Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 938 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

further survey. “Thought so, by gum!” exclaimed Jim. “There is some mean. game goin’ on, an’ Denny an’ Red Face are inter et big. Ob! you tarriers, I jest know it was you stole my saddle?!’ Suddenly the shadower dodged into a doorway. The money had seemed to end the interview, and Denny Stone was moving away. Jim kept to his ambush and saw him go. He was in doubt as to his next step, but soon made a decision. * 1 kin find Denny any time, but this Mister Red Face I don’t know. I must pipe him a bit more an’ see who he is. I may need to raid him.” The sport had watched Denny go, but there was now a new diversion. A man drove up with a rather fine-looking bay horse attached to a vehiele of a pattern not new to Jim. It was light, and covered wholly over the top. Once it might have been fine-looking, but it had gone to decay. Observant Jim marked it down as a former delivery wagon, now sent adrift in its old age. This turnout pulled up near the sport, and the driver and the sport conferred for a few minutes. This done, the driver fel back and disappeared around the corner. The first maw kept his place, and five min- utes passed. Then there was a new ar- rival. An athietic-looking young fellow ap- proached and was promptly accosted by the sport. ‘The latter seemed very glad to see him, and held out his hand cordially. It was taken, but in a way which gave Jim a clew to their relations, “Tie wanted ter refuse, but thought bet- ter of it. W’ot's up?” ‘ The men turned and entered a building at one side, and the sign over the door told that it was a real estate office. ‘“ Mebbe there’s only a real estate deal on, but I don’t believe it, I want ter know more. Can 1?” Jim meditated and looked hard. Nobody Was in sight, and the wagon made so good a cover that he resolved to use it. He moved forward and sheltered himself be- hind it. | | He had hoped that this step would give him sight of the room inside, but, as it did not, he climbed upon one wheel for a Pefore he could decide if the plan was successful, steps sounded ond he saw the driver round the corner. “ Crickey! I mustn’t git ketched!” mut- tered the boy. “W’ot kin I do? If he sees me—”’ He had an idea. The door at the rear of the wagon was open a trifle, and it was soon open more. Jim swung it back and sprang inside with a celerity that made him seem like a squirrel whisking about. “ Be I seen?” he wondered. The driver came close to the wagon, but with an air that seemed to settle one ques- tion. ‘ ‘He ain't seen me,” decided Jim. This appeared to be ground for congratu- lation, but, as the moments wore on and the driver kept his place the peddler was not so sure that he was glad of it. “ How be I ter git out?” he wondered. Tt was a question of no small import- ance, The spy did not want any trouble and did not wish to pose as a meddler with anybody’s business until he was sure of his position. These men might be all right, and if they were he was doing some- thing contrary to law and right. But, this was not all. | ight or wring, there was danger that he would be caught now, and that would bring difficulty upon himself. He peered out at the driver, who was leaning complacently against the rear cor- ner of fhe wagon box, and grimaced ‘at him behind his back. “Say, old skeesicks,” his thoughts took “ Siete : a - ‘The Sport of Two Cities, -—— — es - -S words, “why don’t ye git a move on an’ paint ye’r shadder on the other side of the street? Den me up here, will ye? Ive a good mind ter pull all yer back hair out?’ Uneonscious of, the boy’s presence, the driver kept his position, and James kept his. The office door suddenly opened and sey- eral men came out, with a rush. James opened his eyes wide and then shrunk back into the wagon. ‘ By crickey! the dickens is ter pay!” he exclaimed, CHAPTER III. WILD ADVENTURES. No wonder Jingo Jim was excited. The men who had come out so impetuously were not all on their feet. One of their number was carried in the arms of the others, and Jim saw that it was the stranger who had come to call on the sport. He had been hustled out without cere- mony, and his struggles were all in vain. “Guess they are goin’ ter do him up!” thought the boy. Bang! The door of the wagon was thrown open by the driver, but the boy had sprung to the forward end, so was not seen. ' The prisoner was shot in with one mo- tion: the door banged to, and total dark- ness fell around Jingo Jim. He was too much astonished to stir or to speak, but awaited with keen anxiety for what was next to happen. He had not long to wait, for the unknown man strug- gled up as far as the low roof of the wagon would let him, as he exclaimed: “The dogs! They think they have me now—” c / Clatter! clatter! clatter! It was the clatter of horses’ feet on tho pavement, and the wagon began to jolt away. “They want to kidnap me!’ cried the unknown. “I will baffle that game right off!” He threw himself against the door of the wagon, but it held fast, for it Was bar- bolted on the outside, The wagon was be- ginning to go at full speed, and time was precious, so he moved quickly forward, evidently hoping to find some way oul theer, and as a result he tumbled over Jin- go Jim and they both fell together. “What's this? what's this?’ he. ex- claimed. “Tt’s a kid,” explained Jim. “What! are one of you in here with me? I will—” He seized hold of the boy, but Jim broke in upon him: “Git a move onter you, mister, none o’ that gang—” “You must be, or you would not be here. I will choke you—” His hands were twined into Jim’s collar. “Drop it, you blamed fool! shouted ,the peddler. “Want ter commit suicide onter the wrong feller? Shoot ye, I ain’t none 0’ that gang!” “Then who are you?” ‘* A prisoner.” sé Why i “*Cause I’m a fool, I guess.” ‘“Fiow is that? But this is no time for delay. We are being whirled away at full speed. Ruthven Stanford is my enemy, and he will do me mischief if he can. We must get out.” j) Again the speaker threw himself against the door, but he made no impression, It seemed to be of iron. He began to pound on the walls of their prison. “Say.” asked Jim, “do ye expect they will pull up fer you?” ‘ | “The people on the street will hear me,” “ Mebbe so; mebbe not. We make a pile of racket bowlin’-along this way over the siones.”’ IT ain’t aaa — ee — eT Tor sft The chanees are again What! “Prue! true! our being heard, I fear. lyn?” “ Can’t say as ter that, but I know w’ot has been done.,”’ “ We will see. I will shoui—” He stopped making threats and used his lungs in earnest. He called for help until it seemed to them in their close’ prison that the streets must be full of the noise, but the wagon rattled cn, and nothing came of their efforts to escape. ‘“ Boy, who are you?’ suddenly asked the unknown, ‘‘Name, James Madison Moss; residence, near Chatham Square—”’ “Tf I am killed, and you are not, tell the police that Aldrick Lee has succumbed to his. foes,”’ ‘So your name is Aldrick Lee?” és Yas,’ ‘Has the sport done this?” > “The sport is named Ruthven Stanford, and he is a rascal of the worst sort—” “Well, I should remark that he was! Say, be we goin’ ter be killed or not? They’va got us shut up like Central Park hyenas, an’ now they will stroke our fur the wrong way. Be they goin’ ter kill us, mister?’ ‘ Doubtless I shall be killed,” “That's cheerful.” ‘Destruction seize Ruthven Stanford.” “Yes, an’ it can’t get a grip too quick. But, mister, et seems ter me et is us that destruction has got jest now.” “ Boy, we must get out!” ‘‘So we must!” “We are being taken away at a rate which will soon convey us to whatever point our enemies have in mind. It mustn’t be. Here, give jour help, and let us throw ourselves against the door to- gether.” ‘I’m with ye, general.” The two prisoners ranged themselves side by side, and in the same manner the rush was made. The door stood fast, and they were the only ones to suffer from the shock, but suddenly a small orifice opened above and a yoice exclaimed: | *Treep still, or die!’ The prisoners looked up hurriedly. “ Crickey! he’s got a revolver!” nmuttered Jim. , The light from aboye did reveal that much, but Lee was not to be cowed thus. He first made g forward rush to seize the weapon, but in vain, and then he cried out to the persons on the exterior. | ‘What do you mean by this vile work? Let us out, or—”’ “ Humph!” Jingo Jim put in the exclamation in disgust as the small loophole above was closed with a bang. They were once more shut in, and the rapid progress of the wagon Was not lessened. Xs “This is infamous!” cried Lee. “Must we endure such things? What kind of a wagon is this, that the frail top can’t be broken open?” | “Frail, is it?’ echoed Jim. “Well, ef you Call sheet-iron frail that’s jest the kind of a toothpick this place is, but I don’t see it.” “Sheet iron?’ * Nothin’ shorter.” “T do believe you are right. The thing has been specially prepared for me, and fixed up to suit. Boy, I don’t understand why you are in this trouble? Does Ruth- ven Stanford fear you, too?” “Boss, it's a clear case o’ mouse ang cheese, an’ I’m the miserable,mouse. “Ef I had kept my hands off I wouldn’t be inter it. Say, though, what is this sport that you eall Ruthven What’s-his-name?” | “A erook.” sé Sure?” S. i Can we be kidnapped thus in the city of Brook-— a , * he at my ah) » iL. > me . ts % ite é Zz “ - Ps oti Tee