A League of Three: Boy's Detective Stratagems — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

i SS A LEAGUE OF THREE “You’re no good.” “That’s so; you always were braver than me.” “But it’s your turn.” “I give yon my chance; you test him.” ~ “No use. Hollerin’ ain’t going to wake that feller up;' bre’ ’s an eternal sleeper, he is. Any feller who could sleep after the one yell I gave will never be awakened up any more short of the last trump, and I ain’t the appointed trumpeter, pard. No, just feel it—will yer?” “You do it.” “Not this evening; some other evening, pard.” “ Let’s poke him with a stick.” : “'T’hat’s a good scheme.” “Then we can make sure.” “Yes, we can make sure. You poke him.” One of the men had his walking stick and he stood off and poked Madie. The boy did not move. “See here, pard, it’s no use; that’s a ‘stiff,’ sure.” The man spoke in a subdued and husky yoice and Madie, as he lay playing ’possum, thought: “ Well, they are hav- ing lots of fun, but the fun hasn’t commenced yet. I am laying for them.” The lad was indeed “laying for them,” lying as still as though he were indeed a corpse. “What shall we do, pard?” / “Them’s a nice pair of boots there.” | “Yas, they are; but they won’t fit us.” “"They are good for a jug of whisky all the same,” “ You bet.” “They are a part of our inheritance.” “ You bet.” *'T'ake ’em, pard.” “Yes, bime by; not right eff.” “Golly, it’s queer.” ’ e ALOT Bey mate of ut i Sal Pte es oy ck Pa te et a! iP J Vaee _ i we Lt ' . . 4 4 " - le 1 = » eal t f “aa hy ’ : CORMCEMOOKS (E(@)