Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 915 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

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One of them offered him fifty thou- sand dollars fer it, but he wanted more. though he was impressed with the belief | Anyhow, it means a loss o’ fifty thousand, that it was not devoted to ‘“‘ flats.”’ The unknown man had dodged into one of | the main doors, but the fact that a light im- mediately after appeared in an office next to it impressed Flip strongly. He read the sign over the door. ‘‘Humph!” he muttered, ‘‘ w’ot does that mean? ‘Arizona Land Investment and Colonization Company.’ Strikes me et ought ter be the New York Steal an’ Burn Com- pany’ but mebbe all welds in tergether. So my duck isin there? This is interestin’!” t was not certain that his late quarry was concerned with the light in the office, but the fact that they had come so near together gave excuse for the suspicion, and Flip was not one’to neglect any chance to build theories. For a long time he stood idle, watching to see if there would be further developments, but, though the light burned on in the office, he saw no human being astir. Finally he moved closer, and, besides the sign over the door, he saw certain lettering on the window. ‘* Wonder ef that’s the business card o’ the fire bug? It reads: ‘Addison Oates, Agent forthe A. L. I. & C. C.’ Et don’t say who is agent fer the A. B. C., an’ the rest o’ the alphabet. The light still glimmers, an’ it’s dollars ter pancakes that the fire-bug is in there. Wonder if he has Peter’s gold an’ silver under his beamin’ eyes?” Flip moved close to the window, but he found no opening where he could gain view of the interior, The chances of fresh dis- coveries were so few that he decided to has- ten back to the alley and sce if things were not more lively there. He went. On arriving at the entrance to oo alley, he found Shoestrings waiting for him. ‘* Hi, there, you don’t say!” oried Flip. ‘Don’t say w’ot?” asked the younger boy. “That you are alive,” , ‘** Of course | be.’” ‘*But you was dead when [ left ye.” ‘* Ef you think I be now, jest you put up your hands!” retorted Shoestrings, ‘warmly. ‘*Great lad, you be, ter run off an’ shake a feller as you did.” ‘Duty, my friend; duty!” ** Clear case o’ flunk.” ‘* Wal, never mind; we kin fight it out some time,” good-humoredly answered Flip. ** How’s things?” ‘“‘The police has been inter Peter’s,” ‘*®ourse they hey.” ‘‘They didn’t ketch augnnbe ‘er “ Course they didn’t. Didn’t expect they would, did ye? Why, you an’ me scared them s@ they are aclear hundred miles off now. The last 1 seen o’ them they was in Jersey, and going over the Hackensack meadows s0 fast that electric lights flamed out all around their coat-tails,” “Say,” cried Shoestrings, ‘‘ that reminds me. Ht was that which Peter had stole.” ‘*'W’ot? His coat-tails?” ‘*No: somethin’ about electricity. You know I told you he was an inventor. Wal, that box we seen had in it the model fer the biz—a new apparatus fer lightin’ streets.” ‘I don’t fully grasp it. Let me irrigate my think-factory.” Flip pulled one of his ears three times viciously, and then added: 4 ‘* Proceed! My trolley will ketch et, mow ai Peter’s new invention will ligkt up the jest like day. A wire with electric jets will run along the « ves of eve k spot in no street whatever, it will light ngs'so fine.” ‘ ) Bg So ei é rp hee he Clee ieee! 4 nil. iwre “| wou 7 4 , } . 4 > U ty oA ay eve me WLS RAY Ih % 3 an’ Peter is desperate.” Flip thrust his hands into his pocket deeply. . ‘Fifty thousand!” he murmured, slowly. ‘‘Peter hadn’t got et patented, but the model was in that box. He says he can’t make another one like it in less than five | years, an’ w’ot he is most afraid of is that the thieves will go an’ get it patented ahead o’ him. He's jest crazy over it.” ‘‘ Fifty thousand!” again muttered Flip. oY ee” ‘Say, w’ot will Petey give fer it back?” “He said he would give five thousand dollars, ” ‘* Hi! did he? ce Yes.” *“* Did they say they knew jest where ter look fer the crooks?” ‘é No.” Flip took his friend by the most conveni- ent buttoa and led him to one side. Then, looking around with the greatest caution, he added fn a husky whisper: ‘‘Shoestrings, you an’ me will nail that boodle?” ‘* Hey! what’s that?” ‘‘ No jokin’, my boy. I ain’t a man ter joke!” added Flip, with great dignity. ‘* Now, the long an’ short of it is, we must turn electric detectives an’ win that five thousand.” ‘How can we?” ‘* Find the box an’ tke stealers, Work! Hunt! Hustle! Gita canter on an’ fairly make New York shake,” Shoestrings shook his head. ‘‘T kin sell shoe-laces,” he answered, “ but this ain’t in my line.” ‘Wal, by ginger! it’s in mine, an’ I am goin’ ter prove it, Out I go, ter-morrer, an’ ou will see my hair wavin’ like banners ‘ll go so fast. Lam going ter blossom out in a way that will astonish East Broadway. What’s more, you are goin’ ter help me!” ony younger boy brightened up percep- tibly. ‘‘Pll do et all the time I get away from peddlin’ shoe-laces,”’ ‘*Shoot yer shoe-strings! W'ot do they count against glory? But then, old man, I know you will fall inter line when the band begins ter play, for you are a reg’lar peach. l’ll let ye know the ways an’ means later on.” The boys conversed for a _ considerable time, and Flip learned all he could about%the case, Then they separated for the night. Both went home, but it was with the under- standing that they should meet at Pete’s the next morning, and they kept their prom- ise. | When they arrived two police officers were on the scene, and they were questioned a good deal. They told all they knew con- ointly, but Flip kept back the fact that he had followed one of the supposed fire-bugs to his lair. He was human enough to wish to work that lead all by himself. “eagann explained his situation more fully. | “My invention was a plan ge > the city by electricity in a way very different from that now in use,” he remarked. ‘* At pres- ent some sections have no electric-lights, and where such light is used there are alternate patches of bright light and semi-darkness, “Now, by my plan the electric-works would run along the eaves of every building in the city, and i ht-jets would not be over five fect apart. ing so close together the would not need to be so big, glaring an Was the cops around?” ry house, an’ there won't be a | dazzling as they now are. ‘*By my plan, too; every nook and corner id be lighted well and alike, but I have ene, ¥ a 4 Gay ‘y » “ ’ - : hig Cal _— » =< ad na ‘ ~ . ret ~~. Q poh 7 ve Fie 2S EES eee TA , ee eee la secret by which the light can be made - a mellow and pleasant to all who see it. ‘‘T have been in consultation with sever? companies, and all have offered me big money for the rights. Oh! that I had got it patented at the start—but I couldn't, because I was so poor. Now, the model is stolen, and if the thief gets it patented ahead of m - I am ruined. Oh! dear, oh! dear, What aw awful misfortune!’ The police encouraged him all they could. Flip said nothing, but he continued to think, When he was dismissed he and Shoestrings went out. The latter had his laces over his arm, and was more anxious to go about his business than to engage in idle wandering. His friend advised him to go, and thep Flip walked over to the office of the Arizona. Land Company. Henoticed a piece of paper pasted on the window which had not been there before, and he went close and read it: ‘*A Live Boy WANTED!” a Flip chuckled. ‘‘'That’s jest my weight. Ill goin, IJ" see w’ot is wanted, an’ then I’ll see w'ot else is ter be seen. Old man, you are jest about. in luck. Here goes—” Just then a newsboy approached. Flip, had a sudden.idea, and as: he. had a little money in his Avery he proceeded to buy the entire stock of his companion. This done he sent the latter about his business. and then turned his face toward the office again. ‘‘Now ter beard the fire-bug in his den!’” he muttered. CHAPTER IV. FLIP GOES INTO BUSINESS. Most persons would have been sobered by the crisis so near at hand, but this was not. the case with Flip Flasher. There was no such thing as subduing him, and he clasped the package of papers under his arm and went ahead witb all of the confidence and good humor imaginable, Opening the office door he walked serenely in. The Arizona Land Company evidently did not believe in wasting money in idle dis- play, and the office was not over-furnished, but it was all well enough and comfortable. | The main thing was a table, and at this a man was seated, engaged in writing, his hat. resting on the table near him. A He turned as: the door creaked, and Flip caught sight of a face the most distinctive feature of which was a big black beard, It,. owner looked at. Flin, and the latter threw himself into an attitude, and allowed the old good-bumored gia to appear on his face. He was a striking figure in his way, and a half-smile came to the man’s face, though Flip’s papers must have deceived him as tothe object of lhe call. | ‘‘Say, mister!’ cried Flip, ‘‘ you adver- tised fer a live boy. Wal, here heis! I’m your peach!” ! | ‘“ You!” returned the eying him sharply. ‘* Nobody else.” ‘You are anewsboy—-a street Arab!” ‘‘ Bet yer life! There ain't nobody on East Broadway who kin give me p’inters. Here's | the papes—ef you want ter buy we will. work the news-agency first, but don't you forgit that I am the live That’s the main biz o’ the hour.” — | Now, if Flip had but known it, he was about as far from being the ideal of a boy who would fill an office position as any body. could be. He wore ill-fitting clothes; he was. not so clean of person as he might have been, and his language was not in the least ele- — man, doubtfully, nt. : Happily unconscious of these defects, b awaited the answer With ‘ was surprisi Bey € man did not shoy 1 “2 e wis 3 Psat sh ~) ; “ fa ta ee shea > © Fae : Ans eee ; a - _ LL = UF = —\—¢ SS ~ = —_ = A ° ota ah 4 wel > y ae" : rh ; 4, _ i" - ry ve - a + « sj ae os ‘ i, - 4 My b & id ~ - ———— — — : ‘ bd | + NEE CS es % ee 3 when se a “ a a ee eee ‘ - A —e ee ae —= 24) Se ns ae _ - we we boy you want, confidence, and it { 7) J