Detective Bob Bridger — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

« , , ik TT "\< 7 3 ab, Hem HT ’ A. 7 100 . pes DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. they had learned in passing through the mill, enabled them to dwell for the time in clover, and in the enjoyment of as much peace and safety as the grocer dealing out his sanded sugars. Ba Both of these gentlemen were well-known to the police, and their portraits adorned the Rogues’ Gallery in Mul- berry street. | eres As the inebriated Englishman passed this pair of corner liquor store beauties he glanced very shrewdly toward them, then turned down the cross street directly by them. ‘Tom, the Frog,” was first to perceive the sport, who. as- _ he progressed upon the side street, seemed to be much more intoxicated than when on the Bowery. ‘Inkle the nazy,” remarked ‘‘Tom, the Frog,” nudging his rat-eyed companion and nodding his head in the direc- tion of the staggering man. I'he Englishman had proceeded but a dozen steps from where the two men stood, and as soon as ‘‘Jack, the Fork,” saw the ‘‘game” he hastened in his direction. ‘Tom, the Frog,” stood still, watching the outcome of his companion’s venture. Meanwhile the two sleuth-hounds had reached the corner, and appeared to be so much under the weather from drink that their chief aim seemed to be to keep each other from falling down. < From the Englishman’s actions they felt assured that he, like them, was shamming intoxication, that he knew the character of the men he had passed on the corner, and that he was placing himself in their way for a purpose. The two thieves had evidently accepted him as a first- Class “drunk,” worthy of a run through their ‘‘racket.” It was, therefore, not a case of hawk and sparrow, but of hawk and hawk. | As he approached the tipsy stranger the ‘‘roper” stepped nimbly forward and slapped him familiarly on the back. The Englishman paused, turned about, looked inquir- ingly into the ‘“‘roper’s” shrewd, smiling face, and me- chanically grasped the hand which that worthy held forth with all the assurance of an old acquaintance. ) “Well, well! ha, ha, ho, old boy! is here where I find you?” exclaimed ‘‘Jack, the Fork.” ‘‘By the way, what the duse are you doing in this part of town, you know?” » ‘Well—that is—hic !” returned the apparently astonished . drunkard. ‘‘Excuse me, ye know—but, pray, where have I met you before ?” | he man spoke in a strange, high-keyed, squeaking voice, comicbooks.com | re ca! sml U pe aed aie