Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 907 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

| - oo a ei eal 6 4 4 yr: . i & @ a> 4 sat J as on a - od ~ . > » . ~ ie 7 Ae ™s a” a ~“. gl an “ £ - ~ vee P - * tis GRb, ON: = pc so gist 25- , ° " . _ i°>% S ~ s » Oe ~ ks Dp » é : » p, - . 4 r > se = ° ww a Ad -i he = 4 i. a -— — - < ‘ - - . TA K Reddy Rusher, the Bell-boy Detective, The tour of the premises was made, but it did no good. Even suspicious, alert Reddy was compelled to believe that Hugo had been spirited away. They talked with Moll, and were informed that after Reddy’s escape, Chowder Johnny gave the alarm, and Mayo had promptly hurried Hugo off. Where he went Moll didnot know. She was left alone by the gang, as Johnny accompanied Mont- gomery There was no help for it, and the investi- gators left the house. Moll was given a small sum for her aid, though not with Red- dy’s consent, | Once outside the Rusher broke forth earnestly: 7 ‘* What next?” Alas! what can I do?” ‘* Find that kid.” ‘Tt seems impossible. every turn—” ; ‘“Mum, I am with ye now,” Reddy, throwing his head well up. **Can you aid me further?” f ‘Sure! Jest you rest easy, an’ we will snag that gang assure as mud, All we need is time,” ‘* But we don’t know where they are,” ‘* We kin find out,.an’ don’t you doubt et, I am a hustler from Gowanus Bay, mum, an’ when I dig my toes iuter the pave the fire flics. But I don't know what all this is about. Jest loocydate, will ye?” ‘‘My name is Mrs, Prentice. had a married brother in Australia, and his wife both died, was left alone in the world. Of course, this was Hugo. I was his only relative, and, as he had nobody in Australia to care for him, arrangements were made for him to come here, Of course, | was very glad to have it so, for he was likely to be very dear to me as my brother's son,” “The kid is a corker!” declared Reddy, warmly, rs ‘Now there was in Australia‘a sailor named John Robbins. My brother had done him some great service, and Robbins seemed very grateful. He volunteered to bring Hugo here, and it seemed a very good chance, indeed. 1 agreed to it. knew when the vessel was due, but it reached New York so much ahead of time that sa plan to meet it at the pier was fruitless. missed it and I missed Hugo,” ‘¢T should remark,” ‘I had absolute proof that Robbins and Hugo arrived by the vessel, and | thought the child would be brought tome. He was not, and it finally dawned upon me that Robbins was playing me false. I have been looking for him, aided by the fact that I had once seen him before. To-day I caught sight of him, as you know,” sc I am baffled at reminded I lately He and a son Mrs. Prentice suddenly lost her calmness. *« Why, why, has Robbins done this?” she cried, tremulously. ; ‘‘ Et is queer, by crickey!” ‘‘T would not have believed him so bad.” See ‘The time ain’t ripe.” ‘Tell me what you mean by mentioning these other men.” It would have made a long story, if told in detail, but Redd Mayo. mention of the bag of gold, and he said nothing about it. ‘* Poor Hugo has fallen into the hands of a gang of sharpers,” exclaimed Mrs. Pren- tice. ‘‘lt is all a scheme to do iniquity, though I know not just how.” ‘‘One thing we do know,” cried Reddy, with animation, ‘‘ we are goin’ ter git onter the trail o’ them crooks, an’ we will do them up equal-to a Fifth Avenue roast. Give us yer hand, mum, we will be pals in this, an’ the pestiferous gang has got ter be licked like sixty. We'll do it!” CHAPTER XII. THE TRAIL GROWS WARM, Ir was several hours later, and Reddy was seated in the hotel engaged in deep thought. It was about all he could do then. Israel Robbins had not been seen on the premises since morning, and where he was the Rusher did not know, , Now, Reddy was thinking. That meant a good deal. When Reddy meditated he threw his whole energy into it, and pass- ing guests who were wont to jest with the ready-tongued son of the,hotel-keeper now received no reply. ; ‘*/’d like ter know,” ran the current of his thoughts, ‘‘ where that bag o’ gold is. There must be about a million dollars inter et, an’ that ain’t no small sum, by crickey!” The whole case was fascinating to the boy, but the gold took the strongest hold on him. Money is fascinating to anybody, but Reddy gave all his interest to this par- ticular sort of money. ol It was in ‘‘dust’’—yellow, sand-like, un- coined dust—and it was all the more attrac- tive because of that fact. It glittered before his eyes all the time. It was to him a treasure of monumental na- ture —rich, strange, romantic, thrilling. Nothing in the shape of coin would have in- fluenced him thus, but he saw coin often, and dust—never before. He wanted to see it again. ‘When I fell down the trap,”’ he mused, ‘‘T lost my grip on the bag. I hunted fer it afterwards, but it wa'n't on the floor. I’m dead sure it didn't fall on the floor above. Then, by crickey! it must have lodged some- where as I tumbled, an’ it’s :probably there now.” This cur ont of thought could have but one result y ith such a person as Reddy, and he finally ganounced his decision. - **Pm goin’ ter look fer that bag o’ gold!” He rose promptly. He had had his sup- per, and nothing remained to be done but to go. He started. Briggs, the night-clerk, saw him, | Po ai v ATE — & » if pps * . LF ’ 2° : il NSA a, Ghee Oe : - -=- a ee ott! wat . vv oe “Arig tian . ‘wig: _ . Fi | where he had met with his late adventures, and he reached that point in due time. He | had banked seed Sow on the probability that. in a house of that kind, the street door soon gave her an idea of | would not be kept locked, and with this. the part that had been played by Israel and | hope in his mind he tried it. He was not Something impelled him to avoid | disappointed. ! The coor answered readily to his touch, It opened, and he saw a dark hall. ‘*That’s the stuff!” he commented. ‘‘ I don’t see no obstruction—in fact, I don’t see | nothing but the dark.” With the recklessness of his peculiar na- ture he boldly entered. Despite the darkness he was not at a loss to keep the right course, and by moving carefully he found the place where he had fallen in due time. He reached up as far as he could. ‘‘ Here’s the trap,” he murmured, ain't took away the hole in the floor.” Even then he found comfort in a little joke, but he did not let it delay him. He had brought along a very small dark-lantern, and as this was lighted he had only to move the slide. He then saw the opening in the floor above. The door of the trap was closed, but this was just what he wanted, He peered upward. The walls of the trap were rough and unfinished, with ends of lathes protruding here and there, ‘‘T’ve got ter climb,” There was ample hold for his strong fin- * They ‘gers and toes, and he began promptly, first. When was. thrusting the lantern into his pocket. he had gone far enough the lanter aguin pulied out and he commenced the search. Carefully he peered into the recesses. He saw cobwebs, bul ncthing of the bag of gold. His hopes fell many degrees. ; ‘ Shoot the luck!” He did not give it up at once, but when he had hunted a few minutes longer he had to admit that he was beaten, The bag was. not there, ‘‘ Somebody has been ahead 0’ me an’ swiped et. I s’pose Chowder Johnny was. the pill that done it.” : : creas he heard a small voice below im. ‘‘ Be you huntin’ fer rats?” Reddy started so violently that he nearly fell, but when he recovered his balance he Jooked downward. He sawa very small girl | to match the voice, ‘Be they squeakin’?” she added. The Rusher was not too®tupid to see that. the innocence of the child had led her to look upon the whole matter with lack of sus- picion, and he seized upon the chance, ‘* They ain’t squeakin’ now, but I seen the tail o’ one big feller whiskin’ out o’ sight. He had a blue ribbon tiéd on his tail, an” must hev been a dude.” ‘*Dear me! That is funny.” ‘“‘ Yes, so et was. Do you live here?” “Yes. Don’t you?” “Why, sure. Did you find anything near here ter-day ?” - < > - ‘ hd “ 4 - * ~ . ae, ©. &s wae 2 se “mee g2 a as -— ee © Le “- * e Me ‘Going out, Reddy?” “Weer a! 4 | ‘Was it a bag o’ sand?” “Where?” ‘““Yes, yes; that was it. Did you find et? ‘‘T want ter git onter a game o’ marbles | Did you see et? Did you—” with Scrappy Syms. He beat me like thun. ‘The sport took it awsy.” der, the last time, an’ I'll lay him out cold | ‘‘ What sport?” when we git atit again. Et was only luck} ‘‘ Deeny Logan. He came an’ hunted fer before, Briggsy, he can’t’ play fer rotten | it, an’ then took it off.” ? chestnuts. He’s got a fish-bone in his swal-| ‘“ Bless me!” muttered Reddy, ‘‘ what new ler.” crook has the trail took?” . : ‘* How is that?” ‘‘ Was it your sand?” asked the girl, — ‘‘He aint steady; he plays ‘good some-| ‘‘ Yes.” | . | times, but his style is ginerally jerky. See?” ; ‘‘Then you go right to Deeny, an’ make Briggs did not ‘‘see” fully, but, believ- | him give it up. I would?!” ing the pampered son of the house was off on| ‘‘ Where kin I find him?” . a trivial errand, he let him go. The Rusher | _** He belongs ter the hand-ball club over ; went, | by Jakey’s, You know where that is, don’t. dge that was at the bottom of it.” ‘Hi, hi!” he chuckled, “that Briggsy isa , ye?” | ‘*The whole matter is unexplainable to | good feller, but he is precious slow. He! ‘I guess so; I know where one hand-balh ios me,” eX | couldn’t ketch flies.” iG ‘club has its courts.” brine ss ** Blackmail, very likely.” Reaching the street the boy walked off ‘‘- You go there an’ you wil) find him. He be <'Then why don’t I hear of it?” rapidly. His course was toward the house’ plays the game, an’ they do say he is a ‘« Maybe his trolley is twisted,” “What?” “IT mean, maybe he 1s crazy,” ‘‘That is possible. He acted very odd when I spoke to him.” | _ “ He acted ter me as if he was scared sil-, ly,” replied Reddy, with bluff wisdom, ‘I guess the kink is in his soul, not bis trolley. ay, do you know Isracl Robbins? ‘Israel Robbins? 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