Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 839: Broadway Billy's Big Boom — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

a _——— a pant “ <y, Sp: Yo = le - ‘ - 7 Wed ~ ot 7 * + ¥ + : oy , »' : i ‘die : ey 4 ¢ ; - 7 t wre ‘ Ne 7 Pe ; ‘ RE it ‘~ - f ay + =e 7 gh ee = s&s € aes ist = a . ~~ F 4-30 .c. - a ~- ~ 7 > iar ae ie - “ -~. a4 { |AUTHOR OF *‘ BROADWAY BILLY” | of his Eg lari! hissed in his ears, i Billy's Big Boom: OR, Cornering Counterfeit Crooks, BY J, C. COWDRICK, NOVELS, ETC,, ETC, CHAPTER LI. BILLY IN A DESPERATE FIX, A woman had been gone from the office but a few minutes when a messenger-boy entered, He brought a message from Broadway Billy, who took it and proceeded to get at its import without loss of time. It was about the hour of closing the office for the day, and Happy Harry and Silent Seth were putting things in order prepara- tory to going home. 4 “What 3 is it, boss?” inquisitive Harry had ‘Lam called to the business house of Big- well & Granson,” Billy explained. ‘‘ You and Seth go on ES and I'll be there Jater.” ‘* What is up ” ‘‘T don’t know; the note does not say. Theirs is a big concern, and more than likely it’s a case of robbery. However, I’ll drop around and See; I’ll let you boys know when I get home.” And so, leaving them to close up the office, Billy set out with, the messenger for the place named. The boy wore a cap with the badge ‘‘B&G” on it, proving that he was an em- ployee of the firm. He was a freckled youth in his early teens, and “tr very premcnicne g. Do you know what’s wanted of me?” Billy asked, ‘No, sir,” the answer, — “< Boss said you were to come in by the alleyway, and ask for him at Door Four.” “4° Which boss was that?” “Mr, Bigwell.” The ‘ids “of Bigwell & Granson occupied nearly a whole block, and had entrances on three streets—or more properly two streets and an alley; the latter being in the rear of the eee building. When they came to the store the mes- senger stopped and pointed down the side street, indicating the way to the alley, and } Billy passed on and turned into the narrow way, never once suspecting that all was not right and that he was walking into a trap. was late in the day and this alley was deserted, and he had gone but a few steps from the corner when he was suddenly set upon by two men. The two men had run against him with full force, carrying him almost off his feet, and he was hustled across the alley and thrust through an open doorway, where yet a third man laid hold of him. Billy struggled with all his might, but the odds were against him, and he was speedily overcome, The little fracas had been ‘*short, sharp and decisive.” ‘“ Your race is run, Broadway Billy,” one isup. This time you have undertaken a job that’s long odds too hefty for you, and your name is Dennis—you are our chowder!” Broadway Billy was amazed at this. He had no case whatever on hand at the time, and these fellows, whoever they were, were entirely mistaken if they thonsht he had been after them. He was now aware that it had been a well- laid scheme, and realized that he was in the toils, helplessly. The door had been closed quickly, and the place was too dark for him ee oe much esi it. ‘they get through with me. begins, however, I would like to know why «The jig | taken hold of a job that you can’t carry out, - be RAL ne enw hab webbie Gain tro may know what you are doing,” he coolly remarked, ‘‘but I doubt it. If you think I have been after you, you are mis- taken; I don’t know anything about you, or who you are. Ill be obliged to you if you will throw a little light upon the matter be- fore you go any further.” No reply was made to this, and before his eyes could become accustomed to the dark- ness of the place he was dragged away and down a flight of stairs into a basement, or cellar, which had no savory smell, Fortunately—or so he considered it—he knew where he was; the building was the one immediately in the rear of the “Bigwell & Granson store, just on the other side of the alley, Should he escape, he would know where to take up the trail to ferret out the rascals. But, they evidently did not mean to let him escape! A second door had been closed behind them, the door at the top of the steps, and now total blackness enveloped them. Two of the men, both powerful fellows, had hold of Billy, and the the third, who had come down the stairs behind them, proceeded to make a light, after a short delay, When the darkness was dispelled, Billy saw that the men had become masked in that brief time. The place was a cheerless one, and rats scampered for their holes in every direction, some of them as big as cats, apparently. It was a sight to gists a chill to the stoutest heart. . ‘* What do you think of it?” asked the man who had spoken before. ‘Do you think they’ll be able t get a square meal off your bones? We’re’going to give them a feast, anyhow, and vit beet in less than twenty - four hours your bones will be as clean as though ou had been boiled i in & soap-vat. Ha, ha, 1a!” Broadway. Bill felt a creepy sensation, in spite of his steel-like nerve. Not a muscle of his face betrayed it, however, and he was apparently as cool and unmoved as though sitting in his office. ‘That will be rough on the rats,” he said, simply. ‘‘I’m pretty tough, and I won't answer for the condition of their teeth when Before the feast this is thus. What is your object in seeking to put me out of the way in this fashion? The way things look, your telling me can make little difference,” ‘‘Ha, ha, ha! That’s jest the sweetest part of it, young feller! We are going to let you wonder over that while the rats “get in their fine work on you, and you will have food for reflection while they have food for their stomachs. Ha, ha, ha!” Billy was certainly alar med, and the situ- ation was such as to create dismay ‘in any heart. Still, he would not let his captors see it. ‘‘Tt’s hardly a fair deal,” he complained. ‘‘ Ag I said before, if you think I have been wales ou, you aremistaken. I don’ t promise that I'won’t be, though, if I get out of Be alive. But, you might at least let me | know why I am to be disposed of. I am not begging to be let go, or anything of that | sort; merely want to know why I have got to die.” ‘« And you have been told that; you eo and we are going to help you out in good Lay hold, boys, and bind him.” i The other men proceeded to obey the or- a “You are simply mistaken,” Billy denied. ‘‘T have not hada case on hand for some days. Consequently, your fears have run awa with you.” — ell, it'll be a good thing to put you out of the way, anyhow, then,” was the brutal rejoinder, followed with another laugh. The men ann him bound i ina es moments, Ls » | ; ’ re ean eeenree SENS Te ws Wi as Peo sii ee on ras ae v asa} le oh ed a eH Broadway Billy's Big Boom Billy’s Big Boom. hands and feet, and they laid him on the ground on his back. ‘* Now, there you are, right where you’re at,” said the spokesman. “You wil have plenty of company, too, as soon as we go away with the light. Ha, ha, ha!” “T’d like to have another look at your face, just to remember you by,” Billy cried in anger. ‘‘If I get out of here there will hea day of reckoning between us, and don’t you forget it!” oy “But, you're not going to get out, so don’t count any thing on that. And now we'll leave you to your fate. You may shout all you want to, there is no danger of any one hearing you away down here, for this build- ing is vacated—save by ‘the delightful rodents!” ‘Well, go,’ Broadwny Billy go with you! a day of reckoning for this, you, ‘* You won’t be in it, if there is; and as you're dealing long 1 in futurities, we are will- ‘said Billy, ‘‘ and the curse of There will be I promise ing to take the risk.” The fellow laughed again, at that, and the others with him, and all turned to gO. They ascended the stairs, the docr at the top opened and _ closed, and their prisoner was left in total darkness. Billy heard them on the floor above for a few minutes, and then their retreating foot- steps echoed through his infested prison as they departed in the direction opposite to that from which they had entered, ~ Scarcely sooner had a distant door been heard to close than there was a mad scam- pering about over the floor, and the hitherto invincible young detective knew his time*of struggle for life had arrived. Bound and helpless, itis no matter of surprise % ab jis courage wavered. | And the mystery of it all— He could not understand why these men had entrapped him, and their words had only served to make it the more puzzling. some work against them was groundless, for he had no case whatever on hand at the time, as stated. Nor had he the slightest idea ‘who they were. . But, a sudden thought struck ER forcibly: Could it be that this had any connection with the story the woman had told him?— the woman who had gone from his office only a few minutes before the arrival of the messenger with the decoy message that Ahad gotten him into this dilemma? : and before he could ive it much stu rats claimed his full attentlon. CHAPTER II. : HARRY AND SETH HUSTLE. 4 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBIA getting out of patience. ‘‘ We don’t care a pickled red herring who you are; we want to see the boss,” It was in the establishment of Bigwell & Granson, on the morning after the disappear- ance of Broadway Billy. When the boys had been told that Billy alarmed, and set out at once to trace him up, with the clue they had. ™ were insisting upon seeing one of the pro- himself in their way. fa give you an you want,” he insisted, Wee Their intimation. that he had undertaken He thought not; it did not look reasonable; dy the Bi crunchin® | “ya crackers an’ cheese!” cried Happv Harry, ih, had not been at home all night, they were s They had come straight to this store and mn a : hag but a self-important Undersea Eee ‘e . and all information fe, ‘“‘and if you do not ie choose to make your business known tome — ‘ may go away. business or get out.” manner quot peaks Wh—wh—what! ” the man = La talk like that to me? ra have ye vn Then it was that Harry’s stock. of patienc ay gave out, and he opened on the icllew' ss a ee by Kt con ie I am clerk in charge as ere, so now take your choice—state Cs 4 a Ys » ie 7 4) . Oy | Ri & mt eh Bi ;> iN t eee ; ia ah T, hort ‘ © . AG mit Y @ ee, ay tid