Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 439

This issue of *Beadle and Adams' Dime Library* (December 22, 1885) features "A Neat Piece of Work" by J. C. Cowdrick, author of "The Detective's Apprentice." The serial follows Sandy Sam Sanders, a fifteen-year-old Jersey City bootblack and street scout known for his bravery and quick wit. With $2.49, he sneaks into an empty cab to cross into Manhattan, evading tolls. After emerging at a fashionable avenue, he encounters the cab driver and escapes with characteristic sass. He witnesses a sick man being loaded into the cab with two companions, then observes a street fight beginning. The narrative emphasizes Sam's resourcefulness, street-wise dialect, and mischievous personality as he navigates urban adventure.