Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 938 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Ss ~~. eon Ore ea 10 er the stranger, but there he seemed quite as useless as he was below. He could not see so much, and was un- able to climb up the brick wall. He meditated and then acted. * Hullo!” he called, softly. There was no reply. ** Here I be!” he pursued. Only silence above him. “I say, up there, w’ot in blazes be you so mum fer? Kf you want any help, say et quick.” A whisper floated down to him. “I dare not speak. Come up closer.” With this there was a total disappear- “ance from the window, and Jim looked be- wildered. “Come up éloser!” he repeated. ‘Say! be La bird? Ef so, where are my wings? This ain’t my week fer fiyin’—well, I Should chirrup!”’ Again the hand came out of the little window and seemed to beckon to the boy, and Jim grew more and more interested. He dd not want to desert anybody who was in trouble, but how was he to help this stranger as matters were situated?” “Say!” he repeated;;. “can't you sing Out as ter wot is wanted—” ** Hush!” was the caution. on the roof, an’ then I kin talk with you.” The stranger disappeared and Jim shook his head. “T reelly am expected ter fly, an’ my wings ain't good fer nothin’ in the case. Still, I hate ter give et up. I should say et was a female woman, or small girl, an’ I do hate ter leave such in trouble.” Further survey gave him.a clew to the meaning of the request from the sup- posed girl. There was a water-pipe by the eorner, and the use of this would cer- tainly land him on the roof, if he could climb it. “I kin try,” he muttered, “but I don’t doubt that there will be a funeral in my neighborhood by ter-morrer. It’s risky, an’ IL am aé sorter precious package. But, by gum, I am going to give et a try.” ’ There was no sign of his new acquaint- ance, so he went to the corner and tried the water-pipe. It seemed to be quite firm, and he hesitated no longer. Grasping the pipe firmly, he began to climb. It was not long before he discovered. that his venture was a dangerous one, but he did not hesitate. Swinging be- tween sky and earth, he progressed as fast as possible. “Stick tight, J. M. Moss,” he urged, “or this will be ye’r funeral.” CHAPTER X, STARTLING EXPERIENCES. | Jingo Jim's strength stood him in good sevvice, despite his apprehensions, and he drew near the roof. With one last effort he drew himself fully up, and was on the nearly flat surface. | “ Here I be,” he commented. “Didn't ex- pect ter turn sky-traveler this week, but you can’t always tell when you will rise in the world. Iam high up now, an’ ef difficulty should come all of a sudden I am thinkin’ it would go hard with ye'r uncle Jim ter git down without breakin’ his neck.” Regaining his breath a little, and mak- ing sure that he was not under watch of hostile eyes, he rose to his feet. All was as still up there as he could wish for, and, though the scuttle door close at hand was_ suggestive of possibilities, it was. closed and did not tareaten mischief then. “Now fer my honeysuckle at the win- der!” he murmured. He moved forward to the edge of the roof, and lay down with his head and neck pushed forward. He was only a yard we “Come up | e ' ' ; ) ‘ ‘ Ay ‘fal ; ru if, : ‘ ra »¥ sy ‘ - 4 : ‘ - above the littl window, but he could see nobody there. * Hullo!’ he whispered. Nobody answered. ‘* Hullo, central!’ he repeated. He had it all to himself. ‘** Now, see here, a fool Romero, as sure as guns. hullo!" He was rewarded by hearing a slight stir. ‘* Hullo!” repeated the adventurer. “Is anybody there?’ came the answer, at last. ‘* No,” replied Jim, in disgust. ter tell you I couldn’t climb up,”’ ‘Oh, let me out, won't you?’ eried an eager voice, “Sure! Go it, immediate.” “1 am shut in.” ‘sOpen the door.” “It is loeke * Why?” ** Mother Mag did it.” “Be you a kid? “Yes; [am a girl, ’leven years old.” ‘“* Better obey yer ma,” “Mother Mag ain't my mother, an’ she is a wicked woman, She will kill you if she ketches you.” “She must be a pleasant old lady ter meet. Where does she bury her dead? Does she give them gravestones?” coolly asked James, * Don't you let her see you, or yeu will need a gravestone—you will so!” ‘* Let us come ter biz. Idle talk is Bae ious ter a business gent. W’ot is your name?” ** Kate Floyd.” “W’ot hev’ you ter do with Mag, and vice adversity?” 4 WwW hat?” “Oh, that is a Latin term that girls ain't s'posed ter understand. W’ot has she ter do with you?” “T work fer her, that’ $s all,” ‘Does she have ter shut yer up ter make ye do it?” “She ain't shut me up before, an’ I ain't workin’ now, but she has got scared Oo’ me an’ shut me inter this room. Mother *can't get out, an’ I am dreadful afraid she will kill me.” “Miss Kate, this is serious, an’ it can’t be allowed. This old catamount of a Mother Mag had better come down off her perch. I will proceed ter get you out, an’ then you can go before a police court an’ make eharges against the female pirate. Kin I git down the scuttle?” * Don’t try it! Don't you come in here or she will do you up, too, You just go an’ get a policeman.” ‘Some would do it that way,” calmly agreed James, “but Il am In the habit o workin’ lone hands. I am comin’ in ter rescue you, so get yer bunnit on an’ paek up ye'r silks fer movin’, get inter the scuttle—” Jim was talking very cheerfully, puthe sud- denly stopped short, interrupted in a most. emphatic and unpleasant manner. One moment his tongue was flying glibly; the next, he felt rough hands on his ankles, and, before he could even turn to see what was the difficulty, he was dragged back- ward violently, his face and stomach scrap- ing along the roof. * Hey!” he cried. “Wot has broke loose?” He was not allowed to see, but, without any pause, he was dragged to the scuttle and, dropped down. He went thumping along the steps of the ladder, and then brought up on the floor with a fresh thump. All this was trying to his neryes, but he was aroused thoroughly, and he scrambled to his feet hastily. A light burned close hae NN a tay Wighe see ( ’ _ ’ P * he added, aggrieved, “ef you hev’ made me all this trouble fer nothin’ you ain’t no true Julia-ett, an’ I’m I say, “T come Good-by until I at hand, heki by a bony old woman, and a Ri, man was hurrying down the steps. A look at the face of the woman was enough to convinee the boy peddier that he had fallen into evil hands, for she was the owner of a face bad in all ways, but as the man showed up more fully, Jim had a fresh shock, He recognized Jugs Brown,. the thimble- rigger, Jim looked for a loophole of escape, but none presented itself, so he had to stand bis ground. Both of bis new companions gazed at him sharply. Jugs did not recog- nize him, however. “Ts this all we have nabbed?” he asked, in disgust. ‘“ All?” repeated the woman, ag” Yes =~ at? “i Do you call it all?” * He’s only a kid.” “If there is anybody that can make a pile o’ trouble itis a kid, medad. They have Sharp ears, au’ they just go an’ tell all they know. ‘hat is what this one would have done if we hadn't nabbed him.” “You are probably right. Anyhow, we have cut off his talk with Kate, and we will see that he don’t tattle.” “ Yes, for he won't leave here.” “See here, mum,” interrupted James, “wot fer a picnic is this? I ain’t onter yer curves. Why hev’ I been snaked inter hock this way?” “So we can shut you up an keep your mouth still.” . “My mouth is a sleepy feller, anyhow, but that ain't the point. LI am here, but was Il invited? Did you send out cards im due style?” “Shut up!” growled the woman. “The long and short of it is you have meddled With what ain’t none o’ ye'r business, an’ you see what has come of it, Take him this way, Jugs.” “TIT protest—” James began to speak with emphasis, but Brown gave him no time to finish his plea. He seized the prisoner and pulled him violently along until the next room was reaehed. This seemed to be the living Toom of the family, and Jim was forced ‘into a chair and still menaced by Jugs. “What do you make of him?” asked the — latter, “ Spy,” tersely replied the woman, “From whom?” “Oh, I didn’t mean he was sent. He is only one of the idle good-for-nothings of the block. He tried to be funny, and got the worst of it, I reckon.” “Then you think him but an idle td dler?”* ** No more.” Jugs did not appear to be wholly satis. fied on this point, but he refrained from — argument. * We have him—what shall we do with him ?”’ “Keep him until-the lad comes, an’ Iet him pass judgment. Possibly,” she added, looking at Jim malevolent y, “we shill have to kill the spyin’ little brat!” Jim was not ready to be killed, and he began an elaborate argument and asser- tion of innocence, but he was wholly ig- nored, and not long allowed a chance to talk. The woman, who proved to be Mother Mag, was clearly the ruling spirit there, and, as sho had decided that Jim Was no more than a casual meddler, the — latter was not subjected to such a searci- ing examination as would otherwise have - been the ease. He wus bustled into a small room which led off of the large one, tied to a bed, see left to his own thoughts, It was, eine au pleasant occupation. “ Well, James Madison Moss.” he mut- tered, rr “you hey’ gone an’ got ye’rself inter trou le this wip. The cable car has gone ' t. . * A 5 fe de 5 4 : . iy ,* ae in 4 A ‘ s+ _- 7 dp he th a - \ aah 4 . (eo Re a Ney) a e Pan)! ( ep f s/h Gh >) ny | a : ap, at ae , wer 7 ° a | A (kita