Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 860 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

Tr wats Seer x er ew TS Le, 4 Perr eh P - a >? 4 ¥ ~~ a \, eet’, a Vi San) 2 pmo te x ‘ $ we < t ks bn 2 a ae 3 <. yg ato “i ~ : ~ > / & a e * . 7: > : va AY Me _*- 4 R VN nod ~~ M4 . 2 Kit Clipper, t he » r measures were out of the question, he allowed his natural high spirits to have full sway. ** Men,’ added the Sea-Horse, ‘‘ fire a volley into that tunnel!” ** Hold!” cried Charles, ‘‘ The first man who raises a hand, dies, We have you covered, and as it’s our lives or yours, we shall stand on no ceremony. Keep off!” Hamblin looked perplexed. ‘* Say, Cap,” por in Brogan, ‘* why can’t we smoke ’em out? Pile these barrels ag’in’ the mouth of their den an’set ’em afire, an’ you kin bet that Davy Crockett’s coon will come down out o’ the tree, so ter speak.” ‘* A capital idea!” the robber leader agreed. ** Break = the barrels and boxes, and we will soon have live prisoners or defunct bacon!” CHAPTER XVII. THE LAST STRUGGLE, THERE was a hurried consultation in the tun- nel. Noone knew just how much they had to fear from the Sea-Horses’ latest scheme, for it was uncertain how much smoke would enter the excavation, As there was no outlet, there would be no suction, but it seemed probable that enough smoke would enter there to make their quarters uninhabitable. ‘‘ But, why can’t we throw up a wall o’ dirt, an’ keep the smoke out?’ asked Kit. ‘* Golly!” we’d smother fur want ob any air!” declared Adonis, ‘** Not right away, you bet!” | Charles and young Bease seemed at a loss what to do, | “Say,” added Kit, ‘‘ jest you let me get ter the front with my spade, an’ [’ll agree ter smash out all the fire they kin make.” ‘*There’s another idea,’’ suggested Bease. **They have only two lamps. Now, if we could break them, the place would be in darkness, and I’d risk our luck in arush through the place for liberty.” ‘*A capital idea,” Charles agreed, ‘‘ but how can wé break the lamps? Can we shoot—” ‘i Leave it ter me!” requested the ex-mascot, ** A boy who can’t throwa stone ain’t no boy at all, an’ /’m pooty nigh as skillful as David was, Give me room, an’ out go them lights!” The Sea-Horses were thinking only of getting their kindling material together. They did not seem to fear any attack, so the dark cavity was watched only casually, and Kit’s movements passed unseen or unheeded. He had secured several stones of just the size he wanted, and he took careful aim and threw the first, Crash ! One of the lamps went to pieces in a twinkling. But his work did not endthere. Well aware that this peculiar attack must be followed up, he flung a second stone, It missed the remain- ing lamp, but struck equare in the stomach of the Sea-Horse who carried it, A yell followed, and the man and Jamp drop- ped together. Then a third stone crossed the intervening space, the lamp broke in many pieces, and the place became perfectly dark. | It was the chancn the quartet, desired and they made a rush. One after another they sneae out of the tunnel and started to run the antlet. ane Stop the prisoners!” yelled Hamblin. A pair of arms was flung around Kit, but he tripped the owner deftly, squirmed away and continued his flight. He was aware that his friends were meeting with trouble. The sound of blows, of shouts and of angry exclamations rung in his ears, but it was out of the question are no nephew of mine.” resent were large men in the blue uniforms of ew York police! A brief, eloquent pause follow- ed, during which the blue-coats looked in wonder at the quartet from below. All were covered with fresh earth, and Birdston and Kit were very ragged. » It was the ex-mascot who first realized the situation. What Sea-Horses were there had a downcast appearance, and two or three were ironed. Unless appearances were very deceptive, the den had been raided by the police. The rush of Hamblin and his companions broke the pause. Up the stairs they came with arush,and triumph gleamed in their eyes as they saw before them their coveted prey. But the latter had recovered from their sur- prise, and Birdston sprung toward the police- men. ‘* Officers,” he cried, ‘‘we ask for your pro- tection. Weare prisoners escaped from these outlaws.” No one answered him, but a large man in citizen’s dress advanced with extended hand. ‘* Captain Hamblin,” he announced, ‘‘ we de- mand your surrender in the name of the law!” : The once-arrogant Sea-Horse stood speech- ess, ‘‘You are all under arrest,” the stranger added. ‘* Under what charge?” Hamblin faltered. ‘* Robbery, abduction, and other crimes,” ‘*It is false. Who dares accuse us?” Another man advanced. It was Dan Decker, the cracksman, And Kit was surprised to see Stephen Leechmere close behind him, **f reckon I have had a share in the job,” Decker admitted. ‘‘I got valuable poiuts from one Sarah Brown, a girl thrown over by one Horace Paulson; and these points, and other things, enabled me to give the police the vir ‘*Ruined by a woman!” groaned Hamblin, bitterly. Decker saw Horace Paulson, and a trium- phant smile crossed his face, ** You're in the soup, traitor!” he exclaimed. ‘*Tt’s false!” Horace hurriedly answered; ‘‘ I |. don’t belong to the Sea-Horses,” ‘* Maybe you’re not a burglar?” “I'm not afraid of being prosecuted for that,” the young rough answered, looking at Leechmere. “‘I am that man’s nephew, and he hadn’t dare—” ‘Tt is faise!’? Leechmere interrupted. ‘‘ You ‘*Oh! you may deny it, and cast me off, but you'll weaken in the end,” ‘* Fool!’ pronounced Dan Decker, ‘‘ vou don’t know half so muchas youthink youdo, You are not the child of Stephen Leechmere’s sister at all. Once there was a servant-girl in the house of Abram Leechmere, now dead, This girl robbed the house. I have been accused, re- cently, of having aided her, but I swear that I was innocent. She had an ally, but it was a crook now dead; a fellow named Works. ** When this piebhesen. ipy Ann, was at Leech- mere’s she was suppo to bea single woman, but, really, she had entrapped in marriage a worthy, but dull-witted mannamed John Bease. ‘¢ The above-mentioned robbery being discov- ered, Ann was.ordered to leave the city or be arrested. Such clemency should have aroused her gratitude, but it made her furiously angry, and a few months later, when she and Abram Leechmere’s married daughter gave birth to sons at about the same time, she seized upon a train of strangely favorable circumstances— what they were [ will tell in full later, but need —_—ooooeeses eee eee eee + Charles Birdston. ‘‘He has trailed them for days as an amateur detective, and has saved my life. To his noble devotion and unflagging courage we owe all!” ‘*Go a leetle bit light, Charles!” laughed Kit, ‘*' Take the honor due you, my lad,” answered the police leader. ‘‘ Particulars we'll get later; just now our duty isto take the Sea-Horses to jail. I think we shall have no trouble in con- victing them.” The last prediction was verified. The revela- tion concerning the boat-club astonished New York, and, hemmed in by the weight of many crimes, Hamblin, Brogan and the other Sea- Horses went to Sing Sing under heavy sen- tences. Horace Paulson, as we have known him, was tried for robbing the Leechmere residence, and accompanied his Sea-Horse friends to prison. Decker was so useful that he received a light sentence. When hf ‘‘timé” expired, he left the East and was heard of no more. Sarah Brown ran away’at the first alarm. Her after-life is not recorded, The so-called Irad Bease was fully proved to be Mr. Leechmere’s nephew, and, as he was an excellent young man, there was rejoicin among his newly-found relatives. At the ol arena ge request he assumed the name of tephen Leechmere, and, a few years later, was known as the head of the building firm of Leecbmere, Birdston & Clipper. Such was the ex-mascot’s after-life. Loaded with praise for his efforts against the Sea- Horses, he remained modest and worthy, and his friends were glad to have him as a partner. Asa business man he has been shrewd, honest and successful; as a citizen, he is one of the best. THE END. Next Half-Dime Library, No, 861. Billy Brine, THE SWAMP FOX; OR, Shadowing the Smuggler Schooner, BY CHAS. F. WELLES. This is an intensely interesting story of Smuggler Life on the Florida Coast, when , a ot tell now—and swapped her child for that of ae to give any aid. , he could not tell friend from | the other woman, Sam Garth and his lawless gang held high eh In the darkness + pa ppenenees es Sa discovered, ao the gon | carnival. Billy Brine, a blue coat on board of John an nn Bease was reared as Horace : ° c< tch-dog,” oy? + is Paulson, nephew of Stephen Leechmere; while the U. 8, Revenue Cutter ‘Wa 8» Bits: TS bag on eee aeisheg (sh hf i Bease!” | performs shrewd detective work, as does | ) Billy’s plucky darky com- © | oe. He reached the passage and hurried along. He could hear others near him, ‘‘ Are we together?” demanded a voice,which, plainly, was Birdston’s. | — ae sais ee Hes : Serge man, locke astonished, while Horace gradually | also Ebony, a a ae evidence that all of the little party had pas w pale. . ; rT ers ht SP rg ene danger =e ss da oe gare eniaer Fe wonte, Pk, en | panion. ‘Two spies on board the ee € sa 3 . * Sa 6 was not difficult toreach the main corridor, { is true,” solemnly answere ephen ” i e detective’s work, | PT and from there they had the best of footing | Leechmere, ‘‘and Decker has advanced abun- dog,” block for # time aw k Sh, ee and no ono to trouble them, The shouts of the | dant proof.” ; bse before Smuggler Garth and his outlaw r | Sea-Horses sounded in the rear, but they were ‘That’s the line 1’m in,” laughed Decker. | , Sam’ thorit SS ) ae not half as dangerous as their allies would be | “ Arrested for crime, I am going to do allI can | gang submit to Uncle Sam’s authority. ee. r * Vy if many of the gang remained on the floor | to geta light sentence.” , .. Y. Vth above, ‘‘As for the Sea-Horses,” interrupted the 5 eae 4 er The great problem of the occasion was—How | leader of the police, ‘fall are under arrest, hae, . saa _ Many men must they face on the next floor? charged with long-continued burgiaries. That i ae IAS Up the stairs they went; they flung open the | we have at last found them out is due to yonder ——___—__—_— pas es ere door; they rushed into the club-room. young man, Bease, the night-watchman, who SS deintinj OH AB D.D ROAD. DA/d De ei Bey. 3 * The first view of the place was disheartening | gave us the clew to-day. I have reason to be- ane Se in the extreme; the room was crowded! ieve, also, that we owe a good deal to the boy, ug aig \ Butasecond and more careful survey brought | Kit Clipper.” _ ) Chere ag - Surprising discovery—at least a dozenof those * ‘‘ You owe an immense sight to him!” cried ri tla 2 SOE AS Nn RY Pe IRN. SE NM LAUT, Oo RM Meee WOR. ee ONO tick) = Ce weer a