Diamond Dick, Jr.: The Boys' Best Weekly — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

30 DIAMOND DICK past liour or so, aud he believed that the chances were about evenly divided. It took him a little while to get ready, but finally he was armed with a strong cudgel—a heavy leg of one of the articles of furniture in the room, and he advanced to his attack upon the semi-circular door that led to the water-filled vestibule. He was about to strike when a form appeared on thre other side. It was the Mascot! Hop Wah was all alone, having left the Serpent and the Ace o’ Spades to secure his retreat at the other end. ‘Just in tine, my yellow diamond!”? said Bertie, speaking in guarded tones, lest his captors might hear. ‘‘Keep your trap shut, now, and do just as I tell you.’? ‘CAll light, you bettee.’? ‘In that round place just in front of you is a button, right over your head. Reach up and press it, but take care that the water don’t carry you off your feet. They have a way of pumping it out, but I don’t know the truck. Look out for vourself now!’ “All light, me lookee out.’? The Mascot reached up and touched the button, and tustantly the door opened and the water rushed in. The little Chinee caught hold of a bracket and swung, himself clear of the floor, and thus escaped the rush,-and it was all over in a moment, but now the water was flowing in steadily. Bertie then directed him to step into the passage and press the similar button ii) the second door, and when he had done that, Diamond Dick, Jr., was freed and he grasped the hands of his faithful and fearless little Mascot, for he had come like a ray of sunshine in an hour of glooin. Bertie closed the doors the first thing, and the vestibule was soon full of water as before, Bertic hastened to find the way to the room in which pretty Eunice, Joyce was imprisoned, the Mascot chattering away as they advanced and telling all about the adventures of himself and Handsome Harry, how they reached there, and the noble part the Ace o’ Spades had played. After some minutes Bertie found the passage leading to the room the young IR OME CTGH'T. womaff was in, and when he reached it and opened the door, as he could readily do froin the outside, she sprang into his aris. ‘T cannot help it!’ she cried. so glad to see vou!”’ ‘And Pm rather tickled to see you, too, pretty one,’’? said Bertie. ‘‘I am willing to forgive you just as often as you want me to, for an embrace like that.” He embraced her in his turn, and hav- ing spoken, proceeded to take the kiss that had been promised him, and he took it from willing lips. In fact, kiss was ex- changed for kiss between them. They were not long in getting out of there and up to the boathouse, where the old Serpent of Siskiyou nearly. went into raptures over his ‘‘leetle pardner, son of his dad,’’ restored to him. ‘‘Glee-ory to snakes!’ he said. ‘‘I thought ye was out of sight for good that time, pardner, I did so! But we got ye, thanks ter this hyer chunk of ebony, we did so! Wet me interdoose Junius Brutus Crow, or Blackberry fer short; otherwise the Ace o’ Spades!’ “*Y am Bertie greeted his new aid heartily, complimenting him upon his boldness and promising him that he should fill the place made vacant by the retiring of the T'wo- Cent Kid from the combination. Being told that the rascals were hold- ing a consultation in the library at the mansion, Bertie decided to go there alone at first and learn what he could fromm their talk. Having been all through the house, he knew the best way to gain his point of vantage, and was also able to give the others directions for the best. And so in a little time he was where he could see and hear all that was going on in the library without being seen himself. And he had arrived at an opportune moment, for he got everything that he desired. They were a clique of the cleverest forgers in the world, and this was their headquarters, They were not mere makers of counterfeit money, but were duplicating the largest bonds of the civilized na- tions and coining millions monthly. About the time their business was done, the clock struck ten. “Ah!? said Mr. Humpliryes, rising. ‘‘T promised our prisoners that I would comicboolks CO