Trp oP WEEKLY “An ideal publication for the American Youth: Issued weekly By Subscription, $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Crass Matier at the N. Y. Post Office by STREET & SMITH No. 148. Price, Five Cents. ‘THAT IS THE LAST OF YOUR OLD PLAY,’’ SHOUTED LAWRENCE, HURLING IT INTO THE FIRE. Tie Tor “AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THE AMERICAN YOUTH.” WEEKLY. Issued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class |. atter at the N, Y. Post Ofice. Srruevr & SMITH, 81 Fulton y St., N. Y. Entered Aceording to Act of Congress, in the Year 1899 tn the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. Cc. No. 148. Sook : NEW YORK, February 11, 1899. Price Five Cents, Contents of This Number. FRANK MERRIWELL’S PLUCK ; APPLAUSE - - - : - % CORRESPONDENCE - - - _ a Frank Merriwell's Page, or, Never Say Die = = 2 © © ©» os » |, - - - ° ° ° . e $1. iuck OR, NEVER SAY DIE f By BURT L. STANDISH ee CHAPTER I. FRANK’S DETERMINATION. Frank Merriwell had failed at last! His new play, ‘‘For Old Eli,’’ had ‘‘struck a frost.’’ In the Colorado city of Puleob (so called in these narratives because I do not wish to give its right name) the piece had been produced for the first time, and, _hogdovoed or not, it had not proved a suc- CESS. Frank Merriwell had failed ? No! — He would not acknowledge failure, de- feat, disaster. He would not lie down and abaudon the struggle, for he was not built of such weak material. ‘ There was nothing of the ‘‘quitter’’ - ~ Where was the fault? Was it in the piece or in the way it had been played? He realized that, although the piece was well constructed, it was not of a high artistic character, such as must appeal by pure literary merit to the best class of theater patrons. It could not be ranked with the best productions of Pinero, Jones, Howard, Thoimas, or even Clyde Fitch. He had not written it with the hope of reaching such a level. His aim had beentomakea _ ‘‘nopular’’? piece, such as would appeal to the masses. Whien it was all over, he sat down aud fell to thinking over what had happened, and trying to understand the cause of it all. He did not lay the blame entirely om the actors. | as w It was not long before he decided that something about his play had led the spectators to expect more than they had received. What was it they had expected ? While he was thinking of this alone in his room at the hotel Bart Hodge came in, Hodge looked disgruntled, disap- pointed, disgusted. He sat down on the bed without speaking. ‘Hello, old man,’’ said Frank, cheer- fully. ‘‘What’s the matter with your face? It would sour new milk.’’ ‘Aud you ought to have a face that would sour honey!’’? growled Bart. ‘‘I should if I were in your place.”’ ‘‘What’s the use? That wouldn’t im- prove things.” “If Iwerein your place, I’d take a gun and go forth and kill a few stiffs.’ ‘‘T always supposed a ‘stiff? was dead. Didn’t know one could be killed over again.’? ‘Oh, you can joke if you want to, but I don’t see how you can feel like joking now. Anybody else would swear.”’ ‘*And that would be foolish.’? **Perhaps so; but you know, as well as Ido, that your play was murdered and mangled last night.’? ‘*That’s so, b’gosh!’’? drawled a dole- ful voice, and Ephraim Gallup came stalking into the room, looking quite as disgusted and dejected as Hodge. ‘‘An’ I’m one of the murderers!’ Frank looked Ephraim over and burst out laughing. ““Why,’’ he cried, ‘your face is so long that you’ll be hitting youg toes against -your chin when-you walk, if you’re not careful.’? | ‘‘Whut I need is somebuddy to hit their toes against my pants jest where I set down an’ do it real hard,’’ said Eph- raim. ‘‘I wisht I’d stayed to t:uim on the _ farm when I went back there and gin up the idee that J was an actor. I kin dig } TIP TOP WEEKLY. *taters an’ saw wood a darn sight better’n I kin act!’? “‘You’re all right, Ephraim,’ assured Merry. ‘‘You had to fill that part in a hurry, and you were not sure on your lines. That worried you and broke you up. If you had been sure of your lines, so that you would have felt easy, I don’t think there would have been any trouble as far as you were concerned.’’ “I dunno abaout that. I never felt so gosh darn scat as I did larst night. Why, I jest shook all over, an’ one spell I didn’t think my laigs ’d hold me up till I got off ther stage. It was awful!’ ‘Vou had an attack of stage fright. They say all great actors have it ouce in their lives.”’ ‘‘Wal, I never want to feel that air way ag’in! An’ I spoilt that scene in the dressin’ room of the club-haouse. Oh, jeewhillikins! I’m goin’ aout of the show business, Frank, an’ git a job paoundin’ sand, It don’t take no brains to do that.”’ *‘Cheer up! You are going to play that same part in this play, and you’ll play it well, too.”’ ‘‘Whut? ‘Then be yeou goin’ to keep right on with the play?’’ asked the Ver- monter, in astonishinent, ‘* No,’”’ said Merry, ‘SI am not going to keep right on with it. Iam going to put it into shape to win, and then I’m going out with it again. My motto is, ‘Never say die.’ You heard what I told the audience last night. I promised them that I would play in this town and would make a success. I shall keep that promise.’’ . Hodge shook his head. “You are smart, Frank, but there’s a limit.. I’m afraid your luck has turned. You are hoodoced.’’ . Just then acoal black cat came out < from under the bed and walked across the — Tool). dog?’’ smiled Merry, as the cat came ‘And I suppose you think this my hoo-._ fe over and rubbed against his leg. ‘‘That’s where you are away off. This cat is my she shall travel with me till the piece wins. She has stuck to me close mascot, and enough since she walked onto the stage _ where we were reliearsing in Denver.’ ‘“The cat is not the hoodoo,’’ said Bart, shaking his head. ‘‘I know what is.”? WONG 2? = Sure,-’ ‘“Namie it.’ pe Eo ie UY our” (Ves, 9 Frank stared at Bart in surprise, and then burst out laughing. ‘Well, how in the world did you hap- pen to get such a foolish notion into your head ?”’ he cried. **It’s not foolish,’’ declared Bart, stub- bornly. ‘‘It’s straight, I know it, and you can’t make me think differently.’ Frank rose and walked over to Hodge putting a hand on his shoulder. ‘*Now you are talking silly, old man,”’ he said. ’ luck to me in the past; why should you be now? You’re blue. You are down in the mouth, and your head is filled with ridiculous fancies. Things would have happened just as they have if you had not joined the company.’’ ‘*T don’t believe it.’ “Vou never were bad ‘‘You always were superstitious, but I believe you are worse than ever now. ¥ou have been playing poker too much. That’s what ails you.. The game makes every nan superstitious. He mal. not be- lieve in luck at the beginning, but he will after he has stuck to that game awhile. He will see all the odd things that happen with cards, and the conviction that there is such a thing as luck must grow upon him. He will become whimsical and full of notions, That’s what’sthe matter with you, Hodge. Forget it, forget it!” ‘‘I think you are likely to forget some TIP TOP WEEKLY things altogether too early, Merriwell. For instance, sonie of your enemies. ’’ ‘“What’s the use to remember unpleas- ant things?’ One of them did so to an extent that he helped ruin ‘*They remember you. the first presentation of your play.”’ : Frank took the letter, and Wynne dis- appeared, after being thanked for bring- ing it. ‘Excuse ine,’’ said Merry, and he tore open the envelope. A moment later, having glanced over the letter, he whistled. **News ?’’? asked Bart. ‘Just a note from the gentleman were speaking of just now,’’ answered Frank. ‘‘It’s from the party who gave ime the free advertising.’’ CHAPTER II. THE FLIGHT OF AN ‘‘ANGEL.’? “Wal, I'll be kicked byablind kaow!”’ exploded Gallup, *'An’ did he hev ther gall to write to ye?”’ ‘Ves,’ said Frank. ‘‘Listen to this.’’ Then he read the letter atoud. ‘Mr. Frank Merriwell: “Dear Sir: By this time you must be aware that you are not the greatest thing that ever happened. You received it in the neck last night, and I aided in the good work of knocking you out, for [ circulated the ‘warning’ notice which denounced you as an impostor, a dead beat aud a thief. The public swallowed it all, and, in disguise, I was at the theater to witness your downfall. It was even greater than I had dared hope it would be. I understand the managers in other towns have canceled with you, Fol- ansbee has declined to back your old show any longer, and you are on thie beach. Ha! ha! ha! This is revenge in- deed. You are knocked out at last, and I did it. You'll never appear again as the marvelous young actor playwright, and the name of Frank Merriwell will sink ~ into oblivion. It is well. Yours with sat- isfaction, LESLIE LAWRENCE.”’ ‘‘T knew well enough it was that dirty rascal who did the job!’ cried Hodge, springing up. ‘‘Thecur!”’ “Wal, dinged if he hadn’t oughter be shot!’’ burst from Gallyp. ‘‘An’ he knows Folansbee’s gone back on ye.’’ TIP TOP WEEKLY. we *‘It’s no use, Frank,’’ said Hodge, dis- u are done for. ‘The consolately; ‘‘yo Folansbee has skipped us, story is out. and——’’ *‘He has not skipped us. He’s simply decided to go out of the theatrical »usi-r ness. It was a fad with him, anyhow. As long as everything was going well, he liked it; but I see he is a ian who can- not stand hard luck. He is changeable, and that makes him a mighty poor man to back a venture. It takes a ian with determination and a fixed purpose to win at anything. (Changing around, jumping from one thing to another, never having any clear ideas is enough to make a_ fail- ure of any man. Folausbee doesn’t need to follow the show business for a living. He went into it because it fascinated him. The glamor is all worn off now, and he is ready to get out of it. Let him go.”’ ‘It’s all right to say let him go, but what are you going to do without him? You are talking about putting your play out again, but how will you do it?” ‘Tl find a way.”’ ‘That is easier said than done. You have been lucky, Frank, there is no ques- tion about that. You can’t be that lucky all the time.”’ ‘There are more ways than catch an angel.”’ “T rather think you'll find that angels are not so thick. Once ina while there is a soft thing whois ready to gamble with his.money by putting it behind a traveling theatrical company, but those soft things ate growing scarcer and scarcer. ‘Too many of them have been bitten. ”’ I ‘Still, I have a feeling that I’ll find way to do the trick.’? one to ‘‘Of course you can advertise for a part-_ ner to invest ina ‘sure thing,’ and all that, but those games are too near fraud. Rascals have worked those schemes so much that honest men avoid them.”? ‘‘T shall not resort to any trickery deception. If I catch an ‘angel’ I shall get one just as I obtained Folansbee, by telling him all the risks and chances of failure. ”’ ‘“‘Well. you’ll not get another that ? J a> way.’ ‘‘Darned if J ain’t afraid now!’’ nodded Ephraim. ‘‘But Mr. Folansbee’s goin’ to take keer of this comp’ny, ain’t he? He’s goin’ to take it back to Denver ?”’ ‘*He has agreed to do so.”’ At sharp rap on the door, which, happening to be near, Frank opened. Cassie Lee walked in, followed by Ros- coe Havener. ‘*Well, what do you think she cried. ‘Of whomu—Havener?”’ asked Merry: ‘“No, Folansbee.’’ ‘*What about him ?’’ ‘*He’s skipped.”’ **Skipped ?”” **Sure thing. “*Tinpossible!”’ ‘It’s a straight fact,’’ declared little soubrette. ‘“There’s no doubt of it,’’ corroborated ~ Havener. ‘‘Wal, may I be tickled to death by grasshoppers!”’ ejaculated Gallup. ‘““This caps the whole business!’ burst from Hodge. ‘‘T can’t believe that,’’ said Merriwell, slowly. ‘‘How do you know, Havener ?’’ ‘His baggage is gone. Garland and Dunton traced him to the station, They wére just in time to see him board an eastbound train as it pulled out. He has deserted us.”’ this moment there -was another Cassie showed excitement. of him ?’’ "= Run away.’’ the CHAPTER III. PA INDIGNANT ACTORS. Frank could not express his astonish- ment. “T can’t believe it,’’ he repeated. ‘‘Fol- -ansbee would not do such a thing.”’ TIP TOP WEEKLY. Hodge laughed shortly, harshly. ‘You have altogether too much confi- dence in human nature, Merry,’’ he said. ‘*T never took much stock in this Folans- bee. He is just the sort of person I would expect to do such a trick.”’ ‘“The company is hot, Merriwell,’’ said Havener. ‘‘They’re ready to eat*you.”’ “*Me?”? eats ‘* Ror what ?’’ “‘For getting them. into this scrape.”’ **T don’t see how they can blame ine.’’ There came a sound of feet outside and a bang on the door, which was flung open before Frank could Into the room stalked Granville Garland, followed reach it. by the remainder of thecompany. Plainly all were excited. **Well, Mr. Merriwell,’’ said Garland, assuming an accusing manner and _strik- ”) ing.a stage pose, ‘‘we are here. ‘*So Isee,’’? nodded Frank, calmly. ‘*What’s the matter?’ “You engaged us to fill parts in your play.”’ T. Gid.? **We hold contracts with you.”’ ““T beg your pardon. I think you are mistaken.”’ ““What?’’ ‘*T made no contracts with you; I sim- ply engaged You hold contracts_ with Parker Folansbee.”’ you. ‘‘Rolansbee has deserted us, sir,’’ de- clared Garland; accusingly. ‘‘We have been tricked, fooled, deceived! We hold contracts. You were concerned with Fol- ansbee in putting this company of the road, and you are responsible. We have come to you to find out what you mean to do.”’ ‘‘T am very sorry——’’ began Frank. ‘Being sorry for us doesn’t help usa | bit,’’ cut in Garland, rudely. ‘‘I believe you knew Folanshee was going to skip,” Frank turned his eyes full on the speak- 8 Siar er, and he seemed to look his accuser straight through and through. ‘Mr. Garland,’’ he said, ‘‘you are rude and insulting. Ido not fancy the way you speak to me.”’ ‘‘Well, what are you going to do about ie?” : ‘““That’s what I’d like to know,’ put in Lloyd Fowler. ‘‘I want my money. I didn’t come out here to be fooled this way.” “Mr. Fowler,’’ spoke Frank, ‘‘you have not earned any money. Instead, you have earned a fine by appearing on the stage last night in a state of intoxica- tion.*’ ‘“Who says so??? Cer do.”?’ “Then you li—— Fowler did not quite finish the word. Frank had him by the neck and pinned him against the wall in a moment. __ Mer- ry’s eyes were flashing fire, but his voice was steady, as he said: ‘(Take it back, sir! stantly for that!’ Garland made a move as if he would ” x Apologize in- interfere, but Bart Hodge was before hin. in an instant, looking straight into his face, and saying: ‘*Hands off! Touch him and you get thumped!’ “Get out!’ cried Garland. “Not a bit of it. If you want a scrap, I shall be pleased to give you what you desire. ’’ re ‘Here, fellows!?’ called Garland; ‘*9et in here all of you and give these two tricksters a lesson! Come on!”? ‘Wait!’ cried Havener, stepping to the other side of Merriwell. ‘*Don’t try it, for I shall stand by him!”’ ‘Me, too, boys!’ cried Cassie Lee, get- ting into line with her small fists clenched and a look of determination on her thin face. ‘Don’t nobody jump on Frank — Merriwell unless I take a hand in the racket.’ ‘ ‘ monter. WEEKLY. The rest of the company were aston- ished. They realized that Frank had some friends, but it was not until after he had awakened to realize just what the situation meant that Ephraim Gallup drew himself together and planted him- self with Merry’s party. ‘“Whe-ee!’’ he squealed. ‘‘If there’s goin’ ter be aruction, yeou kin bet Ill fight fer Merry, though I ain’t much of a fighter. I’d ruther run then fight any day, onless [ hev ter fight, but I reckon I?ll hev ter fight in this case, if there is any fightin’.’’ Immediately Granville Garland became very. placid in his manner. ‘We didn’t come here to fight,’ he said, ‘‘but we came here to demand out riglits.’’ ‘‘An’ to sass Frank,’ put in the Ver- “But, b’gosh! yeou are barkin’ up ther wrong tree when yeou tackle him! He kin jest natterally chaw yeou Mp3” Frank still held Fowler against the wall. Now he spoke to the fellow in a low, commanding tone: ‘*Apologize at once,’’ he said. ‘‘Come, sir, make haste!’ ‘IT didn’t mean anything,’’ faltered the frightened actor. ‘‘I think I was too hasty. I apologize.” ‘‘Be careful in the future,’’ advised Merry, releasing him. ing: ‘‘Ladies and gentlemen, until Havener just brought the news, I did not know that Parker Folansbee wasgone. It wasa great surprise for me, as I did not dream he was a person to do such a thing. Even now I cannot feel that he has entirely de- serted us. He may have left town rather than face us, but I hope he has been man _ enough to leave money behind that will | enable us to return to Denver, at least. You must see that we are in the same box. : together. I am hit as hard as any of you, — y Then Merry turned to the others, say- renee PEE ea Res Bie ca S oe isa view PRE I a ee ty tarot Oa for I had hoped that Folansbee would stand by me so that I would be able to put the play in better shape and take it out again. I have lost him asa _ backer, and if he has skipped without leaving us anything, I have barely enough money to enable me to get back to Denver.” ‘‘Haven’t you any way of getting hold of money ?’’ asked Harper. ‘‘Unfortunately, I have not,’’ answered Merry. ‘‘If I had money in my pocket I would spend the last cent to square this thing with you.”’ ‘And I know that’s on the level!’’ chirped Cassie Lee. “Well, it’s mighty tough!’’ muttered Billy Wynne. ‘‘That’s all I’ve got to aay.” “‘Well have to get up some kind of a benefit for ourselves,’? said Havener. “Thats’ the only thing left to do.”’ ‘‘Come up to my room,’’ invited Miss Stanley, ‘‘and we’ll try to devise a scheme for raising the dust. Come on.”’ They followed her out; leaving Eph- raim, Bart and Frank. CHAPTER IV. FORTY-THREE ‘THOUSAND DOLLARS. ‘Whew!’ breathed Gallup, sitting down on the bed. ‘‘Hanged if I didn’t kainder think there was goin’ to be a ruction one spell. I wanted to run, but I warn’t. goin’ to leave Frank to be thrashed by a lot of hamfatters, b’gee!’ ‘They were excited when they came in,’? said Merry, apologizing for the ones who had departed. ‘‘If it hadn’t been for that, they would not have thought of niaking such a scene.’’ ‘‘Well, Frank,’’ spoke Bart, ‘‘I hope this will teach you a lesson.”’ row. ‘‘T hope it will teach you not to put so much confidence in human nature after this. Have less confidence and do more i vat 7 te 4 - TIP TOP WEEKLY. a business in writing. I haven’t a doubt but Folansbee would have stuck by you allright if the new play had proved a winner, but he sawa cliance to squeal when it turned out bad, and he jumped you.’’ **T had a contract with other piece,’’? said Merry; ‘‘but you know he did not return from St. Louis till just before we were ready to start out, and so I had not been able to fix matters about this piece. ”’ ‘‘And that lets him out easy.”’ ‘*Ves, he gets out without any trouble, and I don’t believe I can do a thing about 12? Again there camea rapon the door. When it was opened a bell boy, accom- panied by a gray-bearded gentleman, stood outside. “Mr. Merriwell,’’ said the bell boy, ‘Chere is a gentleman to see you.”’ The man entered. ‘Walk right in, sir,’? invited Merry. ‘“What can I do for you ?’’ . Frank closed the door. The stranger slowly drew off his gloves, critically looking Merriwell over. “So you are Mr. Frank. Merriwell?’’ he said. OWes5. Sit. him about the ‘T recognize you,’’ nodded the man. “Do you remember me???’ ‘“‘No, sir; I can’t say that I do, al- though I believe I have seen your face before.’’ “Tl think you have, but I did not wear a full beard then.’’ ‘‘Ah! Then it is possible the beard has made the change that prevents me from recognizing you.”’ “Quite likely.”’ ‘Will you sit down ?’?’ “‘T have some important business with you,’? explained the stranger, with a glance toward Gallup and Hodge. Immediately Bart started for the door. ¥ *‘See you later, Frank,’ he said. **Come on, Ephraiimn.”’ Gallup followed Hodge from the room. When they were gone, Frank again in- vited the stranger to be seated. ‘“Thank you,’’ said the man, as he ac- cepted a chair. ‘‘For reasons I wish you would Jook at me closely and see if you recognize me. I recognize you, although you are older, but I must proceed with the utmost caution in this matter, and I wish you would recognize ime and _ state ily name, so that I may feel absolutely certain that I am making no niistake.”’ Frank sat down opposite the gentle- man, at whom he gazed searchingly. He concentrated his mind in the effort to re- member. Frank had found that he could do inany difficult things by concentration of his mental forces. Now he sought to picture in his mind the appearance of this man without a beard. Gradually he felt that he was drawing nearer and nearer the object he sought. Finally he made a request : ‘*Please speak again, sir.”’ ‘“Why do you wish me to speak again ?”’ sniiled the stranger. : **So that your voice may aid me in re- membering. I wish to associate your voice and your face.”? ‘“Very well. say??? **You have said enough. voice now.”’ ‘*T’m afraid you’ll not beable to re- meimber,’’ said the stranger. make any great difference, for I recognize What do you wish me to I have your you, and I can’ make assurance doubly sure by asking you a few questions. First, I wish to ask——’? “Excuse me,’? interrupted Merry. “You are from Carson City, Nevada. You are connected with the bank in Car- son, where I deposited a certain amount of valuable treasure, found by myself and sone friends in the Utah. Desert. Your nanie is Horace Hobson.” TIP TOP WEEKLY. “Tt doesn’t “Correct !’’ cried the man, with satis- faction. ‘‘Now, can you produce the re- ceipt given you for that treasure??? ‘*'Ves, sir,’? nodded Frank, immediately producing a leather pocketbook and open- ing it. ‘*I have it lere.”? Ina moment.he had found the paper and handed it to Mr. Hobson. The gentleinan adjusted some ygold- rimmed nose-glasses and looked the re- ceipt over. ‘““This is the receipt,’? he nodded. **You instructed the bank officials to use ° every effort and spare no expense to find the relatives of Professor Millard Fillmore and the rightful heirs to the treasure.” elite"? ‘‘T ain here to inform you that the bank has carried out your instructions faith- fully.”? ‘*Then you have found Professor Fill- more’s relatives?’ quickly asked Merry, his heart sinking a bit. ‘On the contrary, we have found that he has no relatives living. He seeins to have been the last of his family—the end of it——”’ ‘“Then—— ‘It has been necessary for us to go to considerable expense to settle this point beyond a doubt, but we have done so, in accordance with your directions. Of course we shall not lose anything. We have ascertained the exact value of the treasure, and have deducted for our ex- pense and trouble. Ata meeting of the bank directors I was instructed to turn over the remainder to you. I have here papers showing the exact valuation of the treasure as deposited with us. Here isa ” complete account of all our expenses and- charges. ‘We have founda balance re- maining of forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight dollars. I was sent to turn this money over to you, as I could identify you beyond doubt, and there could be 1f0 mistake. To make it certain in my own mind, I wished youto eis es oe Se es: Le = oy = recognize me. You did so, and I knew I could not be making a mistake. I will take up this receipt here, and in return will give you a check for the amount, if that is satisfactory to you.’’ Frank sat like one dazed, staring at Horace Hobson. Was it possible that he was not dreaming? Was he in his hour of iminense stm of he*fancied he was need to receive this money? No wonder dreaining! At last he gave himself a slight shake, and his voice did not falter as he said: ‘It is perfectly satisfactory to me, sir. I will accept the check.” CHAPTER V. MERRIWELL’S GENEROSITY. Mr. Hobson départed, and then Frank rang for a bell boy and sent for Bart and Ephraim. Merry’s two friends came in a short time. “tT have called you up,’’ said Merry, “‘to talk over the arrangements for put- ting ‘For Old Eli’ on the road again without delay. I have decided on that. It will take some little time to manufacture the costly mechanical effect that I propose to introduce into the third act, and —we shall have to get some new paper. I be- lieve I can telegraph a description to Chi- cago so a full stand lithograph from stone -ean be made that will suit me, and I shall telegraph to-day.”’ * Hodge stared at Frank as if he thought -Merry had lost his senses. ‘CYou always were a practical joker,’’ he growled; ‘‘but don’t you think it’s about time to let up. I don’t see that this is a joking matter. You should have soine sympathy for our feelings, if you don’t care for yourself.”’ . Merry laughed a bit. _» “My dear fellow,’’ he said, ‘‘I assure - you J was never more serious. I aim not TIP TOP WEEKLY. 9 joking. Ishall telegraph for the paper iminediately.’’ Z ‘Paper like that costs money, and the lithographers will demand a guarantee before they touch the work.”’ ‘‘And I shall give them a guarantee. I shall instruct them to draw on the First National Bank of Denver, where my money will be deposited.’’ ‘“Vour money?’ gasped Hodge. **fewhillikins!’’? gurgled Gallup. Then Frank’s friends looked at each other, the same thought in the minds of both. ‘Had Merry gone daffy? fortune turned his brain? **T believe I can have the effect I desire to introduce manufactured for me in Den- ver,’’ Frank rattled on. ‘‘I shall brace up that third act with it. I shall make a spectacular climax on the order of the mechanical horse races you see on the stage. I shall have some duimmy figures and boats made, so that.the boat race may be seen on the river in dis distance. I have an idea of a mechanical arrange- meut to represent tlre cruwd tliat lines the river and the observation train carries a load of spectators along the rail- road that runs beside the river. I think the swaying crowd can be shown, the moving train, the three boats, Yale, Har- vard and Cornell, with their rowers work- ing for life. Harvard shall be a bit in the lead when the boats first appear, but Yale shall press her aud take the lead. Then I-will have the scene shifted in- stantly, so that the audience will be look- ing into the Yaleclub-house. Thie rear of the house shall open direct upon tlie river. There shall be great excitement in the club-house, which I will have located at the finish of the course. The boats are coming. Outside along the river mad crowds are cheering hoarsely, whistles are screeching, Yale students are howling the college cry. Here they come! Now Had his mis- the excitemeut is intense. Hurrah! Yale that 10 TIP TOP WEEKLY. has taken the lead! The boats shoot in view at the back of the stage, Yale a length ahead, Harvard next, Cornell al- inost at her side, and in this form they cross the line, Yale the victor. The star of the piece, myself, who has escaped from his enemies barely in time to enter the boat and help win the race, is brought on by the madly cheering college men, and down comes the curtain ona climax that must set any audience wild.” Hodge sat down on the bed. ‘‘Rrank,’’ he said, grimly, “‘you’re go- ing crazy! It would cost a thousand dol. lars to get up that effect.’? ‘‘T don’t care if it costs two thousand dollars, ll have it, and Ill have it ina hurry!’ laughed Merriwell. ‘‘I am out for business now. Iam in the ring to win this time.’’ ‘“‘Ves, you are going crazy!’’ nodded Hodge. ‘‘Where is all the money coming from ?”’ “I’ve got it!’ Bart wetit into the air as if he-had re- ceived an electric shock. ‘*You-you’ve what??? he yelled. ‘““Got the money,’’ asserted Frank. ‘““Where?’’ shouted Bart. ‘*Right here.”’ ‘““May I be tickled to death by mus- keeters!’’ gasped Gallup. “Got two thousand dollars?’’ Hodge. ‘‘Oh, come off, Merriwell! are carrying this thing too far now!”’ ‘*Just take a look at this piece of pa- per,’? invited Frank, as he passed over the check he had received from Horace Hobson, é Bart took it, he looked at it, he was stricken dumb. Gallup looked over Bart’s shoulder. His jaw dropped, his eyes bulged from his head, and he could not utter a sound. “How do you like the looks of it?’ smiled Merry. 3 What—what is it?’ faltered Bart. ‘fA check. Can’t you see? A check said You that is good for forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty-four doliars.’’ “Good for that? Why, it can’t be! Now, is this more of your joking, Merri- well? If it is, I swear I shall feel like having a fight with you right here!”’ **It’s no joke, old man. That piece of paper is good—it is good for every dollar. The money is payable to me. I’ve got the dust to put my play outin great style.”? Even then Bart could not believe it. He groped for the bed and sat down limply, still staring at the check, which he held in his hand. ‘*What’s this for?’’? he asked. ‘*It’s for the Fillmore treasure, which I found in the Utah Desert,’’ exlaimed Frank. ‘‘It was brought to me by the man who came in here a little while ago.”’ Then Gallupscollapsed. His knees seemed to buckle beneath him, and he dropped down on the bed. **Wal, may I be chawed up fer grass by a spavin hoss!’’? he murmured. Hodge sat quite still for some seconds. ‘‘Merry,’’ he said, at last, beginning to tremble all over, ‘‘are you sure this is good? Are you sure there is no crooked business behind it ?”’ ‘Of course I am,’’ smiled Frank. ‘How can you be?’’ asked Bart. ‘‘T received it from the very man with whom I did the business in Carson when I made the deposit. In order that there’ might be no mistake he came on. here and delivered it to me personally.’ “TI think I’m dyin’! muttered Eph- raim. ‘‘I’ve receievd a shock frum which I’ll never rekiver! Forty-three thousan’ dollars! Oh, say, I know there’s a mis- take here!”’ ‘*Not a bit of a mistake, ”” assured Mer- riwell, smiling, triumphant. ‘*And all that money is yourn?”’ “No?” ne F & ‘““Why—why, ther check’s made aout to yeou?’’ ‘‘ Because the treasure was deposited by nte..”’ ‘*And yeou faound it ?’? “T found it, but I did so while in com- pany with four friends.”’ Now Hodge showed still further excite- meut. ‘““Those friends were not with you at the moment when you found it,’’ he said. ‘‘}’ve heard your story. You came near losing your life. The mad hermit fought to throw you from the precipice. The way you found the treasure, the dangers you passed through, everything that hap- pened establishes your rightful claim to it. It belongs to you, and to you alone.”’ “‘T do not look at it in that light,’’ said Frank, calmly and positively. ‘‘There were five of us in the party. The others were my friends, Dianond, Rattleton, Browning, and Toots.’’ ‘‘A nigger!’’ exclaimed Bart. ‘‘Do you call him your friend?’ “Tt do!’ exclaimed Merry. ‘‘More than once that black boy did things for me which I have never been able to repay. Although a coward at heart so far as danger to himself was concerned, I have known him torisk his life to save me from harm. Why shouldn’t I call him my friend? His skin may be black, but ‘his heart is white.’’ ‘Oh, all right,’? muttered Hodge. ‘‘I haven't anything more to say. I was not one of your party at that time.”’ “CNo. ” ‘*T wish I had been.’’ ‘*So yeou could git yeour share of the boodle?”’ grinned Ephraim. ‘‘No!’’ cried Hodge, fiercely. ‘‘So I could show the rest of them how to act like men! J would refuse to touch one cent of it! I would tell Frank Merriwell that it belonged to him, and he could not force me to take it. That’s all.” ' TIP TOP WEEKLY. ad ‘‘Mebbe the others’1] do that air way,’’ suggested the Vermont youth. ‘Not on your life!’’ sneered Bart. ‘*They’ll gobble onto their shares with both hands. with them, and I am not stuck on any of them.’ “Tt shall compel them to take it’ smiled Frank. ‘‘I am sorry, fellows, that you both were not with me, so I could bring you into the division. I’d find a way to compel Hodge to accept his share.’’ ‘‘Not in a thousand years!’’ exploded Bart. ‘‘Wal,’? drawled Ephraim, ‘‘I ain’t saying, but I’d like a sheer of that money well enough, but there’s one thing I am sayin’. Sence Hodge has explained why he wouldn’t tech none of it, I be gol dinged if yeou could force a single cent onter me ef I hed bin with yeou, same as them other fellers was! I say Hodge is jest right abaout that business. The money belongs to yeou, Frank, an’ yeou’re the only one that ownsa single dollar of it, b’gosh!”’ “That’s right, Hphraim,’’ nodded Hodge. ‘‘And there isn’t another chap in the country who would insist on giving away some of his money to others under sinilar circumstances. Some people might call it generosity; I call it thundering foolishness !’’ “T can’t help what you call it,’’ said Frank; ‘‘I shall do what I believe is right and just, and thus I will have noth- ing to trouble my conscience.’’ = ‘‘Conscience! conscience! You’ll] never be rich in the world, for you have too much conscience. o you suppose Jay Gould or Russell Sage could have become millionaires if they had permitted their conscience to worry them over little points ?”’ ‘“‘T fancy not,’’ acknowledged Merry, shaking his head. ‘‘I am certain I shall never become wealthy in just the saine I know them, I’ve traveled 12 TIP TOP WEEKLY. mauner that Gould and Sage acquired their wealth. Id rather remain poor. Such an argument does not touch me, Hodge.”’ “Oh, I suppose not! But it’s a shame for you to be such achump! Just think what you could do with forty-three thou- sand dollars! You could give up this show business, you eould go back to Yale and finish your course instyle. You could be the king-bee of them all. Oh, it’s a shame!”’ ‘““Haow much ’ll yeou hev arter yeou divide?’’ asked Ephraim. ‘“The division will give the five of us eight thousand seven hundred and_ forty- six dollars and eighty cents each,’’ an- swered Frank. , ‘‘He’s figured that up so quick !’’ mut- tered Hodge. “‘T snum! eight thaousan’ dollars ain’t to be sneezed at!’ cried the Vermonter. ‘It’s a pinch besidé forty-three thou- saiid,’’ said Bart. ‘““Yeou oughter be able to go back to college on that, Frank.’’ “He can, if he’ll drop the show busi- ness,’’ nodded Bart. “And confess myself a failure! Ac- knowledge that I failed in this undertak- ing? Would you have me do that?” ‘Oh, you wouldn’t confess anything of - the sort. What were you working for? To get back to Yale, was it not?’’ Sure.’ ‘‘Well, I don’t suppose yot expected to make so much money that you would be able to return with more than eight thou- sand dollars in your inside pocket ?”’ *Hardly.’? ‘Then what is crawling over you! If you are fool enough to make this silly di- vision, you can go back with imoney enough to take you through your course “in style.”’ _ And have the memory of what hap- pened in this town last night rankle in _ my heart! Hardly! I made a speech from the stage last night, in which I said I would play again in this city, and I prom- ised that the audience should be satisfied. I shall keep that promise.”’ “Qh, all right! I suppose you’ll be thinking of rewarding the ladies and gen- tlemen who called here a short time ago and attempted to bulldoze you ?”’ ‘ have been able to make a raise.”’ Now there was another bustle of excite- ment. . 1é TIP TOP WEEKLY. Oh!’ cried several. ‘‘That’s differ- ent.”’ “T knew there was something behind it!’’? exclaimed Cassie, with satisfaction. ‘‘Have you been able to raise enough to take us al) back to Denver, Frank ?”’ ‘*T think so, and I believe I shall have a few dollars left after we arrive there.”’ “How much have you raised?’’ asked Havener. ‘“‘Rorty-three thousand dollars,’’ an- swered Frank, as cooly as if he were say- ing forty-three dollars. : For a moment there was silence in the room, then expressions of incredulity and scorn came from all sides. Fowler set up a shout of mocking laughter. “Well, of all the big bluffs Iever heard this takes the bun!’’ he sneered. “‘Say, I don’t mind a joke,”’ said Stella Stanley; ‘‘but don’t you think you are carrying this thing a trifle too far, Mr. Merriwell ?”’ “‘T would be if it were a joke,’’ con- fessed Frank, easily; ‘‘but, as it happens to be the sober truth, I think no one has a chance to kick. I will not only pay your fare to Denver, but each one shall receive two weeks’ salary, which I think you must acknowledge is the proper way to treat you.”’ ‘“I]] believe it when I get my hands on the dough,’’ said Fowler. ‘‘Forty- three thousand fiddlesticks!”’ ‘‘Any person who doubtsiny word is at liberty to take a look at this certified check,’’ said Merry, producing the check and placing it on the little table. Then they crushed and crowded about that table, staring at the check. Fowler uudged Harper, to whom he whispered : | “I believe it’s straight, so help me! I’d ‘like to kick myself!”’ “Ves, it’s straight,’’ acknowledged - Harper, dolefully. ‘‘I am just beginning _ to realize that we have made fools of our- Bc g ae Ai i Or selves by talking too much with our mouths.’’ ““What can we do?’’ ‘“Take poison !?? ‘Well have to eat dirt, or he’ll throw us down.’’ **Tt looks that way.”’ Thus it came about that Fowler was almost the first to offer congratulations. ‘“*By Jove, Mr. Merriwell,’’ he cried. “Tm delighted! You are dead in luck) and you deserve it! It was pretty hard for you to be deserted by Folausbee, in such a sneaking way. I havesaidall along that you were a remarkably bright man and merited success.’’ “That’s right,’? put in Harper; ‘‘he said so to me last night. We were talking over your hard luck. I congratulate you, Mr. Merriwell. Permit me!’ **Permit me!?? Both Harper and Fowler held out their hands. ° Frank looked at the extended hands, but put his own hands in his pockets, laughing softly, somewhat scornfully. “It is wonderful,’’ he said, ‘Show many true friends a man can have when he has money, and how few true friends he really has when he doesn’t have a dollar.”’ “Oh, my dear Mr. . Merriwell!’’ pro- tested Fowler. ‘‘I know I was rather hasty in some of my remarks, but I assure you that you misunderstood me. It wag natural that all of us should be a trifle hot under the collar at being used as we were. I assure you I did not mean any- thing by what I said. If I spoke too hastily, I beg a thousand pardons. Again let me congratulate you.’’ Again he held out his hand. ‘“‘You are at liberty to congratulate me,’’ said Merry, but still disdaining the proffered hand. “J shall pay you the sare as the others. Don’t be afraid of that. But I shall give you your notice, for I shall not need you any more. With several of the others I shall make con- tracts to go out with this piece again, as soon as I can make some alterations, get new paper, and start the company.”’ Fowler turned green. ‘‘Oh, of course you can do as you like, sir,’? he said. ‘‘I don’t think I care to go out with this piece again. It is probable I should so inform you, even if you wanted me.’’ Harper backed away. He did not wish to receive such a calling down as had fallen to the lot of Fowler. Cassie Lee held out her hand, her thin face showing actual pleasure. “Vou don’t know how glad I am, Frank!’ she said, in a low tone. ‘‘Never anybody deserved it more than you.”’ ‘“That’s right,’’? agreed Havener. Douglas Dunton had not been saying much, but now he stood forth, struck a pose, and observed: *‘Methinks that, along with several. of me noble colleagues, I have made a big mistake in making offensive remarks to you, most noble high muck-a-muck. Wouldst do me a favor? Then apply the toe of thy boot to the seat of me lower garinents with great vigor.’ Frank laughed. ‘The same old Dunton!’’ he said. ‘‘Rorget it, old man. It’s all right. There’s no harm done.”’ "While the members of the company were crowding around Merriwell, Fowler and Harper slipped out of the room and descended the stairs. 7 Straight Sto the bar of the hotel they. made their way. Leaning against the bar, they took their drinks, and discussed Frank’s fortune. Another man was drinking near them. He pricked up his ears and listened when he heard Merriwell’s name, and he grew excited as he began to understand what had happened. “Excuse me, gentlemen,’’ he said, afteratime. “I do not wish to intrude, ‘ ™ ~ TIP TOP WEEKLY, 15 but I happen to know Mr. Merriwell. Will you have a drink with me?”’ They accepted. They were just the sort of chaps who drink with anybody who would ‘‘set ’em up.”’ ‘“Do you mind telling me just what has happened to Mr. Merriwell?’’ asked the stranger, who wore a full beard, which seemed to hide many of the features of his face. ‘‘Has he fallen heir to a for- tune ?’’ ‘‘Rather,’? answered Harper, dryly. ‘*More than forty-three thousand dollars has dropped into his hands this morn- ing.’? “Is it possible?’ asked the stranger, showing agitation. ‘‘Are you sure??? “Ves, I am sure. I saw the certified check on a Carson City bank. He was broke this morning, but now he has money to burn.’ * The stranger lifted a glass to his lips. His hand trembled somewliat. All at once, with a savage oath, he dashed the glass down on the bar, shivering it to atoms. As he did so, the hairs of: his beard caught around the stone of a ting on his little finger, and the beard was torn from his face, showing it was false. The face revealed was corrugated with discoinfiture and rage. It was the face of Leslie Lawrence! CHAPTER VIL IN THE SMOKER. So Frank took the company back to Denver. He was able to doso without depositing the check till Denver was reached, as Horace Hobson furnished the funds, holding the check as security. Hobson went along at the same time. While on the train Frank made arrange- ments with several members of his com- pany in the revised version of ‘‘For Old Eli,”? when the play went on the road again. = 16°’ TIP TOP WEEKLY. He said nothing to Lloyd Fowler nor Charlie Harper. Although he did not wnake arrangements with Granville Gar- land, he asked Garland if he cared to go out with the company again, informing him that he might have an opening for hin, Fowler saw Merry talking with some of the members, and he surmised what it meant. He began to feel anxious as tine passed, and Frank did not come \to him. He went to Harper to talk it over. Harper was in the smoker, pulling at a brierwood pipe and looking sour enough. He did not respond when Fowler spoke to him. ‘What's the matter?’ asked Fowler. Sick 2" ‘*Ves,’’? growled Harper. ‘““What ails you??? **Disousted.”’ ‘“At what?’’ e **Soimebody.”’ © Who 2”? x ‘*Mvself for one.’’ ‘*Soniebody else ?”’ COVas.)? ‘Who?’ “*Vou’re it.”’ Fowler fell back and stared at Harper. He had taken a seat opposite his fellow actor. Harper returned his stare with something like still greater sourness. ‘‘What’s the matter with me?’’ asked Fowler, wondering. ‘‘You’re a confounded idiot !’’ answered Harper, bluntly. “Well, I must say I like your plain language!’ exclaimed Fowler, coloring | and looking decidedly touched. ‘‘You were in a bad teiiper when we stared for Denver, but you seem to be worse now. What’s the matter ?”’ ‘‘Oh, I see now that I’ve put a foot in the soup. I am broke, and [ need money. All I am liable to get is the two weeks’ salary I shall receive from Merriwell. If I'd kept my mouth shut I might have a new engagement with him, like the others.’ ‘“Then some of the others have a new engagement ?”’ ‘*All of them, I reckon, except you and J. Weare the fools of the company.” ‘“Well, what shall we do?”’ *“Can’t do anything but keep still and swallow our medicine.”’ ‘*Perhaps you think that, but I’m go- ing to hit Merriwellup.” =, ‘Well, you’ll bea bigger fool if you do, after the calling down you received from him to-day.”? At that moment Frank entered the sinoker, looking for Hodge who had been unable to procure a good seat in one of the other cars. Bart was sitting near Har- per aud Fowler. As Frank came down the aisle, Fowler arose. ‘“‘T want to speak to you, Mr. Merri- -well,’’ he said. ‘fAll right,’? nodded Frank. ‘‘Go ahead.” **T have heard that you are making new engageinents with the members of the company.”’ . **Well ?”” “You haven’t said anything to me.”’ “No.” ‘*T suppose it is because I made some foolish talk to you this morning. Well, I apologized, didn’t 1?”’ t “Yes ‘‘Well, I presume you will give me a chance when you take the play out again ?’’ UNopsite*< ; Frank said it quietly, peeing “Few full in the face. ‘‘So you are going toturn me down because J nade that talk? Well, I have heard considerable about your generosity, but, this does not seein very generous.”’ ‘*River since joining the company and starting to rehearse, .Mr. Fowler, you have been a source of discord. Once or twice you came near flatly refusing to do some piece of business the way I suggest- ' juformed me that I was not the stage manager. ed. Once you insolently You coi- e } x 5 pletely forgot that I was the author of the I have heard that you told not to do things as I suggested, piece. others but to do them in their own way. Several times be- fore we started out I was on thie verge of which I should have done time to fill your Last night you were intoxicated releasing you, had there been properly. when the hour arrived for the cutrain to place eo up. You went onto the stage in an in- toxicated condition. You did not de cer- tain pieces of business as you had been instructed to do them, but as you thought they should be done, therefore ruining a number of scenes. You were insolent, and would have been fined a good round sum for it had we gone on. Ina number of ways you have shown that you are a man I do not want in my company, so I shall let you go, after paying you two weeks’ salary. I believe I have given the best of reasons for pursuing such a course.’’’ Then Frank stepped past Fowler and sat dowir with Hodge. The actor took his seat beside Harper, whio said: **T hope you are satisfied now!”’ *¢Satisfied !’’ grated Fowler. ‘‘I’d like to punch his head off!” ‘‘Very likely,’’ nodded Harper; ‘but you can’t do it, you know. He isa holy terror, and you are not in his class.” Behind thei was a man who seemed to be reading a newspaper. He was holding the paper very high, so that his face could not be seen, and he was not reading at all. He was listening with the keenest interest to everything. As Frank sat down beside Hodge he observed a look of great satisfaction on Bart’s face. ‘‘Well, Merriwell,’’ said the dark-faced youth, with something like the shadow of a smile, ‘‘you have done yourself ~ prowd. sae , TIP TOP WEEKLY. é U7 ‘‘Let’s go forward,’’ suggested Merry. ‘“The smoke is pretty thick here, and some of it from those pipes is tank. I waut to talk with So they you.’ got up and left the car. As they went out, Fowler glared at Merriwell’s back, hissing: : “Oh, I’d like to get even with you!’ Instantly the man behind lowered his paper, leaned forward, and said: “T see you do not like Mr. Merriwell much. If you want to get even with him, I may be able to show you how to do it.”’ With startled exclaimations, both Har- per and Fowler.turned round. The man behind was looking at them over the edge of his paper. | ‘*Who are you ?’’ demanded Fowler. “T think you know me,”’ said the man, lowering lis paper. Lawrence sat there! CHAPTER VIII. BUSINESS In DENVER. In Denver Fratik was accompanied to the bauk by Mr. Hobson. It happened that Kent Carson, a well-known rancher whom Frank had met, was making a de- posit at the bank. “Hello, young man!’? cried the rancher, in surprise. ‘‘I thought you were on the road with your show ?’’ ‘‘T was,’’ smiled Frank, ‘‘but imet dis- aster at the very start, and did not get further than Puleob.”’ ‘Well, that’s tough !’’ said Carson, sym- pathetically. ‘‘What was the matter ?”’ ‘“‘A utumber of things,’’? confessed Frank. ‘‘The play was not strong enough without sensational features. I have — found it necessary to introduce a mechan- ical effect, besides re-writing a part of the play. I shall start out again with it as soon as I can get it into shape.’’ ‘“Then your backer is all right? He’s standing by you??? 18 ’ TIP TOP WEEKLY, oo “On the contrary,’’ smiled Merry, ‘‘he skipped out from Puleob yesterday morn- ing, leaving me and the company in the lurch.”? ‘*Well, that was onery!”’ ‘‘What are backer ?”’ ‘*Back myself. said Carson. you going to do without a I have the money now to do so. Jam here to make a deposit.’’ ren it came about that he told Mr. Carson of his good fortune, and thie rancher congratulated him most heartily. Frank presented his check for deposit, The eyes of the receiving-teller bulged when he saw thie He looked Frank asking for a check book. amount of the check. over critically. Mr. Hobson had introduced Frank, and the teller asked him if le could vouch for the identity of the young man. ‘*T can,’’ was the answer. ‘*So can I,’? spoke up Kent Carson. ‘“‘I reckon my word is good here. 171] stand behind this young man.”’ ‘Are you willing to put your name on the back of this check, Mr. Carson ?”? asked the teller. 3 ‘(Hand it over,’’ directed the rancher. He took the check and indorsed it with his name. I reckon ‘oT here,’ » pie said, you know it’s good now.”’ ‘Wes’? said the teller. ‘There will be no delay now. Mr. atest can draw on us at once. Frank thanked Mr. Cazeda heartily. ‘“’That’s all right,’’ said the cattleman in an off-hand way. ‘‘I allow that a chap who will defend a ragged boy as you did is pretty apt to be all right. How long will it take to get your play in shape again??? ‘Well, I may be three or four days re- writing it. I don’t know how long the other work will be.” ‘Three or four days, Well, say, why can’t you come out to my ranch and do the work 2”? see how I don’t dec iaead Frank. ‘Really I can do that,’ **T must be here to see that the mechanical arrangement is put up right.” ‘‘Now you must come,’’ declared Car- son. ‘‘I won’t take no for your answer. You can give instructions for that busi- ness. I suppose you havea plan of it?” ‘“‘Not yet, but I shall before night.”’ ‘‘Can you get your business here done to-day ?”’ ‘**T may be able to, but I aim not sure.”’ “Then you’re going with me to-mor- ow have ‘‘T can’t leave my friends who are >? ‘‘Bring them “right along. It doesn’t make a bit of difference if there are twenty of them. I'll find places for them, and they shall have the best the Twin Star affords. Now, if you refuse that offer you and I are enemies.’’ The man said this laughingly, but he placed Frank in an awkward position. He had just done a great favor for Merriwell, and Frank felt that he could not refuse. *‘Very well, Mr Carson,’’ he said, ‘‘if you put it in that light, 11 have to ac- cept your hospitality.” ‘“That’s the talk! Won’t my boy .at Yale be surprised when I write him you’ve been visiting me! Ha! ha! ha!” Mn Carson was stopping at the. Metro- pole, while Frank had chosen the Ameri-_ can. The rancher urged Merry to move right over to the Metropole, and the young actor playwright finally consented. But Frank had business for that day. First he telegraphed to the lithographers — in Chicago a long description of the scene which he wanted made on his new paper. He ordered it rushed, and directed them to draw on his bankers for any reasonable sum. Then he started out to find the proper patties to construct the mechanical effect he wished. He went straight to the the- 3 etn Dine hanes Sears sat shen eaten on tae i Re % nee Ss Ll rion ¥ aint lip, itch elastin are a4) ss | ae ae 4 es RO apie Bitty) PE? ayy: ater first, and he found that the stage manager of the Broadway was a genius who could inake anything. Frank talked with the man tweuty minutes, and de- cided that he had struck whom he was looking. It did not take them long to come to terms. The inan had several assistants who could aid him on the work, and he Frauk felt well he person for promised to rush things. satisfied. Returning to his hotel, Merry drew a plan of what he desired. As he was skill- ful at drawing, and very rapid, it did not take him more than two hours to draw the plan and write out an explicit expla- _ nation of it. With that he returned to the stage manager. They spent another honr talk- ing it over, and Frank left, feeling satis- fied that. the ian perfectly understood his wauts and would produce an arrangement as satisfactory as it could be if it were overseen during its coustruction by Frank himself. : Frank was well satisfied with what he had accomplished. He went back to the Amiericau and drew up checks for every member of the old company, paying them all two weeks’ salary. Lloyd Fowler took the check without a word of thanks. The others expressed their gratitude Then Frank moved over to tle Metro- pole, where he found Keut Carson wait- ing for him. 7 Hodge and Gallup came ‘along with Frank. ‘These are the friends I Hite of, Mr. Carson,’’ explained Frank. - ‘*Whiere’s the rest of them ?’’ asked the rancher, looking about. ‘These are all,”’ SAT ?)) Tees, SIT; ‘Why, by the way you talked, I reck- oned you were going to bring your whole company aloug.’’ He remembered Hodge, whom he had TIP TOP WEEKLY. 2 19 seen with Frank once before, and he shook hands with both Bart and Ephraim. ‘“You are lucky to be counted as friends of a young man like Mr. Merriwell,’’ said the cattleman. ‘‘That is, you’re lucky if he’s anything like what my boy wrote that he was. My boy isa great ad- miirer of jiim.’?’ ‘It’s strange I don’t remember your son,’’ said Frank. ‘““Whiy, he’s a freshinan.’’ ‘‘VYes, but I know a large number of freshinen.’? “So nury boy said. Said you kuew them because some of thei had been try- ing to do youa bad turn; but he was glad to see you get the best of them, for you were all right. He said the freshmen as a class thought so, too.”’ ‘“Your son was very If I return to Yale, I shal] look him up.’ “Then you-contemplate returning, to complimentary. college ?”’ LAR ‘°When ?’? ‘‘Next fall, if I do not lose my money backing .iny play.’’ “Oh, you won’t lose forty-three thou- sand dollars.’ ‘““That is not all mine to lose. Only one-fifth of that belongs to me, and I can lose that sui. “Then why don’t you let the show business alone and go back to college on that?’ ‘“Because I have determined to make a success with this play, and I will not give up. Never yet in my life have I been de- -feated in an undertaking, and I will not be defeated now.”’ The rancher looked at Frank with still greater admiration. ‘*You make ime think of some verses I read once,’? he said. ‘‘I’ve always re- membered them, and I think they’ve liad something to do with my success in setts They were wirtten by Holmes.’’ The rancher paused, ee to re- must he rich | 3? 20 call the lines. It was plain to Frank that he was not a highly educated man, but he was highly intelligent—a man wlio had won his way in the world by his own efforts and determination. For that rea- son, he admired determination in others. “T have it!” explaimed the ranchier. periexe 11-15% ‘* *Be firm! luck Is genuine, solid, old Teutonic pluck. See you tall shaft; it felt the earthquake’s thrill, Clung to its base and greets the sunrise still. Stick to your ain; will slip, But only crowbars loose the bulldog’s STip; Small as he looks, the jaw that never yields, Drags down the bellowing monarch of the fields.’ ’’ constant element in One the mongrel’s CHAPTER IX. NATURE’S NOBLEMAN. Frank found the Twin Star Ranch a pleasant place. ‘I'he house was large and well furnished, everything being in far better taste than he had expected. Merry knew something of tranches and ranch life, which, however, he said noth- ing about. He was supposed to be a very tender tenderfoot. Nobody dreamed he had ever handled a lariat, ridden a buck- ing broncho, or taken part in a round-up. Gallup roamed about the ranch, in- specting everything, and he was a source of eoustant amusement to the ‘‘punch- ers,’? as the cowboys were called. After one of these tours of inspection, he came back to the room where Frank and Bart were sitting, filled with amaze- ment. ‘“Vermont farms are different from this one,’’? smiled Merry. ‘““Wal, naow yeou’re talkin’! I'd like ter know haow they ever dothe imilkin’ here. I don’tb’lieve all ther men Hee got kin milk so menny caows. Why, I saw a hull drove of more’n five hundred ~ eattle about here on the farm, an’ they ~ told ne them warn't a pinch of what Mr. Carson owns. Gosin all hemlock! but he TIP TOP WEEKLY, fold an? thei leaves turn red an’ ‘‘Mr. Carson seems to be pretty well fixed,’ said Merry. ‘‘That’s so. He’s got a fine place here, only it’s too gol-dinged- mernoternous. ”’ ‘‘Monotonous? How?’? “The groaund’s too flat. Ain’t any hills to rest a feller’s eyes ag’inst. I tell yeou it does a man good to go aout where he kin see somethin’ besides a lot of flat- ness an’sky. There ain’t northin’ in the world purtier than the vata hills. In summer they’re all piees an’ covered with grass an’ trees, an’ daown in the valleys is the streains an’ rivers runnin’ along, sometimes swift an’ foamin’, some- times slow an’ smvoth, like glars. An’ ther cattle are feedin’ on ther hills, an’ ther folks are to work on their farms, an’ ther farm haouses, all painted white, are somethin’ purty ter see. They jest do a nian’s heart an’ soul good. An’ then when it is good summer weather in Var- mount, I be dad-bimmed if there’s any — better weather nowhere! Ther sun jest shines right daown as if it was glad to git a look at sech a purty country, an’ ther sky’s as blue as Elsie Bellwood’s eyes. Ther birds are singin’ in ther trees, an’ ther bees go humunin’ in ther clover fields, an’ there’s sich a gol-durn good feelin’ gits inter a feller that he jest wants ter larf an’ shaout all ther time. Aout here there ain’t no trees fer ther birds ter sing in, an’ there don’t seem ter be northin’ but flat graound an’ cattle an’ sky.’? Frank had been listening with interest to the words of the country boy. A lover of nature himself, Merry realized that Gallup’s soul had been deeply impressed by the fair features of nature around his country home. “Yes, Ephraim,’ he said, OP Vernoae is very picturesque and beautiful.. The Vermont hills are something orice seen never to be forgotten.”’ Gallup was warmed up over his subject, ‘‘But when it comes to daownright pur- ~ tiness,’’ he went on, ‘‘there ain’t uorth- _ ing like Varmaount in the fall fer that. Then ev’ry day yeou kin see ther purtiest sights human eyes ever saw. time them hills is wuth seein’. leaves on ther maples, an’ beeches an’ oaks they begin ter turn yaller an’ red a_ little bit. Then ther frost comes more, Then is the — First the gold till it ss * 7 ie a4, Eh t CB oe WN ~ seems that ther hull sides of them hills is jest like a purty painted picter. The green of the cedars an’ furs jest orfsets the yaller an’ gold. Whiere there is.rocks on the hills, they seem to turn purple an’ blue in the fall, an’ they look purty, too —purtier’u they do at any other time. I uster jest go aout an’ set right daown an’ look at them air hills by the hour, au’ I uster say to myself I didn’t see haow heaven could be any purtier than the Var- mount hills in ther fall. ‘“But there was folks,’? he went on, ‘whut lived right there where all them purty sights~was an’ never saw wi. They warn’t blind, neither. I know some folks I spoke to abaout how purty thie hills lcoked told me they hedn’t noticed um! Naow, what du yeou think of that? I’ve even hed folks tell me they couldn’t see northin’ purty abaout um! Naow whut do yeou think of that? I ruther guess them folks missed half ther fun of livin2. They was born with somethin’ ther matter with um. ‘It uster do me good ter take iny old muzzle-loadin’ gun an’ go aout in the woods trampin’ in the fall. - I uster like ter walk where the leaves for fell jest to hear um rustle. I’d give a dollar this minute ter walk through the fallen leaves in the Varmaount woods! I didn’t go out ter shoot things so much as I did to see things. There was plenty of squirrels, but I never shot but one red squirrel in my life. He come aout on the end of a limb clost to me an’ chittered at ine in a real jolly way, same’s to say, ‘Hello, young feller! Ain't this a fine day? Ain’t yEORs glad yeou’re livin’??? An’ then I up an’ shot him, like’ gol-darn pirut!”’ Ephraim stopped atid choked a little. Bart was looking at him now with a strange expression on his face. Frank did not speak, but he was fully in sympathy with the tender-hearted country youth.” Bart rose to his feet, heaving a deep sigh. AED; in afraid I missed some things when I was a boy,’’ he said. ‘There were plenty of woods for me, but I never found any pleasure in them. I used to think it fun to shoot squirrels; but now I believe it would have been greater pleasure for me if I had not shot them. I never lis- tened to the music. of the woods, for I didn’t know there was any music in TIP TOP WEEKLY. like to have him,’’ said Merry. 21 them. Gallup, you have shown me that I was a fool.”’ Then with his hands thrust deep into his pockets he walkéd.out of the room. CHAPTER X. RIDING A BUCKING BRONCHO. Because Ephraim was very verdant the cowboys on the Twin Star fancied that Mr. Carson’s other visitors must be equally as unaccustomed to Western ways. Frank was hard at work on his play, and that caused him to stick pretty close to the house. However, he was a person who believed in exercise-when he could find it, and so, on the afternoon of tlie second day, he went out and asked one of the punchers if he could have a pony. The man looked him over without be- ing able to wholly conceal his contempt. ‘“‘Kin you ride?’’ he asked. “Ves,’? answered Frank, quietly. ‘‘Hawse or kaow?’’ asked the cowboy. “Tf you have a good saddle-horse, I’d ‘And be good enough to restrain your sarcasm. I don’t like it.”’ The puncher gasped. He was angry. The idea of a tenderfoot speaking to him in such a way. ‘‘All right,’’ he, muttered. ‘‘1’]] git ye a critter, but our Western hawses ain’t like your Eastern ladies’ hawses.’’ He departed. Hodge had overheard all this, and he caine up. ‘““You want to look out, Merry,’’ he said. ‘‘That chap didn’t like the way you called him down, and he’ll bring you a vicious animal.’”? ‘‘T know it,’? nodded Merry, pulling on a heavy aoe of gloves. ‘‘It is a I expect.”’ Bart said no more. He had seen ae ride, and he knew Frank was a natural horse breaker. The puncher returned in a short time, leading a little, wiry, evil-eyed bennctie: He was followed by several other cow- boys, and Merry heard one of them say: ‘‘Better not let him try it, Hough. He’ll be killed, and Carson will fire you.’ ‘ ‘ WEEKLY, have tle Blanch—no matter what you done.”* “*Rather!’’? she whispered, in return; ‘‘T am glad you have come to me at last. But you know you are ashamed of me— you can never forget what I have done.”’ **T can forget now,’’ lie declared, think- ing of the man under the quicksands of Big Sandy. ‘‘You are my daughter. I ain not ashained of you. You shall never again have cause for saying that of me.”’ ‘*Kiss me, papa!’ she murmured, Sobbing brokenly, he pressed his lips to her cheeks. And when he was gone from the room she took a photograph from beneath her pillow and gazed at it long and lovingly. She knew not that the man had been swallowed beneath the quicksands of the Big Sandy. Ephraim had saved Frank’s play from being destroyed when it was hurled into the fire by Lawrence. Two or three pages were burned, but it was not a hard task to restore them. Frank finished his task before leaving the I'win Star. He thanked Kent Carson for his hospitality. Blanch heard he was going, and she sent word for him to come to her. He went. “‘Mr. Merriwell,’’ she whispered, ‘‘you will know Lawton now when you meet him again. Proinise ie—proimise me you will tell him I still love him—I ain wait- ing for him, Pronrise me you will tell him that when you meet him.’’ “T\ will tell him,’’ promised Frank, ‘Gf I ever meet him again.’’ | | [THE END. ] The next number of the Tip Top Weekly [149] will contain ‘‘Frank Merfi- well’s Chance; or, T’o Make or Break,”’ by the author of ‘Frank Merriwell.’’ TIP TOP WEEKLY. iP JoPWEEKLY. AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THE AMERICAN YOUTH ” NEW YORK, FEBUARY 11, 1899, Terms to Tip Top Weekly Mail Subscribers. (POSTAGE FREE.) One year - = + = = + = $2.50 2 copies one year + += = = 4.00 1 copy two years - - = - 4,00 $8 months - - - « 65c. 4 months - - > = + 85ce. 6 months - - - - $1.25] How To SEND Monity.—By post.office or express mouey order, registered letter, bank check or draft, at your risk. At yourown risk if sent by .postal note, currency, coin, or postage stamps in ordinary letter. * Recwiprs.—Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper change of number on yourlabel. Ifnotcorrect you have not been properly credited, and shoild let us know at once. To CLUB RatsErs.—Upon request we will send sample copies to aid you in obtaining subscribers. All letters should be addressed to STREET & SMITH’S TIP TOP WEEKLY, $1 Fulton St., New York City. Pt NOTICE TO READERS. All letters intended for this publication should al- ways be addressed Street & Smith, 81 Fulton St., New York City, and in the lower left hand corner of the envelope the name of the department for which they are intended, such as Tip Top Applause Dept., Tip Top Correspondence Dept., Tip Top League Dept., Tip Top Subscription Dept. Where you wish to address more than one department or more than one publication in one letter, a separate sheet of paper should be used for each, written only on one side. It is always better to use ink than pencil, as the latter is easily obliterated. If our readers will keep these points in mind they will re- ceive more prompt and satisfactory attention than otherwise. If you have not already seen notice about the badge don’t fail to look for it on last page of this issue. Every reader should have one and wear it conspicuously in honor of Frank Merriwell. TIP TOP LEAGUE. Our readers will see upon the last page of this issue announcement that the badge is now ready. There has been some delay on the part of the manufac- turers, but now that the badges are made we can find no other fault with them, and we believe our readers will echo this sentiment when they see the badge, for it is a beauty. Read the announcement earefully, and you will find that for the small sum “ef ten cents in cash and two coupons from Tip Top, accepted as ten cents cash, you can secure one of these badges, in the pendant of which will be found the embossed photograph of Frank Merriwell and the password of the league. This password ‘‘True as - Steel,’’ appears in small letters under the photograph somewhat as does the lettering on a large .coin, and ~Should furnish an introduction to all readers and in- sure a hearty welcome which will serve to strengthen the tie that already binds them one to the other. We are prepared to supply the badges promptly, for though our first order to the manufacturers was only fifty. thousand, now that the expensive dies are made _ others can be supplied by them at short notice if we find that all our readers want one, of which we are confident. We don’t supply them for profit, but would like to have them worn by at least one hun- dred thousand readers, : > APPLAUSE. All numbers of this publication are in print. They are for sale by all newsdealers, ‘but when not obtainable, we will supply ; PPs) them upon receipt of price. that we have read your Tip Top Library, and find them the most interest- ing stories we ever read. The stories are just the kind we boys like, and you no doubt will agree with us that they are the best books published. We wish you all kinds of success, and hope you will be able to publish them forever. We have formed a ‘Tip Top other members are the following: Frank Merriwell; Agenor Verner, as Bart Hodge; Walter Powers, as Bruce Browning; Frank Bren- nan, as Harry Rattleton; Elmar Anderson, as Eph- raim Gallup; Charles Reegan, as Jack Diamond; Rube Verner, as Hans Dunnerwust; Garfield Rich- ards, as Toots. We have minstrel shows every week, and Richards, the colored boy, affords us lots of fun, as he wasn’t born funny, but had to learn, G. RICHARDS, A. VERNER, Cc. REEGAN. W. POWERS. F. BRENNAN, P. S.—Please tell me if this is a good measure- ment for a sixteen-year-old boy: Five feet seven inches in height; weight, 149 pounds; chest measure- ment, normal 32, expanded, 35 inches. . Yours, W. POWERS. Your minstre] shows must be very entertaining in- deed, and no doubt you derive much benefit and pleasure from the Tip Top Club. The Tip Top will do its best to deserve your continued approbation. Long and happy life to your club! The measurements are very good indeed for a boy of sixteen. We wish to inform you Club,” and among Tim Larkin, as We boys and girls are constant readers of the Tip Top Weekly. It is just simply the finest thing out. We can hardly wait until it arrives on Satur- days. The last number (136) is the best we have had in some time. We would like to have seen Frank when he saved his little sweetheart, Elsie. We would like to know how long it will be before Frank meets Jack Diamond. We like ’em all, but Jack is our man. Long live Bruce Browning. May Frank Merriwell live forever. Tell Mr. Standish we think he ought to let Bisie marry Frank, although he owes Inza a deep grati- tude for staying by his bedside when he was sick. We hope the Tip Top the world of success. MISS HUTTIE GUIDER, MRS. ROOK, MISS ETTA PHILLIPS, B. K VK MISS SUE PHILLIPS, Ss. PERUCHI REEVES. ; A. STEINHEIMER, CZ MRS. SWOFFORD, And about fifty others that will have to wait till next time. Thank you for your good words and good wishes. We can never foretell Frank’s future experiences. They depend entirely upon the problems that face him. We are glad that he is a favorite down in Georgia. JT. have been reading your Tip Top Weekly for some time past, and hope to do so for a long time to come. The hero is a model for every American youth, and such (1 am sorry to say) as but few of us are able to pattern after. : In casting Frank upon the world Mr. Standish has, in my estimation, shown excellent judgment, for he has revealed to us that Frank is able not only to uphold the name of the college he loved an battled for victory on the athletic field, but that in the battle of life he is one of those all-important factors who shape the destiny of so noble a coun- try as our own United States. I hope that in the future these stories will be of as much interest and benefit to rising generations as they seem to be to the present one. “ AN ADMIRER, Wilmington, Del. Mr. Standish has striven to make his hero an ex- ample which any young man can safely follow. We are very glad to have your judgment that he has — succedded. The interest will always grow stronger instead of diminishing. We are glad to have the | Tip Top so intelligently praised by you. , 30 I have been reading the Tip Top Weekly since No. 83, and think them the best papers published. They are at the tip top of all weeklies. When are you go- ing to get the back numbers out? Have you got quarterlies Nos. 1 and 2? Would like to hear from Jack and Nellie, also Mr. Congrave and his daughter Sadie. Yours respectfully, Eee Mad: All back numbers of Tip Top Weekly and Quar- terly can be obtained from this office by ordering. You will hear from all the old friends in time. I have read the Tip Top Weekly from one to date, and I can safely say that I have never read a library as good, and I have over $75 worth of libraries in the house now. The Tip Top is indeed an _ ideal publication for the American youth. The hero shows the spirit that every American boy should have— honesty, love of country and character are three good graces in Frank. I would like to have Frank marry Inza, as she is the truest of the two girls. I should like to have Frank connected with patriotic stories in some way. I wish a long life to Frank, Inza and Tip Top. FH AG { Concord, N. H. Your suggestion will be carefully considered. It is very satisfactory for us to know that you find in the Tip Top those qualities which it is our aim to have foremost in_ it. { have read nearly all of your most noted weekly, Tip Top. I hope they will be as interesting in the future as they have been in the past. I hope to hear from Hodge, Rattleton, Diamond, Browning and the old reliable Barney and watermelon-face Toots. I wish the author of the most beautiful Yours truly, ; ARTHUR VINCENT. ‘Your wish will assuredly be gratified. The Tip Top promises to be more interesting each week. Thank you for your kind words. weekly success. Allow an ‘‘old maid’’ to express applause as publishers and Mr. Standish as author of those fascinating Frank Merriwell stories. I am an ad- mirer of many other writers, but will candidly say to you that .I prefer Mr. Standish. I am delighted that Krank and dear little Elsie are reunited; hope for once that “true love’ will run smooth; feel sorry for those persons who sign themselves C. A. L., C. TDi SW ivy .. Morristown, Tenn., such poor judges of human nature as to call the character of Elsie weak. I wish Tip Top Weekly a lifelong suc- cess. “OLD MAID,”’ Terrell, Tex. We are very glad that you énjoy the Tip Top so heartily. Of course, there must be different opin- ions in regard to Frank’s marriage, but ultimately he will decide for himself. Thank you for your good wishes. We, the undersigned, express our thanks to the publishers of Tip Top, chief of weeklies. : We have read all from No, 27, and think it a paper worth, having. : We recommend it to all others who desire good reading. PAT CREIGHTON, DAN HESS, MARK ODELL, HARRY GRANT, KREIS ewe WILLIAM SMITH, FRANK JAMISON, fee Wi CHARLEY WEAVER, Your good wishes are appreciated, and to have you recommend it to others as the chief of week- lies. I take great pleasure in informing you of my opin- jon of your Tip Top Weekly. I think that it is the “best paper that has ever been put before the Ameri- can youth, and that all true American boys should take advantage of that. fact and read a paper that cannot do them any harm, but will surely do them - some good. I am from Reno, Ney. I left there last May with the Second U. S. Volunteer Cavalry (better known as the Rocky Mountain Rough Riders), en route for Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo., where we were mustered into the United States service. From there we were ordered to Jacksonville, Fla. While en route to Jacksonville I was badly injured in a railroad ac- cident at Tepulo, Miss. I was able to continue with my regiment, but was put into a hospital on ar- rival at our destination. While in the hospital I still kept on reading the Tip Top. When I would get through reading one I would give it to the fellow in TIP TOP WEEKLY. the cot next to mine, and thus it would pass through the whole hospital. So I wish to thank you, in be- half of my friends as well as myself, for the many monotonous moments that were avoided by reading your great publication. ' May it live on forever is the ery of a soldier boy who Gidn’t get a chance at a Spaniard. RAYMOND G. STALEY. We are sure that you would have given a good ac- count of yourself if it had been your luck, bad or good, to meet the Spaniards. No praise for the Tip Top is more appreciated than that given by our sol- diers, and none is warmer. May you have happiness and success in all you undertake, We, the boys of the Port Arthur High School, have read the Tip Top Weekly from No. 1 up to date, and wish to say that we think it the most ideal five-cent publication yet issued, and hope it will continue the same till Frank passes away. We hereby congratu- late you as publishers and Mr. Standish as editor of a book containing such a noble character as Merry. N. BLACK, C. M’MULLEN, GEORGH CLARKE, D. POSTANS,. °¢: A. THURSBY, Cc. MANAHAN, JAMES WINK, C. ROBERTS, J. MILLER, EX. M’LEAN, H. PELTIER, G. FILITER, D. M’GILLIS, W.. RITCHIE, R. BROWN, R. WILSON, Boys of Port Arthur High School. Many and sincere thanks for your good wishes. Frank has no intention of dying. Allow me to congratulate you on your excellent weekly. I have been reading it from No. 40, and think it is the best book for young men I have ever read. am recording secretary of the Empire Ath- letic Club, and have several of the other members so interested that they can hardly wait for Satur- day night to come. We would all like Frank to re- turn to athletic sports again, as they are the most interesting to us. We hope the Tip Top Weekly and Frank Merriwell will live forever. E JAMES M’MANAWAY, East St. Louis, Il. Whether or not Frank returns to athletics very soon there is sure to be no lack of interest in his ad- ventures, and his muscular superiority will be often tested. Thanks for your kind words and a long life to your club. I have been authorized, in behalf of the Tip Top Debating and Literary Union, to write you the opin- ion of this club, which has fourteen members. We had a debate on who should be Frank’s wife, and could find only one lone boy who would favor Inza Burrage. We do not believe in dictating to Mr. Standish what to write, as he has written so far without dictation. We believe in letting him create his own characters. I hope Frank will play in the football team and study up and graduate with his class. I hope you will answer a few questions for our benefit: 1. Are Nos. 33 and 38 in print? 2. Will Frank take care of Elsie now? 3. Will the Tip Top Club badge soon be ready? 4. Why not put Frank through Annapolis? ; PHTLIP WIGGINS, Pres: ARNO BARNES, Vice-Pres.; DICK MATHBEBAS, DICK ROBERTS, HARVARD WING, MARTHA PEMBER, BLANCHE GARDNER, RALPH GARDNER, FANNIE SMITH, ERNEST WING, 5 MARJORIE COUSINS, KATE BUCKLEY, ALBERT PAGE. JAMES MAXWELL, Information about the badge will be found on the last page. All numbers are in print, and can be sup- plied from this office by ordering. We cannot foretell _ Frank’s course of action. Success to the Tip Top Debating and @terary Union. As we have never seen any correspondence from Fairfield, we thought we would voice the general sen- timent of the Fairfield boys. of the Tip Top from No 1 up to date, and have mani- fested great interest in Frank’s trials and triumphs. We think the ‘Railroad Series’ of the Tip Top Week- ly was one of the most interesting careers-of Frank’s — life. We think that Elsie Bellwood is the girl for Frank and for one so pure, noble-minded and self- sacrificing to die “‘a tragic death at sea” is simply cold-blooded, and the Yeader who expressed such an © opinion in a recent Tip Top was (to put it in a slang > phrase) ‘‘a little daffy’? (no offense). We think it would be rather romantic for Inza Burrage to meet | and marry Paul Rains, Frank’s old rival, at Fardale,. We have been readers -* they are right good stories for anyone to read. We are anxious for Frank to meet Jack Diamond, Bart Hodge and all his 61d Yale chums, also to hear from Winnie Lee, Paula Benjamin and Fannie Dar- ling. We hope Frank will soon regain his fortune and marry Elsie. MAURICE COX, CLYDE KELLAR, LEWIS BAKER, Fairfield, fl. We are very glad of the interest of the boys of Fair- field in Frank’s career. What that career is to be in the future cannot be decided now, and our friends must allow circumstances to rule later developments. No doubt you will hear from all the old friends again. The railroad series was Certainly a fine one, but Frank’s adventures are sure to become still more thrilling as time goes on. LEWIS DEEM, LEWIN GEORGE, JOSEPH BOGGS. I have been reading your Tip Top Weekly from the first number to the last, and I compliment you on the paper. I believe it is the best weekly published for boys, because it sets them a model. Long live the Tip Top! P. §.—I would like to have you inform me to whom I would write to the Naval Academy to get informa- tion as to how I could become a naval cadet. JOHN J. HUBER. Everest, Kan. . It is certainly our aim to make Tip Top an inspira- tion to the young men, and we are glad to know that you have found it to be so. Thanks for your kind words. Write to the superintendent, Rear Admiral F. V. McNair, Naval Academy, Annapolis. We in- aoe to publish an article on the academy before ong. I have read the Tip Top Weekly for the last year or so, and I find it to be an ideal publication for our boys. Frank Merriwell is a good character and a good example for the American youth to follow. Mr. Standish should be very highly complimented for writing such a good book. I hope Frank Merriwell will continue to live and prosper. J. C. GWINN. Washington, D. C : Our aim is to make the Tip Top just what its motto indicates, and just what you have found it. Thanks for your good wishes for Frank and Mr. Standish. We have been reading Frank Merriwell from No. 19 to the last issue and have come to the conclusion ‘that there is no boys’ paper printed that can come up to it. We have an ideal Merry in our club—Clayton Bort—and hope that you will use him as a character in some of your stories. He is the hero of the town and our club is very proud of him as an all-around athiete. We are strongly in favor of Hlsie becoming Frank’s wife, because we consider her a much better character than Inza and are satisfied that if such should be the case they would live happily together. We are saving up our money for the quarterly and anxiously await the next issue, We hope that Frank will be successful in his new venture, The Standish Club, WILLIE STEINMETZ, Pres. PELEG BRIGHAM, Vice-Pres. WILLIAM P. SPENCER, Capt. and Sec. PHETER.HAGELEH, Treas. FRANK MERRILL BORT, Instructor. Brown Point, Ind. You are fortunate to have a young man in your club who resembles Frank. Our badges, containing a picture of Frank, are beauties. We are sure that you will want them. Frank is not thinking of mar- riage at present. I have read a number of your Tip Tops and I iad rec- ommend them to all young fellows who want good stories to read, and i shall continue to read them myself. | SEYMOUR DERUSHA. Ballston Spa, N. Y. Your advice is excellent and it is being followed by thousands of young men all over this great country. Thank you for your enthusiastic praise. _ I have read your Tip Top Weekly from No. 98 up to date, and think they are fine. ‘Will Frank see Inza -“ ALBERT LEWIS. Ti: urlington, Iowa. nk will come out all right, and be with his old friends again. : Gore j a : TIP TOP WEEKLY. No one can foretell what will happen, but we think - Correspondence, F. S. C., Harrisburg, Pa.—Harvard College was founded in 1636, Yale in 1700. C. F. L., Berwick, Pa.—No, we should say the shot was not a fair one. L. F., Indianapolis, Ind.—Write to Spalding Bros., Nassau street, New York city, and you can obtain just the book you want. Eddie J., Bridgeport, Ohio.—It would be impossible for us to write you an essay on the subject. Consult the cyclopedias. Ss. T. S., Pittsburg, Pa.—Take a walk of at least two miles each day and exercise, not too violently, with dumbbelis and Indian clubs. R. B. G.—You do not furnish us with an address, therefore we are unable to grant your request. Write again, telling us where to reach you. S. H., New York City.—Four feet nine inches is the average height of a boy of thirteen, and five feet one inch of a boy of fifteen. Jimmy, Reading, Pa.—There are over twelve thousand graduates of Harvard University now liv- ing. R. E. B., Zanesville, Ohio.—We should say that the six leading theatrical cities were New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburg and San Francisco. But there are others in which business is excellent. Cadet.—The great navies of the world, with their respective tonnage, rank as follows: Great Britain, 1,557,522 tons; France, 731,629 tons; Russia, 453,899 tons; United States, 303,070 tons; Germany, 299,637 tons; Italy, 285,175 tons. L. J. D., Evanston, Ill.—To ascertain the height of an object a peculiar method of measurement is in use among the Isthmus Indians. In measuring the height of a tree, for instance, a man proceeds from its base to a point where, on turning the back to- ward it,,and putting the head between the legs, he can just see the top; at the spot where he is able to do this he makes a mark on the ground, and then paces the distance to the base of the tree; this dis- tance is equal to the height. W. J. C., Readville, Pa.—The proper test of hard water is soap. When soap comes in contact with the sulphate of lime, as in washing, it curdles, forming anew soap which will not dissolve, and floats on the surface. The better test is to dissolve a little soap in alcohol and place a few drops in the water to be examined. If it remains clear the water is perfectly soft, if it becomes curdled the water is hard. To soften hard water sew boiled oatmeal in a muslin bag and keep it in the water all night. Constant Reader, New York City.—All schools teach composition. It is not necessary to have a teacher to instruct you in composition. What you need is practice. Read an article in the daily news- paper and then try to write what you have read. You need not write it word for word, but write it so as it will make sensible reading, then branch out and write up some event that you have witnessed, describe a section of the city you are familiar with, the character, nationality, and class of people who oe there, the principal buildings and who occupies them. H. S. P., Rahway, N. J.—The following is an easy method of breaking glass to any required form: Make a small notch, by means of a file, on the edge of a piece of glass; then make the end of a tobacco pipe or a rod of iron of about the same size red hot in the fire. Apply the hot iron to the notch, and draw it slowly along the surface of the glass. in-any direction you please. A crack will be made in the glass, and will follow the direction of the iron. Round glass bottles and flasks may be cut in the middle by wrapping round them a worsted thread dipped in spirits of turpentine, and setting it on fire when fastened on the glass. Harry L., Benning, D. C.—If pigeons are given to. the bad habit of eating their eggs, it will be neces- sary to: remove them, and substitute ones made from chalk. Great care should be exercised in handling the real eggs, or they will become addled and worth- less. When the hen ceases to lay, then return them, and she will set. Prior to adopting this measure, however, it is well to feed the birds bountifully with grated egg mixed with bread-crumbs, which should be .constantly kept within their reach. Generally speaking, this will suffice to break them of-the habit - without resorting to removal of the eggs. High Prices Are On Vacation — am THE MEDAL LIBRARY. A Money Saving Triumph. Oliver Optics Books for Ten Cents. There is a line of classics for youth—the books your fathers read—the books you want to read—the books the boys and girls will read and like as long as the English language endures, of American boys for the last fifty years than any others. EdwardS. Ellis, J. G. American flag floats. Holland, Lieut. Lounsberry, Harry Castlemon, etc. They have done more to shape the mind We refer to the writings of Oliver Optic, Horatio Alger, These names are familiar wherever the Unfortunately, they have heretotore been procurable only in expensive binding at from $1.00 to $1.50 each. The average boy has not got $1.50 to throw away. the leader with the elder readers Ten cents is nearer his price. Now we are going to do the same thing for the boys, and give them their favorites We have made the ten cent book in a form in every respect equal to cur well-known Eagle and Magnet Libraries, at the uniform price of ten cents. Thousands of boys have asked us to issue this line. like it in the world. story that the boys have not approved as a ‘ Thousands more are ready to buy it on sight. We can justly call it the Medal series, as every book will be a prize winner. standard,”? There is no line It will contain no They have bought them by thousands at $1.00 and up- wards, and now they can get them for TEN CENTS A COPY, No. 2—Cadet Kid Carey, No, 3—All Aboard, - No. 4—Lieutenant Carey’ Sk uck, - MEDAL es a aes No, 1—The Boat Club, i is - - Oliver Optic, Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry. - Oliver Optic, Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry. Others Equally Good to Follow No. 1 will be ready the latter part of January, and the succeeding numbers will follow weekly. once. If you cannot get them send to us, Order them at Remember these are 12mo books, printed from new plates, with elegant covers, and are the “‘ real thing,” and only TEN CENTS A COPY. STREET & SMITH, Publishers AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. Many people imagine that a photographer's camera is a difficult machine to handle, and that the work is dirty and disagreenble. All thistsa mistake. Photography is a clean. light, nnd pleasant ac- couiplishment, within the reach of all. he camera will prove a triend, reporter, and helper. With a very inexpensive camera any boy or girl can now learrmyvot only to take good pictures, but pictnres that there is everywhere a demand for at reniinerative prices. A complete guide to this fascinating art, entitled AMATKUR MAaNuaL or PHOTOGRAI WY will he sent on receipt of ten cents. Address MANUAL LIBRARY 25 Rosa St., N. Y. WRESTLING. History tells us that wrestling was the first form of athletic pastime, Without doubt it gives strength and firmiless, combined with quickness and pliability, to the limbs, vigor to the body, coolness and discrimination to the head and elasticity to the tem- per, the whole forming an energetic combination of the greatest power tobe found in man. The book is entitled PRrorussor MULDOON’S WRESTLING. It is fully illustrated and will be sent postpaid on receipt of ten cents. Address MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose Street, New York. OUT-DOOR SPORTS. Complete instructions for playing many of the most popular out- ot-door games is found inthis book, ‘The games are illustrated and very easily mastered. t Price ten cents. Address MANUAL LIBRARY, 25 Rose Street, New York. Diamond Dick, Jr., Quarterly. The earlier issues of Diamond Dick, Jr. are now on sale in the form of Quarterlies, each including 13 consecutive issues of this favorite weekly, together with the 13 original illuminated illustra. tions, and an elegant cover in colors. The price is 50 Cents per volume, for which sum they will be sent by mail post-paid to any address in the United States, =» = NOW READY. = = No. J, including Nos. 1 to 13 of Diamond Dick, Jr. No. 2 Nos. 14 to 26 of Diamond Dick, Jr. “s Nos, 27 to 89 of Diamond Dick, ar, = Nos. 40 to 52 of Diamond Dick, Jr, If your Newsdealer has not got the Quarterlies, remit direct to the publishers, STREET & SMITH, 81 Fulton St., N.Y, Tip Top Quarterly. The earlier issues of ‘Tip ‘top Weekly are now on sale in the ~ form of Quarterlies, each including 13 consecutive issues of this favorite weekly, together With the 13 original illuminated illustra- tions, and an elegant cover in colors. ‘The price is 50 Cents per volume, for which sum they will be sent by mail post-paid to any address in the United States. - NOW READY. Nos. 1 to 13 of Tip Top veer Nos. 14 to 26 of Tip Top Weekly. Nos. 27 to 39 of Tip Top Weekly. Nos. 40 to 52 of Tip Top Weekly. Nos. 53 to 65 of Tip ‘lop Weekly. Nos. 66 to 78 of Tip Top Weekly. Nos, 79 to 91 of Tip "Top Weekly. ity our Newsdealer has not got the Quarterlies, remit direct to the gattidhers, o STREET & SMITH, 81 Fulton St., N,¥. _ 67 69 71 72 73 74 16 76 77 78 719 80 81 82 83 84 | Frank Merriwell’s Dead CATALOGUE OF FRANK MERRIWELL STORIES IN TIP TOP WEEKLY Frank Merriwell; or, First Days at Fardale. Frank Merriwell’s Foe; or, *Plebe” Life in Barracks Frank Merriwell’s Medal; or, **Plebe” Life in Camp. Frank Merriwell’s Rival; or, By Fair Play or Foui. Frank Merriwell's Fault. Frank Merriwell’s Frolics; or, Fun at Fardale. Frank Merriwell’s Mysterious Ring. Frank Merriwell’s Fag; or, Fighting for the Weak. Frank Merriwell’s Furlough. Frank Merriwell on His Mettle, Frank Merriwell's Fate; or, The Old Sailor's Legacy. Frank Merriwell’s Motto; or, The Young Life Savers. Frank Merriwell in New York; or, an Unknown Foe, Frank Merriwell in Chicazo; or, Meshed by Mysteries, Frank Merriwell in Colorado, Fraik Merriwell in Arizona; or, Mysteries of the Mine. Frank Merriwell in Mexico. Frank Merriweil in New Orleans, Krank Merriwell’s Merey. Frank Merriwell’s Friend; or, Muriel the Moonshiner. Frank Merriwell’s Double; or, Fighting for Life. Frank Merriwell Meshed; or, The Last of the Danites. Frank Merriwell's Fairy. Frank Merriwell’s Money. Frank Merriwell's Mission Frank Merriwell’s Mysterious Foe. Frank Merriwell a Monarely, Frank Merriwell in Gorilla Land. ‘ Frank Merriwell’s Magic; or, ‘The Pearl of Tangier. Frank Merriwell in France. Frank Merriwell’s Feat. Prank Merriwell in London; or, The Grip of Doom. Frank Merriwell's Venture; or, Driven from Armenia, Prank Merriwell in India; or, Haunting Human Leop- ards, Frank Merriwell's Vow; or, After Biz Game in Ceylon. Frank Merriwell in Japan; or, The Sign of Avenger. Shot; or, Roughing it in Australia, Frank Merriwell in the South Sea; or, Cast for Life. Frank Merriwell at Home Again; or, ‘Phe Mystery of Ethel Driscoll. f Frank Merriwell Freshman. Frank Merriwell's mores. Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell's Frank Merriwell's Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell's Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell’s rer. Frank Frank the at Yale; or, Freshman Against Match; or, The King of the Sopho- Vicetory; or, The Winning Oar. Finish; opf Blue Against Crimson. Game; or, Sharing the Sharper. Run; or, Trouncing the Tigers. Kven Up; or, Squaring the Score, Queen; or, Blow for Blow. Find; or, The Waif of the Train. Racer; or, Birds of a Feather, Nerve; or, Game to the End. Shadow; or, The Mysterious Stran- Dash: or, Yale Against the Field. Bicycle Boys; or, The Start Across Merriwell's Merriwells Contment. Frank Merriwell's Frank Merriwell’s Horse. Frank Merriwell to the Rescue; or, ‘Tiirough Fire and Water. Frank Merriwell’s Close Call; or, The Tramp's Token, Frank Merriwell’s Unknown Friend; or, Old Friends in New Places. Frank Merriweli Among the Rustlers; or, The Cattle King’s Daughter. Frank Merriwell’s Desperate Drop; or, Wild Adven- tures in the Rockies. Frank Merriwell in the Mines; or, The Blind Singer. Frank Merriweljl Among the Mormons. Frank Merriwell on the Desert; or, The Mystery of the Skeleton. rank Merriwell’s Underground Search, Frank Merriwell in California; or, The Great Tour. Prize Plot Story; Frank Merriwell as the Star. Frank Merriwell’s Yacht: or, Chase Down the Coast. Frank Merriwell’s Combination; or, The All Arouud Athletes. Frank Merriwell's Red Frank Merriwell’s Texas Among the Cowboys. Frank Merriwell’s Nine; League, Frank Merriwell’s Shot; or, Out With the Gun Club. Frank Merriwell’s Flyer; or, The Winning Wheel. Frank Merriwell’s Thoroughbred; or, Honesty Against Crookedness. Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell’s Potomac. Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell’s Frank Merriwell’s of the Examination Papers. Frank Merriwell as “‘Anchor;” or, The Winning Pull. Frank Merriwell’s Initiation; or, The Secret Order. Frank Merriwell’s Sign; or, The Secret of the Silent Student. Frank Merriwell as Full Back; or. ‘rue to His Colors] Frank Merriwell’s Duel; or, A Point of Honor. Ride for Life. Great Capture; or, Bicycle Against End of the Rival. Tournament; or, Sport or, Surprising the Southern Enemy; or, Rivals of Blue Ridge. Crew; or, The Champions of the Hunt; or, In at the Death. Blow; or, Unmasking «a Rascal. Return to Yale; or, The Mystery For Sale bv all Newsdealers, or will be sent, Postpaid, on receipt of Price, by STREET & SMITH, PustisHers, 81 Futon St., New York. 85 133 134 135 136 a Elsie. 187! 138 139 i40 141 144 145 147 148 149 150 Frank Merriwell’s Mark; or, Subduing a Bully. Frauk Merriwell's Secret; or, A Friend in Need. Frank Merriwell’s Revenge; or, Aroused at Lust. Frank Merriwell’s Capture; or, The Black Schooner, Frank Merriwell’s Clim; or, The Hand of a Friend. Frank Merriwell’s Double Shoot; or, Winning in the Box. Frank Merriwell’s Danger; or, Shadow of Disgrace, Frank Merriwell’s Wayer; or, Bound to Win, Frank Merriwell in Training; or, ‘he Mystery of the Midnight Prowler. Frank Merriwell’s Courage; or, Loyal to the Last. Frank Merriwell at Fardale Again; or, Yale Lads at the Military Academy. Frank Merriwell in Camp; or, Froliecs with the Far- dale Boys. Frank Meérriwell’s Fardale Friends; or, Old Foes. Frank Merriwell's Yale Chums; or, The Jolly Dogs of Pardale. 7 Frank Merriwell's Choice; or. Fair Rivals of Fardale Frank Merriwell’s Fardale Racket. Frank Merriwell's Courage; or, Nerve Against Bluff. Frank Merriwell’s Faith; or, The Shadow of a Crime Frauk Merriwell’s Celebration; or, Last Days at Fardale. Frank Merriwell Afloat; or, The Cruise of the White Wings. Frank Merriwell Under Megunticook; Knox County League. Frank eens Mystery; or, The Monster of Devil Island. Frank Merriwell’s Disappearance; or, The Secret of the Island. Frank Merriwell Aroused; or, The Bieyele Boys of Belfast. Frank Merriwell’s Pursnit; The Chase of Stolen Yucht. Frank Merriwell’s Catch; or, The Canoe Boys of Lake Sebasticook, Frank Merriwell’s Guide; or, Sport Around Moose- Head Lake. Frank Merriwell'’s Peril; Border, Frank Merriwell'’s Drift; or, With the River Drivers: Frank Merriwell’s Daring; or, Elsie’s Sacrifice. 5 Frank Merriwell's Fist; or, Bound to Know the Truth Frank Merriwell’s Masquerade; or, The Belle of Hur- rieane Island. . Frank Merriwell’s Misfortune: or, The Start of a New Career. Frank Merriwell, Engine Wiper; or, At the Foot of the Ladder. Frank Merriwell. Fireman; or, First Step Upward. Frank Merriwell’s Opportunity; or, The Ghost Black Gorge. Frank Merriwell’s First Run; or, Chance of His Life Frank Merriwell Engineer; or, The Turn of Fortune Frank Merriwell’s Hard Lueck; or, A Slip on The Ladder, € Frank Merriwell’s Advancement; or, Engineer of the Mountain express. Frank Merriwell Held Up; or, The Robbery of the Mountain Express. : Frank ai Protege; or, Lending a Helping Hand. Frank Merriwell ou Strike; or, Saving the Enemy's Property. Frank Merriwell as a Ferret; or, Tracking the rain Wreckers. " Frank Merriwell Accused; or, Reaping the Harvest. Frank Merriwell on the Road; or, The All-Star Combi- nation. Frank Merriwell's First Part; or, The Start as an Actor. Frank Merriwell in Advance; or, Adventures Ahead of the Show. Frank Merriwell Magician; or, For Fun, Fortune. Frank Merriwell’s Own Company; or,Barnstorming In the Middle West. Frank Merriwell Stranded; or, The Fate of the First Venture. Frank Merriwell’s New Venture; or, With the or, the or, The Smugglers of the of Fame, ana or, The Finding of Frank Merriwell’s Play; or, Putting on His Own Piece. Frank Merriwell’s Fame; or, The Road to Success. Frank Merriwells Father; or, The Man With Money to Burn, Frank Merriwell’s College Chums; or, Bart Hodge’s Wonderful Shot. Frank Merriwell’s Understudy; Friend. « Frank Merriwell Puzzled, or, the Mystery of Inza. Frank Merriwell’s Problem; or, Vhe Vanishing of Elsie Frank Merriwell Missing; or, On the Brink of Disnuster Frank Merriwell’s Disaster; or, The Handa of the Law. Frank Merriwell’s Fortune; or, The Legacy of the Skeleton. Frank Merriwell’s Failure; or, High Hopes and Hard Luek,. Frank Merriwell’s Pluck; or, Never Say Die. Frank Merriwell’s Chance: or, To Make or Break. Frank Merriwell Wins; or, ‘The Siecess of *“Lrue Blue.” or, Helping an Old