Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 777 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

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Pd iw art , : 4 ' | eS i a . ae . } . 5 : ve r" mv ‘ha : is 7? - a ¢ # Y : Ay if 4 10 **Go on with the well-concocted story you were telling.” “There is no more to tell.” “Why not?” ** Well, because Davy Dunn intends to keep you in hiding, carry you a prisoner back to New Orleans, and deliver you up to the chief of police there.” ** Davy Dunn, you say?” ** Yes, or in other words, myself: for J am Dick Doom, the detective, alias Davy Dunn, alias Parson Ariel Shepherd!” was the startling response that fell upon the ears of Diamond Jack, the gambler of the Mississippi, CHAPTER XIX, AN IMP OF MISCHIEF, “THAT chump will get himself into trouble, et,” said Valentine Gibson to Gordon Gray- urst, for the two bad become inseparable now, He alluded to the fat youth, who seemed to exist simply for his own satisfaction, indepen- dent of all others, His pranks were not for show, apparently, for be went about everything in a businéss way, pone from one piece of mischief to another just as he might attend to duties devolving upon im, He was the first one at the table when meals were announced, and the last to leave it. If a tempting morsel was brought his next neighbor, be appropriated it when the other’s face was turned, and looked as innocent as a baby. Gordon and Gibson found real delight in fol- lowing him up and watching him. He took the most comfortable seat out on the guards, left it, and the man who then sat down in it got up with great suddenness, accom- panied by a howl of pain, for a bent pin bad been left there. The fat boy was inside the cabin watching the result, and as soon as accomplished to his satis- faction smiled blandly aud walked away. He got the parrot good and mad, tortured him into profanity and then hung him back by the ladies’ cabin where be swore like the army in Flanders, The next thing he spied was an Italian organ- grinder with a monkey, upon the deck below. The I[talian went to sleep and the fat boy made friends with the monkey, gave him a few nickels, some cake and candy, lowering all to him with a rope which he took from around a trunk. Then he got the monkey to catch hold of the rope end and hauled bim up to the cabin deck. He was happy then and went on a search for mischief, He found a negro waiter asleep on the guard, and sat the monkey near him on the floor. Then he put an orange on the negro’s head and said: ** Get it, monk!” The monkey obeyed with promptness, sprung upon the negro’s lap and grabbed at the orange, awaking the sleeping waiter who gave a yell of or, The monkey skurried along the guards in fright, the fat boy after him, and finding a door of a lady’s state-room open went in. Tbe boy.closed the door and then went into the cabin and sat down. The Italian then had the whole lower deck in a state of excitement over the loss of his ** monk,” ‘‘Ma monka gone! ma poor gooda monka, ** He gooda monka, name Garibaldi— ** I give five dolla to find ma monka.” This encouraged a general search, but no one seemed to be able to get the reward. The boy meanwhile sat in the cabin awaiting developments, Supper was over and ke seemed to understand that the owner of the state-room must soon re- He had read aright, for his patience was re- warded, as well as were Gordon Grayhurst and Gibson for waiting, for suddenly a series of un- earthly yells were heard and out dashed what — at first to be a ghost.” ut it was a lady of uncertain age, one who came in the category of old maids, She had disrobed to retire, and wearing a wig had laid it aside with ber false teeth, when sud- denly she received a tap on the shoulder and then beheld the monkey in her bed, The scene that followed was indescribable, and out she dashed among the passengers, the inonkey close at her beels, But the monkey was frigitened and darted down the cabin toward the forward part of the boat, spied the fat boy and leaped into his arms, Dick Doom’s Destiny. ** Poor monk, did she scare you? ** Come, your master wants you, five dollars’ worth, so I’ll take you to hinr,” The boy arose, and convulsed with laughter the two friends followed. Down the gangway steps he went and soon found the Italian. The latter rushed to seize his monkey, but the fat boy said: ‘* No money, no monk. ** Five dollars,” With a sigh the Italian drew out his bag of — and counted out five dollars. ‘* Now play for this,” and the boy banded him back two dollars, His next move was to call upon the roustabouts to dance, and he found six of them, each of whom got a balf dollar each, And with no thought more than that he had been most liberally paid to play, not taking into consideration that be had been paid out of his own money, the Italian played and played, while the roustabouts danced and danced. The boy enjoyed it as long as he could, and then weot on deck, There he saw the water buckets all in a row anc filled, in case of fire. One of them was lifted and down went the contents on the Italian and bis monkey, another following on the roustabouts. The fat boy had had enough of music and dancing, so broke it up in bis own way. Italian profanity, the screams of the monkey, echoing oaths on the part of the parrot, with loud yells of Jaughter from the deck hands made a perfect pandemonium for a while, Then it was that Gibson had said that the boy would yet get into trouble, But the steamer arrived at Memphis the next erDING and the fat boy bobbed up serenely all safe, CHAPTER XX, TRE FAT BOY HOLDS TRUMPS. Botu Gordon Grayhurst and Valentine Gib- son decided to return upon the steamer to New Orleans, ; The fat boy bad told them that he was going to do the same, so they felt sure the run down the river would not be tedious. Complaints innumerable bad been made to the captain about the pranks of the fat boy, but Captain C—— merely promised that heshould be taken in hand, and laughed silently at the fun of the young passenger, The fat boy concluded to remain upon the steamer, and not go to a botel, but he took sev- eral runs up into the town to bave a look at it, He also laid in a supply of such things as he deemed he would need on the down trip, and when Gordon Grayburst and Valentine Gibson came on board the fat boy was serene and self- satisfied. They greeted him like an old acquaintance, and noted that he was the only passenger going back on the steamer that had come up the river on her, all the rest being strangers, The run down was another series of jokes on the part of the serious-faced fat boy, and from the clerk to tbe bootblack all had to suffer in some way or other, When the steamer arrived at Vicksburg it was at night and after eleven o’clock, But the fat boy was up, as were also the two friends, and all who came on board were criti- cally examined as they did so by the three, During the run down there had been car.i- playing, but no games for big money, and Gor- don Grayhurst and Valentine Gibson bad played, but with nothing staked upon the games. The fat boy had watched them with such in- terest that he was invited by Valentine Gibson to play a game with him. “I’m your honey,” said the fat boy, and he won five straight games, to the surprise of Gib- son and amusement of Gordon Grayburst. ‘* Where did you learn to play cards, sonny?’ asked Gibson, ** At Sunday-school picnics,” was the reply, and the fat boy went then to watch a game at another table, There were two men there who had come aboard at Vicksburg. They bad at first been very wary, but seeing that all except two were strangers to them, they sat down and began to play with two men from up the country, who bad plenty of money and bet high. These two men were none other than Blackleg Bill and Buck Staples. They had been told by the captain that be would take them back to New Orleans, but never again should they travel] on his boat, and OF NN if they created any disturbance he woul them in irons, They were very humble for awhile, then caught sight of the up-countrymen, and got them into a game with them. The countrymen were good players, and won steadily for awbile. But, just as the fat boy took a seat to watch the game they began to lose, Gordon Grayhurst and Valentine Gibson sat apart, also watching the game, though not ap- pearing to do so, The fat boy somehow disconcerted both Black- leg Bill and Buck Staples, by ‘‘ chipping in” bis advice, and watching them so intently, until st last the former said, as he lost a game which he bad seemed sure a moment before of winning: ‘*See here, Fatty, you just keep your mouth shut and stop watchin’ of me,” ‘“*A cat can look at aking, I guess, and I'l ask the captain if I can’t sit here and watch the game.” This silenced the two gamblers; but so atten- tive was the fat boy to their every act, that they could not play with their accustomed skill, and the games went against them again, W hen they had lost about five hundred, Black- leg Bill said: 1d ‘** Well, mates, that takes my pile, so I quits.” ‘* Me, too,” was Buck Staples’s remark, and. the two arose from the table, ‘‘Want to play with me?” innocently asked the fat boy. ‘Naw, I never play with kids,” and the two men took a drink at the bar, lighted their cigars and went out upon the guards, They were promptly followed by the fat boy. ‘‘Grayhurst, did you notice how that fat boy watched those gamblers?” ‘* Yes, and disconcerted them, it seemed to me,” ‘*It is so, and he asked them to play with bim,” ** So I heard.” ** Now he has boldly followed them out of the cabin.” ; ‘*T saw that he did, andI only hope he will not get into any trouble with them, for they are in an ugly humor, after their affair going up the river, and just now having ‘lost five bundred dollars.” ‘* Suppose we go out and see if he is cutting up any of bis pranks with them?” ‘* With pleasure, for I would not see the boy hurt if I could prevent it.” So the two friends walked out upon the guards, and failing to find the two gamblers and the fat boy there, went on deck. : “There they are,” and Valentine Gibson inted to the three forward, just where had en Diamond Jack’s favorite place, “Yes, and the fat boy is with them.” ‘He is, and they appear to be getting along without any trouble now, but the boy must be cautious,” ' ‘* Let us call him and give him warning,” This they did, but in answer came the words: ‘** Will see you later, gents; I’m playing a little game just now and bave got all the trumps.” With this the two friends returned to the cabin, Gibson remarking: ‘‘ That boy is a mystery to me,” CHAPTER XXII. THE ‘‘ LITTLE GAME” THAT WAS PLAYED. WHEN the two gamblers left the Social Hal? of the Eclipse, they went upon deck and took seats. “T say, Buck, things is getting very black against us,” e Sure,” ‘We were playing a too high hand of late, and it’s got folks on to us.” ‘* That’s so,” ‘Our pard is dead, and I don’t understand what they tell us that the cap’n was run ashore at Vicksburg by a preacher,” ‘ ‘*°Tain’t reasonable, for he hain’t the running ind,” ; ‘But they do say that country boy won bis gold box, diamond dice and also his star, and that took bis good luck.” 1 “Then a preacher comes along and drives him ashore at Vicksburg.” ‘‘And the captain says we don’t travel no more on his boat.” ‘ He did say so, sure,” ‘“Then what is we to cdo?” ** The Lord ey knows,” ‘* We lost five thousand to-night.” ‘Yas, but it were the counterfeit money I paid ’em in: $ , id . . y\ oe» a ind + she nt. (ee eee et