Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 261 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 by a horse car, she bounded across the street, and can to them, crying out; " gg here you are! I've found you—oh, I’m so “IT can tell you where you can find three of the gang!” cried Fleda, feeling some little exultation aver the tidings she had to impart, ‘* You can?’’ exclaimed both Pickles and Clinton, én concert, “Yes; and I can tell you where Fergus is also,” and then she proceeded to recount her intelligence with all her natural vivacity. “That’s the way sings always turn out,” said / Pickles, “You may search for days, weeks, month or even years, for something without success, an then stumble on it by the merest accident. Let's go for the Atlantic Garden, Mr, Stuyvesant, and catch them young scamps.” ‘*Shall I go with you?" asked Fleda, in a tone that expressed a desire to accompany them. “No, my cowslip!”’ answered Pickles. ‘* You have dene enough, and now bby: can go home. I'll soon get Fergus off the Islan ; that’s easily fixed—error n the writ~—habeas corpus—have him out! Come, my young friend, we will not stand upon the order of our going, but go at once!” Bieda comet over again to Baxter street, and Pickles and Clinton Stuyvesant walked swiftly up Chatham street toward the Bowery. When they came to the Atlantic Garden the gpassed through the saloon to the garden beyond. About midway in the garden, seated at one of the tables, they beheld the objects of their search, The description that Fleda had given them of their change in costume enabled Pickles and Clinton to weadil peonenise the boys. Each ene had a mug of. foamy beer, and a plate of bread and cheese before him. It was evident, to tise one of their own phrases, that they were hav- éng ‘**a high old time.’ There they are,”’ said Pickles. out, too, as the girl said.’ . i oo — at my expense,” answered Clinton, nely. “Ha, ha!l’’ laughed Pickles, ‘‘ They don't often stumble on such a windfall, and they are making the most of it. Now, then, we must surprise them, Yor they'll run if they have a chance. The two large ones are seated together, you iM, and the little shee opposite, Now I'll steal bebind them, and col- lar them, and you lay hold of the little one .at the same time, I'l! go down this passage, and you take the other. Keep cacol—don’t get excited—saunter down leisurely. They are so busy with their feast that I don't think they will notice us. Go it!” Piekles’s maneuver succeeded admirably. “Ain't this jolly!” cried Rowdy Rube, replacing this mug upon the table after a hearty draught. ‘*Prime!” chirruped Terry. “Slap bang!”’ exclaimed the Chicken. “Tt was a lucky find that of yourn, Terry,” con- tinued Rowdy Rube. ** He, he, he!”’ piped Terry. ‘* The owner can af- t, 1 guess. I wonder how he feels ford to lose i about row?” ‘* He feels you!"’ cried Clinton, clutching the di- minutive scamp firmly by ns right shoulder. At the same moment Pickles secured Rowdy and the Chicken, pressing them down in their seats, and preventing them fro rape ismal how] in concert. “* Nieely togged The boys uttered a ** Nabbed, by thunder!’’ muttered Rowdy Rube. “I was a-goin’ for ter bring it back, but they syvouldn’t let me,’’ whined Terry. ** Bring what back?"’ demanded Pickles, sternly. “* This here swell cove’s pocket-book,”’ “Oho! then you admit finding it,’’ continued Pickles, gruffly. “He found it—I didn't!’ cried both Rowdy Rube and the Chicken in a breath. “See here, now, we are going to make short work of you,” said Pickles, “ Op Spe howling, or we'll turn you right over to the policemen we've got wait- pe outside.”’ his fiction told with great effect upon the boys. Terry tried to slip out of his seat, and hide under the table, but Clinton pulled him back. “None of that,’’ he cried. “T didn't mean for to “*Oh—o-h!’’ moaned Terry. go for to do it!” “Choke him, my young friend, if he don’t keep quiet !"’ said Piekles. This Command completely silenced Terry, and he remained limp and quiet. , “Ncewthen, fork over!’’ continued Pickles; ‘* that’s ® eueuaas you can understand. Fork over what ou’ve left, and we'll let you off; I may promise hat, eh, Mr. Stuyvesant?”’ “ Certainly,” responded Clinton. ‘We'll fork,” cried Rowdy Rube, quickly; * but there ain't much left; we'll fork over, but don’t send ws to the Island.”’ ‘*Disgorge! and quickly !"’ answered Pickles, Row ube drew forth the portemonna@ie and laid if on the table, and Terry and the Chicken Cc e ey beside it. placed their money beside it He opened the portemonnaie and inspected its contents, *Hum—ah! four dollars and sixty-five cents. PMividend not rap 5 Returned by Terry, whilom the raged, one dollar and eighty-five cents: ditto the Chicken, who is in nice feather, two dollars and ten cents. Sum total: eight dollars and sixty cents.”’ “Ts that all?” inquired Clinton, “very cent, The young ragamuffins have squan- dered nearly forty dollars, and have nothing but those clothes to show for it. Well, rascals, you have just had a high old time of it!’’ The young scamps exchanged apprehensive glances as Pickles counted thfe money they had re- turned, and when he made his remarks on the sam total they looked roe blank, “You said if we’d fork over you wouldn't send us up,” urged Rowdy Rube; ‘‘and we’ve forked, fair and square, all there is left.” “Tarry yet a little, there is something else.”’ The three boys exchanged apprehensive glances, ‘* Wot is it?” inquired Terry. “You told the little girl that keeps the peanut- erp something. about Fergus, surnamed the Fear- naught?” “We didn’t do nuffin to him! It was Micky Shea, ice Quale, and der rest on ’em!’’ cried Terry, quickly. ‘* That's so,”’ chimed in Rube and the Chicken, “Then he really has been sent to the Island?” ” Yes; the Black Maria tuck him away this morn- 2g. “That will do. You can go.” The boys availed themselves of this permission in uite a hasty manner. Evidently they had a great read of the little lawyer. “Are you going to try and get Fergus off the Island?” Clinton inquired, as they walked toward the door leading into the street. ‘Instanter! I shall release that bold youth from durance vile, aot ed mal in the exaggerated time designated as the ‘twinkling @ bed-post,’ but with all possible speed.”’ ese words brought them to the corner of Canal street, where they paused, Clinton extended his hand to the little lawyer wi h, “Say, old fellow, do you know I rather like ou?’ é Pickles grasped d hand cordially. “* Delighted : to, , esant, junior—de- lighted!’ he rejoined, hould the cares of life at any time involve you in litigation I shall be glad to serve you in a professiona rg mage Pray accept of one of my cards, ‘When this you see, remem- ber me.’ Ta, ta!” Pickles walked swiftly toward his office, and was very much surprised to see a lady standing in the doorway when he reached there. This lady was dressed in a plain, dark walking suit, had on a black straw hat, from which de- nded a thick, green vail, which was drawn over 1er face, utterly concealing her features, “Hum!” murmured Pickles, and his keen eyes surveyed her critically. ‘*‘Here’s a client for some- body; I wonder if it is for me? A lady, evidently, but does not wish to be known. Ah, hum, bah!” Pickles raised his hat politely to the lady in the green vail, and with great suavity said: * You appear to be looking for some one, madam?” ‘*l am," she responded, ‘A lawyer by the name of Pickles. Perhaps you could tell me where I could find him?’’ “Tcan, cece homo—behold the man!” “You are the gentleman?” “The identical!”’ ‘* This is very fortunate!”’ = Extremely so—ex-tremély! You wish to consult mn do,” “Very good. This way, if you please, madam; my ofS s on the first floor.” e ushered her into his office, and placed a seat for her. : Some friend of yours is in trouble, eh?’’ he asked. ‘‘ Yes, a very dear friend, a youth—” Pickles sat bolt upright in his chair, ‘Fergus Fearnaught?” he interrupted, suddenly. ** Yes—yes—it is he!’’ ae “Aha! I know who you are now, my lady, but I must not frighten you,” Pickles admitted to him- . “Did Mr, Rufus Glendenning send you here?” he inquired. ‘*No, no!”’ she answered, vehemently. ‘And he must not be told that I have been here.” 4 These agitated words puzzled Pickles, but he re- joined promptly: ‘“ He will never know it from me, madam, if such is your desire.”’ “Tt is!—itis!’’ She was silent for a moment, and then resumed earnestly: ** Oh! if I thought I could trust you!”’ The lawyer was touched by this plaintive gape. There was one soft place left in his heart which the law had not been able to harden. “You must trust me, madam, if I am to do you any good,”’ he replied. is manuer impressed Lorania favorably—the reader has conjectured who the vailed lady was, of course, “You have beer employed by Rufus Glendenning to make certain inquiries about a boy who is known as Fergus Fearnaught?’’ she said. ‘Yes, madam, I have,’ was the prompt reply. ** Have you any idea what his motive was in urging you to these inquiries?” ** Not the slightest.”’ “Did you think—had you any reason to believe— that he knew the boy’s true bame and birth?” she resumed, ‘‘He assured me that he did not, Mr. Glenden- ning was attracted to the boy, whom he met acci- dentally in the street, by a resemblance to some friend—or acquaintance of his, and he became very anxious to know all about the boy, and I instituted inquiries accordingly,”’ * And what did you discover?”’ : “Precious little. I learned that he was called Fergus Fearnaught—this last name belaig given on account of the spice of dare-devil in his nature, and a age strong spice it is, too—and that he lived with a poor widow and her daughter, whose name is Naudrus, in one of those wretched tenement houses on Baxter street, and that he did odd jobs about the street for a living.” . Fergus Fearnaught, the New York Boy. “Well?” cried Lorania, who had been ° tive listener. ™ oh. Aion “ That is all I could tell Mr. Glendenning then, but ane could tell eng mpaen peri om “. * You mus ™ she exclaim periously. “IT will pay 3 “double treble, what he has agreed to.”’ i ie ‘outbid yon sordid ey ig eh? i. has no ven me any re ee, sO. I am at liberty to decline the.case.” Lorania took out her pocket-book. ** I will give you your retaining fee now,’’ she said. “You ne serve the one who pays the best, would you not?” “Certainly. For that are we lawyers; and I wouldn't be uman if I didn’t.” atetin “You know just where to find this boy?” con- tinued Lorania. ‘“*I do; he’s in a very safe place. He'll stop there until I go for him.” . * Where is that?’’ “ Blackwell's Island.”’ “Heavens! Whatis he doing there?” exclaimed Lorania, excitedly. ** He got into a difficulty with some young thieves, and was sent up, by some mistake, but I can fix that as soon as I see the judge that sentenced him. We'll have him off of the Island in a jiffy!” “We must. He must not stay there a day, an hour, longer than is necessary. Here is money. Expect me to-morrow.” : . Pickles gallantly opened the door for Lorania to ass out, Then he closed it after her, and took up he bank-bill she had left upon the table. ‘Let me see what my retaining fee is,” he said pleasantly. “‘Great Janus! Five hundred dollars! a five-hundred-dollar bill! Phew! This is going to be a better case than I expected!” CHAPTER XIII. THE HORN 8OUNDS. Ferecus FEARNAUGHT was not pleased with his quarters on Blackwell's Island, age rankles more in the human breast than a sense of injustice, or oppression. The boy knew that he was enduring an unmerited punishment, that he had not committed any crime, and that he was unjustly restrained of his liberty, and he resolved to regain that liberty as soon as an opportunity resented itself, He believed that opportunity would soon be fur- uished him. He treasured in his memory the words whispered to him by the mysterious Mr. John Jack- - and at. night he listened for the sound of the orn. But the first night ed away and he did not hear it. He was greatly disappointed, for youth is always eager in its expectations. He fancied that it must have sounded while he slept, for sleep had surprised him during his notwithstanding his determination to remain aw eye the mito ais ‘ “Iw more wakeful to-night,”’ he resolved, the shades of the second eve iy to fail. rs “It’s so warm to-night that I sba’n’t lock your door,” the turnkey told him, “I guess you won't to get away,” ith this he winked at Fe a very significant manner and retired. F was not slow of apprehension. He had an idea tpat the horn would sound that night, and that the ey had been bribed to connive at his escape. Darker grew the shades of night, ro ee the gloom copper bey around him, Fergus's impatience increased. e saw that there was no prospect of a moon, a cir- cumstance favorable to his escape; so he thought: ' “Mr, Jackson will be more likely to come on 4 dark night than when the moon shines, He watched and listened, and about ten o'clock, to his great delight, he heard the horn sound, It was far out upon the river, but the night breeze bore the sound to his liste ears—the concerted? signal, three notes; toot—toot—toot. “There he is!” exclaimed Fe delightedly. ‘““He’s come for me, Now I'll just get outof thir lively. Clever chap that turnkey to leave the door unlocked for me.” He stole gently out into the corridor, and found the door at the end of it unlocked. Thisled into the ard, but this yard was inclosed by an iron picket ence, and a sentinel was stationed there, Fergus knew nothing of this fact until he was nimbly sealing the picket-fence, when he was loudly commanded to stop. *“ Hold on, or I'll fire!” shouted the sentinel. “IT am holding on,’' replied Fergus, as he himself on the iron spikes, **Come back!” ili gg ket, but F h apg wen e musket, but Fergus had dro on the other side of the fence as the gun tee pes the bullet passed harmlessly over his head. He gathered himself up and ran swiftly toward the each. ‘I shall have to swim for it!’ he thought, as he sped along at a rapid rate. Toot—toot—toot, sounded the horn, out upon the bosom of the river, the sound coming strangely and mysteriously from the gloom that gathered like a pall over the face of the water. The alarm was loudly sounded behind Fergus, but he paid no heed toit. He directed his course by the sound of the horn, reached the river’s brink, Ces off his prison shoes, and plunged boldly into the water. An excellent swimmer, he increased the distance between himself and the shore rapidly, never stop- ping to look back but striking forward with brave etermination. When he thought he had got out of musket-range Eomichboo s with his left eye in’ cS (E(O)