CHAPTER XX. THE ESCAPE OF CROSS AND HUSKIN.

For the moment Robert was dumfounded, for he had not dreamed that this pleasant stranger was about to attack him.

"Do you hear? Give me that money," repeated Huskin, and tightened his grip.

"Let me go!" returned Robert. "Would you rob me?"

"I want that money you drew out of the post-office. And I want it instantly."

"I won't give you a cent," cried Robert, and began to struggle with all the strength at his command.

Although but a boy, he was strong, and soon it looked as if he might break away in spite of all the sharper could do to hold him. Seeing this, Huskin whistled loudly three times,—a signal that Andy Cross must join him at once.

The signal had scarcely come to an end when Andy Cross pushed his way into the hallway.

[Pg 170]

"Quick—hold him!" shouted Jim Huskin. "He's a regular eel."

"I've got him," answered Andy Cross, and caught Robert from behind, and soon his bony fingers were pressing themselves directly into the poor youth's windpipe, so that it looked as if Robert would be choked to death.

Robert could not see Cross, but he recognized the sharper's voice, and at once came to the conclusion that the two men had laid a plot to rob him.

Nearly strangled, he let go his hold of Huskin, and tried to break Andy Cross' grip.

The moment Jim Huskin felt himself free he wrenched Robert's watch and chain from their fastening and placed them in his own pocket.

Then he dove into the boy's coat.

"Let—let me go!" spluttered Robert. "Help! thiev——"

He could go no farther, for now his wind was cut off entirely. All grew black before his eyes, and it was only in a hazy fashion that he felt Huskin snatch the money from where he had placed it with care.

"Got what you want?" asked Andy Cross.

"Yes."

"Sure about the money?"

[Pg 171]

"Here is a package of five and ten dollar bills."

"That's it. And the watch?"

"Safe."

"Then we had better make tracks."

"Ram his head against the wall first. We don't want him to give the alarm too soon."

Andy Cross understood what Huskin meant, and between them the sharpers raised the boy's body up and threw him with great violence against the hard wall close at hand.

The shock landed mainly upon Robert's head, as was intended, and with a groan, the youth sank down in a heap unconscious.

"I guess he's done for," said Cross.

"He is for a while, anyway," responded Huskin. "Come, the sooner we get out of this neighborhood the better off we will be."

Running to the doorway of the tenement, both sharpers peered forth.

"A man is coming!" cried Cross.

"Let us get out by the back way," said his companion.

They hurried back past Robert, and into the kitchen.

Here, to their surprise, a fire was burning in a dilapidated stove.

[Pg 172]

"Hullo! I thought this place was deserted," ejaculated Jim Huskin, in astonishment.

"We must not be caught," added Cross. "Here is a back door and another alleyway."

The door was unlocked, and they slipped outside. Soon the rascals had placed several blocks between themselves and the scene of the nefarious encounter.

Meanwhile the man coming up the alleyway paused at the tenement.

He lived in the place, paying no rent. He was very old, and could hardly walk, and his eyesight was poor.

He had been to the corner grocery to buy himself a few of the necessities of life.

Entering the semi-dark hallway he shambled along until his foot struck Robert's body.

"Why, what can this be?" he muttered, and bent over that he might see.

He was greatly amazed to find a boy there, suffering from a slight cut over one eye, from which the blood was flowing.

"Something is wrong," he thought. "Has the lad met with foul play?"

He was half of a mind to summon the police, but was afraid he could not find an officer short of six or seven blocks off.

[Pg 173]

Setting down his basket, he raised up Robert's head. As he did this, our hero gave a groan and a shiver.

"Don't, don't hit me again," he murmured. "Don't!"

"I ain't hit ye," answered the old man. "How did ye git here?"

But Robert did not answer, having relapsed again into unconsciousness.

Not without considerable trouble did the old man bring some cold water and bathe Robert's face, and bind up the wound with an old towel. He carried the boy to the kitchen and set him down on a worn-out lounge.

"How do you feel?" he asked as Robert opened his eyes and stared around him.

"Where are they—the rascals?" asked Robert. He was completely bewildered.

"Who do you mean?"

"I mean the men who attacked me."

"I don't know anything about 'em. I found ye in the hallway in a heap."

"Two men attacked me and robbed me."

"Gee shoo! Did they git much?"

"Yes." Robert gave a groan. "They got my watch and over a hundred and fifty dollars."

[Pg 174]

At this announcement the eyes of Lemuel Branley almost started from their sockets.

"A hundred and fifty dollars!"

"Yes; and a watch worth twenty-five more."

"What was ye a-doing with so much money about ye?"

"I was expecting to use the most of it to buy something with. So you didn't see the men?"

Lemuel Branley shook his head.

"They couldn't have left so long ago."

"Then they didn't go out by the front door, for I was at the top of the alleyway quite a spell."

"Is there a rear way out?"

"Yes; and come to think of it, the back door was wide open when I first came in for the water."

"Then they went out that way."

There was a pause.

"Did you know them?" asked the old man, curiously.

"I knew one of them in a way. The other introduced himself to me while I was on my way over here."

And Robert related how he had fallen in with Jim Huskin, and how the sharper had gotten him to enter the tenement hallway.

"You're lucky to escape with your life," said[Pg 175] Lemuel Branley. "You don't know how bad some of the criminals in Chicago are."

"I must try to get on their track. I can't afford to lose my money, nor the watch, either." And Robert's face grew serious. The watch was the one his father had given him, and without the money how was he to purchase the map Dick Marden was so anxious to possess?

"You'll have to hustle to find them rogues, to my way of thinking," said Lemuel Branley. "Like as not they'll quit Chicago just as soon as possible."

Robert stood up. He felt strangely weak and far from able to pursue anybody.

"Can you call a policeman?" he asked.

"Certainly."

Lemuel Branley made off, and while he was gone the boy brushed off his clothing and washed himself. Luckily he had a bit of court-plaster in his pocket, and this he plastered over the cut on forehead, thus doing away with the ragged towel.

By the time he had finished he felt a little stronger. Soon the old man came back, followed by a tall, heavy-set officer of the law.

"I saw you and one of the men a while ago," said the policeman, after our hero had told his story. "The man didn't impress me very favor[Pg 176]ably. I rather think I've seen his picture in the rogues' gallery."

"Then you would know him again?"

"I think I would."

"I wish you would try to hunt him up."

"I will. Will you go along."

Robert was willing, and they left the tenement by the back way, our hero first thanking Lemuel Branley for what he had done.

But nothing was to be seen of Andy Cross and Jim Huskin, and in an hour the policeman and the youth gave up the hunt. The officer directed Robert to the nearest station house, and here the particulars of the robbery were taken down. A large book of photographs was placed before Robert, and he soon found Jim Huskin's portrait.

"That's the man," he said.

"You are certain."

"Yes, I would know him out of a thousand."

Andy Cross' photograph could not be found, since he had not yet sat for the rogues' gallery, even though he richly deserved it.

The officer in charge took down Robert's address, and told our hero if anything was learned he would let the youth know.

With this small consolation Robert had to be[Pg 177] content. He left the station house much crestfallen.

"Everything seems to be going wrong," he mused. "I do hope those rascals are caught, and that very soon."