Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 655 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

oat Ee »- . . - = — =e -- — ‘‘That maybe I can’t do better.” ‘*That’s business. Make me out a bill at once.” ‘* But I don’t know just how many— ‘* Make it fifty thousand. we can settle that afterward.” ‘* Come down to the cabin then,” Roger followed his lumbering steps, wild with anxiety at his slowness. The red-whiskered man was already at the head of the wharf. ** There, make out the bill yourself,” said the captain, pushing paper toward Roger. ‘' My fist is better at dredging oysters than at writin’. You're a Fe ompt kind of a lad.” ‘You bet I am,” replied Roger, dashing off the bill at double speed. ‘** Now, sir, sign that,” hecontinued. ‘‘ That’s a receipt for thir ty dollars cash, to nail the bar- rain. While the captain was carefully reading what Roger had written, and slowly affixing his sig- nature, in a very rough fashion, Roger drew his small capital from his pocket and counted it outon thetable. His nervousness was increas- ing. He could hear a voice on the deck that had a familiar tone to his sharpened ears. The captain finished his work, and pushed the bill over to Koger. ‘*Here’s your cash. See if it’s al) right.” With joyful haste he grasped the bill, with the thirty dollars receipted on it. ‘‘ Ay, ay,” declared the captain. ‘‘ That's square. The cargo’s yourn. Cash on delivery, of ccurse, ‘Of course ; two hundred and fifty more on delivery.’ ‘‘How do you do, Cap?’ came a voice from the companionway, ‘‘Got a lot of Farmer's Bays, eh? Guess [ll try and relieve you of them.” It was a red-faced man that spoke. ed as he descended the stairs. The captain looked up. '**Reckon there’s a rush on Farmer’s Bays, this morning,” he declared, ‘* You're a bit late, Joe. I’ve just sold out the whole cargo to this young man. ‘The deuce you have!” cried Joe, with an oath, ‘‘Hang it, I wanted them oysters, bad. Shack confounded dumpling has salted my as ‘‘Can’t help it,” rejoined the captain. ‘‘ This young gentle man is the owner of them now. ou’ll have to buy from him if you want them,” Captain Collins ascended to the deck, leaving his two customers together in the cabin. Roger sat silent and self-possessed, fingering his re- ceipted billwith a feeling of inward triumph. He had sold his red-whiskered competitor at a very cheap rate. The latter looked at him angrily. ‘* Who are you buying for’ ”” he asked. ‘* For myself,” answered Rog er, coolly. ‘6-V ou’re too confounded spry,” growled Joe. ‘*T wanted them oysters.” ‘Very well,” rejoined Roger,. quietly, ‘1 amon the make. What will you give for them? Name asatisfactory figure and. they are yours.” Joe,looked at him closel e was afraid of catching it when he yey es his failure to hisemployer. Here was a possible opening to redeem himself. ** What did you pay for them?” he asked. ‘“That’s my business. What will you give?” ‘* Six-fifty, and take the whole lot, cash down.’ “‘T don’t believe you will,” answered aire He laugh- cool] rah, hen what do you want?”’ **Seven dollars. Notacentless. Mind you, they’re as good as gold. You can do as you please. I don’t care.” ‘* They are not worth it.” **' Very well. I will find somebody that will ayit. Coburn & Co. will take them off my hands without a word.” The cunning rogue had named Joe’s employ- ‘ers. Thelatter looked blue. ‘*You drive a hard bargain,” he declared. ‘Seven is your best figure?” ‘* Yes. Ill give you ten minutes to decide.” ‘* [ll take them,” said Joe Roger’s heart bounded, but his face was im- passively cool. ‘Very well. Dllsell you my bargain,” he re- joined, ‘‘Hereismy bill. Fifty thousand, ata dollar a thousand profit, makes fifty dollars. Add thirty dollars paid down, and we have eighty. Plank me down eighty, cash, and the oysters are yours.” ‘*Pifty dollars for five minutes’ work. Hang meif that ain’t sharp practice! You will give me time, anyhow, to see the captain and find if this is all right?” _ Plucky Paul, the eae Spec If it’s short or over | his pocket. | bill made out by Captain Collins to himself. He +o verrikite proved satisfactory. Roger had done his work to the mark. In ten minutes af- terward he left the vessel with eighty dollars in Joe took good care to have another did not want his employers to discover that he had paid fifty dollars for Joe’s apple dumpling. It was the dearest dumpling that had ever been sold in their establishment. Roger, with a bounding heart, made his wa back at all speed to the shirt manufacturer it was five minutes to three when he entered the establishment. His good-natured friend was still there, and looked up with a smile. ‘* On time, Wilton,’ the cash?’ ** Not all,” answered Roger. ‘‘But I can plank you eighty dollars down and pay the other twenty to-morrow. I hope you'll let me have them, Mr. Cox.” The gentleman smiled at his customer’s anx- ious tone, ** They are yours, Wilton, And, mind you, I want you to run them off as fast as possible. I can’t have them here in my way.” ‘* ili do my best,” said Roger modestly. In a halfiour he left the place with a bill in his pocket for a hundred ean shirts, at six hundred dollars for the lot, anda rec eipt for eighty dollars paid on account. We need say nothing of the light heart that throbbed under that bill. The boy went to work with a will the next day. By offering the shirts at one dollar each they went off rapidly. They were a ve ry cheap article. Within a-month, by very hard work, he had disposed of and delivered the whole lot. Mr. Cox was paid in full, and Roger had six hundred and fifty dollars in his pocket, as profit on his two ventures! He began to feel.now that he was on the high road to fortune in solid earnest. CHAPTER VII. SIMON SLINK GETS A START. SIMON SLINK satin his office. Itwas a dusty, upset, spider-webbed sort of a plac e, that looked as if it had not seen a broom for a year. Pa- pers were scattered on table and floor. There were great ink-stains on the threadbare carpet. The walls were hung with certain maps, so creased and soiled that it was not easy to make them out, The only piece of substantial furniture in the ; room was a great iron safe, that occupied one corner and looked strong enough to defy a regi- ment of burglars. Old Simon did not worry himself about dirt, but he was bound to keep his cash and valuables secure. He was seated in a rusty leather-backedchair, his sordid face glowing with satisfaction as he bent overa paper on the table before him. **Tt’s sure,” he muttered, ‘‘Stock is sixty- seven to-day. That’s a clear fifty thousand. Ah, old Slink don’t often make. mistakes. Give me a year more and I’ll have my million. And then I’ll stop. Yes, I'll stop then. A million! Aha! then I can snap my fingers at these blind fools that call me miser and money-grubber.” He sat back in his chair and rubbed his skin- ny hands gleefully together. ‘‘Look at me now!” he said. ‘* And I was once a poor boy, that was kicked and cuffed like a footbal).” But I've had it out on the world, I’ve pinched ’°em. And DIl keep pinch- ing ’em.. They call me heartless and cruel. Little I care, so I get their money. I care for nobody but myself. They can all starve for me. Yes, they can all starve!” He gave this out with a tiger-like growl. Yet immediately afterward a look of anxiety came upon his face. ‘*Those papers! Those papers!” he uttered withashudder. ‘‘Somebody hasthem. Who? Who? I would-like to tear his heart out if I could find him. I thought it was that dog, Ja- cob Wilton, But he is dead and gone, @ got away from me by dying, the dog. But I have had revenge on Tien 1 have turned his wife and children out of doors. I hope they’ll starve. I hope they’ll starve, the scum!” His face was that of a fiend as he hissed out these words, At that moment a footstep sounded without. The outer door opened and there was a step in the hall. The old fellow straightened himself up with a grin of hope. Here was newfisb com- ing to his net, Somebody with a note to shave, he thought, Yet the opening door revealed ‘a youthful form, familiar to him, though he could not in- ‘he said. ‘‘ Have you got stantly place him. culator. It was Roger Wilton. The boy’s face was hard and stern, as he fixed his eyes on his pro ac! with a look that gave the old rogue a start ‘“You don’t know me, then,” said Roger pausing on the opposite side of the table, ‘I am Roger Wilton.” Old Slink pushed his chair back in hast alarm, and laid his hand on a bell asif to call for aid. He feared, in his craven soul, an assault from the boy whom he had so injured. ‘*Don’t be scared,” remarked Roger, with a curl of the lip. ‘‘I won’tlay hands on you. I am not fool enough to give you the advantage of the law. My mother owes you two weeks’ rent,” ‘* Yes,” faltered the hoary miser. me ten dollars for rent.” ‘* She owes ‘Write me a bill and receipt for it,” said — Roger, sternly. ‘‘She shall owe you nothing. You shall not say that we took a cent from rou. The old miser looked up with a queer @xpres- sion. He was divided between dread of his visitor and eager desir e forthe money, Roger had nearly a man’s size and strength, and seemed athletic and powerful. ‘*T couldn’t help it,” the old rogue muttered inapology. ‘I lose ever somuch money through bad tenants. I’ve got to have my rents, or I'd be made a beggar.” ~ ‘* Drop all t ‘* Here’s the money. Now give mea receipt in full.”” He planked down the cash, Simon, in eager hope of adding to his store this money which he had never dreamed of get- ting, hastily wrote the required receipt. He passed it over to Roger, and grasped the money with trembling hands. ‘*Youowe menothing. You owe me nothing now,” he eagerly declared. ‘‘ You are a fine boy—a fine boy.” ‘* But you Owe me something, ” rejoined Roger sternly, as_he secured the receipt. ‘‘I have paid you. You have got to pay me.” ‘How? What? I don’t understand.” ‘* You have not forgetten the vow I made when you turned my mother out of doors. You had best remember it, for I don’t intend to for- get it. I told you then the day would tome when I would turn you out of doors, and’ see you beg for mercyin vain. That day will come, Simon Slink. Bear that in. mind.” The old fellow looked up with a movement of terror, There was something very firm and earnest in the boy’stone/ Then he burst into a harsh laugh. ‘*Go on, my fine fellow. Do your worst,” he answered. ‘'Simon Slink has dealt with sharp- er customers than you. Yet they have gono and he is here.” ‘‘That’s true,” firmly on the fox-like face before -him. ‘‘I know that. Edward Homer, for instance.” | ‘‘ What!” This word was fairly yelled, as the old rascal sprung to his feet, his hair almoct, standing on end - with terror, What? That name! Then you know—” ‘*]| know a thing or two,” broke in Roger. ** T know the price of shirts. Can’t I put your name down for a half-dozen? Let me show you some sampies.’ ‘‘Shirts!”’ The old fellow looked frantic with terror. ‘‘ Where are those papers? You have the papers that your father stole from me! Give them tome! Give them to me, or I'll tear your heart from your body!” He advanced on Roger with his fingers crooked like claws, and hiseyes blazing *vith in- sanerage. The boy did not step back an inch. He was not afraid of Simon Slink, ‘Then you don’t want any shirts?’ ne de- manded, with a mocking smile. ‘‘{f should think you would. You look as if you had not bought any for ten years, for a half-dozen? First-chop Lrish linen, double gussets, three-ply bosom, Say the word!” ., ‘‘Gussets! Linen! What o youmean! The pepe The papers, I say! ive me my rs Roger laughed, ‘Then you won't buy to-day? All right, I must move on, When yon want any shirts give me the chance, Simon. Tl fit you ous jike a prince.” Roger walked to the door, Old Simon followed with Starting eyes and frothing lips. ‘* You have those papers! I’ll‘have them or kill you! Give them to meor you'll find out what old Slink can do.” His tone was so Malignant that Roger conld not repressa shudder. It struck him that he had beena fool. The old villain might provea at,” cried Roger, in disgust. said Roger, fixing his eyes Sha’n’t I hook you: mh ee ll i _* = a el ee ee ee” ae th