Trp ToP 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. 216. : Price, Five Cents. RANK MERRIWELES PHANTOM jor THE GHOST OF BARNEY MULLOY ‘“DANNY GRISWOLD, THAT GUN IS LOADED AND THEY ARE GOING TO FIRE IT,’’ MERRY CRIED. TID TOD WEEKLY AN IDEAL it Deen AMERICAN YOUTH 2 Tes Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 238 William um N. . ‘Entered According to Act of Congress, in the year 1900 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. No. 216. =. NEW YORK, June 2, 1900, Price Five Cents. Frank Merriwell’s Phantom: OR, THE GHOST OF BARNEY MULLOY. By BURT L. CHAPTER I. BAD NEWS. That was a jolly party aboard the Merry Seas, as she bowled along on her way from New Haven to New York. It was composed of Frank Merriwell and a number of his intimate friends; and wherever Frank and his friends were, Dull Care usually hid his agued face and gave place to smiling Pleasure. ‘“That grumbling old boatman at the New Haven wharf was a liar!’’ groaned Dismal Jones, as if it were a grief that he had not,found the boatman’s unpleasant oo ae 5 : STANDISH. ‘‘What did he say ?’’ asked Danny Gris- wold, who had been prancing the deck like a diminutive admiral, stopping now and blowing a cloud of cigarette smoke from his nostrils. ‘‘He said that a smoker of cigarettes is always a measley runt!’ grunted Bruce Browning, from the big chair in which he had ensconced himself almost ‘as soon as he came aboard, and which he had hardly left since. ‘You're another!’’ said Danny. “He didn’t say anything of the kind.” ‘‘He was a poet,’’ said Dismal, ‘‘and - I was he threw his comment into rhyme. 2 TIP taken ih by him, I suppose, because he seemed to be half-way quoting Scripture: ‘¢ “The Pharisees were hypocrites. And the Merry Seas is a ship o’ fits! ”’ ‘A ship o’ fits? Nothing eccentric about this steamer, so far as I can see!’ ‘‘Hxcept Danny Griswold!’’ exclaimed Bink Stubbs. ‘‘He is enough to give any- thita ats. *? i Soimething your tailor is never able to give you!’’ Danny retorted. ‘Sit down!’ growled Browning. are shutting out the view!”’ ‘What view??? Danny demanded. ‘The view of the steamer’s funnel. I’d It.can smoke and “Vou rather look at that. keep still—and you can’t.”’ Inza.and Elsie came along, accompanied by Merriwell and Bart Hodge. Winnie Lee, who was at present under her father’s displeasure for her persistence in continuing to encourage Buck Badger, but Amy May was a At the moment, Bernard was not aboard, member of the party. she was conversing gayly with 3urrage, Inza’s semi-invalid father, on the forward deck. ‘We're going to have a fog!’’ said Merriwell, speaking to Bruce and those near. ‘‘I have been hoping it would hold off until we reach New York, but it isn’t going to.’’ “I'd rather be in a ship that has fits now and then than to be stuck in a fog bank!’ Bink declared. ‘‘I guess that New Haven boatman was a prophet, after all.” The Merry Seas was a steamer running on a somewhat irregular schedule to New ‘Haven and New London, and back to the great metropolis by the sea route along the ocean side of Long Island, touching at one or two Long Island points. Merriwell’s friends had decided on a steamer voyage to New York and back as a change from the usual work and ath- letics at Yale. Not that they were tired of either. But nothing of signal importance was on the programme to detain them in TOP WEEKLY. put cotton into your ears, Binky!” New Haven, and they were away, there- fore, for this short trip by boat. The ordinary Sound route between New Haven and New York was familiar ground to every member of the patty, and some- thing new was desired. Hence they had taken’ the Merry Seas, which had steamed to New London, and out to sea between Block Island and Montauk Point, and had then laid her course down the Long Island coast for New York harbor. Inza laughed at Bink’s lugubrious J Gamp was laughing, too. we can have That laration. ‘Tf we get stuck in a fog, Joe Gamp yell a few ane for us. will do for a fog horn.’ ‘Then the Merry Seas-will have fits sure enough !’’ said Bink. Gamp looked serious. ‘‘Well, honest, now, that dud-dud-don’t sus-sound so funny to mum-me as it dud- does to you. Owned a cuc-cuc-carf once, that was pup-prancing raound in the 3 ; medder pup-pup-pasture, and I gug-got so tickled that I just sus-set daown and hol- lered. Goshfry! you wouldn’t believe it, bub-bub-but that cuc-carf fell over dead’s a stun wall!” ‘(Gave it heart disease, of course !’’ Bink gravely observed. ‘‘Not to be wondered at? “Tm just tut tut-telling this story as a warning tut-to you!’? Joe solemnly ob- served. ‘The hoss dud-dud-doctor said hat the pup-poor thing’s head was weak. Sus-so when we get into a fuf-fog and I begug-gin to holler, bub-bub-better pup- Stubbs fell back into Danny’s arms. **Ar-r-r-r!’’ he gurgled. ‘now. Fits!’ “I'll give you fits, if you don’t stop tumbling over against me!’’ Danny howl- ed, giving Bink a. push that landed him in Biowniaee s lap. Everybody laughed, and Merriwell and — his companions walked on round the steamer’s rail. t “ve got "em x | € a PES Eee tai ‘Tt hurts me to think that I must sep- arate soon from all those jolly fellows!’’ Merry observed, in a saddened “‘But commencement is rushing this way at railroad speed, and most of them will go out of Yale then forever.”’ ‘We'll not get blue about it until we have to,’’ said Elsie, though the thought had saddened her more than once. **Just see how the fog is coming down!”’ Inza observed. **Hello!’’ cried Hodge, ‘ voice. another ves- sel!” A steamer hove into. view through the thickening mist. The boats began to sound their whistles. ‘‘A’ sort of Flying Dutchman!”’ re- marked Merriwell, and indeed the passing ‘steamer did seem more a phantasm of the fog than a real vessel carrying living, breathing people. The Merry Seas sounded her whistle at frequent intervals as she pu'shed on into the fog, and for some time after the steamer had vanished her hoarse whistle | could also be heard. “Hello!” cried Browning, who had been lazily looking over’ some late New York papers. The tone and the change in his manner told that he had come on a startling piece of news. **What is it?” fiamond. asked, ‘‘Maybe only the same name!’ said Browning, and then read this paragraph from the telegraphic columns: ‘‘A young Irishman named Barney ~Mulloy was attacked and killed by hoboes near Sea Cove, on the coast not far from Sandy Hook, yesterday morning.. The object of the tramps was doubtless rob- bery, as Mulloy is known to have hada considerable sum of money on his per- son. Browning looked up questioningly. “Likely another fellow, though!” he - said. “By Jove! I’m afraid not!’’ exclaimed Frank, who had hastily taken the paper. TIP TOP WE. EKLY. 3 from Bruce, and was staring in consterna- tion at the fateful item. ‘“There may be a hundred Barney Mul- loys!” said Rattleton. Frank shook his head. ‘‘Y had a letter from him a few days ago, and he was then stopping at Sea Cove. He was making money, too!’ Merriwell felt stunned. Barney Mulloy had been one of his dearest friends, faith- ft 11 and honest, kind-hearted and true, jolly and hopeful. Through all of his hi- Bok experiences at Fardale, Frank had And now Bar- was dead, slain by a lot of miserable tramps! ‘Tears of honest grief and indig- nation caine into Frank’s eyes. ‘Barney Mulloy dead ?”’ exclaimed Inza, coming up at that moment and hearing the news. ““What?’’ cried Elsie. “Report in the Herald,’ Frank an- ‘*Killed yesterday by hoboes, somewhere below Sandy Hook." Bad news spreads as if by magic. not a stauncher adherent. ney swered. Ina little while the other members of the party, ‘having read the story for themselves or heard of it from others, gathered round Merriwell. ‘“Well, he was an honest boy!’’ said Hodge, a noticeable tremor in his voice. ‘‘A better-hearted lad never lived!” Merriwll asserted. Frank’s mind went back to Fardale, and, grieved as he was, he could again hear the yells of Barney Mulloy and Hans Dunnerwust, when they crawled into bed with the lobsters, which they thought were centipedes. It had been one of the funniest incidents of the Fardale days, for’ both thought they were poisoned by the bites of the creatures, and that they would surely die. ‘The whole thing had been a practical joke, in which Frank had played a prominent part. And now Barney, the mischievous, the loyal, the reckless, was” dead ! ‘‘T can hardly believe it!’’ Merry de- = / 4 : DEP VOP ‘It doesn’t seem possible. But there is one thing! I shall spend some money in having those hoboes hunted down and punished for their crime.’? *‘T wish I could have happened along there about the time they jumped on him!’ growled Hodge, and the light in his dark face showed that he would have done his best to make it hot for the ho- boes if he could have put his hands on them. earn had the right kind of stuff i in him.’ This depressing bit of news s5% all the merriment and life out of the little party. And, as the steamer wallowed on through the increasing fog, the world seemed sud- denly to have become wrapped in gloom. ‘“Wish we’d stayed in New Haven!”’ grunted Browning. ‘Ill have to smoke faster to keep warm or go below.”’ “And I wish we were in New York,”’ said Bink... ‘‘ There is something there to warm up the blood.”’ A Danny looked at him. ‘*Drinks? Likely, the captain has a private bottle tucked away somwhere that he will give you a nip out of.”’ : ‘‘Tife, I mean! Pulsing streets, swarms of people, theatres, hand organs——’’ ‘Oh, yes, a monkey is usually lost away from a hand organ!”’ ‘‘T suppose that is why you always seem. so lonesome! When Merry is sad, we all are—etrumpy! New York would help to lift us out of the dumps. ’’ clared. CHAPTER IU. ADRIFT IN THE ATLANTIC, “So thick you might cut it with a knife!”? ‘Captain Darien, who had walked for- ward and joined the group of Merriwell’s friends, looked off into the wall of plogm as he said this. The Merry Seas was mournfully blow- ing her whistle, and others were continu- ~g - 7 ‘ oN WEEKLY, ally heard. The steamer was nearing New York harbor. ‘Will you try to run in, captain?”’ Frank asked. ‘‘Oh, I think we can make it. like to anchor out here all night. I don’t I — -a pretty good idea of just where we are.’ ‘“The fog may lift before night.’’ The captain looked at his watch and saw that it indicated nearly three o’clock. “Tm afraid not. And likely it will be no better in the morning. go in.’? A fog siren somewhere on the invisible © shore was sending out its unearthly blasts. Then a whistle seemed to cut the gloom — tight ahead, and a big black shape loomed through the murk. The Merry Seas sounded her warning, and the helm was jammed hard a-star- board. Another shriek came from the phantom that had seemed to rise right out of the sea. With that shriek, she also swung off. ‘‘T thought we were in for a collision !”? said Frank, breathing more freely. ‘‘It will be a squeak as it is.’’ Elsie had nervously clutched him by the arm. All were moving back from the danger- ous vicinity toward the other rail. ‘‘A tug!’ said Bart, who was standing near Merriwell. ° The tug} which was a large one, seemed now fairly on top.of them. In size, it was as large or larger than the A/erry Seas. A collision of the two vessels would be a serious thing. _ : “We're going to strike, or scrape!’? ~, none Frank warned, taking Inza and Elsie each by.an arm. ‘‘Brace for it!’ Orders were being given, and the whis- tles were hoarsely blowing, Both vessels were still falling pon. * ck, Some one on the tug bellowed frantieale ly through a big trumpet. ‘‘What was that?’ Inza asked. I shall try to: at Share ast oS # ¥ TIP “Tows!’? said Frank. a OOMEAMIS about tows!’ The tug and the steamer did not strike, - though they grazed each other so closely that a collision seemed unavoidable. Then there was more bellowing through trumpets and more whistling, and Frank felt the AZerry Seas tremble under himas her engines were reversed. He knew not what to expect.- Crash! The big tug, Gladzator, hada string of heavily laden barges in tow. Into one of these barges, in spite of ‘every effort ‘to prevent it, the bow of the JdMJerry Seas crashed with terrible force. It was as if a horse should rush head- long against a stone wall, The shock was terrific. Merriwell heard a sound of smashing timbers and snapping iron. He was pitched violently from his feet as the bow of the Merry Seas wags forced downward by the collision. He felt himself flying through the air. ‘Then he struck the water, and went down, down, down! | But Frank did not lose consciousness. And as he came to the surface, he sup- ported himself by a gentle motion of his hands and feet, and tried to look about. He knew how great was his peril. But his thoughts were not wholly of himself. He.thought of Inza and Elsie, of Hodge and his other friends. What had befallen them? Had they, *too, been hurled into the sea by that awful shock? If so, there could be little doubt that some of them, if not all, would be drowned. He shouted for assistance, and heard a hoarse whistle not far away. He could see nothing, for the fog was as impene- trable asa blanket. He began to swim toward the sound. He could not tell whether the whistle was that of the tug or the Merry Seas or of some other vessel. Again he sent up a call for help. The water was cold and his clothing heavy. He was thinking of trying to get out of TOP WEEKLY. - 5 > his shoes and outer coat, when he heard a human cry not far away. “Help! help!’? some one called. “Help! help!’ Frank shouted. sut instead of swimming on, he turned in the direction of the cry. It indicated a human being in distress and peril, and he felt that he might be able to save a life. ‘‘Help!’? came the cry again. The voice was so choked and _ thick, and there was such a rush of water in his ears that Merry could not tell much about it, yet it seemed familiar. It was near at hand, too; and, sending back an answer- ing call, Frank swam straight toward it. “Help! was shouted, right at hand now, for.the voice seemed to be drifting toward him. ee “Where are you?” . For answer, Merriwell received a heavy blow on’ the head and breast from a piece -of timber. He went under with a cry, his head ringing and his senses reeling. The next thing he knew he was stretched out on some sort of raft, and some one was holding him there by sheer force. His feet and legs were trailing through the water. The whistle of the steamer or tug sound- ed again, but farther away. eee that you, Merry? How are you feeling ?”’ It was a familiar voice, though thick and husky—the voice of Bart Hodge. It steadied- Merriwell’s reeling brain. He took hold of the boards and sought to draw himself still higher on them. : ‘That you, Hodge?’’ “Ves, I thought that was you, Merry. How are you?”’ “‘Soaked. But I guess I am all right. Something hit me on the head and shoul- ders, and I went under... I was swimming this way. Heard somebody call.’’> “I called, and you were struck by this drift. I heard you and felt the shock when you struck. I reached out and got hold of you—and here you are??? 6 ie ‘*Ves, here—and where is that ?’’ “Tn the Atlantic, somewhere off New vt York. I doubt if the captain knew.”’ “What became of the rest of the crowd ?”’ ‘(Don’t know. That collision threw me clean over the rail. I fell boards. I don’t know but they came from the barge. When I came up I bumped against them, and then hung on and be- gan to call for help.’’ near these There was a moment of silence. Both were listening. Whistles could be heard ‘here and there. Off to the left somewhere they fancied they heard a voice calling, but whether it came from the deck of a vessel or from some unfortunate in the water they could not determine. Near and far the whistles of steamers and tugs were hoarsely bellowing. ‘‘With so many vessels around, we ought ‘to be picked up soon,’’ said Hodge. ”’ ‘“We would be, if any one could see anything. Buta boat would have to run right over us to find us. Hark! wasn’t that rowlocks?”’ Again they listened. The sound of oars was certainly heard. Clug-clank, clug-clank, clug-clank. “Tet us call together,’? said Merry. “Now! As loud as you can.” Both shouted with all their might. For an instant they fancied the boat was coming toward them, and they shout- ed again. But it was almost impossible to determine the direction of sound. ‘They ,could not themselves be sure of the direc- tion of the boat. The ‘‘clug-clank’’ grew fainter and fainter. ‘*We’re bound to be picked up soon,’’ Merriwell cheerily declared. ‘‘We must be right*in the track of vessels. We’d be picked up right away if it wasn’t gt this beastly. fog.’ Hodge was silent. ‘‘What do you suppose has become of TOP WEEKLY. the others? They were right with us, you know, when we went over!’ “Tm afraid to think about it,’ said Frank, with a shudder, which was not caused by the chill of the water. ““T can’t help thinking about it!”’ Nor I. But I’m hoping -we were the only ones that went overboard. We must try to believe that, — until we cannot believe it any longer.’ Hodge was silent. ‘‘And as for ourselves!’’ ‘Oh, I wasn’t thinking of ourselves,’’ said Bart. while, I think. I suppose we’re being catried out to sea, though!’ ‘*Not much donb of that, £ guess. But we’ve pulled through~ worse scrapes to- gether, Bart!’’ ‘That’s right, Merry! And we’ll pull through this. Are you up high enough on the boards? Let mé help you! can’t be feeling were strong after that blow.”’ Merriwell drew himself higher ont of the water, and found that the heavy boards supported his weight. ‘Tf only the fog would. clear now! I hear a whistle away off there.’’ “Do you suppose the Merry Seas was sunk ??? Hodge asked. ‘‘T shan’t think so until I. have to. I _ think the barge got much the worst of it, The steamer seemed to cut it right in two. ’”’ : ; . CHAPTER III. THE MYSTERY OF THE FISHING SLOOP. ‘‘Perhaps we can get up higher on these boards. ’? ‘Pye. been Hodge answered. The two friends had locked beads. across the narrow space that, separated thei. thinkifig: that myself,’ ~ ‘‘We can hang on here a good You Now, by Merriwell first helping Bart and then Bart returning the favor,’ they managed to get up higher out of the Ps pnp Dn SS , d a f TIP water, and were eratified to find that the boards were sufficiently buoyant to sustain them. For fifteen or twenty minutes they had thus drifted on, listening at sending up a loud call. The talking and conjecturing, intervals, and now and _ then fog siren on the then the shore was still screeching, and whistles of vessels were and heard. trable g Having now But about them was that impene- gtay wall of fog. secured an easier position, Frank fumbled with his chilled fingers foe his watch, which he finally drew out. It of course, but to his surprise was away. near his eyes the time could be told. ‘‘About a hatf an hour, I ge, since the collision. ”’ ‘*No more than that? Seems was wet, still merrfly ticking By holding it jud to me it has been a half a day!”’ Again there was silence. **T should think instead of trying to go on in such a fog as this!’ Bart snarled. The memory of the disaster was begin- ning to make him bitter against the cap- tain. ‘“They do, usually. The captain thought he could make his way in, th at is all!”’ ‘And I’m afraid some of our friends have gone to the bottom as a result of it. We seem in a good way to investigate Davy Jones’ locker ourselves !”” “lm going to believe that our friends a vessel would anchor, -are all right. It can’t be possible that both the tug and the steamer sank. The tug wasn’t really in the collision, you. know. She would be able to take off every one from the steamer, no doubt, even if the steamer was so injured that she could not float. ‘The thing I most fear is that some - of them may have beeh hurled overboard, just as we were, and were not lucky enough to find anything to sustain them. But I shall not believe anything of the kind as long as I can hope that it isn’t s0.2* TOP WEEKLY. 4 But for Merriwell, Hodge would have been very despondent, especially as -the “, I ) » long hours of the afternoon beoan to wear o oa and their to remain unheard; on and no boat came near them, frequent cries seemed but Frank’s hopefulness and cheerful op- timism were not without good effect on the mind of his friend, and they were even some dégree of able at times to talk with me lag comfort Frank “was sure that they were steadily drifting out to sea. He believed, from the Meroe re in the apparent direction of the . fog siren that they were moving down the coast toward Sandy Hook. But they were out to sea, for the sounds of the siren were fainter and evidently floating farther farther away. 3 ‘‘T believe the fog is going to lighten.”’ Merriwell lifted himself and strained his eyes through the gloom. A suggestion of a breeze had fanned him. ‘Tf the wind gets up, the fog may be driven away,’’ he said. ‘‘And the wind will kick up a seal’? suggested Bart. , ‘‘But if the fog lifts, we will probably be seen by some vessel !”’ There could be no doubt that a gentle breeze was beginning to blow. “Sure enough, the fog is thinning!’ Bart cried, joyfully. ‘‘But I don’t hear any more whistles. ’’ ‘‘Hark! there one sounded.’? **Miles away!’ “Wait till the fog yises. are others.’’ 2 Anxiously they watched the gray wall. The wind died away, and once or twice it seemed that the fog was growing denser, instead of lightening. But by and by the sunlight seemed to permeate it. It ap- peared to become thinner. Then, like a great curtain uplifted, it for a little while swung upward from the face of the heay- ing’ sea, Perhaps there All around were the green rollers, rising. and falling with an oilv swell. wy TIP 8 Hodge uttered an exclamation of grati- fication. “Look!” Merriwell looked in the direction indi- cated. Not a fourth of a mile awaya dingy fishing sloop was bobbing along, with her dirty mainsail and jib set, Ae seeming to catch no breeze. Both Merry and Hodge forgot their dis- comfort, forgot their chilled and benumbed condition, and, lifting themselves as high as they could, shouted for assistance. There must have been some breeze in the dingy sails, for the vessel was moving athwart the line of their progress, and they were being carried along by the tide. “Shout again!’ said Merriwell, and again they lifted their-voices together. In another direction a steamer could be seen, but those on the steamer evidently did not see the sufferers on the raft. **I don’t believe there is a soul on the sloop!’ Bart declared, in a despairing way. ‘*Well, if she keeps.on her course, we’ll get so near that perhaps we can swim to her and climb on board.’’ But Bart was wrong. Hardly had he made the declaration when a man ap- peared on deck, accompanied by a shaggy dog. Metriwell and Hodge renewed their cries to attract his attention. But the man gave them absolutely no heed. Once they fancied that the dog turned his nose in their direction. ‘"He don’t want to see wus,’’ Bart growled. “‘We are near enough for him to heart -f—, His sentence was interrupted by a young lady who rushed suddenly on deck © from the ‘‘cuddy’’ or cabin. A scream is- sued from her lips as she appeared, and immediately a second man came into view, from whom = seemed to be flee- ing. _ My God! Inza Burrage!’ _ Merriwell fairly shouted the words. TOP WEEKLY. Inza did not see the raft and her friends. She appeared to see only the shaggy- bearded fellow, who now stood, ottmiy” looking at her. ‘“She’s going to jump overboard!’ cried Hodge, so excited that he almost fell off the raft. s Merriwell shouted with all his might. Inza turned and saw the raft. She ut- tered another piercing cry, stretched out her hands, and seemed again about to leap into the sea. Instead of heeding the cry sent up by Merriwell, Inza’s pursuer leaped at her to prevent her from jumping over the rail; and, then; bearing her in his stréhg arms, deliberately carried ‘ther back into the cuddy. Merriwell and Hodge shouted, yelled, screamed. The one man on the deck paid not the slightest attention to their cries. © ‘*He refuses to hear us!’’ said Hodge. The other man appeared, called again. One of the men went to the tiller, and the course of the sloop was changed. ‘“They are going to pretend that they did not see us,’’ Frank exclaimed. “Hold to the raft, Hodge! Stay by it!” ‘““What are you going to do?’ Hodge demanded. : “Pm going to swim to that sloop!’ ot ee et CHAPTER IV. STRANGE CONDUCT. ‘Stay with the raft,” Mextiwelhs again commanded. | . “But I want to go with you! aan will saeed help!” ‘ ‘*Perhaps I may have to return to the raft. I can’t find it if you leave it.”’ ‘*We can get on that vessel. will be killed.’ Merriwell was as anxious and almost as much excited, but he kept his head. « — ‘*Don’t you see that the sloop-is mov- ea and they And you. —_ | | 4 ¥ pH she is below, and he is now on deck. ing on the new tack. She may be going faster than I can swim. Stay on the raft!’ As he gave this last command, he slip- ped out of his heavy, soaked outer coat, quickly removed his shoes, and, pushing these articles to Hodge, let himself into the sea, and began to swim toward the dingy fishisig sloop. Hodge did not again shout, for he saw that Merriwell’s plan was to swim to the sloop, climb aboard of it, and by a sud- den attack overwhelm the men. “*He’s crazy!’’ Hodge grated. ‘‘They will see him, and they will simply knock him back into the sea. They act as if they were lunatics—or drunk! Why don’t they look this way?” It was indeed singular, but neither of the men seemed to have noticed the raft or heard the cries that came from it. Merriwell was a splendid swimmer, and in spite of his chilled condition and his hampering clothing he moved through the water almost like a fish. “‘Of course I couldn’t have kept up with him!’ Bart grumbled. ‘‘But I could have done my best. He can’t overpower both of those men alone.”? He held tightly to the shoes and the coat, and looked longingly after the swim- mer, turning his eyes often to the sloop, that now, under the influence of ‘a light breeze, was going along in a surprising fashion. -“*And how did Inza come to be aboard of that sloop ?”’ Bart had not time to think of this be- fore, but now the answer came quickly enough. Inza’s clothing had clung to her, as she rushed on the deck, showing that her skirts were weighted with water. No doubt, she, too, had been hurled into the sea by the collision of the steamer with the barge, and this fishing boat had in some manner picked her up. ‘‘Tt’s very queer, though, the way that fellow acted! She was afraid of him. But that Bart’s hopes rose again almost im- TIP TOP WEEKLY. 9 Likely enough he has her shut up in the cabin.”? He beheld Merriwell lift himself slight- ly out of the water and send out a ringing call: But the men on deck did not stir. And the sloop sailed on. ‘“The scoundrels !’’ Bart hissed, through his white teeth. ‘‘I should like to knock their heads together. ‘They refuse to hear him. ‘They are carrying Inza away, and they do not intend that any one shall come aboard. And this within the very shadows of New York City!’ : The sloop heeled over under the breeze and increased her speed. Merriwell was palpably losing ground. Bart heard him call again and again, with the same result, and then Bart also lifted his voice. The result was the same. The sloop moved straight on. At last he saw Merriwell turn about and swim again toward the raft, when it became evident that he could not overtake the sloop. ‘‘That is enough to kill Merry!’’ he thought, sympathizingly. ‘‘And Inza saw us, too! I wonder what she thinks?” Slowly and with seeming weariness — Merriwell came back toward the raft. Bart lifted himself as high as he could to — mark the spot where the raft lay tossing. When lifted on the crest of a wave, Merri- well came plainly in sight; but when ei- ther Frank or the raft slipped down the glassy surface of those big green rollers, he seemed to sink into the sea. ‘‘l'm afraid he is going to have a hard pull! He must be tired out.” ' He shook his fist at the sloop. It was growing smaller and smaller. A haze was again creeping over the sea. “‘My God! what if the fog should settle __ down again and keep Merry from finding the raft?’ _ Se Bart shuddered at the thought. But Merriwell was so strong a swimmet. \ 1O TIP mediately. the fog was once more descending, but Merriwell was now swimming’ straight toward the raft with a bold, firm stroke and with considerable speed. . ‘Right here, old man!’ Bart encour- aginely called. ; **1’m coming!’’ Merriwell shouted, and his tones did not show exhausting fatigue. Then he swam up to the raft, and Bart helped him to climb upon it. ‘*What was the matter with those scoun- drels ?”’ Deat }** ‘*What?”? ‘*Deaf as posts, both of them!’ Merri- well explained, resting on the boards and panting from his exertions. ‘"T look this way simply because they didn’t heat us. I’m sure of that, from the way they acted. I began to think so when I told you to hang to the raft. I believed that if I could overtake the sloop and could climb aboard and make myself known, or knock them down, as my in- tention was, I could then release Inza and sail the sloop over here and get you. But I couldn’t swim fast enough.”’ ‘You went through the water like a fish !?? **But the sloop went faster. If that breeze hadn’t sprung up I think I could have made it.”’ ‘And what are they doing with Inza?”’ **T don’t know. But I’m glad of one ‘thing. She isn’t dead.”’ ‘Deaf!’ muttered Bart. ‘‘Deaf as posts! Well, that does make the thing a bit clearer.” hey didn’t cee ee CHAPTER V. ABOARD ‘THE FISHING SLOOP. The reaction from the tremendous ex- ettions which Merriwell had put forth made itself felt now. The excitement hav- ing passed, he felt almost exhausted. He climbed up as high as he: could on the TOP WEEKLY. There were indications that .Jersey or New York coast. boards, and Bart, who was terribly be- numbed and chilled from long exposure’ to the cold water, held him thus while he rested. ‘Tt was too much for you, old man!’’ he said, consolingly. ‘*T had to try it?’ was Merriwell’s an- swer, ‘“The fog is shutting down again,’’ said Bart. (¢7P But it won’t stay down. The sea looked red’ out toward the west. I think it will clear away to-night.’ And the raft drifted on, while the gray fog set- He was in no mood to say more. tled round them, and its chill and gloomi- ness seemed to go to their very hearts. But as Merriwell had predicted, the fog lifted again, and at the end of another hour of an experience as terrible as either had ever been- called to undergo, the gray bank again swung up toward the sky. The sun was sinking redly into the sea and night was at hand—and what night might mean in their weakened and chilled condition, adrift on the great ocean toward which they seemed to be so resistlessly borne, they dared not think. ‘“The sloop!’’ Bart cried, rousing him- self. Merriwell lifted himself and looked. It was the sloop sure enough. A little to the southward of east, with its dingy sails furled and their bulging shapes turned to great lumps of gold, with the mast standing out in dark tracery against the red sky line, lay the fishing sloop. ‘*Tt’s the same!’’ Merry exclaimed. ‘*Sure! There can’t be any doubt about it. 7 ‘ . j ‘*And she has cast anchor. ?? ‘*What does that mean ?’’ ‘‘She is a fishing sloop, and I’ve an idea we must be on the fishing grounds off the There is no other explanation. She is out here on a fishing trip.’’ : ; ‘ *‘And Inza?’’ 3 % ‘We'll have to wait for her to clear that mystery away.’ ““What will we do? If those fellows are deaf, there is no use in shouting.”’ ‘We are drifting toward her, you We'll continues. ’’ ‘Then we’ll get on board of her!’ ‘‘And we'll find out a few things, if we have to knock those fellows on the head.”’ cae wo. be alongside before dark, if this The thought was so exhilerating that the warm blood was again driven through their veins, and the numbness seemed in a measure to go out of their chilled bédies. Nothing is so reviving as hope. And hope was theirs again. The raft drifted so slowly and Bart was so eager that he wanted to leap into the _ sea and swim to the vessel. “Tet us save our strength,’’ was Merri- well’s advice. ‘‘We are going straight there, We will probably need all the strength we have.’’ **T see only one man. about near the cabin.’ ‘The other is aboard somewhere. And you noticed that dog? If he puts up a fight, too, I’ve an idea that he will be worse than either of the men.’’ The progress of the little raft was tan- talizingly slow, but it moved steadily, and He is pottering after the sun had set and while the dark- ness was gathering on that great expanse of water, it swung close in under the stern of the sloop. Not a sound was heard aboard of her as she lazily lifted and rolled _on the heaving swell. _ Frank took his shoes in one hand, but thought it not well to burden himself with the extra coat. ‘Now!’ he whispered. go. We can cut that boat loose if we have to trust to the sea again. Follow me!”’ Then he slipped silently into the sea, Hodge imitating his example. Softly swimming round to the bow, Frank got hold of, a chain that ran down from the bowsprit. os f TIP TOP WEEKLY; ‘Tet the raft: p ‘*Here,’’ he softly whispered. ‘‘Lay hold of this, and come right up after me.”’ be there!’’ Hodge whispered back. Then, hampered by the shoes, Merry Together they dropped to the crouched. low, with the water running in rivulets from their clothing. and his hands maul which fishermen Frank felt softly about, fell on a club-like use for stunning the large fish they catch. There was nothing else near in the shape. — He of a’ weapon. passed the maul to Bart, and clutched one of the shoes as a club in his right hand. “Good luck!’’ he softly whispered. “How are you?”’ Hodge was chilled to the bone, and his teeth were fairly chattering. ‘I’m all right. A bit chilly, but I guess things will be warm enough for me ina few minutes. I’m ready. Go on!”’ A dark form was standing beside the cuddy. But for his certainty that the men, were deaf or, nearly so, Merriwell would not have indulged in even this whispered conversation. He crept now toward this man, with> Hodge crawling at his heels, and when near enough, leaped on the man with a sudden and disconcerting pounce. Though the surprise must have been great, the man, who was large and strong, wheeled round to resist the attack, and the large dog, which had before been seen; >) sprane up from the deck and flew at Mer- a _riwell’s throat. - The ready club in the hands of Bart Hodge tumbled the dog over with a howl, and Merry and the big fisherman began to struggle in the growing darkness for the mastery. To and fro on the deck they reeled. The dog leaped up again and tried to come to the assistance of its master, but turned upon Hodge when he struck at it again with the maul. Its eyes seemed balls — of green fire in the gloom, and the hoarse a : Z ‘ if . "Sp 0 eh ‘sas é _ 12 growl that came from deep down in its throat was anything but pleasant to hear. 3ut Bart Hodge met stout heart, raining his blows with such swiftness and precision that it dropped to the deck. . Then he Irurried to the assistance of Merriwell. But Frank was already the victor. Though the man had the strength its onset with a of an ox, he had not Merriwell’s science. in fighting, and Frank had not a) and skill only knocked the breath out of him, but had hurled him to the deck. “That rope, Bart! It is tripped over it. Tie him!’ A cry followed this—a cry from Inza. She rushed out of the cuddy door, and after her sprang a man with a lighted lan- tern. ; Hodge faced’ toward this man, intend- ing to fell him with the club. “Prank! Frank!’ Inza cried. ~you would come, Frank!?’ . Then she noticed the uplifted club. “Don’t strike him, Bart!» — She threw herself between Hodge and the man with the lantern. , Merriwell was still holding down the man he had conquered. « “What is it?’ he questioned, looking up and trying to read Inza’s meaning by the light of the lantern. ‘“The men are deaf!’’ said Inza. ‘‘They rescued me from a piece of boat, to which I clung after thé collision. ’’ The man with the lantern seemed about to spring upon Frank in spite of Hodge’s threatening club. Inza touched him on the arm. See, ‘“‘Friends!’’? she screamed, deavor to make him hear. right here. I “T knew in an en- CHAPTER VI. / INZA’S STORY. The man did not hear Inza, but he felt -. the touch, and, turning quickly about, - caught something of her meaning in her coe 7h Ly i: i “4 e TIP TOP WEEKLY. manner. ‘The deaf are woudlextully quick in such things. He made a horrible grimace and point- ed at Merriwell. Again she laid‘a hand restrainingly on his shoulder. 3 ‘‘Let the man up, Frank,’’ she urged. ‘““The fellows ate harmless enough, but they are as deaf as adders!”’ ‘Took out for the dog!’’ Frank warned: The dog, which had crawled away ina seemingly dying condition, had struggled again to its feet and appeared to be medi- tating ‘another attack on Hodge. “DP ve got an eyeon him,’’ Hodge called back. ‘‘Look out for your man!’ Merriwell released* the fellow he had overthrown, and the man climbed dazedly and sullenly to his feet. Inza hurried toward him, shrieking and making motions’ with her hands. ‘The man did not understand her. It began to . seem that both of them contemplated an attack on Bart and Merry. ‘Wait a minute!’’? she cried. ‘‘Don’t strike them, Frank, Bart, if you can help tt]? “T think I’m awake,’’ growled Hodge, as if he wanted to pinch himself to make sure of it. . The scene was certainly a strange one ~ —as strange as if taken from a comic opera. The fishing schooner rocking on the long swell, the dog cowed and uncer- tain, one deaf man doubtingly flashing | the lantern in the face of Bart Hodge, and the other swaying unsteadily on his feet as if he contemplated making a blind rush at Metriwell. In less than a minute Inza re-appeared from the cuddy. She held in her hand a piece of paper on which she had hastily written some explanatory sentences. ‘This she tlirust beneath the nose of the man who held the lantern. : The effect was magical. The lantern — came down, something that sounded like an attempt at words gurgled in his throat, TIP TOP WHEKLY. and he made a signal to the other fisher- man, whose attitude also changed in- stantly. “It’s all right now!’’ Inza laughed, though the laugh sounded a bit hyster- ical, t ‘Well, I’m glad that it is!”’ said Merri- well. ‘But an explanation would be com- fortable.”’ ‘These men rescued. me from the piece of broken boat to which I was clinging,”’ Inza hastily explained. ‘‘I was knocked overboard by the collision. They are fish- ermen, and are now anchored on their fishing grounds.’ “So I see. But what about one of them chasing you, when you ran out of the -cuddy this afternoon? You tried to jump overboard !”’ ‘“The men both thought me deranged by what I had passed through, and I sup- pose I may have acted strange. I saw you -and Bart on the raft, and I tried to make the men see you. But they thought I was going to jump overboard, and I was car- ried bodily into the cuddy and locked in. - I didn’t know at the time that they could read writing, or I should have triéd that; though I was kept locked in the cuddy so - long that it would have done no good!”” - Then she began to motion to the men; and one of the fellows came toward Bart in a sheepish way and held out a hand. “Bart hesitated about taking it, fearing a trick; but the man’s intentions were hon- est. Having made this advance, the way to. an understanding was so fully paved that within less than ten minutes thereafter both Frank and Hodge, having wrung out : 2 _ their clothing in a contracted place below deck, were warming themsélves and try- ing to get dry by the cuddy stove, while _ Inza was rattling on with the story of her '- adventures. ~ | See _ “T really don’t know yet whether I am - awake or dreaming!’ said Bart. ‘‘This 13 - about knocks everything I have ever seen !’? ‘Just fishermen,’’ said Inza. ‘*They would. have picked you up, no doubt, if they had seen you—they couldn’t hear you; or if I had been able to make them see.you. It must have been an hour or more after that when I found that they had writing material in the little desk over there, and I wrote them a note. But the fog was so thick then that it was no use for them to make a search.”’ “ ‘‘Why didn’t they run back to New York with you ?”’ ‘“Simply because they thought they had done their duty by me, and that it would pay them betterx to come out to the fishing grounds and take me in on their return. I promised them money, but——”’ She laughingly held up a little purse. _ “Thad just ten cents in that, and you see Icouldn’t convince them of the fabu- lous wealth of my father and my friends by exhibiting that. They said they would take me when they went in, and I could not get anything else out of them.”’ **Perhaps a little money—as much or more than they can make out of this fish- ing trip—will induce them to take us_ right in. ‘That is; as soon as the wind rises. We’re not only anchored, but we’re becalmed now.’ Frank was thinking of Elsie and of the- others who had been on the Merry Seas - His heart was aching with anxiety. Bart and Inza were scarcely less distressed. The cabin or ‘‘cuddy,’’ which had been surrendered to them by the fishermen who were now outside, was a diminutive place, smelling unpleasantly of fish and burnt grease. On two sides were bunks. Near the center was the rusty stove about which the tlfree friends were gathered. Its heat caused their wet clothing to emit a cloud of steam. At one*side was the writing . _ desk, fashioned by clumsy hands, “and séattered about was a miscellaneous assort- ment of odds and ends, Conaistiiey: of sea Mey ; i 14 boots and oilskin coats, nets and fishing tackle. **Not a ladies’ parlor,’’ Inza admitted, glancing about. ‘‘But I tell you I was glad to get into it.’ ' ‘And you don’t know anything about ‘the people*on the Merry Seas?’ Frank asked. A look of -pain swept across the dark, handsome face. | “Not a thing! I am worried to death about all of them, especially father. But I hope for the best. If any others went overboard, the tug was right there to pick them up, and we can believe, until we know otherwise, that it did. We have been so very fortunate ourselves!’’ **More than fortunate !’’ Merry observed, with a thankful heart. ‘‘Now if we can only get to the city without delay! Call in the fishermen and perhaps an offer of, money can do something. If not, we can _capture the sloop and take it in our- selves !’’ ‘“*But there minded. : ‘“That is so. But call in the fishermen. We may get some opinions out of them.’’ is no breeze,’’ Bart re- ee CHAPTER VIL De EY ORR Di Jabez and Peleg Slocum, the deaf-mute owners of the fishing sloop, Sarah /ane, of Sea Cove, New Jersey, were what one might call ‘‘queer ducks;’’ a thing not so much to be wondered at when the fact that they had been deaf-and-dumb from infancy is taken into consideration, with the further fact that the greater part of their fifty odd years had been spent in the lonely and precarious calling of Atlantic fishermen. They were rough and gtiarled and cross-grained, like the sloop whose deck they trod; yet, in spite of all, like that same sloop, they had some aoe qual- UR ES TIP TOP WEEKLY. calmly queried. To them fishing was. the end aid aim of existence. Hence, as soon as Merriwell, with the aid of pencil and paper, began to talk of being taken straight to New ‘York, the fishermen shook their heads. They had work to do out there on the fishing banks. It was. probable they reas- oned that it was not their fault that these young people had fallen in their way. They had dutifully rescued them from watery graves—or, in the case of Hodge and Me had permitted them to rescue themselves. And thus whatever obligation they may have been under as fellow human beings had been fully dis- charged. ‘They did not want Merriwell’s money—and they certainly did not desire torun to New York. It was not their habit to visit New York. Sea Cove was their home, and, whenever they pulled up their rusty anchor for a run from the banks, they returned to Sea Cove invari- ably, unless blown out of-their latitude by a storm, as sometimes happened. Finally one of them wrote: : **See in morning. ’’ ‘‘And now we'll have something to eat!’’ Inza declared. ‘‘Both of you are famished. You are getting thawed out and dry, and if your stomachs are strong enough to stand the odor of things, I'll go ahead and get. some supper for you. I know where everything is in the—what do you call it?—locker? Peleg, that’s the taller one, showed me.’? — ‘‘Pelez must be sweet on you,’’ re- marked Frank, laughing. ' She picked up a spider and .shook it at him. ‘Don’t trouble the cook, Mr. Merriwell, if you expect to get anything to eat!’ “I was just going to remark that I ad- mired his taste. He isa man of most ex- cellent judgment!’ ‘*How is your taste, Mr. Hodge?’’ Inza “Do you think you can eat fish ?’’ “T could eat a whale. Pil eevhle up e aR aoe Keane cas ei TIP TOP WEEKLY. this fish basket pretty soon if you don’t hurry and serve something.”’ *“Very well. Fish ‘baskets on toast. There are fish ina box back there. And there are crackers in this box. And over there I found some pretty nice canned goods. ”’ Merriwell smiled. like a break of sunshine. **Vour talk makes me simply ravenous. ”’ That they were ravenous they showed when they fell to on the supper which Inza prepared as best she could from the materials available. There were things that might have been improved. They might have gone out on the deck, for one thing, but the wet fog had come down again, with a chill that went to the bones—a chill that was simply horrible to Frank and Bart in the damp condition in which their clothing still remained. The fishermen did not seem to mind the Inza’s manner was many fog, however, but walked the deck and. smoked, garbed in oilskins and sou’west- ers. They talked, too, by signaling to each other with their hands. Merry, Hodge and Inza sat up until a late hour, going over and over again all the points of the day’s experience, with the many conjectures and unanswerable questions which grew out of it. \ The fact that the sloop belonged in Sea Cove, the village near which, according to the newspaper report, Barney Mulloy was killed, was a matter of intense inter- est, even though the fishermen could in no wise enlighten them on the subject of Barney’s murder. Frank continued to hope that a breeze would spring up and that he could induce the Slocums by a liberal money offer to set him and his friends ashore at the near- est point without delay. In the event of a refusal, the temptation to take the vessel in himself would have been strong, but he knew that such a course would hardly do in these modern days. It smacked too _ much of piracy. Money was the lever he ¥ 15 hoped to use, and when the breeze came he intended to make the lever sufficiently strong to move even these placid souls. But the breeze did not come. The fog seemed to grow thicker and damper. At weariness overcame the whole Then Inza was left in full posses- length party. sion of the cuddy, while Hodge amd Frank crept into a narrow sleeping place forward which Jabez Slocum pointed out to them. As for the fishermen. themselves, they seemed content to stretch out under a tars paulin on deck; and the Sarah /ane. with lights set to show her position, though they could not have been ‘seen a dozen feet distant, rocked sleepily in the fog at the end of her cable. When morning dawned, the fog rolled away under the influence of a_ brilliant sun, showing an attractive sight. Other fishing boats, big and little, were rising and falling on the swell. -To the north- ward a steamer, outward bound, trailed from her triple funnels banners of black smoke. From the southward a ‘‘fruiter,’’ as the vessels bringing fruit from the West Indies are called, came bravely up the coast. There were other vessels—schoon- ers, barks, sloops, and the coast itself was visible as a blue line. Finally one of the Slocum brothers came to Merriwell and held out a scrap of paper. Frank glanced at it, and read, in an almost illegible scrawl, ‘‘Sea Cove.’ ‘They will take us to Sea Cove!’ Inza explained. ‘‘New York city,’’? Merry wrote. The deaf mute shook his head and again pointed to the name ‘‘Sea Cove.’ Frank wrote again, making an offer of a liberal sum of money. The result was the same. The man shook his head and pointed to the written name, ‘‘Sea Cove.”’ ‘“What’s the odds?’’ said Bart. ‘‘T'here is a tailway there, and no doubt. boats running to New Vork. And then it will give ys an opportunity to investigate the * re cane eee re eee ae GE i ATELIER NI II LG AE EEA IE: ANGLE ALOIS CM me 16 TIP or. murder of poor Barney a little. By to- night we can be in New York if all-goes well!’’ ‘Put us aboard the fruiter or some steamer,’’ Frank again wrote. But the man shook his head. “*Tt is Sea Cove or nothing,’’ said Inza. ‘“‘And he would be glad, I ee to have it nothing.’? ‘Sea Cove it is, then,’’ Frank agreed. But the promise was productive of no immediate good. There was no breeze, and, as the Savah Jane was on the shallow banks far out of the route of the steamers, there was nothing to do but to cultivate patience and wait. At Frank’s urging, Peleg set a signal from the masthead, but it drew no vessel near them. The Slocums seemed glad that they were not to be called on to sail at once for land, and they proceeded to get out long hand lines and fish over the sides of the sloop. Wherever they went they were fol- lowed by their dog, that limped from the blows Bart had given it. The dog would not make friends with the newcomers, but showed its teeth in a threatening way whenever Bart or Frank came near. Finally Merriwell and his friends also engaged in the fishing to kill time, and with considerable success. Thus the day wore wearily along until well into the afternoon. ‘*A breeze!’’ Frank gleefully exclaimed at last, holding up a hand. ‘The wind is coming! I feel that if this old boat doesn’t get a move on soon, I shall have to jump overboard and swim ashore. ”’ ‘Well, I should hope you would take me on your back!’’ Inza observed, her voice thrilled with the thought that the long-expected breeze was actually coming. “T’m as frantic as any one can be to put foot on land and learn what has happened to our friends and to father!”’ The Slocums were ready to go home now, and as the breeze rapidly increased in strength and gave evidence of ~ faving WEEKLY. come to stay, they speedily got the Sarah Jane under way, with the help of Frank and Bart, and stood off for the Jersey shore. Frank was now perfectly willing that they should run to Sea Cove direct, for a little thought and some questions put to the Slocums had shown him that he could :~ reach New York from there by wire, and by rail from a point near by, and he could take a little time to investigate the Barney Mulloy affair. CHAPTER VIII. THE GHOST OF BARNEY MULLOY. ‘‘Another calm!’’ Bart growled, in dis- gust. Night was approaching, and the Sarah Jane lay becalmed a mile from shore and nearly ten miles from Sea Cove. The shore, high and sandy, was plainly visi- ble, with pretty cottages among some trees a short distance back from the edge of the water. The Slocums had a good glass, which brought all ae out with much distinctness. “Tf we could just draw the laid near enough with that glass to jump ashore!”’ Inza sighed. ‘Se ‘I’ve a plan almost as good,’’ said Frank. This plan was to have the Slocums set them ashore in the dory. By a little questioning in writing, they 3 learned from the fishermen that the group of cottages was Glen Springs, and that there was a telegraph office there and a daily visit by a small steamer from Nee York, but no railway. - This increased their anxiety to be set ashore at Glen Springs, for by putting themselves in telegraphic communication with New York they could ascertain with- out delay the fate of the Merry Seas and A of her passengers. For a small financial consideration the Slocums were willing to put Merriwell a. TIP TOP and his friends ashore in the dory; which was done by Peleg, who pulled a good strong stroke \and sent the clumsy boat through the water at a surprising rate of . speed. “‘Attack the telegraph office first,’’ Inza _ suggested. A telegram to New York brought this answer: “‘ Merry Seas towed in considerably in- jured. Missing are Frank. Merriwell, Bart Hodge, Inza Burrage. Other passengers landed safely. Bernard Burrage at Hotel Imperial.” Bart threw up his cap. Merriwell was writing another message, directed to Bernard Burrage, assuring him of the safety of Inza and asking that this fact and the fact that he and Bart were also safe be communicated at once to their friends at the hotel and elsewhere. That will fix things up all right,’’ he remarked, as the operator began to click off the message. ‘‘Of course we can’t know all the particulars until later; but it is enough to know that none of our friends are lost, and to be able to let them know that we.are all right.’ ‘‘Vou bet!’’ Bart cried. ‘‘This is great! I was mighty anxious, I tell you.” ‘‘And I was simply crazy!’’ Inza ex- claimed. The relief to their feelings was so great that the hardships of their recent expert- ence seemed to be at once forgotten, and they became almost happy. They could not be quite happy, for the news of the murder of Barney Mulloy still cast its _ shadow. ste : . ‘“‘When does the next boat leave for ~New York???’ Frank asked of the operator. ‘To-morrow noon.”’ 5 ‘We can drive through to Sea Cove?”’ (Ves. ”? 5 “And when does a train leave Sea Cove ?’’ ‘To-morrow at 6:45 and 10:30.”’ As they were very tired, it was decided, | _**Poor Barney ! WEEKLY. a therefore, that they would remain in Glen Springs until early the next morning, when they would drive to Sea Cove, make inquiries there about Barney, and take the 10:30 train. The hotel at Glen Springs was small, but it looked clean and invit- ing. ‘“‘What do you know about the murder of a young Irishman named Barney Mul- — loy, by tramps near Sea Cove, day before yesterday ?’’ Merry inquired. ‘‘Only what the papers said,’’ was the operator’s answer. ‘*And no one else in the village can tell et” “T think not.”’ The hotel was in the suburbs, having’a view of the sea, and was really a summer hotel more than anything else. It had very few guests as yet. From it a number of messages were sent to New York and received from there by our friends that evening—messages from Elsie and Mr. Burrage, and from other members of the party that had been on the Merry Seas. Though fairly tired out by his exhaust- ing experiences; from which the long hours on the fishing sloop had not enabled him to recuperate, Frank Merriwell was not able to sleep until a late hour. His. thoughts were of Barney Mulloy. In memory he traveled the round of the Fardale days. The death of Mulloy in that terrible manner had upset him’ more than he had realized. He had not felt it so much during his exciting experiences, and while weighted down with anxiety concerning the fate of the Merry Seas. ‘‘T just can’t sleep!’’ he muttered, seat- ing himself at last by a window and look- ing out toward the sea, along a greensward on which the moonlight fell lovingly. Perhaps I ought to have. gone on to Sea Cove and begun my in- vestigations at once. tired. She has held ‘up bravely, dear girl, through it all, but this evening she looked 5 But Inza was so — 18 Ti Dor at ° ready to drop. I felt that we ought nx She will sleep er go on until she was rested. well now, since she knows that her fath is safe,’ Something dark moved among the shad- Mer- ows, and a famliar form approached. tiwell started up with a low cry: ‘‘Barney Mulloy!’ He saw the young Irishman as plainly as he had ever seen him. ‘The face, thou was white figure moved with a heavy step, “ct 2, host hostly Oomine Coming and The ¢ o bloodless. straight up the walk toward the building. Frank sat rooted to his chair. n the shadow he piazza the figure In the shadow of the piazza the figt seeined to turn, and was then lost to view. Merriwell threw up the window. ‘‘Barney !’’ he softly called. Barney Mulloy!’ ‘*Barney— The only answer that came back was slow and heavy tread, that seemed to come from a corridor opening out upon the alk along which Barney had come. Tramp, tramp, tramp! a The footsteps sounded with great dis- tinctness. Merriwell threw open the door of his room leading out into this corridor. ‘The light of the lamp flooded the corridor, and he was able to view it from end‘ to end. He could have sworn that the footsteps were just beyond his door, But the cor- ridor was absolutely empty. And the foot- steps had ceased. Frank whistled softly to himself. He was not superstitious, but this was rather shaking to the nerves. He hurried back to the window and looked out upon the walk and down the moon-lighted sward.. No sound came, save the dashing of the surf. He leaped through the open window and proceeded to inspect the grounds in that vicinity. The ghostly form had vanished. ‘‘Hodge!’’ he called. out here.’’ Hodge, who occupied an adjacent room, ‘‘Hodge! Come ; WEEKLY. and who had been asleep, threw up a win- dow and looked out. ‘“Yes,’’ he said. ‘‘As soon as I can slip into my clothes. What is it, Merry ?’’ ‘*T don’t know,’’ Frank confessed. wish I did know.”’ ‘‘Of course, there are no such things as ghosts,’’ CCT he declared, when Bart joined ‘But if ever a man saw one, I did just now—the ghost of Barney Mulloy !”’ Hodge stared at his friend as if wonder- ing if Frank’s mind was not affected. ‘*What do you mean ?”’ ‘‘Tust what I have said to you. him. I saw an apparition that resembled Barney Mul- loy. And I not only saw it, but I heard it. It came right along here, and turned in there, and then I heard it in the cor- I threw open the corridor door be-— fore any one could have got out of there, and the corridor was empty.”’ ‘You must have been dreaming !’’ ‘‘Not a bit of it, Bart. I hadn’t gone to bed. I haven’t been even a bit sleepy. I was sitting at my window, and I saw it as plainly as I see you.”? ridor. CHAPTER IX. THE MYSTERY DEEPENS. ‘*VYou certainly must have been dream- ing, Merry!’ Bart insisted. ‘‘Have you looked all about ?”’ ‘*Kverywhere. ” Bart walked over to the door which opened from the corridor on the lawn. It was not locked. “It couldn’t have, been Barney, of course; but whoever 4 was went through here into the corridor.’ ““And how did he get out of the cor- maori??? :,:* ‘Walked on through into the office.” ‘“The office is closed. The landlord and all the servants retired along ago.’’ ‘Well, it couldn’t have been a ghost!’ “TI am wondering if it could have been Barney himself?” . 7 ‘natural. TIP TOP ‘‘He was-——attacked near Sea Cove, not here !’’ ‘‘f am going to rout out the landlord,’’ Merriwell ““Perhaps he can throw some light on the subject.”’ declared. “He told you, when you inquired, that he had heard nothing except what was in the papers.’ ‘But he may away this mystery.’’ When summoned, the down into the little office sleepy, very stupid and somewhat angry. + be able to help us to clear landlord came looking very Merriwell told what he had seen and heard, and repeated the newspaper story about the murder of Barney. ‘Well, that was at Sea Cove,’’ was the ‘‘Ghosts always come back to the ? answer. place where the person was killed. Why should it come here? I don’t like this. If you tell it, it will giv a bad name. No-one wants to board in a hauut- ed house, and it will ruin my summer’s my house business. ’’ “‘But I thought you might help us to an explanation,’’ Frank insisted. The sleepy and stupid look had passed away. ‘The landlord had once been a sea- faring man, and he was.a bit superstitious, Still, he was not willing to acknowledge that Frank had beheld something super- He would not deny its possibil- ity, but repeated over and over his_ belief that ghosts always return to the place of the murder and to no other place, and that the Tepetition of the: story would drive away his summer boarders. “T tell him he was just dreaming,’’ said Bart. ; “Sure!’? with a look of relief. ‘‘Of course he was dreaming. There’s been no- body in Glen Springs looking like the chap you describe, and I’m sure that no- body has been ene in that corridor, ‘less it was burglars.’ So Frank went back to his room, ac- companied by Bart. He knew that he had not been asleep, though, and he felt sure * ? V VEHK LY. 19 that he had really seen and heard some- hing, and was not the victim of a Ballu- cination. Merriwell sat down again by the open window, and Bart dropped futo a chair b his side. “Tf the thing. comes again, we’ll cap- ture it!’’ said Hodge. ‘‘Somebody may be playing ghost, just to scare us. I have He did not complete the sentence, for he really heard something at the moment that stilled the words on his lips and drove the blood out of his face. Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp! The sounds came unmistakably from the corridor * “There it is again!’ Frank exclaimed. Bart leaped toward the door and quickly threw it open. The lamp light again streamed out into the corridor. But the sounds had ceased, and the corridor was empty. Hodge stared down the corridor in stupid bewilderment. ‘‘Of all the strange things!’’ he gasped. ‘“That is the strangest !’? Merriwell add- ed. ‘‘Youw heard it for yourself then !?? Bart walked out into the corridor, peered out of doors through the glass set in the side door, and opened the door leading into the. deserted office. There was nothing to be seen. When he came back his face was beaded with moisture. . ‘Merry, I wish you’d tell me the mean- ing of that!’? ‘‘T wish.you would tell mre, Bart! You thought I was dreaming, or fancied that I saw and heard OEE: You see now that you were mistaken.’ ‘‘Unless I am dreaming myself!” ‘‘Vou are perfectly wide awake, Hodge, and soamI! ‘There is a mystery here.’’ ‘‘Never knew anything like it,’? mop- ping his face. ‘‘Whew! It brings the cold sweat out on me!”? 20 TIP TOP WEEKLY. He dropped down into the chair by the window, leaving the corridor door open. Nothing further was heard. “‘Ghosts don’t like a bright light!’’ Merry reminded, smiling grimly. Bart got up, closed the door, and sat down again. Then his hair seemed to stand upright on his head. Out of the shadow of the building, near one of the angles, walked . the ghostly form which Merriwell had be- held. Hodge was unable to speak at first. Merry noticed his manner and the look in his staring eyes, and sprang to the win- dow. As he did so, the ghostly form vanished | into the shadow, and again those steps' were heard in the corridor. ‘If Barney is dead, that was his spirit sure enough!’’ Hodge whispered, in an awed way. Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp! The steps echoed in the corridor. Even Merriwell’s stout heart was as- sailed by a feeling that was like supersti- tious dread. “Tt looked just like him!’ TH very picture of him, only white- faced, as if he had just come out of the grave!’ Tramp, tramp, tramp! sounded the _ steps in the corridor. rae “Open the door, Merry, for God’s sake!” Hodge gasped, as if the words choked him. ‘‘See if there isn’t some- thing in the corridor! ‘There must be!”’ Merriwell stepped to the door and flung it open. . | Instantly the sounds ceased. ~ ‘*Somebody is playing a joke on us, I _believe!’’ Bart declared, and anger came ‘to drive out the superstitious feeling that had shaken him. ‘‘I’m going to take a _ look round the house myself, and if I find --anybody——”’ “Pll go with you !?! Merry exclaimed, re and both leaped through the ret win- poms : . } They circled round the house, looked down the paths and out over the sward on which the moonlight fell, but not a form could they see “Give it up!’ Hades admitted. ‘‘I don’t know what to think.”’ They came back to the window, and again they heard the footsteps in the cor- ridor. Hodge went through the window at a flying leap and. hurled.open the corridor door, only to again find silence and blank- ness. “The place is bewitched!’ he ex- claimed. “But there are no such things as- ghosts!’ 3 ‘““T know it. Of course, there can’t be —that’s what I have always believed. I have always fancied that stories of ghosts were lies and foolishness, and I’m not ready to back water on that belief. But I can’t understand this business.” Nor I”? ‘Shall we call the landlord again?” “What good will it do?” . ‘*Shall we wake Inza?’? — ‘‘And rob her of her rest and fill her with anxiety? No, let her ee She needs it.’ ‘‘Well, I shall not be able tosleep any more to-night.”’ ‘ ‘“‘And it looked’ just like Barney!’ ‘ a Frank declared. ‘(His very image!” - —_—_— SS CHAPTER X. THE PHANTOM AGAIN. Both Merriwell and Hodge were so sure . they had _ seen something that they again. -° let themselves out. through the window and made a search of the grounds. ‘The result was the same. Not a moving form was to be seen. But as they returned to-— ward the room, they once more heard | those mysterious footsteps. > eA IREO ae Frank laid a hand on Bart’s arm, and - both stood still and-listened. ‘‘Where does that seem to be?” **Merry, that’s coming from your room! The thing is in your room!”’ - Hodge’s voice shook, in spite of him- self. Frank dashed toward the open window. But before he could reach it the sounds ceased. When he looked in the room was empty. The light was shining, and the door leading to the corridor was closed. *‘No one could have got out of that toom without our knowing it!’’ Merri- well whispered. ; Hodge had reached his side, and both were staring into the room. ‘‘Of course not. The thing is impossi- bie; ** ; ‘*And yet those footsteps sounded right here. ”’ ‘‘Let’s go in and take another look into the corridor.’’ For answer, Merry drew Bart back into the shadows by the window. ‘‘Keep still right here a little while. Perhaps the—the thing will return. If some one is playing us a trick, we may capture him.”? ‘‘T shoulld like to lay my hands on the villain!’ Bart hissed. Though they stood there in utter silence for five minutes, the sounds did not come again. ‘‘Of course, there is some rational ex- _ planation of this,’’ Merry declared, as they again approached the window. ‘‘There must be! It is the wildest nonsense to yhink otherwise.’ 3 Well, I wish that rational explanation would hurry this way. I’m ready for it, old man! This thing is shaking my nerves all to pieces.”’ “*T didn’t know you were troubled with nerves! Nerves are for hysterical girls and old women !”? | 3 5 “Well, P’ve got ’ém now! as the drunk- \ TOP WEEKLY. 21 en man said when he began to see snakes. I haven’t any doubt about it.”’ Hodge so seldom indulged in a joke that Merry looked surprised. They had re-entered the rogm, and he glanced at his friend in wonder. “Likely that—thing will begin to walk again pretty soon,’’ said Frank, after they had remained another minute or soina “You sit here and watch by this window, while I slip into the corridor.’ Hodge obediently dropped into the chair, and Merriwell let himself into the corridor. He closed the door after him, so that if any one approached or entered the corridor that person could not see him, and began his vigil. The silence was so great that he could hear his watch ticking away in his pocket. It seemed strange that it should run after its salt water ducking, but he reasoned that probably the works were pot touched by the salt water. His clothing had dried long ago, but he felt the need of a change. However, he had taken.a bath since reach- ing the hotel, and so was in a measure comfortable. There was a great deal to think of as he stood there in the gloom, but the nfin- utes dragged along like weeks. ‘This sort of vigil was rather nerve trying. He was sure, now that. he had time to think about it, that some very little thing might ac- count for the mystery. He began to think that the footsteps had probably been made by some servant or by a somnambulist. Sounds are very deceptive as to direction, as he more than once had discovered. The footsteps might have been at some dis- tance from the corridor. “*But that doesn’t explain what I saw and what Bart saw!’’ he muttered. ‘‘I might have thought my eyes deceived me, but Bart saw it, too. That was either . Barney Mulloy, or some one who looks © marvelously like him. If it was really Barney, then the poor feliow is not dead! listening attitude. ene > TOP 22 TIP I sincerely hope we shall find out that he was not killed. Perhaps the entire news- paper report was based on a mistake. The papers are full of errors.’’ The sounds did not come again, and when it seemed almost «useless to wait longer for them, he returned to the room, where he found Bart w atching silently by the window. “‘Seen anything ?’’ he asked. “‘No. Heard anything ?’’ “Not a thing. ”’ “*T didn’t sttppose you had, or I should have heard it, too.”’ ‘It will probably not re-appear to- rite: So. ‘Well, I’m not in love with ghosts, but I have been wild to have the thing pass along that walk again. It wouldn’t get away from me this time! I’ve planned just what to do.” “What ?”? ‘*Ican reach that walk in three jumps ‘from this window, and it would take a lively ghost to get away from me. I was going right out there the first glimpse I got of it? ° “Then you’re not afraid of ghosts??? laughed Frank, for there was something amusing in his companion’s manner. “*T might be, Merry, if there were any. But I’ve been thinking as I sat here. I know I saw something, and that some- thing was a man. He didn’t look so strong but that I could tumble him over easy enough. That was my plan, and then we could see who it is. It couldn’t have been Barney, for all it looked so much like him.”? As he spoke he saw the ghostly figure again, but much farther away. Its face was turned toward the window and the moonlight revealed it plainly. It was the face of Barney Mulloy. Bart went through the open window at a bound. ‘*Barney! he called. loy !”? The mysterious figure drew quickly back into the shrubbery, and disappeared. Merriwell sprang through the open win- dow after Hodge, and together they raced to the point where the figure had been “Barney Mul- ‘seen. When they got there ner eal dis- cover nothing. WEEKLY. ‘“That was Barney Mulloy !’’ Merriwell asserted. ‘*Sure!”? ‘*And he isn’t dead!’ **Barney or his spirit!’’ ‘It was Barney.’’ “Why didn’t he stop when I called to him ??’ “fT don't know. here.’ ‘‘Bigogest one I ever struck, Merry! It knocks me silly.’’ There is a mystery CHAPTER XI. MERRIWELL’S FRIENDS. The time was well on toward morning before Merriwell and Hodge turned in to try to get some sleep. No more mysterious sounds or ghostly appearances had been heard or seen. The sun was scarcely up when they were aroused by a trampling of feet and the sounds of well-known voices in the corridor. . A rap fell on Merry’s door. ‘“Arise, ye sleepers, and wake—I mean awake, ye sleepers, and rise!’’ shouted Harry ‘Rattleton. ‘Come out here and let me pull you out of bed!’’ grunted Bruce Browning. ‘*He is sleeping like the sleeper in the sleeper which runs over the sleeper and does not-awaken the sleeper in the sleeper which——”’ ‘“You give us that sleepy feet your- self; Danny !’ Bink Stubbs grumbled. Merry tumbled out of bed, unlocked the door and thrtist his head into the cor- ridor. Before him were Bruce and Dia- mond, Rattleton and Dismal Jones, Bink and Danny, and through the half-open door leading into the office he also caught a glimpse of Elsie Bellwood and Bernard Burrage. “Gl lad to see you!’ he cried. ae did you tumble from ?’’ ~ Bart had his door open now and began to ask questions. 2 — “Pll be out in a minute,’’ Frank prom- ised, and began to dress with the speed of a lightning change artist. A little later Merriwell’s entire party gathered in the hotel office, for Inza had been awakéned and joined them. Mutual explanations flew thick and fast. ‘Merriwell’ s friends, after being taken | 3 hy a x TIP to New York, had shortly fallen in with a patty of Yale students, mostly seniors, who had come down ue ae Haven on the steamer Azchard Peck, and were on their way to view the new Government fortifications at Sandy Hook, by special permission of General Merritt, commander of the Department of the East. This permission had been obtained by Iieutenant Andrew Bell, of the First United States Artillery, who had recently been detailed by the Secretary of War as professor of military science in Yale Col- lege. Merriwell’s friends had been invited to join this company of students, that they might the more quickly reach thei rt friends, and had been brought to Sandy Hook by the government steamer, General Meigs. From Sandy Hook the steamer’s large steam launch had hurried them on to Glen Springs. ‘And now you are going right back with us to Sandy Hook!” Elsie ‘enthusi- astically exclaimed. Suddenly a silence fell on the jolly party, occasioned by the shadow that came over the face of Frank Merriwell. .“T can’t go until we have settled the mystery of Barney Mulloy,’’ he declared, and then gave a hurried account of what he and port had seen and heard. “T hoped you wouldn’t say nothin’ about that!” erumbled the landlord, who had been until then an interested listener. “Up to that moment he had seemed pleased, though nervous, for it gratified him to have guests who were of sufficient importance to be brought to Glen Springs by the launch of a government steamer. ‘“'This must be all nonsense, you know!”’ he declared. ‘‘And I can’t have any such ‘reports go out about my house. If it gits the reputation of being ha’nted, then good- by business. I won’t have a guest set foot in the doorway all summer. I know these people who claim not to be superstitious. They ain’t superstitious so long as other people sees things, but they git confound- edly so soon’s they begin to see things themselves, ’’ “You have seen things at sea that puz- -zled you?’ Merry asked, knowing that he was making a center shot. “Who said that I’d ever been to. sea? And s’pose I have? I hain’t worried peo- TOP WEEKLY. 23 ple to death about it and broke up anoth- er inan’s business. There ain’t a thing in this. This ain’t out at sea, ye know!’ The landlord seemed to have the peculiar feeling that only ghosts that sailed or walked the briny deep were worthy of consideration. “Explain it, then!’’ Merriwell de- manded. ‘‘You can make us feel that nothing strange happened last night if you will explain the thing.’’ ‘You was just dopy!’’ the captain argued. “Your nerves was shook up from bein’ in the water so long, and the skeer of the collision.’’ 7 Though there seemed no use to make an investigation, Merriwell began one im- mediately. He felt sure that Barney Mul- loy was somewliere in Glen Springs. **T know that I saw him!’? was his per- sistent declaration. ‘‘And heard him walk!’’ added Hodge. **T can swear to it.’’ “Yes. And though the thing is so strange, it makes me feel better, for I am sure now that Barney is not dead.’’ “But he looked like a ghost !?’ Bart ad- mitted. ‘‘I’m with you, though, to the end in this thing. We'll go to the bottom wqt-it.” Questioning the people of the village yielded no better results. Everybody agreed that no person answering to the description of Barney Mulloy had been in Glen Springs. Some of them were even more nervous and landlord, for almost the sole remunerative business of these people was the keeping of summer boarders, and they feared that grewsome reports about the place would drive guests away. “Mr. Hodge and I are coming back here to-night,’’ Merriwell said to the land- lord. ‘‘Perhaps we shall bring some of these friends with us. It seems useless to — continue the investigation now, and I want, besides, to ask some questions at Sea Cove. The launch is all ready to re- turn to Sandy Hook, and the officer in command says that his orders require him to return there without further delay. But we Will come back to-night. ’’ . The landlord’s face-did not give the proposition an eager welcome, though one of. his business tenets was never to turn a guest away. indignant than the & 24 So the launch steamed away to Sandy Hook, leaving Glen Springs and its strange and unsolved puzzle behind. CHAPTER XII. AT SANDY HOOK. But for that seemingly impenetrable mystery, the trip to Sandy Hook, with the visit of inspection which followed, would have been jolly. However, there was so much to be happy and thankful for, anyway, that the spirits of the party partook largely of the brightness of . the day. The run of the speedy launch up the coast was pleasant, and at Sandy Hook they found their fellow students awaiting them, and were given aright royal wel- come by Captain Isaac Heath, the officer in charge of the proving grounds. ‘‘Say, fellows, this is great!’’? Danny warbled, as Captain Heath escorted them to where the big guns were. ‘‘I always did like big guns!’’ ‘*VYou’re such a big gun yourself!’’ sneered Bink, under his breath. ‘*Binky, if my brain caliber required no more than a number five hat, as yours does, I’d sing low about big guns!’ ‘‘Numpber five hat? Why——”’ ‘This -ten-inch breech-loading rifle takes a charge of 110 pounds gf Du/pont smokeless powder and a projectile weigh- ing 575 pounds,’’ Captain Heath was ex- plaining, as they stopped in front of the big sea-coast defender. ‘Say, they’re going to fire it!’’ Bink gasped. “Of course, you idiot! Did you think it was going to fire them ?’’ ‘Better stand on your tiptoes and stick cotton into your ears,’’ Browning warned, _as the big gun was quickly made ready for hurling its terrible projectile. ‘‘Wh-what if the dinged old thing should bub-bub-burst?”? Gamp anxiously asked. . “‘We should have to *€ “Ask of the winds, that far around With fragments strewed the sea!’ ”’ was Danny’s comforting answer. - Dismal and Rattleton retreated a step or two, as did Elsie Bellwood. But Inza stood her ground as bravely as Merriwell himself. TIP TOP WEEKLY. Then, before more could .be said, the big cannon boomed forth its volume of is deafening sound, making the very walls ‘to shake. } . Danny tumbled backward, then picked himself up and felt over his person very carefully. . ‘‘Am I all here?’’ he anxiously queried. All watched the direction in which the huge shot had been fired, but it fell miles away. Merriwell and a few others provided with strong glasses saw it drop into the sea. The captain was talking again. ‘’The instruments record an initial vel- ocity of 1,000 feet per second, with a pressure of 24,000 pounds. ”’ , “‘T’yve been under greater pressure than that,’’ Danny chirped. ‘When you were shot?’’ Bink asked. ‘fAll guns, big and little, are under press- . ure when they are shot. ” ’ “‘T’ll put your throat under pressure when we get away from here!’ Bink threatened. ‘“This is atwelve-inch rifle, loaded with 130 pounds of powder and a projectile of the same weight as the first.”’ The party had moved to a new point, and Captain Heath was again talking. Other guns were fired, after the dis- charge of this one; the last shot being sent from a twelve-inch rifle with a charge of 475 pounds of Dupont brown prismatic | powder and a: projectile weighing 1,000 pounds. The roar, the jar and the vibration were like that of a miniature earthquake. Captain Heath’s calm voice was heard again, after a short silence. “The velocity was 2,088 feet per sec- ond, and the pressure 4,000 pounds. This — pressure is 10,000 pounds too high. The — powder is too quick and will be ¢on- _ demned.”’ e oi After this there was an examination Ore the guns and carriages, with a lecture by. Lieutenant Bell; an examination of the > gun lift battery and the hydraulic lifts, and the wonderful Buffington-Crozier dis- appearing catriages, and a look over the site of the new artillery post to be known > as Fort Hancock. Then luncheon was served. F In spite of the many interesting chide: which he had seen and eee a had 2 a out of here!’? Danny chirped. an officer, so he amd went to Danny’s TIP TOP listened, Merriwell could not get his thoughts away from Barney Mulloy. He had already obtained consent for the party to be taken on the launch to Sea Cove and Glen Springs at once, after luncheon. Thinking of these things and with his head full of the plans for discovering the secret of the happenings at Glen Springs, he walked round the works again, view- ing the emplacements and the big guns, but with his thoughts far enough away from the things on which his eyes rested. Suddenly he was attracted by acry. It seemed to come from the air, and it made him think of the apparition and the . ghostly footsteps. But when he glanced up he saw Danny Griswold’s head protruding from the muzzle of a large coast defense cannon. Merriwell was astonished, though sucha piece of recklessness was just like Danny. It was not that Frank feared any peril to Danny from the gun, but the officers and gunners would be indignant, no doubt, if they. caught the little joker playing hide-and-seek in that way with one of their pets. **T’1l give him a scare,’’ he thought. **He is getting altogether too fresh.’’ ‘Danny Griswold, that gun is loaded and they are going to fire it!’ Merry cried, with well simulated fear. ! Danny’ s red head came further out like the head of a tortoise issuing from its shell! ‘“Then I suppose I shall be able to get eae seas do it, unless Iam shot-out. I slipped in here easy enough, but I’ve grown, I guess, for I can’t slip back.”? ‘‘How did you get in there, anyway ?”’ _ “Climbed in.”? “Tm afraid you will have to climb out.’ A gunner came hurrying upon the scene. _ ‘‘Wh-what?’’ he sputtered. “Our little friend is in need of assist- ance. If he gets out of there he will never play canon ball again.”’ “Tf you will just fire me!’’ aortas beg- eee not a bit abashed. 3 The guriner was not at all willing that _Danny’s plight should be discovered by J ~ we WEEKLY. 25 assistance and ‘‘fired’’ him by bodily pull- ing him out of the cannon. ““Thanks!”’ chirped the little joker, as he dropped to the ground. ‘‘Bink says that I’m a small caliber projectile, but I was quite big enough for that cannon. Say, do you fire men every day ?’’ The gunner could not suppress a grin, ‘‘Men? Well, you’re likely to get fired, young feller, if you monkey round these guns!’’ he declared. CHAPTER XIII. THE MYSTERY CLEARED AWAY. What news was obtainable at Sea Cove about Barney Mulloy was important, though somewhat unsatisfactory. Barney had been attacked by tramps and badly hurt, but not killed, though at first the report of his death had gone out. One of the tramps had been nearly killed in the fight, and Mulloy had disappeared. ‘“What became of him? Where did he go?’’ were Merriwell’s questions. . ‘“We didn’t pay much attention to it,’? was the answer given by Merriwell’s Sea Cove informant. ‘‘Likely he walked off, or went away on the-boat or train. Easy enough to get out of this place.’’ With this meager information, Frank and his friends hurried back on the launch to Glen Springs. ‘He isn’t dead!’? was Merry’s cheerful declaration. ‘‘That must have been Bar- ney that Bart and I saw.”’ ‘‘But the walking?’’ Hodge dubiously questioned. ‘And why should he be in nese fa Diamond demanded. “Some men love darkness because uals deeds are evil,’’? Dismal droned. ‘*Well, you may be sure that Barney’s deeds were not evil,’ said Frank. ‘‘Bar. ney is straight, and true blue.’’ * Night was at hand when the launch cast anchor in the shallow harbor in front of Glen Springs and sent a boat ashore with Merry and the friends he had chosen for the vigil of the coming hours of dark- ness. 3 The landlord of the little hotel was not | pleased that they had returned for the purpose of capturing the ‘‘ghost,’’ though he was beginning, as he confessed, to feel ‘‘creepy’’ about it himself. 26 TIP ‘tT was intendin’ to set up and watch for it, if you hadn’t come,’’ he finally ad- mitted. No one answering to Barney’s descrip- tion had been seen in Glen Springs through the day. In fact, no stranger whatever had been seen in the place from the time the Jaunch went away until it returned. “*Tt’s mighty served. ‘“‘T have a feeling that we will learn to- night just what it is,’’ said Merriwell. Frank occupied his old room, and _ sat at the window with mond, Rattleton and Bruce remained in the office. The doors leading to the cor- ridor were at first closed. Merry looked at his watch after the lights were put out in the part of the building occupied by the landlord and his family. ‘Tt ought 4o be coming round again pretty soon,’’ Bart remarked, finding it impossible to escape a queer, uneasy feel- ing, anxious as he was to see the spectre, and determined as he was to effect its cap- ture if it again appeared. As he said it, the sounds of those mys- terious steps were again heard in the cor- ridor, and they heard the occupants of the office fling open the door. ‘‘You weren’t walking in here?’’ Dia- mond demanded. ‘‘Not on your life!’’? Bart answered. ‘‘But we heard some one!’’ “Of course you did, and so did we. And we heard it last night!”’ - Rattleton and Bruce came on through into Merriwell’s room. / ‘‘Scrate Gott, this is enotigh to turn a man’s hair white!’’ Rattleton sputtered. . “Did you think we were just jollying you about this?’’ Bart sharply asked. ‘*No, but——”’ ‘‘Vou’re likely to see the thing, as well as hear it,’’ Hodge asserted. The landlord, who had not retired, though making a pretence of so doing, tumbled down in much excitement, in re- sponse to Rattleton’s summons. ‘‘Did you see it, boys?’’ he gasped. His face was white and he was trem- bling. All the assumed bravery had gone out of him.’ °! j curious,’’ Bart grimly ob- 4 Hodge, while Dia- . ‘him. TOP WEEKLY. ‘‘Only heard it walking there in the hall,’’ Merry answered. The landlord gave a jump. He had for- gotten that he was standing by the cor- ridor door. a. you cat t see anything!’’ Frank reminded. ‘“That’s the trouble. We can hear the thing Shae but we can’t see anything. Close the oor and we may be able to hear it again. **Don’t! don 1 the landlord pleaded. “But want you to he ar it. Perhaps tell us what it is.’ never anything in the cor- ridor,’’ the landlord declared. ST can’t set here if you shut that door.’ “There he is again!’ said you cat “There 1s se int the voice of one who expects to behold the supernat atural and inexplicable and has steeled sitiaelé against unpleasant sensa- tions. ‘‘’here he comes! Barney, as sure as cuns!’?’ The landlord dropped limply into a chair, and stared out through the open - window in the direction indicated by Hodge’s pointing finger. The others and Bart. ‘‘VYou see it??? Frank whispered. ‘Tet me out of this!’’ the landlord gur- geled, though no hand was restraining “Booh-h-h! Let me out of this. Ar-r-r-r-r! It’s a ghost sure enough! Don’t you see that white cloth on its head —a bloody white cloth ?”’ He seemed about to tumble over in a fit. ‘He’s coming this way!’’ Merry whis- pered. ‘‘Just keep still now, all of you!’’ Rattleton seemed about to bolt from the place, though the others were bravely standing their ground. “‘No ghost there!’’ ‘“That’s a live man.”? “*It’s Barney,’’ Merry declared. not dead. His head is tied up.”? ‘But what makes the—him sneak along in that way ?’’ Rattleton gasped. ‘‘Whee- giz, it makes my blood run cold! Ugh!”’ ‘‘Tust keep still and we shall soon find out!’? Frank sharply SES in a whisper. The ghostly figure came does up the walk. Nearer and nearer it drew, walking as if it did not eee discovery at that late hour. » grouped round Merriwell said Browning. ‘He as ae ‘“There is another!’ Rattleton pered. The figure of a woman came into view, hurrying rapidly along the path after Mulloy, and seeming to be in pursuit of him, though he appeared not to know it. “Now! Merry whispered. ‘‘Ready, Hodge—now !’’ He leaped through the window, with Bart at his side. The ghostly figt oh was but a few yards away. B efore it could turn in the direction of the sound chev were half way across the intervening space. ““Barney! Mulloy!’ Frank called. The figure uttered a cry and started to run. But Frank in the next instant his hand fell shoulder of the spectre. “Don’t you know -Merriwell!”’ The figure ceased its struggles. “Wurroo! Is it yez for thrue, Merri- well? It ‘ought it wor an officer thryin’ to arrist me.’ “(Break loose and run, ye fool!’ was squealed ira high, feminine voice. ‘Run, Barney, pe whis- ’s pace was too swift. Almost on the me, Barney? I’m }>? dear—trun ! ‘*Niver!’’ Barney declared. ‘*Niver will I run from a frind loike Merriwell!’’ “But you’ll be put in jail!’ You'll be hung!’’ the woman shrieked, in a vain effort to stampede the Irish lad. fellers is officers. ’’ Bart had pushed up, so. that Mulloy could recognize him. *‘Save me frum her, Frankie!’’ Barney pleaded. ‘‘Woo-oo! Begorra! She’s crazier | than wildcats!’’ Then he whispered: ‘“The ould sinner wants to marry me. Think av thot! She’s been hoidin’ me frum the officers fer matrimoonial poor- -puses. ‘Take me away from her, Franky ° darlint! Oi’ve kilt a thranip, and I’m in peril av bein’ hoong for it; but I’d rather be hoong than to marry such a cat as thot! Bad cess to her!’’ _ ‘Gentlemen, the poor fellow is out of his head!’ the woman purred, modulat- ing that shrieking voice. ‘‘His head has been hurt, and he don’t know nothin’ that he’s talkin? *bout.”’ _ Barney clung to Merriwell and Hodge _as if he feared the woman would drag him bodily away from these friends. > i ‘Them TOP WEEKLY. 27 ‘‘Oi suppose thot she may be able to foorce me into marryin’ her,’’ he moaned. “Oi kilt a thramp, and Oi wor hidin’ frum the officers—may tlie divil floy away wid thim—and Oi sneaked intil her house, d’ye moind, and hid me loike a fool under her bed. The crayther had been lookin’ under thot bed for forty years to foind a man! And whin she let her ould oyes loight on me, she pulled me out av there; an’ she’s been kapin’ me and scar- in’ me intil fits and loidin’ me from the - officers iver since—and, bad cess to her nixt wake, she wor goin’ to marry me.”’ ‘“Why did you sneak round the hotel and along the paths in that queer way ?”’ Frank asked, after the vinegary-visaged and matrimonially inclined female had departed in despair and disgust, and he had Barney alone. ‘‘That still puzzles me. We heard that you had been killed by _ those trainps, and you looked and acted enough like a ghost to be one!’? ghost, is it?’’ said Barney, glanc- ing about.as if he did not like even the thought. ‘“Thot ould witch wor kapin’ me hid away from the officers tn thot wee bit av a house roight behind the threes over there, arid all the ixercoise Oi could git worwhin Oi could shlip out av noights and walk round and swally a brith av frish air. Oi t’ought Oi~had kilt the thramp and thot the officers wor watchin’ for me! ‘Thot ould divil hilped me to be- lieve thot hersilf! So whin Oi heard yez call, av coorse Oi worn’t goin’ to sthop and be arristed. A ghost, is it? Oi’m thinkin’ thot yez’d be crapin’ round, too, if yez t’ought thot a rope wor riddy to toighten about the neck av‘yez!”’ . * + - . ‘Haw! haw! haw!’ The roars did not proceed from Joe Gamp, but from the landlord of the hotel. Now that Barney was found to be real flesh and blood, and not a spirit, the land- lord had entered more heartily into the search for the mysterious source of the strange footsteps. He had been willing that the doors opening into the corridor should be closed —for only when the corridor was dark- ened could the ghostly sounds be heard. As soon as the ‘‘footsteps’’ came again, he threw open the door and chucklingly led the way out nes: a side room into * v 28 city a shed-like structure that came up against the corridor wall. - ‘“There is your ha’nt!’’ he roared, pointing down into a pen in the shed. “‘There is your ha’nt! A gol-derned old sea turtle! Haw! haw! haw! Ho! ho! -ho! He! he! he!’ The turtle Was a monster in size. *“*But—I don’t see!’ said Merriwell. ‘“This doesn’t explain.’ The landlord hopped into the pen and flipped the huge turtle over on its back against the wall. Thereupon it began to kick out with its great flippers, striking them against the corridor wall and mak- ing the sounds which had seemed to be footsteps. Merriwell looked round. **Oh, ‘yes, I see!’’ he admitted. ‘The light from the lighted corridor came through that transom.”’ 5 **Test so!’ said the landlord. ‘*‘When- ever your light shined in here it scart the turtle, and it quit kickin’. It’s always trying to climb out of the pen and falling over on its back; and when ‘it tips over near the wall and strikes with them flip- pers, it makes that sound. If it ain’t near the wall, of course it don’t strike nothin’ to make that sound. And of course soon’s it can turn itself back—which it can’t. sometimes for hours—it saat kickin’ ~out..”’ ‘And yez tuk me for thot thing and thot thing for me, and aitch av us- knew nothing about it, and it wasn’t ayther av us!’’ chuckled Barney. **Tust so!’? said Merriwell. “And right glad I am to understand it, and to know that you are living!’’ wh ‘“*And Oi niver wor gladder to see any- body in my loife! The soight av yez makes me well. And Bart, me jewel! Yez are as foine a. laddie as iver lived! Give me the touch av yer hand ag’in!”’ THE END, The next number (217) of the Typ Top WEEKLY will contain ‘‘Frank Merriwell’s Pull; or, True and .’[‘ried.’? ‘street, do anything else. TOP WEEKLY. Correspondence. H. A. W., Detroit, Mieh —No premium. J: H. B., Middletown, Conn.—No premium, F. E. J., South Kaukauna, Wis.—No premium. H. M., Hazleton, Pa,—No premium on either coin. & J. McC.—There is no such recipe that we know of. ; C, B., Chicago, Ill—No premium on any of the coins. W. E. H., Newport, N, H.—Thank you, but the idea. would not be feasiblerat present. Y. ©. K., New York City.—We have no knowledge of the advertisement in question. J. A. W., Great Falls, Mont.—The two-cent piece of 1864 is worth only its face value, C. E. W., Dayton, Ohio.—We are sorry, but it is against our rule to give private addresses. O. G., Pawtucket, R. I.—There are road guides pub- lished which will give you all information. Constant Reader, Danville, Ky.—l. No premium on any of the coins. 2 The J. W. Scott Co., 40 John New York City. Pt W. W., New York City.—By all means follow your father’s wishes. You would be more than foolish to nth: The theatrical business is a very precarious one. ; H. H., Oakesdale, Wash. out rays back of the eagle, is Those with rays are very common. —The quarter of 1853, with- worth ten dollars. No premium of 5 the quarter of 1854 or the dime of 1853. Rattles, New York City.—1. Simply moisten the tips of the fingers. Tunes can be played on glasses filled with varying degrees of water by means of little wooden harnmmers. 2. We will consider the idea, , Jack Smith, Providence, R. I.—Before retiring, take a large pair of old gioves, and spread mutton tallow inside, also all over the hands. Wear the gloves all night, and wash the hands with olive oil and white castile soap the next morning. E. P., Menominee, Mich.—1. There are premiums on . the dimes of the following dates: 1796, 1797, 1798, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1807, 1809, 1811, 18227 1828, 1844 and 1846. 2. Send us a pencil "rubbing of the coin, and we will try to determine for you what it is. Inquisitive, St. Joseph, Mo.—The boomerang con- sists of a piece of hard wood ofa bent form, with the curve of a parabola. It is about 2 féet long, 21%4 inches broad, % inch thick, and is rounded at the ex- tremities; one side is flat, and the other convex, and it is brought to a. bluntish edge. It is discharged by . the hand by one end, the convex edge being forward and .the flat side upward, and it is thrown as if to hit an object in advance.. Instead, however, of going forward, it ascends into the air with a rapid motetore motion until it reaches a considerable height, when it begins to retrograde, and finally passes over the head of the projector, and falls to the ground behind him. This singular motion is produced by the air impinging on the bulged side of the instrument. The boomerang, the invention of which would have done honor to the most celebrated man of science, has long been a common weapon for war, sport, and the ome among, the J beaand races of savages upon the eart P.. O. D., Medford, Mass., and others.—There has been considerable discussion as to. the beginning of the twentieth century. We think the following little conversation will explain the matter to you clearly: Question—What is a year? Answer—Three hundred and sixty-five oar”: What is a century? One hundred years. When did the year No. 1 ena? December 31 of the year 1. When did the year No. 2 begin? January 1 of the\year 2. When did the year 99 end? ; December 31, A. D. 99. — Did that complete a ‘century? No When was the century completed? At the close of the year following 99, or at the close of the year 100. When did the second arene. begin? ; January 1 of the 7 ‘of the second century; that is, January 1, A: iL Ps When did the aaah century end? At the close of the nineteen, hundredth year, or at the close of 1900. : . When does the twentieth century begin? ; It begins on day No. 1 of the year No. 1 of eee twentieth aaindted : years—that is, on Se sas 1,4 \ D. ; 1901. Sad ‘LP Plo PWEEKLY. AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THT? AMERICAN YOUTH ”” NEW YORK, J yeas 1900, VYorms to Tip Top “Weekly Mail Subsortbers. (PosTaGkK FREER.) Single Copies or Back Numbers, 5c. Each. 3 months - - - - - - - 65c./Oneyenr - - - - - < ~ $2.50 4months = - + += + + - 85c.}]2 copiesone year - - - - 4.00 @months - - - + - = -$1.25)1 copytwo years - - = - 4,00 How To S&knp Monity.—By post-office or express money order, registered letter, bauk check or draft, at our risk. At yourown risk if sent by postal note, currency, coiv, or postage Stamps in ordinary letter. Recwiprs.— Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper change of numberon yourlabel. Ifnotcorrect you bave not been properly credited,and should let us know at once. STREET & SMITH’S TIP TOP WEEKLY, 238 William St., New York City. SPECIAL NOTICE. We desire to congratulate ourreaders on the capital letters which they have been so kind as to write us, but the length of some has resulted in the crowding out of others. Now, as we desire earnestly to do justice to all, we request our friends to limit their communications to two hundred words. In this way, more letters can be printed each week, and we feel sure all will be better satisfied. APPLAUSE. I thought I would write and tell you how much my sister and I appreciate the finest publication in the world —the Tip Top. I hope Frank will go out West and meet Kent Karson. With best wishes to author and publishers, BVERETTE OVERMAN, Des Moines, lowa. Best wishes -for yourself and your sister. I am pleased to say that I have read Tip Top Weekly, and I cannot be too profuse‘in my compliments. It is, as its mame announces, a tip top book. I .-think Bart -Hodge is a fine character, and Harry Rattleton. £ really do hope Frank will meet some of his railroad friends. I buy a Tip Top library, and as soon as anybody sees the picture you can hear exclamations on all sides, such as “‘After you,’’ “Oh, that must be fine!’’ etc. Sending my best regards to Mr. Standish, RICHARD KANE, Rock Hill College, Md. We are ‘piseisee that the Tip Top is so popular at your college. Regards to yourself and your friends. I have read a great number of Tip Tops and I think _they are very fine. Hodge Bart, I mean Bart Hodge, is “Frank’s best friend, if he is quick tempered. W. F. TALBOT, \ Santa Monica, Cal. Thank you. —_—---~ As I have not seen any letters in your Applause column from Tarboro, and thinking that a letter from a constant reader at that place would be appreciated by you, I will write to you and express my opinion of your Tip Top Weekly. I think it is one of the finest weeklies published and well deserves the reputation it has won. Mr. a ish is an able writer and a favorite with the Americe youth. I have read Tip Top from No. 96, and have ens found them full of the right kind of reading for both _poys and girls, men and women. Frank Merriwell is such -an honest and straightforward character, not given to -poasting that all readers like him. Will Jack Diamond ever meet Miss Reynolds again? I am very anxious to hear more of her. Wishing Tip Top all success, and Mr. je sdaage ti a = and prosperous life, E ; . S. LEON PERAL, ; Tarboro, N. C. ~~ T.Giad yee think so highly of the Tip Top. Jack will : probably meet Juliet Reynolds again. 7 . pointed to write this letter of our approval. “PETE MUNSON. TOP WEEKLY. - 29 I have read Tip Top Weekly.from No. 56 on up and think it is the best book for boys that is printed. I am a great admirer of Frank and all his friends, and Yale is my favorite college. I think it does boys good to read Tip Top, for Frank is such a good example’ for all the boys growing up now. My little brother does not like to read much, but since we have been taking Tip Top he has been reading them like everything and seems to enjoy them. I hope that Tip Top will always remain successful. CECIL FOX, Bovina, Miss. The boys can learn nothing but good from Frank. We are pleased to know that your littie brother enjoys the Tip Top. I have been a long time a silent admirer of the great and glorious Tip Top Weekly. I hope Frank will be as noble and brave and true as he has always been. I hope Bart Hodge will marry Grace Vernon and Buck Badger Winnie Lee. Your Comrades is second after Tip Top. ARTHUR KENYON, Cooper, Tex. Frank is not likely to do anything very much out of the way. Comrades has won a host of warm friends, Having read all the Tip Tops from 150 to the present, and many of the back numbers, I thought I would write and let you know how much I appreciate them. I think Frank Merriwell is a character that all American boys should try to follow. ‘‘True as steel, from head to heel.’’ Next to Frank, I like Rattleton and Browning. Hodge is a little too hot-headed, although he is a true friend to Frank. I should also like to see Badger become Frank’s friend. As to the girls, I should like to hear Bart finish his love story to Miss Vernon, while Jack Diamond should marry the girl in England. Badger should marry Winnie Lee. You must excuse the following verses, as they are my first attempt at poetry: Frank Merriwell is a hero, And fit to be a knight; For when he is in battle I tell you he can fight. But always to the needy, He lends a helping hand, And that, sir, is the reason, That he always heads the band. JULIUS H. LUX, Waco, Ohio. Time only can tell as to who the boys will marry. Your verses are very creditable. We write these few lines to let you know what we think of the king of boys’ weeklies—Tip Top. It is undoubt- edly the best book that was ever written for young Amer- ica. .Merriwell is our hero and model. Buck Badger comes next, Bruce is all right. We think Hodge is a little bit of a cad. We think Badger ought to take Bart’s place in Merriwell’s flock. Hurrah for Frank, Elsie, Buck, Bruce, Harry Rattleton, Danny Bink and Jack Ready. Long life to the Tip Top. WE THREE, Moundsville, W. Va. Thank you. Regards to you all. Although I see a number of letters from here, we must remember that Chicago is a very large city and has thou- sands of. readers of your highly moral and instructive weekly, Tip Top... Frank Merriwell is the ideal American boy, “and one to be imitated by all boys. We have a club of twenty-three members called the Frank Merriwell Bowling and Literary Club, and I, as secretary, was ap- Three of our’ club graduated last year, and the most of us do the same this year. We all earnestly hope to see this letter and our names in the Tip Top. Thanking you for the pleasure that Tip Top gives us, we remain your true friends. \ JOE WALSH, Pres. WILL BARTON, Vice-Pres. GEORGE AMES, Treas. ADAM. BREIT. JOHN MURPHY. THOS. HENDERSON. SEVER HANSON. MIKE KEARNEY. WM. EVANS. BEN. MOLLOHAN. FRANK KIRBY, AMSA ARNOLD. FRANK BAKER. CLINTON WILSON. CHARLIE WHORTON, EDMUND ELLIS _. ELMER M’INTIRE, BERT PERRY. HARRY CHAPMAN. CARL JOHNSON, JIM POWELL, ° Chicago, Ill. We send you all kindest regards and hope your club will always be on the top notch of prosperity. Secy. ALLEN DAVIS. In No. 203 the Buck Badger Ciub says that Bart Hodge should be ostracised from Frank’s flock, and Badger to take his place. Bart Hodge will always belong to Frank's flock and always his friend. Bart is queer sometimes, but is-a good fellow at heart. Badger might become a friend of Frank, but I doubt it just at present. Best wishes to Frank and his friends. A CLEVELAND ADMIRER, : Cleveland, Ohio. Best wishes for yourself. See Correspondence Column. 30 ’ I have been a constant reader of the Tip Top Weekly for uver two years, and I think it is the best and most interest- ing weekly published. Mother would not let me read them ut first, but I got her to read two or three numbers, and she does not refuse any longer. I would like for Badger and Frank tO become warm friends. Will Bart meet Grace Vernon again? Wishing success to the Tip Top and long Mfe to Mr. Standish, I remain a reader of Tip Top, Do and Dare, and Comrades, FRANK SMITH, Chattanooga, Tenn. Your mother’s experience has been that of many parents. Bart may meet Grace again, but it is impossible to pre- dict accurately. See correspondence column. After having read the Tip Top Weekly from No. 13 to present number (207), with the exception of a few num- bers, I decided to write a few words in praise of the Tip Top. It is the best paper that I have ever read. It is in- teresting and instructive, and the hero, Frank Merriwell, is —well, he is a hero! I think every boy would do well to imitate Frank Merriwell’s example. He is such a beautiful character, that I never tire of reading about him. Of all of Frank’s friends, I Mke Bart Hodge best; next, Barney Mulloy, Ephraim Gallup, Harry Rattleton, Jack Diamond, Bruce Browning, and so on. All of Frank’s friends are fine characters. I think Buck Badger is splendid, and I hope he and Frank will finally come to be friends. Now, I wish to thank Mir. Burt._L. Standish for giving to the young Americans such a literary treat as the Frank Merri- weil stories. Nothing can excell them. Mr. Standish is at the head of his class in that style of literature. May* the Merriwell. stories continue always. Hurrah for Frank Mer- riwell, the chief of athletes, and for Burt L. Standish, chief of authors, and for Street & Smith, the leading publishers of America! May they live long and prosper is the hearty wish of J. A. SWEANEY, Arlington, Tex. Al] extend their best wishes in return. I had a habit of smoking about seven or eight cigars a day; I also had the ruinous one of drinking. One day while walking along General Perveffa avenue I picked up what looked at first to be a scrap of paper, but on opening it, to my surprise, I found it to be No. 196 of your Tip Top Weekly. It was entitled ‘‘Frank Merriwell Tested; or, A Doubtful Honor.’’ I read it and found it was just what I wanted. \ I have read all the back numbers, and have just joined a non-smoking club. We call it the Tip Top non-smoking club. With regards to Frank Merriwell and to all the rest of them! LOUIS M. HEILBRON, San Francisco, Cal. Persevere in your good resolutions. bers of the club. Regards to all mem- I read the Tip Top every week, And better reading I never try to seek. The stories are both good and grand— The best that were ever put on the stand. No other book can take its place— To compare, it to them is but a disgrace; A better hero we can nowhere find— So noble a “character, so pure a mind, No matter what he says or does, It is sure to be for some right cause; May Frank and his friends live many happy years, And for them all we'll give three cheers! As publishers, Street & Smith are great— There are not many like them in any State; Standish is the best author in the land— I wish that I could shake his hand. JACK GREENBERG, Grand Forks, N. D. Mr, Standish wishes so, too. Thank you. ‘ I have just finished reading No. 211, and have read very near all of the back numbers,‘ and they: are just O. K. Next to Frank of the boys I like Harry Rattle- ton, and I like Bart very much, I would like to sée Buck Badger become Frank’s friend, and I hope Bart will stick to Frank just the same. I think Bart is true blue every time. Long Hve Tip Top and Mr. Standish. CHAS, H. CRANDELL, Wickford, R. L Frank’s friends are certainly a very interesting lot. We agree with you in thinking that Bart is true blue. Having read the Tip Tops from No. 1 to the present number, our club moved that we send our congratula- tions to all connected with the Tip Top for publishing an ‘‘Ideal Publication for the American Youth.’’ Our club is cdlled the ‘‘Merry Boys’’ or “The Never Say Die Club.’’ There are thirty-eight members, and we are building a gymnasium, and in order to pay for it the members pay 50 cents per month dues, ROY CRANE, Sec. HTARRY HUFF, Pres. WARREN MASSEY, V-P. LOUIS SCHNEIDER, Treas. Pasadena, Cal We congratulate your club on its success, which Wwe sin- cerely hope will always continue, a TIP TOP WEEKLY. » Do you care to receive a letter from one of the older readers of Tip Top? I am way up here in the Capital City of the ‘‘Old Granite State,’’ the home of the great Daniel Webster. Although he never made his home in this city, yet it was onty a little distance from here that he was born, so we can almost claim him. He was among the orators of our country what the Tip Top is among the boys’ publications of to-day—the greatest. First I must tell you how much pleasure my mother used to take in reading these stories. She was sick with consumption ‘for over a year and passed away almost.a year ago. She and I talked over the stories many times, and I know they helped her pass away many a weary moment while wait- ing for the end. I am older than most of the readers, so we could see and appreciate many things in the stories they cannot. I know something of life, I have seen both the good and the bad, and I know something of temptation, so it is good to see a story that always makes it a point to make boys love healthy sports and kindliness and the things that make a fellow manly.’ I want to put in my vote for Harry Rattleton as the very best friend of Frank. Frank has many and good friends in all the others; but the fellow with no accomplishments, nothing remarkable about him, except his eagerness which tangled his tongue—he was the chum for me. Do you remember when he thought Frank was killed at the tunnel? That settled this question for me, once and for all. I want to speak for little Elsie, too. Don’t you know the strong need the weak? Who could make sunshine in life for Frank like Elsie? He needs some one to depend’on, him to make him happy. His is a nature made for that. Let Bart have Inza. Inza, the strong, self-possessed. She can bring the noble out of. a fellow like Bart. With a strong nature like hers to guide him, Bart can’ be the man that lies deep in his soul. Bart is like the horse that‘is full of life and vigor. Put a strong hand behind that horse and he feels it, he knows that there is the one to guide him to victory. I cannot find’ the words to make you see this as I see it. Frank could not live without some one like Elsie—tender, dependent and looking to him for help. Here is.a motto which is a favorite of mine, and one that it seems to me Merry. must have seen and is. trying to live it: “Thou must be that which thou oughtest to be, and unless thou art that, thou shalt be nothing.’’ If the fellows ever can’t find a place to go on a@ Va- cation, send them to Concord, and I will take them per- sonally to the home of Webster in Franklin, his birthplace in Salisbury, and show them his statute in the State House grounds here. We will! go to Lake Winnipiseogee—‘*The Smile of the Great Spirit’’—and up through the White Mountains. I am proud of the ‘‘Old Granite State,’’ for though small, she has left her mark in history, and, best of all, to me, ‘‘That’s where I live.’”’ Best wishes to Tip Top, from “CONCORD,’’ Concord, N. Your letter is extremely interesting, and we feel sure that the fellows would be delighted to accept your kind invitation and visit Concord. We are more glad than we can say that the Tip Top proved of any comfort to your mother. The motto you quote is an excellent one. In the Applause column of the Tip Top I have read arguments in favor of Bisie or Inza’s marriage to Frank Merriwell. But I think the best way to settle the question is to let Frank choose; he is the only one that knows which he likes best. Of the two girls I have no favorite, because I think they are both model girls, and that Frank is not going to have much of a snap in choosing. Winnie Lee, I think, is well off where she is; with such a friend: as Buck Badger she has a friend, though peculiar in his likes and dislikes, who is as good a friend as any girl should want. There is only one thing about Badger that I do not like, and that is his aversion to Merriwell; in that he is wrong, but you can’t expect everybody to be perfect. Though a foe he is an honorable enemy, which he proved in No, 210 of Tip Top. In friends, Frank has those that he has reason to be proud of. I guess this is enough for this time, so good-by, and may success ever be with Tip Top and its publishers. G. ‘5 Sacramento, Cal. You are right in what you say about the two girls. They both have splendid qualities. It looks as if Badger were going to prove himself worthy of Winnie, and he is ee getting over his obstinate and unjust aversion to Frank. I want to say a few .,words for Bart Hodge. I see there are a number of readers that would like to have Mr. Standish have Merry drop him and take up Buck Bad- ger. I don’t see what fault they have to find with Bart. He may have his faults, but who is there that hasn’t? At heart you will find him a fine fellow, always ready to stand up for Merry and to fight if necessary. I would like to have Frank revisit Fardale. ‘ ' OWEN WILLAHAN, . Titusville, Fla, Bart, in spite of his faults, seems to be greatly liked, and we think he deserves it. Perhaps: Frank will revisit Fardale some day. i Allow me to thank you for the many pleasant hours I spent in reading the Tip Top Weekly. I have read all of them except No. 5, and am trying to get. that. Wish- ing Frank and his friends a long and prosperous life, HUNTER SHERAR, ‘Rockdale, Tex. Thank you. TIP I have read the Tip Top Weeklies from first to last, missing only a few of the late ones on account of the many movements of the command to which I belong and the great distance which separates us. I have also been much interested in the many expressions of praise and opinion printed in the Applause column. To me the stories and the characters of the stories seem most interesting and praiseworthy. In my opinion Frank’s partner for mar- ried lMfe should be Elsie, but may that time.be long in coming if it brings a change in the stories. Hodge is an excellent character, and may he become friendly with Bad- ger, who is a native of my home State I hope you will print this word from a new and distant land and written by a true friend. ROYAL A. STREETER, Co. A, 82d Inf. Vols., Mariveles, Philippine Islands, U. S. A. It is with the greatest pleasure that we have received your letter, and we are only too glad to print it. We prize most highly words of praise from our gallant soldier boys. Having read the Tip Top from the Fardale series to the present, I thought I would pass my opinion. There ig no reading in the world so good. Interesting as well as moral, Next to Frank I like Jack Diamond. Hodge is all right, although I wish he and Badger were better friends. Although I-have read many love stories, I never was interested so much in a girl as I have been in Inza Burrage. There.ig a certain dash about her that I like. / NORMAN R. GATES Worcester, Mass. You are by no means alone in your admiration for Inza. Being a constant: reader of the Tip Top Weekly, I thought that it was time that I should write and tell you how I enjoy it. I am always so glad when Friday comes, although I read il Rushington and the Comrades. I do not like the way that Winnie has been carrying on with Badger, as 1 do not think that he is a fit associate, but he is growing better. Please receive my congratulations. Ls: 35-3 Dorchester, Mass, Badger has many faults to overcome, but he is doing his best to prove himself worthy of Winnie. Thank you. I have read Tip Top Weekly from No. 1 up to the present number, and think it indeed ‘‘an ideal publication for the American youth.’’ Next to Frank, I admire Jack Diamond. But all of his friends are all right, and I hope that Buck Badger will soon become one of Frank’s friends. JEROME, Anniston, Ala. Thank you. I wish to write in answer to the favor (?) asked by the Buck Badger and Winnie Lee elubs, who want Bart re- moved from the flock, and that braggart, Buck B., put in his place. Let me ask them who it’ was that sprang in front of Frank and received the bullet meant*for him when they were on the road with ‘John Smith of Montana,’’ aud who it was that shot the rope in two with a pistol when Frank was tied to a balloon by the jealous actor, and who it was that in Ace High fought a crowd of desperate men whom he thought had killed Merry? Who was all this put noble Bart Hodge? I think the B. B. and Le Lee clubs have forgotten Fardale and other places, I think Bart is more of a boy than Frank, as Bart has a temper and shows it, while Frank, though cooler, ig not as much like the American youth as Bart. Hoping. the Winnie and Buck clubs will see this, A FRIEND OF BARI S, Meridian, Miss. You have probably E uld appreciate your defense. sane rie eee in the fire geen by this time how he saved Frank’s life at the peril of his own. Please accept these few lines as a token of apprecia- tion of the weekly: How dear to our hearts is the ald Tip Top Weekly, As Mr. Burt Standish presents them anew; The story, the hero, the friends that stand by him As every week regular they come into view. Frank Merriwell, the athlete, “True as steel’’ he is always. Who rescues mén from sin and shame, Frank Merriwell, the hero, In the famed Tip Top Weekly, Whose friends to him stick, and his name it is famed. Then three cheers to the weekly, and also for Merry, Hodge, Rattleton and Browning come in for their share; Diamond, Stubbs and Griswold, who’d kick were they left out; You can bet, we will try and treat them all fair. Jack Ready, the freshman, / \ The leader of his classmates, Who for ‘Old Eli’’ always will stand, Buck Badger, the cowboy, An enemy, but honest, “Y would like to see Frank Merriwell’s friend. ° _CECIL CORNELL, Cleveland, Ohio, We gladly print your verses, and reciprocate your kindly sentiments. TOP WEEKLY. / 31 We have seen a letter from Chas. R. Kenworthy, Wil- mington, Del., in answer to our first note. He does not understand our meaning. We are not deciding for Frank, but only expressing our opinion as to which was the more worthy of the girls to be his wife. We do not ap- prove of the voting idea. We do not agree with those who would like to have some of the characters taken from the stories. If there were nothing disagreeable, Mr. Standish’s writings. would not be true to life; if Bart were to be cut by the ‘‘flock’’ Frank Merriwell would not be true to his friendship. Bither of these things is impossible. dN So OR Boston, Mass. We willingly What you say is very well reasoned. print your answer. I would fain get out my little hammer and knock. This Elsie-Inza feud is becoming too serious. expect the ad- i to soon be settling the merits on the field of honor. it is the greatest compliment to Mr. Standish’'s ge- in realistic story-telling to see young r 1 and women ly rushing into print to champion the cause of characters in fiction. It is a compliment to the fine in which the author has sustained the interest, has human nature and has drawn character. Seriously, I think.the readers go to extremes over the es- young ladies who live not only in the pages of »p, but in the hearts of their admirers also, and who, if judged fairly, will be found equaliy worthy and human. And Bart Buckrum. Well, Bart gives me a pang because so many counterparts in real life. But he is es- to a Tip Top story, and if Frank can stand him we to, though for the’ life of me I can’t see why some ‘s rank him next to Merry. To those who demand to instantly become Frank’s bosom friend, I would eave the author alone. Badger is the acter developed yet. As-a foe he ts § 1e tires. Next to Frank I like J eady. 1S Oo ae and I notice the author likes him, too, as does Merriwell THE GENTLE KNOCKER, Chicago, LIL. As you say, the interest taken is certainly a great com- pliment to Mr, Standish, who has a peculiar knack of making his characters live. We do not all think alike, you know, or care for the same people, and it is well that it is SO. Would like to express my appreciation of your publica- tion, Tip Top Weekly. It is certainly tip top in every way. I think Mr. Standish an author who knows just exactly what an American youth wants. But there is one thing I wish to speak about, and that is some of these discussions as to whom Frank should marry. Mr. Standish has suc- cessfully managed the Tip Top for just four years, and I think that when the time should come for Frank to marry, Mr. Standish will fill the bill to a T. I am also a reader of all your other publications. Your new libraries are also very good. Congratulating the Tip Top on its fourth birthday, BS Ete, Milwaukee, Wis. Thank you for the congratulations on our birthday. The Tip Top was never in better health. Mr. Standish will certainly do his best. Having read the Tip Top from No. 1 to present date, I think it about time to show my appreciation of this splen- did weekly by sending a few lines to the Applause col- umn. It is undcubtedly the best weekly of its kind pub- lished. My favorite boy character after Frank is Harry Rattleton, as he was never Frank’s enemy, and has always been a true friend. Wishing long life and continued sue- cess in the future to Mr. Standish, Street & Smith, and last, but by no means least, Frank Merri-vwell, VERNA @ LYNCH, Pitman Grove, N. J. We warmly appreciate your high opinion of the Tip Top. Yes. Harry is a good fellow, and one to be trusted. T have been a constant reader of the Tip Top since its first appearance, but have never before written my senti- ments in its praise. There seems to be a good deal of dis- cussion about Blsie and Inza’s merits, or their capabili- ties of making Frank a good wife. It seems to me that a large number are too partisan and do not give the other their just due. Inza is accused of being proud, cold, haughty, passionate, resentful and a flirt. Elsie is soft, a bread and butter miss, a child, etc. Neither seems to be given credit .by the admirers of, the other. Two girls so different in everything cannot very well be compared. In my opinion each is a true, loving girl, capable of making some man a wife who will indeed ‘‘divide his sorrows and double his joys.’’ However, we do not want our ideal to become a married man for a long time yet. Let him -wait till he is at least thirty. A young man married is a young man marred may not be wholly true, but a man. who has arrived at full maturity and acquired experience is cer- tainly better able to undertake the duties of husband and father. Let us hear more of Bart, Bruce, Jack and the rest. May Frank and Badger become true -friends, and each learn the value of each other’s good qualities, and let us all leave Frank’s future to the capable hand of Burt L. Standish. E. WESLEY, Dixon, Ih Your ideas are most sensible, as we think our readers will acknowledg>. Mr. Standish will certainly do his best to influence Frank to choose the right one, when the time comes, 32 ee a Oa As there are no letters in your columns from this city I thought I would let you know that though you have not heard from us stili we appreciate your noble efforts to please the ‘‘American youth.’’ I think the characters in your book are just fine; but one thing, I am sorry that Hock Mason is not one of the ‘‘Merriwell set.’’ It would please me and the rest of the Pine Bluff boys very muc h to see him one of the boys. I have written a piece of poetry which I inclose: “Of all the weeklies I ever read, The Tip Top Weekly stands ahead; Its brave young hero is Merriwell, Of whom Mr. Standish loves to tell Stories to the Young American boy, Who reads them with an honest joy.” 7 Pine Bluff, “Ark. Perhaps Mason will some day join the Merriwell set. Our regards to you and all our friends in Pine Bluff. Av yez plaze, Oi w’ud loike to wroite an’ let yez kno’ thot we Texas b’ys air not all hathens, fer we do be afther r’ading; espicially whin we foind onything so inturisting as the Fip Top Loibrary. Oi tell yez it’s the foinest book av its koind in the whole wurruld. Av yez don’t belave it, jist ax inny av the b’ys in this town. Shure. an av all the b’ys in the whole wurruld, Frank Merrywell is the foinest. That Ooirish lad is a daisy, too, shure an’ he is thot. Plase ixcuse this long letther, but Oi saw wan the other day frum a-Dutch spalpane, an’ Oi tho’ght av yez cud print that wan yez cud print this wan, too. Hopin’ Frankie, Burt L. and the publish- ers will live always, Oi am AN ADMIRER, Longview, Tex. You have caught the Irish brogue admirably. Barney sends regards, : : I think the Frank Merriwell stories are the very. best that can be produced. I like the stories best when Frank is at Yale. Frank Merriwell is the boys’ motto in Walla Walla, and whenever there is a good catch made in base- ball or a good tackle made in football, they say it is a Frank Merriwell catch or tackle, as the case may he. JOHN LEAHY, JR.,~ Walla Walla, Wash. Frank is proud of the compliment paid him by the boys of Walla Walla. Your questions have been answered, in the Correspondence column. WEEKLY. LATEST ISSUES. 216—Frank Merriwell’s Phantom; or, The Barney Mulloy. 215—Frank Merriwell’s Favor; 214—F" ane Merriwell’s Stroke; 2138—F'1 ae “Merriwell’s Handicap; Blsie. 212—Frank Mérriwell’s Football; ance of Jack Ready. 211—Frank Merriwell’s Reward; or, Humiliation. 210—Frank Merriwell’s Honor; or, Badger. 5 209—Frank Merriweli’s Five; or, Old Friends at Yale. 208—Frank Merriwell’s Theory; or, A Fight for a Friend. 207—Frank Merriwell’s Influence; cot of the Crew. 206—F rank Merriwell’ i. Mishap; or, A Friend in the Guise of a ee ‘Neitivell A Heart of Ghost. of or, True as Steel. or, The Test of Friend- , The Heroism of or, The Disappear- Buck Badger’s The Nobility of or, Inza, the Mas- vor ‘Deceived; or, 204—-Frovk Merriwell’s Opponent; or, For the Ice Hockey Cup ee Merriwell’ s Musketeers; or, The Mountain Jendetta 202—F rank Merriwell’s Sleigh; or, Were Hearts and Brave Hands. ae eee Merriwell’s Ice Yacht; or, ng. 200—Frank Merriwell’s Skates; or, Into the Ice Trap. 199—F rank Merriwell’s Work; or, In’ Training for Spring Sports eee iterriwell's Temptation; or, Nothing but uiet Spo 197—Frank Merriwell’s ‘'Flock’’; or, The Awakening of Badger. 196—Frank Merriwell Tested; or, A Doubtful Honor. 195—Frank Merriwell’s Limit; or, Calling a Halt. 194—F rank eo s Stratagem; or, True Friends and False 198—Frank Merriwell’s Holidays; or, A Merry Christ- : mas with Old Friends. Back numbers always on hand. ‘It you cannot get our publications from your newsdealer, five cents a copy wil bring them to you by mail, postpaid. Wing and TIP TOP LEAGUE MEMBER'S BADGE. HALF PRICE ‘TO OUR READERS ONLY. In response to the urgent request of a host of Trp Top readers the publishers after carefully considering a number of designs for a badge of membership in the TIP TOP LEAGUH, finally adopted one which is an artistic gem of excellence, The picture shows the design, butit does not give you an adequate idea of the exquisite beauty of thiselegant ornament. It is solidly and substantially made, finished in gilt and beautifully embossed. The w idespread desire for this badge gave us so much faith in the enterprise that our first order was enormous, but we have been obliged to give a second order, We still offer it at the very low figure of TWENTY CENTS (‘ren Cents in Cash or Stamps and ‘Ten Cents in Coupons’) AN EXACT PICTURE 0 THE LEAGUE BADGE - will be accepted for ten cents subject to Each coupon is worth five cents when accompanied by five cent In stamps or coin, TWO COUPONS AND TEN CENTS SECURE YOU THE BADGE. Youcan get as many badges as you desire at the same rate by use of the extra coupons. Badges without coupons will cost fifty centseach. ‘The coupons are free to Trp Top readers, and we adopt this method to prevent others from getting the badge at the special rate given to our patrons. IF YOU ARE A READER OF THE TIP TOP YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE, AND ENTITLED TO WEAR THE EM- BLEM OF THE ORDER—and our word for it, you will be more than pleased after you receive it. TIP TOP LEAGUE MENMBER’S COUPON This Coupon and and FIVE CENTS will be accépted for ten cents towards the purchase of the League Badge. STREET & SMITH. TIP TOP LEAGUE MEMBER’S COUPON ‘° i This Coupon and FIVE CENTS towards the purchase of the - League Badge. ° STREET & SMITH. To secure the promptest attention, address all letters on the /2% TIP TOP: LEAGUE <<. STREET & SMITH 238 William St., N.Y. MORE LIBRARIES TO SUIT ‘TIP TOP’? READERS. he Do and Dare Weekly PHIL RUSHINGTON, THE ACTOR-MANAGER. HE “Do and Dare Weekly” tells of the exploits and adventures of one PHIL RUSHINGTON, a lively, hustling, bright and brave American boy—-a first-class all-round athlete, and a thorough gentleman in all the phases of his eventful career. The author of these stories is MR. STANLEY NORRIS, an able writer, and one thoroughly in sympathy with the wants of our boys and girls in the line of reading. His work is bound to pleas. #%& *% % % & HF The following are the latest issues : 6—Phil Rushington’s Danger; or, A Bright Light 1{—Phil Rushington’s Great Show; or, Another for Friends. | Whirl of Fortune’s Wheel. 7—Phil Rushington’s Friends; or, Springvale | 12—Phil Rushington’s Star Rider; or, Rivals of Boys in a Lumber Camp. the Ring. : 8—Phil Rushington’s New Role; or “ The Play’s | 13—Phil Rushington’s Home Trip; or, Two the Thing.” Kinds of a Circus. 9—Phil Rushington’s Soubrette; or, The Rock- dale Success, 10—Phil Rushington’s Set Back; or, Fast Friends and Fickle Fortune. | | | 14—Phil Rushington’s Loss; or, A Lion Hunt in the City. 15—Phil Rushington’s Rivals; or, Three Shows in One Town. The Do and Dare Weekly appears every Tuesday. 32 pages, illuminated cover, uniform in size and style with ‘‘Tip Top.”’ “Comrades” Stories ever written. e OM WRIGHT,, the hero of “Comrades,” is a bright boy who has decided to devote his life to the service of “King Steam” in one of the great a) railroads of our land. Rest assured he will reach fame and fortune on the lightning express. The life of an ambitious railroad ‘man is full of exciting incident, and Tom has his full share of adventures. Through all of these, he will be found Wright by name, right in word, right in deed, and always right. The many adventures of Tom and his friends will be followed with the deepest interest by all who are fortunate enough to read this new series of splendid stories. Tom is surrounded by several “comrades,” who join hands with him and stand by him in his various enterprises. MR. ROBERT STEEL is an author of wide experience in the field covered by these stories, and his work will please all who admire the weli-known “Tip Top Weekly” and “ Do and Dare Weekly,” to which “Comrades” is a companion. J—Tom Wright on Trial; or, A Clear Track | 6—Tom at Fast Run; or, The Million- Dollar Train, to Success. 2—Tom Wright, Station Agent; or “Saving a Superintendent.” 3—Tom Wright at the Throttle; or, The Belle of | the Midnight Special. 4—Tom Wright, the Railroad Favorite; or, The Raid on the Through Express, 5—Tom Wright, Car Yikders or, The Search for 1313, ‘ } | | | 7—Tom Wright’s Choice; or, The Engineer’s Strange Warning. 8—Tom Wright on the Flyer; or, The Missing Express achaah 9—Tom Wright’s Resolve; A Railroad Chum’s Robie Sacrifice. 10—Tom Wright on Duty; or, A Battle Against Railroad Crooks. of, Remember, “‘Comrades”’ appears every Wednesday—Read it—Price 5c. 32 pages, illuminated cover, uniform in size and style with ‘‘ Tip Top.”’