Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 915 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

————————— They hev been hid in the loft, jest a8 we figgered out.” ** Lay low,” ‘So we will, an’ we'll keep it up until the police come,”’ The spies settled down to watch and listen, Addison Oates looked around on the party. ‘‘We are all here,” he remarked, ‘‘and when I say that, I may add that we are lucky not to be at Police Headquarters. We have run dangerously close to the frying-pan of late, but if all goes well we will get out of New York to night and be seen here no more until this squall has blown over.” , . “There is nobody ter stop us,” replied Moon Martin. ‘* Like the South Sea cannibal we hev eaten all of our enemies,”’ ‘* Ha, ha!” laughed Oates. ‘1 sce that the evening papers say that the old ship that lay in a certain dock broke loose last night, float- ed away and is supposed to have sunk in the river or the harbor.” ‘* That’s true,” added Moon. é ‘*She had help to break loose.”’ ** So she did.” ‘* And all of our foes went down with her,” pursued Oates, calmly. ‘‘ Dave Starling and his danghter will bother us no more,” ‘Nor the two kids,” ° ‘“My office boy turned out badly,” ad- mitted Addison, shaking* his head. ‘‘ His death saved him from worse, though, I think it was clever of me to engage him as a victim to my land investment scheme. Ha, ha!—he was very much pleased when I took him as office boy—and he an uncouth East- Sider—but he little knew it was all to mix him up in the land scheme, and then get the blame for my misdeeds onto him, *Well, he’s gone home, and the land scheme will lie over until this Starling affair is sure to have blown over,” _“ We need not worry about them -now. Sull, we hev ourselves to look out fer, an’ we want ter git out o’ New York carly. Shall we peers ter biz?” ;' once,” answer down the box!” 2. ates Dick went up the stairs to the loft, but shortly returued with a box under his arm Flip nudged Shoestrings, ‘‘ Say, kid,” he whispered, ‘ we're right inter this game.” | The box was set down, and then Oates took a hammer and chisel which had been brought forward. by his allies, ‘“« This is an eventful moment for me,” he declared. ‘‘ In a few minutes [ shall have in my hands things which will, indirectiy, net me a cool hundred thousand dollars, ' You are not in the play, but you need not fear being left. I will pay you all for your devotion to my interests, i am an honest man. ‘‘ Ef we did swipe the box,” added Moon, with a grin, | _ “Ha, hal’ Just so, It was a neat job when we stole this from old Peter Mainford. On the whole, I am glad our plan to burn his house down did not succeed, for he might have perished in it. We got away with the box neatly, and now we will reap tie re- ward. It has annoyed me to defer opening it so long, but I thought it best not to come here too’svon, and the treasures would keep.” ‘‘ It was safe here all the while.” ‘* Of course,” “I feel a bit a Violet. as long as shecould, It was dire necessgj that made her “ase it with old Mainfore and then it was rank luck when she failed to ary ep she left it.” th shou | D aud Ganibaes Sere eken Oth ee f I have been very conspicuous in this, Be i a es borry. now... . Alt Our pate J ison, I went to the Nebraska Tee NaaR oiled away, and now she 1s—” i Mind; never, mind!” hurriedly 5 ‘* Bring sorry for Nel! Stari »” ad- -——, — — P - ‘ ‘« How she clung to the box ee —$ -——_——— _ os out she took this box.” “Yes, they could not prevent that. Flip Flasher, Ferret. | exclaimed Oates. ‘‘ Let us do this work. | rubbish it is, but there are wires and jim. Now to force the box.” Oates bent down and inserted the edge of the chisel under the cover. Then he began to tap upon the implement with the hammer, His companions gathered around him, and not the least interested persons ‘were Flip and Shoestrings. They believed that an un- pleasant surprise awaited the thieves. Addison struck several blows and then suddenly rose, ‘*] am nervous; my hand trembles too much for this job,” he declared. ‘‘ Moon, do it forme. I seem to see the fortune I hope to reap for this,” ‘You will soon be Violet. ‘*] shall, | hope, soon be reconciled to my relatives. They cast me off because I was a black sheep, but they were no better. A blight on their false pride! It was that which made them cast off Nell Starling’s mother. She should have been rich, but just because she married Dave Starling—a common man—they cast her off.” «¢ ) rich,” murmured It was hers, and so were the things init. But they have always coveted the things therein, not because of their money value, for that was not over a thousand dollars; but because they were heirlooms, and dear to their proud hearts. They were— Ha! have you got it, Moon?” ‘* Look for yourself!” Moon threw back the cover. CHAPTER XVII. THE RESULTS OF THE ROBBERY. AppIson OATES seemed to lose command of himself. ‘‘ Hurrah!” he almost shouted; ‘‘ the wait- ing is over. Now for the booty!” He sprung forward, seized upon a cloth which covered the contents of the box and cast it aside. His hand was raised as if to grasp something more, but the hand was ar- rested in mid-air. He became like a statue, his dilated eyes directed toward the interior of the box. | Again Flip nudged Shoestrings. Oates’s hand fcll and his face grew pallid. ‘“ What?” he gasped. ‘¢ Eh?” returned Moon. . * This—this—this—” Addison stammered huskily ‘and then ceased to speak, “Be them the things you wanted?” in- quired Moon, doubtfully.. Oates leaped to his feet. uin, ruin!” he panted. deceived; I have been-~” Fury came to his face, and he sprung for- ward and laid hold of Dick. You have meddled with this box!” he shouted. ‘You have robbed me! There has been foul play here!” ‘You saw for ourself that the box had not been tampered with,” reminded Violet practically. / Oates relaxed his hold and fell back. “True, true!” he admitted, brokenly: “the mischief was not done here, It was done before the box left Mainford’s— Ha! Lhave it! We have made an aivful mistake: we took the wrong box from Mainford’s house!”’ : A broad smile overspread Flip‘s face, but the conspirators did not feel in @ like mood. Oates was simply overwhelmed, and his dis- ‘**T have been tools, There was a considerable pause, and then Moon Martin found his voice. _ ** How could that be?” he demanded, “T don’t know. I only know we have made a mistake. . that box! The Evil One only knows what dee: * | | | may was reflected on the countenance of his | Look at the contents of ; Own, Black Tim finally came intothe game, bis , ———— ied cracks curled and bent tn every which-way It looks as if a madman had been let loose.” ‘‘Tt isn’t old lace an’ silverware an’ silks an’ medals, sech as you looked fer—” ‘‘T should say not.” ‘*PDurned ef I know w’ot et is.” ‘ IT remember now that we were told Main- ford was an inventor. ‘That makes it plain; this wild looking thing is a model of some- thing, though nobody outside of an insane asylum could tell what, Perdition take the luck! Iam ruined!” . Oates began to pace back and forth ex- citedly. ‘Hard luck!” agreed Moon. ‘‘Tt ruins me,” persisted Addison. ‘*} depended upon restoring this trash to my rel- atives who had cast me off as a black sheep. The last chance is gone. I shall have to give up getting back into good, society and riches, and remain a black sheep and a shy- ster. It won’t be in New York. We have stirred upa pretty hornets’ nest here, and though I would remain and fight it out if there was money init, I can’t do it when there is nothing. I will skip the city.” Oates was badly unnerved, but he had the sympathy of his companions, All but Dick a, kept their gaze commiseratingly on bis Le face. Dick used his eyes more practically. me Perhaps the watching boys by the door were rash about exposing themselves; be that as it may, they were soon shown that Dick had not been blind. One moment there was not a visible sign of danger to them; the next, Dick made a wild rush and was beside them before they could retreat successfully. When they did go they unfortunately bumped togethey, amd the collision sent Flip to the floor, While Shoestrings went tumbling down the stairs im with many a thump and rattle. big Flip was up quickly, but Dick’s hand was x. on him, a ‘‘A spy!” shouted the man. Then his allies saw him returning with somebody in his hold who writhed and twist- ed like a snake. Flip was making a game struggle, but he lacked the strengh to beat off his captor. He was hauled close to his enemies and then flung forward into the group. ‘A spy!” repeated Dick. They looked hard, and then Addison Oates grew bewildered. “What!” he cried, ‘So it is.” ‘* B-b-but he is dead!’ gasped Moon. ‘* Beaten in this game as well as the other!” exclaimed Oates, who had no superstition. ‘‘How he escaped from the vessel ] don’t know, but here he is.” ‘Yes, an’ he kin ruin us,” Pega iy Dick. ‘‘ He knows that we scuttled the ship.”’ Moon Martin rallied. ‘‘Then let him die!” he cried, ‘It is his life or ours. Be we goin’ ter let him do us up? No!” ‘‘How can we prevent it?” demanded Oates. ‘Silence him!” hissed Moon. ‘‘ The boy must die, I say!” aie ‘‘Now, you jest hold yer cable-car,” re- quested Flip, with remarkable nerve. ‘‘I ain’t the measly Harlem goat you take me ter be. I’m employed by your house, an’ I wouldn’t go back on ye fer a cent—no, I wouldn’t, by gum!” ‘You protest in vain. your way is right.” ABD oe him up to the loft and silence m,”’ ‘* Away with him!” crdered Oates. Moon and Dick seized upon the boy, and then ensued a lively time. Flip was really frightened, at last, and he fought like a young tiger. His hands and legs were busy, and many a hard thump he gave his foes, Dut it was clear that he could not hold his. ** My office-boy!” Moon, 1 reckon , Nes WW 7 ’ Zohn oe