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i Entered Aceording to Act of Congress, in the Year 1897, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, i ashington, D. C.

May {5, 1897. Vol. 1. No. 57. Price Five Cents.
Contents of This Number.
FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL ; or, The Tramp’ s Token Complete Story.

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ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTION OF PREMIUMS : - Announcement.
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Frank Nerriwe 's Close Gall:
THE TRAMP'S TOKEN.

Author of “FRANK MERRIWELL.’

 

 

 

CHAPTER I. luns, dere ain’t no tellin’ what will
cotch yeh. De spookses am alwus ker-
. hootin’ on dis kine ob a night.”
**Listen, boys!’’ “Oh, say!’ excaimed Harry Rattle-
“What is it, Frank ?’’ ton; ‘‘you sake me mick—I mean you
**T thought I heard a cry.”’ inake me sick, Toots! You are always
The five boys who had been riding | thinking of ‘spookses.’ Sometime you'll
through the night slackened their speed} be scared to death by your own shadow.”’
and listened. Bruce Browning, who was following
Froin far away came the wailing shriek |along behind, wearily working at the
‘of a locoinotive, brought to their ears by}pedals of his bicycle, said nothing. It
the favorable wind. | would require some extra exertion for
 de-|him to say anything, and so, although

TIED TO THE TRACK.

 

‘“That’s what you heard, Frank,
clared Jack Diamond. he really wished to make a remark, he

‘‘T do not think so,’’ said Frank Mer-| remained silent. m2
riwell, ‘‘What I seemed to hear hada} ‘‘Gwan!? cried the colored boy.
human sound, and a sound of diftress, |‘‘Don’ yo’ frow no swinuations dis way,
at that.”’ Mistah Rattleton! I done don’ lek it,

‘Fo’ de Lawd’s sakes!” gurgled Toots, an’ I’s libul teh git mighty ma-ad,
the colored boy, whose eyes seemed al-| When I’s nad, I’s ba-ad. I want yeh
most to gleam in the gloom. ‘‘Don’ yo’| ter know I’s no ordernary nigger, but I’s
‘pay no ee teh anyfing dat yo’ heah/a cullud pusson Pleo.

in? in ae as If yo? does, ebit- ‘*Be still!”

 

 
  

The command came from
it was plain he was listening once more.
‘‘T know I heard that cry again,’’ he

 

declared. ‘‘I was not deceived this time.
It was— There it is!’’

They all heard it plainly enough.
Certainly it seemed like a human cry of
dire distress—an appeal for help.

“‘Golly sakes teh goodness!’’ panted |
Toots. ‘‘Dat’s a spook suah’s yeh
libbin’, Marser Frank! I knows de
soun’!’’

‘*T believe the cry did come from the

lips of a human being!”’

mond, his interest aroused.
not tell the direction——”’

‘*Help!”

‘“There’s no mistake this time!’’ cried
Frank, as they plainly heard the faint
shout. ‘‘It comes from off this
way somewhere!’

exclaimed Dia-
‘*But I could

away

He waved his hand to the right, and
again the wailing whistle of the ap-

proaching locomotive was heard,
distinct than before.

A moment later the young bicyclists
came to a railroad crossing, where the)
road ran through a small cut.

Then it was that, for the fourth time,

2 wind brought that appeal to Frank
Mertriwell’s ears.

immediately he vaulted from his bi-
eycle, which he ran out beside the road,
d€positing it upon the grass.

Not being aware of his intention, the
other boys passed on, and
more slowly. By the time

about Frank had left his wheel on the

grass and was bounding away up the rail-|

road track, his feet ‘sounding on the
cross-ties.

‘‘Well, bress mah soul!’’ cried the|
darky. ‘‘If dat ain’t jes’

chile, I dunno!”’

‘*FPollow him!’’ cried Jack.
get into some sort of a scrape!
be on hand to stand with him,’’
‘“Phat’s rust jite—I mean

‘*He may

it’s

RFANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL
Frank, and '

i how?

right!’ cried Rattleton, as he gave hi:
bicycle a run towatd the ditch, and let
it go. ‘‘Come on, fellers!’’
‘‘Say,’? panted Bruce Browning,
a distance, ‘‘

from
what’s all this mean, any-
I’m no acrobat, and it’d take a
circus chap to imitate Merry in
movements. ”’

Frank ran like
locomotive whistle sound yet
he dashed along.

The cries became plainer, although
they seemed strangely weak, as if the per-
son uttering them were in great distress.

Merriwell realized that he might be
running into danger, but the thought did
not cause him to hesitatea moment. He
held himself ready for anything that
might happen.

The person who uttered the’ cries was
much further from the highway
Frank had supposed at first, the

his

the
neater as

a deer, hearing

than
sound

 

dismounted |
they turned)

We must| “The express is coming !

just!

being brought to the boy’s ears by the

more | aid of the wind.

| Into some dark woods the running boy
|sped, and he knew he must be close upon
the unfortunate who was calling for aid.

| Frank did not answer the cries, having
la fancy that it might be better to remain
| silent.

| The train nearer
| nearer along the road, as he could tell by
ithe occasional blasts from its whistle,

| For a little time there were no cries,
land then, almost beneath the boy’s feet,
the appeal went forth once more.

‘*Help! help! Save me!”’

Then it was that the running lad
to a sudden halt,
| that was stretched across the track.
| ‘\Who’s there??? he asked, approach-

ing wath greater caution. “What is the

was coming

Falne

lek dat dar matter with you ?’’

“‘Quick!’’ panted a voice that was
“husky and weak from so much shouting.
Help me!”’
‘“Why don’t you.get up?”

““T can’t! JI am tied to the track!’

   

and

seeing a dark object

ae

(eee

=

AS Sas 5

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

       
each passing moment.
of the

FRANK

With a cry of horror, the boy leaped
forward, bending over the prostrate man.
The shrill whistle of the approaching
train cut the air, and the rails began to
hum under the sound of wheels,

It took Merriwell but a moment to as-
certain that the man told the truth—
that he was bound to the track in such a
manner that the of
would cut him in two if he were not re-

wheels the train
leased.

Far down the track a star gleamed
redly, growing larger aud brighter with
Again the whistle

locomotive came through the

shuddering air.

shrieked the man.

merey hurry!’

of

““The express is less

‘‘For the love
than a mile away, and will be here inside
of a minute! Don’t try to untie the
knots! Take a knife and cut the rope!
It is the only way for you to save my

eee

Frank thrust his hand into his pocket,
but, to his dismay, failed to find his
knife there. With the utmost speed, he
searched through other pockets, but

~ with no better success.

“T have no knife!’ he cried, in dis-
tress, as he saw that red star growing
larger and. larger, while it~ threw a
gleam on the two iron rails that made

them seem like threads of polished silver. | ;
|seeming to rob him of strength and will-

power.

‘(Do something !’’ screamed the unfor-

-tunate wretch, as he writhed and twisted

in agony. ‘‘If you don’t do something in
a moment, I am a dead man!”’
Frank knew that well enough.

MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALE.

 

3

loosen them in the few seconds that re-
mained before the train would go roaring
over the spot.

In that moment the boy found himself
wondering how the man came to be
bound to the track. Enemies—deadly
enemies— must have tied him there.
the cut
through the black woods for the boy to

It was too dark there in
see the man’s face, but something told
Frank that the unfortunate was rough
Perhaps he discovered

this by his sense of touch.

and unkempt.

Nearer and nearer came the train, like

the juggernaut of destruction. It seemed

'to fascinate Frank, who remained kneél-

ing beside the helpless man, staring at
the approaching light, and fumbling im a
numb sort of way with the knots.

The his
struggles were frightful in their intensity.
His fell with mighty
panting breaths, the sound of which,
whistling through his teeth, was like
puffs of steam. Those breaths struck
upon the boy’s face and hands, seeming
to scorch him like blasts from a furnace.
And yet, asithe man twisted about, lis
flesh touched the hands of the boy, and
Frank shuddered if he had felt a
corpse.

nian shrieked again, and

breast rose and

as
The situation was appalling to the lad,

He felt as helples as if hypno-

| tized by the glaring eye of fire that.
| gleamed through the night.

The |

A horrible thought came to him.

headlight of the approaching locomotive| He could not rise, he could not escape
_ seemed like the glaring orb of some|from the track! He would remain tnere,

land be crushed into a'torn and shattered
Paxads of flesh and bones! He was doomed
'to die with the helpless wretch who was
| tied to the track ! :

\

— Cyclopean monster that was hastening to
claim its human prey. The rails were
* humming louder and louder beneath the
_ jron wheels. .
- Frank tore at the cords with his fin-.
gers, feeling sick at heart.

It actually seemed that something had
The knots; robbed Frank Merriwell of his power to_
were drawn tight, and he realized that it| move, and he felt lke one paralyzed.
would be impossible for his fingers to| Fear was racking his heart, and yet he

 
4 PRANK: MERRIWELL’S: CLOSE, CALL.

could not crawl off the track and escape |
7
death.

“What. is
screamed the
Are you dreaming ?’’

‘‘Ves,’? Frank fancied that he
pered, although, in truth, nosound came

matter with you?’’

‘*Do

the
man. something!
its

w his-

from his lips—‘‘yes, I am
dreaming !’?

It was a frightful
death! It wasa
horrible than the
which the boy had ever been assailed.

The humming forth
thythinical sound,

of

more

dreain—a dream

thousand times
worst
rails gave
which the boy

ing monster.
too, were terrified by the frightful
of two human beings.

And now the woods:took up the
and it seemed that the dark trees
grim monsters of the night, exulting
over the tragedy they were certain they

Those trees
misshapen

roar,
were

should witness.

their crooked, arms. and

pointed in mockery at the man and the
boy who were helpless in the path of the
rushing iron demon with a soul of fire.
‘‘In my pocket!’’ shrieked the
‘*T believe I have a knife there!
—quick!’
‘hh?

man,

Ouick

said the boy, dully.

Again the man screamed forth the
words.

Ina moment, Frank seemed to throw
off the spell that had fallen on hin. His
hand sought the man’s pocket—found it. |

“Phat’s the one!’’ cried the unknown.

Frank found the knife—he had it out

in a twinkling. 3

He paid no further attention to that |

tedly-glaring eye, but he worked with
swiftness. The knife was opened with-.
out the lossof a second, and then Frank
slashed at the cords. |

T’he iron monster seemed to bound for- |

ward with added speed, as if deter mined
that its victims should notescape. Itw as.

\showed the boy

dreaming— |

nightmare by.

a |
fancied |
was the triumphant song of the approach- |
They quivered, as if they, |
peril |
‘none too sharp, and the man was free.
Then
'stranger by the shoulders and jerked hit

held out |

|
|tobbed of its prey.

 

now so near that the glare of its horrid
fell them, and that

how to work

eye upon light
without:
making any false moves.

The engineer of the express could not*

have been attending to his duty just then,

for no warning whistle pealed forth.

It did not seem possible for the boy to —
escape from the track of the train and~
save the inan who had been bound there. —
to jiis
effect:

Yet he did not abandon that
fate, but persisted in his effort to
a rescue,

The glare of the headlight showed.
imc adeet look on the set face of the id
—showed a desperate purpose gleamin

man

in his eyes.

One more slash of the knife, which wa
the boy caught the helples
from the track.

Together they tumbled down the lo
rolled over and over, and
lay panting and motionless beyond reae
of those deadly wheels as the expres
thundered past.

einbankment,

CHAPTER II.

THE TRAMP’S STORY.

A wild scream came from the enginey
as it the creature were enraged at bein
It was whistling. fe
the next crossing, .

Frank sat up and looked after the e:
| press, 7

‘*Well,?? he scully

a rather close shave.

“that was
What do you thin

observed,

|about it, stranger?”’

The man made no reply. He lay pan
ing and helpless on the ground, seemin

as yet unable to realize that he wag

‘saved.

“Cheer up, my friend,’ said the boy
‘(A miss is as good as a mile; but it

‘certain there woud have been no. a: “ss

‘this ease if you hadn’ t pe me where €

 
& back,’

FRANK MERRIWELTD’S CLOSE CALL:

find the knife. . I’ve lost my own knife,
aud I could not start the knots.”’
‘*Boy,’’ panted the man, ‘‘you do not
seem to realize what you have done!’’
ade Ves‘. do,”
surance. ‘‘I realize that I yanked you off
the track just in time to save you from

was the cheerful

as-

being chopped into mince-meat by that
tfain:”?
*fVYou saved my life!’’
**T believe you are right about that.’’
**But you nearly lost your own in the
attempt.’’
‘Oh, I don’t know!”’
‘I do! Isaw your face by the light of

the engine headlight, and the look there!

gave ine hope, for there was soimething

about that face which said you would not |

be frightened into deserting me. I saw a
tesolve to saye me, or perish in the
effort.”’
On, I
leave you while there was a possible show
for me to get you off. After I got hold
of that knife, I felt sure I’d be able to
clear you from the track.’’
“It was a remarkable thing for a boy
to do.’
“It rather strikes me that you regard
of a trick. And
[have found that
do things the average man

it as too much as for its

being done by a boy,
some boys can
would not dare attempt.’”’

er hatit

‘mMan.

my hands free,’’ directed

‘“They still are tied behind my

. Frank found the cord and severed it
with the knife.

While he was thus employed, he heard |

his companions calling his name, making

the woods ring with their shouts.
-Mertiwell answered, and, a moment

later, he heard their feet on the cross-ties

and their voices in excited conversation |
_ as they approached.

Then they loomed
up in the darkness close at hand.

“I tells yeh de sus-sus-spookses hab
etried him off fo’ suah!’’ Toots was

didn’t propose to run away and |

the |

~
uv

‘It any no use teh look
him. Well nebber see dat
Poah Marser Frank!’

“Oh, ut shup—I mean shut up!’ cried
Harry Rattleton, in disgust. ‘‘You
\mmaking me tired with your croaking
about spooks!”

‘*T saw him near here,’’? declared Jack

‘declaring. no
‘furder fo’

boy no mo’.

are

| Diamond—‘‘I saw him as plain as I could
| by the glare of the headlight.”’

‘‘T saw him, and Iam sure that I saw
Vat

ppose they were run down by the

some other person,’’ said Jack.

don’t su
train???
‘‘No,’’ asserted Harry; ‘‘I seemed to
see them get off the track just as the
train was tight upon them.’’
‘Dat: was
‘‘Dat suah was spookses yo’ saw!

a ‘lucynashun!’’ asserted
‘Toots.
| Dat was a spook what kerried Marser
Frank off!’

Just then Frank gave a most dismal
groan, and, with a wild yell of terror,
Toots clasped both arms about Harry’s
neck, atid held on, his* teeth rattling
together.

“What I tole
\‘*Didn’t I done tole yeh so! Dat was a
pook, suah’s yeh bawn, chilluns! Don’t
let de Good Mistah
|Debbil, don’ yeh tetch me—please don’
‘yeh tetch ime!
heah an’ bodder yeh nohow! It was all

de oin’s ob dese foolish white boys.

yeh!’ he screamed.

critter tetch me!

I nebber wanted teh come

e
1

\Dey done don’ know no bettah, so, if
|yeh’s teh take anybody, Mistah
'Debbil, jes’ yo’ tek dem white boys, and
‘let poah Toots go!”’

‘Tet ov, you black idiot!’’ he shouted.
‘‘Are you trying to strangle me! Get
off my back! Why, you’re trying to sain
/up my back the same as you would climb

Ss)

got
)

la tree!
_ Then Frank burst into hearty laughter,
| but the sound echoed weirdly in the dark
| woods, the very trees seeming to fling
back a hundred fiendish tmocketies of
that laugh. :

 
FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

¥

As a result, all the strength seemed to} ‘‘That’s jest what it was, young gents

leave Toots’ arms, and he fell sprawling | said the stranger, in a whining tone,

to the railroad track, where he lay, alter-| which seemed a great change from his
nately praying and implo1ing ‘‘good manner of speaking when he addressed
Mistah Debbil’’ not to carry him off. Frank as the boy was trying to clear him

Both Jack and Harry had been startled |from the track. ‘‘An’ why them coves
at first by that burst of laughter, but/should do such at’ing is what I don’t
they quickly recognized it as Merriwell’s, | understan’.”’
and it gave them great relief.

Frank instantly noted the change in
‘“That’s Merry, and he’s all ri

ht,” the man’s voice and language.

declared Bruce Browning, as he came} ‘‘Whom do you mean?’’ he asked.
puffing to the spot. ‘‘What sort of a|‘‘Who tied you to the track ?”’ :
trick has he been up to, anyway? If he| ‘‘T'wo gents by ther names o’ Joyce an’

Oo
>

has been playing roots on us, and has/ Jones, sir.”’
run us up here as a joke, I’ll lift his} ‘‘Then you know their names? ‘That

scalp !?’ is good! Where do they live ?”’
‘“Tust you try that little trick,| ‘'Well, young feller, they are travels

Brownie,’ flung back Frank. ‘‘I_ will/ers.”’

confess that you did fight me to a draw! ‘‘Travelers? How is that?”

with hard gloves once on a time, but that; ‘That is on ther level. They don’t
was before you acquired such a vast | have no reg’lar home nowhere, but they
abundance of flesh. You couldn’t repeat! jest travel ’round over ther country. ”’
the trick, my boy.’’ | ‘*How do they travel ?”’

‘‘Tf I whittle the flesh off during the | ““Oh, ’most any way that comes handy,
rest of the trip the way I have thus far, |} Sometimes afoot, sometimes by rail, an?
I’1] bein condition to give you a jolly | sometimes by water.”’
good try by the time we reach San Fran-| ‘‘Then you must mean that they are
cisco,’’ retorted the big collegian, with a tramps.”
hearty laugh. | ‘*Some folks calls ’em that,’’ confessed

Frank arose to his feet, and assisted the;the man. ‘‘Some folks says they're
rescued man to arise. The man got upon!hobos. You kin take yer choice of
his feet with some difficulty, as if his/names.”’
joints were rather stiff. | ‘*And are you a tramp ?’’

“Who is this with you, old fellow?” | ‘““T am a pedestrian o’ pleasure, gents.
asked Jack, as he hastened to Frank’s|To be free wid yer, I don’t much like
side. ‘‘I thought I saw two figures by | ther naine o’ tramp or hobo. JI started
the glare of the locomotive headlight.’’ |‘outter see ther world some years ago,

‘*Tt is a man I found tied to the track,’’ ‘an’ I’ve been lookin’ it over ever sence,

Merriwell explained. “| "Phat’s all, gents.’
The boys uttered exclamations of hor-| ‘‘And is this the man you found tied
ror and astonishment. ito the track ?”’ cried Harry Rattleton, in
‘Tied to the track?’ ‘burst from |astonishment. ,
Jack’s lips. ‘‘Who tied him there?” | ‘Were these men Joyce and Jones céin-

‘That is what I have not had time to/rades of yours?’’ asked Frank.

find out yet. I presume he will explain} ‘Well, they was travelers, like meself.

that later on.”’ 'I happened ter fall in wid ’em, an’ they

“Why, that was,an attempt at mur-|was travelin’ westward, so we sailed along
ae .
der!’’ cried Harry, excitedly. [togedder. Joyce was a right jolly duek,

‘See os

at

c

  

ap tetany wont ORs < 2

ts

EE

   

 

me

fT

© Sy

oe otha Bees

'
ae tn
wind Be ata

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    
~ all der trainmmen left me.

FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

what could tell stories, and Jones he could{sing such beautiful songs, he
They had a great way o’ jollyin’| knockin’ me on der coco, an’

sing,

7

was fer
finishin’

ther ladies for a back-door feed, an’ that| me off widout delay; but Joyce, w’at tole
7 > ~ y

made me warm ter ’em, gents.’’

**Did have a falling ott with
them ?”’

‘*Not exactly,’’ was the rather whimsi-
calreply. ‘‘You see we was all kicked
out back here about five mile at a water-
tank.’

‘Kicked out of what?”
‘‘A box car, gents. As we didn’t feel
able ter travel in a Pullman sleper, we
was satis‘ied ter git inter an empty box
on a freight, an’

you

sail erlong that way.

| But ther brakemen tumbled ter our little

game an’ they come in on us. They
stood us up an’ went t’rough our pockets,
but they didn’t git only ‘leven cents in
change an’ a old jack-knife, That r’iled
them, 'so they shot ther three 0’ us off
1. ther car at ther first stop. Then we took
ter hoofin’ it along "ter ther nex’ town.

--»l never t’ought there was anyt’ing ip

ther wind, an’ I didn’t suspect my com-

panions o’ any crooked game; but, jest)

as we was passin’ t’rough these woods,
gents, Joyce an’ Jones jumped
They had me onter me back in a wink,

me.

an’ they tied me up afore I could make.a|

squeal. It seemed like they was all ready

for ther job, as they had ther tings ter'|

do it wid.
*«*Gents,’ says, I in surprise, ‘w’at’s
der racket? I don’t seem ter understand

this game. What have I done that yer

jumps onter me this way an’ ties me
: —~an’s behind me back? If it’s me wealth
ye’re arter, pals,’ “I continners, some-
what sourcastically, ‘ye’re welcome ter
In case that
don’t satisfy ye, I give yer a check on
me own sand bank.’ _
“But this sourcasm o’ mine don’t seem
ter have any effect on them ducks. Jhey
: don’t pay no ’tenshun ter me, but next I
heard them kinder talkin’ over how they

‘ther funny stories, he didn’t seem

ter
like ther idee o’ doin’ ther job that way.
Then they figgered out that it was time
fer ther express ter come erlong, an’ they

idecided ter tie me ter ther track, an’ let

ther train do ther rest.
‘*Gents,’’ said the self-confessed tramp,
soberly, ‘‘I done my best ter reason wid

‘dem duffers, but ther more I talks ther

istops me mouth wid a gag.

less good it does. ‘Then I opens my face
an’ whoops a little, upon which they
Then they
ties me ter ther track, bids me farewell,
and leaves me here.’’

The tramp paused in his narrative to
wipe the cold perspiration from his face
with his coat-sleeve. Then he told how
he tried to break his bonds, although he
was thinking all the while that it must
be a joke of his late companions. Final-
ly he succeeded in getting the gag out
of his mouth, and then he called for
Joyce and Jones to come back and set

| him free.

}

|

 

In answer to his appeal the dark woods
flung back dismal echoes, and an owl
hooted derisively.

Then he began to think it possible
there was no joke about it, and he had
been abandoned to his doom. ‘The
thought made him frantic, for he knew
the night express was nearly due, and he
fell to shouting for help. He shouted
till he was hoarse, but it seemed that his
appeal had not reached human ears.
The distant whistle of the express filled
his soul with unutterable, terror, and he
shrieked again and again.

After a time, he heard some one run-
ning toward him on the track. He con-
tinued to call, and Frank Merriwell
found him tied to the track. Then fol-
lowed the thrilling rescue, which -has
been described.

‘‘Voung gent,’’ said the tramp, in con-

 
   

8 FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL,
clusion, addressing Frank, ‘‘if you hadn’t|was comin’ at. As 1 said, I ain’t got
come jest when yer did, them chaps | money, an’ so I can’t pay yer, but——
would ’a’ done for me. You saved me| ‘‘Ietit drop. You are thankful, and
life, an’ I don’t fergit that kind o’turn.’’|that is enough to satisfy me, Mr
‘“That is all right,’’ said Merry, lightly. | Briggs.’’
“‘T ain’t able ter pay yer money,’’ said; ‘‘Mr. Briggs!’’ gasped the — tramp,
the man, slowly, ‘‘though I would be if}‘‘Well, that’s ther first time I’ve bin

I had what’s me own by right.”? called that in so long I’ve fergot thet
‘*T don’t want pay of any sort.”’ time! Mr. Briggs! Don’t do it ag’in,
‘How did yer happen ter come erlong! pal, fer I don’t know who ye’re speakin’

where ye could hear me holler?’ | ter!

 

: : i G4 ae a eye ao
Frank explained that, with his com- If I ain't got money, I may be able

panions, he was making a_ bicycle trip| *<! give yer 2 hit some time. Ther
from New York to San Francisco, and
they were riding late that day to make up
for lost time. ‘Thus it came about that

they were pedaling along the highway

‘country is full o’ hobos; Take this
‘token. It might help yer wid der gang
if yer ever gits inter trouble.’

He thrust a small round ball into the

Jad te-fs eis ada.
near enough to hear the appeals for help |1@4’s hand, quickly adding:

' * OTZ poe s+ ¢ ‘ ? Vy 7 , > av

which came from the lips of the helpless| | ®&eP 34 pal; don’t t’row it erway,
} > A ’ r , Vea i+)

tramp. ifer yer don’t know w’en it’ll come

**Well,’’ said the man, slowly, ‘‘I has}
; ; ; ,, hobos, all yer got ter do is ter show that,
seen ther time w’en I. said there warn’t, i ; :
‘ see an’ they’ll let yer go widout furdéf
any God—there couidn’t be a God; but : ; °
nae : : ‘trouble.’
it kinder seems ter-night as if he might) ~~. ; é
¢ . Well, I ain sure I ain much obliged,”

’a’ hed somethin’ ter do wid yer bein’! .;. ’, eT
said Merriwell, quietly. I will keep it
near enough ter hear me holler. My 25 Pa
: ce . 55) as a memento of this occasion, at least.
name’s Baldy Briggs. W’at’s yourn?”’ |. -., z : a
: : ee | “That’s right,’’ said. Briggs, an
Frank gave his name, and Briggs con- ots Faire i
ea, _keep it wid yer w’en yer travels. Now,

; ‘young gents, I won’t bodder yer longer
‘You ain’t no odernary duck; you has

: You has yer bisuckles, an’ I has me feet.
sand, Mr. Merriwell. Any odder young

Youll travel by der road, an’ I'll hoof it

fell wo’d got scat an’ let me gone ter der 7

, along ther ties. Good-by.
deuce w’en der train was right onter us.

You didn’t. I ain’t goin’ ter fergit that | ,
: e. S ‘warm pressure, and then, without further

He grasped Frank’s hand, gave it a

no more’n I’m goin’ ter fergit ther blokes
’ : .
w’at tied me ter ther track. Some time _. ; :
aie ene railroad, soon disappearing in the dark-
I’m goin’ ter know why they done that, ig
an’ I’m goin’ ter have a_ settlement wid | , ;

words, turned and hurried away along the

’em.”?
CHAPTER III.

ATTACKED BY. RUFFIANS,

‘*T don’t blame you!’’ exclaimed Merri-|

7 !

well. ‘‘I fancy I should feel like settling |

ak say i 4 ;

with the whelps. | Two days later Frank Merriwell was

“Oh, Messrs. Joyce an’ Jones will hear|scorching along a particularly fine piece

o’ Baldy Briggs ag’in, an’ that may be|of road in Southern Illinois. He was fat
~ OD o> ’ / |

sooner than they expec’. I'l] niake them | iu advance of his companions, who had not

mugs sorry they ever tried any such game! chosen to attempt to follow him when he

oa 5 / “ > S

onter me, you bet yer! ‘That ain’t w’at I’ made the burst of speed.

 

|handy. If ver should be held up by]

+i

‘ «
wed es #2

reels:

  

 

     
     
  
   
  
 
   
% ss the day.’ = | wilt yer!

FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL. 9

It was a fine morning, and the sun was | spirits, was in the best of health and the
shining brightly. The country through) pink of condition. That was why he felt
which the boys were passing was beauti- $0 strong and buoyant, and it was why
ful and attractive in many ways. |ev erything his eyes saw about him looked

Sometimes there were hills, or swells, | good and beautiful.
and there were picturesque groves, with; ‘‘It isa grand old world!’’ he laughed,
houses set in the shelter of the trees,|as he sped along. ‘‘The fellow who
while fields of corn and grain could be| kicks about this world is a chump. He
seen in every direction. 'should be kicked out of it.’’

Somie of those cornfields were marvels} Ahead lay a small grove, through
to the boys, for the corn. stretched away! which the road tan. As he entered, the
11 a vast green forest to the crest of some grove, he saw two rough-looking men
distant wees making it seem that corn! standing in the road ahead. They were
erew like grass there. ‘watching his approach, aud seemed to be

2

Buta ec

;
i

ose examination showed the! waiting for him.

evideuces of careful cultivations, and! ‘‘I don’t like the looks of those fel-
tows stretched away as straight as/lows,’’ thought the boy. ‘‘They.seem
such loug lines could be drawn. like tramps, and one of them has a short
Men were at work in the fields, and, | club in his hand. Ill keep up steam till
occasionally, women were seen working ‘I pass them.

side by side with the men. They usually; As he approached, one of the men, a

_. paused to stare at the boys who flashed fellow with a short wed beard, stepped

past on their shining wheels. | |into the middle of the road and held up

‘Surely this is a fine farming coun-| his hand.

try,’’ thought Frank; ‘‘and the roads are} ‘‘Hold on, young feller

me i) ) / o> )

made for cycling—when they are not wet. | ‘‘We wants ter talk ter ye.”’
bs ag

A fellow’s*wheel seems almost to run; Frank bent yet a little farther over the

alone here.’? | handle-bars, and sent the wheel flying

he = cried.

The fresh air was like wine in his head, | along.
and it seemed quite impossible for brian ‘“Get out of the way!’’ he shouted.
to nse the energy at the pedals which he|‘‘I can’t stop to talk.”
* desired to put forth. | ‘*Hold on, I tell ye!’’ snarled the red-
He looked back and laughed, for, far | bearded man. “If ye don’t— Dern yer
away, just coming over the crest of a| pelt!”
swell were his. friends, the nickel work} He leaped aside with awkward nimble-
on their wheels glittering in the sun-|ness, for he saw that the boy had no
shine, thought of stopping, and barely was he
it is sport to runsaway from them,’’/in time to avoid being run down.
 eried. Frank. ‘‘Jack or Harry might} Wtih a cry of rage, the man lifted the
give me a hot race, but they are not in-{heavy cudgel in his hand and sent it fly-

- ¢lined to try it. Jack says it uses up his|ing after the boy.

energy to spurt in such a manner, and| It struck Frank between the shoulders
_he generally needs it all before the day’s/and sent him pitching forward from the

run is over. Well, I have to work off a/ bicycle to the ground.

certain amount of superfluous energy in “Ding ye!’’ howled the big man, as he

order to settle down to a steady jog for,leaped forward. ‘‘Try ter run me down,
9) "

 

_ He was cies with animal | He pounced upon the boy like a beast

’

©

 
 

10 FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

of prey, pinning Frank to the ground.

His yellow teeth showed thiough his|
coarse mustache, and there was an ugly |
glare in his eyes.

The other man came running up,
laughing as if it were a great joke.

‘‘Well, yer done that slick, Pink,’’ he|

cried, in a complimentary manner.
“They don’t run away from you none
when ye tells ’em ter stop.’’

‘*Not much,’’ grated the big man.
‘“When they tries ter monkey with me,
they gits hurt—that’s w’at!’’

‘*Well, I don’t t’ink yer needs ter
hold that kid down, fer ther fall clean
knocked ther wind outer him.”’

‘Kh? Guess ye’re right, Bob. He
ain’t cuttin’ up none to make us _ nerv-
ous. Hope I didn’t break his back wid
thet ciub.”’

“*And I hope he didn’t break his neck
w’en he fell.”?

‘““That wouldn’t be so bad, for we
‘could leave him here, an’ it would seem
that he’d got a dump off his wheel, an’
that hed fixed him.”’

‘*But, jest as hard, ] don’t keer ter be
in no more killin’s. That job w’at we
did ther odder night was enough fer
are, ??

““Ye’re soft, Bob, that’s w’at’s ther
matter wid yer. We gota good bit o’
stuff fer doin’ that job.’’

**We ain’t got all o’ it yit.”’

‘*But we will w’en we gits ter der fine
gent w’at hired us, an’ that won’t be
ther end o’ it. We'll continner ter pull
his leg at intervals jest as long as we
wants ter. He won’t darst ter refuse ter
cough w’en we says cough, In der mean
time, however, we has ter hustle for our-
selves, an’ I’m tired 0’ bein’ kicked off
railroad trains. W’en I sees dis young
gent on dis bisuckle, I kinder made up
my mind that ridin’ a wheel was bet-
ter’n walkin’, an’ so I: decides ter borrer
his bisuckle. ‘That’s why I took ther
trouble ter stop ther cove.”’

 

 

At this moment, from far away, caiie
ithe sound of a clear voice singing so ome

sort of bicycle song.

The two ruffians looked at each other

in alarm, and then the big man cried:
‘“‘Gimme a han’ here, Bob! Some foo!

is comin’! We've gotter git dis feller
inter der bresh! Lively now!’
They caught up the boy, and, with

Frank in his arms, the big fellow ran in
a Jumbering manner into the bushes.
The other man lifted the bicycle, and
hurried after his companion.

Barely had they disappeared tnto the
thick bushes when Jack Diamond came
spinning along the road.

The men had dropped Frank to the
ground, and the big ruffian was crouch-
ing astride the lad’s body, peering
through the bushes. The other fellow
hid himself behind the butt of a tree.

Merriwell was dimly conscious of what

was taking place. He knew that his
friends were passing, and he sought to
lift himself and call to them. an

Instantly the heavy hands of the big
man closed on the neck of the unfortn-
nate lad, and Frank was pressed back to
the eteaded: while a hoarse voice hissed
in his ear:

‘*Don’t yer try ter cheep, young feller!

It won’t be good fer yer if ye do! Keep
yer face closed !”’
_ The pressure on Frank’s throat would
have prevented his making any outery,
had he desired, and it is doubtful if he
could have made his friends hear him
had those hands been removed. ‘a

One by one the boys rode past till all

four had gone speeding through the

woods, and the two ruffians drew a deep

breath of relief.
‘Well, we was dead ries

said -the big man.

‘(I dunno,’’? chuckled the other.
‘“Them was oie fine bisuckles w ‘at
the youngsters was ridin’ of.”’

ter hear:
them afore they was right onter us, pal,”” —

¥

re

   

ee Stet ha Su ESS iw. Sree oes 3 ae

     

 

 

    
    
 
   
   
  
   
   
FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

. ‘Ven; but there was too many of | the
kids. ’*

*‘All ther same dey was kids, an’ ther
twoo’us could scared ther life outer
feeds

“In your wmind,’’
Frank Merriwell.

“Wat?’? shouted the big man.
“Why, this young gent is gittin’ real
chipper. If he gits toospry, I'll Jes’
ump him on ther head wid somet’ing
hard, an’ dat will fix him.’

The boy heard these words, and under-
stood. He had been robbed of his
strength by the shock of the fall, and he
realized that he could not fight against
such odds, which led him to simulate a
state of utter helplessness.

All the while, however. Frank was tak-
ing in every word uttered by his captors,
and he was studying their appearance
through his half-closed eyelids.

“T'll know them when [|
again,’’ he thought.

The men went through Frank’s pockets
aud took all the money and _ valuables

came faintly from

they could find; but there were two secret

‘poekets under the lad’s arms which they

did not discover. Had they found these
pockets, Frank might have attempted to
make a fight for it, for each pocket car-

tied a certain number of bank notes of

large denomination.
 *T rudder t*ink yer have hurt der
young gent pritty hard, Pink,’’ said Bob.
‘““He don’t seem ter have much life in
him.”’

_ **He’ll come roun’ all right w’en we’re
eeome. declated.the big:.aman.::. ‘*1

 t’ought he was goin’ ter be all right too

quick, so I’d hev ter give him anodder
t’ump, an’ it wasa good t’ing he hed sense
enough ter keep still till we was t’rough
—~awid him.’’
hen, having relieved the boy of all
_ his money and valuables, as they sup-
_ posed, the tramps—tfor tramps they were
—atrose, took the bicycle between them,
and departed through the woods, leaving
_ Frank where they had dropped him.
CHAPTER IV.

ae THE ‘PRAMP’S CAMP.

_ The boy lifted his head and watched
the ruffians depart with his wheel. |
“Weill, this is a jolly go!’ he mut-

%;

meet them

i
[tered, ruefully. ‘‘The fall from that
| bicycle knocked the breath and strength
‘out of me. ‘This is the result. But don’t
‘think for a moment that I propose to
lose my wheel in such a manner.’’

As soon as the men were far enough
|away, he arose to his feet, although it cost
|him an effort, and began to follow them,
‘exercising the greatest caution.

Frank had studied the ways of West-
'ern hunters and Indian trailers, and had
|acquired in an astonishing manner the
‘ability to slip silently through a piece of
‘timber, taking advantage of every avail-
able cover to protect him from the eyes
‘of his enemies, in case they should turn
‘and look back.
| ‘I wonder where those fine fellows are
'taking my wheel ?’’ he speculated, as he
|crept along. ‘‘They are striking directly
‘away from the road. Well, I'll have to
find out.”’

Beyond the wood was a strip of corn,
‘and through this the men made their
'wav to another piece of timber.

Frank followed as closely as possible.
For no more than a few seconds at a
‘time were the men out of the boy’s sight.
‘At last, he saw them approach a spot
‘where a small fire smoldered in the cen-
tre of the thick grove.

Seated and lying about the fire were
‘several men, and their ragged clothes,
‘unkempt beards and general air of disre-
'gard as to their personal appearance pro-
‘claimed them to be tramps. ,

_ As the two ruffians approached they
iwhistled in a peculiar manner. This
| whistle was answered by one of the men
‘near the fire.

_ As Bob and Pink came up, bearing the
\bicycle between them, some of the
‘tramps who were not asleep stared at the
‘wheel with curiosity, and one fellow
Stopped gnawing at a chicken-bone long
jenough to ask:

_ ‘Where did ye purchase that article,
| pals ?”” :

| ‘Oh, we traded wid a gent w’at was
out takin’ his mornin’ constertooshernal
ion it,’? grinned Bob. ‘‘He didn’t seem
ito care for it much, an’ we got it at a
| bargain.’ |

| A man who was smoking a black pipe
removed the stem from his mouth long
:enough to observe:

 
    

12 PRANK

‘“‘Tt’s plain ye’ve got stuck with an in-

ferior grade of wheel. That make is no
good.  You’d better ketch ther feller,
an’ see if he won’t take it back.”’

‘What d’yer want. of it~ anyhow?’

asked a third man, who was strete oe on
his back, with his head on a ]
log, which served as a pillow. ‘“‘It won’t
vo without pushin’, an’ that’s too much

resting sina

}
A
>}
i
+

work.’

“It’s better than walkin’,’’ said~ Bob,
good-naturedly

“Walkin’!” “contemptuously eried the
man with his head on the log. ‘*Who
walks? When I go any distance, I have
me special car, as you all know. For

shorter trips, why, I call ther coachman

and have me rig brought round. What
is walkin’, anyhow ?”’

“Well, if ther t’ing runs too hard,
why, we kin sell it,’’ said Pink.

“Tn yer mind!’ derisively cried the
man with the pipe. ‘‘Who’d pay yer
anyt’ing fer it? If you was to offer it

for sale, ye’d be nabbed by an officer, an’
psy

locked up fer stealin’.
“Well, then,’’? laughed
t’row it in der river wien we
ther blooming t’ing.”’
‘“Ye may git inter
at all,’?’ said ‘the man with

Bob, ‘‘we’ll
gits tired 0’

trouble by havin’ it
the chicken-

bone. ‘‘What you want to bother with
that sort of thing for is more than J can
understand.

Very little curiosity was displayed as)
to the manner in which the bicycle came |
It |

into the possession of the two rufhans.
was plain that the others believed they
had stolen it.

With their
rough-looking fellows slept on, regard-
less of the arrival of Bob and Pink and
the conversation that was taking place.

The new arrivals looked around,
then, leaning the bicycle against a tree,
threw themselves on the ground.

‘“That’s right,’’ said the man with the
pipe; ‘‘inake yerselves.to home at the
Hotel de Bum. I believe ye registered last
night. Which way are you gentlemen
from ?”?

“The South,’? answered Pink, quick-
lv, winking at Bob, who grinned and
reinained silent.

‘“Von’re gittin’ up late,
the smoker. ‘‘Whiat part of ther

9

commented
South

l\did v 14
q1aq ye wint

iat ther Ponce de Leon w

‘niggers down there, an’

‘if he don’t take exercise, an’

 

MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

rin? I was down in Flo
a part of the winter, takin’ in St. Augus=
tine, Worth, Palm Beach, an’ ail
ther fashionable places. I spent a very
pleasant winter meetin’ iny — sassi€ty
friends frum the North down that way.”
‘*T don’t care much
clared Bob, with his usual chuckle.
Augustine ain’t so bad; an’ I allus stops
‘en I’m there®

ther feed gits so had
Then there’s fleas

$4254

Fleas don’t bodder some

PP
Lake
ly

39 #)

Floridy,’’ des
bbe ©

fer

furder south
it me tired.
down that way.

but
takes

folks, but they are very disagreeable fer
me. I was down in New Orleans this
winter. Great place that.”’ :

‘It’s all right at Mardi Gras,’’ said the
man with the pipe, loftily; ‘‘but 7%
dead slow at other times. Too many

too poor cooks.
down that way
exercise is

Then a feller gits malary

'work. Chills an’ fever is sure to tackle tis

| Wall

‘sonville this winter.

hats over their faces, two |

and |

Northerners if we hang round New Of-
leans too long.’?’
‘‘Whisky is good for
the man by the log.
**Vep,’? nodded the smoker.
ker, an old friend of imine,
He had
ther way he was rattlin’
ie ee he’d struck old St. Vitus;
‘Hello, W ae says J. ‘Wat's ther mat:
| ter with 1 er? ‘Nuthin’s ther matter
with me, Bill, says he, just this, way.
‘In shakin’ fer ther Sritikes: that’s all,”
says he. An?’ neither of us had ther pricé
‘in our clothes ter git ’em,’’ concluded
ithe tramp, with a sigh.
| This made Bob think of a funny story,
and he told it. [hen the man who had
‘been gnawing at the chicken-bone flung
it into the bushes, wiped his mouth with
ithe back of his hand, begged a chew
'tobaeco from the smoker,
| Pink to sing a song.

that,’’ observed
“Sl. at
at Jack-
em’, aie
his bones made

‘say-

Pink didn? t seein to care to sing,
ing that he did not feel like it, but he

consented at last, and these are the words
of the song he sang,
tenor of good range, although
clear, by any means:

Oh! jolly and free is the life of the tramp,
As he roams over valley and hill;
The sun is his fire, and the moon is his lamp,

 

And ’tis nature that settles the bill.

re et <
and urged =

his voice being a=
it was not

 

t

 

  
 
  
  
  
 
  

    
 

FRANK MERRIWE!

And he drinks at the fountain and rill;
For he comes and he goes at his will,
And under the hedges he hides from

damp,
When the winds of the evening are chill.

i

the |
|

fic lives at his ease, and he feasts like a lord,
And never a cent does he pay,
For the foals will work on, and their labors |
afford “ |
The means for his pleasure and play.
Then let them go toiling awav
In the dust and the heat of the day—
The tramp can lie down to his rest on the |
sward,
While the farmer grows weary and gray.

|

On! what is the use to toil till the cramp
Of old age has distorted the frame—
‘ill death in his mercy just puffs out the}

lamp
AAS he pities the wavering flame?
Phen pride in its folly may blame,
And slaves wear a blush at the shame;
For me I will live and I'll die like a tramp,
And be proud to acknowledge the name.

The singing had awakened the sleepers,
and they srunted their lazy appreciation
when the song was finished.

‘There’s nuttin’ like it,’’ nodded one.
‘I'd rudder be a tramp than a million-
aire If I was a millionaire, I’d be wor-
ried sick takin’.care of my wealth, an’
then just think of ther work I’d have ter
do cuttin’? cupons off government bonds!
Them millionaires lead a dog’s life.

They'd oughter give away their’ money,
an’ turn tramps, so they ’d enjoy life.’

‘Tf you hears about any o’ ’em as|
contemplates doin’ anything o’ ther kind,
jest let ine know,”’ grinned Bob. ‘‘I’ Hh
tackle him for a whack at his dust.
Mebbe outer sympathy fer ther poor
devil, I’ll change places wid him.’

Near at hand Frank Merriwell was
watching this singular scene, and listen -
ing to the conversation. He had heard |

the song, and the manuerin which it was |
rendered convinced him that Pink had
not always been a tramp, for his lan-!
‘guage and his pronunciation were good)
when he sang, for all that he used such a.
decidedly illiterate dialect in  conver-
sation. . .

Frank’s eyes gleained as they rested on |
his wheel, which he was determined to)
‘recover. His strength had returned, and |
with it came a feeling of anger and des-
_ perate resolve.

: — Spat his fingers into. a secret

‘
c

llow claimed.

concealinent,
| tra

'Frank, smiling serenely.

“manner.

Card

a)

iL’S: CLOSE CALL.

had
res-

which
he had

pocket, and felt the tiny ball
‘been given him by the man
cued from the railroad track.
“The tramp’s token,’
‘*1]] try and see if it will do all the fel-
fnot, I’1] make’a break
to get away with the wheel somehow.’
Then he stepped from his place of
and boldly walked into the
call p.

he thought.

mips’

CHAPTER. V.

POWER OF THE SPOTTED BALL.

The tramps looked up in amazement
las the boy coolly walked into the camp.
|'Bob and Pink uttered exclamations of

! .
|astonishment and anger, and leaped to
| their feet.

‘“How do gentlemen ?’’ said
““T thought I'd
come round and call for my wheel and
other things. Don’t disturb yourselves,
] beg of you.

This nonchalance seemed to take “the
men aback, and they stood staring stu-
pidly at the boy.

‘Eh?’ said the man with
which he poised in the air.
you??? 3

‘“‘T am the owner of this bicycle, sir.’’

“Derned if he ain’t follered j??

you do,

the pipe,
“Who be

WSs

‘growled Pink, fiercely.

Bob nodded.

“That's wat he has,
better kept away.”’

By this time all the tramps were on
their feet, and they were regarding the
boy in a manner that was anything but
reassuring. They were wgl)-appearing

pal; but

he’d

fellows, and the faces of the most of them
‘told that they would not hesitate at any
sort of crime.

Still, if Frank felt at all alarmed, he,
easily concealed his feelings, seeming
utterly unmoved by their threatening
He saw they were edging about
‘to surround him, and he moved close to
the bicycle.

The man with the pipe snarled at Bob
aud Pink, telling them they were fine
chaps to get the gang into that sort of a_
scrape. ‘To this the ruffians made no
answer, but their manner showed =
| were angered and aroused. ;

The boy a enough of the conver-

 
    

14

sation that was going on around him _ to
realize that he was in danger, as the
tramps believed he intended to make
trouble for them.

‘“‘T trust the gentlemen who borrowed
my wheel have used it as much as they
desire,’’ said the boy, ‘‘for I am now in
ueed of it myself.’’

‘Jump him, Bob!’

grated Pink.

‘‘We’ll have ter settle ther chap this time |

for good an’ all.”’

Frank saw they were on the point of
making a rush at him.

“Stand back!’’ he suddenly cried, ina
commanding manner, making a spring,
and placing his back against a tree.
“Don’t try to touch me!’’

Bob laughed, but it was not a mirthful
sound.

‘“Ready, pals!’’ cried Pink.
o at him all togedder.’’

‘We'll

o
>

Then Frank suddenly flung up one)

hand, holding something between the
forefinger and thumb. That something

was a small black ball, covered by reddish |
spots and queer hieroglyphics drawn in.

white lines.
‘*Stand back!’ he cried again. ‘‘Look
at this! Now—now touch me, if you
dare !”’ :
The rough men stared at the peculiar
token, and the boy saw a change come
over them.

spectful.

‘It is ther spotted ball!’ exclaimed the
man with the pipe. ‘‘That lets him out
all right, all right.’

Pink cursed
breath, and Bob forgot to laugh.

‘“Where did ye git it, young feller?’
asked one of the tramps.

“That is nothing to you,’’ returned
Frank, boldly, seeing that the queer little
ball had been recognized as a token by
the men. ‘‘I have it, and that is quite
enough.’’

Nol << snarled Pink -.-- “St amt!
enough! Yoi must have stole it. Give
a

it up!’

He rushed forward, and tried to
snatch the ball from Frank’s hand.

Then it was that, with a swinging
blow, into which the young athlete put
all his strength, Merriwell caught the

FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL,

They paused in their tracks, |
and then they suddenly grew very re-|

savagely beneath his

  

ituffan a blow on the chin, lifting lim
off his feet and hurling him backward.

Pink struck on his head and shouldets,
the wind going out of his body with a
great puff, and lay stretched on the
ground, without offering to get up.

It was a genuine prize-fighter’s blow,
and the tramps gasped with unspeakable
ainazement when they saw the big ruffian
hurled through the air in such a manner.

Merriwell was young in years, but,
youth though he was, it immediately be-

icame plain that he was not a harmless
‘sort of lad to fool with.
|a terrible blow, as he had readily demon-

He could strike

strated.
“‘It served him right,’’ said the man

|with the pipe, giving the fallen tramp a
kick.
‘snatch ther spotted ball.’’

‘‘He had no business ter try ter

With this the other tramps agreed,
with the exception of Bob, who hastened
to lift his friend’s head, saying:

“Git up, Pink! Be yer hurted much ?”’

Pink opened his eyes and stared around
in a blank manner.

““Hurted!’’ he mumbled, as if his
tongue were bentumbed. ‘“‘T feels like I,
had been blowed up by dynermite! Wat
did he strike me wid ?”’

peas 3 2

‘Well, w’at did he have hid in his
fist ?””

“Nuttin’.”’ y

‘‘Now, don’t go fer ter tell me that!

No youngster like him could knock me
silly wid one belt o’ his bare fist# He
must uf hed knuckles on.

’%

It was quite impossible to convince
Pink that he had not been struck with
anything heavier than a boy’s fist. At
the same time, he did not seem to care

about getting within reach of Merriwell’s

hand again.
The appearance of the spotted ball and

‘the boy’s readiness to defend himself
‘cause the tramps -to regard their visitor

with the greatest respect.

The man with the pipe took off his
wretched old hat, and bowed with exag-
gerated politeness, as he said:

‘Welcome, partner—welcome to ther
Hotel de Bum. If yer care ter stay, ye
shall have ther best room on ther ground

floor, with all ther modern conveniences

that ther house affords.”’

 

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FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL. 16

“Thank you,’’ laughed Frank, in an| wouldn’t mind it much but for the fact that

easy manner. ‘‘I don’t think I'll stop, as
I happen to be in a hurry; but, if you do
not mind, I’ll take my valuables, which
happen to be in the possession of the clerk
these.”’

He pointed at Pink, who was standing
aloof, feeling of his chin in a doubtful
wav, as if he feared his jaw had been
broken.

*“‘Mr. Jones,’’ said the man with the
pipe, ‘Swill you hand over the young
gent’s valuables? An’ you, Mr. Joyce, if
you have any of them, yer want ter cough
’em up.’’

This was said in a manner that made it
acommand, ‘The two tramps who had
assaulted and robbed Frank hesitated and
muttered, as if they were iuclined to re-
fuse to boy.

The man with the pipe made a lazy sort
of signal, and the other tramps began to
gather around Bob and Pink, their man-
ner showing they were ready to do as they
should be directed.

The cornered ruffians saw things had
turned against them, and they reluctantly
began to disgorge. Everything they gave
up was immediately handed over to the
owner, and he was politely asked to make
sure nothing had been reained.

Frank would have been well satisfied to
recover his wheel, and he was far better
satisfied to regain possession of everything
that had been taken from him.

‘Well, I didn’t do such a bad turn for
myself when I saved the tramp from being
kill by the railroad train,’’ was his
mental decision.

When everything had been returned to
the boy, the leader of the tramps politely
expressed regret if he had been put to any.
trouble, and hoped that he would not see
fit to cause any unpleasantness by report-
ing the affair to the authorities. More
than that, he was informed that he need
not fear being molested by tramps if he
retained the spotted ball and promptly
showed it on the proper occasions.

Frank was rather doubtful of the sin-
cerity of the tramps up to the moment
when he was permitted to take his wheel
and leave the grove.

“This was a queer adventure, to say
the least,’’ he muttered, as he trundled
the bicycle through the field of corn. ‘‘I

J am sore between the shoulders, where
|that ruffian’s club struck when I was
| knocked from the wheel, and the shock
| of falling was rather severe. ”’

| He reached the road, mounted his
|wheel, and rode away.

As he rode along, he thought over
| his late adventure. He felt that he would
| remember the two men who had attacked
|} him, and he was confident he had heard
'their names before. Joyce and Jones. He
repeated the names over and over, and
theif; of a sudden, he remembered.

The tramp who had _ been tied to the
track had said that the names of the men
who tied him there were Joyce and Jones.
He had said that Joyce was a jolly chap
who told funny stories, and Jones was a
beautiful singer. As Frank was peering
into the tramps’ camp, he had heard
Joyce tell one of his funny stories, and
Jones had been induced to sing a song.

‘““They are the very. ruffians!’’ he
cried. ‘‘There isn’t a doubt of it! They
‘must have traveled by rail to get here
|ahead of me, but here they are. If Briggs
| were here, I’d spend time enough to put
him after them.’’

But Briggs was not there, and he rode
jon, little thinking he would ever see
| Joyce and Jones again.

But he had not seen them for the last
time.

When Frank regained the highway, he
hastened to mount and pedal after his
friends, and he found them returning to
look for him.

‘‘Well, hay I be banged—I mean may
'I be hanged!’ cried Rattleton. ‘‘I’d like
to know how we missed you!’’

Frank laughed, and then, as the boys
turned about and rode along with him,
he told them of his recent adventure.

Diamond was highly indignant, and
wished to have the tramps punished, but
Merriwell declared they could not afford
to waste time to bother with the ruffians.

‘*How in the world did you get out of
the scrape, Merry ?’’ asked Jack.

“By aid of the tramp’s token—the
spotted ball.”’

‘‘How did that aid you ?’’

‘*T showed ‘t, and that was all that was
necessary. I was treated with the greatest
consideration immediately.’

 

 

  
    

 

MERBIW E

that ?’’

lo FRANK

“Well, how
asked Harry.

“The only explanation I can give is

do you explain

that there must be some sort of secret or- |

der or organization among the tramps,
and that whoever carries one of those
spotted balls is guaranteed from injury by
any of the order. ‘ I have heard of such
an organization. ’’

‘'Well, if dat ain a fac’,’’ cried Toots,
dis chile am gwine teh make spotted balls
by de cord. Dey am mighty goot things |
teh have ’roun’ yeh close, chilluns.”?

CHAPTER VI.

Lath RUNAWAY.

A day later Frank and his friends were

riding toward a town ‘not more than|
twelve miles from St. Louis.

The boys were in the best of spirits, |
and they ;
aled along.

Frank was rather
shoulders, but he did not mind that, and
his jolly sallies kept the others laughing.

Along the road caine a carriage, drawn
by two handsome horses. In the carriage
sat a man and a little girl. . The girl was
very pretty, but there was a haughty,
overbearing air about the man, who was
portly and flashily dressed.

The horses were high-spirited, and the
road net very wide at the point where
the bicy
and pass.

‘*Get out of the road there!’’ cried the |
arrogant manner, scowling at |

\from the
turned |

man, in an
the boys.
And then, as Bruce Browning
out saiagiek That slowly, the man reined the |
horses toward him, and Bruce escaped |
with some difficulty by leaping from his |

ioked aud laughed as they ped-|
& /

lame between his!

clists and the carriage must meet |

 

LL’s CLOSE CALL.

all,”? said Harry. - ‘“They crowd’ hint
‘every fance they chind—no, every chance
they find.”’

Bruce brought his wheel
road, and examined it tomake
sustained no damage.
‘and he mounted, after repeatedly express-
ing a desire to follow the man and ‘“‘havye
an argument’? with him.

The boys were taking their time, am
ibefore they entered the village, thes
| heard horses’ hoofs and wheels behind

once more came the shotif

back to thie
sure 1t-ha
It was all right

Ithem. Then,
|for them to get out of the road.
Looking back, they saw the same span

| approaching, driven by the saine stéat
| mz au, to whose arm the little girl was

I clinging.

The hot blood flushed Jack Diamond’s
|face, and the spirit of the young Virgm

lan was aroused,

‘eae you ruin over me, it will cost: 5
| something x!’ he flung back.
|. An angry retort leaped from the man’s
lips. He. said something about ‘‘ing-
lence,’’ and then reined the horses towatd
Jack, although the road was wide enough
at that point for him to pass with ease.

Jack’s hand went into his pocket aid

came out in a twinkling. In his grasp
was a big oe one of a number that
he carried for the purpose of scaring off
idogs that might become troublesome.
'His hand was lifted, and he flung the
torpedo directly beneath the feet of the
horses,

There was a flash of fire; asharp re-
port, snorts of alarm, a scream of terror
child and an exclamation’ of
alarm and anger from the man. Then the
frightened horses leaped away, nearly
lupsetting the carriage. In another mo-
ment they were running madly down the

wheel and running out by the roadside. | road, dragging the rocking carriage along
One of the carriage wheels grazed the tire | at alarming speed.

of the rear wheel “of Browning’ s bicycle.

‘*Well, confound that big hoe!’ aneri-|
) 5 > >

as he turned
‘Why, he tried |

Bruce,
the team.

ly exploded
stared after

and | mals.

Frank Merriwell instantly saw that the
man had lost control of the spirited ani-
The scream of terror, from the
| pretty chld and the look of fear on her in-

to run over me! I’d like to punch his fat | nocent face appealed to him, and away he

head!”

it,’? said Frank,
action of the unknown man.

| darted j in hot pursuit of the runaways.
‘And [T wouldn’t mind helping you do}

The child continued to shriek, while

who wasindignantat the|the man made desperate efforts to check

|

the frightened horses, but they seemed to

‘‘Some persons seem to get an ideathat/run faster and faster with each passing

a bicycle rider doesn’t have any rights at} moment.

 

 

 

 

   

    
  

: The other lads started in pursuit, but !show the
~. they were not so quick in getting away,

and Frank

had a long lead.

The hoofs of the horses tore up the|

dirt, and Merriwell’s nostrils
were filled with dust.
fam in the Jeast, for,

This did not retard |
with firmm-set mouth

and resolute face, he bent over the handle- |
bats and made the wheel fly over the
yoad.

zac was determined to overtake the |

\ ‘tinaways and do what
f sihe frightene danimals. If harm came
the little girl Frank felt that Jack wonld
be to blaine, and he knew the young Vir-

inian would never forgive himself for
tirowing that torpedo.

‘f Fortunately the road was clear, and

‘ the horses dashed straight ahead after that

A fitst wild swerve: But they added to each

a @ther’s terror by their companionship,

See etd it seemed that a hand of iron could

mot check them.
Frank made wonderful

tye boy rau the forward wheel of his bi-
evele under the back of the carriage.

 

ae Then he nerved. himself for an almost
; Superhuman effort, knowing that the
f slightest mistake would hurl Jani into the
ap)

i dust of the road.

Bee Like a flash, he lifted himself on his

Machine and leaped!

as carried the boy from the wheel into the

; wk of the carriage, where he clung.
ie A moment later
See cliild’s head and _ clutched the reins,
ae snatching them from the nerveless hands
6f the frightened man.

: Along the main street of the village
galloped the horses, atid the villagers saw
a spectacle that filled them with excite-
ment and astonishment.

«Prank Merriwell knew how to handle
sthese horses,.and he realized that they
eomid not be subdued in a moment. He
gathered in the reins, winding them about
is hands, and then he brought all his
Siiperb young strength into play.

The frightened animals had grasped
thewits with their teeth, and skill as well
| © as$Strength was required to get control of
‘ . then.

i ‘Frank talked to them soothingly, his

voiée like liquid music. He endeavored to |

 

 

  
  
   
 

PRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

and eyes | speed

he could to check |
to |

frightened

istreet, pray

speed, and the
eae “4 Sig oe ood
Olitskirts of the village were reached when
|a collisicn was averted by

It was a most amazing spring, and it)

‘Frank went over the |

 

‘ing sweetness of his voice.

 

17
creatures that he was their mas-
at the same time, he did every-
allay their fears. He did not
yank them, and yet he checked their
vith strong surges.

Fortunately they had not begun kick-
ing, aud the boy labored to check them
without leading them to use their heels,
as that. was what he feared most.

The man had been amazed by the ap-
|pearance of the boy, as he had not
dreamed that one of the bicyclists could
overtake the carriage and get intoit. It
seemed a matvel that Metriwell
should come vaulting over the cana of the
child and clutch the reins.

Luckily the little girl
to scream, an
ased to add to

iter, and,

| thing to

Frank

became too
d so her shrill

voice ce the terror of the

| horses,

Frank held the animals to the straight
ng that the way might remain
clear before them.

An old farmer was slow about getting
his team and himself out of the road, and
scacrely more
than a hair’s breadth.

Jack Diamond, riding like the wind,
flashed along beside the carriage, and
cried:

‘Ts there anything I can

‘*Keep away !”?

That was all the answer Frank imade,
but Jack understood and obeyed.

Through the village lunged the run-
aways, but the boy was beginning to
get them under control.

‘*Whoa, my _ beauties,’’ sounded his
clear, musical voice. ‘‘Steady, boys!
There is nothing to be afraid of, ponies.
Whoa, now—w hoa, boys! You are kick-
ing up a dust, but it? s time to calm down.
Hasy, there—easy, now. So—that’s bet-
ter. Whoa, who-o-oa!’’

do, Merry ?”’

sooth-
The horses
heard, and they began to show less ter-
ror. Little by little they calined down,

It is impossible to describe the

‘reassured and quieted by the lad’s voice,

tather than conquered by his strength.

And the big man in the carriage, the
owner of those )orses, clung to the seat

\and the little gir, filled with wonder by

what had occurred and what was taking
place.
And so,

in a short time, Frank brought

  
18

them to a walk, finally stopping them
entirely. Then he placed the reins in the |
hands of the big man, and, with a light
laugh, as if the incident had been most |
enjoyable, leaped to the ground, where |
he removed his cap’ and bowed to the lit-

tle girl, who was sobbing and clinging to)

the man.

‘“There is nothing to be afraid of now,
dear Little Blue Eyes,’’ he said. ‘‘*The
danger is all over, and the horses will |
not run away again.’’

There was a gurgle in the fat throat of |

the man, and he glared at the boy. His'|
face, which had been bloodless and Jead- |
colored, began to flush and grow purple |
in an angry, unhealthy manner.

‘CA nice piece of business, this!’’ he |
grated, his rage showing in his eyes.
“They would not have run away in the)

first place but for you and your gang of|

hoodlums!’’

Now Frank did not like the man’s
manner, his tone, or his words. The)
laughing look fled from his face,
lips closed over his white teeth. For a)
moment he looked the big man straight
in the eyes, and then he coldly said:

‘We are not hoodlums, sir, and you are
the one who is to blame for this _entire
affair, as you verv well know.’

‘*What’s that ?’’ huskily cried the man.
‘Why, you insolent young scoundrel!
do you dare— It’s too much!”’

Words seemed to fail him,
stopped, gurgling and choking.

‘‘Ves, I dare,’’ said the boy from Yale,
and it was plain that\he was not in.the
least awed by the big man.
you that you are one of those offensive
human beings who seem to think they
own the earth. You will impose on any
one who has not the nerve or the strength
to resent it, and you made two outrageous
attempts to run over members of my party
a short time ago; but this time you
stacked up against the wrong people, for
we do not propose to be run over by the
President of the United States, or the
Czar of Russia—much less by such a per-
son as you. We.are boys, it is true, but
we can lock out for ourselves, you bet!”’

By this time Jack Diamond was on

and he

and his

‘*T dare tell |

FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL,

| your horses had thrown you out and

'broken your neck!’ burst from the hot-
| blooded Virginian,

“And but for this little girl, whose
pretty face filled me with a desire to save
‘her from harm, I should have left you
to take care of your own runaway horses,”’
‘declared Frank.
| ‘I could have taken care of them all
right,’’ rasped the big man, in great fury.
“Tt would have been better if you had
‘minded your business and let me alone.’’

“Why, vou thick-headed old chump!’
exploded Harry Rattleton, who had come
up in time to hear the man’s final words.
“Tf Merry had let you alone, those horses
would have smashed the carriage and
‘It’s four to one that Merry saved your
life, flasted bool—I mean blasted fool that ;
you don’t know it!’’

That was more than the man could ~

‘endure, and he uttered words that would 5:
‘not look well in print. a
‘““You insolent young whelps do not >
know who I air!’ he shouted. i

“And we don’t care a rap, don’t you —
know,’’ drawled Bruce Browning, who
had artived.

““Dat’s right,’? nodded Toots. ‘‘Yo’
lain’t de only one, ma-an—dere am od-,
ders. Yo’ ain’t de only peanut in de shop
—yo’ kin be roasted. ”

My name is Lyman Lawrence, and ;- .
(am a justice of the peace,’ declared the
‘big man! ‘If you do not get out of this
town in short. order, I?ll have you all ar-
rested and fined.’

‘*Dat is,
the colored boy.

‘‘Be quiet, Toots,’’

ordered Frahk:: ae
‘*Ror what would you fine us, sir?’’ :
‘*Por carrying concealed weapons. ’’
a we do not carry concealed weap:
ons.’

a pistol and scared my horses.”’ ieee
‘“That’s where you are mistaken,”’ con- oe
tradicted Jack. ‘‘Isimply threw a tor-_
pedo, which I carry for the purpose OT 2
frightening away ugly dogs.”’
“Well, you frightened my horses, iy

 

way,’’ grumbled the man, ‘‘and Pil have -

hand, and the other boys were approach-| you all arrested if you dare show your

ing. Jack was angry.

“It would have served you right if i

heads back in the village. That seitee

 

ithrown out yourself and the little girl! 3a

if yo’ kin find us,”’ grinned Be

‘‘T know better! That chap | there fired =
a ‘i a
“The world is made up of all sorts and

 

2 ae

~

 

 

 

   
  
 

 

aif the whole thing were

“*fellow.

   

FRANK

Then, finding a wide place in the road,
he turned his team about, and drove
toward the village.

CaP TER. Vij.

DHE TRAMPS APPEAR

“Well, he 1s a nice sort of old ¢
sait!’’ exclaimed Rattleton, in
disgust, as the boys watched the depart-
1g Cattiage.

“He's a gin’wine gemimans—I don’
think!’’ observed Toots, in ludicrous
SCort.

“Tt would do him
head punched,”’
Mis lazy way ;
to punch it.”

’**Such creatures make
claimed Diamond, hotly.

Frank’s face relaxed, and he siniled, as
a most aitusing
joke, which he alone appreciated.
“It’s no use to be hot over it,’’ hes

AGAIN.

luffer—

good to have his
drawled Browning, in
“and it would do me good

me sick!’ ex-

said.

“conditions of men. We are sure to run
up against unpleasant persons on our so-
journ through life.’’

“Well, you have a way of looking at
such things that I cannot understand,’’
declared Jack. ‘“‘T never know whether
Vou are going to laugh over anything as
a joke, or let yourself out and knock the
stuffing out of somebody. I have known
vou for some time, Merry, but I am free
to confess that Ido not comprehend you
vet. don’t believe you are built like
other fellows.’

“Why should we all be built after the
Saise pattern ?’’ was the laughing ques-
tion. ‘‘It takes all kinds of men to make

up a world, and variety among human
-beimgs is as interesting as variety in

other things.’’

feat am a fac’,”’
@ Saye expression. ;
~“T believe in every person being him-
seli,”’ Frank went on. ‘‘If there is any-
thing on earth that makes me weary it is
the chap who tries to imitate some other
Such a chap lacks originality
lacks distinctiveness, lacks force, and is

nodded Toots, with

thing he does all his life. You may be

supreme

MERRIWLLL’

back | startling the world just now,

;

ithat old bloke has treated tus.’

lany more,’

   

  

5S CLOSIs

**Well,

CALL. 13

about
said Bruce.
is the way

we are not thinki

‘What we are thinking about

‘‘{ do not propose to think about that
said Frank “Tt is all over
now, and 1t’s not we'll have

likely any

further dealings with him.’’
“‘[ don’t know about that,’’ Jack de-
clared. ‘‘Your wheel is beside the road

beyond this town, where I told Toots to

put it, and we must go back through the
town, in order to recover it.’’

“That is all right.”

“It’s all right; but you will remember
that Mr. Lyman Lawrence has threat-
éned to have us arrested if we dare show
ourselves in the place.”’

‘‘And it struck me that Mr. Lawrence
was putting up a big bluff when he made
that remark.”’

‘You do not beheve he
his threat ?”’

will make good

“No. v9
‘*J don’t know about that,’’ Rattleton
hastily put in. ‘‘He is a vindictive old

wreteh, and it might be just like lim to
do so.”’

‘“*T ain willing to
said Frank.

‘An’ dis chile am wid yo’,”’
Toots, swaggeringly.

‘*Old Lawi rence seemed to think that he
tuns the rown—I mean runs the town,’
hastily said Rattleton.

‘And, as police justice, he may be
able to siike it unpleasant tor | us there,’
said Bruce.

‘All this makes me feel all the more
like going back to see what he. will do,”’
smiled Frank.

‘An’ it jes’ meks me feel dat way
too,’’ grinned Toots, who was determined
to stand in with Frank.

‘‘T think we’d better
said Jack.

take chances on it,’’

declared

go back boldly,’’
‘It will not be good policy to

let the nan think he has intimidated us
in the least.”’
So the boys decided to return to the

town. Jack hada step on his bievcle, and

, on this step Frank stood with one foot,

‘while the Virginian worked the pedals.
pretty sure to be an imitator in every-)

In that manner they
passed through, and found the

rode back to town,
bievele

gure he’ll never startle the world by do-| where it had been left beside the To! ad.
myself again,’

ing anything novel or original.”

  

‘‘Now I feel like

’ cried

   
20 FRANK MERRIWE
his
little

mounted on
has been a

he was
affair

when
COS

Frank,
wheel.
diversion,
tramps.’

‘‘We must pass
avain,’’ said Bruce.

“That is. true)
stop a while in. the town.”’

‘Why oo?

“Oh, just because I feel like it, that is
all. It can’t be far from midday, and we
might get something to eat here.’’

“By golly!’ cried the colored lad ;
strikes dis chile jes’ where he libs! I’s
so holler dat I kin feel de notches in
iiah backbone ebery time I put mah han’
on mah stomach.’’

through

‘‘You carry around an appetite like an}

alligator,’’ said Harry.

“Dunno nuffin’ ’bout yeh allumegator,
but I know dis ridin’ a bisuckle makes
me feel lek I could eat ah fried bootleg
sometimes. Dis am one of de times.”’

“And I am -aweary and aweary,
sighed Bruce.

I were in bed.
yonder hamlet and
bones of mine.’’

I feel like stopping in
resting these weary
wons—I mean weary bones!
in derision.
you keep ’em.
any more

‘* Beary
cried Harry,
know where
lieve you have
jelly-fish.’?

“‘Vou’d think I had a few bones if I,

should take a’ fancy to push my fist up|
under your ear once,’’ growled the big
fellow.

‘What do you
Jack ?’? asked Frank.

bones thana.

‘‘T am willing to stop a while and see|

what Mr. Lawrence will do,’’ said the}
young Viginian, rather savagely.
«AY right; stop it is,’’ cried Frank.

They rode into town, stared at by the)

citizens who had witnessed the runaway |
and the pursuit of the

by a number of curious oa

dered dinner tor five.
Later, they came out upon the veranda, |

where they sat about in the shade, Brown-| stuiled Frank. |
| ‘You'll be lucky if you ever

ing smoking cigarettes and half dozing.
Several village loafers had stopped at.

tLL’S CLOSE

'about and
the same as my encounter with |
the town)

and I have a fancy to|

**dat |

'gave his name as Rufus Sap, said:

in’
»»| York to San Francisco ?”’
“T am aweary, and I wish |

“P)dojike to|
I. don’t be- |

Eau Ene
° | blamed old jay!

say about stopping, thinks F

| ‘*Keep still,” ordered Jack.
so very strange that some old men who
'do not know much about bev cles should

bicycle boys. | York,” he declared.
Straight to the hotel they went, followed |

i on 9

CLEe

1

1 7
the hands
“Ists.

stared at ome ulll-
forms of the voung tour
Frank sat down beside an old man,
whom he spoke pleasantly, observing:
‘“You seem to have a_ rather pretty lit-
itle village here.”’ :
“Ya-as,’” was the moderate reply, “it’s
)a purty good town. All the fauit there
jis to find with it is that too many rich
iinen live here. Where are you fellers

‘from ?”?
| Frank answered the question, explain-
ing that they were on their way across the
continent, which caused the eyes of
old an to open with wonder and ineréd-
‘ulity. The other
gathered around, and their
doubt. Some of them
}other knowingly, and the old man,

faces showed
who

‘‘Now don’t try to fool with us. You
‘don’t want us to believe you boys are try-
to ride them bisuckles from New
““Well;’?

laughed Frank, “‘yvou

| ‘*VYou never’ll do it!’

; :
ry} ‘*Why not ?*’

‘“Too far;’? grunted Mr. Sap.

“*We have ridden from New
this place!’?

‘‘How is the ridin’
nowadays?’’ whimsically

on the

jamed old blay—I
1 muttered
ainusement and anger.
rank is stringing him.’

Harry,
( ‘He

‘mingled

‘think such a feat impossible.”
Frank was ainused.
‘‘We have not found

ride on the railroads since leaving New

+ an awful
Mr. )

must have be
ae i A oni

“Well, yer
ae

| was off ‘ike tanad gris
‘Well, not quite so soon as s tha

X

Frisco. You can t ride over ‘the Roc

hotel, gad. a eet of Pays Spee seouat 1 ins, aed Vl bet a go ood fat jh

to’

curious townsmen had

grinned at each”

may:
inot believe it, but it 1s quite true, justthe
| same.’

“It qs not.

it necessary to.

4 g

the. :

York to

railroads. ~
asked the old
lman. ‘I ain’t rid much for a long time;?? 2?
mean the

Niet

 
 

you don’t git out to ’Frisco before
first of next year.’’

‘Did you observe that I was in the car-
tiage of the man whose horses ran away
aiid took him through town a short time
ago?”

¥ es, f saw ye:”’

‘And did you see my friends following

at a speed quite equal to that of the run-
we awa horses ?’’

at a great stick,”’

settler}. =" but tliey

’» he added, as

“They was goin’
coufessed the old
eouldu’t keep that up long,
Wf that settled the matter.

“Well, let me tell. you
on my bicycle in pursuit of
‘ after the horses were running
{ took it, got into the carriage,
stopped the horses.”

; Mr.

that I started
away, over-
and finally
Sap fairly gasped for breath.

Fa "do that?’ he ratlfer angrily demanded.
“Well, I ain’t no fool, if I
man, and I won’t be imposed on by any
Young upstart like you! You can tell
your fish stories to them that will swaller
Fein !”’

With that, he got up from his chair,
rather stiffly, and, assisted by his cane,
hobbled slowly and painfully away.

Frank could not hold back his merry
. laughter, and the other boys joined him
1 in his mirth. Some of the townsiolks
laughed, and some looked angry as
. _ they thought they were being guyed.
SiR. | A young man took the chair vacated by
; Mr. Sap.
a: “You

. young man,
retreating figure of the old settler.
can’t understand that a bicycle is capable
of such speed. He one of the

aes

mustn’t mind him,’’ said the

 

is

 

that modern progress is capable
ducing things so vastly superior to any-|
Heese thing ‘they had in his day,
Frank sized the young iman
oo: glance,
$s who wished to display his up-to-dateness. |
At the same time, Merriwell believed that |
he could question the fellow, and so he
=f ‘immediately said:

**T do not mind any old person who is|
set in his peculiar beliefs and convictions.

SaBy the way,

up

   
   
    
     

FRANK MERRIW I

the |

that team |

ae “Do you want me to b’lieve you could

am an old fe

if |

istrange things, as you would discover,
‘you were to know him better.’

waving his hand toward the |
‘*He'
‘answering my questions.
old- |
timers, and he is not willing to believe |
of pro-|

lfollowed by
at a)
deciding that here was a person |
around,

| So the b

I believe the naine of the | with a big Y on

   

LL’S CLOSE CALL: 21

mman whose horses
Lawrence ?’’

“That is right—Judge Lyman Law-
one of the wealth jest men in the
it is said. That smal] building over
there is his office, and that fine house on
the corner down there is his residence.’

‘He must have some business besides
that of police justice ?’

3h, the owner of
mine in Colorado. His mine
if] all 1mmense income.’’

“Ts he a popular man in town:

‘Well,’ was the confidential reply,

‘he is not ex ay what you might call
popular, but he has influence, and he is
feared. Folks Sanaa here don’t care to get
him down on ’eim.’’

C6

ran away is Lyman

LeNGCS.

State,

a valuable
brings him

he is

93

I suppose the child I saw in the car-
iriage with him is his daughter, is it not?”
| ‘*Ves, sir—his only child. His wife is
an invalid, and’’—the young man low-
ered his voice—‘‘it is said she does not

lead the happiest life imaginable with
him. She has few friends, and she is sel-
dom seen in his company. I have seen
her, and I should say she was handsome
when she was a young woman, but she
has a very sad face now.”’

*““Does Judge Lawrence
vear round ?”’

live here the

‘“Except when he goes to see about his
mine.’?

‘*Does he zo often ?”’

‘“Two or three times a year.”’

‘“Why doesn’t he live out there ?’

‘“T don’t know. He does a number of
if

’

i

said Frank, as he arose.

do not care to know hii better,’’
‘‘] thank you for
Come on, fel-
lows, let’s takea stroll about town.’

And then, before the young man could
satisfy his curiosity by propounding ques-
tions in return, Frank descended the steps,
Rattleton, Diamond and
‘Toots.

3rowiing was seated in a comfortable
| position, and he yawned:

‘““Go ahead, if you want to hoof it
I think too much of my shoes to
ar them out that way.
| s0vs left the hotel without him.
| They had drawn on their blue sweaters,
the breast of each, and

i we

 

  

    
22

they caused the townspeople to
they sauntered about.

There was not much of interest about
the villaze to be seen, and they finally
found themselves in the vicinity of the
tailroad station, as a train of freight-cars
caine in froin the Hast.

As the train slackened speed in the
vicinity of the station, the door of a car
was thrust open, and two men caine fly-
ing out, propelled by the boots of some.
traininen who were in the car. The men
struck the ground and_ fell sprawling,
rolled over, and then got upon their feet,
where they stood, fierce language pouring
from their lips, while they shook their
fists furiously in the air.

Frank Merriwell saw the two men, and
started. Then he looked closer, exclaim-
ing: ‘‘So help me, I believe I know those
fine fellows! I am sure of it! They are
Joyce and Jones, the tramps!”’

AP TES VIUI.
A MYSTERY SOLVED.

Frank was astonished by tlre appear-
ance of the tr amps.

‘‘Hanged if it doesn’t seem as if they
are chasing me around!’’ he exclaiined.
‘I'd like to lodge them in the workhouse,
or State prison, “where they belong.’’

“*Come, fellows,’’ said Merriwell,
follow then. I’d like
drubbing for the
on me.’’

‘We can do it in great shape,
Rattleton, euthusiastically.
puuch them a few times to pay thei for
making us ride back to find you.’’

The tramps looked over their shoulders,
and, seeing the boys cotning after them,
increased their speed, turning down a side
‘street. running amid some sheds, and
quickly disappearing from view.

**Well, I scarcely think it is any use to
attempt to follow them,’’ said Frank.
“We'll go back to the hotel.’

A good dinner made the entire party
feel better, but uone of them felt like
hurrying away, for the dav was hot and.
uncomfortable. After a consultation, it
was resolved to remain there till the after-.
noon became cooler.

7 Frank was restless, and he went out
alone, leaving the others

»» said

stare as |

“let's |
to give them aie ee oa
little trick they played | *S'SUTE') to the hotel.

“Pd like to|
‘handsome
there, Jones pointed out the house and

those fellows

to remain,

FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

Frank walked down toward the place
where he had last seen the two traps.
‘Something seemed to tell him that the
ruffians had not arrived in that place by
chance.

There were soine side-tracks about the
station, and those tracks were well filled
with empty cars. In the doorway of one
of the cars the boy saw a colored man sit-
ting, and he was talking to a white man,
who was standing on the ground. That
white man was Pink Jones, the tramp.

For some reason, Frank felt a curiosity —
to hear what the two men were saying,
and he slipped up behind the car till he
could catch some of their words.

Almost the very first thing the boy
could understand made him hold his
breath with surprise and interest.

Jones was asking the colored man about
Judge Lawrence.

How did it happen that the tramp
knew Judge Lawrence? and why should
he be seeking information concerning be
judge?

Frank hoped to overhear enough to ex-

plain this, but he was disappointed, for
Jones seennred to have Jearned all he de-
sited to know, and he slouched away

shortly after the boy had obtained a posi-
tion to hear what was being said.

Frank did not attempt to interfere with
but let him go, returning

Less than an hour later, happening to
look down the street, he saw the two
tramps pause in front of Lawrence’s
home., Then, as they stood

the judge’s office to Joyce.
‘‘Hanged if this isn’t getting more and

‘more interesting !’’ muttered Merriwell.

‘‘Something isin the wind. I wonder if
contemplate robbing the
judge?”

He decided that they
ning anything of the’‘sort,

were not plan-
for they were
much too bold about their movements.

Then Frank took a

house of a woman who kept boarders.
From a distance, he saw them call the |
woman to the door and talk with her.
some time. They offered her money, and,
at last, she admitted them to the house.

| notion to shadow’
the tramps, and he followed them to the

_ around the hotel. : | It was by making inquiries that the

 
   
  
  
   
   
   
  
    
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

boy found the woman sometimes kept!

transient boarders.

“They induced her to keep them by

FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

     

23

He slipped up to the office, climbed
|the little fence at the corner, and crept
jnoiselessly round behind the building.

spotting down their money in advance,’’|;There, beneath a window, he paused. No

‘decided Frank.

“She did not like their|light shone from that window, but he
appearance at first, and did not want to

| distinctly heard the sound of excited

have them in the house, but the sight of | voices.

the money brought her round.”’

‘Later in the day, when the boys ex-

pressed their readiness

The window was higher than Frank’s
head, as the little building was set ona

to resume the} high foundation.
journey, they were not a little surprised |

‘‘Oh, for something to climb on—

to hear Frank express a determination | something that will bring me up where I

to remain in that place until the follow-

ing morning.

w19)

can hear!’’ thought the interested lad.
| He searched around and found a board,

‘All right,’? sighed Browning, in aj which he leaned in a slanting position

contented way; ‘‘that satisfies me.
need not hurry on my account.’’

Then he straightway sought a room,
and, ten minutes after being shown to it,
he was snoring on the bed.

|

You | against the building, directly beneath the

|window. With the aid of this, he lifted
| himself till his head was on a level with
ithe lower sash.

| Once there, Frank discovered how it

_ Immediately after supper, without say-| was that he could hear the men within so
ing anything to the others, Frank left/ plainly. A bit of glass was broken from

the hotel.

He hastened to the vicinity of the

house where the tramps had sought and
found lodging.

Nearly an hour elapsed before any one

came out, and then, as the door opened,
the light of the hall lamp showed the boy
that it was the two tramps.

Frank followed them, and he saw
them make their way directly to the lit-
tle office of Judge Lawrence.

The inside shutters of the little build-
mg were closed, and there seemed to be

"noone within; but one of the tramps

knocked on the door in a peculiar man-
ner, and, a moment later, that door was

opened.

Then the two men quickly entered the
office.

As may be imagined, Frank’s curios-
ity was thoroughly aroused by this time,
for he realized that the door had been
opened in response to a secret signal, and
that meant that the tramps had been ex-
pected. Plainly, some person was waiting
in that office to see them, and who could
that person be, unless it were Judge Ly-
man Lawrence?

‘“‘Here is a mystery!’’ muttered the
boy. ‘‘If it was Judge Lawrence, why did
he admit the tramps? Why is he having
dealings with such creatures? I’d give a
few dollars to get to the real facts of this
affair.”’

  

ithe corner of one of the window-panes,
|and that permitted the sounds to reach
| his ears, although the inner shutters were
tightly closed.

Frank heard a man speaking excitedly
‘and angrily, and he instantly recognized
| the voice as that of Judge Lawrence. The
| words chained Merriwell’s entire atten-
ition.
| **T tell you that you have bungled this
job!’’ Lawrence was saying, in an excited
and angry growl. ‘‘You have madea
miserable mess of the whole matter.”’

‘““That’s where ye’re away off, jedge,”’
said Pink Jones, his tone shuwing he was
exasperated. ‘‘We knows our biz, does
Bob an’ I, an’ we cooked ther duck fer
iyez all right, all right. Eh, Bob?”

‘Yer bet we did,’’ asseverated Bob.
‘*He’ll never bodder you no more, jedge,
an’ we wants our dough.”’

‘““That’s what we does,’’ from Jones,
“‘Yer promised a hundred apiece if we’d
cook his goose, an’ gave us fifty each in
advance. Now, we wants ther rest of it,
an’ we means ter have it. Yer can’t play
funny wid us, jedge.’’

A fierce exclamation broke from Law-
rence’s lips.

“T tell you that you are bungling
fools!’’ he snarled. ‘‘How did you do the
job ?”?

‘Well, we jes’ tied ther duck ter ther

 

railroad track, an’ let him stay there an’
24

be chopped inter mince-meat by the night |
express.
yez inuch arter bein’ schawed up by ther
wheels of an express train.’

‘*Not a great deal,’’ agreed Bob,

‘‘Did you stay and see the express run |

over hitn ?”?

ay at was ther use? He was tied fast,
an’ gagged. We didn’t want ter be found
round them parts in ther mornin’ , an’ so
we hoofed it in this direction.’

There was another snarl from Law-|
rence,

‘“That was
yourselves !”?

you made fools of |
**T hired you

where
he declared.

to make sure of the job, as Clinton had |
to be-|

located me, and. was threatening
come troublesome. You did it in a sloppy
way, and it was a fizzle. Here—hereisa
note I received this very day. I will read
it, and then you may examine it your-
selves.”’

Then the judge read aloud:

Lyman Lawrence: Your dastardly scheme
to destroy me aha thus save yourself from |
my vengeance failed, and I still live—live to
square the account with you. Your murder-
ous hired tools did tie me to a
and leave. me to my. fate, but I was saved
from death in a marvelous manner. This
makes me feel that fate is watching over
moe fill I shall avenge . myself on you
for the misery you have caused me. By a
hie you robbed me of the woman I loved,
and then, in fear of me, by a lie you caused
me tobe thrown into a prison cell, where I
remained for years. When I became free, I
started to hunt for you. You had vanished,
‘but I located you at last. Foolishly, I warned
you of my coming, and you sent. your mur-
derers to put me outof the way. They
failed. And now we shall meet face to face
very soon. When we do, you shall not
escape me. With deepest hatred,

, Wallace Clinton,
‘There,’’ cried Lawrence, hoarsely—
‘‘there it is! Look atit—readit! Youcan
see itis no forgery, for how should I
know that you tied him to the track, so|
that I could put it into writing to show |
vou? Besides that, I would give two hun-
dred dollars—yes, five hundred—this
minute to know Wallace Clinton were
dead! I would not yesort to this sort of a
ruse to save a paltry hundred dollars.
There followed some moments of si-

lence, and then Bob was heard to slowly
Says. Pal, at begins to look like we had
made a slip.’?

FRANK MERRIWELD’'S CLOSE

railroad track |

CALL.

Pink began to rave, using the most

I don’t t’ink he’ll ever bodder | shocking language.

|

“Tt warn’t our fault!’’ he cried. ‘‘We
done our part of it all right. How could

‘the critter have got away ?”’

‘*That I do not know,’’ said Lawrence ;
i““but you can see that he did get away,
and he is coming here. As soon as pos-
sible, I shall start for another part of the
‘country. Now, I am going to give you
‘chaps one more chance to makea pull.
To-night I will pay you twenty-five dol-
‘lars each, providing you agree to do your
best to finally dispose of Wallace Clin-
|ton.’
‘That ain’t enough,’’ broke in Pink.
‘“Hold on,’’ sharply comimanded Law-
lrence. ‘‘I am: not done. When you bring
ine positive proof that Clinton is dead, I
will pay you two hundred dollars each.
You can’t ask for more. I want you to
lagree to lose no time in completing the
| work,’

‘We'll do it!’’ cried both tramps te-~
gether. ‘‘You won’t have to worry about
ithat. We’ll make sure’ next time, an’
| ther duck? be dead when we ‘calls on
yer.’ 7

Eda put his mouth
broken Square of glass, and distinctly
cried: ‘‘And you will both hang for the
job, together with Lyman Lawrence!”

Then he dropped down lightly,
slipped away into the dense darkness,
satisfied that he had created a sensation
and filled the hearts of the three villains
with terror.

;

close to the

a |

CHAPTER LX:
FRANK’S CLOSE CALL.

 

Early the following morning the young — =
tourists mounted their wheels and | sped oe

laway to the westward.

| ’Phey crossed the Mississippi into St.
| Louis, but did not spend more time there
‘than was required for Frank to visit the

| Various newspaper offices, at each of which
he left the following notice, to be inserted —
as a paid advertisement :

“WALLACE CLINTON BEWARE! ©. —
“Your enemy, the man who hired —
tramps to tie you to the railroad track, See

to put you out of the way. They are to_
make sure of their work next time.
“The One Who Saved You. re a

 

 

and

has again bargained with those ruffians -
 

Wy?
i

‘““’There,’’? muttered the boy, when this|
was done, ‘‘I trust that will reach the |
eves of the man it isintended for. I know |
of no other way of warning him. Besides |
this, I have written an unsigned warning |
to Lyman Lawrence, telling him that his|
mitirderous scheme is known, and that he)
had better drop it. That may scare him
so he will call his dogs off.’

Frank felt that he could do nothing
siore.. He had found how influential Ly-
man Lawrence really was, and he knew
well enough that it would be impossible
to make the general public believe such a)
iaan could hire tramps to murder a tramp.
_ None of the boys expected again to see
the tramps or Judge Lawrence, with
whom they had had such an unpleasant ad-.
_yenture. Fortwo days they pushed onward
‘through Missouri. At last, late one after-
noon, they found themselves making a/|
desperate run to reach a certain town be-|

|
{

- fore nightfall. |
They paused to inquire the shortest |
route of a man who was calmly smoking |

\ANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL,

26

that. Come along with the rest of us.
The road is good enough, and you will
bump the stuffing out of your wheel rid-
ing over the ties.”’

‘1’l] take my chances on the wheel,

‘and I'll get in ahead of you.”’

‘“The trouble with you is that you have

the swelled head because you have beat-

en us once or twice by taking some un-
used road,’’ declared Rattleton. ‘‘Go
ahead and rail the ride road—I mean ride
the railroad! I am sticking to the high-
way.’

‘“That is what I want you to do,’
laughed Frank; ‘tand Iwill beat you
into town.’’

‘“Phis time is where you slip up,
Merry,’? asserted Jack Diamond. ‘‘We’ll
beat you into town, for you’ll soon get
tired of bumping over the rails, and will
take to footing it.””

‘fAll right, if you think so. I'll try it,
anyway.”’

They found he was determined to make
the attempt. Then Toots wanted to ac-

f 3 ‘ : | > hi aye : aoTee
>a corncob pipe in front of a miserable hut. | Company him, but Frank would not agree
me Wa-al,?’ drawled the native, ‘‘raound ito that, saying he might cut out a pace

; By ther road it is a right sinart distance, that would be too hot for the colored boy.

© but the railroad over yon makes it} They parted, Frank mounting and rid-
Straight. It ain’t night sofur by ther img along the track, heading toward a
railroad. Wagon road ain’t none too good, | Tange of hills close at hand, while the oth-
either. J reckon it’d been a heap sight | ers sped along the road.

- better fer ye ef ye’d took ther train back e Frank soon found that the railroad was
at Sage’s Station, ’stead of tryin’ ter ride indeed rough in places. Then he got out
it on them there things.”’ .and took to riding. along the shoulder of

He accompanied his concluding words the road, close to the ends of the ties.
with a look of scorn toward the bicycles, | This was better, and he made good speed.
COM ink we can make it before night??? The stn was low in the west when
asked Frank. Frank reached the hills. He was surprised
“(Not on them there things, I judge.’’ | to see that the range rose like a barrier in
The boys thanked him, and rode on. advance, but still the railroad ran on as
‘It is plain he has a-very poor opinion ‘straight as a die.
of bicycles,’’ said Jack. Inashort time he came to the black
Frank said nothing, but it was plain by, mouth of atunnel.
the expression on his face that he was| | Well, say! this is nice! he cried,
thinking. Soon they came to the rai]-.| dismounting. “T do not mind riding inl
toad, of which the man had spoken. \the night without a lantern—I prefer it—
Frank stopped, dismounted, and took) but this is different. It will be pocket
a look at the track. ‘To his satisfaction, | dark in there.”
he saw that the cross-ties were buried) However, there seemned to be no other
almost on a level with the road-bed. |way, and Frank did not feel like turning
“‘T say, fellows,’’ smiled Merriwell, | back.
“11 wager you that I take the railroad| ‘This can’t be a long tunnel,’’ he de-
and beat you into town.”’ ‘cided ; ‘*so here goes.’’

““Oh, come off!’ yawned Bruce. ‘‘You| He mounted and rode on slowly, but

are always trying some such thing as, the darkness of the tunnel seemed inten-

’

 
  

26 FRANK MERRIWELL'S CLOSE CALL.

sified by the change from the outer air. | he meet a horrible death there in the tun-
He crept along with the utmost caution, | nel?

like a blind man, and then, after a little,| He strained his eyes for a glimpse of
he dismounted, preferring to trundle his| light in advance.

wheel. | All dark!

He had not gone far before he realized; A feeling of horror and despair threat-
that he would be caught in an awkward |ened to seize upon Frank, but he fought
place if a train should happen along. Still|it with all his wonderful will.
he would not turn back. | He was astonished by his fortune in

Frank felt like a blind man as he crept | keeping to the track in such intense dark-
through the tunnel. Several times he/ mess, and it almost seemed that an unseen
fancied he heard a train approaching, but, baud was guiding him.
pausing to listen, his heart in his mouth,! Within the tunnel the track was re-
he concluded he was deceived. | markably smooth, which was a fortunate

Finally, Frank _ paused, suddenly | thing indeed.
stooped, found the rail, and placed his| The toaring increased, and Frank be-
ear close to it. What he heard sent the! gan to feel that.the train was overtaking

blood in an icy flood to his heart. (him with appalling swiftness. He was
‘““A train is coming!’ he gasped, as he | deafened by the volume of sound, and it

leaped to his feet, ‘Which way ?)) | seemed that the train must strike him itt

For a moment he stood there like one | another instant.
turned to stone, seeming unable to move. | Still the desperate, panting lad exerted
Then he realized that every moment was | all his strength in sending the bicycle
precious. He had come far in the tunnel, ‘flying along. He would not think of giv-
and it seemed that he would stand a bet-|ing up till the fatal crash came.
ter chance by going ahead. Besides, it; Itseemed that he rode hours in the
seemed that the train must be behnid him. | darkness of the tunnel, with that fright-
Frank steadied his wheel, set the ped-|ful roar sounding in his ears, In truth,
als right by touch, and made ready to it was but a few moments, yet it was not
mount. 'strange that, in such frightful peril, every
‘Now be cool, old man.’’ he whis- | moment should seem an hour.

pered. ‘“‘It is useless to get frightened.”’), *. om
With deliberation, and yet without loss | brain, and he seemed to see strange visions.

of time, he mounted his wheel. ‘Then he| He fancied he saw his own mangled and

increased his speed steadily and surely, lifeless body lying in the tunnel after the

seeming to find his way along in the in-' train had passed.

tense darkness by instinct, YA sudden gleam ahead! It was the
His ears were strained and his senses |OPE™78 of the tunnel. s

acitte. Should he find the train was in| , With a prayer on his lips, Frank Mer-

advance, he must turn about, although |riwell used all his remaining strength to

there was scarce a chance that he could |S¢"4 the bicycle flying like the very wind

do so and escape with his life itoward that welcome patch of light.
Then, with startling suddenness, a roar-| ae ee i! meen ae aes Pu eee

ing sound filled the place, and he knew|t#€ demon of destruction roared behin

the train had entered the tunnel! | 4110.

ion | And then—then Frank shot out into

Chis knowledge caused the boy to Send | tie open air, with the train close upon
the wheel spinning along at great speed, |, ;

eh a | him.
taking desperate chances. If he should be |
thrown, it was almost certain that he!
would be stunned, and he must remain on |
the track to be crushed by the train. |

The roaring grew more and more dis- | as possible, buniped over the rail, shot
tinct, and Frank felt beyond a doubt that | down the bank, and fell exhausted from
it was behind him. his wheel, the traiu whizzing past.

It was a wild race for life through the, For alongtime the boy lay there beside

’

CHAPTER X.
THE FINAL CRASH.

darkness. Would the boy win? or wouldithe track. A prayer of thanfkulness

Wild fancies flitted through the boy’s -

Frank turned from the track as quickly

 

 

 

 
   

 

   
    
    
 
  
  

   
 
  
  
     
  

   

   
 

 

 

 

eseaped his lips.
out of the west with remarkable swiftness.

‘‘Come!’? he muttered, at last; ‘‘this
will not do.”’

He arose, but his knees were still weak.
After alittle, he picked up the bicycle,
brought it back to the track, and mounted.

Then he rode onward, wondering how
far it could be to the town where he was
to meet his friends.

‘““They will be there ahead of me, but
I do not care,’’ he said. ‘‘I may consider
mvself fortunate to get there at all.”’

He 10de slowly. The track ran through
a@ valley, where it soon became very dark.

As Frank was riding along he sawa
gleam of light ahead, and heard the ring
of iron upon iron. Then he saw some
dark forms in the gleam of a lantern, and
they seemed to be at work on the track.

“Repairing,’’ muttered Frank. ‘‘ There
must be something the matter with the
track that causes them to work so late.’’

A moment later he was close upon
them, and he rang his bell.

Then the men
consternation, but their alarm could not
equal that of Merriwell, for he saw they
wore masks over their faces.

They were not track-repairers, but were
train-wreckers! The men saw the boy,

‘and a shout broke from one of them:

“Catch him! Stop him! Don’t let him
get away !”’

They rushed upon Frank, grasped him,
and dragged him from the bicycle. He
flung them off with a strength that amazed
himself.

The thought came to him that they
wnight be tramps, and then, in a moment,
he drew the spotted ball from his pocket.

_ ‘Hands off!’’ he cried, as he held it in
the light of the lantern.

Tt j is the token!’’ cried the men, in
astonishment, as they fell back a bit.

‘It is,’’? said one, who seemed to be the
leader. ‘‘We must not harm him. But,

FRANK MERRIWELL'S CLOSE

He watched the day|
turn to dusky night, the red light dying |

stopped in apparent |

    

CALE, 27

‘*You shall not wreck it! Give me that
lantern! I will stop it myself!’

He snatched the lantern, and tried to
bound away to meet the oncoming train.
Then it was that a heavy blow stretched
him on the ground, and the lantern was
shattered in the fall.

The ruffians leaped on the boy, like

beasts of prey, which they, indeed, were.
They pinned him to the ground, for he

had been stunned, and could not offer
much resistance.

‘*Make him fast!’’ ordered the leader;
‘but do net harm him. Work with all
possible speed! Carry him out of danger.’”’

He was obeyed. Frank’s hands and feet
were tied, and he was carried up the bank
and away from the track. Then he was
deposited on the ground beyond sight of
the railroad, and the men vanished like
black demons in the darkness.

With all his strength, Frank struggled
to free himself. He was frantic with his
desire to do something to save the train.
In squirming about, he sat up and caught
a gleam of the headlight of the locomo-
tive that was dragging human beings to
destruction.

Groaning, the boy fell back.

‘It is too late! I could not stop the
train if 1 were free!’’

Then, horror-stricken, he awaited the
crash.

It came! There was a frightful sound

of splintering, crashing wood and iron,

‘and then an awful silence, followed by
shrieks and groans.

The train was wrecked!
Like a maniac, the boy fought to free
himself, and he finally succeeded. Stag-

gering to his feet, he sought the bank
‘and looked down on ascene of destruc-

“Took at this!’?!

hark—there is the whistle of the express! |

She is coming!’’
Frank heard the distant whistle, and he

felt that the train was rushing to its de-|

struction.

tion, where, in the darkness, the engine
and cars were piled in a shapeless mass
beside the track.

Men had crept out of the rums. A few
had found lanterns and were moving
about, calling wildly to each other.

Other men were there—the dark forms -
of the desperadoes who had wrecked the

| train, and they were working to despoil

the dead and dying.
Frank ran down to the mass of wrecked

‘‘Vou must stop that train, men!”’ cried | cars, resolved to do what he could to save

the boy, as he saw one of the rails had | human life.
_been loosened and was partly torn up.

Soon he was working with
‘others amid the ruins of the train.

  

 
FRANK MERRIWELL’S CLOSE CALL.

As he worked,

which one of the trainmen had secured

from the wreck, he was astounded to feel |
hands and see}
close to his, |

himself clutched: by strong
a blood-spattered face held
while a hoarse voice shouted :

‘‘Where is he? You know him! Where
is he? Have you seen him ?”’

At first the boy thought it must be some
passenger, crazed by his injuries, and
seeking a friend who had been on the
train.

‘SBE . calm,”
him,’

‘‘Tmust find him!’’ almost shrieked the
man. ‘‘I knew he was on this train, and
I clung beneath the car on which he rode
that he might not escape me.
I was near, and that is why
flight. He feared me—he
vengeance !’’

Frank grasped the light from the hand
of the man at his side, and held it close
to that blood-stained face.

‘*Wallace Clinton!’ he
amazed. ‘‘Baldy Briggs, the tramp!
here???

‘Ves, I am here,’’ was. tlie
ply. ‘‘I followed him! He is here some-
where amid this wreck. I saw your notice

‘“We

he said.

feared

shouted,

You

9

in the papers, and I learned that you knew,

hiin.”?

‘*Lyman Lawrence ?’’

(Ves, >

‘And he wa

CoVes: ”?

‘(Then he may be a dead man now.”’

They searched amid the ruins, and it
was not long before they came upon the)
man for whom Wallace Clinton was look-|
ing, Judge Lawrence was there, pinned |
down by a great weight, his face ghastly
pale, « dying from his. friehtful injuries.

Clinton ‘caught the lantern, held it close
to his own face, and dropped on his knees |
beside lis foe.

‘‘Look, Lyman Lawrence!’ he shouted, |
wile iy—look into my face! Open your|
eyes! Do you know me???

With a moan of pain, the wretched |
man looked. What he saw did not seem |
to fill him with fear, but he faintly said:

‘Ves, I know you; you are the man I}
wronged—the friend I betrayed. Laura |
still lives, but she has despised me ever
since she le ‘arned how I won-her for my |

s on this train ?’’

with the aid of a lantern |

will find

He knew |
he took to}!
ny |

hoarse re- |

wife by making her believe you were false
to her. I believe she loves you still. I
feared you, for I knew you were mad for
vengeance when you learned of my treach-
ery. Then it was that I plotted and caused
|you to be thrown into prison. But now
my punishment has come!”?

He ceased from pure exhaustion. Clin-
ton was silent, his wildness having passed
away with the sight of his enemy. After
a brief pause, Lawrence went on:

‘‘T did hire men to destroy you, Clin-
ton. They failed. J am glad of that now.
This—this is my just reward! Iam dying
—dying far from the wife who never truly
loved me, anc the child who has ever
feared me! All _ my property will fall to
that wife and child. Go to her, Clinton ;
she will be happy to see you once again.
Promise me that you will go to her.’’
| “Tf I can—if I can!” whispered Clin-
ton, huskily.

‘“That’s all—that’s all!’ whispered the
unfortunate wretch. ‘‘You will not be
‘molested now. WhenI am dead there
‘will be no reason why any one should
harm you. This—this is retribution!”

His face showed how much he suffered
\inentally,

A strange change. had come over Wal-
lace Clinton. No ‘longer was he fierce for
| vengeance. Something like compassion
‘came into his eyes as he watched his dy-
‘ing enemy.

Suddenly the dying man ttrned and
clutched Clinton’s hand, almost shrieking:
| ‘Tam Pye bart I know it—I feel it!
| Yet I shall die easier if I hear you say you
forgive me! For—th e—love—of— Heaven

—say—it |?”

Clinton was silent, but it seemed that
a great battle was taking place within his
soul.

‘*Ror—the — love —of —Laura—say—
it!’’ huskily pleaded the dying man.

‘“Tyman Lawrence,’’ said Wallace
Clinton, solemnly, pe

|
|
|

**T forgive you!
Ae ankful sigh, a murmured prayer, a
yasp, and the end had come. All was
over,

| 8
[THE END. |

The next number (58) of Tip Top

| Weekly will contain as the complete story

Unknown Friend ;
by the

a Merriwell’s
, Old. Foes in. New. Places,”’
tha of Frank Merriwell.

 

 
 

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UP-TO-DATE,

Scene, a lonely road ont West. Enter tourist.

Tourist: ‘‘What’s this? A nickel-in-the--slot ma-
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‘*PDrop a Nickel in the Slot and Get a Surprise.’’

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NOVELTY ELECTRIC MOTOR.

The Novelty is supplied with current from two vats underlyingthe motor
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The Simplex Typewriter.
LS VD 3 ;

   

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Beveloping and Printing Outfit.—Printing frame; package of hyposulphite; package of ecard wounts;
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TOY STEAM LAUNCH.

 

 

 

 

Length 14 inches; width 2 8-4 inches. Having a metal boiler and steam engine to work the
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after &

  
 
  
 
 
  
  

 

  
    
  
     
   

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Vee s a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

   
      
         
 
    
     

 

    

 

Eaeh of these Quarterlies contain thirteen “Frank Merriwell’ ’ stories
complete. The fame of this series is too extended to necessitate a detailed ~
description. The stories tell of the pranks, trials and bravery of a true- ~@
hearted American lad—brave to the core. They have received universal -
commendation. (me

For sale by all newsdealers, or sent postage free, on receipt of price, ~
50 Cents, by the publishers. :
STREET & SMITH, New York

   
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PUBLICATIONS,

9 THE FAVORITE

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TIP TOP WEEKLY

Illuminated Covr-—P rice, Five Cents—rhirty-two Pages,

Complete List of Stories By the author of “Frank Merriwell.”

Leer >

Tales of School,

Fun, College, Travel anc Adventure.

PPALSII™ *

All back numbers are constantly on hand, and will be mailed to any address on receipt of

price, Five Cents each.

37—Frank Merriwell’s Death Shot; or, Roughing it in
Australia,
38—Frank Merriwel]l in the South Sea; or,
Life.
39 —Frank Merriwell Home Again; or, The Mystery of
Ethel Driscoll.
40 -Frank Merriwell at Yale;
Freshman,
41—Frank Merriwell’s Match;
Sophmores.
42—Frank Merriwell’s Victory; or, The Winning Oar.
43—Frank Merriwell’s Finish; or, Blue Against Crimson.
44._Frank Merriwell’s Game; or, Snaring the Sharper.
5 —Fra ‘vriwell’s Great Run; or, ‘rouncing the
Tigesso%.. .
46 —Frank Merriwell’s:‘Even Up; or, Squaring the Score.
47 Frank Mc-riwell’s Queen; or, Blow for Blow.
48—Frank Merriwell’s Find; or, The Waif of the Train.
49 -Frank Merriwell’s Racer; or, Birds of a Feather.
6G—Frank Merriwell’s Nerve; or, Game to the End.
51- Frank Merriwell’s Shadow; or, The Mysterious
Stranger.
52 Frank Merriwell’s Dash; or, Yale Against the Field.
53—I rank Merriwell’s Bicycle Boys; or, 'The Start Across
the Continent.
54—Frank Merriwell’s Ride for Life; or, Foiling the
Train Destrovers.
55 -Frank Merriwell’s Great Capture; or, Bicycle Against
Horse.
56 Frank Merriwell to the Rescue; or, Through Fire
and Water.
57 —Frank Merriwell’s Close Call; or, The Tramp’s ‘l'oken.
58 —Frank Merriwell’s Unknown Friend; or, Old Friends
in New Places.
59 Frank Merriweil Among the Rustlers; or, The Cattle
King’s Daughter.
60 —Frank Merriwell’s Desperate Drop; or, Wild Adven-
tures in the Rockies.
61—Frank M+rriwell in the Mines; or, The Blind Singer
of Silver Bluff.
2—Frank Merriwell Among the Mormons; or, The Lost
Tribe of Israel.
Frank Merriwell on the Desert; or, The Mystery of
the Skeleton.
64--Frank Merriwell’s Underground Search; or, Saving
the Buried Heiress.
65--Frank Merriwell in California; -r, The End of the
Great Tour.
66—Prize Plot Story; Frank Merriw >I] as the Star.
67—Frank Merriwell’s Yacht; or, The Chase Down the
Coast
68—Frank Merriwell’s Combination; or, The All Round
Athletes.

69—Frank Merriwell’s Red Rival.

The Cast for

or Freshman Against

or, The King of the

 

'.

70—Frank Merriwell’s Texas Tournament; or,
Among the Cowboys.

71—Frank Merriwell’s Nine; or, Surprising the Southern
League. \ ,

—Frank Merriwell’s Shot; or, Out with the Guthrie

Gun Club.

78 —Frank Merriwell’s Flyer; or, The Winning Wheel,

74—Frank Merriwell’s T horoughbred ; or, Honesty ,;
Against Crookedness.

75 -Frank Merriw ell’s Enemy; or, Rivals
Riage.

78 —Frank Merriwell’s Crew; or, The Champions of the
Potomac.

77—Frank Merriwell’s Hunt; or, In at the Death.
78—Frank Merriwell’s Blow; or, Unmasking a Rascal.
79—Frank Merriwell’s Return to Yale; or, The Mystery
of the Examination Papers.
80—F rank Merriwell as ‘‘Anchor; or, ‘The Winning Pull
in the 'f'ug of War. ;
81—Frank Merriwell’s Initiation; or,
of Pi Gamma.
82—Frank Merriwell’s Sign; or, The Secret of the Silent
Student.
83 —Frank Merriwell as Full Back; or, True to His Colors
84—Frank Merriwell’s Duel; or, A Point of Honor.
85—Frank Merriwell’s Mark; or, Subduing a Bully.
86—Frank Merriwell’s Secret; or, A Friend in Need.
87—Frank Merriwell’s Revenge; or, Aroused at Last.
88—Frank Merriwell’s Capture; or Jbe Black Schooner.
89—Frank Merriwell’s Chum; or, The Hand of a Friend.
90—Frank Merriwell’s Double Shoot; or, Winning in
the Box.

91—Frank Merriwell’s
Disgrace.

92-—Frank Merriwell’s Wager; or, Bound to Win.

93—Frank Merriwell In ‘Training; or, The Mystery of
the Midnight Prowler.

94—Frank Merriwell’s Courage; or, Loyal to the Last.

95—Frank Merriwell at Fardale Again; or, Yale Lads at
the Military Academy.

96 —Frank Merriwell in Camp; or, Frolics with the Far-
dale Boys.

97—Frank Merriwell’s Fardale Friends, or, Facing Old.
Foes.

98—Frank Merriwell’s Yale Chums;
_of Fardale,

99—-Frank Merriwell’s Choice; or,

Fardale.

Sport

of the Blue
\

The Secre Order

Danger; or, The Shadow of

or, The Jolly Dogs

The Fair Rivals of

100—Frank Merriwell’s Fardale Rackets; or, Yale Lads» 7

On a Frolic.

101— Frank Merriwell’s Courage; or,
Bluff.

102—Frank Merriwell’s Faith; or,
Crime,

True Nerve Against

The Shadow of a

 

STREET & SMITH,

PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK.

Anne

For Sale te all Newsdealers.

Every Saturday.