Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

u Also, there must be someone to whom you were going to sell the stolen property had you got away with it. I want you to help the court all you can by telling me who those companions were." Tommy thought of naming Hearn, but he checked himself in time. If Hearn's name came into this, Hearn would tell what he knew about Eddie. And Tommy daren't let that happen. Things were bad enough as they were, but if ever Mrs. O'Meara found out that Eddie was involved, she would become seriously ill. "I've got nothing to say," Tommy repeated. The judge pursed his lips, and thought for a moment or two. Then he turned to Knuckles. "Well, Malone, perhaps you'll be more reasonable. You're an old offender—I've had you here before. Who were your com- panions?" Knuckles said nothing. "This attitude of silence isn't going to help either of you," the judge went on sternly. "I will give you both a last chance. Who were your companions?" Neither Tommy nor Knuckles answered. " Very well. Malone, your record of prior an-ests label you as a hardened young criminal, a vicious hoodlum. I have no alternative but to sentence you to be de- tained at the State Industrial School until you are twenty-one," Knuckles merely grinned. He thought it was the right thing to show indifference. The judge ignored the grin, and pro- ceeded to deal with Tommy. "As for you, young man, I had hopes that you were going to assist the law, that you'd realise the seriousness of what you had done. You've never been in trouble before, and you've got a good record. But you're not helping those other boys by your silence. If they get away with this, they'll keep on. They'll become hardened criminals like Malone, and you'll have helped them. I can only conclude from your silence that you are imbued with the code of the criminal world, and I must treat you accordingly. You are going to pay for the crime you have committed." Mrs. O'Meara jumped to her feet. "Tommy!" she cried. "Are you the lad's mother, madam?" the judge asked. "Yes, your honour." " Then perhaps you can persuade him to change his attitude." Mrs. O'Meara looked at Tommy plead- ingly. "Tommy, there's nothing to be afraid of," she said. "The judge only wants to help you. I don't know how you ever got into this, but I do know it wasn't all your fault. You must talk. Tommy—you must! For your own sake—for all our sakes! Please, Tommy I" Tommy felt a lump rising in the back of his throat. He longed to name Hearn and Spike, so that they would be unable to get more boys like Eddie into trouble of this kind. But it was no good. He couldn't speak. Thei'e was a long silence. Then the judge shrugged. . "Very well," he said, "I have no choice. I cla& you with Malone as a hardened young criminal, and for your own sake I must act with-severity. You. too, will go to the State Industrial School until you are twenty-one." Mrs. O'Meara let out a cry. "Tommy!" Tommy, tears in his eyes, turned to her. "It's all right, mom," he said. "Try not to worry too much. You've still got Eddie to look after you." Then they took him below to the cells. The next day Eddie went to see Hearn. He had resolved to have nothing more to do with that crowd. He found Hearn sitting in his office, the usual large cigar stuck in the corner of his mouth. Hearn grinned as Eddie came in, and said: " Hallo, Luckv!" Eddie nodded briefly. October 23tli, IKO, BOY'S CINEMA "That's right, Hearn," he responded. "I am lucky. That's why I'm getting out." Hearn scowled and bit hard on the cigar, "What are you getting at?" he asked. "Just this. I've got to take care of my mother. So I've got myself a decent job in a gas station." "So you're walking out on me, huh?" Hearn's voice sounded ugly. "You think you're quitting? Well, you're not. You're in, and you're going to stay in." " Who says so?" "I say so." Hearn's eyes narrowed. Slowly he got to his feet. "You've got nothing on me, so it's no use blabbing to the cops. But I have got something on you. I know that it was you who did that fur robbery, and I can find guys who will swear that you tried to proposition me into buying your stolen stuff. You know what that would mean, don't you? It would mean that you'd go to the reform school as well. And what would mother do then?" Eddie's eyes glinted. The sneer in Hearn's voice was maddening. He took a step towards him, but Hearn's hand ap- peared from a drawer in the desk, and it was holding a gun. Hearn laughed shortly. "Now get out of here!" he snapped. "And when I want you, I'll send for you. But, remember, you ain't quitting—^not now or at any time. Get going!" Eddie knew that he was licked. Wearily he turned and walked out of the office. TOMMY TALKS STRAIGHT TOMMY spent that night in the city jail, and was taken out to the State Industrial School the next moi'ning. It was a huge place, and, except for the fact that it was surrounded by a high wall patrolled by guards, it might have been a country home. There was nothing about it which looked like a prison. Tommy and Knuckles were taken there by car. When they aiTived, they were left in a waiting-i'oom for a few minutes until the superintendent of the school was ready to see them. With them was another kid by the name of Joey, who had been sent in from another part of the city. Knuckles scowled at Tommy and said: "Listen, you. I'm going to get out of this joint as fast as I can. They're not going to keep me shut up in^a dump like this for three years." Joey chewed on a piece of gum. He said scornfully: "Smart guy, huh? You'd better take it easy. Wait till jou're properly in before you start talking about getting out again." At that moment the head guard came in. He was a tough-looking man in uniform. • All right, the three of you!" he said harshly. "Inside." Joey gave Knuckles a grin, and led the way into the superintendent's office. Superintendent Keene was a kindly man —quite different from his head guard. He looked at the boys critically, then said: "I hope you boys will make up your minds to settle down here and do the best you can for yourselves. If you behave yourselves and obey the rules, we don't make things any harder for you than we have to. Isn't that correct, Mr. Barnes?" The head guard nodded grimly. "Quite correct, sir," he answered, and then barked at Joey: " You! Get rid of that chewing gum." '■ You'll have regular study periods," the superintendent went on. "You can learn a trade here, and we'll help you all we can. Is that clear?" "Yes, sir," the boys answered. "Very well. You can go back to the other room. Stay behind a minute, Mr. Barnes. I want to talk to you." The three boys went away, and the head guard closed the door behind them. Knuckles took Tommy by the arm. "Listen. Tommy," he said, "you and me have got to stick together. The way you stood by Hearn makes you okay, see? Hearn ain't going to forget it." , "Skip it," he answered. "I don't want Every Tuesday anything to do with Hearn, or j'ou either." The head guard came back just then, and took the boys over to see the doctor. Doctor Owens was a yoimgish man with a kindly face and a friendly smile. He told them to strip to the waist, and then examined them. As he did so, he summed them up carefully, "You need some extra care, son," he said to Joey. Joey looked at him in surprise. "Why, what's the matter with me?" he asked. "Malnutrition," Dr. Owens answered. "Mai ! Gee, I wonder how I caught that?" Dr. Owens laughed. "It isn't anything you catch," he ex- plained. "It means that you haven't been getting enough to eat. But we'll fix that while you're here." He turned to Tommy. " I see from your school record that you're something of an athlete, Tommy. Do you ever play ball?" Knuckles saw an opportunity of saying something smart, and broke in with:. "Not with the cops, eh, Toimny?" Dr. Owens turned to him mildl.\'. "Are you speaking for yourself?" he asked, and the way he said it made Knuckles go red. "Yes. he's speaking for himself," Tommy said. "Listen. Knuckles, I do all my own talking. Get that straight from the start, see?" He turned back to Dr. Owens. "Sure I play ball, doc." "Fine!" said Dr. Owens. "I'll have you fixed up in.one of the teams here. And here's something I want the three of you to get straight—I'm your doctor, not your jailer. I'm here to help you any way I can." Knuckles sneered. "Save the oil. doc." he said rudely. Dr. Owens rounded on him quickly. "The only oil we dish out in this place comes from a bottle," he said, and reached up to a shelf. "Want some?" Knuckles piped down quickly. A large dose of castor oil was not his idea of fiui. Dr. Ow^s took them outside and handed them over to the head guard again. The head guard beckoned to an- other boy working nearby. "Take these lads over to the store-room so that they can draw their kit," he said. "Go on, get going, the tliree of you!" When they had gone, he turned to Dr. Owens. "You know, doc. you've got the wrong idea. You oughtn't to baby those kids. They're in here because they've got it coming to them." Dr. Owens chuckled. "And you're the one to see that they get it, aren't you, Barnes?" he said. "Well, that's my job." "You know." Dr. (jwens went on. "most of those kids haven't anything that can't be cured. That Joey Miller, for instance —he's been in trouble because he's half starved. As for Knuckles Malone, I've checked on his limgs. He'll have to have treatment in the sanatorium." "Yeah, sure." said the head guard wearily. "I'll tell the superintendent." " You don't have to bother. I'll tell him myself." The head guard looked at him indul- gently. "You're new here doc," he said. "You sure have got a lot to learn." "Tliat'.s right," said Dr. Owens. "And I'll learn it in my own way." Meanwhile Tommy was drawing his kit from the store-room. When he had finished and had dumped the stuff, the head guard came along to find him. "You're wanted," the head guard said curtly. "Someone who says he's your brother has come to see you." Eddie! What did he want? "Remember," the head guard went on, "you're not to go near him or take any- thing from him. Receiving visitors is a privilege, and if you try any funny stuff, you won't be allowed to see anyone else." Tommy nodded, and was taken back to the waitmg-room. Eddie jumped up from