Teddy and Carrots: Two Merchants of Newpaper Row Part 5

"He wasn't in it at all, from the time they begun," Teenie had stated to his friends; and on more than one occasion he had referred to this defeat in the presence of Skip himself.

It is but fair to say, however, that Skip Jellison positively denied the truth of any such statement. In explanation of the blackened eye and badly swollen lip he brought from Brooklyn, he announced that he had been set upon by a crowd of young ruffians.

"Of course a feller's goin' to get some clips when he tackles a dozen or fifteen fellers at once," Skip explained to an admiring audience, shortly after Master Ma.s.sey's story had been noised about the streets; "but every one of 'em got it worse'n I did, an' it wasn't more'n five minutes before all hands were runnin' lickertysplit up Fulton Street. I reckon they didn't stop till they got to Prospect Park. Teenie wants to make out a good story; but it's all a whopper, an' he knows it."

Now, although Carrots believed that Master Ma.s.sey had told the truth in regard to what really occurred in Brooklyn, Carrots did not feel competent to take upon himself the task of cowing the bully; and he felt reasonably certain Skip would carry his threats into effect should occasion arise.

Carrots was also quite positive the occasion would arise, because he did not intend to desert Teddy.

"I'm goin' right ahead with what I 'greed to do," he said to himself.

"If Skip wants to thump me for it, I s'pose I'll have to let him."

These reflections were interrupted by Reddy Jackson, who asked, as he approached and halted in front of Carrots:

"Seen Skip lately?"

"He jest went away. Been' round, kinder reg'latin' the town. Goin' to rest hisself, 'cause he's most played out workin' so hard."

"Did he tell you anything?"

"Yes; thought I was rather meddlin' with his business; but I don't see how that is."

"Now look here, Carrots; I'm a friend of yours, an' don't want ter see any trouble come out er this thing. Skip's jest wild 'bout what you've told the other fellers, an' I reckon he'll do as he says if you try to help that feller what got 'rested."

"You 'lowed you was a friend of mine, didn't you, Reddy?"

"That's what I said."

"Well, then, why don't you show it by helpin' me stand up 'gainst sich a bully as Skip Jellison is, 'stead of comin' here and tellin' me what he's goin' to do? To hear some of you fellers talk, anybody'd think he was a reg'lar rhinoceros huntin' 'round to eat folks. Now, it's jest like this: I've got to help that feller, 'cause I promised him."

"But you don't even know who he is."

"I didn't ask him to write out a history 'bout hisself, an' swear to it, so's I could tell you fellers; but he's like all the rest of us, got to hustle for a livin', an' has come down here to do it. Now what business is that of Skip Jellison's? He doesn't own this town--ain't even got a mortgage on it--yet he makes out this feller can't stay, an' tries to lick him. Now, I s'pose you think it's mighty smart to try an' shove that country feller down?"

"You don't know anything 'bout it, Carrots. He put on more frills this mornin' than you ever saw in a circus procession. We ain't goin' to stand that; of course not."

"I s'pose it broke your heart 'cause his face was clean, didn't it?" And it was apparent from Carrots's tone that he was losing his temper.

"Oh, well, go ahead, an' see how you'll come out, that's all. I jest thought I'd tell you so's you wouldn't get into a fuss with Skip; but if this is the way you're goin' on, why, let her flicker, for all I care."

"I'm much obliged to you for bein' so willin'; an' when I want another favor I'll call 'round an' see you," Carrots replied, as he turned on his heel, while Reddy walked rapidly away.

"It looks as if I'd got to put this thing through alone," Carrots said to himself; "an' if that's so, it'll be a good idea for me to keep away from where Skip is, 'cause if he should get a whack at me, I'm afraid I wouldn't be in a condition to do much of anything for a day or two."

Carrots visited all of his acquaintances in whom he felt he could confide, trying to enlist their sympathies in the work which he had undertaken.

Unfortunately for his purpose, however, he did not find any who were willing, simply because of the stranger, to brave the doughty Skip's wrath; and nearly every one advised Carrots to "give it up before he got into trouble."

Not until nearly nightfall was the well-disposed bootblack willing to cease his efforts in this particular direction.

Then he repaired to a certain restaurant on Baxter Street, where he appeared to be well acquainted with the waiters, and called for a hearty meal of corned beef and potatoes, at the expense of fifteen cents--an unusual amount for him, as could have been told by the remark which the waiter made.

"Ain't you spreadin' yourself some to-night, Carrots?"

"Well, it does look a little that way; but, you see, I've got a lot of business on hand, and I need to be braced up a bit."

"Bought out some other bootblack, or found a bigger line of customers?"

"Well, no; I'm buyin' stocks now. The Wall Street men are kind er 'fraid I'll down 'em, an' they're makin' me hustle."

"Oh!--gone into the Stock Exchange, eh?"

"Well, I haven't been any further than the gallery yet; but that's all right. You don't want ter put in a piece of pie with this corned beef, an' take the chance of a rise in Western Union for the pay, do you?"

"No, I guess not. It would be too much like speculatin'."

"Well, I didn't s'pose you would; but I'm comin' 'round here in the mornin' to give your boss some points about runnin' his business,"

Carrots replied; and, handing over his money, he walked with a majestic air into the street.

Having thus refreshed the inner man, Carrots bent his way in the direction of the station-house.

It was his intention to ask for an interview with the prisoner who had been arrested in City Hall Park, and he felt extremely doubtful whether this request would be granted, until he entered the building and recognized in the sergeant behind the desk an old customer.

His surprise at meeting a friend, when he had expected to see the stern visage of a mere servant of justice, was quite as great as it was pleasing; and he marched up to the desk and said, familiarly:

"If I'd knowed you was here, I'd 'a' come before."

"I don't want my boots s.h.i.+ned now. See you outside in the morning," said the sergeant.

"But I ain't s.h.i.+nin'; I'm on business."

"Oh, you are, eh? Well, what's up?"

"One of the pleecemen 'round City Hall arrested a feller this mornin'

what had jest walked down from Saranac; an' it's all wrong, I tell you,--all wrong."

"He's a friend of yours, I suppose?"

"Well, you can't exactly call him that. I never spoke to him till jest before this thing happened. I want ter git him right out, on 'portant business."

"I'm afraid you will have to wait a little while, and explain the whole affair to the judge in the morning. I haven't any authority to do a thing like that."

"Couldn't you fix it with the judge?"

"No, indeed," the officer replied, laughingly. "The best way is for you to go to the court yourself, and explain how it happened, unless he is really guilty, in which case I suppose he will have to go to the Island. I fancy a week up there wouldn't do him any harm."

"But, you see, it was jest this way"--and Carrots a.s.sumed an att.i.tude such as one takes when about to begin a long story.

"Never mind it now. I can't stop to listen; and, besides, it wouldn't do any good."