Dan The Newsboy 10
"I want to go to the Old Bowery to-night, if you must know."
"If you wanted it for your mother I might have lent it to you, though I
need all I can earn for my own mother."
"It's for my mother I want it, thin," said Mike. "I guess I won't go to
the theater to-night."
"That's too thin. Your mother would never see the color of it."
"Won't you lend me, thin?"
"No, I can't. If you want money, why don't you earn it, as I do?"
"I ain't lucky."
"It isn't luck. If you go to work and sell papers or black boots, you
will be able to help your mother and pay your way to the theater
yourself."
"Kape your advice to yourself," said Mike, sullenly. "I don't want it."
"You'd rather have my money," said Dan, good-humoredly.
"I'll never see that. You're too mane."
"All right. I'll be _mane_, then."
"I'd like to put a head on you," muttered Mike.
"I've got one already. I don't need another," said Dan.
"Oh, you think you're mighty smart wid your jokes," said Mike.
Dan smiled and walked off, leaving Mike more his enemy than ever.
This was the boy who overheard Mrs. Mordaunt say that she had more than
the rent already saved up. Mike's cupidity was excited. He knew that it
must amount to several dollars, and this he felt would keep him in
cigarettes and pay for evenings at the theater for several days.
"I wish I had it," he said to himself. "I wonder where the ould woman
kapes it."
The more Mike thought of it the more he coveted this money, and he set
to work contriving means to get possession of it.
Finally he arranged upon a plan.
About three o'clock in the afternoon he knocked at Mrs. Mordaunt's door.
She answered the knock in person.
"Mike Rafferty!" she said, in surprise. "Won't you come in?"
"Oh, no; I can't. It's bad news I bring you about Dan."
"What is it? Tell me quick, in Heaven's name!" she exclaimed, her heart
giving a great bound.
"He's been run over, ma'am, by a hoss, in front of the Astor House, and
they took him into the drug store at the corner. He wants you to go
right over."
"Is he--badly hurt?" asked the agonized mother.
"I guess he's broke his leg," said Mike.
In two minutes Mrs. Mordaunt, trembling with apprehension, her faltering
limbs almost refusing to bear her weight, was on her way to the Astor
House.
As Mike had calculated, she did not stop to lock the door.
The young scape-grace entered the deserted room, rummaged about till he
found the scanty hoard reserved for the landlord, and then went off
whistling.
"Now I'll have a bully time," he said to himself. "Didn't I fool the
ould woman good?"
CHAPTER IX.
MIKE'S THEFT IS DISCOVERED.
Dan was standing in front of the Astor House, talking to a boy
acquaintance, when his mother tottered up to him in a state of great
nervous agitation.
"Why, mother, what's the matter?" asked Dan, in surprise. "What brings
you out this afternoon?"
"Oh, Dan!" she gasped, "are you hurt?"
Dan opened his eyes in wonder. It occurred to him that his mother must
have lost her mind.
"Hurt!" he repeated.
"Yes; they told me you were run over, and had your leg broken."
"My leg broken! Who told you so?"
"Mike Rafferty."
"Then I wish I had him here," said Dan, indignantly; "I'd let him know
whether my leg is broken or not. You bet I would!"
"Haven't you been run over, then?"
"Not that I know of, and I guess it couldn't be done without my knowing
it."
"I am so glad, so relieved!" sighed Mrs. Mordaunt. "I don't know how I
got here, I was so agitated."
"When did Mike Rafferty tell you this cock-and-bull story, mother?"
asked Dan.
"Only a few minutes ago. He said you had been taken into a drug store,
and wanted me to come right over."
"It's a mean trick he played on you, mother," said Dan, indignantly. "I
don't see what made him do it."
"Nor I," said Mrs. Mordaunt. "He must have meant it as a joke."
"A pretty poor joke. I'll get even with him for that."
"I don't mind it now, Dan, since I have you safe. I am ready to forgive
him. He didn't know how much he was distressing me."
"Then he ought to have known. You may forgive him if you want to; I
sha'n't."
"I will go home now, Dan. I feel a good deal happier than I did when I
was hurrying over here."
"I will go with you, mother. I have sold my papers, and sha'n't work any
more this afternoon. Where did you leave Mike? I hope I can come across
him soon."
"I left him at the door of our room."
"Did you lock the door when you came away, mother?" asked Dan.
"No; I believe not."
"Then let us go home at once. Some one might get in."
"There isn't much to take, Dan," said Mrs. Mordaunt, with a faint smile.
"There is our rent money, mother."
"I didn't think of that."
"We shall be in a pretty pickle if that is lost."
"You don't think Mike would take it do you, Dan?"
"I think he would if he knew where to find it."
"I wish I had brought it with me," said Mrs. Mordaunt, in a tone of
anxiety.
"Don't fret, mother; I guess it's all right."
"Perhaps you had better go home at once without waiting for me, Dan. You
can go quicker."
"All right; I'll do it. Where is the money?"
"In my pocket-book, in the drawer of the work-table."
"Are the drawers locked?"
"No."
"Then hereafter you'd better lock them. Well, I'll be off, and will meet
you at the room."
Dan was not long in reaching his humble home. The more he thought of it,
the more he distrusted Mike, and feared that he might have had a
sinister design in the deception he had practiced upon his mother. To
lose the rent money would be a serious matter. Mr. Grab hated him, he
knew full well, and would show no mercy, while in the short time
remaining it would be quite impossible to make up the necessary sum.
Dan sprang up the stairs, several at a bound, and made his way at once
to the little work-table. He pulled the drawer open without ceremony,
and in feverish haste rummaged about until, to his great joy, he found
the pocket-book.
His heart gave a joyous bound.
"It's all right, after all," he said. "Mike isn't so bad as I thought
him."
He opened the pocket-book, and his countenance fell. There was a
twenty-five cent scrip in one of the compartments, and that was all.
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