Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 765 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

Ao ype lab «tei Ag lin E > ar. aituad ot kt | ie ‘ory » « ‘ * ve , fo ahe C Gey, Saree AEE Nar Tan > Sw 7 ee oi Se adl ee ee. sr es eS get + — CPE. ee eee P.. - Trae. a > 3 F, ya Se re pe ee + ‘* ‘ ge * “a ial Moe: «? - Flipper Flynn, the Street Patrol. er ter know where you stand. You are work- ing fer some several men, an’ you’ve claimed ac- quaintance with more, Where will you come up, ef you go the gait much longer?” He considered the matter seriously. If he had eyttiony less nerve be would have ended it all y getting out of the whole affair while he could, but this was not his way. He had become inter- ested, and was eager to see the sequel. After some thought, he re-entered the hotel and made further search for Roger Hethington ; but the latter was not visible, nor could he find any one who had seen him, The Englishman had gone out of sight as completely as if the earth had opened and swallowed him up, and when Flipper remembered the red stain in Gil- oe Dunning’s room, he shook his head doubt- ully. ‘*T don’t see how the work could hev been done successfully right in broad daylight, but there’s the red stain, and there’s the panic Viola isin, All these things must mean somethiag. I don’t like ter malign nobody, but it looks bad!” It was not easy to decide on a plan of action, but the Patrol was not yet prepared to make charges against any one, He was wel) aware that the word of one as young as he was not al- ways accepted by older persons readily; it was prudent for him to go slow, ‘* Pll see Gilbert afore I get a moveon. He is a feller who ain’t ter be sneezed at, ef I size him up correct, Here goes fer bis nibsey! {f hope the word ain’t got ter him that I know him, fer it would kinder s’prise him; an’ it might result in bis settin’ down on me, hard!” He looked at the given address again, and then set out. The distance was not a long one, and he was nearing the point when be had an encounter, <A small girl blocked his way. ‘* Say,” she exclaimed, ‘‘do you know where the police station is?” The Patrol paused and looked at ber critically. ‘* Want ter be arrested?” he inquired. ‘*Me? Dear me! no; it would just scare me ter death!” she declared, ‘You know how it feels, do ye? Sodol! A grim and ghastly thiog is the police shop. He who enters there leaves hope behind.” Flipper did not intend to do any barm, or to discourage the inquirer, but he was in a very doubtful mood, himself, and inclined to look upon the future as something not especially bright for him. Tbe small girl, not being in this secret, was more than ever alarmed by his serio-comic air, which seemed to be wholly secious, She stood in silence until Le went on: ‘* Police is a necessary evil. We approve on ’em until they kinder set; down on us, an’ then we don’t, See? When the innocent, like me, is dragged off ter spend the balance o’ their nat’ral days in hock, it becomes sorter serious, by gum!” . ‘*T don’t know what I am ter do.” ‘* Wot do yer want ter do?” ‘* [ll tell you,” was the confidential reply. **My name is Betty Gray, an’! live at Mrs, Jacobs’s, Now, there is a young man there they are keeping a prisoner. He’s in danger, fer they hev got some awful plot in view, an 1’ve got ter help him out; but 1 dou’s kuow bow ter doit. It’s a big job.” ‘Got him pris’ner, hev they?” ** We think so,” “Ef it’s only a case o’ think, why don’t he ~~. on his patent-leathers an’ walk out, his- self? | ** He’s sick, an’ can’t walk.” ‘‘That’s a cat of a different color. He ought ter hevime fer an aid,” This was another grim joke on Flipper’s part, for he believed be was alreacy loaded down with difficulties; but Betty caught at the idea, ‘* Won’t you do it?” she cried, eagerly. _** Miss, I advise you ter go ter the police.” ** But I’m afraid o’ them; 1 don’t know w’ot they would do ter me, I always was afraid o’ them, an’ you tell me there is good reason fer it. I wouldn’t go ter them fer the world! 1 want you to help me, You are just the one ter do it.” The Patrol saw he bad gotinto trouble with bis joke, and he set out to undo the mischief; but found he had undertaken a large contract, Betty had only gained courage enough to go to the police by desperate efforts, and Flipper had swept all that courage away. He failed to re- store it with all bis eloquence, Somehow, the girl was attracted to him strongly; it became a xed idea with her that be must take part in the venture. As she described the situation more fully he gained an interest, himself, and the fact that it _ Was supposed the job was a sbort one, had due effect. ‘‘ 1f Isaac Moss kin hev some one as stropg as s ae are > ’ , A bt” 4 y ‘ ,. 4 : . . Lc eh Sees . , - My ‘ £% . a eee - i Pie a. ‘ ‘e ' ae oh, 4 ‘a ~ ees a ee ris re! | | you ter give him an arm, he kin walk out,” per- sisted Betty; *‘ be said so, hisself.” ‘* My friend, I reckon you can count me in, though ef this wa’n’t sech a short job 1 couldn’t do it, nohow. I s’pose I hev more biz on hand than the Mayor of Weehawken, already. Still, ef we kin run off the present ribbon in quick order, why, here goes. Lead on, my cbarmer!” Betty was ready enough; she started, and Flipper was obliged to make bis legs play nimbly to keep with her. Several blocks were traversed, and then they arrived at the house of adven- ture, Mrs. Kate Jacobs was noted for ber vigilance, especially in things where money was at stake, but Betty had arranged to beat her out, Once at the scene, the girl whisked Flipper in through the house of a neighbor; then to the back-yards, and then into the Jacobs residence by the back door, This bit of strategy was helped on by good luck, and she conducted the Patrol to Isaac Moss’s room without meeting any one on the way, They were soon in Isaac’s presence, whereupon Becty burst forth explosively: ‘* Here’s the one to rescue ye, sir!” ‘* Ah! So you’ve made a raise!” “6 Yee, sir.” ‘¢ A keen-looking lad. My boy, are you pre- pared to lift a lame dog over the fence?” ‘* Not ter-day; it ain’t in my line. What I be here fer is ter get you out o’ hock, ef you need it; an’ the sooner we git a wiggle on, the better it will be fer us,” ‘*'You_ never spoke truer, and we will lose no time. Explanations can come later. Here, my good friend, give me your arm, and we will get out of here as soon as possible,’ The direct way in which Isaac came to the point was the best evidence that he realized the gravity of the occasion. - The levity he bad been in the habit of using with Betty no longer marked his manner. He looked anxiously to- ward the door as he gave the last direction, Flipper did not et bim waiting. He gave his arm, as requested, and Isaac put forth his strength, He did not come out of the chair, and a sudden change came over his face. ‘‘Can’t ye make it?” asked the Patrol. ‘‘1’m afraid I can’t!” Isaac confessed, almost in a whisper. ** Aia’t yer legs no good?” ‘“‘They are like rags. They bave all along refused to support me, but I was fvolish enough to believe the help of a strong arm would suffice to make them of the necessary muscle, It is useless; I could not stand with a dozen men to assist me.” ‘* Wot’s ter be done, then?” ‘* What, indeed?” ‘*T can’t carry you, fer [ ain’t got the muskle of Samson, Mister, you’ve got ter call in more beef, AsI understand this matter, you expect Mother Jacobs an’ her gang ter swaller you, socks an’ all, ef you don’t slip away, immejit, Wal, you've got ter call in the police!” ‘* No, no!” Isaac exclaimed, “Why not?” “That I don’t know, but, in my norrible con- dition, with my past utterly lost to memory, I bave an unexplainable, yet strong, feeling that, of ae taings, I want to keep vut of sight of the police, The Patrol regarded Isaac with doubt which was not unmixed with suspicion, He had allowed Betty to prevail over bis good nature, and had come on an errand not to his liking; but why an honest man, ir his right mind or out of it, should object to being saved by the police he could not understand, ‘You can get somebody else, can’t you?” asked Betty, anxiously, putting ber hand: coax- ing] be the Patrol’s arm. ; ‘* Don’t think I kin,” be returned, ‘* When I do a job I like ter hev some light on the mat- ‘*Great heavens!” Isaac exclaimed; ‘‘ If you object to being in the dark, what do you think of me?” pmary, CHAPTER VII. LOST TO SIGHT. THE appeal was not lost on Flipper Flynn. ‘*That’s a fact,” be agreed. ‘** With your ast all locked up you do need light, an’ you are in a bad way, I will admit, Cheer up!--Vll stand by ye, my friend. Yes; I'll gofera helper, We'll get a whole regiment, ef necessary,” **One man will be enough,” bastily returned Isaac, ‘‘ All right; i¢ shall be jest as you say. Now, don’t let us lose any more time, Tll be off like a wild hoss of the plains, Observe me gallop! Jest you hold the fort a few minutes longer, 1 ' 1 ae ‘ - 7’ wir “— a ae ie, Yay trv + aot ’ #3 WEF Ay - ary . aw ~ re yee - * ‘s L ES 4 s & F. = et ie ee ee ee, on you shall see me with a posse of one. ong! lipper tried to be as cheerful as possible, and be shook Isaac’s band cordially and began the effort to get back to the street without being seem by the people of the heuse, In this he was successful, and he felt relieved when he again trod the pavements. Yet, he knew the danger was not over for Isaac, He looked anxiously at a neighbo ing clock, ‘* No time ter lose, old chap! Ef they are in a hurry ter get the feller moved they may beat you out, ef you don’t get a wiggle on. Who shall I get fer a helper? Why, Michael Moran, ter be sure, Off I go!” The Patrol was ignoring Isaac’s wishes in one respect when he thus decided, Moran was a de- tective, but it was in the private line, and he well knew he was to be trusted. No very long journey lay before him, and he was soon in Moran’s presence, It need scarcely be said that the telling of the story was a short matter with the nimble-tongued Patrol. As for the detective, he listened with a smile, ‘* What will you be into, next?” he raga 6 asked, ‘* You are always baving some such ad- venture under way.” ‘* One such, did you say?” ** How?” ‘‘You speak in the singular number, pard. One? Great howlin’ hyenas! That ain’t an name fer it, 1 hev got enough under way at th blessed minute ter sink a ship! 1 am out on sey’- ral errands, now, all at once. I hev left one ter do another, an’I presoom I shall leave this in the same style, Biz? Why, it is fairly hum- min’! But that ain’t the point: Will you go along with me an’ rescue the Isaac chap?” ‘*T shall not lose the chance to get onto a a case,” ‘* You don’t want ter let Isaac know you’re a detective, or he will give you the giant fire,” ‘** Trust me for that,” They went out, and Flipper more fully unfold- ed his plan, Some scheme had to be devised for taking Moss away, and the simplest of all seem- ed to be to add a cabman tothe party, This was done, Then they made haste to get to the Jacobs house, : The Patrol and Moran agreed that the proper course was to get Moss out unseen, if possible; eo they returned to the interior by the same way in which Flipper had retreated—the back yard, ‘‘Strikes me it’s very silent here,” Moran re- marked, ‘*T wuz jest thinkin’ o’ that,” ‘** All the better, if it’s the right kind of silence; but it may be the enemy has dropped on your scheme, and isin wait for us. Keep a weather eye open, Flip!” ‘‘T’ve got two on ’em propped open,” A feeling of uneasiness entered the speaker’s mind when he saw that Betty was not at hand to receive them, but it would not do to wait for her, They crept through the hall and up the stairs, No one appearec to challenge them, Isaac’s room was at hand. They went to the door, yet the feeling would not down that all this good luck might prove to be anything but that. Flipper opened the door, The room lay revealed to their gaze—and it was all they saw, Isaac was not there! Moran turned a questioning gaze upon Flipper, and saw him with a blank and dismayed face, ‘* Patrol, what does this mean?” ‘* Pard, we're too late!” “Do you think—” “Tsaac hes been took away! There ain’t no other way ter account fer it. No wonder Betty wa’n’t here ter receive us. Mister, this gives me a shock; the enemy bes got the bulge on us, as sure as guns!” ** Your friends may be in hiding,” ** But Isaac can’t walk a step, No, sirree; we can’t rely on no sech good luck as that, are jest, one lap too late,” ‘* Did you learn where this other place was that they intended to take their prey to?” ‘‘No. Nobody knew but them. Isaac didn’t; Betty didn’t. It is dead sure we don’t.” ‘* Let us not remain here idle. Improbable as it appears, they may yet be in the house, We'll throw secrecy to the dogs; if we can get a grip on the gang, they shall give up Moss or get q deal they won't relish. Come on!” He led the way, and the Patrol did not seek tay check him, Unceremoniously they opened the door vearest them. It revealed oply a vacant room. The attempt Micon gy and they prose- cuted it zealously. That floor was soon searched: then they went below and, while Flipper stood guard, Moran went on with the work. mpi eee. now seeking ouly for Mrs, Jacobs an We | é Ae ; ‘ >