Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 122 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

—_—— aS Se — = — Ts SS SE ss = SS SS. = —— Ss a ——— _ eee —= = - ee ee ee = 1S - SS —— a ee a-squelched me, If things keeps on this way I'll eome to think thar is such a thing as luck,” Phil walked slowly away, eyes cogitating. His step became more decided as his thoughts took def- inite shape, and he seemed to have arrived at some fixed conclusion, “Tcaikerlate the custom-housers ought to be the ones to take a job like thisin; fer I know its smug- pied goods, And I guv in that the business is gitting too weighty fur me.” In less than half an hour Phil found himself in the o'Yice of the New York Collector of Customs, havi asked for and been ushered into the presence of th iwlividual., This gentleman was alone, and looked up api ingly at his youthful visitor, as the latter walked in- clependently forward, “What can I do for you, my boy ?** he asked. ‘* Got five minutes to waste on a feller of my size?” responded Phil, helping himself to a chair. ‘‘Lhave no time to vaste on any one,’’ was the simniling reply. Ay 9 you'll think it’s wasted,”’ said Phil, hat on the table. “It’s jist this way: he track of some smuggled goods, I wanta little help, fur it’s kind of ticklish. And I didn’t know where better to look fur it.” _“* What kind of snuggled goods?” asked the col- forward. “Well,” said Phil, hésitatingly, “I dunno jist what kind of merchandise you callit. It’s a sort that you dont often lock up in your warehouses, cause why, it wont keep,” ‘‘T have no time to beat around the bush at this rate,”’ the officer agar replied, ‘* What is this merchandise? where was it smuggled from? and where is it?” “That's three questions in one, and you dont give @ feller time to take breath between them,”’’ re- sponte Phil, independently. “It’s a queer sort, I n tell you that,” “Will you answer my questions?” “Well, then, it’s.a woman,” said Phil, driven to bay. “That is, it’s a corpus. OrI mean it’d be a _corpus if it were only dead and not playin’ possum, as Pve got a notion it is.” “ What foolish nonsense is this?’ asked the annoy- od officer. “Ihave no more time to waste on you, boy. Merchants, now-a-days, do not import women, ‘here are roaore here now than they can conveniently haudie, And as for the corpse that is not a corpse, that is a riddle I shall not undertake to guess.” ““Té looks like one, anyhow,” muttered Phil, “I tell you this, Thar was a feminine corpus, done up in drygoods, smuggled out of the Strongbow last wight, And it’s layin’ now at Tim Fagan’s, on the ~hart...And if semethin’ aint done mighty soon I’m afeared there'll be murder.” ‘‘ More likely.a resurrection, if it is a corpse now,” paid the colleetor, ringing a bell at his elbow. “ Show this young man out,” he said, shortly, to the messenger who entered, ol eh mat 9 _ “Sae here, Mr. Collector,” said Phil, saucily. ‘ May- be I've got things a little mixed up. ButI dont seo mo use in your bein’ so malahiy. crusty about it, It’s your business to look up smuggled goods, That's wat you're put here fur by our feller citizens. Now, lve po you "bout a square bit of smug- giin’, and maybe a murder, . I dont care a brass pic- ayune what you do’boutit. But if it’s a murder, you look out. I bet somebody’ll squirm.” “The police take charge of murders,” said the cohoctor, fa a quiet tone. “Suppose you favor them with your conundrum,” ‘‘ All sound!” retorted Phil. ‘“T'll give you this tor vourpipe, though, I’m thinkin’ of goin’ into pol- andT bet 1 5 ertics, be at the head of our ward ring afore ('m in it six months. So you look out, Mr. Coll.ctor, I’m a-goin’ to make that seat of yourn a bot one.” And Phil swaggered out, with his hat set jauntily on one side of his head. ‘The official followed him with astonished evés. ‘* What could have ailed the boy?’ he mused, “His story was a most incomprehensible muddle. ts he eeneeed in his upper story, or has he really discovered something which he has mixed in the telling). At all events he is the sauciest young re- pro I have seen for an age.” | Meanwhile Phil was making his independent way down the street. He, too, mused-as he went, somewhat inthe fol- lowing strain: “Got a kind of steep notion that I’ve been maki a fool of myself. 1t’s ‘a hard a to say, but rans in my noddie it’s the truth. Mr. Collector knowed what I was talkin’ about he knowed a blamed sight more than I did, fur I got wimmin folks and .corpuses fgg in a kind of hard knot, nl couldn’t git the ridicklus thing open.—And if I aud sell myself fur-a fool I stuck to it anyhow. I wouldn't go back on a thing I'd said fur enough customers to pack that big shanty full, “Tain’t m ~vay to git out of a blunder backwards. I b’lieve in goin’ throu pike it the hide off,”’ Thus copita re Me Ser slow sca od WV dg ak the wharv e ou ng ug xoind that naraps he eae beat take the advice just given him, and apply to the police authorities. “I jest spose, though,”’ he thought, ‘‘that they'll worry me with all sorts of questions till I eit ee dent. And thenI know it’'llall be up. Andit’s ’ston- icin? how little a boy kin say without it’s bein’ ow I thought I was ridicklus perlite to that customer till he ordered me out, 4nd fur all that I bet he’d swearl was saucy as a yx. cat. It’s jist odd what queer ways men has.”’ Well, 'l swow, if here aint Phil Hardy in his | += 993 We # onday fixins; and it ofut Saturday yit!* Pil turned hastily es he heard this familar voice Phil Hardy, the Boss ee a re ee nt me - Boy. ———- ** Tie has not been ‘in this house to-day then. I’h & is yes that, bh ae ve arp ep ce i e Knows anyt de m nave got it somewhere you needn’t be squintin' at my rig. Beena-callin’ else than ae ho about the Tao! knows of this on big-bugs, and had to spruce up a little.”’ hate “Wonder if he aint been to a fire last night?” said ” Oh, blow all that!” was .Phil’s impatient answer. “You didn't. pay for them, and wont be axed to. | So dry up,—Where’s the boys?” “Dunno,” replied Dick. ». Goin’ to the whart?”’ —Fur that I’ve got a ou’d put some good if y grindscone and take off an inch or two of sile. I'd 6 to sée how fur down the hide is.” ‘““¥Yourbe fiddled! I scrubbed my face, last Sun- day," averred Dick. ** It’s m iciple to answer questions, said Dick with samamed dignity. Thus sparring the boys at length reached the Ck, . a ** Fiollo, Hoss!” was Phil’s unique salutation. | Oe Nobed but d the captain. *" Nobody, but me and the captain.” ‘He Gaieht nave been lurking about last night, and have seen you,” “That wont. answer, Fagan,” was the quick re- nse. “Iam afraid that the little villain krows the whole business,—Is—i¢ safe?” inting upward. You can'see for yourself,” said the innkeeper, eading towardthe stairs, ‘And I hope you'll gui rid of if blamed soon, for I dont want to get into auy scrape about it.” ual “ ' Hendricks quietly followed him to the upper room. There, on a bed in the corner, lay that which had so startled Phil ardy the night before, a long, cord- otiontess. ed bundle, lying nikeriy m | : e hasn't stirred,” declared Fagan; in a low tone. ‘I’m des erately afraid the woman is dead."’ “No, no,’ replied Hendricks, ‘‘jt.isa strong nar- cotic, which should not lose its effect before to-mor- row. Ifitshould go off, though, keep her quiet, it Trot along, I aint ashamed: of you. tion that it might do | ot pie ear. He saw the begrimed face of Dirty . iat face of yournon a ' | | wharf, the scene of theirlate quatrel. The Strong- | you haye to use the chloroform; and force the bow ‘was now busily unloading, The wharf beside | draught I gave ou into her, mouth,” her was thickly strewn with her miscellaneous cargo, ** do that,” returned Fagan. and a dozen drays were engaged in hauling it away, Phil’s enemy, the mate, was occupied in oversee- ing the process of unloading. He seemed not to have forgotten his late encounter with the boy. Phil could see him gradually approaching, in an appar- ehtly unintentional manner, "7 k out for black whiskers,"' said Dick, warn- ingly. ‘‘He’s sneakin’ for you. Wants to pay you out for that bite.” ‘‘ All correck, Dick. I’m a-watchin’ him. If he comes it over Phil Hardy, he kin climb to the mast- head and crow.”’ The boys stood looking on at the unloading, seem- ingly unaware that the mate was nearly within reach, With a sudden quick motion this individual made ® grasp for Phil. But he calculated without his ost. The boy was ten feet away, with his fingers at his nose, while the mate came near measuring hislength on the wharf. ‘‘Guess you want my tother eye tooth in your other leg,”’ said Phil. “Tf I get hold of you I will settle for your bite,” mais slike’ oe lad f body last night,” “™M ike you se ur somebody : replied Phil. ‘What do you mean?” faltered the mate, growing suddenly pale. + So : ‘‘-You kin take it jist as you please,”’ returned Phil, turning on his heel and leaving the wharf. Yet two boys hid in the shadeof a nalghboring house fill they saw the mate of the Strongbow - ly passin down the line of the wharves. * Now feller me, Dick,” ordered Phil, mysterious- ly. ‘“*Thare’s fun afloat.” decisively. ‘‘]fi she should come to and give an alarm, it might be a bad business for all of us. She must be got rid of to-night.—Mind you, it she should recover, that her pretty face and ‘soft tongue dont soften your nerves,”’ . “T have no nerves,”’ protested Fagan, bluntly. ‘* And as for her face, i dont care to look. at it.”’ ‘* It is the face of a beautiful young devil—or that will be a devil to us if she gets loose,” replied Hen- dricks. ‘There’s more than the money that is in it concerned in our putting her away. It is a question of safety now.”’ As he spoke he threw back the close folds of the cloth, Revealing the beautiful, colorless face that lay so placidly within, e two men stood gazing with hard eyes down yon that which should have softened a heart of stone Suddenly Hendricks started and d his com- nion’s arm with a fierce gripe. He pointed sternly ownward., ‘* What is it?’ asked Fagan, “That! Where did ‘hat come fram?” His voice had athreatening ring. His fingernalmost touched the face of the woman, on whose pear]l-white cheek was visible a round black spot. “T'll be shot if I know!” cried F quicls start. ‘‘It looks desperately e a finger mark,”’ “it is just that,’’ averred Hendricks, ‘And look i k that the way Mrs. Fagan washes her eects?’ He pointed beyond the body, where grimy black spots marked the bedclothes. } Fagan stood for a moment as if stupefied with sur- rise. Then, with a quick movement, he drew the nsensible body forward in the bed, and threw back the coverlets. The sh: ets within had changed from their original white to a sooty blackness that would have broken the heart of a neat housekeeper, ‘“Yes, you can well open your eyes!” cried the in- censed mate. ‘Have you put a chimney-sweep to bed there ?”’ Fagan did not answer fora moment, but stood re- arding the bed with distended eyes. He then urned, as if the mate's last words had given him an idea, and ran hastily down-stairs. bie Hendricks folowed him more slowly, cursing in a low, ominous tone at every ps re He reached the front room adjoining the bar ghort- ly after Fagan, That individual was standing before an open hearth, from which he had removed the fire-board. He was looking disconsolately at a heap of sce ie the nbeH Or of te OT aot at ad ouse has been entered las ht!’ he cried. < Pts: by your boy! Nobod bigger could come through this flue.—See here where he has wiped his ti feet on the carpet!” “You're a sweet specimen to have a delicate busi- ness in hand,” exclaimed Hendricks, in a sayage tone; his hand within his breast, as if half-termpted to draw and use a weapon on his dubious associate. “Ttis your own bungling, then,’ retorted Fagan, an, with a CHAPTER VIL - A STERN CHABB. Bor we must leave the boyish confederates, and follow théir prey, Mr. Hendricks, the mate of the Strongbow, to his destination. He seemed much disturbed as he walked hastily along the wharves, too preoccupied in his mood to ip Go ERAS he was closely followed, : “ it made the boy 7 that?” he growled say- _ agely between his teeth. ‘“‘It was no chance guess, | The pend hound knows something. He may have | come to the ‘wharf this mornin Fust for the pur- of saying it. I am afraid Tim Fagan hab | Teaked,” Reaching the Safe Harbor, which was the poetical title Of Fagan’s groggery, Mr. Hendricks turnéd res- olu in, not dreaming, apparently, that any one could have had an object in following him. The brawny. innkeeper was behind the bar, attend- ing to the spiritual needs of a brace of rollicking tars, Mr. Hendricks called, for a glass of ale, and stood slowly Fipping tt till the sailors were gone. : i easel ‘4 in your place, at once," command- ncricks, ‘I must vith you.’ Fagan called a young ean to the bar, and led the way ba k into the house. “Now I’m on hand,” he said, when they had reached a rear room. . ; with equal fierceness, ‘‘ You have let the boy trac!: “How many folks are there about your shanty, | you here. If there is any harm comes to me fror Fagan?" | his work, I'll be hanged if you shan’t answer for it,” “Nobody but me and my wife,” except the young | _ Hendricks was silent, He seemed to be struck fellow that tends to the’bar.”’ by the possible truth of Fagan’s theory. ‘** And. do they know about—” and he indicated the “Ts that all?” he asked. ‘* Was there no noise? rest by 4n upward twirl of his thumb. No other trace @f a housebreaker?”’ b an does, of course., I couldn't hide it “Mrs, F' “Yes. I was wakenedin the middle of the night, from her. t she’s as true us steel, And she knows | I dont know what by. ere seemed to be a sound the kind of a fist I carry,. too.” “ And the bartender?” "ha i Bok gy ag teh, Fagan," was the ate’ “ec M } sx mu - ote ) +] fierce Saiatwoi Binet boys know a good deal too ruck aout li. Wave bling, it, mame ligy little mon- not an hour ago a dh : key of a wharf rat. on PS PY to know who has of some kind in the next room. Igot a candle and prospected, but eve thang looked all right, Thad a half notion it was the woman, but she lay as quict as she does now.—My wife found the kitchen door unbolted this morning, but thought it must have been forgotten last, nigh isa wi, : “ And you got frightened away by a dead women's face,”’ said Hendricks, sneeringly, ‘And all tho ee eee SS... <cceeceett ll ALLL LL LLL LL LR LD DLL LL LALLA LLL Ow .. e . e -—O— been lee A fh Was, ‘tha PE tile” en ap Cur china ney sneer. Mp des the covers “Tf he'got it from me you can: me Up," was uing at yo itious fool, as you were.” F s ae answer. “And I know t my \’s harsh face darkened as he pea R ate | wite has ay out of the house, and there has | “itis as wellfor him! If 1 had caught the boy. | been’ no stich chap in, o was this boy?” there I would not have left two bones of him -hang- “ Good hea an, I have not got a directory together,—There is one thing certain, Jack Hen- of be Eh razabonds of New York in my brain,” | dricks.. That boy knows too much for our safety. Hendricks impatiently re ited! “He is a little créa- | He must be got rid of.” ture, with an ugly red and I su about | ‘That's my notion. Thesharp young rogue selt | fifteen yearsold. Andbe has teeth like er’s claws. | himself to me cheap, this morning. He ha: cot tr | That is all I know of him.” | besettled. And the woran—”’ Eomilecdoo “Let there be no bungling,” enjoined Hendricks, | com