Torchy   By: Sewell Ford (1868-1946)

TORCHY BY SEWELL FORD

AUTHOR OF TRYING OUT TORCHY, ETC.

FRONTISPIECE BY GEORGE BREHM

NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS

Made in the United States of America

Copyright, 1909, 1910, by SEWELL FORD

COPYRIGHT, 1911, by EDWARD J. CLODE

TO MY TRULY USEFUL AND GENIAL FRIEND

W. A. C.

AT WHOSE SUGGESTION THIS CHRONICLE OF THE DOINGS OF TORCHY CAME TO BE MADE

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Getting in with the Glory Be 1 II. A Jolt for Piddie 18 III. Meeting up with the Great Skid 34 IV. Frosting the Profess 51 V. Where Mildred Got Next 67 VI. Shunting Brother Bill 83 VII. Keeping Tabs on Piddie 100 VIII. A Whirl with Kazedky 117 IX. Down the Bumps with Cliffy 132 X. Backing out of a Fluff Riot 148 XI. Rung in with the Gold Spooners 162 XII. Landing on a Side Street 177 XIII. First Aid for the Main Stem 193 XIV. In on the Oolong 209 XV. Batting it up to Torchy 226 XVI. Throwing the Line to Skid 241 XVII. Touching on Tink Tuttle 258 XVIII. Getting Hermes on the Bounce 275 XIX. When Miss Vee Threw the Dare 294

TORCHY

CHAPTER I

GETTING IN WITH THE GLORY BE

Sure, I was carryin' the banner. But say, I ain't one of them kids that gets callouses on the hands doin' it. When I'm handed the fresh air on payday, I don't choke to death over it. I goes out and rustles for another job. And I takes my pick, too. Why not? It's just as easy.

This time I gets a bug that the new Octopus Buildin' might have been put up special for me. Anyway, it looked good from the outside, and I blows in through the plate glass merry go round. The arcade was all to the butterscotch, everything handy, from an A. D. T. stand to Turkish baths in the basement.

"Got any express elevators?" says I to the starter guy.

"Think of buying the buildin', sonny?" says he.

"There'd be room for you on the sidewalk if I did," says I. "But say, if you can tear your eyes off the candy counter queen long enough, tell me who's got a sign out this mornin'."

"They're going to elect a second vice president of the Interurban to day. Would that suit you?" says he, twistin' up his lip whisker and lookin' cute.

"Maybe," says I; "but I'd take a portfolio as head office boy if I knew where to butt in."

"Then chase up to 2146," says he. "You'll find 'em waitin' for you with a net. Here's your car. Up!" and before I knows it I has done the skyrocket act up to floor twenty one.

Well say, you wouldn't have thought so many kids read the want ads. and had the courage to tackle an early breakfast. The corridor was full of 'em, all sizes, all kinds. It looked like recess time at a boys' orphan asylum, and with me against the field I stood to be a sure loser. I hadn't no more'n climbed out before they starts to throw the josh my way.

"Hey, Reddy, get in line! The foot for yours, Peachblow!" they yells at me.

And then I comes back. "Ah, flag it!" says I. "Do I look like I belonged in your class? Brush by, you three dollar pikers, and give a salaried man a show!"