Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 869 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

~ = 2 * . a ’ ~ ’ <4, » - ‘hotel. ‘ther’ were a kick-up ’bout ’em. ther papers was all right, Then Gorley Jake what sorter paper he wanted, and sent him ‘had made in his life. aged to get the treasure out of Jake’s pocket, and get your decoy paper in.” opened his pocketbook 14 —_— —$ $$$ — -_——— = At the door he beheld the two boys, ap- parently waiting for him, and with faces full of gleeful triumph, ‘*Good!” he said. ‘I wanted to see you, Come to my room. I would like to know how you did it. There’s a mystery I can’t make out.’ ‘*‘ Bout that paper Grip had?” ‘Yes. It is the very paper 1 gave you to measure with. What have you been doing? W bat does it all mean?” ‘‘ It means jist the cutest trick ever you heerd tell of,” exclaimed Ned, bursting into a hearty laugh. ‘*I wonderif old Grip wants any more bricks piled? Got my pay tor the fu’st job, but it took hard squeezin’.” ‘¢T doubt if he will hire you again, or for the game wages,” rejoined Mr. Burton, pleasantly. Taking the Naveen: they proceeded to his room. ‘Tell me all about it now,” he said, when they were seated. , The boys proceeded, with much glee, to describe their recent adventures, Mr. Burton listening with the most earnest attention, and many expressions of approval, ‘There is something I can’t quite make clear,” he remarked. ‘* How came the porter to be searching for that paper?” ‘‘T kin tell you,” responded Dick, eagerly. ‘‘HWe blabbed ther whole biz to me, It’s jist "bout this size: Arter he guv Ned that paper I reckon ther’ was a kinder row %ween Grip & Gorley, and they wanted ter burn t’other half. But ther’ weren’t nothin’ in ther basket, fur Jake had jist cleaned out and sold all ther old paper. They cussed a little, I guess, and Joe told Jake ’bout the row, so Jake went down ter old Jack’s and picked out them papers and axed him ter save ’em, ’cause how Yisterday ther’ was some more slack, and Jake told omy - 0 down arter it. hat’s how Jake cum’ there,” concluded Dick, finishing the longest speech he ‘‘Tt looks asif the hand of Providence were init,” rejoined Mr. Burton, ‘It is a remark- able chapter of accidents. But goon, I have yet to learn the best of thestory ; how you man- ‘*My eyes, but that was cute,” laughed Dick. ‘‘Ned done that, and Ned's mighty spry, now, you bet!” ‘‘We done it together, is my notion,” re- Py Ned. ‘*It took us both; but we did rub tin lively on Jake, that’s sure.” He continued with his interrupted story, re- lating how Dick had challenged Jake to a ‘*show up” of the contents of their respective pockets, and how he, monty (08 opportunity of- ered him, had exchanged the papers, first writ- ing on his the words which had so excited the wrath of the humbugged Grip. ‘¢ And Jake never melted to it,” broke in Dick, ‘¢ He beat me in the show-up. He had more in bis pockets nor I had. He got the laugh on me when he rammed ther stuff back. e didn’t twig nothin’, he didn’t, You bet I were laugh- in’, too, but ’twas inside,” Dick laughed heartily ‘‘ outside” at the recol- lection. A few words more sufficed to finish the story, and to put Mr. Burton in possession of all the facts of the case, At the end of their conversation Mr. Burton extracted a twenty-dol- lar-bill, and laid it on the table. ‘¢This will pay your expenses,” he said. Ned opened his eyes widely. ‘‘ Why, Mr. Burton, we only spent two dol- lars,” he exclaimed, though Dick was punching him vigorously to make him hold his tongue. ‘¢ Expenses and wages, I should have said,” re- joined the merchant, ‘“ ‘You have been working for me for a week past, I don’t expect you to work for nothing. Take this and enjoy your- selves for a while, You've earned some enjoy- ment, When, re get tired come to my store In New York, and I will have some further talk with you. I am going back by an early train this afternoon, as I have finished the business that brought me to Philadelphia. Finished it very favorably,” he continued, with asignificant smile. ‘‘ And now,as I presume you are hungry from your morning’s work, come down to the dining-room and we will have something to eat.” It need not be said that the boys made no ob- jection to this invitation. They knew what it was to be hungry about as well as they knew anything. _ During the succeeding week or two Ned and Mick had a lively time. The former was doing Ned Norman, the Gamin Negoti the honors of Philadelphia, as the latter had formerly done of New York, and there was lit- tle worth seeing that they did not manage to see. The twenty-dollar bill was expended in tickets to theaters, base-ball grounds, horse-car fares, restaurant meals, and the like, and at the end of a week they had begua to draw on their former capital to keep up the fun. ‘‘ T reckon we're gittin’ bout to the end of our gay blow-out,” decided Ned, at length. ** Grand- dad says we're a pair o’ young colts that wants the curb, and I judge granddad’s’bout right. I guv him my money to keep, and he won’t shell out any more. I’m wastin’ it, he says.” ‘*T got some yit,” announced Dick. ‘* I wasn’t fool enough ter guv it to nobody.” ‘¢ You'd better done it,” rejoined Ned, severe- ly. ‘‘Jist pull up an’ keep what you’ve got, We've been doin’ this thing long enough. Let’s haul in our horns and dig out for New York.” ‘‘Fur Burton & Jones’s?” sé Yes,” ‘‘Tl'm handy. Dunno but that’s "bout the dodge.” Two days afterward the pair of young adven- turers entered the store of Burton & Jones, on William street, New York. With their accus- tomed independence they made their way back to the office, where they were fortunate enough to find Mr. Burton. ‘6 So you’vedone sowing your wild oats, young- sters,” ina said, after a cordial greeting. ** What have. you next in view? What can I do for ou? ‘“ Why, first thing, you owe me a thousand dollars, which I was to have for that bit o’ let- ter paper,” answered Ned. ‘*A thousand dollars! Come, come, boy, you're dreaming.”’ ‘‘T ain’t one o’ the sort as dream with their eyes open,” answered Ned, firmly. ‘‘ You._made the offer square up. I didn’t ax it, and I ain’t goin’ to let down on it.” Dick pinched Ned’s knee approvingly. ‘‘ Nonsense, youngster; that was only a joke. [ promised you a position in the store.” ‘¢{ don’t want no position in the store.” e You don’t? I thought you wanted it bad- ? ly. een I don’t want none, neither,” chimed in ick. ‘ Well, you seem to be an independent pair of young men,” ‘*T don’t want no position in your store, I mean,” continued Ned, with a look of deep in- dignation in his face. ‘‘ I’m square up, I am, and I don’t want nothin’ to do with folks as ain't square up.” ‘* Them’s my notions, too,” echoed Dick, ‘‘Maybe you'll wish you’d planked down the thousand afore youre done,” persisted Ned, range ia ‘‘Mr, Grip wouldn’t pay me my hundred dollars for carrying bricks, and I guess now he wished he had. That’s all I’ve got to aay Come, Dick!” e rose and walked toward the door, followed by Dick, who cast a reproachful look upon Mr. Burton as he passed. The merchant responded with a burstof genial laughter. It was so loud and hearty, indeed that the indignant boys paused and looked around in surprise. ‘‘ Well, you’re business to the backbone, J see,” remarked Mr. Burton, gayly. ‘‘ I’m glad to find that out. I want everybody in this es- tablishment to be sound, solid, and square. Sit down again, if you can forgive me, for a few minutes. I havea pleasant story to tell you. You have had your turn at story-telling, you know; now itis my turn.” The boys, astonished at these remarks, took their seats again and listened, What Mr. Burton told them at some length, we may Reco in brief. It was to the effect that Grip & Gorley had been scared into a settle- ment. Suit had been brought, and Joe, the for- mer letter-carrier, had been questioned so sharp- ly that he broke down and let some more of the cat out of the bag. Jenkins was also looked after. The affair, in fact, was becoming so blue for Grip & Gorley that they offered to compro- mise, and that very day a settlement had been effected, by which they had agreed to pay three thousand hush-money, if Burton & Jones would agree to withdraw the suit, and return the let- ter which they held’as evidence. ‘‘We have accepted,” said Mr. Burton. ‘‘That is probably as much as we would have made out of the contract, if we count court and lawyers’ expenses in addition, Not quite as much, kowever, for I owe you a thousand tor» your very valuable services in the affair,” with a significant look at Ned. ator. ca —_—— ‘‘You mean it this time?’ queried Ned, ‘Solid? No game back of it?” ‘*T mean every word of it.” ‘‘Then IT reckon I won’t mind takin’ that job in the store.” ‘‘And Vil hire you, too, if you'll shell out as much as I kin make at shinin’ shoe-leather,” Dick chimed in. Mr. Burton laughed gayly, again. ‘So you'll both take me on and try me,” he remarked. ‘‘I’ll have to keep up to the mark, I suppose, if I don’t want to be discharged by you high-strung young gentlemen. However, we'll call it a bargain.” A week from that date the two boys were regularly installed in the establishment of Bur- ton & Jones. They took hold with a vim that promised good results. Ned brought his grand- father over from Philadelphia, started a home in New York with Dick for one of its inmates, and put the money he had earned in the hands of his employers for investment. It amounted, after his spendings, to fourteen hundred dollars, A year from that date Ned started out as a traveling salesman, while Dick was advanced to the position of indoor salesman, And so we leave them, both making their way in the world, and settling down to the steady level of promis- ing business men. THE END. Beadle’s Dime Library. BY OLL COOMES. 7 Death-Notch, the Destroyer. 3 ‘43 Dakota Dan, the Reckless Ranger, 44 Old Dan Rackhback, the Great Extarminator, 46 Bowie-Knife Ben, the Nor’west Hunter. 48 Idaho Tom, the Young Outlaw of Silverland, 51 Red Rob, the Boy Road-Agent. 99 The Giant Rifleman: or, Wild Camp Life. 137 Long Beard, the Giant Spy. 148 One-Armed Alf, the Giant Hunter, : : >... > a «Sa ae ea te ee BY ANTHONY P. MORRIS, 5 The Fire Fiends; or, Hercules. Hunchback, 95 Azhort, the Axman; or, The Palace Secrets, 100 The French Spy; or, The Bride of Paris, 167 The Man of Steel. Tale of Love and Terror, 185 Man Spider; or. The Beautiful Sphinx. 938 Hank Hound, the Crescent City Detective. 260 The Masked Mystery’ or, The Black Crescent, 288 Electro Pete, the Man of Fire. ° 306 The Roughs of Richmond, 813 Mark Magic, Detective. 334 The Cipber Detective. 343 The Head Hunter; or, Mark Mugic in the Mine, 357 Jack Simons, Detective, WIEISCELLANEOUS, 6 Wildcat Bob. By Edward L. Wheeler. 9 Handy Andy. By Samuel Lover. 10 Vidoeq, the French Police Spy. By. himself, 11 Midshipman Easy. By Captain Marryatt. 32 B’hoys of Yale: or, The Scrapes of Collegians. By John D. Vose. 60 Wide Awake, the Robber King. By F. Dumont, 68 The Fighting Trapper. By Capt. J. F.C. Adams. 76 The Queen’s Musketeers. By George Albany. 78 The Mysterious Spy: By Arthur M. Grainger. { 102 The Masked Band. By George L. Aiken. 110 The Silent Rifleman. By H. W. Herbert. ‘ 125 The Blacksmith Outlaw. By H. Ainsworth, 138 Rody the Rover. By William Carieton. 140 The Three Spaniards. “ Geo, Walker. 144 The Hunchback of No tre Dame, By Victor Hugo. 146 The Doctor Detective. By George Lemuel. 152 Captain Ironnerve, the Counterfeiter Chief. 158 The Doomed Dozen. By Dr. Frank Powell, 166 Owlet, the Robber , Prince. By S, R. Urban. 179 Conrad, the Convict. By Prof. Gildersleeve. 190 The Three Guardsmen. By Alexander Dumas. 261 Black Sam, the Prairie Thunderbolt. By Col. Jo Yards. 275 The Smuggler Cutter. By J. D. Conroy. 812 Kinkfoot Karl, the Mountain Scourge: By Mor- ris Redwing. | 830 Cop Colt,the Suaker City Detective, By C. Morris, 350 ce? one the Society Detective. By Weldon J. Cobb. 353 Bart Brennan; or, The King of Straight Flush. By John Cuthbert. 366 oe Telegraph Detective. By George Henry orse. 410 Sarah Brown, Detective. By K. F. Hill. 500 The True-Heart Pards. By Dr, Noe) Dunbar. 518 Royal Richard, the Thoroughbred. By J. W, Osbon. 584 Green Mountain Joe: or, The Counterfeiter’s Cave. By Marmaduke Dey. 542 The Ocean Drift; or, The Fight for Two Lives, By A. F. Holt. 566-The Dauntless Detective: or, The Daughter Avenger. By —— W. King. - A new issué every Wednesday, Beadle’s Dime Library is for sale by_ all Newsdealers, ten cents per copy, or sent by mail op receipt of twelve cents each. BEADLE & ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York. ‘fa Z - —— * Mm i" ’ 2 Ff e af Cc ¥ . Nv ~ , Oo ad 4 * ae OE Ss S:COoO e "ix icbook