Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 452 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

amt “Cause yer style is muniffercent, an’ ef ye ever want another job done at sach wages, I’m yer huckleberry.” Bargrade looked at him keenly. ‘* Are you sure you’re trustworthy ?” “Yer kin bet yer suspender buttons on that, an’ them is delikit things ter resk,” “Then, perhaps [ shall have work for you. Are you usually around here of evenings?” ** Yas, onless I’m visitin’ a’tendin’ ther ¢orn- solidated Politican’s Seance meetin’s.” ‘And if I was to come in and ask you togoto Den Magee’s, you could go without delay?” sé Jes’ So. ” ‘*Then you may consider yourself informally in my employ. You shall lose nothing by it Weeetde I find work for you to do or not. I trust your conscience is not superfluously ten- der.” ‘Is a five-year ole rooster tender? Not unless he’s kept too long arter killin’.” ““That’s the way to talk; my boy. Well, good: day; [m off how. By the way, say noth- ing to novody about this matter.” “Pin mum ez Grecian statoo.” Bargrade said good-day again and then took his departure. He left Bob still sitting on the stool, but his footsteps had not ceased to sound when the boy was on his feet. He went to the window and watched the street door, and, when his late vistor came out, noted which way he went. Then he clanced at the clock. He had barely time to reach Andrew Well- burn’s atthe time he ought to be there, but it cecurred to bim that he could best serve Well- burn’s interests in another way. ‘*Tll resk it!” he muttered. “I want ter see whar this measly chap goes, an’ Tl foller him ef I lose all ther jobs I’ve got engaged. Gosh all fiddle-strings! how ther thing is\ blossoman’ out! Ther only drawback is that I don’t know héad from tail, to it. It’s a measly, compler- cated complercation, anyhow.” By this time he was out of the room and mov- ing rapidly down-stairs. When he reached the street Bargrade was still visible, walking north, and Bob prepared to pursue. To follow a man by daylight on Crosby street is not always an easy task, provided one wishes to avoid discovery, but the hour was in Bot’s favor, and ‘more than the average of people served to make a screen for him as he glided along the sidewalk. Bargrade, however, did not once look around. Probably he had no thought of pursuit, and he strode along with a brisk pace. “tf I kin git him inter his hole, I stan’ a pretty fair chance © gittin’ right at ther root o’ this hyar matter. He thinks he’s an awful erte chap, but hg ain’t nothing a tall fur brains. Me work fer de you measly crook? Not fer Jo- When I git so hare uP ez that, Pil buy a seph! mackerel an’ go tin horn an’ @ strong-secnte ter peddlin’ fish, b’rosh!” The pursuit contimued. Houston street was tiohehed, At this point Bargrade turned toward the Bowery. Bob followed as before. Reaching the latter thoroughfsre, the man ascended the steps of the Elevated railroad. Bob did the same, and both purchased tickets and entered the station. Luckily for the boy, an up-train came bowling along at that very moment, and seeing Bar- grade make a rush, he did the same, and both were soon in the same car. Bob dropped into a vacant seat beside a big man who was reading a broadside newspaper, and, thus concealed, watched to see that Bargrade did not alight at any station unseen. Unkriown to the boy, he was watched as well as watching. Two men who had alse entered the car at Houston street were sitting not far away, and seemed to be “‘ sizing him up.” They had nothing themselyes to boast of in point of good looks. Each was a fair specimen of the city “tough.” With long, ragged hair and bristly beards they combined ragged clothes, omnipresent dirt, and features the personifica- tion of brutality. Men with such faces are seen in Gotham’s courts every day. These fellows, sitting ata point remote from both Bargrade and Bob, eyed each by turns, but seemed the most interested in the boy. They whispered as they looked at him, and had he observed them, he would have given an unfavor- able mental verdict. His attention was on Bargrade, however, and he saw little else until a station well up-town was reached. There Bargrade arose, and Bob promptly followed hisexample. Both left the car, The two toughs did the same, never losing sight of Bob. As chance would have it, the four were the 6 Hotspur Bob, the § | only persons who alighted there. The toughs brought up the rear as all began descending the winding stairs, and after a quick look around, one of the evil pair drew a slung-shot from his pocket and they burried on to overtake Bob. CHAPTER VI. SOMETHING FALLS ON BOB’S HEAD. Bos went on, unconscious of what was trans- puing behind bim; he bad eyes only for Bar- grade, and did not once think of being followed himself, As the leader of this antagonistic line reached the foot of the stairway, he turned and struck off briskly up the avenue. Bob saw that pur- sult would now become more risky than ever, so far as danger of discovery went, and he paused to study the situation, still standing on the stairs. He noticed a cab standing by the curb, al- most under the stairs, and was just wondering if he could hire it, and thus follow more safely, when the sound of a footstep behind him at- tracted his attention. He turned his head, but did not succeed in getting a view of the other parties. The two ruffians were at hand, and they acted quickly, Down came the slung-shot, striking full on Bob’s head. The boy dropped, and would have fellen entirely had not the other man caught bim. ‘* Now, then,” said he who had dealt the blow, hurriedly, ‘‘ bustle kim inter ther cab. Ef we git ketched at it, it’s all day.” They caught up the small form, and, as Bob was momentarily stunned, met with no opposi- tion from him. It was an extremely bold and risky thing to attempt—to abduct the boy om a public street in broad daylight, with several people in sight— | but they relied on the boldness, and the fact that he was * one of their kind,” in appearance. As they touched the sidewalk, they met a corpulent citizen face to face, and the gleam of his diamond fell full on Bob’s face. He looked uncertain, but the kidnappers were ready for the ordeal, ‘* Ef he don’t have another o’ them blasted fits afore we git him home, he’}l be all right.” ‘** Yes, ther doctor ‘ll save him ef he once gets thar.” With these specious words they hustled Bob into the carriage. A driver on the box viewed it with lively interest, and it was clear that he had expected them, though not. the other part of his freight. The corpulent citizen went up the stairs, and, in his anxiety to avoid heart troubles by hurry- ing, forgot all about the raggéd boy. Before he was up, the cab was whirling away, and in it went Bob and his captors. One of the latter promptly tied the prisoner’s hands and feet, while the former looked back. ‘* Are we pursued, Ben?” ** Don’t see nobody.” ** T'll het the beer we're off scot-free.” ‘Looks that way.” ‘* Hope we'll have as good luck at the house.” ** Shall you really take him thar?’ ** Of course.” ‘*T have a feelin’ that thar’s danger in it.” ‘* Danger! -Why so?’ ‘Ob! & can’t dest say, only that’s my idea,” ** J?)) risk it, don’t know who the blazes this kid is, but he ain’t high-cockolurum enough to have nobody howling because he’s disappeared, and as he knows the old bloke, we may get a pile of information out on him.” ‘We ought to, fur we've lost the old chap.” ‘‘ Never mind. It’s dollars to ¢ents that he'd have throwed us off the track as usnal, an’ we've got the kid safe. We'll make him tell all he knows, and he must know a good deal, or the man wouldn’t have visited him.” Ben did not seem very strongly infinenced by this line of argument, but he said no more. The cab rolled on briskly: it was clear that the driver was making as good time as he dared in the streets of New York, They soon reached a part of the city known to the police as one of the worst quarters in upper New York, and it was eles that Bob was not going to a congenial place. His captors had expected to see him recover speedily, but the blow must have been heavier than they thought. He did not recover. The cab finally drew up in front of a dingy brick dwelling-house. The driver jumped down and opened the cab door. ““Why dhe divil did yez# let dhe ould chap escape?’ was his abrupt question. “ Just w’ot I asked Steve,” Ben replied. “Well, [ had an answer ready, didn’t I?” treet Boy Detective. —————— | | | | | a _the three proceeded to carry Bob in. _800n done, the cab whirl Bet!” a oF —— _ ~—_—— — snapped Steve. ‘* Who's doing this biz, anyhow? I'd rather bave the boy than the old one. Ten te one, if we had him, he wouldn’t open a lip. The boy will and shall. Hustle him in!” The door of the house had been opened, and This was ) away and al! was quiet. The abduction had been performed with si gnal success. The presiding genius of the house seemed te be a fat colored woman. She looked actually benevolent, but had an unpleasant habit of enap- ping her strong teeth loudly together which was not pleasant. In point of fact, she Was a notorious criminal. and worse than either Steve or Ben. The captive boy was laid on a sota, and Steve called for water to revive him, but the woman had been looking at him critically and now an. nounced that he would soon be around. ‘* Jes’ you’uns keep wher’ you be,” she advised. ‘* Ben’s hand is heavy, an’ when he hits em one dey ain't a-comin’ round right off. But the chile will open his eyes soon or I’m a liar,” ‘*T hope you’ve left the house well secured, ‘*Of course Lhab. Did ye eber_ know me ter do udderwise? I’s s’prised at ye, Steve Rellix!” She spoke with considerablé asperity, but Steve wisely declined the gauntlet thrown at his feet. He knew her of old; she could be trusted | implicitly in any work of villainy as long as she was well used, but once intimate that she was the inferior of the best man on the gang and she Was hiable to raise the biggest kind of a row. Talk among themselves was brought to a sud den end as Bob opened his eyes. There was en xpression of perplexity and wonder on his face, but it was evident that his mind was clear. He arose to a sitting position and locked «tthe men, All his bonds had been removed, end ihere | was nothing to show that be wus a prisoner. the Hello!” he observed, *‘ w’ot sort 0 a seance is this? W’'ct meens this concord o’ people! Be | I deceased an’ bein’ waked? Ef so, whar is ther | mourners, en’ wher’fore ther wake? Ain't I still a-breatbhin’?” ‘* Yow’re all right, young man,” replied Steve. ** Jes’ so—appeerantly. By the way, may | inquire who you be, an’ w’ot ther riffle is? Thar is a dark shadder athwart ther horowren. as Jonah seid when he swallered ther whale— Say. whar ke J, anyhow?” « ‘*My lad, you’ve had an accident,” ‘‘Hev 1¢ Hez it been pulled? Did it come hard?” “A workman on the Elevated road accident- ably Jet a hammer fall, which fell on your bead and knocked you senseless. As you seemed to. have no friends with you, I had you brought here, to be taken care of. Vm glad to see you better, mry boy.” Steve spoke very blandly—almost with father- ly kindness—but Rob shut one eye and lcoked at him with a broad smile, while he tersely eyacu- lated: ‘*Gammon!” ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Casually speakin’, 1 mean that you can’t | stuff me fer no measly ole Christmas turkey.” } ‘“You talk in riddles,” returned Steve, but there was a sharp inflection to his voice which showed that it was not much of a riddle to Wim. ‘“‘f s’pose you'd like ter hev me b’lieve your yarn about ther hammer, but I can’t—not fer Joseph! Dye s’pose I think they keepa bard- ware store on draught up them elevated structu- aries? S’pose ther heavens rains meteoric ham- mers? Nixy—not this week. 1 allow that rome solid combustible did fali ‘en wy cranium Wl a ‘dull thud’ but T opine that your arm sped ther measly missile.” Steve did not try to carry the deception further. -. You're a sharp one, I see.” tight on a hair-edge, mister.” — “Lock out you don’t rup against a snag. Well, let us admit that yeu bave if about fine— what are veu going todo about it?’ ‘*Me? Wal,a blind hen can’t pick up much bulk o’ early worms, but any darned ole fow) kin sharpen her claws an’ scratch,” ‘“Once more you speak in riddles, Sinee it seems to rest with me, I'll come right te the point. You_aré my prisoner, taken with séme trouble, but I don’t mtend to harm you if youre sensible.” ; . ‘‘Oasually vociferatin’, your posish in this melancholy #’fair is kind an’ philanthrepie; but ef you want ter impress me forcibly, you'll open thé door an’ séy ‘ Skip,’ ” “You can easily earn the right to skip, for we are in no sense your enemies. All we wart