The History Channel

by S G Read

  He lay in bed thinking about it until nature took its course and he had to go to the bathroom, the television lay there but as it was unplugged it was just a television. He used the toilet, still thinking about the problem and the answer came to him. He could have gone out the back door climbed up on the earth toilet and over the wall, yes that was the answer, so when he arrived from the future and walked out and they asked what had happened that was the story he would tell. He could not describe people breaking in as he did not see them but he had heard their voices and one name, John, he could tell them that one called the other John.

  Then another thought hit him, what if they had closed the door and were lying in wait for him in his house. Now no one would know about the break in and when he returned to the house they would pounce and take what money he had, that was a sobering thought. How long would they wait? When he turned on the television he knew it would take four hours for it to open the door to the past, would they wait that long. As he walked back out he plugged the television in, at least he could listen and see if there were any strange noises below, before he was ready to venture through the door but it would be wise to not use the ladder this time and struggle through the hole as he had done before.

  He went back to bed, taking some breakfast with him, to eat it in comfort and wait for the television to work. Four hours is a long time and by the time the television was working again he was dressed in his father's old clothes ready to go. He saw the screen change and knew the door was open but he did not go through it, he merely sat on the toilet leaning over the hole, listening. He heard nothing all the time he sat there and decided to stick his head through and have a look but sense took over and he used the television to look around very carefully slowly panning round to see what had been done and if anyone was there.

  As he suspected the door had been forced open but there was no one in the room and he could hear no one but that did not mean that they weren't waiting for him. He dragged the table with the television on it to a position whereby he could see the rest of the lower floor and planned round the room. The front door was wide open and he knew that the thieves were gone so he dragged the table with the television on it back into the bathroom. Now he needed to explain to Goliath.

  He climbed down through the hole and walked to the back door, that was wide open it had been also been forced, which helped his story, he did not have to do anything to it, except to get it repaired. He heard a noise and immediately thought of the two men but waited and listened to the noise before he took any action. It was a rhythmic noise and he recognised it as someone mopping the floor upstairs. He assumed that Mary had come in anyway, ignoring the damaged door and started work. He walked up the stairs and saw Mary working to get the top floor as clean as the bottom floor had been before it had splintered wood spread over it.

  ‘Good morning Mary.’ He greeted.

  ‘Good morning Mr William, I saw you had visitors last night.’ She answered.

  ‘Yes I did,’ William replied, I heard them coming in the front so I went out the back and locked behind me.’

  ‘You didn't see them then?’ Mary asked.

  ‘No, but I did hear one of the men call the other one John even though I didn't see their faces.’ William answered.

  ‘It was probably John and Tom Barber I know they get up round the fights and follow the winners home to get their cash.’ Mary declared.

  ‘Well if they come back they will find it a lot harder to get in Mary I am going to see to that.’ William replied.

  He walked down the stairs and out into the street, looking warily either side and then hurried across to the tavern. Goliath looked up when he walked in and William knew that he had been over to investigate.

  ‘You're still alive then?’ Goliath asked.

  ‘Yes but I had to run for it when I heard them breaking in.’ William answered.

  ‘So they didn't get your money then?’ Goliath asked.

  ‘No, I've still got that.’ William answered and pulled out a wad of notes.

  ‘You should put that lot in the bank,’ Goliath declared, ‘or they'll be back.’

  ‘I plan to spend a lot today and start furnishing my new abode,’ William answered, ‘I need to arrange with Gus for him to take me over to Cheapside in the afternoon.’

  ‘I am sure he'll be about and willing to take you, what are you planning to buy?’ Goliath asked.

  ‘I'm going to try buying and selling and I thought I could buy some goods from Ebenezer Gold and sell them on, hopefully for profit.’ William answered.

  ‘Where are you going to sell it?’ Goliath asked.

  ‘Oh, that will be abroad, there is no point in trying to sell it round here.’ William answered.

  ‘Abroad, well I don't know much about other countries, so you might well be right, I certainly hope you are William.’ Goliath declared.

  ‘I have two chances,’ William answered, I will sell for a profit but what won't sell for a profit I might not be able to sell it at all. What I have to do now is find somebody to fix my door so that they can't just walk back in whenever they like, I think I might have a solid bar or two put on the inside which will stop anyone getting in, in future.’

  ‘Won't they just come in through the window?’ Goliath asked.

  ‘I plan to block that up as well with the same sort of thing and do all the downstairs windows, after all if I'm going to have some of Ebenezer Gold’s stock, I might as well have it as safe as his place, that place is almost impenetrable.’ William answered.

  He had to check himself, he nearly said it's as safe as Fort Knox as he knew that Fort Knox had not yet been built and therefore it would have been a slip. When he spoke he had to think carefully before he said anything as any remark out of place could cause problems.

  ‘He does have it safe,’ Goliath agreed, ‘it's like Newgate prison that building.’

  ‘I have to agree but then he does have a lot of stock to look after and I am sure somewhere in there he has a lot of money to buy things or pay out when people pawn their stuff,’ William declared, ‘I did assume that he had a safe in there somewhere to lock the more valuable things in.’

  ‘He does but I don't know where it is, I don’t think anyone's ever seen it and lived.’ Goliath joked.

  ‘No, I know what you mean, when I was buying something and it was on the counter he did everything without taking his eyes off the thing I was buying just to make sure I didn't pick it up and run. I assume he has a gun of some description behind the counter, probably something like Gus's blunderbuss.’

  ‘I wouldn't be surprised and I bet it is loaded with something lethal and not pebbles like Gus uses.’ Goliath answered.

  ‘Why pebbles?’ William queried, remembering the Goliath had mentioned them before.

  ‘Pebbles don't cost anything you can just pick them up off the street, when he sees a pebble of the right size and shape he puts it into his pocket so that when he discharges his gun next time he’s got something to put back in it.’ Goliath explained.

  ‘He is careful with his money.’ William declared.

  Goliath merely nodded.

  ‘George Yeoman is the man to talk to about your repairs,’ he added, ‘he'll make your place like Newgate prison as well.’

  ‘Where do I find him?’ William asked.

  ‘Over the bridge and down to the left, best wait for Gus though, it's a bit of a walk and there are some unsavoury characters about as you well know.’ Goliath answered.

  William sat and waited talking to Goliath while he waited and drank a tankard of ale while he did so but he made one tankard last a long time. His problem was that he wanted the house safe from intruders before he bought what he could from Ebenezer's shop.

  Gus finally returned from his trip and William was soon on his way to George Yeoman's house, it was actually a builder’s yard with building equipment strewn everywhere, some of which would do to block up his windows. He found the builder drinking tea in a small shed.r />
  ‘Are you George Yeoman?’ William asked politely.

  ‘I am, what can I do for you Mr.?’ George replied.

  ‘Just, William Just, I have work for you, if you're willing to do it.’

  ‘What do you want me to do?’ George asked.

  ‘I was broken into last night, they broke the front door, a forced open an internal door because it was locked and they broke the back door. What I would like from you Mr Yeoman is to make sure that no one else can do the same, unless they have some seriously strong equipment.’ William answered.

  ‘I'll follow you up in my cart, I take it that is your chaise?’ George asked.

  ‘It is, so please follow us along we’re only in Tooley Street.’ William answered.

  William walked back to the chaise and climbed in, Gus saw the builder climb into his cart and assumed he was going to follow him. He turned and started back towards the bridge with a glance behind before he turned onto the main road to make sure the builder was following. They clattered across the bridge with the cart following, making the same sort of noise.

  Back at the house George Yeoman inspected the damage to the various doors. He took measurements with a wooden measuring stick but did not write them down, he could remember all his measurements without the need to write them down. 10 minutes later he was on his way to get what he needed from his yard, he was going to put bars on the doors, and bars on the downstairs windows to make the place impregnable.

  William and Gus walked over to the tavern to have something to eat and drink, William had no way of locking the outside door so he had stopped long enough to cover the temporal door with his duvet thus making it fairly invisible although some noises still came through it. It was the best he could do at present. They sat talking and William explained that he wanted to go to Ebenezer Gold's shop at about 4 PM that day and he was likely to buy quite a few things, which he needed to bring back.

  ‘Can I borrow your cart at 4 PM Goliath?’ Gus called across to him.

  ‘Since when did you have to ask Augustus?’ Goliath answered.

  ‘I just thought you might be using it.’ Gus declared indignantly.

  ‘When do I go anywhere in it, you do all my shopping, I seem to spend all my time in this tavern in fact I think the only way I will get out this tavern is feet first.’ Goliath replied.

  ‘We'll take Goliath's cart. I can attach Bella to it and we should have enough room to bring back anything you want to buy.’ Gus explained.

  They spent the rest of the time waiting, watching George Yeoman as he first repaired the front door, then put bars on the front windows. After that he was out of sight but they could hear him working inside and his cart was still parked outside the door. The only time they saw George after that, was when he collected things from the cart or came out to look after his horse. William had told George just where he would be when he finished, he resisted telling George to walk over when he was hungry or thirsty as he wanted the job finished today but he did promise George a meal and a pint when the job was done.

  George was still working when it was time to go off and visit Ebenezer Gold's shop. William took out £20 in five pound notes and put them on the counter before they went.

  ‘That is to pay George Yeoman when he has finished,’ William announced, ‘I also said he could have a meal and a pint which I will pay for Goliath. If there is not enough money there I will drop it along to his yard when I come back.’

  ‘I’ll deal with it for you William, if you're not back by the time he's finished.’ Goliath answered.

  They left for Ebenezer's shop, William was looking forward to it, even though he had no real need to haggle and would make a lot of money from what he was going to buy, back in the future, he was still going to haggle as much as he could and enjoy it.

  When William walked into his shop in Ebenezer Gold's face fell, little did he know that William was there to spend a lot of money or maybe he would have smiled. William stood in the middle of the shop and looked round, there were various things that William knew he could sell, including paintings and even vases. There was a one big painting which William knew would not go through the television set, unless he cut the painting out of the frame and rolled it up, therefore there was no point in buying it. Even though he knew that the painting would go up in flames later that night. He chose one nice looking painting and put it on the counter ready to haggle. They both eyed each other up and down for a few seconds before Ebenezer Gold spoke.

  ‘And how much do you want to pay me for that one?’ He asked.

  This was new to William he had not even considered the price for the painting, it was hoping it would fetch two or £300 in modern times at auction but what was that back in Victorian times? It was hard to envisage, five pounds went a long way in Victorian times. He was assumed that Ebenezer had paid less than a pound for it therefore a pound would be profit.

  ‘I'll give you a pound for it,’ William answered, ‘how does that sound?’

  ‘Sold.’ Ebenezer answered.

  ‘I intend to buy a few more things while I'm here so perhaps you could write it on a slate and we can add it up at the end.’ William replied.

  Ebenezer produced a slate and wrote one on it. William walked over to look at the other paintings and brought another one over to the counter, he knew this one would go through the television.

  ‘A pound?’ Ebenezer asked.

  ‘Sounds good to me,’ William answered, we'll say a pound for every painting I bring up unless you think it is worth more.’

  Ebenezer wrote another one on the slate under the original one, while William brought up three more paintings and showed them to Ebenezer before he stood them by the door. There were all manner of things in the shop and he assumed a lot of them would sell in the future. He also brought up vases and some crockery which he left on the counter.

  ‘A pound for that lot’ William asked.

  Anyone in there would have thought that Ebenezer has swallowed his chalk by the noises he made at the inference of them not being worth very much. He did not speak immediately but looked at each vase and then at the crockery in turn to see what it was like.

  ‘More like five pounds I reckon.’ He declared.

  ‘Five pounds,’ William echoed, ‘hardly worth five pounds I'll put them back.’ He threatened.

  ‘Well I can't let you have them for a pound!’ Ebenezer exclaimed.

  William had to check himself, he nearly offered £1.50 but of course that was modern money in old money it was £1.10 shillings.

  ‘I'll give you £1.10 for them.’ Williams said grudgingly.

  ‘I could let you at them for four pounds.’ Ebenezer offered.

  ‘That's robbery,’ William declared, ‘but I'll go up to 2 pounds for them as I'm in a good mood.’

  ‘Two pounds, they’re worth more than two pounds, give me three and we'll call it a deal.’ Ebenezer replied.

  William looked at the things again going through the same routine that Ebenezer had gone through when he was trying to work out a price for them. He picked up each vase in turn and looked at the bottom of it to see who made it then he did the same to the crockery.

  ‘Three pounds it is then.’ He declared.

  With that decided he looked round for more things to buy but he wanted gold watches and he was hoping for some duelling pistols or other things like it. He saw a cavalry sword and greatcoat worn by soldiers or sailors and thought they might well sell. He carried them to the counter.

  ‘I've got other swords for sale but they're not on display,’ Ebenezer offered, ‘if you want to come through to the back or show you them.’

  ‘Yes I'll look at them, I would also like to buy some pistols and gold watches and another watch chain if you have them?’ William answered.

  ‘I have plenty of them,’ Ebenezer answered, ‘we'll go through to the back and look at the pistols and cavalry swords.’

  Before they went through to the back Ebenezer locked the door to make sur
e no one else came in while he was out of the shop, he was a very careful man. When they came back into the front part of the shop William was laden with three more swords and a set of duelling pistols, he also had a French sailor’s percussion pistol just like Goliath's, they all went on the counter and then the haggling started. When they had settled on a price for that lot Ebenezer pulled out his draw of gold watches and chains from under the counter. The two duelling pistols cost William £20 to buy them but he knew that would sell for thousands back in the future. He picked up a gold watch and looked at it and then look to another one, gold was selling well in the future at the moment so they were the things to buy to make money quickly. In the end he bought all the watches and all the chains. When he finished shopping, he gave Ebenezer £300 in five pound notes, he noted that Ebenezer listed every sale in a very old book he had, using a pen made out of a quill which he dipped in an inkwell. If that book survived the fire then it would give everything he had just bought, provenance back in the future.

  ‘Make sure you put that money in a safe the tonight,’ William warned, I had visitors last night they broke open the front door and they broke open the back door and they broke through my storage door.’

  ‘All my money and this book goes in the safe overnight, that way if I'm robbed, I can tell exactly what they have stolen by what is listed in this book,’ Ebenezer answered, ‘it has been a pleasure doing business with you Mr Just, do come again.’