Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 669 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

: ae Peer gs - ae Broadway Billy Abroad. 5 Ke 4 a bone, an’ then mebby lll be fit fer biz. Ta- ta! He moved off, but with a muttered curse the man sprung after him, as though to capture him. And he almost succeeded, too. Billy barely escaped, but seeing that he had escaped, he made the very best use he could of his legs, and led Sharkey Dan such a chase that the lat- ter was finally ‘* winded,” and forced to give it up. Billy kept right on, though, until sure that he had thrown his enemy off the track, when he set about finding his way to the hotel, where he hoped to rejoin Skinny. CHAPTER XII. BILLY IN A NEW DRESS. WaEN Broadway Billy reached the hotel he found it just waking into life for another day’s business. It was pretty early in the morning, and there was yet time for him to snatch a little more sleep if he made good use of it, Making his way to his room, after a little tilt with one of the porters who was not inclined to admit him, he knocked at the door to arouse Skinny, and presently his partner’s sleepy voice demanded: ** 'Who’s there?” ‘ “it is I, your guardian angel,” Billy re- sponded. Skinny was wide-awake immediately, and opened the door, exclaiming: ‘Ginger! but I’m glad you’ve come, Billy! [have got somethin’ to tell ye, an’ it is some- thin’—’ | ‘Jest hold yer hosses right there,” Billy in- terrupted, as he entered and closed the door “fer I don’t mean ter talk ner be talked to till i’ve had some sleep, I’m goin’ ter bunk right , down here on th’ floor,” taking a pillow from the bed and suiting actions to the words, ‘‘ and if you interrupt me fer two straight hours I'll pulverize ye. Bear that in mind, my prize skeleton.” ‘¢ But, Billy, there is a—” **I don’t care if there is, You jest roll back inter bed, an’ call me in exactly two hours an’ then [ll listen to ye. Not another ky. Billy was thoroughly in earnest, and so Skinny had to curb his impatience and submit, In two - minutes Billy was snoring, 1 There was no more sleep for Skinny, though, and when he had lain for about an hour he got up and dressed. Working around the room slowly as he made his morning toilet, balf an hour more was consumed, and then he could stand it no longer. . Giving Billy a poke with his foot, he cried: ae ‘eat goodness! qd? all da ye want ter sleep ustle up out of that! It would take a earthquake ter wake you up.” Billy sat up and rubbed his eyes, ** 'W hat’s th’ matter?” he demanded. ‘* Matter!” cried Skinny; “‘ why, you told me ter call yer in two hours, an’ here you are tryin’ ter sleep till noon. Come, stir yer stumps— ** Look here, you sickly shadder,” cried Billy, as he scrambled up, “it I wassure you are cheat- in’ me out of any of that two hours’ snooze, I’d tie a thread to yer neck an’ pull ye through th’ keyhole.” “Ginger! you've slept away over time, so don’t worry. Come, stir around an’ git on some decent clothes, an’ while you’re doin’ that I'll tell ye somethin’ that will make yer hair curl.” ‘What d’ye mean? What has got over ye, Skinny? Ye are as excited as a crazy bedbug. Any one would think that th’ detective fever was workin’ on ye, ter look at ye,” ‘‘ That’s jest what it is, Billy, fer a fack.” “What!” “‘That’s what it is, an’ I’ve stumbled upon one of th’ best things you ever heard of, Go ahead, though, and git ready fer grub, an’ while you - are doin’ that I'll onwind the tale to ye,” _ * All right, fire ahead.” Billy set about washing himself and changin his clothes, and Skinny told all about his dd ventures of the ae “Sweet pertaters!” Billy cried, when Skinny finished, ‘‘but you are bound ter be a second Pinkerton! ho would ’a’ thought it of a shadder like you. You are thinner than Skinny, owin’ ter th’ anxiety ye have passed through. But you area boss jest th’ same, an’ _ Lam goin’ ter promote ye an’ increase yer pay, _ Henceforth you are my lieutenant. How does that title strike yet Lieutenant Skinny—ha, ha, ha! But, ter git right down ter businss, I have got some p’ints on that same racket, my gay an’ _, © ou have!” Skinny exclaimed. } ‘That’s what Ihave, You jest listen while I I orate,” what a slender blade you are, LLL LLL LLL DLL LL LLL tt ttt ta, a ever, Billy went ahead, then, and told all about his adventures. Skinny listened with eyes and mouth open wide, ere was something that he had never dreamed of. It did not seem possible that Billy, too, could have learned something of the Saine matter from so entirely different a direc- tion. ** Billy,” he cried, ‘you are a terror. I’m afraid that you will be a dead one, though, if that Sharkey Dan gits holt of ye. He’s got it in fer you, an’ now that he’s likely ter suspect that you are onto his game, he’ll try to dispose of ye.” ** Right ye are, Fatty, but that ain’t goin’ ter scare me off, not a bit. I’m goin’ inter this game now fer all [m worth, and if I don’t make things hum it will be’cause I’ve lost my grip, that’s all,” ‘But you must keep out o’ Sharkey’s clutches.” ‘““Tll try ter do that. But, come, let’s have breakfast, fer there goes th’ gong. I feel as though I could eat a whale.” Billy was ready, and they» went down to the dining-room. The Bootblack Bravo was altogether another person now, He was clad in a neat suit, with derby hat and tidy standing collar, and looked to be just what he was, a thoroughbred young American, He was just at that point of life when clothes made all the-difference in the world in his looks. In his rough-and-ready bootblack attire, he looked to be a boy of fifteen—certainly not over seventeen, but now, in this gentlemanly-appear- ga tbe he looked fully twenty. is table acquaintances welcomed him back to the board, and were eager to inquire about his adventures of the night, and in answering their inquiries Billy had, to invent a little as he went along. ** Did your absenee cause your partner any anxiety ? one man asked. Yes, quite a little,” Billy responded. ‘‘ He is considerably thinner than he was last night, as perhaps you can notice.” e had dropped his street patois for the time. ‘*T cannot say that I notice it,” the man re- turned. “It is all in his mind,” Skinny exclaimed, ‘His appetite is so big this mornin’ that other things look small in comparison, that’s what is the matter. Iam no thinner than I was.” **'You can't see Rpg: as others see you, Skinny,” averred Billy. ‘*‘ You do not realize You are a tender flower, and it requires my constant care and attention to keep you from drooping and fadin away into nothing. By the way, can any o you gentlemen tell me weere I can buy a good hound?” ‘*'You might be able to get one by adver- sing. some one suggested. ‘Thank you, that’s what I’ll have to do, I guess. I must have one, and it is not safe to put it off any longer.” A momentary silence, “Why do you want a bound?” the man who had suggested advertising inquired. ‘*T have got to invent some means of keeping track of my partner,” Billy explained. ‘If he keeps on getting thinner I soon won't be able to see him. I thought I’d buy a good hound, and then let bim carry a seent-bag in his pocket so that the dog could follow him. I’d have to muz- zle the dog, though, or it might mistake Skinny for a bone, and then [ would have no partner at all. Even Skinny is better than none.” Billy’s inimitable way of saying this brought a round of laughter fo those around, and when it had subsided, Skinny spoke oD. ‘*T can improve upon that plan, Billy,” he an- nounced. ‘* All right, let’s hear from you, then,” Billy invited. “We'll buy a magnet, and you can carry that and Ill carry the pieco of steel that belongs to it, and we'll never be separated.” So the two lads joked, but as soon as they had returned to their room Billy became serious im- mediately. ** Now, Skinny,” he said, “* we must get down to business, e are both into this game, and both in to win, Hence we'll sally forth together. We'll go first and see Mr. Goodwin, the bank president.” | pi And you'll tell him about the intended rob- ‘* No, sir. We'll go and interview the chief of ai with that bit of news. odwin would ck up a fuss right away and scare the fellows off. 0, we'll let him be in the dark for the present, *e “ - “afi : | : ‘“*T guess you are right. Now lll just pocket these letters of introduction that I’ve got, and we'll set out.” Billy took some letters from his trunk and put them in his pecket, and they left the room. Knowing that it would be the quickest and easiest way for them to get aronnd, Billy en- gaged a cab. ‘** Where to?” the driver of the vehicle asked. ‘** Number — California street,” Billy directed. In due time they were at their destination. The two lads got out, Billy told the driver to wait, and they presented themselves at the door of the banker's residence, A servant answered their ring, ‘** We want to see Mr. Goodwin, immediately, upon important business,” Billy announced, ‘* Your name?” the servant inquired. ‘** Never mind our names,” said Billy, ‘‘ for we are strangers. Just say to the gentleman that. we have news concerning his wife,” Tbe face of the servant brightened, and she admitted them without further challenge. They were shown into a room, and 1n a little time the door opened and a man of middle age entered. ‘* You desire to see me?” he asked, “Yes, if you are Mr. Goodwin,” Billy spoke - up. ‘Well, I am he,” the banker assured, ‘so speak right out. What is it that you know con-' cerning my wife?” ‘* Is she missing from home, sir?” “She is. If you have seen this morning’s pa- pers » he must know that.” ‘ Haven’t seen the papers, sir, but I have seen your wife,” ‘You have? Where is she, young man? Tell me instantly everything that you know.” ‘** Must go just a little slow,” Billy observed, ‘to be sure of my ground, I believe your wife bas a brother?” pen es, yes; but go on. What have you to ‘* Does that brother seem worried over her be- ing missing?” ‘Yes, he does. He has scoured the city.” *“* And of course you couldn’t suspect him of playing false, and being at the bottom of the whole mystery, could you? He couldn’t have any object in depriving your wife of her liberty in order to make her sign an important r— , ** ‘What do you know?” the banker thundered, his face flushed, ‘‘ Speak right out, and no more beating around it.” CHAPTER XIII, BILLY MAKES AN ARREST, i Mr, GoopwIn’s demand was imperative. Billy had no further excuse for delay, so he laid the matter bare. ‘** Good heavens! can this be true?” the banker sie when he had heard all the lad had to tell. “It is as true as the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence,” the informant. assured. ‘** Yes, yes, 1 do not doubt your word, young man, but it seems soimpossible, Is Goodridge: Whitstone such a rascal? It must be so, for there does not seem to be any room for doubt. My wife’s word for it ought to be sufficient.” ‘* And what are you going to do about it, sir?* Billy asked. ‘ “Tam just trying to think what move I ought. to make,” the banker reflected, ae course you want to rescue your wife, and— ‘Yes, to be sure; but whether to arrest her brother or not, d do not know, He deserves to be punished,” Well, I should say so!” Broadway Bill cried, indignantly, ‘If I was you I would soc it right to him.” In his excitement his accustomed inelegance of language cropped out, ‘Yes, I know, but he is my wife’s brother, and if she would forgive him aud spare him I will do the same, She might wish to do that, ut, see here, you have not told me the street and number where she is being detained, I must know that by all means, or your information will be worthless to me,” ‘I bave been holding that back for the last,” Billy declared. ‘She is in a miserable den away over in the Chinese quarter of the town,” “Heavens!” ‘And imprisoned in the most miserable of rooms, too. This brother of hers has given the: woman strict orders to keep her till he sees her once more, and then he is going to decide her fate. If she won’t sign the paper, I don’t know ” . what he intends to do with her ) ot i | a= ” “ -