Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 915 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

i = i . i . fe - =| * ° Po Ly * 7 ee me 7 i a »: & _ ¥ courage a man who ~ ticulars, so he let Peter W - to, and kept his own _ Presently the two Shoestrings. mournful voice, | was such that Shoestrings understood noth. : . Flip looked up suddenly. ‘*W’ot was the p’ints o’ difference, mis- ter?” he asked. ‘*Oh! her dress, her complexion, and her general manner and looks.” ‘* Hayseedy ?” ‘** Not exactly, but I don’t think she was a city girl.” ‘Sorter sunburned?” bee Se ‘*Red hair?” ‘*Oh! no; black hair.” ‘* A little bit cross-eyed.” ‘‘ Indeed she was not; she was a fine-look: ing girl, say. She had a good face, with rosy cheeks and rich black hair, and she had a form of health, too. Just about what one would expect in a Western girl.” Flip pounded his knee forcibly. ‘* Just so, by gum!” he cried, loudly. ‘* What do you mean?” ‘“T mean that you have been barkin’ up the wrong tree, You accuse somebody o’ stealin’ your model. Now, l'li bet my up- pers your model ain’t worth shucks ter the thieves who got it!” Mr. Mainford looked decidedly miffed. ‘* Why shouldn’t it be, when they took all the trouble, and its cash value is—’”’ ‘* Hold hard, Peter! They took et by mis- take!” " mistake ?” i ee ** Impossible!” _ “Peter, I ain’t a second-sight chicken, but you kin bet high lam right on this, The thieves made a mistake on boxes. That is the box they meant ter get.” He pointed to the mysterious article left by the girl. “Why do you think that?’ asked Main. ford, somewhat bewildered. ‘Because it looks reasonable, I don’t know w’ot is inter this box, but it was 0’ value ter the girl, an’ it was the same ter the thieves. That is the box they tried fer, Peter, not yours,” ‘Is it so valuable as that?” “*] don’t know its value.” ) “Then why do you ascribe any value whatever to it? How do you know it has value?” Flip moved uneasily in his chair. He had become deeply interested in his detective case, and he wished to carry it on to an end without help or hindrance from anybody. He knew he could not tel] his story without having the whole police force for well-mean- ing but meddlesome allies. He meditated, and answered disingenuously: | “Why, a man with a blind eye an’ a wen on his thumb-toe could see that. First, the gir] was carrying the box along the streets of a rainy night when her strength wasn’t equal to it. Then she confided many a word an’ beseechment. ‘Next, the boxes are a good ‘eal alike, ef you don’t look at them too sharp. f course they got the wrong box—this is the one the wanted.” ; Mainford shook his head. ‘You do not prove your statement,” / “ Never mind, the truth may come out.” ‘Yes, when the thieves rob me of my in- - vention.” Fii t disposed to try again to en. Walt einige Santed a full bill of Sas. counsel. boys took their leave, ‘*Be you goin’ home now, Flip?” asked young life inter ‘Tam goin’ t { m reply fh , wicked in their vital danger an’ beard the haunts o’ Vice, much ter my corporeal dis- figgerment, mebbe.” | ae lip spoke a deep, sepulchral and nfl eet hie choice of words and was ledtoexclaim: Gr-gr-great Scott! w’ot is that? , jak bas ao ay a- 7 Py . i, : * FL ee {es a i 4 f 7 - 7 . a of a : >, ak Wen fe i “ - * : es) .TRre,, weet se oF t ter you, with, : - A a —— sess 2 ‘* Sort of a funeral panegyric, my friend; | orry all he wanted | dm in they gought a farewell before I go inter noxious peril. Now Iam goin’. So-long!” CHAPTER XII. A THRILLING ADVENTURE. Fuip started off, but his puzzled com- panion called him back and asked for an ex. planation. This was just what Flip wanted, Young as he was he was a good deal like public persons of mature years—he wanted to make a sensation and be talked about and wondered over, ‘* Do tell me w’ot you mean!” urged Shoe- strings, whereupon the delighted but per- verse Flip came to business with brevity. ‘“J am on the track o’ them fire-bugs an’ thieves, an’ 1 am goin’ ter spill them inter the drink, ef they don’t do me up previous!” was the declaration. ‘How, Flip?” Then the elder boy told all. He knew he could trust Shoestrings implicitly, so he did not hesitate to explain the full situation. When it was done Shoestrings brightened up amazingly. “Tll belp you, Flip!” he cried. ‘* Course you will, old man.” ‘‘T’ll go right there with ye.” ‘Can't be done. I am goin’ ter walk in on Addison Oates as cool as ef nothin’ had happened. There may be the biggest sort of a riot immediately after. Ef;Moon Mar- tin isthere he may know me. Ef he does— oh! won’t I be inter et! Then there is their al, Dick, whom I ain’t seen yet, so fur as I snow. He is advertised ter know me when he sees me. I am goin’ right inter the lions’ den, Shoestrings, jest as Daniel did; an’ I may come out in the lion’s stomach,” It was not a pleasant prospect, but Flip did not waver, Even his usually quiet com- panion was in favor of the plan, since it gave promise of fame and victory for them. ‘‘Somebody ought ter go ahead with it, an’ go inter their den,” argued Shoestrings, ‘*An’ I had rather you would do it then me.” | ‘* Al! right: I’m the peach fer the job. All I ask is that you linger near so as ter preach my obituary ef they do me up. Come on!” They set off on their journey and soon ar- rived at the building where the Arizona Land Company made its quarters. There was no light in the office, and Flip saw that he would have to go. direct to the living rooms to see the gang. He posted Shoestrings as seemed best, and then went ahead, ‘Enterin the house he moved up-stairs and reached the door. He tried it—it was locked. He knocked; there was no reply. He knocked again, but with the same result. ‘‘Crickey!” be muttered, ‘“‘have they flown the coop?” When he had repeated his summons he decided that he was beaten for the time be- ing, and he reluctantly retraced his steps and reported to his ally. ‘*Bither there egin’t nobody there, or they won't answer,” was his summary, ‘“‘T guess they hev got scared.” ‘* Like as not,” ‘* W’ot be we ter do?” ‘*T don't see no use of tryin’ ter run them down, so we may as wal work another plan.” ** What?” ‘Try ter get sight o’ Dave Stagling or his daughter. Both o’ them are sOmewheres, you know, an’ Dave, fer one, is Mkely ter be aradin’ the street on his huvt. We may all in with them,” It was about the only chance left to them, and, though they had no real hope of making any discoveries, they set out to try it. \ uring the next few hours they covered a good deal of territory and encountered a different persons, but those were hot among the number. oy . * baie : rrr rr cD SL ——————————————— ; | | - s ‘ i a o. . < fo ’ , te # : a ~' ety 2 > * 4 Qe ‘ - 4 ye he thought. ter me?” | The first thing that happened was a very — they found themselves down near the East River. Without any comments they con- tinued their walk and finally stood on the edge of a pier. ‘* All quiet,” murmured Flip. ‘‘ We are mightily torn up in mind, but I don’t see that the river feels ita bit. She seems ter flow on serencly, an’ the waves don’t boil an artom in the docks.” Ha that old craft down yonder, Fiip?” ‘‘ It’s wreck. It was towed in yesterday an’ left there. All the things init hev been took out, an’ that’s why it is so still an’ dark there.” Wrecks are of interest, and Flip asked questions as to how this particular one had occurred. During the conversation they moved forward and stood close to the dis abled craft There was no watchman on the pier to stop them, nor did they see anybody on the craft. Obeying an idle impulse they slid down to the deck and stood looking around. ‘‘Le’s go down below,” suggested Shoe- strings. ‘* Maybe we'll git gobbled fer robbers, but ef they don’t care enough about the wreck ter set a watchman they can’t complain ef we doit. Down we go.” The utter darkness made their move- ments necessarily slow, but they finally stood in the main cabin. ‘* Uh-h-h!” muttered Shoestrings, ‘‘1 don’t like this!” “* Why not?’ “Too dark.” ‘There ought ter be a lamp, or somethin” o’ the sort here. We will look fer one.” Shoestrings was willing his friend should do this, and he said so, whereupon Flip start- ed. While he had a general knowledge of the interior of a ship he did not know just where to search for what he wanted, and he was moving slowly along when he bad a suc. den shock. His arm was seized in a tenacious grasp. Flip started back; the unknown force held him secure. He gave a strong jerk—he fail- ed to ee ee arm. ‘‘Say, Shoestrings, is that you?” he de- manded, ‘‘ Yes, I'm here,” came the second ex- explorer’s voice from a point several feet away. ‘Then what in blazes is this?” He struggled again to free his arm, but without result. Then the hostile force sud- denly became more aggressive. He was dragged forward. . ‘* Let go, shoot you!” he cried. ‘‘ W’ot is it?” demanded Shoestrings, from the rear. ‘*Lemme gce!—lemme go!” 25 The voice floated back to Shoestrings, and he heard a struggle—then all became silent. He waited for a moment, uncertain whether Flip was joking or in trouble, but as the Inl continued Shoestrings became frightened, ‘“* Flip!” he called. There was no reply. ** What are you doin’?” Whatever Flip was doing he did not ex- plain, and the younger boy had strong symp- toms of a panic. e was scared, and he wanted to run, but he was a loyal friend and would not go. If bis companion was in trouble he intended to stand by him. The darkness and stillness of tie cabin was. most impressive, and it seemed to Shoestrings that bis heart was trying to jump out of his throat, Where was Flip?) Was anybody else there? Had trouble come to his ally? He saw only one way of solving these rid-. dies, and he took that way. ' He began & slow advance. | “Tm goin’ right toward where Flip went,” ’ * 7 ¥ | \ ‘ Lio ‘Ki . - a = WEpDOC se ‘‘T wonder w'ot will happen " ¥, ~ , ’ i. tela” Hy _ hk ks.com ° ‘ A* , — . he ee ar : « . a > died * t - i* ’ a) , ‘y : | ~4 «