The Hoods Read Online Free PDF

his good-natured laugh.
    “Yeh, you can have it, Noodles, it's too big and dangerous for a little guy like Pipy anyhow,” Jake said.
    I walked over to the shelves of paper-bound books, fondling and examining the blade. It was beautiful. It was sharp on both, sides and came to a strong needle point on the end. The blade itself was at least six inches long. A push of the button, the blade clicked into the six-inch handle. It made a formidable weapon. It fitted just right in my pants pocket. My eyes wandered to the tempting display of dime paper-bound books. To me it was a hypnotic display of Nick Carters, Diamond Dicks, all sorts of Westerns. I thumbed through Horatio Alger's From Rags to Riches, debating with myself whether to buy a book, or use the quarter that Maxie's uncle had given me for the gas meter at home. I thought, if I bought it, I wouldn't have any light to read by tonight in bed.
    Fat Moe came over to me and whispered, “Go ahead, Noodles, stick one in your pocket before my old man gets here. Don't bend it too much, but bring it back tomorrow, all right?”
    I stuck From Rags to Riches in my pocket, feeling happy and grateful, saying: “I'll take care of it. Thanks, Moe, I'll bring it back in the morning.”
    I felt as if life was complete. I had a quarter for the gas meter, a new knife and a book to read tonight.
    “All right, fellas,” Maxie was taking his tie and jacket off, “let's get going. You guys want to come along?” He turned to Jake, Pip, and Goo-Goo.
    “What are you going to do?” Jake asked.
    “We're going to do a little long distance running,” Max answered.
    “Nah, not for us,” Jake said. “Well see you some more.”
    They walked out.
    We followed Maxie's example, putting our clothes on a chair. We jogged downtown into the night, starting on our daily long-distance run. Maxie, in the lead, set the pace. He was a Spartan when it came to exercise.
    “When we grow up, it will come in handy, we'll have muscles and wind, and be tough as nails.”
    We were jogging along in a compact group right behind Maxie's long flying legs. After ten blocks, pudgy Dominick, gasping and puffing, called out, “I had enough, Max. I'm all pooped.”
    Maxie turned his head, he was breathing easy. “The trouble with you, Dommie, is that you eat too much spaghetti. Some day you'll be sorry.”
    Dominick dropped out. We continued downtown, changing pace, running fast one block, then slowing up the next. We made our way downtown to the financial district. We stopped and rested at the curb. An immense building was in front of us. The windows were covered with thick iron bars. The entrance was a heavy steel door.
    Patsy remarked, “It looks like a prison.”
    “There's no prison down here,” I said.
    Patsy said, “How do you know?”
    Maxie laughed, “Don't argue with Noodles. He knows everything. Hell even admit it himself.”
    “Yeh,” I smiled. “I'm a smart feller.”
    “You mean a fart smeller, hey, Noodles?” Maxie said.
    We all laughed at my expense.
    Maxie called out to a passer-by, “Hey, mister.”
    The man stopped.
    “Yes?”
    “What kind of building is that, a prison?”
    The man smiled. “A prison? No, that's where they keep all the money.”
    Patsy interestedly asked, “A lot of money?”
    “Why yes.” The man was amused. “Quite a few million. That's the Federal Reserve.”
    He walked away smiling.
    Maxie walked over and tried to look in. He came back and said, “Some day we're gonna heist this joint. What do you think, Noodles?”
    “It's okay with me, but it looks like a tough job,” I said. “Yeh, it looks tough. How you going to heist this joint?”
    Maxie replied, “Don't worry, I'll find out some day.”
    I looked at Maxie. He was staring at the building. It reminded me of a cartoon I saw someplace of a mouse defying an elephant.
    He muttered, “For a million bucks I'll heist this joint some day.”
    We ran all the way back to Gelly's candy store. Dominick was