Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 526 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER IT. THE MYSTERY OF THE PIER. It was a few hours later, and uight had fallen over New York. Upon a pier which projected into the North River sat a boy, his feet dangling over the water. He had come to the place to see the watchman, with whom he was acquainted, and when the latter’s duties took him inside tie building erected upon the pier, the boy went and sat down at the extreme point. The panorama of the river interested him, and he watched the lights and dim forms of the various moving crafts with close attention. Of these, sone were proceeding up or down the broad stream on various errands, but in striking contrast to such wanderers were the ferry-boats which plowed their way regularly through the water to Jersey City, Hoboken or Weehawken, and back again. Such a scene never loses its novelty, and the boy watched with interest, Suddenly he beard a sound from the other end of the pier which caused him to turn his head, At first he thought it was his friend, the watchman, moving some article, but there was nothing outside the building, and none of the crafts which lay beside the pier was discharging or receiving cargo, ‘* Drunken sailors goin’ aboard, I reckon,” muttered the boy, and he turued his gaze again to the river, Perhaps two minutes had elapsed when he heard the sound of oars. Looking around, he i) saw a boat shoot out from behind a schooner. | Two men were in the smaller craft, one of whom was using the oars. He pulled a strong, quick stroke, but the skill | used made his efforts comparatively noiseless, ka The darkness prevented the watcher from seeing anything more; the boat and the men were not distinct enough so that he could recognize any distinguishing features about either. The man at the oars pulled clear of the pier; then turned the bow of the boat up-stream, rowed on and speedily vanished from sight. The boy looked after them doubtfully. ‘** He’s in a pestiferous hurry!” he muttered, The oarsman’s stroke had been quicker than the average, but not sufficiently so to confirm the idea that first entered the boy’s mind, For a moment he had wondered if they were river-thieves, but he abandoned the idea after a little meditation. ** Wilson must ’u’ seen ’em, arnd knowed their boat was nigh. I reckon it’s all right; I’m git- tin’ ter be too suspicious o’ late, owin’ ter the unoosual exper’ence Pve had with pestiferous critters who were up ter mean tricks.” Perhaps ten minutes passed, and then’ the et ae ie es nw —— ee / sound of voices at the landward end of the pier caused him to rise. Ses AB ** Wilson’s got company, arnd I’m goin’ ter see RS who ’tis. The hooman mind is always 0’ an in- a vestigatin’ mold, arnd ef I ain’t got my share AY on’t my name ain’t Five Points Phil. Fax is 9! fax, arnd they’re stubborn things.” i With this quaint remark the boy sauntered PAD st the structure presided over by Wilson. oe pha When he reached the front, he found that gen- | tleman in conversation with a policeman. As Phil turned the corner, he attracted their atten- tion, and Wilson suddenly cried: ‘* Here is somebody who may be able to help you. My boy, have you seen any one gn the -+pier ' at Can’t say I hev,” Phil promptly replied. “Tt must be, officer, that your “man did not come this way. True, | was very busy inside, and making some racket, but the boy would have seen them if they went out his way,” * Dot vas all right,” answered the policeman, with a strony accent, “but I sees dose men mit mine own eyes, myself. Mr. Beckwith vas der first to go, an’ den der udder men dey followed. --« Lseen dem as blain as never vas. Dey did not --——- -gome pack, so vere did they go?” _ _Having asked this question, the officer remoy- ed his hat and scratched his head in perplexity, g. ‘Missin’ men, eh?’ said Phil, remembering ‘the incident of the boat. Yes; Officer Snyderham saw a gentleman ‘he knew come this way, and now that he wants ear ae k with him. he can’t find him.” __*Pot man vas Mr. Thomas Beckwith, some- dimes called ‘ Foredop Tom; I know him mit rsonal acquaintance,” explained the patrol- Man, somewhat importantly, ‘‘My pees’ness ‘mit him vas not imbortant, but dose two men who comes right after bim looked rough enough _ ‘to be hard characters, you see,” % i _ “Mebbe you'll eloocidate furder,” suggested a: @ Puints Phil. 1 . i er Snyderham did so. | While en his beat Se Fs q'y ‘ : ow : et J * c “= “ "| ‘\’ ' > % . = — A LL LLL. LL sa 2 me, 7 North River Nat, eae ee he had seen a gentleman pass, and go out on | the pier, whom he recognized as Mr. Thomas Beckwith, an old sailor Soon after twe rough- looking men went the same way. In a few minutes it occurred to him that he would Ilke to speak with Beckwith, and he had gone in search of him. All threeof the men had wr eared, * Fe. Beckwith must be on von of dose ves- sels,” Snyderham added, ‘** though why he should go dere 1 can’t exblain in der least.” ‘** Probably be is there,” agreed Wilson. **See byar,” interrupted Phil, ‘‘ who was them chaps that had the boat?” ** What boat?” . ‘The one over thar.” ‘The only boats there were those belonging to the vessels that lie there.” The boy shook his head siowly, ‘*T ain’tso sure 0’ that, my b’loved corntem- porary. I see’d a boat leave thara while ago, and it wouldn’ts’prise me ef’twas the very chaps the orficer wants.” ‘*My poy,” said Snyderham, ‘vot vas your name?” ‘* They calls me North River Nat,” answered Phil, giving Wilson a hint not to reveal his real name, ‘Dot vas a queer name, py Chove. Well, I vas myself going to loox around bere and see if I could find Mr. Thomas Beckwith you see.” The search was duly made, but Mr. Beckwith was not tobe found upon the pier, or aboard any of the vessels. Neither had he been seen by the sailors, but this was not strange, as nearly all were below, One circumstance was developed which was of more than passing interest. It was learned that the boat Phil bad seen did not belong to any of the vessels, nor had it been aniiéel by members of any crew. Wilson, who had been out on the open part of the pier nearly all the evening, had not seen this boat, and it looked very much as though it had been rowed secretly to the vicinity, concealed by the craft lying there, and as secretly taken away. Officer Snyderham was somewhat worried. He had read the life of Vidocq when he first went on the force, and bad ever’since been de- sirous of distinguishing himself. As a result, he was always on the watch for points, Ordinarily he would have set the men who had been seen in the boat down as thieves, but the fact that he had seen ** Foretop Tom ” go upon the pier, and that the old sailor had then disappeared so strangely, led him to draw an- other inference. Had anything happened to Beckwith? The missing man had led an adventurous life ever since his boyhood, but that did not neces- sarily mean that he was able to look out for himself; if remained a fact that old sailors are prone to get into trouble frequently. : The patrolman explained all this, and inci- dentally mentioned the fact that he was well ac- quainted with Foretop Tom, having met bim when visiting a Miss Katie McKeevin, who lived in the same house, As there was no proof that harm had been done the sailor, Snyderhum finally return- ed to his beat, after asking Five Points Phil where he could be found in case he wished to see him again, **' Wilson,” said the boy, when they were left alone, ‘‘ what d’ye think o’ this, anyhow?” ‘Bah! that Dutchman is scared about noth- ing; he’s always finding mares’ nests,” Wilson answered, ‘* But whar is Foretop Tom?” wed ‘A mile away, probably. I doubt if it was he, and if it was, he probably went away by the street.” : ‘ “The p’lice guardeen was posityve in his as- atic yi though.” ‘* He always is.” . , “But I'm rayther inclined ter think he may be right.” ** 1t’s possible,” “Bit the sailor chap has fell afoul o’ thieves arnd pestiferous ns, I'd sorter like ter know it.” . “What! do you want amateur detective work?” : “That's erbout the size on’t, my b’loved corn- m . I feel the detective fever gittin’ hold on me in a voylent form, by ginger!” ‘You'd better curb it.” “Why, ain’t I always did good work? | Ain’t I hel sev’ral o’ my ’quaintances out o’ pesti- ferous scrapes, downin’ the villains arnd helpin’ the cause 0’ jestice along?” ‘That's all true, but Solomon Richmore is helping you to be a man of importance, as a re- to do some more | ——_—_— LL <q ward for what you did for him, You are get- ting an education—you have enough pow so that yon need not use such language as you do. Fact is, you are too much of a high-spot in the world now to be acting the detective.” ‘* Fact is, my b'loved corntemporary,” retorted Pbil, ‘‘ l hope I won't never git so high up the Jadder that | can’t spare time ter help ap honist individooal who isin a pestiferous fix. Fax is fax, arnd they’re stubborn things.” “Have it yourown way.” © “Jes’ so! Thank ye! Much obleeged!” coolly replied the boy. ‘‘Mebbe you noticed thart I tol’ the city guardeen that my name was North River Nat. Thart is ter be my name arnd title fur awhile. Five Points Phil is too wal knowed in Gotham ter enable bim ter bea shadder, arnd that is jest whut I want ter be ef thart sailor chap is in diffikilty. Yes, sirree; ef barm has come ter him [?’m goin’ ter act detec- tive ag’in, arnd while 1 do so my hame is North a River Nat!” 4 7 CHAPTER IIT. MISSING FORETOP TOM, It was just after noon, the following day, | Five Points Phil sat in the room of a house on Macdougal street, diligently perusing a book, In many ways be was as peculiar of appearance as was his speech. He wus sixteen years of age, but as he was small for his age, he did not look ever fourteen or fifteen, His face was small, sharp and shrewd—in- deed, he somehow resembled an alert rat in this respect—but it was a frank, honest, intelligent face, and though more firm than regular, not without some claim to good looks, His eyes had a shrewd, Wise expression, but often changed to that of humor, Indeed, he saw the comic side of everything, and managed to enjoy life as he went along. Once he had been exceedingly poor, and a marvel in rags; but having done a great favor toa man named Richmore, this oN Ee ier had put him in better garments and made ample provisions for an education for the boy. For the time being, Five Points Phil had no need to worry about money or anyt ing else, a but as it was now the summer season, he had a vacation from school and was improving the chance to look about his native city, great New York, thoroughly. As he sat reading on this occasion, a rap sounded at the door, “Come!” directed Phil. The door opened, and Policeman Snyderham a entered, | . ‘“How you vas, North River Nat?” saluted the genial officer, who, apparently, was still Me ignorant of the youth’s true name. ~ ES my b’loved corntemporary! Is it —— < . ~ Se oe. SS “Tt vas, py Chove! You vas perusin’ a book mit yourself, I dake it.” : * Jes’ so, Mr, Patrolman,” ‘*T haf comes to see you on pees’ness.” “Erbout that sailor chap?’ Phil quickly asked, dhs “Yah; it vas apout Foredop Tom.” ae Wal a” : ‘*] vas sure he haf met mit foul blay; he hat not peen home sence last night.” aig “Great ginger! I reckon them two rough- lookin’ individooals you seen on the pier aid do him mischief!” ‘Dor vas my obinion, py Chove!” | The fat German, who was now in citizen’s i ag began to fan himself excitedly with his at ‘So you’ve looked the diffikilty up?” ( “T called to ask Miss McKeevin apout Fore- | dop Tom, und see der whole family. They vas worried apout him.” : Five Points Phil laid down bis book, arose, "> ae thrust both hands deeply into his pockets, and | fixed his gaze steadily upon the officer, 4 “My b’loved corntemporary, it behooves us ter look inter this, Ef some pestiferous critter hez got away with an honist sailor, it’s time fur Vidocq ter strike out with both fists, Fax e ne arnd they're stubborn things, Agsoor- . * Dot vas it; Tam going to primg der guilty barties to justice, and I vants you pecause you saw der men in der poat. I vill win fame out — Lee of this case, und get to beadetective, Dotvas der chance I haf waited for ever since I vas made one ba geri of a emis er Phil looked benignly at the fat officer, but if a he had ken his mind, he weuld not have es prophesied success for Snyderham. ‘Honest and tee good-natured the German surely was, but he Res: og Been te aay { *. = A wr a, 9 » . ‘ . ie : No ‘ : 4 : - "4 ¢ ‘a pe ae 7 4 * * mie, © bh » » @ / én : we 2 - re ¢ ¢: ee ot cbooks.com ~ : a * liv « -