Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 701 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

f — of, ~ - ‘ and Johnn cod ei} Ne’ & ati Paget’s lips sent a cold chill to Jerry Jump’s heart, as the man went down the stair and out into the street below. CHAPTER VI, NUMBER 598. PHOTOGRAPH FRED saw Jerry Jump depart with Simon Sharp with some misgivings, but when he remembered that the young Jerseyite was naturally sbrewd, and, therefore, able to take care of himself, he decided not to follow the pair, and went back to Melly at the news- stand. He was not there a great while when “‘ Baldy” Paget came sauntering that way, and Fred saw him at once. Telling Melly that there came the man who had been found in Old Hawkbill’s cel- lar, he waited till Paget passed, when he fol- lowed him. He was anxious to see where he went, as the man with the dropped shoulder re to have something important on kis mind, Instead of proceeding to his lodgings on Divi- sion street, Photugraph Fred’s quarry led him into another thoroughfare and halted in front of a house which had a suspicious look. Just as the at, rm opened to admit Mr. Paget, Fred managed to get a negative of the scene, and then the portal closed on his game, ‘* He’s got more than one nest, I see,” thought the boy when he had watched the house awhile, **T would like to know who iuhabits the build- ing, and [ll see what is to be found out bya little bit of strategy.” Nearly opposite the house was a small grocer which Fred found conducted by a large, round- faced woman named Mrs, Miggs, who fell upon him like a vulture the moment he crossed the threshold. The Camera Sharp drew back as if afraid of his life. ‘*T don’t like boys unless they come here on business,” said the Amazon. ‘*Then I guess you'll take a fancy to me,” re- lied Fred, at the same time taking a quarter rom bis pocket. From among the candies displayed in a lot of dirty jars, the young detective purchased enough to open the business on which be had en- tered the store. When he had succeeded in getting Mrs. Miggs in a communicative mood, he ventured to in- quire after the house across the street, ** No, 398, is it?’ smiled the woman, ‘I don’t know much about it, but sometimes I wish I knew more,” ‘*Then there’s some mystery connected with it, is there?” ‘‘Something strange, reply. ey like mysteries myself—like to read about them, you know. But to find a real one is bet- ter than reading it, 1 think. Then you don’t know who lives in 398?” ‘*T do not.” ‘* But you see some people go in, I suppose?” ** Sometimes,” ‘*T saw a man enter awhile ago.” ‘*T wonder which one it was.” ‘““Then more than one man comes to the house?” ‘‘T’ve seen two of them,” said Mrs. Miggs. ** Johnuy says he’s beard strange sounds in the old place.” ** Who’s Johnny?” ‘*My son. He’s an inquiring don’t mean any harm by it,” Fred found that his candy was exhausted and made another purchase in hopes that Johnny anes would show up, or still further loosen rs. Miggs’s tongue. ** The other night Johnny waz across the street and heard some man inside of No, 398, hammer- ing on an anvil with a little steel hammer, Of course his curiosity was aroused and he man- aged to get up to one of the back windows and look into the house. He had just the merest crack for his work, but Johnay’s got good eyes and they are always on the alert, all, be saw the man hammering on the anvil with the little hammer,” ¥ rs a did he look like?” eagerly inquired ‘“* He was an old man with a long gray beard, says that he seemed to be bent al- most double at the anvil. He had a lot of queer looking wheels and alge about him, but there he was, hammering on the anvil and never look- ing up, but working all the time. Presently a clock haaging along the wall opened and out came a skeleton man with a born in his hand, Jobnuy felt the cold. sweat on bis forehead for anyway,” was the é boy though he 4 aesiws s was afraid of spooks and such things. hen the skeleton had come out of the clock it bogs eng ve oe p ’ € a , gle : 4 A * a ? . 1475 . 2 j r a Rs “ Y * AT » 4 . - 4” > . -_ oe 2 ' ‘ ’ 4 ° 2 =", ‘ 7F. ‘ « bs = : i oe a i” - . > 4 7 an - bowed to the man at the anvil and then placed \ Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. : a strange pair slid into a little place and were per- . the horn to its fleshless mouth and blew nine times, for it was just nine o’ clock at the time,” ‘* Well, what happened then?” ‘“ Why, the man put aside bis hammer and the skeleton went back into the clock, Then the workman placed his work in a drawer, took off his apron and put out the lights. Johnny came home and it was some time before he could tell me about the sights he bad discovered. Now don’t you think I’m anxions to know more about the people who live in No, 398?” ‘*T don’t wonder at your curiosity,” answered Fred, ‘1’d like to know more myself, Do you think Johnny and I could find out something if we went pards in the business?” ‘* T don’t think there’s money enough in New York to induce Johnny to cooter round that house any more. He says he don’t want any- thing to do with skeletons that can blow a horn and tell the time of night. If you want:to dis- cover anything, I guess you'll have to go about it without Johnny Miggs.” ‘‘ Isn't there a lady connected with No, 398?” asked Photograph Fred, ‘‘I did see a woman at the window, but that was some months ago, and then I saw her but once.” ‘* Was she young looking?” ** Not very from what I could see of her.” “ Then, sbe never comes out?” ‘Tf she does it?s when [’m not looking.” ‘‘ What about the men who go there?’ ‘* One’s a big man and the other not quite so large. One is almost a giant, and the other bas a defect which spots him wherever he goes, He bas a low shoulder. ‘‘Mr, Paget!” smiled Fred to himself, ‘* Of course the big man is Simon cored ah At this juncture a good-sized boy came into the store, and Mrs, Miggs at once informed Fred that the young gentleman who did not like skele- tons had come in, and the young detective turned his attention to him, Photograph Fred at once ingratiated himself into Johnny Miggs’s coufidence, and the two strolled into a small park which was in the vi- cinity and Fred began to pump Johnny about bis adventure behind the suspicious house, Young Miggs was quite anxious to relate the adventure with the usual embellishments, and Fred drew from bim a good description of the wan at the little anvil. Johnny said that some- times the man would stop end pass his hand across his forehead, asif trying tothink of some- thing he had forgotten, and that he looked hag- gard and overworked, When asked if be would mind paying another visit to the house for the purpose of making still further discoveries, Johnny turned pale and said that he was efraid of skeletons which blew horns, and that he would rather not repeat his adven- ture, After awhile Fred, with another look at the house and an inward resolution tosee for bimself the coming night, went away, promising té tell Jobnny Miggs, if he discovered anything, and getting in return the boy’s promise to keep bis eyes open and see who entered and left the building. Photograph Fred thought that the mystery that overhung Thomas Jump’s disappearance was near a solution, and when he went home for a brief rest and to leave word there for Jerry, should he get away from Simon Sharp, it was with a head full of exciting things. Having told his mother what to tell the young Jerseyite should he come back, be went out once more, inz with him the detective camera, his inseparable companion, Fred was always on the lookout for subjects, and as he turned into the Bowery, he caught sight of a man whose face. looked familiar, while he appeared to be disguised. ee pe sure as I live, thst’s Old Hawkbill\” mentally exclaimed the Camera Sharp, gage 3 the map in a twinkling. ‘‘ He’s afraid to go back to the shop hadeserted, probably because he thinks he killed the man in the cellar. “I'd like to know what brought Jasper Paget to his shop!” and he turned and followed the man whose walk ave him way. , “ Hello, Jacob!’¥saluted Fred, coming up with the old man, and Jooking up into the startled face suddenly revealed. ‘1 know you and I’ve got some news which I think you'd like to hear; but I don’t want to tell it where we are just now.” The old man, undoubtedly Old Hawkbill, looked at Fred a moment and seemed to read his very thoughts. ‘lm in dead earnest,” continued the youn detective. ‘ Let’s drop into Davy’s here an talk, Wecan take the little back room and not be molested.” | ‘* Come along, then,” was the reply, and the 4 . 1 ur a Po! ee mitted to pass through to a small room in the rear of it. . 3 ‘‘ What in the world are you running about in this shape for?” asked Fred, smiling at the old man’s disguise, ‘‘ You’re perfectly safe. The man’s all right. He is out of tbe house and the police ain’t going to molest you.” Old Hawkbill took a long breath of relief, ‘* What does he say?’ he gasped. ‘* Not much of re re He’s glad to get out of the cellar and 1 guess be won't come any more to your shop.” ‘“*Did he say why he came the last time? What did he tell the police, anyhow?” ‘‘ Said he came on legitimate business,” A queer smile transformed Old Hawkbill’s countenance. ‘‘T blieve Pll go back and open up again,” said he. ‘‘Only you'll be careful how you deal with some people, eh?” ‘*Yes, That man tried to bleed me—wanted to sell me a bit of machinery for—well, for more than I wanted to give.” ‘‘ He intimated that you tried to choke him,” | ‘‘ With these hands?’ and tke old rascal held out his hands which were long and skeleton-like, ‘Why, I’m an old man, boy, and_he has the frame of alion, Mechoke him? You make me laugh.” Old Jacob fell back in his chair and burst into a laugh, and at the same moment Fred’s coat parted and he got another picture. ‘*T think I see a connection between the man at the anvil and Jasper Paget’s visit to Old Hawkbill’s shop,” decided Fred, when be found himself on the street once more after his inter- view with Jacob, ‘‘ He says Jasper wanted to sell him a bit of machinery for more than it was worth. Now, who made the machine? Why, the man Jobnny Miggs saw at the anvil in 398. And the man is—I can’t think otherwise—he must be Jerry Jump’s missing father, in the web of the two rascals.” Fred Paster went home and waited nearly al). day for Jerry or news from him, but none came. | As the warm afternoon closed ke went out again slightly disguised and bent his steps to- ward the house which he wanted to explore, He did not possess Johnny Miggs’s fear of skele- tons, and it was not long ere he reached the vicinity of the 398 mystery. ‘*P!m afraid you're too late,” said a voice at his side, and looking uown he saw Johnny there, with a grin on bis dirty face, ‘**Too late for what?” ‘*Why, to see the man who works till the skeleton blows his horn, He bas gone off.” ** Gone off?” gasped Fred. ‘Yes, The big man who comes to the house took him off in a carriage a while ago. The Camera. Sharp could not help smiling, Simon Sharp had outwitted him. CHAPTER Vil. FRED HEARS A STARTLING STORY, FRED PAST&R was so astonished that ke could only look first at Johnny Miggs and then at the house which he expected to examine, in hopes of finding a solution of the mystery it contained, ‘*] happened to see ’em go off,” continued the boy, ‘*I don’t think the big man wanted any- body to notice him, but I’m always on hand, and saw him tbis time, The big man carried down the steps a box, which he put in the carriage after the old chap got in, and away they went.” : ‘* In which direction, Johnny?” “They turned that corner, but, of course, I don’t know where they wentafter that, as 1 did not follow.” ‘* Didn’t you want to follow, Johnny? ‘‘ Not very bad!” admitted the boy, shrugging his shoulders. ‘I can’t get over that skeleton blowing a born before the clock, and mebbe the man what made it waa the one who went off in the ve’ icle with the other one.”’ Photograph Fred felt his defeat keenly. He. was sure that Simon Sharp had removed the mysterious inmate of No, 398 to another part of the city for safety. Had he discovered that he (Fred) was on his track? Had Jasper Paget, who was undoubtedly bis friend aoe persner in the dark business on hand, acquainted him with the encounter at Old Hawkbill’s? Fred was in- clined to believe that the big rascal had been warned, When he found that he could get nothing more from Jobany Miggs, he sauntered the old house and eyed it clcsely. He longed to get beyond its portal, for there might be some clew ; 7 ' - . . 4 "Yad ; = }.« . ed wes ay @ - e 4, $ - K+ aly $ e. ‘*. 2 Chet 2. ‘i nd ‘ | uJ z — pa eee | we Ely Jr = 2 Se “ yo : . \ > 4 EON ie) ya They went off together. - e 4 . x" - »* . —" ee eee Se < . ° ~ 2 <tr ~ “ . o“~ a a a . ‘ a2 Yt i o tte. sy ’ ’ a * : te