Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 754 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

0 | —_ ee ee ee ——- > SAORAS BH 8' The old man fell forward, his voice ringing through the house like a shriek. Jim caught bim and forced him back. Tom Wagner’s grandfather fell back among the pillows like a lifeless person, and when Jiin saw that he was unconscious, if not dead, he stooped and hid the letter in his bosom. ‘* | guess [am as well armed as you are, Simon Slyboots,” he said to himself. ‘‘ Now, if I could only see the boy detective mother has told me about, there would be a turning of the tide,” Mother Magog’s son was destined to see Billy Winks, and that when he was not looking for him. CHAPTER VIII. BILLY WINKS TURNS UP, NAPOLEON GREGG never recovered from the shock of the letter which Jim refused to let him see. ln less than an hour he was dead, and the doc- tors who were called in said that he died sudden- ly because of a shock of some kind; but Mother Magog’s son did not proceed to enlighten them. When he was sure ‘om Wagner's grandfather was dead, he stole from the house and crept down the streets. He did not know for some time that he was watched, but all at once he became aware that this was 80, and he found himgelf in the grip of Simon Slyboots, TLis time Simon was not alone, but was in company with Sloper, and the three adjourned to a room inhabited by Simon at odd times, and there Jim was asked to tell what he knew about the old man’s death, Mother Magog’s son said he had carried the letter to old Gregg, that he had shown it to the dying man, who, when he had read it, fell back unconscious, and in that condition died an hour or so later. ‘You saved the letter for me?” said Simon, putting out his hand, ‘*T destroyed it,” In an instant the eagle eyes of the sharper were rivited upon the young man, and the alah he had to undergo was something ter- rible, But Jim had prepared for the ordeal, and when it was over mentally congratulated him- self and thought that he was a cousummate actor. ‘* T guess you'll do,” said Simon, with a smile, Jim was dismissed at last, and when on the street again did not stop until he was under his mother’s roof, All this time he had kept the fatal letter concealed, and was wondering where Billy Winks was, Mother Magog, who knew a good deal about the boy detective, told her son where he might find the young sbadower, and, intent on finding Billy, Jim started olf. If he had gone to the Centipede lying in the harbor he might have found the object of bis search, but hesnever thought of looking on the water for the boy, All at once—it was daylight now—Jim was stopped by an odd-looking man who gazed up into his face, and said: ‘** 'You’re Mother Magog’s boy, aren’t you?” Jim did not know what to say, but finally ad- mitted that he bore that relation to the fainous woman. ‘*They call me Timothy Turk, and I am re- lated to Tom Wagner, who has been kid- napped.” “Ob,” said Jim, “‘I am glad to see you, Mr. Turk; but I can’t stop now, for I've got a job on band, and it can’t be overlooked,” “It can’t, eh?” and the old man grinned. “1 have a job, too; one of looking up Tom, but I don’t know just how it will end.” In another moment Jim felt the speaker's hand on bis arm, and he was being dragged to- ward the harbor. k “Do you see that little ship lying out yonder?” continued Tom Wagnuer’s relative, pointing to- ward the Centipede which was plainly visible from where they bad stopped. “Td be blind if I didn’t,” said Jim. ‘* Well, she b’longs to Captain Ortiz and came up from Cuba some days ago. Tkere’s nothing startling in that, ha? No? Well, you don’t know that Captain Ortiz will be the heir if Tom never turos up.” ** Captain Ortiz, the Cuban?” ‘That's what.” ‘* What relation to Napoleon Gregg was be?” “None, the serpent! but he knew enough to play a good hand some years ago when Napoleon regg was looking for & wife and the will says that, in case of the boy’s death, Captain Jarillo comes in next,” a ‘*But you were just now talking about Cap- tain Ortiz?” ‘‘Pm talking ’bout him yet, though I cail him by another name sometimes as it suits me to. Asl was saying, that ship out yonder is his, and I was lying bereabouts last night when a very strange thing happened.” Jim was all attention now and was looking at the Centipede with increasing curiosity. ‘*ITsaw a man whom I at once knew was Captain Ortiz come down here with a boy who seemed to be a prisoner from the way he was held by the villain, They went out to the ship ina boat which seemed to come from her to meet them here,” ‘*A boy, Mr. Turk?” ‘A boy, and he was a sharp-looking boy, at that. I fancy he had been captured somewbere by the captain and he was taking him to the Centipede where he would be safe and could not get to watch him any more,” In an instant a thought of Billy Winks cross- ed Jim’s mind, ‘What was the boy like?’ he asked, with eagerness, ‘imothy Turk described the boy in as few words as he could and Jim’s heart seemed to stand still. ‘‘It must bave been Billy, the very boy lm looking for!” he said to himself, ‘* If he went out yonder with Captain Ortiz and asa prisoner, he is out there yet,” Jim eyed the Centipede and tried to form a plan for getting out to her, Meantime Timothy Turk was watching him as though he would read his very thoughts, ‘‘T don’t think the boy was a prisoner,” he said at last. ‘‘I can’t stop to think of such things now but must go about my business.” He tore himself from the old man’s grip and started off, Timothy Turk turned and watched bim out of sight when he burst into an immoderate fit of laughter which reached the ears of a man who was on the lookout and who followed the old gentleman when he walked off, Jim gave up his huut for Billy Winks at last and went home, The day passed and he did not venture into the street until nightfall when he slipped down stairs and glided out among the lights. He lounged into a cheap eating-bouse which he sometimes visited when he had some small change in his pocket and on taking a seat at one of the tables picked up the latest edition of an afternoon paper, Now a reference to Napoleon Gregg was the last thing Jim expected to find in that paper: but he was suddenly disturbed by the heading of a short article and in a second he was reading as follows: ‘A NEW HEIR TURNS UP. ‘* Before Napoleon Gregg of M—— avenue is buried an heir turns up, and unless the missing boy is found, or if he is found dead, this new heir will glide into one of the snuggest fortunes in this city. One of the clauses of the Gregg will makes one Pedron Jarillo next of kin, though, in reality, the kinship between Napoleon Gregg and Jarillo is barely traceable, The man Jarillo, who is known in certain circles as Captain Ovtiz, of the ship Centipede, is here and has put ina claim to the estate conditional, of course, on the outcome of the search for the missing grandson. If Tom Wagner has disappeared for good, and this is not improb- able, the Gregg estate will pass into the hands of Captain Ortiz who has the papers to prove that he is the real Pedron Jarillo, though he has been masquerading under the name of Ortiz for some years,”’ The reader may imagine with what feeling Jim read the startling paragraph, He forgot to order his supper though he bad entered the restaurant as ravenous as a wolf, and when he came fully to bis senses, he was on the pavement with bis head in a whirl, ‘‘This beats the Jews,” said Jim, ‘‘ Captain Ortiz Pedron Jarillo and the next in line? I begin to see through a stone wall and when mother told me that Simon Slyboots and pard were in the captain’s pay, | wondered what it all meant. But I think I see now.” Jim started off, but bad not gone far when his arm was Caught and he looked into the face of a boy. ‘You are Jim and the very person I want to see,” said the youth, “I have hada fight for liberty, but here I am to prove that I came off ot id They never bold Billy Winks very ong—” ‘* What, are you Billy Winks?” “The only Billy, Jim, But we don’t want to be seen talking hers, JI have just escaped from the floating trap outin the barbor and there may be some one on my track.” cel eres tae lle ee oe a ———— ——KoX ee ee ee el ——— ae - Billy Winks drew Jim into the first hallway that presented itself and went on: ‘* What bas happened, Jim?” ‘* The old man is dead,” ‘** Napoleon Gregg?” ~~ aOR Billy Winks was silent for a moment, ** And what else has occurred?” ‘*Tbhe new heir has turned up,” ‘** Captain Ortiz?” ‘The captain of the Centipede,” ‘*] thought as much. And the boy, Tom, is still missing?” ‘They are all at fault,” ** Jim, where is your mother?” ‘‘ At home, sir. I guess she don’t fear the club as much as she did. I have armed myself, I hold a paper pistol at Simon Slyboots’s head, and the moment he lifts the club [ touch the trigger. See?” The couple remained in the hallway nearly an hour, and when they slipped forth they burried away, Billy Winks had told the story of his escape from the Centipede; how he had managed to elude even the watchful Blanco and secure one of the ship’s boats in which he had effected his escape to the city, and Jim had listened with a smile on bis lips, ‘* They’ll look for you, Billy,” said Jim, ‘*Of course, but I will be too sharp for the whole gang.” ‘You will have Slyboots and Sloper after ou.” me I know it, They will have to cage me or get caged themselves, and they realize what that means,” ** Sing Sing, eh?” ** Yes, if not something worse than that,” A. few squares from the hallway the two sep- arated for the time being, and Billy Winks re- solved to play a swift and deadly band against the plot for Napoleon Gregg’s thousands, ‘**They’re all against me—all but Jim and Mother Magog; but I won’t throw down a fool- ish card,” he said, CHAPTER IX, WNTRAPPING HIMSELF, ONE very remarkable thing astonished Cap- tain Ortiz before he was many bours older, and that was that he was observed by nearly every person who happened to run across him. He was the observed of every one on Broad- way, and did not know what it all meant until he picked up a paper and read the paragraph that bad surprised Jim in the restaurant, “Tl go out to the vesscl and see how things are there,” be said, *‘ and come back aud fix my- self solid, for the boy is one of those thiags that don’t turn up, andl am the holder of the win- ning cards,” As no boat came to take him out to the Centi- pede, he had to hire his way to the vessel, and when he found himself on deck, he went below in search of Blanco. Bat Blanco was not to be found, nor was the cage where he left Billy Winks occupied by the young prisoner, Captain Ortiz stood likey one thunderstruck on the threshold of the dark cage, but all at once, with a fierce oath, be ran back and burst into his own private apartments, which were fitted up without regard to cost, In a moment he realized that he had been robbed, Everything indicated that the thief had taken a good deal of valuable property, but here and there something of value remained, Blanco was not to be “found on beard, and when he questioned one of the half drunken sail- ors, be learned that the Cuban bad been gone some time, Back he went to the city, Maybe -after all Blanco had finished Billy. Winks before quitting the vessel, The harbor was deep and a body could be lowered from the ship without discovery, and Blanco had every reason for making away with the Boy Shadower. This thought somewhat calmed the captain's fears, and he found himself in the city, with his mind made up what to do, He cared but little for the stolen articles, for was be not about to come into possession of a vast sum of money? He would soon lay hold of the Gregg estate, and never again would he sail the deep, and be Captain Ortiz of the Centipede, He was stopped when he thought no one was near. ‘*‘Come with me. I have news,” and he walked off, looking into the face of Simon Sly- boots, wondering what news he could have, Simon shut tne door of his nest carefully be- 900kS.CcO