Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

OLD SPECIE. 25 He had made great progress already. So, when the appointment was made, he took the first opportunity to separate from his newly found acquaintance. In less than ten minutes he was back in the dance hall, this time looking altogether different, and ready to attempt the task of spying upon Ben Bolt’s movements. This worthy was with another. They visited four places and treated. In each place payment was made ‘with a gold cer- tificate, and not once was change refused. Old Specie saw the transaction in every case, and had his man dead to rights. It was evidently the purpose of the league to push - the immediae circulation of the “‘queer.’’ They depended on its wonderful make-up, and hoped to reap a rich harvest ere the banks took the alarm. His success thus far made the tracker hope that he might see these fellows to their den, but he counted without his host. Ben Bolt was a sly old fox. His giving the government detective the slip even ~ when not alarmed, showed what he could be equal to once his suspicions were aroused, Having victimized a fourth.man by means of the bogus bills, the two fellows crossed South street, and went out upon a pier. Old Specie suspected their object, though power- less to oppose it, nor did he have the least desire to do so at present. The arrest of these shovers of the queer would be simply lopping off a couple of branches from the tree—others would take their place. SS) com comichoo