Detective Bob Bridger — page 222: what you’re looking at

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

DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. 215 I’ve got an eye in my head, a shoe on my foot, and a mask on my face, there’s here between two and three hundred thousand worth. And, what’s more, I can’t think these bonds are registered. The miserly old ‘bloke’ of a ‘fence’ didn’t dare risk doin’ it. So it’s clear ‘swag’ the whole of it. According to bargain, the half’s mine, and the rest’s divided. Out with your bags and needles, boys, and sew that hard stuff into three flat pads, so’s you can carry them inside your overcoats, and lose nothing. Ill stow away the bills and bonds myself. ‘“Work spry now,” added the king of the ‘“‘gang,” ‘‘and when the ‘boodle’s’ hid safe away in the old den we’ll take a stiff horn of sour-mash to the comin’ of merry Christmas and happy New Year, whether Jonathan: Greenhorn sells his farm in Kentucky, and comes on to buy ‘sawdust’ or not.” The watches, coins, and jewelry were speedily sewed in ridges in the folds of the gummy sacks which the three burglars carried, while Goucher succeeded in stowing away the bonds and money in various lodgments about his person. The three “pads” when finished were two feet long, a foot wide, four inches in thickness, and quite heavy. Itwas necessary that they should be securely tied to the men before they donned their overcoats, and buttoned them about them. Several lengths of supple cord rope were needed, and Goucher turned toward the bed on which Moses Muggins had been bound. ) Placing his hand upon the victim’s face, he felt that it was cold, and he knew that Muggins was dead. Withaswift movement he unloosened the noose from the dead man’s neck, and cast the rope aside as before. ‘Fetch that ‘glim’ here,” he exclaimed in feigned aston- ishment. ‘‘I’m a fearin’ the old ‘bloke’ has ‘croaked.’ ” ‘‘Dead !” echoed the three burglars, in a chorus, and they advanced excitedly toward the bed. Goucher threw the lantern’s rays on the dead man’s face. Ted, the bartender, hastened to loose the band from the eyes of the corpse, and the gag from the mouth. ‘*He’s as stiff as a frozen eel!” he said, as his hand touched the cold features of the murdered man. When the band and gag had been removed the sight caused the four burglars to start back with a shudder. Goucher appeared more horrified than the others. Eomilchboo <Si: (e(o) m