Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 970 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

it?” Ahoy Abe, THE DOCK SHARP; OR, The Parson Sport’s Mysterious Mission, The Romance of a Shore Cruise for Sea Sharks. BY JO PIERCE. AUTHOR OF ‘“‘ BILLY BLUE BLAZES,” ‘‘ FIFTH AVENUE FRED,” *‘ UNLUCKY JO,” ‘‘ MES- SENGER 999,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER 1. THE SHARP BECOMES A LIFE-SAVER, THE schooner Brown Bet lay in the dock by one of the North River piers, _A stout boy of seventeen years walked down on the pier and stood opposite the craft, There were but few persons ina New York who kept a sharper watch along the water-front, or knew better what was going on there, than he, but, this vessel had arrived since dark, and the shad- ows of night prevented him from reading its name, A stir on the deck attracted his attention, and he made out a man and a woman, standing there. ‘‘ Wait a bit, my hearty!” directed the man, in a deep, low voice, ‘‘and Ill throw out the gang-plank, We'll be ashore in a twinkling.” | **’m almost afraid to go,” she answered, ‘* Nonsense, my girl! it’s only a few steps to the hotel, and it will be light enough as soon as we are clear of the pier.” He was busy while he spoke, and one end of the plank was soon shoved out on the pier. The boy stood near enough to see and hear all, and, knowing no reason why he should seek concealment, also near enough so that it seemed easy for them to see him in return, but he did nct believe og did see him, The plank having been arranged, the man ad- ‘* Go ahead, my girl, and I’ll follow ds soon as I get my light jacket. It’s right over there.” ‘* T think VU wait for you.’ ‘* But, I’m right at your heels, girl, Don’t be a coward. Goon.” The deep-voiced man spoke impatiently, al- most angrily, and his directions were obeyed. The young woman started. She started—but, did not reach the pier. ‘There was a cracking sound, which plainly came from the plank; a |, start and faint cry from her lips; and then the support parted and she fell downward, A splash followed, and she was struggling in the water. 3 The boy, idly watching, had not expected anything out of the ordinary current of events, and least of all what actually had occurred, He stood inactive for a moment, and then hurried to the edge of the pier. The man on the schooner also had advanced to where he could look, but that was all he did, He did not move a band to save her. The other observer was a cool and practical youth, and not having a strong — grasp on intricate matters to suspect that the man might be chained to the spot by horror, he cried out in- dignantly: ‘Say, ain’t you a-goin’ ter help her out of The man started and looked at the speaker, but made no answer, and the boy added: ‘*She’s your chum; why don’t you save her “lite?” Then the man stirred into action. Wringing his hands, he huskily exclaimed: “Oh! what shall I do? She will be lost! What shall I do?” | ‘*San’t say, but this is w’ot I'll do.” So saying the dock boy scout cast off his coat and sprung from the pier. A dipin the North River was nothing new for him, and he went with the confidence of a rag | 8 ‘ He already had seen that the) woman could swim eastih to kee do pe teas more at this crisis was proof that she did not have skill enough to save herself, while her failure to cry out indicated a degree of fright which showed she would soon perish unlesx help was given, ! The boy rescuer was soon by ber side, and he passed one arm around her w ** Brace up!” he advised, in his off-hand way, Ahoy Abe, the Dock Sharp. -athick, short beard and nautical look, not take Abe long to decide that he was the cap- float, but her failure to | aaa it, an’ ** All you’ve got ter do is ter keep yer "Il save Vill guarantee you'll git outall right, yer—great fishes! yes, you bet!” Then to the man on deck he added: ‘*T’row us a line, messmate!” ‘* Yes, yes!” came the answer; ‘‘ catch it as it falls. Now, then!” A rope came circling down, but the cast was poor, and the end went flying far out of the rescuer’s reach, much to his impatience, ‘‘Don’t be so measly nervous!” he advised. “Try again, an’ don’t git the idee that this dock is as big as New York Bay.” Cool as his words were, he was not by any means having an easy time, The young woman failed to take in the spirit of his advice to her, but continued to struggle, and made it by no means easy to offset her frightened efforts. He had prevented her from tangling up his arms by pinioning her own, and this hold he kept resolutely, though much to her fright. He determined that if the man on the schooner continued as wild and erratic as before, he would strike out for himself and save her, any- how, but this he was not called upon to do. Again the rope was flung down, and it fell so accurately that he aad it easily. Then it was the work of onlya brief time to form a noose around the girl’s waist. ‘* Haul away!” he directed, and she was raised firmly and steadily. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her landed on deck. ‘** Now fer me,” he directed. He had grown sufliciently interested to wish to see more of the couple, and intended to do so. But no sound came from above, and he sudden- ly turned, grasped at a support of the pier, and w himself to that place, Then, with one light spring, he landed on the schooner. he man was bending over the girl. **Oh! my ans 3 "he was saying, al- most sobbingly, ‘* I shall die if barm has come to you. Oh! my child, my cbild!” ‘* Ain’t she got her grip yet?” The man turned upon the speaker sharply. ‘* Who are you?” he snapped. ‘*My name is Ahoy Abe, called the Sharp of the Docks, at yer service; an’ I am the galivant- in’ galoot that helped yer a bit ago, Don’t bite my head off!” “T beg your patdon, young'man; I was ner- yous, excited, alarmed. Otherwise, { should not have been uncivil. I beg your pardon, But, ‘| oh! my child, my Elise!—is she drowned?” 7 am all right, uncle,” came faintly from the irl, on Hurrah! Thank Heaven!” ; : = spoke heartily, and fell to kissing he and, ‘* Carry me to the cabin,” she requésted, ‘*] will, atonce. Boy, will you help me?’ The youth who had given the eccentric name of Ahoy Abe was willing, and Elise was lifted and borne below. A comfortable lounge in the cabin became her resting-place, and the uncle bustled around to prepare a hot drink, Abe scanned both of them curiously. Elise appeared to be twenty years old, and was a trim, fine-looking girl, intelligent and attractive. The uncle was big and ad i tain of the Brown Bet. Ahoy Abe, himself, was worthy of more than passing attention. He was not handsome, his features being slightly coarse and his face freckled, but he was keen, sagacious and good- natured, and a close observer would at once set him down as one who ‘‘ knew the ropes” in New York, but was not given to ways that were law- leas, . : ‘You had a narrer escape,” he observed, to ‘* Words cannot describe the horror of it.” ‘**Guess you don’t hev solid gang-p) ” “T can’t understand that,” cried the captain. ‘‘ ve sailed the Brown Bet @ good many years, ag Ona parts of her area little weak, it may be, but I would have bet my life on that plank. lt’s almost new, It ain’t the way of old John to have rotten f Beg | ‘ Wal, the plank broke.” “Did it?” | | : ‘You say.” | “‘T believe some shark stole mine and sub- stituted his own old one. Can’t see how he could do it, but how else can it be explained? Here, my poor child; driuk this!” The cap handed over oo pag ate and when Elise had drank it, he added: “The matter must be looked into. It is no- oes, Beaty to have things about the schooner monkeyed with when we're in port, but if any- rT ttttEEEtttttttttCtrttrtrtrtCrCCOCCCCCOOOCCCCCCCCCCCCCMoC¢OCéCCUCUOCVKhKNMl CCCLUCtCtttCEtRLErRErEcEwEw iE ae thing was done to the gang-plank, it was a trick—and a most villainous one, Are you feel- ing better, Elise?’ ** Yes. all right.” ‘‘ Then, my lad, let’s go up and see if we can get at this mystery.” They went, Captain Twiss muttered to him- self as they went, and when, after some labor, the plank, or its two halves, had been recovered from the dock basin, he broke out indignantly: ‘‘ By the Old Nick! the man who did that was a scoundrel! Oh! if I only had my paws on him!” The exclamation seemed well founded. The plank had been cut nearly in two with a saw, only enough being left unsevered to hold it together; but was not strong enough to hold the weight of a person, As a result, Elise had no sooner walked out on it than it broke and precipitated her into the water. : “A cowardly trick!” cried Captain Twiss. ‘* Ill find the one who did it, if it takes a year!” CHAPTER II. THE TERROR OF THE CABIN, THE skipper shook his fist at the empty air, while Ahoy Abe looked at the severed plank more quietly, and, presently, murmured: “ Who could ’a’ done it?” He addressed no one but _hir:nself, but Captain Twiss made answer: . ‘*T have business rivals, and it may have been done by them, but I suppose a more likely pre- sumption would be that boys were responsible for it. There are some tough young citizens ong the water-front, and it may be they sawed the plank for mischief. By the way, are you @ North River boy?” ‘* Yes; a water-front walker.” ‘¢- You haven’t seen anything wrong?” ‘‘ Wrong? Yer mean crooked? Well, no; not jist tere.” * Are you well acquainted hereabouts?” ‘* Nobody better!” the youth declared, ‘¢ Your name is—what?” Ke Abraham Dow, commonly cailed Ahoy e. ‘* That smacks of the sea.” ‘¢ The ‘longshoremen and navvies gave me that handle, yesee, i’vye sorter mixed in with them permise’us. They all know me; the ’longshore- men do; an’ they named me.Ahoy Abe, 1 used ter think ‘twas a right queer handle, but I’ve got used ter it. A name is likea pair o’ shoes; after it’s been wore awhile it fits wal, unless we've got corns. ; Don’t worry about me; I shall soon be — wiss regarded Abraham in silence, The latter had a free-and-easy way which was not by apy means rare among water-front boys, but he had more: despite the i poe of his manner, he was one who “ carried an old head on young shoulder~,” ‘* How did you happen to be here?” the captain asked, after a pause, “1 wuz jest lookin’ at the scenery, an’ a- smellin’ of it.” ; “Were you alone?” wer i By . , _ “* You showed great heroism in plunging into the water, and I will see you are duly rewarded, e girl had drowned! You see, she is my 0 “4 sister, Mrs. Deusille ee) daughter of my late en, ) | ‘*We wander from the subjick, mister. How is it that the sawer of that plank could ’a’ done pedigs wie been dropped on by you?” asked ac 2 4 Sonteas I Xon't know.” - “The plank was on the schooner, eh?” “Yes, ; ‘‘ Then the sawer wuz there, too,” ‘« What if he is still there?” cried Twiss, with a sudden start, | ‘Kt ain’t likely, but et won’t dono burt ter look, right away. Ef any sech snoozer is down there, he may take et inter his head ter bore a hole through the wessel, or gobble Miss Elise u like a devourin’ wolf an’ we Reed ter J ersey wit her, That wovld be tough, yer know!” and young Abrabam winked gravely at his com- —_ but, in the darkness, it was lost upon the Pe te. vg about iota. er, ant Se 4 a) as far as searc went, w sudden- ly, a shatok sounded from the abe elow. It was followed by other screams, all indicative of extreme fright. : ‘t Bt’s Elise!” Abe declared. ‘* Great heavens! what is wrong?” |“ Hels gos her Come on!” boy bounded away at > “4 speed, The captain followed with : ve —— ie a . —s a © eae ae ‘ ay tee < i t— 2% - i - - - . ast a -_- oe ee. . < - “ . kn re gt ° ; -_ — ——— ~<— — a * : wf ~ es v= . _* ‘ Ms > . ~ ee ‘ _? . Sees POR Oe — ” ee } - re