Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 439

This issue of Beadle and Adams' Dime Library (December 22, 1885) features "A Neat Piece of Work" by J. C. Cowdrick, author of "The Detective's Apprentice." The serial follows Sandy Sam Sanders, a fifteen-year-old Jersey City bootblack and street scout known for his bravery and quick wit. With $2.49, he sneaks into an empty cab to cross into Manhattan, evading tolls. After emerging at a fashionable avenue, he encounters the cab driver and escapes with characteristic sass. He witnesses a sick man being loaded into the cab with two companions, then observes a street fight beginning. The narrative emphasizes Sam's resourcefulness, street-wise dialect, and mischievous personality as he navigates urban adventure.