SEE GREAT BICYCLE OFFER ON LAST PAGE. gt i i ~ SD ~~ O)o7 S(O NorvtTH 9) Sac East Gi mae CO . BK \\\\“S SNS DOUTH oe ea a WW —e af <= *HOM-EVERY- QUARTE ceive rr prink® a 1 letter will Dt Entered According to Act of Congress, in the Year 1896, by Street & Smith, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. recel)) Entered as Second-class Matter at the New York, N.Y., Post-Office. : nts. 1re this Corre dc sei ty ane NC Oe On aah Rn sg TON re ae a a ee ea ae ia ee ee Vol. 12. nee een Th wee On New York, February 22, 1896. Pree ee ean No. 308. ore i stl ey: ee coun gt. ent, Fis, plishe Yo ides poiif ver one a indie yy pers, na ‘refer jp an, ai ra tsi cain» HES Lg YAY ne oP 8 (ge E = = f a —=s a ae LY. ach a Kies = = — z AMT A YY ved jon ‘*y REPEAT, FRIEND GEORGE, THAT, UNDER THEE, I AM READY\ TO SERVE MY COUNTRY.’’ ;pany enema terns Tee eer mete THE QUAKER SPY read , . ae « poral A Tale of the Revolutionary War. No. 6 att : BY JASPER W. WILDWOOD, in then a gE y Y \ Sees Doe ()))) SAA CHAPTER I. blacksmith’s forge and shop, all his own, to ich ope MN ¢ : : wae ; Fath a> fi Hi H serve his country under George Washington, ; oct ~e Wiese te we THE QUAKER AS A PEACEMAKER,. then in camp near Haston, Pennsylvania, ; We YYjjy wp) KAY for this was early in December, 1776. nt, ‘ we SY yf G YH Yj “A DAB! Ts thee crazy?”’ ‘*Adab! Is thee crazy?’’ she repeated. ot ee ; d %A\° _ This question was asked by Friend | ‘‘Were thy father alive, what would he is “9 Ni ; " ra rn te a . Hannah Slocomb, in her brick man- | think when he heard thee say thou wouldst ‘* sion in Arch street, Philadelphia, | join with the godless men of war, the M 10 ¥ OWN try wins IN E MOTHER!’’ WAS ALL THAT ADAB COULD SAY; BUT THERE WERE TEARS c RIs pene when her son Sloe i i shi ours en EYES AS HE PRESSED HIS LIPS ON HER BROW, THEN TURNED, AND WITH A igo ¢} . ft Adab Slocomb, a giant in| slayers of men, thou, the child of those , SUR teat thar earth BOOM size, though he was only nineteen years of | whose profession is peace! age, told her that he was going to leave the’ ‘*He would say, were he alive, dear 4 43834 CrooD CY Lae : TEAIRTY BICYCIES GIivEN AWAY! To the thirty readers sending us the largest number ll be printed in Goop NEws every week beginning with No. 296 and ending with No. 307, we will give a high grade bicycle, first-class in of these coupons, which wi every respect. them to us in a bunch after Seve oves Save all the coupons you can get hold of, and send VOVVVVESVVSCVVEVSECEEBSEVUBUNA CU EG *—— No. 307 is published. NEWS. THE My title is WSCVeVetsesestse NAMELESS STORY” COUPON. mother, what the mother of Nathaniel Greene said to him: ‘If thee thinks it is thy duty to serve thy suffering country, Na- thaniel, I will not bid thee stay, for it must be the spirit of God which moveth thee to resist tyranny and oppression. But, remem- ber, if thee is wounded in battle, thee must never come to me if thy wound be in the back.’ ”? The grave face of Hannah Slocomb relaxed until the faint sign of a smile came out upon it. ‘*Thee has a strange way of answering my question, Adab!’’ said she. ‘‘ Hast thou for- gotten that thou holdest a high seat in our Meeting? What will Naomi say?’’ ‘‘That I must not resist the will of the Spirit !’’? said Adab, gravely. ‘‘Moreover, I go as aman of peace, not as a slayer of men, or a shedder of blood. There are many ways in which I can serve Friend George Washington, and my country, too, without placing a sword on my thigh, or a musket to my shoulder!’ ‘*The lord bless thee, Adab! know but thou art right. Naomi.’ The lips of Adab quivered, and he replied: ‘*T shall grieve to be absent from her, but it is meet that all true men should do their best* to keep the cruel invaders from our own doors. Already they hold New York, George Washington has been forced to fall back across New Jersey, his army is growing weak and small, yet he boldly faces the British and their Hessian mercenaries, and says he will stand between them and Philadelphia, the once sacred home of out great leader, William Penn!’’ ‘*Yea! It isso!’? said Hannah Slocomb, with a sigh. ‘‘Robert Morris is a truthful man, who is giving freely of his substance to the cause, and he says George Washington is a man of prayer, merciful and just, where mercy is justice as between man and man. That he loves his country he hath shown in many ways. If thou goest, Adab—thou shalt not go empty-handed. Go and see Naomi Bliss, and tell her whither thou art going. Then come back to me and thy raiment, shall be ready, and two purses of gold—one for thee and thine own necessities, the other for George Washington to use among his needy and often hungry soldiers.’’ ‘*My own true mother !’’ That was aJl that the young blacksmith could say; but there were tears in his eyes as he pressed his lips on her brow, then turned, and with a rapid step passed from the room. ‘*Heaven bless my son and keep him from harm !’’ sighed the mother, as the sound of his footsteps died away, and then she mur- mured, ‘‘Poor Naomi! It will go hard with her. Truly the evil days have come upon us all!?’ * * * * * * When Adab Slocomb passéd out from the house owned by his widowed mother, not with the slow step and sedate visage usual to him, but flushed in face and hurried in gait, he said: : ‘*] will go now to visit Naomi and break to her my determination. It will oppress her heart sorely, but she must bear up under it. If all men stood backward, in this hour of gloom, the cruel oppressor’s foot would soon be on every neck, and the danger to the young and lovely is the greatest of when the rude British soldiery and the cruel Hes- sian mercenaries ravage the land! They must be driven back over the sea, or into it, _or else find graves beneath the soil they seek to possess. If they conquer, we perish, or we exist in chains! Ah, what is that? A brawl hetween men in the Continental uniform? It must not be; it is a disgrace to the cloth and to this peaceful city.”’ This last remark came from the lips of Adab, as he saw two men issuing from the door of a tavern between Arch and Race, on Sixth street, for he was at the corner of the last, both engaged in loud words and evidently preparing to fight. They were in uniform, but wore no arms. Quickly he strode toward them, his giant form clad in Quaker clothes, and his broad-brimmed hat conspicuous over' his fine head. But quickly as he moved, they were engaged and blows had passed before he reached them. With a strong grasp on the collar of each, he held them apart at arms’ length, and I do not But I grieve for * | ‘**Have ye no shame? This is a city of peace and Brotherly Love and ye make it hideous with your profane talk and your unmanly quarrel.’’ ‘*Let go my collar, young Broadbrim, or I’ll baste you instead of Sam Salter there !’’ cried the one on his left hand, ‘* Ay, let me go or I'll take the starch out of you myself, Daddy Prim!’’ cried the other, while both struggled to free them- selves from his powerful grasp. ‘*Friends, I came hither to make peace!’? said Adab, quietly. ‘‘If ye will make peace [ will let ye go—if not, I will teach ye a lesson !”? ‘Go to thunder!’ cried Sam Salter, kick- ing at Adab, fiercely. ‘Let me'go, or I?ll break your head!’ exclaimed the other, and he struck Adab heavily in the breast. ‘*Verily, it seems that ye are stubborn, and hard to convince,’’ said Adab, ‘‘I will soften your heads, and, perhaps, your hearts will soften likewise?’’ And he suddenly brought the heads of the two men together with acrash that could have been heard half a block away. ‘*Will ye make peace?’’ he asked. And a second time he brought the men’s heads together, with a force which must have made them see stars. By this time quite a crowd had gathered, and the two soldiers, sobered enough to see how ridiculous they looked, and also to feel that they were helpless in the giant grasp of the young Quaker, pleaded for release. ‘*Will ye make peace?’’ he asked, as he held them off again at arms’ length. ‘*Yes!?? gasped Sam Salter. ‘*Yes—yes—please let me go! My nose is bleeding all over me!’’ said the other. ‘*Tt is good for brethren to dwell in peace and unity!’’ said Adab, gravely, and he released the men, and passing on through the crowd, which opened for him in a way that proved the bystanders had respect for his prowess, if not for his garb, CHAPTER II. THE QUAKER’S TRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM. JOTAHE cottage on Race street in which 4 dwelt Naomi Bliss and her maiden + aunt, Petrunia Stone, varied so much -?* from the staid, sober-looking, and substantial brick houses around it, that a brief description will not be amiss. It was a cottage of the Elizabethan style, with overhanging eaves, a broad piazza all around, with lattice work on the sides, over which crept climbing roses and honeysuckle. A garden plot in front contained numerous varieties of outdoor flowers, while inside, choice flowering bulbous plants could be seen in the open windows. Birds—not caged—were singing on the branches of fruit trees in the yard, conscious that no hand there would be raised to drive them away. An observer, who knew anything of wo- man and the refinement of her taste, would have said at the first glance, ‘‘Here true women dwell who love the beauties of nature.’? At the same day and hour when Hannah Slocomb was forced to yield to the argu- ment of Adab that his country needed him, Naomi was lamenting over the distresses of George. Washington ard his brave little army —poorly clad, fed, and yet more poorly armed and equipped, forced to retreat before the greater armies cf the British and their Hessian mercenaries. Naomi had just reached her eighteenth birthday, and in feature and form was ex- ceedingly beautiful. Her plain Quaker garb perfectly set off her tall, womanly, graceful figure; a mass of golden brown hair crowned a face so fair, that no stranger on the street ever saw it, without turning to get a second look, which mortified Naomi exceedingly, for she was modest as she was lovely, The admiration and love of but one earthly creature filled all her desiye, and that’ one was Adab Slocomb, And for this, in a gentle, loving way, she was often chided by her Aunt Petrunia, a maiden sister to her deceased mother. Petrunia Stone was a cold, grave woman, fully forty years of age, with no desire to appear a day younger than she really was; |a half dozen very eligible offers, in a worldly point of view. | If she had any tenderness it was. love for her niece, though she seemed to strive not to show that, but to appear cold and dead to all worldly sympathies and attachments. These two, with two negro servants—a woman named Chloe, who was cook, washer, ‘and ironer; aman named Jesse, who was their porter, gardener, and man of all work, taking care of the one horse and huge two- wheeled chaise in which they occasionally rode out—for few, no matter how wealthy, used coaches in those days—were all who occupied the handsome cottage. Naomi was sitting in the front room, but so far back that she could not see the street or be seen from it, at the time when Adab, fresh from his last effort at peace-making, came toward the house, She was engaged in sewing, as was also her aunt, but the latter, not afraid to be seen from the street, or anywhere else, in truth, sat near the win- dow, where her eyes caught sight of Adab some time before he reached the house. A very slight tinge of color came into the face of Petrunia when she saw Adab, and she said: ‘‘Naomi, thy friend, Adab Slocomb, cometh this way, clad not in his work-day dress, but in the better suit which he weareth to Meeting. It is likely he intends to pay thee a visit.’’ ‘*Tf he doth, he knows he will be come,’’ said Naomi. And the color in her fair cheeks deepened till she was rosy red from the chin to the temples. : ‘¢*Thee need not blush, child,’’ said Pe- trunia. ‘‘For Adab is a godly man, who stands high in the Meeting, and hath a mother whom I esteem greatly.’’ ‘¢If I blush, dear aunt, it is for joy that he cometh,’’ said Naomi, in a gentle tone. And she rose, not to go to her glass to see how she looked, but to go to the door to admit Adab, for she preferred to meet him alone in the entry, lest her aunt should re- prove her for the warmth of her greeting. She was on her way to the door when-his hand lifted the brazen knocker that hung outside, and the next second she opened the door and he entered the little entry, and hand grasped hand, while lip met lip ina pure but warm salute. ‘ ‘‘Ts thee well?’’ was the question asked by each and answered in the affirmative, and then Naomi led the way into the front sit- ting-room, where Petrunia Stone sat, pale and thoughtful. : } ‘tT am glad to see thee, friend Adab,’’ she said, not rising in any demonstrative way, but extending her hand as he came forward, ‘*Thou art always welcome to our humble home.”’ ‘*T know that,’’? said Adab, ‘‘or I should not come. But I fear that I shall see few such pleasant homes as Primrose Cottage for a long time to come. [ am going ona journey.’’ ‘Or. a journey, to leave thy mother and thy occupation?’’ said Petrunia, with much more force than her wouted gravity ex- hibited. ‘‘Surely thee does not mean it?’’ Naomi looked at him wonderingly, but she did not speak, while he replied to is aunt. ‘Yea, have heard with sorrow how George Washington is beset and sore-pressed by the minions of a tyrant who would en- slave all in America, who is even now ruth- lessly robbing our poeple, burning the homes of helpless women and children, and threat- ening us—even us, in this city of peace and of Brotherly Love. And I have felt that it was not becoming to me as a strong man, a young and a healthy one, to live here in comfort when God-fearing and true men suffer with hunger and cold and endure all manners of privations to keep back the ruthless invaders from our doors.’’ ‘*Adab Slocomb, surely thee doth not in- tend to become a slayer of men!’’ cried Petrunia Stone, her face becoming almost a marble gray in its pallor, ~ ‘*‘Nay, Iam aman of peace. I will not gird a sword upon my thigh, nor yet take a gun upon my shoulder; but there are many ways in which it is possible for me to serve my suffering country. These ways George Washington will discover and point out to me, for to his camp my journey will ex- tend.’?’ ‘‘Why does not thee speak, Naomi?’’ wel- sternly said: a maiden by choice, too, for she had refused 5 ‘*Does not thee care whether or not thine affianced husband goeth into danger?’’ The lips of Naomi quivered, and her blue eyes were moist when she replied: ‘*T shall grieve when I feel that he is in bodily peril, yet I feel that he is right. It is the spirit of the good Father above which moveth him, even as it moved the good and wise men of old to resist, those who would enslave or slay them. And hath he not said that he would not become a slayer of men?’’ ‘*Yea, he hath said that,’’ said Petrunia. emy should come upon him in their might, he would be slain.’’ : ‘‘Then the Father will care for his spirit, and I will say, ‘The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken his own.’ Who shall murmur against the will of the Lord?’’ ‘‘My own true Naomi!’’ cried Adab, fondly. ‘‘Thou dost strengthen me greatly in my resolve, and I feel, more than ever, that it is my duty to go.”’ ‘(What saith thy mother, Friend Hannah Slocomb? It is written that thou shalt honor thy parents, and hearken to them,’’ con- tinued Petrunia Stone. ‘‘She not only consents tomy going, ‘but furnishes me with a purse of gold to give George Washington, for necessities for his sick and needy soldiers; and she furnishes me with another purse, which she saith _ must use for mine own necessities, but, 1 the main, itscontents will go with the first, for I am strong and healthy, and my needs will be few.’ ‘‘ And shall we be cold to the needs of the suffering, Aunt Petrunia?’’ cried Naom, impulsively. ‘‘I have a purse of gold, t00, to spare for those who suffer in our de- fense.’’ “Child! child! they are godless men of war that thee wouldst assist.’’ ‘‘Aunt Petrunia, they cannot be godless who follow and obey a man like George Washington. They war upon tyranny an¢ oppression, and to save life and liberty. i I were a man, I would go with Adab to help them.’’ ; ‘‘T am glad thee is not a man,’’ said Pe- trunia, gravely. ‘‘Thee has more bea enough spirit, asa woman. Do as thou “a with thy money, but I have none to give t0 those who smite with the sword.’? And 5 ing, she left the room, f Adab was not sorry, for he had words Pe thankful tenderness to speak to Naomi whic he did not wish should reach any ears hers. ‘*Thee will avoid all the perils thou cau ; consistent with thy duty,” said Naom}, > she placed her gift, a purse full of gold s0 ereigns, in Adab’s hand. oe ‘* Verily, I will, for thy sake, dear Nea and for the sake of my mother. But wht Isee my duty guideth, there must ie peril or no peril; for any Ee as thou Har said, is in the hands of Him who gare thy ‘‘Truly thou hast spoken, Adab. Wit for mother, I will pray for thy safety, an eir the success of those who suffer for !t vet country. Aid them with my gold, and 7 a thou seest a place where my weak hanes = do good, send for me, and J will onting yea, even if it be where the conten armies meet.’’ a ‘‘Naomi, thou art almost an angel. a to ‘‘Nay, Adab; it is irreverent 1p thee antl speak. Hush—say no more, Aunt Pe oket; is coming back. Put that gold in thy P° lest she see it and chide me again. is a “To keep peace within the house ook duty !’’ said Adab, with a smile, as he Ding eted the purse. ‘*Come over to the pbb ng of my mother before I go out by theeve" og stage that goes through Germantown. we will there say our parting words. ‘*T will come,’’ said Naomi. n bis Adab had risen, and with his hat sturnia ees stood ready to depart, when tone came in. ed. ‘‘Adab, is thee going so soon?”’ she ane ‘‘Yea. Time presses, and before een in from the city I must direct my WOP™ nus the shop, so that in my absence the beasts tomers may not be neglected, nor | which require shoeing go unshod. * ‘Thou art thoughtful and P Adab. Did I not hear thee say tha lowers of George Washington were § from hunger and cold?’’ ‘*Yea, such is the common Adab. ‘*Then if thee sees any one st, »» gaid report,”’ § cried her aunt, in a tone of impatience, who is cold ‘¢But if he should be in a battle and the en-; a iT - a le Sante eT aes = 2 Os we tot Le ee \j ww weve eowvorvworwe vw Fe NUrllUT NCU! ds cold Le ip if Ee : a | ; 3 . -t om iad = tegticae nes KOE RATIOS 5 ne, Oe eee ae. “ 7 ee pie pes a 2S Pa ss Site _ RUmbers and because of lack.of clothing, or hungry be- | miah Slocomb, and his wife, Hannah? Thou cause he Hath not wherewith to purchase! hast often held me on thy knee when I was food, assist him, so far as the few coins a prattling boy, and 1 could not forget herein will extend,’’ said Petrunia Stone. She handed him the foot of a woolen stock- thee !’? ‘‘Bless me! It must be Adab, the young ing, well filled with coin, both silver and | blacksmith from Philjadelphia,’’ said Gen- gold. ‘*Thee is a dear, good soul, Petrunia Stone!’’ cried Adab, and before the old maid knew what he meant to do, he had seized her in his strong arms with a crush- ing hug, and kissed her thrice upon her thin lips. i Adab! Adab! Thou shouldst be ashamed of thyself—and before her, too!’’ cried Petrunia, turning as red as a peony. ‘*T couldn’t help it; thespirit moved me,”’ said Adab, smilingly. ‘‘Then I must not chide thee, for the will of the spirit must be obeyed,’’ said Petrunia. ‘*But the spirit must not move thee thus again. Make no mention of my little gift, but use it as seemeth just and right unto thee.’’ ‘*The suffering shall bless thee!’’ was all that Adab replied, and then, shaking aunt and niece by the hand, he departed. CHAPTER III. THE SPY RECEIVES HIS INSTRUCTIONS. = HE cold, sharp winds of late December 1 }> beat furiously against the thin sides B ee of the tent used as headquarters by <7 the Commander-in-Chief of the Revo- lutionary Army—General George Washing- ton. Before this tent a huge fire of oaken logs burned cheerfully, and between it and the tent, on a log, sat four generals, besides Washington himself. One was Sullivan, the successor in command of the division of General Lee, who had been captured by the British, within twenty miles of New York, on the 13th of that month, through his own want of caution. Sullivan had safely brought his division through New Jersey, though closely fol- lowed by a far superior force, and had just crossed the Delaware at Philipsburg, and joined his chief near Easton on the Peunsyl- Vania side. The other generals were Irwin, Cadwal- lader and Greene. They were holding a council, and every face, that of Washington alone excepted, was full of gloom. The enemy, under Corn- wallis, now held a great part of Eastern New York and all of New Jersey, waiting Only for the river to freeze over solidly so as to support troops and cannon, to move upon Philadelphia, where Congress had been recently assembled. The American troops, lessened two-thirds by desertion and losses, as well as by sick- hess and privations, were greatly disheart- ened, and nothing but decisive action, with an important success, could keep them to- gether much longer. In truth, the united di- visions only numbered about seven thausand men, and many of those were ready to leave the army when their term of enlistment ex- pired, at the close of the year. , -. ‘*Gentlemen,’’ said General Washington, ‘in reply to a remark of a despondent nature, made by one of the generals—‘‘Gentlemen, there is no excuse for such utter despond- Snucy. There was never yet a night without & day to follow it. Those who have intrusted the defense of our country to us, look for action, and we must give them action to look upon!” ‘‘Then let them feed, clothe, and pay our Soldiers!’ ‘said. General Irwin, bitterly. Unted, almost naked, they are not fit for action,”? ‘‘Not so loud, general. I can Iisten to dis- Content from officers, but the soldiers must hot hear it!?? ‘*Thee knows that they feel it,’? said the uaker general, Nathaniel Greene. >; °S, and my heart bleeds for the causes Which lead to discontent. Our men suffer, ae. 40 not we suffer with them? My tent is * Simple and as poorly furnished as that of © humblest non-commissioned officer in Your command. Even now I cannot ask you to sup with me, for lack of viands to offer you,”? By generals looked abashed, but Sullivan Ked up and said: but ¢ ® complain not for ourselves, general, action eose Whom we would gladly lead to Stion if we could.’’ you wutlemen, before this day week is over, , Sn meet the enemy,’’ said General Send -noten- ‘‘T have a plan, and if I can o fi ©ne trusty man inside the enemy’s lines nd out how they are situated, their Suce b outworks, I do not doubt but ces Will crown our efforts.”? tell rare does thee do, Nathaniel? Can thee ton? where I will find George Washing- thang tae, nobly formed young man, who in . ly“approached the group, was clad have cares Quaker garb, and seemed to Cipline . ®a of, or care for, military dis- halt until difference of rank, for he did not ‘il he was within reach of General Cordially hand, which he took and\ shook ‘ © hee surely ; ‘ ul y knows me, but Iam sorel thazled to place thee in my membry,’? said “hatured Greene, thou forgotten thy old friend, Jere- ec ast | | eral Greene. ‘‘I did indeed know thy par- ents well, and have stopped often beneath their roof when thy father lived,’’ said the general. ‘‘But why art thou come hither? Thou art stout, and hast a fine presence. If thy heart is but half as noble as thy form, I think I can claim thee for a soldier.’’ ‘*Nay, nay; I ama man of peace,’’ said Adab, gravely. ‘‘I am anxious and willing to serve my suffering country, but there are ways in which I can be of use without gird- ing a sword to my thigh as thou has done. Where can I find George Washington?’’ ‘*He stands there,’’ said General Greene, pointing to the noble-looking hero of the age, who had risen and was intently regard- ing the hero of our tale, ‘-Friend George, there are three purses of gold and silver coin, in all nearly three hun- dred pounds sterling, which have been sent thee by three women of our persuasion for the use of thy sick and needy man. One of the women was Petrunia Stone, another Naomi Bliss, and the third my mother. I cause where I see its need.’’ Thus speaking, Adab advanced a step and laid the two purses and Petrunia’s well-filled stocking-foot ona table composed of two rough pine boards, near which Washington had been sitting. ‘*Gentlemen, who can despond when the women of the most kindly and peaceful sect in the world thus render us material aid?’’ cried Washington. Then grasping Adab by his hand, he said: ‘‘My stalwart and true-bearted friend, you could never have come more oppor- tunely to us than now. The gift you bring shall be expended in medicine and _ hospital stores, which now are sadly needed. As for yourself, since you object to using the sword, [ have a mission which, if well ful- filled, will be of more value to your country than a thousand swords fresh and eager for the fray.’’ ‘‘Tam ready to serve my country, and will go wheresoever thou dost think it best to send me,’’ said Adab, quietly, making no salute or obeisance, nor removing his hat as a soldier might have done in that presence. ‘*I6 will require more courage than would be needed in a battle, more caution or pru- dence than is often found in the young, yet I believe you possess them all and can carry out my. desires, even though if detected your life will most likely pay the forfeit.’’ ‘“‘T repeat, Friend George, that, under thee, Iam ready to serve my country in any capacity, except that of serving under arms. And this last I object to, not through fear of suffering or of death, but because it runs contrary to my principles as a man of peace.’’ ‘‘T understand and honor your motive, though I do not make peace in your style,”’ said Washington, smiling. ‘‘Come inside my tent and | will give you instructions, which, if fully carried out, will inform me of every position held by the enemy across the river, his strength and his most assailable points. Generals, enter with me, while we examine the maps and see where it ‘is best for honest Adab Slocomb to pass the river.’’ The generals rose, and all of them went inside the tent, which was barely large enough to hold them, as they grouped around a small writinug-table covered with maps, letters, and papers. All had to stand. There was but one stool inside the tent, and the camp-bed of Wash- ington was a blanket spread out on cedar boughs, with a second one for a cover. Quickly the route was chosen, verbal in- structions given, and within ten minutes the Quaker spy was on his way to the lines of the enemy, with orders to cross, unseen, be- low Trenton, then come up the east bank of the Delaware, and to enter their canton- ments, avowedly in search of work at his trade, ready to see all that could be seen, and especially to note every avenue of ap- proach. : He was also to note all fortified points, and what armament they held, find out the number and kind of troops at all points, and see the state of the fords, if there were any, the ferries, and how the last were guarded. His intelligence, his courage, his prudence, and self-control were all to be tested, and though Washington was confident he would go through the ordeal, Adab himself feared the result. ‘Tf Jam discovered as a spy and meet ‘death as such, let my people know that what I did was done for the good of my country ,’’ was all he said when he departed on his errand. No—he said one thing more: ‘*Tf I succeed, Friend George, look for me in three, or, at least, four days.’’ CHAPTER IV. IN THE PATRIOT’S HOME—ADAB’S RUSE. 47 HEN Adab left the camp of General WAY\/. Washington he was furnished with a strong and serviceable horse, such a one as was necessary to PS | fullat his breast. ‘‘I come from thy friend, have another purse which I will use for the | NEW S. 4835 carry his weight, which was over two hun- dred pounds, for his giant form, though not fat, was made up of bone, muscle, and hard flesh. This horse he was to leave with a patriot farmer whom Washington named, who dwelt near the river-bank, and to whom Adab was to apply for means to cross the river after night set in, for his route lay below all the fords, and there was no ferry near the point at which he was directed to cross. Once across, he was to guide himself entirely by what be saw. Riding swiftly down the river-road, the Quaker reached the house of the patriot farmer, Job Turner, just after darkness had set in, and dismounting, hitched his horse near the gate of the front yard, and, ad- vancing to the door, knocked. His knock must have been heavy and startling, for the farmer came to the door himself, holding a light in one hand and a huge horse-pistol in the .other. ‘*Who are you, and what do you want?’’ he sternly asked, as one of his buxom daugh- ters threw the door open for him, and he confronted Adab. ‘*Put thy deadly weapon aside, and J will tell thee,’’ said the latter, showing no trepi- dation, though the cocked pistol was leveled George Washington, and have a letter for thee.’’ ‘*So, ho!’ cried the sturdy farmer. ‘*You’re only a Quaker, Dang my buttons! if I didn’t think you wes one of them sassy Hessians from over the river. They’ve been here to-day when I was away, sassing my gals; and if my old woman, Sally Ann, hadn’t had a kettle of hot water on, and doused ’em with dipper full after dipper full, till they cleared out, there’s no know- ing what they wouldn’t have done. If you’ve a letter from General Washington, let’s see it. If it’s all right, you're welcome here.’? Adab took out the letter and handed it to the farmer. ‘*Here, Almiry, you read it. You know his handwrite,’’ said the farmer to the rosy- cheeked, auburn-haired, buxom girl of eighteen or twenty years, who stood beside him. Almira quickly opened the letter, and read these words: ‘*FaARMER JOB TURNER: The bearer, Adab Sloromb, is a true patriot, sent on an im- portant duty. Treat him with hospitality, aid him to cross the river, aud care for his horse while he is gone. By thus doing, you will serve your country and your friend, ‘*G. WASHINGTON.”’ ‘‘Almiry, that sounds right. Take Mr. Adab Slocomb in and get supper for him, while I put his horse in the barn,’’ said Farmer Turner. And Adab, nothing loth, for he smelled the odor of a good supper, followed the damsel into the family room, where two more auburn-haired sisters, one older and one a couple of years younger than Almira, with their mother, a strong-featured, reso- lute woman of fifty years or thereabout, rose to receive him. ‘‘Mr. Slocomb, mother—a friend of Gen- eral Washington, with a letter to father,’’ said Almira, by way of introduction. ‘*Sit ye down, Mr. Slocomb,’’ said the matron. ‘‘Any friend of General Washing- ton is welcome here.”’ ‘‘Thee will please call me Adab, or Friend Slocomb. I am neither a mister nor an esquire, nor do | hold to any vain titles, ’’ said Adab, gravely, while he took a seat quickly profered by the younger sister, the prettiest of the three. ‘*Yes, I know it is a way with your peo- ple. We’ll call you Adab, and hope to find you a friend,’’ said Mrs. Turner. ‘‘] thank thee, Sally Ann; I feel friendly to all who love their suffering country.”’ Great Cesar! How came you to know my name?’’ ‘*T heard thy husband, Job, utter it, when he told me of the good use to which thee put hot water to-day.’’ ‘Ho! ho! Did he tell you that? °*Twould have done your very soul good to see them Hessian reptiles dance! One of ’2m was just reaching out to hug Almiry when he got about a gallon of boiling water right in his face and eyes.’’ Job Turner presently came in, and supper was at once served, for it had been all ready when Adab knocked at the door. Adab ate heartily, for he knew he was welcome, and it might not be easy to find another in the country impoverished by the foraging of in- vading troops. ‘*Has thee a canoe or batteau in which I can be set across the river?’’ asked Adab of Job Turner, after supper was over. ‘Yes. Ihave a dugout,’’ said Turner. ‘*But it will not do to cross till the moon is down, which will be some three hours yet, for there is a camp of Hessians opposite, which would quickly pounce upon us if they discovered us crossing !’’ ‘*Thee is thoughtful and wise, and I will tarry her until the moon isdown. And I will arrange with thee to look for me on the third night hence. I will get close under the river bank where the enemy may not see it, and make three'flashes of light at intervals while , I count twenty. Then thee can come with thy boat where the light is seen !’’ ‘*T?]] do it!’’ said Turner. ‘‘I do not ask where you are going, or what you are to do, for Washington is. wise and intrusts his plans only to those who are to execute them. I know that, for I have already helped hin) many times.’’ ‘*Thee is right,’’ said Adab. ‘*No one but George Washington must know my eerrand until it is done, and I return to him. Thee has a nice family, not afflicted with curi- osity, either, for thy daughters have asked me no questions, neither has Sally Ann, thy wife!’ ‘*The gals and their mother have a knack of attending to their own business, and not interfering with that of others!’’ said Job, quietly. ‘Father, father! There are two boats coming across the river, full of soldiers! I saw their arms glittering in the moonlight !”’ cried Susannah, who had been out at the front door. ‘*The cursed Hessians! They come to burn and to destroy !’’ cried Job Turner. ‘‘ Wife, get my gun. I wil] load the musket left by one of those cowardly Hessians you scalded. You and the girls must run, but I’ll drop some of ’em before they ruin me!’’ Adab rose and said, in his grave, calm way: ‘*It is shadowy in front of thy house. From the river they cannot see how many are here. Draw up all thy family just in the edge of the moonlight, and when I hail the boats from the shore, fire all thy fire- arms, one after another from the shadow, fast as thou canst do it. But cease after the first volley. I have bethought me of a plan that may send them back in terror.”’ ‘All right. We'll try your plan!’’ said Job. ‘‘If they land, Sally Ann and the girls can get away on the horses.’’ Adab now strode out of the house, and down to the side of a large sycamore tree, by the shore of the river. The boats were in plain sight, and already within gunshot of the shore. ‘*Halt! Who comes there?’’ shouted Adah, in a stentorian voice. ‘‘Guard, turn out! Turn ont! Alarm Lee’s Light Horse and Greene’s Artillery !”’ At the same instant Job Turner com- menced a rattling discharge of fire-arms, and a bugle blew out a loud and startling blast. ‘‘Mount! Prepare to charge!’’ shouted Adab in a different tone. ‘‘Load with grape and canister!’ cried again, in a still different tone. It required no further alarm; the Hes- sians, believing a heavy armed ferce occu- pied the pank of the river, put back as fast as they could row, apparently only too glad to get away before ‘‘Greene’s artillery’’ could open upon them, Adab, laughing quietly to himself, now returned to the house. ‘*Adab, you’re just the smartest man on the face of the earth!’* cried Mrs. Turner, as she threw her arms around him and kissed him. . ‘*For such a small service, Sally Ann,thee is exceedingly demonstrative!’’ he said, as he disengaged himself from her embrace. ‘“Small service, friend Adab? I call it a great service; for if you hadn’t frightened the Hessians back, they would most likely have burned up everything I had, even if we escaped with our lives!’’ cried Job Turner. ‘*T think I can still do thee a greater ser- vice, by boldly going over in thy boat, which I can row, and deceiving them. For I will say I have fled from the warriors who sought to force me to take up carnal weap- ons, and to become like unto them.’’ ‘*But suppose they shouldn’t believe you, and should kill you?’’? almost sobbed Susan- nah, the elder. ‘ y. Cita EDITED BY Last week I promised to tell you HOW TO PLAY HOCKEY ON ICE. See ‘ Y ONg 7 O game so healthy, exhilarating, and NN] exciting gives more opportunity for YIN the exhibition of individual excel- J jence and scientific skill than that of hockey on the ‘ice. Few, I suppose, are totally unacquainted with the game. ‘There are probably not - many of my readers who, when they have seen a ball knocked about the ice, have never joined in the fun, nor have pleasurable recollections of the helter- skelter rush after the ball, the loud scraping of the skates on the ice when the game changes its direction, the collisions, thumping falls, the laugh which rings out when a player finds he has slid ten yards away from his hat, the triumphant goal obtained by the last hit before the balance is lost, and the ‘‘breather’’ and mopping of the manly brow.’ Unfortunately, however, the great majority of those who get an nour’s fun and exercise out of the sport, seem to be unaware that the game can be made as scientific as foot-ball, and join in indiscriminately with little idea of the direc- tion in which they are expected to hit, or of the ‘rules and regulations to which they should conform, Some of the most extraordinary things are often used as hockey-sticks; most, of course, are walking-sticks curved at the end, which do well enough; others I have seen playing, or trying to play, with pertectly straight canes; some tear down thick twigs from the trees, while one or twolI have seen using umbrellas. One sportsman I recollect doing some very effective dribbling with a flat piece of board a foot long and three or four inches wide. Of course he had’to bend him- self. nearly double to get his hand down near the ice. But, of course, the better hockey- stick you use, the better and more skillfully the game will be played. Before, then, giving any rules of the game, I will say a few words of the best kind of weapon to use. I do not believe in a long stick. You are obliged to Jean very much forward in rushing about the ice, and a stick is required which can be wielded in every direction without trouble arid’ loss of time. No stick should, in my opinion, be more than two feet six inches long for a boy of ordinary height; it should, of course, be curved at the end in the same way as an ordinary hockey-stick, but, unlike that, should be flat on both sides of the curved part with which you hit. A light gutta-percha bal] should be used in preference to a cork or lump of wood, although, of course, these latter are useful when a hall is not to hand. A hard hit is seldom required, as the ball travels rapidly over the smooth ice. Those, therefore, who are bearing the brunt of the battle, do better to ‘‘dribble’’? and pass to each other than to hit hard. The backs and goal-keeper often find it advisable to use bigger sticks, and to hit harder. Next as to the size of the arena of play. I am afraid in most cases this is limited by inexorable necessity, and hockey-players have to be content with what they can get, and make the best of it. It is best, perhaps, to play twelve or fifteen a side, on a ground two hundred yards or so in length, and about eighty or a hundred yards in breadth. But independently of the difficulty of get- ting a large enough space, it would be ex- tremely hard in most cases to get together at short notice so many players. As good a game as any one could desire can be obtained on a_ piece of ice one hun dred yards long and fifty wide, the players being seven a side and no more. Of these two are placed somewhat behind the others, and one told off to defend the goal, Jf there are five forward, let two keep one side of the ice, two on the other, and one in the middle. If there should be only four forward, they must divide the ice between them, two being allotted to each side, The width of the goals should be about ten feet. If goal-posts specially made for the purpose, standing upon rests like jumping-posts, are used, they should not be more than seven feet in height, but if the goals are merely marked out, as is often the case, it should be understood that no goal can be scored if the ball flies up in the air and out of reach of the gual-keeper’s arm, I need scarcely say, however, that such-hits are not likely to oceur. In general features, the game should be made to resemble foot-ball, with this excep- tion, that there should be, I think, no off- side rule of any description. While the player is traveling at very great speed over the ice, it is not only impossible for him to avoid getting off-side, but it is most difficult for an umpire, or the captains of the teams to decide the exact position of the hitter at any moment. For these reasons I do not think any rule would be advantageous which provides that the ball should not be taken the. player of the opposite side besides the goal- keeper between him and the goal. In saying that the game should be made to resemble foot-ball, I have really given all the possible directions for playing it well.’ Hard hitting is useless for a forward of the attacking side, as the ball is sure to be hit back again at once; ‘‘dribbling’’ and ‘‘nassing’’ should be the order of the day, and successful combination is more effective than brilliant individual play. The best way to score a goal is to take the ball down one side or other of the ground, and then to ‘‘middle’’? to a player of the opposite wing, who by asmart and deft shot will send it through. One word more before I proceed to give a few concise rules for the game. No player should be allowed to raise his hockey-stick above his shoulder. By so doing on the slip- pery ice, he is likely to give a severe blow toa helper or an opponent coming up be hind; and however much we may smile at the sickly sentimentalists who call any game brutal in which the player risks a black eye, or a bruised shin, wo are quite of opinion eliminated from a game by ordinary pre- cautions where they do not spoil the sport. I beg to offer, then, the following rules for the guidance of those who play seven or eight-a-side hockey on the ice. Of course, if there are more players, the ground must be proportionately larger, and the width of the goals increased likewise, and it is then ad- visable to play some men simply as ‘‘attack- fields,’’ that is, to help make the goals, and to worry the opponents’ ‘‘back’’ players, but not to turn away from the adversaries’ goal. With a smaller number of players these tactics are not likely to be effective: 1. The ground shall be a rectangular quad- rangle, one hundred yards in length and fifty in breadth, or thereabouts, and goal- line and touch-line shall be marked out with flags, or otherwise. 2. The width of the goal shall be ten feet; a goal is eounted to the attacking side when the ball shall. be sent between the posts, at a height not greater than seven feet from the ground. 3. The gaime shall be started by the um- pire tossing the ball in the air in the centre of the ground. As soon as the ball touches the ice, the game shall be considered to have begun, and the ball may be hit by any player without restriction until a goal is scored. After a goal is scored the game shall be started again in the same manner. 4. The duration of the game shall be one hour, or such time as shall be agreed upon by the opposing captains, and sides shall be changed at half time. 5. When a ball is knocked over the touch- line, a player of the opposite side shall throw or hit the ball into play again in a direction at right angles to the touch-line. The ball shall not be in play until it has touched the ice. 6. When the ball is struck behind the goal- line, the player of the defending side shall have a free hit off from the point where the ball crossed the line, and the players of the opposite side must retire fifteen yards, at least, from the goal-line. 7. No hockey-stick shall be lifted abave the shoulder. 8. A player may catch a ball with his hand if it is in the air, but may not run with it; he must let it fall at once in the place where he has caught it. 9. All disputes shall be settled by the um- pire or by the captains of the two sides. Such are the plain rules of a game which is unsurpassed by any in affording pure enjoyment and healthy exercise to those who do not mind a few hard knocks on the knees and sudden falls, and who revel in an hour’s violent exercise. Those who have once played in a good match of hockey on the ice will not need any encouragement from me to engage in another; but to those who have never yet had a really good turn at a first-class game, all the advice that I can give is, ‘‘Go and try it.’’ S aaEEIEIEEnon ain Sen ane TO FIND ANY ONE’S AGE. Ask the person whose age you are to tell to take the number of the month in which he was born and multiply it by two. January is counted as number one, Feb- ruary as number two, and so on through the year. To this product he must add five and multiply by fifty. To this last number he must add his present age, and from the sum subtract the number of days there are in a year, or 365. All the work up to this point must be done by the person without letting any one see his figures; but now you ask him to tell you what number he has found, and to that number you add 115. The result obtained by this last operation contains the information wanted. Point off two figures on the right, and the number will be the age sought, while the number on the left of the point will give the month in which the person was born. This trick never fails. —— ~~ 0 Father—‘‘Well, Johnnie, are you able to keep your place in your classes?’’ CaCO TD that every possible roughness should be | NEWS. | (thts Story Will Not Be Published in Book-Form. } NEKA, KING OF FIRE ; BY MANAGER HENRY ABBOTT, Author of *A Foollight Favorite.” (“NEKA, KING OF FIR,” was commenced in No. | 295. Back numbers can be obtained of all News | Agents.) CHAPTER XXV. NEKA’S PRESENCE OF MIND. ™O those standing below in the other- wise empty theatre it looked as if : iy Nina Tonetti, the ‘‘Human Fly,’’ would be dashed to death on the seats below her, ‘‘By heavens!’’ burst from Bindley’s lips. ‘*What shall we do???’ | ‘‘Catch her if she comes!’’ ejaculated | Longfellow Wadsworth, but even as he spoke \he felt this was well-nigh impossible, for the distance was all of thirty-five feet, ‘Keep quiet, don’t stir an inch!’’ cried Neka. ‘‘Try to catch her if she falls,’’ he added to his companions. With three. leaps he had cleared the or- | chestra stalls and was on the stage. Near to hand were several large ropes, used to haul unnecessary scenery out of the way. Selecting the Jongest of these ropes, Neka cut it away from the blocks which held it. Then he made a slip noose in one end of the rope. Standing well down to the footlights, he curled the impromptu lasso around his head and measured the distance carefully with his eye. Whizz! Away flew the end of the rope, and the noose caught over the bottom of the heavy brass gas fixture in the centre of the theatre ceiling. Neka pulled the loop up, so that the end | of the rope was fast. As he did so, there | came another cracking of a board. ‘‘T am falling!’’ shrieked Nina Tonetti. ‘*Catch the rope!’’ yelled Neka. ‘‘Here it comes !”? As he called he threw the loose end of the rope upward. She did not see it coming, but as it hit her shoulder, she clutched it in one hand. Crack! crash! Down came the board from overhead, bringing with it a lot of plaster and dirt and a cloud of dust. For the mo- ment those below could see nothing, then they beheld Nina Tonetti swinging safely in mid-air. Bindley and Longfellow Wadsworth felt almost inclined to cheer. As for Neka a great load was lifted from the boy’s heart, To him it would have been horrible to have one of their performers killed. Down the rope, hand below hand, came the Human Fly, until within ten feet of the floor. Then her nerve forsook. her and she fell, a limp, unconscious mass, into Bind- ley’s arms. She was carried into the dressing-room and a doctor was sent for. The physician said her nervous system had been shocked, but she would soon get over this. Yet it was not until a week later that Nina Tonetti again made her appearance on the boards. Despite the accident. to one of its main drawing cards, the Neka-Wadsworth Spe- cialty Company met with tremendous suc- cess in Philadelphia. On the opening night the audience was cold and apathetic. ‘*We’ll have to warm ’em up,’’ said Bind- ley. ‘‘Give it to ’em hot like,’’ And they did. Longfellow Wadsworth outdid himself in his droll monologue and for an encore came out as William Penn, to argue with the present day citizens, and this ‘‘caught on’’ immediately. For Philadelphia Neka had arranged a new fire act, which he called the Arbor of Flames. This new act was the last thing produced previous to the usual farce wind-up. When the curtain went up on the scene there was revealed a Chinese tea garden. Into this garden stalked Neka, attired as the Emperor of China. He clapped his hands and Jeunie Windom came dancing in, carrying a lighted taper. As she handed it to Neka it went out. She appeared frightened, but he only smiled and pointed to a bush standing near by. She touched the taper to the bush and immedi- ately the taper burst into flames again. Then Neka took the taper and tasted of the fire on it. It seemed to please him and he put the taper-in his mouth, From _ be- tween his partly-closed teeth could be seen the fire still glowing within. ‘*By Jove! He must have a fire-proof mouth!’’ cried one spectator, and several echoed this opinion. The taper gone, Neka waved his hand for another and also for a cup of tea. When the tea came he put the taper in it, but instead of the latter going out the tea burst into flames. While the cup was thus full of fire Johnnie—‘* Yes, pa. I began at the foot, from a player of one’s own side, unless the nian who received it has at least one other take it from me.”’ and there’s not a single boy been able to | the Fire King quaffed it with apparent sat- isfaction. ‘ Suddenly he clapped his hands and a \ A Mystery of the Variety Stage | | strange gréen light shone all over the stage. |Then Neka passed his hands over Jennie | Windom’s eyes and put her in a trance. He made her walk around and point to- several flowers and bushes standing about. Whatever she pointed out inimediately took fire, until two flowers and two bushes were blazing away. These stood in a small square and from each there slowly arose a pillar of fire, which, when it was eight feet high, curved forward and joined the others in a cross overhead. As soon as the pillars of fire were several feet high, burning vines began to appear around them, and when they were joined they formed a little arbor. Neka again clapped his hands and inside the’ arbor a table appeared with two seats. He seated Jennie on one seat and took the other him- self. On the table was a covered bowl. When it was opened fiery snakes sprang out. But as fast as they appeared Neka seized and de- voured them. Finally one of the snakes got away. Still in her apparent trance, Jennie Windom caught it in her hand. She gave a'ery, there was an explosion and then, like a cloud, the arbor of fire disappeared, and Neka stood down by the footlights bowing and smiling and holding pretty Jennie by the hand. ‘* Wonderful !’’ ‘‘T never saw anything half so good!”? So the comments went on, and from that instant, the success of the engagement in Philadelphia was assured. Yet Neka and Longfellow Wadsworth were not to be without trouble while in the Quaker City. On their third day there was a very much intoxicated variety actor came to the elocutionist for a position. ‘*We are all filled up,’? said Longfellow Wadsworth. He knew the fellow and did not care to say more. The drunkard was very persistent, how- ever, and soon after tackled Neka, and the result was that the boy Fire King gave the man a piece of his mind. The drunkard went off, vowing vengeance. But as he was intoxicated, Neka paid no at- tention to his threats. But an hour later, a row below the stage was heard and, on going down, Neka saw Bindley in the act of kicking the drunkard out of a rear door. ‘*Found him in your dressing-room,’’ he said to the boy. ‘‘I tell you we’ll have to watch out for these chaps. Lots of them are not above stealing, especially when they are down on their luck,’’ No more was said about the matter. Bind- ley went out and came back to report the fellow out of sight. ‘*And ‘he’s too drunk to find his back,’’ he laughed. Neka lost no time in going over his effects to see that nothing had been stolen. Espe- cially was he solicitous about his tricks, for the drunkard claimed to be something of & fire king himself. ; ‘*} reckon he wouldn’t be above stealing my best tricks if he got the chance,’’ he thought. That evening Neka reached the theatre rather late and when it was time for him to go on he hurried into his costume with all possible speed. ‘*Five minutes, Mr. Neka!’’ came in the voice of the call boy, and this meant Neka had just that length of time in which t0 complete his preparations. The time passed, and Neka went on the stage. He had just made his bow, and was starting on some of his simpler tricks whe”, on glancing into the right wing, he saw J0e@ Windom beckoning to him frantically. p Fearing something was wrong about his attire or preparations, Neka artfully al- lowed himself to drift close to the wing. once Joe Windom thrust a written slip ° paper in his hand. While devouring a burning strip of cotton, Neka read the slip. It was a mere scrawl; but it startled him greatly. ‘“Beware of your life, tampered with some of your apparatus! said he would blow you sky-high.”’ 2? way That drunkard CHAPTER XXVI. AN EXPLOSION NOT ON THE PROGRAMME. \ EKA read the note at a glance, a he realized its importance Jus > much as if he had studied it an now . ‘ Never had he been placed in SU an awkward and uncomfortable position. He did not know what to expect, and it iI the unknown that makes cowards of us Ones He dared not go on with his tricks, iat yet here he was facing a vast audience t was watching his every movement. Ne In the centre of the stage stood a chare i stove, wherein was heating an iron ere be used in the next trick. Trying sto * the of some means of excusing himself to andl audience Neka approached the stove took out the bar. i be- That, at least, was all right, and ed it gan to handle it affectionately and lic with his tongue. opie, Suddenly a strange hissing behigte charcoal stove made him jump away- Jed # as if warned by Providence, he. PUY toh; blanket, to be used in the, following over the stove. -opped Bang! The blanket had scarcely dropP ae ee ae a eS ee. = OE, — over the stove, when there came a loud ex- plosion. The stove was completely wrecked, and had it not been for the blanket the pieces must have flown in every direction. ‘‘That was his trick to blow me sky- high,’? thought Neka, as he shuddered. ‘‘Well. thank goodness, it’s over, and we are safe!’? {t must not be supposed that he was not | startled. Asa matter of fact, he was trem- bling violently in every limb and it was only his strong nerve that kept him from collaps- ing utterly. The audience, while shocked, thought the | explosion part of a trick, and remained | quiet. ‘*Lower the stove_on the trap and put out the fire!’? called Néka to Bindley at the wing, and this was immediately done. The few burning bits scattered from under the blanket Neka picked up with his hands, and then began to juggle them as if nothing out | of the ordinary bad occurred. He brought his first turn to an end immediately after, and once off the stage demanded an explana- tion of Joe Windom, which was not long in forthcoming. Joe had seen the drunkard on a corner a block from the theatre. The man was mut- tering to himself, and as Joe passed him the lad had heard him say something to the effect that Neka would be blown sky-high on the stage. On reaching the show-house, Joe had heard from Bindley how the drunk- ard had been among the boy Fire King’s effects, and had at once put two and two together, with the result described above. *‘It was a narrow escape,’’ said Joe Win- dom. ‘‘You ought to have that man ar- rested,’ **By all means,’’ added Longfellow Wads- worth. The next morning Neka started out to find the fiend, and bring him to justice. He was thoroughly aroused and resolved to make an example of the fellow. It was no easy matter to trace the drunken variety actor in such a large city as Phila- delphia, But Neka was.determined, and did not give up at the first or the second failure. He started on the corner where the fellow had last been seen, and from there traced him down to the river side. Here he learned the fellow had gone over to Camden, and eka accordingly crossed the ferry. In Camden Neka struck the trail and fol- lowed it to a third-rate boarding-house situ- ated down among the machine works. As he stood on a corner he heard a loud cry for help and almost immediately a young man came running past him. hen, on looking down the block, Neka Saw the drunken variety actor in a fierce hand-to-hand fight with two other men. The fight grew hotter each instant and for the time being Neka thought it best not to interfere. He stood and watched the en- Counter with keen interest. he two strangers soon began’ to get the best of the variety bummer, and before the other could resist he was well pounded and rolled over and over in the gutter, Then, of 4 Sudden, one of the men slipped and fell ou the rostrate man. h, oh! me collar-bone is broke!’? yelled the drunken man, and with a jerk he Straightened out and fainted dead away. Alarmed at this turn of affairs the two Young men ran off and two blocks away eka saw them join the fellow who had first Skipped out, By this time a crowd was collecting, and Soon a policeman came up. The man still re- Mained unconscious and an ambulance was Sent for, The Surgeon on the ambulance said the man was quite severely injured, having sus- at a compound fracture of the collar- one and a broken arm. He was taken away immediately after and Neka did not take . trouble to follow. . wolf os punished enough,’’ he said to him- - ‘Perhaps in the hospital he will have 4 chance to think over his misdeeds.’ rk eka had never before stopped in _Cam- si it and he now resolved to take in the = nts of the busy little city. The streets re full of snow, and flying sleighs made atters lively and jolly. ® walked along several of the principal At toe getares, gazing into the windows and hia flying turnouts, and at noon stepped © 4 restaurant for lunch. own ¢ lunch was a good one and he took his .~ Ime in eating it. When he had finished, alked up to the desk to settle. er af then he made the unpleasant discov- in peat he had come away from his hotel i : ; ene podkai@delphia with only seven cents in his CHAPTER XXVII. THE FACE AT THE WINDOW. * NOR the moment Neka did not know what to do. His face flushed and he bit Nay lip. w 6 cashier, a young fop, by the ip Stared hard at bim. % ae in &4h—TI came away without any money ™Y pocket,” é he first time’ stammered Neka. It was | to call in a policeman. ‘| yond all doubt that it was really and truly Neka-Wadsworth Specialty Company, playing in Philadelphia.”’ ‘*We don’t trust patrons—especially va- riety actors,’’ was the harsh reply. ‘‘You’ll have to pay before you leave.’ ‘But I can’t do that—I have only a few cents in my pocket and——’’ ‘*We’ve met your stripe before,’’ sneered the clerk. ‘‘If you can’t pay you’ll have to leave security.’’ Neka was nonplused. pockets. He had nothing to leave of any value. In his haste to follow the variety drunkard he had come off with little or noth- ing. **T don’t know what I can leave,’’ he said, slowly. ‘*Might leave that overcoat.’’ The clerk’s manner was so insolent that Neka was angered. ‘*Evidently you take me for a beat,’’ he cried, ‘‘ But let me tell you that the opinion of a senseless fop doesn’t make it so.”’ ‘*You say another word and I’ll have you locked up!’’ howled the clerk. ‘‘Pay your bill and get out.’’ ‘*If you will send somebody with me I’ll pay the bill and also the messenger for his trouble,’’ returned. Neka. ‘“‘T won’t send any messenger. went on the clerk, calling a waiter. out and get a policeman.’’ This order was heard by a dozen patrons, and a crowd began to collect. ‘*He don’t look like a beat.’? ‘*What’s his bill?”? ‘‘Thirty-five cents.’’ ‘‘Humph! Well, he ought to be able to pay that.’’ ‘*He says he forgot his money.”’ ‘*That may be. I’ve forgotten my pocket- book myself, more than once.”’ Before the waiter could leave, stepped up to him. ‘‘Instead of going for a policeman you call the proprietor,’’ he said. ‘*Well, sah—I must obey orders.”’ ‘*You’ll save yourself trouble by doing as I wish,’’ went on Neka. At that moment a well-dressed gentleman walked in and up to the desk. “*What’s the trouble, Willis?’’ he demanded. ‘‘This feller is trying to do me out of thirty-five cents!’’ grumbled the clerk. ‘tT was unfortunate enough to leave my hotel in Philadelphia without my purse,”’ put in Neka. ‘‘l have offered to let him send a messenger back with me and said I would pay for the trouble caused. But he will not listen and just ordered this waiter Here is my card. I am willing to do the right thing, and 1 must say that I was never treated so harshly be- fore when there was no cause for it.’’ The proprietor of the hotel took Neka’s card and glanced at it. His eyes lit up, for, as if happened, he had seen Neka on the stage only the night before. ‘*Willis, you must be losing your senses,”’ he said, sharply. ‘‘Don’t you know a gen- tleman when you see him?’? He turned to the boy Fire King. ‘‘It’s all right, Mr. Neka, you can pay at any time you happen to be in the neighborhood again, and accept my apology for the trouble this clerk of mine has caused.’’ ‘*Thanks,’’ returned Neka, greatly re- lieved. Then of a sudden he plunged his hand into a pocket and brought out a couple of free passes for the theatre. ‘‘Won’t you accept these for your kindness?’’ The proprietor took the passes and thanked Neka. The clerk felt cheap and worse, for hé*wished very much to see the perform- ance. In the midst of the change of feeling Neka walked out.) That very evening he re- mitted the amount of his bill. ‘*T was a chump!’’ growled the clerk to himself, after the restaurant proprietor had ‘‘yaked him over the coals.’’ ‘‘If I had treated him better I might have had those passes instead of old Halsey.’’ Leaving the vicinity of the restaurant, Neka walked slowly down to the ferry. A boat was in the slip and he got aboard and mingled with the crowd on the forward deck. Scarcely had the ferryboat passed out of the slip than she had to stop, to allow a large schooner, drawn by a sturdy steam tug, to pass her, on the way up the river. As the schooner passed slowly by, Neka, along with the other passengers, looked her over curiously. In the rear where several windows, and from one a face was peering. Just as the schooner swung past the ferry- boat’s bow Neka recognized the face. It was that of Daniel Bambo! At first Neka could scarcely believe his eyes, but a second Jook convinced .him be- now 29 He felt in his John,’’ “*Go Neka the 6x-circus proprietor, his former guar- dian and taskmaker, ‘What in the world is he doing on that boat,’’, thought Neka, for he had never heard of Daniel Bambo having any connec- tion with the water. He tried to make out the name of the schooner, but the paint was badly scratched, and ere he could decipher the letters the craft was almost out of sight. Bambo had not spied Neka and still remained at the t Way. © he had ever been caught this ‘ conte TY but your check is thirty-five Con returned the clerk, coldly. window, looking out, curiously, so the boy GOOD NEws. 4837 but she continued on her way without put- ting in at any of the numerous docks, so he was still at a loss as to her destination when he landed in Philadelphia. Had he had money with him he would have lost no time in going back in an effort to follow Daniel Bambo. But he had had one bitter experience and he did not wish to in- vite a second. He walked to his hotel, as rapidly as he could. Longfellow Wadsworth was standing in the lobby and to him Neka related his un- usual tale, to which the elocutionist listened with deep interest. “Ill go with you, Neka,’’ said Wads- worth. ‘‘We have neither rehearsal nor mat- inee to-day.’ And soon they were off, and this time the lad had made certain he was not without funds. Arriving in Camden they hired a sleigh and drove as close to the river front as the streets would permit. As block after block was passed, Neka gazed anxiously for some sign of the schooner, but without avail. ‘‘It may have crossed and landed on the Philadelphia side,’’ said Longfellow Wads- worth. ‘‘We can go but a few blocks farther.’’ The end of the street was reached and still no schooner answering the descriptiqn of the | right one appeared. ‘*It does not {ook as if they had crossed over,’’ said Neka. But what made him hug this shore so closely?’’ go back, ard this they did. But on the way they stopped at several docks and here gained a clew. ‘‘Thet schooner went over ter Philly,’’ said an old longshoreman, whe sat in a shel- tered corner smoking a clay pipe. ‘‘I know her well.’’ ‘*What is her name?’’ ‘*The Biue Dart.’’ ‘*That’s it!’’? cried Neka. ‘‘I remember the letters, BL and AR, on her stern and there was a dart beneath.’? ‘‘Where is she bound for?’’ questioned Wadsworth. ‘*More’n likely she went over to the Ringstetter wharves,’’ replied the long- shoreman. ‘‘I reckon she was loaded with some truck from the Bahamas.”’ ‘‘Thank you,’’ said Neka, and slipped a dime into the old fellow’s hand. Without further delay, the pair drove back to the ferry.‘ A very few minutes sufficed to land them ence more on Pennsylvania soil. At the ferry station they found out where the Ringstetter wharves were, and lost no time in turning their sleigh in that direc- tion. ‘*‘We must capture Daniel Bambo if we possibly can,’’ said Neka. ‘*He’ll be a much surprised man if we do,’’ laughed Longfellow Wadsworth. ‘‘I wonder if he is aware we are performing in this city?’’ ‘‘He must know, if he has any eyes. There are billboards enough around, announcing that fact.’’ ‘*Perhaps he hasn’t been ashore yet. May- be he fled to the Bahamas when he ran away from New York.’’ ‘*He couldn’t get back so soon, could he?’’ ‘‘Tf he took a steamer out.”’ The two wondered if Daniel Bambo was alone, or if Hank Maul was with him. Their doubt on this point was, however, soon set at rest. As the sleigh turned a cor- ner they almost ran over a pair of men who were about to cross the street. ‘*Hil hit Don’t run over us!’’ yelled one of the men. Then he fell back in amazement. ‘*Neka!’’ he gasped. The man was Daniel Bambo. His compan- ion was Hank Maul. ‘‘Neka, by gum!’’ howled the ex-circus proprietor, and then, without.further words, the pair of rascals took to their heels up the narrow and snow-laden thoroughfare. (TO. BE CONTINUED.) THE BEGINNING AND THE END. A little boy named Tommy Green once went and asked old Farmer Giles for a job. ‘““Yes,’’ said the old farmer, ‘‘go up into Bunker’s Field and pull up every weed that you see has got two ends to it.”’ Tommy went up into the field and walked up and down the field with his hands in his pockets. In the course of an hour or two old Giles went to see how the boy was getting on. As soon as he got there the boy said: ‘*T can’t see any that have got two ends, master.’’ ‘*What,’’ said old Giles, ‘‘what’s this, and this,’’ pointing to some weeds with his stick. ‘*Well,’’ said Tommy, ‘‘they have not got two ends to them.’ ‘“How do you make that out?’’ old farmer. ‘*Why, sir,’’? said Tommy, ‘‘you see that weed sticking out of the ground?”’ ‘*Yes;: what about it?’’ said the farmer. ‘*That is the beginning, sir; and the end is in the ground. So you see, sir, every weed said the had every opportunity to make certain there was no mistake, As the ferryboat made its way across the has got a beginning and an end, not two :ends.”’ | The farmer went away whistling ‘‘What Send it to you? Iam Neka, of the stream, Neka kept his eye on the schooner, is the world coming to?’ [This Story Will Not be Published in Book-Form. OUT WITH ROBIN HOOD; The Merry Ontlaws of Sherwood Forest. BY ALFRED ARMITAGE, Author of ‘With Crusader and Saracen,” “In the Days of the Gladiators,” ‘Loyal to Napoleon,” and ‘The Fighting Lads of Devon.” steel _(OurT WitH RoBIN Hoop” was commenced in No. 283. Back numbers can be obtained of all News Agents.) CHAPTER XXXII. IN WHICH THE MYSTERIOUS KNIGHT UN- MASKS. seme ¢ +7 E must go back a little to tell how YAY. the fight was coming on while the A sheriff was making sport for his - three captors in therear. Never bad the outlaws shown more pluck and fury than now, and in a short time their desper- ate onset had either killed or wounded the greater part of the soldiers. So the town campanies found the brunt of the attack directed against them, and though the | baron and bis officers kept them steady for ‘Perhaps the tide,’’ returned Longfellow | a time the sight of the dead and dying all Wadsworth, but Neka shook his head. | There was, however, nothing to do but to | abott them and the flashing swords of Rob- in’s men proved too much for their nerves. They fell doggedly back, some taking to their heels,.and others continuing the fight from tree to tree. Their leaders tried in vain torally them for a charge, and with no more success did the baron storm and threaten. The latter was now at the rear of his force, where he hoped the better to check the rout, and thus Robir Hood was unable to get at him, though he made many furious and reckless attempts. Then, on a sudden, came a loud. burst of cheers—the same that Cedric and his com- panions heard as they stood beside the pros- trate sheriff. What it meant all the outlaws guickly discovered. They saw, far across the open and over the heads of their foes, the enemy’s second detachment swarming out of the thick part of the wood, and press- ing forward ina panic. And close behind them came men in Lincoln green—the gal- lant rovers of Little John’s company. The sheriff was left helpless in the grasp of the iron pot, and Cedric, Alan, and the friar ran quickly forward to join their com- rades, who were now cheering hoarsely with the certainty of victory. Robin Hood blew blast after blast on his horn as he led his men at the foe with a valor and might that was irresistible. The notes of Little John’s bugle answered back as he and his force pressed hotly against the enemy from the other side. The two parties—that commanded by the baron and the one led by the mysterious knight in armor—soon were driven together in the centre of the field; but the panic- stricken men could not be induced to make a stand, though their leaders spared no effort or bravery, and loudly called atten- tion to the fact that they still outnumbered the foe three to one. With ringing cheers the outlaws hacked their way forward from both sides. What few soldiers were left were willing and eager to fight, but they could do nothing without the support of the town companies, every man of which was now stricken with cow- ardice and despair. So, after the rovers had made terrible slaughter with swords and staves, the. enemy abandoned all hope of further resistance and fled in a confused huddle toward the right. The forces of Robin Hood and Little John met in the rear, and commenced a close pursuit, striking down all fugitives as they ran. Friar Tuck was lost sight of in the rout, but Cedric and Alan kept well along- side of Robin. The latter was eager to over- take the Baron Fitzurse, who had mounted his horse—which an attendant had brought him when the flight began—and now was near the middle of the retreating enemy. Close behind, and also mounted, was the mysterious knight in armor, his face still concealed by the visor of his helmet. But to Robin’s disappointment and anger the wicked baron rode faster and faster, hemmed in by an escort of flying soldiers, and was soon out of sight and reach. But the armored knight was less fortunate. His horse suddenly became balky, and after prancing on its hind Jegs for several mo- ments, it swerved about and came gallop- ing toward the outlaws. One of the latter let fly a bolt, which missed the man, but mortally hit the steed in the breast. As the animal fell the knight was pitched over its head; but he quickly rose to his feet, blade in hand, and stood on the defensive. There were many ready and eager to slay him, but Robin Hood—who was close to the spot—motioned all to desist. Then, with drawn sword, he approached the waiting foeman, ‘‘Thy name, sir?’’? he demanded, haught- ily. ‘‘Quarter may be thine for the asking.” ‘‘T ask no quarter,’’ was the angry reply, ‘‘nor shall you have my name. Prepare to die, thou evil rogue,’’ one thing Iam minded to do, sir. That lad yonder,”’ _ bottle, and feel no ill effects. 48338 With that he made a thrust at Robin, who | farewell. The prince bowed in reply, and ithen rode slowly away, attended by four warded it off deftly. Now the two went at it hard and fast, and for several minutes | their swords clashed furiously, striking sparks at every blow. A dozen of the out- laws—including Alan and Cedric—stood to watch the combat, but the main body passed on with lusty shouts in pursuit of the foe. The unknown knight was a good swords- man, and for atime he held his own with great skill and coolness. But the heavy armor was a burden, and at last a careless movement gave an advantage to Robin, who at once sent the blade spinning out of the other’s hand. The knight looked quickly around him, and seeing that no friends were near, he folded his arms, and stood glaring out of his black eyes. ‘*T am still minded to show thee mercy,”’ cried Robin Hood. ‘‘Uncover thyself, sir!’ The knight hesitated an instant. . Then he proudly lifted the visor of his helmet, re- vealing to the amazed outlaws the familiar features of Prince John, Robin was not a whit disconcerted, but with a smile he lifted his cap and madea mocking bow. ~ ‘*Most high prince,’’ he said, ‘‘I regret that the fortune of battle has made thee my captive. Yet, having no quarrel with me, it ‘was foolish on thy part to take up with yonder flying rogues.’’ ‘*Ha, I know you now for the captain of this evil band!’’ exclaimed the prince. ‘Thou art the outlawed Earl of Hunting- don. Knave, thou shalt hang for this.’’ ‘*Nay, but ’tis you are more like to die,’’ replied Robin, ‘‘for I have you in my power.’’ The prince turned pale with mingled ap- prehension and anger. ‘*So surely as I am harmed,”’’ he declared, ‘*there will be a speedy end to you ‘and all, your band. Not one will be left alive to roam the forest.’’ ‘*T have heard that tale before,’’ cried Robin, with a laugh. ‘‘Look about you, sir, and gaze on these dead and dying knaves who came out to give me battle. And yon- der the slaughter stiJl continues. Think you that a force will readily be found again to venture into Sherwood Forest?) This day’s lesson will be long remembered in Notting- - ham.’’ ‘But Nottingham is not England,’’ said the prince, ‘‘and a day may come when I shali have it in my power to crush you with all the forces of this great kingdom——’? ‘*‘T understand you, sir,’’ interrupted Robin, with a dangerous light flashing from his blue eyes. ‘‘A day age come, most crafty and plotting prince, but I doubt if ever you will see it. Richard, your brother, will not linger for a lifetime in an Austrian dungeon. So surely as the sun shines above us he will come back to his own, and then _ there will be a reckoning with his enemies.’? _, Prince John shook with rage, and he bit his lip until a drop of blood appeared. Then he took a step nearer and looked at Robin in a strange and cunning manner. ‘*Robber though thou art,’’ he said, in a low voice, ‘‘it is perchance in your power to make a valued friend of me.’’ ‘*Nay, but I will have none of your - friendship,’ Robin Hood cried, an — *T own loyalt 8 to one only—and he is t noble King Richard. For his ransom I in- tend shortly to make an even larger con- tribution than I have already given. Yet On con- dition of certain sworn promises you shall have your freedom at once, and my men _ shall conduct you to a place of safety.’’ *¢*And what would you ask of me?’ |. That you will never, on any pretext, at- tempt to molest myself or my band further,’’ said Robin, ‘‘either at the solicitation of the Baron Fitzurse or of others.’ ‘*That I swear todo,’’ the Prince declared _ fervently. **T accept your sworn word,’’ said Robin. ‘*And now I demand ja second . promise, ointing to Cedric, ‘thath been most wickedly wronged by the Baron Fitzurse, in a way which it would take too long to relate. If ever the appeal is made to you will you promise that justice shall be done, and the foul wrong righted?” ‘*Ay, I swear to do as you ask,’’ the a calmly replied, though he was chafing nwardly with hot rage. Robin was satisfied, néver doubting the man’s sworn word, and while he was cast- ee for a proper escort for the illus- tr s§ captive, a strange little procession came riding timely to the spot. Astride the sheriff’s horse sat Friar Tuck, a flagon of wine in each hand. To the saddle was tied arope, and at the other end of it meekly walked the sheriff himself, the iron pot still _ jammed over his head and ears. ‘The wine is not poisoned,’’ cried the friar, ‘‘for I have already drunk half a Master, wilt thou have a flagon? °Tis the same sack that was set before us in the sheriff’s house——”’ ‘*Peace! tipsy rogue,’’ cried Robin, “Down with you! Quick!’’ The friar pp rreolingsy swung himself out of the saddle, and the sheriff, judging by the tumult that he was surrounded by ene- mies, fell on his knees and began to howl for mercy in muffled tones. Robin paid no attention to either, but taking the horse he assisted Prince John to mount, and then spoke a few curt words of ve outlaws on foot, who were ordered to ac- company him as far as the road to Notting- ham. CHAPTER XXXII. IN WHICH TRICKETT, THE TANNER, ARRIVES: G —~ OBIN HOOD was at all times a mer- t} ciful man, and from what he had - ~ eyes he was satisfied that the enemy had been punished enough. So he put his bugle to his lips, and blew so long and loudly that presently every man of the band cdme straggling back from the pursuit, cheering and shouting: for joy of their vic- tory. Little John was with them, and he described with great glee how he had with- stood the desperate onset of the enemy’s second force, and finally hurled them in confusion against the rear of the main body. His eyes flashed when he learned the identity of the mysterious knight in armor. ‘*And you did let him go free, master?’’ he cried; ‘‘that knave who is plotting against his brother, the king?’’ ‘*On certain conditions,’’ replied Robin, and he went on to tell what they were. Little John-shook his head doubtfully. ‘‘The prince is rogue enotgh to break his sworn and plighted word,’’ he declared. ‘‘Then is he a fouler villain than | take him to. be,’’ cried Robin, ‘‘though I shall believe his promises till I have proof to the contrary. So now let us be done with the prince, and see to the preparations for start- ing on our homeward way.’’ This was such a task that in the confusion Friar Tuck escaped a reproof for his mis- conduct, though he an deserved it. He had already emptied one flagon of wine, and the-other he prudently handed over to Little John, who lost no time in putting the con- tents under his belt. With much difficulty, and amid uproarious laughter, the iron pot was wrenched off the sheriff’s head. His ears were flattened and bleeding, and his nose was scraped clear of skin. The first thing he did was to fall on his knees and beg for mercy, and after a feint of anger Robin Hood made him happy by pronising that his life should be spared. But his expression became doleful again when the condition of a large ransom was added. A close search over the field of battle showed that seventy of the enemy lay dead, as well as a number sorely wounded; all who were able to use their legs had escaped. The outlaws had lost twenty killed, includ- ing Much, and as many hurt, more or less severely, These figures did not include the slain of both sides in the thick forest beyond the open, or those who had fallen in the assault of Little John’s band. The latter had lost nine men, and they declared that they had cut down a score of foes. It was a matter of sore regret to all tbat Baron Fitzurse had escaped. ; Robin Hood himself was slightly cut and bruised in a number of places, and his im- mediate body-guard had fared even more badly. Will Scarlet’s left arm was broken, and his hip was gashed to the bone—bhurts that were likely to lay him up for some weeks. Little 5 Sha and Alan Dale were bleeding in numerous places and were coy- ered with bumps and swellings. Friar Tuck and Cedric had each received a hard knock, while George a Green was suffering from fiwo broken ribs. But it was a glorious vic- tory, and even their severe losses were more than compensated by the immunity from attack that the outlaws were likely to enjoy in the future. Four of the enemy were taken prisoners in sound condition, and of these two were left to care for their wounded comrades. Robin sent the other two off to Nottingham, to bring back a sufficient force to remove the dead and injured, promising that they should not be molested. Then the outlaws gathered up their own slain and hurt, as well as what weapons and other spoils were found on the field, and marched slowly through the wood toward home. The sheriff was led between Little Jobn and Alan, his eyes tightly bandaged so that he could not see the way. It was late in the afternoon when the band came into the glen by the: upper end, and near the strong-house they found Maid Marian waiting. At sight of Robin Hood, alive and well, she had eyes and ears for none else. That evening the dead were buried and the wounded comfortably in- stalled in the various huts, and after a hearty meal the weary rovers went to their sorely-needed rest. What Robin Hood had predicted came true, for after the battle word was brought from time to time from Nottingham that no further force could be raised to enter Sher- wood Forest, and that the matter was likely to rest for many months. Will Scarlet and George a Green made a rapid recovery, as did also the rest of the wounded men. Those who had come to take part in the fight re- turned to their homes, with the understand- ing that they were to be ready at all times for another summons. Sheriff Tyler spent a lonely week in a dark room of the strong-house, where he was unable to spy any part of the neighbor- witnessed of the fight with his own | | then came rumors of what valiant deeds the GooD NEWS. hood outside. During his confinement nego- tiations were carried on between his wife and friends and Robin Hood, and the result was that on payment of five hundred pounds in gold and plate, the sheriff was taken with blindfolded eyes half way to Nottingham and there set free. Of the money half was divided among the outlaws, and the rest was sent by Robin to those who had in hand the matter of the king’s ransom. Thus the rest of the summer and the autumn passed quietly and pleasantly away in the green depths of Sherwood. Now and sheriff was planning to do against the out- laws, or of what terrible vengeance the Baron Fitzurse had sworn to take; but these amounted to nothing, the sheriff sticking close to his duties within the safe shelter of the town, and the baron living as usual at his castle. ; By the first frost the band had gathered a great store of dried meats, nuts, and other provisions, and when the weather grew colder all took up their quarters in the strong-house. After snow fell a number of the men went off to their homes in the neighboring villages, as was their wont at this season of the year, and about twenty of the older members were left with Robin Hood. As yet the long-expected word had not come from Alwyn, and now the matter of assaulting Fitzurse Castle was considered as laid over until the following spring. As long as he lived Cedric never forgot that winter in the forest, and the memory of it remained fresh and green when all those brave comrades were sleeping their last sleep under the oaks they had loved so well. During storms and snow the band were confined to the house, where, around blazing fires of logs, they ate and drank, told tales, and sang to the accompaniment of Marian’s harp the merry and pathetic ballads of dear old England. When cold and clear weather permitted they indulged in sports and games outside, or went tracking over the frozen snow in search of game. Thus 1193 passed away, and the year 1194 was born. In spite of good fellowship and their. snug home the outlaws were nothing loath to welcome the spring, with its prom- ises of adventure and out-door life, its chances of richly laden travelers going to and fro. The backbone of the winter seemed to be broken about the middle of March, and by the end of the month the weather was so warm and pleasant that the outlaws moved back to the huts and celebrated the event by a hunt and a feast. A day or two later the other members of the band commenced to arrive, bringing news of various sorts. The sheriff and Baron Fitzurse were as yet thinking of no plans for the capture of the outlaws, and Prince John was said to have been in London for some time past. One rumor there was that caused great excitement to Robin Hood and his companions; namely, that King Richard had been released by the Emperor of Ans- tria, and was now either in England or on his way there. With intent to learn if this was true or false Robin determined to send men out to inquire, but on the morning when they were to start something happened to turn the minds of the rovers in another direction. Trickett, the tanner, hastened into the glen at daybreak, bringing word from Alwyn that on: the next night but onea arty of Norman lords were to visit the 3aron Fitzurse, and that on the following morning would be a_ suitable time for the attack. Trickett did not know Alwyn by sight, but he described the messenger in such terms as left no doubt in Robin’s mind, The tanner had heard nothing concerning the king’s release, but he declared that Prince John had been back in Nottingham for a week. A long discussion ensued, ending in a unanimous decision to march against Fitz- urse Castle, and without delay the prepara- tions were begun. CHAPTER XXXIII. IN WHICH A SURPRISE IS NOT & SURPRISE, HE speed and celerity with which 2 Robin Hood had prepared for the battle of the previous summer, was * naught to compare with the plans that he now carried out, and in the same space of time. Trickett started immediately back to his home in Nottingham, a purse of gold clinking in his pocket, and within an hour afterward nearly twoscore of the out- laws had left the glen in different direc- tions. Their instructions were to muster as many men as they could find in a wide radius, and also to obtain several dozen of horses. Those who remained went busily to work, repairing cross-bows and spears, sharpening swords, and, doing whatever else was need- ful. During the winter a tremendous supply of bolts, arrows, and staves had been made and stored away, and the most skilled work- men now employed themselves in adding to the number. Robin judged it only prudent to prepare on so extensive a scale, though he confidently hoped to take the castle by a short and easy assault. And yet another wise measure did he adopt. In the cellar under the strong-house were between two and threescore suits of / See v the sake of each one of us. armor which had come into the possession of the band from time to time. These were taken out and polished, and the rusty joints were oiled and cleaned. By evening all the above preparations were completed, and now a number of the messengers had returned with new recruits. Others straggled in during the night, aud in the early hours of the next morning, so that by noon all had arrived. With pride and pleasure Robin Hood sur- veyed the force at his disposal, which num- bered no less than two hundred men, In addition to those members of the band who lived at their homes and were depended upon for an emergency, there were many Saxon yeomen and peagants who had never fought with the rovers. before, but had al- ways desired to do so, and now eagerly em- braced the present opportunity. Will Scarlet had been sent on a private mission, and he was the last to come in, bringing with him his mother for a companion to Maid Marian while the outlaws were absent. Robin gathered the band around him and made a brief speech, explaining to their understanding what he purposed to do. He did not disguise the perils and risks of the expedition, but in spite of that the men were more than pleased at the thought of attacking Fitzurse Castle, and every one, vowed to fight bravely and stand by their leader. Many held old grudges against the baron, which they were eager to satisfy. And all, being loyal to King Richard, hated the baughty Norman because of his partisan- ship for Prince John. When the speech and the applause that followed it were over, dinner was served, and next thirty men were chosen that could wear the armor. Among these were Robin himself, Will Scarlet, Little John, Alan Dale, George a Green, and Cedric. The latter was provided with a light coat of Spanish mail, steel gauntlets and arm-plates and a helmet; and very proud and happy he looked when he had arrayed himself in them to show their fit. Friar Tuck was also. fur- nished in the same way, and at sight of the fat churchm1n clad in mail there was long and loud merriment. About forty horses had been brought in, and thirty of them were assigned to the men in armor, The rest were reserved to carry weapons and supplies, so that nothing might be lacking in case of a protracted siege. Even axes and other tools were provided and given to the’ care of men who knew how to use them. It was now about the middle of the after- noon, and when the menvhad taken off their armor they and all the rest disposed them- selves by Robin’s orders in the huts and the strong-house, so that they might gain re- freshing sleep before the hour of starting. This was to be at ten o’clock of the night, and the plan was to march silently and quickly to Fitzurse Castle, lie hidden by the moat until the draw-bridge was raised at daybreak, and then make a rush for the gates of the outer walls. Cedric was too excited to close his eyes readily, and when he did finally fall asleep it seemed but. a_ brief wakened by a gentle shake from Little Johu. Both rose and crept out of the hut, and now they beheld a scene that stirred the lad’s martial spirit. Night had fallen long since, and the glare of torches and fires vied with the pale light of the moon overhead. The glade by the stream swarmed with men, who were making a great clatter as they girdéd on swords and bucklers, and strapped bows an quivers to their backs. The horses were champing and neighing, and their prospec: tive riders were fitting on their suits 0 armor, an example that Little John an Cedric speedily followed. Robin Hood was at first invisible, but he presently appeare from the direction of the strong-house, 100 ing most gallant and handsome in his tight- fitting mail. s ‘‘Make haste, my good fellows,’’ he said, ‘‘for the chosen hour is near. We will have something to eat and drink, and then w® shall start. { have bidden my farewells to Marian, who, poor girl, is sorely distresse Until our return she and good Dame Searle will lie safely in our fortress yonder.’’ Turning to Cedric, he added: : ‘“‘You do truly make a gala knight, a lad, and one well-pleasing to the eye. Bu see that thou art prudent and wary 7 the coming attack, else the fruits of victory may be too late for thy enjoyment.’’ time till he was ‘*Master, wherever thou art there shall 5 ' be,’’ replied Cedric, ‘‘so if you would gua my life do not risk thine own.”? sictsal ‘‘Well spoken, by my head!’ cried Lith John. ‘The lad hath the proper sprit, eve as he showed it in Jast summer’s fight. me ‘Tis a spirit that may cause his death, muttered Robin Hood, d ‘‘Which I would truly prefer,’’ exclaime” Cedric, ‘‘rather than to shirk, like 4 SS 4 ard, the perils that my comrades _mee®- Drawing nearer to Robin he added, am oat i tone: ‘‘Master, I feel burdened by th walt thou hast put on my shoulders. For my > . "e se you and these brave men are much risk your lives in a venture of ap jeopardy. For my sake have you taken © this quarrel with the baron——”’ ; ra - ceput for ‘‘Nay, lad,’’ interrupted eM all beat grudges against this haughty Norman Mi \ | baroD, — tting out ty aE ae ie Se es Ba a a. ae ew oO aS ot Oe eae oO (Ono =D _?: PR tent ft bode In fFlCUrF,, oOo -— TF — omy UF ees ae ee SS ee a =e VS Ww Ft mew we whe eS eS eee Clr tem eer DH OOt dD oo O+_ ' oe SS ee ee eee Seer cr NS HY ce bs iP, HE a aaah an hie i det and by my vows am I compelled to punish his long-continued cruelty to the poor and helpless Saxons. I?ll not deny that your wrongs furnish a pretext, and yet it is little enough that I should take up your cause for its own sake, since I love you as a son, lad.’’ ‘‘Dear master,’? whispered Cedric, put- ting a hand on the other’s arm, ‘‘thou hast truly been a father to me, and as such you will always have first place in my heart.’’ ‘‘Then I beg you to guard well a life that [hold so dearly,’’ said Robin. ‘‘So heed these words, and be watchful against danger. And the promises I made thee for merly I have not forgotten. The baron’s son Shall be kept from harm, and even the life of that evil knave himself I will spare if it be possible. But restitution of thy stolen fortune be must make, and also his hanghty pride must be brought low. And now say no more, lad, for time presses upon us.’’ With this Robin turned away to see to the final preparations, and a little later the whole band, now fully equipped and girded for the march, were served with:cold meats and small portions of wine. Then the armored men mounted their steeds, Friar Tuck being helped into the saddle with | much puffing and blowing, and at the word ' of command the march was taken up around the head of the glen. The horsemen rode in front, led by Robin Hood and his personal attendants. Next came seven riderless horses, laden with weapons, food, and tools, and each in the charge of an outlaw on foot. The rest brought up the rear, marching with silence and order, and in close and narrow ranks. The night was cool, and the moon was shining, so that the cavalcade went on for mile after mile at a steady speed. They Stuck to the little-used forest trails until Nottingham had been left far to one side, and then they swerved off to the lonely and wooded road that approached the castle of Baron Fitzurse. Now they rode with re- doubled caution and silence, and when the break of day was but two hours distant they Erived within half ‘a mile of their destina- ion. Robin Hood led them on a little farther, and then ordered a halt. All the armored men dismounted, and the horses were taken Into a thick part of the wood near by, and there tied to the trees. The seven laden ani- mals were not thus disposed of, but they ac- companied the outlaws in the further ad- Vance that Robin Hood now made. With Searcely a-sound the attacking party crept _ along the narrow and gloomy road, and just as they drew near a bend that would bring _ them in view of the front of the castle, all eard most suspicious and alarming noises— A dull and incessant pounding, mingled with frequent crashing and clattering. ‘Tis passing strange!’’ whispered Robin, as he gave the word to halt. ‘I know not what to make of it.” ‘Heaven preserve us!’? groaned Friar Tuck, ‘*The enemy surely have word of our _ Plans, and are coming out to attack us, And i this ungodly attire I shall fall an easy Victim. Mayhap I could run to advantage if had a stoup of wine for my stomach’s Sake.’? ‘Nay, but from the sounds no enemy are Coming,’’ declared Little John. ‘‘It would appear rather that those within the castle are making preparations against an assault. hink you not so, master?’’ ¢ ‘and we must at once learn the meaning of it all. Alan, do you and Will creep for- ward around the bend, and then return in aste to make a report.’? ‘ The outlaws departed immediately, and vere quickly lost to sight. Several minutes aed; while the strange noises continued, roa of a sudden there was a shrill ery, fol- § wed by a vurst of savage yells. Then Will Scarlet and Alan Dale dashed fleetly back, 4Ving every appearance of excitement and alarm, he ‘Bad news, master!’ cried Will. ‘‘Surely ra plans have been betrayed by some evil diner, A reat barbican of stone is built with before this side of’ the draw-bridge, the Tear-angles thrown out at each end to © edge of the moat.’? | And the varlets are behind it in force,’ A ‘‘The finishing of the turret bes, the noise we heard. And they have c/ing torches to give them light!” Sour Y; and I judge from the outery that sl Spying was discovered,’’ cried ‘Little Togues?”» ow happened that, you careless wot Was none of our fault,’? replied Will. ee Te eee ere men was agian fa the 1g ’ id spy us as we crept by the oa ee the fokd He shot a bait at Alan, ®n I thrust him to the heart with a 8 etrayed ras the knave’s death-cry that Robj f _ and det, Hoo - port. od’s face grew grim with anger €rmination as he listened to this re- ey . F ‘crieg'S,,tteachery—black treachery !’’ he Now is no yo Dave been led into a trap! But — - SWear ee time to inquire of the matter. I i Y Saint George to take yonder castle [om ae ¢ : We fight under its walls for a week.’? eye turned pate. ped ae: it may be treachery,’’ he whis- ; eS f i stake my life that Alwyn Dn it.’ ‘“‘Ay, it does so seem,’’ replied Robin, | / read truth and honor in the fellow’s eyes on | that night when we met him yonder by the | moat. | this.’’ Turning to his men, he added, loudly: *‘On to the attack, my gallant rovers! | Now is our time, and a bold dash may win | us the castle. On, on, before the enemy do | swarm to the defense in force! Hark, they |are pouring forth now! Down with the | haughty Norman! Strike for merry England of the Saxons, and for our beloved Sher- wood ! (TO BE CONTINUED.) 0 -o—————— ao - {This Story Will Not be Published in Book-Form.] DON KIRK'S MINE: The Fight for a Lost Fortune. A Companion Story to **The Boy Cattle King.”’ BY HARRY DANGERFIELD, Author of “The Boy Cattle King,” “The Boy from the West,” etc. , (“Don KIRK’s MINE” was commenced in No. 291. Back numbers can be obtained of all News Agents.) CHAPTER XXXV. AUBRY MAKES A LOAN. 7 HEN the mad river ceased to rush * . ‘ K « down in a mighty torrent from \¥~ the mountain heights, Aubry crept into its sloshy ‘bed, making his where lay indeed a lake of water, on which he feared to look. bodies. One of those bodies was near. Don Kirk; but he braced his badly shaken life by the flood. The man had’ been his temple, as if he had been dashed against a jagged rock, his clothing was nearly been in nowise softened by death. Ugly and repulsive while living, he was even more The evil of his evil life had set upon him marks that dissolution and aunihilation alone could remove. The boy that stared at this grisly corpse, floating there on the surface of the new- born Jake, fell back, shuddering, astounded. ‘“‘Shawnagan!’’ he gasped, hoarsely. ‘‘It is Ben Shawnagan!’’ And yet, but a little time before, he had seen this. man laboring far up amid the mountains, where by his directions the rocks that held a erystal lake clasped and uplifted to the skies were being blown away by heavy explosives—blown away that the water might rush down into Lost Pocket and destroy all who were there when it came. ‘‘How comes it that he is here—dead?’’ came hoarsely trom Aubry’s lips. ‘‘That last blast must have exploded prematurely, and Shawagnan was caught by the outpour- ing water, which brought him all the way down here. It was the hand of retributive justice.”? There were other bodies, and the hope in his heart was that they might all be those of the dead rancher’s evil companions. Having gained still a little more courage to look about, he gazed across the lake, and on the farther side, above the bluff where the lariat had dangled, he saw a little knot of human beings. ‘Is it possible?’’ he exclaimed, in wonder- ment. ‘‘Did some of them escape? Then Don may be among them.’’ He lost little time in circling the shore of the lake, coming at length upon the knot of human beings, where his wonder was bound- less, for he saw the cowboys, Injun Pete, Silver Sim, and Don Kirk, all of them living and quite well. With ashout of joy, Aubry dashed forward among them. ‘‘Non!’’ he cried, laughing hysterically, ‘‘you are safe! I was sure you must be caught by the flood. I felt that Darlton’s dream had come true in everything.’’ ‘‘In everything but my own destruction it has come true,’’ said Don, soberly. ‘‘The mine is lost, buried down there beneath fathoms of water.’’ ‘‘But you are alive. How did you es- cape?”’ ‘¢After you departed Pete also set out to GOOD NEws.. ‘*That I believe,’’ replied Robin, ‘‘for I‘ climb yonder peaks and learn the meaning | of the reports we heard. Nay, some eavesdropper hath done | way round deep pools in the hollows of the| and putting things in order for the regular rocks, and so came down to Lost Pocket, | On the surface of this muddy lake the! place the ore to be shipped for smelting mine-buildings were floating,. wrenched and | could be conveyed without any great trouble. wrecked, and forcing himself to look for} other things, Aubry was sure he saw human | in the heart of the Black Ridge went abroad, ‘All must have perished,’’ he groaned. | Miners, prospectors, speculators, capitalists, ‘‘There was no time given them to escape.’’ | schemers, gamblers, and ruffians came flock- At first he | ing to that locality. feared to come closer, lest it prove to be; ground in Lost Pocket was staked off into nerves and stole down nearer, till he could! ling mining-camp sprang up. inspect the human being who had lost his} battered and torn and | capitalists offered a fabulous sum for the beaten, there was a great ugly wound on Phantom Mine, and it was sold to them. stripped from bis body, his eyes were wide- | lobby of the Metropole Hotel in Denver. open and staring, while there was a fixed | One look of wild despair on that face, which had | shrewd; the other large, bearded, dressed \ugly and repulsive now that he was dead. | Mr. Beauchamp,’’ said the smal] man, with 4839 He is swift of foot and sure as a mountain goat, so it did not take him long to get up where Shawnagan and his wretched crew were blasting through the wall of rock to let the lake down upon us. By some chance he did not see you, and did not stop to search for ycu, as he had no time te spare in bringing us warning of our danger. With the exception of Crazy Cale, we all escaped from the pocket just in time to get beyond reach of the flood and the destruction Shawnagan had meant to hurl down upon us, The maniac escaped us and hid where we could not find him. He alone was drowned,’’ ‘‘Shawnagan brought about his own de- struction, for 1saw his battered and muti- lated body floating on yonder side of the Jake. He is quite dead, with a jagged gash in one temple, where his head was dashed against a rock.’’ ‘*Wa-al, thet’s ther best piece o’ news I’ve. heard in a dog’s age,’’ cried Silver Sim, with deep -satisfaction. ‘‘With thet onery critter out o’ ther way, thar’s a chance fer honest men to get their dues.”’ * * * * * Don resolved not to lose the mine, for all that it lay deep at the bottom of the new- born lake. He sent East for expert divers to come on, being resolved to make an effort to blow away the mass of rocks and earth that choked the natural tunnel, and so let out the water. Jong before the divers came, however, he visited the pocket, and he was astounded to find that the water was gone, leaving behind the wrecked buildings. Descending into the pocket, it was seen that the water had eaten through the mass that had blocked the tun- nel, and, with mighty foree, had swept it clear, pouring out by this opening. It was not long after Don made this dis- covery before a crew of men were at work in the pocket re-constructing the buildings working of the mine. | It was found that the tunnel opened into a | canon far down) toward Blue Pass, to which The report of the discovery of a rich mine land a craze:was started in that section. Every available bit of | claims, buildings were erected, and a bust- In the midst of this excitement, just when | the fever was at its height, a syndicate of * * * * * * * ! Two men were talking business in the was small, quick, sharp-eyed, and | like a rancher, and embarrassed. ‘‘Tam sorry to put you to any trouble, a crafty light in his little eyes; ‘‘but your paper for fifty thousand dollars, held by Grafton -and Dunham, fell due three days ago. Your time of grace is up. The money must be paid at once, or suit will be brought.’’ There was a scowl on the face of the large man, ‘Grafton and Dunham are putting me to much trouble,’’ he said. ‘*They must wait another thirty days. The notes must be ex- tended.”’ ‘““Such a thing is impossible. As their at- torney I have been instructed to obtain the money immediately or bring suit.’? ° The large man smote his right fist into the | open palm of his left hand. ‘‘This is an outrage!’’ hecried, guardedly. ‘“ An’ beard the canuybull that eats folks » raw ! I’d chase the pizen snakes An’ the ’pottimus that makes His nest down at the bottom of unfathom- able lakes—— e If I dared: but I dussen’t! I would I were a pirut to sail the ocean blue,” With a big black flag a-flying overhead; I would scour the billowy main with my. gallant pirut crew, An’ dye the sea a gouty, gory red! With my cutlass in my hand On the quarter-deck I'd stand An’ to deeds of heroism I’d incite my pirut band—— If I dared; but I dussen’t! An’ if I dared, I’d lick my pa for the times that he’s licked me! I’d lick my brother an’ my teacher, too! I’d lick the fellers that call round on sister after tea, ; An’ keep on licking folks till they were lue. You bet I’d run away From my lessons to my play, An’ I’d shoot the hens, an’ tease the cat, an grudge, governor, and Iam willing to loan you enough to tide you over the little diffi- kiss the girls all day—— If I dared; but I dussen’t! ISSUED WEEKLY. NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 22, 1896. | | Terma to Good News Mail Subscribers: | (POSTAGE FREF.) One Yéar’- - “> > 3months - - - - - 65c. - £2.50 2 copies, one year 43nonths - - - She, 4.00 | 6imonths - - - » 1:25’ lL copy, two years - .-, 4.00 | Goop NEWS AND N. Y. WEEKLY, both, one year, $4.50 | How vo SEND Money.—By post-office or eee money order, registered letter, bank check or draft, at onr risk. At your own risk, if sent by postal note, cnrrency, coin, or postage stamps in ordinary letter. {ENEWALS.—I'he number indicated on your address label denotes when your subscription expires. All subscriptions will be stopped promptly at expiration of time paid for. ys Recerprs.—Receipt of your remittance ts acknowledged by proper change of nuniber on your label. If not cor rect you have not been properly credited, and should let us know at once. To Crus Katsens.—Upon request we will send sam- plo copies to aia you in obtaining subscribers. i 4GENTs.—Our responsibility for remittances a plies oily tosuch as are sent to us direct, and we wi 1 not ynarautee the reliability of any subscription agency cx postmaster. All letters should be addressed to STREET & SMUTIVS GOOD NEWS, 27 & 29 Rose Street, N.Y. Back numbers of GOOD NEWS can always be obtained from your Newsdealers. If they do not have them please send direct to this office and we | will supply them by mail on receipt of price. Advertising rates, 50 cents per agafe line. Contents of this Number. SERIAL STORIES. “The Quaker Spy,” by Jasper W. Wild- wood. 2? ‘The Son of Old Nick,’ by Vietor St. Clair. | “Gay Dashleigh’s Academy Days,” by Ar- thur Sewall, “Neka, King of Fire,” by Manager Henry Abbott. “Out With Robin Hood,” by &lfred Ar- mitage. “Don Kirk’s Mine,” by Harry Danger- field. . SHORT STORIES. ‘Adrift in an Open Boat,” by J. A. Mait- land. REGULAR DEPARTMENTS, “Short Talks With the Boys,” by Arthur | Sewall. ‘““How to Do Things,” by David Parks. “Our Stamp Album.” “Mail Bag,” “Exchange Department,” | “Club Notices,” ete. . “ ” by Enrique H. Lewis. | _ WEEK AFTER NEXT ee A fine story of life i India, full of exciting) incidents, by WILLIAM: MURRAY GRAYDON, ‘THIS MEANS YOU! If you are a reader of Goop News, send in your name and address, together with a _ two-cent stamp, and we will send you in re- | — turn a “GOOD NEWS CLUB BUTTON, These buttons can be worn in thé lapel _ of the coat. The body of the button is blue ae and red, and the words “‘Goop News Club” | are stamped in gold, making a very attrac- __ tive ornament. _ As the supply is not large, we trust that you will appreciate the opportunity, and write at once. Address : Club Department, Goop News, 29 Rose street, New York City. = ie 7 i ‘ , ; , . ‘Tell all your friends of “The King of Boys! Weeklies A Nameless $10 GOOD NEWS. What Do You Think of This, Boys? Another Superb Offer! AAA ALL Quite a New Idea! Story... Send us what you think is the best title for it and win a magnificent prize. With this week’s issue of Goop NEws we begin the publication of a new serial by that popular author, ENRIQUE H. LEWIS. This story will be published with no name attached to it. Read the story:and give it a name. ‘Will be given to the person who sends us the best title FOR THE NEXT BEST TITLE WE WILL GIVE A First-Class High-(irade Bicycle. For the titles next in order of excellence we make the following splendid offers: FINE CAMERA. Lord ee ALSO ‘TEN PRIZES OF A WATCH, _ (STEM WIND AND STEM SET.) Can this be beat? Oné Hundred Dollars; a Bicycle; Two Cameras; Two Opera Glasses, and Ten Watches. The prizes will be awarded by the follow- ing specially selected jury: Editor of Good News, Wm. Murray Graydon, Enrique H. Lewis, § . Alfred Armitage, Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry. Don’t fail to read the story without a name! ‘Then get your brains to work and see if you can win one of the prizes. Each suggestion must be written on one of the coupons found on the\second page of Goop News. Direct your answers to THE NAMELESS STORY, Good News, 27 and 29 Rose St., New York. 7 <> | | | much as forty pounds. * |} J SHORT TALKS eee With {ue Boys. SEW ALL. EDITED BY ARTHUR GAY DASHLEIGH, Utica, N. Y., writes: “Tain reading your story now running in the ‘King of Boys’ Weeklies,’ and I wish to tell you that I like it very much indeed. I am sixteen years lot age and have gone through the common | schools. I would like to enter a private mili- | tary academy as soon as possible. My father is amerchant here, and he is well todo. He says that he will send me to a good military school if I wish to attend one. Can you tell me of any near here? Please tell ine something more about the life. There must be lots of fun at such a school, and I guess one receives good tuition, also. I wouldn't care to go where I couldn't learn anything. I like to drill very much indeed. I belong to a cadet corps, and | know the manual of arms and the company drill. Please give we all the information you can.” Ebb Tide Academy, as described in ‘‘Gay Dashleigh’s Academy Days,’’ is, of course, a fictitious place, but the scenes and inci- dents are founded on fact. Life at such in- stitutions is not all play by any means, but where you gioup together a number of live American boys you will find good sport, as a rule, There are probably thirty colleges in the United States where military drill and dis- cipline form part of the curriculum. They ~ are generally preparatory schools conducted by eminent graduates of the older colleges, and are largely patronized. In New York State alone can be found at least twelve. The idea of a military adjunct is not ‘to | make soldier's of the graduates, not to instill }in them combative habits, but merely for $100 the better discipline of the school. The savor of war is not unattractive, however, and many a lad would regard his studies as a grind if it were not for the hours spent in martial parade, and the pomp and glory of his dashing uniform. You could do far worse than to join a pri- vate military academy. The studies are thorough, and the course very instructive. At one of the largest institutions in this State there are five different courses; viz.: Civil engineering, classical, special, practi- cal business, and brief business course, The latter consists of two years only, and em- braces commercial arithmetic, book-keeping, English composition, penmanship, commer- cial law, commercial geography, and rhet- oric. The other courses are more thorough, and cover every detail of pro-collegiate edu- cation. — | At the academy in question applicants for admission must be over fourteen years of age. They will be required to pass an exam- ination in reading, spelling, geography, arithmetic, and grammer. Every applicant | must submit satisfactory testimonials of good moral character. The charges for board and tuition differ somewhat at various schools, but the ayver- age cost for each year is $600. This includes tuition, with board, washing, mending, light, fuel, and use of arms, dress uniform, fatigue uniform, helmet and cap. Besides the above charges there are extras which are optional, such as instruction upon | piano, violin, cornet, or other instrument; vocal culture, ete. The expense for books and stationery is also extra. ie: The uniforms are generally made after the West Point pattern, of blue or gray cloth of fine quality, and trimmed with some se- lected color. The hours for daily duties ex- tend from reveillevat 6.15 A. M., to taps at 9.30. The term generally commences the middle of September and extends until the middle of June, with a Christmas vacation of three weeks. The final examinations are held in June of each year. Considerable attention is paid to the physi- cal development of the scholars, Hach acad- emy is fitted up with a complete gymnasium in charge of practical instructors, and there are athletic teams, foot-ball, base-ball, and other outdoor sports. During the summer months the cadets go into camp, and gener- ally spend their whole time in the open air. o the more important schools are detailed United States Army officers by the Govern- ment. Those scholars passing the highest in nilitary tactics are listed at Washington for service in case of war. / SpecraAL Notice.—Many communications, improperly addressed to this department, are answered in the ‘‘Mail Bag.’’ —— > 2 > THe Indians in Central America firmly believe that alligators swallow stones for the purpose of making themselves heavier, and thus capable of diving more easily. From whatever cause, the fact is certain that alligators do swallow stones, it being rarely the case that a saurian is killed with- out one or more stones, sometimes of con- siderable size, being found in its stomach. — The stones are of all sizes, from a mere | pebble to a bowlder almost the sizeofa man’s head, and sometimes weighing as — 30YS the you that I en years common ate mili ly father \do. He military it tell me mething ts of fun ves good “Tan } “King replied Alan, with a queer little laugh. ‘‘I This Story Will Not be Published in Book-Form.) ; | | was going in that direction to see President | graph.’’ , asa pes BY ENRIQUE H. LEWIS, Author of ‘‘ Yankee Boys in Japan,”? ‘‘Sword and Pen,’’ ‘‘The Copper Disk,” ‘‘4A Young Free Lance,’ etc., etc [—--——— 9 ——__—__—_”” was commenced in No. 301. Back numbers can be obtained of | all News Agents. | CHAPTER VII. could be heard, evidently in an argument. WHEREIN ALAN SPRINGS A SURPRISE. ‘He is funking,’’ exclaimed the English | sia | lad, leaping to the ground. ‘‘I’ll wager a EWILDERED by the noise and con-| tanner he is trying to back down.”’ fusion, and moreover, so utterly dis-| And so it proved. The official in charge | of Hugh’s unknown enemy called out that | heartened by his misfortune that he the latter wished to withdraw the charge, could scarcely raisé his head, Hugh officer had him by the arm, and their voices | } | here, but you really cannot NEWS. sure wheu were meet ure very good, but I am ound some place else ne.??’ ‘*Nonsense. I’ll see you to the station,’’ you you anyway. How long do you expect to stay in Paris?’’ ‘Not a second longer than it is necessary Faure, and secure his auto ‘*P1] tell you what, er—may I call you Hugh? : PE te ‘Certainly: I prefer it. ‘*Thanks awfully. What I was going 1 say is, that I think -you have the task of tuck favored you expect to pay indiscriminate visits to royalty everywhere without meeting with serious delays.’’ ‘That is true, and it is the reason I am trying to save time at this end. I have a matter of eighty days yet. Much can be ac- complished in over eleven weeks. As for the your life on your hands. 4841 him an envelope. This the English lad | opened. ‘*Now, don’t be offended, Hugh,’’ he said, winningly. ‘‘I want to help you a little, and [ have purchased your ticket for Paris. Do not refuse it, please.’ The offer was made with such frankness and good-nature that our hero was compelled to accept the favor. He felt deeply grateful, and expressed his thanks with emotion. ‘* All I ean do, Alan, is to insist upon your visiting Chicago some day.,’’ hesaid. ‘‘Then I will repay you for your many kindnesses. I will take the ticket, but remember, I am your debtor to that amount and more. There is the starting signal. Good-by. I will write to you from every country I visit. Good- by !’’ Hugh warmly wrung his companion’s hand and leaped into the last carriage as it passed him. Hearing a noise as he sat down, he turned and saw Alan’s smiling face beaming at him. Te did not at first look up on hearing his name | and asked what he should do in the matter. autographs, each one I secure makes it more | ‘I have a little surprise for you,’’ 8, und | ee icd. It was instantly repeated in a) ‘*We had better let him go,’’ advised our | easy to obtain the rest. By showing Queen chuckled the English lad. ‘‘I thought I pln pany aguely familiar voice: | hero. ‘‘Remember I have very little time to} Victoria‘s to the President of France I can | would wait until the last moment. I am go- lon you '» *‘Hugh Thorpe, is this really you? What} make the Dover train as it is. I am heartily | reasonably hope to gain his signature.”’ ing to Paris with you.’’ ¥ Under the sun is the trouble?’’ | glad to get out of it so easily.’’ | ‘There is something in that. But what| ‘‘Going to Paris with me?’’ exclaimed . “*Gay Now thoroughly aroused, the lad turned; ‘‘It is a very strange proceeding,’’ replied about the financial part of it?’’ | Hugh, in amazement, course, Tound and saw a well- ‘Yes, are you sor- 1 inci- dressed youth forcing ry?’? replied Alan, ch in- is way through the calmly seating himself. Ss, but eeing crowd. One He drew a couple of f live Slanceat the frank, res- small Gladstone bags rt, as Olute face proclaimed from under the seat his identity. The new where they had evi- n the comer was Alan Berke- dently been concealed, i tis: yy and made himself com- They ‘“(What-is the matter fortable. lucted sre? «©Officers, why ‘Sorry? I am de- leges, fave you arrested my lighted, simply de- York Priend?’’ lighted. But how a. The words were stern- did——”’ ot ‘to ly uttered, and the ‘*Wait; Pll tell you nstill speaker looked so proud all about it. But first, y for and haughty that the I wish to make you an The policemen in charge of offer.’ aver, | uur hero involuntarily ‘*Yes??? , 6S as | jouched their helmets. ‘*How would you like t in ‘‘He is accused of to havea companion y of obbing a friend while on your travels?’’ crossing from New plantas? pri- York on board the Lu- cc a are cania, sir,’? explained CHAPTER VIIT. ive. one, respectfully. WHEREIN HUGH MEETS this ‘* Accused of robbing WITH AN ACCIDENT, iz. a friend?’’ echoed Alan, AND AN ACQUAINT- cti- ' incredulously. ‘‘ Who ANCE REAPPEARS. [The J brought the charge? , It Hebei. ois 3m - is utter nonsense.’ ST, UGH eyed his ug’, / “T brought the el] companion er- charge, and I stick to cs! in dumfounded et- it,”> said a voice, > surprise. rh, doggedlv, and the sal- ‘*A companion on my lu- low youth in the tourist travels?’’ he echoed. costume stepped up. ‘«That is what J said. or Alan gave him a Now, look here, Hugh, of ( supercilious stare. old fellow, I like you, n- di ‘*‘Who do you think and if you wish to y, this is?’?’ he asked, make me happy you nt voldly. will not say nay to of ‘It?s John Wilson, a what I propose. When fellow I met in Amer- { heard your story at Y ica. I lent him ten dol- Windsor ] made up my P- lars there, and now he mind that I would go 1s has robbed me of my with you. I have am- > pocket-book. I’m going ple money for both, and to have him locked up, { freely offer to help and that’§ all there is you win the wager. S about it. What busi- What.do you say?’’ } ness is it of yours, any- ‘*What do you think I will say??? warmly way?’ ‘* He is telling an out- rageous lie,’’ exclaimed Hugh, hotly. ‘‘I came across in the Paris, and [I don’t know him from : Adam.’’ ‘*This matter can be | settled easily,’? said Alan. ‘‘The passenger lists can be seen at the office of the American line. Officers, take my friend there at once.’’ Hugh glanced at his accuser and fancied that he saw him change color. Heattempted to bluster, but the police realized the fair-, Alan. ness of the suggestion at once. Alan called | fore?’’ a couple of carriages, and the party started ‘‘T am not certain. .His. face is slightly | for the Strand. familiar, but I can’t place him for the life In one cab were Hugh, the English lad, | of me.’’ and an officer; in the other rode the un-| ‘‘Itreally may be a caseof mistaken iden- known youth and another policeman. | tity. Officer, we haven’t any time to spare ‘‘Thisis a disgraceful outrage,’’ said Alan, | SO we won’t bother with the cad. Let him | vehemently. ‘‘It is too bad my friend here; go with a warning. Come, Hugh, we’ll take | has to be subjected to a delay like this. Do| this carriage to Moorgate street station.”’ you know, officer, he was given a private| As they rode away from the crowd they audience by her majesty at Windsor not|saw the sallow youth hurry toward the four hours ago?”’ | Strand. Before reaching the nearest corner The guardian of the peace glanced at our he stopped and shook his fist after the cab hero in awe, and respectfully saluted. It ) containing the boys, then he disappeared in Was a new and probably terrifying experi- | the distance. ence to even sit in a carriage with one who} ‘‘What on earth is the matter with him?’’ had recently spoken with royalty. i exclaimed Alan. ‘‘Did you see that?’’ ) ‘*T ’opes as °ow you won’t ’old malice,’’| ‘‘Yes. He must be crazy. Whew! I have he stammered. - ‘‘I am honly doing my | had a narrow escape. I am awfully grateful duty. The fellow brought the charge, and | to you for your opportune aid. If you hadn’t | we ’ad to obey.’’ | put in an appearance, I would have lost the | **Well, see that you do not let my friend’s | evening boa accuser escape,’’ coldly replied Alan. ‘‘He will probably— what is the matter now?”’ overjoyed that I happened to be passing The cab had stopped. Glancing through | down Ashchurch street.’’ the window Hugh saw the sallow youth at- | **Don’t let me occupy too much of your tempting to leave the other carriage. The! time,’’ said Hugh, after a moment. ‘° ‘MERCIFUL HEAVEN!’’ SHOUTED ALAN, POINTING *‘Did you ever see the rascal be- y h ee | ‘‘Do not mention it, my dear fellow. Iam As the boys hurried to the booking-office replied our hero. ‘‘Why, there is nothing better I would like on earth. L can’t find words to ex- press my delight. Butis it possible for you to make such an extended journey???’ ‘‘Why nhot?’’ care- lessly replied Alan. ‘‘But your people; won’t they object?’’ The English laughed quietly. lad FORWARD, Hugh glanced thoughtfully at his ques- | tioner. ‘*Honestly speaking, that worries me more | than anything else,’’ he replied. ‘*Pardon me, if I ask how much you have left of the original three hundred dollars?’’ After a brief mental calculation, Hugh re- | plied: ‘* Just two-hundred and seventy -eight dol- lars. Alan thrust his hands into his pockets and leaned back, with a whistle. ‘*And you expect to encircle the earth on that amount of money?’’ he exclaimed. ‘Yes, with something made on the way. I do not anticipate paying all fares. I hope to secure passes by presenting my letters and telling my story. The American Consuls will help me. My father was Consul at Ant- | werp for many years, and he was well-known | in the diplomatic service. Here is the sta tion.’’ | Alan contrived to gain the window first. To | upon the counter and whispered something ‘*THERE’S A VESSEL DEAD AHEAD!’’ I have been very saving, not spending | ) a cent except when absolutely compelled to.’’ | nance your running away. Think of the sor- | Hugh’s surprise he threw several sovereigns £ ; ‘“There will be a duse of a row when they find it out,’? he replied. ‘‘What’s the odds? I want to make the trip, and I intend to.’’ ‘‘Then you have run away?’’ said Hugh. ‘‘Hardly that. I simply left Windsor for a | short journey round the world, Now do not look like that, old fellow. Really, I thought you would be glad to have my company, but-——’’ ‘You know I will be pleased to have you with me, but I must say I do not counte- row it will cause your mother.’’ | ‘*T can fix that by wiring from Paris. The row will blow over in no time, so you need not feel alarmed. I am determined to go with you, Hugh, and that settles it. If | you object, I’ll just follow you.”’ Alan spoke in a determined manner and set his teeth resolutely. It was evident he was a boy of great will and, moreover, ac- | customed to having his own way. Hugh was in a quandary. He really felt | delighted at the prospect of having such a |sympathetic comrade on his travels. He | liked Alan, and admired his many sturdy qualities, but to accept his companionship at | the cost of his mother’s sorrow was not to ‘“You! to the clerk. The latter smiled and slipped ' be considered. 4842 He fully realized, however, that objections would prove of no avail. He could refuse to acknowledge Alan’s society, but that such a course would have little effect, was plainly evident. ‘‘T will have to temporize,’’ he concluded. ‘*Possibly I can persuade him to return home from Paris; or, as a last resort, I could place the English Embassador in pos- session of the facts.’’ This last expedient was hardly to our hero’s taste, it must be confessed. Secretly he hoped that something would turn up to make Alan’s. companionship possible in honor. 4 ‘¢You surely know that I would be over- joyed to have you accompany me on this trip,’’ he said, seriously, ‘‘but I must say that I do not think you are acting right by your people. I cannot prevent you from go- ing where you please, but I can refuse to ac- cept any assistance from you.”’ The English lad impulsively reached over and grasped Hugh’s hand. ‘‘Do not do that,’’ he exclaimed. ‘‘Why, that is one of the many reasons I wish to go with you. I have plenty of money. It is mine and I can do as I please withit. When you told her majesty that you were trying to earn a course at college, didn’t she in- stantly consent to give you her autograph?”’ sé Yes. ? ‘‘Well, she would not only have refused, but possibly had you punished for trespass if it had not been for the terms of the wager. Now, for the very same reason I want to help you. Please do not deny me the pleas- ure.’’ Teats came into Hugh’s eyes. He at- tempted to speak, but Alan gayly inter- rupted, saying: ‘*Not a word, oldfellow. You can’t refuse me now. I’ll promise to explain matters to mother in such a way that all will be serene. We’ll make this trip together, and we’ll win that college education for you or die in the attempt. Hello! the train is slowing down. What is up, I wonder?”’ As he spoke, the long line of carriages came to a full stop. Alan called out toa passing guard and ascertained that an acci- dent had occurred to a goods train in front, and that a short delay would ensue. ‘*Why, we cannot be more than a couple of miles from Canterbury,’’ exclaimed the English lad, surveying the surrounding country. ‘‘Have you ever seen the cathe- dral, Hugh?’’ ‘¢No,”? s ‘*Good! We can get out and walk to the town. We can catch the train at the station. What do you say?’’ ‘*Will we have time?’’ asked Hugh, doubt- fully. ‘‘We must not miss the evening boat to Calais, you know.’’ Alan descended and walked ahead to the front van. He returned almost immediately with the assuring news that at least an hour would elapse before the train could proceed. ‘They have wired to Dover to hold the boat, so we’ll make it all right. Come; I feel like taking a good spin.”’ Hugh was nothing loathe The two boys left their luggage in charge of a guard and set out at a brisk walk down a beautiful country lane, Our hero was charmed with the scenery. He was compelled to confess, on being asked by his companion, that the rural landscapes of England are simply with- out a peer. : The quiet of the countryside, the embow- ered cottages, the forests of old English oak, and the quaint air of peace was peculiarly attractive. While passing along a road bor- dered with broad green hedges a double- seated wagon attached to a span of restive horses overtook them. The driver, an old farmer with a kindly face and gray hair, greeted them _ hospita- bly, and asked if they wished to ride into town. The invitation was so cordial that they boys accepted it. A moment later they were bowling along at a rapid trot. The rustic was proud of his animals, and explained their good points with great volu- bility. To show their speed he touched them smartly with his whip. They bounded for- ward in response, and suddenly broke from a trot into a gallop. Just then, as fate would have it, a hay wagon, piled high with dried grass, suddenly turned into the road from a field.. The man on top cried out in alarm and tried to re- strain his horses, but it was too late. With a loud crash, the farmer’s team bolted into the lumbering vehicle and over- turned it. Hugh felt himseif falling. “Then, just as he touched the ground, he received a stunning blow upon the head, and all he- came dark, Returning consciousness brought a period of bewilderment, then he saw that he was stretched out upon a soft bed of hay in the grateful shade of the green hedge. Alan, the farmers, and a tall gentleman with a pro- fessional air were standing near by. The English lad was the first to see a change in his friend’s condition. He ad- vanced, with a beaming face, exclaiming: ‘Doctor, look! he has come to, That's right, Hugh, that smile shows you are all correct. You willbe up and about in no time,’’ The first thought recurring to Hugh was the delay caused by the accident. How long had he remained unconscious, He struggled to his feet and in the effort found that his head pained him severely, but that he was | uninjured otherwise. The surgeon gave him a draught from a bottle, and pronounced him fit to continue his trip. ‘It was a narrow escape, though, my lad,’? he added; gravely. ‘‘if the horse’s | hoof had struck you squarely instead of a glancing blow, the force would have frac- tured your skull.’’ The farmer considerately expressed his regret, and offered to take them into Canter- bury in a spare carriage. The old rustic also found time from his rueful contempla- tion of the wreck of his wagon to offer his condolences. Hugh refused all aid, however, and imme- diately set out for town on foot. He lost no | time in asking Alan how long they had been delayed. ‘¢At least an hour,’’ gravely replied the English lad. ‘‘I am afraid we will miss the train. Another is due here in forty or fifty minutes, but it won’t reach Dover in time for the Calais boat. I am awfully sorry. old fellow; it is my fault. I hadn’t any business to ask you to take the walk.’’ ‘Don’t mention it, The mischief is done now and can’t be helped,’’ replied Hugh, philosophically. ‘‘When does the next boat sail for Calais?’ ‘*Not before ten o’clock to-morrow morn- ing.’’ ** And when should its passengers arrive in Paris?’ ‘*T believe Dover.’’ ‘*Whew! that means the loss of a whole day,’’ exclaimed Hugh. ‘‘Isn’t there any other way to cross?’’ ‘*We might catch a lugger running over. We will try it anyway. If we can reach Calais we stand a fair chance of making a local train to Paris.’’ A half-hour later, the two boys were on their way to Dover. Our hero felt seriously disappointed at the unfortunate delay, but he concealed his feelings from his compan- jon. The accident was entirely unexpected, and could not be laid at any one’s door. It was almost dark when the train rolled into Dover station: Hugh and Alan hurried to the pier. In front of the Lord, Warden Hotel they saw a group of fishermen. The English lad made immediate inquiries of them and learned that asmack called the Nancy Jane was to sail acros; the Straits at eight o’clock. The skipper, a burly, red-faced son of the ocean, was found upon the pier. He con- sented to take them as passengers for a mod- erate sum, and the bargain was closed at once. After a supper at the hotel, Hugh and Alan repaired to the smack, finding it in readiness for the short voyage to the French coast. While they were waiting for the captain a figure approached them through the gloom. It was a youth with a hand satchel. The newcomer halted in the shadow cast by the smack’s huge mainsail, gave them a search- ing glance, and glided away unseen. few moments later the Nancy Jane’s skipper came down the pier. He was not alone. With him was the spying stranger. ‘‘Pve got another passenger to accompany ye, young gentlemen,’’ rumbled the mariner. ‘*He’s missed the boat also.’ Hugh and Alan eyed their new companion curiously. By the aid of a pier lamp they saw his face indistinctly, but both recog- nized the fellow. It was the tourist who had brought the accusation of robbery against Hugh in London! it takes seven hours from CHAPTER IX. WHEREIN CERTAIN STIRRING OCCUR. 1A HE discovery was most unwelcome. | ~ The momentary glimpse they had of .) the fellow in London had inspired a -7* dislike in the breasts of both lads. His | personal appearance, his sneaking way, and moreover, the trouble he had caused Hugh through an entirely unfounded accusation made him an unpleasant companion. ‘‘Confound the cad! we don’t wish to sail with him,’’ whispered Alan, in deep disgust. ‘*Fancy him turning up like this!?? Before Hugh could reply, the stranger ap- proached them with a conciliatory smirk upon his sallow face, He bowed, politely, and said: ‘*We have met before, friends. You prob- ably remember me?’’ : ‘‘We have every reason to,’’ coldly re- plied Hugh, ‘*T see that you are still angry with me because of my very natural mistake. Really, you should not hold animosity. My former shipmate, John Wilson, is as like you as two peas. Why, twins could not resemble each other more than you and John. The scoun- drel played me a scurvy trick, and when I saw you near Huston square I thought I had found him. Can you blame me for what I have done?’’ ‘*No, not under those circumistances,’’ re- plied Hugh, slightly molified. _ “That’s right. We are both Americans in temporary misfortune. We must not quarrel over trifle: My name is Dalton Kane, of Milwaukee.’’ ‘‘And I am Hugh Thorpe| of Chicago. My INCIDENTS | VN |“ friend is Alan Berkeley. He lives here in England.’’ GooDpD NEWS. The English lad acknowledged Dalton Kane’s effusive greeting with a distant nod. He was still suspicious of the fellow, and preferred to hold aloof for the time being. During the introductions the Nancy Jane had been prepared for departure. A gruff invitation from the skipper brought the three youtbs on board. A few moments later the lumbering smack edged away from the pier and stood out into the straits under easy sail. After stowing their luggage in the cramped little cabin, Hugh and Alan took their stand aft near the tiller. Dalton Kane soon joined them, and the trio silently watehed the twinkling lights of Dover fade away in the distance. The night had passed from a hazy dusk to almost intense darkness. Overhead scurry- ing clouds played hide and seek with the stars. The moon was in its first quarter, its pale, watery light only accentuating the blackness. ‘*It don’t look altogether promising,*’ re- marked Alan, glancing aloft with a weather- wise eye. ‘*Do you think we will cross without en- countering a blow, captain?’’? asked Hugh of that official. ‘‘We might, and then ag’in we mightn’t,”’ was the ambiguous reply. ‘‘The Straits is a prime place for squalls. I’ve seen it blow nigh seventy knots an hour in just sucha night as this.”’ ‘*I hope this will be an exception,’’ spoke up Dalton Kane. ‘‘I am due in Paris by to morrow at six, and I must not be delayed.’’ ‘*That is my position exactly,’’ said Hugh. ‘*Well, we’re in the hands of Father Nep- tune now,’’ exclaimed the skipper, with a hoarse chuckle. ‘‘If he says fine weather, fine weather it is, and if he says blow, I’ll be blasted if we can escape it.’’ During this conversation the lugger had kept on through the darkness under a gener- ous spread of sail. The lights of Dover were now narrowed down to a few twinkling points on the castle cliffs. The wind had in- creased somewhat, and a slight misty rain set in, making the deck uncomfortable. , After a while Hugh and Alan went. be- low, leaving their new acquaintance pacing back and forth in the waist. The motion of the craft made both lads drowsy, and they soon stretched themselves out upon the bare floor of the cabin and fell asleep. How long they slumbered they knew not, but suddenly both were awakened by a pro- digious hubbub on deck. A terrific pounding sounded just over their heads as if some giant was beating the deck planks with a colossal hammer. There were other noises—a flapping of sails, shrill cries, a peculiar whistling as of strong winds through rigid ropes, and a thundering of waves against the wooden sides of the lugger. ‘‘We’ve struck a gale,’’ cried Hugh, scrambling to his feet. ‘‘Quick, Alan, let’s get on deck.’’ , On reaching the hatch, they found it closed. A hurried examination revealed the unwelcome faet that it was bolted on the upper side. Without a moment’s hesitation, Hugh returned to the little cabin and se- cured a bar of iron he had previously no- ticed. With this he raised such a clatter that the hatch cover was speedily drawn back. Through the opening came a violent gust of wind strongly impregnated with salty spray. A vivid flash of lightning shot athwart the patch of blackness outlined by the combings, and the glare blinded the boys. A hoarse voice called out, impatiently : ‘Well, now, what’s the matter down there? Do ye want to come on deck or not? Shake a leg; I an’t any time to waste.’’ At this abrupt invitation Hugh crawled through the opening, closely followed by Alan, They found the small deck of the lugger in an uproar. the crew were struggling with the leech of the mainsail which whipped about in the grasp of the gale like the wing of a giant bird. Aft at the wheel stood the skipper grasp- ing the spokes with grim determination. Near him, clinging to the low rail, was Dalton Kane, All about as far as the eye could see were smothers of white-capped waves, dashing foam, and an almost inky blackness. All this was not seen at once, only when the lightning flashed its forked rays across the zenith. Making their way aft, the boys managed to ask the captain if he was still on his course toward Calais. ‘*No, not this half-hour,’’ he roared in re- turn. ‘‘The gale is from that quarter, and we can’t sail in the teeth of it. If it con- tinues to blow like this we’ll bring up some- where in the North Sea. And be glad to git there, too.’’ ‘*In the North Sea!’? echeed Hugh, with a blank look at Alan. The English lad nodded his head gloomily. ‘*Can’t you make some English or French port?’’ shouted our hero, anxiously. ‘‘Not fora thousand pounds,’’ grumbled the Nancy Jane’s captain. ‘‘We’ve got to run afore it and trust——”’ He was suddenly interrupted by a wild ery from one of the crew who had gone for- ward to look after the storm staysail. The shriek was one of sickening fear, and then came the alarm: ‘Starboard! starboard for your life!’’ ‘| out there, Sam, on the off side, or w The three members of ‘‘Merciful heavens!’ shouted Alan, point- ing forward. ‘‘There’s a vessel dead ahead!”’ Through the mist loomed vaguely a huge bulk with a double row of lights and a faint 7 tracery of spars. In front gleamed a 1r@ spark like the fiery eye of a demon of thé seas. This much Hugh saw as in a drea™, then, with the instinct of self-preservation, he threw himself upon the wheel and aié the skipper to revolve it from left to right The stanch lugger hesitated, then 3 came around witha soaring sweep, tumbliig almost upon her beam ends into a troug between two towering waves. Alongside, 8° ¥ close that one could almost touch the glistem ing iron hull, swept the stranger, then ayy brief second later the two craft were fai apart. ‘*Good for you,’’ shouted the skipper, with an approving nod at Hugh. ‘‘You’re a brave lad. Your help came just in time Whew! that was a narrow escape for the Nancy. It shows what kind of a lookout they keep on some 0’ them Dutch steamers. After the excitement had abated the cre: of the Jugger resumed their work on Mle mainsail. Presently one of them tumpled 7 aft, and ranging close up to the captall) said, wrathfully : : ‘“There’s been foul work aboard, sir.”’ ‘*What d’ye mean?”’ ; ‘‘Why, that there maitsheet was neve parted by the gale; it was cut, sir, cut ® clean as a-whistle. Some one has been; # dirty work aboard the Nancy, and me all my mates wants it ferreted out.’’ \ ‘*Captain, I have something to say about that,’? suddenly uttered a voice from te gloom, and Dalton Kane stepped into 1¥® little circle of light cast by the binnacl® lamp. 4 , (TO BE CONTINUED. ) a [This Story Will Not be Published in Book-Form, } THE, SON OF OLD NIGK: 7%: The Charcoal Burner of the Narrows. BY VICTOR ST. CLAIR, she -f 5 + ie. ers ne the Mack Won the Holdin Wi ] TBS Author of *Slack- Wire Zip,” “Little Snap. the Post- ‘ae i Boy of the Kanawha,” ‘Little Hickory of the Mountain Exuprgss,” ‘Zig-Zag, the Boy Conjurer,” “The Young stone-Cutter,’? etc. (“THE Son oF OLD Nick” was commenced ine 299. Rack numbers can be obtained of all New 5 Agents.) 7 CHAPTER XIII. DESPERATE ALTERNATIVES. adage, and it would truly seem th@™™ such a state of affairs had overtake? 2> the coal drawers. A more excitiDé scene could not well be imagined. Nick heard Tom’s wild ery of alarm, i he saw that a fire had burst out in the co a danger he had feared from ‘the firs Usually coal is allowed to remain on t two days before it is loaded or housed. of course, under the circumstances this 5 been impossible. sod ‘‘There are fifty bushels gone!’’ cr}e Nick, as he tried to quiet his team. «whoa keep the leaders still, Bell, if possible. Look e shal Cy ; : i never rains but it pour's,’’ runs an old 4 all be piled up in a heap.”’ he Meanwhile the fire had burst out on t : single load with such a crackling and roe ing that the horse, though old and ordina!} y steady, received such a fright it boundé pell-mell down the valley in spite of TOM: who was sawing upon its bit for all capable of doing. “Whoa!’? yelled the terrified driv; **Stop him, somebody, or I shall be killed: . Mr. Morrison and the other single te@ were beyond hearing of the furious rattling and shouting, and it was better so, perbapr It was equally fortunate that Black Dane was with Tom, else I am sure the alta would have turned out far worse. be Finding that the animal was beyond a control of his young driver, Black Dan caught upon the reins just as the top of summit overlooking the descent to the por’ bridge was reached. At that moment 4 ot of wind whipped the flames into a sort ir spiral column, which rose high into the pe —a grand yet terrible spectacle to the &Y witnesses in the valley. e Feeling that they were lost, Tom Blar with a loud scream, leaped from his pti flying heels over head into the bus bordering the road-way. e ‘*Whoa!’? shouted the burly driver, throv. ing all of his great power upon the rely which were fortunately strong enoug withstand the big strain thus sudd brought to bear upon them. The hor the strength upon its bit, and with a § fell back upon its haunches. on ‘tBasy there,’’ said Daniels, letting UP he his hold, knowing that to stop there 0D i, height was worse than keeping on into valley. op At the foot of the bill a short distance that side of the bridge was a well-W path leading down to the stream where and he was & i ters had long been in the habit of lead- uge he the horses to drink, and no sooner had xint - sack Daniels seen this than he decided red | Mon the best course for him to pursue. the Holding a steady rein on the animal, 1 Mthout checking its speed, he guided the ‘on, jtature straight toward this narrow open- ‘ded 4% and upon reaching it allowed it to dash ht. | Madly ahead—down the bank into the river! she + was a desperate alternative, but his Ling Mi.) hope. The wagon lurched so that it ugh iy teed for a time that it must tip over, but 60. thew ing his weight upon the upper side, fen % driver soon felt it righting itself, and n ae Next moment the level bottom of the (ar m was reached. : the water came to the body of the cart, er heading the horse squarely down stream, i ig eee sang out sharply: 0a |”? awe mith the water splashing about it, the : a Sal quickly came to a standstill. aS N° Sooner was this accomplished than Ft Misls leaped down from his high seat and ‘Aie i ght up the pail carriéd for the pur ose ‘ied J Watering and feeding the horse. i she began to dash the water upon the am Peting coal, and so effectually did he work 5 in a short time he had checked the Ptking out of the flames. a Help was near at hand, some of the in- ag ‘tants of the Birches having followed the a “iway as fast as they could. These gave ou h assistance as they could toward extin- al Ing the flames, until it was thought 3 » 10 drive out of the river. the . find a place where the bank could be ibe ded it was necessary to follow down ‘ i Stream for some distance, when the f 5 utaking was performed successfully. By George!’ exclaimed Tom Blare, who kept close behind the cart, ‘‘if it hadn’t ; for Uncle Irum (Black Daniéls bore ym, J ane relationship to Tom that he did to ie K \G q | weed st. He ee) I wouldn’t have given much for that fa Of coal. I was scart to death an’ flum- Maca heels over head inter the brush. hes but ’tan’t every one would own it. : “all We save th’ coal, Uncle Irum?’’ q eu shrink some, I reckon, an’ it’!] hev i Mak, OVerhauled. Come, pitch in, an’ we’ll ni Wy, short work of it.?’ bile al) this was taking place, in less time 4ps than I have been in describing it, leak and his assistants were having ‘qually exciting time. The refractory S were making them all the trouble it Poet Possible. f banat of the most aggravating creatures to Moy” 18 a sullen, unbroken steer, and the rovoking thing he can do is to turn im? ®, as I know from experience. The }h rte this one were doing their worst to seein ‘would-be master, but the nigh one + 7},,P2ir on the pole outdid them. ; Thy n° times when Bell and the other had { tj, ©led in bringing the leaders into line, Mee?stinate brute leaped swiftly forward, at y Is head under the pole, and dropped at Pon the ground, and in such a manner With” yoke was turned bottom side up. ink What patience he could command trorked with the obdurate steer, until to he third time he had got him around y,P’Oper position. hy poner had this been accomplished the four, with loud bellows, leaped Ay sly down the road and up the ascent 4 “8 cart behind them was empty. Bell tq cUght upon the bow of the near for- Md Steer, so he managed to keep along- hy "hile Nick had not allowed those be- ‘a escape him. ey Was no possibility of. stopping them g top of the hill, and realizing some- ihe, Hat this wild runaway of four un- th cers plunging down a smart descent fant bundred bushels of coal behind them » Nick Bleak fairl y gasped for breath, Managed to shout to his brother: d to ’em, Bell, but look out they Tow you.’? CHAPTER XIV. Fe LCUPLE oF STARTLING DISCOVERIES. HO "EACK DANIELS, with such assist- HO) ®Qee as the others gave him, had jy pYerhauled the coal in the cart drawn 8 rg the single horse, so Tom and he tk Ba. to resume their journey before th 4 8d, me) } Succeeded in getting his steer team on th bushels of coal had been burned, ture whole they had come out of the § aa” far better than could have been ica. edn 48 well be movin’ on, Tom,’’ de- Adio Outlaw, who, if the truth be told, Do, ,.U8 to get away from that locality Om <*S Possible, Rep, See no need of their stopping Pe on 84 so without more delay they i, Was | 4 at the well for the purpose of Nick Bleak tune “4 hecessary for his teams to fol- thro, off from the main highway lead- Org e0 aR the Narrows a short distance Was We in sight of that village, so of ee danger of being discovered *. Mor rik People living there. No do oe and the other single team Ubt safely passed the corner and °n their way by this time. Tom “and his companion long in good spirits, happily nel Quietly a for their peace of mind ignorant of the fact that two pairs of watchful eyes were look- ing upon them with open-mouthed wonder. And these spiés were none other than that mischievous twain whose names I need not ive. : How they happened to be there can be ex- plained in a few words. Vastly Sterns had been spending the evening with his friend and staying until that late hour, was afraid to go home alone. He had not told his parents that he intended to stay away all night, so he dared not remain longer. .In this dilemma he had persuaded Virgil to go home with him and stop until morning. They had heard the grinding of loaded wheels and come to a stop a short distance back from the corner. ‘*Who can be on the road at this time of night? Look, Virgil! it is one of the char- coal burners’ teams.”’ ‘“Yes; and that is Tom Blare driving. But who is that beside him? Why, I believe it is Black Daniels!’’ ‘*It is Black Daniels!’’ said his compan- ion. ‘‘He’s running off in the night! So he is in these parts after all.’’ The sight so astonished the boys that they did not move until the coal team had disap- peared down the road. ‘*We mustn’t stand here,’’ said Vastly. ‘*We must arouse the people as soon as pos- sible. Let’s go home and tell father. You know there is a reward offered for Black Daniels, and if we are the means of his cap- ture we shall get it.’? Thus, instead of doing the more reason- ‘able thing Of going back and alarming the inhabitants of the village, they ran toward Blake’s Hill at the top of their speed, for Fletcher Sterns lived at the top of this hill. But if this was not the wisest course for them to follow, it might prove the most effectual, for no man would do more to frustrate the escape of the outlaw and the plans of Nick Bleak than Fletcher Sterns. With the prospect of his long journey be- fore him, while not dreaming of the inter- ference that was likely to take place before it was ‘ended, Tom Blare soon began: to weary of his task. His companion was con- tinually humming a low ditty, but did not seem inclined to talk much, though he finally rallied to say: ‘*Well, Is’pose, Tom, I shall never look on these old hills ag’in. I don’t know as I shall miss ’em much, but I shall miss ’em more’n I shall ’em as live on ’em,”’ ‘¢ Are you goin’ so very far away, uncle?”’ asked Tom, glad to begin a conversation. ‘‘Fur? Well, I should say so. Why, boy! T’m goin’ to cross th’ ocean. I’m goin’ to South Ameriky.”’ ‘‘Ts the ocean so very wide, then, uncle, and is South Ameriky. so very far away?”’ ‘*Where’s yer jografy, boy? Seems to me you han’t paid th’ ’tention to it yer oughter fer a boy o’ yer age.’’ This touched Tom so sharply that to change the drift of the talk he asked: ‘‘Did you really break into that house at | | sion of sounds, the breadth of poles spanning th’ Pond, uncle?’’ ‘*Who said { did? I’d like to git th’ feller by th’ collar thet started th’ story. 1 was twenty miles from th’ place when it was done. But thet don’t count. A feller with a black mark ag’in his name is no better than a dead dog. But look yonder! an’t that a hoss and wagon coming, or do these old eyes of mine deceive me?’’ ‘‘It isa team. Whocan be out this'time of night? It is a white hoss, and Sheriff Trask drives a white hoss part of the time!”’ he added, beginning to move uneasily on his seat. “Tf it is the sheriff I hev got to look sharp. I believe it is—I am sure of it!’? —s CHAPTER XV. RUNNING THE GANTLET. i ¢| (e) summit of the hill they had gained was Alford’s prompt re- ly. 7 The captuin turned away, and ina few minutes the provisions were brought to the v > We landing-place by some laborers belonging to | Cape Town, and put on board the boat, sinking her quite low in the water. ‘‘Now, Smith, we had better make haste back to the ship,’’ said the midshipman, ‘*for it looks to me that the mouutain is about to put on its table-cloth; and if that be the case, the sooner we get back the better, cr we shall be driven out to sea.”’ Again the youths seized the oars and pulled away from the wharf; hut before they had pulled a quarter of the distance to the ship Alford’s prediction was realized. The wind flew suddenly around to the east; and, as is usually the case when an easterly wind sets in, the white fleecy clouds, known among sailors as the ‘‘table-cloth,’’ began to roll down the mountain’s side, completely concealing it from sight, and presenting the appearance Of huge bales of cotton contin- uously rolling over and, over from the sum- mit of the table movntain to the town and beach beneath. In a very short time the bay became-en- veloped in mist. It was impossible to see the ships lying at anchor therein, or even to see any object half a dozen yards distant from the boat, while the wind continued to increase until it blew what sailors term half a gale. Through some mishap, while he was striving to shift the cargo of ‘provisions in order to make the .boat float more even on the water, Frank Alford let his oar slip from his hand, and the next moment the oar had floated out of sight. ‘*What a confounded mishap!’’ cried the youth. ‘‘Here, Harry, quick! and hand me your oar. I must try to scull the boat along- side the ship, or we shall find ourselves adrift in the open ocean before we know what we are about.’’ The youngsters styled midshipmen were accustomed to give themselves airs over the ship boys. So Harry Smith passed his oar without a word to Frank Alford, who placed it over the stern of the boat, and began to scull away with all his might, until the oar suddenly snapped asunder in the middle, leaving the small end in the midshipman’s hand. ‘“‘There, I’ve done it now,’’ cried the youth, in dismay. ‘‘Why did the carpenter allow such a weak one to be put into the boat? We have. nothing to guide the boat alongside the ship, even if we knew which way to steer in order to find out where- ‘ the 4845 abouts she lies. Weshall drift out to sea now for certain.’’ The youth spoke the truth. The boat would now drift with the current, which had set in strongly to the southward, with- out any means on the part of those on board to check her speed or guide her alongside the ship. The mist meanwhile had become more dense, and it was now quite impossible to discern the mountain, or the clouds which had appeared to be rolling down its side. Ina few minutes Alford had sufficient evidence that the boat was drifting out of the harbor. The sound of swift rushing water became audible, and the boat shot swiftly past the dangerous reef that stretches away from the shores of Robin Island, situ- ated at the entrance of the bay; so close to reef that it was fortunate that she was not drawn in onto the rocks and instantly smashed to atoms. ‘*We are fairly adrift now,’’ said Alford. ‘*But cheer up, my boy’? (to his companion, who was trembling with fear) ‘‘The east wind seldom lasts long; and when a change comes the weather will clear up, and we shall be able to see around us. We may come across some inward-bound vessel, whose captain will tow us back into the bay; or we may be able to borrow a pair of oars from him and pull ourselves back into port. Meanwhile, it is fortunate that our boat is loaded with provisions. At any rate, if we can keep ber afloat we shall not starve for some days to come at least.’ Frank Alford spoke more hopefully than he felt in order to cheer his desponding companion; for he well knew that if the boat was to drift.far away southward there would be little chance of its coming across any vessels—masters of ‘ships usually doub- ling the Cape close in shore, in order alike to save distance, and to avoid the heavy sea which rolls: to the southward—while the boat was unfitted to float long in a stormy sea, if the wind should change and blow hard from the westward. The wind, however, continued to blow from the east for twenty-four hours; and when at length it veered around to the north-west, and the weather cleared up, no land was visible, nor was even a solitary sail to be Seen in any direction. Until now the youths had, when they felt hungry, helped themselves to some of the sweet biscuits the captain had purchased, and had drunk sparingly from a bottle of claret which Alford had taken from a ‘case of wine which was among the provisions in the boat; but conscious now that it might be many days, if indeed, he and his com- panion were ever rescued from their present position, the young midshipman determined at once, while the weather continued fair and the sea smooth, to take stock of pro- visions on board, and portion them out so that they might last as long as possible. He and the boy Harry set simultaneously to work, and soon found that there was on board the boat two bags of fine captain’s biscuit; a large ham, of course uncooked; several boxes of Chinese confectionery; a chest of tea; a. bag of coffee, already roasted; a large flitch of bacon; a quantity of kippered salmon; a barrel] of fine flour; a keg of barley; another keg of split peas; and another of sage; while in addition to these provisions there were several cases of port, and sherry, and claret, and half a dozen boxes of cigars. ‘‘Tf it should come on to blow, Harry,’’ said Alford, when the youth’s joint task was ended, ‘‘we shall have to lighten the boat and heave half her cargo overboard. The cigars should go, though they are of no great weight; but every little counts, and neither you nor I smoke. If we had any water on board, the greater portion of the wine should follow after the cigars. As to the flour, of which we can make no use, that should go overboard at once, also the bag of coffee. The other articles we must keep on board at all hazards, since we may as well drown as to starve to death, and better, too.’’ Harry consented to everything his elder companion said. ‘*T do wish that we had some water,’’ was his reply. ‘‘The wine I have drunk does not quench my thirst, while if makes me fever- 1G” ‘*‘We must try to catch some water some- how or other, if it should come on to rain,’’ answered Alford. ‘‘But now we must por- tion out our provisions to last as long as possible. It will be better to do so, even though we should be rescued to-morrow.”’ The biscuits, confectionery, and the raw ham and bacon were then sparingly por- tioned out, two meals being allowed each day, while the peas, barley, sago, and other provisions were set aside, to be consumed only when it should be necessary to eat them to keep away starvation. It was agreed between the youths that three glasses of wine should be served out to each every day, and that they should keep watch and watch, one sleeping while the other re- mained awake, so that if a vessel should make its appearance, no chance of rescue should be lost—the watches to consist of four hours each, by Frank Alford’s watch, which he fortunately had with him. his division of time and food was com- menced forthwith, Alford keeping the first watch, while, after he had eaten his portion of food, Harry reclined in the stern-sheets of the boat, and tried to compose himself to sleep. A stout tarpaulin had becn put into the boat to cover over the stores that were put on. board, and this tarpaulin now served alike to keep the spray which occasionally flew over the boat from spoiling the pro- visions, and as blankets to the youths them- selves; for, though it was Christmas time— the midsummer of the southern hemisphere —the air was very chilly at sea during the nights. For seven days—a rare occurrence at sea off the Cape of Good Hopé—the weather continued fine and the sea smooth. By this time the eatable provisions had been nearly all consumed, and the claret drunk; for no rain had fallen, and the wine was all the youths had wherewith to quench their | thirst. Some of the ham and bacon: re- mained, but neither of them cared to eat it. It created thirst; and now they had only the stronger wines, which they dared not drink, remaining. ‘*Oh, that we had some water!’’ was their constant cry. The craving for water had deadened their former feeling of hunger, and they now felt that if they did not procure fresh water soon they would go mad, and perish with thirst On the evening of the seventh day, how- ever, the sky darkened, and it threatened rain; and though Alford was aware that the rain would almost certainly be accompanied with, or followed by a storm, he was willing to run the risk of losing his life to obtain one drink of fresh water. In a few minutes raindrops began to fall, and the rain soon came down fast. The tar- paulin bad already been prepared to receive the rain-water, and the kegs of barley and sago had been emptied into a bag, in order that they might serve to hold the water for future use. At first the youths sucked up the water— tarry though it tasted—from the tarpaulin as fast as it fell; but their thirst having been quenched, they poured the water from the hollowed tarpaulin into the kegs, which, when both were filled, were carefully stowed away in the stern of the boat, where they were protected from the salt spray. Their craving for food now returned, and they ate freely of the ham and bacon they had lately disregarded, drinking the water, which they had now no means of preserving, from the tarpaulin as it fell. At length the rain ceased suddenly, and, as Alford had anticipated, the wind and sea began to rise. Both youths kept watch through the night in order to bale out the water, which would otherwise have speedily swamped the boat. Alford had dreaded al) along that the boat would fill and founder in the first storm that should arise; but half lightened of her cargo, she behaved admirably, and though the spray flew continuously over her, she shipped no heavy seas, and rose buoyantly over the waves. The storm continued throughout the night and the following day. But toward nightfall it began to snbside, and on the following morning the weather was once more nearly calm. But for the strong southerly current, which still continued, the boat would have rested almost motionless on the waters, ‘tT wonder,’’ said Harry, the day after the storm, ‘‘how far we are from the land. The farther we drift to the southward the less chance is there of our being rescued, : Is it not so, Alford?’’ “‘T fear that it is,’? was Alford’s reply. ‘*But,’’ he added, ‘‘we cannot yet be to the southward of the course taken by many ships bound to Australia. 1 wish I had some means of estimating the force of the cur- rent.’? For some minutes the youth sat apparently in deep thought. Then drawing out one of the thole-pins from the gunwale of the boat, he fastened it to a large nail which he had found in the stern-sheets, by means of a narrow strip of canvas, about five féet in length, which he cut from the tarpaulin, and thréw the loaded thole-pin, together with another pin free from any weight, over the boat’s side at the same moment. The loaded pin, notwithstanding the weight attached to it, was still carried along by the current, while the pin that floated free kept up with the boat. Five minutes, however, elapsed ere the lvaded pin was lost to sight, so strong was the cur- rent thus proved to be. ‘‘Tf must run at the rate of five or six knots an hour,’’ said the youth. ‘‘At that rate of speed, and taking into account the distance we were driven before the wind during the storm, we must be at the very least one thousand miles to the south of the Cape of Good Hope.’’ A feeling of despair came over him, for he knew well that it was not likely that any vessel, would steer a course. so far to the southward, while if they fell in with no vessel. he and his youthful companion would drift onward till the boat entered the Ant- arctic Circle, and found a port amid the frozen waters which stretched away from the South Pole. ; ‘‘Long before that,’? he thought, ‘we eace.’’ voyage. them, or they me, again in this world.”’ easily by his side. ion from giving way to déspair. frosty, summer-time though it was. swept over the sea. Alford. saw ny mother weeping fcr her absent son, as if I were already dead.’’ ‘‘Cheer up, and do not give way to such by her side, of the perils through which you have passed.’’ ‘Never, Alford!’’ exclaimed the boy; companion spoke the truth. food was consumed, and nothing remained to them to eat but the peas and sago, which had by some accident been damaged by salt- water, while of the rain-water they had saved not a drop remained. They had each drunk a small quantity of port wine to quench their thirst, and it had almost driven them mad. They lay down to sleep at night believing and hoping that they would never wake again; but they were again aroused from their slumber by a noise similar to that which they had heard a few nights before. Alford sat up in the stern of the boat—poor Harry was now too feeble even to raise his head—but nothing was to be seen to ac- count for the noise. While, however, he was still gazing around him, he heard a rushing noise, and the next moment the huge, dark body of a whale rose from the water to half its length, and blowing heavily, fell back with a tremendous splash into its native element. The mysterious noise was now explained. ‘“Supposing the monster had risen beneath the boat,’’ said Alford, as he told Harry what he had seen; ‘‘it would have shattered our frail bark to atoms. We should be thankful for our escape.’’ Yet while he was speaking; he thought it perhaps would be better for botb himself and his companion, if their misery could be ended at once. The next morning there was nothing, on board the boat that could be eaten, for the salt water had rendered the peas and sago and also the barley quite unfit for food. Nevertheless Alford, urged by hunger, strove to swallow a mouthful of sago, which was so salt and bitter that it rendered his thirst almost unendurable. Harry Smith could swallow nothing. The poor boy lay— as Frank believed—dying, at the bottom of the boat. With a feeling of utter despair, Frank Alford sat in the stern-sheets, wishing for death to put a speedy end to his sufferings. A storm appeared to be brewing to the southward, and the youth waited impatient- ly for it to burst forth, ‘“We cannot now keep the boat free from water,’’ he thought: ‘‘she will soon fill and sink, and there will be an end to this misery.’’ Suddenly he turned his head slightly, and beheld a sail in the distance, apparently steering directly toward the boat, before the rising gale. At first he feared that his eyes had deceived him, and that the vessel existed only in his heated imagination, but as she drew nearer he saw she was a brigan tine, somewhat deep in the water. Her crew were already preparing for the tempest that was brewing, and were furling her upper canyas and. lowering her fore royal-mast. ‘Rouse yourself, Harry, my dear boy,’’ cried Alford. ‘‘There is a vessel bearing down toward us. Heaven has sent her to our rescue. We shall yet see our homes once |) more.’? Alford’s words seemed for the moment to shall be frozen or starved to death. But it} put “resh life into the boy. He raised his is terrible te think of perishing so far away head gazed in the direction which his com- from one’s home and friends, who can never panion pointed out to him, and smiled. His GooDpD know where our frozen corpses rest in The youth thought of his mother and sis- ter, who were anxiously awaiting the son and brother’s return home from his long ‘They may wait in vain,’’ he muttered to himself. ‘‘It is not likely that I shall see His young companion was sleeping un- ‘*Poor boy!’ he thought, as he looked upon the boy’s thin, pale face; ‘‘he is prob- ably dreaming of the home and the loving mother he will never see again upon earth.’’ Still, when the lad awoke the young mid- shipman strove to appear hopeful and cheer- ful, and endeavored to prevent his compan- Another day passed away. As the boat drifted southward the weather grew colder and colder, and already the nights felt During the night (when both youths had dozed off to sleep, crouched together be- neath the tarpaulin for the sake of warmth, for they had no longer the strength to keep watch and watch, nor, unless in case of a storm arising, did Aiford deem it necessary to do so, as he had given up all hope of rescue) they were awakened by a terrible noise. Both started up, believing that a storm had swept suddenly upon them. But nothing was to be seen but the foam on the water, nor was anything audible but the soughing sound of the light breeze as it ‘‘What can it have been?’’ said Frank ‘*Perhaps a sign of our death,’’? Harry feebly replied. ‘‘I dreamed to-night that I thoughts,’’ replied Frank. ‘‘You will see your mother again, and tell her, as you sit and Alford himself really believed that his On the tenth day the last portion of the NEWS. lips moved as if he were trying to speak, but he uttered no words. The next moment he sank back into Frank Alford’s arms. **Good heaven!’’ the youth exclaimed; ‘‘the poor boy is dead—died at the moment when relief has come tousafter all our safferings !’’ Rolling heavily as she sailed before the gale, the brigantine’s crew appeared to be ignorant of the fact that the boat was near, though she was steering directly toward it. Alford began now to fear that the boat would be run over by the approaching vessel. He shouted with all his feeble strength, but ‘his faint cries were unheard. He waved his hands above his head, but his signals were unnoticed. ‘‘She will*run us down or pass by without seeing us!’’ he cried, in accents of despair. But as he uttered the words, a sailor who was aloft shouted to the captain of the brigantine that there was a boat right abead and close aboard. Instantly, at the imminent risk of losing her masts, the brigantine was thrown up in the wind, and hove to. The captain saw through his spy-glass that there was at least, one living person in the boat, and he ordered his own boat to be lowered into the water, though the sea’ran so high that it was dangerous for the boat to leave the vessel’s side. Volunteers, however, readily offered to go to the rescue, and the brigantine’s boat, cominanded by the mate, was soon almost alongside the boat. Alford had seen the brave boat’s crew of the brigantine coming to his rescue. He had heard the sound of the oars in the row- locks; and then his senses had failed him, and he sank back in the stern-sheets of his own boat, with the senseless boy still lying across his knees. It was dangerous in such asea for the boats to: approach each other closely, and the mate of the brigantine ordered his men to hold water, and keep their boat at a safe distance from the other. ‘*‘We are too late, lads, I fear,’’ he said. ‘*Tf the captain really saw any living creat- ure aboard the boat, the poor chap has either fainted away or given up the ghost.’’ He called loudly, inquiring whether any one was aboard; but received no reply. ‘“‘T don’t believe there is anybody on board?#’’ he went on; ‘‘neither can I con- ceive how a boat can have drifted thus far south from any vessel, unless she were a sealer, like our own craft. We’d best return aboard, boys, afore the gale blows any harder, for we are going to have a dirty night, and if the sea rises much higher, both our own boat and the one that is adrift will be swamped.”’ ‘‘Tam sure that there was a living being on board the boat just before we left the brigantine,’’ said a young sailor. ‘‘I saw him wave his arms above his head, as plain as I see you now.’’ ‘‘Well, if that be the case, lad,’’ replied the mate, ‘‘it shall never be said that Jack Thomson left a fellow creéter to his fate. We’ll pull alongside the boat at all bazards, and if the poor chap is still alive, we’ll carry him aboard the brigantine.’ The sailors were as ready as the mate to risk their own lives to save the life of a brother seaman, to whatever nation he might belong. The boat was immediately pe alongside, and grappled fast to the Hlephanta’s boat. The two boats rose and fell together in the heavy seas, and more than once it appeared certain that both would founder. This, however, was pre- vented by the skill and watchfulness of the seamen of the brigantine; and the mate, leaning over the gunwale of the Elephanta’s boat, and feeling over the bottom of the stern-sheets, exclaimed, excitedly : ‘“By jingo, boys, here’s two of ’em, both warm, and with their hearts a-beatin’, though faintly. We must lift ’em into our own boat and carry ’em aboard the brigan- tine. They may yet be brought round, poor creeturs !’’ The youths, still senseless, were, with no little difficulty, lifted out of their own boat into that of their gallant rescuers and care- fully laid in the stern-sheets of the latter craft. ‘Now, boys, pull alongside the vessel as soon as you like,’’ cried the mate, ‘‘or we shall not get aboard at all. Never mind the t’other boat. She’d be a good prize; but t’?wouldn’t be safe to wait any longer, nor to attempt to tow her alongside the brigan- tine, in such a sea, so let her go on a voyage by herself to the South Pole. Bear a hand, Yads; the sea is rising every moment.”’ The brave sailors bent to their oars, the mate steered the boat, and though the seas constantly broke over her as she was now pulled against wind and sea, she reached the side of the brigantine in safety. The rescued youths were hoisted, still uncon- scious, on board the vessel, and the boat’s been squared, she sailed on her course, seem- tween ’em. That’s the best physic to bil ’em round; and then strip off their soak clothes and wrap ’em up in warm blanke Let ’em have a good sleep, and I’ll warral they’ll be all right in the morning. George, how it do blow. deck and have the reefed topsail furled, the canvas *1l1 be torn to shreds. w after the poor chaps, steward. [11 come alge a look at ’em again as soon as the vess@ re made all snug.”’ re Thus speaking, the captain ascended the deck, and the steward, obedient to ® orders he bad received, contrived to mé both the youths swallow a sufficient qué tity of rum to have intoxicated two stro ‘*Tt won’t do’em no harm,’’ he mutteré ‘ ; ‘*There isn’t no doctor’s stuff half so g@ to bring a poor fellow round to his senses He then stripped off their soaked garme? and rubbed them dry with a flannel, warm at the cabin fire, and wrapped them up thick, warm blankets. This treatment soon had a good effé upon the unconscious youths. Frank Alfol first, and then Harry Smith, regained h® senses, and opening their eyes, gazed aroue them, wondering how they had come t0 @ where they were, and how they had bee rescued from the fate which had threatem® Alford soon recollected that the b% from a brigantine had been Jowere pulled toward his own boat. coubt. that he and his companion were aboard the brigantine, which was now T ing almost gunwales under, as she ran © He discovered that the Harry had recovered from the faint whIG he had believed to be death, and then” into a sound sleep, which lasted until 4) light, by which time the gale, though | still blew heavily, had somewhat abat When he awoke, the captain—his glistening with wet—had just refturne@ “Well, lad,’? said he, addressing Alfom ‘*s9 you’ve come, round, and so has Y%&% I knew you’d soon d the rum1@ and had hady Not m hing to ¢ young shipmate. right when you’d swallowe the steward to give you, good sleep in dry, warm blankets. you’re hungry, steward shall bring you something but you mustn’t eat too much at a times | to judge by the looks of you, you’vé well nigh died of starvation, and stomachs will be weak. with questions now, but when A strong enough you shall tell me how come to have got adrift so fal south’ard in that boat of your’n. yourselves as comfortable as you cal, og Ask the steward for whatever you walls) we’ve got aboard, and he’ll bring it 107% and don’t neither of ye be ina 1’ll_ warrant? bother @ you # And so saying, the kind-hearted caP again ascepded to the vessel’ The steward brought both the y light food, and when they had much as they cared to eat, Alford aske@ © steward to tell him the name of thé V@ he was on board of, and that of the caP who had rescued him and his young panion in distress from the terrible with which they had been threatened. He was informed that the brigantine asealer, bound with a full cargo 9 skins, from the Falkland Islands to 8 to which port the vessel belonged: t had been absent from Sydney more two years, but had made a very pro voyage, as the cargo she carried The steward added ked Oy tay co fal w w that e Ann, after ) Al ‘i da i ‘as eve vessel was named the Sarah chief owner’s daughter, and that t tain’s name was Mordaunt, ‘‘as gO low,’’ said the man, in conclusion, sailed on salt water.’’ It is needless to say that the y had gone through so much soo their health and strength. The ca the brigantine listened wonderingly to ai! story, and told them that he woul them both in Sydney, and introduce to his chief owner, who, he bad no would see that they wante while’ they remained in Sydney, @ rovide them with a berth on boar omeward-bound ship. As for himself, he ad sufficiently rewarded by rescuing the™ the fate with which they had been ened, and in seeing them both resto health. At the expiration of five weeks antine arrived safely at Sydney, V story of their adventures in.an Ope having become known, the you treated with every possible kindness inhabitants of the thriving city. H of the brigantine fulfilled the prom! in his name hy the captain, an pleasant sojouru of five weeks in crew, dripping with water as if they had all| they were received on board a large © been overboard, clambered to the brigan-|ship which was ready to go tine’s deck. The boat was speedily hoisted | after a voyage of eighty days, on board, and the vessel’s yards having | safely in Liverpool. The Elephanta to which t ing almost to fly before the increasing gale. | had only arrived in London ten days ‘*By George, they’re two young fellows,” | the arrival at Liverpool of said the captain of the brigantine, when the youths were carried into his cabin, and laid one on his own bed, the other on the cabin ouths a r bh oud ci p ' pol! fro | ret the bil F bee sa se git at i a | A pit from Sydney. The captain o b anf however, had already written t of the youths, acquainting the sofa. ‘‘Here, steward, bring a. tumbler of! their supposed loss at sea under rum, and make ’em swaller the liquor be- stances which he described. cut I must go ups apy i ny ey : salt 1 ] boat-clols b NU So ma Jae burry to gu tay ouths sue W i, gus fy a4 oF a ap i 1] . : ce he ¢ | Weeks in adv, __ The boat which they were pulling off to the ship. he stated, had gone adrift during dense fog caused by an easterly wind, and ‘hough there was a large quantity of pro- “iSions om board the boat, upon which they might have subsisted for several days, he Teared that they were both lost. _ There was little doubt in his mind, he dded, that the boat had foundered at sea, ince a vessel which was sent to search for 4er as soon as the weather cleared up could | nothing of her, neither could any- | discover thing be heard of her from the captains of M2ward-bound ships which entered the port. 4t was his (the captain’s) belief that the t had gone down during a strong wester- me gle which arose a day or two after she Had gone adrift. Thus, when the youths went from Liver- Pool to their mothers and friends, they were | *esived as if they had arisen from the | were wearing | sfave, and their relatives ‘Mourning for them. As my readers will Teadily imagine, the mourning was quickly ‘s nd Joyfully thrown aside, and the grief of mer relatives was turned into gladness. 8y remained with their friehds until the | lephanta to which they belonged was again | ‘Yead and And officers, wring the voyage that followed they met i Ith no mishap and returned home at the econ of eighteen months, in health and y to sail, when they rejoined the ship, # Frank Alford, whose parents were wealth y; not continue long to lead a sailor’s life; | , tthe boy Harry Smith continued to sail m board “the Elephanta for many years, a, behaved himself so well that in twelve 34 Ts after his adventure on board the open goat he had passed through the various ades from fourth to first mate, and had “en promoted to the rank of captain in fo Ompany’s service., This rank he held r several years, when he retired from the rvice with an ample fortune. n the decease of his uncle, Frank Alford : feed to a large estate, and lived the Eby ma 4 wealthy country squire, respected ni all’ who knew him, and beloved by his “umerous tenantry. Ser © perils they had encountered together t to create a firm bond of friendship Ween Squire Alford and Captain Smith, when the latter retired from the com-’ ces Service, he frequently visited the re and spent a few weeks with him at » Country seat. Both have been some yeurs ad, but their children still live, and per- PS some of them may chance to read this is true, with the exception that are altered. In every other re- have faithfully adhered to actual > 0 > \ x ; fe =! fay < Mor Mai Bac. ; [Ques dealt vies on Subjects of general interest only are § not ton the “Mail Bag.” Medical or legal ques- Oswered. Goop NEWS goes to press two ance of date of publication, and there- Cannot appear until two or three weeks receive them. Communications intended for answers T Wwe Hag Column Should be addressed Goop Nrws ‘Mail *: O. Box 2734, New York City. i ‘ Bie cs jt va - Spite of Himself, Toledo, Ohio.—1. You i least twenty-one years of age to join the tes Army, 2, Walter Morris has written S: “Slaves of the Circus,” “Bob Porter Academy,” and “Stealing a Steamer.” Liberia,” “From Fort to Prison,” “The Woods,” “Commodore Frank,” “The friea,” ‘““Jungles and Traitors,” and on, 3 d Wigwam,” are by William Murray ginning ‘ The champions of the National League, ; ovidence” th 1883, have been as follows: Boston, Rev York’ Chicago, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Ston Balti rooklyn, Boston, Boston, Cleveland, Cc leberry More, Baltimore. 4. See answer to Y Finn. 5. Your writing is fair. 6. The ork Weekly, scriber, Colorado City, Col.—1. Sa , ‘a ity, .—l, Say as simply ai that you have enjoyed yourself exceedingly, er | Rat hostess for her kindness. 2. It is ae es young lady’s arm. If anor ‘ rs. 3, 1en accompanying a lady ae. Precede her down the aisle, but allow th for metOW Of seats first, 4. Write to Street average he rcatalogue. 5. You are much above AmManship os in weight and height. 6. No, your ved with by no means bad. but it can be im- "4 Your pa: ve: . We are much pleased that you _H; nts think so highly of Goop News. Finn, Toled =~ > nex a , Toledo, Ohio.—1. The next leap r Years 6 - 1904. 1900 is nota leap year. Every 1d they are] eap year, except the even centuries, Tr takes abolGtP Years only when divisible by 400. the Atia t six days fora first-class steamship to Wn. 3. he wie —that is, from New York to Queens- yp Pyraneven Wonders of the World were the Di mids, the Mausoleum of Artemisia, the ana at Ephesus, the Walls and Hanging f Tupitercors the Colossus at Rhodes, the Fi , Alexand _ npus, and the Pharos or Watch anoy City, Pa.—1. Tt vi ¥ \ity, Pa.—1. The half-cent of 1803 is af ce 2. We cannot give the names and Usiness firms in this column. 3. The eed rinters’ inks isa difficult one. You tie eaper than you can make them, 4. ayesht of a boy of fifteen is 4 feet 11 y danake Weight is eighty pounds. 5. A ©us “Jong pants” between sixteen and » .he only way to learn to play the & Competent teacher. - Y.—1. The Czar’s daughter is James jg° Tone. 2. We do not know where ‘than Gorman the United States has a better OW many pena but not so good a one as France. JS entipe} p @ COUld be put in the field in case of meg, States Yobroblematical. 5. We think the try, irnish as ‘ Y is Great B Hite as good men as any arg atchburg, Mass,—It is believed that were kindly welcomed by the captain | GooDp the sun. As they are trayeling in a contrary direction to the earth the velocity with which they enter our atmosphere is very great—on an average about thirty miles a second. H, J. C., Marion, Ind.—1. All that you have to do to form a club is to decide upon the object of your club, | give it a name (which must contain the words Goop News), and elect your officers. 2. Each club issues its own certificate of membership. &, H., Easton, Pa.—We have never had such an article in Goop News, but we will hand your com- munication to Mr. Parks, to whom it properly be- longs, and perhaps he will see his way clear to grant- ing your request. C. H. N., Newport, Vt.—1. July 21, 1880, fell on Wednesday. 2. The expression ‘in divers manners”’ means “in various ways.” 3. For a boy of fifteen your handwriting is excellent. M. A, B., Providence, R. I.—Get a New York di- rectory and see if you can find his name. If not, the only way to find your missing uncle is to apply to the police. Canadian, St. Catherines, Ont.—Queen Victoria | ascended the throne June 20, 1887, She has reigned longer than any sovereign in the world now living, Cuban Sympathizer, Albany, N. between New York city and Havana is 1,413 miles, and it takes three days to go there by steamer. Subscriber. Sioux Falls, Dak.—You can feed your | toad upon slugs, caterpillars, or beetles—in fact, al- most any sort of insect. | gording to the latest rules of foot-ball. 2. See answer | to Bi J, ©, | the Emancipation Proclamation January 1, 1863. Base-ball Player, Marionville, Mo.—Write to Spald- ing & Co., Nassau street, New York city. EB. take out a lieense to run your boat. A, ©. W., Trenton, N. J.—Easter Sunday occurs this year on the 5th of April. (Several communications left over to be answered next week.) AMONG Goon News iGuss. steamship coat ‘ a (SPECIAL NOTICE.,—'This column is for Goobp NkEwWs Clubs only. No notices will be inserted excepting such as are genuine GOOD NEws Club notices, and nothing in the shape:of an advertise. ment will be allowed. Every club uotice should have the names of the president and secretary of the elub attached. For information concerning Goop NEWs Club Badge and Electrotypes see ad- vertisement on last page. | CLUB CHAT. The Capitol City Goop Nrws Club has a member- ship of over 200. + - Frank B. Sommer, Chicago, Tll., has been appointed assistant secretary of the World Corresponding Club, of that city. CLUB, NOTICES. Young Americans.—What a chance you are miss” ing, boys and girls, by not joining at once the Goop News Corresponding Club of Allegheny. This club publishes its own paper, which has club, chat, puzzle and stamp departments, also an exchange depart- | ment in which members have free notices. To the first joining after this notice will be given twenty-five for- } eign stamps, fifty cards, or twenty-five envelopes, with name and address, also the Little Jewel. The club organ will be given to members free. Initiation | fee, 10 cents; dues, 6 cents per month. So come boys | and girls and help to swell our ranks. For informa- tion address, with stamp, the secretary, F. H. Mills, Box 26, Morgan, Allegheny County, Pa. Join the Goop Nrws Marine Corresponding Club of Duluth, Minn. Gentlemen are admitted for 10 cents initiation fee; and dues, 15 cents per quarter, payable in advance. Ladiesare admitted free of dues and fees. We offer prizes to all members securing more members for the club at the above rates. All joining will receive a handsome membership card, a new membership list, and Club News (a neat amateur paper), every month free as long as dues are kept up. Full particulars for a 2c. stamp. Address James M. Campbell, president and secretary, Duluth, Minn. Join the Goop NEws Reading and Exchange Club of Johnson City, Tenn. Initiation fee, 10 cents ; dues, 10 cents per month, in advance. You receive 50 cents worth of reading matter every month. Send us eight bicycle coupons before No. 805 of Goop News is out and you will have your initiation fee and dues paid for one month. Twenty-fifth joining receives Goop News for six months; 50th, Goop N&ws for one year. Larry Crowell, president ; W. W. Damur, vice- resident; Wallace McLeod, treasurer and secretary. ‘or further particulars address the secretary. Come and join the Flour City Goop Nrws Club and help us to make it known wherever our paper goes. We meet the 20th of every month. Initiation fee is 15 cents and dues 5 cents per month, paid in ad- vance every three months, ‘A grand present to every one joining and one every time you pay your dues. Remember you receive a bundle of reading matter every month, besides our presents, You are all asked to join and see what a grand club we can have. Ad- dress H. E,. Williams, secretary, 115 19th avenue, So., Minneapolis, Minn. More members are wanted for the Goop News Stars and Stripes Corresponding and Exchange Club of Duluth, Minn, All joining receive membership eard and list, application blank, trick, stamp, flirta- tion, ete. All joining this week have the choice of bundle of good reading matter, or fifty foreign stamps. Don’t delay joining this club if you wish to be up-to- date. Initiation fee, 10 cents; yearly dues, 25 cents, payable six months in advance. Address the secre- tary, Wm. G. Campbell, Duluth, Minn. Well, here are prizes we are offering, to members only: To the one pele the most members for the Goop News Readi give fifty cards with his or her name and address on. This contest closes on March 31, 1896. A membership reard, No. 2 list, two good novels, and ten mixed stamps given to all joining. Initiation fee, 10 cents; dues, 5 cents a quarter; ladies and foreigners. free. For all information, address the secretary, John M. Crom, Rankin, Allegheny County, Pa. “Gee whizz! what have I struck ?”” Why, you have | struck the best offer ever made by a club. Send 10! | cents in silver, and be enrolled a member of the Bean | City Corresponding Club of South Boston, Mass., and receive membership card, Nick-Nacks, the club paper, | six months free, with name in mail list one month, which will bring you lots of mail from all parts of the | United States, and five foreign stamps, all different, just for 10 cents in silver. Initiation fee, 10 cents; no | dues; ladies, 5 cents. Goop NEws National Corresponding Club of Lewis, i Y.—The "distance | A. A. W., Terre Haute, Ind.—1. No, he cannot, ac- | B. D., Manchester, N. H.—President Lincoln issued | M., Murphysboro, Ill.—Yes, you will have to | ng Club of Rankin, Pa., we will | NEWS. president; Miss Emily Siegrest, vice-president, and Arthur S. Riegel, secretary and treasurer. The fees for the next ten days will be 6 cents; no dues; ladies, a2e.stamp. All joining will receive a big bundle of reading matter free. 10 cents. Certificate and list to all joining. Join now. The Goop News [International Philatelic Society, and the Goop News Windsor Corresponding and Philatelic Society have disbanded. Persons having paid dues therein can have the same returned. In- | paid written thereon with return. postage to Chas. C. Canfield, Fairmount Station, Philadelphia, Pa, Ap- plication must be made immediately. Consolidation.—Notice is hereby given that the Goop News Upright and Honest Corresponding Club | and the Capitol City Goop NEws Club have consoli- | | dated, and will be known hereafter as the Capitol City | Members of the’ Capitol who | Goop NEws Club. | have not received List 3 are aware that a 2c, stamp is | necessary for postage. Thos. A. Martin, secretary, | Woodburn, Terra Cotta, D. C. ; Come on, boys and girls! | late. | always at the head. Initiation fee, 5 cents; dues, 3 |centsa month. Ladies free, | week will receive a novel and a beautiful member- | Ship card and list of members. Address ‘the secretary, | Thomas Onneson, P. O. Box 268, Montreal, Canada. | Attention! Have you heard of our great prize con- | test? If not, see notice in last number of Goop News. Contest closes February 29th. Everybody should join | the American’ Goop Nrws Corresponding Club, so as to take partin this contest. Initiation, gents 10 | cents; ladies and foreigners free. | retary, C. W. Noyes, Box 20, Newport, Vt. The Goop NrEws Junior Philatelic Association of of the Goop News Club. If you want your name to appear in it send a postal, giving full particulars, num ber of stamps in collection, specialty, etc., to the sec- | retary, F. G. Watkins, Jr., 889 6th street, Louisville, Ky. All joining Goop News Stamp and Exchange Club this week will receive membership card, bundle of reading matter, fifteen foreign stamps, ten old United States revenue, and one old Ganada law stamp. Fee, 10 cents; ditto dues. Address the president, Ferd. Wetherington, Jr., 722 Harrison street. Special offer, this week only, to all joining the Goop NEws Literature Club, will receive back num- bers of Goob NEwWs and other papers and magazines. Initiation fee, 15e. For particulars address the secre- tary, W. C. Lange, 309 W. 39th street, New York city. All boys and girls living in Vermont desiring to help founda Green Mountain State Exchange (lub, send name, list of articles to. be exchanged, and a 2c. stamp to J. E. Woodruff, Box 273, Brandon, Vt. Only State exchangers need apply. All boys living in New York and Brooklyn who would like to join a cadet corps, please drop a line to Freadrich Fischer, or call and see him at his home, 144 7th avenue, New York city. Wanted, a good drill captain. Robert Love, 2414 Pennsylvania avenue, Baltimore, Goop NEws who wish to establish a Goop NEws times. Goop NEws Athletic Club of Baltimore, Md., FE. L. Wilson, president ; L. H. Horn, vice-president ; P. H. Hunter, treasurer; H. T. Hough, secretary, 3107 W. North avenue, Baltimore, Md. Eighteen members. —~<@—-9—-<@—__—_—__—_ XCHANGE SL) EPARTMENT. ee een - 9 ’ {ImportTant.—This column is /fveeto all our readers. We will not be responsible for transactions brought about through notices in this column. All offers must be strictly exchange offers. We will uot insert any “for sale” advertisements, nor exchanges of fire-arms, explosives, dangerous or worthless articles. If exchange notices do not ater in a reasonable time, it may be understood that they were not accepted. Address al] conununications for this column to “Exchange De- partment.”) WATCHES.—Walter Cade, Savannah, Ga., will give one silver chatelaine lady’s or boy’s watch, valued at $6, for every three of the $1 Columbian stamps. : MISCELLANEOUS.—G. Turner, 1020 E. 9th street, Kansas City, Mo., will give fifteen foreign stamps for every lion coffee wrapper, twenty-five foreign stamps for every Indian arrow head, ten bound books fortwen- ty-five 5-cent novels, $10 worth of stamps on sheets for $15 worth of miscellaneous reading matter, a col- lection of 800 stamps in album, etc., for Indian relics, printing press, stamps catalogued at 5 cents or over, or best offers. Also old coins wanted. STAMPS.—E. Earle Lowe, Amos, W.Va., will give $1.25 worth of good stamps on sheets for a $1 type- writer if in good condition; also wants to exchange good foreign and United States for Canadian stamps: what you want, and receive sheets by return mail to select from. Honesty guaranteed. ; PHILATELIC PAPERS.—G. L. Collester, 382 Wal- nut. street, Springfield, Mass., will give a covered philatelic paper for every stamp catalogued at 8c. or over, - MISCELLANEOUS.—John Gamble, 72 Tremont street, Springfield, Mass., has fifty picture cards, novels of all kinds, and coupons from Goop Nrws to exchange for best offer. All lettersanswered if stamp is inclosed. READING MATTER, ETC.—David C. Alexander, 818 Centre street, Henderson, Ky., wants newsboy hotos. Have you got any? If you have write to Sian He has stamp booksand reading matter of every ean a to exchange for them. swered. No postals. STAMPS.—L. P. Head, Lock Box 21, Hickman, Ky., will exchange twelve bicycle coupons of Goop News for twelve blank, unused approval sheets, or for 8c. stamp four for each; also has a used stamp album, will hold 2,575 stamps, for blank approval sheets, or $2 United States stamp. BICYCLE COUPONS.—S. Phillips, 1914 Third ave- nue, New York, would like to hear from. any one who desires to trade their bicyele coupons. Will make a good offer. MISCELLANEOUS.—F. G. Watkins, Jr., 839 6th street, Louisville, Ky., will give 100 mixed foreign or United States stamps for every Goop Nrws bicycle coupon sent him. Ice skates, collection of stamps, fine harmonico, pair dumb-bells, books, and papers, etc., to exchange for coupons. MISCELLANEOUS.—R. V. Perine, Box 351, West- field, N. J., wants list of exchanges. Will send his. Write to him, stating what you have. READING MATTER.—Robt. Ives, 903 N. 6th street, Burlington, Iowa, has Goop Nrws from No, 196 to 265, and two volumes of other papers to ex- change for a punching-bag, gloves, or books, by Gray- , don, Castlemon, Ellis, Jayne, etc., or sweater. Also | has thirty new 5-cent novels, of which he will give two for each of the following “log Cabin Library :”’ All letters an- 1 solid bodies, revolving round ' ton, Pa., has been organized, with Geo, T, Collester- Nos. 1, 38, 40, 62, 50,74, 111, 113, 115, 29, er 101. close membership certificate with amount of dues | } | to exchange for Columbian stamps, or best offer. | will also give five revenue stamps of the United | three taken. Everybody joining this | Louisville, Ky., is about to issue a philatelic blue-book | Md., would like to hear from Baltimore readers of | club, with a club-room which they can go in at all’ send stamps (the one”you have to exchange) and | 4847 MISCELLANEOUS.—Homer H. Martin, Clinton, Mo., has a fine compass, five 8c., five 5c., and seven 10c. Columbians, one book, ““A Wall Street Haul,’’ by Nick Carter ; two-\Nick Carter libraries. and a font of After February 20 dues will be | job type, cost $2, to exchange for a font of script type, ladies’ hand script preferred ; size about double pica * must bein good condition. Also two 8c., two 10c. two 5c., two Ic.,and two 2c. Columbians for a Goop NEws Club badge or cut, STAMPS.—Lee Spalding, 9 Otis street, Batavia, N. Y., has United States and foreign stamps in sheets He States for every 5-cent novel sent him. No less than AS many as you like. STAMPS.—A. Herbst, 106 E. 111th street, New York, will give a 6c. post-office department envelope, unused and entire, for a 15c. Columbian stamp, un- used, or best offer in United States stamps. READING MATTER.—B. A. Wilson, 24 Sinnott place, Chicago, Ill., has twenty different story papers | to exchange for a 15c, or 30c. Columbian stamp; ama- Join now before it’s too | The Goop NrEws Amateur Amusing Club is | teur and philatelic papers for stamps. GOOD NEWS.—William J. Petrain, 330 N. 19th street, Portland, Ore., will give any four of the fol- lowing volumes of Goop.NrEws: 2, 3,5, 6, 9, 10, 11, and part of 8, for the following Goop Nrws: Vols. 1, 4, 7, and Nos. 200 to 208 inclusive, or the whole lot for best offer in books by Castlemon, Alger, Ellison, Graydon. BOYS’ PAPERS.—G. J. Meyers, 5913 Wentworth avenue, Chicago, Ill., has Vols. 9 and 10 of Goon NEws and two volumes of other papers to exchange | for boys’ papers; Vol. 11 of the Goop News pre- Bea sae. | Address the sec- | ferred. Would prefer to exchange with some one liv- ing in this city. READING MATTER.—Dell Cooney, Sterling, Kan., has twenty Goop News and a lot of 5-cent | libraries to exchange for Goop NEws before No. 50. BICYCLE COUPONS.—Thomas H. Taylor, Box | 156, Richfield Springs, N. Y., will give twelve bicycle } coupons in Goop Nrws for the best offer, or an elec- | trical door-bell. MISCELLANEOUS.—Adolf Boehm, 575° W. 25th | Street, Chicago, Ill., will givea small advertising dic- tionary, sixty stamps (over twenty varieties), eight | (all different) postal cards, a year’s subscription to the | “Chicago Hustler,” a monthly paper, or 15 cents worth of stamps off of sheets for every three Goop NEws bicycle coupons. Send your coupons as soon as possible, and receive whichever offer you prefer. NICK CARTER LIBRARIES.—Lee Hooper, 1330 Alabama street, Selma, Ala., has Nick Carter Libra- ries Nos. 146, 155, 110, 171, 78, 65, 152, 128, 135, 148, 229, 68, 227, 125, 87, 93, 129, 104, and will exchange two of the above for any one of the following: Nos. 20, 31, 32, 34, 35, 39, 43, 44, 46. GOOD NEWS.—Oscar King, 828 N. 3d street, Phila- delphia, Pa., has Vols.6 and 7and Nos. 228 to 298 to exchange for a punching-bag, or best offer. HISTORY OF ANIMALS.—John Matthews, 645 W. Ohio street, Chicago, Ill., has the complete his- tory of animals, by Brehams, to exchange for circus properties of any kind, or offers. STAMPS.—Philip Vogel, 1206 Grundy street, Nash- ville, Tenn., will give 5,000 United Stamps, 1890 and 1891 issues, for 500 foreign stamps, in good condition. MANDOLIN.—James Hannon, 12 Catherine street, Saratoga Spa, N. Y., has a new mandolin to exchange for best offer in Columbian stamps above 10c., or any- thing useful. PICTURE CARDS.—Ernest Gonyon, P. O. Box 564, Medfield Mass., has 259 picture cards to exchange for best offer. MISCELLANEOUS.—W. C. Beall, 515 N. Robey street, Chicaga, I1]., has a lot of magazines and Goop NEws, an electric motor, 1-46 horse-power storage, to exchange for a cornet in first-class condition, or best offer in instruments. CANOE.—S. E. Mohney, Reynoldsville, Pa., has a 14-foot canoe and donble paddles, used three months, and in good shape, to exchange for a 5x8 self-inkin press or offers in type. ’ INK-ERASERS. — William Kennedy, Marengo, Ill., will exchange one chemical ink-eraser, with directions for using, for five bicycle coupons; have forty-eight sent along quick; also other articles for coupons. * MISCELLANEOUS.—Harry G. Haskell, 52 Hunt- ress street, Portland, Me., has stamps, curiosities, boys’ papers, an ocarina, ‘““Thompson’s Pocket Man- ual,” new (retails 25 cents), to exchange for coins. BOXING-GLOVES AND SKATES.—G. Kelly, 710 Driggs avenue, Brooklyn, E. D., N. Y., would like to exchange one set boxing gloves and one pair ice skates for mandolin, banjo, or violin and bow. GOOD NEWS.—Karl B. Kumpe, 523 Mill street, Spokane, Wash., has the numbers of Goop NrEws that contain the “Jack of Diamonds” to exchange for the numbers in which the “‘The Boy Cattle King’’ was contained. . NOVELS.—Robert» Gifford, Mt. "Vernon, Il., will give twenty-six 5-cent.and 10-cent novels for any of these volumes of Goop NEws: Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, or 7. MISCELLA NEOUS.—G. Schmitt, 1600 St.. Mark’s square, Nicetown, Pa., has eighteen cloth-bound books, twenty-four colored pictures, ninety newsboy photos, one Iron City dish-washer, cost $5, and many other useful articles, to exchange for wigsand beards, camera, electrical goods, or best offer. All letters answered. BICYCLE COUPONS.—W. T. Ballew, Decatur, Ala., will give good exchange forGoop Nrws bicycle coupons. Would like to hear from parties having a kombi, or pocket kodak, with outfit, to exchange. GOOD NEWS.—A. Krickman, care E. J. Goddard, 450 3d avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y., has Goop Nrws to oe for bicycle coupons. Send for list of num- ers. ‘ READING MATTER.—William F. Gorman, 60_ Gate street, has 10,000 United States stamps, four 5- cent libraries, two 10-cent novels, two 25-cent books, 10-cent bank, and lots of other reading matter, to ex- change for printing press, 3x4, with type, or best offer in printing material. STAMPS AND NOVELS.—Carroll Mayhew, Mur- . physboro, Ill., will give twenty-five stamps for each 5-cent novel sent him, or fifty stamps for every 10-cent novel. Bicycle coupons for novels. , READING MATTER AND STAMPS,—Clancy W. Wolfe, Greenfield, Ind., has twenty “Nick Carters” — to exchange for other 5-cent novels; all good. Also a 25-cent novel, entitled “On the Hurricane Deck.” Stamps for stamps. \ BOYS’ PAPERS.—Max Graves, 317 N. New Jersey street, Indianapolis, Ind., has boys’ papers of 1895 to exchange for Vol. 1 or 2 of Goop NEws. READING MATTER, ETC.—C. H. Noyes, Box 20, Newport, Vt., has 258 novels, picture cards, etc., to exchange for novels and boys’ papers; Vols. 1, 3, and 4 of Goop News wanted especially. PHOTOGRAPHS.—Robert Crook, 9 Salem street, Cambridgeport, Mass., has cabinet photographs of Defender or Valkyrie to exchange for best offer. * MISCELLANEOUS. —John Sulda, 2d, Box 138, Turner’s Falls, Mass., bas 290 picture cards, foot-ball and base-ball players; a 25-cent novel, and a Develine whistle to exchange for best offer in foreign stamps. GOOD BWeeeves 0) BeBe Outing Light Roadster, $85.00. All the latest improvements will be found in the #85. 00 Outing Bicycle. WEIGHT, 22 pounds. WHEELS, 28 ins., Woop Rims. Spokes, Needle Wire. Tires, Morgan & Wright. PrEbDALS, Rat Trap. HanpLeE-Bar, Reversible. GEAR, 64 to 72 ins. TREAD, 5 ins. This Bicycle was on exhibition last month at the Cycle Show in New York City, and was highly commended, Hay (& Willets ee Company, Indianapolis, Ind., are ‘the manufacturers. Thy of these High- -Girade 1896 Bicycles Given Away. to Good News Readers. GRAND CONTEST OF COUPONS. To the thirty readers of the King of Boy’s Weeklies sending to the Contest Department, Goop News, the greatest] y number of coupons clipped from the twelve issues of Goop NEWS commencing with No. 296 and ending with No. 307, _ will receive an $85.00 1896 Outing Bicycle. Coupon on page two. For full particulars see inside pages. The manufacturers of the $85.00 1896 Outing Light ioadiees guarantees the Bicycle to be free from all imper- _ fections in material or manufacture. For catalogue of the Outing Bicycle write to the manu- facturers, Hay & Willets, Indianapolis, Ind. Coupons . are’ to be mete to the office of Good News A ag March 7th. "Address all communications to CONTEST DEPARTMENT, GOOD NEWS, New hee Crry, 1 Ay | |ICAL Co., 2, ‘SPEAK NEWS. SPECIAL._We will send FREE, on receipt of 2 cent stamp to pay for mailing and packing, @ Se five cent book entitled Family Medical Instructor.’’ This book has been compiled with great care, and in cases of emergency will be foundinvaluable. Tormons CHEM- 4, 6,and 8 Duane St., New York. DON'T in Sehool until you have seen our List of Recitations, Speakers and Dialogues. Best published! New Catalogues Free. De Witt, 33 Rose St., New York. _ Mention G ood N News. Hidden Name, Silk Fringe, Envelo 4 and Onlling aa CARDS ever offered for a 2 cent stamp. These are GENUI CARDS, NOT TRASH. UNION CARD CO,, COLUMBUS, OWI. Mention Good News. ARRIAGE PAPER with 1,000. ads. and photos ofmarriageable people, many rich, lists of rare books, ete., free. GUNNELS’ MONTHLY, Toledo, Ohio, Mention Good News. 2000 want to marry, many very protty and rich, list and addross- M AR RY:: FREE. Cupid’s Columns the best matrimonial paper publishe od, 3mos, only 10 cts» National Agency, Fair Point, Mina, Mention Good News. EVERY YOUNG MAN Should read the book entitled HOW TO DO BUSINESS, This book is a guide to success in life, as it not only tells how to do business, but how to succeed init. In- teresting chapters on Fundamental Serene Kinds of Business, Qualifications for Business, Choice of a Pursuit, Mercantile Pursuits, How to Get Customers, Manufacturing, Mechanical Trades, Causes of Failure- Book-keeping, Commercial Forms, Business Vocabu, lary, etc. This book will be sent, postpaid, on receipt of EN CENTS. Address MANUAL LIBRARY, 29 Rose Street, New York. =BOOKS= BY POPULAR AUTHORS. — 10 Cents each, oF three for 25 Cents. The } FINEST SAMPLE BOOK of Gold Beveled Edge, There will be no jaa editions... Early orders re- . | ARTHUR HELMUTH. ‘quested, | AFLOAT WITH A CIRCUS; or, The Diamond ) Seekers of Natal. By HENRY L. BLACK. | BOY CARIBAU-HUNTERS; | Trove of Hudson Bay. or, The Treasure- By CHAS B. Cross. 3y EDWARD S. ELLIS. / Club, ‘By DWIGHT WELDEN. ALL ABOARD; or, The Rival Boat Clubs. WELDEN C, COBB. By Any one of the above books will be sent, postpaid, “< sae of price, 10 cents each, or three for 25 cents Address STREET & SMITH, 29 Rose St., New York. ON WHAT DAY WERE YOU BORN? Just published in book form, a perpetual calendar. Good for this ‘year, next year, last year, or any other year. Itisindexed for 180 years. If yon know the date of any event that has happened since 1776, or likely to happen during the next one hundred years, you will be able to tell the day of the week by con- sulting this comprehensive little calendar book. Sent to any address, postpaid, on receipt of 5 cents. Address Frost’sC jalendar, Box 1173, N. Y C. BOUND VOLUMES OF GOOD We have issued volumes three, four, five, six and seven, bound in an at- tractive heavy paper cover. Twenty- six humbers constitute a volume. The papers are ees trimmed and bound ex with as much care as an sive cloth binding, and the prices are ; Vol, 3, $1 Each. Vols. 4, 5, 6 and 7 85e. Each. ‘These volumes contain serial’stories by Edward 8. Ellis, Jas. Otis, Harry Castlemon, Walter Morris, Oliver Optic. W. B. Lawson, Lieut. Lounsberry. Ab@otiiers equally well known: Address Subscription ‘Goon Nrws, 29 Rose street, New York Vols. 1 and 2 ont of print. Horatio Alger, Edward Stratemeyer, Wm, Murray Graydon, eer yon t poping Cen eee Amateur’s Manual of Photography, S. & §. MAN UAL LIBRARY, No. 6. ; PRICE, 10 CENTS. A hand-book of practic al instructions in the art of dry - pine photogra ary. e Itisa ern guide to this fascinating art. 1 llustrated. Tells from how a camera is made to t ED finish of a first-class picture. Photogr: eagty a clean, bag t. and pleasant occupation, suitable for i young lady or gentleman, and L within the reach of al For sale by all Newsdealers, or will be sent, postpaid ’ receipt of price, ten cents, by the pu ee WANDAL LIBRARY, 20 Rose Street, N.Y. ¥ WORKING HIS WAY; or, The Brookville Boy’s | WELLE NEI And STEREOPTICONS, 3!) prices. Views ilnsweel every subject for PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS; © OA profitable business for a man with a small "sautials Also Lanterns for Home Amusement. 265 page Catalogue, re MCALLISTER, Miz. Optician, 49 Nassau Sts No Y _ Mention Good News. The Young Gymnast. ° S. &S. Manual Libr ary No. 9. Price 10¢. 7 A perfect instructor for the amateur and professional © gymnasium, and of incalculable value to any one whe | wishes to become a gymnast. Profusely uae Explains the mode of training, treatment of ac scidents — gymnastic exercises of the arms, iumb-bells, Indian — clubs, trapeze, horizontal bat, and all sorts of tricks and feats of gymnastics. For sale by all new rsdealers, ~ or sent post paid, upon receipt of price, 10 cents, tia : the publishers, MANUAL LIBRARY, 29 Rose Street, _ New york. | ’ BPE This cut is the exact size and style of the ~ Goop NEws Club Badge. © The badge is made of &” high grade of German — silver; artistic in desig2 and something every © reader will be pore to wear, Any reader sénG:, ing us 10 centsin stamps — or silver will receive’ ~ badge. Electrotypes for fever ing the badge on etter heads, cards, etc., will be sent post-paid on receipe of |twenty-five cents. Ten cents is all that is required to secure in p handsome badge. Address Goop Nrws Corre - antes Club, 29 Rose street, New York. a HUNTER AND “ANGLER. | PRICE, 10 CENTS. This is a book that is needed by everybody who takes | pleasure in the sports of hunting and fishing. Fully lllustrated. Instructs how to use a gun and size of s in hunting different game, trapping, the kind of rods, © iines, hooks, and bait to be used to be a suce ressfus fisherman, is fully described in this valuable little pook. | upon receipt of price, ten cents, by the publishers. Z MANUAL LIBRARY, 29 Rose Street, New York. — ik EP ; This book 6 over one hull contains com ; plete instruc © , tion in ay pranches °® ence, gether of Sitods — Penmanship, Punctuation, Use of Capitals, style; advice to those who write for business letters, letters of introduction, tion, recommendation, social, congratulation, 7 and courtship, ete.; the art of secret writing, ic i“ ness laws and maxims, rules of conducting pubhe 7 meetings, and all forms of conveying thought a ; one mind to another through the mediu written language. This valuable book will be postpaid to any address on receipt of ten N oe MANUAL LIBRAR Y, 29, Rose St., > QUT-DOOR SPORTS. — §. & 8. Manual Library No. 7. Price, 1 A book of instruction for playing many most popular out-of-door games. A book that 4 supply a long felt want. The games introduce’ while well known, are elaborated, and many Be features introduced, which makes them mor esting and less likely to become stale. Tlustt@ 4 games with and without toys,for the city or coun thy For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent, rn paid, upon receipt of price, 10c., by the publisher MANUAL LIBRARY, 29 Rose street, Ne) Good News ‘Bindef Price 50 Cents. ss, Answers the purpose of a bound volume. Holl i fitty- two copies comfortably- “ay ‘It is, without doubt, the finest binder ever offer even for double the price we ask, and is jndis able to those who are keeping their papers, ® not only preserves Goop NEws for future Fe ‘and from being lost, but keeps them cleans good order. Itis both useful and ornamen Tt has a durable black embossed cover © flexible back, and a gold stamp title on the 0 : cover, It opens flat as any book, and each paper can be inserted as soon as received. directions for inserting the paper accompany binder, We will send the Goop News binder, and & se age of binder pins, postpaid, to any ad ah ceipt of of 50 cents. Spelling, Abbre trae the oat ? apl love. nents: or w 4 cont + of on Soothing Syrup” fory while Teething, 25 MOTHER Be sure to use “Mrs. S. & §. MANUAL LIBRARY, No. 106 J For sale by all Newsdealers, or will be sent, i j dred pages: 7 correspon de 4 e intel — tes § hs +