Ahead of the Show; Or, The Adventures of Al Allston, Advance Agent

by Fred Thorpe

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  AN EXCITING INTERVIEW.

  As the carriage rolled away Al and the cabman stood and stared at eachother. Then the latter burst into a loud laugh.

  "Well, sir," he said, "this is the funniest job I have had for many along day."

  Al failed to appreciate the humor of the situation.

  "It does not strike me as being particularly funny," he said.

  "It doesn't?"

  "Decidedly not. Why did you lose sight of the other cab?"

  "Why, you explained that yourself just now. The two carriages lookedjust alike; I believe they were the same."

  "No, they were not. The man I saw looking from the window of thecarriage that passed the Grand Central Depot was not the man we havejust been talking to."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes. You followed the wrong carriage; that is all there is to it."

  "Well," admitted the cabby, "I think you are right. Where shall I takeyou now?"

  "Nowhere; I'll walk. How much do I owe you?"

  "Ten dollars," was the calm reply.

  "Ten what?" demanded Al.

  "Dollars."

  "Ten dollars for driving me that short distance?"

  "Do you call that a short distance?"

  "Yes; I could have walked it in a good deal less than half an hour."

  "Why didn't you, then?"

  "I----"

  "Now, see here," interrupted the cabman, with a threatening air, as heput his face in very close proximity to Al's, "I don't want no muss withyou. See? But I get that ten dollars. Do you think I'm driving this herething for fun? Not on your life!"

  This was Al's first experience with one of the class known in New Yorkas "night-hawks," and for a moment he hesitated. Imagining that he hadgained an advantage, the man added:

  "Now, look lively! I've got something else to do besides standing herechinning with you."

  "Yes," said the boy, quietly, "you have. On second thoughts, I'll keepyour cab a little longer. Drive me to the nearest police station."

  The man stared at him, then asked, rather uneasily:

  "What for?"

  "So that I can find out just what I ought to pay you. It won't takeeither of us long to get the information."

  The night-hawk saw that he had, for once, met his match.

  "See here, young gent," he said, "I don't want no trouble with you."

  "If there is any trouble, you will bring it on yourself," responded theboy.

  "I've got no time to waste. Give me a V and I'll call it square."

  "I'll give you nothing of the sort."

  "What will you pay, then?"

  "Two dollars is quite enough."

  "Make it three, boss."

  "I can't do it," said Al, who saw that he had by luck hit upon about theright price. "Will you take two, or will you go with me to the nearestpolice station and let them settle the matter there?"

  "Give me the two," said the man, sullenly. "I'll take it, but I'm losingmoney on the job. If I'd stayed up at the station I might have pickedup----"

  "You might have picked up a bigger greenhorn than you did," added Al."Well, I'll wish you good-morning."

  He was about to turn away when a heavy hand was laid on his shoulder,and a familiar voice exclaimed:

  "Well, this is luck. I didn't expect to find you as easy as all this."

  "Oh, it's you, is it?" cried Al, recognizing the friendly brakeman whohad loaned him the money. "I'm mighty glad I ran across you."

  "You are, eh?" sneered the man.

  Al looked at him in surprise.

  "Yes, I was going to hunt you up."

  "Oh, you were?"

  "Of course I was. I wanted to explain to you why I left you so suddenly.You must have thought----"

  "I thought the truth--that I had been made the victim of a swindler. Imade up my mind that I would hunt you up, but I didn't expect to findyou quite so soon; that was blind luck."

  "See here," said Al, his anger rising, "you are going a little too far.I was, and am, much obliged to you for lending me that money, but I----"

  "Lending nothing," interrupted the cabman, who had been a silentlistener to the conversation. "Why, the young villain has just beentelling me how he euchered a brakeman up at the Grand Central out of awad."

  "It is a lie!" burst from the lips of the indignant boy, and he advancedtoward the treacherous fellow with clinched fists.

  But the cabman retreated and leaped upon his box.

  "If I didn't have my cab here," he said, as he gathered up the reins,"I'd teach you to call me a liar. Boss"--to the brakeman--"you're inluck to find the young rascal so easy. Don't let him off; I know himwell, and, in spite of his innocent looks, he is one of the toughestyoungsters in the city."

  With these words the rascal whipped up his horses and started up theavenue at as rapid a pace as his steeds were capable of.

  "Do you believe that fellow's story?" demanded Al, looking his companionsquarely in the eyes.

  "You can bet I do," was the prompt reply.

  "You think I am a thief?"

  "Haven't I pretty good proof of it?"

  "I----"

  "Now, see here, young fellow," interrupted the indignant brakeman, "I amnot going to sit up till daylight to discuss this matter with you. Youcan talk it over with the judge later. You buncoed me in a very neatmanner; I admit you did the job well, but luck happened to be on myside, and the game is lost for you. But see here; just to avoid trouble,if you hand me back my ten dollars, I'll let you off."

  "I'll give you all I have left of it," said Al; "and some day I'll proveto you that I am not----"

  "That's all right," interrupted the uncompromising brakeman. "I don'tcare what you are; all I want is my ten dollars, not what you have left,but just what I gave you."

  "I have just paid that cabman two dollars," said Al, "and all I can giveyou is eight. I am very sorry I accepted the loan at all."

  "You ain't as sorry as I am," sneered the brakeman. "But, see here, I'mnot going to fool any more time away with you. I've had a hard day, andI've got to start in again at eleven o'clock. To save myself trouble, Ihave offered to let you off if you would give me my money back. If youwon't, you will go with me to the station house, where I shall make aformal complaint against you. Now, what do you say?"

  Before Al could reply a man suddenly turned the corner of EleventhStreet.

  As he approached, the boy grasped his companion's arm.

  "Now," he said, "I'll prove to you that you have made a mistake."

  "How?"

  "Do you see this man coming?"

  The brakeman looked, then started.

  "It's your pal!" he exclaimed, recognizing the individual who had beenintroduced to the reader as the "Rev. David Ferguson."

  "He's no more my pal than you are," said Al. "Just keep your eyes andears open, and I'll convince you on that point, at any rate."

  The alleged reverend gentleman was approaching rather slowly. His eyeswere on the pavement. He was smiling; evidently his thoughts were of anagreeable nature.

  He did not observe Al and his companion until he was within a few feetof them; then the boy suddenly stepped forward, saying:

  "Good-morning, Mr. Ferguson."