The little giant's task; or, Nick Carter's wonderful nerve by Nicholas Carter

Author:Nicholas Carter [Carter, Nicholas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Nick Carter
Published: 2023-04-06T15:31:48+00:00

CHAPTER VI

IN THE STOCKS.

There have been so many descriptions written of the initiation of detectives into criminal organizations, that an author feels as though he were imposing upon the credulity of his reader when he attempts anything of the kind. However, our purpose in relating the experience of Nick Carter, is to keep to facts, and the scene which follows gives a better idea of the wonderful nerve of this remarkable man, than anything else could.

Nick knew perfectly well that he was about to face an ordeal that would require the exercise of all of his endurance.

But, in order to accomplish the purpose in hand, it was necessary for him to go ahead.

He must become a coyote; there was no other way.

Events proved how wise his determination was.

Instead of leaving the room by the way he had entered it, Nick followed the prince and Barney toward the stage.

Around at one side was a little door which led beneath the platform, and they passed through it into intense darkness.

But as soon as the door was closed behind them, Barney produced a light, and they passed on, through an ill-smelling cellar.

Then, down a short flight of steps and on again, along a narrow passage-way, dug through the earth, and reeking with dampness and mold.

Presently they paused before a heavy door, which the prince opened with a key, and then they ascended another flight of steps of about the same length as those that they had descended upon leaving the hall in Duffy’s dive.

It admitted them to another cellar, and Nick knew that they had passed beneath the yard back of Duffy’s, and were under the house which fronted upon the next street.

He watched the prince narrowly, and saw him touch a button which evidently communicated with an electric bell.

The button seemed to be affixed to the brick wall which formed an abutment for the support of the building above them.

Near it was the mouth of a speaking-tube, and immediately after pressing the button, the prince placed his mouth to that, and carried on a low-toned conversation with some person at the other end.

Nick was, however, prevented from hearing what it was by the fact that Barney kept up a conversation with him, evidently for that very purpose.

Then the prince closed the speaking-tube, and all three crossed the cellar to the opposite side.

There they paused before an ordinary board partition, and Nick could hear a rumbling noise from far overhead, which gradually came nearer, until it ceased, directly in front of them.

Soon the innocent-looking partition opened mysteriously, disclosing what was nothing more nor less than an ordinary dumb-waiter, made a little larger than those employed in restaurants.

It was an elevator which was worked by hand.

A rude contrivance, which was, however, very effectual for the uses to which the coyotes put it.

“Get in, Duffer Bill,” said the prince, and Nick obeyed.

He was followed by the others, and presently they began to ascend with that jerky motion which proved that the elevator was worked by hand.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.