Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 915 — 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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They could see, too, that they were well out in the river, and it would be sure death to sink with the vessel there. ‘ Kin you swim, mister?” asked Flip. ‘4 Yes. 9 | ** So can I,” added Nell. + ‘* Hooray!” exclaimed Flip. ‘‘ That makes I s’pose we are almost sure ter be drowned, but it. gives us one chance in a dozen, anyhow,” ‘The ship totters dangerously,” remind- ed Starling. ‘‘ Boys, can you give any plans?” ‘‘ Nothin’ but ter drop inter the drink an’ then drop out again.” ‘An’ we want ter do it mighty quick!” deelured Shoestrings. ‘‘ See how she pitches! Oh! will you hustle!—we are goin’ down, sure!” ‘‘Out o”* the winder!’ added Flip, ex- citedly. ‘*T will go first so as ter receive my gal,” pursued Dave. aan He tried it, and though he found the aperture too small for comfort, succeeded in wriggling through. Then he clung skill- fully on the outside and assisted Nell, who showed true Western pluck and followed quickly and skillfully. As soon as Starling graspedther he released his hold and the way was open for the boys ‘‘ Go, Shoestrings,” directed Flip. ‘* No, Vl go last—” ‘*Go, you rascal!” | Flip did not intend to leave a younger companion to take the final risks, and he pushed Shoestrings forward until the latter had to hustle or be literally dropped in the drink, r ) e ‘“‘Crickey! I’ve got jest three-quarters of a 7 second ter foller!”’ 4 This decision was brought forth by the tottering of the craft, and the alert adven- turer did not follow the lead of his opinions. He wormed quickly into the space and moved his head into the outer world, Just then the vessel righted itself for a moment, and he paused to look around. They had floated well away from the New York shore, and were plunging about in deep water. The night was dark and no other craft, big or little, was within the range of Flip’s vision. They were in the part of the river where, to those situated, the stream looked not unlike a wide ocean. Ce “Hurry up, Flip!” urged Shoestrings. “You'll go down with her!” As if to prove the prediction the ship made a lurch and dipped her bows to such an extent that Flip was nearly submerged. ae He needed nothing more in the way of a re- - minder—he released his hold and took to the river. eo _His predecessors had gathered their wits | and were keeping up systematically, Star- ling, holding his daughter, but not incum- bered by her, for she was as good a swim- -- mer as himself, cried out: Mt! ‘Which way?” ‘Lead off, Shoestrings!” directed Flip, Flip Flasher, Ferret. ic eC ELL Tt was true. The wreck had taken its as. plunge and disappeared under the surface. ‘‘Orickey! ef we hadn’t got outas we did we should hev been drowndin’ jest about now!” It was not a pleasant thought, and Flip willingly turned and followed his friends, Rough as the water was it did not prove any impediment to such skillful swimmers, and all finally landed on one of the piers, They had seen the prudence of going ashore ‘well away from where their foes had left them, though it was safe to infer that none of the latter had lingered around the place after once shutting them in. Dave Starling, once more turned from a lion into a father, was exulting over the rescue of his daughter, but the dripping boys had something else to think of. «Say, that gang is too meashy mean ter live!” declared Shoestrings, stirred out of his usual meckness, ‘“They’re too mean ter die,’ amended Flip. ‘‘W’ot they need is a few years in Sing Sing ter cool their heels, an’ they will jest about gitit, or ’m no peach. From this time on we are onter their trail like shootin’ stars.” “T thought you was gone up when I missed you in the cabin.” ‘‘Aw! the big stuffs pounced on me, shut off my speech an’ tied me up an’ chucked me inter a cabin with a bandage on my mouth. Yell? Why I couldn’t even sing Yankee Doodle.” The ranchman approached. ‘‘ Boys,” he spcke, ‘‘you hev done us a pile o’ good ter-night, an’ I hope ter reward e fer it—” ‘‘ Hold hard, Nebraska,” interrupted Flip. “Tet us down this gang, an’ then we will hey our little jubilee. How did they hap- pen ter nab you an’ yer daughter, individ- ually an’ collective?” ‘They first seized her as she was going about the city, homeless an’ friendless, an’ then lured me here too. Of course it would hev been rash ter bring us tergetber ef it hadn’t been for their plan; but they thought that plan was goin’ ter drown’d us both. But how did you get’into it?” Flip’s face expanded in a broad smile. ‘Allon account of our habit o’ lookin’ inter things.” ‘** How is that?” ‘‘We are investigators an’ peramberlaters, ye see, In plain words, we got inter this scrape by comin’ close ter meddlin’ with’ things we knowed not of, as the poick says,” ‘We are all safe, but what be we ter do now ?” | ‘‘Git under the umbrella before Black Beard sets his heavy hoof upon ye again.” ‘‘ We don’t care ter flee—” ‘‘You’d better not fight.” ‘‘T mean, there are things we want ter do before we leave the city—’ ‘“‘T should say so!” cried Flip, with energy. ‘‘There is a good bit you want ter do, an’ ditto with me ‘an’ Shocstrings. Hey, Shoe- strings? Crickey! we’ll all git a move on an’ make them crooks take ter their holes. Come on an’ do it!” a CHAPTER XVI THE STOLEN BOX. a The younger boy pointed his nose toward | Ir was nine o'clock of the next evening. _. the New York line of piers and began to | Down on one of the cross streets of the East > swim stoutly. Dave followed, but. Flip | Side region, Sip and Shoestrings stood to- - Jingered to look at the vessel, He believed | gether. Their manner was not a8 Open and as her minutes were numbered, and. he wanted | frank as was their custom, and they seemed to see the end, , | 4 to have something on their minds. This Jt came quickly. She appeared to-have a | was correct, and the load was a heavy one, - gonvulsion, and trembled from end,to,-end: | being no less than a ponderous building not *? then she suddenly dipped her bows. and went | faraway, © 5 : . down with.a gurgle and.a displacemegt of, _ A-sign over the. door of this structure told the water which made.the river boil, ewen opal A factory; but it had closed. with Se -where.the observer was.) ps) s Pathe he endof.day,.and th e was now no more _ Gone!” murmured Flip, "oy aq thamas long dark line of. brick and glass. eee es ae One would have said there was nothing about the building to invite anybody’s in- terest: but this was not the case with the boys. They watched the place closely, and they did more—they watched the street on both sides of them. ‘T don’t see nothin’,” finally grumbled Shoestrings, breaking a long silence. ‘‘ Now, don’t get gay, my frien’,” directed Flip. ‘ You don’t expect them ter come an’ jump right inter our arms like a fish, do re?” ‘Ef I do, they don’t come.” ‘‘Certain they don’t, young feller. Ef, they did yeu wouid be so lucky that theater fellers would want ter wear ye on their watch-chains fer a charm.” ‘But they may not come at all.” “So we may miss our breakfast; but we hope ter git it. Keep yer nose up. Shoe- strings—don’t git in thedoldrums. Ef you should git all the luck you wouldn't—” ‘“Hey, Flip, git under cover!” Shoestrings seized his ally and pulled him back, and then both sunk into a deep door- way. “Wot did you spot?” whispered Flip. ‘“The men comin’ down the street, an’ I believe one o’ them is the man with the black beard.” ‘Oh! Addison, my gay laddie, be you really on the pave?” murmured the older boy. ‘‘I’ll take a peek. Hold onter my necktie, Shoestrings, so IT won't git giddy,” Flip took the secret view, and then drew back. 7 ‘‘That’s Oates,” he declared, ‘‘an’ he has Dick with him, Et is workin’ jest as we planned.” | The two men he had named tramped down the street. Near one of the smaller doors of the factory they paused for a moment, and then ne knocked on the panel in a pe- culiat way. The door opened; they entered; the door elosed. Crickey! ain't that great?” cried Shoe- strings. ‘The circus begins. Stay here, my friend, until I slide down the street an’ notify the cops that the game is inter it.” ‘* Hustle!” ‘« See me sail!” Flip dashed away, and Shoestrings waited impatiently, Flip was as expeditious as again, ‘* All serene,” he remarked. the next step. Come along!” ‘¢Was the police kinder civil?’’ “They was simply glorious. Why shouldn’t they be? It was you an’ me who got onter their jinks, an’ we did it by brain- thinks. When we found that Dick had a brother who was night-watchman here, an’ nobody could locate our game, we argued that mebbe Dick had found an asylum fer them here, didn’t we? An’ don’t et look like it?” ‘és Yes,” ‘Then, how kin the police fail ter do u justice? The police is bully boys, now I tell you! Here’s the key the owner 0’ the factory give me—in we go!” . Flip unlocked another side-door, and they passed through, There was nothing ‘but darkness beyond, but they had been over ‘* Now fer the way., They crept up-stairs in the inky loom. | ‘‘ Hey, Shoestrings! there’s our game!” ‘* Addison Oates an’ Dick’s brother. Where’s Dick?” ! | , ‘*T guess—” tin, Tim Flynn and Violet.” — bucky x Flip pinched his ally'severely.) “ Hold-onter my necktie or I'll jump,” he ' could be expected, and he was soon back | the ground during the day and they knew ~ Flip stopped short as a door opposite to - them swung open, revealing a flight of stairs beyond. From this place came Moon Mar- cautioned. * All goes glorious, my boy. — me x weisg a Bal gi