The Shakespeare Stealer

This chapter begins where the preceding chapter ended: with Widge attempting to sneak away from the property room after seeing Nick stealing the playbook. Nick spots Widge, however, and beckons him inside the room. Widge confronts Nick, and they start to fight. Eventually, Nick overpowers Widge and escapes with the playbook. During the altercation, Nick stabs Widge with a sword, and Widge looks down to see himself soaked in blood.

Sander enters the property room and is startled by Widge’s bloody appearance. Drenched in blood, Widge tells him, “Nick stuck me” (192). Sander is concerned at first, but then both boys realize that Nick stuck the fake blood bag under Widge’s costume. Widge, though shaken and bruised, is not actually bleeding. He grabs Mr. Armin in the hallway and asks him to help catch Nick, quickly explaining the stolen playbook. The two pursue Nick over the Thames River on a wherryboat. In the midst of their pursuit, the boat overturns and dumps Widge into the river.

Widge is rescued by Mr. Armin, and the two contemplate where to look for Nick, who escaped with the playbook during their accident. Widge explains what he knows about Falconer’s whereabouts, and they continue to Aldersgate Street.