CABBIES.
Hal and Reg had merely acted on impulse when they entered the cab. All
they wanted was to get the cab out of the neighbourhood of the rank. So
they ordered the driver to take them to Hosie's Hotel, in Flinders
Street. Going along, a smart landau passed them, carrying a young man.
"Look, Hal," cried Reg, pointing him out. "There is our friend, the
bishop's son. Wonder whose carriage he is in."
"Don't know, but it is exactly as I told you. He'll live for twelve
months or more among _our_ bloated aristocracy, who will feel only too
honoured to have him as their guest."
"I suppose he has money?"
"Not necessarily. He can borrow, and they will be only too glad to lend.
As soon as he is tired of one, he can go to another, and so on until he
plays them all out. Finally, he marries an heiress, and goes home to
spend her money amongst his friends and relations," said the cynical
Hal.
The cab brought them to the hotel, and, alighting there, they ordered a
boy to the horse's head, and asked the cabby to join them in a drink.
"What's your name, cabby?" asked Hal, as he handed him a pint of beer.
"Terence O'Flynn, with the accent on the 'ynn.'"
"Very nice name, too. Did you notice that cab with the grey horse drive
away as we drove up?"
"Sure I did, for wasn't he foreninst me?"
"Do you know the driver's name?"
"Rather! It's Dick Burton he is, and no other."
"Where's he gone to now, Terence?"
"Sure, and I cannot tell you. He is a lucky devil is Dick, and always
manages to get hold of a soft line."
"What do you call a soft line, Terence?"
"Why, gents like yourselves, with plenty of brass."
"I see, and for that reason you want us to take your cab, eh? You want a
soft line, too."
"Oh! I don't mean it that way. You see, a soft line is when a fellow
pays his cabby a sov., instead of a bob."
"But these sort are scarce now, Terence?"
"I don't know about that. That fellow, Dick, allus seems to spot 'em.
Why look at that chap Wyck who----"
"Are you a mate of Dick's?"
"Well, you see, we go for a booze sometimes together."
"Come on! Drive us to Tattersall's stables."
"Right you are, boss," answered Terence, as he mounted the box, and
cracking his whip, drove them quickly to the stables.
"Drive right in, Terence," shouted Hal.
"Take that horse out and give him a good feed," said Reg to the groom in
charge as they alighted. "Now come along, Terence."
But Terence was too amazed to stir. All his Irish wit had left him, and
he did not feel certain his fare were not softies. He stood with his hat
in one hand and, scratching his head with the other, gazed blankly at
his horse being led away to the stable.
"Come on, Terence," called Hal again; but Terence did not appear
inclined to stir.
"I'll fix him, Hal," said Reg, going to the groom and paying for an
hour's feed in advance. This had the desired effect, and Terence
followed them without a word, but his perplexed thoughts ran thus:
"Now be jabers, by ould Oireland, here's a couple of queer coves. What
the divil are they up to at all, at all? Maybe it's information they'll
be wanting about Dick. Terence O'Flynn mind what you're up to--that's
what Biddy, the darlint, would say if she were here, and by jabers I'll
take her advice."
Hal and Reg in the meantime walked to the Palace, and calling Terence
in, took the lift to the fifth floor, and went to their room.
"Sit down, Terence," said Reg, pushing a chair forward.
"You mean straight, gentlemen, I hope, 'cos I have a big family, and
sure they'll all be kilt intirely should anything happen to me."
"Terence O'Flynn, we--"
"Begging your honours' pardon, the accent's on the--"
"Never mind the accent now, Terence. We mean business. We want you to
tell us all you know about Wyck and his cabby, Dick Burton. If you can
give us any particulars that will assist us, we will pay for the
information," said Hal, producing two or three sovereigns and jingling
them together.
As soon as Terence saw the sovereigns all his Irish avarice was roused.
"You want information," asked he.
"Yes, that's what we want, Terence," said Reg.
"Well then, how much are ye prepared to pay for it, for I may say the
information I can give is the rarest quality to be had anywhere at
double the price."
"That's your game, is it, my boy," said Hal, rising. "Now I'll pay you
what I think fit, and you'll take it and be satisfied, and no hanky
panky."
"Oh, beg pardon, your honour. I did not mean--"
"Never mind what you mean. Understand what I mean. In the first place
you will have to swear secrecy."
"What's that: must I join a secret society? Oh, no, I'd die first, for
what would Biddy and Father Doolan say?"
"I only want you to promise not to repeat anything you hear, nor
anything that takes place in this room."
"I'll swear to that all right, your honour."
"Good. Now then kiss that pistol," said Hal, producing a small Derringer
from his pocket.
"Kiss that craythure! Why it's a gun, and may be loaded. It may kill me.
Oh, Biddy, Biddy, your darlint is going to be kilt entoirely! I can see
your game. You are going to kill me and make me swear to say nothing
about it."
"I'll hold the barrel towards me. You kiss the stock," said Hal,
laughing.
"Well hold it tight, your honour, for if it goes off it might kick me
with its rump."
"D--n you block-headed Irishman," said Hal, losing his temper.
"I'll kiss it; I'll kiss it; and if it do kick I'll open my mouth."
"Say after me then--I swear to keep this meeting secret."
"I won't, I won't; for I'll have to confess to Father Doolan. Oh, Biddy,
Biddy, your darlint is amongst burglars!"
"Now then, Terence O'Flynn, with the accent on the 'ynn,' you are a
silly fool, but you have sworn to keep secret all that passes here, and
to assist us, for which we will pay you--"
"Barring Father--"
"Shut up. Wait till I've finished. When did you first see this Wyck,
whom you called a soft line?"
"The first time I saw him was the second cos I only had a back view
first. It was one morning just as I drove to the stand, about ten
o'clock. I was in my cab, and Dick Burton was just foreninst of me. I
twigged a fellow coming along who looked like a swell looking out for a
cab, so I drove up to him before Dick could, but by jabers if he did not
pass me right by and beckon to Dick. That was Wyck. I was a bit cross
all day, and when I saw Dick in the evening I asked him who he was.
'He's my property,' says he. 'He's a good un, and allus pays in gold.'
Dick drove him about for several days, and last night he comes to me in
great excitement. 'Terence,' says he, 'we'll go on the booze.' 'All
right,' says I; and we had a regular good booze, we had. Bill was
regular screwed, and he told me his pigeon had gone away and left him.
He's gone to the "toight little island." That's what we call Tasmania,
sir; and that's all I know, so help me."
"Where did Wyck live?"
"At the Gaiety. He was a bit sweet on a gal there. Lord, he was a lady's
man, he was. Always had them out driving."
"What sort of a man is Dick Burton?" asked Reg, now speaking for the
first time.
"Well, sir, I don't like to say bad of any man if I could say good, but
Dick Burton is a bad egg, sir."
"What do you mean by a bad egg?"
"Well, as I said before, I don't--"
"Yes, we know all that."
"Well, sir, I don't like to say bad, I don't; but Dick ain't to be
trusted. He's been mixed up in several dirty jobs."
"That will do now, Terence. If you are careful and mind what you are
about, you will have a soft line. Your address is you say 470, Lonsdale
Street, West, so we know where to find you. Here are a couple of
sovereigns, and you are to keep a sharp look out on Dick for us.
Remember this," and he touched the revolver. "Good-day. There's the
lift."
"No, your honour, thank you. I've not got half-an-hour to waste; I'd
rather go down the steps, that'll only take five minutes," with that
Terence disappeared.
"We must enquire about Tasmania at once, Hal," said Reg.
On enquiry they found that there was no boat leaving for Tasmania for
several days, so they decided to spend the time in looking round to see
if they could come across Dick Burton and his grey horse.
They went off to the usual stand, but neither Terence nor Dick was
there, but turning, they found themselves in luck's way for once, for
they met the identical cab driving towards them. They hailed him, and
directed him to drive to Cumberland Hotel, Fitzroy.
Arriving there they engaged a private parlour, found up a boy to hold
the horse, and invited Dick in. The man's face and manner marked him as
all Terence described.
"What's the game, gents?" said he, "something good on?"
"I can't say there is anything particular on, but you shall be well paid
for your time, and will not be a loser," answered Hal.
"Quite right, gentlemen, but you ain't the sort to bring fellows like me
here for nothing, so again I asks, what's your game?" and Dick smiled
benignly at them, and noisily expectorated into the fire-place.
"You know a gentleman named Wyckliffe, I believe?"
"Yes, he does me the honour to ride in my cab."
"He's a friend of ours," continued Hal, "and to tell you the truth, he
is going it a bit strong; in fact, too strong for his income to stand
it."
"Never did it with me, sir. Fact was, he was rather mean, and often
barneyed over a few bob. I was jolly glad when he cleared, for he began
to be too familiar-like, and I don't like chaps who run up a score with
a cabby. He owes me twenty quid now. Of course, I reckon he'll pay it,
for he told me he was a bit stiff, but that his friends would settle up,
so if you'll kindly hand over twenty sovs, I'll give yer a receipt,"
said Dick, quite unconcerned.
Hal and Reg were as much surprised at Dick's news, as at his manner of
imparting it.
"My time's money, so if you want to part up, I'll tell you what I'll do.
I ain' a hard one to chaps stuck. Give me a tenner, and we'll cry
quits."
"Where's Wyck now?" asked Hal, sharply, looking Dick straight in the
face, a gaze he did not approve of.
"He ain't far away, quite close handy; but what do you want to know
for?" asked Dick, in return, on the aggressive.
"Merely wished to look him up," said Hal.
"Oh! well, that alters the case. I thought you was after him to do him
an injury and, as he has been a good friend to me, I'll stick to him.
I'll tell yer what I'll do, gents. I'm a bit short, and will run the
risk of offending him, but if you plank down a fiver, I'll guarantee to
bring him here to-night."
"How can you do that, when he's in Tasmania?" said Reg.
"Who told you he'd gone there? Well, well; they was getting at yer. He's
not in Tasmania," answered Dick, putting on an innocent air. But finding
he had given himself away, he began to get into a rage.
"We'll have another drink, and bring this interview to a close. You can
drive us back to Collins Street, Dick."
Dick obeyed in a surly way, and when they pulled up at the Palace, Hal
asked him the damage.
"A sov.--and no humbug," was the reply.
"Your fare is two shillings," said Hal.
"It's a sov. or a summons, so please yourself," retorted Dick.
"I'll pay it you, but it's a swindle, and you know it, but, mark my
words, Dick, when swindlers swindle people, then it is time for people
to swindle swindlers," said Hal, handing him the money.
"Oh, go to the d--," said Dick, shortly, and whipping up his horse,
drove rapidly away. Terence appeared then on the scene, and received the
order to follow him and report.
"Come up as far as Menzie's Hotel, Reg," said Hal. "I have a little bit
of business to do there."
Off they go, but Reg is puzzled to find out what the business is, for
all Hal does is to call for drinks, take a sheet of paper from the rack,
and scribble a few words, put it in an envelope, and leave again.
Back in their room at the Palace, Hal explains the purpose of his visit
to Menzie's.
"It was this address I wanted," said he, producing a couple of sheets of
paper having the name of the hotel stamped on them. "These are for our
friend, Dick. I intend to swindle the swindler," he added, as he handed
Reg the letter he had written, as follows:
"Dear Dick Burton,
"A chum of mine recommends you as being the very man I want to
assist me in a little bit of fun. Meet me at Pier Hotel, St. Kilda,
on Tuesday, at 10.45, and bring a good horse. There's a lady in it.
"Yours, etc.,
"WATSON.
"P.S.--Enquire for letter of instruction at the bar."
"That's for Dick at this end. Now for another at the other end," and he
sat down and wrote:
"Melbourne.
"MY DEAR RICHARD,
"I am very much obliged by your coming. Did you ever hear of a case
in which a swindler was swindled? This is one. Remember honesty is
the best policy.
"Yours etc.,
"WATSON."
"The first I will post to-night, and the second I will leave at the
hotel to be called for."
About eight o'clock Terence turned up, and reported having shadowed Dick
first to the Telegraph office, then to the Gaiety, and out to the
Cumberland, before he came back to the stand. This seemed satisfactory
news to the boys, and they again tipped Terence, and after giving him a
few further instructions, let him go.
"Now for Tasmania," said Hal.
They found the _Pateena_ was advertised to leave at noon for Launceston,
and were successful in securing a couple of good berths. In the midst of
their packing the following morning, it flashed upon Hal that he had
made no arrangements whereby Terence could communicate with them, so
they walked towards his stand, but finding both Dick and Terence there,
they passed on. As a young urchin calling out "Monthly Guide" passed by
them, Reg stopped him, and told him to follow them to the hotel.
"I'm fly, governor; go ahead," he said.
Shortly after the youngster joined them, and Hal gave him a note for
Terence, instructing him where to write.
"Take this," he said, "to the second cab on the stand, with the black
horse, No. 1974, and here's a shilling for you."
"Eight you are, boss; but I suppose yer going to shout."
"Certainly, what will you have--lemonade, ginger-pop?--"
"Go along with yer. A glass of beer, and not too much froth on it is my
style. Ginger-pop, indeed! Do you take me for a temperance lecturer?
Here's to yer, governor. I'll fix yer note for yer: never fear.
Good-day."
"Now we can catch the boat nicely, Reg," said Hal, when they had done
laughing over this depraved juvenile.
"I say," said Reg. "Did it strike you that Wyck might have crossed in
the same boat? We may be able to pick up something from some of the
officers. I suppose we are free from the 'lords in disguise' business
this time?"
"We can feel safe on that score. The Tasmanians are too slow to trouble
about us; and not only that, but it might be dangerous to mention it."
"Why?"
"I'll tell you later on."