Teddy and Carrots: Two Merchants of Newpaper Row Part 20

"I've been thinkin' most likely he'd try the game, an' we'd better stick together. Now, here's my way: in the mornin' you take your box, while I tend to the papers, an' we'll go right up to City Hall. If he comes there we mustn't fight him, 'cause we'll be 'rested; but there's nothin' 'll prevent our keepin' him off if he tries any funny business.

I guess it wouldn't be a great while before some one come along as a witness on our side. If he fools 'round two or three days, tryin' to drive us off, he'll get inter trouble, an' we'll be clear of it."

The only way in which Carrots's reply to this remark can be described, is by saying that he snorted.

It was not a groan, neither was it a spoken word; but, rather, a general snort of disdain for the plan proposed and defiance to the boy who had wronged him.

Teddy's suggestion was so tame and so unworthy the cause that Carrots began to think he had made a mistake by going into business with one who was willing to act so cowardly a part.

Teddy understood this quite as well as if his companion had given words to the thoughts, and, without losing his temper in the slightest degree, he asked: "If you don't like that plan, what do you want to do?"

"Go out an' lambaste Skip!"

"All right; there's nothin' to hinder. Shall I stay here, or do you want me to help?"

"Well, it looks to me as if it was as much your fight as mine."

"Very well; let's go. I reckon that we can find him somewhere, can't we?"

"Yes; he's 'most allers up 'round Grand Street an' the Bowery."

"Well," said Teddy, "if you're bound to try an' thump Skip, why, I'm with you; but you know as well as I do how it'll turn out. He counts on jest what you think of doin', an' is sure to have his gang with him all the time."

"Then will you do jest as I say?"

"Right up to the dot!"

This satisfied Carrots to such a degree that he immediately cast off the look of anger he had worn, and began to appear more cheerful.

Carrots had so far unbent that he was willing to discuss the business of the day, and on counting the profits it was found that between them they had earned eighty-one cents, despite the many interruptions and difficulties.

According to the arrangements previously made, Teddy took possession of the funds, wrapped the pennies and silver pieces carefully in a piece of brown paper, and deposited the package in a hiding-place under one of the boxes which served them as a home.

"What are you doin' that for?" Carrots asked in surprise.

"I don't want to stand any chance of losin' it."

"But it's safer in your pocket than anywhere else."

"Not if we meet Skip. In case he an' his crowd get the best of us in a row, they'll be sure to do what they did this afternoon, an' we mustn't lose all the money we've got."

Carrots made no reply.

This preparing for a flogging was not agreeable to him, and it is possible he began to think that perhaps his scheme for getting even was hardly as wise as he had supposed it.

Teddy deposited the cash where it would not be found until after a long and careful search, and then, their supper having been finished, said: "Now I'm ready whenever you are," and he extinguished one of the candles.

"It's no use to go up there so soon," Carrots replied. "We'd better hold on till he gets his supper."

Teddy made no comment upon this delay of justice, but began speaking of the work to be done on the following day, and the probability that trouble would ensue, always prefacing his remarks with the proviso:

"If we go out at all to-morrow."

"What do you keep saying that for?" Carrots finally asked. "Of course we'll go out to-morrow!"

"I've seen the time since I struck this town that I couldn't get out when I wanted to go, an' p'rhaps we shall be in the same fix to-night; but if we ain't we'll dive inter business mighty strong."

It was some time before Carrots showed the slightest disposition to venture forth for the purpose of wreaking vengeance.

Then it could have been observed that he was not nearly so eager as when he first came home.

Twice he leaped to his feet as if to propose that they start, and twice he sat down again.

One would almost have fancied he was waiting for Teddy to make the suggestion; but the latter remained silent.

Then it seemed as if it were absolutely necessary he should do something, and he said with an evident effort:

"Now, if you're ready, I reckon we'd better go."

"All right," Teddy replied, cheerily, as he led the way from the packing-cases to the street.

Carrots followed at a leisurely pace, and, as the two walked toward Grand Street by way of the Bowery, one would have said it was Teddy who had insisted on the expedition.

The nearer they approached the place where it was supposed Master Jellison would be found, the slower did Carrots walk, and finally, when they were yet more than a block away, he came to a standstill.

"What is it?" Teddy asked, knowing full well the cause of the halt.

"I've been thinkin' p'rhaps it would be better if we didn't go up there to-night. Course he's got his crowd with him, an' they could get the best of us."

"Yes, an' he'll be in the same fix for the next week."

"Well, I s'pose," Carrots said, hesitatingly, "we ought ter wait till he thinks we ain't goin' to do anything."

"That's jest what I proposed, old man, before we started out; but you seemed to think it ought ter be done to-night, an' I was willin' to give in."

"I guess I'll let it go as you say, 'cause it would be hard luck for both of us to get 'rested and sent up to the Island."

Now that Carrots had decided on delaying his vengeance, he was in the utmost haste to get away from the dangerous locality; for there was a chance that his enemy might appear, and then, perhaps, instead of being revenged, he would receive another thras.h.i.+ng.

With such thoughts in his mind he walked rapidly toward his dwelling; and when they were once safely inside the fence, all his former good-nature appeared to have returned.

He was the same Carrots as before, and, so far as could be seen, the loss of the dollar had ceased to trouble him.

Teddy was not willing that very much time should be spent in idle conversation; he believed it necessary they should be at their work very early in the morning, and curled himself on the bed of straw before the neighbouring clocks proclaimed the hour of eight.

When the sun rose once more, and the two merchants were preparing for business, Carrots no longer entertained ideas of thras.h.i.+ng his enemy, but seemed only to fear that he might receive further injury at Skip's hands.

So excessive was his prudence that he did not allow himself to stray more than half a dozen paces from Teddy's side, no matter what business might demand.

The morning trade opened in the most prosperous fas.h.i.+on, and the partners had already sold eight papers and put on four s.h.i.+nes, when Master Jellison and his companions appeared on the scene.