Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 608 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

this comp n—who Dan was satisfied was no other than Bar marched off the trestle and along the ck, not troubling themselves to look back until ey reached the spot for which they were bound. Runbing down the bank from the track, they mo- ' tioned t6 Dan to come down, too. The four men then found themselves upon a small platform ef stone, against which bobbed a good- sized boat, fitted with a mainmast and jibboo-n, on which the sails were closely furled. A small trap aft showe! that there was a cabin, out of which, in fact, the head of a creature who might have been & map, a boy or monkey, emerged, in response to the cry of Slicker of **Swift ahoy!” “Well, what’s the trouble?”’ growled the inmate of the cabin. ‘‘ Here’s the Swift. What do you want witf her?” This is Slicker. “All right, Guy. clear?” “IT guess so. The decks have been Labi well washed to-night, and I’m darned if I haven’t had to open the cabin windows on the Ice side to let the water out when the scuppers got clogged up.” “Pretty tough!” said Slicker, in a conciliatory Everything tone. ‘Well, I should coila rope. Come, get aboard, if you're coming!”’ Dan managed to nudge the doctor warningly, and the latter, quick to understand, slipped his hand into his outer pocket and clutched his pistol deter- minedly. Dan did the same, and then, under the direction of Slicker, jumped from the platform to the deck of the boat. Hardly had they done so, when, as the detective expected, the craft was pushed off from shore to- ward the center of the river. ‘We'd better go below,” said Slicker, as he pointed to the hatchway. Dap, though suspicious of the other’s intentions, did not think it wise to decline; so, only keeping a sharp eye on the movements of the men who were virtually their captors, he descended a steep ladder running down between two lockers, and found him- self in a stuffy littie hole with room or lockers for half a dozen men, and a small table in the center, the whole feebly illuminated by the rays of a smoky coal-oil lamp. In a few moments, Slicker, Barker, Dr. Horne and the detective were seated around the table looking into each other’s faces, like contending armies ready for attack or defense, waiting for some one to open the conversation, The man they had called Guy (for he was a man after all), remained on deck, though within cailif he should be wanted, “ Well, Mr. Straight Tip,” began .the doctor, “ By the way, which of you is Straight Tip?” “ Both of us,”’ returned Slicker, with a grin. “Ah! Well, you told mein your letter that you could help me to get back a sum of money that was stolen from my desk this morning.” “ Did we?”’ asked Slicker, innocently. ‘Why, confound you! Didn’t you?” broke out the doctor wrathfully. ** You say so.”’ “Isay so? Well, of allthe~ Why, hang me if I don’t make you—”’ His right hand, which had never left his pocket, wriggied about ominously; but Dan, who sat by his side, are him a warning touch on the arm, and brought him to himself. “Now, see here, old gentleman,” interposed Barker, who had not spoken before, “you are not in your own house in Albany now, with lackeys at your bidding. You are on board the yacht “ Swift," which changes her name for every cruise, and which belongs to aset of men who wouldn't think any more of carrying out your dead body to Sandy Hook and throwing it overboard, than they would of killing a pup.” “The oodshirsty rascal!" muttered the doctor, inaudlbly. “*So, all you have to do in this case is to say noth- ing until you are told to speak, and when that time comes you want to s quickly and straight to the point, Now, Slicker, go on with your busi- ness, Barker concluded his harangue with an air of modest self-satisfaction, and producing a long, sharp dagger, stuck it into the table before him with so mucb force that it quivered again. Double-Curve Dan did not interfere in this contro- versy. He l-oked upon it only as a detail, that would have no effect bn Fee the main issue, and was therefore of no particular importance. Besid Dr. Horne was quite able to take care of himself under ordinary circumstances, “Now, Doctor Horne, you want ter get back yer money, I suppo:e?”’ asked Slicker slowly. *“That’s a fool question, andI should be an ass to answer it seriously,’’ replied the doctor gruffly. **Wal, nace - Pang ag In course yer wants yer money. ral, er do ez ye’r’ told, yer ki 7 “Ts it here?” 3 es at adem “No, it isn’t hyar. I an’ my friend ain't no thieves. We are respectable gen’lemen, with er taste fer base-ball, an’ with several speculations on hand, like any Other syndicate.” «és ’ ‘**Now, byar’s ther proposition. You sign er cer- tain paper and give it ter me, an’ the person ez takes it will return your money to he hands in ther paper.” ‘** What is this precious paper?” “Only an order to your daughter, Clara Horne, ter give ther bearer a check for , drawn ter ther rder of William Williamson and signed Richard tt, Sr., and which you have somewhere in your use. “* Why, the man’s an idiot,” howled the doctor. your house when” 'The Pitcher Detective’s Foil. “Yes, ft does seem like it, doesn't it? But yer see I hev er use fer thet partic’lar check, an’ I want it. An’ I'm ready ter tell yer whar you kin git back all ther money ez wuz taken outer yer drawer yester- day ef you'll jest sign thet paper.” Double-Ourve Dan did not speak, but was thinking busily. He began to see the game of the virtuous Slicker. Asto why his own presence had been de- sired here to-night, he suspeeted that Slicker had an idea that he (Dan) had the diamonds still secreted about his person. Thereader knows that if Slicker had supposed so when he threw the note through the doctor's window, he knew better now, Dr. Horne was boiling with indignation. ‘** Why, you miserable rascals—” ‘“‘Here, quit that!” commanded Barker, putting his hand on the)ilt of his dagger. ‘* When you are the guests of géntlemen you must not iusult them In their own—Il mean, on board of their own vesseL”’ Dan Manly’s lip curled slightly, bnt still he did not speak. * And do you suppose that lam going to give you another $500 when 1 do not know whether I will get back the $50,000?"" ** You won’t be giving any $500. It ain’t lixely ez you’ve indorsed ther check, an’ until you do write yer name on ther back uvib,no one kin git any money onit But don’t youfear! Iain’t goin’ ter git ph check cashed. kin use it better than het.”’ Dr. Horne was mystified. through the game at all. “Pr’aps you wan toget Mr. Scott’s signature so that you can copy it. Perhaps forgery is the little performance you desire to try.” ‘‘Never mind what we wantter try. Thet ain't any uv your bizness, But I'll tell yer, ef it’s any satisfaction, thet we don’t want ter commit forgery, but—just the opposite.” Ba tt thought Dan Manly. ‘It is what I sus- pec ; 9 ‘““And if I refuse to treat with you at all, what then?” asked the doctor. Slicker’s brow grew black. ** Hallo, Guy!” he cried. ** Ay, ay!” came grufily from above, “*How long would it take you to run us down to the city—New York, I mean.”’ ‘Tf this wind was to hold out, I could put you there by the afternoon—to-morrow night, anyhow.” ** All right.”” The doctor did not understand this, until Slicker continued: ** By to-morrow night, if you don’t come to terms there will be a case of mysterious disappearance uy er prominent medical man uv Albany. That’s a ve ‘**No occasion for that,” said Dan, taking part in the conference for the firsttime, ‘“ Dr. Horne will give you the paper.” ‘*Why—I—”’ remonstrated the doctor, but a nudge from Dan silenced hin. Dr, Horne had con- a tage respect for the astuteness of the young de- ective. “*Thet’s right. Dan, you are ez smart in bizness ez you are in the pitcher’s box,” remarked Slicker. “Or in a bedroom at the American Hotel at three = — morning,’’ added the detective, with a light augh. Barker scowled, He had neither forgotten nor for- given the way Dan Manly had fooled him and Slick- er, making them hold up their hands just when they thought they had secured the diamonds. Be- sides, Barker's eye still showed the marks of Norah O’Connor’s fist a punishment for which he felt sure that he was indebted to Double-Curve Dan, Slicker meanwhile had produced a sheet of letter aper, with pen and ink from a small locker over $s head, and laid them before the doctor. “You say Lam to get my $50,000 back when this check is delivered to bearer—whoever he may be?” asked the doctor. ‘Yes; ther bearer will be my friend hyar, Mr. Smith,”’ pointing to Barker, ‘‘and he will have the money with him.” i fifty thousand dollars?” No, $20,000. We must hev something fer all our trouble, yer know,” “Why, you are not even willin Own miserable bargain. You said the money you took.” ‘Not much I didn’t, In ther first place, ez I told you afore,me and my friend hyar ain’t no thieves an’ we didn’t take yer money. we git this check it is fer some one else, who will give us $30,000 for it. Wal, we're willin’ ter let you hev $20,000 of it leaving only $10,000 fer ourselves. It ain’t very squar’ on us, but we ain't goin’ ter kick over a thousand dol- He could not see to keep to your you would return Another nudge from Double-Curve: Dan, and the doctor, without replying, took the sheet of paper, and begantowrite. CHAPTER XII THE PITCHER’S BOX. Sticker leaned across the table and watched the doctor’s pen as it ran rt | ag the paper. He saw that it was dated July 23, and that it was di- rected to ‘“*Dear Clara.”” Then he sat back on his locker, with his back against the side of the cabin, and appeared to be wrapped in thought. In a few minutes the note was written and Dr. Horne read it aloud: ‘“** Dear CrAra:—In the secret drawer you will find a check for $500, signed by Richard Scott, Sr. It is the one you put away for me a week or s0 ago, Give it to bearer as soon as he has placed in your hands the sum of $20,000, “* Jasez Horne.’” 13 “You had better tell her yer won’t be home until to-morrer night,”’ observed Slicker, carelessly. Again the doctor tossed his head impatiently, and was about to make a hot reply, when e nudge — the watchful detective made him change his mind. He wrote asa postscript: “I shall not be home until to-morrow ni rat,” finishing with a “J. R.” of which the last le.\te* ended with a peculiar twist at the end. “ That’s er funny ‘R' you’ve made thar, doctor,” observed § licker, as he waved the paper about to dry the ink, and then, folding it, put it in his pocket, “Yes, I often make it in that way. But now, when is this note to be delivered?” * To-morrow some time.”’ * You said something in your letter about a black sachel?’’ said the doctor. For answer, Slicker brought from the locker upon which he and Barker sat, a sachel that Dan at once recognized as his own. ‘“*I don’t see why you should produce that as evi- dence that you tried to rob me of $10,000 worth of j-wels,”’ observed Dan, quietly. ‘Don’t yer? Wal, let me show yer something.” Slicker pressed a little brass button that was con- cealed in the bottom of the inside of the sachel, and disclosed a small compartment that opened in obe- dience to the pressure on the button From this compartment he took forth a paper which he spread out on the table. ** What's that?’ asked Dan, scornfully. ‘Something ez wuz accidentally found in this hyar sachel ez belongs to you, an’ that I’m goin’ ter return ter yer under sart’in conditions.” ‘“*I never saw the paper before, This is some stupid trick that you have conceived, and that you baven’t brains enough to carry out,’’ said Dan, re Is thet so? Wal, we'll see. Wait till 1 read this.” Slicker read the contents of the paper, which were to the effect that the writer, Dan Manly, known as Double-Curve Dan, agreed in considera- tion of a certain sum, to be paid by one whom Slicker did not name—to win the match game of base-ball between the Diamond Stars, of New York, and the caayones § Club, for the latter organization, by fair means or foul, and especially to bal«x, hold the ballin unfair positions before delivery and to exercise his ability in pitching a double-curve ball (which it was contended by some people was in itself unfair), for the defeat of the Diamond Stars and the success of the Albanys. He alsoagreed to try and pet the umpire to enter into collusion with him for the same end. All this Slicker read with due emphasis falling over hard words occasionally, and pronouncing them in a fearful and wonderful way, but making the purport of the paper unmistakable to his three listeners. ‘*Thar, Dan, what d’ye say to that?”’ he asked, as he concluded the paper, and held it tightly in his hand. “Why, it is all a lie, of course. You have put that paper in the sachel, and now, for some purpose of Biv own, you are trying to injure my character. Itis avery ridiculous attempt, as you would know if you were not such a blockhead.” ‘Keep cool!’ whispered the doctor, who was de- lighted at the opportunity to retaliate on the detec- oe for his many warnings to him to the same ef- ect. The doctor’s words brought Dan to himself on the instant. “Goon and unfold your scheme,” he said, care- lessly. ‘*‘ You have read that paper for some pur- pose, I supp »se?”’ * Wal, rather.” * Yer talk too much,” interrupted Barker, irrita- bly. ‘*Tell the kid what you want and get through with it. If l was managing this affair, I’d settle it in a minute, or—”’ He touched the handle of his knife, and again set it quivering in the table. “Whois the man with whom I am supposed to have made this contract?”’ asked Dan. Fre leaned across the table and whispered in s ear. rs Why, that is absurd, You know better than at.” Slicker again leaned across and whispered for per- haps half a minute to the detective. Jan looked d.stressed. The communication, what- ever it was, seemed to affect him more than any- thing else that had happened since they had bevn in the cabin of the Swift. ‘“‘Those are the conditions eh?’ he asked, with his eyes bent on the table. “Them air ther conditions!” answered Slicker. “What do you say to them?” **Give me a minute’s time.’ “I'll give you ten minutes.” “Durned if I would,” grumbled Barker. “ You have the game in y.ur own hands Slicker. Why sac Pho make him dance to your music?” “When I want your advice, Smith, I'll ask for it, Ther captain put you under my orders, didn’t he?’ “Yes, but not for your private business,”’ reto the other, playing with the handle of his knife as stuck in the table, and making it shiver wickedly, “It ain’t fer you to decide what’s my bizness or your bizness, You only hev ter doez I tell yer!” ** What's that?”’ The question, in savage tones, was accompanied by a flourish of the knife, which he drew from the table with an earnestness that threatened trouble. Dr. Horne and the detective looked pleased at the arc ygee. of a quarrel. The same idea struck them oth; namely, that if the miscreants were to kill a @ “al -% ‘ < he ~~ Sd io} nr - “ “% ; . a A "a “COMICDOOKS. e ia ae ~! BEE Vw nw | a Teas 5 ie