that this was probably so. They gave the dog some water and sat quietly as the hours passed.
Much later, the door burst open and Sikes entered, his face white, his eyes sunken. Toby and Charley gasped.
"Monster ! Murderer!" shouted the men who had once been his friends in crime.
Their shouts were drowned out by the sounds of people and horses approaching the house.
"Twenty guineas to the man who brings a ladder!" shouted Harry Maylie's voice from the angry mob surrounding the house.
Sikes Bursts In.....
"The tide was in as I came up," cried Sikes. "Bring me a long rope. I'll climb up to the roof "Bring of the house and lower myself into the ditch! give me a rope or I'll kill you."
Sikes Tries to Escape.....
Sikes climbed up to the roof and fastened one end of the rope tightly around the chimney. With the other end of the rope, he made a loop. He would lower himself with the rope, then cut it with his knife when he was almost touching the ground.
As he put the loop over his head and prepared to slip it under his armpits, Sikes lost his balance and tumbled off the roof. As he fell 35 feet, the noose got tighter and tighter around his neck. There was a sudden jerk, and the murderer hung lifeless against the wall of the house. The knife was still clenched in his stiffening hand.