A League of Three: Boy's Detective Stratagems — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A LEAGUE OF THREE. Again the tramps laughed. They thought they had what is called a soft snap, and one of them said: “When a man don’t pay up do you know what we do?” “ No.” “We call him a trespasser.” mi “ You do?” “ Yes.” Y “Well, what then?” : “Do you know what we do with trespassers?” | is “No. What do you do with them?” | “We strangle ’em.” | The tramp assumed a terrible look and tone as he pre 4) nounced the doom of the trespasser. . ~~ 2 2 i CHAPTER III. MADIE HAS SOME FUN—THE TRAMPS DON’T. 2 Our hero, upon hearing the terrible threat, pretended | to be scared almost to death, and in a frightened tone he gaid : “Qh, you are only joking.” f , “No; we never joke, we don’t. We are millionaires, i we are, we can’t afford to joke; so pay up.” j “T can’t pay you two dollars.” “ You can’t, eh?” thee 46 No.” “Then we will have to call you a trespasser.” | _“T know you are only joking.” “Say, pard,” said one of the tramps, “he’s too young f to strangle.” ‘ “ Yes, he’s too young.” “ Let’s let him trade it out.” | “Yes, trade it out.”