A DAY AND A NIGHT IN CONEY ISLAND--RAIDING A GAMBLING DEN.
ARCHIE was at first too much surprised to answer the man at all, but in
a few moments he remembered that he was now a reporter, and that it
was his duty to see all that he could, and have all the new experiences
possible. So he decided to follow the man, and find out what “the best
thing of all” in Coney Island was like. He was taken through several
narrow alleyways, and finally he found himself in front of a tumble-down
structure, built out directly over the water. It was very modest in
appearance, and everything seemed quiet about the place. The shades were
carefully drawn, and the dark man had to knock three times before the
door was opened and they were permitted to enter. Inside, Archie found
himself in a handsomely furnished apartment which differed greatly in
appearance from the exterior of the building. There was a rich velvet
carpet, mahogany furniture, and a great many small tables standing about
the room. The place was filled with men, mostly well-dressed, who were
playing various games. Some were dealing cards, others were twirling
wheels with numbers on them, and some were playing games with chips.
It didn’t take Archie long to realise that he had been steered into a
gambling den of the worst kind, and he was immediately on the alert for
future developments. He watched every movement of his new friend, and
noticed that he found it necessary to speak to several of those present
in a low undertone. This didn’t worry Archie, because he knew that
he was in no danger except of losing money, and he felt that he could
afford to lose some money, since he was sure to earn more by writing
about the experience for the newspaper.
So he carefully observed all that was going on, making mental notes of
the peculiarities of the place and the people. When at last the dark
man came up and inquired if he wouldn’t like a chance to earn some money
easily, he very readily answered yes, and the man was overjoyed to
find so willing a victim. Then, of course, Archie was introduced to the
mysteries of the famous roulette wheel, of which he had read so much.
Archie was interested in everything, and didn’t mind losing four dollars
in learning so much that was new. He succeeded in getting away when
he had lost this sum, though the man assured him that he couldn’t help
winning back all he had lost, and much more, too, if he would but remain
awhile longer. Archie was firm, however, and passed out into the narrow
alleyways again, feeling that he had learned a great deal through a very
small expenditure of money. He gradually found his way back into the
crowded Surf Avenue, where there were hundreds of things, evidently,
which he had not yet seen. The crowds, too, seemed greater even than
before, and there seemed to be thousands of people arriving every hour
from New York and Brooklyn, over the various street-car and railway
lines, and by the excursion boats landing at the great iron pier. The
noise was still deafening, and every one seemed to be having a splendid
time in every way. “Surely,” said Archie to himself, “no one can feel
blue or despondent in such a place as this, where every one is full of
fun, and apparently determined to have a good time while here.” And he
felt that he would like to remain longer, but he knew he should go
back again to the city, so that he might see the editor, and tell him
something about what he had seen and done.
So again he rode over the great Brooklyn bridge, and stopped on the
other side at the handsome building of the Enterprise. It made Archie
very happy to feel that he was now a reporter on such a great paper, and
he found it hard to realise that so much good fortune had come to him in
such a short time. He met reporters in the various hallways, and all of
them spoke to him pleasantly, so that he began to feel that he had never
been thrown with such pleasant men before.
He had no difficulty in seeing the editor this time, and found him a
ready listener to the story of his Coney Island experiences. He insisted
on Archie’s describing all the men he had seen in the gambling den, and
then asked him if he could identify them, if necessary, and also if he
would be able to find the place again. Archie gave good descriptions of
most of the men, and said that he could take any one to the place at any
time. The editor lost himself in thought for a few minutes, and at the
end of that time he rang for a copy-boy. “Ring for a messenger boy,” he
said, “and when he arrives come for a note which I want him to take to
Mr. Pultzer’s house.” Archie stared with amazement at Mr. Jennings, and
waited for further information. He wondered what was going to be done.
He knew that Mr. Pultzer owned the newspaper, and he knew that it must
be something important that Mr. Jennings wanted to write him about. He
wasn’t long left in the dark, and he felt very proud that Mr. Jennings
should have confidence enough in him to tell him about his plans. “I
think you have discovered something which will prove very important to
the paper and the public,” he said to Archie. “We have suspected for a
long time that gambling dens have been flourishing in Coney Island, but
up to now we have not been able to locate any of them. Now that you have
found one, we hope to arouse public opinion to the danger there is in
such places, and we hope to inspire a reform movement which will be
strong enough to wipe them out entirely. I will hear from Mr. Pultzer
in a short time, and then I want you to go down to the Island with
some plain-clothes detectives and two other reporters. And I don’t
mind telling you now that there will be a good sum in it for you if you
succeed in arresting any of the leaders of this gang. You can be excused
for an hour now, if there’s anything you want to do.”
Full of enthusiasm over the coming adventure and his part in it, Archie
hurried out to a quick-lunch counter and bought himself a light meal,
for he feared that he would have to remain at Coney Island through
the evening. Then, when he had finished, he returned to the newspaper
office, where he spent some time in getting acquainted with some of the
reporters who were working on the Morning Enterprise. He found them all
very pleasant to meet, and he learned a great many helpful things from
their conversation. The older men were able to give him many pointers
concerning things that he should, and should not, do. While he was in
the office of the Morning Enterprise Mr. Jennings came in, and, taking
him along into the private room of the managing editor, introduced him
to Mr. Van Bunting, who was the editorial head of the morning edition.
Then Mr. Jennings told of the new scheme, and Mr. Van Bunting entered
into it so thoroughly that before an hour three detectives, two
reporters, and Archie were on their way to the Island.
Once arrived in the resort, which was as noisy and bright as in the
afternoon, they all made a bee-line for the gambling den, headed by
Archie, who surprised the others with his certainty and confidence as to
which was the right direction. In a very few minutes they all stood in
front of the dilapidated structure built out over tide-water, and Archie
heard one of the detectives say that the place looked “mighty suspicious
like.” He gave three knocks just as the dark man had done in the
afternoon, and in a few minutes the door was cautiously opened and a
head made its appearance. The detectives lost no time in pushing their
way in, amid great confusion and cries of fear, and it seemed only a
few seconds until all the inmates were huddled in a corner, covered with
pistols, and wailing in fear, when they weren’t cursing through anger.
Then they were all arrested and taken to the police station, where they
were all refused bail, and placed in cells overnight. Then the reporters
returned to the office of the Enterprise, where Archie was told by Mr.
Van Bunting to write the story of his experience for the morning paper.
This was his first work for the morning edition, and he took great pains
to make his descriptions as complete as possible, and the details as
accurate as he knew how to make them. And his hard work was rewarded by
words of praise from the managing editor when he turned the copy in for
editing.
Tired from his hard day’s work, Archie then went up-town to the quiet
square in which he had his home, and he was glad to get to bed. He had
been nervous and excited all day, and found it difficult to sleep, but
finally the tired eyelids lay quietly over the tired eyes, and Archie
was dreaming of the cool and pleasant arbour of grapes at home, and of
how the Hut Club was holding a special meeting there to devise ways and
means of welcoming home their distinguished fellow member, Mr. Archie
Dunn, who had achieved such great success in the city.
Notwithstanding his tired feeling, Archie was up early the next morning,
and out at the corner to buy an Enterprise. He hastily turned the pages,
trying to find the story of his Coney Island adventures, but he looked
in vain. It wasn’t visible anywhere. He was about to think that it had
not been thought worth while printing when he noticed on the front
page, in large letters, “The Boy Reporter’s Great Discovery,” and then
followed the complete account, just as he had written it. This was
the best thing yet. Just to think that his story had been considered
important enough to print upon the front page! He could hardly believe
it. Surely he had made great strides, and Archie began to realise that
it is not experience that is most needed in journalism, but something to
write about. “I have simply been fortunate in finding some interesting
things,” he said, to himself, and then, after a light breakfast in a
quaint Italian restaurant around the corner, he hurried down-town to the
office of the newspaper.
Archie was beginning to feel, by now, that he had worked for a long time
upon the paper, and as he had become acquainted with almost every one
connected with it, this wasn’t a strange feeling for him to have. And
it was evident, too, that the editors intended to keep him busy for some
time to come, and Archie realised that he was in newspaper work to stay,
for a time, at least. And he was overjoyed at the prospect, for he found
the whole business as fascinating and as interesting as he had expected
it would be.
Mr. Jennings, of the evening edition, was at the office when Archie
arrived, and sent for him to come in. “Here is fifty dollars,” he said,
“for your work of yesterday, and you will have more coming to you if
these men are convicted. I want to congratulate you on what you have
done so far. Come in this afternoon, and I think Mr. Van Bunting will
have a new plan for you.”