Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 669 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

— 6 Broadway Billy Abroad. i gD ——— eae eee SSS OOOO York. I’m a perfesser 0’ bootblackin’, You'l] find my name there on yer register, an’ ye needn’t put on specks ter see it, either.” ‘* What! do you mean to say that you are registered here?” ‘*Tnat’s what I do,” Billy assured. ‘‘ Take a look, an’ you’!! find itset down thusiy: ‘ William Weston (Broadway Billy’, New York.’” The clerk did lock, and satisfied himself, ‘* As I am in somethin’ of a hurry,” Billy then proceeded to explain, ‘‘ Pll enlighten ye a leetle ns th’ subjeck, LIused ter be a bootblack in ew York, once upon a time—as goody-goody stories begin, an’ | have brought my traps along with me ter have some fun. [’m goin’ out ter stir up th’ citizens a little. This gentleraan on my right—look close, please—is my pardner, He has declined ter join me in my racket, an’ mebby he’ll be back by bedtime ter go ter roost, In case ye hear a thin, small voice about that time, jest put on yer specks an’ see if it ain’t Skinny. Ifitis, please put bim ter bed with care, an’ be sure ter plug up th’ keyhole so’s he won't ’vaporate afore mornin’. I have a deal o’ trouble with him, owin’ ter his thinness, an’ so I have ter make these requests,” A roar of laughter greetied this, and Skinny felt considerably mean; but as soon as he couid be heard, he put in: ‘‘ Yes, Mr. Clerk, an’ if Billy comes in afore I do, don’t let him have any light in th’ room, please.” Billy, and all the others, looked at him ina questioning way. ‘Why not?” the clerk asked. : ‘*’Cause he’s so full o’ gas that he’s likely te *splode an’ blow up th’ hull ’stablishment.” This won,another round of applause, and after a few minutes the two lads went out into the street, when, by mutual agreement, they pretended not to know each other. CHAPTER VI. THE DETECTIVE FEVER BREAKS OUT, THE two lads soon found themselves out upon Montgomery street. In the distance, at the end of the street in that direction, stood the mammoth Palace Hotel, looming up nine stories in height, and ablaze with lights, Billy had noticed this building during their afternoon stroll, and bad at the time mentally decided that he would “ take it in” in the even- ing. He headed in that direction now. his hotel is, indeed, a massive affair, made of iron and brick, and is one of the landmarks to which boasted San Franciscans point with pride. It is adorned with an almost over- abundance of bay-windows, and is sure to attract the attention of visiting strangers. Broadway Billy having fully decided that he was going there, stepped out at a brisk pace, He was soon there, and whistling merrily, walked boldly in. Skinny followed at a safe distance, filled with awe at the grandeur of the place, and at his partner’s audacity. Billy went right ahead, with a swinging stride, down the grand corridor and out into the 1 ay tageor ban court which occupies the interior. he entered that almost rae? fpoe a- precinct, though, be involuntarily stopped whistling and looked eran upon the scene of ap pdor that burst upon him, A band was playing, and the electric lights, striking upon the many tiers of whitest columns made it seem like some Parisian dream, All around were flowers, people were seated here and there in chairs, and carriages were stand- ing in the circular paved driveway. Above, the guests of the house were seen promenading in the galleries, and looking down over the balustrades at the scene below. ‘‘Sweet pertaters!” Billy exclaimed, “but I uess I bave been spirited away on some gilt- edge Alhambra! This takes th’ plum right out o’ th’ center of th’ cake, sure pop. Shiver my timbers and stand me on my beams’ ends! but this is a sight that ae make Solomon of old shed salt, sac tears. hew! but I ’fess that I feel jest a little out 0’ place, in spite o* my brass- bound cheek. Skinny, where be ye?” _ Skinny was standing at a little distance away, his eyes and mouth open wide, At the mention of his name, be looked at Billy, but he did not seem inclined to recognize him. “This yanks ther tart, don’t it, my gay an’ festive pard,” cried Billy. ‘‘ I know we wasn’t ter speak, but [ couldn't helpit.” | Skinny drew a little nearer, saying: | * Billy, fer goodness’ sake let’s git out o’ here. I'm dogma po: of ye, an’ I must own up to it, Folks is lookin’ at ye a’ready} an’ th’ first ye know they'll run ye in,” | “Nary a git!” Billy cried; “that would sp’ile all th’fun. If you are narvous an’ uneasy, though, jest draw ’way from me, so’s folks won't take ye fer my shadder. If you're ’shamed 0’ me, so amI o’ you; fer I'd be ’shamed ter own sich a sick-lookin’ shadder as you are. Take care not ter git too close to th’ music, though, or the sound-waves may annihilate ye. Ta-ta.” With that parting shot, Billy started around the driveway. He had not gone far when he stopped short with an exclamation of surprise and interest. ‘‘ Sweet pertaters! but I know that outfit,” he cried in a low tone, looking at a carriage and team that were standing at the edge of the drive; ‘‘it is th’ same one that I seen this after- noon down there by the old Milado’s bouse, th’ one that had that woman aboard that let th’ blood-curdlin’ yell out ofher., I had fergot that case fer th’ time, but this brings it all back ter mind.” Billy was right, it was the same rig. “T must have Skinny’s opine on this,” hé muttered. ‘I'll jest ax him if he thinks he’d know that turn-out if he’s ter see it.” Going on around, he presently came to where Skinny was standing, and while pretending not to be noticing him, asked: ‘Skinny, would ye know that team an’ car- riage ag’in that we seen this afternoon down there by old Hong-Kong’s house; th’ one that that woman that screamed was tooken out of?” ‘*T suess I would,” Skinny veatured. ‘‘ Well, jest stalk around there an’ see if it is on this driveway, will ye! I feel th’ fever comin’ on worse ’n ever,” Skinny looked at his partner in a despairing way, but started to do as requested. ‘* Yes,” he said when he returned, “ th’ same rig stands around there on th’ side of th’ drive.” ‘How d’ye know it’s th’ same one?” ‘‘T know by th’ bosses, fer one reason; an’ by th’ new curtains on th’ carriage fer another. “Kerrect! Skinny, you have a degree 0’ eae sacs that will take ye ter Congress, or th’ enitentiary, one o’ these days.” ay Pil have company, if it’s th’ last-named place, f Just then a heavy hand fell upon Billy’s shoul- er. Looking quickly up, the lad found himself in 9 grasp of a powerfully-built descendant of am. ? ‘Sweet pertaters!” Billy cried, *‘ what’s th’ matter, Sambo? Have ye got th’ cramps in yer hands? If ye have, jest let up on my shoulder an’ tackle somethin’ that ain’t got no feelin’s,” ‘‘ What yo’ doin’ heah, beggar?” the colored gentleman demanded, * Jest let up on yer squeeze a little,” answered Billy, “an’ Pll enlighten ye ou th’ p’int in ques- tion. \** You want ter know who you’m talkin’ to,” the darky growled, ‘‘ an’ my name ain’t no Sam- bo, nuther, Now you jes’ hustle out ob heah, or I'll have ye’rested an’ turned over.” ‘‘Sweet pertaters! but that would be bad! Ter be’rested would be a calamity o’ stoopenjus magnitood, George Abrabam Jackson Andrew Lincoln Washington; but ter be turned over be- sides would be worse than transcendently hor- rible. I hope you won’t be so cruel to a poor orphing what never had but one father an’ mother, and that didn’t cut its first tooth till it was four months old. Can’t you let me downa little easier than that, Benjamin Henry Patrick Franklin Jefferson Thomas Fifteenth-Amend- ment Jones?” The colored gentleman’s grasp relaxed, and he looked at Billy in open-mouthed amazement. Skinny was standing a little distance off, grin- ning from ear to ear, and a party of three or four gentlemen who were seated near enough to overhear, burst into a hearty laugh. ‘Look heah, you low-down specimen 0” white trash, yo’! the darky cried, as soon as he could speak, *‘I’s a notion ter wring yer neck. My name am Dan’l Webster, an’ nothin’ else. Now you hustle out ob heah, quick /” His grasp tightened agaia, and he made a start for the rear entrance, with Billy in tow. ‘It serves him right!” Skinny mentally com- mented, as he looked on with some satisfaction; Pf it will take some of th’ freshness out of -“Good-by, Skinny!” Billy called out; “Tl say hello now, in case I don’t never see ye ag’in. Darkness has overpowered me, an’ it looks as if I’m in fer it. I'll meet ye in th’ sweet by-an’-by, if not sooner; an’ in th’ mean time you had bet- ter amble back ter our dug-out an’ go ter bed, et ag likely I won’: be home till mornin’, any- ow, | : ‘Shut up yo’ mouf!” Dan’l Webster growled, f - + , af i F ,, « 4 . : mY Fret! 3 4 a, . 5 i 2 % ye =) ys Fg ASS : ) - . a+ y o* "] “ ae Ty ; , ’ iy A 0 NN EEO OLS =. see as he gave a jerk at the lad’s collar; ‘* every- body am lookin’ at ye.” ‘Sure they’re lookin’?” Billy asked. ‘Yes, I know they is, Come erlong, an’ no hangin’ back, er I'll jerk ye right outen yer clothes.” ‘‘ Bverybody lookin’?’ Billy persisted. ‘¢ Yes, every body.” ‘‘ We may as well make it interestin’ fer ’em, so—there !” With a sudden jump and a quick movement of his muscular legs, Billy caught the unsuspecting darky foul, and before the colored gentleman was aware of it he was sent sprawling upon the hard pavemect of the drive, ) Peals of laughter rung out all over the court, and snatching off his cap and making a profound bow, Broadway Billy made haste to get out, fol- lowing one of the carriages that was at that mo- ment leaving. “That was a narrer squeeze,” Billy muttered, as soon as he found himself outside, ‘fer 1 thought that dark’ would wring my neck fer . sure, an’ he was big enough ter do it, too, At won’t pay ter go there any more In this rig. Now I must work around an’ meet Skinny, an’— Sweet pertaters! fur] my fore topsail-royal, or whatever it is, if this ain’t th’ carriage that I'm interested in!” : No sooner was this discovery made than Billy ran up bebind it, caught hold, threw his legs up underneath to a secure position, and was carried along with it. : at , Be like old times,” he thought, ‘‘ Hang me if I wouldn’t like ter be a boy forever, but that ain’t in th’ nat’ral order o’ things. Now L haven't th’ least idee where this vehicle is bound fer, but I have a certain interest in it, an’ ’'m going along. I reckon Skinny kin find his way ack ter th’ hotel all right. He knows th’ cit as well as I do, anyhow, so I'll comfort myse f with that thought. He’s no chicken, Skinny. ain’t, even it he is thin,” The carriage sped along, and Billy having got his box into place as he wanted it, and himself comfortably arranged upon the under-gear of ee found no difficulty in going along with it, | Not knowing the streets, and having only @ vague general idea of the plan of the city, he could not, of course, keep in mind the direction taken when corners were turned, _ bi a, He had no dread of being lost, however, He — knew that questions would set him right, if he had occasion to ask them. Finally, although his point of view was very disadvantageous, Billy found that he was in the Chinese quarter. He had noted it sufficiently during the after- noon to recognize it again. When the carriage stopped, at last, and the lad dropped to the ground, about the first thin that loomed up before him was the residence 0 the Consulate. ‘‘Sweet pertaters!” he mentally exclaimed, ‘‘ but this kallyboose has come back ag’in ter th same house that that woman was tooken tot What is goin’ on, anyhow? It begins ter look ter me as though I have a special interest in this matter, lLet’s see who gets out,” Billy bad got out from under the carriage 0& the street side, and he now stood where he could look around from bebind to see who alighted. A well-dressed man got out, ran up to the door, and was speedily admitted into the house, while the driver of the vebicle settled down = a way that proved that he meant to wait for im. ns Broadway Billy decided to do the same, — a CHAPTER VIL THE FEVER ATTACKS SKINNY, It is to our interest to returnto Skinny. _ i He baa started to follow in the direction in — which Billy was being dragged, but, when be saw Dan’l Webster ‘‘ dumped” so neatly he had to stop and gen in the general laugh. He saw Billy make his bow and hurry away and then he gave his attention to the enraged. darky, as he scrambled to his feet. The colored gentleman’s first concern was for his clothes, which he brushed with his hand care- fully, at the same time growling away to bim- self at a greatrate; and then, when he had gazed for a moment in the direction in which Billy had disappeared, he turned and started back to- ward where Skinny was standing. ee Skinny’s heart was in bis throat in an instant. He remembered that he had been tal ng Billy at the time when the darky captured and now he feared that the darky wo i seek i ba revenge upon him. ; i> A At M + ade ey yi