Paul the Peddler; Or, The Fortunes of a Young Street Merchant Read online

  CHAPTER V

  PAUL LOSES HIS BASKET

  Paul continued in the prize-package business for three weeks. Hissuccess varied, but he never made less than seventy-five cents a day,and sometimes as much as a dollar and a quarter. He was not withoutcompetitors. More than once, on reaching his accustomed stand, he founda rival occupying it before him. In such cases he quietly passed on,and set up his business elsewhere, preferring to monopolize the trade,though the location might not be so good.

  Teddy O'Brien did not again enter the field. We left him, at the endof the last chapter, trying to escape from Mike and Jim, who demanded alarger sum than he was willing to pay for their services. He succeededin escaping with his money, but the next day the two confederates caughthim, and Teddy received a black eye as a receipt in full of all demands.So, on the whole, he decided that some other business would suithim better, and resumed the blacking-box, which he had abandoned onembarking in commercial pursuits.

  Mike Donovan and Jim Parker were two notoriously bad boys, preferring tomake a living in any other way than by honest industry. As some of theseways were not regarded as honest in the sight of the law, each had morethan once been sentenced to a term at Blackwell's Island. They made aproposition to Paul to act as decoy ducks for him in the same way as forTeddy. He liked neither of the boys, and did not care to be associatedwith them. This refusal Mike and Jim resented, and determined to "payoff" Paul if they ever got a chance. Our hero from time to time saw themhovering about him, but took very little notice of them.

  He knew that he was a match for either, though Mike exceeded him insize, and he felt quite capable of taking care of himself.

  One day Mike and Jim, whose kindred tastes led them to keep company,met at the corner of Liberty and William streets. Mike looked unusuallydilapidated. He had had a scuffle the day before with another boy, andhis clothes, always well ventilated, got torn in several extra places.As it was very uncertain when he would be in a financial condition toprovide himself with another suit, the prospect was rather alarming. JimParker looked a shade more respectable in attire, but his face andhands were streaked with blacking. To this, however, Jim had become soaccustomed that he would probably have felt uncomfortable with a cleanface.

  "How are you off for stamps, Jim?" asked Mike.

  "Dead broke," was the reply.

  "So am I. I ain't had no breakfast."

  "Nor I 'cept an apple. Couldn't I eat, though?"

  "Suppose we borrow a quarter of Paul Hoffman."

  "He wouldn't lend a feller."

  "Not if he knowed it," said Mike, significantly.

  "What do you mean, Mike?" asked Jim, with some curiosity.

  "We'll borrow without leave."

  "How'll we do it?"

  "I'll tell you," said Mike.

  He proceeded to unfold his plan, which was briefly this. The two wereto saunter up to where Paul was standing; and remain until the group, ifthere were any around him should be dispersed. Then one was to pull hishat over his eyes, while the other would snatch the basket containinghis prize packages, and run down Liberty street, never stopping until helanded in a certain alley known to both boys. The other would run in adifferent direction, and both would meet as soon as practicable for thedivision of the spoils. It was yet so early that Paul could not havesold many from his stock. As each contained a prize, varying fromone penny to ten, they would probably realize enough to buy a goodbreakfast, besides the candy contained in the packages. More money mightbe obtained by selling packages, but there was risk in this. Besides, itwould take time, and they decided that a bird in the hand was worth twoin the bush.

  "That's a good idea," said Jim, approvingly. "Who'll knock his hat overhis head?"

  "You can," said Mike, "and I'll grab the basket." But to this Jimdemurred, for two reasons: first, he was rather afraid of Paul, whosestrength of arm he had tested on a previous occasion; and, again, hewas afraid that if Mike got off with the basket he would appropriate thelion's share.

  "I'll grab the basket," he said.

  "What for?" said Mike, suspiciously, for he, too, felt some distrust ofhis confederate.

  "You're stronger'n I am, Mike," said Jim. "Maybe he'd turn on me, and Ican't fight him as well as you."

  "That's so," said Mike, who had rather a high idea of his own prowess,and felt pleased with the compliment. "I'm a match for him."

  "Of course you be," said Jim, artfully, "and he knows it."

  "Of course he does," said Mike, boastfully. "I can lick him with onehand."

  Jim had serious doubts of this, but he had his reasons for concurring inMike's estimate of his own powers.

  "We'd better start now," said Jim. "I'm awful hungry."

  "Come along, then."

  They walked up Liberty street, as far as Nassau. On reaching the cornerthey saw their unconscious victim at his usual place. It was rather apublic place for an assault, and both boys would have hesitated had theynot been incited by a double motive--the desire of gain and a feeling ofhostility.

  They sauntered along, and Mike pressed in close by Paul.

  "What do you want?" asked Paul, not liking the vicinity.

  "What's that to you?" demanded Mike.

  "Quit crowdin' me."

  "I ain't crowdin'. I've got as much right to be here as you."

  "Here's your prize packages!" exclaimed Paul, in a businesslike tone.

  "Maybe I'll buy one if you'll give me credit till to-morrow," said Mike.

  "Your credit isn't good with me," said Paul. "You must pay cash down."

  "Then you won't trust me?" said Mike, pressing a little closer.

  "No, I won't," said Paul, decidedly.

  "Then, take that, you spalpeen!" said Mike, suddenly pulling Paul's hatover his eyes.

  At the same time Jim, to whom he had tipped a wink, snatched the basket,which Paul held loosely in his hand, and disappeared round the corner.

  The attack was so sudden and unexpected that Paul was at firstbewildered. But he quickly recovered his presence of mind, and saw intothe trick. He raised his hat, and darted in pursuit of Mike, not knowingin what direction his basket had gone.

  "That's a mean trick!" he exclaimed, indignantly. "Give me back mybasket, you thief!"

  "I ain't got no basket," said Mike, facing round.

  "Then you know where it is."

  "I don't know nothin' of your basket."

  "You pulled my hat over my eyes on purpose to steal my basket."

  "No, I didn't. You insulted me, that's why I did it."

  "Tell me where my basket is, or I'll lick you," said Paul, incensed.

  "I ain't nothin' to do with your basket."

  "Take that, then, for pulling my hat over my eyes," and Paul, suitingthe action to the word, dealt Mike a staggering blow in the face.

  "I'll murder you!" shouted Mike, furiously, dashing at Paul with a blowwhich might have leveled him, if he had not fended it off.

  Paul was not quarrelsome, but he knew how to fight, and he was preparednow to fight in earnest, indignant as he was at the robbery whichentailed upon him a loss he could ill sustain.

  "I'll give you all you want," he said, resolutely, eyeing Mike warily,and watching a chance to give him another blow.

  The contest was brief, being terminated by the sudden and unwelcomearrival of a policeman.

  "What's this?" he asked authoritatively, surveying the combatants; Paul,with his flushed face, and Mike, whose nose was bleeding freely from asuccessful blow of his adversary.

  "He pitched into me for nothin'," said Mike, glaring at Paul, andrubbing his bloody nose on the sleeve of his ragged coat.

  "That isn't true," said Paul, excitedly. "He came up while I was sellingprize packages of candy in front of the post office, and pulled my hatover my eyes, while another boy grabbed my basket."

  "You lie!" said Mike. "I don't know nothin' of your basket."

  "Why did you pull his hat over his eyes?" asked the policeman.

  "Because he
insulted me."

  "How did he insult you?"

  "He wouldn't trust me till to-morrow."

  "I don't blame him much for that," said the policeman, who was awareof Mike's shady reputation, having on a former occasion been underthe necessity of arresting him. Even without such acquaintance, Mike'sgeneral appearance would hardly have recommended him to Officer Jones.

  "I'll let you go this time," he said, "but if I catch you fighting againon my beat I'll march you off to the station-house."

  Mike was glad to escape, though he would almost have been willing to bearrested if Paul could have been arrested also.

  The officer walked away, and Mike started down the street.

  Paul followed him.

  That didn't suit Mike's ideas, as he was anxious to meet Jim and dividethe spoils with him.

  "What are you follerin' me for?" he demanded, angrily.

  "I have my reasons," said Paul.

  "Then you'd better stay where you are. Your company ain't wanted."

  "I know that," said Paul, "but I'm going to follow you till I find mybasket."

  "What do I know of your basket?"

  "That's what I want to find out."

  Mike saw, by Paul's resolute tone, that he meant what he said. Desirousof shaking him of, he started on a run.