Eighth Chapter The Boy with the Auto Horn Turns Up

At Trautenau Street on the corner of Kaiser Avenue the man with the stiff hat got off the car. Emil saw him, took up his bag and his bouquet, and said to the man reading the paper, “Thank you again and again, sir,” and climbed off the platform.

The thief went in front of the car, crossed the tracks, and headed for the other side of the street. The car went on, and when the way was clear Emil noticed that the man stopped, hesitated a moment, and then walked up the steps to an outdoor café.

Now again it was necessary to be very cautious. Like a detective that follows a clue, Emil sized up the situation, looked quickly around, noticed a news-stand on a corner, and ran as fast as he could to hide behind it. His hiding place was perfect. It lay between the stand and a post. The boy put down his baggage, took off his cap, and peeked out.

The man had seated himself on the terrace close to the railing. He was smoking a cigarette and seemed very pleased with himself. Emil was disgusted that a thief could be so thoroughly satisfied while the fellow who was robbed had to be so gloomy and not know what to do.

What a silly idea to hide behind a news-stand as if he himself were the thief instead of the other. What point was there in knowing that the man was sitting in Café Josty on Kaiser Avenue and that he was drinking light beer and smoking cigarettes? If the fellow would get up, then the chase could go on. But if he stayed there then Emil might hide behind the stand until he grew a long gray beard. Nothing was wanting now but for a policeman to come along and say, “My son, you look suspicious. Come, follow me of your own accord, now, or I’ll have to put the handcuffs on you.”

Suddenly a horn tooted right behind Emil. He jumped aside in fright and turned around to see a boy who stood there laughing at him.

“There, man, don’t get excited,” said the boy.

“Who honked that horn behind me?” asked Emil.

“Why, me, of course. You don’t come from Wilmersdorf, do you? Otherwise you’d have known long ago that I have a horn in my pants’ pocket. Everyone around here knows me as well as if I were a freak.”

“I’m from Neustadt. I just came from the station.”

“From Neustadt, eh? That’s why you’ve got such a goofy suit on?”

“Take that back! Or I’ll give you one that’ll lay you out cold.”

“Shucks man,” said the other cheerfully, “are you cross? The weather’s too excellent for fighting, but it’s O.K. with me.”

“We’ll ’tend to that later,” declared Emil. “I haven’t any time for such stuff now.” And he looked across at the café to see if Grundeis was still sitting there.

“I thought you had all the time in the world. Get behind a news-stand with his bag and his flowers and then start to play hide and go seek with himself. A fellow must have ten or twenty yards of time left over to do that.”

“No,” said Emil, “I’m watching a thief!”

“What? Did I understand the first time?” said the other. “Who did he swipe from?”

“Me!” answered Emil, and was positively proud of it. “In the train. While I was asleep. A hundred and forty marks. I was supposed to give them to my grandmother here in Berlin. Then he sneaked into another compartment and got out at the Zoo Station. Me after him, of course, you can imagine. Then on the street car. And now he’s sitting over there in that café, with his stiff hat, patting himself on the back.”

“But, man, that is marvelous,” cried the newcomer. “Just like a movie! And what are you going to do now?”

“No idea. Keep after him. That’s all I know right now.”

“Tell it to the cop there. He’ll nab him for you.”

“I don’t dare. I pulled a stunt home in Neustadt—not so good—and they’re after me now. And if I—”

“I get you.”

“And my grandmother is waiting at the Friedrich Strasse Station.”

The boy with the horn thought a bit. Then he said, “this looks like a swell stunt to me—some class, I’ll say. And, man, I’m with you, if it’s all right with you.”

“That would be mighty good of you.”

“Oh, cut it out, boy. One thing’s sure. I’m in on it. My name’s Gustav.”

“And mine’s Emil.”

They shook hands, well pleased with each other.

“But let’s get going,” advised Gustav. “If we do nothing but stand around here the crook will give us the slip. Have you any money?”

“Not a cent.”

Gustav honked softly to stir up his thoughts. It didn’t help.

“How would it be,” asked Emil, “if you got a few of your friends to help?”

“Man, the idea is superb,” cried Gustav excitedly. “All I have to do is to dash through the courtyards honking, and we’ll have the whole outfit.”

“Do it, then, but come back soon,” Emil advised him, “or else that thief over there will run away. And me after him, of course. And when you get back I’ll be out of sight.”

“True enough. I’ll hurry! Count on that. Anyhow, the bozo in the Café Josty there is eating boiled eggs and such things. He’ll stay a while. So see you later, Emil. Man, I’m crazy about it. This will be a humdinger.” And with that he tore off.

Emil felt wonderfully relieved. Of course, bad luck is always bad luck. But to have a few supporters who are on your side of their own free will is no small comfort.

He kept close watch on the thief, who was doing himself rather well, probably on Emil’s mother’s savings, too, and Emil had only one anxiety—that the man might get up and leave. Then Gustav and his horn and everything else would be of no use.

But Herr Grundeis did him the favor of staying where he was. If he’d had any idea of the conspiracy that was drawing around him like a bag he would have hired an airplane, at least. For now things were getting hot for him.

Ten minutes later Emil heard the horn again. He turned and saw at least two dozen boys marching down Trautenau Street with Gustav in the lead.

“Everybody halt! There, what do you say?” asked Gustav, his face all smiles.

“There, what do you say?” asked Gustav, his face all smiles.

“It’s great,” answered Emil, and poked Gustav in the ribs in his joy.

“Now, gentlemen, this is Emil from Neustadt. I’ve already told you the rest. Over across there sits the pig dog who swiped his money. That one to the right on the balcony with the black melon on his bean. If we let that brother get away our name is Mud from then on. Understand?”

“But, Gustav, we’ll get him all right,” said a boy with horn spectacles.

“That is the Professor,” explained Gustav.

And Emil shook hands with him.

Then the whole gang was introduced, one after the other.

“There,” said the Professor, “now we’ll step on the gas. Let’s go! First, the money!”

Everyone gave what he had. The pieces clinked into Emil’s cap. There was even one whole mark piece there. It came from a very small boy named Dienstag. He was so excited that he hopped from one foot to the other, and he was allowed to count the money.

“Our capital amounts to five marks and seventy pennies,” he announced to the eager listeners. “The best thing to do would be to divide the money between three people in case we have to separate.”

“Good,” said the Professor. He and Emil took two marks apiece. Gustav got one mark, seventy pennies.

“Thank you ever so much,” said Emil. “As soon as we get him I’ll pay you back. What do we do now? First I’d rather take my bag and my flowers some place. Because when the chase begins they’ll be terribly in my way.”

“Man, give me the stuff,” demanded Gustav. “I’ll take it right over to the Café Josty, leave it at the counter, and have a look at Mr. Thief at the same time.”

“But watch your step,” called the Professor. “The crook need not know that there are detectives on his trail. That would make it harder to get him.”

“Do you think I’m loony?” grumbled Gustav and started off.

“A fierce face for the pictures, the man has,” he remarked when he returned. “And the things are well taken care of. We can get them when we want them.”

“Now it would be best for us to hold a council of war,” advised Emil. “But not here. It might be noticed.”

“We’ll go to Nikolsburger Place,” decided the Professor. “Two of us will stay here at the news-stand and watch to see that the fellow doesn’t beat it. We’ll appoint five or six as scouts, who will relay the news. Then we’ll come back on the hot-foot.”

“Leave it to me,” called Gustav, and began immediately to organize his intelligence men. “I will stay here with the scouts,” he said to Emil, “don’t worry. We won’t let him get away. And you fellows speed up a little. It’s a few minutes past seven already. All set, now, and step on it.”

He appointed the scouts. And the others, with Emil and the Professor in the lead, streamed off to Nikolsburger Place.