SKIP'S VENGEANCE.
It was necessary to shake the amateur farmer very rudely next morning
before he could be awakened; and even after he had opened his eyes Teddy
was obliged to repeat several times the well-known fact that they ought
to get out of the yard before the shop was opened.
"Seems to me it's taken half an hour to get you awake," he said, "an'
now it's time we was over the fence. I've got stuff enough for breakfast
in my pocket, an' we'll eat as we go."
By this time Carrots was fully alive to the surroundings, and in a
twinkling assumed his old character, which he fancied had been thrown
off nevermore to be resumed.
As soon as they were in the street, and had begun breakfast while
walking toward South Ferry, he asked his companion regarding business
during his absence, and received a most satisfactory reply.
"I've been gettin' along first-class," Teddy said; "an' we've got a good
big capital to begin on."
"But I'm dead broke," Carrots replied, mournfully. "I spent some of my
money when I went out with the farmer, an' the rest of it while I was
walkin' in yesterday."
"You can't be broke so long's you've still kept your interest in the
firm, an' that eighty-six cents has grown to more'n two dollars."
"But I don't own a share of it."
"Course you do, an we won't have any talk 'bout it either. I 'lowed
you'd stay longer'n you did, and so wanted you to take the whole of the
cash; but you wouldn't, an' we're pardners jest the same's if you'd been
here all the time, 'cause your money was in town even if you wasn't."
"But I didn't do any work, did I?"
"It doesn't make any more difference now than it did when I was locked
up in the station-house. I didn't work then, but you made me take all
the profits. It seems to me it would be a good idea to buy another box
and brushes. I've had such luck with this, an' earned so much more'n I
did with only the papers, that we'd better keep the two goin'."
"All right," Carrots replied, enthusiastically. "I'll get a new one, an'
sell papers too."
"Do you s'pose you can buy a box ready-made?"
"I reckon so. Let me have some money, an' I'll snoop 'round City Hall,
or down to Fulton Ferry. Some of the fellers will know of an outfit for
sale."
Teddy handed him a dollar as he asked:
"Who'll tend to the lawyer this mornin'?"
"I guess you'd better, 'cause I mightn't get my box in time, an'
to-morrow I'll start in reg'lar. Where'll I see you this noon?"
"Come down to the ferry."
"I'll be there, sure."
With this promise the two parted, and Teddy, quite as cautious regarding
the possibility of meeting Skip as ever, went after his morning's stock
of papers.
Half an hour later he was busily at work when Teenie Massey came running
towards him, evidently in the highest state of excitement.
"Say, Carrots got home last night!"
"Well, don't you s'pose I know it?"
"Yes; an' so does Skip Jellison."
"How'd you hear of it?"
"Reddy saw him down on Fulton Street, an' Skip's just wild. Says he's
goin' to thump the head off er Carrots if he shows hisself 'round this
town to-day. You'd better come right up to City Hall an' see if you
can't help him!"
"Help who?"
"Why, Carrots, of course. Sid Barker said he told one of the fellers
that he was goin' up there to work, this forenoon, an' if somebody don't
stop him, there'll be trouble."
"Skip won't dare to do any fightin' after the fuss with me."
"He says he will; an' he's goin' to smash Carrots's box, so you'd better
go up."
"It seems as if I'd only make the matter worse," Teddy said half to
himself. "I don't b'lieve Carrots'll be fool enough to show his nose
round where Skip is, an' if I go there'll be some kind of a row sure.
Why can't you manage this thing, Teenie?"
"What could I do?"
"See Carrots, an' tell him to keep away."
"I'll try it," Teenie said doubtfully; "but I don't b'lieve he'll listen
to me. You see, after I carried him that letter he's got a idea I'm
standin' in with Skip, an' I ain't at all."
This reminder of "the warning" caused Teddy to think there was more in
the threat of Master Jellison's than he had at first believed.
The letter which Teenie brought on the day prior to Carrots's departure
for the farm had for a while escaped his mind.
Now, however, it seemed evident, and only reasonable, that after making
such a threat Skip should try to carry it into effect.
He was sadly at a loss to know exactly what he ought to do, but urged
Teenie to go in search of Carrots; and when that young gentleman had
departed at full speed he muttered to himself:
"It's too bad to knock off now, when business is so good, but I s'pose
it's got to be done; an' yet I'd be in an awful scrape if I should get
'rested ag'in for more fightin'."
While he was thus debating in his mind, the meeting which he wished to
prevent was already taking place.
On leaving his friend, Carrots had visited Fulton Ferry for the purpose
of calling upon an old acquaintance to inquire if he knew where a
second-hand box could be found for sale.
It was during this interview that Reddy saw him, and reported the fact
of his arrival to Skip.
Failing in his purpose at this point, Carrots went boldly up to the City
Hall with never a thought in his mind of the peremptory order to leave
town which he had received.
One by one, he greeted the acquaintances whom he met, repeating the
story which he had already told Teddy relative to his experiences on the
farm, and asked concerning the welfare of those friends whom he had left
behind.
As a matter of course, all this required considerable time, and the
forenoon was nearly half spent when he reached City Hall Park.
Business in the newspaper line was usually dull at this hour, and he
found quite a party of his brother merchants in the vicinity of the
park, with apparently no other idea than that of passing the time as
pleasantly as possible.
Carrots approached as he would have done a week previous, and was soon
in the centre of the interested throng, who were listening to his views
of country life in general and his own experience in particular, when a
stranger approached him and whispered:
"Did you get that box you wanted to buy?"
"No," Carrots replied. "Have you got one to sell?"
"A feller I know of has, an' it's a dandy!"
"Where is it?"
"Down on Rose Street, under the bridge."
"I'll go there in a minute." And Carrots turned to continue his story,
when the stranger whispered:
"You'll have to come quick, or he'll be gone; and this is the biggest
trade you ever saw."
It is probable Carrots would not have interrupted himself in the
pleasing task of describing the incidents which happened on the farm
during his presence there, but for the fact that he remembered what
Teddy had said regarding the necessity of being industrious; and
realizing that he had already wasted more time than his partner might
approve of, he hurried away with the stranger, without once thinking to
inquire how the latter could have learned he was in need of a
bootblack's outfit.
The messenger went rapidly toward the point designated, and Carrots
followed, never thinking of possible danger.
On reaching Rose Street he saw no boy near the bridge, and was about to
ask his guide if the alleged owner of the box had not gone to some other
portion of the city, when he was suddenly seized from behind, and,
turning his head slightly, he saw Skip's face.
"So you had the nerve to come back here, did you?" Master Jellison
asked, working himself into a passion, which was not a very difficult
task for him.
"Come back here? Where else could I go?" Carrots asked, frightened, and
at the same time determined that the enemy should not see any signs of
fear on his face.
"It doesn't make any difference to me where you ought ter gone, so
long's you come here. Now I'm goin' to serve you jest as I threatened.
Hold him, Sid, while I see what he's got in his clothes."
[Illustration: CARROTS FALLS INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY.]
At this instant Sid, Reddy, and another boy came out from their
hiding-places, and the transfer of the prisoner was quickly made.
Sid held Carrots by the hands in such a manner as to prevent the
slightest movement save at the expense of considerable pain, and the
stranger volunteered to act as sentinel during the punishment.
Skip understood that it was necessary for him to work very rapidly lest
he should be interrupted by the guardians of the peace, and no
pickpocket could have been more skilful than he in searching the
prisoner.
"Here! don't you take that--it ain't mine!" Carrots cried as his enemy
seized the dollar which Teddy had given him.
"Then, if it ain't yours, I reckon it's mine."
"I'll have you 'rested for stealin' if you don't put that right back!"
Carrots threatened, struggling in vain to release himself from Sid's
detaining grasp.
"I reckon you won't be able to do much of anything by the time I get
through with you," Skip replied, with an exasperating chuckle. "This is
jest about as much as I need to pay for the swell dinner we fellers
want; an' when I see the owner I'll give it back to him, if I feel like
it."
Then, without further parley, he began to beat the helpless boy in the
most cruel manner, and probably would have continued until Carrots had
received serious injury had it not been for a warning cry from the
sentinel.
Master Jellison was very careful of his own precious body. He had no
idea of allowing himself to be captured, since he might be brought
before the same judge to whom Carrots had told the story of his attack
on Teddy; and therefore he delayed his flight only long enough to say
threateningly:
"Now, if you an' that chump from Saranac don't get out er this part of
the city before to-morrow mornin', I'll fix you so's you can't even
wiggle." And, with a blow by way of emphasis, he started at full speed
toward the water-front, Sid, Reddy, and the sentinel following close at
his heels.
Poor Carrots was in a sad plight. His nose was bleeding, his cheek cut,
and his head buzzing like a mill-wheel from the effects of the blows.
He seated himself on the curbstone, and was giving full sway to the
grief and anger of his heart, when some one touched him gently on the
shoulder.
Looking up quickly, he saw Teenie Massey, who asked in surprise:
"Why, what's the matter? Did Skip catch you?"
"Yes, he did; an' he stole a dollar that belonged to Teddy."
The enormity of this last offense caused Master Massey more surprise
than if he had seen his friend in a much worse bodily condition. He had
feared Carrots might get a whipping, but never believed Skip would be so
bold as to commit downright robbery.
"How did it happen?" he asked solicitously.
Carrots told his story in the fewest possible words, and concluded by
making the most dismal and blood-thirsty threats relative to what he
would do to Master Jellison when the proper time should arrive--all of
which had but little effect on Teenie.
When from sheer lack of breath the victim was forced to cease speaking,
Master Massey asked in a matter-of-fact tone:
"Where do you s'pose you'll live now?"
"Where will I live? Why, the same place I allers have, of course."
"But you won't dare to if Skip's goin' to cut up this way."
"I'll have him 'rested for stealin', an' then we'll see how he'll act. I
guess he'll get sick of tryin' to run fellers out er town!"
Teenie made no reply to this threat because he did not believe it would
be carried into effect, but said in what he intended should be a
soothing tone:
"It ain't likely he'll try to do anythin' more to-day, so you'd better
brace up an' get some of the blood off of your face. I've jest been down
to tell Teddy what I heard Skip say he was goin' to do, an' you ought
ter get 'round to the ferry, 'cause he'll be huntin' for you."
"I'm goin' to see that lawyer first, an' find out what can be done with
Skip."
"Well, you want ter kind of spruce up a bit before you do that, for you
don't look very fine now, Carrots."
"I'll jest leave the blood all over my face till the judge sees it."
"Then you'll stand a good chance of bein' 'rested for a pirate, 'cause
you look like one." And Teenie, understanding that it would be useless
to argue further with Carrots while he was in such a frame of mind,
believed it his duty to notify the victim's partner that it was useless
for him to neglect business, since the mischief had already been done.
Leaving the disconsolate victim of Skip's vengeance on the curbstone,
Master Massey walked slowly toward the City Hall; but before he was very
far from the scene of the late encounter, he met Teddy.
A few words sufficed to acquaint the latter with all that had happened.
It certainly was discouraging, to say the least, that Master Thurston
should be obliged to spend so much time just at this hour, when trade
was most flourishing; but he did not neglect what was manifestly his
duty, even though it cost him so much in the way of prospective profits.
His first thought on approaching his partner was to attempt to soothe
him; but after a few moments he realized how useless such a task would
be, and proceeded at once to more heroic measures.
"Now, see here, Carrots, this won't do at all. It ain't any good for you
to try to have Skip 'rested for takin' that dollar, an' the lawyer'll be
mad, jest as likely as not, if you go to him 'bout it. Course it's
pretty hard to git sich a thumpin'; but it's over now, an' we've got to
figger how we can git the best of that villain ourselves."
"He's worse'n a villain--he's a heathen!" Carrots yelled.
"Well, call it a heathen then. We'll square up with him before we're
much older, an' that's a good deal better'n tryin' to get somebody else
to do it for us. I'll bet he has to give up that money before a week,
an' we can 'ford to wait two or three days for the sake of doin' the
thing right."
"I don't see how we'll ever get the best of Skip. He's always got his
gang with him."
"We'll find some way before long, so you'd better fix yourself up and
get to work. There's all the more need of hustlin' now we've lost a
dollar."
"I didn't lose it! It was stole!"
"Well, it's gone, an' we've got to make it up. Now, be a man, an'
to-night we'll talk this thing over."
Teddy spoke so sternly that Carrots was forced to obey; and, walking
slowly and mournfully to City Hall Park, he washed his face in the basin
of the fountain, drying it as well as he could with the sleeve of his
coat, for Teddy no longer carried his newspaper valise since he had a
dwelling-place in which to leave it.
As a matter of course, Carrots's friends, who chanced to be in the
vicinity, insisted on knowing exactly what had happened, and, on being
informed of the outrage, denounced the perpetrator of the villainy in no
measured terms.
"He'll get hisself into trouble if he keeps on this way very long," one
of the listeners said when the story had been told in all its details.
"I've got tired seein' him tryin' to run the whole town, an' it strikes
me there oughter be enough other fellers that feel the same way to set
down on him."
More than one expressed the same opinion, and Teddy was made happy by
hearing suggestions as to what should be done to curb Master Jellison's
ambitions; but, although very much advice was given, no one volunteered
anything in the way of assistance toward righting the wrong that had
been done.
Vain threats and denunciations would not bring back the stolen money,
and, to Teddy, this was more important than "squaring himself" with
Skip. Therefore, after having waited for Carrots to talk with his
friends as long as he thought absolutely necessary, he whispered:
"Now, see here, old man, I've got to go to work. We mustn't fool any
more time away. Let's earn what we can the rest of the day, an' to-night
we'll fix up some kind of a plan."
Carrots would have been better pleased to remain with his friends; but
his partner was so peremptory that he could not refuse to go to work,
and, half an hour later, the business associates were industriously
engaged either in selling papers or blacking boots, according to the
demands of their customers.