Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 717 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

don’t mix with Tom, Dick an’ Harry. _ Johnson, -** They sells ed, to Randolph, | | t place Pots réeling tn his chair, twice as big as you did. They must be easy, fer they don’t seem ter touch ye now’ers but on the shoulders. Still, they’re better than a blan- ket, fer they’ve got legs an’ arms,” Thus eccentrically equipped, Randolph fol- lowed Jack out of the house, As they went down the ill-kept, poorly-lighted street, he wavered for a moment, Reckless as he felt, be realized that it was an act of folly to go with a stranger into a place of which he knew nothing. It might be a resort of thieves, and Jack might be their decoy. He looked sharply at the boy as they passed a street-lamp. His face was keen and bright, as well as somewhat mischievous, but good nature and humor lurked in the big eyes and the quaint mouth, ‘‘ Tf he isn’t honest,” thought Fenton, ‘‘ Nature has put the wrong brand on him. [I'll see the adventure out.” They reached a big, rambling old brick build- ing. The lower floor was devoted to business purposes, but the guide led the way up-stairs, and to a door, the location of which he certainly knew well, ** Look keerless, innocent an’ tough /” directed Jack, turning bis head for a moment; then he threw open the door. The club-room lay before Randolph. Jack was going ahead in a free-and-easy manner, and despite his former intimation, there was no one to remonstrate against it, Peace and good will seemed to prevail, and there was no visible ar- rangement for preventing strangers from enter- ing, though Randolph took it for granted that he might bave been stopped had it not been for Jack’s presence, He saw a Jong room, with a second room be-- yond it, the two being connected by big sliding- doors, A cheap carpet was on the floor; cheap pictures were on the wall; cheap furniture com- pleted the furnishing. The room was well filled, but not by honest workingmen, Randolph thought. The air was blue with tobacco-smoke, and several pitchers of beer sat on the table. Reading matter was there, too, but mostly in the shape of so-called sporting-papers, gaudy with sensational illus- trations, But it was to the men that Randolph looked mostly—men and boys; for balf of the crowd were less than twenty-one, and some not over fifteen. He at once decided that, though they might not be criminals, they were not of the stuff of which good citizens are made. Avoiding the long table, the guide conducted Randolph to a small table at one side, where _ Only one man was sitting. 4 “Hullo, Gulliver!” quoth the solitary man, huskily. | “ Hullo, Flippy Jim!” returned Jack, calmly. ** How’s yer muscle?” : sé So-so.” **'W ho’s yer frien’?’ ** Peter Woods,” ** Intrerduce me,” ** Peter, turn the axles o’ yer eyes this way. Look at Mr. Flippy Jim, street delegate o’ this sassiety.” Jack performed the introduction gravely, and Randolph, much to his disgust, had to acknow- ledge the ceremony. Of all the persons present Flippy Jim was the worst looking. He was very ed, and his sepply of dirt put ois rags to the blush, He had a red face, in the mid- dle of which was a nose yet higher colored{ and several sizes too large. In brief, he was a typ- ical bummer. **Don’t remember seein’ you here afore,” ob- served Mr. Flippy Jim, * but then, I don’t know allo’ the boys. Yer see, I’m a bit exclusive, an’ I come o’ gentile blood, sirs,” The speaker tried to straighten up with pride, but only brought on a fit of drunken coughing, 4 ** He’s N. G.!” tersely whispered Jack to Ran- bh. ““Gentle blood,” repeated Jim, when he re- covered his breath, ‘“ y father was own cousin ter ea Vic, an’ my mother was a Roosban duke—I mean, princess. I move in *way-up sassiety, here, You know Michael O’Dowley?’ *Sartain,” replied Jack. beat.” ““*Zactly. Wal, Mike—Move-on Mike, we cal] him—has engaged me ter help him run this ward, an’ I’m goin’ ter doit, I know Everard Cheslington, too, an’ the firm o’ Smythe & ‘* He’s the copper Is on the races,” Jack explain- inting toward the rear, thar!” asserted Flippy Jim, ** Pool-sellin’, stock-jobbin’ re ; f ; s : . , | P : : . : — 7 7 f+. AS é : s % ¥ - 7 . ‘ I ae ty i the li ; b-% . L hel P 7 > 4 - d Wes 7 7 sae : nN Kean ‘ 4 “4 ons cay 4 wd 2 5 Sele ea dap eases ek i 4 xv Xe ead = Mosquito Jack, the Hustler Gamin. —don’t know what they don’t do there; but it’s al] on the square.” Randolph was not pleased with Jim; in fact, he was one of the most offensive wretches the young man bad ever seen, monument of rags, dirt and drunkenness that he was. Wishing to get rid of him, the former turned to Mosquito ack, ‘* Suppose we see the other place, now?” “* 'W’ot place?” ' “The one you were to show; the alleged banking office,” explained Randolph, lowering his voice, ** Don’t think we kin get in.” “Why not?” **°Tain’t open ter the public.” ‘But you promised to show it to me,” ** Not the inside !” ‘** What do you suppose I care for the outside? Come! I’ve paid my money, and I want you to keep your word, I trust you have not played a trick on me?” ‘* My frien’,” gravely answered the Hustler Gamin, ‘‘ Il can’t do w’ot I can’t do. I didn’t agree ter show you the carpet in that orfice, an’ let you set in the big arm-chair, fer there may be no arm-chair there, an’ I never seen the carpet, myself. You see that orfice isa very private lace, an’ unless a feller is in the swim, he must satisfied ter look at the knob on the door!” ** The long and short of it is you have deceiv- ed me!” Randolph was angry, and strongly tempted to rize and leave Jack to his chosen company, but that young citizen, with unfailing good-humor, remonstrated: ** Now, don’t talk that way; you just my feelin’s. I never agreed ter show ye the inside, an’ didn’t know as you wanted ter see it. I kin show ye the door, an’ that’s all I know anything about. What's done inside is done right sly an secret, I’m sorry ef I’ve raized false hopes, or disa’p’inted ye; an’ as fer deceivin’ on ye, why, I'll hand yer money right back ef you feel I ain’t acted on the square.” This statement was so frankly made that Mosquito Jack recovered his lost place in Randolph’s esteem, ‘* Never mind the money, but if you can give me insight to the workings of that banking office, so called, do not fail to do it,” ‘‘That sleek-lookin’ feller over there is John- son, the pool-seller, an’ he’s really in cahoots with Cheslington, I ain’t no doubt. Hullo! there’s Ches, now!” A flashily-dressed man Johnson, and was soon shaking hands with him. ‘** Come into the office,” requested Cheslington, in a tone not so low but that it reachec Randolpb’s ears, ‘‘ I’ve got a new pointer on that down-town speculator, and we'll make a howl at his expense to-morrow!” They went on, Randolph turned to his guide and exclaimed: ‘* Jack, I must see the inside of that office!” CHAPTER IV, ON THE THRESHOLD OF A SECRET, RANDOLPH was excited. He was in just the right mood to receive impressions, and, with his curiosity already aroused by the alleged secrecy attending this strangely situated “office,” he bad been strongly moved by Cheslington’s last words: ‘“Tve got a new pointer on that down-town speculator, and we’ll make a haul at his expense to-morrow |” | Significant words, when the condition of Colonel Fenton’s business bouse was considered. Randolph was not a person by any means wild and visionary, but an earnest desire to in- vestigate this matter had seized upon him, Cheslington, he bad read ata glance. Flashy as the average sporting-man usually was, he had that in bis facial exritessfon which told of a man who lived by his wits, and cared not whether his ways were those of honor, “Sh!” returned Mosquito Jack, to this last assertion, ‘‘ Don’t put too much hydraulic force inter yer voice.” The Hustler Gamin looked around apprehen- sively, but Flippy Jim was nodding over an empty beer-glass, and the rest of the frequenters of the place seemed unconscious of the group by etable, ~ : ‘This ain’t a Sunday-school meetin’-house,” added Jack, in a lowvoice, ‘‘There’s some here who are rank p’izan, an’ would jest as soon ker- wallop us as not, Sing low while we're bere!” ‘*T want to know more about those men,” “‘ We'll fix it, ef possible, but ef these tiger- lambs git on ter the fact we’re mousin’ arter secrets, we'll go out 0’ here so fast fee could play a game o’ checkers on our coat-tails,” / assed them, joined | was saying, ‘‘is that you go too lig ‘*T am prepared to believe all you assert, and — will be duly cautious. But I want information, and am willing to pay for it.” ‘* Cheslington an’ Jobpnson hev locked the orfice door.” ** So I noticed.” ** Wal, we’re shut out.” ‘*Baot can’t we work some scheme to listen at some other point? I see you have no great amount of love for this gang, and I dare say you are not averse to earning five dollars.” ‘*My soul ain’t bound up in money,” Jack re- torted, ‘‘ but I’m willin’ ter give a pard a lift when [ kin, But about this orfice scheme, I don’t see how we kin work the riffle ’thout ru»- nin’ a powerful sight o’ resk; 1 don't, by Hbe- nezer |’ ‘* ’'m willing to take the risk, if you are,” — Hustler Gamin looked curiously at Ran- dolph. ‘*'You’re in a reckless frame o’ mind, an’ the frame is like a cat’s whiskers, broad enough ter be wisible at long range. Dunno erbout your wild an’ resky plans; they might git J. J. Marsh —w’ich is me—inter the p’izenest diffikilty on record!” The speaker glanced around at their compan- ions, and Randolph did not fail to appreciate his doubts, Still, he was too eager to drop the point, and he continued to press it, Jack medi- tated, and finally remarked: ‘““Ef your life is so much no good that you want ter resk it, mebbe I kin put you in a way ter do it.” ‘** Do so, and you sball be well paid.” ‘Shoot the pay! Money is all right fer a small job, but when a feller resks his neck, it’s ay enough ter git away with it unbroke, See ere! Et’s a double-header, an’ likewise laps tie win- der o’ the wash-room over yender. Now, ef we kin crawl out o’ the last winder it’ll take us to the fire-escape, an’ we kin cavort over an’ heark at the orfice-winder, All this we kin do if—if— if! Am the biggest if o’ the whole gang is, 7f we don’t git ketched an’ flamdoodled.” It was plain that the Hustler Gamir bold as he undoubtedly was, did not approve of taking so. much risk, but the outcast scion of the hoyse of Fenton was in a mood for any hazardous ex- loit. 7 He ae at the-chance held ake and urged it so strongly that Jack finally yielded. They arose and passed gid the rearmost of the two rooms Randolph had first seen. As before, they attracted noattention, Rough ns the members of the club were-—and lawless, too, as many of them were—they*were not ex- clusive, Strangers often came es with mem- bers, and the membership was so large that few ‘stpemene< to know every face that rightfully longed there, Back of the second apartment was the wash- room, and this was found untenanted, Mosquito Jack threw up the Home | ‘‘Hustle fer keeps!” be directed, ‘hurriedly. ‘* Et’s now or never, an’ ef we git ketched, good- by, Ebenezer!” ' Both crawled out on the adjacent floor of the fire-escape, and the window was closed bebind them. Randolph looked at the dark expanse be- ond, mt It’s a ticklish situation,” he admitted, “Ticklish! It’s like playin’ keerds without ary trump. Once Jet tbe alarm sound, and where would we be? Kin we fly? Mebbe you kin, but I’m never fly unless nigher sublunatic things; which means, on the gree pe - Mind you, Mister Peter Woods, ef we gi go down the fire-escape. I’d jest as soon be ex- cused— Hullo! he don't hear me, at all!” Randolph had gone to the other window,so iJack devoted his time to looking thoughtfully around, Beyond them lay the usual area of back yards, and it was a dark and pokerish place at that hour. y The Hustler Gamin bad been through the usual — experiences of boys, but a race among the yards _ with the members of the club in pursuit was, something he did not covet. 4 ** They’d revolvers as ter eat hash!” be muttered, Randolph was at the window, The shade was lowered, but the upper sash was down a little at the top, He moved the shade, and saw Ches- lington and Johnson. gy! lounging in easy-chairs, seemed to be taking life | rf % OP only trouble with you, Chee,” Johnson “Don’t | make a good ; ‘ Yes; but you ought todo can’t last forever—” ne ‘ Outside the orfice winder is a fire-escape. - seen, we've gutto ~ jest as soon blaze away at us with © They were smoking, and, © :) ; ; NK 2 te ; » ”” Le Pe Meg ; ; | tter. 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