Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 669 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

~ eee th, : ~ to» Bom ———— i - Broadway Billy Abroad. 13. rrr ee SS turning quickly, Billy was able to take in the Situation ata glance, A small dog had run out and snapped at Skinny’s heels, Skinny had kicked the dog, and now the owner was about to pro- ceed to extreme measures with the thin part- ner, ‘Kick my dawg, will ye?’ the man cried; ‘*Pil do the same fer you, an’ let ye know how—” ‘Hold on_ there, mister!” Billy suddenly chimed in; ‘*‘ jest hold a little hard on yer off mule an’ put yer helm hard-a-port, If you at- tempt ter do any damage ter that shadder, you'll have ter tackle his substantial part, which same is me.’ ‘* An’ who be you?” the angry man demanded, ‘7m one of Uncle Sam’s free-born subjects, and you want ter bear thatin mind as you go along. This shadder that your dog quite evi- dently mistook fer a bone, is my lieutenant, an’ I can’t see him damaged in any way. We will forgive th’ dog, under th’ circumstances, but you mustn’t try ter injure my lieutenant,” Billy was facing the man now, and was out of immediate danger. ““Pve amind to have you both arrested for vagabonds,” the man growled. ‘I don’t kick my dawg myself, an’ I don’t mean ter let any- body else do it.” ** You'd better go slow about havin’ us arrest- ed, fer th’ gun might kick,” cautioned the street crusader; “‘an’ as fer not wantin’ yer dorg kicked, jest keep him from runnin’ out at folks. It was lucky he tackled ar lieutenant instead o’ me, fer if I'd kicked him there wouldn’t be any- thing left of him but th’ hole where my foot would ’a’ gone through, an’ that’s a fack.” Several persons had collected around them by this os and a laugh greeted Billy’s quaint speec The man, seeing that the crowd was likely to be against him, cooled off a little, ‘* Well,” he said, “‘ I'll let ye off this time, but if you ever kick my dawg again it won’t be well fer ye.” ‘An’ it won’t be well fer th’ dorg, éither,” Billy assured, “if I have ter do th’ kickin’—not much it won’t! Ye’ll pick up his headin Buf- falo an’ his tail in New York,” The man growled to himself as he went back into the shop he had come from, and the two lads proceeded on their ag “Sweet pertaters! but I thought you was a goner, Skinny,” Billy observed. ‘I know th’? dog was a little feller, but one good bite would ’a’ settled you, bein’ that you’re so thin, Say, we'd better take th’ opposite side of th’ street, where the sun is shinin’, so that I kin see ye better, an’ so that dorgs won’t be so likely ter make sich mistakes, Th’ sun might warp ye, though, an’ then there would be worse trouble.” ‘*Oh! do let up on that!” Skinny cried, ‘Pq rutber be thin and brainy, than rounded out like a Dutchman, like you.’ ; “That settles it, my gay an’ festive obese rd,” rejoined Billy, *‘ an’ we'llgjog right along 8 our destination, You'll not hear another peep out o’ me, A Dutchman, indeed! Kah!” They hastened along, and finally, after once more naa Cee! their way, found the place they were seeking. . Billy and his lieutenant went boldly in, and several policemen had their eyes upon him in a moment, ‘*I want ter see th’ high priest of this ’stab- lishment,” the Bootblack Bravo announced. ‘“ [ want ter have an interview with yer high cock- alorum, or whatever ye call him out here, In New York we call him Inspector Br— What be ye starin’ at so? Didn’t ye never see a New York bootblack afore?” The officers smiled and winked at one another, and one asked: ** What do you want to see the chief for, sonny?” ‘Well, now,” returned Billy, as he unslung his box, and sat down upon it, “Sif if, was somethin’ that 1 could onwind ter ordinary folks like you, I wouldn’t tooken all th’ trouble ter come here, fer I could ’a’ found a perlice- man asleep On almost any corner, No, sir-ce! I am bere ter see th’ boss—ther captain—ther chief—ther Tycoon—an’ I must see him, too. I have got on ter one of th’ biggest things that ye ever dreamed of, an’ I want ter disclose th’ skeem ter ther chief hisself an’ nobody else. If I can’t see him, not a word do ye git out o’ me, an’ that is flat.” “You are a tonguey little rooster, anyhow,” the officer remarked. ‘T’ll let the chief know Skinny ess you state your business first,” ‘Then be won’t see me at all, an’ that's flat!” te want to see him, but he won’t let you in un- Muck-a-Muck Iam a bootblack nabob, all th’ way from New York, an’ that I’ve got a big piece of rascality ter disclose ter bim. If he won’t see me, then I'll go an’ discharge my cargo inter th’ ears of th’ private detectives, that’s all.” * Well, wait a moment and I'l see what he says. he officer disappeared, and in a few min- utes returned and motioned Billy to follow him. ‘“Come along, Skinny!” and together the boys followed the officer into the office of the chief, ‘*‘ Well, young man, what can I do for you?” that official asked, ‘Before I orate,” Billy responded, “it may be well ter make myself known to ye, chief. Lieutenant Skinny, jest pass my letters over to his Highness,” Skinny nervously went down into his pocket and brought out the letters, which he laid upon the police official’s desk, The chief read them all, his face remaining as immobile as that of a plaster bust that stood on the top of a bookcase near by. When he had done he simply motioned for the officer to re- tire, and the two lads were left alone in his presence. ‘*T am glad to know you, my brave boy,” the chief then said to Billy, giving his hand. ‘Sit right down here, now, and I will listen to what you have to disclose. I am sure that itis no trivial matter, but something important.” “You can bet your year’s salary that it is,” averred Billy; and he sat down and proceeded te whole matter out before the astounded official. CHAPTER XV, BILLY AND SKINNY IN A TRAP, THE amazement of the officer increased as Billy proceeded, and when the lad had done he exclaimed: ** Boy, you are a wonder!” ‘Ob! draw it mild!” Billy demurred; “it’s only dumb luck.” **Not much it isn’t It has been no dumb luck that has won such letters of recommenda- tion as these,” He handed Billy’s letters back, as he spoke, and Billy passed them over to his partner, say- ing: ‘‘ Here, Lieutenant Skinny, take charge of th’ dock ymints.” Skinny took them and put them away in an inner pocket, **So you'll take charge of th’ case and scoop th’ rascals in, will ye?” Billy asked, ‘** Most assuredly,” the officer declared, ‘* This Sharkey Dan you speak of is an escaped con- vict, and the police are on the lookout for him in every city in the land. It will be a big thing for us to take him.” ‘‘ An’ it will be a big thing for me, too,” Billy assumed, “‘for I have bagged him twice before, and this will be the third time, if noth- in’ bu’sts,” ‘Good for you! I will take care that nothing miscarries,” ** And if nothin’ h»ppens, I and .my lieutenant will be on hand ter see th’ fun, too,” Billy further announced. ‘Jest pass th’ word to yer men not ter mistake us for part of Sharkey an’s gang.”. ‘I will do that, and you shall see the game bagged if you are on hand.” Some further talk was had, the officer asking Billy a great many questions, and finally the two lads took their leave, “Sweet pertaters! but it is a big thing ter be eat!" Billy exclaimed as they went away. ‘Jest ter think of it, my gay an’ festive part- ner, here we have been hob-nobbin’ with th’ great police mogul of Fran Sancisco. I’ll tell ye what, Fatty, we are bound ter make our mark in th’ world, as_ the heavy-weight said when he felb on th’ ice. Who would ’a’ thought that we'd tum- ble inter sich a stroke o’ luck at sich short notice? Hang me up by my surspenders if we don’t go an’ diae with th’ mayor of th’ city, afore we move on ter pastures now new. Won't th’ folks at home open their eyes when we write to’em, Ob! we're solid in the cornferdence of Inspector Br— Hello! here’s some o’ these du e uniformed bootblacks, Now fer some fun. They had come suddenly to a corner where. several bootblack chairs were stationed, and where all seemed busy, as every chair held a customer, ‘You'd better not be too fresh’tere,” Skinm “None of yer wet blanket now, Skinny, please,” was Billy’s rejoinder; ‘** I’m goin’ in fer a little fun.” Ke unslung his box while speaking, and now shouted: “Shine! Shine! Right this way fer yer New York patch o’ moonlight on yer boots! Do ’em up so quick that you won’t known it’s done till ye look, Make ye think that ye'’ve stepped right inter a fortune, Polish ’em up so that ye won’t need any better lookin’-glass. Make ye think ye’ve jest stepped out of a tubo’ varnish. Shine!” Everybody looked, and especially the regular bootblacks, and a gentleman who had evidently been waiting for a chance, put his foot upon Billy’s box, ‘‘That’s th’ idee!” Billy cried, as he got right down to business in his old style, ‘‘ an’ l’lb show ye bow we doit in New York. We don’t put on nolugs there, you bet. We don’t have no time ter polish our buttons, Itis git up an” git with us, an’ this is th’ way wedoit. How will ye have it sir? plain black, or blue-black with a gilt edge? No extra charge fer th’ gilt edge, but I reckon plain black would suit your style best. See yer face in it? There, tbat’s one done, and now fer th’ other.” Billy was working away at his fastest and best, his tongue rattled right on, and quite a. crowd soon collected around him. In about two minutes the work was done, and the gentleman found that he had a “‘ shine” that. he was proud of, He joked with Billy for a moment, paid bis price, and went off, and another foot was put. upon the lad’s box immediately. Billy set to work again, but before he had finished with his second customer one of the regular bootblacks there collared him, “* See here,” the man cried, “if you don’t want to be ’rested, you bad better, move along. Pi call a policeman and have you run in if you ac o. You can’t come on this corner in this style.’ “Well, wait till I finish this job,” Billy re- quested, ‘‘or else I may be sued for breach o* contract. Must keep out o’ trouble if I kin,. Didn’t come here ter git inter trouble. Most peaceful feller ye ever seen in all—” He was suddenly stopped short. Another of the bootblacks caught hold of his collar and. pulled him to his feet and applied his boot to. him, ‘““S weet pertaters!” cried Billy, ‘but this is: rather a warm reception fer one member of th” bootblack brotherhood ter git from his feller- pards in th’ same line, an’ Fobject ter it. See here, you buck-toothed, red-headed, pug-nosed, crooked-necked son of sand-snipe, you! see how ye like that !” Billy caught hold of the fellow (and he was @ young man of twenty-two or so), twirled him around, and laid him on bis back before he knew what had happened; and then, before any time was wasted, he applied his danber to the fellow’s face and made him look like a demon from Inferno, The crowd roared with laughter, and just then came the old cry of warning from Skinny: ‘* Scoot, Billy, th’ coppers is comin?!” Billy snatched up his box and broke through the crowd and was off like a wild stag, Skinny after him, and in afew moments they were out of danger. ‘Served ye right,” Skinny cried, when they a running, ** What served me right?” ** Th’ ki>tkin’ re got. It tickled me all over.” ” “Don’t see why it should tickle ye so; it didn’t tickle me wi ok “It served ye out fer yer freshness, Mebby i¢ will take some of it out of ye. You'll git worse than that, if ye keep on,” ‘It wouldn’t s’prise me a bit, Skinny. But: how a’ye think th’ feller liked th’ New York tumble I = him, and his blackened mug?” ** He'll have it in for you, if he sees you again... But, say, we are in danger now, Billy, sure pop! ‘ How so?” Billy asked. “Why, while you was blackin’ that fellow up,. who should I see but that young feller that overheard talkin’ ter Sharkey th’ other night, th’ one that I follered home; an’ he knowed who. we was,” * Sweet pertaters! is that so? I guess wehave. given ’em all th’ shake, now, though, so don’t let. it worry ye.” , And where are ye goin’ now?” : { think I'll drop around an’ see our friend th’ Chinese Emperor, or whatever they call him, See if Sam Foo Chow will know me in my best.” qe cautioned, ‘‘ or they will mount you and polis rejoined the boy decisively, “Tell yer High | your eyes for you. ‘You mean that?” se (Ee) 0 oye) com