Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 262 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

—_ lh ene ie ce ee _-— ee a ee RA: ART. SES CERT RS tl Just now, in fact, there were two prominent luaoughts in Mickey’s corporation. The question of grub was troubling his stomach; that of spy- ing the robbers was troubling his brain. “If 1 could only slip into granny’s fur five minits and swaller a plateful of mixin’s, wouldn’t I feel hunky? But it’s toe far eff, and I might sp’ile the whole bisness by diggin’ arter b. Duty afore pleasure, folks say. I won- - if eatin’ ain’t a duty fur a bungry boy?” Here was a question in philosopby not easily settled. Fortunately Mickey remembered that there was a cook shop around the corner, and that there was a heavy weignt of pennies in his pocket. It might possible to combine juty and pleasure. at least was a question vey easily settled. In a moment he had slipped off bis perch and was away around the corner. In very few minutes more he reappeared in the street with a huge hunk of gingerbread in one hand and a quarter of pie in the other, to which he was al- ternately paying devoted attention. Short as was the period of his absence it had made an important change in the state of affairs. Just as he was on the point of turning into the street two men turned out of it. He recognized them ata glance. It was Mart and Jerry. Mickey manage to cover his countenance to such an extent with pie and winaerbrent that no mask could have concealed him better. He was not longin putting bimself on the trail of the two men, though to all appearance he was only a lubberly boy intent on filling a very large sweet tooth. lt was duty and pleasure now in earnest. Mickey continued to am industriously away at his provende:, but he took good care not to lose sight of his game. For half an hour the pursuit continued. The two men seemed to feel no suspicions of being followed, for they did not once look behind them. Mickey’s provender had long disap- peared ere they came toa halt. It was in front of a house of considerable pretensions, on oue of the uptown avenues. — They looked keenly around before entering, but there was nothing that seemed suspicious. Only some rapidly walking menand a ragged boy crouched upon a eee 4 and apparently i. in tying his shoe-string. Without fur- ther hesitation Mart opened the door of the residence and entered, closely followed by Jerry. Then the bay quickly finished his shoe- string operation, and rolled upon the step in a paroxysm of laughter. ‘“‘Done’em ag’in!” he cried, ‘‘ Done ’em the wust way! There’s where the box is, you bet! And there’s where I’s goin’ furit!” CHAPTER X. TRACKED TO THEIR DEN. Tue detective ofticers whom Mr. Barton had put on the trail of the burglars did not lose much time in going to work. In spite of the fact that a telegram only a few days old had been received from England, signed by Martin Stew- art, the party under suspicion, they were not sure but that this was a trick, and that person really in America. The job was too important to intrust to an agent, they argued, and the sending of the tele- gram could be easily managed, This Martin Stewart was a cousin of Mr. Barton, and next heir to the property which that gentleman had inherited. Only a certain important document stood between bim and the property. That document should have been recorded, But Mr. Barton was cel careless in business matters, and he had utterly neglected this important affair. Im consequence be was in serious trouble. If that paper sbould be de- stroyed Martin Stewart could safely lay claim to the property; and from what was known about him, be was not one to hesitate about stealing the document and claiming the estate. Thus the matter stood. Suspicion naturally attached to this English cousin, and an exact description of him was given the police, with orders to keep a sharp lookout for any man answering that description. Another matter of importance was the dis- covery and arrest of the two fugitive boys. They must be able to give some description of the burglars, and it might be coaxed or fright- ened out of them. To discover who Joe Joram’s companion was proved a matter of very little difficulty. All the newsboys were aware of the queer partner- ship existing betweer. Joe and Mickey, and the kauns and habits of the latter were soon in session of the police. There was no doubt t that he was the party needed. The de- a ————- = The Young Sleuths, a ee scription of him given by the boys was at once recognized by Mr. Barton. Mickey bad pag 9 not been as cunning as he fancied himself. © wasso wrapped up in the pursuit of the robbers that he had thought very little of his own ition, or he might have known that he was hiding Joe in the very place where he would be sure to be looked for. But a boy cannot be expected to have the wisdom of a man, and one idea was as much as our sharp young friend usually had room for at a time. He had returned home after his adventures in trailing burglars, and taken a night’s sound sleep in preparation for the next day’s work. ‘*Ther’s fun afoot, Joe,” he announced the next morning, ‘‘ and jist how it’s to be man- aged I don’t see, but I want you.” ‘‘ Want me!” queried Joe, ‘* Jist so. We's burglars now, don’t ye see? We’s been learnt the trade. Now ain’t it our duty to let these fellers see that we ’preciate what they arnt us? You bet itis. I’m goin’ to take a scoot through this chap’s house, Joe, arter that there box. And I waut you along, Cause one feller moughtn’t be enough.” ‘‘ But won’t the police snatch me?” questioned Joe, in a great flurry. ‘““T guess you and me kin be wide awake enough to fling them roosters. A cunnin’ little rat like you, and an old blizzard like me. Jist wait a minute, Joe, and I'll disguise you,” We cannot say that Joe quite approved of Mickey’s idea of a disguise, which consisted y of ink and partly of dirt. Yet with the grimed face which he now presented and bis bat drawn down over bis eyes his mother would hardly have recognized him. ‘* All you’s got to do now is to take a roll in the gutter,” declared Mickey. ‘‘ Them clothes is altogether too clean fur a dirty little buffer, like you’re to be.” To this proposal Joe positively objected. It was bad enough to have a dirty face. Mickey said nothing. But they had not gone far along the street ere he managed to adroitly trip his unsuspecting companion into a very unsightly gutter. . ‘‘Lawsee, Joe!” cried Mickey, with great concern, ‘* What’s you tumblin’ over my foot for? Didn’t know you was so awkward, Let me help you up.” Help him up he did; but he first gave him a rollin the loud smelling mud; and his efforts to brush the dirt from his clothes only succeeded in spreading it from head to foot. ‘“Guess it’ll come off when it’s dry,” de- clared Mickey. ‘‘Anyhow it was a lucky tumble. Nobody’d know you now for clean little Josie Joram. But, lawsee! sich an awk- ward buffer as you are!” Joe cast a look of suspicion upon his com- panion, but said nothing. He felt that Mickey was master of the situation. It was lucky for the boys that they left the house when a did. They had not got ten squares away ere a brace of officers approached the house, with intent to take them into cus- tody. One of those stationed bimself so as to revent escape by the rear. The other rapped oudly at the front door, It was not long ere it was opened by old Mrs. Malone, who started on seeing the blue coat of the policeman, ‘¢ What's the like o’ yez want in here?” she shrewishly demanded. ‘‘ There’s a_lashin’ 0’ folks lives "bout this house; but they’re all honest people. There’s little call for yez "bout here, at all, at aH.” ‘ Are you Mrs. Malone?” ‘Sure, and it ain’t that boy vou’re arter?”’ cried the old lady in sudden alarm. ‘‘ Och, and ye don’t mane to say as he’s been doin’ somethin’ he oughtn’t? I allers told him as he’d come to the gallows, the spalpeen!” ‘‘] want them both, Mrs. Malone,” declared the officer, as he pushed rudely past the old lady, who blocked upthe doorway. ‘' Wrere are they?’ “Take ’em both, then. Sure and I’m doin’ nothin’ to hinder ye.” There was a cunning glitter in ber eye as she watched the movements of the officer. ‘*Ts this your room?” Waix an’ itis, then. It’s the only room I’ve got in the wide world, ohone!” ‘‘ But where are the boys?” ‘‘Why didn’t ye ax thata bit ago: afore ye pushed yer dirty nose in to smell ’em out for yerself? Breakin’ intil an old woman’s house, widout warrant, ye ugly-faced peeler! Go ahead now, and do yer own findin’! And don’t be sayin’ much to me, or maybe ye'll be after feelin’ the length of my ten nails!” The presumptuous officer had certainly got rr ss sss === Ss oS T ©) 41 ee SOS SE EE qatar meng (cee ne A LL I tte himself into a hornet’s nest, and stirred up the hornets, He did not think it advisable, | rit then, to enter into a conversation with ) °‘s. Malone, te sample of her eloquence he had just received was quite satisfactory. He did not hanker after any more of it. He aontinued the search throughout the house, k* was occupied by several families, yet some of these might be giving shelter to the fugitives, A close investigation, however, convinced him that they were not there, and he retired somewhat discomfited. “You rust excuse me, Mrs. Malone,” he apologised. “Tt’s not me, It is the law you know,” ) ‘* An’ do you mane to say a& you're the ripre- sentative of the law? All I’s got to say, thin, is that it’s a scrawny old law that has sich ripre- sentatives as the likes of ye. It ought to be re-. p’aled, by Act o’ Parliament.” , ‘* Hold your tungue, you impudent old terma- ant!” cried the policeman, in a rage. ‘FP ave your boys, for your impertinence, if I have te stand on guard for them for the next ten days,” As Mrs. Malone retired from the battle a smile of triumph lit up her withered features. The ey? of ber antagonist was manna to her soul. Jt showed her that she had touched him to the quiek. The officer was as good as his word. He and his companion stationed themselves so as to command Be approach to tbe house. It was a trap set for the two boys on their return, But we must follow these young sleuths, on the somewhat doubtful and dangerous task which they had set themselves. To commit. burglary on burglars is a mode of turning the tables not often practiced. It might be easier to get into the house, as it would not probably be strictly guarded. But to get out of the house might be the problem, It is not hard for the chicken to get into the fox’s den; but the get- ting out is the difficulty. é' ickey was wise enough, in making h’s way up-town, to give a wide berth to their usual place of business. It might not be safe fcr Joe to be recognized by bis ordinary companions, He was in no burry, either. Midday was not. the best bour for burglarious operations, It was not far from noon when thoy reached the locality to which the burglars had been tracked the day before. It was, as we have said, a respectable street. The houses were three stories in hight, with wide fronts, and with a neatness and cleanness of aspect remark- ably different from the locality which the boys had recently left. ‘‘That’s the shanty, Joe. That’s the hole as our fox puts up -a. We’s got to dig in there, somehow. Only things looks kinder livel round yere now fur burglarism. Mebbe we have to wait fur night time.” 4 ‘Do you think they are at home? asked Joe, a little 9 pg ‘‘ How’sI to know that? ‘You don’t s’pose as I’ve got eyes that kin bore through a bri wall, and tell what’s goin’ on inside | “But if the were there, and were to catch ja queried Joe. ‘ Won’t they just murder us | “Why, I oe they’ll chaw us up,” answered Mickey indifferently. ‘But I don’t b’lieve we'll agree with ’em. Bet they'll find me tough bawin’.” you talk sof” asked “Oh Mickey! How can Joe. with a shudder. “They’s got to cotch us fust, Joe,” replied Mickey. ‘‘And I bet [ll be wuss nor a weasel to nab. Jist keep up yer sperits, boy. Don’t i be climbin’ over fénces till you come to em. “But what are we going to do, then? You don’t think we can get into that house wnbe- knowns, do you?” ‘“ We've sot to lay low and spot. Don’t see my way clear now. But somethin’ mought turn up if we only waits, You take that cor- ner, Joe, and I'll take this. We’s got to keep our eyes skinned fur snacks. Mebbe the burg. lars theirselves will turn up. And somethin’ else mought happen. Things do keep happenin* you knows if folks only wait.” The thing that happened on this occasion was the turning up of the burglars, and this not un- til the boys had been on guard duty for several. Oars. They did not come in a body however. Thoir approach to the house was more cunningly performed, and in a way that gave Mickey the a this gathering had an important Oo irst came the sturdily-built, harsh-faced. personage called Mart, so well known to the Eomichboo (E SiC