Part 9 (1/2)
”I had about enough of their h.e.l.ling,” declared Jimmie, still glowing with a fine desperation.
They sought the William Street Tunnel under the Brooklyn Bridge. It was cool and dark there. One might smoke and take his ease. And plan! They sprawled on the stone pavement and smoked largely.
”Chee! If we could get out West and do all them fine things!” mused Boogies.
”Let's!” said Jimmie Time.
”Huh!” Boogies gasped blankly at this.
”Let's beat it!”
”Chee!” said Boogies. He stared at this bolder spirit with startled admiration.
”Me--I'm going,” declared Jimmie Time stoutly, and waited.
Boogies wavered a tremulous moment.
”I'm going with you,” he managed at last.
He blurted the words. They had to rush out to beat down his native caution with quick blows.
”Listen!” said Jimmie Time impressively. ”We got money enough to start.
Then we just strike out for the peraries.”
”Like the guy in the story!” Boogies glowed at the adept who before his very eyes was turning a beautiful dream into stark reality. He was praying that his own courage to face it would endure.
”You hurry home,” commanded Jimmie, ”and cop an axe and all the grub you can lay your hands on.”
Boogies fell from the heights as he had feared he would.
”Aw, chee!” he said sanely. ”And s'pose me stepmother gets her lamps on me! Wouldn't she bean me? Sure she would!”
”Bind her and gag her,” said Jimmie promptly. ”What's one weak woman?”
”Yah! She's a h.e.l.lion and you know it.”
”Listen!” said Jimmie sternly. ”If you're going into the wild and lawless life of the peraries with me you got to learn to get things.
Jesse James or Morgan's men could get me that axe and that grub, and not make one-two-three of it.”
”Them guys had practice--and likely they never had to go against their stepmothers.”
”Do I go alone, then?”
”Well, now--”
”Will you or won't you?”
Boogies drew a fateful breath.
”I'll take a chance. You wait here. If I ain't back in one hour you'll know I been murdered.”