99 h ican You 7 ICd 7 oa ty: 53 Sacer deal publ nl A TIP «. By The Author“ FRANK MERRIWEL ‘tHOLD UP, FELLOWS,’? RANG OUT FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLEAR VOICE, ‘*YOU CAN'T GO IN.”? ene ETT NRRL | Vila { BAR ee Fax, RCC Ae » SETA cla GRR ep SE Fea eS $ “AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THE AMBRICAN YOUTH.” Tire Tor WEEKLY. Fesued Wee kiy—By Subscription $2.50 per year. RN FY. Entered as Second Olass Matter at the N, Entered Aceording to Act of Congress, in the Year 1897, in the Office of the ‘Lior arian of Congress, Vi ‘ashington, D.C. Post Office. SrReEET & SMITH, 238 William No. 86. NEW YORK, December 4, 1897. Price Five Cents. Contents of This Number. FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET; or, A Friend in Need ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW CONTEST * ~ TALKS WITH TIP TOP READERS - - CLIF FARADAY’S COMBAT = Page. u u 0 " o a a o pane FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET OR, A FRIEND IN NEED. By the Author of ‘‘FRANK MERRIWELL,”’ CHAPTER I. A SENSATION ON THE CAMPUS. There had been a light fall of snow, and a crowd of merry fellows were snow- balling on the Yale campus. They laughed and shouted as they pelted each other. “‘There goes Browning!’’ exclaimed Bink Stubbs. ‘‘See me nail him!’ Then, straight as a bullet from a rifle, the snowball flew, striking the. big fei- low’s cap, and knocking it from his head. Stubbs uttered a cry of triumph. ‘‘Confound you!’ called Browning, as he lazily picked up his cap. ‘‘If it wasn’t for the trouble, I’d shake you out of your clothes.’ | ‘You can’t do it, you know,”’ taunt- ingly sung Stubbs. “Can’t? Why not ay ‘*Can’t catch me. can’t catch a cold.”? rah you some time,’’ said Browning, brushing the snow off his cap and leaning up against a tree; ‘‘and when I do, there’ll be a funeral in your family.”’ This brought another shout of laughter from the little fellow, and he let another snowball fly at Bruce. Being too lazy to dodge it, Browning. put up his hands and. caught it as if it were a baseball. Then, with astonishing energy, for him, he threw it back. Stubbs dodged and avoided the snow- ball, which flew past and struck a big freshman side of the head, nearly knock- ing him down. ‘Hock Mason!’’ gasped ‘*Now there’ll be a fight!’’ But, to the astonishment of all who You’re so slow you catch Stubbs. at 2 saw it, Mason showed not the slightest inclination to fight. He wiped off the snow with his handkerchief, grinned a bit, and said: ‘*That was a pretty good shot. Plugged my ear sol won’t be able to hear fora week. I'd like to snowball with you fel- lows, but I don’t dare try it.” Then he walked away. Everybody stopped throwing snowballs and stared after him, as if unable to be- lieve what they had seen and heard. ‘“leewhiz!’?’ gasped Bink Stubbs. ‘“fs this some sweet, sweet dream? He wasn’t even ruffled.’’ Hock Mason, although a freshman, had a reputation as a bully, and he had spread terror among the students. Always ready to fight on the ‘slightest provocation, and usually willing and anxious to fight without provocation, he had displayed brutal instincts by punishing his enemies, or those whom he disliked, nntil he grew weary, and they were bruised, helpless, half-dead. ) Mason seemed able to stand any amount of punishment. Four policemen had tried to arrest him in town one night. It was said all of them had ham- meted him over the head with their clubs, but he knocked them all down with his bare hands and escaped. At one time it was not thought any man in Yale could stand up before the bully. There was talk of forming a.com- _ bine against him and getting the best of him that way. But Mason met his match, In acane rush on the campus Frank Merriwell took the bully’s stick. Frank also defended another, student from Mason’s brutality, and proceeded to knock the big fellow out in short order. Mason swore to have revenge, and he attempted to secure it in an underhand - manner, but was caught with three other fellows in Merriwell’s room and beauti- oe fully decorated with some kind of paint f% FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. that could not be washed off for several , days. Then Mason was taken ill and carried to the city hospital. During ‘his illness Merriwell was the only man who called to inquire about him, and on-his recovery Frank was his first visitor. Then, to the astonishment of all, when Mason came back to college, he and Mer- tiwell no longer seemed to be enemies. But there were those who insisted that it was simply a lull in the war. The hatchet was buried for the time, but Mason would dig it up and go on. the war-path looking for Merriwell’s scalp as soon as he fully recovered and got back into his old form. But as time passed and the former bully showed no inclination to resume his former habits the wonder of the students increased. And now that he was perfectly good-natured on having his cap . knocked from his head by a snowball, their won- der turned to absolute amazement. | Stubbs, Halliday, Rattleton and Browning quickly came together, staring after the retreating form of the huge freshman. “Did you hear it? Did you see it?” S spluttered Rattleton. ‘‘Why, he didn’t even stuss at Cubbs—I mean ‘cuss at Stubbs. ”’ ‘‘And he grinned!”’ grunted Browning —‘‘grinned as he was digging snow out of his ear!’’ ‘Thought he’d come. after me,’’ ad- mitted Stubbs.. ‘‘Was ready to light out lively.’’ ‘Tell you what!’ cried Halliday. ‘*Mell us!’? exclaimed the others. ‘*T-believe Merriwell has cooked him.”’ ‘‘Can’t be possible. He wouldn’t give up like that.’’ : “‘] believe he has, just as hard. You know Merry said he’d do it, and he wouldn’t enter into a combine against Mason. ”’ , The boys remembered that Frank had persistently refused to have anything to Sierestairecen.3is state enensaieidhdeemee ee ae RNR & yee SAY ST aa AES we tpastt €25, a <4 NS as +. : Bes i exten: Si key St ae ag per seep Cn * still holds his head up. all right. to tackle the gone: -against do with a combination freshman, and then had Mason alone, saying that was the only way to teach him his place. Was it possible the final encounter be- tween tlhe two had broken Hock Mason’s spirit ? ‘*Yell you what I heard,’’ said Stubbs, mysteriously. ° ‘*Go ahead,’’ urged Halliday. ‘‘Heard Merriwell visited Mason at the hospital before Hock was out of bed, Something queer about that..’’ ‘“Rrank Merriwell is forever doing re- matrkable things,’’ said Ben. Browning nodded. ‘‘l have traveled with lim some,’’ he said, ‘‘and Iam never able to tell what sort of a move he will make in any game. He is the greatest enigma I ever struck.’’ ‘Took!’ exclaimed Halliday. ‘‘There he is now. He’s coming this way. He’s met Mason, ‘They have stopped to chat. Holy smoke! what a nerve Merriwell has! There’s not another fellow in col- lege would dare do the things he does. He is chummy with all ahke. He cuts ice in all directions. Doesn’t care a conti- nental what. people say about him, and Why, that fellow is the biggest mystery at Yale, not even excepting Matso Nagasaki, the Jap.”’ Tastily dressed im winter clothes, Frank. was standing with his hands care- lessly thrust into his pockets as chatted with the freshman. No one could have suspected by their appearance that they had ever been anything but the very best of friends. Mason was not such a bad-looking fellow. He had a strong face andabig nose. Still, as the two stood there, for all of the superior size of the freshman, a good judge would have declared Merriwell the more manly in appearance. — There was something impressive about he FRANK MERRLWELL’S SECRET. . with indignation 3 Frank Merriwell’s appearance. For all of his habitual carelessness, his. every pose aud gesture betrayed a reserve fund of energy and power that would stand by him well in any trying situation. Although jovial and bubbling with good humor, his merry eyes could blaze and his handsome face could darken like a storm cloud. Frank detested fighting, as he detested everything that is low, but he believed that, asa rule, the best way to avoid a fight. is to boldly face an enemy. He believed that the fellow who goes out of his way to avoid an enemy is bound to lead his enemy to go out of the way to meet him. Above everything else, Merriwell was convinced that it was absolutely neces- sary to fight at.times, and he had taken care to put himself in the very best con- Hav- ing put himself in condition once, he took great. care to keep in condition. Daily he trained, and no amount of work daunted him, Frank was not one of those fellows who wait for an enemy to strike the first blow. In case he could not avoid a fight in a manly way, he always. tried to get in the first blow and make it a telling one, He well understood. that in many in- stances the first blow won the battle.. In the struggle with Mason he had assumed the aggressive, and the result was a surprise to every one. Halliday, Stubbs, Browning and Rat- tleton watched with some interest the fornrer enemies who stood ‘talking earn- estlv. ‘‘Jove!’’ exclaimed Ben. ‘‘Merry is. be- ginning to warm up. -He has taken his dition to meet such an emergency. hands out of his pockets, and is. talking to Mason in earnest. Wonder what’s. it’s all about ?’’ “Dunno,” grunted Browning; ‘‘but Merriwell can talk ina way to imterest anybody. Never sawa fellow like him 4 FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. before. He is posted on everything and can talk about anything.” ‘See there!’’ palpitated Halliday. ‘‘Hanoed if they aren’t going away to- gether! Yes, by Jove! ”? ‘Arm in arm!’’ gasped Rattleton. ‘‘Bring’ me soothing syrup, chloroform, any old thing that is deadly! This—this is a heart blow!’ On all sides the snowballing lads patised and stared, amazed at the spec- tacle of the freshman bully and Frank Merriwell walking across the campus arm in arm. —_— —— -_—— CHAPTER II. MERRIWELL REFUSES. The change in Hock Mason was truly most amazing. ‘The former bullying ex- pression had disappeared from his face, and he seemed dejected and troubled. It was universally supposed that Mason’s dejection was caused by the thought that he had been humiliated by Merriwell, but still, instead of avoiding Frank, the former bully sought his society. It was this fact that puzzled those who were watching the two, and Jack Dia- mond was by far the most astounded fel- low in college. Diamond had formed a powerful dislike for the big freshman. ‘To him Mason still remained a coarse, brutal fellow, with no refinement or decency, and the Virginian abhorred him. » Jack had tried to study Frank Merri- well, and he had come to know that Merry was built of the best and the finest-grained material. Frank was never coarse, there was not a gross streak in him, and he was as gentle and tender- hearted as a girl. But Diamond knew equally well. that Hock Mason was not built of such fine material, and, having such a powerful they are going dislike for the fellow, he wondered: that Merriwell could beat to have anything to do with him. The more the Virginian thought this over the more puzzled he became, and he thought of it a great deal. At last, he went to Harry Rattleton and told him everything. ‘ ‘‘What does Meiry mean by having anything to do with that. ruffanly fresh- man?’’ stormed Diamond. ‘‘Why, even Mason’s former friends, or chums, among ’ 4 i the freshmen have. abandoned him since his downfall as their bullying leader.”’ ‘‘Perhaps that is why Merriwell is as- sociating with him,’’ said Harry. ‘‘Perhaps that is the reason,’’ repeated the Southerner, in a puzzled way. ‘“‘I don’t see why that should be a reason. Does it make Mason any better because his own class thinks he’s too mean to travel with ?”’ | ‘‘No, but it is pretty hard on Mason.”’ ‘Hard on him—yes. serves! He brotight it all on himself. What he deserves—no! ceived what he deserves.”’ “T suppose Metty thinks “he was the principal cause of Mason’s downfall, and so he associates with him as a balm to his fattered sheelings — I mean shattered feelings.’ ‘Then Merriwell has a great weakness —he’s a fool!’’ exploded’ Diamond. © ‘‘I don’t want to think him a fool.”’ ‘It does seem foolish for him to have anything to do with Mason.”’ . ‘It is foolish! ‘Rattles, we mtst do something to break ‘that up.”’ ‘That will be easier to say than do, old man.”’ “Think 802”? ‘‘Know so. I have roomed with Merrti- well, and I know him pretty well. If he thought——”’ “Well, we'll try to show him the folly of his ways. Are you with me?”’ Gute 2) | rs Just what he de- He’ has not re- On the evening after this conversation took place, Jack and Harry found Merri- iS ae well pouring over his Plato in his room. b “Hello, Metry!’’ called Rattleton, i . ‘cheerfully, asthe entered. » Diamond was not so exuberant in his bs salutation. He looked grim and troubled, e. dropping into a chair and staring hard at fe the tiger-skin rug on the floor. **Miake yourselves at home, fellows,’’ said Frank. ‘‘You know this is liberty Frank Jooked at him in surprise. ‘No, I . don’t suppose so. I haven’t stopped to - think much about it.”’ ; “Perhaps they didn’t want to asst somebody they were liable to find here.’ Frank put down his book, got up, _ stood with his feet apart and his hands resting on his hips, staring straight at the Virginian. , Pe. hall to all my friends, although many of i them have not seenied to regard it thus i of late.’’ o : “Know why?’ asked Diamond, i shortly. ‘*Know why??? he repeated. ‘Just what do you mean by that, old man ?’’ he slowly asked. ‘‘Tust what I said,’’ answered Jack, doggedly. ‘And my friends have been staying away because they did not wish to meet somebody who coimes here ?”’ 6(Ves, ”) _. Frank was not slow to understand; he saw it all in a moment, and he knew who Diamond. was thinking of as he spoke. ‘‘Are these the sort of friends I have!’’ exclaimed Merriwell, with a laugh that was touched with scorn. ‘Well, I sup- pose it is the wav of the world.’’ “You can’t blame them,’ said Dia- mond, grimly, while Harry Rattleton writhed in dismay, for the conversation had taken such an abrupt turn that the plans he and Jack had formed for bring- ing it about were shattered in a moment. FRANK MERRIWELL'S SECRET. 5 “‘T don’t know but it is as much as I expected,’’ said Frank, quietly. ‘‘TIsn’t it as much as you have any right to expect?’’ demanded Diamond. ‘You can’t stppose your best friends care to take chances of meeting in your room soine low fellow with whom thev are not willing to associate or know.’ Frank was silent, and, feeling that he had the best of it, Jack went on: ‘‘You sometimes prefer to choose your own associates, I presume. That being the ‘case, you would be inclined to keep away from some place where you were liable to meet some person you did not cate to know. You can’t deny that I ain right.’ ‘fT shall not attempt to deny it.”’ “Well, you see why your friends ate keeping away from your room. — A cer- tain person they do not care to meet comes here.”* ‘‘T presume you mean Hock Mason ?”’ said Frank, calmly. ‘Ves, he is the fellow.’’ ‘*T thought so.”’ “A low, brutal ruffan—a man of coarse instincts. Is it strange any decent fellow does not care to know him ?”? Something like a grim smile flitted across Frank’s face. ‘You are putting that pretty ‘aheag? he said. ‘‘You say any decent fellow does not care to know him, and yet I know him.’’ ‘“That is the mystery. .Why you should be friendly with that bullying scoundrel is a mystery to everybody.”’ | ‘‘He is no longer a_ bully, Diamond. Have you heard of any bullying act of his since he came from the hospital ?’’ ‘*No, but I know he is still a bully at heart ”’ ‘‘What makes you think so?’’ ‘*Bullies do not become gentlemen in such short order. He can’t change his. nature.’? “Tt js not absolutely necessary that a a for good and all. 6 FRANK MERRIWELL'S SECRET. bully should become a gentleman the moment he ceases to bea bully. I ac- knowledge that the change from a bully to a gentleimam cannot come about ina moment.’’ ‘Then do you mean to acknowledge that Hock Mason is not a gentleman, and still you associate with him to come to your room ?’’ ‘(Hock Mason is as much of a gentle- man as he can be at present, and I be- lieve he will improve steadily.’’ “But he is not a gentleman, and you know it. Do you wonder that your friends will not come to your room and take chances of meeting some fellow wito is not a gentleman—some fellow with whom you seem to be friendly? If they snubbed him, as he should be, then you would be offended, so, rather than offend you, they remaim away.’’ Again Frank was silent. Diamond looked up and watched him closely, feel- him and permit ‘ing that he had struck a body blow. He saw his words had some effect on Merri- well. ‘Now,’ thought Jack—‘‘now to fol- low it mp.” Aloud he said: ‘If you choose the society of one low fellow to that of the friends who have been true to you, you have no one but yourself to blame; but it seems to me that, when you see matters in their true light, you will come to your senses and everything will be all right agaim.”’ “What do my friends expect of me?’’ — *’Phat you will give Hock Mason the frigid agitation, the marble heart, the grand bounce—that you will drop him Them your old friends will come back to you, and things will be as they were before. What do you say, Merriwell—will you drop Mason?’’ And Frank quietly but firmly an- swered: : f€No,??. CHAPTER III. RATTLETON’S EYES ARE OPENED. ‘‘No?”? cried Diamond. ‘*No?’ echoed. Rattleton. ‘‘No,’? repeated Merriwell. Jack and Harry were astonished, for they had fancied that the case had been presented so strongly that Frank could not fail to appreciate the situation, and it had not seemed possible he would prefer a chap like Hock Mason to his former friends when he fully understood his posi- tion. ‘Vou refuse to give Mason the shake??? flared Diamond, angrily, his face growing crimson. LoVag.?” Jack sprang to his feet. ‘Twas right!’? he cried. ‘‘Rattleton bas boasted that you have no weak points, but I told him you did have, for you were fool enough to stick by Hock Mason. I was tight. Merriwell, you are a fool !”’ These words he flung straight into Frank’s face, the passionate Southerner being aroused to a point where he cast discretion aside. Frank drew back a bit, putting Bath hands behind him, while his face grew pale. “Look here; Ditamond,’’ he slowl ’ ; y said. ‘‘you aceuse me of choosing the ) y oD society of a person who is not a gentle- man, but it strikes me that you are show- ing yourself anything but a gentleman just now.”’ oy The words were cutting, and they brought the Virginian to a sense of his angry speech. ; 4 “Tam trying to make you wunder- stand,’’ he said, huskily. ‘‘I saw it was no use to talk to you in an ordinary man- ner, and I didn’t know but I could wake you up by being insulting.” 3 i ‘‘But for the fact that we are friends who have fought for each other in the. it ~~ i epaccienataendie Wy a past, your words would have aroused me —to your regret. I don’t think any other person ever called me a fool to my face without afterward swallowing his words. ”’ “T do not want to fight—— “Vou will not have to. We had our little trouble, and it was settled, but it will be rather hard for me to forget your words of a ”’ insulting Friends who insult me are not friends I moment ago. desire.’’ “Oh, au flared Jack, once more. ‘“‘I think I wnderstand you now! You do not desire my friendship. Very well; you’ll mot be troubled with it in the future. es Then, before Mertiwell could say an- other word, he caught up his cap and from the room, slamming the door behind him. Rattleton was all broken up. ‘“Too bad!’ he exclaimed. “Oh, I don’t know,’’ said Frank, calmly. ‘‘He talked plainly to me, and I retaliated in the same manner.”’ * “But he has such a temper, and it takes him so long to get over anything.’’ “He will come to his senses sooner or later.”’ ‘But,’ said Harry, hesitatingly, “really you are wrong, Frank.” “Eh? How?” ‘Tt can’t be that you prefer a fellow like Hock Mason to your old friends?’ No”? “But you them.’’ “CNo.: » ** You do—you did,’’ “You are mistaken, Rattles, old man. I simply refused to throw Mason over.”? “Weil, what is that but a choice ?”’ “Much. Look here, Harry, I believe in building wp, not imtearing down. If I see a poor fellow in the mud and I can pull him out by giving him a hand, I do not hold back for fear I may get a little right!’’ Good-evening rushed choose him instead of FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. 7 mud off him onto me. The fellow who does hold back for such a reason isa moral coward, no inatter how brave he may be physically.’’ Harry was silent, and Merriwell went on, warming up to his subject. ‘Mason is down, and it would not take much to put him still lower. He feels that everybody is against him, and his courage is not great. I was the principal cause of his downfall, and I fail to see why I should push him further.’’ ‘You needn’t push him further, but you can Jone him a let—I mean let him alone.’? ‘*Would that be right ?’’ ‘““Why not?’ *“Would it be the act of a Christian ?’’ Harry gasped for breath. *‘A-—a what?’’ he cried. “A Christian.” ‘*Do you profess to be a Christian ?”’ ‘No, not exactly; I make no profess-_ ion, but I see no reason why, when the opportunity offers, I should not do an act of Chiristianity.”’ Never was Rattleton more amazed. He got on his feet unsteadily, stared at Frank, sheok his head, and then sat down weakly. ‘It beats me!’ he muttered. “fT see no treason why you should be so astonished, Rattles,” said Frank quietly. ‘‘There are two kinds of Chris- tianity—professed Christianity and practi- cal Christianity. I believe in the practical kind, and, as far as possible, I have tried to live by it all my life. I have always been square and upright, I have never tried to injure any person wantonly, I have been to forgive my ene- mies, and I have never Jost an opportu- nity to hold out a helping hand to a fel- low creature in distress. I don’t go about boasting of these things, and you know it, Rattles. I don’t think I ever spoke to any one but you of them, but. if you will — stop to think, you will remember that I inclined 8 have practiced them. That is what I call practical Christianity.’ Rattleton was silent, still staring at Frank Merriweil, as if, for the first time, he was beginning to understand this side of his friend’s nature. Harry thought of the many times Frank had forgiven enemies who had tried. to injure him. Now he understood why it ad been done. Merry was trying to be a practical Christian without mak- ing a big show of himself asa professed Christian. Rattlton’s heart began to warm toward Frank ina new way. All along he had loved this dashing young athlete, who was a leader in all manly sports, but now he saw a depth in Frank’s nature that had never before opened to him. Fora moment Merry had drawn away the cur- tain from a chamber of his soul and per- mitted his companion to peep awesomely into that sacred room. Frank was serious—Harry thouglit him far more serious than he had ever been before. The expression on his face was new to Rattleton. ‘‘T think you are beginning to under- stand what I mean, old man,’’ said Mer- tiwell, as he approached and placed a hand on Harry’s’ shoulder. **Hock Mason was down—I helped throw him down. He was in disgrace, and his cour- age was broken. He did not think he could come back to college, and he would have abamdoned the attempt but for me.”’ ‘You induced him to come back ?”? (Was, 2? ‘‘Don’t—-don’t tell the fellows that!’? “Why: >) ‘“They’ll say you were a Rik Every- hody hoped he would not come back. His return was the only thing they feared.”? ‘Because they thought he would re- turn to his old ms ways?”? Ee Sureg f FRANK MERRIWELL’'S SECRET, ‘(Has he showed any signs of doing Fa ey ‘*Not yet, but——’’ **But what ?”? ‘“‘He is not fully recovered yet. All the fellows think he is keeping still till he gets in good trim, and then he will light on some of the fellows he knows he can bully.’’ : ‘‘And I think they. are wrong,’ ‘You believe—just, what ?”? ‘*T believe Hock Mason is cured.” Harry shook his head. “You doubt that?’ said’ Frank, ‘‘Well, I don’t know, as it is strange, but Ithink I am a fairly good.reader of human nature, and I am sure I brought about the change in Mason.’’ ‘‘How—by knocking him. out with your fists and then .painting him.when you caught him in your room??? CON Go! ‘*How, then ?”? ‘‘By taking an interest in» him when he was in the hospital. I was the only: per- son who went there to inquire about him; and J was the first and only visitor from college to see him while. he was in the hospital. He was astounded. by it, and his heart melted the first time I came to the side of his cot.’? ‘‘T don’t know about melting. the heart of such a tuffian as that fellow. is. ‘Not ‘is,’ Harry, but ‘was,’ for ‘he is n0 eicees a ie If you had been with me, you would have been convinced. All through his illness Mason had thought how there was no one who cared enough for him to even ask if. he were living, or dead. He had come to realize. that his failure to return to college would be a source of pleasure to almost everybody. He even realized that many.of them would express satisfaction and pleasure if they were to hear that he had died, Such thoughts made him bitterer than ever at first, but he was. finally led .to. think why it was so. , Then he saw that eeu si age age ton te ifn ye o x 4 [ & ik, ai an rath Fs ag i at pgs od . Ns Se latins teeta tpt ees eR he alone was to blame for the state of things, and no one in college ever de- spised him more than he despised him- self.” Harry’s interest was increasing with each moment. Still it did not seem possi- ble that Mason, the brutal bully, had ever paused to think such thouglits or to care what anybody thought of him, even though he did think them. It had once seemed to be his delight to keep others in fear of him. He did not seem to want them to have any feeling of affection for him; if they cringed with fear and fawned about him like whipped curs he was happy. Could sucha nature be changed ina moment? Harry still doubted. ‘‘When I was admitted to the hospital the first time to see Mason,’’ Merriwell went on, ‘‘he turned his head away that ‘I might not see the tears in his eyes.’’ “*Serate Gott!’ gurgled Rattleton. ‘*Hars in his ties—I mean tears in his eyes! Come off!’’ “Tt is true!’ “Oh, vou don’t want me to believe that! You are jollying now, Merry.”’ ‘‘Not a bit of it. There were tears in Hock Mason’s eyes. You are not to men- tion this to the fellows, Harry.’’ **Oh, I won’t—you needn’t be afraid of that!’’ cried Rattleton. ‘‘! don’t want them to call me a thundering liar! I won’t say a word about it.”’ ‘(Mason was astounded to think I should call to ask about him. He was amazed to think I should care.’’ ‘*Well he might be!”’ **When he found I really did care, theu he told me of all he had thought anout himself as he lay there ill and alone on that cot. He told me how mean he felt and how he had hated himself. I saw my opportunity to do an act of practical ‘Christianity, and I did not let it pass. <~*- *Phen and there I pledged myself to be FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. 9 Hock Mason’s friend, and stand by him if he would give up his old ways and turn over a new leaf.’’ *‘Great smoke! what a nerve!”’ ‘‘It takes nerve sometimes to be a prac- ticai Christian.”’ ‘*T suppose Mason jumped at the oppor- tunity—suppose he was eager to be known as the friend of Frank Merriwell, the most popular fellow in Yale?” ‘*Nothing of the sort.’? ‘“What’s that? He didn’t?” “CNo. ”? ‘What did he do?”’ ‘*Refused.’’ ‘Now, Merry, you are putting it on pretty thick again. Why did he refuse?” ‘*Because he said it would injure me to be known as his friend. He said he would not pull me down by associating with me.” Rattleton nearly lost his breath. Hock Mason—Hock Mason said such a thing as that?’’ he palpitated. “He did.” *‘Merry—have— you — any—salting— smells? J mean any-——smelling salts. ”’ ‘‘No,’? smiled Frank, “‘but I can ~ throw some cold water on you if you are going to faint.’’ ‘‘Never mind it,’’ said Harry, weakly. - “IT think Pll pull out without flying off the handle. But it nearly did me up. It was an awful shock, Merry—awful!’’ Frank was forced to laugh at this, but still he protested that he was earnest in all he had said. ‘It was some time,’’ continued Frank, ‘“before Mason would agree to let me be known publicly as his friend.”’ AE Mragtic, ** ‘*What is it ?”’ “T think I know why he did not want you to appear friendly toward him.”’ “T know, too.’? ‘‘You are wrong. It was shame.”? ‘*Shame—no it——’’ | “IT tell you it was shame. He knewthe 10 fellows would laugh—they would say he had been conquered. He did mot want that, and that is why he did not want to appear publicly as friendly toward you. I have hit it, Frank.’ ‘*You have hit it wrong, Rattles. I am certain I read him aright, and I attribute anobler motive to Hoek Mason. He knew he was unpopular, and he believed it would injure me to associate with him. For that reason he did mot want it pub- licly known there was any friendship be- tween ts.’’ ‘Tf you are right,’’ said Harry, slowly, ‘I shall begin to believe there is: some- thing im Hock Mason.’’ “Fam right—I know Iam right. And Iam going to do everything in my power to make a better aes of Mason. I believe it is my duty.” ‘‘Kven though all your former friends desert you??’’ ‘‘Ryen though the last one of them deserts me!’’? exclaimed Merriwell, firmly, and his handsome face shone with a light that added to the admiration * which Rattleton felt for him. “Well, Frank,’ said Harry rising, ‘‘all I have to say is that you have lots of i nerve. ’’ pea ‘Aim | right, or wrong??? ‘‘Well, I guess yeu are right—you are _ « always right!” ; - “Tam glad to hear you say that, old maa. Give me your hand!” Their hands. clasped. pee ‘“‘Now,’’ said Frank, “‘what. I have told you about Mason’s tears and all that is to be a secret, you know—~you are not to speak of it.’’ “No danger.”’ ‘SAll right. For all of former friends, Jam going ahead. just as. I have started. I shall stand by Hoek Mason and try my best to make a decent fellow ef him.” ase ‘‘You are right about. one thing,” said Harry. ‘‘What you are doing is is an act of peter Christianity..”’ FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. CHAPTER. IV. DIAMOND’S PLAN. Jack Diamond was waiting for Rattle- ton to appear. He collared Harry. ‘Come!’ he exclaimed. ‘“Where ?’* asked Harry. ‘“’To ny reom.’’ ““All right.”? To Jack’s room they went. Diameud closed and locked the door behind them. Then he exploded. ‘‘T’m going to kill Hock Mason!”? ‘“Hey?’? gasped Rattleton, in great alarm, for he feared Diamond’s, fiery Southern blood was aroused to sucha pitch that he meant to actually kill the former bully. ‘It must be done!’’ declared the Vir- giniam, pacing excitedly up and down the. floor. ‘You are not can’t be?” ‘*Why not?”? ‘*Such a tliing is ridiculous. ”’ ‘“Wiy ridiculous ?”? ‘“You are excited, or you would not ask such a silly question. Why should you kili Hock Masoni?’’ ‘To keep him from Merriwell!’’ . Rattleton staggered, gasping: ““What do you mean? You do not think Mason is plotting to de Merry up in some cowardly manner??? | ‘“‘T don’t know what Mason is plotting to.do, but Ido know what he is doing— he is killing Merriwell socially. For all of Merriwell’s, popularity of a short time in earnest, Jack—you killing Frank ago, the fellows are beginning to turn ~ from him with scorn because he will have anything to do with such a low-born crea- ture as Hiock Mason. I to'd Merriwell to- night-that he was.a fool, but when I did that I made a fool of myself. I should have held my temper and tried to reason further with him.” “You would have wasted your breath, > 4 a - at Aid teore a Nice nes nS | ett lee i) * oe in Metriwell,’”? said the Virginian, __ he thinks he sees his opportunity to bol- * : -e + | ‘ pie eeses> 8 > ‘*Perhaps not.”’ ‘**T know it.”’ “*How ?? “TI know the whole business from start to finish. Merry told me everything after you left.’’ ‘What did he tell you?”’ Harry hesitated. He wondered how much he could tell. Jack instantly observed that hesitation, everything. Immediately he became cool, and he set his wits to work worining the story out of Rattleton. Within half an hour he had learned everything save the one thing Frank had pledged Harry not to tell— that Mason had shed tears when Merri- well visited him in the hospital. Then Diamond set about convincing Rattleton that Merriwell was making the inistake of his life. ‘Mason knows he has met his match c¢ and he resolved to know and ‘ster himself up through this seeming friendship. “Take my word for it, he is doing this thing out of purely selfish mo- tives. ’’ Hatry began to think Diamond was right. “He thinks that as long as he cannot remain the bully that he has been he will keep his head up by the aid of Merriwell. It makes no difference to him that he is dragging Merriwell down. Whatif he does drag Merriwell down? He will re- joice in that, for Merriwell was the man who caused his downfall. It’s ten to one he has thought this out in just this way. It’s more than even chances that he is trying to drag Merriwell down.”’ ‘Harry began to get excited now, but still he hated to think that Frank was being deceived—that Frank had madea mistake. ‘‘T told him all this,?’ he declared, “but he convinced me I was wrong.”’ ‘He couldn’t convince me.” FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. failure ?”? ‘What can we do??? “We'll do something to break it up, bet your hfe!”’ ““My head is all uddled and maddled— I mean muddled and addled,’’ confessed Rattleton. ‘‘I don’t seem able to think of anything.’’ ‘*T.am doing a little thinking, old man. Pi tell you how we can find out if Merri- wellis right im thinking Mason did not wish to have it known they were friendly for fear he might damage Merry in that way.” “How?” ‘“We’ll go to Mason and tell him he is making Merriwell unpopular.’ ‘*What good will that do??? ““We’ll ask him to keep away from Merriwell. Wewill tell him it is his only way of showing his manhood and saving Merriwell from disgrace. We will try to get him to promise not to have anything at all to do with Merriweil.’’ “If he refuses—what ?’’ “We'll know the is sticking to Merry from purely selfish motives. It will set- tle that point.’? ‘But if he agrees to cut Merriwell ?”’ “Tt will be a good job, in case he agrees and keeps his agreement.”’ “But it will ruin Frank’s plan to pull Mason up.”’ “*What of that? itif we can save Frank. It’s our duty to ruin like Hock Mason? toe is better than the whole of Mason! One drop of his blood is worth all there is in Mason’s'carcass! You know that.’’ Diamond’s fiery words aroused a feeling of fire in Harry’s breast. ‘“That’s right—that’s right!’ Rattle- ton cried, ‘Then why should he offer himself as a sacrifice in an attempt to better the condition of a creature like Mason—an attempt that is almost certain to prove a va Why should. — Merriwell sacrifice himself for a creature — Merriwell’s ‘small vy — You’ve got 12 ‘*He should not.’’ ‘‘Of course he shouldn’t. Now you are getting sensible, Harry. And we are the boys to see that he does not make a fool of himself. If we can get Mason to keep away from Frank, it will be a good job— a job to be proud of. If there is any- thing in Mason, he’ll feel that he is doing a good act, and it will make him all the better. Really we will be helping Mason instead of hurting him, Rattles.’’ Harry did not pause to consider if Dia- mond’s reasoning was perfectly sound. It seemed all right, and that was enough. He was carried away by the smooth rea- soning of the fiery Southerner. ‘‘Never looked at it that way before, Jack,’’ he said, ‘‘but your head’s level. a great nut on_ you, old man.”’ Jack didn’t give him an opportunity to think it all over soberly. _He saw he had catried the day with Rattleton, and so he hastened to put the plan into action be- fore Harry could think the whole matter over again. ‘*Now is our time,’’ he said. ‘‘We should get at Mason without delay, be- fore he : can injure Merriwell any further.”? ‘“That’s so,’? agreed Harry, who was now in condition to agree to anything Diamond might say. = CVet's go for him to-night ?’’ proposed Jack. ‘*Do you dare?” ‘‘Dare!’’ flashed Diamond. ‘‘Do you think I’m afraid of that big lubber ?”’ ‘‘He’s an awful fighter when he starts out, and he has beaten some io the fel- lows frightfully.”’ _ “What of that?” He may think we are meddling with something that 1s none of our business. It may infuriate him, and then——’’ “You think he may try to jump us?’ | “¥eg.-?* “Vou think it may be that he has kept FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. from beating*somebody just as long as he can???’ oe Pnat's its? ‘Well, I don’t know but you are right.”? ‘Then are you going to tell him he is injuring Merriwell and take chances of being knocked down and hammered senseless ??” ‘‘You are afraid of Mason, you don’t want to face him ”’ Harry flushed, but adinitted that Dia- mond was right. **You need not go,’’ said Jack, quietly. ‘*But you—will you go?’? (Ves, ”) **Alone?”? ‘Ves, ») ‘““Well, you have a nerve! You. shall not go alone. I will go with you.”’ ‘‘You may be sure’ of one thing,’’ said Diamond, as he opened a drawer in his dressing-case. given a chance to knock kick me.’ ‘*What will you do if he tries it?” ‘“T'll stop him.’’ ‘“How ??? ‘“With this.”’ Diamond took a loaded sévolvér out of the drawer and slipped it into his pocket. Rattles— me down and ——_— CHAPTER V: ON THE WAY TO SEE MASON. Instantly Harry wilted. He knew Dia-- mond’s fiery temper, and he fully under- stood the danger. “That settles it!’ he exclaimed. ‘‘I am not going with you to see Mock Hason—lI mean Hock: Mason,’’ ‘“Not? Why not??? ‘Vou are altogether too fiery, old man, and you are too-wrought up over this business. I don’t know what you might try to do with that gun.” “Tf Mason attempted to hammer me, I’d stand him off, - ‘€Mason never will be If he pushed ane too’ ‘lad from Virginia, ‘‘I’ll call him a few hard, I’d shoot him. It would be a case of self-defense. We could both swear we were afraid for our lives.’’ ‘Would you swear that was why you took the revolver with you?”’ Ves.) : **No, Jack, I won’t go.”’ ‘“Why not??? *‘T can’t trust you.”? **Had you rather take chances of being hammered half to death by that big brute of a freshman?” (Ves, ») ‘‘Will you go if I leave this gun here ?”” A e3.> Diamond took the revolver out of his pocket and tossed it back into the drawer, which he closed and locked. ‘*T will leave it,’’ he said, quietly. ‘‘I want you to come along, for I want you to hear all that is said. It is possible Mason will be so angry that he will make some damaging admissions, If that hap- pens, I.want somebody to substantiate me when I tell them to Merriwell.’’ - “What sort of ‘admissions are you ex- pecting him to make ??’ “Why, when we accuse him of at- tempting to injure Frank, he may get hot and say he is trying that and defy us to stopit. See. If we hear anything like that, and we can carry it to Merriwell, it may be a body blow. for Mason. Twig my little game?” “T do, but if the fellow is crafty enough to work Merriwell, he may be tuo slick to give away the game like that.’ ‘“Too slick when he isn’t angered, but you know he is a man who permits his passions to get'the’best of him.’? _ Harry knew it, and he knew that Dia- mond was another, but he was sure it would not be a healthy thing for any one ‘to say as much to Jack. “Tf he will not agree to break away from Merriwell and keep away,’’ said the FRANK MERRIWELL'S SECRET. 13 names that will stir him up. Then J’! tell him what I think—that is that he is doing his best to drag Merry into the mire. It’s ten to one he will flare up and say Iam right, and challenge us. to pre- vent it.”’ Harry looked dubious. ‘*By Jove, Jack!’? he exclaimed. ‘‘We have a mighty dirty job on our hands. Mason is a bad man to call hard names.”’ “You can back out now if you want to. I will take my gun and go alone.”’ ‘‘And shoot the fellow?—that’s what you’d do!”? ‘Tf he crowded me.”’ ‘*You shall not go!’ Diamond laughed scornfully. ‘‘Why, Rattles,’ he cried, ‘‘you can’t stop me!”’ Harry realized this was true. Fora moment he was in despair, and then came the final resolution to go with Diamond. He could see no way out of it. It would tad not do to let Jack call on Mason alone with that revolver in his pocket. Were he to do so, and were he to shoot Mason in self-defense, which Rattleton under- stood was quite likely to happen, there would be no witness to prove he had not gone there with the deliberate intention of killing the giant freshman. ‘‘Jack,’’ said Harry, ‘‘you must let me searcn you before we start.’’ ‘‘Search me? What for?” “To make sure you have no other weapons. ’’ A grim smile came to Jack’s face. ‘*Go ahead,’ he said. Rattleton searched through the pockets of the Virginian, removing a common clasp-knife. ‘‘Why are you taking that away from me?’ asked Jack, surprised. as “TI have heard of cases where, ina fight, some fellow got out a knife like that, opened it, and cut the other fellow all up with it. I am not going to have you do anything of that sort.’’ 14 “All right. I'll leave that here, too.”’ When they were ready to leave the room, Harry suggested that Jack put on his overcoat, but Diamond declined. ‘*No,’? he said, ‘I don’t want to be bothered with that if I have to scrap with Mason. I'll leave it here. If the freshman hits me, you must sail into him, Rattle- ton. We'll do our best to punch his face off. How is that?” “TJ am with you, old man, so long as nothing but fists are used.’’ ‘Then come on.”’ They left the room, locking the door behind them, and started for York street. —_ —_— -——. CHAPTER VI. FOR Bis Sa kK? Mason had a room in a freshman boarding-house on York street. In that house Rattleton and Merriwell had roomed when they first came to New Haven, and so Harry knew just where to find the fellow they sought. He also knew how to gain admittance to the ~ house. Up to Mason’s room they went, Jack leading. Rattleton’s heart was thumping violently, but still he was ready and de- termined to stand by Diamond, no matter what happened. Rat-tat-tat ! Diamond knocked on the door in a bold, aggressive manner. There was a moment’s pause, and a voice called: “Come in.’? They opened the abet: and entered, closing the door behind them. Mason was there alone. He looked up in astonishment from a book he had been - reading. Then he put the book down. /What book, as Rattleton saw, was the ‘Bible! When Harry made this discovery he _ staggered as if he had been struck. Hock Mason, the freshman bully, reading the FRANK MERRIWELL'S SECRET, Bible! Such a thing seemed beyond the bounds of possibility, and it is not strange Rattleton was nearly paralzyed with amazement. He looked again to make sure he was not mistaken. No, the book was the Bible. Diamond did not pay any attention to the book. He had eyes for nothing but Mason, whom he was watching like a hawk. “Fir—excuse me!’’ exclaimed Mason, rising in confusion. “‘I thought it was the landlady. She said she would bring up the receipt for the rent this eyvening.”’ ‘‘Where is your, roommate?’’ asked Diamond, coldly. ‘My roommate!’’ echoed the freshman. ‘*Why, I have none.’’ ‘“That’s odd,’’ said Jack, suspiciously. “Why not?’ Mason’s face, which had not regained its natural color since he was ill, now flushed painfully. ‘‘Because,’’ he said, slowly—‘‘because no one cares to room with me.’’ “Oh, that is it!’ exclaimed Jack, and his expression seemed to add, ‘‘I don’t wonder.’’ ‘*Ves, that is humility. ‘‘He’s putting on that humble air,” thought Jack. ‘‘ The duffer thinks he can fool us! He can’t.”’ ‘‘Won’t. you sit down, gentlemen ?’’ invited Mason, offering chairs. ‘‘No,”’ refused’ Jack, “‘what we have to say to you we can say standing.” Mason bowed. The .expression of his face showed he was Was not Hock Mason, the bully, we saw!” Diamond pinched himself. ‘It’s no dream,’’ he declared; ‘‘but I sweat, I am not willing to believe it yet! There is something beneath the surface —something we did not tumble to.”’ ‘‘What do you mean by that ?’’ FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET, 17 ‘‘Hanged if I know just what I do mean, but I won’t believe Hock Mason ever gave such a promise without being forced into it! He won’t keep that prom- ise !”? ‘““You are wrong, Jack,’’ said Harry, positively; ‘‘I’ll stake my life that he will!” ‘It’s impossible, man! some trick.’’ "No! You hit him hard with. your plain words—you must have seen that.” ‘“‘Well, if he wasn’t hard hit, he is a better actor than I ever dreamed he could Re,” “Tt was not acting, Jack.”’ ‘“‘Hanged if he didn’t make me feel ashamed of myself for a minute!’’ con- fessed Diamond. ‘‘Why, I didn’t think he would be ruffled. I thought I would have to pound him in order to get anything through his thick head.’’ ‘‘He hasn’t a thick head, Jack, for all that he was a bully.’’ ‘“That’s plain enough now. And he didn’t light on me! We got his proniise, and we didn’t get into a fight! I swear! it still seems like a dream.”’ They walked away, talking it over. They resolved to watch Mason and see if he kept his word. The very next day, from the window of his room, Diamond saw Frank Merri- well hurry and overtake Mason on the cainpus, saw Mason turn his back to Mer- riwell and walk away, saw Merry thrust his hands deep into his pockets and whistle his astonishment. ‘““Thunder!’’ gasped Diamond. ‘‘I really believe that fellow is going to try to keep his word! Well, it will be a good thing for Merry, but it must be that Ma- son was looking for a good excuse to snub Merry publicly. He feels that he is get- ting back into his old form, and he wants to go up against Frank again.”’ He’s up to Jack could vot bring himself to think | = Hock Mason was keeping his promise be-— 18 FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. cause of a desire to help Frank. Instead, he still clung to the belief that every act of Mason’s was prompted by a selfish mo- tive. But, as soon as possible, he told Rattle- ton what he had seen. “T knew it!® cried Harry, trium- phantly—‘‘I knew Mason would keep his promise !”? ‘‘Wait!’? said Jack, stubbornly. ‘‘I am not satisfied yet.”’ ‘*But—but you saw him.”’ ‘‘Yes. He may have seen me at thie -window—he may have known I was watching.”’ “Oh, say, old fellow, don’t be so hard on him! If he saw you, and he meant to hang to Merry, he would have taken sat- isfaction in talking with Frank before . your eyes and walking off with him.’’ “Then he has intended all along to snub Merriwell as soon as he was strong enough to dare, and he was glad of the opportunity.” ‘You are uncharitable, Jack. I believe Hock Mason is more of a man than we have ever dreamed, and I beheve he is do- ing as he promised to do because he thinks it is for Merry’s yood.”’ *‘Well, time will tell.”’ While they were watching Mason, they watched Merriwell also, and it was not long before they discovered that, regu- larly every evening Frank was going ont all alone, returning to his room quite as regularly shortly after ten o’clock. Where he went was a mystery. He did not visit Morey’s, Traegers, or any of the stu- dent’s resorts in town, and yet he was in town somewhere. , Rattleton decided to follow Frank and find out the truth. At first this looked like spying on his friend, and he hesi- ‘tated. Then he remembered thata change had come over Frank of late—remem- ‘bered that Merriwell was strangely grave and thonghtful with a look on his face as © if he were haunted by something that he kept a,secret in the depths of his heart. “ER been in all sorts of scrapes,’’ thought Harry. ‘‘Perhaps he is in an- He has had all sorts of enemies, and it is possible a new enemy has a hold on him. IfI can help himin any man- ner, I want to do so. If I\find he is going other. somewhere that I have no right to-go, I will turn about.’ And so, out of the goodness of his heart, and from not idle curiosity, Rattle- ton followed Frank. Merry did not know any one was follow- ing him. He walked with a swift, swing- ing step, leaving the vicinity of the col- lege and making direct for the poorer section of the city. “Well, this means something,’? mut- tered the trailer. for nothing.”’ In the very lowest section of the city they approached a little mission chapel. Merriwell did not hesitate, but boldiy en- ‘*He isn’t coming here tered the place, as if he had been there. before. ‘‘Wheejiz!’’ gurgled Rattleton, as he paused and thumped his hands together to warin them, for the air was biting cold that evening. ‘This staggers me! What is the meaning of it ?? Harry felt that he had stumbled upon amystery.. For some time he remained silent, watching and ,waiting for Merri- well to come out, but Frank did not ap- pear. He sawseveral poorly dressed men and women go into the building. Becoming restless, Harry walked past. This he repeated several times. He thought he would go in, but hesitated about doing so. Then, as he was passing, he heard sounds of singing coming from the chapel. He halted, astonished beyond measure, for anrid the cracked, wheezy, wretched voices he Heard one that was young and strong and clear. It was Frank Merriwell’s voice! Frank > FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET, 19 was in there, and he was leading the singing! ‘‘Am I dreaming?’ gasped the lad who was listening outside. ‘‘It isn’t pos- sible!’ Then he resolved to settle the question without further delay. Up the mission steps he went, opened the door softly, and slipped in. The place was pretty well crowded, and the most of those present were wretched outcasts ‘and still more wretched women. The younger men and boys in the place plainly were hoodlums and toughs, some of them having faces that seemed to indi- cate that they were vile enough for al- most any dishonest deed. Harry slipped in without being seen and took a seat near the door at the back of the house. -On the platform Frank Merriwell was standing, leading the sing- ing: ‘*Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly.” The voices of the wretched men quav- ered therough the lines, but they did their best. They were safe from the cold fora short time, at least. The mission provided hot coffee for all, and that was one of the principal things that brought them there. But, after a time, Harry was to discover there was another reason why they came there. Thev were there, many of them, to hear Frank Merriwell talk to them. And he did talk to them after the singing was over. He did not preach, he did not exhort, but he went right down among them, walking from one to another, and he talked to them as if he was one of them, no better. t It was not a lecture of temperance—it was something better. In a way that was indescribable, he showed them that he sympathized with them all, that his heart was fullof love for them. He spoke as if he, too, were in the gutter, as if he were fighting the demon drink, but was con- quered again and again in his battle. | “But we'll never give up fighting, will we friends?’ he said, his voice full of earnestness. ‘‘We’ll make one more struggle to get up again in the world. We can do it, if we try, and we’ll try We know that drink drowns the bitter mem- with all the strength we possess. ories of the past, makes us forget our broken homes and the lost ones who are But it’s only for a short time, - and then, when we can get no more drink, the hateful heavier upon us. We remember the loved ones of years ago, we see their sad eyes looking upon us, we see_ baby hands outstretched to us, and then. — —then we are ready to sell our very souls for another drink to drown those mem- dear to us. memories crowd thicker and mournfully “ories. ‘‘But there is a chance for the worst of us. Wecan throw off the iron fetters if we make one more desperate ‘struggle. There is always hope as long as there is life. Wecan become men again, and we can go back to soine of the dear ones who had waited for us so long—whio are wait- ing for us to-might. If there are uo dear ones waiting, we can make a new piace for ourselves 1m the world, we can become good men and women, and in time tl ere will be dear ones who love and respect ws as we deserve. ”” As he went on he became more and more eloquent. It was wonderful to see how the old vayrants hung onto every word he uttered. how he swayed them by the music of his voice and the eloquence of his words, Then, when he finished, he showed them the pledge, which was ready for ; them to sign. He held it out to them as their anchor of hope. A miserable, blear-eyed, tottering wreck arose to his feet, tears streaming down his bleated face. ‘“T will sign it!’ he cried, brokenly. “TIL make one more attempt.. Somewaxere I have a wife andason. He niust bea It was wuncerfu! to see 20 young man now, Ain’t seen him for years—never expected to see him again. But I?ll sign the pledge, and I'll try to reform. Perhaps—sometime—I may be man enough to. go back to my wife and my boy. I’ve tried before, but I'll try ‘- again.’’ He went up to the table to sign the pledge, Frank took him by the hand, shook it joyfully, spoke earnest, encour- aging words to him, and he cried likea child. ~ Pitcagt And then Harry Rattleton, choking ~ with his own emotion, dazed by the won- der of what he had seen and heard, got ’ wp and slipped out of the building. ‘Merciful goodness!’ he gasped, when he reached the street. ‘‘What will Merry do next! This is another example of . practical Christianity.’’ ee a CHAPTER VIII. DIAMOND LOSES HIS TEMPER. On the way back to his room, Rattleton passed Morey’s. Some roystering lads were coming out, and another party was entering. Harry was recognized, and they called to him to join them, but he refused and continued on his way. Straight to his room Rattleton went. _ Alone he sat down and meditated -on his Prciscavesy He thought of Frank Merriwell feat as the jolly freshman he had known, the leader of his class in its war against the sopliomores; then he thought of Frank as an athlete, a pitcher on the baseball team and, one of the most enthusi- -astic football players at Yale; he remem- bered Frank at the poker table, when Merry for a short time had yielded to his one great weakness, the passion for gam- bling; then came memories of the famous trip across the continent, and the many thrilling adventures encountered, through all of which Frank had been the leader; finally to his fancy came a picture of the FRANK MERRIWELL’S SEORET. iast football yame between. Yale and Har- vard, when Frank was carried from the field on the shoulders of his madly cheer- ing admirers, the hero of the hour, hav- ing won the game by one of the most re- markable plays ever seen on the gridiron. But of all the strange scenes with which Frank Merriwell was associated, Harry Rattleton felt that he had witnessed the most remarkable in the-little mission that evening. He gasped for breath as:he thought of Frank Merriwell, a fine Greek scholar, a magnificent athlete, a fellow with the. most delicate, instincts and the most scrupulous habits of cleanliness, the most popular man at Yale, surrounded. by greasy, blear-eyed, besotted wretches. of the gutter, and talking to them exactly as if he was one of them and not a bit better. “If I were to know that fellow a thou- sand years, I’d never fully understand him !’’ exclaimed Harry, ‘‘There are un- sounded depths to his nature, and J be- lieve Frank Merriwell.is a practical Christian. He does not make much of a show of being a Christian, but his every. act since I have known him has been an act of manliness and justice. If he doesn’t become one of the greatest and grandest men the wos has ever seen, it will be a wonder.” | Then, when Harry thought that thare was a part of Frank’s life of which his best friends knew very little, when he thought that Frank had traveled iu many foreign lands and met with scores of thrilling adventures before coming to Yale, yet never boasted of what he had done; never even mentioned those travels and adventures unless asked. about them —when Harry thought. of that he was stupefied. | From that night Harry Rattleton re- garded Frank Merriwell with a feeling of Sy awe that he could never fully overcome, ~— 3 He remembered how familiar he had been iA SE Mer REE LT De tee ELE Rea FEO healer. Ls aes ip ae ea i with Frank. in .the past, and was aston- ished by it. Harry did not tell what he had seen down at the little mission in the slums; he kept it a secret. Frank Merriwell was not saying anything about it, and Rattle- ton thought 1t possible he did not wish it gererally known that he was playing the Good Samaritan in stich a manner. Not that Harry thought for an instant Frank would be ashamed to have it known. He knew Merriwell well enongh to be .sure Frank would not do a thing deliberately that would bring the least sense of shame to his heart. For a few days it seemed that a change had come over Rattleton. He was not the same rattle-brained fellow that he had been, and anew look of thoughtfulness was to be seen on Up to that time. it had seemed that he had never his face. ' patised to think seriotisly about anything. Diamond, in the meantime, was watch- ing Mason like a hawk. One day he said to Harry: : -<“The freshman is priming himself.’ ‘“What do you mean by that?’ Rat- tleton asked. | “He. is preparing for the assault on # Mertriwell.”’ “ t> ‘ticks we ‘What makes you think so?’’ ‘Something I saw last night.”’ ‘What was it?’ “7 saw Mason stand up to the bar in Jackson’s joint and drink whisky till he was loaded.”? “Wheejiz!? exclaimed Harry. ‘Did he get off his feet?” ‘Not quite, but he was jagged, and he punched a fellow named Wiggins.”’ - ‘Who. is Wiggins ie! sea freshman.’ “Did Mason hit him hard?” _ ‘Hard enough to knock him down.”’ : “Then. the bully is up to his old That is the way it looks ees the FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET; 21 road. It won’t be long before he’ll go on the war-path for Merriwell.”’ ‘‘What did Wiggins do that Mason struck him ?’’ ‘*Called Mason a coward. Said Mason showed he was a coward by failing to lick Merry after getting out of hospital. I was watching it all, and I saw the devil into the big fellow’s eyes. He smashed Wiggins a corker.”’ : ‘*Well,’’ cried Harry, ‘‘I don’t know as I blame him for that! A fellow can’t stand everything.”’ ‘But think how mild he has pretended — to be of ant He has been putting it oR all the time.’ ee ‘‘Perhaps he would not have etenck Wiggins if he hadn’t been drinking. A man is not responsible for everything he does when he is filled to the chin with whisky.”’ Diainond scowled. ‘I don’t admire the way you stand up for Mason,’’ he said. ‘‘T can’t help that,’’ flung back Harry, growing excited. ‘‘If the fellow is making an attempt to become a man, I am going to stand up for him. There are plenty of leap others who will try to push him down.’’ ‘Is that an insinuation that J am try- ing to push him down ?”? The Virginian was getting angry, and Harry was not desirous of trouble with aes Diamond, so he quickly said: ‘“Not that, old man; but you know I am right—vou know Mason has so many enemies that he has little show to rise here.’’ ‘Let him keep in his place!’’ flashed Jack. ‘‘He has poor blood in him, and——”? ‘‘T know you stand by the old saw that blood will tell, but you do not know any thing about Mason’s father and mother. It is possible they may be fine people.”’ ‘Not on your life! Theré is a bad streak in one side or the other. Either it comes from his mother or his father. 22 FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. Ill wager something his father is a low creature. ”” “But there is some good in Mason— Ill bet my life on it. Within him the good is battling to overcome the bad.’’ “Well, it has a poor show with such a fellow.”’ ‘*It has a poor show if everybody gives him a kick instead of a helping hand. Merriwell was trying to help lift him up, but we stuck our noses in and spoiled everything.”’ ‘‘You talk as if we were wrong in do- ing that.’’ ‘‘We had no mmisness to beddle—I mean no business to meddle. ’ Dianiond was thoroughly disgusted. ‘‘Rattleton, you make me sick!’’ he cried. There is a soft spot somewhere about you !”’ Then he angrily walked away. “Go lay down and die! CHAPTER IX. AN ACT OF COURAGE. Diamond was fully satisfied that he and Rattleton had donea friendly act for Frank Merriwell. He could see no reason why they should have any consideration for the feelings of Hock Mason, who had never been anything but an enemy to both of them; but surely they were under the greatest obligations to Merriwell, and it was their duty todo anything in their power for him. The natures of Jack Diamond and Harry Rattleton were so unlike that there was a constant clash between them, even when they were working to accom- plish the same object. As Jack walked away Harry wondered what he would say if he knew that Frank visited the little mission in the slums and mingled with the bummers and toughs who gathered there as if’ he were one of them. | : “He'd think Merriwell crazy,’’ mut- tered Rattleton. That afternoon as Rattleton came out upon the campus, he saw a number of students guying a drunken bummer near the fence. ‘*What’s that creature here for ?’’ came angrily from Harry’s lips. ‘‘It’s a dis- grace to let such wretches wander in here!’ ‘He approached the group, but stopped suddenly when he obtained a fair look of the drunken man’s face. ‘‘Wheejiz!’’ gurgled Rattleton. He had made.a discovery. He had seen the inan before. “It’s the vag who signed the pledge down at the mission the other night!”’ exclaimed Harry. ‘‘He’s drunk as he can be! It’s plain Merry didn’t do much good in this instance.’’ One of the students shyed a chunk of snow at the tramp and knocked his hat off his head. Cursing them all, the man attempted to pick up his hat, but rolled over help- lessly. The thoughtless students shouted with laughter. ‘“Hall’s got him down!’ cried one. ‘*Alcohol I mean.”’ $ “Say old gent,’ called ‘‘what’s the matter with you? ground unsteady ?”’ ‘Are you drunk ?’’ asked another, ‘‘or are you simply—drunk ?”’ Then one of them sang a verse of ““Booze, Beautiful Booze.”’ The inebriated man secured his hat and attempted to get upon his feet, but when he was part way up, one of the lads ran fofward and pushed him over. He cursed at them again. “YP ve got a son!’’ he cried—-‘‘a fine son who is here at this college! I’ve come to see him. Is he ’shamed to come out and see his father—his poor old father ?”’ ‘‘He ought to be, if he tent?" iil one of the fellows at the fence. (Dm sure I’d be.’ , another, Is the The dpunderd sat a and shook his fist at them. FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. 23 ““V’re all a lot of devils!’ he screamed. **!’m goin’ to find m’ boy, and I’ll take him ’way from here. Didn’t know he was here till yesterday. Where is my son ?”’ ‘Where is an officer?’’ cried one of the boys. ‘*This wretch should be lodged for the winter where he’ll have to work for his board. ”’ ‘““That’s right,’’ agreed the others. The tramp began to cry in a maudlin manner. ‘(Whole world’s down on me—always was!’’ he said, thickly. ‘‘World always kicks a man when he goes wrong—helps push him into the gutter. Don’t have no sympathy. Now my own son’s shamed of his father and don’t dare to come out and see him.”’ Rattleton’s heart was filled with min- gled disgust and pity. He longed to help the poor old wretch up, but hesitated because he knew he would be guyed and jollied by the students. His courage failed him quite. . It was plain that the lads at the fence were touched bya feeling of shame at last, for they kept away from the drunken man, ceasing to torment him. Across the camptts came a straight, manly looking youth. He espied the gathering at the fence, and he saw the min on the ground. Then he hurried toward the spot. It was Frank Merriwell. “What’s this??? he exclaimed, as he reached the side of the old bummer. fV off ??? The man looked up and recognized Frank. ‘'Ves,’? hesaid thickly. drunk again! Broke m’ pledge—can't keep it! Old man’s gone to devil! Let him go! No use to try to help him!” “Oh, we’ll try again!’’ said Frank, his voice as tender as if le were speaking to awoman. ‘‘We won’t give it up as long as there is life! We'll try again, my friend, and we’ll win at last, I know we will !?? He helped the bummer to his feet, while the lads at the fence looked on in ainazenient. “Oh, you’re a good boy—a noble boy l?? sobbed the man. ‘You ain’t like devils there!’ with a faltering, feeble ‘tTt’s no use— ’ gesture toward the group nearby. ‘‘You areaman! They push a man down, you lift a man up. That’s difference.” Some of the lads at the fence laughed, while some flushed with shame. | ‘“Come,’’ said Frank, speaking kindly to the unsteady wretch, “‘we will go away somewhere. Come with me.’’ ‘“My boy,’’ said the drunkard, weakly —‘‘] want to see m’ boy. He’s here— goes to this college! Oh, I know it—I found it out! He’s here, and he’s ’shamed of his. old father—his drunken old father!’ ‘*You do not want to see him now,’’ came gently and firmly from Frank. ‘We'll find him by and by. Come away with me—won’t you come with me?”’ ‘*Ves, I?ll. do anything fer you! You’ve gota heart.”? Then he tried to shake his fist at the group at the fence. ‘‘Mocking devils!’’ he cried hoarsely ; ‘‘here is a man worth more than you all! There is more man in one of his fingers than in whole of you! You ain’t fit to wipe shoes on his feet! You push man down; he lifts man up. Shame—shame on y’ all!” ‘Come!’ urged Frank, gently forcing the man away. ; ‘“Yes, Pll go—for you. But I’m coming back. I’m going to see my boy who goes to this fine college, while his poor old father has no place to lay his head.”’ It was a strange sight to see Frank Merriwell assisting the drunken tramp -actoss the campus and away from that vicinity. No one attempted to guy him, but all stared at Frank amazed. All? No; Harry Rattleton was. not amazed, but his face was crimson with shame when he thought how he had held back and failed-to give assistance to the bummer, but Frank had not hesitated an instant. ‘‘He is a thousand times the man I -am!” Rattleton mentally cried. --— CHAPTER X. HOW FRANK CONQUERED MASON. ‘*Mason’s on the warpath again !’’ That was the report that was circu- lated. It created a sensation, although 24 FRANK MERRIWELL'S SECRET. something of the sort had been expected for some time. Mason on the warpath again meant that the big freshman was once more the brutal bully who had caused consterna- tion among the students. Mason was drinking. In the old days before his illness he had never drank any- thing more than an occasional beer or a glass of ale now ard then, but now he was drinking whiskv. It was the universal opinion that Mason was drinking whisky to fire up courage to the point of tackling Frank Merriwell again. It was seen that Merriwell and Mason no longer seemed on friendly terms. Why they had broken was not known. Dia- mond.and Rattleton kept the secret. Wiggins bore the mark of Mason’s knuckles on his cheek, but he thought he was lucky to escape without receiving soinething worse than that. Jackson’s was a place occasionally patronized by students as well as the gen- eral public. In a back room above Jack- son’s, ‘‘Buster’’ Kelley, a professional bruisér, had rooms. Kelley was a bull- necked slugger with a record. He picked up not a little money by teaching college men fighting tricks and straight sparring. Kelley knew more about tricks than he did about scientific boxing. It was said that he could foul an opponent with greater skill than any living fighter. Months before Kelley had been warned to leave New Haven, and, for some time, he had kept ‘‘shady.’’ After a time, however, he became bolder, and almost any night he could be found loafing in Jackson’s bar-room. It happened that Kelley was not pres- _ ent the night that Mason struck Wiggins, but he heard of it shortly afterward and he publicly declared he would ‘‘t’ump der mug off’n der fresh bloke’’ the next time Hock cut up in Jackson’s.”’ This was soon put in circulation, and each night a large number of fellows went to Jackson’s, hoping to see a fight be- tween Kelley and the fres hman bully. It was the universal opinion that Mason would soon meet his ‘‘finish’’ when he went up against ‘‘Buster,’’ for Kelley would spring some sort of a trick on the college lad that would ‘‘do him up.’’ Mason kept away from Jackson’s a while, and then, one night, he appeared. Kelley was on hand and itching fora fight. Mason drank whisky by himself, and Kelley watched him. Word went out that there was ‘‘blood on the mioon,’’ and college lads came swarming into the place, hot to see the ‘‘scrap’’ they felt certain was coming. Mason had ‘‘put hiinself up against the bar,’’ and it did not take Kelley long to get up beside him. Kelley said nothing, but he watched Mason in a manner that. was an open insult. - At last Mason accused the barkeeper of changing his whisky and giving him a poorer brand. ‘Think I can’t tell poor wlitsky just ~~ dd because I’ve pitched in a pint of it?’’ he growled. ‘‘Well, I can! This stuff is vile!”? ‘It is the same that I have been giving you all along,’’ declared the barkeeper. ‘‘Haw!’’ snorted Kelley, unable to keep still longer. ‘‘Dat duck don’t know whisky from benzine! Shall I t’row him out, Jimmy ?’’ He asked this question of the bar- keeper, but he thrust out his square chin and glared at Mason in the most ap- proved bull-dog fashion. Mason turned and looked Kelley over. ‘“Throw me out—throw me!’’ he ex- claimed. ‘‘You poor deluded yap-faced accident! You couldn’t throw me out if my hands were tied behind my back!’ Kelley gasped for breath. He did not seem able to believe that he had heard aright. | **T__]’m Buster Kelley!’ he roared. “TY don’t care if you are Buster Thun- der!?? flung back Mason. ‘*You won’t melt things. -There are others just as warm.”’ be Kelley gave a howl and a leap, but Mason sprang sideways at the same time, and the bruiser did not fasten his hands on the freshman, as he had intended. Instead, he received a sledge-hammer blow on the ear that came near knocking : him clean over the bar. Kelley was a man who could stand punishment, and he turned as quickly as possible to get at Mason. He was just in — thy 4 ma he, ‘roared, FRANK MERRIWELL’'S SECRET, 85 time to get sent him up against the bar once more, The two blows Mason had struck were terrible ones, and would have knocked out an ordinary man. Kelley was not an ordinary man, and the bar saved him from measuring his length on the floor. Although dazed by the blows, Kelley managed to duck and avoid a third one. But Hock Mason was aroused as he had never been before. He seemed a perfect fury. His eyes glared and his teeth gleamed beyond his back-drawn lips. For all that Kelley escaped being struck when -Mason swung at him the third time, he could not get away. Like an infuriated beast the freshman followed the prize fighter. Kelley tried to strike Mason, and did succeed in hitting him once, but, to the bruiser’s astonishinent, that blow simply seemed to make the collegian more furious. The spectators held their breath. The fight had started so quickly and was so savage that they could do nothing but keep still and watch. Kelley ducked again when Mason swung the fourth time, and then closed with the freshman. -“Vou have him, Buster!’’ cried the barkepeer. ‘‘Give it to him! Throw him out!’ Mason heard chewh words, and the snarl that escaped, his\lips was a sound that might have issued. from the throat of an aniinal. ,He broke Kelley’s hold, and swung him. into the ‘air, flinging the prize-fighter bodily over the bar. Kelley was put out of the fight by - this; for he was stunned when he struck. _. All that was bad and savage in Mason’s nature seemed aroused. With his teeth grating together, his eyes glaring redly, and his breathing sounding hoarsely, he caught up a chair. “Put your bouncer on me, will you!’’ “Well, I'll clean this joint out now !’? ,At this moment Mason was approached by a lad who had been passing and was _ drawn into the place by the sounds of the - fight, e “It was Frank Merriwell. a smash in the mouth that - Without the least hesitation, Merriwell walked straight up to the freshman, placed a hand on Mason’s arm, and spoke, his voice being gentle and soothing: ‘*T wouldn’t do it, old uian. Put down the chair, and come with me.’’ Mason paused, with the chair. poised in the air, his eyes turned on Frank. Fora moment he glared at Merriwell as if long- ing to smash him over the head with the chair, but it was plain a struggle was going on within his breast. The others in the place watched in silent suspense, wondering what the re- sult would be. Some of them felt sure that Mason would improve the oppor- tunity to ‘‘do up’? the lad who had been more than a match for him in the first struggle between them. Harry Rattleton afterward declared he would not have oe acent for Merriwell’s chance of getting away with a whole head. Still, knowing the danger that menaced his friend, he could not lift a hand to aid Frank. Merriwell did not shrink before the glare of Hock Mason’s eyes. He stood there quietly, looking the former bully straight in the face, his hand still resting in a restraining manner on the arm of the infuriated freshman. Gradually the look of fury left Hock Mason’s face, which was suffused bya blush of shame. He lowered the chair, and then Frank spoke once more: ‘Come on, we will leave this place. You could clean it out, but what is the use—you don’t want to do it. Come, old man—come with me.’’ Not a word did Mason speak, but he permitted Frank Merriwell to lead him out of the room. CHAPTER XI. MORE MYSTERY, The witnesses of this remarkable scene were for a time dumb with amazement and wonder. They realized that Frank Merriwell had conquered again, but ina manner that made his victory quite differ- ent from the first one. And the second victory was the greater of the two. Diamond and Rattleton were together, having come there to keep an eye on Mason. Harry was the first one to regain 26 FRANK MERRIWELL'S SECRET. his power of speech. He turned to Jack, gasping: ‘‘What do you think of that?’’ Diamond shook his head, still looking dazed. ‘It’s more than I can understand,’’ he confessed. “‘Why, Merry conquered that fellow by sheer force of will.’ “That’s right! exclaimed Harry; ‘‘and Merry can make a man-of Mason in the same way. You and JI are fools to interfere! Hereafter I am going to keep my nose out of Frank Merriwell’s business, and I think that is the best thing you can do,”’ To Harry’s astonishment, Diamond did not resent these plain words. It semed as if he was too dazed by what he had seen to be aroused by language that would have infuriated him at any other time. After a few moments Harry slipped out of the bar-room. He felt a consuming curiosity to know just what Merriwell would do with Mason. To Rattleton’s disappointment, neither of them was to be seen in the vicinity of the place. ‘*Frank has taken him away, so he would not be pinched if the police got onto the ’scrap,’’? Harry decided. He turned to re-enter Jackson’s, but ee “No!’’ he muttered, suddenly seized by disgust of the place, PT] not go back there. "'?p ve seen all there is to see. Buster Kelley got just what he deserved, and I am g] lad of it.” He walked away. When he reached the corner of the next street, he saw at a distance two persons who were talking earnestly. He did not notice them in particular till he came close to them, and then he distinctly heard one of them say: ‘*He is calling for you, and it is your duty to go at once and see him. He is in -a bad way, and may not a through the night.’? “141 go,’’ said the other. The two were Frank Merriwell and Hock Mason. Before Harry reached them they turned and walked swiftly away, still talking. Neither of them had noticed him. Se With his eyes fastened upon them, Harry walked on and on. When he awoke to realize what he was doing he’ had followed Mason and Merry into the cheapest and most wretched part of the city. ‘‘Great Scott!’ he exclaimed, stopping suddenly. ‘‘Where’'am I going? I’ve been walking in a trance.’’ Then he saw the two lads pause before a door that opened directly upon the side- walk. That door was the entrance toa wretched building. Merriwell took a key from his pocket, unlocked the door, and then Mason fol- lowed him into the building, the door closing behind them. For some time after they disappeared Harry stood there, staring at the and wondering why they had gone in there. At last he turned away, muttering: “It’s plain to me that Iam not onto the whole of Frank Merriwell’s secret. There are still some thiugs about him that I do not know.’ All the way back to South Middle Harry was thinking over what had hap- pened that night. He thought of it in his room, thought of it after going to bed, and dreamed of it after falling asleep. The story of the manner in which Frank had handled Mason in Jackson’s saloon was circulated without delay, and it seemed that every man in college knew it before noon of the following di: Ki dt was the general opinion that “Merriwell had conquered the freshman bully through fear; but a few fellows did not think so, contending that it was by a superior force of will that Mason had been controlled. Diamond was silent. ‘To himself he confessed that there was more in it than he could understand. At noon the sun was shining brightly, and the campus looked rather lively for that season. Just when the largest number of stu- dents had gathered there in the sunshine Frank Merriwell and Hock Mason ap- peared and walked across the campus to- gether. They were watehed by more than a hundred eyes but they gave little attention to anybody, talking together in low, earnest tones. Diamond saw them. “That settles it!’ he muttered. ‘‘Merry is done for now. I throw up the sponge. ’’ But Jack could not entirely give Frank | up. His curiosity was aroused, but it was aroused still more when Me saw that door — FRANK MERRIWELL’S SECRET. Mason and Merriwell leave the college together every evening at a certain hour. It was not long ‘before, one evening, Diamond sought Rattleton in the latter’s room. ‘‘Took here, think ?’’ he eried. ‘‘Dunno,’’ grunted Harry, wondering what Diamond was driving at. ““You know Merriwell and Mason are chumming again???’ “Sure.” ‘*Do you know they go somewhere to- gether every evening ?”’ ‘Well, I have seen them.’’ “Know where they go?’ ‘CNit. » eT do.”? ‘‘How do you know???’ ‘“Rollowed them. Curiosity was ‘aroused. Couldn’t help it. Glad I did. Look here, old man, Mason is_ leading Merriwell into something crooked. This talk about Merry controlling the freshman is all rot. It’s Mason who is the boss.”’ Harry was startled. ‘‘What makes you think that?’’ ‘“‘What I saw. I followed them down into the meanest part of the city, and I saw them stop before the door of a wretched building. Mason took out a key and unlocked the door. ‘Then they both went in, and the door was locked behind them. What do you think of that??? ‘‘T knew about that all the time.’? **Did ?”’ ‘‘Ves, Followed them there myself.”’ ‘Well, what do you think of it?’ ‘oThink they have a secret. Think it is none of our business. Think we had better keep our noses out and let them. alone.’ “Kh? You don’t believe in doing any- thing to’ save Merry ?”’ _ “Pon’t you worry so much about Frank Merriwell,’’ advised Rattleton. ‘He can take care of himself, and he will not thank anybody for meddling with his business. Iam going to let him alone in the future, and I advise you todo the same. That is all.” “‘T don’t want your advice!’’ exclaimed Jack, springing up. ‘‘I don’t thank you for it! You may do as you like, and I will do as I like. Good-evening.’ Then he left the room and slammed the door. do you Rattles, what _ popular sporting resorts. CHAPTER XII THE OPEN DOOR. I was Saturday afternoon. -2- 65c.|.One year - - - - - + = $2.50 4 months - 85e. | 2 copies one year - - = 4.00 6 months - - - - - $1.25 | 1 copy two years” - - = 4,00 Ilow TO SEND Monky.— By post office or express movey order - registered letter, bank check or drat, at our risk. At your own risk if seut by postal note, currency. coin, or postage stamps in ordinary letter. RECHEIPTS.— Receipt of your remittance is ac nowledged by proper change of number oy your label. Tf noteorrect you have not been properly credited, and showd jet us / now at once. — + ‘TO CLUR RAISERS.—Upon request we will send sample copies to aid you in obtaining subscribers. All letters should be addressed to STREET & SMITH’S TIP TOP WEEKLY, 238 William St., New York City. PrP Lr” Christmas Money! $25--GOLD--$25 Which is your favorite character in Tip Top Weekly stories aside from Frank Merriwell him- Self ? _. Five prizes of five dollars gold, each, will be given to the writers of the five best letters on the above subject. If you read the famous ‘“Merriwell” sto- ries you must have formed a liking for one of Frank’s companions. Write us a BRIEF letter, stating yout favorite and giving the reasons for making the choice, and address the letter, or postal card, to “Character Contest,” Tip Top Weekly, Street & Smith, 238 William Street, New York _ City. .. This contest will end DECEMBER 13. - 4897, and the prizes will be forwarded to the successful contestants before Christmas Day. Calks With Cip Cop Readers. One more week in which to decide as to your favor- ite among Frank Merriwell’s friends. You have many to choose from and you, no doubt, like them all, but there must’be one who particularly strikes your fancy. If you have not already sent in a letter, do so at once. Mr. Standish is taking a personal interest in this con- test, and he wishes to hear from all his readers. Re- member, the contest closes Saturday, December 11. Will you be one of the lucky five? The following letters are from the prize winners in the famous ‘‘motto contest,’’ recently concluded in the Tip Top Weekly: New York City, Oct. 4, 1897, Messrs. Street & Smith, New York City. Gentlemen: Your check for ten dollars, the first prize in the motto contest of the Tip Top Weekly, was received yesterday. Iam delighted to find that my mictto won the prize, as it really expresses what the Tip Top Weekly is—‘‘An Ideal Publication for the Americait Youth.’’ Thanking you for your kindness, I sign myself, Yours truly, Walter C. Dean. St. Augustine, Fla., Oct. 6, 1897. Messrs. Street & Smith, publishers, New York City. Gentlemen: I received your letter of the 2d inst., informing me that I had been fortunate enough to win the secoud prize in the recent Tip Top Weekly motto contest, and inclosing your check for $5, to-day. Please accept my sincere thanks for same, T have read the Tip Top Weekly from No. 1 to date, aud think it, and the Army and Navy Weekly, the two best boys’ papers published. Thanking you again for your kindness, I beg to re- main, Very respectfully yours, Reginald V. Perine. Vincennes, fud., Oct. 6, 1897- Street & Smith, New York, N. Y. Dear Sirs: Your favor of the 2d at hand, contain- ing your check for $3, my share cf the motto contest ize, which appeared in your popular weekly—Tip Top Weekly. The promptness of you, in sending me your check, impressed me with your business integrity, also the ready manner in which the bank honored your check also showed your reputation in business circles, Yours etc,, : : Wemyss. ‘ St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 4, 1897, Dear Sir: Your check for two dollars received, for which I tender my most sincere thanks. It is not the monetary value that is so gratifying, but the proud feeling possesses me in the knowledge that 1 was chosen out of somany. If all boys appreciate your valuable paper as thoroughly as I do the circulation would increase again and again. Yours very truly, : Frederick Quinn. | ~ Correspondence. P. H. C., Rochester, N. Y.—Seventy-nine back numbers will cost you $3.95, C. G. C., Carthage, Mo.—The information will be furnished you by the land commissioner, Washington, D ’ H. A. T., Denver, Col.—We t to say that we cannot advise you in the matter. You should consult a physician or a practical athletic trainer. C. C., Georgetown, Col.—1. You have no cause to worry, as you are only one inch under the average height for a boy fifteen years of age. 2. There is no recipe to increase your growth. Help nature all you -can by outdoor exercise, pee in good health and good humor, and you will, no t, grow to be an average sized man. eee Clif Basie ee: or, DEFENDING HIS COUNTRY’S HONOR Bw igm Ctarke Fitch, U. Ss. Ne at the moment was so interested that he forgot to be CHAPTER I. AMONG THE BERMUDAS. ‘Breakers ahead !”? *“Starboard the helm.”’ ‘‘Starboard the helm, ay, ay, sir.” The first cry was from the lookout of the vessel, the second came from the pilot, and the third from the man at the wheel. The ship was a stately wooden frigate, the U. S. Monongahela, training ship of the naval cadets. She was gliding along slowly before the wind, with just enough of her canvas set to give her steerage way. Vigilance was the word on board, for the vessel was entering the harbor of the Bermudas. The lookout’s ery had been at the sight of the long white crest ot the waves breaking over the outer coral reefs. _ The cadets on board were grouped about the deck, or standing aloft in the trim rigging, ready to handle the sails. Allof them were gazing about them with interest. Those had read of the ‘*hundred islands’’ with their luxuriant vegetation, were some- what disappointed at what they saw. The time July, and a coating of withered and dirty green was the best the land could show. Numerous white cot- tages, little specks in the sunlight, gleamed in the dis- tance, but they only served to increase the sombreness of the background. Above “‘all in a hot and copper sky,’’? the sun beat down upon the vessel. Below, the clear green waters rippled past, showing the curious changes in tints for which, the islands are famous. Flying fish could be seen skipping away in all directions; petrels and tropic-birds were hovering over the white track of the vessel. Through the water on either side the coral- shallows could be distinetly seen, with their vari- eolored marine growths. All these were new sights to our friends, the cadets. ‘One group of them, in whom we are especially inter- ested, were leaning over the railing, gazing with many surprised exclamations at the tints they saw. They were Clif Faraday and his chosen band, members of the fourth, or *‘plebe’’ class. Faraday himself was a tall, bandsome lad, with frank, pleasing features and curly brown hair. On one side of him was a smaller, fair-haired chap, known as ‘‘Nanny”’ Gote among his friends. On Clif’s other side was a dark, Japanese lad, who had been blessed with the nickname of ‘‘Trolley.’’ Besides these there were ‘ghe merry Grat Wallace. and the mournful Joy, who who famous was mournful. The scene upon the dock where the vessel was to land was scarcely less interesting than the water. There were helmeted red coats of the British garrison, custom-house officials, and steamship agents galore. All were watching the approaching vessel with inter- est, and also another which was close behind in her wake. - The other vessel has not been mentioned previously because, as Trolley remarked, ‘‘‘she no in it—she in soup.’’ Trolley’s slang may be explained by saying that thera, had been an impromptu race between the Monongahela and the other ship, and that, the Monon- gahela bad won, much to the natural joy of her youthful and ambitious sailors, The victory was not popular among those on the other vessel, quite naturally. Neither was it popular among the watchers on shore. The vessel was Her Majesty’s Frigate Albert, at present in use as a train- ing ship of the British navy. Therefore the American’s were doubly rejoiced, especially the Jap,-who was more volubly patriotic than any of them. The amount of incoherent and incomprehensible slang which Trol- ley had/made use of during the brief race just past would bave ‘‘out slung’? a Bowery newsboy. And when at last it had became apparent that the Monon- gahela really was drawing away from: her rival, he had actually the temerity to start a cheer, The cadets took it up with a will. Fortunately for © Trolley, the officer of the deck hadn’t seen him begin it, or there would have been trouble. Whether the disgruntled occupants of the Albert en- joved the sound as it was borne baek to them it is hard to say, though one would be apt to suppose they didn’t. ‘(We'll have something to twit our English cousins about, if we meet ’em on shore,’’ laughed Clif. ‘‘ Please notice the fact that they’ve more canvas than we, too,”’ ‘ The honor that resulted to the victor was not alto- gether an empty one, as it was found when the vessel, having furled her last jib, was brought round close to the landing place and came’ gradually toa stop. The public dock was not a very large one, and it was nearly crowded, There were two large merchant ships, a steam yacht, and one of the steamers of the New York line. The Monongahela took up the rest of the space. The Englishman anchored in the bay. (Trolley wanted to give another cheer at that, and was barely choked off in time.) . Landing” in the Bermudas is quite a ceremony. Hamilton is the town, aud it is a very sleepy town, There is a time honored custom—which no one dreams ef violating—of building a gang plank to the ship in- TIP TOP WEEKLY. 31 stead of coming up close to the wharf. Nobody is sup- pesed to be in a hurry on a tropical July day. As has been mentioned, it wasthen about midday. The «cadets were summoned below to dinner a few min- utes later, and Hamilton, the Bermudas and the English school ship were lost to view for a while. Shore leave was granted to most of the lads during the afternoon. Thus it happens that we findOlif Fara- day strolling through the town a sbort while later. Hamilton, the capital city, has not much in the way of beauty to attract the stranger. The shops are what most people would describe as ‘‘slow’’; the streets are hot, at least in July, and except for the residence por- tion they are far from beautiful. However, that has but little to do with the story. Clif was noticing it as he strolled along the wharf. A few moments later recalling some trifling purchase he meant to make, he turned and entered one of the stores. He was not expecting the sight which met his eyes. There were four or five figures clad in blue uniforms seated near the door. They were cadets of the English vessel, the first ones Clif had seen. He gazed at them with a look of interest as he entered, being careful, however, that his gaze should not amount toa stare that might be mistaken for rudeness. The others were not so particular, as Clif conld not help observing. They stopped their conversation ab- ruptly and turned their heads to follow him with their eyes. A moment later, as he stood facing the counter, with bis back to them, he distinctly heard the words: ‘‘One of those blamed Yankee cads.”’ The shopman, who was speaking to Faraday, heard the remark also and saw his customer flush a trifle. But Clif did not see fit to turn or notice the remark in any way. ‘*T only ‘bope they aren’t all of that kind,’’ he mused to himself, ‘‘else I shall have to turn Jingo. But they’re probably just like Sharp and Crane and the rest of that third class gang on our own ship.’’ This thought made Clif all the more determined to keep his teniper, The Englishmen were probably angry at the way the Monongahela had shown them ‘‘a clean pair of feet.’’ (That was Trolley’s version). The cadets of the Albert, however, had no idea of letting the matter rest so easily as that, One remark led on to another, and soon there wasa spirited conver- sation being carried on in a loud tone among them, ull obviously meant for Chf’s ears. ‘*Americans are all such deuced upstarts,’’ observed one. “7 can’t abide them,’’ added another. _“They’re most of them cowards, too,’’ chimed ina third. ‘*They swallow all sorts of insults without daring to do anything.’’ ‘*Ha, ha, yes!’’’ cried the first speaker again. ‘‘By Jove, they eren build fast ships, ye know, so’s to practice running away from the enemy.’? When Clif Faraday once made up lis mind wot to do a thing, it was usually not easy te makehim. He had determined to pay no attention to those fellows, and he didn’t, though the shopkeeper watched him ex- pectantly. Suddenly, however, an incident occurred which completely-changed the situation. There was a light step in the doorway, and the American heard a familiar voice. “Why, Clif——?? The next moment thére was a heavy fall and a frightened cry! | Clif’ wheeled about in surprise and stared. What he saw was as follows: The person who had entered was his little friend Nanny. He had fallen violently forward upon his face, acd Clif had turned just in time to see one of the Englishmen drawing in his foot. The next instant Clif leaped forward, and Nanny’s assailant found himself seized by the collar in a grip like steel, jerked to his feet, and flung headlong across the room. He struck the wall on the opposite side with a crash. Just above him was a huge jar, containing he knew not what. The sudden sbaking brought it tumbling down, however, and a second later the cadet jearned, to his dismay. He found himself completely buried beneath a cascade of pickles! The scenes that followed beggars description. The rest of the Englishmen had leaped to their feet and sprung forward to their companion’s aid. But they were too late, and they started back in alarm as they saw the victim’s plight. The latter rose to his feet sputtering and gasping, red with fury and—green with pickles. The jar had fortunately not contained the ordinary large pickles, but the nondescript concoction known as chow-chow, It had soaked his clothing and poured down his neck. He was rubbing it from his mouth and eyes and ears. His hair was like the seaweed locks of old Glaucus, ore ‘*The mermaids with their tresses green Dancing along the Western billow.”’ He scarcely waited until he was able to see, before, yelling with rage, he made a savags rush at his assail- ant. The continuation of this interesting story of naval cadet life will be found in Army and Navy No. 26, on sale by all newsdealers or direct from this office, December 11, 1897, Price, five cents. Street & Smith, New York. A SUPERB JUVENILE PUBLICATION #ARMY AND NAVY. _ 48—LARGE MAGAZINE PAGES—48. Each Number Contains . Serial Stories by the Best Writers, Two Com- plete Naval and Military Cadet Stories, Sketches, Special Articles, Departments. A SPECIAL FEATURE. “In each number of the Army and Navy will be found two complete novelettes of cadet Tife at the West Point and Annapolis military and naval academies, written by graduates of the academies. _ in no other publication. These fascinating stories can be found DEPARTMENTS. —Editorial Chat, Athletic Sports, Amateur Jourmalism, Correspondence, Stamps, ete. SPECIAL ARTICLES-—Splendidly illustrated, on naval and military subjects, will be found in each number. SHORT STORIES.--Llustrated short stories by the best writers are published Wlunsinated cover—48 magazine pages—the best stories that can be purchased. All for FIVE CENTS. For each week. | STREET & SMITH, 238 William Street, New York City. | 4 _ ents each, postage free. 32 TIP TOP WEEKLY. Tip Top Quarterly 416 Large Pages. Fifty Cents Each. Numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Tip Top Quarterlies are now ready, each contain- ing in one volume thirteen of the famous Frank Merriwell stories complete and un- abridged, and thirteen illuminated photo- engraved illustrations. THE FRANK MERRIWELL STORIES detail the pranks, trials and bravery of a true-hearted American lad—brave to the core. They have received universal com- mendation, and the Tip Top Quarterlies are issued in response to numerous in- quiries for a complete series of the Merri- wellstories. : For sale by newsdealers everywhere, or sent by mail, postpaid, on receipt of price, by the publishers. STREET & SMITH, New York. BOOK FOR EVERYBOD TEN CENTS EACH, The following list of books will be found useful, entertaining, and full of instructive information for all. 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Cupid’s Dream Book Yachting and Navoleon’s Book of Fate. ; Zola’s Dream Book. TRICKS, lerrman’s Black Art, Heller’s Hand Book of Magic, - The Way to Do Magic. Herrman’s Tricks with Cards, | RECITATIONS AND READINGS. _ The Peerless Reciter. Select Recitations and Readings. The Young Elocutionist. The Standard Reciter. ‘These books will be sent prepaid upon receiptof 10 cents each: When ordering, please be particular to send the full title of the hook desired.also your full sens and address. The books are 10 Address ‘ MANUAL LIBRARY 25 Rose st.. Now Yorke of commercial terms. Tip Top Weekly BINDERS. This binder will keep your papers always clean and smooth. No more missing numbers. Handy to refer to and ornamental as well as useful. Sent post-paid to any address on receipt of price, STREET & SMITH, NEW YORK CITy. AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. Many people imagine that a photographer's camera is a dificult machine to handle, and that the work isdirty and disagreeable. All this isa mistake. Photography is a clean, light, and pleasant ac- coniplishment, within the reach of all. The camera will prove a triend, reporter, and helper. With a very inexpensive camera any boy or girl can now learn not only to take good pictures, but pictures that there is everywhere a demand for at remunerative prices. A complete guide to this fascinating art, entitled AMarKUR MANUAL ~ OF PHOTO@RA1 HY will be sant on receipt of ten cents. MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose street, New York, OUT-DOOR SPORTS. Complete instructions for playing many of the most Lag nd out of-door games is found inthis took. The gamesare illustrated and very easily mastered. Price ten cents. Address MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose street, New Vork HOW TO DO BUSINESS. . This book is a guide to success in Hfe, embracing Principles of Business, Choice of Pursuit, Buying and Selling, General Manager “ment, Mechanical Trades, Manufacturing, Bookkeeping, Causes of Success and Failure, Business Maxims and Forms. ete. It also contains an appendix of complete business forms and a dictionary No young man should be without this valuable book. It gives complete information. about trades, ers and Occupatoin in which any young.man is intereste, rice ten cents. Address MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose street, New York __ DART MS LO 96 97 98 ‘Frank Merriwell’s Courage; or, CATALOGUE OF FRANK MERRIWELL STORIES IN TIP TOP WEEKLY , First Days at Fardale. Fraok Merriweil’s Foe; or, *Plebe” Life in Barracks. Fiank Merriwell’s Medal; or, ‘‘Plebe” Life in Camp. Frank Merriwell’s Rival; or, By Fair Play or Foul. Frank Merriwell’s Fault, Frank Merriwell’s Frolics; or, Fun at Fardale. Frank: Merriwell’s Mysterious Ring. Frank Merriwell's Fag; or, Fighting for the Weak, Frank Merriwell’s Furlough. Frank Merriwell on His Mettle, Frank Merriwell's Fate; or, The Old Sailor’s Legacy. Frank Merriwell’s Motto; or, The Young Life Savers. Frank Merriwell in New York; or, an Unknown Foe. Frank Merriwell in Ghicago; or, Meshed by Mysteries, Frank Merr! well in Colerade, Frank Merriwell in Arizona; or, Mysteries of the Mine. Frank Merriwell in Mexico. Frank Merriweil in New Orleans. Frank Merriwell’s Mercy. Frank Merriwell's Friend; or, Muriel the Moonshiner, Frank Merriwell’s Double; or, Fighting for Life. Frank Merriwell Meshed; or, The Last of the Daultes. Frank Merriwell’s Fairy. Frank Merriwell’s Money. Frank Merriwell's Mission Frank Merriwell'’s Mysterious Foe. Frank Merriwell a Monarch, Frank Merriwell in Gorilla Land. Frank Merriwell’s Magic; or, ‘the Pearl of Tangier. Frank Merriwell in France. Frank Merriwell’s Feat. Frank Merriwell in London; or, The Grip of Doom. Frank Merriwell’s Venture; or, Driven from Armenia, Frank Merriwell in India. Frank Merriwell’s Vow; or, After Big Game in Ceylon, Frank Merriwell in Japan; or, The Sign of Avenger. Frank Merriwell’s Dead Shot. Frank Merriwell in the South Sea; or, Frank Merriwell at Home Again. Frank Merriwell at Yale, Frank Merriwell’s Match, Frank Merriwell’s Victory; or, The Winning Oar. Frank Merriwell’s Finish; or, Blue Against Crimson. Frank Mecrriwell's Game; or, Snaring the Sharper. Frank Merriwell’s Run; or, Trouncing the Tigers. Frank Merriwell’s Even Up; or, Squaring the Score. Frank Merriwell’s Queen; or, Blow for Blow. Frank Merriwell’s Find; or, The Waif of the Train. Frank VMerriwell’s Racer; or, Birds of a Feather. Frank Merriwell’s Nerve; or, Game to the Ind. Frank Merriwell’s Shadow. Frank Merriwell's Dash; or, Yale Against the Field. Frank Merriwells Bicycle Boys. Frank Merriwell’s Ride for Life. Frank Merriwell’s Great Capture. Frank Merriwell to the Rescue. Frank Merriwell’s Close Call; or, The Tramp’s Token. Frank Merriwell’s Unknown Friené Frank Merriwell Among the Rustlers. Frank Merrivell’s Desperate Drop, Frank Merriwell in the Mines; or, The Blind Binger. 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Frank Merriwell’s Secret; or, A Friend in Need, Frank Merriwell’s Revenge; or, Aroused at Last. Frank Merriwell’s Capture; or, The Black Schooner Frank Merriwell’s China; or, The Hand ef a Friend Frank Merriwell’s Double Shoot; or, Winning in the Box. Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell; or Jast for Life, Danger; or, Shadow of Disgrace, Frank Merriwell’s Wager; or, Bound to Win, Frank Merriwel in Training; or, The Mystery of the Midnight Prowler. Loyal to the Last. Frank Merriwell at Fardale Again; or, Yale Lads at the Military Academy. Frank Merriwell in Camp; dale Boys, Frank Merriwell’s Fardale Friends; or, Old Foes. Frank Merriwell’s Yale Chums; or, The Jolly Dogs of Fardale. Frank Merriwell’s Choice; or, or, Frolies with the Far- Fair Rivals of Fardale. 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 152 153 154 156 156 157 158 fo 160 161 Frank Merriwell’s Fardale Racket. Frank Merriwell’s Courage; or, Nerve Against Bluff. Frank Merriwell’s Iaith; or, The Shadow of a Crime. Frauk Merriwell’s Celebration; or, Last Days at Fardale. Frank Merriwell Afloat; or, The Cruise of the White Wings. Frank Merriwell Under * Knox County League. Frank Merriwell’s Mystery; or, The Monster of Devil Island, Frank Merriwell'’s Disappearance; or, The Secret of the Island. Frank Merriwell Aroused; Belfast. Frank Merriwell’s Pursuit; or, Stolen Yacht. Frank Merriwell’s Catch; or, The Canoe Boys of Lake Sebasticook. Frank Merriwell’s Guide; Head Lake. Frauk Merriwell’s Peril; Border. Frank Merriwell’s Drift; or, With the River Drivers. Frank Merriwell’s Daring; or, Klsie’s Sacrifice. Frank Merriwell's Fist; or, Bound to Know the Truth Frank Merriwell’s Masquerade; or, The Belle of Hur- ricane Island. Frank Merriwell's Misfortune: Career. Frank Merriwell, the Ladder. Frank Merriwell, Fireman; Frank Merriwell’s Opportunity; Black Gorge. 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Frank Merriwell’s New Venture; or, The Finding of His Own Megunticook; or, With the or, The Bicycle Boys of The Chase of the or, Sport Around Moose- or, The Smugglers of the or, The Start of a New Engine Wiper; or, At the Foot of or, First Step Upward. or, The Ghost of or, The Robbery of the Lending a Helping or, Saving the Enemy’s Tracking the ‘Train or, For Fun, Fame, and Elsie. Frank Merriwell’s Play; Piece, Frank Merriwell’s Fame; or, Frank Merriwells Father; to Burn. Frank Merriwell’s College Chums; or, Wonderful Shot, Frank Merriwell’s Understudy; or, Helping an Old Friend. Frank Merriwell Puzzled, or, the Mystery of Inza. Frank Merriwell’s Problem; or, Vhe Vanishing of Elste Frank Merriwell Missing; or. On the Brink of Disaster Frank Merriwell’s Disaster: or, The Hand of the Law. Frank Merriwell'’s Fortune; or, of the Skeleton. Frank Merriwell’s Failure; or, Luck, Frank Merriwell’s Pluck; or, Never Say Die. Frank Merriwell’s Chance; or, To Make or Break, Frank Merriwell Wins; or, ‘The Suecess of “True Blue” Frank Merriwell Betrayed; or, The Downfall of Hodge. Frank een Admirers; org Annoyed by tion Frank * Merri well’ 8 Prosperity; or, Forging to the Front. Frank Merriweli’s Great Hit; or, Fighting the Play Pirates Frank Merriwell’s Boony A@uetion Frank Merriwell’s Reception; or, A Hot Time in New Haven. Frank Merriwell's Scheme; Great Trip. Frunk Merriwell’s Nobility; or, The Tragedy Ovean Tramp. Frank Merriwell’s Backer; or, Among London Sports. Frank eee Black Beauty; or, Winning the Der Franl Merriwell’s Sand; or, Putting on The Road to Success. or, The Man With Money Bart Hodge's The Legacy High Hopes and Hard Atten- or, The New York Pro- or, Getting Ready for the of the or, London Slums at Night. For Sale by all Newsdealers, or will bé’sent, Postpaid, on receipt of Price, by STREET & SMITH, PustisHers, 238 Witiam Sti, N3aw York. * «