Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

18 the guard's face there was a look of triumph. "Nice kid you vouched for, doc!" he said. "He"d have plugged you in a flash if you'd made a false move last night." Dr. Owens made a hopeless gesture. "Where's the superintendent?" he asked. "Gone north to do some explaining to the prison board." The head guard grinned. "If you'd let me lock that youngster up properly like I wanted to, this wouldn't have happened. As it is. some of us are going to get fired by the time the prison authorities have done with us—and one of them won't be me." The telephone-bell started to ring. Doc Owens got up and went to the instrument. He picked up the receiver. "Hallo!" he said. "Doc Owens? ■ asked a voice. "Speaking." "This is Tommy. Are you alone?" "Just a minute." Doc Owens put the receiver down and said in a loud voice: 'I'll be over to see you later, Barnes. I've got some case histories to look up for the medical centre in New York." The head guard chuckled. "Go to it!" he said. "You may as well do all the work you can before they put you out on your ear. So long!" And he walked out of the surgery whistling. Doc Owens made sure that he had gone, then closed and locked the door. He went back to the telephone. "I'm alone now. Tommy," he said. "Where are you speaking from?" "New York. Listen. I've got a line on the whole gang that framed Eddie, the ones that got me into my jam." Doc Owens could have danced with joy. So Tommy was all right after all! The reason for his extraordinary conduct, for his escape, instantly became clear. "Yes, yes, go on!" he said. "They're going to .pull a job to-night, and then I'm supposed to beat it for Kansas City. Can you come -to town to- night?" "Of course. Where shall I find you?" "I'll be outside the filling station at the corner of Eighty-seventh Street and North Avenue. You tell Eddie I said he was to talk. Tell him I'm fixing Hearn good and proper, and that he's to help all he can if he wants to get in the clear. Got that?" "I've got it" said Doc Owens. "Any- thing else?" But evidently somebody had interrupted Tommy at the other end, for Tommy said in a harsh voice: "Naw, stupid, you've got the wror.^ number." Then there was a click, and the line went dead. It was Spike who had interrupted. Tommy had been ringing from Hearn's .place. "Talking to a pal of yours?" Spike asked. "Huh?" Tommy spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "Some mutt thought we was a flower-shop. Now I ask you, do we look like a flower-shop?'' Spike laughed. "The boss wants to see you again," he said. Tommy allowed himself to be led into Hearn's office, and found six other youths there. They were lounging about smok- ing cigarettes, and they looked at him interestedly. "Come in. Tommy," said Hearn. "Boys, this is Tommy O'Meara. He's going "to drive one of the cars for you. You'd all better get acquainted. You start at ten." Tommy nodded to them easily. Shortly after the hour Hearn had named Tommy pulled out of a nearby garage in a powerful touring car. Spike was sitting by his side. Tommy drove carefully. He was feeling nervous. He had not been able to get in touch with Doc Owens again, so did not know what was going to happen. Spike noticed, his nervousness, and said: BOY'S CINEMA "What are you so jittery about, big boy? " "Nothing. This is my first job, isn't it?" "All right. But watch where you're going. This is the wrong way." Tommy knew that, but said nothing. The place where he said he would see Doc Owens was only a short distance from Hearn's place, and he drove round that way. He pulled up outside the garage. Spike turned to him wrathfuUy. But before he could say anything one of the youths in the back yelled out: "Cops!" Tommy leapt out. Spike dived after him, dragging out a gun. He hit Tommy on the side of the mouth with it, causing a thin trickle of blood to a.ppear. "Get back into the bus! " Spike snapped. "Hearn is going to deal with you. Help me with him, someone. You others hold those cops off." Three or four uniformed men were closing in on them. A voice called out: "Drop those gats, you youngsters! It'll be the worse for you if you don't." Spike and one of the others tried to force Tommy back into the car. One of the cops fired, and a tyre exploded with a bang and a loud hiss. Other cops appeared from behind and closed in swiftly. They grabbed the two youths with the guns before they knew what was happening, and disarmed them. Spike tried to shoot, but a gun flashed from the darkness, and he let out a howl of pain and clutched at his wrist. "All right," one of the cops said. "It's all over, son. Where's Hearn? " Spike turned to Tommy savagely. "So you squealed, huh?'' he raved. "We'll get you for this." "You won't get anybody," said the cop sternly. " The way you talk anyone would think you were John Dillinger or some- thing. Come on now, where's Hearn? " " I'll buy it," Spike retorted. " Where is he? " "Tough, eh? Well, we'll see how you feel when we get you inside. Into that car! And don't start anything you can't finish." Spike got in, and Tommy got in after him. Then he saw Doc Owens. The doc had come up to the side of the car, and he was smiling. "Nice work. Tommy!" he said. "I knew you were all right. Do you think you can make room for me?" "Sure, doc," answered one of the cops. "We're going along to pick up the big noise, and then we'll call it a day." The big noise never suspected anything. He was sitting in his office waiting for news. And when he saw Spike and Tommy walk in he thought everything was all right. He saw the cops too late. His mouth dropped open with surprise. Then he made a dive for his gun. "Hold it, mister," a cop bawled out, and thrust the boys on one side. "Start using the artillery, and you're as good as dead." Hearn's hand froze in mid-air. He knew he was licked. "That's the idea," said the cop. "Just hold your hands out nice and peaceful, and I'll decorate 'em with this pair of handcuffs." Without a v/ord, but with a malignant look of hatred at Tommy, Hfearn obeyed, and was marched away in company with the boys. The following evening Tommy was back at home with Mrs. O'Meara. Tommy was in the room he shared with Eddie, and he was putting on the tie he had bought for Eddie's birthday present. Mrs. O'Meara was fussing around the cooking stove out in the living-room. "I do hope they won't be long," she said. "I don't want all this food spoiled." Tommy laughed. " I don't have to go down to the corner Every Tuesday to look for Eddie this time, mom," he said. "Just for once we know he's in good company." "That's right enough," said Mrs. O'Meara. still thinking of her cooking. "All the same, I do hope they won't be long. It's a sort of birthda\' party for the two of you—to take the place of the one you missed when—when—well, last time." Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Tommy hastily finished fixing his tie and went to open the door. It was Eddie. And with him was Doc Owens. "Hallo, doc!" Tommy said in a low voice. "Were you able to have him let off? " Doc Owens laughed. "He wouldn't be here if I hadn't." he said. Tommy opened the door wide and dragged them both in. "Well, you're only just in time,"jae said. "Mom was beginning to fret about the food. She said that if you weren't here in two minutes I could eat the lot. Mom. this is Doc Owens.'' Mrs. O'Meara turned towards them, looking hot from her work. "I'm sure glad to know you, sir." she said. "And I'm glad to knov,- you. Mrs. O'Meara," Doc Owens answered cordially. Then he sniffed. " Something smells mighty good. What is it?" "Corned beef and cabbage," Mrs. O'Meara answered. "I'm afraid I couldn't manage anything better." "Corned beef and cabbage!" Doc Owens rubbed his hands together. "I was reared on the stuff. I haven't had it ui years. This is going to be good!" Mrs. O'Meara returned to her stove. After a few seconds she said: "Is everything all right now, sir?" "Perfectly all right," Doc Owens answered. "The superintendent saw the prison governors this morning. Both Tommy and Eddie are now free, and there's nothing more for you to worry about." Mrs. O'ltleara still kept at the stove, her back towards him. She didn't want him to see the tears streaming down her face. "I've got a lot to thank you for, sir," she managed to say. "Nonsense," Doc Owens answered. "All your thanks are due to voimg Tommy. He's a grand boy. I helped where I could, but I would have been powerless to do anything without his aid. You know, Mrs. O'Meara, folks have been very kind to me one way and another. Thev gave me the chance to do something for myself. I'm mighty glad now to have the opportunity of doing something for somebody else." " 'Tis a good man you are." said Mrs. O'Meara in a muffled voice. Doc Owens decided not to hear that. There was a sob in her voice which he knew she would prefer him to ignore. So he turned to Tommy. " Well, young man, what is it to be after all this excitement—farming, trucking, or medicine?" "Medicine." Tommy replied promptly. "I'd like to be a doctor, the same as yju are." "Then I'll see what can be done," replied Doc Owens. "And now how about that corned beef and cabbage? I'm hungry." And as though he were at home, he pulled up a chair and sat down at the table. THE END. By permission of Pathe Pictures. Limited. Based on the film, 'Boys' Re- formatory," which has the following cast; Frankie Darro as Tommy Grant Withers as Dr. Owen.s Lillian Elliott as Mrs. O'Meara Frank Coghlan, Jn. as Eddie David Durand as Knucldeii Ron Welden as Hearn Warren McCollun as Spika