Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 938 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

== ? = Seen apa _ a, ee es = oe NT. § et Ad . wy ~ aft J - a t , Ae Nent : 4 i ty tats fy: 7 ny * Ae ’ bh ; er e. v4 as =) a! cA ‘A. ‘ 7 «Sg 2 e ae ; ‘ : ; . Ft) (i 4 hag io, ‘ i . is ; a Vk, « ° n ae eV, ry * Fd . ; , ; + ; ‘ ’ . md : al ‘ fey ht . : at =. ‘ Ney AD in S 7 4, ‘ ¥4 r “ a jest gloat over it. At present time, as I that saddle,” he thought. i tures, and ghey did not suspect how close he had come to death. ea “kangaroo, and his luck was of the best. By night he had so much cash in his: P « e % 4 ‘/ ¥. . Ail oe ST)? san Ny _ go ter press, I am curious ter know why we came so near bein’ subjicks fer the fishes.” *T am in Ruthven Stanford’s way.” “6 Why id The boatman hesitated. “You will excuse me for now,” he fin- ally responded. “I do not under-estimate the debt of gratitude I owe you, but I want to think it over. Villain that I knew Stanford to be, I never dreamed he had it in him to do such a vile deed as this.” “You know it now.” “Yes. He is a gambler, race-track sharper and all around sport, and is well known in both of the Twin Cities. Look out for him—he has proved to be more than a man-about-town.” ‘*T should remark.” “For now his grudge against me may remain secret, but I have no objection to telling you all, later on. Boy, you have saved my life.” “Seems ter me we was both inter it. We fit right alonside o’ each other.” * All true enough, but you know very well that I had practically succumbed to the elements when you pulled me back into this world. I will not forget this of you. Give me your full name—” “ James Madison Moss, Esquire. * And address.”’ Jim was not wholly in an amiable mood, for he felt that he should have been told more after he had done all he could for Lee, but he accepted the rebuff as cheerfully as possible and answered all that the boatman wanted to know. - The latter gave his own address, which was close to the East River, and then they wended their way homeward. Neither Was any the worse for the late adventure, but Lee cautioned his young ally to keep clear of Ruthven Stanford. ‘Now that the sport knew him as a friend of Lee’s he might do anything lawless to silence the boy. | In due time the pair separated and James went home alone. He was very matter-of-fact over his experience, and 7 ‘when he reached the tenement and found Bob, Simon Skiffsky and Isaac asleep he did not waken them. Hanging up his still wet clothes where they would dry to best advantage the peddler sought his bit of carpet. - He inwardly rebelled bitterly against ‘the unjust luck that had deprived him of further luxury. | E. “I’m sure I can’t sleep good without “T got used ter et, an’ et Was a great thing fer tired bones. night toward gettin’ a clew ter the saddle, but I’ll see ’em again. Denny Stone talked with a sport jest before I was robbed, an’ 7 ter-night I see Denny with Ruthven Stan- ford. Of course Stanford is the same sport in all this crooked biz, an* I'll haunt him until I git my saddle back or—” Right here James fell asleep and his aworldly affairs haunted him no more for some hours except in his dreams. : Our young friend was 4 thorough busi- ness boy, and the next morning he rose and went to work as usual. He said nothing to Bob and the other men of his adven- All of that day he peddled the leaping pocket that he was inclined to forget that Be) ae he had been sick and to look upon the eae i “world as a very bright and inviting place ‘to stay in. More, he felt rich, and an idea came to him, He hey eg after business hours, to Chambers Street, and, pausing in front a —- * ~ . i? * * 3 {> wai” ‘ §. \a +. ’ Cw 7 ? 1%, , <¢& > i-~ + * 7 -, ? - I didn’t make no progress ter-. The Sport of T'wo Cities. ——— --- - of a store there, looked long and lovingly at a saddle displayed in the window. It tempted him. “I'd like ter buy et, an’ will in a few days. I need a piller ter sleep on, an’ I need et bad. Some folks would prefer a reglar piller, but they never tried a saddle. When I git a bit richer I'll buy another saddle.” Tearing himself away, presently, the peddler went home and passed an hour with Bob, Simon and Isaac, but indoor life had jess attraction for him than be- fore his adventures. He finally put on his hat and wandered down to Chatham Square. “I may see that saddle,” was his un- spoken hope. Nothing arrested his attention at first, but, later on, he noticed a group of men gathered further along and he went that Way. In their midst was something whieh interested all, it seemed, and Jingo Jim Was not indifferent to sensations. - He managed to get partially into the group, so he could see and hear. A breezy man had the center, and by him was a small board located on a con- venient barrel. On the board were three little shells. The man suddenly held up a tive-dollar bank-note. ‘*Now, gents,” he cried, “I will place this bill under one of those shells, give them a little twirl, and then let any one of you guess which shell it is under. If you guess right the bill is yours.” _ Jingo Jim elevated his nose in con- tempt. “A thimble-rigger!’ he muttered. “ His game is so old that every fly kid o’ six years is onter it. He can’t ketch no- body—” A tall man moved closer to the supposed thimble-rigger. “Till try you once,” he remarked. “Done! Put up your own five—winner, to have both.” It was done; the first bank-note was put under a shell and the trio of shells shuffled. Then the tall man guessed as to its loeation. Shell and the money was his. The thim- ble-rigger seemed crestfallen, and wanted to try again, the guesser won every time. | s* “IT won't give you another show,” de- clared the thimble-rigger. ‘You are a mind reader, and it isn’t fair to me. Any Other gent want to try?” Another “gent’’ did, and he moved for- ward. “Grass!” muttered Jingo Jim. It was his terse way of saying that the new risker was a country-man. He did look like it. and beard looked sadly in need of shears and a barber’s. grasp. He now had an air. of profound wisdom which was impressive. “T will hazard something with you once,” he remarked. : “All right, but mind you. if you are another mind reader you will have but. one go. Where is your fiver?” The money was handed over; the shells were shuffled. “Guess!” directed the thimblerigger. “ This is the shell,” replied the supposed countryman, * Sure?” “Yes.” The reply was quick, for the guesser had watched closely and believed that he had followed the right shell through all its movements when the three were being Shuffiled. — “What will you bet?’ “Ten dollars.” | “Unless I have made an error you are wrong. I'll go you twenty dollars you are wrong.” . Gam | ES eee ee = ee ee ie Ee ——s He had named the right They tried once, twice, and He had an intelligent face, but his clothes did not fit and his hair ee I believe I, as "Ae Lh ts ae eee ox r -* - AE ST tn tp = 7 The countryman pulled out the money, “Tl do it.” “ Hold up!” suddenly “This is robbery. cried Jingo Jim, Stop it!’ CHAPTER VII. A MAN WHO WANTS SOMETHING. Everybody else grew spellbound as Jingo Jim followed up his ery by pressing fur- ther forward. Keeping a wary eye on the thimble-rigger, he again addressed the countryman: “ This is a skin game,” he declared, “an” that man is a thimble-rigger. You fwt up any cash with him, an’ you'll git salted, See?” The manipulator of the shells waxed in- dignant. “ How dare you lie about me, you little cuss?” he angrily demanded. “I am a man of honor, and a ragamuffin like you can’t bluff me. Get out, or I’ll smash ye. See?” ‘Then he abruptly turned to the country- man, “ All right, I take your bet,” ‘he pro- ceeded. “Here goes!” He had deftly snatched the money, and the hesitating stranger was too late to back out if he wished. Pick your shell!” added the sharper. “Don't do it, mister,” urged Jim. “Get yer boodle back now, or you'll never get it. Ketch on ter ther cable.” The sharper was about to make a rush for the boy, but the victim made his de- cision, “Til try it,’ he replied. “T select that sbell.”’ The thimble-rigger coolly lifted it. Of course there was nothing under it. * Made a miss-guess, didn't you?” smiled the crook. “Better luck next time. I'll go you—” “A cop!” hand. “Cheese it!’ cried* the. thimble-rigger, and he gathered up his shells with re- markable expedition. Another moment and he was dodging into the shadow of a’ building and hastening off. i “Say, nibsey,” cried Jim to the victim, “be you goin’ ter let his jags work this shbap ?” AG ee, The countryman seemed very much un- decided. The crowd was breaking up, and the advancing patrolman saw no reason for haste in marching along his beat, so victim answered: “TI really don’t know—” “I do,” retorted Jim. os En?” x You might as well try to ketch last year’s dew as him. He’s gone, an’ ye'r. plunkers has gone with him.” “Say, boy, was there really anything > wrong about that?” “ Not much.” : “ Then, why did you talk as you did?’ ‘“ All that was wrong was this: The first bettor was a pal o’ the thimble-rigger, an’ he was allowed to win ter draw you on. See? An’ when you fell inter the net the boss 0’ the job was enough of a sleight-o’- hand performer ter shuffle them shells ‘Might under ye’r nose so that your lamps, - an’ nobody else’s, couldn't foller the right Oh! Jugs Brown is a bass at thimble. What work!” “'Phat was the thimble-rigger’s nam so called because he was once a bartender —but, crickey! any six-year-old kid in New York could hev’ spotted the game. It's old as the hills, mister.” | “And have I been caught by such a wick as this?” muttered the victim, with a gbamefaced air. ‘Count ye’r cash an’ see, mister.” There was momentary silence; then , came an air of resignation. : oy et a we a i 1) whe Be ty BPs * ep "a A et a Pacey Bein te eM wath ¢ as PSRs), hn 2, Pe Ts al the yi wn Miche PN we | ¥ : 1 e as er Tage -7 i. i Gi @ A | a Q ¢) I @ } ~~ . om * . Pi, nie AS - ? * ° . « sy - . AL ' + be A a ' » | ¥ ' . : * “i mf 4 tg s er ra * ’ _ t - . ras 4 . . . "s My, a ¥ fs hie. exclaimed a voice near at. the coveted chance passed. Finally the * byl a tr Tn. ek Ta