Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 907 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

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An exchange of notes showed that tbere was no news on either side, but the Rusher had left his treasure concealed in his room, and it lay heavily on his mind all the time. It was the check to the happiness other: wise to be had ‘* Wal, mum,” he said, presently, ‘‘ w’ot is the programme fer to-day?” ‘| don’t know. J wish you could advise ame.’”’ { ‘* You want ter find the kid, eh?” ‘* Poor Hugo! I do, indeed.” ‘ ‘*T’ll try fer et, mum, an’ I may git thére. I reckon the way is ter shadder Old Ulster,”’ “Why?” ‘* He will be goin’ ter the hidin’-place.” **Do you think so?” * * Why, cert.” ie ny out your plan, if you think best.” “*7 will.” Reddy did it. Leaving Mrs, Prentice shortly after, he returned to the hotel. He was just too late to catch Israel, for the lat- ter had put on his tall hat and long coat sand gone out. Here was one check, and the irritation of the situation was added to by the fact that the man did not return until the middle of the afternoon. ‘*Guess I’ve clean lost my graft,” solilo quized the Rusher, ‘‘ but I will sorter hang ter Issy’s coat: tails an’ see w’ot will come of ait.” Mr. Robbins sat in the main room for two hours, evidently doing some earnest think: ing. Then he went out again. So did Reddy. Israel walked away to the west of the Bowery. So did Reddy. ‘* Uncle Sam, I'm after you like a case of small pox. Weave on an’ let me shake a foot on yer trail,” directed the boy, as he carefully avoided attracting Robbins’s at- tention. The pursued man was not suspicious, and the chase was not difficult. Israel had some definite object, and he went along witha _Swinging stride for some time, but there was finally an abrupt change. Israel darted across the street ‘* Hi! there,” cried Reddy, ‘‘ w’ot is up?” His feet and his gaze alike followed Israel. ‘‘Crickey! there is Hearty Jack again! Robby is after him! Hi! now Jack sees him —he scoots! Wal, you’rein fer it now!” Jack was ‘‘in for it.” He had tried to Slip quietly away, but his course was not a happy one. He had tried to make use of an alley, but when it was too late he saw that a hand-cart was standing there, blocking the whole passage. | \ The sailor was cornered. : Israel had pursued him hotly, and Reddy, his wits working ,quickly, was not far be- hind. It oceurred to the boy thas there would be a talk in the alley, and if he could get to cover he could overhear it. He moved pend Beh He pursued sharply until he reached a doorway which opened from the alley, and then dodged into it and was secure from observation, and where he could listen to all. The man from Ulster began warmly, ‘‘T’ve got you now, you sneak!” he ex- claimed. Pa | | _ Hearty Jack stood helpless and hopeless. ‘* I’ve been lookin’ fer you, an’ I’ve found pi pursued Israel. “as "es ” . ‘Yes? Is that the way for a man 0’ ‘f —", , ek eb son ee ets ttt, LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LDL DLL LLL LLL LLL LLL a > s;*+ 4 ; sa <* bof > » i os | — . ; 4 ‘ 5 he es i > ey . A ee Po Te fa hall (eae “4 : 7 pl <4) % - ~ is by a * ae a - ae tw ’ 1. eg +. -.* * ¥ a 4 ee . fe ~. 4 > tethe” “ty f * on apt bie Be * 4 . 7 i)». pm » he oo, =. 4. “Sar 4 F Jae | <« — ~ Reddy Rusher, the Bell-boy Detective. brains ter speak? clod!”’ ‘‘T wish I was one!” muttered the sailor. ‘‘Oh! do you? Wal, go an’ get a pistol an’ make yourself so.” ‘*T may do so, yet.” : ‘*No danger. Men who talk that way al- ways live to be a hundred. John Robbins, where is that bag of gold?” : “1 don’t know.” ‘**'You lie!” Hearty Jack made a gesture of weak re- monstrance and said nothing. ‘*] don’t understand all the travels o’ that gold,” admitted Israel, ‘‘but you either stole it, last night, or had it stole.” ‘*T know nothin’ of it.” - **Oh! come now, don’t be foolish. You took it from Mayo’s hands—I don’t know that you know Mayo, but you took it. You sent in a boy to swipe it, an’ then you got away with it, somehow: I don’t know how. But you were in the game, for nobody else would think of it.” ‘*T know nothin’ of what you talk about.” ‘“Don’t you? Come off!” ‘*T tell the truth. Ihave not seen it since it was first lost.” ‘‘Humph! Do you think I will believe that?” **T only know it is true.” * Bah!” ‘Tf this man Mayo had it, why don’t you Bo to him? Who is he? How came he by or ‘* Wal, you see he’s a friend o’ mine, an’ a man give him the bag o’ gold on the street— queer circumstance, but Mayo thinks he was pursued by officers, an’ shook the dust for safety. The blamed business is making a pile o’ trouble, anyhow,” ‘Israel Robbins, why don’t you return that gold to its rightful owner? Why will you persist in so many lies? You say you bought itfrom me, Thatis false, as we well know—’” , ‘ ‘‘Hush, hush!” cautioned Israel, looking Why, you are like a argund nervously. ‘‘T am fast getting into a frame of mind where Lam reckless enough to face the rod of terror you hold over me an’ tell all I know—” ** Don’t do that!” hastily cried Israel. ‘1 had just as soon.” ** Do you want to go to prison?” Hearty Jack bit pe vagal at his nails. ‘*T begin to think I don’t carea rap. I am not a rascal, an’ it don’t come easy to me to see the innocent suffer as they are doin’,” ‘* Jack, you are a fool!” declared Israel. “You just feather-your own nest an’ let outsiders look out for themselves.” ‘‘Tam in a fine way of featherin’ my nest when you threaten to send me to prison, and chase me as if I-was a wild animal.” ‘Say, Jack, you just tell me where that gold is an’ I will divide with you—” ** Never!” cried the sailor. ‘‘I do not know what has become of it~your sus- picions are wholly wrong—but if 1 did know I would not aid you to commit this “wrong, even if you could offer me all the wealth in New York. I am unfortunate, but 1 am not the villain you would make me!” Jack’s voice rung out clearly and his eyes flashed as he uttered these manly words, Reddy Rusher could hardiy aypid a shout of admiring approval, but just then there was a turn of the tide. A man pushed past Reddy and stood near the others. It was Mayo Montgomery. | ‘*Robbins!” exclaimed the sport, ‘‘ you want to dothis curupat once. Tl help! Wade in, now!” | | Evidently the gentleman of flashy look did not approve of delay, for without more ado, he rushed at Hearty Jack. ‘*T’ll smash you!” he declared. It was a headlong attack, but the sailor t' ee AR ne SV ~~ , ~ had 9 -—" had been in many a fight, and he quickly threw himself into position. He aimed a swinging blow and took Mayo neatly on the jaw, but it fell a little short and the crook was still in the ring, He knew how to use his own fists, and he threw up his hands with the skill of an old campaigner. He and Jack began to exchange blows with fierce rapidity. | CHAPTER XVI. THE RUSHER CLOSES IN. REDDY was a little dazed by this new turn of affairs, “ By crickey!” he exclaimed, ‘‘1 guess.a policeman is needed bere!” Acting on this sudden notion he ran to the entrance to the alley and looked up and down the block, but no blue-coat was in sight, In fact, chance had made the whole region singularly deserted by all but the one party. He looked at them again, and saw that Hearty Jack and Mayo, well matched in science, were having a lively fight, while Israel, wholly lacking in science but full of venom, was hanging on the outskirts and secking for a chance to strike Jack a coward- ly blow. e ‘Jiminy crickets! I guess there 1s room fer me there!” added Reddy, his soul swell- ing with indignation. He ran forward and leaped like a cat upon Israel’s back. ‘‘T’m in this scrap, you p’ison snake!” he cried, Israel knew it. His neck was closely en- circled, and the boy was shutting off his breath. He could not see his assailant enough to recognize him, but he did know it was a boy who had seized him. ‘*Leave me be!” he howled, shaking Red- dy as a dog would a cat. | ‘‘Not fer Susan!” retorted the Rusher. ‘*T’ll hit you a clip, you brat!” ‘*W’ot willl be doin’ then?” ‘*Get off my back!” “ You get off the earth!” Reddy was laughing gleefully, but it was not at all funny for the man from Ulster. He pranced around wildly, but the small object on his back stuck like a burr. . ‘‘ Balance yer pardners!” sung out the Rusher. ‘‘ Have a ginooine old Ulster-coun- ty dance, Issy!” | They were having adance, but not in a way to Robbins’s liking. It was the old story, of a small antagonist who could not be got at, and he struggledyin vain. Reddy was there, and he stayed. ) | In the meanwhile Jack and Mayo were hav- ing it hot and heavy, but all things have an end. Jack had been stirred out of his moody self into an alert fighter, and he had been watching for a crain chance. It came, and he caught Mayo a blow under the chin which absolutely lifted the sport and sent him flying through the air, He would have fallen to the flagging, if there had not been a softer place awaiting him. His head took Israel Robbins full in the stomach, and the result was that the country- man, Mayo and Reddy all went down in a heap, With Israel at the bottom. — The Rusher was not less quick-witted than usual, and he squirmed out of the tangle readily, but Mayo came up slowly and Israel lay gasping like a landed fish, es The blow in his stomach had literally — taken all his breath away. He gasped and writhed untilhe seemed likely to die of the blow, but nature assum- ed sway at Jastand he found his wind and his voice. | mE ‘* Murder, murder!” he groaned. Z ‘* Who is dead?” asked. Reddy, laughing gleefully. : ‘* My stomach, my stomach!” 5. ‘‘ Does it ache? Better have it pulled.” ‘*] ama dead man,” : a | - oe Pe —“~See e el as | TS ‘ ‘ . > ae * Kod et ~~ * - Yad “ *, a - e 7 «fs. ~ 4 a? ane a . ~ _/ tee » eels 3 ‘se 5 e« A «> > .— - ~ a zs? . a e a fob, Fee atk fy. oA 3 « _ ‘ a ort 7 os e - om 2 ets Ae a