Teddy and Carrots: Two Merchants of Newpaper Row Part 18

"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 sc.r.a.pe 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 pa.s.sing 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 pa.s.sion, 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."

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 Ma.s.sey, 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."