Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 118 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

- ——< oa ee ee ; - —_— ~~. a 42 | ——- « wna A Sc ee réprobate like him to be visiting. Not much like the es ab , that’s’ sure. was more | an hour before Will reap He went now straight to his home in a very different sean of the, ee the officer full of wonder that a boy like could have business detaining bim-so long in an ‘Arch street residence. | Will had found the grateful old gentleman at home, ane had had a long t with him, | here was much evidence of wealth in Mr, Somers’ ae ie ae = alid'the room in which he was inter- viewed by Will was richly furnished, and tastef adorned with oil: paintings and other objects of art. He questioned Will very closely as to his former life, nis present residence and mode of living, his advantages of education, etc. His young visitor, however, was not very commun- ve, 7° “ Never went to school much,” said Will, frankly, when this point was touched on. ‘’Bout two days anda ) Dthinik.” _“ How was:that, my lad?” said the old ge tleman, with a serious knitting of the brows. “T dunno,” said Will, carelessly. ‘‘’Spect it was "cause oor wasn’t strong enough.” ‘Why, what could that have to do with it?” was the surprised! rejoinder. ww “Tt was all the master’s doin’s,” said Will, with an air of injured innocence. ‘‘ He put me down befors a lot of twisted curlykews that he called the alpha- There was too many of them, that was the whole trouble. Couldn't keep them all in my heal al once. Fast as I got one nailed in another slipped 7 You only neéded study to learn,’’ said Mr. Som- “Maybe so,,but the master wasn’t reasona>le, and him and me couldn't agree. ‘What's that?’ he rays, ointing to one of them. I scratched m , but I couldn’t fetch her, ‘That’s P,’ he sai. kind of r’iled. ‘S’poseitis? What's the odds?” said ist as quic:c. ‘You're a numbskull,’ he says. * You're a rainoceros,’ I says. Taat was all the con- versation. The feller weat for ma, and there was a bit of rough and tumble that ’d douse your heart He hurt me some, and I hurt him wuss, One of tue ovoys trie to lock the door to keep me in, but it dica't work. I bu’sted the old lock and went out sa’dng. Ain't been to school since, and you can’t make me believe now that that letter was P.”’ “That was a rich school experience,’’ said Mr. Somers, lauzhing. “ B9e.1 pickin’ up my schoolin’ on the street ever since,” said Will. ‘It’s a rough one, but I’ve learnt something. Lain’t worth a cent at books, but I’m goo: at men.” ** Which is a very important branch of education,” said Mr. Somers. ‘‘ Your father and mother are not living then?” “* Never had none that I know on.”’ . “That is bad, very bad,’ said Mr. Somers, feeling- ly. ‘“ N> wonder that a poor little orphan like you et a rough life. It is well that you have come rough life with an honest record, after being ex- ed to such temptations.”’ thing T hadn’t earned,”’ I nsver carried amar an said Will, ‘‘and never hit a boy that wasn’t as big or rer than me, And never took no slack from any- , if he was as big as a meeting-house and dressed like a king.” “Brave, independent and honest,” said the old gentleman, “ you are the making of a true American citizen. I Say Hope my poor boy may have as good a record,” “ Your boy?’’ said Will, questioningly. “Yes, my ’ said Mr. Somers, with a pained ession, “I two dear children, a boy and a gin who are lost to me. Ido not know if they even ve. Per S haps it is better if they do not.” _ “ That’s a bad binness, said Will, looking the sym- pathy heso poorly ex ‘They were stolen from me by an enemy, an old t who had a fancied injury to revenge, I ht them in vain ever since, I fear I shall vagran abond?”’ of the old v 3 is dead. secret perished with him.” “ , ’s bad. Don’t wonder you're down- ) ope you'll run across them yet, but it’s I'll have to go now.” I ro you a (es pee is Will ion i wee ; Tieee token a fancy to you aside from that. ignorance. I am and giving you the advantages of Which fortune has deprived you? I know you will repay my care. iors s one thing hinders,” said Will, dryly. “IT see no hindrance. What is it?’’ “It’s only that I ain’t in the notion of being took in and done for. I've hoed my own row so far, and it up.’ is an idle scruple. You would feel no Spmcence here. ~8Vd feel it in Will, own muscles and in my own that i, decisively - dTain'te ing {0 iat was r me, an *tgo { I went into mei Leonard's bizness, and I’m no to stand at the bottom of the ladder. If I ven't made my pile before ten years I'll sell out. Mach. obliged to you all the same, but can’t see it in your , Mir. did his best to overcome this scruple, but Will was not to be shaken. He would not eat the bread of dependence, 9 ee ee Se ' - ~ Will Somers. _—_———_—_ --_- CHAPTER XVI. THE OLD COMPANIONS. Ir was noon on Monday. Will spent his dinner- hour in Independence Square, a spot. to his old associates of boot-blacking propensities. He had given up eating for the pleasure of inter- viewing.’ He had already had an earnest talk with some half a dozen of the boys, and now approached another, who was just entéring the Square from Walnut street. | The latter was a boy of Will’s own age,a bare- footed, bare-armed, ragged young citizen, with a keen, wide-awake look on his not overly-clean face. ‘* Hallo, Joe!’ cried Will. “Well, Ul be swagged if it ain’t Willful Will!” cried Joe, taking Will’s offered hand. “ How goes it, old crony?” said Will. ‘Old-fashioned, You've been on the coast and know the ropes. Well, if you ain’t got up gallus! New shoes, and paper-collar, and a ribbon on his hat! Must have dropped into a fortune.” *Tamina store, Joe. We must dress, you know, in better toggery than you want here.” “In a store, hey? Know’d you’d come to some- thing. Does it pay, Will? Ain’t it dreadful wear- ing? Seems to me I'd seem like a sparrowin a 8. wey did at first,’’ said Will, drawing his friend to a seat. “ You soon get broke in, though. I like it better than the street now.” “And you've ie to say, ‘sir’ to folks, and take off your hat, and have counter-jumpers order you around like adog.. Dunno how you stand it. You licked me once for trying to put it on you.”’ “*T don’t stand ibany better, now,” said Will. ‘They can't come none of their jokes on me. One feller tried it and I cured him. mighty polite ever since.”’ ‘Is that so?’ said Joe, looking at Will as at one who has made a successful voyage of discovery. “Shoot me if I ain’t gota notion of trying it. I’m ceeuue too big for this job. How did you get a place?” ‘*T asked for it, and wouldn’t take no for an an- swer. I jist captured it.” ‘** You're the chap for that,” said Joe, admiringly. ‘* Wish you’d work me in somewhere. You must be getting to know folks.”’ *“Tll work for you,” answered Will. “It’s about time ge was giving up this trade. You’re well poste about town yourself, Joe.”’ “Not among bizness folks. Know a good deal about down-towners. Ain’t many cribs I haven’t been in or smelt out.” ‘*T used to know the shady places all over town.”’ ** So do I,” said Joe, with an eager display of knowl- edge. ‘I’ve been there. Could lay my hand on half the burglars in town, and all the fences.”’ “ Bet I could name some what would stump you,”’ ** Bet you couldn’t,” said Joe. ** I'll go ten cents i can.” “Tl cover it,” said Joe, producing a piece of soiled currency of that value. ‘“ But you ain’t to go n all day. Won’t give you but three chances.”’ “That's square,” said Will. ‘ Let’s see now. Where’s Ned Hogan’s Retreat?”’ + mea ee below Second, and one chance sold Caeep said Joe, trium hantly. “Where's Tim the Tinker's crib? Think I’ve got you there.”’ ‘“*Not by a jug full,” cried Joe, with an eager street, above Brown. Guess laugh. “It’s on Beac I'll rake down them tens.”’ sted, Joe,” said Will, with ‘* Calculate to throw you on They’ve been ‘Youre pretty well a reflective pause, the next, though.”’ ‘* 'Tain’t in the wood,” said Joe seamen “It’s a namesake of yours. You ought to know eee own relations. here’s Black-eyed Joe's 71199? Will qaned at him triumphantly, as Joe sat scratch- ing his head, with an air of reflection. * That's my cash,’’ he said. ‘Hold up,” said Joe. “Give a feller time to think. I don’t know nim by that name. But I’ve got a notion I could nail him. Ain’t goin’ to give up the bet till it’s settled.” ‘** Who’s the man you’re thinking of?”’ ‘It’s Joe Prime, that keeps the confidential house in a little street off South street. He’s got eyes as black as coal, and I once heard his place ed the mill. You’re sold, Will. Pass over them tens,” ‘* He’s a fence, then, and keeps a stock ef burglar’s goods in store ‘*That’s him,” said Joe. “I follered some light- fingered nobs there once, and nailed him. ver.” “The bet ain’t settled yet,” said Will. ‘ Where is this alley?” Joe gave & more precise description of its loca- tion. . “T’ve a notion you've nailed it, Joe,” said Will. “Meet me on the corner of the alley to-night before eight and we'll settle,”’ a! Wels tinp blue pranes is saat nA ead J o sus- piciously. ou trying to sell on me you are, [nm blowed if can't polish you.” ‘* You never seen the day you could do that, Joe. And nobody knows it better than you. Can’t say now if there’s anything in the wind or no. Jist meet me there, that’s all,”’ : ‘“*] never tramp on a blind scout.” “T want you. Ain’t that enough?’ said Will, im- enenny * You’re as curious as an old woman. half-past seven, sharp, at the corner, I'll tell if you’ve won your bet or not. Can’t tell you then now.” ‘* You're goin’ into perlice bizness, Wil.” “Did you ever steal?” seked WilL ‘** Never a pin’s worth.” ee -—— “Then it’s the best bizness you. can go ine You've honest, and you'd best. keep honest, But you beat thunder at smelling out thieves. Don’t you miss being there.” Joe sunk into a deep cogitation after Will had left him. Hewas considering the unsought tribute te his powers which had eo been given him, and won- dering in his own mind if he was not cut out by na. ture for a detective. Will spent the afternoon quietly in the store, ate a hasty and frugal supper, and reached the rendezvous at.the hour named. Joe was already there, lounging easily upon a oe in South street. He gazed wonderingly at i ** Well, I'm blowed,” he said, “if the feller ain't dropped his store toggery and come out in his old 3 Te I can smell a rat now, and a big one.” Will was hardly recognizable in the dilapidated suit he wore, and in the highly ventilated hat, which he pulled down like a mask over lis eyes. a> peg RS well you'll get something to cover this,’ said Will, as he handed Joe the amount of the bet. ‘‘Seen anybody go up the alley?’ ** No, only been here five minutes.” ** Let’s look in then. Show me the house.” The two boys strolled carelessly into the narrow street. It was just wide enough to let a wagon through comfortably, and ended abruptly at a simi- lar street running at right angles to it. The locality was uot redolent of sweet smells. ) It was bordered by houses on each side, of faix size for the location, but in very bad condition. The street swarmed with children, | On the corner of the second small street stood a. house of more pretensions, It was a three-storied brick, of wide front. The main room, on the corner, was used as a bar-room, bearing an unpretentious sign of “‘ Imported Wines and Liquors.”” The name of the landlord, “‘ Joe Prime,” accompanied this very dubious announcement. The place seemed well patronized, and the noise. within gave evidence of the exciting qualities of Joe Prime's liquors, if it said little for their purity. ‘‘That’s not the place,” said Will, decisively; ‘‘might as well make a fence-shop of the custom- house.”’ | “There are other ways in,’’ said Joe, leading round the corner. Will now saw that the house extended a consider- able distance back, with a yard fence along this — second street. A gate in this fence stood very slightly ajar. ‘* That’s the back doorway,”’ said Joe. “IT want a squint at the landlord now,” said Will ushing into the bar-room, through the throng of yo re Behind the bar was a flashily-dressed young fellow, with as much evil in his face as it would convenient. ly hold, busily dealing out liquid poison to his cus tomers. The latter were a motley set, in all stages of in, toxication, The scene was no new oue to Will, how, ever, and his sensibilities were not easily shocked, As he stood, ere sharply through the throng of customers, a door behind the bar opened, and a roan in his shirt-sleeves entered. A glance told Will that this was the person who had been described to him, and satisfied him that it was the man he wanted. He was small, but stoutly built, swarthy almost as an Indian, with straight black hair, and eyes of deep blackness. He cast a surly glance over the room, ‘oe to some of the drunken wreiches about the bar in no amiable tones. | Will slipped ‘That's Blac f:iend outside. ‘*What comes next, then?’’ “T ‘spect some folks here at eight o'clock. They’ll be like to take the gate for it, but might try the front door.”’ * Yes. What then?” “You and me are to see them, and fix their photo- graphs in our heads. You take your stand here, where you’ve got a set at the front door, You’re posted in thieves and sich, and don’t let any go in without your nailing them. I'll take my squint at the _— I think it’s like my fellers will take that route.’ sors | Will’s way of taking the gate was to coil himself in a heap against the opposite fence, aud to be ap- parently lost in slumber. - He slept, however, with both eyes wide open. He bad nef been there five minutes before a man came etly up t F suspiciously around. He saw Will, but ee d no ntion to him, In an instant he had opened ‘the gate and disap- peared in the yard. Ten minutes passed of Will’s silent watch, whe two men came along in company. vars, Sy sna eager ly debating the merits of some prize-fighter. He expected they would pass by, but they boldly opened the gate and passed in, closing it behind em, Several more men came up the alley, but passed on without stopp ae A ll’s silent watch had passed, and uietly out of the room, -eyed Joe,” he said, on meeting hia half-hour o : he was about to give it up, under the impression that all his birds were caged, when a fourth man came along. Will watched to see if he, too, would pass by. He came on with a hesitating step, his hat drawn down low over his eyes, and his hand stroking his whisker in such a way that his face was hidden. The boy lay quiet as death, not a muscle water's 9 The new-comer paused a moment oP osite the gate, 5 pen man furtively around. Then with a quic. = y movement he opened the gate and t . \