Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 900 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

lad. Off with ye, now, or you'll be sorry ou didn’t, that’s all. Boy, you want to eep your eye open for that fellow.” ‘* ve got my optic skinned for him, you bet,” declared Jack, ‘Pll fix you out, curse you,” growled the " angry Hunter. ‘‘ And for you, Hank Bliss, Ill maybe square up with you, too, for you have been lookin’ for my job a good while, and at last you have got it.” ‘* Couldn’t have got it if you had behaved yourself, and I didn’t do nothing to get you out, that’s sure.” ‘** That’s your say-so.”’ ‘Well, get on out of here, anyhow. And you, boy, take my advice and stay away from where he can get acrack at ye. He'll most likely lay you out, if you give him half a show.” The man made a step toward Hunter as he spoke, and Hunter and Old Wit moved - muttering away. ‘‘ Tl fix you, curse you!” Hunter hissed again, scowling at Jack. ‘* Look out you don’t git fixed,” Jack re- torted. ‘‘What’s this all abcut, boy?” asked the man called Hank Bliss, who, as we have learned, had been put in Hunter’s place. ‘‘ It means that feller is up to mischief, that’s what it means,” answered Jack promptly. ‘‘ Where is the boss of this con- cern? He wanted to see me, and I guess | | this is as good a time as any.” Bete ‘*'You mean Murray?” ‘*T guess that was his name.” ‘* He's in the menagerie tent,” with a jerk of bis thumb, ** Well, just show me the way in and let me whisper at him for a minute, if you please,” ‘* Come right around this way and go in.” He indicated the direction, and Jumping- Jack was soon under the canvas. Some work was going on in this tent, to make it ready for the reception of the animal wagons on their return from the parade. _ Owing to the noise of the workmen, and the distance of the tent from’ where Jump- ing-Jack had had the trouble with Hunter, the superintendent of the circus had heard nothing of it. Hello, Jumping-Jack!” he greeted his friend. ‘‘I suppose you have finished your work and want your pass, eh?” - * Yes, the work is done, but that ain’t what’s brought me here,” Jack made re- ply. | ** What then?” ‘** To put you onto somethin’ that I’ve got hold of. That man Hunter, that got knock- ed over this mornin’, is up to mischief.” ‘ ‘Ha! Iam not greatly surprised. What \s it?” ‘*He means to steal Baby Bess, the Ring Rose, if he gets a chance, and means to do it \o-night.” ; Phe deuce! T’ll have to take care of ‘him, Isee. Where is he?” . ‘* He’s gone off now, sir.” ‘‘ Well, he had better not come fooling -* _ ee *,, - around here, if he wants to keep his skin ae whole, I can tell him that, But, we'll look ane Se put for Baby Bess, same as we have been | Hight along.” be MMI ie 8 That’s what you want to do, sir, for he /) Means it, this time, sure enough. I heard Ue Lame the whole talk.” igs i . **'There’s two of them, then?’ ~~. -* ¥es; =he has picked up a bum that be- ie Pat lougs here, but he ain’t no good.” _— ES = = oe é = a <= > ersten 4) noe i 2S SS ae BE eae, ee oe ee eee net —__ ee eeeeeeeed : é Jumping-Jack’s Jubilee. CHAPTER IV. CAUGHT IN THE ACT. In the mean while Old Wit and his schem- i eae had disappeared. hey had left the show-ground and made their way in the direction of a groggery that Old Wit regularly patronized. ‘* You have got to look out now, boy,” said the bummer, as they went along. ‘I have told ye what kind of a chap that young- ster is. and he’ll wind us up ’fore we know it if we don’t watch out.” ‘* Let him try it, that’s all.” ‘* But he’ll do it, sure’s you live. I'll bet he has told the boss all he heard us sayin’.” ‘* Yes, Texpect he has done that, but we can get around that point—orat any rate I think I can do it. 11 shave off this whisker and not a man of them will know me.” ‘* Ha! never thought of that.” ‘‘ And the boy himself won’t get onto me, don’t you see?” ‘*T don’t know about that part of it. Ye see, 1 know Jumpin’-Jack and you don’t, that’s the difference ” ‘* To hear you talk a feller might think he was a detective. He might be able to get overa manlike you, but he don’t want to monkey around me, that I'll tell him. But, Vl fix him.” “ What’ll you do?” — ‘* Lay him ou the shelf for a time.” ‘¢ You don’t mean to kill him?’ ‘*Oh, no; at any rate we won’t say s0, I’ll put him te sleep, to keep him out of the way till the show is gore.” ‘Well, 1 sha’n’t object, for I have got it in for him, too. But, he isa good deal too smart for me, forI ain’t as steady on the pins as I used ter be, an’ he kin jump all around me.” Ze Ili cut short his jumping days, hang m!’”’ Hunter had still a painful recollection of one of Jack’s jumping feats, and to be re- minded of it served to anger him the more. A few of their remarks, these, and by this time they were at their destination, where they entered and where Hunter cemented his compact with Old Wit in a social glass. They sat down to talk further, ‘¢ Yes, that’s what I'll do,” Hunter said. ‘*T’ll drop this beard, and I won’t be known. We'll part company till night, unless I want to use you sooner, in which case I'll hunt you up on the quiet. The first move of all is to get that boy out of the way.” **You can’t do nothin’ if you don’t.” “T don’t give him credit for all the smart- ness you seem to thipk he has; it is mainly a matter of revenge with me,” “Allright. What then?” | ‘*Then for a chance at the gal. She will be guarded, but they won't know me after 1 shave, and before they know it I'll have her and make off. Then Pll want your aid.” “And I'll stick to my bargain, you kin rely on’t.” *‘ Well, here, take another snifter, and I'll be off. If you see any one askin’ for me, tell’em that the last you seen of me I was goin’ out of town countin’ the railroad ties as I went.” ‘All right.” They took a parting dose of poison to- gether, and Hunter went out. Half anhour later it would have puzzled Old Wit to re- cognize him, . | All the minor streets of the town were de- serted, everybody being out upon the main thoroughfares to see the parade, and the ras- cally Hunter had not been observed by any ‘ — BAAS eh eG “Well, my boy, here’s your pass, -Much | one on leaving the barber’s. | | » __ obliged to yee, yutting me on watch of | He made his way straight back to the show , him, Look out for him yourself.” grounds, eae he? 4 eh “Pi do that, you bet. Thank ’e, sir ” Passing near enough to some men who _.—~——._: ** And don’t forget that I want to see you | knew him well for them to have a chance to Ba if A} _ before we go away from here. I’m too busy | recognize him, he thus tested his disguise— to talk to younow. Be on-hand to take in| to callit that, = ee RY Rie Meee ty; .thep formances, and Tl promise you some | ina he know him, though one or two Se Pies DR esis Ay | lookec sharply at him. Ny tee By. ; ai | ' Ps . s Wi ora ait; 9, Jd “he al ary ’ 7 ‘3 + é ’ a’ . . y . 7 ) Bay af ar VWrlasa . - , , . Ta Je yes A : :: “fi . L4 if + .. * y a ‘ 1 e 7 ee ee - » oe * ' J - a o> . ~r, ye MP or - TT sl ed in a ‘ * . ’ 7. YF +2 hs a de * PS * a ™ TY ee ay t -. writ ih aid a)! v be | : / 4) 4 "7 err SS 5? Leth gud as Ay! 1? Moe { ~ & ‘ rth, wns Oe Sve Wa ae he 4 ee \ Ie sere yl , 4% - , ‘ft rs | LWP oe a5 4 Lk. “es +) : <1 hm SY 4h ea ~ ¥ ¥ oR . 4 p \ r i / . Wy - ae b ; ff r UG» Lig ema 2) pee eae wats lt AAR oe the a a UE Sy > * ‘ ha oe ‘ 5 af 4 ” ir ~ A. OF we a oe iF eta a T , +45 ’ ; t ¥ ire AY 2s. vue a om we fe * ~ 4 . ee ’ Tex he Sra5 nt > “4 : t y lag 4 M4 “aL a ‘ i@ ay r 1 f « See erie fai ea Ot Rr le ra So oy) (ar tig ay? Want a ee Ts ks ay COA aD) NR ee ag SS : path presently, he fell in with Jumping- ack, lf he had calculated upon fooling the boy, he was mistaken, for with one penetrating glance at him, Jack cried out: ‘* It won’t work, old man. You can’t get close enough to me that way, to run me down, and you don’t want to try it on, for if you do you'll get into a peck of trouble, sure as you live.” , ‘What do you mean?” demanded Hunter, changing his voice. ‘‘ What are you talkin” about?” He had stopped, and tried tolook the inno- cent. . ‘‘Mean just what I say,” rejoined Jack. ** You keep your distance, or I’]l upset your apple-cart for you again.” Hunter now smiled, still persisting, hoping to make the boy doubt. ‘‘T guess you must be mistaken in the man,” he said. ‘‘ Nobody has upset my apple-cart, as you call it, and I think it would Hey something bigger than you to do it, my lad.”’ Very pleasantly he said it. ‘* No use, old sport,” said Jumping-Jack. ‘‘T know you; and you know I know you. May jest as well shy off, now, for if yow monkey with me [’]l jump up and come down on your pate in a way that will make your head swim. I'll tell the boss about. — your whiskers, too.” The fellow went on, and Jack looked around to see if he could sight Murray. He knew he had come out of the tent, He saw him a little distance off, talking with another man. | Jack moved toward them. ‘* You say heis employed in this company ?” he heard the stranger ask. ‘*Yes; he is our best clown,’ Murray. The stranger was a well-dressed man,. evidently an Englishman—a distinction which Jumping-Jack could not draw, of. course. ‘* And his name is Bruce, Bruce?” ‘*That is his name, sir.” ‘‘He must be the man. Where can I find him? Is he somewhere around in the canvas?” * No; he is just now out with the parade, a ’ answered. you say? Samuel ’ —-——“—"-oOe-+ ww © ® _ “PF .. . ‘ - A - -, - a ‘ ~ - a ed ~i~ ~ - $215 Loe ve ee ee “oi \ - “ a. ~— 4 to od << ~ = - me I will point him out to you when the wagons — ATSB come fa) if you care to wait around. It | Mist | won't be a great while, now.” 3 ciltian « & Tg | ‘All right, ll wait. In fact, itishighly | ey ia important. I bring Mr. Bruce good news = | from the other side: the truth of the matter = ° is, sir, he has just fallen into a fine estate, § | on the death of an elder brother.” a be de RR ‘‘ Well, I’m glad to hearit. He’llhaveto dah Wek ais stay with us to the end of the season just the Rarer 14 same, however.” OT I Mia Murray now sighted Jack. ee watt a, y ‘‘ What’s wanted, my boy?” he asked, = = 8 94. seeming to read in Jack’s face that some- ay 3 thing had happened. | HY ae ae 5 “T just want to put you onto that fellow | ‘| ries it again,” said Jack. ‘‘He has gone and had Pathe I his whiskers shaved off, and he’s around = | here again. But, he didn’t fool me worth a | Pate * a “Tl fool him, though,” cried Murray, Bae se ‘*T’ll see if there is any law in this*town, if 8 = are he don’t keep away from here.” | Jy we aa BN Jack was looking at the stranger casun- ie, aah uy v atere was something about the man he did ee ‘ not particularly fancy, but it might not be =. agi ef anything against his credit forall that. = Buill, as he: asked Yor Bruce, and etidack (}"\ iia was already interested in the clown, know- = ing him to be the father of the Roseofthe = = more if he could. ve oe bite | = ~The gentlemen walked leisurely away,and was joined presently by another man, & His rather sullen-faced fellow. bea ces | Sie ed They sat down on the very ‘J ft. A. an 4 i) ) aR — er _- . , nat bd ¢ “ : ~> re ab - * igh RARE Se Wetman es we 4 sf feet tapers i al 7m) “ % . y be i ' Wyn in" gic gt ye eRe " a x ; ' ; : if ol Puy . as Wy sacs eh wile, ay? te ae. er Ui; a’? = . | sf “4 an a , ‘4 iF: at “*} s LA p iy ; ‘ al oe ao bah OM Be") oa< d 5) Pa Ted + Ay, i} ’ Ca ‘ * fs . > pAad AG d : w ¢ ; ant MJ , - \ WW y ot ak. m | 4 7’ | » Ve oe ® abe’ i " 4 i ‘ ig % te * : b 4 + >,’ s 4 ' A, o% aaed Ty Megs: ‘ ue || re : , ve ‘| 4 lady a “ a. raves ¢ d ** ‘ 7 | | aw ‘ tit ys y 4 My ‘ ie at { a / | < ?