A TIMELY RESCUE.
As Frank entered the room he hastily took in the scene before him. Round
a table sat three young men, of not far from twenty, the fourth side
being occupied by Fred Vivian. They were playing cards, and sipping
drinks as they played. Fred Vivian's handsome face was flushed, and he
was nervously excited. His hands trembled as he lifted the glass, and
his wandering, uncertain glances showed that he was not himself.
"It's your play, Fred," said his partner.
Fred picked up a card without looking at it, and threw it down on the
table.
"That settles it," said another. "Fred, old boy, you've lost the game.
You're another five dollars out."
Fred fumbled in his pocket for a bill, and it was quickly taken from his
hand before he could well see of what value it was. Frank, however,
quickly as it was put away, saw that it was a ten. It was clear that
Fred was being cheated in the most barefaced manner.
Frank's entrance was evidently unwelcome to most of the company.
"What are you bringing in that boy for, John?" demanded a low-browed
fellow, with a face like a bull-dog.
"He is a friend of Fred," answered John.
"He's a telegraph boy. He comes here a spy. Fred don't know him. Clear
out, boy!"
Frank took no notice of this hostile remark, but walked up to Fred
Vivian.
"Fred," said he, thinking it best to speak as if he knew him, "it is
getting late, and your mother is anxious about you. Won't you come home
with me?"
"Who are you?" asked Fred, with drunken gravity. "You aint my mother."
"I come from your mother. Don't you know me? I am Frank Kavanagh."
"How do, Frank? Glad to see you, ol' feller. Take a drink. Here, you
boy, bring a drink for my frien', Frank Kavanagh."
The three others looked on disconcerted. They were not ready to part
with Fred yet, having secured only a part of his money.
"You don't know him, Fred," said the one who had appropriated the
ten-dollar bill. "He's only a telegraph boy."
"I tell you he's my frien', Frank Kav'nagh," persisted Fred, with an
obstinacy not unusual in one in his condition.
"Well, if he is, let him sit down, and have a glass of something hot."
"No, I thank you," said Frank, coldly. "Fred and I are going home."
"No, you're not," exclaimed the other, bringing his fist heavily down
upon the table. "We won't allow our friend Fred to be kidnapped by a boy
of your size,--not much we won't, will we, boys?"
"No! no!" chimed in the other two.
Fred Vivian looked at them undecided.
"I guess I'd better go," he stammered "There's something the matter with
my head."
"You need another drink to brace you up. Here, John, bring up another
punch for Fred."
Frank saw that unless he got Fred away before drinking any more, he
would not be in a condition to go at all. It was a critical position,
but he saw that he must be bold and resolute.
"You needn't bring Fred anything more," he said. "He has had enough
already."
"I have had enough already," muttered Fred, mechanically.
"Boys, are we going to stand this?" said the low-browed young man. "Are
we going to let this telegraph boy interfere with a social party of
young gentlemen? I move that we throw him downstairs."
He half rose as he spoke, but Frank stood his ground.
"You'd better not try it," he said quietly, "unless you want to pass the
night in the station-house."
"What do you mean, you young jackanapes?" said the other angrily. "What
charge can you trump up against us?"
"You have been cheating Fred out of his money," said Frank, firmly.
"It's a lie! We've been having a friendly game, and he lost. If we'd
lost, we would have paid."
"How much did he lose?"
"Five dollars."
"And you took ten from him."
"It's a lie!" repeated the other; but he looked disconcerted.
"It is true, for I noticed the bill as you took it from him. But it's
not much worse than playing for money with him when he is in no
condition to understand the game. You'd better give him back that
ten-dollar bill."
"I've a great mind to fling you downstairs, you young scamp!"
"You are strong enough to do it," said Frank, exhibiting no trace of
fear, "but I think you would be sorry for it afterwards. Come, Fred."
Though Frank was so much younger and smaller, there was something in his
calm, self-possessed manner that gave him an ascendency over the weak,
vacillating Fred. The latter rose, and, taking our hero's arm, turned to
leave the room.
"Let him go," said the leader, who had been made uneasy by Frank's
threat, and saw that it was politic to postpone his further designs upon
his intended victim. "If he chooses to obey a small telegraph boy, he
can."
"Don't mind him, Fred," said Frank. "You know I'm your friend."
"My friend, Frank Kavanagh!" repeated Fred, drowsily. "I'm awful sleepy,
Frank. I want to go to bed."
"You shall go to bed as soon as you get home, Fred."
"I say, boy," said the leader, uneasily, "that was all a lie about the
ten-dollar bill. You didn't see straight. Did he, Bates?"
"Of course he didn't."
"One lies and the other swears to it," thought Frank.
"Nothing will be done about it," he said, "if you will let Fred alone
hereafter. The money you have won from him belongs to his mother, and,
unless you keep away from him, she will order your arrest."
"You're altogether too smart for a boy of your size," sneered the other.
"Take your friend away. We don't care to associate with a milksop, who
allows himself to be ordered around by women and children."
Fortunately Fred was too drowsy to pay heed to what was being said; in
fact he was very sleepy, and was anxious to go to bed. Frank got him
into a cab, and in twenty minutes they safely reached his mother's house
in Thirty-eighth street.
Mrs. Vivian was anxiously awaiting the return of the prodigal.
"O Fred," she said, "how could you stay away so, when you know how
worried I get? You have been drinking, too."
"This is my friend, Frank Kavanagh," hiccoughed Fred.
"Shall I go up and help put him to bed?" asked Frank.
"Does he require help?" asked Mrs. Vivian, sorrowfully.
"He has been drinking a good deal."
"Yes, you may go up. I will lead the way to his chamber. Afterwards I
want to speak to you."
"All right."
"Where did you find him?" asked Mrs. Vivian, when Frank with some
difficulty had prepared his charge for bed.
"In the billiard-saloon to which you directed me. He was upstairs
playing cards for money. They were cheating him in the most outrageous
manner."
"I suppose they got all his money."
"Not all; but they would soon have done so. Here is his pocket-book,
which I just took from his pocket."
"There are twenty dollars left," said 'Mrs. Vivian, after an
examination. "They must have secured the rest. O my poor boy! Would that
I could shield you from these dangerous companions!"
"I don't think they will trouble him again, Mrs. Vivian."
"Why not? You do not know them."
"I told them that, if they came near him, hereafter, you would have them
arrested for swindling your son out of money belonging to you."
"Will that have any effect upon them?"
"Yes, because they know that I am ready to appear as a witness against
them."
"Did Fred show any unwillingness to come with you?"
"No; I made him think I was an old acquaintance of his. Besides, he was
feeling sleepy."
"You have acted with great judgment for so young a lad," said Mrs.
Vivian. "I wish Fred had a companion like you to influence him for good.
Where do you live?"
"At the Newsboys Lodging-House. I cannot afford to hire a room."
Mrs. Vivian looked thoughtful.
"Give me your name and address," she said.
These she noted down.
"I won't keep you any longer to-night," she said, "for you must be
tired. You will hear from me again."
"Oh," said Frank, "I nearly forgot. Here is the balance of the money you
handed me for expenses."
"Keep it for yourself," said Mrs. Vivian, "and accept my thanks
besides."
Though Frank had paid for the cab, there was a balance of nearly two
dollars in his hands which he was very glad to keep.