Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 938 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

a >» 4 f : a2 - _ wan ter lose any lead in my interior de- Yes,” “ W’ot is his line?’ “Anything he can make a dollar at. He is too versatile to be sized in a few words.”’ ‘* You ain’t the same sort, be you?” “Tam an East River boatman. I claim to be an Lonest man, and if I am not a hard-working one I don’t know what work 74; ©’ bein’ in ye’r comp’. I ain’t no million- aire wnyself. Shake!’ Jingo Jim's humorous fancy was not to be stifled by difficulties, and he really meant to shake hands, but, just as he “ Well, Mister Boatman, I ain't ashamed | tried to de it, there was a lurch of the wagon, and he and Lee were piled up to- gether on the floor. They scrambled up hastily. “The morgue has stopped!” exclaimed Jim. es Yes.” “Kin it be the police has got us?” “ More likely we are where they wanted to go with us. Boy, I am sorry you must suffer with me—” “ Be you goin’ ter suffer?” “1 fear so.’ “Let me go ter work while ye do it. | always yell when I’m misused, an’ my | cowardly egg-sample would upset you so much you would yell too—” The door opened, and a light was flashed inside. The prisoners saw several muscu- lar fellows outside, and Aldrick Lee recog- nized some of them as boatmen who had betrayed him. These men he had rowed with on the East River more than once, yet they had sold their souls to Ruthven Stanford when temptation came. “Tumble out here!” ordered one of the party. Lee did not stir. * What do you want?” he asked. “We want you!” “You have compelled me to stay here thus far, and now I am willing to keep it up. The first man who tries to touch me will get hurt.” : Ruthven pressed on. . “ Fool!” he exclaimed, ‘come out!” “1 will not!” “Then die!” The sport drew a revolver and covered the boatman. , “Come out, or I fire!’ he added, inex orably. “Will you live or die?” CHAPTER IV. DOOMED. The boatman gazed at the revolver and seemed inclined to defy it, but Jingo Jim was not of that kind. He did not know what was before them, but he believed it could not be anything worse than the use of the gleaming weapon. He was about to put in a demurrer to Aldrick Lee’s de- cision, when the latter changed his mind. He stepped forward. “Haye your own way thus far,” he re plied to Stanford. “I will come out.” * Jest my idee,” added James. “I don’t partment.” Aldrick emerged from the vehicle, coy- ered by several revolvers, for four men were present. But all hostile eyes became fixed on Jingo Jim. Surprise was pictured on their faces, “What have we here?’ asked the sport. “T’m a kid,” distinctly answered James, “How in blaz® did you get into that wagon?” ‘Blowed in.” ‘Nat, is he one of your helpers?” This was to the driver, who promptly re- plied: ‘*Never see him before.” “Then how did he get there?’ “T’'ll be shot if I know.” — The Sport of Two Cities. 5 * “This is mysterious. of them. Further away—ioo far for his “So itis.” peace of mind—the lights of New York “In order to stop the palpitation o’ ye’r | glimmered and see med to send friendly hearts, I'll say that I jest sneaked fm fer a’ and sy mpathizing greeting to him. But snooze,’ added Jim. they sent it in vain. ‘How was that?” All around the adventurers was a waste “ Wagon stood empty; boy was sleepy; of sheds and other paraphernalia of water cause an’ effeck,’’ explained the unabashed | life, and the whole place appeared to be peddler from Chatham Square. deserted of all men but themselves. “ What is your name?” Dark and gruesome was the outbook. * Clarence Percy Montrose,” coolly de Straight to the water went the party, but Clared the peddler. Lee began to resist. The sport turned to Aldrick Lee. “ What are you going to do?” he asked. ‘Is the kid one. of your crowd?” ** None of your business!” snapped Stam “TI never saw the boy until I was flung © ford. into the wagon, a few minutes ago,” re- | “T will go no further.” plied the boatman, “If you have evil de- “No?” sneered the sport. “We will see!’’ signs on me, I beg that you will leave him! He made a motion to his men, and they out of them. He is not a friend of mine, flung themselyes. upon the prisoners afresh. and his youth cails for your pity—’” Both of the latter were hustled along rap- “Not a bit,” declared Ruthven Stanford. | idly. Lee called out for help, but no help “If we let him loose he will peach on us, | came. and that is just as bad as if he was an’ Jim hada chance to see an old craft of ally of yours. He will be served as you , some sort by the water’s edge, and then are.” they were rushed upon its deck and down | below. A light burned there. The cap- tives were sent reeling, and then allowed “Look here, Mister Man,” exclaimed James, “‘who’s running this bakin’ shop anyhow? Who made you my guardeen? a breathing spell. I’m a free blown American citizen, an’ you. They were in a little cabin—a mere den, can’t bluff me. See?’ | Jim thought, for the craft was so small “We lose time,” added the sport, ignor- | that thefe was no spare room anywhere ing Jim. “Men, let us end this. Carry for large rooms. Sranford laughed tri- matters forward. Alf, lead the way. Lee, umphantly. follow Alf.” | “Boys, you have done nobly,” he de So saying, the sport turned his revolver ; clared. upon Aldrick, and the latter was again “ Right!” agreed Alf. brought to face his peril. It was a serious * Neatly nabbed.” one, unless the feelings at the bottom of “Ruthven Stanford,” exclaimed Lee, “T the quarrel were less bitter than they | demand our release.” seemed to be to Jingo Jim. * All you have to do to get it is to make Lee had plenty of muscle, and he now | such a demand.” stood with flashing eyes and looked hard! As the sport said this his companions at the sport. Muscular as the latter was, | broke into a hearty laugh, as if he had per- he did not look fit to cope with the boat- | petrated a very witty retort. man, and there night have been a different ' “Do you intend to sit us prisoners?” story 19 tell if the revolvers had not played | asked Lee. : their part. As it was, all of his defiance; ‘ You shall see.” did not do Lee any good, and he was not | “It will be betterfor you not to do it,” foolish enough to waste words. cautioned the boatman. “Do you want to Stanford reached out one hand and | get into serious trouble? You ‘ive a fast pointed. | life, Ruthven Stanford, and I suppose you “Go!” enjoy it. Brooklyn and New York alike Lee swallowed, as if to clear away a big | know you as a sport of sports; you are a lump in his throat, and then turned and high-roller and a gambler of renown, went silently after Alf. The sport seized | and—”, Jim by the arm. ‘And I don't want any biographical no- “Follow!” he directed, rougily. tice from you. Drop it! How is it, men? Now, James was not so old as Lee, nor | Is all ready?’ did he know how much in earnest this “ Yes,” replied Nat. crowd really was, and when hards were} ‘“ Wind up the job.” laid on him so violently his angry pas- They advanced upon the prisoners. sions rose. “What would you do?’ cried Lee “Lemme go!’ ba snapped. “Keep off!” There was no response, and Stanford| ‘ Now!” continued to force him forward. Stanford gave the order, and they leaped “Shoot ye! Take that, you measly | upon the captives. A tierce nsat ensued. skunk!” The muscular boatman did credit to him- Jim had borne all he wanted to, and now | Self, and Jim was not idle. He gave Alf ® flew at Stanford like a young tiger. First good deal of trouble before he was sub- of all, he hit the sport a blow in the eye, ld dued, but, with him as with Lee, it was and followed it up with other blows that | Only a matter of time against such odds, would have done credit to the best boxer | and they were soon secured and bouad, in Chatham Square. Helpless, they were cast on the floor. All that was necessary to make the The sport looked at Lee with a alalieious whole thing a great success was ten years | Smile. _ more on Jim’s shoulders, but he was only | “Any message to send home, Al?’ he a boy, and was more troublesome than | inquired, mockingly. dangerous. Nat pounced upon him, and,| ‘I have a request.” in a short time he was subdued, cuffed,| ‘ Well?” : : punched in the ribs, and generally knocked! “It is that you will exempt this boy out and disfigured. | from any difficulty you propose to force No real harm was done him, but he was | upon me. He is not my maa, and has hurried along after the rest in a most un-| done nothing to make himseif obnoxious ceremonious fashion. to you. Do with me whatever your evil Jim was a boy of pluck, but he began to ! desires suggest, but let him go free.” feel somewhat worried. He was not well| “I have no time to inquire whether he acquainted with Brooklyn, and did not ree- ; came into the case by chance or design, ognize the locality where they were, but it } nor does it matter. He is in the case, and looked pokerish and ominous to him. | is just as dangerous in one case-as the They were close to the water’s edge, and other. He will have to abide by his seer he could see the river flowing just in front | We have no more to say.’ ‘ ht Ww g ~ 7 ; : ] a “4 * ss 0 yook S.C i. fy 2 at _ \=- =r