The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 248: what you’re looking at

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

242 ‘ All right,” said Barney, directing the driver, in an undertone. ‘Cauliflower Alley, No. 7.” The driver grinned when ordered to drive to such a low locality, but he cracked his whip and was soon away. In due time, Tom and Matty arrived at No. 7, Cauliflower Alley, paid the cabman his fare, and went up stairs into the third-floor front, Just as Tom had entered the miserable abode, and dark to such a degree that he could make out no single object, he was suddenly seized by the ghroat, and thrown upon the floor. 3 It was Barney. e ‘© Tf you raise a shout or make a noise, Mat,” said he, “I'll knife you. Lock the @deor”~ Matty, all trembling with excitement, shut the door and locked it. —~ vis A violent struggle now ensued between Captain Tom Ford and the villain Barney, - — The Pug imagined that by ixipping up the young sailor, and throwing him apon the floor, he would make no resistance, and allow himself to be robbed without resistance. Bnt Barney wasn’t alone, he was assisted by one of the two prigs he had seen and spoken to that night. The second “prig,’ however, out.of hate for Barney, had ‘‘rounded”’ on their game, and in- formed Mr. Gale. ‘ But Tom’s position was perilous in the extreme. He fought desperately, and dealt the ‘ prig ” such a violent blow with the butt of his revolver that it cut open his head, and he lay groaning on the floor, ; “Not so fast, my fine fellows, not so fast,” said Tom, as with great strength he twisted away from Barney, and knocked him flat on the floor, and knelt on him, revolver in hand. : At that instant the door was burst-open with a loud crash, Detective Gale and a party of officers, lamps in | hand, rushed into the room. CHAPTER XCIII. TRAPS LAID FOR WARY BIRDS. Tur struggle between Barney and Captain Tom, as | we have seen in another chapter, did not last many seconds ; but during that time the gallant young sailor had done much mischief to his assailants. Had not Gale and his brother officers made their © appearance when they did, there cannot be a doubt but that the young captain would have killed his base and cowardly assailants. As it was, however, the unexpected arrival of Gale and his companions enlivened the proceedings very much, greatly to Barney’s discomfort. ‘‘ Hillo, my fine fellow,” said Gale, seizing Barney by the coat collar, “you won’t let ‘well’ alone I find. You are not content with what you have already done, but must do more, eh?.So you have got on a new ‘lay,’ eh ? You drug and entrap gentlemen, eh, my fine fellow ? but you have done it once too often.” Without more ado Gale seized Barney by the coat collar, and took him into custody. The other two thieves were also secured, and almost dragged downstairs. When they had got down into the alley there was a great crowd of idlers, who were gaping and looking on. “Why, it’s Barney,” said one, ‘‘ What’s up ?” another remarked, ‘Serve him right,’ a third remarked; “serve him right, the informing whelp,” —_—§§ THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. Amid these and such like compliments Barney and the two thieves, his companions, were hustled off to the police-station. Among the entire throng of idlers he had to pass through there was not a single voice who spoke of him with pity. ‘“‘That’s right, p’liceman,” said several old crones, “that’s right,” said they, clapping their hands in high glee, “that’s right ; you’ve got the vagabond at last. Serve him ont this time; give him seven pen’ortn,”’ Barney and his chums heard all these compli- ments, and gnashed their teeth in anger. Each, with an officer beside him, marched out of Cauliflower Alley, and through the drizzling rain went tothe station. Matty, knowing that she had been the chief @ause of Barney’s arrest, slipped away unnoticed. When Gale and Captain Tom found themselves together in private after this affair, the officer said— . “You don’t mind drinking with me, captain?” ‘Not in the least,” said Tom. “TI shall feel only too happy.” . ““T have something to say which greatly con- cerns you,’ said Gale. — ©Abont what?” — | “Oh, nothing much ; but come this way. I know a snug parlour ina publie-house near by. Suppose we go in,” ; ; “With all my-heart.”’ “They both entered the public-house, and finding no-one in the parlour, they sat down, aud called for | cigars and brandy. ‘‘You would mever jguess my business with you to-night, captain?” Gale began, in a laughing way. “‘ Perhaps not ; what is it?” \ “T am a detective officer,” \ “IT suspected it, and am much obliged for your timely interference.” : “No thanks at all; I planned it all with young Matty, and 7 knew that no harm could well befall you, for I was on the landing with my brother constables when you and the girl passed up.” “The devil yon were! I never heard you or saw you either,” . ““T dare say not ; but now to business,” “Well, what is a6? You look serious,” said Tom. Tas “J am serious,” . i ey ‘‘ What’s the matter, then?” “Tt concerns your uncle’s murder.” “Well, what of it ?” “At first it was supposed that you or your brother Frank had committed the crime out of hatred.” “The devil! T suspeeted that such a report would gain favour for a time; but it is false.” ‘‘T know it is.”’ | ‘‘ But the real culprits; haye you any notion who and what they are?” 1 “T have ; but they are at large.’ ‘“ And their names 2”? “Your old schoolmaster, Jonathan, and your uncle’s lawyer, Mr. Flint, have had a hand in it.” ‘Horrible! Who would ever bave dreamed of such rascality 2" ‘But such is the case.” ** Any one else 2”? “‘ I suspect that a pretended doctor, called Warner had something to do in the matter,” ‘ “ And no one else?” asked, Tom, seriously, “Why do you ask ?” ‘‘Because it strikes me that another individual Gomicbook ee lee