Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 860 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

“.. a NY, <a a ee — __ — —— — _ —— i oo. ~ 0 ———<e * emees Peering over the barrel, the trio saw their enemies advance, First came two men with lamps, and, next,Captain Hamblin. After him were three men in a bunch, and Kit touched Birdston’s arm. ** One's a prisoner,” he whispered. “ec Yes,” The statement was correct. A bold-faced intelligent, good-looking young fellow marched along with his wrists firmly bound, and a Sea- Horse hold of eacharm, Two other members brought up the rear. Contrary to the expectationsof the menin the tunnel, no critical survey was taken of the vicinity, but, reaching the middle of the largest room, Hamblin turned and faced the prisoner, “Well,” he said, harshly, ‘‘here we are!” The captive remained silent. ‘tT hope you’re satisfied,” the captain added. The,prisoner’s lips curled scornfully. **'You talk childishly !” he retorted. **Dol? You shall see that I do not act that way. Do you know where You are?” ‘**Tn the den of outlaws.” ‘*'Then you know what to expect.” ‘'‘Yes—air contaminated by their presence.” **You talk well, my bantam!’ Hamblin angrily exclaimed, ‘‘ but we'll tame your proud heart and reduce your pert crowing to doleful pleadings.” es teach you not to and into our private affairs. v ad sh **'That’s another matter.” ‘* In brief, your life is forfeit to us,” **T thought I had gauged’ you correctly,” the prisoner answered, dauntilessly, ‘*T hope you’re satisfied ?”’ ‘* As to that, I. may be when the race is run. You need not flatter yourself that you are out of danger when you dispose of me,’ ‘* What more danger is there?” ‘* The police,” ‘¢They don’t know of us,” ‘* Wrong—I have told them,” **'You lie!” Hamblin retorted, bluntly. ‘* You came down from the country town where you have the doubtful honor of being a night- watchman—” ‘‘ Having recognized some of the Sea-Horses in the recent attack on the manufactory,” in- terposed the captive. **So you allege, but we deny it; the Sea- Horses did not try to commit the robbery.” ‘* You are a fine man to give another the lie!” ‘* Let that pass, You came down here to spy upon us, but were not half sharp enough; we detected and captured you, and you are now our prisoner, Let me tell you what is to follow: Yonder you will see some small rooms made of brick and stone. They are dungeons, built strong enough to defy the efforts of even an elephant. You will be shut up in one of them, locked in without food or water, and left to the end which should overtake all spies!” This was a fate which might well have ap- lied the stoutest heart, but there was no sign of wavering on the prisoner’s part. ‘I’m not surprised,” he responded. ‘Shall we put your name on a shingle for a head-stone when al.’s over?—I believe the name is Irad Bease.” “*That’s my name, but you need not defile it by touching hand to it, or speakin it,” ** As you will, stubborn fool! I won’t waste an ) more time upon you. Men, put him in the ce The order was obeyed. The prisoner saw the folly of resistance, and did not attempt to op- their will. He was placed in one of the vaults, the iron door was closed, and the key turned upon him, : “So perish all spies,” added Hamblin. ‘““We're going at a hard gallop, lads, but I despise a slow trotter. Wewill return to the club-room.” : The ty retreated, and, a few moments later, the door which led to the upper floor was . heard to close with a clang. Levi Adonis brought out the lamp which he had been hiding carefully under his coat, to shut in the light, and the trio of the tunnel looked at each other in surprise end relief, Their own good luck was almost beyond belief. ‘* We ain’t found out yit!” remarked Kit. -**No,” the mason ‘**Hamblin, he m muttered Levi. ** [know the man they shut up,” continued Kit, **They called him Irad Bease. Whois he?” *‘A night-watchman at a oy up the river, The Sea-Hosses tried ter rob the place, hev used his own key,” but failed ; an’ it seems that Irad got onter » Kit Clipper, the Boat-Club Mascot. “Ts he trustworthy?” **Should say so, though I don’t know him much,” ‘* We will liberate him at once, helps in an emergency.” They emerged from the tunnel and forced open the cell-door. Bease A, at that this meant the return of the Sea-Horses, but when he saw a ragged man, a ragged boy and a col- ored man, Ws looked bewildered. His bonds were cut promptly. ‘* Friend,” said Birdston, ‘‘if you are an hon- est man we ought to train in company. We, too, are prisoners here.” ‘*Then let me join you, and we'll force our way out!” Bease exclaimed, weer is manner was impressive. He had a good deal of refinement, but was manly and frank of appearance, and they felt that a worthy ally had been found. ‘* We expect fighting,” the mason reminded. ‘* Let it come!” Bease returned. ‘‘I1’m not a fighter by taste or practice, but in this emer- gency all must show that side of nature. Let the fighting come!” Every arm CHAPTER XVI. DISCOVERED! As Bease stood there in the lamp-light and uttered these words, something about him re- called Stephen Leechmere to Kit Clipper’s mind, and the mascot could but remember the vague ideas to which Dan Decker’s words had given rise. | Could it be that Irad had the blood of the Leechmeres in his veins? ** Our position grows more hopeful,” remarked Birdston. ‘* We now number four, all-told,and can give the Sea-Horses quite a fight if it comes to that.” ‘* Pity we’uns can’t all work in de tunnel,” said Levi. ‘* What is to hinder us from makin’ a break through the club-house arter the Sea Hosses begin ter fall off an’ go home?” asked Kit Clip- per. ‘‘There’s something in that,” the mason ad- mitted. ‘** Don’t they all go hut the watchman, Levi?” ‘* They used ter do so, but I heerd de cap’n say, only dis mawnin’, dat henceafter there best be a guard left hyar ter watch.” ** Bad!” Kit admitted. “Perhaps we had better trust to the tunnel,” said Charles, thoughtfully. ‘*?’m in favor o’ keepin’ at work on’t, an’ so lose no time. Then ef we don’t get out, an’a better way shows up, we kin go the better way. ‘As usual your head is level, Kit. Let’s go to work imm diately,” This was « one, and Leyi Adonis was seen scooping out vhe earth and throwing it back. to his allies, The other people of New York who were go- ing their way in the course of every-day life would have been surprised to knéw that, at that moment, four persons were below the surface of the earth and trying to d’g their way to free- dom, but only the Master >f Life knows all the secrets which exist in a yeat city. Half an hour passed, and then there was an- other interruption. Kit Clipper had the same position as on the former occasion, and he did not fail to be equal- ly vigilant. Again he announced the approach of a light, and again the diggers retreated to the tunnel and covered the entrance with the barrel. Captain Hamblin and several of his men ap- peared. ‘¢{ don’t more than half believe the report,” he was saying, ‘“‘ but we can’t afford to run any risk. We will hustle the prisoners over to Jer- sey. | ‘*T wouldn’t believe Horace Paulson under oath,” grumbled a second Sea-Horse. ‘**1t may be allascheme of his to get favor with us, but it will go hard with him if it proves so, I have ordered Brogan to see that he don’t leave the boat-house, and we have him on the es Bring out the prisoners!” he men in the tunel were startled. ‘““We are gone coons!” whispered Levi Adonis, ‘I ain’t a coon, an’I ain’t gone—wish I was gone!” Kit Clipper muttered. It was appurent to all that the crash must come, and Mp listened and watched eagerly. The Sea-Horses advanced to the cell where they had so lately left Irad Bease, and then con- sternation followed. ** The door is open!” 13: sé O en?’ ‘** Yes; and the lock is broken.” ‘** By heavens! the cell is empty !” ‘* 'W here’s the prisoner?” ‘*Scatter, men, and search!” Hamblin or-. dered, when this volley of exclamations had: ended, ‘‘He has had outside help, Yes, the: mason’s cell is vacant, too, He is responsible for the other fellow's escape, but it’s only a tem- orary check tous. They must be right here, k behind every barrel, and we'll pull them out like snakes from their den!” His followers responded, and the search be- gan. ‘* Better give your revolver to Bease,” Charles whispered to Kit Clipper, The latter was not reluctant, and the ex- change was made, The prospect of a warm encounter was of the best, but the quartette did not feel wholly with- out hope. The mouth of their tunnel was small and it would be hard to get at them; indeed, it. seemed as if they ought to be able to hold the place against all comers, as long as their ammu- nition lasted, Birdaton realized, however, that. if direct attack failed they would try other methods, and it would not be hard to find some “i to overwhelm the smaller party. it had imitated Levi and taken a spade for a weapon, and he wasina warlike mood. Nat- urally brave, he was now sufficiently excited to forget all danger. e Sea-Horses were not long in reaching the point of discovery, and when the barrel was re- moved, the mouth ot the tunnel became visible to all. Nor was this all, The pale face of Charles Birdston appeared as in a frame, and a revolver bore upon the gang. “Stand back!” the mason distinctly com- manded, ‘‘or you are dead men!” There was a pause. An armed man was just what the Sea-Horses did not expect to encoun- ter, and they were taken aback for a moment. Then Hamblin’s voice arose rset pl **Come out of that!’ he ordered. ‘Thank you, but we decline!” Charles re- torted, ‘* We will shoot you if you don’t,” ‘* That’s a game two can play at.” ‘** Fool! do you seek your own destruction?” ** We don’t seek captivity.” Ps gs you know we are twenty men to your: one ‘*T know we can defend this place.” ‘*If you don’t yield at once we shall regard’ your life as forfeit, and kill you without pity,” ‘* We neither ask nor expect your pity. Go ahead with your circus!” ‘Charge upon them, men!” Hamblin or- dered, The Sea-Horses did not move, The revolver in Birdston’s hand looked ominous, and they could see Irad Bease just back of him. At that moment Bat Brogan and Horace Paulson made their appearance, ‘* Say, cap’n,” the former cried, ‘‘ where’s our mascot?” ‘*T neither know nor care,” ‘* But I'm afraid somethin’ is wrong. Paul- son will hev it that the mascot is a snea™, an’ bas been workin’ ag’in’ us; an’ 1 can’t find him any where,” ‘**The feller is a fraud,” put in Horace, ex- citedly, ‘** When I first saw him here, I knew I’d seen him before, but I couldn’t tell where, Pve studied it out, now. He’sa feller who has lenty of money to use, and he never came ere clothed in rags without some strong reason, More than that, I’ve heard that he was a ticular friend of Charles Birdston, Perhaps you’ve heard of Charles?” ** Perdition!” Hamblin uttered the word tremblingly, almost upset by sudden anger, ‘* Can it be we have been betrayed?” he asked after a pause, ‘* Looks that way.” . ‘The mascot is missing, you say?” sé Yes,” . ‘Then we may as well set it down that all this is due to him. When we found the key missing, 1 made an explanation of it which [ hoped would prove correct, but I can see now that Clipper was a spy; that he stole the key and came down here, and it was he who re- leased our prisoners, No doubt he is in that ex- cavation now!” ‘* Here I be, boss!” came the cheerful voice of the ex-mascot, from the tunnel. dog!” Hamblin shouted; “‘ you shall for this!” . ¥ Send in yer bill!” It was not idle bravado which led Kit to an- swer as he did, but, knowing that peacefu"