Teddy and Carrots: Two Merchants of Newpaper Row Part 23

"Well, take hold, an' fill yourself up with what we've got here. P'rhaps we'll find some way to fix you so's you can walk better'n you do now,"

Teddy said, as he unrolled the packages of provisions Carrots had brought; but finding there was not sufficient for three very hungry boys, he excused himself long enough to purchase a few additions to the collection.

His sympathies were thoroughly roused, and he determined Ikey should have, as he afterward explained, "one square, out-and-out feed," if no more. Three smoked herring, three seed-cakes, and a five-cent pie comprised the list of provisions Teddy brought back. That he was guilty of extravagance in purchasing these articles shows how deeply he felt for Ikey's sufferings.

"This is what you call livin' high," Carrots said, as he arranged the feast in the most favorable light. "I reckon you'll get well if you stay here very long, Ikey."

"If I don't I ought ter be choked!" Master Cain replied emphatically, as he proceeded to devour one of the herring, first breaking off the head and stripping, with the touch of an artist, each side of the fish from the back-bone.

"There's one bad thing 'bout it," Carrots said, as he suddenly thought of what might be an awkward predicament for himself. "You know, the folks what keep the store don't have any idea I'm livin' here, 'cause if they did I'd be fired mighty quick. Of course you can't go 'round town while you've got that thing on your leg, an' you're bound to stay till it gets well; but, you see, Ikey, it won't do to make the least little mite of a noise. Do you think you can manage it all day, with never so much as a squeak?"

"I reckon it wouldn't be very hard work," Master Cain replied. "I'd be thinkin' how much better this was than loafin' 'round the streets, an'

then I couldn't 'yip' if I wanted to, when I'd know I might lose the snap."

"And don't show your nose outside this box, 'cause that would be jest as bad as hollerin'."

"Don't you worry 'bout me! I'll get along all right, an' won't make any fuss for you," the invalid replied decidedly, as he made a pleasing combination of the dried fish and pie, by way of a finishing touch to the meal.

When their guest's hunger had been satisfied, the hosts made arrangements for the night by giving to the crippled boy the entire pile of straw on which to lie, while they slept upon the bare boards of the adjoining box.

On the following morning Carrots was awake unusually early, for he thought of the necessity of finding something in which to bring water, that Ikey might be able to satisfy his thirst during the day; and, without arousing either of his companions, he attended to this important business.

After a short absence he returned with a clean tomato-can as a drinking-vessel, and this he filled from the hydrant.

Teddy was awake when this task was finished. There were provisions enough for the invalid's meals, and the two boys set out, intending to prepare for the day by purchasing two bowls of Mose Pearson's slate-colored soup.

"You won't have anythin' to do but eat, Ikey, an' there's grub enough for that," Carrots said, as he left the dwelling. "Take hold an' enjoy yourself. We sha'n't be back till pretty nigh dark, so don't worry 'bout us, an' be sure to keep your mouth shut."

"I'll get along all right, an' n.o.body shall know I'm here," Ikey replied; and an instant later the two merchants vaulted the fence.

CHAPTER XIII.

A MEDICAL FRIEND.

This unexpected addition to their family had a good effect on Carrots, because it made him more careful of his money, almost uncomfortably so, Teddy thought, when, having reached Mose Pearson's, the junior member of the firm questioned whether it would not be better to have no breakfast, in order to save time.

"You see now we've got Ikey on hand we'll have to be careful of the money; else we sha'n't get that stand very soon."

"We're bound to eat, Carrots. If you want to be so awful careful of your money, you might give up smokin' cigarettes," Teddy replied.

"Oh, I swore off buyin' any, yesterday. I don't smoke now 'less some feller gives me one. Of course, you can't reckon I'd refuse it; but this soup will be ten cents gone, an' we'd be jest as hungry by noon.

Besides, we've got to buy somethin' for supper, 'cause we're feedin'

three now, you know."

"We'll get the breakfast, an' work enough harder to pay for it," Teddy replied, as he led the way into the restaurant; and again did Carrots's new ideas of economy appear, as he swallowed the soup almost at the risk of choking himself, in order to save a few moments.

He was the first boy on the street prepared to black boots that morning, and no fellow ever worked more industriously, until nearly twelve o'clock, when he approached his partner in a mysterious manner, beckoning him to follow where they could converse without fear of being overheard.

"Say, did you know lamb was awful good for sick people?" Carrots asked, with an air of great importance.

"No; I didn't know that. Who told you?"

"When old Miss Carter was sick, she said a little bit of lamb would do her a power of good, an' the boys chipped in an' bought some."

"But it'll come pretty high now, Carrots. You see it's kinder out of season."

"Pretty high, eh? Well, what would you say if I got a bang-up good mess of lamb for five cents?"

"Why, I'd say it either wasn't lamb, or else the man what sold it didn't know what he was about."

"Well, it's lamb, an' I paid the reg'lar price for it, Teddy," Carrots said triumphantly, as he drew from his pocket a small package wrapped in brown paper, and, opening it, displayed to the astonished gaze of his companion two pickled lambs' tongues.

"There, what do you think of that? Talk 'bout lamb for sick folks! If it does any good, I'm goin' to have Ikey well as ever by to-morrow. I'll make him eat all this before he goes to bed. You see it's jest as cheap as anythin' we can get," he added. "He couldn't stuff down more'n six in a day to save his life, an' I reckon we can spend that much."

Teddy was not positive whether lamb was good for the invalid, neither did he think the tongue Carrots had purchased would be beneficial; but, as the latter had said, it would serve as food, and certainly was not a waste of money, and therefore he replied:

"I don't know as it'll do him any good, old man, but it'll keep him from bein' hungry, anyhow."

"Are you goin' down there this noon?"

"No; I wouldn't dare to in the daytime. We shall have to wait till night. Have you seen anythin' of Skip?"

"Not a smitch. I reckon he got scared when he saw you talkin' to that policeman yesterday, an' I think he will give us a wide berth for a while."

"I don't think you're right. He hasn't stopped tryin' to drive us out er town jest 'cause I told the officer; but is waitin' till he can catch us where we don't know anybody. Keep your eye peeled for him."

"I'll be careful enough, you can be sure of that," Carrots replied. "I never'd gone to the market for this lamb, if it hadn't been that a couple of fellers I know were goin' down, an' they wouldn't let Skip pitch inter me."

This day's business was not so large as the previous one, owing to the fact that both in the bootblacking and news-selling departments of the concern there was active compet.i.tion; but both considered they had earned very good wages, and were in the best of humor when they started home with a sufficient addition to their larder to provide a generous meal for all three.

"I'll tell you what I've been thinkin' of, Carrots," Teddy said, as they walked slowly along. "Ikey is in a pretty bad way, an' it seems to me we ought ter do somethin' more'n jest feed him up on lamb, if he ever expects to get out."

"Want to try the bread an' milk?"

"No, I don't know anythin' 'bout that business; but this is what I was kind er figgerin' on. It costs terrible to get a doctor, of course; but don't you s'pose we might make the same trade with one that we did with the lawyer? If we'd 'gree to give him a paper, an' black his boots, till the bill was paid, I don't reckon it would take long to fix Ikey in great shape."

"That's a good idee!" Carrots replied, enthusiastically. "Why, I'll bet you could get any quant.i.ty of 'em at that rate. Say, there's one up on Rivington Street. I used to black his boots last year, when I worked 'round that way; but haven't seen him since. He's awful nice; ain't so very old either, an' a good many times give me something extra when I got though with my job."

"Suppose we go there to-night?"

"All right; I'm with you! We'll fill Ikey up with this lamb, get him to bed, an' then take a sneak. We can be back in half an hour. Say, how would it do to carry him along with us?"

"I wouldn't like to do that, 'cause you see p'rhaps the doctor might not be willin', an' we'd have dragged the poor feller 'round for nothin'.

Besides, if we should happen to meet Skip while he was along, it would be kind er hard lines to take care of a lame boy an' fight at the same time."