Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 608 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

»~? other, P board the Swift, and all the complications be ended at a stroke. But Slicker was too astute a rascal to be caught that way. He devined what was passing in the minds of the two and he hastened to mollify his quick-tempered partner, “Oh, I wuz ouly jokin’, Smith. Put yer knife down, and don’t get mad,”’ ° “T ain't alwaysin the humor to take jokes,”’ was the surly reply. “I wouldn’t get off any more of thera if I were you.”’ his quieted down the threatened rupture, and Becker sat quietly waiting for the detective to eak. ‘*T don’t see what I can do but accept your pro- position.”’ said Dan, at last ‘** Good!” = “Now, what is the next thing?” asked the detec- ve. ‘* Wal, we shall hev ter keep you an’ ther dcctor aboard ther Swift for a while until we hev fixed mat- ters outside. We ain’t afraid ez you’d try any monkey bizness, but we must be on ther safe side, don’t yer see.” rail don’t see,’? remarked the doctor. “But go on.” ‘*We hev ter send er messenger ter your house fer thet check.”’ +4 Yes.” ‘An’ then, Dan, we must send your note to Mr, Scott, Senior, an’ git an answer.” sé I see.” It is unnecessary here to enlighten the reader as to the nature of the bargain made between Double- Curve Dan and Slicker Walker in the short whis- pered communication across the table, and that is of course as mysterious to every one else as it was to Dr. Horne. Slicker’s scheme was to get the check, to which Dick had, in an evil moment, signed his father’s name, into his own possession—by what means, we have seen. Then he meant that Dan Manly should write to Mr. Scott, Sr., telling him that a forged check by his son was in the hands of certain persons from whom it could be obtained on payment of $5,000. Otherwise it would be presented at the bank upon which it was drawn, for payment. Then would follow the paper and imprisonment of his son. Slicker knew that Dan Manly’s communication would be repeated by the banker, and that the plot with his aid, would more. than likely be crownec with success. If Dan did not consent to the arrange- ment, then Slicker, knowing that it would be im- possible for him to make a bargain with the banker, would publish Dick’s crime tothe world and ruin him absolutely. In addiion to this he would (but this did not affect the detective particularly) make public the communication he pretended 40 have found inthe black sachel, showing that Dan had caused the Albanys to win the match with the Diamond Stars by foul means. Dan was well known in New York, and such a story told in that city, ad * sepa him deeply, though Dan did not think would. What was Dan to do? He could not let Dick goto ruin for the sake of $5..00, much as he disliked to con- tribute to the rapacity of Slicker and his crew, and he could see no other alternative but to accede to the villain’s demand, trusting to his own vigilance to gt 5 ae to justice eventually. ‘*When am I to have that paper?” he asked. ** Bz soon ez you hev written the letter. I'll ’tend ter ther rest.”’ ‘*Give me the writing materials.”’ Double-Curve Dan was a rapid and expert pen- man. Ina few minutes he had indited a short, busi- ness-like note to the banker, signed and dated, and taking an envelope from a heap of several thrown upon the table by Slicker, wrote the superscription, and held the note and envelopein his hands while he waited for the forged note that Slicker retained, and which he pretended to have found in the sachel. Dan did not care very much about this note, be- cause he argued that the hand which had prepared it could easily write another if it was wanted, But he wanted to see whether Slicker meant to act honorably in this simple matter. Slicker settled this question by giving the letter to the detective ere the latter handed him the one he had written. The exchange effected, Dan too* a match from his pocket and burned the note from the sachel, while Slicker carefully read the note to Mr. Scott, Sr., and saw that it contained the matter given above, Then he put it in an inner pocket with a grin of sa isfaction. * That’s all right. Now, gen’lemen, we'll hev ter let yer stay down hyer by yerselves fer awhile. We'll leave ther lamp burning, an’ ez long ez yer keep quiet, why, yer won’t be hurt. But we'll be within easy reach if thar is any sign ov mutiny.” Slicker said all this in an easy conversa! tonal tone, as if he were merely offering the hospitality of bis home to two honored guests. The man they called Guy had come quietly down the companionway Curing the preceding conversa- tion, and Dan and the doctor were both somewhat taken aback to notice, not only tr at he held a double- action six-shooter pointed at Dan’s head, but that two other pistols held by an Italian of villainous 6s- pect were threatening the brains of Dr, Horne. Slicker had drawn a pistol while talking, and sud- denly, in a loud voice, commanded both the prison- oo s they might now be called, to throw up their ands, There was no choice, Though, as we know, both the detective and the doctor had pistols in the outer kets of their waterproofs, neither dared touch them. There was desperation in all four of erhaps the stolen money might be found on the faces around them, and any attempt to draw their own weapons would have been the signal for a volley that would have laid them low at once, with but little likelihood of the murderers ever be- ing brought to justice. ‘Put up your bands!” reiterated Barker. Rather slowly, and with a look of intense disgust, the doctor raised his hands above his head, Dan ac- cepting his humiliation with much better grace, but with even more inward rebellion than his companion. ‘Keep your weapons ready,” directed Slicker, with a casual glance at Guy and the dark visaged Italian. “Ay, ay, sir,” answered Guy. “But we’re run- ning up and down the river, according to your orders, and I ought to be at the helm unless we want to run into the rocks on one side of tle river or the other.” ‘‘Just one minute, an’ well be through,” was Slicker’s response, as he deftly relieved Dan and Doc.or Horne of their pistols, and examined their clothing for other weapons, A billy and a bowie-knife were taken from Dan, besides his rovolver, but the doctor’s pistol was the only murderous implement that that worthy gentle- man possessed, Slicker did nct search them for any other property, rather to Dan’s surprise, for he expected that there would be a hunt through his apparel for the diamonds. He did not know that Slicker was as well-informed as to the hiding-place of the diamonds, in the banker’s library, as he was. “That’s all right.”’ observed Slicker, at last, as he handed the doctor’s revolver to Barker and kept Dan’s for himself. ‘‘Guy, you and Juan kin goon deck again, l’ve pulled ther teeth uv these two gentlemen, an’ they cain’t hurt nobody now.” -“We l, then let’s get out and leave them here,” putin Barker, groffly, “if you bave done talking.” Slicker took the hint good-humoredly enough. He had got all he wanted from the prisoners and could affor to laugh at bis partner’s fhi-te moper, * Doctor, youand Mr. Manly kin open out them thar lockers, an’ you'll find "em quite comfortable. You'd better take er sleep, ’cause you won't be goin’ off uv ther Swift fer er good many hours.” Barker was already half-way up the companion- ladder, and Slicker followed, looking around to say: “TI guess yer can’t git ont uv them windows, or I’d close ther dead-lights, Ez it is yer kin look at ther view on ther river when it gits light enough. Good-night.” He ran quickly up the few remaining steps, and shut the hatchway with a bang, bolting it on the outside. Then the doctor and detective looked around their little prison by the feeble light of the smoky coal-oil lamp. CHAPTER XIV. A FUMBLED GROUNDER. “ WeLL, thisisa nice predicament!’’ grunted the doctor, as soon as he found himself alone with the detective, “Tt is, but it might be worse.” **But to be cooped up in this little cubby-hole, with those rascally fellows at the top of the stairs, is hard, indeed,” continued Dr. Horne, lashing him- self into a rage. While the coctor was raging about Barker, Dan looked around to see what sort of a place they were n. He agreed with the opinion of Slicker that the best thing for him and Dr. Horne todo would be to get a few hours’ rest if possible, ** Look at this, doctor,’”’ he exclaimed, as he seized a loop of rope tucked behind a cushion that lay upon the top of one of the lockers. e at is it?” Dan pulled the rope, and showed that it was ao sort of handle to the lid of the locker, drawing it up and over, and revealing avery comfortable bu~k, for which the top cushion made a mattress, The other locker worked in thesame way. and in five minutes the detective, who was as handy at making a bed as pitching a base-ball, had two beds ready that looked most inviting to men wto hed parsed through such a miserable two or three hours as the doctor and himself, “There is nothing else for it, 7 suppose,” grum- bled the doctor, stretching rnd yawning. “ But I should like to thrash that fellow with the big knife before I gotosleep. Theidea of an American citi- zen—Dr. Horne—being compel'cd to koo-too to a fel- low like that. It makes me Ccownright sick. Imust have a smoke before I go to bed.” ‘*Don’t set the boat on fire. We should be burned up in this cabin like rats in a trap!’ warned an. “If it wesn’t for that I believe I would put a light to it,’’ observed the doctor, as he sat on the edge of the bunk he intended to occupy, and lighted a cigar that he took from a well-filled cigar-case. He offered one to Dan, but the detective de- clined.” The doctor lay down in his bunk, becoming more soothed every instant undcr the infiuence of his good cigar, and Den, turning out the aoe which did not improve the atmosphere of the little cabin, threw himself on the other ma'tress and listened, in a state of dreamy content, to the soft lap-lapping of the waters against the hull of the boat—for the storm had passed entirely away, and it was now as calm as it had before been tempestuous, until he dropped into a scund sleep. He had slumbered for about two hours, and the first streaks of dawn could have been seen over the horizon if he had heen outside, when a slight tap- ping caused him to become broad awake, and with all his wits about bim on the instant. The Pitcher Detective’s Foil. He sat up and listened. All was still, save the measured breathing of the doctor, and the decided swish of water, indicati that the Swift was moving under the influence o the fair breeze that whistled musically thiough the trees on the river shore. It was quite dark in the little cabin, and the cetec- tive tried in vain to distinguish his surroundings, The grating in the hatch cverhead was closed, and if there was anybody on deck he managed to keep so quiet that no indication of his presence eculcd be made out by those in the cabin. ‘Guess I'll let the doctor sleep fer the present,” he muttered. ‘ No use waking him up until there is something for him to do.” ‘Another gentle tapping. “Ah! I thought! was not mistaken.” The detective produced his smail lantern, which was still in his pccket, and which be lighted with a safety match that he always,carried. Then he walked straight to the door at the end of the little cabin and listened. Tap, tap. tap! He hesitated no longer. Folded up in his small penknife, which Slicker had not regarded as @ weapor, was a stec] implement like a bent skewer. Dan thrust this into the key-hole, gave it one twist, and tke door was cpen. { In a second aman slipped through the opening ani gresped him by the hand. “Dan!” * Dick!” * All well, Dan?” * Ali well. Just come aboard?” *“ Abcut half an bour ago,” “See anytling of the honest Slicker and his courtly friend Barker?” ‘* Both on deck. I watched them from the shere by the faint light that came from the Kast. Itis morning now, you know, Dan, I could just make out the figures of four men in the bow. and then I saw three of them tie down ona pile of sails, fora rest, I suppose, leaving one fellow on wetch. Ycu see, they were anchored about mid-stream then, and tbe man on watch had nothing particular to do but to look about him.” “é Yes.’ ‘*T was afraid he might see me putting off from shorein my skiff. Eut I had to teke my chances, You told me to keep watch on you and the doctor, and I have done it all night. I lost you at first, in all that storm. Idared not keep tco near to you, because you did nct went the coctor to see me, Weil, I hid myself in a Lttle recess in the rocks at the side of the track, to keep out of the stcrm and to try and get wid iders together. You know what a fearful, dark night it bas been, I bad given up all hope of seeing you again. thcugh I mace up my mind to stay in the vicinity all night if I did not find you. Allat once I saw fourmen walking down the track. They passed very close to me, and I distinguished the figures of you, Doctor Horne and Slicker.”’ ‘‘ And Barker,” acded Dan, *“T don t know him, but of course the fourth man was he. I saw you all getabcard the Swift. and then she sailed out into the river and dodged about as if the great sca-serpent was at her heels. I could hardly fcllow her, but I bad seen the craft before and knew her as the property of a secret society in New York to which Slicker belongs. In Albany she is supposed to be owned by a rich New Yorker, who leaves her most of the time iv charge of his Sey, ee Guy Bingham. I knew that she would mest likely sail up and down here, so I got a small skiff that I always keep just above this spot in the Albany Club boat-hou e, and determined to row up io the Swift and board ber, according to your directions, Though how you knew that th y would bring ) ou to her is more than I ern guess.” “T did vot know,” answered Dan, coolly, * but \I would have wagered a thonsand dollars uponit. Tf have been aboard this boat befcre, and I know every inch of ber. But Slicker is not aware of that fact. I do not allow gentlemen in Slicker’s pro- fession to be better informed on my rfroceedings than lcan help. Ifelt certain they would get me here to talk about the black sachel and I was quite willing that they should, because I intended to bring the career of Messrs. Slicker and Barker to a close for a few years if possible, and I want a good, clear cave against them.” ‘‘Dan, you're a magician.” “No, 1 am a member of the New York Secret Service. That’s all.” The day was fast breaking now, and a gray light began to steal through the cabin windows. Dr. Horne was lying on his back, snoring as comfortab] as if be were in his own luxurious bedroom, Thoug a rich man, he cared but little for creature comfcrts and was as satisfied to take a napon a heap of straw as upon @ bed of down, He had accumulated money because he could not help it, and because he considered it a matter of honor to be paid on a scale commensurate with the services be was able to ren- der, Though modest in most things, Dr. Horne knew his ability as @ gape and he was uncom- promisingly jealous of his reputation in this regard, Dan touched him on the shoulder, He moved un- easily and growled: “Iecan’t getup. I have been up several nights now. If it isn't very serious, go to Doctor Salmon. He’s @® young man and a clever physician, Iindorse him, but— Dan laughed softly, and the doctor awoke and looked at him through the misty atmosphere of the ay dawn. Be Oh, Dan, that you? It isn’t often I sleep so soundly. But I thongbhbtit wes a night-call, anc I wanted to eet out of it, if possible.” ‘* Well, this is an early morning call, doctor, and I