Ben, the Luggage Boy; Or, Among the WharvesAlger, Horatio, Jr.
History
Ben, the Luggage Boy; Or, Among the Wharves
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
New York (N.Y.) -- History -- Fiction; Runaways -- Fiction
"Shall you be there?" asked Ben.
"Never mind. Go on just as if I had not met you, and deliver up the
valise."
"If you're goin' to nab him, just wait till I've got my pay. I don't
want to smash such heavy baggage for nothin'."
"I agree to that. Moreover, if I succeed in getting hold of the fellow
through your information, I don't mind paying you five dollars out of
my own pocket."
"Very good," said Ben. "I shan't mind takin' it, not by no means."
"Go on, and don't be in too much of a hurry. I want time to lay my
trap."
Ben walked along leisurely, in accordance with his instructions. At
length he reached the rendezvous. He found the owner of the valise
already in waiting.
"Well, boy," he said, impatiently, "you took your time."
"I generally do," said Ben. "It aint dishonest to take my own time, is
it?"
"I've been waiting here for a quarter of an hour. I didn't know but
you'd gone to sleep somewhere on the way."
"I don't sleep much in the daytime. It don't agree with my constitution.
Well, mister, I hope you'll give me something handsome. Your baggage
here is thunderin' heavy."
"There's twenty-five cents," said the other.
"Twenty-five cents!" exclaimed Ben, indignantly.
"Twenty-five cents for walkin' two miles with such a heavy load. It's
worth fifty."
"Well, you won't get fifty," said the other, roughly.
"Just get somebody else to carry your baggage next time," said Ben,
angrily.
He looked round, and saw the quiet-looking man, before referred to,
approaching. He felt some satisfaction in knowing that his recent
employer would meet with a check which he was far from anticipating.
Without answering Ben, the latter took the valise, and was about moving
away, when the quiet-looking man suddenly quickened his pace, and laid
his hand on his arm.
The burglar, for he was really one, started, and turned pale.
"What do you want?"
"You know what I want," said the detective, quietly. "I want you."
"What do you want me for?" demanded the other; but it was easy to see
that he was nervous and alarmed.
"You know that also," said the detective; "but I don't mind telling
you. You came from Philadelphia this morning, and your name is 'Sly
Bill.' You are a noted burglar, and I shall take you into immediate
custody."
"You're mistaken," said Bill. "You've got hold of the wrong man."
"That will soon be seen. Have the kindness to accompany me to the
station-house, and I'll take a look into that valise of yours."
Bill was physically a stronger man than the detective, but he succumbed
at once to the tone of quiet authority with which he spoke, and prepared
to follow, though by no means with alacrity.
"Here, my lad," said the detective, beckoning Ben, who came up. "Come
and see me at this place, to-morrow," he continued, producing a card,
"and I won't forget the promise I made you."
"All right," said Ben.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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