Aunt Hannah and Seth

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  AUNT HANNAH AND SETH

  A STORY OF SOME PEOPLE AND A DOG. BY JAMES OTIS]

  "'HI, LIMPY!' A SHRILL VOICE CRIED."]

  _Aunt Hannah And Seth

  By

  James Otis

  Author of "How Tommy Saved the Barn" etc.

  New York Thomas Y. Crowell & Co. Publishers_]

  Copyright, 1900, by

  THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO.

  CONTENTS.

  CHAPTER PAGE

  I.--AN ADVERTISEMENT, 1

  II.--THE COUNTRY, 20

  III.--AUNT HANNAH, 39

  IV.--THE FLIGHT, 58

  V.--AN ACCIDENT, 76

  VI.--SUNSHINE, 95

  AUNT HANNAH.

  CHAPTER I.

  AN ADVERTISEMENT.

  A SMALL boy with a tiny white dog in his arms stood near the New Yorkapproach to the Brooklyn Bridge on a certain June morning not manyyears since, gazing doubtfully at the living tide which flowed pasthim, as if questioning whether it might be safe to venture across thestreet.

  Seth Barrows, otherwise known by his acquaintances as Limpy Seth,because of what they were pleased to speak of as "a pair of legs thatweren't mates," was by no means dismayed by the bustle and apparentconfusion everywhere around him. Such scenes were familiar, he havinglived in the city, so far as he knew, from the day of his birth; but,owing to his slight lameness, it was not always a simple matter forhim to cross the crowded streets.

  "Hi, Limpy!" a shrill voice cried from amid the pedestrians in thedistance, and as Seth looked quickly toward the direction from whichhad come the hail, he noted that a boy with hair of such a vivid hueof red as would attract particular attention from any person withinwhose range of vision he might come, was frantically trying to force apassage.

  Seth stepped back to a partially sheltered position beneath thestairway of the overhead bridge, and awaited the coming of his friend.

  "Out swellin', are you?" the boy with the red hair asked, as hefinally approached, panting so heavily that it was with difficulty hecould speak. "Goin' to give up business?"

  "I got rid of my stock quite a while ago, an' counted on givin' Snip achance to run in the park. The poor little duffer don't have much fundown at Mother Hyde's while I'm workin'."

  "You might sell him for a pile of money, Limpy, an' he's a heap ofbother for you," the new-comer said reflectively, as he stroked thedog's long, silken hair. "Teddy Dixon says he's got good blood inhim----"

  "Look here, Tim, do you think I'd sell Snip, no matter how much moneyI might get for him? Why, he's the only relation I've got in all thisworld!" and the boy buried his face in the dog's white hair.

  "It costs more to keep him than you put out for yourself."

  "What of that? He thinks a heap of me, Snip does, an' he'd be as sorryas I would if anything happened to one of us."

  "Yes, I reckon you are kind'er stuck on him! It's a pity, Limpy,'cause you can't hustle same's the rest of us do, an' so don't earn asmuch money."

  "Snip has what milk he needs----"

  "An' half the time you feed him by goin' hungry yourself."

  "What of that?" Seth cried sharply. "Don't I tell you we two are theonly friends each other's got! I'd a good deal rather get alongwithout things than let him go hungry, 'cause he wouldn't know why Icouldn't feed him."

  "A dog is only a dog, an' that's all you can make out of it. I ain'tcountin' but that Snip is better'n the general run, 'cause, as TeddyDixon says, he's blooded; but just the same it don't stand to reasonyou should treat him like he was as good as you."

  "He's a heap better'n I am, Tim Chandler! Snip never did a mean thingin his life, an' he's the same as a whole family to me."

  As if understanding that he was the subject of the conversation, thedog pressed his cold nose against the boy's neck, and the latter criedtriumphantly:

  "There, look at that! If you didn't have any folks, Tim Chandler, an'couldn't get 'round same as other fellers do, don't you reckon hissnugglin' up like this would make you love him?"

  "He ain't really yours," Tim said after a brief pause, whereat thelame boy cried fiercely:

  "What's the reason he ain't? Didn't I find him 'most froze to deathmore'n a year ago, an' haven't I kept him in good shape ever since? Ofcourse he wasn't mine at first; but I'd like to see the chump who'ddare to say he belonged to anybody else! If you didn't own any more ofa home than you could earn sellin' papers, an' if nobody cared theleast little bit whether you was cold or hungry, you'd think it wasmighty fine to have a chum like Snip. You ought'er see him when I comein after he's been shut up in the room all the forenoon! It seems likehe'd jump out of his skin, he's so glad to see me! I tell you, Tim,Snip loves me just like I was his mother!"

  Master Chandler shook his head doubtfully, and appeared to be on thepoint of indulging some disparaging remark, when his attention wasdiverted by a lad on the opposite side of the street, who was makingthe most frantic gestures, and, as might be guessed by the movement ofhis lips, shouting at the full strength of his lungs; but the wordswere drowned by the rattle of vehicles and other noises of the street.

  "There's Pip Smith, an' what do you s'pose he's got in his ear now?"Tim said speculatively; but with little apparent interest in thesubject. "He's allers botherin' his head 'bout somethin' that ain'tany of his business. He allows he'll be a detective when he gets bigenough."

  Seth gave more attention to the caresses Snip was bestowing upon himthan to his acquaintance opposite, until Tim exclaimed, with a suddenshow of excitement:

  "He's yellin' for you, Seth! What's he swingin' that newspaper 'roundhis head for?"

  Perhaps Tim might have become interested enough to venture across thestreet, had Master Smith remained on the opposite side very long; butjust at that moment the tide of travel slackened sufficiently to admitof a passage, and the excited Pip came toward his acquaintances atfull speed.

  "What kind of a game have you been up to, Limpy?" he demanded, wavingthe newspaper meanwhile.

  Seth looked at the speaker in astonishment, but without making anyreply.

  "Anything gone wrong?" Tim asked, gazing inquiringly from one to theother.

  "I don't know what he means," Seth replied, and Pip shouted wildly:

  "Listen to him! You'd think butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, an' yethe's been ridin' a mighty high hoss, 'cordin' to all I can find out!"

  "Who?" Seth demanded, grown restive under Pip's accusing gaze.

  "You, of course!"

  "But I haven't been up to any game."

  "You can't stuff me with that kind of talk, 'cause I've got it downhere in black an' white."

  "Got what down?" Tim asked impatiently. "If there's anything wrong,why don't you come out with it like a man, an' not stand there like adummy?"

  "Seth Barrows will find there's somethin' wrong when the whole perliceforce of this city gets after him," Pip replied, in what was very likea threatening tone. "Listen to this, Tim Chandler, an' try to figgerout the kind of a game Limpy's been playin'!"

  Then, with a tragical air, Master Smith read slowly from the newspaperhe had been brandishing, the following advertisement:

  "INFORMATION WANTED of a boy calling himself Seth Barrows. Said boy is about eleven years old; his left leg an inch shorter than the right, and is known to have been living in Jersey City three years ago. He then sold newspapers for a livelihood, and resided with one Richard Genet. A liberal reward will be paid for any in
formation concerning him. Address Symonds & Symonds, Attorneys-at-law."

  As he ceased reading, Master Smith looked at his companions with acertain gleam of triumph in his eyes; but this expression quicklychanged to one of severe reproof as he met Seth's bewildered gaze.

  "Sellin' papers is good enough for me, though it ain't a business thatbrings in any too much money," he said sharply. "But I don't keep afancy dog, so the cost of livin' ain't so high."

  "What does it mean?" Seth asked in a low tone, as he gazed alternatelyat Tim and Pip.

  "Mean?" the latter replied scornfully. "I reckon you can answer thatbetter'n we could. When the bank on Broadway was broke into there wasthe same kind of notice in the papers, for I saw it with my own eyes."

  "But I haven't been breakin' into any bank!" Seth wailed, hugging Snipyet more tightly to his bosom.

  "Then what's that advertisement there for?" and Master Smith lookedupon his acquaintance with an air of judicial severity.

  "How do I know?"

  Now it was Tim's turn to gaze at Seth reproachfully; and as the threestood there one and another of their acquaintances, having heard thestartling news, came up eagerly curious and positive that Snip'smaster had committed some terrible crime.

  The lame boy gave ample token of mental distress, as well he mightafter hearing that two attorneys-at-law were desirous of finding him,and more than one of the throng set down the expression of trouble onhis face as strong proof of guilt.

  Although conscious that he had committed no crime, the boy wasthoroughly alarmed at being thus advertised for. He knew that rewardswere offered for information which would lead to the apprehension ofcriminals, and never so much as dreamed that similar methods might beemployed in a search for those who were innocent.

  There was no reason, so he might have said to himself, why any lawyerin the city of New York would care to see him, unless he had beenaccused of some crime, but as he revolved the matter in his mindterror took possession of him until all power of reflection haddeparted.

  The number of alleged friends or acquaintances had increased, untilSeth and Snip were literally surrounded, and every member of thethrong knew full well that the gathering would be rudely dispersed bythe first policeman who chanced to come that way. Therefore it wasthat each fellow hastened to give his opinion as to the reason why theadvertisement had been inserted in the columns of the paper, and, withfive or six boys speaking at the same moment, it can well beunderstood that no one of them succeeded in making any very greatimpression upon the minds of his neighbors.

  Seth understood, however, that every boy present was agreed upon thesupposed fact that a great crime had been committed, although theseyoung merchants might, upon due reflection, come to realize howimprobable was such a supposition.

  When little Snip, seeming to understand that his master was in soredistress, licked the boy's cheek, it was to Seth almost as if the dogshared in the belief of those who were so ready to accuse him, and hecould restrain his feelings no longer.

  Leaning against the iron column which supported the staircase, withhis face buried in Snip's silky hair, the crippled lad gave way totears, while his companions gazed at him severely, for to their mindsthis show of grief was much the same as a confession of guilt.

  A blue-coated guardian of the peace dispersed the throng before thosecomposing it had had time to make audible comment upon this lastevidence of an accusing conscience; but Seth was so bowed down bybewilderment, sorrow, and fear as not to know that he stood alone withSnip, while a throng of acquaintances gazed at him from the oppositeside of the street.

  Once the officer had passed on, and was at a respectful distance,Seth's friends returned, and it could be understood from their mannerthat some definite plan of action had been decided upon during theenforced absence.

  "See here, Seth, we ain't such chumps as to jump on a feller when he'sdown. If you don't want to tell us what you've been doin'----"

  "I haven't done a thing, an' you know it, Tim Chandler," the ladmoaned, speaking with difficulty because of his sobs.

  "Then what's the notice about?" Tim asked in a severe, yet friendlytone.

  "I don't know any more'n you do."

  "Where's the lead nickel Mickey Dowd says somebody shoved on you theother day?" Teddy Dixon asked sharply.

  Seth raised his head, looked about him for a moment as a shadow offear passed over his face, and, dropping Snip for an instant, plungedboth hands deep in his trousers pockets.

  Withdrawing them he displayed a small collection of silver and coppercoins, which he turned over eagerly, his companions crowding yet moreclosely to assure themselves that the examination was thorough.

  "It's gone!" Seth cried shrilly. "It's gone; but I'll cross my throatif I knew I was passin' it!"

  Snip, hearing his young master's cry of fear, stood on his hind feet,scratching and clawing to attract attention, and, hardly conscious ofwhat he did, Seth took the little fellow in his arms once more.

  "That settles the whole business," Teddy Dixon cried, in the tone ofone who has made an important discovery. "You shoved it on somebodywho'd been lookin' for counterfeit money, an' now the detectives areafter you!"

  Seth glanced quickly and apprehensively around, as if fearing theofficers of the law were already close upon him, and the seemingmystery was unravelled.

  From that moment there was not even the shadow of a doubt in the mindsof Seth's acquaintances, and, believing that he had not intended tocommit such a grave crime, the sympathies of all were aroused.

  "You've got to skip mighty quick," Tim said, after a brief pause,during which each lad had looked at his neighbor as if asking whatcould be done to rescue the threatened boy.

  "Where'll I go?" Seth cried tearfully. "They know what my name is, an'there ain't much use for me to hide."

  "You can bet I wouldn't hang 'round here many seconds," one of thegroup said, in a low tone, glancing around to make certain his wordswere not overheard by the minions of the law. "If we fellers keep ourmouths shut, an' you sneak off into the country somewhere, I don't seehow anybody could find you!"

  "But where'd I go?" Seth asked, his tears checked by the great fearwhich came with the supposed knowledge of what he had done.

  "Anywhere. Here's Snip all ready to take a journey for his health, an'in ten minutes you'll be out of the city; but it ain't safe to hang'round thinkin' of it very long, for the detectives will be runnin'their legs off tryin' to earn the money that's promised by theadvertisement."

  Seth made no reply, and his most intimate friends understood that ifhe was to be saved from prison the time had arrived when they must actwithout waiting for his decision.

  They held a hurried consultation, while Seth stood caressing Snip,without being really conscious of what he did, and then Teddy and Timranged themselves either side of the culprit who had unwittinglybrought himself under the ban of the law.

  Seizing him by the arms they forced the lad forward in the directionof Broadway, Tim saying hoarsely to those who gave token of theirintention to follow:

  "You fellers must keep away, else the cops will know we're up tosomethin' crooked. Wait here, an' me an' Teddy'll come back as soon aswe've taken care of Seth."

  This injunction was not obeyed without considerable grumbling on thepart of the more curious, and but for the efforts of two or three ofthe wiser heads, the fugitive and his accomplices would have arousedthe suspicions of the dullest policeman in the city.

  "You'll get yourselves into a heap of trouble if anybody knows youhelped me to run away," Seth said, in a tone of faint remonstrance.

  "It can't be helped," Teddy replied firmly, urging the hunted boy to afaster pace. "We ain't goin' to stand by an' see you lugged off tojail while there's a show of our doin' anything. Keep your eye on Snipso's he won't bark, an' we'll look after the rest of the business."

  Even if Seth had been averse to running away from the possible dangerwhich threatened, he would have been forced to continue the flight solately beg
un, because of the energy displayed by his friends.

  Tim and Teddy literally dragged him along, crossing the street at onepoint to avoid a policeman, and again dodging into a friendly doorwaywhen the guardians of the peace came upon them suddenly.

  Had any one observed particularly the movements of these three lads,the gravest suspicions must have been awakened, for they displayed aconsciousness of guilt in every movement, and showed plainly thattheir great desire was to escape scrutiny.

  Seth was so enveloped in sorrow and fear as to be ignorant of thedirection in which he and Snip were being forced. He understood dimlythat those who had the business of escape in hand were bent on gainingthe river; but to more than that he gave no heed.

  Finally, when they were arrived at a ferry-slip, Teddy paid thepassage money, and Seth was led to the forward end of the boat, inorder, as Tim explained, that he might be ready to jump ashoreinstantly the pier on the opposite side was gained, in case theofficers of justice had tracked them thus far.

  Now, forced to remain inactive for a certain time, Seth's friendstook advantage of the opportunity to give him what seemed to bemuch-needed advice.

  "The minute the boat strikes the dock you must take a sneak," Teddysaid impressively, clutching Seth vigorously by the shoulder to insureattention. "We'll hang 'round here to make sure the detectives haven'tgot on to your trail, an' then we'll go back."

  "But what am I to do afterward?" Seth asked helplessly.

  "There ain't any need of very much guessin' about that. You're boundto get where there'll be a chance of hidin', an' you want to be mightylively."

  "Snip an' I will have to earn money enough to keep us goin', an' howcan it be done while I'm hidin'?"

  "How much have you got now?"

  "'Bout fifty cents."

  Tim drew from his pocket a handful of coins, mostly pennies, and,retaining only three cents with which to pay his return passage on theferry-boat, forced them upon the fugitive, saying when the boyremonstrated:

  "You'll need it all, an' I can hustle a little livelier to-night, orborrow from some of the other fellers if trade don't show up as itought'er."

  Teddy followed his comrade's example, paying no heed to Seth'sexpostulations, save as he said:

  "We're bound to give you a lift, old man, so don't say anything moreabout it. If you was the only feller in this city what had passed alead nickel, perhaps this thing would look different to me; but theway I reckon it is, that the man what put the advertisement in thepaper jest 'cause he'd been done out'er five cents is a mighty poorcitizen, an' I stand ready to do all I can towards keepin' you awayfrom him."

  "Look here, fellers," Seth cried in what was very like despair as thesteamer neared the dock, "I don't know what to do, even after you'veput up all your money. Where can Snip an' I go? We've got to earn ourlivin', an' I don't see how it's to be done if we're bound to hide allthe time."

  "That's easy enough," and Tim spoke hopefully. "The city is a foolalongside the country, an' I'm countin' on your havin' a reg'lar snapafter you get settled down. When we land, you're to strike right out,an' keep on goin' till you're where there's nothin' but farms withmilk, an' pie, an' stuff to eat layin' 'round loose for the firstfeller what comes to pick 'em up. Pip Smith says farmers don't domuch of anything but fill theirselves with good things, an' I'veallers wanted to try my hand with 'em for one summer."

  Seth shook his head doubtfully. Although he had never been in thecountry, it did not seem reasonable that the picture drawn by PipSmith was truthful, otherwise every city boy would turn farmer'sassistant, rather than remain where it cost considerable labor toprovide themselves with food and a shelter.

  "You'll strike it rich somewhere," Teddy said, with an air ofconviction, "an' then you can sneak back long enough to tell us whereyou're hangin' out. I'll work down 'round the markets for a spell, an'p'rhaps I'll see some of the hayseeders you've run across."

  The conversation was brought to a close abruptly as the ferry-boatentered the dock with many a bump and reel against the heavy timbers;and Seth, with Snip hugged tightly to his bosom, pressed forward tothe gates that he might be ready to leap ashore instantly they wereopened.

  "Keep your upper lip stiff, an' don't stop, once you've started, tillyou're so far from New York that the detectives can't find you," Timwhispered encouragingly, and ten seconds later the fugitive wasrunning at full speed up the gangway, Snip barking shrilly at thethrong on either side.

  Tim and Teddy followed their friend to the street beyond the ticketoffice, and there stood watching until he had disappeared from view.Then the latter said, with a long-drawn sigh:

  "I wish it had been almost any other feller what passed the leadnickel, for Seth hasn't got sand enough to do what's needed, if hecounts on keepin' out'er jail." And Tim replied sadly:

  "If a feller stuck me with a counterfeit I'd think I had a right toshove it along; but after all this scrape I'll keep my eyes openmighty wide, else it may be a case of the country for me, an' I ain'thankerin' after livin' on a farm, even if Pip Smith does think it'ssich a soft snap."

  Then the friends of the fugitives returned to the ferry-boat, in orderthat they might without delay make a report to those acquaintanceswhom they knew would be eagerly waiting, as to how Seth had fared atthe outset of his flight.