Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 907 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

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The good citizen whose business it was to bury people had risen with cheerful atten. tion, and was now awaiting orders, perhaps anticipating from the flood of customers, that there had been an accident of far-reach- ing nature. nstead of having notice paid to him he saw Hearty Jack look around as if eager to find a hole out of which to dodge, while the lady marched straight up to him, her man- ner threatening and unfriendiy. ¢ ‘‘So I have found you!” she exclaimed. ‘‘'Ye-es,” faltered Jack. ‘Why did you run away from me?” , ‘*T—] didn’t knuw you.” ‘‘T believe you speak falsely.” ‘* No, no, madam,” ‘¢ You acted like it, but we will let it drop. Why haven't you been to see me?” ‘*T—] only got in this morning on a ship,” muttered Jack. ‘“What a whopper!” commented Reddy, audibiy, but the chief speakers were too much engrossed to hear him. | ‘‘ Where have you left my child?” pursued the lady. Reddy grew more interested. | ‘¢ What's all this comin’?” he wondered. ‘‘ He—he is at a hotel,” explained Jack, **W hat hotel?” ‘‘T don’t know its name.” ‘* How is that?’ ‘1 Jeft him there, and now I.can’t find my way back to it.” “Tt is as I suspected!” cried the lady, ‘‘You have played me false, though for what reason | know not. My child! what have you done with it?” she imperiously added. A more uncomfortable appearing person than Hearty Jack it would have been hard to find. e squirmed as to body, and his face worked strangely. All the while, too, his eyes wandered with that unprepossess- ing suggestion that he was looking for a hole to dodge through, He might be a bad man or he might not, but he was a badly frightened and. very much distressed man. The undertaker was shaking his head in displeasure at having such a scene in his shop, but Reddy pressed closer to the pair and wondered if the immediate future was going to\ bring him into the game, He sus- pected it would. Hearty Jack was seen to retreat again, but was stoppet by the wall, and the lady con- fronted him. ‘* Answer me!” she commanded, ‘“‘T—you— What did you say?” gasped Jack, ‘* Where is my child?” **T don’t know,” ** How is that?” ‘‘We missed the ship, and I lost him be- fore we sailed from Australia.” “ “You just said he was in the city, at a , ** 1—TI lied!” . “You left him in Australia, did you?” Yon.” ; ‘* You are positive?” ‘*T regret to say, I am.” ‘*Then why did a paper publish in the list of arrivals on the vessel by which you wrote ou would come, but which reached New ork well ahead of time, so that I missed it when it came—wbhy did the list of arrivals say, among others, Join Robbins and child, Hugo Westingly?” ‘*Tt must—it must have been a misprint.” The first anger of the lady had subsided, but, mixed with every evidence of grief, there was now a resolution in her manner which told of calm purpose not to be passed by lightly by Hearty Jack, <i ye ' oy Se, Vs ' Sf * ee! .“~ alt ; ‘ fa? ~ x = ‘—* 2”. mov ee Reddy Rusher, the Bell-boy Detective. . ; : . x £4" - — _ 4 . ‘ t ' 7 | : te Sas ‘ ‘ ee ee ee LAE Sem - AY -reo a “* Ka “Enough!” she exclaimed. ‘‘ Your fic- tions grow too ridiculous to be endured. Give me no more of them. Whereis Hugo?” ‘*T don’t know, madam.” ‘*Wal, I’m the nickel-in-the-slct-machine that does know!” With this remark the Rusher pressed fur- ther forward and stood in front of the lady. ‘*You—you— Do you know?” she cried, with excited manner. ‘‘] do, for a certainty; you can gamble on that.” ‘‘ Where, oh! where is he?” ‘‘Gobbled! Kidnapped by Jacky, here, the old humbug!” ‘No, nd; it is not true; I swear that it is. not!” declared the sailor, with warmth, ‘Then who did doit? Where does Israel come in? How about Chowder Johnny? Who put the kid under key? Jack, you jest open yer mouth wide an’ sing yer high- est octaves, or you will land in the Tombs, See? I’m onto you, you son of a sea-cook!” This was not all intelligible to the lady, but she had heard enough to wish to know more. ) ‘“‘ Boy,” she continued, excitedly, ‘ speak out at once, If you cun tell where he is you shall be well paid.” ‘One jiff. W'ot’s the name o’ that lost kid ?”. ‘‘ Hugo Westingly.” “T thought so. Hearty Jack, you villain, why do ye lie so like p'ison?” sternly de- manded Reddy. The sailor shook his head helplessly. “Speak!” directed the lady. ‘* What.can you tell of the child?” - ‘Wal, he’s been floatin’ around a good it ‘* Where is he now?” ‘Shut up at Chowder Jobnny’s.” ‘* Where?” ‘¢At Chowder Johnny’s—though, fer tbat matter, I guess Mayo Montgomery runs the roost, an’ Johnny is only a passenger, Guess et must be Mayo’s sneakin’ hole.” , ‘‘T don’t know the persons you speak of, and all thisis unintelligible to me. If the child is in trouble, who is responsible for it?” ‘*Ask Hearty Jack.” ‘‘ No, no!” declared the sailor, ‘‘It was not my fault. Blame me if you must for my misfortunes, but do not claim too much vil- lainy for me. Spare me in this!” ‘Can you lead to where Hugo is?” asked the lady. ‘CR, ‘¢ Do so, then,” ..° ‘*Be you his friend?” ‘‘T am bis aunt—more, he is parentless, and I am his all. Lead the way!’ ‘* Call a cop, first. Et means a scrap, sure asyoulive. Sec?” CHAPTER XI. REDDY ACTS AS CHAMPION, Tue lady looked a little startled, “Tf a policeman is needed the child must be with desperate persons,” she replicd. ‘‘So he is, mum!” asserted the Rusher. ‘¢Men ot women?” ** Both!’ **T do not like—” She fell into thought for a moment, and then suddenly aroused, ‘‘T will go alone and demand my child, They dare not refuse me. If, however, | am bafficd, a policeman shall be called in. Lead the way at once,” ‘*T will, an’ I had jest as soon have the cop left out o’ the game, It’s like this—”’ Reddy stopped short, and then added, abruptly: = i, there! Hearty Jack has taken a skip!’, ‘‘ Yes,” added the undertaker, ‘‘and I want allof you todothe same, This is not a police-station nor a hall of oratory, by thunder.” ‘“‘Let’s go, mum,” advised Reddy. ‘‘ This . / ‘ ee og i ae : : * e , ar ’ ' _ + . fr Fs yer, ta. vi) _ ° eu - o : , ee ae” tas when * heals Pedi gallus galoot ain't got manners enough ter be polite to nobody but a corpse. Come on!” ‘‘But Jack—where has he gone?” ‘“T reckon he is now goin’ down the Bowery so fast you could play golf on his coat-tail.” The lady turned her gaze wonderingly up- on Reddy for a moment. She found him a new creation to her, and_he was not always intelligible at that, but she was impressed with the belief that he was honest, and that was the main point, She had moved toward the door, and when she discovered that Jack had gone out of sight she decided to let him drop wholly for the time. Again she urged the Rusher to lead the way to Hugo West- ingly, Reddy obeyed. He was anxious for an- other try at his own enemies, and just reck- less enough to walkin on them with no com- panion but a woman. He believed she would keep them from doing him harm, and as fora policeman, the boy had not forgotten that he aspired to be a great detective, himself, If an older head than his came into the game he would be an inferior in the case. He thought he had just as soon go alone with the lady. It was not a long journey to the house, and it was presently in sight. Reddy surveyed it closely. Would they meet with a recep- tion which would prove what be already sus- pected—thut they were exceedingly rash? The Rusher had been busy explaining, and his companion knew she had no pleasure trip ahead of her, but she was surprisingly calm. a Reddy ruvg the bell, and, after some de- lay, Mother Moll appeared, ~ Mum,” quoth the Rusher, ‘‘ we've come from Israel Robbins, Esquire. We have a message fer the kid.” ‘“W’ot kid?” apathetically asked Moll. “* Hugo,:’ : “Gone!” calmly answered ‘Moll. What?” Gone!” “ Now, see here!” exclaimed Reddy, ‘don’t you go ter givin’ us no lies, We ain’tin the mood fer it. Trot out that kid or we will have the whole perleece force onter your back, by crickey!” ‘« Boy,” replied Moll, with cool contempt, ‘‘ ro home ter your mother, an’ let her spank you an’ put you to bed.” : “Ef 1 goter bed et won’tbe in Sing Sing, like some people I know,” retorted the Rush- er. . ‘ Be calm,” urged the lady. ‘* Madam, if you will produce the boy you have here I will pay you well for it,” She exhibited her purse, and Moll’s duil eyes brightened for a moment, but the light was transient, ‘ Deary,” she replied, ‘‘ I wish I could. earnit, but they have taken the boy away. Somebody—perhaps it was this boy—scared them, an’ the other boy was hustled out 0’ the house right quick.” ‘‘ Must have b2en,” snapped Reddy, unbe- It didn't need no more. Mayo Montgomery had charge of lievingly. ‘* Aj] done in ten minutes. it.” ‘‘ What has he got terdo with this case?” ‘‘ He isin it for the money of it, I guess. Anyhow, he is helpin’ them. places where he can hide people. you pay me fer tellin’ you of this?” The admit it. | ‘Old gal,” he pursued, ‘‘ we will take a walk through your place an’ see w’ct we kin find. See?” _ *€ Come an’ welcome. Isay—I wish et was otherwise. ‘“to accommodate the sweet lady.” f * o. ° -—a-e oy ‘oe , : . . a Lf > 5 * x. = \ ° a id | a ma . | ‘ 6 | | . az > : | » a N Bed Le ple 4 He is an old band at crookedness, an’ he has plenty o’ Won't usher was all too much afraid that | Moll was speaking the truth, but he did not You will find etas ‘i ay i I would | like,” and Moll’s eyes strayed te the purse, — . . = > » Dw > > 9 aa . > < tn lll ~ .s < ~ %. P 4 ¢ - - x at - ~~ a es 2. ; > s : -—e" =. a. pee >. » ~. a in a a - d . ‘= ~ ‘ z Ne ‘ . ‘ vr, - x r ao ‘ > f dé re ‘ ”. j , -