The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-06-16
THE WRONG MAN.
a Case Where the Joke Was on
the Joker.

I'D been off in the little trader
Nydia-Cap'n Mark Iiazard-on a trad
ing run to the Sandwich islands.
I'VE came into port n fine morn
ing, unloaded our cargo, and the YES
sci having to go into dry dock o OF
her crew, me included. had nothing to
do but stroll about and spend our
money.
One afternoon when we were loung-
ing about a trim sharp-eyed young fell
low I'M long coat passed us on his way
uptown.
''IIe had on his arm the sweetest
faced young girl ! ever set my eyes on.
"She wasn't more'n eighteen, her
hair was like gold and she vas as trim
as a yacht.
well, | hadn'ta thought of any of us
seeing each other again, and | don't
think Bob thought anything at all
about it: but an hour later the same
sharp-cyed young fellow who had been
the young girls companion came up to
us and passed a word or so about the
weather.
When do you sail and for what
place" he asked. after a little time, ad-
dressing his talk to Bob.
Were out of a BERTH said Bob.
"The Young fellow was going to leave
as when Bob said that, only a man
standing close by us turned out to be
a skipper short of hands, and we
signed with him for a whaling voyage
= Al lI;,J.,-l lnnJ. h, o,npr
over to us when he heard Boil say we
wasn't hired, and hiring us then and
there.
Ills schooner, the Nancy, he said,
was lying three piers down the west
ward and was to pull out at about
three o'clock in the morning.
The young fellow asked rs to go
along with him when things were set
tied.
What tack are you drivin' at, any
way?' Bob asked when we had stopped
in a quiet doorway; speak up, for
we're your men
well, it's this the sharp-eyed
young fellow said. L want to play a
joke on a friend of mine, and you two
Will bt paul ~ HClplhS Hht-
ORDERS" said Bob.
AT about h~alf-past twelve o'clock
tonight come up to -, and he gave
us the name of a clearinghouse hat |
forget the name of, and go mp to the
second floor. The mar | want you to
take on the cruise with you is in
81. at about the head of the stairs.
Go in quietly, chloroform him and
take him dowastirs to a hack I'll have
waiting in front of the house. And.
Enough said Bob interrupted.
I've done the thing before. Smuggle
him abroad. and when he gets his
senses 1Gak he won't know who
brought him there anu We won't be
likely to tell him
How about the pay for the job?'
Bob wanted to know.
"'In give the hackman five dollars
To give each of you when he sees you've
done the thing said he.
That's agreeable" said Bob. How
a we get into his room-the fellows
you want to joker
"'It just so happens that the lock to
his door has been broken for the last
week and he has been unable t fasten
It, said the young, sharp-eyed fellow.
We're in luck. you e e
at turned out afterward that he
his name was Fink Campbell-was in
love with the pretty, sweet-faced girl
we'd seen him with.
Her name was Elsa Horton, or ]
make a mistake.
And she was in love with the chap
this Campbell hired us to kidnap-a
handsome, manly young fellow, whose
name was Fred Kingsley, and who
loved her for her sweet face and not
for the money her old father was said
to have, the way young Campbell did.
Then he got her-she and young
Kingsley, it seemed, were to be married
In n few days-to say, without think
ing. that if Fred Kingsley didn't appear
when it was time for the wedding she'd
marry him-as girls talk sometimes,
you know.
Then he must have begun to scheme
how to get Frank Kingsley out of the
way, or perhaps he had the scheme all
made up at first.
Bob and | bought a new fit-out, and
took bags aboard the Nancy.
Then about twelve o'clock or a lit
tie after. We struck out for the board
ing-house our employer had told us to
visit.
Campbell forged a letter and fixed
1t so Elsie's father and she would get it,
and it had Fred Kingsley's name at the
bottom of it. and said as how he was
sorry. but he had a wife somewhere
and he was going off to see her.
The upper hall was not so very
dark. we found, when we got up to it.
Bob went around and looked at the
numbers on the doors, and ! waited
until he beckoned to me to join him.
Hes asleep said Bob, with a jerk
of his head toward the door.
1T was a bit darker than the hall,
but we could make out u man sleep |
ing on the bed.
Bob took the chloroform and fixed
the cloth with it on, where the young
had to breathe it.
"A policeman was coming down the
street when we got to the door. but
the cabman saw him and gave us the
word not to come put for a bit.
I'VE wasn't bothered again, and we
got our fellow aboard the Nancy all
quiet and peaceable, and then the cab
bic gave us the money and vas off.
Then on deck we went, and the
sailed at three, just as the cap
tain had said she was going to, run
ming out with the tide.
There's a stowaway below in the
fo'castler SON one sang mp from there
when we were in a nice citing, and Bob
looked at me and winked. |