Corer tren arena HODGE LIFTED MERRY’S UNCONSCIOUS FORM AND FACED THE FIRE. TIP TOP CEKLY AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THE Se RLU dssued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year, Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. ¥. Post Office, by STREET & SmITH, 238 William &t., N. Y. Entered According to Act of Congress, in the year 1900 in the Office 7. the Librarian of Congress, W ‘ashington, D.C. No, 214. mei ete oe 19, 19> Price Five Cents. Frank Merriwell’s Stroke; CHAPTER I. ON THE GROUNDS OF THE GUN CLUB. ‘““Baw Jawve, it would be sport if a fel- Jah could draw on a grouse on a Scotch ~moor, don’t you ’now! It would be some- thing great to knock such a bird into the heather. There really isn’t any shooting in this country to be compared to that, don’t you ’now!”’ Willis Paulding drawled this in bis: af- fected style, and then swung the hand- - some English Greener hammerless to his ‘shoulder and squinted down the barrels as if he fancied he heard the whirring of a OR, TEST OF FRIENDSHIP. By BURT L. STANDISH. moor cock’s wings and felt the thrill o the sportsman tingling through his veins. ‘‘What’s the matter with partridge and woodcock shooting in New England? or quail shooting in the West and South? duck shooting on the Southwest coast? or prairie chicken and grouse shooting in the Far West and Rocky Mountains?” demanded Merriwell, who had arrived on the grounds of the gun club with Bart Hodge and was taking his gun out of atts" case, ie Paulding flushed. . : ce ‘If you had ever shot grouse across the ~ x 2 . TIP TOP WEEKLY. big pond, you ’now, you wouldn’t ask such a question, Merriwell!”’ ‘‘T have shot grouse on the other side of the big pond, and it is fine sport, true enough. But there is just as fine shooting to be had You want to act like an English- in America. You make me tired. man, Paulding, but itis an insult to the English, for your imitation is really dis- graceful. A true Englishman is very much a man!”? ‘‘And Paulding is a mere thing!’ snap- ped Hodge. “He isn’t worth noticing, don’t you ‘now!’ sneered Paulding, moving away _ with the members of the Chickering set. “He is-always slinging insulting things atme. It’s mere jealousy, don’t you ’now, that makes-him act so. Baw Jawve, # I was as jealous as Merriwell, I'd go drown myself!’ ) ‘*He is always slinging insults at us in the same way!’’ Ollie Lord breathlessly declared, looking as fierce as he could and lifting himself on his tip toes to increase his fighting height. “‘T wouldn’t let the thing worry me,”’ purred Rupert Chickering. ‘‘Merriwell is so spoiled by flattery that he is hardly re- sponsible for what he says. I never like to hold harsh feelings against any one.’’ “Id like to pull the wetch’eth nothe!”’ lisped Lew Veazie, looking quite as fierce as Ollie Lord. ‘‘It would therve him wight if I thould walk up to him thome day and thimply pull hith nothe!” “But he might pull yours!’ Julian Ives warned. ‘‘That wouldn’t be pleasant, you know.’ Julian Ives, in the perfumed sanctity of Chickering’s rooins, often looked loving- ly at himself and his wonderful bang in the long mirror and dreamed the heroic things he would like todo and the re- venges he would like to carry out, but his actual courage had been at a very low ebb ever since his humiliating expetience as a _ member of the Eskemo dog team driven ‘by the cowboy, Bill Higgins. He likely to remember that a long while. ¢ was They’re not worth talking about— none of Merriwell’s crowd !’’ snarled Gene Skelding, as if anxious to change the drift of the unpleasant conversation, for he had been given cause to fear and hate Merri- well and his friends quite as much as any other individual who claimed the panionship and friendship of the immacu- ‘‘Let me see your gun, Wil- coni- late Rupert. lis!’ He took the Greener, snapped it open d £ to see if it was loaded, then winked at Chickering. . members of the Yale Gun Club were rapidly coming on the. ground, to- gether with a number of noted New Haven shotsyand others interested in trap shooting. Browning and Rattleton ap- peared, and Diamond, Dismal and several others of Merry’s set were seen approach- ing. | r “he “T thought Bart Hodge was sick??? said Tilton Hull. ‘‘But I see he is out again.’? ‘(When I heard he wath thick I hoped he would never get well. He ith a how- wid cwecher!. Whenever I go near him he thnapth at me like a bulldog.”’ “Asif you were a bulldog?’ queried Skelding, who at times seemed to delight in teasing certain members of this delecta- ble set. : ‘“’The idea!’ éxclaimed Ollie Lord, in- dignantly, putting a hand caressingly on Veazie’s shoulder. ‘‘A bulldog! If Veazie is anything, he is like the cunning little dog Ihad once. It was the darlingest lit- tle poodle! and I simply loved it!’ ‘“Just fawncy !”? sniffed Willis Paulding. But Jew Veazie seemed pleased. He put up a hand to touch the caressing arm. _ “You're another, Ollie!’ he beamed. “T always did like poodles!”’ ‘A pair of poodles!’’ said Skelding, and again winked meaninglv at Rupert, ke who snatched the cap from the head of Julian Ives and flung it into the air. Skelding. took a snap shot at it as it fell. “Tf that cap is damaged,’’ said Ives, smoothing his precious bang which the brisk breeze began to flirt about, ‘‘I’ll make you fellows pay for it. That’s flat!” But Julian’s alarm was premature. Not a shot Had touched it. \ The members of the Chickering set con- tinued the delightful sport of snatching hats and caps from each other’s heads and shooting at them with Paulding’s fine English gun; but the only damage done was by the falls the articles received, for not a shot touched any of them. **Of course, fellahs, a moor cock doesn’t fly that way,’’ Willis drawlingly ex- plained, in extenuation of the poor shoot- ing. ‘He doesn’t go right up and down, you ’now. He has wings, don’t you ’now, and flies straight away, like a shot. I could hit a grouse without any trouble, but this kind of shooting! The best shot in England would be bothered with it.’’ ‘““We’ll have a try at the clay pigeons and blackbirds soon,’’ Chickering com- fortingly promised. ‘“But, gwathious, ve twied them, and they’re harder to hit than thethe are! I could do better if I could only keep my eyeth open, but the minute I begin to pull the twigger my. eyeth go sl hut, and I can’t help. 16? They had turned Sota and were re- tracing their way toward Merriwell and his friends without noticing it. Suddenly Lew Veazie jumped straight up into the air, clapped a hand smartly against one of his legs and began to dance -ahornpipe. At almost the same moment a shot was fired by some one. “Thay, fellowth, I’m thyot!’’ he gasped, 3 turning deathly pale. ‘‘Honetht, thith ~-ithn’t a joke! I’m thyot! Ow! It burnth ~ dike fire!” ‘Where???’ Ollie anxiously asked, star- TOP WEEKLY. ing at the dancing youth, and looking quickly about to make sure that no loaded gun was pointed in his direction. The others looked about, too. ‘This reckless shooting ought to be for- bidden !’’ declared Skelding, regardless of the fact that the shooting he and his friends had been doing was of the most reckless character. Veazie dropped down on the ground and began to pull up one leg of his trous- ers. “It stwuck me wight here!’’ he gasped’ **T think it must have gone thwough my leg. Ican feel the blood twickling down.” Ollie went down on his knees and be- gan to help him, and together they soon , b08 had the injured spot revealed to their anxious eyes. They beheld a reddish place, with a center like a pin jab, but not a drop of blood. “It was a spent shot!’’ said Rupert, wisely. ‘‘It came from a distance. But it. was a very reckless thing to do to fire at all in this direction.”’ : ““Let me take a look at it!’’ said Julian Ives, crowding forward and stooping to inspect it. As he did so, he straightened up with a little’ screech and clapped a hand to his hips; : ‘Wow!’ he howled, dancing round as Veazie had done. ‘‘I’m shot, too! Fel- ows, this is awful! I- believe I’m killed! Who is doing this?” ‘“Thuch weckleth thyooting JI never - thaw !’’ groaned Veazie, though he was much relieved to discover that he had not received a deadly hurt. ‘‘Thomebody mutht be awwested for thith. I thouldn’t be thurpwithed if it ith one of Merriwell’s fwiendth !”? ‘Wow!’ howled Julian, falling to the ground and writhing about in his agony. “Ym dead! I never had anything eet ae meso! Wow-ow-ow!’’ and executed a quickstep. -and which he fancied he felt boring Pies POP CHAPTER VIL. A -HOT:*TIME. Ollie Lord clapped a hand to his head He pulled off his cap and rubbed furiously, oe to feel the b for he also fancied he | blood come away on his fingers, had been ee ‘*W hoever 1s shooting this way ought to be jailed. We That tore ‘*Goodness!’’-he gasped. will all be killed in five minutes. a hole in my scalp, sure!’’ Rupert Chickering, who was beginning to look grave and anxious, next jumped his dignity ; . sat down with a up into the air, forgetting while Willis Paine suddenness that jarred the ground, and began to declaim in a quick, nervous way and without the slightest” aon on of an English accent. Then Lew Veazie, who had been rub- bing his injured leg and looking surpris- edly and dubiously about, leaped to his feet with another howl and went dancing -_ off from-his friends. ‘‘Felloth, it ith hornets!’’ he shrieked, beginning to fight and slap with his cap and his hands... ‘‘Ow! wow! They’re thtinging me to death! Help me, thome- —body!?’ > hh ‘‘Ffornets!’’ shrieked Ollie Lord, leap- ing up and following his chum. ‘the air is full of them!” ‘*Fellows, Tilton Hull began to dig fiercely at his high collar. ‘Phere = screeched. is one down my neck!” he He recklessly tore the collar away and began to dig with in a wild search for the thing that had stung him its his nails way still further down his back. Julian Ives took his hand from his hip and slapped it against his breast, where a _ red-hot lance seemed to have been driven “with torturing suddenness. Then he be. gan to tear away his beautiful necktie and WEEKLY, to recklessly rumple his gorgeous shirt front. ‘This is awful !’’ he exclainied. ‘‘Where are the things coming from? ‘The air is full of them! Wow! Another struck me in the arm !”’ Lew Veazie was rolling over and over. Their outcries attracted the attention of and his friends, and also the at- of others who had come upon the grounds. ‘What are those idiots up to?’ grum- bled Hodge, who had no patience with the antics of the Chickering set. ‘‘They’ve of themselves ever since Awhile ago, they were recklessly burning powder and_ hurl- shot all Now-they act as. if eee were crazy.”’ | 11 } Merriwell tention of a number been making fools they came out here. ing round. e sort of game of °° They’ re Must be playing some circus!’? guessed Browning. oa tumbling about: like acrobats—or fools!’’ ‘And howling like wild Indians!’’ said Danny. ‘‘I think they are playing a Wild West.’? ‘They ought to have Bill Higgins here, to make the show complete,’’. Mer- riwell remarked, with a smile. ‘‘But, seri- ‘ously, I don’t be lieve they’re playing any: thing. Those yells sound real.’ ‘“‘Ffelp!’’ howled Willis Paulding, for- ‘We're being stung to then, getting his drawl. de - ak Villis was down on the ground, soiling his heautifel trousers and digging furious- ly at his head. “‘Ffornets!’? shrieked Ollie Lord, kick- ing about not far from Paulding. ‘Wow!’ screeched Lew Veazie, bob- bing up and down like a cork in water when a fish is nibbling at the bait. ‘Take ’em off!’? begged Julian Ives, ' neglecting his lovely bang and scratching — with great. energy at the places where he had been stung, . “We're in a nest of hornets, or bees, or something!” exclaimed Rupert Ce ing, becoming decidedly ee in De. - * allotted to spectators. house that was on the right of the } OE, : wells into his mouth. - gan again to hop around. ie “howling. ie oe efforts to rid himself of the stinging creat- tires. “Are you going to stand there and see us killed?’ =a demanded. '‘‘I tell vou, we are being st ng e “Glad to know it? declared Bait “You need it. It’s hopeless, though, to expect that the hornets will sting any sense into your crowd.”’ » Merriwell started toward the screeching, dancing, jigging, fighting youths, es Sead his steps into a run, and his friends heels. Ag dee did s cordant jangle of a shaken. cowbell furiously A man, a woman and a boy had come in sight, appearing from behind the seats Evidently they had emerged but a minute before from a strip of timber that cut off the view of a farm gun 1 club and distance They were running grounds some away. as fast as they could, and were shouting something as they came lanky chap of fourteen or fifteen, bell. The man carried a large pail, and the The boy, a was vigorously shaking the woman swung a roll of dirty cloth. ‘Hold on! hold on!’ the man howled. peer handle ’em gently, can’t yer’ The Chickering set, as well as Merri- friends, heard him. “Oh, handle snarled Skelding, slapping at one of the stinging things and crushing it with his yes! we'll ’em gently !?’ . hand. re. then that it was a bee. He jerked his hand away and stuck his fingers Then jumped up and be- saw “Tt run its stinger into my finger an “inch !” he growled. ’ “Hold on! hold on! P? the old man was eo holding on!’? cried oe so he heard the loud and dis-- WEEKLY. him all at seemed to be settlins once. ‘‘You’re killing ’em!™" screeched the old woman. ae we’re killing ’em!’’ Skelding an- a jailing away as if. he had gone ee d like a million minute! Ican’t kill fast I’d hke to welt ’em mt a club and smash swered, crazy. to kill in a them enough! a regiunent at a blow!”? a 1 4° 1 Lew Veazie threw himself on the ground, drew his hat down over his head aud began to kick and shriek. ‘*VYou’re jest a tantalizin’ ’em!’ the farmer. Merriwell ’ panted J stopped and laughed. ‘The 1 too ridiculo whole thing was isly funny for him to do otherwise. ‘*They’re swarmin’!’’ shouted the boy, rattling away with the bell asif his life depended on it. ‘*Ves, I see they are!’ howled Julian ‘“They’re swarming a . ‘‘Don’t hurt ’em!’’ the farmer Ives. 8s He was only a few feet away, and pant- ing on, almost breathless. “Don’t kill %em!?? woman. **They’re my bees! Her words reached Lew Veazie. moment the kicking legs were though the hat was not withdrawn. “Take ‘em away then, pleathe!”’ he begged, from: under the hat. ‘‘I don’t want to hurt your beethe, but they’re hurting me! Take ’em away, pleathe!’’ The boy stopped his oa bell. ‘Ty he said. Then added, as if he feared this might not be clear-to the intellects of a city bred youths. ‘They make honey !”” “Pil tantalize them !’? Skelding fiercely exclaimed, striking at the bees that were hovering round his head. “‘T’ll treat em gently! Oh, yes! I’ll.pick them off very. tenderly dnd put them in your lap, old lady! I don’t think! Keep = old bees } whined the. old 1) For a stilled, iey are honey bees!’ at home!’’ \ “But they're swarming!” ie old farni- ; 6 er exclaimed. ‘‘They’re going out to hunt a new hive. We’ve been follerin’ ’em.”’ Then Lew Veazie began to bellow again, more frantically than ever. A large crowd was gathering g, men hurrying from ei Pee all directions, Merriwell and his friends’ had arrived on the scene. ‘“Ow-wow!’’ Veazie shrieked. worthe than ever!’’ For a few seconds he had not been trou- bled except by the stings previously gi ven, which pained intensely. Merriwell looked down and sawa big bunch of bees gathering along the top of Veazie’s collar at the back. ‘“They’re killing me!’ Veazie screeched, rubbing a hand into this mass and leaping to his feet. But the pile grew. The bees seemed to drop by scores right out of the air upon him. He started to run. The old woman began to shriek and the boy. commenced again to jangle the bell. **You’ve got the queen!’ howied the old man. ‘‘Jest keep still a minute! You have got the queen!” “Ts this a card game?’ drawled Brown- ing. ‘‘Lew Veazie is the little joker this time!’ droned Dismal. ‘“That's because he clared Bink. ‘said these are honey bees? They’re going to carry Veazie away and turn him into honey and the honey comb. ”? ‘Tf you talk that way I’ll have to swear off on honey!” exclaimed Browning, with _a wry face. “Hold on! was begging. Veazie started torun and the farmer ‘“They’re is so sweet!’’ de- Jest hold on!’ the farmer reached out a hand for tne purpose of de- — taining him. pose Tey aim’ ’t stingin’ you!’’ he insisted. “Jest keep your hands down and keep ‘still an’ they won’t do a thing to you!” Oh, they won! t. do a ee to him!”? 3 howied Paeey, “Don’t you know the boy | drew out the queen, which bys its size and WEEKLY. Veazie showed signs of rolling over. ‘lost this swarm fer five dollars. Veazie dropped flat to the ground. ‘‘Jest hold on!’’ begged the farmer. ‘*Jest hold on! 2, re lightin’ round the queen !”’ Then he dipped his big hand into the pail and began to ladle out the water and drench the bees with it, while the old woman flailed with the roll of cloth to keep them away from her, and the farm- er’s boy, dancing up and down in his ex- citement, jangled the bell like an alarm clock. ae ‘Jest hold on!’* the farmer urged, as “Py git my fingers on that there queen in a minute, and then I’ll have ’em. I wouldn’t Jest hold on a minute!”? ‘‘Veazie’s queen!’’ some otie sung out from the heart of the surging, talking, seiisation-loving throng. ‘‘I always knew you were attractive, Veazie, but I didn’t know females rushed at you in that warm way. Yes, jest ‘hold ona little, Veazie. We don’t have a circus like this every day, and we want to get the worth of our money.’ Ollie Lord, Chickering, Hull, Skelding © -and the others seemed to have been almost deserted by the bees, that were now swarining down upon the hapless lisper, drawn there by the fact that, the queen’ had found lodgment somewhere on Vea- — -zie’s neck. _ Under tl mands, Veazie ceased to kick and strike, and lay like a gasping fish while the man deluged him with water. : ‘“Thay, I’m dwoning!’’? he gasped at last. ‘“Thith ith worthe than thtung!”’ But in truth, the deluge of cold water _took away something of the fiery perm: ie 7 the stings. ‘“Tust hold on!”’ cried the beanies again. | sa Then he thrust a thumb and finger ° down into the writhing wet mass of bees, ag 1e influence of the farmer’s com- being | Ef SD rea baie —B- rane “Lae shape he readily distinguished from the others, and began to rake the bees into the new empty pail. When he had the most of them in, the old woman threw the cloth over them. The farmer was now down on his knees, and the bees that were still on Veazie he began to pick off and pop into the pail as if they were grains of gold “T’ve got ’em!’’ he triumphantly de- clared. “This is my fu’st swarm this spring. I thought the blamed things was. goin’ to git away, but I’ve got ’em. Gin- er’ly they light on a tree when they’re swarmin’, or on somethin’ green!”? *“That’s why they struck Veazie!’’ some one shouted from the crowd. ‘‘Can I get up?’’ Veazie gasped. wetter than the thea!’’ ‘*Yes, young man, an’ I’m ’bliged to ye. The rest of ’em will find their way to the queen, I guess. When these bees makes. honey, if you’ll come over I’fl give you a hunk.”’ Now there is Veazie—— ‘“What about cigarettes?’ drawled Browning, making a fog round his head. ‘‘Don’t let the kettle call the pot Blackie! The most disgusting thing, ever created is a smoker of cigarettes !’? ‘*VYah!’’ growled Danny, t cigarette, ‘ And Browning lent him a match. ‘Bink was rubbing earnestly at the stung spot. | “‘T’ll never see honey again without thinking of this.’’ ‘Which honey do you mean ?’’ asked Danny. ‘‘I heard you calling a chamber- maid Honey the other evening. You must have thought her sweet!’ ‘‘And Theard one of them calling you She must have. taking out a wend me a match, old man.”’ a fool the other evening. thought you an idiot.”’ ‘“'Thomebody get me a cab!’ begged Veazie, rubbing his stings and ruefully regarding himself. ‘‘Thay, fellowth, thith ith awful! I’m a thight! Get a cab, thomebody, and take me home. I’m thick !’’. ‘‘No cab -here,’’ said Skelding, who was also anxious to get away from the | joking and guying crowd. ‘‘But I seea catriage over there. Yes, two of them.”’ “Get a cawiage—anything!’’ moaned Veazie. ‘Take me to the hothpital, take me to a laundwy, take me toa bath—any- where, quick !”? \ The exodus of Veazie and his friends was followed by the return of Merriwell and his comrades to the traps. Hodge had not been long out of a sick bed, and looked thin and weak. He walked with : Sad here on the i 8 TIP The other had forgiven him for the rancorous pirit which had made him te- fuse to ee the ball game against Hartford, in which Buck Badger had pitched, but they had not it. They were but they were not cordial, and Hodge felt it. TOP Merriwell. members of the “flock and sulky s in forgotten courteous, Buck Badger canie the ground, but without a He was. alone, too, and he kept away from Merriwell’s crowd. He not learned to like Merriwell’s friends, any of them, and he detested Hodge. Having taken his gun from its case, Merriwell put it together, and opened a box"of loaded shells, which he placed on the ground. The gun was a beautiful twelve-gauge hammerless, of late design and American manufacture, bored for trap shooting. Hodge’s gun was so nearly like it that they could scarcely be told apart. upon gun. had -Morton Agnew and Donald Pike came on the grounds before the shooting began. Merriwell observed that Badger affected not to notice then, but the Westerner was. plainly annoyed. ‘‘Perhaps you would like to shoot!’ said Merry, going over to Badger with his gun. ‘‘I can let you have the use of my » gun. Hodge has one just like it, and all our other fellows have good guns. you'd like to shoot! It’s all right, and as good as they make them.” The Kansan was plainly pleased. : ‘*And I can let you have shells.’’ Ss ~ “Pll take the gun, Merriwell,”’ he said, balancing it in his hands and_look- ing it over. ,“‘But I can’t let you furnish shells, when I can buy all I want. right grounds. And there is no reason why you can’t shoot with it, too-’’ “None at all, old man, only I thought - likely you wouldn’t want to mix yt ~-our crowd. I can shoot Bart’s gun.’ - Badger flushed and_ his face darkened. So, -11° WEEKLY, He was on the point of saying something bitter against Hodge. “I didn’t intend to shoot when I caine out,’’? he said, choking down the angry utterance, ‘‘or I should have brought a In fact, I didn’t start for this place But I’m here now, and I reckon gun. all. at my fingers would never get done itching : if I couldn’t get to pull a trigger. I used to shoot some on the ranch, you know, and I hope I haven’t lost anything what- ever of the knack. If I should beat your score now ?”’ ‘*Vou’re welcome to.”’ ‘“Of course I’m more used to a revolver. and rifle than to a shotgun, but I allow I | know a kink or two about trap shooting, just the same. ’’ The rattle and click of guns being put together, the snapping of locks, and the chatter, made pleasant music for gun lovers, as Frank returned to his friends. ‘You didn’t let him have your pet oe growled Hodge. ‘‘Ves; I will shoot with yours.”’ ‘“You’re welcome to, of course; but IT shouldn’t have done it.”’ ‘‘Here goes to kill the first bird !”’ tied Danny, ambling out with a repeating sigh gun in his hands. “Tf you don’t hit it first time, you can just sheep on kooting—I mean keep on shooting!’ jollied Rattleton. | ‘‘T wish there was a bee round here to sting him!’’ sighed Bink, as Danny faced of the trap. ‘‘I’m so sore from laughing that I know I-can’t hit anything.’ | “Vou couldn’t hit anything, anyway!’ — said Bruce, putting some shells into his z gun. go 3 “Tcan hit you!’ Bink rowled, lungin, was yo g g ) at him. : poe ““T meant anything small! 1 said Bina ste brushing aside Bink’s blow as if it had e been a fly. ‘‘Shoo! Don’t bother me, or T inay get one of these shells stuck,’ A trap was SpEie. and Dapey: blazed awa . aii eae Bink, for Browning’s f o8 BS TOP “Missed !’’ said Dismal. ‘And Danny moaned Bink. night that our Dp school girls.’’ How??? SCAT] our crack shot!’’ ‘“The papers will say to- like 1S shooting was a lot of asked Merry. Yah! Watch me smash one of those blackbirds into dust.’’ 1 with confidence—and missed, too. misses ! Bink went forward much seeming -**Of course I didn't want to take away all the courage of you fellows by hitting the first explained. “Buti could have done it.” bird,’’ he blandly _. The conditions for shooting were fair, for the wind was not so strong as it had in the day. Several shots were made, together with number hits. Then Buck Badger’s. name was called, and he went. up to the line with Merry’s gun. One of the boys who were manipulating the traps sprung the middle one, and the bird shot swiftly off to the right. It was a rather difficult target, but Badger knocked the clay bird into dust. been earlier a of A good shot!’’ some one called from the crowd. | “It was a good shot!’’ Merriwell com- ‘mented. Distnal Jones followed Badger, and _ knocked down the straightaway bird which was sprung from the right-hand trap. “Now the earth will fall!’ squeaked name was called, and Bruce got up lazily from the ground and walked slowly into position. Bruce disliked a light gun, and: carried a heavy ten-gauge, notwithstanding the fact that trap-shooting rules required the users of such guns to shoot from a longer distance. He believed that the heavier weight and heavier load more than offset this. _ _ Danny stuck his fingers into his ears as Bruce stood ready to fire the ‘‘cannon.” Then there was a thunderous report, as the ALY, jae flew through the air, and WEEKLY. 9 was knocked to pieces by the impact of the shot. ‘Was it an earthquake?’ asked Bink; falling back on the ground. ‘*He’ll - wanting to shoot a Krupp gun next!”’ CHAPTER IV. A STARTLING ACCIDENT. ‘‘Watch me this time!’’ said Danny, as of the right-hand trap,’’ he grinned, ‘ ‘*Tt’s easier for If those traps birds at I’d show you some nice work !”? he stepped into. position. me to do difficult things. would only throw out a dozen once, ‘Yes, you might get one out of a whole flock,’’ said Diamond. ‘‘If it was a very dete flock, you might get two.’ Ten rounds had been aa and two birds were to be thrown now at the same time at unknown angles. “Ready ?”’ asked the boy. “Pull? commanded Danny, throwing up his gun. The birds shoot: ‘“‘T thought one was going to flew, but Danny did‘ not jump out ‘and it didn’t.”’ ‘‘Give him another chance,’’ said Dis- mal. ‘‘He oughtn’t to be forgiven for. anything, but we’ll forgive him.”’’ ‘*Spit on your hands!’’ some one yelled. Danny put down his gun, very deliber- ately spat on his hands, then took up his gun again. . ‘*Pull!?? he commanded. Two birds flew—one from the right- hand trap and one from the middle trap. Bang! bang! Danny fired at both, but the - birds sailed on and descended in the grass. ‘These shells aren’t any good!’ he as- serted, looking wonderingly into the pow- der-stained barrels of the gun. ‘‘Or else this gun isn’t choked right for trap shoot- ing. I held on both of those birds.’’- ““You mean you aren’t choked right for trap Shooting, said Bink, as Danny came __ Z back. oe LO **T’]l choke you!”’ cried, hurling Danny himself on Stubbs and gripping him by the throat. ‘Stop it!’? commanded Bruce, as they “Tf you don’t, rowd.”? struggled on the we’ll fire you out of the Jack Diamond did the best shooting this time, cleanly killing both birds. | Merri- well and struck both birds, but Diamond made the cleanest kill. grass. otHers his re- down a Danny ambled out peater, and this time bird. ‘Talk about easy things!’’ he spouted, ' thrusting out his chest as he pranced back. ‘That’s right !’’ howled Bink. ‘‘You’re the easiest thing on the planet. That bird was broken and all ready to fall to pieces when it left the trap. I paid the boy to fix it for you.’ ‘©VYou’re another!’’ Danny declared., ‘‘I hit that bird fair and square. See if you can do better.’ “Tm going to hit both!’’ Bink declared, and for a wonder he did. ‘“Take me home to mommer!”? squealed Danny. ‘Talk about shooting!’’ exclaimed Bink, sticking his hat on the back of his again with brought head. ‘‘What’sthe matter with that, eh?’’ ‘Oh, you’re a wonder!’ exclaimed Danny. ‘‘Accidents are bound to. happen sometimes, you know.”’ Browning made clean misses, and Dia- mond got only one bird. The shooting .of most of the others was not of the best. ‘““T suppose there isn’t any way to clip the wings of those things?’ grumbled \ Dismal, who had missed. ‘‘They get up - and get away so fast that I can’t pull on them half the time. I could hit my bird if I could find it. But when I point my gun at it and pull the trigger, it isn’t “Anére.?? i ‘‘Pull ahead of it, ” Merriwell advised. Ves, you must use ahead work,’’ said Bink. ‘If you have a head, that is what it?s for. That’s the way I did, and you TIP TOP WEEKLY. I can get ’em every time saw the result. now.’ As the shooting continued, it was seen that Badger was doing good work, though nothing at all phenomenal. into position with an air of confidence, fired quickly, and then stepped back. But he kept away. from Merriwell’s crowd, mingling with others from Yale whom he knew. Hodge’s score and the Westerner’s were mearly alike. Hodge saw it and squirmed. Then Merry, who had made only one miss, scored two ‘‘goose eggs,’’ and Badger climbed up to him. : ‘‘T don’t like that,’’ Bart grumbled. ‘You're not doing 2 beat, Merry. Badger may beat you.’ Mertriwell was cleaning out and cooling his gun—Bart’s gun—which both ,were using, and which had grown hot and foul © from rapid firing. The first round of twenty shots.was nearing its close. Only four more shots were to be fired in it, at two pairs of birds. Badger had to his credit thirteen hits and three misses, and Merriwell the same. ‘“‘Tf you should miss one of the four and Badger should hit them all you would be beaten !’’ Bart urged, uneasily. “And +f don’t want you to be beaten by him. I’m afraid you are going to tie. I want you to beat him. I can’t stand it to have him crowing round.”’ Merriwell smiled placidly. ‘“‘Don’t steam so, Hodge. It just heats you up and makes you unhappy. If Buck Badger should beat me, I don’t see that it would make a great difference. I haven’t been shooting for a record this afternoon.’ ‘All right,’ said Hodge. good your intentions may be, that fellow will never give them. ’? The shooting had recommenced, a | : Hodge walked back to the oe Psa a ee eentled. 5s oe He stepped ‘‘ However ~ you est credit for se 1 4 , TOP ei ey Merriwell clutched a handful of shells = and went over to Badger. = ‘(Try these, Buck!’ he said. ‘‘They’re <7 a good deal better than those you've been : oe using. I had them loaded very carefully Pe under my own supervision for this kind of work, and you’ll find them very fine. They’re just suited to that gun, too. You have really been shooting at a disadvan- tage to-day.’’ - Asmile came tothe dark face of - the Westerner—a stern, determined sort of smile. **Better not give them to me, perhaps, Merry. I’m going to beat you if I can. We’re tied now. If you miss, I shall get you. Better not give me any advantages, ”’ ‘Vou can’t beat me!’’ said Frank, look- ing straight into the eyes of the Kansan. ‘‘Do you mean that. you haven’t been trying to shoot? I’ve been watching you and I allow you have been doing your ~ level best.” “You haven’t watched closely, then. I threw away two shots awhile ago. I could ; not anxious to beat any one to-day. I didn’t come out here to make a record.’’ ae ‘Badger flushed. ee “All right. and I'll beat you.”’ : \ **J’1] not throw away another, and you can’t beat me, though you may tie me.’’ He was siniling and good-humored, and . the Kansan tried to be. - _ Badger took the next two straight, and ‘Merriwell did the same. .. “Pm afraid he is going to tie you!” = grumbled Hodge. .~} _ ‘What's the score?’ asked Rattleton, - roused to the fact that Badger and Merri- well were now eae shooting against 7 each other. _ “'Toodness, a guy—I mean, goodness, a tie! Don’t let him beat you, ee erry !”” “That comes s from 1 being. too good. nat- "hl She Pipi tke hardly miss them when I tried. But I’m» Throw away another shot © WEEKLY. ‘“He wouldn’t be rwhe if you'd tried.’’ anywhere near you, if you’d tried. ured,’’ growled Hodge. Twice again both brought down their birds. Only a pair was left now to each. Every member of the gun. club present, together with those who, like Badger, were being permitted to shoot through the favor of members, and all the spectators, as well, knew now that Badger and Mer- riwell ina finally pitted themselves against each other in. a friendly shooting contest, with the chances in favor of a tie. Hodge was hardly able to breathe, and Harry Rattleton was fidgeting uneasily. The spectators craned their necks as Badger, whose trial came first, walked in- to position with an air of easy confidence, that dark, determined smile disfiguring his face. . “Tm afraid your chances are gone, Merriwell!’’ droned Dismal Jones. ‘‘ ‘We never miss the water till the well runs dry.’ >) ‘‘Keep still,’? grunted Browning, ‘‘ you'll make me nervous!”’ ‘‘T wish somebody would make Badger nervous!’’ wailed Bink. 7 ‘‘Sing out that a queen bee is coming for him!’’ urged Danny,.in an undertone. “Keep still!’’ said Merriwell. Badger balanced his gun, called ‘‘Pull!’’ and threw it into position as the birds sprang from the trap. A deafening explosion followed. ‘The gun was torn to pieces and Badger was hurled backward to the ground. 5 | CHAPTER V. BADGER’S CHALLENGE. Merriwell and others sprang toward him to offer their aid. Frank could hardly be- lieve what he had seen and heard. He feared Badger was seriously or fatally in- _ jured, but was relieved before he reached the Kansan, to see the latter rise unstead- ily to his feet. . Badger looked i dazely abont, then down TIP at his numbed left hand and arm. They felt dead, and he could hardly lift. them. But he saw they were not mangled. ‘‘T hope you are not hurt!’’ Frank ex- claimed. The blood rushed the Westerner’s dark face, and he gave Frank a strange look. in a great wave into ‘Your gun has gone to pieces!’’ he said, gruffly. “But I hope you are not hurt. There are other guns. I don’t understand how it happened. ”’ ‘There was a suspicious light in Badger’s ev eye up I] not be able to beat you,”’ he said. “*T don’t know that I can shoot again, and it’s a wonder, I reckon, that my arm wasn’t torn off.’’ He turned toward the exploded gun. The stock was tight barrel was split open and a section ‘blown out of it. ‘You didn’t get mud or anything of that kind in the muzzle?’ Merry ques- tioned, anxiously examining the ruined weapon, ‘‘That will sometimes make a gun explode.”’ i ‘*None whatever !”’ Bednar grumbled, nursing ‘his numbed hand and arm, while a crowd gathered round him and Merri- well, asking excited and eager questions. “Do you think I’m fool enough to doa thing like that?’’ Frank plucked at Rattleton’s arm. “Take charge of that Re x of - he said, in an undertone. ‘Don’t let any one touch them. The box from which I took the shells for Badger! I’m afraid the shells in it have been tampered with.”’ “Agnew!” Rattleton gasped. ‘‘He’s somewhere on the grounds, you know, and he was right up here awhile ago!”’ ‘J don’t know. It may be. We can tell better later. Just now, take charge of that _ box. No more shells must be used out of at ‘nor out of any other of mine. - TOP WEEKLY. uninjured and the lock mechanism, but the muzzle end of the shells,’” ‘SAN right!”? Rattleton promised, and moved quickly away. ‘How is your hand and arm ?”’ Merry asked, again CCTXT, Well, addressing Badger. I allow it’s good enough to do. more shooting!’’ Badger snarled, giving Hodge a suspicious glance. ‘‘ You didn’t beat me! I missed that bird; but the gun blew up wasthe reason. I’ll shoot you those two, yet; but I’d rather try you ten birds straight—ten double rises, just the kind we were shooting at. I reckon we’d better settle this thing square!’ There was something very "unpleasant in his tone and manner. Hodge saw the elance, heard the words, some and could hardly resist the temptation to — walk and knock him down a Ls ing. “What j is he driving at? Does he mean that Merry hasn’t given him a fair deal, or that he had the gun explode in some way to keep from being tied by him or beaten? Perhaps he is hinting crooked work against me! his head, sure. such stuff - Merriwell-showedea slight trace of an-— noyarice. He took Badger by the arm and they walked aside together. A dozen men were examining the gun and a score more were — craning their necks to get a look ateit, while all sorts of excited conjectures and — comments filled the air. “See here, Badger,’’ said Merriwell, somewhat sternly. ‘‘You think Hodge may be responsible for that accident. He isn’t—no more than I am! You either had mud in the gun——”’ Sp say, if you had let me finish the sentence. No more shells will be used out of that ‘box. They may have been tampered with, but not by Hodge. I know POO He wouldn’t do such a thing.” ee , e scounc rel 1” he fiscal to Brown-_ If he does, P11 punch — Frank is a fool to stand’ — nie 2 “Or something was the matter with the shell!” 2a ‘Exactly. That is what I was going to a ms me fe Sc sete wee? Bie roan TEP. BOP “T reckon that he is none too good for that, if he had a chance!’’ “Hodge is my friend.’ ‘T don’t care if he is your friend a dozen times over. That might have killed me or crippled me for life!’’ “Tf those shells were tampered with, it was done for my benefit, Badger, and not for yours. Hodge wouldn’t put in shells that would endanger me. I gave you those shells out of my own box.’ ‘‘And Hodge was talking to you and knew what you meant todo. He could have juggled a fixed-up shell on you.”’ “We won’t talk about it!’’ said Merri- well, turning away. “‘T’ve a right to think what I please,”’ Badger grumbled, following him. ‘‘He thinks you can beat me shooting. He was afraid I would. I can beat you, and I'd like to do it, to spite Bart Hodgex’ “‘T don’t think you are in any condition to do more shooting.”’ “Oly, I’m all right!’ Badger rather snappishly declared, his heart hot against Hodge. ‘‘Don’t let anything of that kind ‘worry you, Merriwell! I want to shoot at ten double rises against you—ten double rises at unknown angles. You’ve declared that you haven't tried to shoot. I dare you to give me this.trial. The numbness is going out of my arm and it will soon be all right. And I warn you not to throw away any shots!”’ 3 They were near the excited crowd. “Allright, Buckrum !’’ Merry answered. “1]] try you, if you’re so anxious!”’ “(We'll buy shells here. And _ that gun——”’ ‘Perhaps you think there was some-_ thing the matter with the gun???’ - “Oh, Dll buy you another gun!’ growled Badger. Soe Frank flushed. ee ‘“The imptidence of the fellow!” grunt- ed Browning, who overheard the remark. Hodge, who was Snes near t Brown- Ang, pees it, too. ree WEEKLY. ; 13 ‘hibited them to Frank. “JT wish you’d hit him, Merry!’ he panted. ‘‘No doubt you’d like to do that,’’ said Badger. ‘‘But, I’d advise you not to try.’”’ ‘‘Mr. Badger and I are going to aitone at ten double birds,’’ said Frank, pretend- ing not to notice these things. ‘‘T will use your gun, Bart.’’ ‘And Badger“may use mine,’’ said a sophomore, who was one of Badger’s \ © friends, and had been one of Merriwell’s enemies. ‘‘But for goodness sake, don’t use any more dynamite shells!” CHAPTER VL FINE WORK. Merriwell saw that Morton Agnew had come up and was looking earnestly at Badger and at the ruined gun. ‘fT wonder that Badger doesn’t remem- ber that you slipped a ‘fixed’ cartridge into a gun for him once,’’ was Frank’s thotight. ‘‘You are at the bottom of this, and your villainy has gone far°enough. © When I come to strike you I shall strike hard!” j The shattered gun still furnished at- traction for many, and Agnew pushed for- _ ward to get aclose look at it and to ask questions. : : Rattleton came up to Merriwell with the box of loaded shells. | ‘They are not all just alike, Merry!’? — he declared. ‘‘I have been looking them over. See!”’ ae He took up three of the shells and ex- A casual glance — would show no difference between them and the other shells in the box. But a. close inspection showed that the brass did | not go up quite so high on the paper. va ami sure that all the shells in the box — were just alike,’’ said Merry. ‘*Those were slipped in there. Keep thei safe.’? “But what if they blow me up?’ Rat- tleton gasped. ‘‘I’m afraid of the things. Some of the fellows are saying there was 14 dynamite in the shell that tore up the gun !’’ “There is no danger, I think. ‘Take care of them, and see that the other boxes are not tampered with. Watch Morton Agnew.” him! And he I caught him at **Let your bife I'l] watch has been watching me! it awhile ago!’ ~ ‘I think Agnew fixed up some shells to kill or maim - Frank. ‘‘No doubt great deal to get Look out for him.’ me,’’ said he would give a the unused ones away. Then Merriwell went back to the crowd, where Badger numbed arm and hand, and explaining how it felt to have a burst in one’s fingers. was exhibiting Ins be- gun “‘Are you ready ?’’ he asked. ‘*YVes,’’? Frank answered. Pant? It was strange how the fellows on the shooting grounds ranged themselves into two companies—the supporters of Merri- well in one knot and the’supporters of the Kansan in the other. It was asif an in- visible hand had gone through the crowd and separated Merriwell’s friends from his foes. About Badger gathered Walter Gordan, Bertrand Defarge, Morton Agnew, Gil Cowles, Mat Mullen, Lib Benson, Newt Billings, Chan Webb and more of the same sort, a number of them Metriwell’s pretended friends, but all at now swarmed his friends tried and true, with Hodge, Browning, Diamond, Rattleton, Gamp, Bink and Dismal close to his per- son. 3 “Don’t monkey with him,’’ urged Bart, as Merriwell sent Danny and Bink away for some shells and began to wipe out Bart’s gun in readiness for the ghoot- B ing contest. ‘‘Don’t throw away any shots. Show those cads what you can do. A lot “of them are beginning to think that Badger i is really a better man than you are. if he serene peta \ a heart his enemies. “While about Merriwell , TIP TOP WEEKLY. ‘*He’ll never defeat Merriwell!’’ assert- ed Rattleton. ‘‘Come off the dump!”’ ‘Of course he can’t!’’ added Diamond, ‘“There are no dead-sure things,’? droned Dismal. ‘‘I’ve been enticed into squandering good dollars on several dead sure things. I’ve got more sense and less dollars. ”’ ‘‘Wait and see!’’ sputtered Rattleton. ‘‘Who is to shoot first ??’ Badger asked, walking toward Merriwell’s crowd, Badger had noticed the character of the fellows who had gathered round him and he was nettled. On the outskirts he even saw the face of Donald Pike—once his friend, now hated by him as a foe. “*Suit yourseif,’’ Merriwell answered. ‘*We’ll flip a coin,’’ said Badger. One of the sophomores drew out a half dollar and twirled it in the air. ‘“‘Y’ll take heads!’’ said Merry. But the head of the coin fell downward, and Badger, taking the gun given him, walked out to the line and faced the traps. ‘‘We will have no signaling,’’ he said, turning round and facing Merriwell’s crowd. ‘‘As we step up here, let the traps be sprung, and we'll shoot at the birds, whether ready or not,’ ¢ He was supremely conndent in his own abilities ‘All right. ahead !”” Before Badger could turn back he heard | the sound made by the traps springing. Two birds shot out, one: toward the right and the other straight away. Bang! bang! Badger wheeled and fired quickly, and made a clean kill of both birds. Sige There was a skirmish fire of clapping | hands in the circle of his admirers, ‘‘Fine work!’ Merriwell admitted, as he stepped into place with Bart’s gun. ‘He stood with his gun down until the birds were hurled from the traps, then with a couple of quick snap shots swiaeteg them to pieces. Go Any way to suit you. Pade pes t pei erat FSA ~ _ pity on you! Ee POP squealed Danny corp *“Whoop-e-ee-ee!”” Griswold, turning a handspring. soft snap can shoot a little!’’ Again the Westerner made a clean kill of two birds. Frank followed him and did the same. Five times more the Kansan did this, and Merriwell duplicated the performance. The antagonistic crowds ceased to whoop and shout their exclamations of pleasure. The thing was becoming interesting. It began to seem that Badger and Merriwell his would again tie. Then Badger, becoming over-confident, missed a bird. He stepped back, with a look of chagrin on his face. Frank stepped forward, pitched up his gun as the birds were thrown—and missed one! Merry missed with the left barrel of his gun, and Badger had missed with the left barrel. ‘‘Now you’re monkeying!’’ Hodge grumbled, as Merriwell retired into the circle of his friends. ‘‘Don’t do it, Merry! What did you do that for? You could have made the whole string, straight, without a single goose egg!’ Badger’s dark, heavy face was flushed as he advanced again into position. He felt, like Hodge, that Merriwell had pur- posely missed that second bird, and it an- nuyed and angered him. ‘This was the worst possible thing that could have hap- pened to him, for when he fired he again missed a bird. ‘(Don’t imitate him again!’ Hodge im- plored. And Merriwell did not. He made a clean kill of both birds.~ ““Only two more birds apiece, and Mer- ry one ahead !’’ squealed Bink, vainly tip- toeing tosee as well as those who were taller. : ‘You want to see Merry do him up?”’ said Bruce. ‘‘You little runt, Pll take 1 ‘(Me, too!’’ squeaked Danny. WEEKLY. ‘at his last two birds. oo little Ranarent exertion of strength, 15 3rowning hoisted the little fellows to his shoulders, thus elevating them above the heads of others, where they sat in great glee, squealing and laughing, Danny on the young giant’s right shoulder and Bink on his left, as Badger walked out to shoot Agal n the Westerner killed his birds. ‘“Now, if Merry misses one, it will be another tie!’’ grunted Bart. “Stop hawking through your tat—I mean—— Oh, Idon’t know what I mean! But just keep still!’’ Rattleton almost breathlessly begged. ‘‘Merry is all right!” And Rattleton’s confidence was justified. Merry fired, with the same result. =e Vigiced ‘em!’ howled Bink. Smashed ’em into bug dust! !? squealed Danny. ‘‘Bub-bub-beat Badger again!’’ spt: tered Gamp. A cheer of gratification went up from the circle of Frank’s friends. Merry motioned to Rattleton to bring him some shells. “Bring me Danny’s gun, too!’ he called; and Harry ran out to him witha box of shells that he knew were reliable and with Griswold’s repeating shotgun. **All three traps at once!’’ said Merri- — well to the trap manipulators. Three birds flew at the same moment of time. Bang! bang! bang! \ Badger in his best shooting at two birds had never made cleaner kills. The clay — birds seemed to vanish in puffs of dust at | the crack of the gun. Merriwell put down Danny’s repeater, and took up Bart’s gun. ‘“’Three birds again!’’ he commanded, as he dropped in the two shells and closed the breech with a click. = Almost before the words were out of his mouth the birds were thrown. Bang! bang! bang! ( _ He killed the left and center birds with. the two loads in the gun; then reloaded 16 and killed the third bird before it could touch the ground! There was Badger’s face grew redder. a wild clapping of hands, joined in by many who were in Badger’s crowd. ‘**W hoop-ee-e-ee !”’ squealed Danny, wildly waving his cap. ‘‘Who says we can’t shoot ?’’ They had been shooting at a rise of twenty-five yards. Merriwell stepped back five yards, thus increasing the distance to thirty. He loaded his gun, and held an extra shell in his left hand. Then he turned his back on the traps. ‘Pull when you want to?’’ he called. The manipulators of the traps seemed to desire to test him. There was an exas- perating delay, and some questions; then the traps were sprung with startling sud- denness. Merriwell’s quick ear was alert. He wheeled as if on a pivot, killed the left bird and the right one. Then dropped in _another shell with a slowness that. set Bart Hodge wild, and killed the third bird, which had gone off at a difficult tangent, at a distance of at least sixty yards! ‘‘Come on!’ grated Defarge, almost be- side himself with anger and disappoint- ment. ‘‘The devil can’t beat him! Let’s get out of here!’’ ‘Right!’ said Pike, also turning wrath- fully away. Badger seemed turned to a statue. Then again the unexpected happened. A sophomore, who was known to be an intimate friend of Morten Agnew, by seeming accident fired off a gun with which he had been monkeying. Agnew, who had, unnoticed, wormed his way into Merriwell’s crowd during the excitement = of the shooting contest, fell to the ground with a cry, as if shot, knocking Harry . Rattleton over as he did so. The shells which Harry had been so carefully guarding were scattered on the ground, and seemed likely to be stepped on and lost in the excitement that followed. is Coe WEEKLY. Agnew flounced and threshed about, crying out that le was shot. He was an- xiously lifted up, and on his face was seen a drop of blood, which had come from a cut recently ae “One shot went in right there!’’ he cried. ‘‘I think there are others! Gat me into a carriage quick !”’ : A half-dozen young fellows ran for the nearest carriage, toward which Agnew was conducted as rapidly as possible. larry Rattleton seemed dazed, and be- gan to look about on.the ground as the crowd thinned out there. Merriwell hurried to him. “What’s the matter??? he anxiously asked. ‘The shells were knocked out of my hands!’ gasped Rattleton. ‘‘And not half of them seem to be here!’ Metriwell’s look became anxious, He stooped down with ae up the shells. ‘A sRrewd trick, but it didn’t work!”? he exclaimed, hoiding up a cartridge. ‘“Here is one of those that were fixed for me, anyway. Harry and began to new did it, and that he intended to kill me!’ The other shells which Agnew had pre- pared were gone, having been gathered up in the midst of the tumult and excite- ment and cleverly slipped by Agnew into his pockets. “Who fired that shot: 2? Merry asked. “Tt don’t know!”’ Others were gathering round. ‘He tried to kill me, Harry, and I shall strike back. And when I strike I shall strike in a way to make the stroke felt !”” : CHAPTER VIL FRANK PREVENTS TROUBLE. ~ Badger’s belief that Hodge had juggled the shell which exploded in the gun was not very strong when he left the grounds And now I know that Ag- a i vb é + > ‘ them! corner on his way to the lighted campus, on the evening of the second day after the was hurled backward. Badger. But the blow did not fall. The fist was cers Os of the gun club, but his hatred of Hodge was not in any degree lessened thereby. Only by a supreme exercise of will power had he been able to keep himself from rushing upon Bart when the latter made his bitter comments to Merry. ‘*Merriwell is all right, but Hodge isn’t _ éven a piece of a man!’’ he growled, as he made his way home, his thoughts ina chaotic state. ‘‘I shall have to punch his head for him. Merry wouldn’t have beat me shooting if I had taken my own gun along! I reckon I was a fool for going into the thing. Hodge isn’t any too good to slip that shell in on Merry! And if he didn’t do it, who did? And I’d like to know what was in it? That’s whatever!’’ Bart’s feelings against the Westerner were quite as bitter. He almost hated the ground on which Badger’s shadow fell. - It seemed unlikely that Frank could ever reconcile these two antagonistic characters. Bart Frank’s friends were treating him. was sore also about the way Nor was the feeling lessened by his own inner conviction that he had dealt rather shab- -bily with one who had been as true a friend to him as Merry had been, and that ‘the other members of the ‘‘flock’’ had good grounds for looking on lim with disfavor. ‘‘T shall never crawl on my knees for the friendship and good will of any of * was his thought, as he turned a 7” shooting. ‘‘And as for Badger—— He ran violently against a man and. The man was ‘‘What do you mean by that?’ the Westerner demanded, for he, also, had been almost knocked from his~ feet, and he, too, had been feeding his hot anger -~ with inflammatory thoughts against Bart. ‘You did that on purpose !’? Hodge lunged at the Kansan’s face. WEEKLY. ae knocked down and a strong grasp on his shoulder turned him half round. “Stop this!’’ came sternly from Frank 11 ii Merriwell, who was also on his way to the cain pus. “Let me get at lim!’’ Bart panted, try- ing to wrench away. ‘‘He ran into me and tried to knock me down, just now. I can’t stand it! I won’t stand it!’’ ‘Oh, let him come on!’’ the Westerner grated. ‘‘I’ve been aching for a crack at him fora month. I’ polish him off in short order if you will just let him come on. He thinks because he knocked me out once that he can do it again!’ ‘Tf you fellows are determined to fight, I’ll arrange for you to get at each other some time, but you are not going to fight here, and that is flat!’ “Oh, well, let it go!’ : Bart, with intense bitterness and disgust. ‘‘I’ll not sut if we ever do come up against each other, Pl] hammer the life said trouble him here. out of him !”’ “‘T don’t doubt you’d kill: me if you could!’ the Kansan sneered. ‘‘I rather think you tried it the other day.’’ ‘What do you mean ?’’ Bart demanded, “*Do you mean the shel] that blew up the gun ?’’ ‘It’s strange you can guess so easy!’ Badger insinuated. ‘“See here, Badger,’’ said Frank, who had stepped between' the belligerents. ‘You insult me when you intimate that Bart knew anything about that shell. That shell was slipped into my box by Morton Agnew. I have discoveréd enough already to convince me of that. Isaw him again bristling. ; do something to-day, too, which puts a big club into my hand!’ Badger’s face changed, but he would not adinit that he might be wrong in lay- ing the dastardly deed at the door of Bart Hodge. 3 “When you’ve got the proof I'll look at it,’’ he doubtingly remarked, turning about. : 18 TIP TOP ‘Oh. don’t talk to him!’ Hodge growled. ‘‘I wouldn’t waste words on 1.5 ’ 1m. **T’]] hammer your face for this some day!’ Badger panted, turning back. **Tt’s right here, ready for the haimmer- ing wlienever you get ready to try it!”’ Hodge snapped, and then moved away with Merriwell. Seeing that they were heading toward the campus, the Westerner went now in a different direction. , “T don’t know why I should let Merri- well come in and interfere in that way,’’ he grumbled. ‘‘I allow that it really was none of his affair. But I permitted him to order me to stand back, and I stood back. Of course, I’m under obligations to him and all that, and he ‘said good words to Winnie for me'when I seemed to need them—but, hang it all! he isn’t my boss! Who made him my master? It’s all right for him to lead Hodge around by the nose that way, but-—-—-’’ ‘‘Hello!’? came in an inquiring voice, and Badger, looking up, saw Morton Ag- new. The Westerner’s face took on an un- pleasant look, and he did not answer the hail. “Don’t be surly !’’ boldly on. ‘ ‘What do you want??? snapped the Kansan. Then the thought came to him that it would be a good idea to treat Agnew with some consideration, for thereby it might be jpossible to get the inside facts about the shell that ripped the gun open and caine so near mangling his arm. ‘What do you want ?’’ he asked again, toning down his gruffness. ~ “T know we’re not friends,’’ said Ag- new, with the suavity ofa confidence man, “but that is no reason why we should al- ways remain foes. I saw you here and you looked lonesome. I’m a rather lonesome bird _ myself to- sight, so I whistled to you.’ | “*T allow you’ ve the most gall of any man I ever saw!’’ was Badger’s thought. ~ Aloud he said: “We'll go down this way, then. Did I look lonesome? Well, I wasn't feeling _ any lonesome I can tell Ot HES what- ever |’? ~ said Agnew, coming WEEKLY. ‘‘Perhaps you object to my company ?”? drawing back Badger knew that this was a piece of acting, and he wanted to crack Agnew on the jaw forit. But he held himself in check, Really Badger seemed to be gain- ing some self-control—a thing that was entirely foreigen to him when he first knew Metriwell. He was enabled to hold him- self in by the intense desire he felt to dis- cover if Agnew slipped the ‘‘fixed’’ shell into the box. ‘hat was an important point just the: “Come ong !’? the Westerner grunted. **Vou s it: < at you were lonesome, if I am not. I’m not so hogeish as to want to run away from a inan who thinks he can get good out of my company.” “T like to hear you talk that way,’ said Agnew, linking his arm in the Kan- san’s. The touch made Badger’s flesh creep, but he held this feeling in check, too. ‘(Here’s a saloon!’ said Agnew, after they had walked a considerable distance without saying anything of moment. “Tet’s go in. Wecan talk in there. I never like to chatter much on the street.” CHAPTER VIII. BADGER AND AGNEW. Looking up, Badger saw that they were in front of a well-known resort, which he had entered more than once, but of which he had recently fought shy. Winnie’s face rose reproachfully before him as he stopped and looked at the en- trance. It almost drove him back. ‘We can talk better inside,’’ Agnew urged. The Westerner glanced hesitatingly up- and down the street. ‘All right,’’ he agreed, again feeling a fierce desire to get at whatever knowledge Agnew possessed about the exploding shell. The proprietor nodded familiarly to- ward him as he walked in. ‘*Glad to see you. Nice evening!’’ Badger, who was not good at acting oe what he did not feel, mumbled a reply. . ‘Have something!” suggested Morton, — : moving up to the bar. . Badger pushed Agnew’s arm away and tiiened toward a side room. © oh + x 2 - INean,’? could not fail to notice. *"No! I-don’t need a drink to talk.”’ “It greases a fellow’s tongue,’’ said Morton, with one of his persuasive smiles. “You won’t have anything?’ as a waiter appeared, “‘Not to-night.” **Some whiskey,’’ said Agne waiter went away, returning a bottle and some ‘glasses. ‘‘Some cards!’ said Agnew, and the waiter brought two unopened packs. The Westerner’s brow grew black. fancied he saw through Agnew’s little game. He believed that Agnew, who was a card sharp, hoped to get him to talk ing, then to drinking, and finally into a game and fleece him out of what money he had. Agnew’s funds were low, and he was probably ready for any expedient. ‘We can talk better over a game,’ Ag- new urged, deftly opening a pack. _ The Kansan pushed back. His blood was boiling. He could hold in no longer. vw, and the shortly with He “‘T allow you’re a big fool, Agnew, if. you think you can dome upin that way!” he hotly declared. ‘‘I’ve beer told that you tried to kill me the other day. Do you want to rob me, because you failed in that?” Agnew grew white. ‘‘What are you talking about?’’ he gasped. ‘‘Tried to kill you? What non- sense is that? I don’t know what you _ However, there was a certain tell-tale shrinking in his manner which Badger It convinced the Westerner that Merriwell was on the right track, and his anger burned into deep rage. . . “T can see from your manner t that you did. Agnew, you’ve got the heart of a wolf! That’s whatever!”’ Agnew was truly playing a game, but it was not a card game. He had learned to hate Badger. To strike the Westerner 3 - pleased him now almost as well as astroke against Merriwell. He dropped the cards and Gites back as if he feared the Kansan would leap at ble throat. _“Wh- what do you mean?’ he de- ~ “On the gun club grounds!”’ said Badg- er, rising from the table. ‘‘You slipped ‘some eae shells into Merriwell’s TIP TOP WEEKLY. 19 box, and I got one of them. It came near. tearing my hand and arm to pieces, and it might have killed me. No thanks to you that it didn’t. Your intentic good enough.”’ Agnew began to bluster, but in a tone. ‘ whil e P ae had his hea SO ¢ emotion when they talked of Elsie. ' course, is a fine girl, and Frank admires her, “She is ( my truest and best friends,’’ aoe nothing more, and i 3} swer rt, i—oh! by the way, have you Frank r Swe rt?. No; but you have When ‘e : Dia- ond’s. sword in France, wi ! Ze ve spoken as Elsie did, 45 he lay on his od Ww hing i teint Would she haye told him how she had suffered w whith acting coldly to ? No; her pride vould av held her back. I say a Elsie is the girl for Frank, and Frank says so himself by his actions, if. not in words. Mr. Bush says, “Mr. Standish favors Elsie now, but ti will tell.”’ I do not believe it will. I be ve*that the king of writers. will always favor Elsie, for e is, the better of the two. - Suc- cess to the two kings -Tip Top Weekly and Burt SCAR OSSBS patios Ind. You’must remember that the two girls are of very differ- ent natur and would act differently under the same cir- cumstarices. Inza naturally appeals to one class of read- ers and Elsie to another. Still; your arguments are ex- tremely interesting, and we thank you very much for your letter. duty to let you know that this ideal pub- large demand here. My regards to Street & Smith, Mr. Standish and all his characters in the Tip Top. : have never written poetry. before, but if this is suitable I should be delighted to see it in print: I think it my lication is in or Old Eli, and r he yr blue; for Frank Merriwell ar r his friends true. I like Badger because he is brave; He alwa wants fair play—that shows he’s no knave. Bruce Browning is all : is if he is a bit lazy; We knows when ; nd he’s certainly a This is from St. Louis n't think we are slow; If we are in the West, “we're in it, you Show HARRY PARIS, St. Louis,. Mo. regards. daisy. Thank you for the verses, and best I have read the Tip Top for a: long while, and have en- joyed it very much. It is what all of its admirers say—ail right in every respect. Among the latest, I enjoyed ‘‘Frank Merriwell’s Stratagem.”” Mr, Standish told the truth when he had Bart Hodge say, that once a person falls from a position by means of which he has seemed. to have many friends, the great majority will leave him the moment he is down. { myself think a great deal as Bart does, and am like him in several ways. Of all the characters, which, by the way, are excellent,-I think he is the most true to life. What has become of Hans and Barney? All of us would like to hear more of them. Inclosed I send coupons and 10 cents for’ badge. Wishing the Top Top a contifluance of its’ success, 4 ‘ Wichita, Kans. Bart is certainly a very lifelike character. You will hear ~ more of Hans and Barney. The badge has oo sent, and” we are certain that you will be pleased with i 4 30 Tir. TOP your valuable paper from No, 1 to the present Cine end we think it is UD to date. We had a le last week, based on ‘‘True Blue,’’ and played to three ry large houses. We also had an ita to play in a small village near our town, but had to decline, as the man from whom we ARired the scenery left town. The. cast of characters were as follows: Frank Merriwell, H. Burt; Jack Diamond, H. Hamilt; Bruce Browning, J. Jibbins; Harry Rattleton, H. K. Miller; Hans Dunnerwust, K. Smith; Bart Hodge, H. Brandt, and a few others. fellows’ sisters played the lady parts. all land, We have read S. The the papers in the op heads the band; North to South, and East to West, is considered the very best. Merriwell is a dandy, eR he has the sand And if he ever comes to Youngstown We will meet him with a band, KARL HAMILT, Youngstown, Ohio. play, ahd the success of to Frank. Our congratulations on thanks for the invitation your that you have many Tip Top readers quite a difference of opinion as to marry. I say Elsie, for did he not propose to her before he went: abroad the last time? It certainly amounted | to as much. Now, I do not think it would be wise to have Frank marry Inza, as it would seem that he did not know his own mind, and he certainly has the ji and common sense of a man, although a boy in years. But : wish to write more particularly in praise ee 3art Hodg He is so loyal to Frank and has tried so hard tc be ‘like him, yet without. much success, but I hope to read. soon that he has at last gained what he has tried so he urd to do. Some say he always wants to fight, but it is always for Frank, and I admire him for it. I say now and always, “Hurrah for Bart Hodge!’ With regards to author and publisher, I am a Frank Merriwell ADMIRER, Ottumwa, Iowa. spite of his unfor- loyalty itself to will come out all tell you there is I write to here.’ I see the girl Frank should We are glad that you like Bart, in tunate peculiarities. As you say, he is Frank, and we feel confident that he right in the end. I take this liberty in expressing my appreciation for your popular weekly. Its name is respected and honored through- out this broad country, and not without good reason, for it is certainly the best weekly paper published in this country. In my opinion, Mr. Standish ranks foremost among our best authors. In the Tip Top he has drawn ters each and every one trué to life. -Of course, best of all. He is beyond doubt the can youth—upright, honest and : very much, as I think he is there is big, lazy Bruce, a youth although always very tired, he is gen place at the right time. Harry and warm friends of Frank’s. Without D: would we do for our latest jokes and L admire Elsie the best, but think Inza friend, I would like very much to and Frank’s protege, Mr. Nutting A, J. MILLER Pittsburg inny puns? is also a vé hear from Sagi what ] irls Pa. interesting, because characters of flesh and faults, as we all-have. Yes, Frank's friends are extremely they are not lay figures, but real blood, with a mixture of “virtues and Seeing that. no one has written from this place, thought we would write just to, let you. know we read the rip Top Weekly out here and think it is a gor a paper for tng Americans to read, Ve have a club here We i it the Young People’s Pleasure Club, but are thinking changing it to the Tip Lop Good a Club. We ‘rank isa del for.the young peo, America to | low. We think Bart is his best fri nd, and hope he will marry Inza; and think Elsie is the girl for Frank, and Winnie Lee for Buck. Here are a few of the officers and members: 1. HAUSWIRTH, President. LOTT, F. WEEKS, Vice-Pres. , OTTER, ©. DOWNEY, Secretary. M. SULLIVAN, . EVANS, Treasurer. J. FOYER H. HANSON, B. GRANT, W. DEMPSEY, E. KE LLEY, EF, LOTT, W. CLARK, Long life to Frank, all his friends and Burt ‘L. Standish. ‘ Butte, Montana. Rdg ae be proud to have your club named we of think LC i- Thank you. after the Tip Knowing that the Tip Top Weekly can’t be beaten, we organized the Everett Tip Top Reading Club. We have always enjoyed reading Mr. Standish’s stories. Three cheers for Mr. Standish and three more for Frank Merri- well a his flock. Our club motto is: ‘Frank Merriwetl oo ee fae else after.’’ o. CAR CARL BOWEN, CHARLES RITCHIE, > Long Mfe and best wishes for your club.” — Everett, WEEKLY, The Tip Top Weekly is, ‘just splendidly original and grand.’’ mies always acknowledge in the end, ‘‘the whitest man they ever met,’’ and his friends are all ‘‘true Badger is a fine young man, in spite of his stubbornness, and I hope he ll soon become a stanch friend of Merry’s. Bart Hodge and Elsie seem such good friends, I do hope they wiii fall in iove with each other. Under the influence of her sunny smiles, he would not feel so hard toward every one for Bart is a splendid fellow. I hope Jack Dia-~ mond will meet Juliet Reynclds again Frank is the most, popular man at Yale and Inza is the most popular girl, Was she not the belle of the ‘‘Prom.?’’ Where we first learned to love Frank, we learned to love Inza, too. STELLA HENDERSON, Carterville, Mo. as Inza says of Frank Merriwell, Frank is as his ene- It is a pleasure to receive such praise from one of our girl friends, The girls seem to be as much divided as the boys on the Elsie-Inza question. I have had .typhoid fever for the last few weeks, and although I have read all the Tip Tops from No. 1 to the present, I have never enjoyed them so much as when [I was sick. I am just recovering, and I puss.my time in reading and drawing. I cannot express my appreciation of the Tip Top Weekly in fitting;language, but it is my favor- ite book. Burt L. Standish is to be thanked for the fine stories he gives us about Frank and his comrades. A MINNEAPOLIS READER, Minneapolis, Minn. We are pleased that the Tip Top proved such a solace to you in your illness, and trust that you are quite recovered by this time. I should like to say a few words about your popular Tip Top Weekly if you will kindly grant me the space in its interesting columns. I suppose the rule is to start in by saying, with the full appreciation of a devoted reader, that there is and only can be one Frank Merriwell. Mr. Standish has painted him in our mind in a style which cannot be improved. upon nor made any better by useless words of praise. Before concluding this letter I should like to say that your new weekly, ‘Comrnsen 3,’ is all “Wright’ and admirably fits a long felt want—a railroad story. If it continues to be as interesting as the first two numbers it will soon become as popular as the Tip Top, or the opinion of a railroad man is not to be depended on. JAMES A, POWERS, Aurora, \ Ill. Thank you. both the Tip We are glad you think so hig Top and Comrades. ly of three brothers, have decided to write atulation upon your much-read and producticn of the Tip Top Weekiy. The best easiest Way we can think of congratulating you is to you that we appreciate your production of the marvel- character of Frank Merriwell. At this juncture we light say that the people are mistaken in considering Ad- dison’s character of Sir Roger De Coverly the best in English literature, for, in our opinion, the hcenor, courage and character of Frank seems without a rival in the lit- erature of the world. A good second, and almost as good { ferry, is Bart Hodge. We would like to know if Frank has or Has not ‘hosen a profession. Very truly yours. MOSES DRYFO¢ ISAAC DRYFOOS. ABRAHAM DRYF Drs "We, the undersigned, you a letter of cong i-known ous Os. Erie, Pa. Your com} No, definitely ariscon is an apt one. decided upon a profession. am in’ the Philippines. “I, as well as the rest of the boys in the company, think that Tip Top has no equal, although we don’ t. get one very often away over here in the Philippines, but when we do every one is sure to read it, and then wonder how long it will be before they can get another one. It is very hot here in the Islands, as now is the hottest time of the year. We have been here just one year, and-we are getting acclimated now and. don’t miud it as we did when we first arrived here... As this is my first attempt, and I don’t want to impose upon you too much, I will close, and next time I wil! tell you something about the Philippines—that is, if you don’t care, Success to Frank and all his friends, and now, adios! FRED. D. WOODARD, Co. B,\ 8a). U- 8, Inft., Manila, P. I. By all means write again and’tel] us of some of your ex- periences. We are sure all ested. ‘ Well, here I I write to tell you that the boys, girls and eyen grown people here like Frank Merriweil a great deal better than any other story. It is as you say—‘‘an ideal publication for the American youth.’’ Of the different characters [I like next to Frank, Buck Badger, because he is so honest and upright, will not hit his enemy in the back, and I) hope that he will become one of F rank’s truest fr jends as well as a member of his flock. Let us hear more from Elsie. The boys of the West like Frank Merriwel! a great deal. ALFRED YOUNG. M, LEAVY. LUTE KIMMEL. Leavenworth, Kan. ¥ Frank is very proud of the friends, both young and oa. that he bap made in the West, t. ; as steel.’” Frank has not yet our readers would be inter-~ / é TIP ee I have read the Tip Top Weekly from the railroad stories to the present one, and am now going to be 1 with number one and read all up to them I like thera very much and think Frank is a model character. Next Frank I like Bart Hodge. I hope that Buck Badger will 2» on the base- ball team with Frank this summer, and I aiso hope that Mr. Standish will introduce Frank’s fat and Grace Ver- non soon There no use j paper to try to imitate > Tip Top Weekly, as it cannot be ,done success- fully, pho PEAS, Alton Bay, N. Y¥. Your suggestions will be considered, No imitation can ever approach the original, as the boys and girls of Ameri have long since decided. I feel called upon t peak few words in behalf of the Tip Top Weekly. I ave rea ma f its numbers think it an excellent px r fhere are none like print, and I am sure an; : ; number would feel as I do, an . zg t man her A rican youths—that it is a tip toy aper i jus he one and only one to be put before et To read one fr the Tip read them all. Thank you. I have read every on, and think 1 teach a moral less f who ‘aia nothing but hang ; \ ry looking for a fight -wit some boys sma , self. a cop} PS Top We y to art © cut a long story : rt, he has turned out-to be a v ) Oy ar always reads. your splendid novel. You w } n. c B. Sta nd- ish and his stor are all ght} hink this ek’s pub- lication is splendid. All- my fri is rez ‘ip Ti Veekly and can also praise the g 1 stor cont: tins. ‘rank has many faithful friends and 1 t Frank I like Dia- mond. I would hoz more of Daisy Slanay and -Mayblossom, I ne r Der egards to Mr. Burt L. Stand- fish and Messrs.. Street & ith. ’ SAMUEL MEYER, Buffalo, N. Y. We are gratified to hear f your friend’s improvement and hope he will write P ; ‘ mind your wishes. Kindest from No 69 I find the Tip Top We a very intere sting weekly and Highly praise it to” my friends. : be beat for athletics or fun g: A I ar I vhat of an. all around athlete, I admire Frar riw and his set and try to be’as much like $s possible, but find it hard work to do so, as he is a marv in hims I hope to see you keep up the good j success, if pos- sible, and hope Fr k Merri : I ail hi i s and yourself and friend nd Messrs, Street & ri and their friends a happy HB: } ‘ “Tn liana follow consistently arding athletics given by alws Lys to > lied upon. You will certainly succeed Pp syou Frank's example. The i Mr. Standish is I have read the Tip Top Weekly for pretty near and the more of them J read the better I like them,. Frank must be a fine fell everyt , likes him, and if every young man would ae as ; He would be all. right. I am going Pe: forma club of ity boys and will get badges for all if 3 be ki 10ugh to send them. It is a pleasure to say ith perfect truth that th e Tip Top is the best little book and ar 1e who reads them gets full vaiue haere I read four and five of the back imbers over again and the boys are all happy when they ¢ I about hone: Merri- well. I wish Prank and Plsie a happy Waster ¢ also Harry Rattleton C. McGRATH, ' Fort Sheridan, Ill., Co, T.. We are ays delighted to know that the Tip Top is ap- preciated by our soldier boys. Best wishes to you and all your friends. We shall he much pleased to have you wear the badges. a year I read the Tip Tops and cannot express the ‘‘joy’’ they e me. Anybody who d not already read them. is ing part of his life: I mean what I slay—or I mean what I say. Frank is a fine fellow to. follow, and dear Flsie is a good one for the girl res S$ a 18 Tip Top to follow. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah fs ‘ank and WBisie. ‘Long life to the Tip Top and its _— JOB Thank you. Z have read with great inferest all num- I wish to say, pointedly, that Frank Merriwell is all right. I honestly believe that if all young men would try to imitate his habits, his character, his way of doing things, none would be able to find cause for unsuccess, I do not mean to personate him as you read about him, that is: fig nt when he had a fight, or get jealous Because he did, etc. But I do mean that every one should ‘try and have his character, habits and his way of leading his life, ; R. P. FISHER Danville, N. J. Yon are quite right. No better model than Frank could be found and we know that those who try to be like him will never regret it. , J, the undersigned. bers from 126 to date. WEEKLY, I have been reat ling the Frank Me rriwells since they came out. I have red ! , and I think I would rather read the m than any books . Vspi My fathex and er read them, i they say that eve boy should read te So Iam goings as you » send me a badge if you have any mor JAMES ELDER atervliet, N. Y¥. glad to hear that your father and mother read the = , “ some ol t is endorsed by a nu tliude of parents. ‘rank Merriwells. Sie sind sehr gut, JOHANN L., Colorado Sprin Col. schon. express my heartiest gratit Tip Top. lL first > series, and enjoy able to read t 8, and have been to do my best g l inion is that F } not marry either I'm from Kentuc and ae ve the Sout! i In ud i bu } Long live ip Top Denver. it is many friends there f your books an thin is friends I like I I w i a San Fran itt] y it ¢t seek g on Goat thought they had to build a urge fen where that “he island t l gold f om rt lling into Vv. young boy was only 13 he ran away home seek the gold, ° re is no el rash like that in the Top. That is the reas » it. love as a member “family anc my too. Long life to the Tip Top and Mr. Standis} TOTHER GIRL RE Portiand, from absurdities, and no one ong ideas from reading it. Thank you. o keep The Tip Top is free will ever r T obtain w I have read your excellent publication, the Tip Top Weekly, from No. 10 to the present number, No. 207, and although I have wrttten once, I felt incls write again. I like the character of Buck Badger very much and trust that in time he will become Frank's friend. A a little ‘‘side- act’’ in the Tip Top, ; t Frank catch Jack Diamond reading a letter from ora sweeth sart in England? I think the girls might write more, to show the young men that they like the Tip Top. Trusting that I have not been too forward in offering suggestions EVELYN HAYWARD, On the contrary, we are very glad fe your sug- gestions, and we will submit them to I r. Standish. Our columns are always open to our girl frier ‘ I have read every Tip Top from No. 1 and now I am going to the store and Ret No. 207. If think it the best paper of its kind pi ‘Do and Dare’’ is the next best, al- though it is very yo ung yet. I con tulate you on having the good fortune of haying two of tt writers of the age, as your writers. I think any 4 man whe tries to follow the example of Frank will cer tainly have a good example to follow. Iam a student here, attending the North- western University. I have written a parody on a song for the Tip Top, but I am not quite ready to send it in yet. I may make a few corrections. I send my best wishes to your company, and ask you to give Mr. Standish the regards of one who hag tried to write and has made a total area of it. AN ARDENT READE Evanston, Tn. We are very proud of our writers. Shall be glad to re- ceive your parody. Mr, Standish tells you ot to be dig- couraged. Very few succeed in the very beginning. : a n on This is the second letter I have com atively short spac of time, oats judging from letters I Nenad in your *‘Correspo nden -olur that I am not the only one.who is unable his un- bounded admiration for your exc¢ on. No need of my eulogizing the Frank. Mer y ori s—not a boy or gir! but knows their worth. Not ‘an it i ‘ibed but it trué to life Since readir that num ‘ic r in which Frank is initiated in the ‘‘myster of the dissecting room of the Medical Department of Yale, I hawe, at the invitation of a student friend of mine, visited a similar spot. I can full well realize Frank’s eling in his position—analyze or de- scribe my own—impossible. A strange, indescribable feeling of awe overpowered me so that I guess I felt more like Joe in No. 206 than as Frank did in the previous issue. Before closing I would like to say that I hope some day Frank will make his appearance in San Francisco, where he may ‘be assured of a hearty welcome. I also would like to read of Wrank playing tennis. Sending you my best wishes, as well as to Mr. Standish. THOMAS FREDERICK, San Francisco, Cal. A dissecting room Is a gruesome place tndeed. Frank would much like to meet his San Francisco friends, Yes, he may play lawn tennis this summer, written to you within a 32 TTP TOP Although I considered myself a man at the time | first donned trousers and perhaps even before, I hope I may never grow too old to enjoy your ever popular weekly. The stories are certainly all that one could wish for and possess that charming quality which made the novels of :Charles Dickens so world renowned—they are true to life. I find no end of pleasure in these stories, but would feel that I nad but half read one were I not to go through the ‘‘Corres- pondence’’ and ‘‘Applause’’ columns, which. I find not only a source of amusement, but. in many instances of gréat in- formational value. The ‘‘Do and Dare’’ series are a ‘‘sure and J am confident will soon. be dear to the hearts true Tip Top admirers. I have smiled many times audibly at the witty sayings and humorous scenes brought out s0 well by Mr. Stanley Norris. VARSITY STUDENT, Columbus, Ohio. The Frank Merriwell stories are, as you say, true to life, and in many instances are founded, upon facts. A. large number of characters are painted from real boys. Yes, ‘'Do and Dare’ is an undoubted success. { wish you would announce that we have formed .a club called .the Tip Top Club, composed of Charlie Lane, presi- dent; Edgar Rhone, secretary; Henry Roche, treasurer; Harry Camp, Geo. Gordon, Fred Randall, Rex Patch and Harry Douglass. We have read your Tip Top Weekly and we think there is no paper that can equal it. EDGAR RHON, Secty., Bradford, Pa. We willingly make the announcement, and extend our best wishes to your club Having glanced over the Applause column I see where the Winnie Lee of Oxford, Mass., and the Buck Badger clubs think Bart should be ostracized from the flock, but if such a thing should happen. I know at least 100 boys who would stop reading the Tip Top Weekly. You may say what . you may about Bart, but next to Frank, Sart is the real thing. Being somewhat of the same disposition myself, I would disapprove of getting Bart out of the flock. While I like Buck because he is on the level. I think Bart is the best. I have read the book from No. 1 to 209, and would hate to stop reading it on account of losing Bart. FRANK MACKENZIE, Washington, D. We do not think Bart is.in any danger of being ostracized, Frank knows him too well and thinks too much of him for that. But Hodge is a little trying at times, as even his best friends must acknowledge. TIP TOP LEAGUE MEMBER'S BADGE. In response to the urgent request of a host of Tip Top readers the publishers after carefully considering a number of designs for a badge of membership in the TIP TOP LEAGUE, finally adopted one which is an artistic gem of excellence. ‘he picture shows the design, butit does not give you an adequate idea of the exquisite beauty of this elegant ornament. It is»solldly and substantially made, finished in gilt and beautifully embossed. ‘he widespread ‘desire for this badge gave us so much faith in the enterprise that our first order was enormous, but ve have been obliged to give a second order, We still offer it at the very low figure of TWENTY CENTS (‘Ten Cents in Cash or Stamps and ‘Ten Cents in Coupons’) AN EXACT PICTURE OF THE LEAGUE BADGE WEEKLY. LATEST ISSU ES. 214—F rank Merriwell’s Stroke; or, The Test of Friend- Snip. 2i8—Frank Merriwell’s Handicap; or, The Heroism of Elsie. 212—Frank Merriwell’s Football; or, ance of Jack Ready. 21i—Frank Merriwell’s Reward; or, Humiliation, 210—Frank Merriwell’s Honor; or, sadger. 209—Frank Merriweli’s Five; or, Old Friends at Yale, 208—Frank Merriwell’s Theory; or, A Fight for a Friend. 207—F rank Merriwell’s Influence; or, cot of the Crew. —Erank Merriwell’s Mishap; or, Guise of a Foe. 205—Frank Merriwell Gold. 2044—Frank Merriwell’s Hockey Cup. ae Merriwell’s Musketeers; or, The Mountain Jjendetta. : 202—Frank Merriwell’s Sleigh; or, Warm Hearts and Brave Hands. Merriwell’s The Disappear- Buck Badger’s The Nobility of Inza, the Mas- | 206 A Friend in the Deceived; or, *£ Heart of Opponent; or, For the Ice Ice Yacht; or, Wing and 200—Frank Merriwell’s Skates; or, Into the Ice Trap. 199—Frank Merriwell’s Work; or, In Training for Spring Sports. 198—F rank Merriwell's Temptation; or, Nothing but Quiet Sport. s “Flock”; or, The Awakening 197—Frank Merriwell’s of Badger. 196—Frank Merriwell Tested; or, A Doubtful Honor. . 195—Frank Merriwell’s Limit; or, Calling a Halt. ane Ere Mert wes Stratagem; or, True Friends and False. 198—F rank Merriwell’s Holidays; or, A Merry Christ- mas with Old Friends. ; 192—Frank Merriwell’s Touch; or, Light as a Feather, Yet Heavy as Iron. 191—F'rank Merriwell’s Generosity; or, srick. Square as a Back numbers always on hand. If you cannot get our publications from your newsdealer, five cents a copy will bring them to you by mail, postpaid. Each coupon is worth five cents when accompanied by five cents In stamps or coin. TWO COUPONS AND TEN CENTS SECURE YOU THE BADGE. Yon can get as many badges as you desire at the same rate by use of the extra coupous Badges without coupons will cost fifty cents each. The coupons are free to TIP 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 OFTHE TIP TOP YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE, AND ENTITLED TO WEAR THE EM- BLEM OF THE ORDER—and our word forit, you will be more than pleased after you receive it. TIP TOP LEAGUE MEN BER’S COUPON This Conpon and FIVE CENTS will be accepted for ten cents towards the }urehase of the League Badge. STREET & SMITH. TIP TOP LEAGUE MEN BER’S COUPON This Coupon and FIVE CENTS will be accepted for ten cents towards the purchase of the League Badge. STREET & SMITH. > q To secure the promptest attention, address all letters on the subject to See ‘ . <4 TP TOP. LEAGUE . 36522 STREET & SMITH —238 William St., N. ¥. : aM RRS Tatts i : ] Fs “]- wish I knew what was the matter with me, my cheeks are so pale, my lips so white, my muscles so weak, and my nerves seem to “be all unstrung. I am just about as tired and depressed in the morning as 1 am at night. If I could only get some rest, but sleep seems to do me no good.” — Shall we tell you what is the matter ? Tha’s Anemia Anemia —1it’s another name for starved blood, thin blood, poor blood. Of course this isn’t the kind to have. What you want is rich blood, red blood. You want the old color back to your cheeks and lips. You want your netves once more strong and steady. To make this change you must take a perfect Sarsaparilla, a Sarsa- parilla made upon honor, a Sarsaparilla that you have confidence in. “The only Sarsaparilla made under the personal supervision of three graduates: a graduale in pharmacy, a gradvate in chemistry, and a gradvale in medicine.” $1.00 a bottle. All druggists.