Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 526 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

2 part of their conversation had been overheard, and recognized the fact that a storm was brew- ing, but he was not the person to be easily fright- ened, He faced Parsons boldly. ‘‘ So,” said the rough, in a harsh voice, vou want ter know all erbout me, do ye?” “Who in the world be you, anyhow?” Nat coolly returned. ‘* Oh! you don’t know me, eh?” . ‘‘ Strikes me you’re the individooal I seen with the dorg, but I can’t call ye by name, Ef you’re a digintary I’m sorry, by ginger, fur I want ter be on intermate terms with ail great public men, Assooredly!” ‘*T b’lieve you’re a sneakin’ spy.” ‘A what?’ ‘* Why be you pumpin’ this girl?” ‘*Great ginger! ain’t lL aright ter talk ter who I please? I uster hev, arnd [ ain’t heerd o’ no act by Congress termuzzle my tongue. Ontil sech an act is parsed i reckon said tongue will keep right on a-wobblin’,” “That's all very wal, but you won’t gain any- thing by it. Who be you, anyhow?” A My name is J. Quincy A. Twiggs.” ‘‘ Don’t lie ter me, boy!” Parsons raised his voice, and tried by the vol- ume thereof, and his ferocious scowl, to frighten the young detective. Nat, however, remained as cool as ever, ‘‘ Hez the court set you up as my guardeen, mister? Ef so, I warnt ter know it, I were not arnticipatin’ sech an honor, by ginger! Ef sech is the case, prove it. Trot out yer docky- ment’ry evidence! Perdooce the vital statistics! Exhibit the orptical conviction! Do this ef yowre my guardeen, arnd ef you ain’t, remain forever silent. Assooredly!” Nat stretched out one hand with a gesture ap- propriate to this address, and looked as serious as an undertaker, but Parsons did not grow good-humored. ‘* Be you goin’ ter explain?” he demanded. ‘“Nary explain.” ‘+ You don’t leave hyar ontil ye do.” And the rough took his place by the outer door. Nat turned to the man he rightly con- jectured was Percy Veazey. ‘* Does yender individooal own this house?” he asked. ‘‘ No,”’ was the reply. ‘Do you?” és Yes,” ‘-Then I reckon I don’t take no orders from “Ms OF at uphold him in all he says,” Percy de- clared, ‘Then I reckon I don’t take no orders from you !” retorted Nat. ‘‘ Fack is, I came hyar on a peaceable errand, arnd | ain’t goin’ ter be trod on by nobody. Assooredly not! Hoboken is a part of the President’s domain, arnd he arnd me are on good terms. Ef Iam merlested, I shall appeal ter him, Say, mister, be you goin’ ter git out o? my way?” Nat walked toward Parsons, his manner as cool as ever, but with a determined air under all. _*No, L ain't,” Parsons returned; ‘‘ you're g0- in’ ter stay hyar. Kin you make room fur him in the suller?” _ The last question was addressed to Percy, but the latter slowly shook his head, ‘7 don’t like this, Sime,” he observed. “Tho kid is a spy; be we goin’ ter let him go - lopin’ erround, an’ lyin’ about us?” “Well, if you say the word, down into the cellar he goes.” ‘No, he don’t!” Nat retorted. ‘ Im no vege- tarian, arnd J’ll be booted ef I want ter go arnd reside with yer pestiferous old pertaters, cab- -bagesarnd carrots. Let me out 0’ thart door, or thar’ll be an ’arthquake byar right off, quick, Fax is fax, arnd they’re stubborn things,” “Veazey, ketch the young snake,” directed Parsons. ‘*T'll keep the door; you catch him.” The change was made, and Parsons advanced with an evil glitter in his eyes. The girl, Lena, had been in a panic eyer since this scene began, her sympathies Plainly being with Nat, and she now stepped in front of the Pie rough. “You sha’n’t touch him!" she declared, ‘‘ This is an outrages let the boy alone!” Parsous caught her and, without a word, set her aside; in his opinion it was no time to fool with women. Nat saw that he was thoroughly in earnest in his threat to seize him, and that only prompt action could save him from cap- tivity in the cellar. nn ne aeramnnnnnmsnnnnnnnemnnmmmssesnestammeenemmmememmmad ——————————— North River Nat. a a a ee ae ; fixed upon Nat. The latter knew at once that nothing opposed to that of Parsons—what was he to do? He had no time for an elaborate plan, but he formed a line of action, such as it was, at once, Parsons came on. He seemed to be afraid that Nat would dodge and run, but as the boy retreated, instead, he grew more confident. ‘*Come, you needn’t hang off!” he said. ‘* ve got ye ez sure ez preachin’!” And he stretched out his hands to grasp the boy. That then Nat moved, His one chance was before him, and he determined to make the most of it. Like most boys he knew his strong point—it lay in his agility, and ability to ‘* dodge and run” in a way no man could equal, least of all, such a ponderous fellow as Parsons. Nat made the venture. Suddenly gathering on his feet he made a feint as though to dodge to the left. Parsons promptly sprung that way. Another moment and Nat shot past him on the other side, laugh- ing derisively as he did so, He had gained one point on the villain, anyway. The way of retreat he had marked out lay through the door by which the two men had come to the kitchen—the only way open to him, in fact. He believed that it led to the front part of the house, and that by following this course he could gain the front door and pass to the street. He jerked the door open, and then came to a halt. Instead of a hall he saw only a stairway; it led to the upper part of the house. This was not at all favorable—what was he to do? Parsons’s steps crashed behind him, and Nat hesitated only a moment. He darted up the stairs, two steps at a time. What lay before him he did not know, but it would not do to let his pursuer get hold of him. Reaching the next floor he found himself in a hall-like room which was lighted only by a win- dow set in the roof. Plainly, he could not reach this, Four doors opened from the hall; he must go through one of these at a venture, Parsons was clattering up the stairs, muttering threats at every step. All that was ugly in the man’s nature was aroused, and he was liable to do any dark deed if he caught the boy, Nat quickly opened one of the doors, It led to an unoccupied room which faced the street, and an abundance of light streamed in through the glass of a bay-window. He ran to that point and raised a lower sash. Clearly, his only way was to repeat his feat at Ali's , house and leap out. He swung his body through and poised for the jump, but at that moment Parsons rushed for- ward with bands outstretched to seize him! CHAPTER X, NAT CREATES A STORM, For a moment the result was in doubt. Nat had to get his balance before leaping, or he would fall in a heap and probably break his bones. Parsons thrust his arms out of the win- dow; his hands moved toward Nat; bis fingers were bent preparatory to closing upon the boy’s arm, They did close—upon empty air, Just when his triumph seemed certain, Nat jumped, It was a leap the young detective was not at all willing to make; butit was in his favor that the ground below was soft and spongy. e struck PUR ey on his feet and retained that position, though the shock was no trifling affair. On the whole, though, he bad veen more fortunate than he dared to hope, and he prompt- ly ran through tho gate to the street. Then he looked back. Parsons was at the window, glaring at him fiercely. ¥ My b’loved corntemporary,” quoth the young detective, coolly, ‘of ye want ter zo ter Police Headquarters arnd hev this thing’settled, come right erlong!” Parsons closed the window with a bang and disappeared, but Nat did not wait to see if he would continue the pursuit. The boy heat a re- treat to the next corner, and there took rofuge in a convenient covert. He wished to see Par- sons come out, and then to follow him once more, ; “'Thar’s nothin’ in that house thart I want,” he soliloquized, ** but et I kin track the pestifer- ous critter ter his own den, I may find Foretop Tom. [ltry it!” | He waited, first with patience and then with growing doubt. Parsons did not appear, and half an hour rolled by. Then a woman came out of ths house and moved his way. He recog- nized Lena, and believed he should get some He resolved to act thus promptly, but how | news from her, at least, _-was he to do it? His strength would amount to ~, / / ; ‘c ba * ee) eee eo ee ee > - Lb . e , - i : s Ss ~ tae » f ys ve. >on She turned the corner, and then paused in sur- oud se . a ee 2 aa M a” 7S prise at sight of him. A look of pleasure ap- peared on her face. ‘*T am so glad tosee you safe!” she exclaimed. ‘* Assooredly,” Nat replied. ‘‘ I thank ye right hearty fur yer good will, arnd I know you was in my favor when them critters was tryin’ ter scoop me in, Say, whar is that measly Sime Parsons, now?” ‘* He’s gone,” ** He is?” ~ Yo," ‘‘T didn’t see him come out.” ‘*He went through the back yard, over to the next street,” Lena explained. “That settles it; he’s got away slick ez mice, Fax is fax, arnd they're stubborn things,” ‘What in the world does this all mean?” ‘Jest what I’d like ter know,” replied Nat, with the most innocent air imaginable, ‘‘ When I @liver any more merchandise fur a stranger Ill be older than l be now, I hev an idee that it was all part o’ a plot ter kidnap an unslowphis- tercated youth— which is me,” ‘‘There was nothing but candy in the pack- age you brought me.” ‘That settles it, sure. Him who give it ter ‘me was in kerhoots with Simon ter abductionize me. Set that down furafack, I reckon it was my perlitical enemies that put up the job on me, ‘cause I went ag’in’ ’em in the larst city elec- tion. Great ginger! hez Jarsey so backslid ez this? Hezthe time come that her honist citi- zens are ter be massacreed arnd gobbled lke mad-dogs?” ; get are a queer boy,” said Lena, wonder- ingly. 6 on be queerer ef I don’t ‘light out fur home, which is on Willow street. Lena, you’re a fine rirl, arnd you’ve been my fr’en’; [ won’t forgit it. Fur now, farewell!” “Wait alittle. Dd like to know—” ‘Can't stop now; I’ve got ter git home, or m friends will worry ’bout me. Good-by, Lena!’ And North River Nat hastened away. He knew that it was useless to delay longer, and he was anxious to get back to New York. Night was at hand, and he bad not been at the Beck- with house since morning. What would they think of his prolonged absence? and what had happened there during the day? His experience with Hoboken had been some- what rough, and he was glad enough to see the old ferry-house again. He entered, paid his three cents with good will, and went on beard the Christopher street boat, which was about to start for New York. The metropojis had never looked more pleas. ant to him than it did then, as he stood at the forward end of the ferry-boat and looked ahead. He had been so warmly entertained in Holoken, that he was glad to get back to the city of his nativity. Taking the Elevated Road, he was soon at Beckwith’s, Katie McKeevin had beeun to think that the new addition to the family was a mere scape- goat, for he certainly was not fulfilling Daniel eckwith’s directions—to be near when wanted —and sbe would have given him a serious Jec- i an she not had a message to give him in- stead, Mr. Beckwith wanted to see him at once, Nat received this notification quietly, and at once went to the self-styled invalid’s room. He was there in his big chair, as usual, with the colored man in attendance. “My boy,” said Beckwith, in a very melan- choly tone, ‘‘I sent for you_a long time ago.” ‘* T was out, takin’ an airin’,” ‘“T hope you do not recklessly expose yourself. Your health should be your first consideration.” ‘“ Asscoredly.” “Dr, moldsrorth,” pursued the invalid, ‘ has iven me a theory in regard to my missing a PE Pe thinks that on Thomas was kid- napped and taken away on a vessel which could et no sailors by honest means.” “Humph!” dryly commented Nat. ‘Now as to the men in the row-boat. think they were sailors?’ No, T don’t.” * Why not?” ‘’Oanse they looked like landsmen,” “Then you saw them somewhat plainly?” “ Wal, not so plain, but a sailor arnd a | man in a boat are cads 0’ a diff’rent color. Assooredly !” ' ‘Yet the kidnappers might have been South street land sharks, He,t speak, working for the captain of the vessel, fi They might a’ been members ©’ the Presi- dent’s Cabinet, but I don’) b’lieve they was,” “ Byvidently you don’t believe in Holdsworth’s theory.’ Do you y..¥ ; a : . a ‘ewe, ie - a & Ss a Fim 9)