THE VENTRILOQUISTS DO RATTLE THE SERGEANT AND HIS PLATOON AND AGAIN
RAISE OLD CAIN IN A MOST REMARKABLE MANNER.
The two vocal experts fell to the trail of the sergeant and his platoon,
but kept well out of sight. They were determined to set the two
patrolmen right after getting them in such a bad scrape. The whole
charge against them was having claimed that they had overheard cries of
fire. The sergeant was discussing the matter with the roundsman when
suddenly from a private house before which at the moment they were
passing came a series of wild, frantic screams, and the next instant the
screams were followed by cries of "fire! fire!"
"Well," exclaimed the sergeant, "it's a fire this time. Run to the alarm
box and summon the engines."
The roundsman dashed off to give the alarm and the sergeant ran up the
stoop of the house and commenced to bang on the door with his club, and
the two ventriloquists were enjoying the joke. The door of the house was
opened by a gentleman enveloped in a dressing-gown, who in great
excitement demanded:
"What in thunder do you want?"
With equal excitement the sergeant demanded:
"Where is the fire?"
"What fire?"
"The fire in this house."
"There is no fire in this house."
"Then why in thunder did you yell 'fire, fire?'"
"No one yelled fire. What is the matter with you?"
The owner of the house discerned that it was a sergeant of police to
whom he was talking. "Have you gone crazy?" he asked.
"Gone crazy! No; but what did you mean by yelling fire?"
"I did not yell fire. Every one in this house has been in bed a long
time."
"Who was it screamed?"
"No one screamed."
"Do you mean to tell me you did not yell fire?"
"No one yelled fire."
"And no one screamed in this house?"
"No one screamed."
At that moment the engines reappeared and the owner of the house said:
"I'll have this matter inquired into. If this is a joke you will find it
an expensive one."
The foreman of the engine company approached and demanded:
"Where is the fire?"
"There is no fire," said the owner of the house.
"No fire?"
"No fire, and I don't know what the officer means by banging on my door
and arousing my family at this hour of the night."
"And I can't understand," said the foreman, "what he means by calling
out the engines every five minutes on a false alarm."
"There is my platoon of men, there is my roundsman. They will all
testify they heard a cry of fire, followed by screams, coming from this
house."
"Then your platoon of men and your roundsman will testify to a
falsehood," said the house owner.
"Is there a fire in your house?" demanded the foreman of the engine
company.
"No, sir."
"Is there a fire anywhere around here?"
"No, sir, not that I know of, unless it's in the upper story of these
policemen."
"Say, sergeant, let me ask you one question: Have you received orders to
test our department by these false alarms?"
"No, sir, I'll swear and prove that there came an alarm of fire from
this house."
"That's what your men said down at the tenement house. I reckon it's a
night off for the police department, or else they all want a night off.
But let me tell you, if you didn't receive orders to give these fake
alarms I'll know the reason why you did give them; that's all."
The sergeant was clear beat out. He apologized to the owner of the
house, went down among his men and asked:
"Did you men hear those screams?"
"We did," came the answer.
"Did you hear the cries of 'fire, fire?'"
"We did," came the answer.
"All right; we'll find out about this."
"How are you going to find out all about it, sergeant?" popped in the
roundsman.
"I don't know."
The roundsman was a friend of the two men who had been sent to the
station house in disgrace, and he again asked:
"How about Jones and O'Brien?"
"I've been thinking about them."
"We heard it; they claim they heard the cries. I don't see how they can
be held responsible."
"I don't know what to think of it."
"Can I advise?"
"Yes."
"Send the two men back on post and say nothing about the whole affair.
That's my advice."
"Roundsman, it's all very strange."
"It is."
"It's one of the mysteries of the century."
"It is."
"I am not crazy. I'd think so, only we could not all go crazy."
"I'll swear I heard the cries."
The platoon started for the station house. The men were all greatly
mystified, but a greater mystery was yet to confront them. The
ventriloquists had been witnesses of the result of their pranks and
determined to press the matter along. They followed the platoon at a
safe distance, one of them going around the square so that they
approached the station from opposite quarters. The men were just in the
station; the last man was passing the door when right at his ears
sounded a wild, unearthly yell, followed by the cry of "Fire! fire!
fire!" The man stood like one paralyzed, then the sergeant rushed into
the street. Not a soul was near, and yet even while he stood there again
right at his ear sounded the weird cry, "Fire! fire! fire!" The man was
dumfounded. He stood and gazed in wild dismay. The sergeant at the desk
came rushing forth, demanding:
"What's the matter? Where's the fire? What are you all standing here
for?"
"Do you think there is a fire?"
"Didn't you hear the cry?"
"Yes; did you?"
"I did."
"Then go find the fire. We've heard cries of fire all the night, but
devil a fire can we find."
Jack and Ike had had fun enough in that one direction and they started
off toward Ike's home. They had not gone far, however, when they struck
another little adventure--a very peculiar one. Indeed, possessing their
singular talents they were continually running into adventures, as their
gifts gave them great powers in every direction. A little girl had
stopped a crabbed, sleek-looking old gentleman and had asked him for
alms. The man had said:
"Go to the station house," and he spoke in cruel, hard tones. The girl
with a sigh turned away, and Ike said:
"Let's give that old skinflint a dose."
"Agreed," came the response.
Ike ran forward and dropped a silver dollar in the girl's hand and then
slid along and joined Jack. The two secured advantage ground, for the
old gentleman had stopped to gaze in the windows of one of the great
hotel restaurants. Suddenly there sounded in his ears:
"Cruel, cruel old man!"
The old gentleman looked around in every direction and saw no one near
him, yet the words had sounded, as stated, close beside his ear. While
he was still gazing again there came a voice, saying:
"Cold, cold-hearted!"
The old gentleman looked around in an amazed manner, and with anger in
his heart, but he saw no one. He became a little bewildered, when again
there came a voice saying:
"Go to the station house! Go to the station house!"
The old man turned pale. It was the most mysterious incident of his
whole life, and again came the words:
"Go to the station house!"
The admonition sounded close in his ears, and yet there was not a living
soul near him that he could see. He began to tremble, and again, even
while he glanced around, the voice repeated:
"Please give me money for bread," and there came the response in exact
imitation of the old man's tones:
"Go to the station."
"Great Mercury!" ejaculated the man. "I am pursued by a phantom."
"Yes, you are pursued by a phantom, you who refused to give a poor child
money for bread."
"I'll give the next child I meet a dollar," murmured the old man in
trembling tones.
"You promise?"
"I do."
"All right; I'll leave you until my presence is required again.
Good-night."
The old gentleman moved toward his home, and it is to be hoped he became
a more charitable man.
The two lads started on their way and were moving on up Fifth Avenue
when Ike, who was quick-eyed and observant, saw a man rush out of a
hallway. The fellow's actions were suspicious and our hero remarked to
his companion:
"Hello! Jack, there is something going on here."
The two lads determined to trail the man. They saw him go up the street,
where he joined a second man. The ventriloquists stole up close, and
both being lithe and active they were able to secure a position very
near where the two men stood, and they heard one of them ask:
"Are you sure it's dead easy?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure you have the right house?"
"Yes."
"That woman is very smart."
"She is?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"I've been watching her for weeks. There is something strange about her
and her movements, but she's got the stuff; of that I am sure. She lives
alone in that big house with only one servant--an old man--whom we can
silence in about two minutes. She is a stranger in New York, and does
not appear to have any friends. If we can get in there and away again we
can make a big haul, and all in good movable swag. I'll bet she's got
twenty thousand dollars' worth of diamonds alone, and where there are so
many sparks there are other fireworks, you bet."
Ike and Jack appreciated that, indeed, they had "tumbled on to a big
thing." The men did not talk in particularly low tones; no one appeared
to be near them.
"We need a big haul."
"We do."
"I am run way down."
"I am also."
"We struck a big thing when we followed that woman from Boston."
"We did."
"We are not known in New York and the scent will be on natives."
"That's it exactly. We can get away with our haul, return to Boston and
read the papers and learn how these smart New York officers are closing
in on the robbers."
"Yes, yes."
Both men laughed in a very complaisant manner, and one of them said:
"It will prove the softest trick we ever played. We are in luck to
strike a neat, clean affair like this."
"We are, you bet. When will you work the racket?"
"I've got all the points down. We'll jump in and do the job to-morrow
night."
"At what hour?"
"Well, about two o'clock is a good time."
"Where will we meet?"
The man named a meeting-place.
"I will be on deck."
"We will have this all to ourselves."
"We will."
"And I tell you it's the easiest job we ever struck, and we'll make a
big pull."
"That will suit me to a dot."
"The police here are on the watch, for crooks are running riot in New
York just about these days."
"So I see by the papers."
"They are all too noisy about their jobs. We'll go it slow, easy and
sure."
"We will."
The two men sauntered away and the two ventriloquists followed them. Ike
expressed a desire to learn where they "hung out," as he put it.
The men went down to a small hotel on a side street and then the
shadowers once more started for their home.
On the way Ike said:
"Jack, it's a great thing to possess our power."
"Yes, but it does not require our power to capture those fellows. All we
have to do is notify the detectives and those men will be gobbled. Any
one could do that."
"Yes, but we can have some fun. You must learn that I like to do these
things my own way and give those rascals a lesson beyond the mere
punishment they will get for their crimes. Do you know, I take a very
serious view of housebreaking."
"You do?"
"Yes, I do."
"I am with you there."
"It's something terrible to be securely sleeping, as one feels, and to
have one or two of these devils steal into one's house to rob, and if
need be do murder. Robbers are a mean class, and I could never
understand the sentiment of romance that is thrown about them. I look
upon it as the most cruel and cold-blooded method adopted by any class
of criminals."
"I am with you, but you said you proposed to adopt a peculiar method in
capturing these fellows."
"Yes."
"You may lose them."
"Not if the court knows itself. They feel dead sure. They think they
have everything dead to rights. They will move with less caution than
usual. It appears there is a lady living in that house practically
alone; from what we overheard she has many valuables. The chances are
that if discovered there would follow a cruel murder. I tell you, my
experience here in New York has been a strange one. Just watch the daily
papers and learn the number and variety of crimes that are committed.
Already there has been a call for an increase of the detective force,
and it's needed; but in our humble way we'll do a neat job in the line
of justice; yes, just once at least."
"What is your plan?"
"I'll think it out and reveal the whole business to you; but besides
arresting these fellows and saving the lady, I want to give them the
surprise of their life."
"It's easy for us to surprise people. We are doing that all the time."
"We'll give these fellows a big surprise--a stunner."
"Then you have decided on a plan?"
"In outline."
The two lads arrived at their home and were soon resting from their
singular labors. On the following day Ike revealed his plan and Jack
heartily fell into the whole scheme. Jack loved surprises and enjoyed a
good joke equally with the inimitable Ike.
Ike owned a variety of animals, all of which were well trained. Had he
concluded to appear as a professional performer he would have astonished
his audiences beyond all belief. Among other possessions was an immense
Siberian bloodhound. He had owned the animal from its puppy days and it
was one of the most remarkably trained dogs on earth. Some men possess a
peculiar talent for the training of animals. It is a special profession.
Ike possessed this special talent to a great degree. He and Jack went
forth. They had their breakfast at a near-by restaurant and played no
pranks. Both the ventriloquists were very particular; they only played
their tricks and exercised their powers where there was a purpose to be
gained. After their meal they proceeded down to a point where they met
Ike's new friend, the young detective whom our hero was anxious to
serve. To him he said:
"Du Flore, we've got a great catch for you."
Ike proceeded and related all that had occurred, and when he had
concluded, Du Flore remarked:
"This is very strange."
"It is?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I am already on that case."
"You are?"
"Yes."
"Well, that is strange."
"It is wonderful," said Du Flore.
The latter was a rising man in the profession. He was a powerful young
officer, and, as we have intimated, very brave and ambitious.
"I've a strange story to tell you, Ike," he said.
"We are listeners."
"It is a very strange story."
"So you said, and repeating that fact is not opening up your story."
"Well, you see, in these prosaic days we seldom strike a romance just
like the one I am about to relate. You remember a great wedding we had
in New York about ten years ago?"
"I don't," answered Ike bluntly.
"Well, the daughter of a very rich man married a German nobleman, and a
few years after their marriage they separated. She ran away from him. It
is the old story: he and all his relatives felt themselves so much
better than the young American girl. They insulted her in the grossest
manner--and made her life miserable. She bore it for a long time, but
being a full-blooded Yankee woman, beautiful and spirited, she
determined to stand it no longer. Her father had been smart enough to
secure all her fortune to herself during her life, and one bright
morning she just dusted and left the count and his high-bred relatives
to pay their own bills. She had done so for years and only received
insults and snubs in return."
"It's the fate, I reckon, of most of these rich American girls who are
marrying foreigners," suggested Ike.
"Yes, I reckon they could all tell sad tales a year after their
marriage. This case, however, is a refreshing one, for in the end the
Yankee girl recovered from her blind adoration of rank and came down to
a good common-sense view of the full value of money."
"Go on and tell the tale."
"That is the story. She just skipped, and, as I said, left her high-born
relatives by marriage to pay their own bills; and now I come to the
American end of the strange romance."