Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 483 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

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By gambling?” ce es bb “ And by stealing?” “Oh, ves; but I got money, and in time met ' Elegant Ed and joined the band of Land Sharks cand you know how I kept first a fancy store over which they had rooms, and then the flower ‘You accidentally found out what I was, and - believing me to be your father, did not turn GO. an! against me, aud it showed your noble nature.” ! asked the clerk to direct him to a place of : can hardly believe it is you,” EOE ooo + 4 2.0. fa : Sey ia : 2 es The Ferrets Afloat. ‘‘ Well, you have cared for me fora purpose?” | **Oh, yes, though I have been greatly attach- | ed to you.” ; ** Your real purpose?” **To turn up with you, just before your eigh- teenth birthday, and let you claim your inher- itance, **T have kept my eyes open, and those execu- tors have an advertisement in the pene? offer- ing rewards for you and your brother. ‘** Now Iam to go West, tomy farm, which I bought back years ago, and there stay for awhile. ‘Then, seeing an advertisement, I can come East with you, tell how I found you and your brother, as little children, in a rascal’s hands, and that I took you as my own, and your brother was killed by Indians, while living at the house of a gentleman who had adopted him. ‘*T can say, that secing the advertisement, I felt that it must be you, and I wish to offer the proofs, in the likeness of your mother, and more jewelry which you and your brother had on, with other things, at the time you were kid- | napped. | ‘**’You can help me out, say I have been a fa- her to you, and, when you get press property, you can give me my share, of two hundred thousand dollars.” ‘You have laid a deep plot and worked hard to attain riches.” | * r have indeed, Flo’; but you will do as I ask? ‘*Gladly, for I would give more, so happy am Tin knowing you are not kindred of mine, and that I can get rid of you with money.” ‘* You will never prosecute me?” ‘* Never,” “Well, we will start West in a couple of days, for I will leave the band—” ‘To do so is death,” ‘““Tll not let them suspect my intention, and they can never track me.” ‘* Tt is your risk.” ‘Yes, and we can go to the little farm, spend a short while, and then return East, as soon as [ see those men advertising again. ‘* What do you say?” : ‘“*T am ready at any time, and oh! so anxious | to sever the link that binds me to you,” ‘‘ Very well, within three days we start West; but I have certain matters to settle with the chief, so where are his quarters in New | York now?” ‘“You know he belongs to one of the crack clubs there?” ) ‘*'Yes, but which one?” ‘““The Pleasure Circle, I think, for I saw him in theve as I passed some days ago.” ‘‘He «.es by the name of Doctor Edgar, then?” a6 Yes.” ‘*Then I can reach him, ‘** Now good-afternoon, and expect me to come | for you in a couple of days.” oy will be ready, sir,” was the girl’s reply, and the eavesdropper heard the door open and shut, and knew that the murderer and thief, by his own confession, had departed, Then the young dandy slipped out of his room and went to a telegraph office and sent the fol- EE ' lowing dispatch: | “To CAPTAIN: WILL RAYMOND, ‘th Precinct Headquarters New York. “Come to me for | need you, Am at the La | Pierre House. Foxry.”’ This dispatch was also sent to two other ad- dresses, and then a quiet smile stole’ over the face of the youth who so closely resembled a dude, as he walked back to the hotel, It was now dinner-time, and the seat given him by the head waiter was directly opposite to a young lady dressed in deep mourning. One glance into her face and he recognized Flora, the Flower Girl; but she could not pene- trate the startling disguise of FYoxey, the Fer- ret, CHAPTER XX. SETTING TRAPS, Whuen he bad finished: his dinner, Foxey left the table, delighted that Flora had not recog- nized him as her one-time shop-boy, In fact, she had looked at him at first with a glance of contempt at his foppish and affected appearance, and then smiled at his seeming in- nocence of being an object of amusement to waiters and guests alike. ater Te SO RN re : 7 - scabs ” oak | 2 a" 1. : want ‘> - ne ears " ~ . al ie; r ‘ae NES al . oN Petre Fike fv a £ en, aK Ca? oul « ’ z= . berg se i = . is = Al — , i . \ EE TT LT ees | amusement, and killed time by going to the theater. Upon his return he received word, withouw apparent Sy that an old friend, Midship. man Ray Williams, had arrived, and, recogniz. ing his name, was anxious to see him, Now Foxey had registered as Frank Foxwell, a name that Wizard Will knew he had often done Secret Service under, and knowing that it was his young captain, the youth said: **T will go upand see my friend—ah! his room is near my own.” And he went up to the chamber where the eee Midshipman Ray Williams was lo- cated, As he entered, in obedience to the knock, Foxey was met by a trim-looking youth in a middy’s uniform and with blonde hair that, in contrast to his dark eyes, completely changed his appearence, ‘Well, Foxey, I would not go to bed until I had seen you,” said Wizard Will, for he it was, ‘“‘ fam glad, indeed, to see you, and we'll have a little talk,” and Foxey crossed to a door and turned the knob, ‘*That communicates with another room, and is locked,” said Will. ‘* Yes, but I have just had some experience of an important kind, through the door of an ad- joining room, and, with your permission I will ring the bell and have you change your room, to one that has no other opening into it. ‘*'You can say we wish to talk until late, and don’t wish to disturb the party next door.” Will saw then Foxey had a reason for the re- uest, so the bell was rung, and the room was changed, ‘‘Ah, this is a nice one, for it is cut off wholly, and we can make as much racket as we please. ‘* The fact is, my man, we are noisy boys, and when we get to going, no one can sleep that is very near us,” and Will slipped a silver souvenir into the hand of the attendant that more than repaid him for the trouble of chang- ing. atin seen that the man did not remain out- side to listen, Foxey drew a chair up near to Will and told him all that he had heard, ‘“‘This is remarkable, Foxey, and you are a trump to get at the bottom facts of a case; but you could not gét the address of the vil- lain who has so deceived Flora?” ‘‘She has it, of course, for she telegraphed him from New York; but then IJ think we had better arrange our plans so as to catch him after he goes to his farm in the West with her, ‘‘'When he comes here again you can dog him to his quarters, where his pals are, so as to know their address, and thus be able to bag. them all, and Elegant Ed too, if he should re-} turn here, which I doabt. ‘‘Then I can be on hand to go West with, the man and Flora, find out where his farm is, and then telegraph you to come on,” ** Would it not be well to see Flora and have a talk with her?” ‘** No, indeed, for she would not betray ther for she has given her pledge, and will ne» break it.” t= ‘You are right, and I believe it would b= best to capture the man at his home first, w getting a requisition on the Governor of th) State for him, and then bring him East. ; ‘*Of course, for the girl’s sake, I do not cay to have her brought before the public, and tke charge we must make against him, to harg him, is for robbing the bank and killing the cashier, for we can find out the time and Staze where the crime was committed. ‘That will havg him and get him out of the way of Flora.” ‘That is the best way to work it, Cap’n Bil- ly, for, if we made a descent upon the Land Sharks first, some might escape, and it would get into the papers, and that cunning rascal micht leave his farm and take Flora with him.” “You are right, Foxey, and I will find out about the bank to-morrow, and then write Jicksey, Whom [ left in charge of the League, as we were both absent, to go up to the Club and shadow Elegant Ed, making no sign until he hears from me.” ‘* Better write him to shadow him, even if he : leaves New York.” ‘* Yes, even if he goes to the North Pole. ‘TI wish to run this band and Elegant Fi to Now Foxey was a cool-headed youth and a! earth through our Boy Ferrets alone, anc re- plucky one, and playing a part as he was for a | good purpose, he did not care a fig for the fact that he was being laughed at as a dude. He went about complacently on his way, ort to Captain Daly only when we have them in the trap we set for them; but, Foxey, no | one on earth would ever know you in that dis- guise, and you do look so much like a softy 7 Aa - Py. 9 ° ¥ ’ : " ' ae: a 5 « » * «® act a ee A ; ve fa! ky Sy ad | ‘ a > a ~~ & d } « ¥ - ph ae ils 5 ‘ . se é 4 ~ : i 4 a “it : » ay ay} r=! ~{ Ff 2 iS ¥ . ; L + P a - ‘ ae: F . oe ’ ee: “ee ‘ 4 Wy 7. ee +. - 9% ~e * ‘ . : ty " ? b ’ vs Me ° * . 5 7 € \ - i 4 ’ om , b/s ~~. = * cy is 1 —, ‘ . & al ' ~ 7 ei cf» =" “¥ i , + oe ta ny of ’ 7 . - 7 eS ks da wae 4 he bs - ig : ot’ eta 4 r : . Tab ; f ws . a a Os » 1 : ¢ pet, ° ‘ Y iy Does pre: comicbooks.com