Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 900 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

a trifle soon.” With that Jack turned a standing somer- set, and continued to turn, making his way m out of the tent in this fashion, and the clown > had to laugh at him, while at the same time | he had to admire. ‘* That fellow is going to make a perfor- mer,” he said. “* He iscoming to nothing,” declared the farmer, shaking his head. ‘‘ I offered hima home with me, but he wouldn’t take it. 3 *Fraid of work, 1 guess.” ‘* Hasn’t he got any home?” “* No, he merely hangs on arourd town; Lord knows what he’ll come to, and he is such a bright fellow that it’s a pity, too.” ‘*If that’s the case, he is all right,” said the clown, confidently. ‘‘ Murray will take care of him, I think. He’ll be a card, and Murray will bring him out, Tll put a flea in his ear. But, we’ll have to ask to be ex- cused, now.” CHAPTER X. \ JUMPING-JACK IN A BOX, es Hetio, Jumping-Jack, there you are, e hg ‘* Yes, sir, here I am, and pull the string to set me o ‘* Well, that’s what I want to do; I want you to come into the tent and show me just how good a tumble you can do.” Jack’s face colored; the golden opportunity had come! btn The man who had spoken to him thus was Murray, the superintendent of the big show. Seta They entered the. big tent, where they a) Wear found the spring-board and some of the Pie | _ tumblers’ paraphernalia still in place ag it nf aaa been used, and Murray told Jack to try it. _. Agood many of. the performers were on __ hand to see the experiment. Murray must have told them of his in- tention, though they had all heard of the «boy tumbler before that. state ‘All right, if you'll bear the funeral *spences, sir,” assured Jack. Mie ‘‘ We'll take the chance of that, young- \ Oy ae So, Jack got up on the spring-board to ou’ve only got to * mz ‘2 2 > «eo “_ “ > . >> Een” 5 ep SAS my a - = , x a — - - < . y =" panes test it, finding that it was something almost +) + - mew in his jumping practice, --—-,_~_ - He first jumped standing, using the spring ees ie ‘Instead of a run, and his very first effort re- sulted in a double somerset with ease and grace, winning applause from those who saw him do it. 1 eS ‘‘ Bravo!” cried one of the best tumblers in the show, ‘ You’)! make a good one, boy.” SY, a **That is what I think about him,” said : Murray. ‘‘I’m going to have him, too, if I gan get the consent of his parents.” (Swi "hoes ‘* Shall T run and try it, now?” asked Jack. ; SPMER TS y : “Yes, take a run; you can’t hurt yourself «if you strike the pads,” ~- eine o, Jack took a good start and made a leap iy Tain ‘ seemingly. >}. Over and over and over he went, and he 7 had begun the fourth turn when he discover- _ | ed that he had come down upon the ab ‘but the fall had not hurt him in the least, ape and he leaped up lightly. NS _ _His audience was cheering. eee sine ‘How many times was that? ' Jack asked. — ** Seemed to me I was makin’ about ten, ives). more or less,” ioe Ee, th's rie “ ewer ee Any relations?” vier ss #* Got one old aunt, but Lain’t proud of < aA . a7 ne ° t J ~ Fat er ae ’ » q r : he e~ ‘ Y A 4 gi ¥' ab Ws e a foe ey answered Murray. } **That’s good.” | “Have you any parents, boy?” % ~ a: 4 ‘ ' > ey FAM 3y) , , . : ss gent to your joining this show?” ee ry ke Jack’s heart almost stood still, — 4 “Give consent!” he cried. _‘‘ Mister, soi AY: 7. WO OO balls Als Se i i A ak PY it 4 ‘ a : Hoos tT" . ‘iron Pins 1 a a / > ; ; : 3 - . fs : : yt F Ts. 4 ‘ “4 er as By i i r) ‘ be ng / * AY. oh a Ts he ee gh “vhe re § ait ay Ly ; ; , a 4 ‘yy ae hikes ere VOR , 4 Je - - 7 7 sa) : *¢e ” > w - « 7 * s n * . + ‘fy “Fe aif " Se he - i. ° é : Tw tite: x P ‘ 4 ~~ Bs » - ?, 4 — . ~ Be a ees we. 4 —— wv ~ ' rr p71eg - a ~ j ' “ ‘ a need , ~~ re. =) a * Eg, OTS etry were = ksh, ‘ over a four-foot fence, and I can do that just. into the air with the lightness of a feather, | ads, “You made three whole ones, anyhow,” e ty 4“ Well, do you.think she would give con- | 4 J ; - a Teta, he NC pee “% MA Wa) waive) teAae 2 of ae fa) ¢ A + { ‘ 1 f sb ata hala se “— 7 4 “| A 78 ; < 3 ~* a . 7 ee | i, 4 at ~o to ~—-— ‘ _— = and Jumping-J ack’s Jubilee. only hopin’ ’'l! die orrun away, I take it, and she'd give you a premium to take me off her hands—not that I'm on’em very hard, but it sort o’ pains her to see me goin’ ardund hungry and half clothed, an’ she’s too stingy to do anything for me.” ‘*Then just consider yourself as belong- ing to this show, and we’ll give you a little practice and afew lessons and bring you out.” ‘* Whoop ee!” cried Jumping-Jack, and he started and ran around the ring. ‘‘ But the clown will kill me the first time I kick up sawdust,” Some of the performers shook hands with ns boy, and it was the happiest hour of his ife. When Murray went out he found two men who wanted to see him. They were rather seedy-looking, down-at- the heel fellows, and their appearance indi- cated that they were little short of tramps. ‘‘Well, what is it? the showman de- manded ‘We want work,” spoke one of the men. ** Kin ye help us out?” ‘* What can you do?” ‘‘ Anything we're told to do, and you'll find us willing,” was the civil answer given, ‘“Where’s Browning? Send Browning here.” This to some of the men belonging to the show. ; A foreman soon appeared, and he was told to put the two men in his gang. It happened that the circus was short handed, and Murray was hiring anything that came along, just then. Perhaps it was this fact that bad made Hunter a little over-confident that morning, but it had not saved his bacon in the least, When Murray decided that he must go, that had settled it. . The two new men were given work to do, and no more was thought of them. These men were none other than Hunter and Mulvern. | Nothing further of moment took place during the afternoon, and the time for the evening performance drew on. _If there had been a crowd in the after- noon it promised to be even greater at night, and quite a number of additional seats had been supplied around the ring. It was getting late in the season, and it was dark by the time the doors were open for admission. The crowd poured in at a great rate imme- diately. It was about this time that a man accosted Jumping-Jack, as he was about to enter the menagerie tent. Ay ‘‘Have you seen Mr. Murray?” the man asked. * ‘* Not lately,” answered Jack. » ‘Yeu are the feller they call Jumping- Jack?” “Yes,”’ ! ‘‘ Well, Mr, Murray is lookin’ for you, and a MP Ef + , - Dt a ae oe aL AG Ruane ae aC ea a . ° i) 7 é * r, ‘ : ‘ . : 4 i r \ & - |* ~ 1: rae . =. ae ba vs ; Po he 3 ie *EN-4 6 mr) ‘ 't ‘again it somehow freed his mouth,andhe «| — Well under the shadow of the tent, where . no one was likely to interfere with them, = = they were as silent as possible and made all On the haste they could with’their evil work, ante As soon as they had the boy bound they ( ee laid him on the ground. hr ‘“Now, what do you say?” whispered one. ie Jack recognized the voice of Tom Hunter, ‘>a aud he knew that he wasin the hands of = © | one who would show him no mercy. He had been keeping a lookout for this fellow, but had not seen him for some time. Pe The other he did not know, but suspected _ who it was. re ‘*T think my plan is best,” answered the 4 other, . ee ‘*He might be discovered, that’s all,”’ ‘*No more likely than if we throw him Boys over that back fence, as you said, and we y might be discovered doin’ it.” ‘ta ‘““So we may be in the other, and what 4 then?” . ~ “Roll him in somethin’, and it will look as if we are packin’ up the property. ‘* Which we have no business to do, in our present jobs. But, we have got to act quick, so come along with him,”’ =, Oe Jumping-Jack was picked up and carried VR away. | a They kept well in the shadows with him, and coming to a lonesome spot, put him down again, ! One of the fellows now ran off, presently returning with some rugs and other stuffs belonging to the ring, and into these Jack was rolled. i He could hardly breathe, and felt that he was about at the end of his earthly career of : a usefulness, but when they picked him up oa was not so uncomfortable, He was carried to where some chests were standing, and into one of these, on the top oe of the others, the helpless boy with circus on +a the brain was put. dnd , This chest would not be opened till after Neg the night performance, and by thattimetheir = work would be accomplished and they en would be out of reach, ; "io Jumping Jack was in a pretty bad fix,’ | ——e ee CHAPTER XI. 1 ghee THE OLD BUM IN TROUBLE, Ne THERE was a manin Warrenton whoseem- ed to be out in thecold, as it were. agit This neglected individual was John Wit- man or Old Wit, as he was better known, | ni He had seen nothing of his new friend, Hun- ter. | ANTS. The truth of the matter was, Hunterhad little or no further use for him, now that he had fallen in with Pete Mulvern, andhe had nothing to fear from Old Wit, since he would hardly dare to revealanything. = = = —— Old Wit had spent the whole afternoon — hanging around the hotel where he had parted with Hunter, | | ey He could not understand | why the fellow. did not return. Yay he was out by the last stable tent a minute | As night came on he made his Wa to the - ei): ago. ‘‘ All right, I'll find him,” said Jack, and he was off at once, He ran out and around to the place men- | fellow was not to be found, It was not be- tioned, for he had taken ina good understand- | cause he was not there, though, for hesaw ing of the lay of the camp. hen he came near to the tent indicated by his informant strong hands suddenly seized him, a hand was clapped over his | the performance in the afternoon, mouth, and struggle as he would he was powerless to free himself. ‘Oh, yes, Mr. Murray wants to see ye,” one of his captors hissed. ‘‘ He wants to see ye real bad,” oie ‘‘ But he won't know where to find ye,” | muttered the other. : | ‘‘ And won’t that be too bad, too bad.” They laughed, while they 7 A} / : bind and as thes captive in the best man- ner imaginable. Iii ue , +a ic ‘ ; 4 eh : \ af | ‘ i ' < yr « ; ~ Fi +f } WV, 4- ‘ > 4) 7 ! > an ff a + : yes ie tow . N Fr ia wh 3 . * — : ¥ mS . * - y ; iy bi; Stas 2 pad pat : wb, * vt f° ' ie, ae \ ' y ‘ a dd Be AUN dv aed a, 5 reay ; 12 Was , Sie ~ x -— ew | his search for Hunter, and wande roceeded to | around among the tents, Be ng here | there with any one who would listen ee F. N 4 t . & tb ILA fe ‘ 4 * bd y 1 ¥ > “Ee. 4 » 3 es ees A Y .. ry ay ‘ ‘ ala fr a * “7 4 » a wv as ee oe BeOS wet mw circus-grounds, determined to look him up — if he was to be found. | Oe Ne Noa His search was fruitless, however, for the the old man looking for him and grinned to himself.» | On account of Hunter, Old Withad missed ‘He was determined to see vhe evening show, “hi if ote Seah ts ‘aa i Nae . - Just how it was to be done, he did not know, for he had not the whenewiihrese ay ae his admission. His appetite for rum kept ot is see pocket drained constantly, = = = ae my He hung around, when he had ‘given up 4 tes ‘ . g ; f \ ‘ ~ 4 7 ’ - be ry, ry) 4 ‘ ae t ' ety ef a. nit , ; ant Ve A § : 5 - ® Pre | and he was loud in his: iat, ” ’ . be: 5 Cane a4 i" eal > ; tie WN ‘~ ‘ ‘4 Ps ah aL perma tae? ipo OM. ye a aL ae yA ay tee > or P 4 4 he . ft ; ” er tas ys 45 ess oa ae . ¥ mir] * fe Waa ‘4 5% Ohh se : , , ef < v eee? ry, Vir Aw Choe 4 oc" #. 4 53 , > ". wt @ a i ‘> " Ace : 7 Y , - a, . ¥ Me 4 | e {% ‘ ‘". » q wie ~ comicbooks.com i —_*