The Boys' Friend #487: Sexton Blake, Foreman

About this issue

The Boys' Friend, No. 487, October 8, 1910 "Sexton Blake, Foreman" is a detective serial featuring Sexton Blake, his assistant Tinker, and their dog Pedro. Blake and Tinker are disguised as laborers at an engineering works in "Ginger Town" (Redcliff Dale), investigating sabotage against Sidney Temple's water-supply project. The unknown saboteur has been destroying machinery and nearly flooded the works with vitriol; Blake catches and fights the marauder but allows him to escape. Back at work, Tinker befriends a simple-minded pop seller named "Daft Davy." When a bully called "Slimy Sam" steals from Davy and scatters his goods, Tinker thrashes him. Seeking revenge, Sam lies to the harsh foreman Black Jock, claiming Tinker caused his injury. Black Jock, nursing his own grudge against Tinker from an earlier trick, sends the boy on a false errand to a remote tool-shed at dusk and attacks him violently, threatening severe beating.