Adventures of a Boy Reporter

by Alfred Elwes

  CHAPTER XI.

  A DAY AND A NIGHT IN CONEY ISLAND--RAIDING A GAMBLING DEN.

  ARCHIE was at first too much surprised to answer the man at all, but ina few moments he remembered that he was now a reporter, and that itwas his duty to see all that he could, and have all the new experiencespossible. So he decided to follow the man, and find out what "the bestthing of all" in Coney Island was like. He was taken through severalnarrow alleyways, and finally he found himself in front of a tumble-downstructure, built out directly over the water. It was very modest inappearance, and everything seemed quiet about the place. The shades werecarefully drawn, and the dark man had to knock three times before thedoor was opened and they were permitted to enter. Inside, Archie foundhimself in a handsomely furnished apartment which differed greatly inappearance from the exterior of the building. There was a rich velvetcarpet, mahogany furniture, and a great many small tables standing aboutthe room. The place was filled with men, mostly well-dressed, who wereplaying various games. Some were dealing cards, others were twirlingwheels with numbers on them, and some were playing games with chips.It didn't take Archie long to realise that he had been steered into agambling den of the worst kind, and he was immediately on the alert forfuture developments. He watched every movement of his new friend, andnoticed that he found it necessary to speak to several of those presentin a low undertone. This didn't worry Archie, because he knew thathe was in no danger except of losing money, and he felt that he couldafford to lose some money, since he was sure to earn more by writingabout the experience for the newspaper.

  So he carefully observed all that was going on, making mental notes ofthe peculiarities of the place and the people. When at last the darkman came up and inquired if he wouldn't like a chance to earn some moneyeasily, he very readily answered yes, and the man was overjoyed tofind so willing a victim. Then, of course, Archie was introduced to themysteries of the famous roulette wheel, of which he had read so much.Archie was interested in everything, and didn't mind losing four dollarsin learning so much that was new. He succeeded in getting away whenhe had lost this sum, though the man assured him that he couldn't helpwinning back all he had lost, and much more, too, if he would but remainawhile longer. Archie was firm, however, and passed out into the narrowalleyways again, feeling that he had learned a great deal through a verysmall expenditure of money. He gradually found his way back into thecrowded Surf Avenue, where there were hundreds of things, evidently,which he had not yet seen. The crowds, too, seemed greater even thanbefore, and there seemed to be thousands of people arriving every hourfrom New York and Brooklyn, over the various street-car and railwaylines, and by the excursion boats landing at the great iron pier. Thenoise was still deafening, and every one seemed to be having a splendidtime in every way. "Surely," said Archie to himself, "no one can feelblue or despondent in such a place as this, where every one is full offun, and apparently determined to have a good time while here." And hefelt that he would like to remain longer, but he knew he should goback again to the city, so that he might see the editor, and tell himsomething about what he had seen and done.

  So again he rode over the great Brooklyn bridge, and stopped on theother side at the handsome building of the Enterprise. It made Archievery happy to feel that he was now a reporter on such a great paper, andhe found it hard to realise that so much good fortune had come to him insuch a short time. He met reporters in the various hallways, and all ofthem spoke to him pleasantly, so that he began to feel that he had neverbeen thrown with such pleasant men before.

  He had no difficulty in seeing the editor this time, and found him aready listener to the story of his Coney Island experiences. He insistedon Archie's describing all the men he had seen in the gambling den, andthen asked him if he could identify them, if necessary, and also if hewould be able to find the place again. Archie gave good descriptions ofmost of the men, and said that he could take any one to the place at anytime. The editor lost himself in thought for a few minutes, and at theend of that time he rang for a copy-boy. "Ring for a messenger boy," hesaid, "and when he arrives come for a note which I want him to take toMr. Pultzer's house." Archie stared with amazement at Mr. Jennings, andwaited for further information. He wondered what was going to be done.He knew that Mr. Pultzer owned the newspaper, and he knew that it mustbe something important that Mr. Jennings wanted to write him about. Hewasn't long left in the dark, and he felt very proud that Mr. Jenningsshould have confidence enough in him to tell him about his plans. "Ithink you have discovered something which will prove very important tothe paper and the public," he said to Archie. "We have suspected for along time that gambling dens have been flourishing in Coney Island, butup to now we have not been able to locate any of them. Now that you havefound one, we hope to arouse public opinion to the danger there is insuch places, and we hope to inspire a reform movement which will bestrong enough to wipe them out entirely. I will hear from Mr. Pultzerin a short time, and then I want you to go down to the Island withsome plain-clothes detectives and two other reporters. And I don'tmind telling you now that there will be a good sum in it for you if yousucceed in arresting any of the leaders of this gang. You can be excusedfor an hour now, if there's anything you want to do."

  Full of enthusiasm over the coming adventure and his part in it, Archiehurried out to a quick-lunch counter and bought himself a light meal,for he feared that he would have to remain at Coney Island throughthe evening. Then, when he had finished, he returned to the newspaperoffice, where he spent some time in getting acquainted with some of thereporters who were working on the Morning Enterprise. He found them allvery pleasant to meet, and he learned a great many helpful things fromtheir conversation. The older men were able to give him many pointersconcerning things that he should, and should not, do. While he was inthe office of the Morning Enterprise Mr. Jennings came in, and, takinghim along into the private room of the managing editor, introduced himto Mr. Van Bunting, who was the editorial head of the morning edition.Then Mr. Jennings told of the new scheme, and Mr. Van Bunting enteredinto it so thoroughly that before an hour three detectives, tworeporters, and Archie were on their way to the Island.

  Once arrived in the resort, which was as noisy and bright as in theafternoon, they all made a bee-line for the gambling den, headed byArchie, who surprised the others with his certainty and confidence as towhich was the right direction. In a very few minutes they all stood infront of the dilapidated structure built out over tide-water, and Archieheard one of the detectives say that the place looked "mighty suspiciouslike." He gave three knocks just as the dark man had done in theafternoon, and in a few minutes the door was cautiously opened and ahead made its appearance. The detectives lost no time in pushing theirway in, amid great confusion and cries of fear, and it seemed only afew seconds until all the inmates were huddled in a corner, covered withpistols, and wailing in fear, when they weren't cursing through anger.Then they were all arrested and taken to the police station, where theywere all refused bail, and placed in cells overnight. Then the reportersreturned to the office of the Enterprise, where Archie was told by Mr.Van Bunting to write the story of his experience for the morning paper.This was his first work for the morning edition, and he took great painsto make his descriptions as complete as possible, and the details asaccurate as he knew how to make them. And his hard work was rewarded bywords of praise from the managing editor when he turned the copy in forediting.

  Tired from his hard day's work, Archie then went up-town to the quietsquare in which he had his home, and he was glad to get to bed. He hadbeen nervous and excited all day, and found it difficult to sleep, butfinally the tired eyelids lay quietly over the tired eyes, and Archiewas dreaming of the cool and pleasant arbour of grapes at home, and ofhow the Hut Club was holding a special meeting there to devise ways andmeans of welcoming home their distinguished fellow member, Mr. ArchieDunn, who had achieved such great success in the city.

  Notwithstanding his tired feeling, Archie was up early the next morning,and out at
the corner to buy an Enterprise. He hastily turned the pages,trying to find the story of his Coney Island adventures, but he lookedin vain. It wasn't visible anywhere. He was about to think that it hadnot been thought worth while printing when he noticed on the frontpage, in large letters, "The Boy Reporter's Great Discovery," and thenfollowed the complete account, just as he had written it. This wasthe best thing yet. Just to think that his story had been consideredimportant enough to print upon the front page! He could hardly believeit. Surely he had made great strides, and Archie began to realise thatit is not experience that is most needed in journalism, but something towrite about. "I have simply been fortunate in finding some interestingthings," he said, to himself, and then, after a light breakfast in aquaint Italian restaurant around the corner, he hurried down-town to theoffice of the newspaper.

  Archie was beginning to feel, by now, that he had worked for a long timeupon the paper, and as he had become acquainted with almost every oneconnected with it, this wasn't a strange feeling for him to have. Andit was evident, too, that the editors intended to keep him busy for sometime to come, and Archie realised that he was in newspaper work to stay,for a time, at least. And he was overjoyed at the prospect, for he foundthe whole business as fascinating and as interesting as he had expectedit would be.

  Mr. Jennings, of the evening edition, was at the office when Archiearrived, and sent for him to come in. "Here is fifty dollars," he said,"for your work of yesterday, and you will have more coming to you ifthese men are convicted. I want to congratulate you on what you havedone so far. Come in this afternoon, and I think Mr. Van Bunting willhave a new plan for you."