Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 903 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 eae ene Se Billy Blue Blazes, THE DODGER OF THE DOCKS ; OR, THE DOUBLE DETECTIVE, BY BEN D, HALLIDAY, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ BASEMENT BERT,” ‘* GOOD-FOR- NOTHING JERRY,” ‘‘ CITIZEN RUBE,” ETC., ETC. \ CHAPTER If, THE FIERY ORDEAL, Tus North River was shrouded in darkness, and the piers were silent after the rush of the day. The long line of lights, which looked pale and feeble, marked the water front, and seemed to twinkle and wink in a friendly way to the big ferry-boats that were ranging between the New York and Jersey shores in their peculiarly m way. On West street a young man stoodand oo«ced ie og ar toward the west, where the grand a4 river lay with its agreeable) and impressive cture, ** Allquiet to-night!” he murmured, ‘ Reckon there is no fun ahead,” This person who sighed for ‘‘ fun” was not the most handsome-looking citizen of New York. He seemed to have a very short, urshapely fig- ure, though much of this appearance might have been due to the clothes he wore. They had no particular style, and made him have no shape except breadth, with fough outlines where there should have been none. On his head was a very battered soft hat, and around this, and through holes in the top there- of, his black hair stuck out in wild disorder. His face was dark from sunburn, or some other cause, yet was so profusely freckled seem to have a novel species of tattooing upon it, He did not look vicicus, but, when one noticed the merry twinkle in his eyes, appeared like one who had said good-by to system, and gloried in Leing the gamin galore, His age apparently was not much less than eighteen years. | . @ was about to move on when his manner suddenly grew more alert, ‘*Smoke!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ and where there’s smoke Jike that there’s dead sure fire,” . He looked around critically, but all the build- ings within sight seemed to be in their normal condition. No gleam of light or rising wreath of smoke told that fire wasat work. ‘‘ May be only a natural blaze,” he added, ‘*but I ain’t so sure of that. I'll watch, No- body wants to be burned out, to-night, and I'll reconnoiter a bit, Maybe Billy Blue Blazes can bd em as well as Dodger of the Docks, I'll ee In order to have a better view of the structures that lined the east side of the street he set out to cross the thoroughfare, but, as he did so, his ae gay were abruptly and startlingly con- med, From one of the docks a sheet of flame leaped up like a maddened creature seeking its prey, and the bright hght vividly revealed the form of a vessel, | Then came aroar which indicated that the fire already was well under way, altbough it had just burst forth. : . “Hil here’s the dickens to pay!” cried the Dock Dodger, ‘‘ Not a stir on the craft! be a away, or are they still asleep, be- ow? | \ He ran out on the pier, and saw at a glance ‘how thoroughly the fire-fiend had ¢linched his bold. §S below, the flames had been con- fined in the hold until their own fury had burst a way through the deck or hatches, and liber- uted the hot pillar that was now playing on the darkness in yellow and red. , _ ** A big three-master, and gone to glory!” was essive comment, ‘‘ Where are the Billy’s expr snoozers who run ber?” : While he was considering this point a faint ery arose from the water, and he bent forward eagerly, The light now leaped so high that the water was tinged red with its glare, and it w "00g task to get explanation of thecry. — Billy Blue Blazes saw a struggle for life going on. ' J: He ne three Fag “Ae megro, and upon whom devolved great respon- sibility, A woman anda child were in his care, _ and he was struggling desperately to save them, 7 ‘ ‘, ' : . { 5 e e ‘ - ‘ « - te Ih” } > «) { . 2 \ we ef . > ‘ a ae eee Pa 4 "al ; Ss bai’, i oe ee 7. o> Peta th - a i - locker on ye. Now, go! Ig | piers, buildings and water around it, Engines one of whom was a Billy Blue Blazes. but against great odds, Neither was as quiet as the emergency demanded, and the strong tide added to his great task. His big, white eyes rolled upward with an almost despairing gaze, but his face lighted up at sight of Billy. ‘‘ Help!” he called. ‘* Help us, or we’ll all be drownded!” The ob tee was unnecessary. Already the Dodger of the Docks was casting off his coat, He heard some one on West street sounding the alarm-cry of ‘‘ Fire!” ina loud voice, but that was not help at that critical moment, Free from his coat and shoes, he dropped off of the pier and was soon beside the imperiled trio. WE eh de boy!” requested the negro, pant- ngly. illy swung his arms around the child, who was about eight years old. ‘‘ Brace up, old chap!” the rescuer directed, addressing the colored man, ‘‘ Jest keep afloat awhile longer, and folks will be on the pier who'll pull us out like so many shad. Ketch on{ ‘*Can’t do it!” protested the negro, ‘*M strength am all gone, an’ Ill be gone myself, suah, ef we doan’ land pretty soon, Pick de best chaince, an’ let it be done quick, boss.” ‘¢Can you swim ter the other pier?” ‘¢T guesses I can,” “Do it, then. Thar’s better chance fer land- in’ there, an’ it’s gettin’ hotter than a perlitikel debate bere. Strike out, Sambo, an’ we’ll soon be beside Jonah, on dry land. Get a wiggle on, quick!” The plan was well conceived, but Billy had failed to take one thing into consideration, As they turned the point of the pier they were caugbt by a current so swift that the otcbaays, R wearied negro was unable to resist its force, It grasped him; it bore him down-stream like a feather. Billy was not in trim to check this movement. His own burden was solid, but not so heavy but the rescuer could have managed it all right if the small boy had kept quiet, This he did not do, but, in his alarm, kicked andystruggled in a most discouraging way. Mnally, Billy saw there was bound to be a tragedy unless he averted it promptly. Swing- ing one of his arms around the small boy, he pinioned the latter’s arms firmly, and then made a spurt and got directly in the negro’s path. y the force of his own weight and exertions he checked the man’s progress and hurriedly directed: . ‘* Now ter the pier! Make a bold push for it Mister Dark! Kf yowget a wiggle on you'll git there; ef you don’t, Davy Jones will close his Et’s fer life or death!” and the Dodger struck out boldly, on the lead. _ The warning was not in vain; the colored man put forth all kis strength, and Billy was of such “peg help to kim that they gradually neared e pier. | There, chance favored them. A small boat, evidently belonging wasin the right safely landed out of the wet. new, The negro simply lay still and gasped, He had nearly died of suffocation before getting out of the vessel, and was not fit for the gallant fight he had made, later. The rescued woman clasped the boy in her arms and began to murmur.words to which Billy gave no attention, ‘He stood up and gazed upon the burning schooner. ; It was now a vast sheet of flame which roared and mounted high in the air, reddenigg the were clattering up, and the police were gather- ing in on the run, for the vessel, beside which they now were, no one was to be seen on board, and the Dodger correctly judged that whoever had been there a few minutes before had gone to the other pier to help at the fire. ‘Right smart blaze!” Billy commented, speak- ing in a peculiar voice he had not used when alone on West street, but had assumed prompt- ly when with others, , ** Four, eléven, negro. a Hey? W’ot’s that?” . ., ‘* Ps tryin’ ter bring back my strength.” x we be you? An’ will the policy numbers do ‘They’re a mascot to acolored gent, but a hoodoo ter white folks.” nf ‘All right; glad you spoke of it. Ill never use ‘ four, eleven, forty-four’ ter git my muscle up. ee ary time! D’ye get a Samson wiggle on, mister? ; Ln ; ‘ ; P| * - _ - : \ 7 | Billy genes to a vessel lying at the pier, , and after a little all were de smoke an’ flames playin’ ta I etinet up forty-four!” murmured the |, \” ae | SPP ‘*T feel a good bit stronger. Four, eieven, forty-four!” ‘* Bully fer you, Dark!” ‘‘My name is G, Washington Calhoun, com- monly called Wash.” ‘¢ All right, Wash; I suspected you was a per- son of quality. Now, le’s git up onthe pier. I see a ladder above, an’ I’ll simply tumble up, let ’er down, hustle you all ter higher regions, an’ then we'll kinder spread ourselves an’ warble ‘Marchin’ Through Georgia.’ See?” George Washington was not sure he did see, fully, but the leading idea commended itself to his judgment, and, when he approved of it, it was carried out, All ascended in safety to the ier. : By that time several engines were playing on the fire. ‘‘That schooner is a gone goose!” Billy de- clared, ‘¢ Yes, sah, suah!” ” A nobody wa’'n’t burned up?” ‘¢ Nobody wa’n’t; we’uns was the only pus- sons aboard.” ‘¢ Wal, this ain’t a very healthy place fer folks that is drenched an’ drippin’, fer the breeze from Communipaw is cuttin’ the clover down all over my hide; so le’s git a move onan’ go ter yer friends. I reckon the cap’n o’ the schooner will take keer o’ you, an’ [’ll hunt him up fer you. The rescued woman had been sitting with the boy in her arms, caressing his damp curls, but she suddenly aroused to life. ‘* No, no!” she exclaimed. ** No?” ayy, echoed, ** Don’t doit, don’t / Don’t let him see us, or know of us. Let him think we are dead. Have pity on us, and don’t betray us to him, Don’t, don’t !” This appeal was made with vehemence, and wildly, and she clasped her hands nervously. Billy was astonished, but equal to the emer- ~s Ne othin’ sha’n’t be done to worry you, mum, But, be you sure you’re on the right track? Ef you b’long on tha schooner you must hev some. riend there.” ‘*[ have none, none!” ‘*But the captain—” ‘“My bitterest foe! Let him think me dead!” ‘¢ Mebbe he was burnt up?” ‘¢Ffe? Rest assured he was not, but that is the fate he worked out for us. He set fire to ue schooner in order to burn me and my child ve! Again she gape’ the boy in her arms, while at her in amazement. Such an atrocity as this was enough to chill any honest ee s blood, Then a doubt came to him. as there ght for the belief, or was she in a ae condition on account of her late peri ‘‘ He prob’ly has misused you in the past,” he i 9 i ; 0.” ‘‘Then -ain’t you an artom hasty ter accuse him now?” — _ * Er’s all true, sah,” declared Wash Calhoun, ‘¢ When I woke up de wessel was all on fiah, an’ ’round de hold ob de wessel. rs, Rawlins an’ Leslie quick, an’ told dem it was all right; we could jest walk out dat easy. But de walkin’ didn’t prove so scrumptious ez I’s thinkin’, sah; when we-~uns got to de companionway we found we’sshutin, ‘Yes, sah; de wessel had been sot afire, an’ den closed up like a coffin, air-tight; an’ dere we was wid de ide of escape cut off, Golly, but didn’t I work! They had took awa all things I's likely ter use dat they knowed of, but J knew of an ax they didn’t find; an’ de way I went fer dat door an’ slide was a caution ter South Cah’liny flies in molasses time! I bu’sted down de whole business, but I’s done tellin’ you dat only fer dat ax, overlooked by dem rascals, — we'd all been burnt up alive, on purpose!” | _ Harlem fleas! You don’t say so!” | ‘It is true,” Mrs. Rawlins corroborated. ‘** But the captain—” “i <4 is the guilty one!—my wicked bro- er | Y ** The cap’n yer brother, an’ tried ter burn ye up in the schooner! Mightyation!” ae epee enced as Billy was in city life, he stood — led at the idea of such an atrocious crime. — CHAPTER IL. THE CAPTAIN OF THE SCHOONER. ‘Tax rescued woman shivered and looked © Fe around nervously, } ‘Don’t speak so loud,” she requested. ‘‘Some- al, b’gosh! ef things are as you say, £ ‘ hogy mae overhear you.” . sé : | )] as . ‘yy ly al e p . Ts, & oe) “ay . = e Se, | oe Be Me