Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 860 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

I could git at their secrets, an’, b’jinks! I could find out what means that myster’us clinkiw’! Hev they got Charles Birdston,’ or ain’t they?” it was a question of great interest to him, but one which be could not answer, ‘¢ Now, ef I only could j’ine—but I can’t. I’m younger than their members, an’ I’m small fur my age. Then, ag’in,I don’t look half tough enough. Ef 1 could only git myself up as a rough—but how could [ gitin then? Tharmust be some way,an’l’ll go back ter Stephen Leech- mere’s an’ think it over.” The following day one of the members of the Sea-Horse Boat Club was sitting idly on the pier. He was a stout fellow of twenty years, with a coarse, ignorant, brutal face, and lookec like a typical young tough of a city which con- dained too many of his kind, Footsteps sounded bebind him, and he looked around. A boy wasapproaching who wassuper- latively ragged and dirty. He looked to be fourteen years old, anda child of the streets. If he had emerged. from a mud-puddle, or a Tag-bag no one would have been surprised, ‘* Hullo, mister!’ began this forlorn object, ** Hullo!” growled the Sea-Horse, “*Wishin’?” ** Can’t you see I ain’t?” “* B’long ter them?” The portable rag-bag pointed to the boat- house. ‘* What s'pose I do?” ‘* Wish I did. too,” ‘‘Hum! Pretty figure you would cut thar.” ‘‘] kin swim an’ row a boat.” ‘‘Mebbe you own one,” quoth the Sea-Horse, with a sarcastic attempt tobe humorous. ‘‘Son ©’ soma millionaire, mebbe?” 44 Ain’t got no dad.” “Sorry fur him /” “*Say, kin I j’ine?” ** Pine wot?’ ‘* Yer boatin’-club.” *¢ Lord, Lord! the likes of you j’ine!” ‘But I’m a mascot.” ** Oh! you be!” Ab Yes. 7 ** You look it.” ‘“‘I be. 1 bring good luck ter everybody I hitch up wid. I’ve been mascot fur a ball-club an’ they won nineteen out o’ twenty. Then I was mascot fur the pope hoes, ane Jim, an’ he got the huodle ev'ry send-off, Then Mike Kingoran, the Daisy One—he’s a prize-fighter— engaged me,an’ he won five fights, knockin’ out Timborazo Sam, Owney Patch, an’ others. Oh, I tell yer 1’m a ginerine mascot!” The speaker thrust his hands deep down in his pocket? puffed out his cheeks, and looked like a ard citizen, generally. ‘¢‘ Kin you use yer dukes, yerself?” ‘Ty me!” ‘I'd break ye intwo.” Not afore 1 broke you in three!” ‘Why, you ain’t bigger than a mouse,” ‘A hornet ain’t, but he kin knock out a man bigger nor three like you.” he Sea-Horse had become decidedly interest- ed. He was a hard citizen, himself, and the alleged mascot had hit him hard when he spoke of prize-fighting. It was the Sea-Horse’s great- est pleasure in life to hang around the boat- house, read sporting papers of the worst kind, admire their bogus sletures, talk like one well- informed as to ‘the ring,” and be considered bag egies e could not help admiring one who had been mascot for such a great pugilist as Mike Kingo- ran, the Daisy One, “Wot yer name?” he asked. “Kit Clipper.” *“‘ Where d’ye live?” ‘In the streets,” ‘¢A mascot hadn’t ought ter need do that.” ‘‘ A mascot who takes bigger pay than his ‘keep’ loses his charm,” oe h 1? The Soa-Horse looked attentively at the rag- ed boy. He was impressed with the idea that he had met some one who knew his business. “So you want ter j’ine the Boat Club as a “mascot?” he added, after a thoughtful pause, és Jes’ so,” ‘“Wal, you look O. K., an’ Pll try ter git ye the job. Come with me!’ | CHAPTER V. THE MASCOT MEETS AN ENEMY, Kir Curprrr experienced a feeling of ex- ‘hilaration. He had played his part well and assumed a character which he would have de- ‘ ’ - Kit Clipper, the Boat-Club Mascot. port By r 5 ae spised, naturally, and his efforts were well re- warded, thusfar. No Sunday-school boy would have found favor in the eyes of the redoubtable Sea- Horse, if he had been the greatest ‘‘ mas- cot’ that evertrod the soil orstreetsof Gotham, but a ‘tough citizen” was just what the fellow admired, ‘*Cap'n Hamblin is inside,” the Sea-Horse ob- served, ‘*‘ You shall see him at once. Don’t let on that mean’ you are new friends, but let me say what I will,” ‘ All right,” the boy detective agreed. ‘‘My name is Bat Brogan, on’t forgit that!” **) won't.” Brogan led the way inside, At first the quar- ters of the Sea-Horses was plain enough, and like the ordinary boat-house, but this soon changed, Leaving the building where the boats and their belongings were stored, they came to a yard of considerable size which was arranged ina neat lawn over its greater part. The high, tight fence before mentioned shut it in from view, In the center of the inclosure was a good-sized building known as the ‘‘club-house,” There it was that the Sea-Horses passed their leisure hours, Brogan conducted Kit there at once. Youthful Captain Hamblin and two other men were found lounging in a large, pleasant room, which was made agreeable to their taste bya supply of sporting papers, pictures repre- senting nautical scenes upon the walls, a quan- tity of oars, small anchors and other parapher- nalia of the sea. A fine miniature full-rigged ship rested on the table. Brogan walked up confidently. ‘‘Cap,” said he, ‘‘here’s a friend 0’ mine, Kit Wires, oi by name,” “117m !? muttered Hamblin, ungraciously. ** He’s a mascot!” ‘Indeed !” quoth the captain, looking at the mascot’s rags. ‘‘He must be on the down- grade.” ‘*Not much; but he believes that a mascot loses his ‘ pull’ if he takes more than bis keep,” ‘“* A comfortable theory for those who want a mascot,” ae He’s served for Mike Kingoran, the Daisy ne. ** Has he?’ Hamblin showed interest at last, and Bat Brogan braced up anew. ‘‘ Yes; but he’s done with Mike, an’ now he’s lookin’ for another job, I’d heard the boys say they wanted a mascot, and I ree: my frien’ was just what was needed. [ll vouch for him!” In his zeal to carry his point Mr. Brogan was going further than he intended, and was making is statement strong. ‘We had been thinking of a mascot,” Hanb- lin admitted. ‘¢ Well, here he is,” ‘¢ Boy, are you a New Yorker?” the captain asked, with all the importance of twenty-one years of life, ‘“*T be that.” ‘‘ Live with your parents?” “* Ain’t got none.’ ‘‘ Are you honest?” ‘‘ Boss,” quoth Kit, shutting one eye, I’m true ter my friends, A mascot don’t need no more.” All of the tough young men smiled, The re- ply pleased them more than a certificate of character. Their own natures were so dwarfed that honesty and they were not on good terms, and the mascot, while not overdoing the matte, gave out very skillfully the impression that he was as bad as they liked to see people, Hamblin kept up the questioning for some time. If Brogan was reckless, such was not the case with the captain. He would not have con- sidered the matter at all had it not been for Brogan’s false assertion that he knew the appli- cant, and, as it was, Hamblin tried to be careful before taking in a stranger. | A mascot the club mast have. Some of the younger members really believed in the powers of a ‘*mascot,” and others had decided that some ragged, quick-witted young rascal who could amuse them would be a desirable feature of their life. ‘‘ But I suppose the old sea-dogs will kick,” finally observed the captain, thoughtfully. This referred to the old ex-salt-water sailors who still belonged to that club. ‘+ Let them growl!” returned Brogan. ‘‘T guess we ean smooth it over, and we'll take the kid in if he will mind his own busi- 7 ss. ‘¢-You'll find me all-wool and a yard wide,” Kit declared, ‘* All l ask is my grub, a chance ter snooze, an’ the rest o’time I'll spend in ‘ root- in’? fur you an’ the club,” ‘‘ All this is satisfactory, and the boys will expect a good deal from your ‘rooting.’ We don't row so very many raves”—here Hamblin looked at his friends in a peculiar way—*‘ but we have interests to further. ‘ Root’ for our success! During the day you will be around here for the boys to draw inspiration from, or out in one of our boats, as circumstances de- mand.” , ‘tT kin sleep on the bottom of a boat.” ‘¢- You won’t sleep here!” Hamblin made this statement quickly but quietly, Kit Clipper’s face fell, but the captain went on in a matter-of-fact way: ‘* Before night some one of us will have quar- ters engaged for you near at band,” ‘¢ erect!” quoth the mascot, coolly, but, real- ly, a good deal disappointed. ‘Now, Bat Brogan,” resumed Hamblin, *‘ give your friendin charge of Levi Adonis, and have him shown over the place.” Just as this order was given a negro appeared at one cf the side-doors—a very black, plump- looking person of about twenty-five years, Hamblin called him, ‘¢ Levi Adonis, this is Kit Clipper,” the cap- tain announced, Levi elevated his nose and looked supercilious- ly at the boy in rags. ‘‘ He’s a mascot.” Levi's Supeerens changed suddenly. He bowed very low to Kit, ‘‘T’s happy ter meet you, sah,” he asserted, with respect and awe, ‘*Take bim with you, and show him over all of the club-house which is open to you.” ‘‘ Yes, sah,” agreed Levi; and then he once more a dressed Kit: ‘* Please, sah, ter foller me] The boy detective was amused. He saw that the sleek negro was one of those superstitious peoous who believed implicitly in the humbug ae of mascots, and his great respect was laugh- able. Levi Adonis did his duty well; he could not have done it better if be had the mayor of New York in charge. He showed all the rooms to Kit, and explained the purpose of each. In tbe kitchen a Cerberus was encountered. This was Wash Adams, the cook, a white-headed negro of great age cnd corresponding bad temper. Wash was a crank whose ugliness made Levi's life a burden, and for whom, as a man, tre younger colored person felt as much awe us he did toward Kit as a mascot, ‘‘T doan’ know whether he will use you wirl de gg Eng due ver or not,” Levi re- marked, when they bad left his fellow-African, ‘‘He’sa powerful snappish chap, is Wash; an’ he may speak sharp to yer.” ‘* Let him wiggle,” Kit answered. ‘¢ a boys humor him ’cause he’s always been yere, an’ cooks good grub. Levi paused, looked thoughtfully at bis com- panion, and then added. ‘‘Kin you hoodoo folks, too?” “T hey done sich,” the detective responded, barely repressing a smile. ‘Ef you could hoodoo Wash, it’d be a pow- erful sight pleasanter fur us all—’specially me,” ‘*) ll think it over.” ‘“ Well, sah, you’s seen all ob de place,” ‘¢Weain’t been down-suller,” Kit was not forgetful of the object which had brought him there, He had seen no sign that a mason had been at work above ground lately, so he inferred that Charles Birdston must have labored below. He hoped to get sight of that region, but Levi Adonis shook bis head. ‘*Can’t take ye down there.” “No?” “Nobody goes dar except de Sea-Hosses,” ‘Private, hey?’ ‘6-Yes, sah,” ‘¢ What sort o’ a place is it?” ‘¢ Doan’ know, cause I was never down dar, Wash, he never was, neither. De Sea-Hosses has ter have some privacy, an’ dat are am de lace. I spect dar am some wine-sullers, an’ die like, but I doan’ know. Dar is only a few keys, an’ none ob dem goes inter de hands ob de servants,” The opportunity. was at hand to ask for in- formation in regard to the mason-work recently done, but the detective was too shrewd to do 80 then, Haste might ruin all. He had gained Levi’s good-will, and, indeed, the colored man seemed to be an honest, simple- minded fellow. By using him well enough to gain his good-will, and by keeping up the awe cbooks com & d 4 Co fy é < | é