Beadle's Dime Library No. 412 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

+9 20 ——-—- ‘‘ Put him out, then,” shouted the voice above. *¢ What do I keep ye for, ye lazy brutes?” Then Terror Jim roared back: ‘‘ Hi! Skinner, what are ye givin’ us? Come down here, ye bloomin’ old sinner. It’s an old pal’s come to see ye, and he wants a bit of grub and a glass of grog. : Snoopey listened intently, and noticed that the ‘tramp’s words og mee an immediate silence, followed soon after by the tread of a heavy foot on the stairs. He could see that the two waiters looked as if they were overcome by surprise, but they both fell back, and Snoopey saw a large, stout man, with gray hair, come down to Terror Jim, and say, in a constrained sort of way, asif trying to make the best of it: ‘‘ What makes you dress in such a way, so that one can hardly know you? Been out hunt- ing, I ea tat error Jim laughed heartily. ‘They won’t miss one, I reckon.” So he took one out of the dish, retired under the table again and began to gnaw it with great gusto, Presently he stopped eating to listen, for he heard steps on the stairs, and a little later into the room walked his friend, Terror Jim, with the master of the house, who said: ‘**There, Somers, if you're hun , you won't find better in a hotel, T’ve had enough hard pcg and I live as well as I know how nowa- ays. noopey laid himself down flat on the floor, with the corner of his head out to survey his oes who stood in the light of a lamp on the table. Snoopey hardly recognized Terror Jim. He was handsomely dressed, and his rough, strag- gling hair and beard had been trimmed into decent proportions, so that he bore the appear- ance of a seafaring man, come in from a long Larry Locke, the Man of Iron. ‘ money to pay my bills. In short, Cap, I want | | you to jest come down handsome, as you kin well afford to do, and give your old messmate a chance to make the best of his figure and marry a rich gal. That’s me.” CHAPTER XXXT. A NICE LITTLE PLAN, SNOOPEY was so taken aback by the sublime impudence of his partner that he muttered to himself under his breath: ‘Great Caesar, what a gall!” But, to his surprise, Skinner did not seem to take the matter 11], for he said: ‘*T suppose we might do something for you. How wouid you like a place in the mill when we get to work?” Jim laughed rather scornfully. ‘‘In the mill? What todo? Work?” Skinner moved uneasily in his chair. **Of course. We all have to work, don’t we? ty ‘* Why, how’d you know that, Cap? Ay, ay, | voyage, and taking a crnise ashore in his best. I do, at all events.” = ye I’ve been huntin’, and I’m as hungry as a hun- Snoopey could hardly tell what put the idea Terror Jim laughed again. yt ‘ter, too. Lemme see. Meand you used to wear | into his head. He had known Jim for seven or **T don’t, if [ kin help it. You know that me i ‘the same close onst—”’ eight years, and had never heard him mention | and you knowed how to shirk work, didn’t we, @ ‘Yes, yes,” hastily interrupted Skinner, | the sea; yet the moment he saw him dressed in | when we was on the old—” ag “Pll fit he out, Come up-stairs to the bath- | Skinner’s clothes, he thought how much like a ‘‘Hush!” interrupted Skinner, cautiously. f room and get a wash, and I'll lend you a suit of | sailor Terror Jim looked. ** Some one might be sae, a <lothes. ou shouldn’t go about in that sort The first words uttered by his comrade told ** Let ’em listen,” retorted Jim, but he pitched hey -of way. People would think you were a/| him that his suspicions were correct. his voice on a lower key nevertheless, ‘TI a tramp.” ‘‘ Ay, ay,” retarned Jim, with a sort of half- | mean this. Me and you was on the old ’Rora. ARSE Then he turned to the waiters, saying: sulky growl, “it’s well enough for you, Cap, as | You was bo’s’n and I was cook. Well, we two b> ‘You can go. Get ready a good supper in | used to live in the cabin when I was a-slushin’ | came home in the ’Rora as cap’n and mate, ih ‘the back dining-room. This gentleman and [ | down topmasts and holystonin’ decks. But you | didn’t we? How did we do it?” have some business to do together, and we don’t | allershad ths luck and I didn’t, Do you remem- There was a short silence and Skinner said in ee want to be disturbed.” ber that ere Afriky v’y’ge—?” a low tone: ae Snoopey withdrew into the cupboard, and said ‘‘There, there,” interrupted Skinner, hastily. ** You know 9s well as I do. The officers all | to himself: ‘Never mind the African voyage. Eat and | died of the fever.” eas ‘Ye have, have ye? Maybe I won’t find out | drink, and be merry. Miello! they've put noth- Jim chuckled. . a>: what it is? T guess not!” ing but water on the table, Til go and call| “ Ay, ay, callit the fever. It’s a good place i thera up—” to die in, out at sew, cause there’s no questions . CHAPTER XXX, **Don’t ye do no sech thing,” interru the | axed. No coroners, nor nothen. It’s a good vay MR. SKINNIR’S VISITOR, tramp in his turn. “I ain’t been in this kind | place todie in. But you know, old messmate, i To Snoopey, the tramp, sly by nature, and | of a house so often, but what I know a thing or | who gave me the arsenic to put into the soup, Hy trained by education to all sorts of secretive | two. Look a-there at that sideboard, Bain’t | and I know it too. It was lucky there warn’t I. tricks, it was an easy matter to hide himself | ye got nothem to drink in there?” no doctor aboard the old ’Rora. Now I ain’t 7 away in that big house. Skinner seemed to hesitate. on the work no more. Iain’t. I want a soft as He waited till Skinner and Terror Jim had “Yes—that is—I didn’t know if you'd care | place. If you wants any work done, I ain’t BK gone up-stairs, and the waiters had disappeared } for what’s in there.” there. If you wants any man took out of the Zs the kitchen, when he very quietly slipped out ‘Care for it? What’n blazes do ye take me | way I’m agreeable: but that’s as far as I go to Bi of his cupboard, went up-stairs to the next land- | for? A bloominm’ chump? Trot out the whisky, | ’arn my living.” af: ‘ing, looked into all the rooms, decided on the | ye darned old galoot, so I kim take a snifter Snoopney heard Skinner make a quick move- Bas, - dining-room where the long dining-table was | afore I eat.” , ment of his chair, and ask in a tone of impa- ay covered with a heavy crimson cloth that fell to <e Skinner seemed to hesitate, for he | tience: " i es | the carpet all round if. finally said, rather stiffly: | ‘** Well, will you do that then?” ‘a Under this cloth Snoopey very quietly secreted “Tf you please; but mind, it won't do to get “Sart?in I will,” replied Terror Jim, with oe himself and observed with great satisfaction | drunk in this house, Ive gota position to keep | perfect coolness, ‘‘That’s what I came to do . that he was quite secure. up now, and—” | for you. I’mon the fight, if you want it, but I ab? The dining-room had large French windows at “Oh, come off the roof,” interrupted Jim, | ajn’t on the work.” be the rear opening into a garden, and asthe house | rudely. ‘* Position be blowea! Ain’t you an There was a short silence in the room, and | ‘atti was built on a corner lot, the trampsaw thathis | me old shipmates, and hain’t we got drunk to- | then Skinner said: a ae ee, tTetreat in any eveat would be an easy one, for | gether, many’s the time—” “Do you know a man called Larry Locke?” _ ‘he knew that Terror Jim, even if he discovered ‘*Say no more. You shall have it,” inter- Terror Jim growled. | him, could never catch him. posed Skinner, soothingly; ‘‘ but don’t make ‘‘ Larry Locke? Yes, blast him!” sa Jim was twice as strong as Snoopey, but | sucha noise, man. Here, here!” “Well, I want to get rid of him,” said the __- Snoopey could run away from Jim at any time, Snoopey saw him go and unlock the side- | mill-owner, in a low tone. “If you can get --—s though he hoped to-have no occasion to do the | board, and the tramp’s eyes glittered at the | him out of the way within three days [ll give Me ‘game that night, for he felt in great terror of | array of silver he saw there beside the bottles, | you five-hundred dollars.” _ his brutal partner. as the mill-owner left the door open, while he | Terror Jim shook his bead. oa The tramp curled himself up under the table | brought back the whisky-bottle to the table. ‘That ain’t so easy, Cap. He’s a hard nut, ' ss and. waited, and presently the waiters came in Then Terror Jim poured out a large drink, | and I don’t want to try and crack it.” to lay the cloth at one end, when Snoopey heard | tossed it off like so much water, and said: | ** You needn’t do it alone,” returned Skinner. one say to the other: ‘* Now | kin punish the grub, I reckon,” | “You can take all the men you want, and Ill Be ta *T ain’t goin’ to stay in this place much With that he sat down and began to eat, | pay them, so long as he’s got rid of. He’s the | Tonger, John, if things goes on this way. It’s | while Snoopey, under the table-cloth, gnawed ife and soul of this strike, and none of the | _ bad enough to have to stand the low ways of | at his chicken as silently as he could and listened | men would stick out so long if he didn’t hold ' “that Trainor feller without a tramp comin’ in, | all the while to what was going on. _ them up.” ss «and me havin’ to lay supper for him.” At last Jim seemed to have satisfied hisap- | ‘t Well, Cap,” returned Terror Jim, slowly. “What's odds?” returned John, philosophical- | petite, for he drew back his chair, put out his | ‘‘ I'll see what I kin do, with some boys I an dy. ‘The pay’s good. These second-chop fellers | feet, und observed to Skinner: _ know; but seems to me that you’re a-wasting ' -allers pays well, and they’re afecard to say ‘“Reckon (ldo now. What brand of cigars” your powder on him. He ain’t the man to, go - much to a man who’s b’en in a house. | do you smoke? None of your five-cent stinkers ; fur. It’s them as is settin’ bim on,” + There, that’s enough for the likes of him. Cold | now, Cap. I kiow you of old. You was allers | “What do you mean?” asked Skinner, in a . ‘beef, chicken, ham, and a apple pie. Guess ho | a mean one when you got the chance. Icome | tone of surprise, ‘never had such a lay-out afore, What’ll wegive | hero to havea g talk with you, andI can’t} ‘I mean ain't there no ono else you hate aay him to drink?” talk so well unless I have somethin’ to smoke.” worse? This Larry’s only a workman, ain’t ed ‘* Water,” returned tho first man, with great ‘* Wouldn’t a pipe answer?” asked Skinner. | he?” | § «disdain. ‘I ain’t gous to light no fire for coffee Jim laughed scornfully. | ** Yes: to be sure: but he’s a leader too. He | —s- for him, Let the unlock the whisky-bottle ‘* A pipe indeed! Why, tramps smokes them. | yuts up the jobs for the rest.” ee. 4f he wants to. Idon’t want toclean up after | I ain’t no tramp. I’m your old shipmate, Jim ‘I know all that,” returned Jim; ‘‘ but ain’t - mo boozy tramps.” Somers, what made your fortin’ for ye, by put- there some one else?” en “Right you are,” said John, heartily. ‘‘I | tin’ per in the way of—” : ‘* Who else can there be?’ asked Skinner, in prt _ .don’t know where you're a-goin’, Jamvs, but I’m “Hush! hush!” interrupted Skinner, in an an uneasy manner. ‘I don’t deny there is, _ _ saegoin’ to take a stroll. the boss wants us, | agitated way. “Tl get you some cigars, and but what do vou know about it?” | ees S. let him holler, But I guess he don’t want to | then you can tell me what you wan! to say, ‘‘T know this much about it,” retorted Jim, /+ _ ghow off his friend to us. but talk low, for Heaven’s sake, Don't be so ‘that ve heard a good deal of talk about a ny my Then the men left the room, and Snoopey | noisy.” -nevy of yourn, one Paul Von Beaver, that they -— -eubbed his hands, saying to himself: | As he ni Snoopey saw him go tothe side- say you hate like p'ison. Ain’t he the next — - * Jest what I want. If they’ll go out, I'll have | board and bring out a box of cigars, which he | heir or suthin’?” -—s *the house to myself.” put on the table, when Terror Jim stretched | Skinner seemed to be still more surprised. Biers? He saw that the discipline of the Skinner | out his hoofs and began to smoke, | * How did you know that?” he asked, with a mansion was decidedly lax, and there were no Presently he remarked lazily: | sort of gasp. iF oN evidences of any women about the place. “That's a pretty good cigar, Can. Good ‘By usin’ my eyes and ears,” retorted Jim, - Nae a As a matter of fact, Marcellus Skinner had | enough to have come from Cuby without pay- ‘There was a English feller used to be with his mone but male servants, and they had grown : in’ eny dooty. Now then comes that little talk | hosses, and he got to drinking and got into _ ss -yvery independent during the strike, ke about, and I want you to listen.” | trouble. Him and me was in county jail to- aS Snoopey waited a few minutes and heard the ; eT geek? certainly,” was the nervous re- | gether, and he told me how you'd come and * —s basement-door slam, from which he rightly | ply. “ on, Somers. What is it?” got the old man to make some kind of will to _-—-s judged that John and James had gone delib- | Snoopey pricked 4 his ears. He was going | cut off the boy, and how he wouldn’t only as —-@rately away from the house to escape further | to hear something at last. | you the use of the place for life, Ain’t t service, . Terror Jim cleared histhroat. - ' correct?” a a | ~--—- Then be crept out from under the cloth and| ‘‘ Waal,” he said, ‘‘ to tell the truth I'm jest | | “ Yes,” returned Skinner, with some relief. | took a look at the. table, which was spread with | about tired of trampin’ and I want to settle ' ‘‘ Is that the way you found it out?” ‘i _——s & most appetizing cold supper. On ove dish was | down, I want to git a place where I kin have ‘Ay. ay, 1 found it. . These fellers that | Ry mh a of < chickens, and the tramp said to If | my meals reg’lar, with a bottle of whisky when works allers has a good deal to say about what eeitth.a grin: I feel like it, and where 1 won’t have to beg the goes on in the house, Well, so I jest thought ; 4 ope. cComilebooks.com — , See | F SPORES. ee z= . Phd pt, rf. i