Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 512 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

- ¥ - "hu hoe") i] i " i ar *" ‘t ty / he - 4 oP, \ : * a ) Re) js cs 4,‘ - : “44 : vn \ f ad Le ‘ a3 bi oe ; "at — eh > J - é iy ee ef f -” a ioe ‘ , , :< hae | . —— Uae Ab lee a ” Fs 7 : . EEN. $+ Vi 58 p a te bs é a mat “+ . uN ‘ werd “st Se » ‘ “ ‘i= i ~2¢ ym iy ch ice . Tt e . 4 a . is aS = : ; ee -* ; ra ns = ~ Dodger Dick. ye . ee any like it before, but it seemed to attract Prince Peter.” ‘‘ Did you cabbage the button?” ‘‘T cut it off the string when he was asleep.” “Well?” ‘‘f showed it to Jack an’ he said ‘Great hea- vens! whar did ye get that? I told him off 0’ | Peter’s string, an’ he made me look if thar was any more like it thar.” “ And you did not find another like it?” ‘Tt was the only one.” Tony was silent for a moment. ‘‘ Bender, that button took Prince Peter back to his childhood, when he did not live under the docks,” continued Tony. ‘‘T know it.” ‘No wonder Jack wants all them buttons,” and Tony smiled. ‘‘ We could sell ’em for ten dollars apiece if we had a few.” Bender’s eyes seemed to glisten avariciously, but he made no reply. ‘“‘'There will be no strangers at ‘ the chapel’ to-day, Bender?” asked Tony. ‘¢ Of course not.” “ Jack won’t come any more until after we have “fixed the deck jspy. There must be no failure, Bender, for, if the half of what Jack said is true, we can’t afford to have Dick Sly on the docks.” “That is correct, Tony; Jack isn’t springing his trap a bit too soon!” The two youths went to their old quarters where they found Prince Peter the cripple at his old occupation of stringing buttons of various kinds, The boy looked haggard and pale in the sickly light of the lantern that hung overhead, and when he saw his companions a faint smile ap- peared at his lips. ‘‘ At the same old business, Peter?” exclaimed Tony, throwing himself on the ground and look- ing up into the boy’s face. * Don’t you wish you had all the buttons in New York to string?” ‘That would take a lifetime, Tony, an don’t want to end my days at this work,” was the answer. “Then you want to leave us, eh, Peter?” The little cripple threw a look about him. “T don’t want to die here,” he smiled, “* but I guess there’s no other place for me.” “It’s good enough to die in, eh, Bender?” laughed Tony, and Bender nodded and echoed his companion’s merriment; then he leaned to- ward the cripple and continued: ‘‘ Mebbe, Peter, we'll al get to show off in a mansion one 0’ these days, an’ then no one will think o’ dyin’ in a place like this.” The cripple did not reply, but went on with his daily amusement, taking the buttons from a box on the ground, and putting them one after another on the string. Tony and Bender watched him in silence. Every now and then they would see the sad countenance light up as if with hope, and for a moment the deep blue eyes would beam with a light out of place under the docks. ‘After the passage of a significant look between them, the two boys crept away and left the little button-stringer alone. They made their way to “ the chapel,” which was quite deserted and lonely. € G is all ready,” exclaimed Bender. ‘‘ Noth- ing is lackin’ in the arrangements, and Jack can- not but be satisfied.” “Pm glad it’s all right, boys.” The two wharf rats turned at the sound of the voice, and beheld the figure of Jack 0’ Diamonds before them. The noted crook seemed to have risen from tbe ground, and for a moment the boys were puzzled to account for his presenve there. . “TJ Jet my curiosity get the better o’ me,” con- tinued Jack. ‘‘ The old trap hasn't been worked for so long that I thought I'd take a look at it.” ** You ound the trigger, then?” asked Bender. ‘¢ Oh, yes.’ ‘¢ And worked it?” “J tried it once; that was enough,” was the ly. ‘‘I puta stone on the door, an’ saw that everything is in apple-pie order. I guess you boys know how to catch a weasel even when he is awake,” ‘Tf we don’t, we know nothing!” smiled Tony Whack. Once more ‘‘the chapel” was left alone and deserted, and the conspirators against Dick Sly went back toward the nest. Jack o’ Diamonds did not want to disturb Prince Peter over his buttons, but after looking at him a few moments he withdrew after giving a few instructions to the boys. Bender with a strange look watched him out of sight and when the e of the crook had dis- appeared he turned to Tony with a faint smile. — ” ‘That man is engaged in the biggest game o’ his life,” he exclaimed. ‘‘He actually got pale when I showed him the button which seemed to give Prince Peter a glimpse of the past. When you an’I get a little older, Tony, we'll play games for ourselves; we'll be no man’s tool then,” Ns An’ mebbe we'll graduate, like Jack, in Sing ing. ‘Oh, that’s to be expected. All great men graduate thar!” grinned Bender, who looked forward to a life of crime which had to be the natural outcome of the life he was living. ‘“Mebbe we won’t have a Prince Peter to play for a big card like Jack has.” ‘‘An’ no Dick to shadow us either!” was the response, While the day full of sunshine was passing over busy New York, the hours were wearing slowly away amid the gloom of .the low-ceiled places under the docks. The sun reached the meridian and began its journey down the west. | The hour of three approached, and the rats that scampered hither and thither under the wharf drew back from two figures lying at the rim of the hollow known as “ the chapel.” Tony Whack and Bender were waiting for Dick Sly. ‘‘He won't come,” whispered Bender, whose patience was leaving him. ‘* He has winded the scheme, and isn’t going to give us a chance to spring the trap.” ‘(Give him a little latitude,” answered Tony. ‘¢ Ah! some one is coming now! At that moment the flight of a score of rats announced the approach of some one, and in a little while Tony left his companion and crept toward the basin. ‘Ts it you, Dick?” he asked in cautious tones. ‘Tm on hand, Tony.” As these words were spoken Bender’s hand moved forward and clutched a stout string. ‘Tm a little behind, ain’t I, Tony?’ inquired the same voice which was that of the young spotter of the docks. ‘‘ A minute, mebbe, but that’s nothin’.” The two boys met near the middle of the ba- in. The darkness about them was almost palpable. Far away glimmered a light, but its rays did not reach them. “Tm ready to hear from you, Tony,” sudden- ly resumed Dick. ‘* You know you wanted me to come to ‘ the chapel’ to hear about the pointer you have picked up.” ‘“T recollect,” replied Tony. ‘‘ I want to make sure that we’re alone here. Wait for me here till I make a circle. I won't be gone long.” “Hurry up,” said Dick, and Tony crept ery ‘It isthe easiest thing in the world,” be mur- mured as he glided back to the spot where he had left Bender with the cord in his hand. ‘‘ Dick Sly isn’t half as sly as his name sug- gests. Jack thought we’d have some trouble with him, but itis no trouble at all. I must be near Bender. Ah! bere we are!” The two youths met in the darkness and Tony Whack clutched Bender’s wrist as he placed his lips at his ear. “The fly is in the middle o’ the web, Bender. I’ve just left him there awaiting hisdoom. Jerk the cord— quick!—Ah! that_catches the bird!” At that very moment Bender pulled with soe his might, and a strange sound was the re- sult. ‘‘Now, back! Let me help you,” ejaculated Tony, catching the cord with both hands, and the two boys pulled hard for a moment. ‘‘ There! that completes an’ covers the work!” cried Bender, throwing the cord down, ‘The floor of ‘the chapel’ is solid again and ready for the next victim. Sball we go down, Tony?” The two boys descended into the basin, end searched it in the gloom. The floor was as solid as if a circular trap had not opened in the center, and Tony kicked some dirt and dust over the spot. Dick Bly was gone! He had been decoyed to ‘ the chapel,’ and the he ag known to but few of the rats of the sr 5 had brushed him from Jack o’ Diamonds’s path! Tony and Bender went back to the nest where Prince Peter was still busy with his buttons. But they did not see the sparkle of the cripple’s eyes. CHAPTER XII. WORKING THE BIG SCHEME, PreTER PRAYNE, the merchant, was about to quit his store for the day when a boy deposited : - “= Com ive wa y J al Nas * J | cal : Cee ee 7 . ‘ > # . Beal oo Pe Sea ss Ge ee +7 es i; hens on “Fn 33 “= oper od 8 by - ’ : * - he . wo —— ys a < to. at ya r ae ” ete “ > s ) >i ke r “ : | a sealed letter on his desk, and escaped before the astonished man could have him detained, The letter, when opened, was found to be from a person who knew all about Larry’s visit to the merchant’s house. Indeed, the writer said that he was the person who was to restore the oe missing boy, and announced that Larry h acted under instructions from bim. Mr. Prayne was asked to meet the writer at a certain office on Beekman street that night. He was told to come alone. . ‘* Tf you are acccmpanied or watched by de- tectives you will find the office closed, and your son will never be restored,” was the concluding sentence of the letter. “T wonder if Dodger Dick, the young dock detective knows about the delivery of this Jet- ter?” the merchant asked himself, and as he folded it and placed it in an inner pocket he resolved to meet the writer at the hour and place mentioned. This took place some time after the spring- ing of the trap in ‘the chapel,” and, if Peter Prayne had known tbat Dick Sly had been lured to the fatal place by the crook’s tools, he would not have been so willing to meeting the writer. When night had once more thrown her all over the island mart, the merchant repaired to Beekman street. He did not know that his store had been watched by a pair of keen eyes since his re- ere of the letter, but that did not matter, Te went to the rendezvous alone. The room or “ office ” was on the second floor; a rather cosey and neatly-furnished place, and its sole occupant, when the merchant entered, was a black-bearded man, who appeared to be waiting for some one. : “You are punctual, I see,” smiled this man as the merchant announced himself, “* I am quite alone, as you perceive, and have been waiting for you.” Peter Prayne had taken a chair and was mak- ing a mental study of the speaker. He had never met him before, and though he was wel! dressed and affected the manners of the peatene, the man of business could see that e was in disguise. ‘‘'This is the man with whom I am to negoti- ate for my boy’s restoration. He is a cool, cal- culating rascal. I can see this much without great scrutiny. Since my loss I have been thrown into contact with a score of his class.” The stranger, who called himself Silas Seldon, Jr.—a name already familiar to the reader—be- gan the interview by saying that he was the person who had employed Larry to open nego- tiations with the merchant. They had now come to the gist of the mat- ter. ¢ Mr. Prayne was reminded that he had lost a child, that the disappearance had baffled the best detectives of Gotham, and that, to the world at large, the boy was as much lost as ever. ‘““ Now, Mr. Prayne, it is in my power to clear up the mystery,” concluded the man, who was our old acquaintance, Jack o’ Diamonds, “I have had to sacrifice a great deal to reach the victory I have_ lately gained. Your boy’s whereabouts are known to me, and to me alone. Your signed agreement to pay me fifty thousand dollars for your cbild is still in mv possession. You are still willing to carry it out?” The merchant said ‘ yes,” and the crook pro- ‘‘ Circumstances oblige me to require one-half of the amount in advance. I shall ask for twenty-five thousand now, to be delivered to- night,” The merchant started. . “T never carry large amounts of money with me,” he ejaculated. “That is not at all strange,” was the reply. ‘You have it at the store.” ‘* Which is closed now.” ‘* But the safe?” “Tt has a time-lock which cannot be opened | till a certain time to-morrow.” Jack o’ Diamonds was not abashed. “You have friends at your house, [have a | friend who will act as my agent. Mr. Prayne, I must have this deposit asa guarantee of good faith on your part.” | ‘‘ But my boy!” cried the merchant. “ He is ready to spring into your arms.” “ Does he know—” “That I am negotiating with you for his re- turn? He is not entirely in the dark, and Ican say that be approves of it all he knows. ll pay the guarantee money? I will call inmy friend, whose office Iam occupying for terview.” itd . * e, *, : . ™ ¢ - | ip .s re F ~~. y : ; | | | En yo / Ky ) \ ine" a : oe > a 4 nt niga * See w oT eee eee - —_ a =< a x ‘(fs = 1 Ay at, i ‘ i