Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 857 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

\ * ae Wes oie | pt 4 cy ( Witt ¥¢ » Oa)? i 4 i oa it '4 -*) be ——_—sBofmething i; ' ai a 24 ‘Wy sPd . py . —ee fF ae a a s ae . i hand. From his manner one would scarcely have imagined he had been held a captive in that lonely place for so many long hours, Lionel uncertain as to what his fate would He went back tothe place where Budge Farrel lay. The man was breathing slightly and beginning to groan. This told Bob he would soon have his senses and be ready to show fight, so the boy promptly set the lamp down on tlie floor, turned the big ruffian on his face and bound his hands behind him, The cords used to bind Farrel were the very ones with which Bob had been secured. ‘*T’lldo a good job, old man,” half-laughed the lad as he swiftly and skillfully tied the knots. ‘‘I’ll agree that you won't work your hands out of these, even though you try as long and as hard asIdid. I knowa _. few sailor twists, and they’re the things to hang. Here goes one—and here another.” By the time Farrel had opened his eyes, the boy had bound him, hands and feet, and » was sitting carelessly on a low box, cheer- fully whistling a jolly tune. ‘* Hello, Budgie,” nodded the lad, cutting ar short, ‘‘ How do you find your- se ”? _ The ruffian glared, started to rise, and then fell back, for the first time realizing wad Wrong, W’ot’s det Matte? Hands ketched—” “Like a clock. You fell down an’ got twisted. Never mind. IJ’ll tell you the same as you did me; Your mouth’s free, Squeal all you want to; won't nobody hear ‘Curses on ye” ‘Oh, come now! hone of that! It isn’t ious—it isn’t pretty. Be calm, Budgie. want to have 2 little social chat with ye.” “T’ll Cut dat troat of yourn!” | ‘* Not this evening, Budge. It’s my turn now. Youhad lots of fun with me fora while, but turn about usually gets there with both feet, an’ the feet are.in it around now. You used to sit on this box an’ jolly me A me in great shape; now see bow you like it. ‘How'd ye git loose?” “Took a twist an’ turned myself wrong side out. That left me on the outside of the ropes, an’ the turned myself a ck, an' there I was. It’s no _ trick at all after you know how.” The snared thug raved and fumed until he nearly choked and his face was purple. All the while Spotter Bob sat on the box whist- sah | _ ling, seeming to enjoy the affair thoroughly. | myself a while ago,” » Budge. | beautifull < ‘ i ~ J hn hi | bring me here in a cab an’ keep me fast ie ve Tad When Farrel had grown calmer, Bob ob- served: ‘6 B'posk, | ye had to do it—must let off steam. know just how ye feel—felt so ‘Oh, you'll suffer fer dis!” snarled ‘“That’s so—I don’t think. Anyhow, it } -won’t worry me a little bit.” ‘© W'ot be ye goin’ ter do?” “Oh, I propose to keep you here till I wind up the worsted of that igh-toned friend of yours who hired you to 7 while he was cuttin’ up his deviltry, I’m ¥ ae pon to crush him, sure’s I’m Spotter Bob, e Rogue-Crusher. I’m onto his whole little game bigger’n a bear, an’ the way I'll 7 * ’ A a spoil it will make him very, very fatigued.” Again Budge raved, but he grew calm | *® ~~ more quickly. Then, knowing he could not ob into doing anything of the kind, he tried to hire the boy to set him at liberty, _ making all manner of fair-seeming prom- > a “AN I wants is ter git meself outer dis “snap,” asserted the thug; ‘‘an’ I’m willin’ ' ter pay great fer dat. Jest give mea chance eee ter ski Se A hustle fer himself.” dis town, an’ I'll let Jack Snow Bob laughed. | Gee _ * Budgie, thou art a prevaricator! Get | that over for spect just dropped off. Then I. Spotter Bob in New York. thee hence into the yonder! Beg pawdon— I forgot you couldn't git any to speak of, To put it dead easy, | know you're lyin’, an’ you know you’re lyin’. I’ve got you safe an’ quiet, and right here you rest your weary bones until I do the crushing act. After that—well, I don’t know what the police have against You must think I shall tell them where you are, after I have played my cards. ‘* Now, let me advise ye, as you advised me, to take things cool, The rats ma come out and tickle your chin with their whiskers and set on yer throbbin’ buzzum an’ file their teeth, but they'll serve as com- pany. Don’t mind them—they ain’t very hungry. If you sleep, I trust your dreams will be sweet, I’m goin’ now. I'll leave the nee up here on this shelf. It'll help out as long as it burns, and thats more’n you ever done fer me.” Five minutes later, Spotter Bob issued from the basement door and ascended to the street. He knew not which part of the city he was in, and, as he was looking about in an attemptto get his bearings, a heavy hand was laid on his shoulder, and a voice cried in his ear; ‘* Bob Braddock, by Heaven|” CHAPTER XIV. BOB THROWS UP HIS JOB, Sporrer Bos wheeled like a cat, ready to fight or run away, whichever proved the most expedient. It was not necessary to do either, ‘Don’t you know me, Bob?” asked the man who had greeted his appearance thus unexpectedly. ‘‘ Frank Anson!” ‘Right, my boy.” ‘‘But—but, how’d you git here?” ‘* Walked.” ‘‘Yos; but what brought ye?” ‘*My feet.” Bob made a vigorous protest, and then Frank briefly told him how he came to be there. In turn, Bob related his own experi- ences and how he had turned the tables on Budge Furrel, the two being on the move all the while they were talking. ‘‘You're a dandy!” cried Frank, admir- ingly, hisown trouble being forgotten for the time. ‘‘ You've got stuff in you! Some boys would, be dead after all this.”. ‘Thanks awfully! blushes are vailed by the shadders. But, I’m right glad you turned up, Frank. We'd best stick together now and work this business out.” ‘‘Good! Tmready, I did not tell I heard in that beer garden.” you all ‘‘This villain of the black mustache passes himself for your sister’s husband, I saw her last night, and she introduced me to him as her husband, but he has—” ‘¢ Another wife.” “ How'd you know?” ‘‘T’ve been runnin’ that fox for some time. Got him laid out from A to t’other end of the alphabet,” | ‘Do you know where to find this other wife?” ‘*' You bet!” ‘Can you put your hand on her at short notice?” | ‘‘ Just as quick as I can ride to Harlem.” ‘‘Good! If we work right, we can snap wpe whelp for bigamy and clear Jessie of m. ” ‘T’ve got a bigger scheme than that, if it’ll Sa an’ what you told me him an’ Budge arrel said about gettin’ the bank cashier foul makes me think it will,” ** What is it?” “Give him a show to rob the bank an’ have him pulled for that. The only hitch ‘ll be in gettin’ the cashier to work us,” ** But how about Farrel?” ——ae ‘He’s all right. I tied him up so he’ won’t get away till somebody cuts the’ ropes.” ‘*Snow, or whatever his name is, ma come down and find him, That would spill the whole plate of soup.” ‘‘It won’t happen.” ‘Why not?” ‘‘Budge tole me one time when he was settin’ round on the box and talkin’ that Black Dirk didn't know where he’d took me ner care a rap so long as 1 was kept out of the way fora few days. He said he could shut off my wind if he took a fancy, and! Dirk’d never ask no questions. He tried to» scare me, but it didn’t go for a cent,” ‘‘T’'m afraid your other scheme won't go.. If we try too much, we may lose the whole: game,” They thoroughly discussed the matter as. they walked briskly along. In a_ short. time, they had passed from the maze of dark. and crooked streets and were hurrying up-- town. All at once, Bob halted. ‘Great ginger!” he cried, ** What is it?” ‘* Silent Dave.” ‘¢What of him.” ‘T’m boun’ to let him know ’bout Black Dirk.” ‘‘ He hired you?” ‘* Sure.” “ Are you under pay now?” ‘No, He gave me three days to find” Jessie. .Atthe end. of. that time, I was to. come round an’ put him on Black Dirk. The- time is up.” “When?” | ‘Well, I dunno jest, fer it seems like I had been trussed up likea veal fer a month.” © ‘You couldn’t get around when the time » expired ?” ** Not much,”’ ‘‘Then Silent Dave, as you eall him, can’t . blame you, I have seen him. He’ was worried about you. But, as you were not - on hand at the time set and could not get - there, I don’t see as it will make much dif- ference if he waits a little longer. Remem- ber it is for your sister's good you are work- ing now—you want to free her of this ras- - cal,” . ‘‘An’ I think I’d free her the , Sosy by ~ pointin’ out Black Dirk to Silent Dave.” ‘“FHlow? What does Dave want of the » man?” ! ‘‘T kinder reckon*he wants ter shoot him,” ~ was Bob’s cool answer. Anson was astonished and alarmed. | ‘‘That would be murder!” ‘‘T dunno ’bout that,” came a trifle grim- . ly from‘the boy’s lips. ‘If ever any whel eserved to be shot it’s this same Blac Dirk!” A sudden look of fury crossed the young ~ blacksmith’s face, and he cried: “You're right! If anything, it’s too easy ~ punishment for him!” ‘‘Whatif I put Dave after him?” Frank did not immediately reply. He thought it over as calmly as he could un- der the circumstances, and his judgment ; warned him that it was best not be - rash, “Tt would be aiding a human being to » stain his hands with blood,” hesaid gravely, as if speaking to himself more than anythin else. ‘*No! It would simply involve usa in trouble, But, -by heaven!" he suddenly grated; ‘‘I’d shoot him myself, if there : were no other way of setting Jessie free!” Frank sana a great deal of solid sense, and finally pronounced it as his opinion that . it would’ be wrong to aid Silent Dave in any murderous designs. He did not doubt Dave had been injured so greatly that he was almost—if not quite—justified in takin the law into his own hands; still, shoul he deliberately kill the villain, the -world . would regard. it.as murder,..