Te 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. 202. _Price, Five Cents,

PERRIWEL'S SLEIGH

on WARM HEARTS AND BRAVE HANDS

 

 

 

 

 

 

os ~~ BURT L.STANDISH

LIKE AN UNCOILING SERPENT THE ROPE SHOT FROM MERRIWELL’S HAND, WHILE ELSIE CROUCHED IN FEAR.

 

 

ene

 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

TID TOP WEEKLY

 

Tssued Weeklty—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SuiTH, 238 William
8t., N. ¥. Entered According to Act of Congress, in the year 1900 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C.

 

NEW YORK, February 24, 100,

Price Five Cents,

 

rank Merriwell’s Sleigh;

OR}

WARM HEARTS AND BRAVE HANDS.

é

By BURT L. STANDISH

CHAPTER I.
A QUEER LETTER.

‘t] have a new mission in life!’

“To win against Harvard in the box
next season, I suppose?’’ was Rattleton’s
guess.

‘No, it’s to cure Browning of his lazi-
ness!’ said Danny Griswold.

“‘T hope it’s to whip Buck Badger until
he can’t walk!’ growled Bart Hodge.

Most of the members of Merry’s flock
were in his pleasant room, seated about
or lounging in various lazy attitudes,
The statement that he had a new mission
in life had come from Merriwell.

‘It’s to get on the ’varsity eight for
the New London races in June!’’ guessed
Jack Diamond.

Diamond hoped to do that very thing
himself, and was training daily in one of
the big rowing tanks. Merriwell and
others were also in training for that pur-
pose, among them Jack Ready, the leader
of the freshmen. The captain and tlre
head coach, together with all the assist-
ant coaches, were toiling and studying
almost night and day to bring the Yale
oarsinen to a state of perfection.

‘He'll rue that all dight—I mean he’l] |
do that all right, anyway!’ asserted
Harry Rattleton, with an air of perfect

 
 

 

    

TIP

 

2

 

confidence. ‘‘Can’t anything or anybody
keep him off the ’varsity eight if he

wants to go there!”’

**But that wouldn’t be a new mission !”’
Bruce Browning rumbled from the dense
cloud of tobacco sinoke that half hid lim
from the eyes of his friends.

“T guess lis new muni-mission
gug-9ug-gig-90 as a MNUIN-MUM-Mission-
ary to the wild freshinen!’’ stuttered Joe
Gamp.

“They need it!’’ was Dismal Jones’
mournful contribution to the chorus of
comment. ‘‘They are indeed a sinful,
willful crew!~ Pride sits enthroned in the
breast of every fresliman, and ‘Why
should the spirit of mortal be proud? ”’

‘*Because a _ freshinan is fresh!’
squealed Bink Stubbs. ‘‘When they have

had a year’s experience they will be-
et *

is to

come——

**Sopl lomores, you idiot!” chuckled
Danny. ‘‘Do you suppose we don’t know
that? Give us something—fresh!’’

“Vou need a tanning!’ cried Bin
‘“That’s the only thing that would cu
your freshness;
salt well hades ela your hide!

“Vou can’t rub it in, just the same!”
crowed Danny.

 

“Why, you litte barnyard rooster, I
can whip you with my hands tied behind
nie.”

“Oh, any little bantain can crow |”?
sniffed Bink. ‘‘You’re not worth notic-
ing!’

‘‘Come over here and let me knock
your heads together!’ lazily commanded
Browning. ;

“Give it up!’ said Diamond. ‘‘My
guess seems to have been wrong, and I
haven’t any other to make. What is your
new mission???

‘And Dve fallen heir to a piece of
property!’’ said Merriwell, smiling. ‘‘I
ought to have mentioned that when I
spoke of the mission. The two seem to
be linked together.’’

TOP WEEKLY.

- bub-blow
supper.

    

a

either that, or a dose of

Merry was always happy when he had
his friends round him in his cozy room.
Even the snarling and quarreling of
Dauny and Bink failed to disturb him at
such times. In fact, their sparring
seemed but to add to his sense of pleas-
ure.

‘‘New mum-mission is to sus-sus-sus-
sell the pup-pup-pup——’’?.

‘‘Perhaps it isn’t a pup that he has
fallen heir to!’’ broke in Rattleton.

‘*Wh-who sus-sus-said it was?’’ roared
Gamp. ‘‘Won’t you gug-give me tut-tut-
time to speak? I said his mum-mission
was to sell the pup-property and bub-bub-

us off to a bub-big sus-sus-
Anyway, that’s what I mum-
mwimM=mwin-mwin——’? |
‘*Whiistle Joe???’ Danny advised.
Gamp hurled a book at him.
‘‘Where is this property ?’’ asked Dia-
mond. ;

‘‘Down here in a livery stable.
sleigh!’

‘Slay me!’’? groaned Bink, falling
over in Danny’s arms,

‘lll slay you sure enough, if you tum-
ble against me that way another time!’?
squeaked Danny, shoving him away.

Merriwell took up a letter which had
been lying on the table and pushed it
over to Rattleton. _

*‘Read it, Harry!”

And Rattleton read:

“Mr. Frank Merriwell.
greatest confidunce in you.
are a inan!’?

It’s'a

I hav the
I no that you

‘“‘Of course!’’ sniffed Stubbs. ‘‘He
})?

doesn’t look like a woman!
“Shut up!’’ grumbled Browning.

**T hav seen you play football and base-
ball, and I have seen you roe, I hav.
heard a grate deel about you which gives

me confidunce in your ability and integ- —

I do not expect to live but a little

The ownly property I hav in the
which vou will find at
I want you to hav

rity.

while.
world is a sleigh,
Benton’s livry stable.

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 

   

  

that sleigh. I hav a speshul reeson for
this—a speshul reesou for wanting you to
hav it. In the seet cushion you will find
further instruckshuns. Be shure to get
the seet cushion. It is verry iniportant. I
havnt strength to write verry much now;
but if you will get the seet cushion you
will find out all that you need tono. I
wat you to follo out carefully the in-
struckshuns in the seet cushion. I ask
this as aman. I no that you are per-
feckly honest and true. I hav watched
you long enuff to no that. Aud I feel
shure you will do the things that I ask
you to do in the seet cushion.

‘This leter will be maled to you after

Iam dead. I wil leeve it on the table in
my foo, awl ready for maleing, and it
will reech you awl rite. Don’t fale to do
what I ask you to do in the seet cushion.
*“VYour well wislier,
‘‘Davip J. BARKER.”’

Harry Rattleton read the letter very
slowly, now and then spelling one of the
misspelled words.

When he was through there was silence
in the room. This message from a dead
man somehow took the levity momenta-
rily away from these light-hearted stu-
dents. But it was only for a moment.

‘‘So you don’t know what your new

mission is, any more than we do,’’ said
Diamond.
i veawOl” Merry
letter only a few minutes
fore you canie in. You
Benton’s stable is?”?

‘‘Sure,’’ said Rattleton. ‘‘I have hired
horses out of tlhlere more than once.”’

‘‘And the sleigh cones just in time for
the new-fallen snow!’ sung Bink.

**Ves, and the snow is covering up tlie
ice, and I want to go skating!’ wailed

answered. ‘“‘I got that
ago—just be-

know where

Danny. ‘‘And the skating has been so
finet JI never had more fun with skates

on in my life!’
“Danny,’’ said Bink, pa Bee: 3)
amazed at you! Only yesterday you sol-
emuly assured me that you hadn’t had
a skate on this winter!’ =
“He didn’t mean an ice skate, then,”’

severely.

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

 

     

3

observed Rattleton. ‘‘He meant a nice
skate on—one of the head-aching kind,

 

that comes from looking too long on the
flowing bowl.”’

‘‘You never look- long on the flowing
bowl!’ retorted Danny.

‘Of course I don’t!”’

Nex
you’re so eager that

when the bowl is before you,

you don’t take time

to see whether you’re about to dvink beer

I know you!’
my fist,
pretty soon!’’ Rattleton warned,

or apple jack! Oh,

‘You'll get acquainted. with
too,

‘‘T thought every one of you would be
shouting to go down with me at once to
see that sleigh and cushion!’’ remarked
Merry.

‘‘Bring the cushion up here!’’ sug-
gested Browning.

hess, *? Said Patisiene

‘That stable is a long way from here,’
said. Diamond, ‘‘and I’ve got a lot of
studying to do directly.’?

‘‘Must be a letter, or a will, or some-

thing in the cushion,’’’ remarked Hodge.

“Just. as well wait till you bring it up
The fel llow was probably some kind
of acrank. If the only property he had
in the world was that sleigh le was cer-
Why should a man have

here.

tainly a crank.
a sleigh when he isn’t able to have any-
thing else?’

“Ves, bring the letter up here,’’ urged
Browning, from the depths of his com-
fortable chair. ‘‘And too, if
it’s found to be worth inspecting !”’

‘(And each of us stands ready to take a
ride in that sleigh, if it is a handsome
one and there’s a good frorse hitched in
frout of it,’’? suggested Bink.

** Well,

the cushion,

I'll go with you,’’ repeated
Harry Rattleton. ‘‘I’d like to see what it
is and what isin that cushion! We can
take a car at the corner below, and it

won’t require a great deal of time. These

other fellows are simply lazy, and they
lil

don’t want to go out in the snow.

   
 

    

    

4 TIP

were you, Merry, I’d refuse to have such
a lazy crowd of loafers round me.’’

Bart Hodge flushed. He had rather
expected that Merriwell would insist on

 

 

his company, and he was nettled becatse

such an invitation did not come.

Merriwell folded the letter, tucked it
in its envelope, and put it in his pocket.
Then he noticed and understood the
meaning of the flush on the face of Bart
Hodge. It was on his tongue to give
Hodge the expected invitation, but some-
thing in Bart’s eyes told him that now
the invitation would be surlily rejected.
So the words remained unexpressed, and
Merriwell proceeded to get ready for the
trip to Benton’s stable.

ee ee ee

CHAPTER - I.

A RIVAL CLAIMANT.
Bae

Merriwell and Harry caught a car at
the corner and were soon spinning along
on their way to the stable. The air had

grown warmer, aud the snow vhad cone

down thick and fast. .

“*It does seein too bad to fave the fine
skating spoiled !’’ said Frank.

‘*And the fine ice yachting !”’

**Ves, I was thinking of that, too! But
we couldn’t expect it to last a great
while at this season of the year. We
‘ought to get some pleasure out of this
snow, though. Ill have that sleigh out
on the road, if it’s worth hitching a
horse to.”’

“Do you know anythmeg about this
man Barker ?’’ Rattleton inquired.

‘“‘Not a thing. Never heard of him
before. It’s queer that he should want to
give me the sleigh, and whatever else
may be in the cushion. He had an ob-
ject, of course!’ |

“Tt’s something he wanted vou to do,
_ because he knew he could trust vor.’
**Well, we shall soon see!’

TOP

 

After leaving the car, they had to walk.

 

VEEKLY.

half a block, for the stable was not on
the car line.

‘(There was a sleigh left here by David
J. Barker, who has recently died,’’ said
Merriwell, speaking to the man who ap-
peared wlien he presented hitmself at the
stable office.

‘There is,’? vanswered the man.
‘*What about it?’

Merriwell pulled out the letter.

‘*Rarker, in a_ letter written to me
shortly before his death, asked me to take
the sleigh, and said it was here. I have

come down to look at it.’’ S
‘*T don’t know about that!’’ said the

man, who was evidently a_ hostler,
‘Somebody else may have somethin’ to
say about that. Barker’s brother is back
there, looking at the sleigh now!’”?

He walked toward the back of the sta-
ble, with Merry and Rattleton following
at his heels. In a corner of the stable

they came upon a handsome sleigh,

which a man was inspecting.
“Tl vet there will be a bow—-J mean
I bet there will be a row if you try to
take that sleigh!’ Rattleton whispered.
He did not like the looks of the man,
whom they took to be Barker’s brother.

‘If Barker had a brother, why did he

want me to have the sleigh ?’’ was Merri-
well’s thought. :

He did not like the appearance of the
man who was examining the sleigh any

more than Rattleton did. The fellow was
a big, beetle-eyed,

bulging-browed ian,
of a low tvpe—just the sort of a man you

would expect to find loafing round sotnme |

cheap saloon.
“‘But perhaps he isn ’t Barker’s brother

at all,’? came to Merriwell as a second

thought. ‘‘He may be just claiming to be

a brother, to get possession of the .

sleigh.”’
He stepped to the man’s side.
‘*A handsome sleigh,’’ he ventured,

addressing Rattleton, though the words _
se shan’t

were intended for the man.

  

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rest long till I try it behind a good
horse!’’
The man looked up with a start.
‘“Kh? What did you say?’ he de-
manded.

‘‘] was speaking to my friend. A nice

sleigh, don’t you think? It came into my
_ possession in a strange way.

Mr. David
J. Barker, who died the other day, gave
it to me, and I have come down to look
at it. That is, if this is the sleigh that
belonged to Mr. Barker.’’

The man turned quickly and gave
Merry a searching look.

‘‘T guess, young feller, that you’re
talking through your hat!’’ he snarled.
‘“That sleigh did belong to Dave Barker,
but since he’s dead, it belongs to me.
I’m his brother!’’ ~

Merriwell took out the letter,

“If you will glance over that letter
you will see, my dear sir, that you are
mistaken. David J. Barker, for some rea-
son that we will doubtless understand by
and by, gave this sleigh to me!”’

The man stared at the writing. Merri-

well saw that he could read very imper-

fectly, for he hesitated over tle words.
“What does it say?’ he growled.
‘‘Tust what I’ve told you. He gave the

sleigh to me, and I have come to claim

eee gt

The man laid his hand on the cushion.
‘Though he could read so imperfectly, he
had, seen those words relating to the
-“seet cushion.’ |
Merry pushed the hand away, and,
with a jerk, tore the cushion from the
seat and tossed it to Rattleton.
_ “Look out for that!” he commanded.
fs Barker turned on him with the snarl
_of an enraged beast. His beetle eves were

_. snapping, and his face was aflanie,

‘(Take that fer interferin’ in my busi-
ness!’? he grated, striking at Merry’s

oe, aaead,
-_, But the blow did not touch Frank
- ..Merriwell. He ducked slightly, and the

  

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

    

fist wasted its energy ou the empty air.
Barker, almost losing his footing, pitched
against the sleigh, and his anger grew.

‘““There is no need of a quarrel,’’ in-
sisted Merry, in so quiet a voice that
Barker thought he was afraid. ‘‘I didn’t
come down here for a quarrel. If there is
anything wrong about my claim, we will
see that it is made right. . We will take
the matter to an attorney, and find out
just what should be done.’’

*‘T’]], mash yer face in!’’ Barker ex-
claimed, gathering himself for another
blow. ‘‘I believe you writ that letter
yourself.’’

‘Don’t strike at me!’’? Frank com-
manded.

“‘Ohi, no, I won’t strike at ye! I’l)
inash ye, same’s I would a fly. I'll teach
you to come round here!’

Then he struck again, so fiercely that
if the blow had fallen it would have
crushed in Merriwell’s face.

It was knocked aside with practiced
ease ; then Merry’s white hard fist flashed,

‘and the man staggered heavily against
the sleigh. —

“Hit him again!’’ exclaimed Rattle-
ton. ‘The brute tried to do you up!”’

*‘Took out!’’ Merriwell commanded.
‘‘Took out for the cushion!’ 7

The words were shouted to Rattleton,
and Harry, turning, saw that the hostler
was stretching forth a hand to snatch the
cushion away.

‘Oh, you’re into this, too, are you!’’
said Rattleton, leaping backward. ‘‘But
you don’t! Not if I know what I’m
doing !’’

Barker, though his eye was beginning
to swell and the blow had not only jarred,
but had surprised him, was not at all
knocked out, nor desirous of quitting.
He steadied himseif and again came at
Merriwell.

“say

pulverize ye, vou dude!’? he

hissed. ‘‘No one ever hits ine that way

 
  

6 TIP TOP WEEKLY.

and afterward has reason to brag of it.
I’ll spoil yer beauty for ye!”’

He approached more carefuily. He had
discovered that Merry knew something
about the science of hitting, but he fan-
cied that he was irore than a match for
the clean-limbed and seemingly not heav-
ily-built youth. He was himself a large
and powerful man, with great shoulders
and -knuckly hands.

““Vou’ll wear beefsteak fer a month, if
I once hit ye!”’

He caine forward ‘slowly, with hands
uplifted, seeking an opening. Merriwell
stood calinly awaiting him.

Rattleton had put the cushion behind

him, and stood also on the defensive..

But the hostler did not seem disposed to
advance on Harry. He stopped, and now
looked at the combat going on between
Barker and Merriwell. Rattleton looked
in the same direction, when he saw that
he was not to be immediately attacked,
but he kept one eye oun thie hostler.

“Don’t monkey with him, Merry! ie
Rattleton urged.

*“Just look out for the Saale !? Mer-
riwell flung back.

‘fNo, I sha’n’t monkey with him!”
howled Barker, suddenly flinging himself
on Frank and trying to lock his long
arms round Merry’s body.

He was so much larger than Merriwell
that for an instant even Harry Rattleton
was in doubt about the result.

“Break him in two!’ shouted the °

hostler. ‘‘I’ll look after this feller ina
minute. Break him in two!’

““That’s jist what I’m going to do!”
was snarled back.

But just when the long arms seemed to
be closing like the coil of a python on
Merriwell’s body, Merry stooped, caught
the fellow by the legs, and bodily lifting
_ him from the stable floor, threw him into

the corner behind the sleigh with a crash
that seemed to shake the stable.

We

The big fellow lay doubled up in a
heap as if dead.

You've killed him!’ gasped the hos-
tler, turning toward the entrance as if
for the purpose of calling the police.

Rattleton put himself in the way.

“No, vou don’t go out of here until

Frank has settled with that fellow!’ he

hotly cried.
The man in the corner stirred.
‘“‘He isn’t dead!’ declared Merriwell.

“T hope, though, he has learned some

sense. If he hasn’t, I shall have to give

‘ him another lesson !’’

—_

CHAPTER III.
HOW MERRY GOT THE SLEIGH.

The hostler backed toward a stall, in
which was a pitchfork. But, though he

put his hands on this ugly weapon, he

did not have the courage to attempt to
use it.

Barker stirred and opened his eyes, and
then tried to sit up. But he fell back
with a moan. :

‘“You’ve . broken my
groaned.

“Men with broken necks are usually
not able to talk,’’ was the assurance from
Merry, in a calm, even tone. ‘‘You’ll be
all right, by and by. If you want to try
me again, though, I’m ready !”?

The big fellow shrunk coweringly
against the wall. All the fight had been
taken out of him. He twisted his head

neck!’? he

and glowered fiercely and wonderingly.

at Merriwell, like a cowed wild animal
staring stupidly and fearfully at the man
who has subdued and conquered it. It
seemed even then to him that he must
be suffering from nightmare. Merry did
not seem possessed of sufficient strength

to hurl any one in that crushing way—

any one so heavy as Barker |

“(et up!?? said Merriwell, in a tone of
command. ‘‘You’re not hurt.
just jarred, and your neck is a bit twisted.

You are

    

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TIP TOP WEEKLY.

You may be thankful that I didn’t throw
you harder. Get up!’

‘*1’m not able to!’? the fellow whined.
**7’l] tell you, you’ve broke my neck or
my back !”?

Merriwell turned to the hostler, who
now stood gaping and bewildered, took
out a card and extended it to him, say-
sigs

‘There is my name and address. I am
a Yale student, and can be found at that
address almost any time. If Mr. Barker
wants to see me there, he will find me at
home. Now, I want to have a horse
hitched to this sleigh. It is my property,
as I stand ready to show at any time and
place. I don’t even believe that this fel-
low’’—with a nod toward the man in the
corner—‘‘is named Barker. The sleigh
was David J. Barker’s. I shall take it,

and risk the consequences. If I am in the

wrong, I stand ready to rectify the wrong.
But I’m not going to leave the sleigh
here for him to take away after I am
gone!’’

The hostler stood in stupid amazement.

“‘Put a horse to the sleigh!’’ Merry
repeated. ‘‘You have horses for hire,
haven’t you?” .

**Y-yes!”’

“Then put one to the sleigh. You
may send a driver along, if you are
afraid to trust us. I will pay the bill.’’

Harry Rattleton still had the cushion

in his possession. He looked at it curi-
ously. There seemed to be nothing un-

common in its appearance. But in one
end there was a suall slit.

“Perhaps there is another letter in

there!’ was his thought. ‘‘We’ll find

out as soon as we get back to Merry’s
room.”’ , :

Barker got out of the corner into which
he had been hurled, but he had no

further desire for an encounter with

Frank Merriwell. ;
‘'1’ll pay you for this, young feller!”

i f

.

     

7

he growled, moving along the side of the.
stable in the direction of the door.

‘Do!’ said Merriwell. ‘‘If anything is
due me, I always like to receive it.”

The hostler, almost as cowed, was
hastening to get out a horse.

‘‘How long do you want this horse
for ?’’ he ventured to inquire.

“Only long enough to take the sleigh
to another stable. Iam going to take it
to Jeffrey’s place. You kuow whiere that
is ??’

‘‘But there isn’t any driver,’’ the man
began to protest.

“Get out the horse!’’ was Merry’s
sharp order. ‘‘You can go along as
driver, if you are not willing to trust me
—if you think I may steal the horse.’’

Barker gained the door.

‘*T shall have you arrested for this!’
he called.

““Do!’’ said Merriwell. ‘‘I shall be
glad to interview the police in your pres-
ence! They would. like to hear your
story, I know!”

He was sure from the man’s manner
and actions that he would give every
policeman a wide berth.

‘‘He’s too much afraid of being ar-
rested himself. If he isn’t a professional
crook, I’m mistaken. And this hostler?’’

He looked at the hostler.

**T’]] have the horse in the sleigh in

just another minute,’’ said the hostler
J ;

nervously. ‘‘But I shall have to drive
you over to Jeffrey’s. The boss wouldn’t
like it, mebbe; for{ ye see, I don’t know
ye. Mebbe this ain’t your right naine
here on this card. It’s easy to pick up
cards!”? :
‘*Very easy!’’ was Frank’s answer.
‘*Suit yourself. We shall be glad to have
you go with us to Jeffrey’s. It will save
us the trouble of sending back the horse.”’
Barker had disappeared.

“He'll not hurry back!’ was Merry’s
confident thought. ‘‘He got enough for
 

   

8 Pie “Per

one time, and he’s not the sort to go to
the police with anything.”

Then he addressed the hestler.

‘Was that fellow’s name Barker ?”’

The hostler was regaining Itis nerve.

‘*Sure!’’ he declared.

‘And a brother of David J. Barker,
who died the other day, and who owned
this sleigh ?’’

*Sture!”’

“Vou know him, do you ?’’

“Well, I’ve seen hiin!’’ he confessed,
after a moment’s hesitation.

“These brothers didn’t get on very
well-together, I believe ?”?

‘“Who told you that ?’’ with a look of
surprise. —

‘‘T simply asked you a question !”’

‘‘Well, there wasn’t no love lost be-
tween them,’’ the hostler admitted.

“T thought as much. Now, if you are
ready, we are!”’

Harry Rattleton put the precious cushi-
ion in and sat down on it. Merriwell
followed. Then the hostler squeezed in
between them.

“Straignt to Jeffrey’s stables!’’ Merri-
well ordered:

And the sleigh, gliding easily over the
newly-fallen snow, sped lightly down
the street.

CHAPTER IV.
AN INEFFECTUAL QUEST.

‘‘We found it lying in there in just
that way,’’ Rattleton, explained, in Mer-
ry’s room, less than an hour later, speak-
ing of what they liad found in the cush-
ion.

Merry’s flock had not scattered during
his absence. ‘The spirit of laziness was
on them, and the coziness of the room on
that snowy, blowy day appealed irresist-
ibly. : |

Rattleton took up the cushion, showed
_ the slit in one end of it, and then exhib-
ited a letter. He and Merriwell were al-

 

WEEKLY.

 

   

ready in possession of its contents. The
story of the fight for the possession of the
sleigh and the air of mystery that hung
round the conteuts of the envelope were
enough to move the most sluggish. Even
Bruce Browning lost his air of weariness

and sat up in an interested way. And

this is what Rattleton read:

“Mr. Frank Merriwell: You will find
in this envellop a thousand dollars in

‘bills. | The money belongs to a little or-

phun girl named Sadie Martin. 1 don’t
no where she is. She was in New Haven.
If I was well enuff-I would hunt her up
and giv it to her myself. JI took it frum
her rongfully. She has a brother, ora
stepbrother. I don’t no where he is,
neethier.
look her up and giv her the money. And
tell her that I ain’t had a_ happy day
since I took it. I believe my brother, Mel
Barker, noes where she is, but I’m afraid
to say anything to him, for he’d be more
likely to keep the money than not. Sol
giv you the sleigh, to pay you a little for
your trubble in hunting up the girl. I
wood give you some of “the money, too,
but it ain’t mine. This is the last rek west
of a man who sees that his days is num-
bered. Iam a dying man, and I want to
do what I can to rite the roug I’ve done,
and I hope that God will pardon me, I
ain’t worthy to sign myself your frend,
but I-can sign myself your well wisher.
‘“*Davip J. BARKER.”’

When he had read this communication,
Harry Rattleton took a roll from his
pocket aud spread out on the table before

the astonished gaze of his friends a thou-
sand dollars in sinall bills, none of nee

being more than ten dollars.
‘‘What are you going to do?’ Dia-
mond asked of Merriwell. :
‘Bank the money, the first thing.
Then look up this little girl. But I
doubt if Ican find her. It’s a common
naine. There may be a dozen Sadie Mar-

tins in New Haven, and not one be this

child. But I shall do what I can.’’
“TI wish he’d said when and why and

how he got the money from her,’? said :

Rattleton. .

 

I want you, Mr, Merriwell, to —

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Tie VMPOr

“(And a little more about his brother!’
observed Bart Hodge.

‘*‘We got pretty well acquainted with
the brother, I thank you!’’ laughed Rat-
tleton. ‘‘He was pretty well introduced
to Merriwell. I think he can say that he
knows every knuckle of your right hand,
Merry! He won’t care to meet it again.’?

**We?ll all take a ride in that sleigh!”’
murmured Bink Stubbs. ‘‘The snow is
coming down in beautiful shape.”’

‘Qh, the snow, the beautiful snow!’
Danny Griswold warbled.

““Throw him out!’’ several shouted in
unison.

‘*We can stand some of your chestnuts,
Danny,’’ said Bink, with severity and a
etushing frown, ‘‘but nothing that is so
hoary with years as that! Now, all my
chestnuts are newly plucked from the
chestnut tree.”’

‘‘That’s right,’ cried Rattleton, ‘‘you
never utter anything but chestnuts.
You’re both alike, and each is worse than
the other!”

Frank Merriwell did not permit any

time to go to waste, but began that same

evening his search for the child, Sadie
Martin. ‘There was nothing promising
in the directories, and he was not yet
ready to communicate with the police.
Finally he made his way back to Ben-
ton’s stable. 2

The hostler was there, but was getting
ready to leave for the night. Another

-ynan had put in an appearance.

“There was something in that cushion
that ought to be of interest to Mr. Mel
Barker,’ Merriwell said. ‘‘For that rea-
son, I should like to see him again. So
if you will tell me where he is to be
found, I’ll pay him a visit.’ S

The hostler was, however, shy in his
communications. He denied at first that
he knew where Mel Barker resided.
“If von don’t tell mé, I shall go to the
- “police for the information !’? was Merry’s

WEEKLY.

 

‘sleighs.

  

9

declaration, and this served to pry open
the hostler’s mouth.

‘But I doubt if you’ll find him at
home !’’ was the warning.

And Merriwell did not find Mel Barker
at home. He discovered, on inquiring at
the number furnished by the hostler, that
Mel Barker had disappeared! from the
place that afternoon, saying he did not
But of far
more interest and importance even than
this was the discovery made by talking
with a servant of the house that Mel
Barker had taken with him a little girl
whose naime was Sadie!

Merriwell returned* to. his room ata
late hour, with these fragments of inform-
ation to stir him in his search for the girl
mentioned in the strange letters which

know when he would return.

. had come to him that day from David J.

Barker. :

““This man Mel Barker is a crook!’
was his conclusion. ‘‘He is afraid that I
will do something to bring him to the
attention of the police, and he has good
reasons for not wanting to be seen bv
them. No doubt his face is in the rogues’
gallery.

‘‘And it seems more than probable,
too, that this Sadie, who is with him,
is the Sadie Martin I want to find. Now
the task is to trace Mel Barker! It will

probably not be easy, for I presumne he

will as. readily change his name as his
coat !”’

Nor was it easy, as Merriwell found.

When a week had gone by he seemed
to know even less than in the beginning.
If the ground had swallowed Mel Barker
and the child they could not have more
completely vanished.

—

CHAPTER V.
OUT, IN SLEIGHS.

All. New Haven seemed to be out in
Sleigh bells jingled on lonely

country roads and fairly chimed in the

  

  
     
 

   

>A

frosty air with delight.

10

suburban districts. Flying hoofs, cheery
songs and musical laughter filled the
Not often was
there such sleighing in and around New
»Haven. 5

The members of Merriwell’s flock were
out in full force. Nearly every one had
asieigh, and a young lady by his side.
Merry, with Inza Burrage seated by him
on the cushion that had held the thou-
sand dollars, led the way in the sleigh
that had come to him so strangely from
Barker.

He should have been supremely happy
on this occasion, but somehow there was
a fly in the ointment. For behind him, in

the very next sleigh, rode Elsie Bellwood

and Bart Hodge.

As if to complete this strange mix-up,
the sleigh that followed Hodge held Buck
Badger and Winnie Lee.

Then came Jack Diamond, Harry Rat-
tleton and Bruce Browning, Danny Gris-
wold and Bink Stubbs, Joe Gamp and
Disinal Jones, Ben Halliday and Berlin
Carson, with some others who were ac-
counted Merriwell’s friends, and who had
in consequence received the unique invi-
tations which were now drawing them
thus countryward.

Merriwell began to sing that fine old
sleighing song which has filled the ting-
ling air of so many northern winters,
“*Merrily on We Go!’’ His rich, clear
voice and the timely words were so in-

‘spiring that soon the whole sleighing

party joined in:

‘*Merrily on we go,

Over the fleecy snow,
Merrily O—O!
Merrily O!

Swiftly we glide along,

Buoyant with laugh and song,
Merrily O—O!
Merrily O!

Cheerful our song to-day,

Merry our hearts and gay,

Sorrow must flee away,

~ | Merrily O! :
Swift as the shadows glide,

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

in this sleigh.

Over the snow we ride,
Caring for nought beside,
Merrily O!
Steeds are prancing,
Joy enhancing!
Bells are ringing ;
Hear the singing!
Hear the merry, merry singing,
Ringing o’er the snow!
‘Sun above us brightly beaming
Snow beneath us whitely gleaming,
Joy so #jure that ’tis not sceming—
On we lightly go!”

“That takes one back to old times!??
said Inza.

‘Yes, to some happy old times!’’ This
is by no means our first sleigh ride to-
gether!”’

Still, while saying this, Frank had the -
uncoinfortable feeling that Elsie must be
studying the back of his head.

“*Merry has a beautiful voice,’’ was
Bart’s comment, speaking at the same
moment to Elsie. ‘‘I don’t think I ever
heard him sing better. _He’s a man to be
envied. He seems able to do everything
better than any one else!”’ :

There was a touch of bitterness in
Hodge’s tone that did not escape Elsie’s
attention. But she knew Hodge’s pecu-
liarities.

“A very beautiful voice!’’. Elsie as-
sented; but Bart did not fail to note that
there was not much warmth in this as-
Seni. > ,

‘“Heigh-ho!”’ was his thought. ‘‘Elsie

doesn’t like it much because Frank and.

Inza are together. And yet those two
girls affirm that they never were better
friends. And I believe they are friends.
But Elsie, I suppose, feels that Merry
belongs to her, and that he ought to be
Not very comforting to |
the feelings of yours truly!’ |
This was a reflection that would have
thrown Bart into a moody spell, but Elsie
roused from her seetning chill and began
to talk in such a happy, joyous fashion

that he was driven to conclude that he — S
y : \ f - : ie : cae

 

     
     
      
       
    
      
      
  
       
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
   
 
  
  
   
  
  
  
  

 

 
 
      
    
        
       
     
        
      
       
  
       

   

 
 
   

TIP TOP

 

had guessed wrong as to the state of her
a. feelings. |

From somewhere near the middle of
the procession came the ‘‘A-haw! haw!’
of Joe Gamp.

Rakes erate

qv
a Gamp had hunted up the fat girl who
of had danced with him on skates the night
“- of the great ice carnival, and was enjoy-
A ing himself tothe utmost. The girl really
a4 seemed to fancy Joe, and he fairly
yl basked in the warmth of her approving
| smiles. |

ef **You can sing, can’t you ?’’ she asked,
A her round face beaming like the sun-
At *“‘T almost feel as if I could sing myself
. to-day! I haven’t had so much fun, I

don’t know when!”? |

9 **Yes, I cuc-ctic-can sus-sing some-
: times!’’ said Joe, proudly, squaring his
ms shoulders. ‘‘When I sus-sus-sing is the

a only tut-time that I dud-dud-dud-don’t

+ stutter!”

a “I'd sing all the time, then!’’ was the

Wt naive answer.

c - Gamp was uncertain whether to take

- this as a serious statement or only asa
- joke.

“The bub-bub-boys always tut-tell me
to whistle!’’ he declared, after a mo-
ment’s silence. ‘‘And that ain’t no joke,
either. A-haw! a-haw! a-haw'!’?’

Dismal Jones, from near
the rear, in response to the urging of the
girl who had accepted his invitation that
day, began in a dolorous way a famous
comic song of a hundred years ago:

 

 

 
   
 

 

    

scinewlhere

 
  
 
   

‘“As I was going to Derby
Upon a market day,

I saw the biggest sheep, sir,
That ever was fed on hay.

 
  
  
  

‘*He had four feet to walk, sir,

- He had four feet to stand;

And every foot he had, sir, ©
Covered an acre of land.

   
 
 
  

The wool upon his back, sir,

It reached up to the sky;
And eagles built their nests there,
For I heard their young ones cry. »

   
  

WEEKLY.

clared.

  

“The horns upon this sheep, sir,
They reached up to the moon;
A nigger climbed up in January,
And never got down till June!

‘*He never got down till June, sir,
He never got down till June;
A nigger climbed up to the top of the
horns,
An he never got down till June!
Tow de row de dow, dow,
Tow de row de da;
Tow de row de dow, dow,
Tow de row de da!”?

Dismal’s companion beamed her pleas-
ure.

‘T seldom. indulge in such foolish-
ness,’’ Dismal apologized, ‘‘but there is
something inthe air to-day that makes
a fellow forget himself. It’s like drink-
ing wine. You lose your head and are
doing silly things before you know it!’’

“*T hope you never drink wine!’’

Disinal shook his head.

**It is a sin to look upon the wine when
it is red, when it giveth its color in the
cup, wlien it moveth itseif aright; for at
the last it biteth like a serpent and
Stingeth like an adder. I very seldom
drink—wine!’’

‘Tam so glad to know it!’ she purred,
nestling a bit closer. ‘*‘You-college men
have such terrible reputations for drink-
ing, you know! I’m glad that there is
one who doesn’t drink!’’

‘* *Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging, and whosoever is deceived tliere-
by is not wise,’ ’’ Jones quoted, ‘‘I’m
never deceived; I can always tell one
from the other!’’

‘*Yes; merely by looking at them ?’’

‘‘Sure!’’ said Jones,

‘*Wine is red,
And gin is white!

Oh, ’twould be an awful sight,
If they went to fighting !”’

“Youre quite a poet,” the girl de- |

»

Dismal looked at her, wondering if she
meant it or was making sport of him.

  
 

  

 

1Z TIP TOP WEEKLY.

‘‘No!’’ he solemnly declared. ‘‘I’m no
more of a poet than the sheep in that
song was a go-at!”’

‘“How are you getting along back
there ?’’ Merry inquired of Hlsie and Bart.

‘‘Famously!’?’ Hodge answered, his
voice tinging with pleasure; a thing so
noticeable in Hodge that all of his ac-
quaintances who heard him remarked it.

Elsie had so brightened in her conver-
sation and manner that Hodge was flat-
tered. Hodge had always had the feeling
that he was unattractive to girls. He
had been known to declare that he was a
‘“‘woman hater.’’ But what Hodge
needed, apparently, was some pretty and
interesting girl to be especially nice and
attentive to him.

But, then,
different in this respect from many an-
other young fellow.

“ft do not remember when I had a
jollier ride than this,’ came in Elsie’s
sweet voice.

It was a very simple expression of feel-
ing, but somehow it made meee un-
comfortable. ;

Miles out into the country the sleigh-
ing procession went, making the air ring
with shout and laughter and song. Sel-
dom had a livelier,
out of New Haven. Country people came
to their doors to watch them pass and to
hear their rollicking songs.

One neatly-dressed woinan, whose
face, seen from the sleighs, had once
been quite pretty, waved to them joy-
ously with her apron.

“She was young and happy once _her-
self!’? said Merriwell. ‘‘She hasn’t for-
gotten it!”’

Hodge was not greatly

‘‘T hope shie is still happy !’’ said Inza.
‘It’s sad to slide into middle life and old
age and leave behind all the a
one has ever known.’’

“Often it is the fault of the people
themselves,’’ asserted Frank. ‘‘Some
people .seen to feel that because they

gayer party driven”

-steamin’ hot and waitin’.
estly, seems to me, got a feast in hyer

have left boyhood and girlliood behind
they must become solemn and sober:
And as soon as they do that, and forget
that there is no sin in a laugh ora gay
song, they begin to get dust into their
hearts, and the wheels of time squeak
disinally along the road of life, One’s
heart need not be old, even if the head is
white. That is my belief, and I think
from observation that I’m right. One
may be happy even if not yorttng.”’

“But to be both young and happy!”’
said Inza.

‘Ves, that is best of all. I often think
of the saying of an old colored auntie I
once knew, when I am with a jolly party
like this, ‘Chillun, you’re eatin’ yer
white bread now!’ ”?

CHAPTER VI.
BILL HIGGINS’ FEAST.

Back toward the city came the sleigh-
ing party, but they did not enter the

city. Instead, they turned aside, before

the suburbs were fairly reached, and ap-
proached a large, flat building that had
the appearance of being a deserted store-
house.

In answer to thé jingling sleigh balls,
the wide door of the squat structure flew

open, and there appeared in it Bill Hig-
_gins, the Kansas cowboy.
off, his spurs were gone, and his almost

His hat was

inseparable lariat no longer dangled at
his side. He still wore his cowboy cloth-

‘ing, but he had visited a barber and

miade an attempt otherwise to imitate the
customs of the ‘‘effete East.’

Higgins’
with pleasure.

‘Glad to see you, ladies and gentle-—
men!’? he declared, pushing his hair

back with a big brown hand, for the
absence of the wide-brimined hat made
him feel uncomfortable.

homely face was beaming

“Everything is
We've hon-

PK

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2

 

 

 

 

 

    
  
    
    
  
    
 

 

 

   
  
  
   
    
  
 

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oe ee
that will make ye swaller ver tongues!
That’s whatever!’’

‘The feast was Higgins’ own, too. He
had prepared for it himself as a farewell
to the friends and acquaintances he had
made in New Haven before his return to
the West, which could
delayed.

It must be said, however, that, in a
way, Buck Badger had helped Higgins;
for Padger had furnished some of the
money and a good many of the sugyes-
tions, though he had been careful not to
let this be known, On the face of things,
the feast was all Higgins’. Higgins had
sent the invitations, personally delivering
many of them to the invited guests;
Higgins had employed tlie servants, and
Higgins had given orders for the pur-
chase and preparation of everything con-
stituting the menu, with the exception of
such things as came from the West.
These were neither few nor insignificant,
and to the cowboy’s mind they were tlie
heart of the feast.

As he stood now, bowing awkwardly
before the sleighs, his thouglits were on
the heaped tables within the building.
On those tables were antelope steaks, cut
from antelopes shot by the cowboys of
the Badger ranch and forwarded ex-
pressly for this occasion, quails from the
farming regions of Central Kansas, prai-
rie chickens from the sand hills of the
Upper Arkansas River, with rabbits,
hig and little, from the windy stretches
of the great plains where Badger’s cattle
| And there were, besides, some
juicy pieces cnt from one of the fattest

no longer be

of the cattle of the ranch slain for Hig-

gins’ great feast.

Higgins had not failed to make it clear
to the cowboy mind that the reputation

_of a representative cowboy of tke bound-

 

ing and boundless West was at stake in

_ this thing, and as a consequence Badger’s

cowboys had simply ‘‘rustled’’ to get and

to forward anything and everything they

 

boy and ranching regions.

 

WEEKLY. 13

could think of that would add to the
glory of Bill Higgins’ feast.
“Everything on the tables is jist
a-groanin’ an’ a-cryin’ out fer purty lips
to come and eat ’eim!’’ he said, as he
gave a hand to a young lady to assist her
out of a sleigh, while her companion was
called to attend to the fractious horse
that drew the sleigh.
Then he backed again toward the door
crying:
“Right this way! Yer welcome.
Wouldn’t be no gladder to see the Queen
and the Prince o’ Wales. This hyer isa
feast like what the cowboys gits up some-
times, and I hopes that you’ll enjoy it!’’
‘““There can be no doubt that he is
already enjoying it!’’ observed Inza, as
Merriwell assisted her from the sleigh.
“And he has enjoyed it in contempla-
tion every minute since he projected it.
He knows he has prepared such a feast
as is seldoin seen anvwhere. And he has
a feeling that, in doing so, he has added
glory to the West, especially to the cow-
It’s a good
trait for a man to be loyal to the section
from whence he hails.’’ :
“‘That speech sounds so much like
Jack Diamond that I could almost believe
you took it from him!’’
‘‘Diamond is proud of Virginia and
the South, but, in his proudest days, he -
never was so proud of the Sonth as Bill

_ Higgins is of the ranching country of the

West.’’

Inza and Frank, Elsie and Bart went
into the big building alinost side by.side.
After thein came Rattleton and his part-
ner, with Winnie Lee and Buck Badger.

‘“‘Higgins is boasting too inuch,’’ was
Badger’s thought. ‘‘Why don’t he let
the dinner speak for itself? But that’s
tlhe way with sume people. If they don’t
boast themselves, I allow there are a good
many men who keep round them a crowd
of fellows to do all the boasting for them

_ that seenis to be necessary !’’

  

 
  

He was thinking of Frank Merriwell.
In spite of all, he had not yet found it
possible to like Frank. And even though
Merry had been kind to him in tnex-
pected ways an at unexpected times,
only a little breeze of contrariness or miis-
chance was needed to stir the old hatred
again into a leaping flame. Buck Badger,
whatever else he was, was a good hater;
‘and, on coming to Yale, he had learned
to hate Frank Merriwell.

“I reckon we never will be friends—
that is, real, s!?? was
Buck’s thought. ‘‘We are different, some
way! Can it be because I ani fromm thie
West? No, that can’t be it! That
wouldn’t make me want to.smash in his
face, as I almost feel like trying to do

genuine friend

when I see him walking this way with

Inza!’’

There was a rankling, yet ill-defined,
feeling, in.the Kansan’s heart that Merry
had ‘‘cut him’’ out in his attentions to
Inza. Just how it had been done he could
not tell. But Inza had suddenly shown a
decided preference for Merry’s company,
a thing very noticeable after the ice
yacht collision. And Badger had some-
how renewed his allegiance to Winnie
Lee. :

If Badger had dreamed that in all this
the skillful hand of Frank Merriwell was
observable he would have been even
wore bitter in his thoughts concerning
Frank. But Badger did not dream of the
truth. '

So, with Bill Higgins bowing and
bragging, the sleighing party trooped
into the building and gathered round the
laden tables.

‘Literally groaning, aren’t they?”
said Bink Stubbs.

He spoke to the girl, who, clinging to
his arm, walked mincingly at his side.

“And we'll be groaning if we eat the
half of what is here!’’ declared Danny
Griswold, who, with another girl, was

right at Bink’s heels. © |

14 3 TIP TOP WEEKLY.

Buck Badger frowned when he saw
Higgins seat Inza and Merriwell at the
head of the table.

‘“*T allow it’s time for Bill to return to
the ranch!’ was his inward comment.
‘“Why is it that everybody falls down at
the feet of Merriwell? Everybody but
me! Am I different? I reckon!”?

The waiters were fluttering about—
black-faced, white-aproned fellows from
one of the best restaurants in New
Haven. From auother room, which served
as a kitchen, came the odor of steaming
coffee.

‘‘Ladies and gentlemen !’’ said Higgins,
his face beaming like the sun. ‘‘The
West has a heart as big as its peraries,

and you have won that heart! If there is
anything on these hyer tables that'll

satisfy you, fallto! If there is anything
you want that ain’t on the tables, name
it, and it will be fetched, if it’s in New
Haven. That’s whatever!”

—— ee

CHAPTER VII.
MERRIMENT AND SONG.

One thing Merriwell observed, as his
eyes roved over the tables. There wasa
noticeable absence of liquor of any kind.
This surprised him a little, for he knew

that Higgins was not averse to a taste of

‘‘tanglefoot.’’ But it pleased him. It
showed that Higgins, in spite of the fact

that a few students were given to intem- |

perate habits, and in spite of all that
was said in jest and otherwise concerning
the drinking customs of college men,
had discovered that drinking was really
not popular at Yale.

“Here is to the good health, long fife
and prosperity of our friend and _ host,
Mr. William Higgins, of Kamnsas!’’ said
Merriwell, standing as he offered the

toast, with glass of water in hand. ‘‘May

his pathway of life be as smooth as the
grassy plains, as profitable as a herd of

shorthorns, and as joyous as the heart of |

he a hi aod Ser Rr al

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ee

the Kansas meadow lark, that, teetering
on the head of the thistle, forgets the
prickles in its outburst of song!"
“Hear! hear!’? cried Dismal Jones,
solemnly, from far down the table.

The toast, which was drunk standing,
was one to please the cowboy’s very soul.
His tanned face shone with happiness.

**Tadies and gentlemen!’’ he said, in

response. ‘‘Words fails me on this hyer
occasion. If the cowboys of the Badger
ranch could see me this minute their

hearts would bu’st with pride. I ain’t
got any rosies and posies: whatever on
the end of my tongue to throw down ina
shinin’ heap before you, like Mr. Merri-
well has; but this I kin say: I have
learned to know that the East hain’t so
slow as I used to think it was, and I’ve
found, that it’s got in it as true-hearted

men and as purty gals as ever throwed

away a dollar or blushed to be. kissed!
That’s whatever !”’

And then Bill Higgins sat down, red
to the roots of his long hair, while the
tables rang with ,

approval.

“T didn’t think it was in him!’? was
Buck Badger’s mental comment on Hig-
gins’ response to the toast. ‘‘I aHow if
Mertiwell could be with him awhile, he
would develop into a cowboy Denios-
Why is it that every one seenis
to get good out of Merry but me?”’

A cynical smile curled his lips, which
did not pass unnoticed by Merriwell who
sat where he could see Badger’s face.

As Higgins had said when welcoming
his guests, everything on the tables
seemed to be ‘‘a-groanin’ and a-cryin’
out for purty lips to come and eat.’em!”’

and there was no disposition to waste

time in beginning the attack on the feast.

The frosty air and the long ride in the
sleighs had developed enormous appe- .

tites.
The waiters bustled to and fro, while
antelope steaks and beefsteaks, quail on

  

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

shouts and cries of

    

15

toast, prairie chicken and rabbit stews,
tea and coffee, and all the other things
comprised in the menu, disappeared in
au alarming manner. ‘Through it all
there was a. constant fire of joking com-
nient and laughter.

Joe Gamp ate as if he feared he should ,
never again: have the privilege of thrust-
ing his legs under a good table. He ate
and laughed and ate.

“This makes me think of the dinners
my aunt used to give,’’ said Badger,
pronouncing ‘‘aunt’? in the Western
fashion, ‘‘ant.”’

‘*Ves, I heard you talking of your aunt
in your sleep the other night,’’ said Bink
Stubbs.

‘‘How

 

was that?’? asked Badger.

‘“Viou said, ‘Is it my ante?’ ”’

*‘Oh, yes,’? said Badger, with a face as
grave as an undertaker’s, ‘‘I remember
that. I was dreaming that I was a boy
again waiting for Christmas. And when
another boy asked me if I didn’t know
who Santa Claus was I answered, ques-
tioningly, ‘Is it my auntie?’ You see,
the dear old soul always gave mea great
many presents !”’

‘‘Badger is a bright fellow and quick
as a trap in some things,’’ thought Merri-
well. ‘‘It really seems a pity that we
can’t be good friends!’’

Danny Girswold and Ben Halliday
were wrangling over the meaning of cer-
tain words.

“Then what is the term given to one
who signs anotller person’s ‘name to
checks?’ Ben asked, hotly.

“Five or ten years usually!” was
Danny’s placid rejoinder.

‘‘Oh, this is hot stuff!’’? declared Bink,
catching Danny’s rejoinder. ‘s

As he made the declaration, he acci-
dentally sifted a lot of pepper into -his
eyes and fell back with a howl of sur-
prise and pain.

Merriwell was speaking to Inza:

“IT read in a magazine article the other

ie
  

    

16

day that in China a man never sees his
wife. before they are married !’’

‘Oh, that’s only to be expected,’” said
Inza. ‘‘Everything there, you know, is
just the reverse of what itis here. ‘The
hands of a watch go the other way from
ours, a nian pulls a saw toward him in-
stead of pushing it from him, and the
compass points south instead of north.
Why not in this? There a man never
sees his wife before he marries her, aud
here a wife never sees her husband after
she marries him!’

‘*Yes, I like cats!’ Dismal Jones was
saying to the young woman whose eyes
were for him alone.

‘“They are said to be very much like
women, you know!’’ purred the young
woman.

‘““You’re wrong there!’’ Dismal sol-
emnly asserted. ‘“‘A cat can’t run upa
millinery bill, and a woman can’t rtin up
a telegraph pole!’’

All were pushing back from the tables
—all but Joe Gamp—and Danny Gris-
wold began to sing:

‘‘Life is just a game at which
Stakes are made,

And the people are the cards
That are played.

**Some are knaves aud some are queens,
pome are kings;

But most of them are mere
Spotted things.

‘*Some wield clubs, and some with spades
Win their way;

Some have hearts, and soime have gains

To display.

“Few have honors, few are trumps,
Great or small;

But each thinks he is the joker,
After all in

This reminded the fat girl that Joe

Gatip had said that he could sing, and
that he did not stutter when he sang.
She began to pull at his coat sleeve.

“I want to hear you sing something!’
she begged.

“Too full to sus-sing,’’ gasped Joe,

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

‘‘Bub-bub-by and buy-by

Ill mum-make a speech fuf-fuf-for you,

eating away.

mebbe!’’

Then he reached for the ‘‘druin stick”’
of a prairie chicken.

‘*Kansas is one of the liveliest States
in the Union, I believe,’’? Jack Diainoud
observed to Bill Higgins.

The cowboy had become infected with
the spirit of joking and fun. —

“Not so lively as Virginny,
beamed. ‘‘Frum what I kin hear of Vir-
ginny and Kentucky and most of the
South, about every other man there is
either runnin’ fer office or runnin’ fer his
life !”” |

‘‘Huah!’’ snorted Browning.
one on you, Jack !’’

“Too many college men are depending
on their ancestors,’’ said the pale young
woinan seated next to Bruce Browning.

“T don’t know but that is right,”’
Browning politely assented.

‘‘Yes, they are very different from
horses. ’’

Browning looked at her blankly.

‘*You take a horse with a pedigree and
he is expected to get out and raise a dust
and do something. But, some how, it is
different with people!”’

‘‘P wonder if she knows how lazy

?

he

Phas

Browning is??? thought Merriwell. ‘*The ©

only times he ever gets out and raises
any dust is when I stir him up!’’

The fat girl had returned to her assault
. on Joe Gamp. - .

“Id Jul-like to eat more,’ Joe com-
plained, ‘‘bub-but I dud-dud-don’t sus-
sus-seem able to. It’s strange how small
one’s eating cuc-cuc-cuc-capacitv is when
there is a fuf-fuf-fuf-feast !’’

‘T° want you’ to sing or make a

speech,’’ the girl urged: ‘‘Recite some-

thing, won’t you?”’

The big, raw-boned New Hampshire |

boy pushed back from the table.
His face was red from big feeding and
pleasure.

* »
ep gn 5S i ane

}
§
:
+

 
   
   
    
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
 
   
TIP TOP WEEKLY.

“Y dud-dud-dud-don’t know what. to
sus-sus-say!’’ he pleaded.

“Oh, just anything !’’

Gamp looked up to see if the fat girl
was il) earnest.

**} dud-dud-don’t know if I can speak
iny fuf-fuf-favorite !’’ he complained.

ity tt

““Ves, try it!’ urged Danny Griswold,
coming to the fat girl’s assistance.

“~Try it!’ said Merriwell, from the
head of the table.

Gamp saw Inza and Winnie Lee, and
other pretty gilrs beaming upon him. He
climbed to his feet.

‘This pu-pup-piece 1s a real pup-pretty
thing, if I cuc-cuc-could only sus-sus-sus-
say it right. It’s my fuf-favorite. It hits
me hard !’’

‘Say it!’’ begged the fat girl.

“Vou mum-mum-may tut-talk about
your gug-eug-groves. Where you wuli-
wuh-wander with your lul-lul-lul-lul-
loves !’’

‘Sing it,’’ said the fat girl. ‘‘You
don’t stutter when you sing, you told
me.’’

“Nun-nun-nun-no, I dud-dud-don’t!”’
Joe declared. ‘‘I’in gug-gug-going to
sus-sing everything I sus-sus-say here-
after !’’

Nor did he stutter
began to sing:

much when he

‘“Vou may talk about your groves,

Where you wander with your loves;

You mum-may talk about your moonlit
waves that fall and flow!

Something fairer than all these,

I cuc-can show you, if you pup-please ;

Tis the charming little cuc-cupboard
whiere the jam pots grow!

“YT wish you cuc-euc-could join muim-
muim-mum-ime in the eue-cuc-chorus!’’
Joe gasped, catching his breath with a
big sigh. ‘‘It’s sus-sus-siinply great. _

‘‘Where the jam pots grow,

Where the jam pots grow,

Where the jelly jolly, jelly jolly jam pots
grow! ) :

Tis the dearest spot to me,

On the land or on the sus-sea,

Is the charming little cuc-cuc-cup-bodrd
where the jam pots grow.

““There the golden pup-peaches shine,

In their syrup clear and fuf-fine,

And the raspberries are bub-blushing
with a dusky gug-glow;

And the cherry and the pup-plum

Sus-seem to beckon me to cuc-cuc-come

To the charming little cuc-cupboard
where the jain pots grow.

““There the sprightly pup-pickles stand

With the cuc-cuc-catsup cuc-close at
hand,

And the mtim-imarmalades and jellies in
a gug-goodly row;

And the quince’s ruddy fuf-fire,

Would an anchorite inspire

To sus-seek the little cuc-cupboard where
the jain pup-pots grow.

‘‘Nun- never tut-tell me of your bub-
bowers

Fuf-full of insects, smells and flowers!

Nuu-uever tell ine of your uium-meadows
where the bub-breezes blow!

But sus-sus-sing me, if you will,

Of the house upon the hill,

And the dud-darling little cuc-cupboard
where the jai pots grow!”’

The song fairly ‘‘brought down thie
house.’? It was funny enough to make
a wooden man laugh. And Gamp was so
serious in his rendition of it. The fat girl
blushed and laughed at. the storm of
applause which it evoked.

“T used to bub-bub-be a sus-singer
when I lived tut-tut-to huim,’’? Joe ex-
plained to her. ‘‘Mum-mum-me_ and
mum-mum-my bub-brother Eli used to
sus-sing in the church cuc-cuc-choir, and
sometimes at aour haouse of a winter nun-
nun-night we’d have a regular sus-sing-
ing school. Yes, I had quite a reputut-
tut-tation as a stis-singer in them tut-tut-
times! Gug-gug-goshfry! Don’t I re-.
mum-mum-member the time that the cat
squalled, and I thought it was my. buh-
bub-brother Eli, and he thought it was
mum-mum-me, and we nun-nighabont
got into a fuf-fuf-first-cuc-class fuf-fight

 
    

18

before we fuf-found aout that it wasn’t
nun-neither of us! A-haw! a-haw!
a-haw!”?

CHAPTER VIII.
ELSIE’S PERIL.

**Joe Gamp is the funtiest thing that
ever happened!’’ said Bink Stubbs.

The fat girl-did not think that Gamp
was funny. He seemed to her a very
clever young man and not at all unhand-
some. She was giving him close atten-
tion.

*‘Dud-dud-do you know,’’ he was say-
ing to her, ‘‘that every tut-tut-time I
look at you I have thoughts of revenge ?’’

‘Why ??? she gasped.

**Bub-bub-bub-because revenge is sus-
sus-sweet! A-haw! a-haw! a-haw! O-lo!
o-ho! And, by gum! that ain’t no joke,
either!”

The girl’s round cheeks grew red as
suminer roses. es

She had thought he was going to say
that when he looked at her her plump
cheeks made him want to eat her.

“You’re a flatterer!’’ slapping at him
with her glove.

“And a gug-gug-gug-girl lul-likes fuf-
fuf-flattery bub-bub-better than she dud-
' does a spring bub-bub-bonnet!”’

‘How do you know so much about
girls?”

“‘Gug-goshfry! mum-my sus-sus-sister
was a gug-gug-girl!’’

Browning was guying Bill Higgins:

‘‘T understand -prosperity has made
Kansas farmers forget free silver ??’

~“Oh, land—yes! What the Kansas
farmers is disputin’ mostly ’bout now is
whuther a cyclone cellar oughter be built
in the Queen Anne ur the C’onial style.
Prosperity is even puttin’ gold tips on
the horns of all the muley cows!”’

Having fired this shot, Higgins went
to another part of the room and returned
with a violin.

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

that one would

  

‘We're going to have a little dancin’,
as well as some eatin’. I reckon that you
kin shake the light fantastic a bit, Mr.
Browning ?”?

He began to twang the strings, and
drew the bow across them. ‘This was
Higgins’ first announcement that he was
a ‘‘fiddler,’’ and that dancing was a part
of the programme. The chattering and
chaffing came to an end, and there wasa
general scurrying to get positions on the
floor. ‘The tables were pushed back, and
**sets’? formed where the tables had stood.

Bill Higgins’ playing would ‘probably
have driven Ole Bull into an
asylum, but the jigging
resistible tendency to set the feet to
going. After his fashion, he could play
fairly well.

Jack Djamond began to ‘‘call.”’

‘Money Musk,’’ ‘‘The Arkansaw Trav-
eler,’’? ‘The Girl 1 Left Behind Me!’
How they chased each other over the
strings in obedience to the cowboy’s
knuckly, galloping fingers and sawing
bow!
near the classic elms of Yale. When he
had played a while, he asked Jack Dia-
niond to the ‘‘fiddle.’? He had
heard that Diamond could play. And
Jack indeed was an accomplished violin-
ist. So different was the sound that came
fromm the violin under his manipulation
have thought it another
instrument altogether.

insane

take

The sun was going down the western
sky before the dance came to an end.

Merriwell and Inza went together to
the door to enter their sleigh which was
being brought up for them. The horses
had been well cared for in a stable not
far away, but the sleigls had been left
in front of the building that had served
as a feasting and dancing hall.

Elsie Bellwood and Bart Hodge met
Inza and Frank at the door. Both gave
indications in their cheerful countenances
that they had enjoyed themselves.

X

tunes had an ir- |

Such playing is not heard often —

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TIP TOP WEEKLY. 19

“*‘T want to take a look at your sleigh !’’
said Elsie, speaking to Frank. -‘‘It has
such a romantic story that I have been
anxious to look at it.’

The horse was being put into the shafts
of the sleigh as she spoke.

Merriwell stepped with her to the
sleigh and began to repeat to her the
story of how it came into his possession.

‘And the thousand dollars was right
in here!’ she exclaimed, inspecting the
cushion.

She climbed into the sleigh and sat
down.

‘‘T wonder if she has a feeling that she
belonged of right in this sleigh with me
to-day ?’’ Merry’s
thought.

was

But he was careful that this thought

should not show in his face.

At that moment a locomotive, running
into the city, witha long train of freight
cars on a track not far distant, began to
shriek with its whistle.

The effect on the
application of a galvanic battery. The
horse leaped the air, and then
plunged down the road. The harness
had been adjusted and the lines were
attached to the bridle, but they had not

horse was like the

into

been handed to Klsie, and now dragged

under the sleieh, and uider the horse’s
feet. The man holding the horse had
been hurled aside, as if he were of no
greater weight than a feather.

All this happened so quickly and unex-
pectedly that the witnesses were thrown
into a panic. All but Merriwell and a few
of his friends. 3

Elsie crouched in the seat in a fright-
ened attitude, her face white with fear.
Merriwell caught a glimpse of that white
face before the turn of the sleigh hid it.
He looked quickly round. Other
- gleighs were there, and to some of them
Horses were being hitched. But none of
them seemed to be in readiness for a pur-
suit. A chase on foot would be madness.

disconcerting’

Then Merry’s eyes fell on the horse
which Bill Higgins had ridden-out from
Higgins scorned a sleigh

New Haven.
as an effeminate luxury. Nothing suited
him so well as a horse and a deep West-
ern saddle. These he had procured ina
city livery stable, after some search, and
had ridden thei whenever he desired to |
go out into the country since his trip
East. The horse was now hitclied
post.

Frank Merriwell drew his pocketknife
and leaped for this horse, opening thie
knife as he did so.

One slashing blow of the knife cut the
hitching strap, and a bound took Merri-
well into the deep saddle, where lhe sat
as if he were a part of it. The horse’s
head came round with a jerk, and; in
auotler second, the horse was flying down
the road in pursuit of the runaway sleigh.

The runaway had not gained such a
start as might be supposed, for Merry
had moved with remarkable celerity. He
was in the saddle and going down thie
toad with the speed of the-wind before
many of the other: could
breathe out their astonishment over
Hlsie’s peril. ‘

Elsie looked ‘round and saw him com-

bo, and the sight somewhat took thie
deep fear out of her heart. She hada
feeling that if she could be saved from
disaster in that runawav by any human
mieans, Frank Merriwell could use those
meaus better than any one else. She had
enjoyed herself with Bart Hodge that
day, but she felt safer to see Merriwell
in pursuit.

toa

onlookers

ind

The runaway took straight down the
road, running like some mad thing. But
the road was, fortunately, smooth here,
and the sleigh moved with the lightness
of a bird. The motion was so swift and
free that if Elsie had not been so fright-
ened she might even have enjoyed it.

Frank shouted encouragingly to ‘hers
but lis shout was not heard. However,

 
20 eae
the big horse Frank was riding went over
the ground with thundering strides, and
its rider saw that he was gaining,

**P]] overtake her in a little while, if
nothing happens now,’’ was Merriwell’s
thought. His idea was to ride up along-
side of the runaway, get possession of the
reins, and so bring it to a stop.

He could have done this without
donbt, but the near approach of Merrvy’s
horse increased the other’s fright, and, at
a corner below, where there were cross-
roads, the runaway turned sharply to thie
right. 2

The sleigh tilted into the air at an
alarming angle, a breaking, snapping
sound followed, and one side of the
sleigh went down. Merry saw the body
of the sleigh on that side drop upon the
snow and begin to drag.

Worse than that, he saw that just
ahead there was an obstruction in’ the
shape of a fallen tree. The road into
wilich the horse had turned was an un-
used one, and the tree, which had been
blown down more than a week hcfore,
still lay where it had fallen.

‘If the horse goes into that tree, or
tries to jump it, the sleigh will be
crushed into kindling wood, and Elsie
will likely be killed!’ was Frank’s
thought when his eyes fell upon the
obstruction.

5 a ee

CHAPTER IX.
THE DEED OF A DASTARD.

Elsié Bellwood saw the obstruction,
too, and her heart seemed to rise up in
her throat in fear. For one wild moment
she contemplated hurling herself blindly
from the sleigh. It would have been the
safest course perhaps if the snow had
_ been deep. But the snow was not deep,
though the sleighing was so fine. The
fine character of the sleighing was made
sby the coating of ice under the snow.

And this very coat of ice, so hard and

TOP WEEKLY.

firm, was the thing that Merriwell feared, .
if Elsie threw herself froin the sleigh.

He called to her:

“Don’t jump!’

At the saddie bow was the long raw-
hide lariat which Bill Higgins usually
wore at his belt, but which he had dis- ©
pensed with that day because of the feast
and the customs of civilization. He had
hung it in a loop at the saddle bow, and
it was there now, ready to Merriwell’s
hand.

He released it with a jerk, as his eyes
took in the situation that confronted
him. He saw that the horse must. be
stopped before the sleigh struck the log.
‘To rope and throw the horse would put
Elsie in some danger—possibly into
much danger—but it seemed the best
thing now to do. It was like a choice
of two evils.

‘‘T must do it!’? he breathed. ‘‘The
sleigh will go bang against that tree if
I don’t.”’

He dug his heels into the sides of his
horse, and gathered the riata for a throw.
Its touch gave him confidence. He knew
that he could throw the lariat with skill.
He had even defeated the Kansas cow-
boy, Bill Higgins, in a roping contest
not long befere. | |

Again he shouted, as he gouged the
horse’s flanks with his heels:

‘*Hold tight to the seat!
both hands!” .

The horse bounded ahead, gaining
rapidly on the runaway. ‘The tree was
still some distance away but Merriwell
saw that the time for the cast had come. :

I'he loop circled about his head, and —
then, shouting another word of encour- |
agement, he hurled it straight at the run-
away. ;

Like an uncoiling serpent,

Hold with

the rope

shot from Merriwell’s hand, while Elsie =|

crouched in fear.

Frank braced his horse round with a Soe ts
quick pull on the bridle. The ropetight-

 
TIP TOP WEEKLY. 21

ened, and the runaway, with the lariat
closing about lis windpipe like a strang-
ling python, caine down in a floundering
heap.

One of the shafts broke, and the other
tunner of the sleigh came down, as the
sleigh, pushing hard against the harness,
fairly shoved itself upon the body of the
fallen horse; but Elsie Bellwood, hold-
ing tight to the sides of the seat as slie
had been directed to do, was not hurled
out.

In a moment Frank was out of the
deep saddle and at her side.

He reached out his hands, and almost
lifted her from the crushed sleigh.

‘*VYou are all right?’ he asked.

‘Ves, I believe so—only I- am scared
to death !’’ she panted.

She clung to him nervously. Then she
noticed that the fallen horse was strug-
gling to rise,

aecCare for the ‘lrorse!"’
“T—T am all right!’

Frank darted to the head of the horse.
It-was thrashing about and entangling
itself in the harness. He unloosed a
buckle and cut the harness in one place
_ with his knife. Then he took the horse by
the head aud helped it to get on its feet.

“It is not much injured!’ he said,
Jooking the trembling animal over. ‘‘It
is not hurt at all, I guess. But it fell
hard enough! ‘That was a rather sudden
stop!’

_ “T should have stopped more suddenly
if the sleigh had struck that. log at full
speed !’’ shivered Elsie.

‘*Ves, but it didn’t strike the log!”’

.*’Thanks to you!”’.

‘*And the horse and lariat of Bill Hig-
gins! I couldn’t have done wuch with-
out those!’

The cowboy’s horse was paying no
lieed seemingly to the condition of the
runaway. Standing with head down and
flanks heaving, it seemed to have for-
gotten that it had been engaged in almost
a life-and-death race.

As for the runaway, now tliat its mad
_ fright was passing, it appeared to be
quiet enough. It trembled from the

she begged.

effects of the shock, that was all.

oi “Queer how that runner went down
— when the sleigh turned that corner!’
said Merry. ‘‘It snapped as if it was
emia of pasetboard | ey

Holding the bridle rein of the shaking
horse, he looked at the sleigh. An ex-
clamation of surprise came from him.

“See there!’’ he gasped. ‘‘There has
been treachery here, soneway!”’

He pointed to one of the crushed-down
runners. Hlsie saw a broken wooden
plug where she expected to see a broken
iron bolt.

‘‘Some scoundrel has gone to the trou-
ble to take out the iron bolts tiat held
these runners and substitute for them
sticks of wood, screwing the nuts on the
wooden bolts just as they were on the
iron bolts, so that the change could not
be seen. ‘There was not an iron bolt in
these runners!’

He stooped to examine more closely.

‘And see here!’’, pointing to one of
the iron runner supports. ‘‘That support
was sawn more than half way through
and the sawed place covered up by the
application of some black substance!
Some scoundrel did this!’’

‘““Who could have done
gasped.

“‘T can’t even guess now! But I shall
try to find out. I “have some enenies who
have several times tried to injure me. — I
suppose they hoped to bring me to hu-
miliation, if not into peril, by this. But
it took a lot of time and patience to do
the work !”’

He looked further 4nd discovered that
neatly al] of the iron runner supports
had been similarly tanipered with. The
whole sleigh had been, in fact, so weak-
ened that it seemed a wonder it. had held
toyether half as well as it did.

“Others are coming!’’
nounced.

Merriwell looked across the fields in
the dibrection from whence they had
come. Hesawanumber of the sleighs
speeding at a rapid pace down the road.
Bart Hodge and Inza were in the front
sleigh, and behind these came Rattleton
and Jack Diamond, Bruce Browning and
a number of others.

Merriwell waved his hat to them for
the purpose of giving them to understand
that Elsie was entirely unharined.

‘‘] was dared to sceath—I mean scared
to death, when I saw that horse go!’’
Rattleton gasped, when he came up.

“And yon aren’t hurt?’’-said Bart and
Inza in a breath, speaking to Hlsie.

it?’ Elsie

Elsie an-

 
22 TIP TOP

“IT was sure you wouldn’t be!’ Inza
added, giving Elsie a warm kiss. ‘‘I
knew that Krank would overtake. that
horse!”’

Browning and Diamond were staring
at the sleigh.

‘‘Never saw anything go to pieces like
that!’’ said Browning.

‘fNor did any one else!’’ cried Frank.
*‘Look at that! Wooden plugs for iron
bolts, and the supports half cut off! See
there!’

He pointed out to his amazed friends
what had been done.

‘Was the sleigh in that condition when
you got it from Barker?’’ Diamond
asked. ,

‘*I have just been asking myself that.
J don’t think it was.’’

‘Because, if it was, then he gave it to
you to injure you, and not because he
adinired you as he said.”’

“But the money?’ said Frank. ‘‘He

wouldn’t have put that in the cushion

then!”

*SOf course not,’’ Diamond admitted.
**T ain thick-headed.”?

*‘No,’’ Frank went on, ‘‘I believe this
was done recently’’—digging with his
knife at the broken edge of one of the
supports. ‘‘See here! Very recently! I
shouldu’t wonder if that was done no
longer ago than last night!’’

“But who would have done it?’’

Bart Hodge looked round.

‘*Buck Badger!’ he declared,
tone.

‘“*You are wténg there,’’? was Frank’s
emphatic statement. ‘‘I am sure that
under 10 circumstances would Badger do
a thing like this.”

“‘He would do it too quick, if he had
the opportunity !’’ Bart muttered.

“Again I think you are mistaken,
Bart!’’? said Merry, very calmly and posi-
tively. ‘‘Badger wouldn’t dothat!’’

“You've got a mighty good opinion of
aman who has tried to injure you in so
many ways!’’ Hodge grumbled. ‘‘He
ran his ice ‘yacht straight into yours!’

“‘And has done other things that
weren’t exactly right,’’ reminded™Harty
Rattleton. 5a

‘‘He was angry when he ran his ice
yacht into-mine the other day! That
was an act of passion, without medita-

in a low

WEEKLY.

tion; this was a sneaking piece of vil-
lainy. Badger had no hand in it.”
‘‘Who did, then??? questioned Dia-
mond.
“That is something I can’t tell. But I
shall try to find out. Just now I am glad
that Elsie isn’t hurt and that what might
have been a serious affair has turned out

so well.’’

CHAPTER X.

FRANK AND INZA.

The runaway, the wrecking of the
sleigh and the strange condition in which
its supports were found, together with
Elsie’s peril aud rescue, Were the topics
that almost drove from all iminds the
thoughts of the joyous hours given to
the sleigh ride, the dinner and the danc-
ing. Two of Merry’s friends, who had
coine out in a sleigh together, surren-
dered their sleigh to him and Inza, and
squeezed themselves into other sleighs
for the ride back to the city.

Behind this sleigh Frank towed the
runaway and the broken sleigh, which
he had straightened up so it could be
pulled back to town. This made his
progress slow, and he therefore fell be-
hind and saw the other sleighs whirl
away over the suburban road. The
sleigh that held Elsie Bellwood and Bart
Hodge was the last to disappear from his -
view. SS

‘‘Hlsie’s return to New Haven
quite unexpected to you, wasn’t
Inza inguired,

“*Ves,’’ said Frank.

‘TI thought so. You didn’t tell me she
was coming !”’

**T was glad to see her, though! 177

Inza gave him a quick, questioning
look. That look betrayed perturbation
and anxiety and a regard for Frank Mer- |
riwell that was more than friendship.

‘Just how glad ?”’

She hated herself for the weakness
that betrayed itself in this question, and
would have recalled it as soon as it was
uttered. ,

‘‘Very glad,’’ was the quiet answer.

‘And yet you asked me to go with you
to-day, instead of asking her?” :

“was
Het:

Merriwell seemed to be studying ivi ee

horse’s ears. Should he Stee the whole

 
‘TIP TOP WE

truth? He did not know that Elsie was

in the city when he gave Inza that invita-
tion. He knew that the question which
Inza asked him was being asked herself
by Elsie Bellwood. Circumstances had
‘seemed to place Elsie above Inza in his
affections. Lately lhe had been paying
rather marked attentions ‘to Inza. Yet
Merriwell was not inclined to he fickle-
hearted—on the contrary, it was his
nature to be loyal and true. ‘True
Blue’’ was his motto.

**Ves,’’- he replied. ‘‘You are one of
my best, oldest and truest friends.’

“Nothing more?’ was the thought
that was in her mind and on her lips.
Yet it remained unspoken.

“I don’t think you are showing your-
self very true to Elsie!’’ was what slie
did say.

‘Why not???

‘“Well, you have been paying me a
good deal of attention recently. Would
you do that, if you were true to Elsie?
We can talk quite plainly, Frank ?”’

“Very plainly,’’ he assented. ‘‘We
have known each other so long and have
been so much to each other and so much
together that it would seem strange if we
felt a delicacy in talking freely on such
a subject as this.’’

‘Now, that is more like yourself.’

“Ain I not always like myself ?’’

‘*Yes, you are always brave and. true
and kind! If I ever think otherwise I am
at ouce ashamed of myself.
generis, ‘There isn’t another just like

you. And yet——”’

‘Well, this matter, for instance? You
have been noticeably attentive to me
since my return to New Haven! I began
to think you might be serious, really.,
And that wouldn’t do, you. know! As
long as you belong to Elsie.’

T do not belong to Bias I do not
belong to any one. But I do feel more
bound to Elsie, and she has seemed to
have a wariier place in my regard than
any one else because of things with
which you are perfectly familiar.”

“And that is why it seems to me you
have acted in a fickle manner. If you do
not belong to Elsie, you seem to belong
sto her more than to any one else.”’

ae ain not ready to belong to any one

yet, ” he said, very seriously. ‘*Hilsie
_is'a dear, sweet girl, though!” :

You are suz

TEKLY. 23

‘““The sweetest in the world!” impul- -
sively. ‘‘She is a perfect angel! Frank
Merriwell, if you could get her, you
would be one of the most fortunate mien
on earth.’?

‘fAnd the man who gets Inza Burrage
for a wife will also be une of the most
fortunate men on the earth.

**Do you really think so??? with a flush
of pleasure.

‘Ves, for it is true.”’

*“‘But that doesn’t clear away
mystery ?”’

‘“What mystery ?”?

‘‘Why, you pay ime such attention
when you ought to be giving your heart
to Elsie, and “why you took ine with you
to-day instead of her?’’

‘*Must I answer these questions: 2

“Well, Ishould like to understand
41%?

Her woman’s heart fluttered a little,
as she said this. And again she despised
herself for the weakness that made her
so anxious, when she had no right, as
she felt, to expect anything from Merry.

‘‘You noticed how much attention
Buck Badger paid you when you came
back to Winnie Lee’s?’’ he questioned.

‘*Ves, Buck was delightfully nice there
for a while, wasn’t he?”’

‘You thought so; but another girl
there thought quite otherwise!’

*‘And that girl was?’’

‘*Winnie Lee.’’

Inza uttered a
incredulity.

‘““Winnie Lee
declared Frank.

‘*] do not believe it. She has shown
that she doesn’t by the way she has
talked to ine.”’ .

“‘She doesn’t go round wearing her
heart on her sleeve, that is all!’

‘‘As I do!’’ was Inza’s thought, which
brought her a sudden sense of injured
pride.

**T saw that you were unintentionally
coming between Buck Badger and Win-
nie.”?

‘‘And to put a stop to that, you asked
me here and there, and became extra
nice to me?’

Her eyes grew very bright, and a spot
of color burned in each dark cheek.

‘Merriwell’s silence seemed to her an
assent.

this

little exclamation of

loves

Buck Badger,”’

 
  

    

4

‘*That was very kind in you, of course,
inasmuch as I am uot old enough to
know how to conduct myself. And, of
course, 1 am very giad and very grateful
that you should thus show me what I
ought to do!”’

Merry saw that she was very angry.

“Twas afraid that you would be
offeuded,’’ he adinitted. ‘‘But I thought
it wasn’t right for you to permit those
attentions from: Buck Badger. You were
very much in the wrong there, Inza!”’

The tone and the way in which he
spoke her name touched her. If she had
been Elsie she would lave cried; but,
being Inza,-she did nothing of the kind.

‘“What makes you so positive that
Winnie loves Buck Badger ?’’ she asked.

‘“She adinitted to me as much. And I
needed no admission from her to know
it. She has shown it. She was very
much distressed when Buck turned from
her to you.’

“She has shown nothing of the kind
to me,’’ was Inza’s very decided declara-
tion. ‘‘She seemed to be glad that Buck
and I were having such pleasaut,times,
and she always smiled as if she thought
it all right—aud always talked that
ee

‘‘Of course, she didn’t care to say to
you that she wanted Buck Badger her-
self. You were and are her guest. How
could she say that to you? ‘There can be
no doubt that you were in the wrong,
Inza, by permitting Badger to shower
attentions on you, when you are Winnie’s
guest !’’ ;

Inza grew silent and thoughtful. Mer-
riwell wondered what was passing in her
mind,

‘*And now he will turn from ime to
Hisie, just as I turned from Badger to
him, and just as Badger turned from
Winnie to me. But will Elsie be happy
to receive him? Of course she will. She
is a sweet, loving girl, and J ought to be
happy to have him give happiness to her.
If lie should turn from her to me now, as
it seemed to me le was going to, what
would be the effect on her ?’’

But not an inkling of this thought

came to Merriwell, who sat silently at.

her side, looking straight on over the
SONY suburban road.

Tie TOY WaikEY.

CHAPTER XI.

THREE GIRLS.

Merriwell left the extra horse and the
broken sleigh at Jefirey’s stables, and
then drove to the home of Winnie Lee
with Inza. He and Inza had talked much
during the drive home, and had cone
to a better understanding. For one thing,
Inza saw clearly now that she had been
in the wrong in encouraging the atten-
tious of Buck Badger. j

She was not.so clear as to herself and
Frank Merrfwell, nor about the exact
relations existing between
Elsie. She knew, though, that, because
of things that had happened, Elsie and
Frank, seemed really more to each other
than Frank and herself. Down in her
lieart there was a fierce rebellion against
this, but she tried to crowd this out as
she turned from the sleigh to the house.

‘“Good-night!’?’ Merry called, as’ he
turned the horse in the street.

“‘Good-night!’’? she said, and ran
the steps. ;

She found Hilsie there with Winnie,

A

-when she entered tlie sitting-room.

“Danny Griswold was right in that
song,’’ was her thought:

‘Life is just a game at which
Stakes are made,

And the people are the cards
That are played.

‘‘Some are knaves and some are
queens,
Some are kings
‘Yes, whatever may happen, Frank
Merriwell is a king!”

Then she fuifuad to Elsie and iisead ig

her, her heart filled with sudden warinth,
even though beneath
strange feminine feeling of jealousy.
‘‘Vou are a sweet girl !’’ she whispered.
‘Then she tore herself away, laughing.
“It looked for a while as if we shouldn’t
have Elsie with us; orif with us, that she

would be all bandaged and swathed in

cotton and linen, and sinelling of oils

and carbolic acid!’’ laughed Winnie Lee. —

Winnie was happy, for Buck had been
very nice to lier all day, and she felt that
he was hers once more
were so bright that Inza could not’ sie
to notice it.

Frank and -_

it all there wasa —

Her face and eyes 3

i

o =

 

 

 

 

 

 

   
  
 
  
   
  
 
  
  
   
 
  
  
  
 
  
   
 
  
  
 

  
  

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
   
   

TEP. TOP

**Frank was so brave and good!”’ said
Elsie, with charming naivete. ‘‘I think
a he is the bravest and best man that ever
} 4 lived!”?

{ **He is all of that!’’ Inza assented.

4 “And you know, dear!”’ said Hisie.

| ¥ “I was confident you wouldn’t be hurt,
} unless you tried to jump out of the

- -sleigh!’’ Inza declared. ‘‘I was afraid

you might try to do that; but that was

the only fear I had. I knew, if you gave
him time, Frank would rescue you, and
you wouldn’t even be scratched.’’

**You speak so confidently!’’ said

Winnie. ‘‘He is very brave, I know.”’
_ “No braver man ever lived! And he is
so wonderfully full of resources. While
other men stand wondering what ought
to be done, he sees just what to do, and
how to do it, and does it without a mo-
ment’s waste of time. You saw how it
was to-day !”’

**Buck started
Winnie.

‘*Yes, after he saw Merriwell running
toward it and alinost on its back. ‘That’s
what made him think of it, probably.

‘Don’t be offended, dear, for I do not
mean to speak disparagingly of Buck;
but you must acknowledge tliat it was
Frank who rescued Hlsie!’’

‘What did Bart do?’ Inza asked, a
moment later.

‘“Well, I think he would have killed
that horse, if he could have laid his
hands on it,’’ said Winnie. ‘‘His face got
as black as acloud.. Then he jumped for
his sleigh. But before that Frank was on
the cowboy’s horse and riding down the
road.’’

_ ‘Of course you wanted to ride back to
- the city with Frank,’’ Inza said to Elsie,
some ininutes afterward, when they were
alone together.

“Tt would have been pleasant,’’ was
the confession. ‘‘But you went out with
hiin, and I couldn’t expect you to do

  
 

 

for that horse!’’ said

 

otherwise than come back with him. Be-
sides, what would Bart Hodge have
thought?”

“How did you find Bart for company? pt
“Much better than I thought. Really,
like Mr, Hodge. Hesseemed so differ-
ent from what I had fancied. He was as
jolly all day as you could wish.
Frank, I think I like Bart. But then I
pee all of Frank’s friends. Even Joe

 

  

 

Next to.

WEEKLY. 25

Gamp and Dismal and Danny and Bink
Stubbs! I know they are splendid fellows,
er Frank would not have them about
him.’?

‘It is an honor to be
well’s friend!’ said Inza.

Unconsciously she emphasized the
word friend, but Elsie did not notice it.

‘*And it is an honor to be your friend,’’
said Elsie. ‘‘I.am so glad that we are
good friends. In the old days, you know,
we were such real true friends and un-
derstood each other so perfectly! I fan-
cied not so long ago that you Ae
changed from the “Inza of those old days,
but I have found out that you are not.
You are just the same brave, true, noble
Inza!’’

‘“fAnyway, I am your friend, dear!?’
said Inza, again warmly kissing her.
**And I shall never be anything else!’’

“I have been afraid -at times that you
might think I try to come between you
and Frank—or have tried to do so!”’

‘Don’t be foolish!’ said Inza, putting
her arm about Elsie. ‘‘I aim not in love
with Frank Merriwell. I suppose I
thought I was once, but that is over long
ago. We had a coniplete understanding,
as I told you, at Maplewood, last sum-
mer, and we had a few more to-day.
We are to be the best of friends, the dear-
est and truest of friends, forever—noth-
ing more!??

“He is only my friend,’? said Elsie.
‘The dearest and best and noblest friend
I have in the world, and I—I—I mean
that the friendship which he has given
me really ought to belong to vou! I
feel guilty, somehow!”

Frank Merri-

‘Don’t, then!’ Inza advised. © -

“Why can’t there be two Frank Mer-
riwells?’’ Elsie exclaimed.

‘‘T believe you remarked that once
before,’’ Inza reminded, with a burst of
enthusiasm. ‘‘It is simply impossible
that there could be two like him! He is
just splendidly original and grand!””

CHAPTER XII.
JIM HOOKER’S NIECE. .”

Late that night Frank Merriwell passed

Jeffrey’s livery stable where he had left —

the wrecked sleigh. He was thinking of

    
       
  
   
  
   
    
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
   
  
 
       
       
       
       
       
   

-

    
        
 

26 TIP TOP WEEKLY.

the mystery of the sleigh and of the thou-
sand dollars. He was wondering, too,
how the sleigh had been tampered with.

A light in the stable shed, where the
sleighs were kept, drew his attention and
turned his footsteps.

**1l] speak to one of the stablemen,’’
was his thought. ‘‘Perhaps he has no-
ticed some one hanging about in a sus-
picious way. I’d give something to know
who did that to the sleigh! Can it have
been one of the college men ?’’

A sound of a ripping board caused him
to pause as he approached the door of
the shed. He did not intend to play spy,
but he looked through a small crack that
permitted the light of the lantern to
show, and to his pee aes saw Mel
Barker.

It seemed singular to see here the man
whom he had sought for throughout all
of New Haven so unsticcessfully, And
what was Barker doing?

Merry asked himself that, as he looked.

‘‘Smashing the boards of the sleigh!’
was the inuttered answer. .

Then, like a flash, came the knowledge
that it was Mel Barker’s hand that had
substituted the wooden bolts for the iron
ones and that had sawed through the iron
supports of the sleigh runners.

‘The scoundrel!’ Merriwell grated.
“*Because he cannot have the sleigh, he
does not intend that I shall enjoy it, or
that, if I do, it shall be at the risk of my
neck! It was his work that caused the
breakdown to-day, and his work might
have brought about the death of Elsie
~ Bellwood!” —

A fierce desire to take Mel Barker by
the throat and choke him came into
Merry’s heart.

Then came the added thought that Mel
Barker knew the whereabouts of little
Sadie Martin, the girl to whom the thou-
sand dollars belonged, and that Barker
had taken Sadie with him in his sudden
flight from the house he had fora time
made his home.

**T shall have to put. my hands on this:

Mr. Barker and ask him some questions, ””
was Frank’s conclusion.

Barker tore another board from thie
sleigh and began to break it up.

Then Merriwell flung open the shed
door and leaped upon him
warning.

4

without

‘“Vou villain?’ he exclaimed. ‘‘Why
are you tearing up my sleigh in that
way?”

Barker drew back and tried to strike
him.

An exclamation of fright arose in a
childish voice, and for the first time

Merry saw that Barker was not alone— _

that a little girl accompanied him.

‘‘Sadie Martin!’’ was Frank’s instant
conclusion. ‘‘They came here together.
Perhaps they have been hiding all this
time in the stable. Likely he has a friend
here, as he had in the other stable.”’

Then there came to him the recollece
tion of one fact which in his search he
had learned: Barker had been, at various
times, a hostler, and so had acquaint-
ances with stable men.

‘Let me go!’ commanded Barker, try-
ing to strike Frank in the face. ‘‘Let me
go, I say! If you don’t, Ill call for
help!”

“There is no one in the stable,’’ said
Merry. ‘‘You know that, well enough.

If there had been, you wouldn’t have

been breaking up my sleigh!”’

He parried the blow and
Barker by the collar.

*‘Let gol’? Barker grated, and struck
again.

The blow caught Frank on the side of
the head and made him feel weak. The
child was beginning to cry because of
fright. Merry saw that he must not waste
time with Barker. Another chance like
that might enable Barker to get away
with all his precious secrets and take the
child with hiin.

caught

“IT see you will have it!’ and Merri-

well’s hard fist lifted the man from the
floor and laid him in a heap on the sleigh
boards he had broken.

Before the fellow could regain himself
sufficiently to rise, Merriwell had bound

his hands with a rope taken from a sleigh,

and Barker was a prisoner.

“Let up on me!?’ the fellow Gedead ;

‘JT ain’t done nothing to be ee a
way!’
“J may conclude to let upon you,

when you have answered my questions,’’

said Frank, “‘butewot before.’’ :
“Run, Sadie!’ Barker commanded,

‘Run fer help! Run as fast as you can!”
‘The child sprang

through the =e door.

 

up~ and darted =

  

 

 

   
    
  
  
   
    
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
 
  
  
     
TIP TOP WEEKLY.

- “She is of more importance than Mel
Barker,’’ thought Merriwell,. and he
sprang in pursuit.

The girl, though so small, was light
on her feet, and fled on before him with
remarkable speed, so tliat several minutes
were consuined before Merriwell overtook
her and carried her in his arms back to
the stable. No policeman was in sight.

*“Never round when tliey’re waited!
Merriwell mused. ‘‘It’s a fault of police-
men,’?

Then he started, for on re-entering the
shed, he/found that Barker was goue.
The rascal, though his hands were tied,
had fled. There was a back door, which
Merriwell hhad not noticed, and through
this Barker had gone.

Merry looked at the child by the light
of the lantern. She had stopped crying.
Perhaps there was something in Merri-
well’s face, as beheld by tlie lantern’s
light, that stilled the terrors of her little
heart.

‘‘Tam your friend,’ he said, speaking
in kindly tones. ‘‘I won’t hurt you. I
want you to came with me.’’

“*Will you take me to my mamma?”’
she said.

‘“Sure!’? cried - Merry.
mania can be found on
the earth, we’ll find her,
you to her!’

at ORL
the top side of
and I?ll take

were in Merriwell’s
room, even though the hour was late,
when Frank Merriwell returned to .it,
leading by the hand little Sadie Martin.
Jn that crowd was Jim Hooker, who,
because Frank had proved him to be an
honest, worthy fellow, had been received
as an honored inmember of Frank Merri-
well’s flock. But Hooker had _ not
laughed and joked as the others had
done; a thing not greatly noticed, how-
ever, for often Hooker was given to taci-
tutnity. The fact that Hooker’s father
rested under a cloud and had gone to
wreck through drink shadowed Hooker? S
thoughts very often and made him quieter
and duller as company than he would
_ otherwise have been.
Danny Griswold was threatening to
- wihip Bink Stubbs within an inch of his
life at the moment, that Merry opened
the door and came into the roonrwith the
little girl.

A jolly crowd

‘had he been much with them

27

Silence followed his entrance.

‘*What have we here???’ Diamond ques-
tioned, and Bruce Browning was about to
follow with a Jazy remark.

But Bruce’s words were stayed by the
cry of surprise and delight which came
from Jim Hooker.

‘*Sadie!’’ he alinost shouted.

And tlien he fairly fluug himself on
the child in a transport of. joy.

She seemed to be as pleased to see
Hooker, and cried through sheer excite-
ment and the emotion of pleasure.

‘*T suppose an explanation is needed
here ?’’ said Hooker, feeling that perhaps
he had too greatly exhibited his feel-
ings. ‘‘But this is my sister’s child! She
has been missing from home for more
than two weeks. You may have noticed
that I have been absent awhile. I was
helping in the hunt fer her. We thought
at first that she was with my father—
being dragged about by him! But, when
we found him, we discovered that he had
not seen her.”?

‘‘What do you know of Mel Barker?’’
Merriwell asked.

‘“‘Nothing. I never heard of him. But
there is a man named David J. Barker,
who cheated my sister out of a thousand
dollars that belonged to this child. But
that was several years ago, when this
child was a mere baby. We lost track of
him, but he was a worthless rascal, and
we conldn’t have collected the money
from him if we had tried.- I don’t know
whether he was related to the Mel Barker
that you mention or not.”’

Jim Hooker had not been with Merri-
well’s flock when the singular letters
were received from David J. Barker. Nor
since, and
so had heard nothing of the mvsterious
gift of the sleigh and Frank’s strange
mission.

Now all was made clear to him by
Merriwell and the others.

“‘Mel Barker must have heard that his
brother was trying to get this thousand
dollars to some one who had possession
of the child,’* suggested Hooker. ‘‘T
can’t think of anything else. And it
occurred to) him that, as his brother
would not live long, if he could steal the
child perhaps le could in some way get
hold of the money.”’

 
‘“Why didn’t he send it to your.sis-
ter?’’ Diamond asked.

‘*He didn’t know where she lived. I
stippose that is it, for she has inoved sev-
eral times, and we had lost all track of
him.’?

‘“Anyway,’’? said Browning, who had
been aroused to deep interest. ‘‘You
have found the child, and Merriwell stands
ready to fulfill his mission by restoring to
her the money.’’

‘Ves,’ said Hooker, ‘‘and I’m _ going
to take her home to her mother this very
night. She lives right here in New
Haven.’’

‘“*And Frank Merriwell’s Flock will go
along as a guard of honor!’’ suggested
Harry Rattleton.

‘“So mote it be!’’ rumbled Dismal
Jones. ‘‘Are we all ready!’’

‘“We are all ready!’ declared Merri-
well. ‘‘We will go at once!”’

And they did.

THE END.

The next number [ 203 ] of the Trp
Top WEEKLY will contain ‘‘Frank Merri-
well’s Musketeers; or, The Mountain
Vendetta.’ :

 

 

Che Cip Co DP Quarterlies.

GOOD READING AND LOTS.OF IT.

No. 1.—Frank Merriwell’s School Days,
No. 2.—Frank Merriwell Out West.

No. 3.—Frank Merriwell in Foreign Lands.

No. 4.—Frank Merriwell at Yale.

No. 5.—Frank Merriwell’s Bicycle Tour Across
the Continent. .

No. 6.—Frank Merriwell as an All-round
Athlete.

No. Gop ee Merriwell’s Second Term at

ale.

No. 8,—Frank Merriwell’s Vacation.

No. g.—Frank Merriwell in Maine.

No. 10.—Frank Merriwell as a Railroad Man.

No. 11.—Frank Merriwell as an Actor.

No. 12.—Frank Merriwell’s Fight for Pros-

perity.
. 13.—Frank Merriwell’s Exciting Adven-
tures in England and France.

The Merriwell series ate written in groups of thir-
teen. Each quarterly is a complete series or group.

PRICE FIFTY CENTS EACH

From all newsdealers, or by mail postpaid, from the
publishers. — :

Admirers of Frank Merriwell, desirous of following
‘his adventures from the first will find these quarterlies
the most advantageous form in which to procure the
earlier numbers, ; a ;

e STREET & SMITH, Publishers,

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

238 William Street, New York. —

  

Correspondence,

(2) Nicholas

 

W. J. D., New York City.—(1) No.
Carter. :

Cc. E. S., Chicago, Ill,— The publication is discon-
tinued.

W. H. 8., Wilmington, Del.—New York City will .
reach him. t

Vv. Mz,
dime of 1

D. B., Bradford, Pa.—The Canadian coin is worth
about five cents. 4

W. E. N., New York City.—Your coins and note are
of no particular value.

S. A. G., Creede, Col.—By all means see an oculist
in regard to your eyes. ‘

G. N., Westerly, R. I.—Neither
more than its face value.

J. L. R., Holyoke, Mass. — None of the coins ‘is
worth more than its face value. :

milled edge, not lettered, is worth one dollar.
copper cent was issued before 1793.

Friend of Frank M., Carrollton, Mo.—(1) The library
is out of print. (2) It is an assumed name,

Cc. W., Fitchburg, Mass.—Thanks for your sugges-
tion, which will be taken into consideration.

F. C. Y., Roanoke, Va.—You are far above the
average. Punching the bag would be good exercise
for you.

Cc. B. C., Boston, Mass.—(1) It is not feasible. (2)
Write to Spalding & Brother, Nassau street, New
York City.

EK. J. S.,,Richfield Springs, N. Y.—Write to the Scott
Coin & Stamp Company, Twenty-third street, New
York City.

N. B., Philadelphia, Pa.—(1) Yes, but the process is.
too long to be described here. (2) No premium on the
dime of 1821.

Cc, F. C., Paris, Texas.—You can obtain wigs and
grease paints from Charles L. Leitz, 39 West Twenty-
eighth street, New York City.

A Subscriber, South Waverley, N.
mium on the: five-cent pieces of 1837.
Olcott was born in Providence, R. I

Ww. Cc. L., Toledo, Ohio.—You do not give your age.
Try a short run before breakfast and exercise every
day with dumb-bells and Indian clubs.

No Name, Weedsport, N. Y.—It would take more
space than we can spare. Write for catalogue to
Colonel Albert L. Mills, West Point, N, Y. a3

Frank and Elsie, Readers, Fort Smith, Ark.—Write
to Samuel French & Co., Twenty-second street, New
York City, and they will furnish you with a catalogue
of plays. ; r

J. J. M., New York City.—Running develops the
muscles of the legs. Take a spin of fifteen minutes
morning and night. Yes, a rub down afterward is an_
excellent thing. ‘

Sidney, East Berkeley,

Soreeyne: Ohio.—No premium on the half-

coin is ~ worth

No

Y.—(1) No pre-
(2) Chauncey

Cal.—(1) You seem to us
very well proportioned. (2) No, your hands and feet
are not likely to grow larger at your age. (8) Your
band@writing is excellent. (4) Number 2 is the better
shading. :

Ww. H. S., Waukegan, Ill.—For the book on amateur
theatricals and articles of make-up write to Samuel
French & Son, Twenty-second street, New York City.
You can obtain the other books from the American
News Company, Chambérs street, New York City.

H. O. B., Findlay, Ohio.—Try dumb-bells and Indian
clubs for medium weight. }
lips. As a lung exerciser the air should be forced, out
slowly, so as to dam, it up, as it were, thus causing
it to. seek the minutest air cell in the remotest corner
of the lungs. Again, as a°general thing, one does not
exhale a sufficient amount of air. Special breathing

exercises should be taken to not only fill the lungs to

the utmost but to empty them as nearly as possible,
in order to throw out the dead air; also to give the
air cells greater elasticity. Exercises in breathing —

should be special and separate from other exercises.

The breathing, during alf forms of athletics, should

be natural—that-is, natural to the condition, position |
and nature of the work. ’Twere better in such cases
to have the breathing involuntary, Waco pee

 

  

 

 

Do not breath through the

 

    
   
  
    
    
      
    
    
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
    
 
   
   
    
 
    
        
       
          
 
    
      
      
     
   
    
   
      
   
       
         
     
    
     
    
      
       
    
   
        
   
   
    
      
      
     
 
       
         
 
   
   
   
    

Ere.

iP IOPWEEKLY.

“AN IDEAL PUBLICATION FOR THY AMERICAN YOUTH ”

Ye SB Be

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK, Fresrvuary 24, 1900,

 

Terms to Tip Top Weekly Mail Subscribers.
(POSTAGE PREM.)

Single Copies or Back Numbers, 5c. Each.

  

8. suonths 6ic. | One year + = - - - - 92.90
7 P 4 mouths -.- --- + + - $5c,]2 copies oue yerr 4.00
ae @montha - - - - = = $1.25] 1 copy two years 4.00

Hlow 10 SEND Montty.— by postoffice or express money order,
registered letter, bunk check or draét, at your risk. At yourown
tisk if sent by postal note, curreney, coin, or postage Stamps in
ordinary letter.

Ruecwirrs.— Receipt of your venittance is acknowledged by proper
shange of wumber on yourlabel. Tf not correct you have not been
properly credited, aud shod let ws jnow at once,

STREET & SMITH’S TIP TOP WEEKLY,
2383 William St., New York City.
PP PLPPLP PLP AAP AP A Ll Pl eel lt

APPLAUSE.

- { have been reading the Tip Top for a long time. 1
started to read at No, 73, but I have procured most of the
back numbers. Is there a store here that sells them? I
was glad to hear that Bart knocked the hot air out of Buck
Badger, but I would like to see him (Buck) become Merry’s
friend. Of the boys, Rarry Hattelton (I mean Harry Rattle-

ton), is my favorite, as I much enjoy his mixing up of
words. I would like Hans and Ephraim to visit Frank at
Yale. My weight is 106 pounds, am 16 years old and am

practicing the methods given by Frank to Harry on breath-
ing, as given in No, 195. LOU DANKER,
: St. Louis, Mo.

It is a good idea to read all the back numbers you can,
as that enables you to enjoy even more the current numbers,
You can order back numbers from any bookseller. You will
‘undoubtedly benefit by following Frank’s advice on breath-
ing. He gives many good pointers as to physical training.

 

lines about Frank and his
I have read Tip Top from
Tt think

Inclosed please find a few
 . “friends. It is my first attempt.
. No. 140, and will read it as long as I can get it.
it is the best boys’ weekly in print.
; 1.

In these few lines I want to tell.

What a brave, true lad is Frank Merriwell.
 .* “He is always trying to do what is right,
--. Never picking a quarrel or a fight.

»

~,

Bart Hodge is his truest friend,

To Frank his help will always lend;
Next comes Rattleton, good and true,
A friend like him will always do.

3.
Bruce Browning is as true as stéel,
His friendship Frank will always feel;

Jack Diamond, he is pretty quick,
But an enemy he would make sick,

4.

, Fy ‘Hans, Gallup and Molloy they are not slow
~ »o oc But now T believe I will have to £0,

But before I go, a few words I will tell,
That Elsie and Inza wish Frank well.

; 6. :
Mo Hurrah for the Tip Top and Frank Merriwell,
*,... Also Burt L. Standish, I wish him well;
And Street & Smith are very kind
To print a book to guide the mind.

 

 

 

G. B. S.,
Ellsworth, Kan.
They are by no

i

‘1 “We print your verses with pleasure.
_ ‘means bad for a first attempt.

fiend

‘We have just formed a club and we call it the Tip Top
_ -Olub. We are all going to get badges of the Tip Top. We
‘are all saving up to get a hut on my father’s hill. I will
Satoh send after one badge for the vice-president (Fred.
- Maurer). Please send it to him.
“and like it very much. I have read all the Tip Tops. ,
HH. O. JACOBSEN, President, P. SORRWNSON, Secretary.
F.. MAURER, Vice-Pres.- J. SELMS, Treasurer.

ptt. : - _ Racine, Wis.

We are pleased that you like the badge, and are certain
t your Vice-President will also. : yt

  

  

4

OF PR NC Te RTE SU

   

I got the badge I sent for

  

WEEKLY. ~ 29

I have decided to have my say in praise of Frank and
his friends and in condemnation of a certain publication
whose hero is copied from Frank Merriwell, and who, to
say the least, is as poor an imitator of Frank as rain
water and chalk are of milk. I consider that the best thing
us boys and girls can do is to leave this publication alone,
and above all things, not to copy after this hero, who is a
bully and unlike Frank, he seems to be constantly looking
for a fight instead of trying to avoid it. In fact, every~
thing in the publication is copied from Tip Top, but falls
short in everything, especially in common sense and in good

example. As a last test of the relative merits of the two
papers, I ask of you (fellow readers), to compare the pic-
tures of these two heores, which you will find on the first

page of each publication. One is a fine, handsome, gen-
tlemanly-looking fellow, surrounded by a group of fihe
looking, intelligent fellows, and on €@ach side of him is a
beautiful girl. On the other one we find but three persons,
the hero, his chum, and his best girl, and if I am not mis-
taken, you will notice a rather brassy smell on first open-
ine the book, but after one look at the hero you will know
what caused it. Well, I have said my little say in con-
demnation of one publication. I will now say a few words
in praise of Frank Merriwell and his friends. [I consider
Frank a good person io copy from, and I believe that boys
who follow in his footsteps will never be sorry for it. I
am <salso a great admirer of Bruce, Bart, Jack and
Harry, and I hope that Badger will. become one of Frank’s
‘“‘pang,’’ JT hope that he will have Barney, Ephraim, Hans,
and his college chums with him during next vacation. [
am also a great admirer of Elsie and Inza. Hoping that
Burt L. Standish will long continue writing for Tip Top.
A CONSTANT READER,
Escanaba, Mich.

We are confident that all our readers will agree with the
parallel you have drawn. No copy has ever been known to
touch the original.

I have read the Tip Top Weekly from No. 1 to the present
date, and think that they are fine. I liked the. first twelve
the best of all. I would like to hear more about Paul Rains,
Hugh Bascomb-and May Blossom. I like Inza Burrage best
of Frank’s ‘girl friends and I will be very much
disappointed if Frank don’t marry Inza. He ought to re-
member Nos. 1, 5, 6, 10 and 12, and if he gives up Inza, it
is only fair that he should give Elsie up too. Some of the
readers make me tired with their opinions concerning Elsie,
but you will notice those that stand up for Hisie commenced
to read about No. 130, and therefore know little about
Inza. A CONSTANT REJADER,

Opinions as to Bilsie and Inza certainly vary greatly, as
they do in real life, and it is well that it should be so.
‘If we all thought alike, life would lose all its zest.
will inform Mr. Standish of your desire.

T have been reading your valuable publication, the Tip
Top Weekly, for nearly a year and I think it is all right.
Frank is a good ideal for any young man to follow, and
the good he teaches is well worth consideration. Such a
publication should find its way into the homes of all the
youths of this great land, and the inspiration it would give
to young people would be the means of making better and
nobler men and women. Mr. Standish is doing an immense
amount of good with his stories, and they are being read
by all classes. His characters are ‘‘true blue,’’ and next
to Frank I like Bart Hodge and then “‘lazy’’ Browning.
Elsie is the girl for Frank, as I think Inza is too change-

able. WBilsie i#§ kind, tender, true, and in times of emer-
gency is courageous. EARL F. HOWARD,
Minneapolis, Minn.
It is one of Mr. Standish’s dearest aims to do all that

he can with his pen to aid the young people who read the
Tip Top, and it pleases him greatly to know that he is
succeeding. See Correspondence column,

The Tip Top Weekly is the best paper I have ever read,
It can’t be beat. If every one was as good as Frank, what
a beautiful world this would) be. I send my best regards
to Mr. Standish, end also Street & Smith. When I first
started to read the Tip Top Weekly I chewed and smoked
tobacco, but I don’t do either now, Allow me to thank
Mr. Standish to the bottom of my heart, and hope the Tip
Top Weekly will continue forever.

I have read every single Tip Top Weekly, and I am
not satisfied yet. I often sit down and ‘read back num-
bers. I think Quarterlies Nos. 3,
Where are Elsie and! Inza, and Elsie’s tormentor, the fellow
that tried to marry her? What are Hans and Ephraim
doing? Where is Toots, the colored boy? H. “

‘ ; Spruce.
We congratulate you on giving up tobacco. There is no

question of its injurious effects upon boys. Read on, and

you will hear more of those about whom you inquire.

-

 

I will write to tell you of my opinion of Tip Top. I
think it is the best weekly of its kind published. I take
much delight in~- athletic sports, and hope Frank takes
part in them, Next to Frank, I like big Bruce Browning
best.. With best wishes for Burt L. Standish. : ,

MERTON W. DEMONT,
: Ashby, Mass.

Thank you.

We

5 and 10 are excellent. -

    

 
    

 
  

       
      
   
  
   
      
   
  
    
   
  
   

 

 

30

We, the undersigned, wish to express our admiration of
the Tip Top Weekly. We have been reading it for the
last six months, and we enjoy it so much that we have
read nearly all the back numbers.

Every member of our club thinks Frank a very strong
character, and we hope he will marry Elsie in the near
future, and also that he will be friends with Badger,
whom we think a fine fellow; also. We look forward with
great anticipation to next week’s copy, which our secretary
reads before the assembled club immediately upon arrival.
We send our best wishes to Mr. Standish and hope he
will always continue to write such delightful stories.

PRES. E. L. D., ETAOINOL
SEC. S. R. J., V.-PRES, A. W. L.,

De AR Ea} D, L. &.,

CeTeBi,

‘Bean Bag Club, of New London Academy,
Goode, Va.
Best wishes to you all. We trust you will read and en-
joy the Tip Top for a long time to come.

 

Being an enthusiastic admirer of your valuable paper
ever since its first issue, I do not think I would be doing
the “right thing’’ by you if I did not drop you a few
lines, just to express my gratitude for such a noble pub-
lication. It has done me a world of good, and I really
believe it has been thé means of forming, to a large ex-
tent, my character, The stories about athletics are sure
to instill in any American youth’s heart a desire for
physical training. I must say that it was due to those
stories, and those “alone, that I joined an athletic asso-
ciation in this city. If any’ one had asked me previous
to my reading the Tip Top whether I wished to join an

athletic club, I would, like Bruce Browning, have re-
ied, ‘It’s too much like work,’’ but now, thanks to
3urt L. Standish, I really enjoy athletic exercises and
contests.

It was my good fortune to be able, a year ago, to visit
London and Paris, and I find the scenes and incidents
exactly as described in Tip Top, which proves that Burt
L. Standish has traveled extensively. The Yale stories are
beyond description; they are simply ‘‘out of sight.’’ Last
year, while in London, I got acquainted with an English
youth about my own age. I began to tell him about the
Tip Top, and he said: ‘‘Oh! Baw Jove! they aren’t in
the same class with Jack Harkaway stories, don’ tcher-
know?’’ I loaned him Quarterly No. 1 to read, and he
confessed that they beat Jack Harkaways all hollow, and
asked if all American lads were like Frank, and I an-
swered, as Frank did to that Englishman who tried to
kidnap Inza Burrage, “Oh! that’s
us the other side of the pond!’’

I think Frank ought to marry
although it would make me feel glad if Inza was the
one he chose for better or worse, because it makes me
feel sorry when I think of Frank kissing Inza over the
@ate at Fardule and then to think of him falling in love
with that ‘“‘bread and butter miss,’’ HJsie. The characters
in Tip Top are surely drawn from life—Lazy Bruce, care-
less Harry, hot-headed Jack, sulky Bart, roly poly Hans,
honest Gallup, and many others, help to add interest (if
such a thing is possible) to the weekly.

HUGENE NASH,
New York City.
you for your interesting let-
ter. Your English friend was sensible after all, wasn’t
he? Persevere with,your athletics. They are sure to do
you lots of good, and we are proud that the Tip Top hag
been the means of putting you on the right track.

the girl he loves best,

We are deeply obliged to

[I have read every number of the Tip Top from No, 26
and I think it is the best paper to read I ever saw. There
are some others trying to imitate them, but I guess those
who read them will throw them down in disgust, as I
did. Of all the characters, I like Frank, Bart and Bruce.
I hope that Buck Badger will become Frank’s friend. Will
Frank ever meet Herbert Hammerswell and his old dad,
the Hon. A. H? I hope he does, and I think that when
Frank marries he will choose Elsie Bellwood. Wishing all
success to the Tip Top,

: MARTIN J. SMITH,
Gunnison, Colo.

It is impossible to predict and tell just whom Frank will

meet or whom he will marry. The future alone can de-

 

cide. Best wishes.
This is my second letter, and nobody can admire Tip
Top any warmer than I can. When Merry was on Mr.

Kent Carson’s ranch, he promised Mr. Carson he would

look up his son Berlin. Ek would like to see Frank meet

Berlin Carson as he said he would. I would like to see
Buck Badger become one of Frank's friends, and I would

like to hear of Daisy Blaney again.
/ J. DEAN DAVIS,

Beaver Falls, Pa,

All your suggestions will be carefully considered.

 

I have been reading the Applause column for a long -

time. I see in No. 194 a letter from Lettie Verner.
She must read the applause also, because she says a young
man does not think the girls are doing right by keeping
still and not praising Tip Top. I never have written a
letter e you for pe to Tip Top, but I tell my friends
about Tip Top. Y told one friend, and now she is reading
them, She admires them very much. I am somewhat like

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

 

a way we have with -

     

Lettie Verner. I think Frank should have Inza. She is
my favorite, although I love to read about Elsie. I like
Jack Diamond better than any of Frank’s friends.
MYRTLE RENNER,
Sharpsburg, Md.

That’s right! Keep the ball rolling, girls, and write to
us, It will never do to let the boys get ahead of you.

Having read the Tip Top from the first number, and
eagerly devoured anything connected with Frank Merri-
well and his friends. I must say, in the words of the great
Sir Walter: 5

Breathes there the boy with soul so dead,
(Who long the old Tip Top hath read,)
And never to his parents said:

“T want a badge!’

Please send me one at once. A few words regarding the
Tip Top. I wish to say ‘that the author is all right and
go are his stories, which are clean and moral Wishing your
paper continued success and that you will not forget the
badge. “INJIN JIM,’’
Indianapolis, Ind.

Your parody on Scott is clever and to the point. You
have undoubtedly by this time received the badge. See
Correspondence column,

I have been reading the Tip Top ever since No. 105. My
brother Fred buys them and then when he is through I
read them. I think it the best weekly published. I have
read many other stories, but the Tip Top beats them all put
together. My favorite is Frank, Bart next and Bruce next.
I like Harry Rattleton, but he is too hot-headed. _A long
life to Burt L. Standish. Inclosed you will find money and
coupons for badge. ALFRED GUTEKUNST,

Grand Rapids, Mich,

Thank you. Regards to yourself and your brother, You
will be proud of the badge.

 

Inclosed you will. please find four coupons and twenty
cents in postage stamps, which entitles me to two of the
Tip Top League’s Membership badges. I have been a con-
stant reader for the past two and a half years of your
weekly, and of all the different weeklies and magazines I
have read, yours, with its true moral sense, I consider the
best. One of these badges is for my sister. At one time
she had a very strong dislike for the weeklies of any series,
After a little coaxing and patience on my part, I induced
her to read one of the Frank Merriwell series, which she
did. Now, when I bring home a new number, she is as
happy as a bird in spring. A friend of mine at one time
had the degrading habit of drink. To cut a long story
short, I gave him a few of your series to read in which
advice is given by Frank to Bart Hodge and others to stop
the evil habits of drinking and saloon lounging. Well, after
he read them he took a serious view of what he was doing,
with the consequences that he is now a young man of
good habits and good sense and he owes it all to the litera-
ture written by Mr. Burt L. Standish. Thanking you in
advance for the badges, which I know will be pleasing to
my sister and myself, although I have passed my teens. -
HARRY MARSHALL,  ,

San Francisco, Cal.

We are delighted to hear of your friend’s reformation and
sincerely hope it will always last. We are also very
much pleased that your sister likes to read the Tip Top,
and that she is to wear one of the badges.
for you both.

-

THE PLAISE OF AH SIN LED,

Me velly allee samee Ah Sin Lee, ee

Wolkee in a laundly allee dlay.
Comee flomee China ovel ’closs the sea
And now I heal mos’ ev’ly bodee say:
“Wlankee Mellyvelle heapee muchee fine boy,
Doey muchee many finee thing.’’
Flankee to mos’ ev’ly body blingee jloy
Allee samee why I sing. ,
Fol I lealn to leadee and to litee some,
Leadee alle Mellyvell ablout.
Always at the stolee samee night he come,
Thatee velly samee why I shlout.
' ROYLSON ST. SAVARR,
Rockland Me.

*

WHATS IN A NAME?

What’s in a name? As Shakespeare says, ‘‘A rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.’’
And yet the shade of Shakespeare really knows;
That character in names we often meet.
Tip Top! The cleanest reading and the best,
The ideal publication of its kind;
A book by half a million read with zest,
With all its imitators far behind.
Frank Merriwell! heroic, brave and strong,
Frank, open, merry, manly and sincere;
A nature honest as the day is long,
The ideal hero whom we all hold dear. ste
; - . EDMUND ST. SAVA a
: _ Rockland, Me,

\

All good wishes

       
   
  
   
  
    
   
  
 
 
 
    
  
    
       
  
       
         
   
  
 
     
    
   
    
     
     
  
  
   
   
  
    
 
   
   
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
   
     

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    
             
       
       
       
    
 

 

    
         
       
   
           
       

 

      
     
       
     
     
  

   

 

 

 
      
   
   
  
   
 

   
 
   
    
   
   
   
  
 

  
   
 

 
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 

 

 

 

  

 
 

 

.

‘Lippitt,

_C, BREDERSON, Ass. V.-P.,

_to come, I am so eager for every one.

HANS’ PLAINT.

Der Dip Dop Veekly reads me in, some number off veeks
to come,
A ledter dot a readters wrote, and, Oh! id hurted some,
Pecause id said you vas not good, and dot I ought to go,
Pecause I hurds der sdories, put don’d said dot dot vas so!
Der sdouries doen’t hurdt me, andt I hope you von’t agree,
To tie me loose from Vrankie andt der odder friendts off
me;

Budt keeb me in der sdories till der sdories die demselves,
Andt den, perhabs, I’m villing to been laid upon der
shelves. BURTON ST. SAVARR,

Rockland, Me,
Your three poems, boys, are extremely bright, and we are
sure will be read with keen enjoyment by our multitude of
readers. They have the real ring and snap about them,
Please accept our congratulations and thanks.

Having read a large number of the Tip Top Library, I
consider myself capable of judging of its merits. The
stories interest and instruct, and, being, as they are, so
intelligently written and so up to date, it is plainly seen
that Mr. Standish is thoroughly in touch with his subject
and well acquainted wiih life as it is. The fact that a paper
is being published that copies after the Tip Top only shows
the superiority of the latter, because as Frank says, ‘‘no
mian is truly popular unless. he has his enemies and imita-
tors;’’ and the same applies to this case. With the best
of wishes for Burt L. Standish, the Tip Top, and Street &
Smith, RICHARD W. LIVESEY,

Lynn, Mass.

You are quite right in your quotation of Frank’s. words,
which are peculiarly applicable to the case in point. Best
of wishes to you also.

 

I have read the Tip Top from No. 105 to.date, and think
they are the best in the market. Long life to the Tip Top. ~
fo AMOS MOORE,
fas) Philadelphia, Pa.
Thank you.

 

I wish to express my appreciation of the Tip Top Weekly.
I am a constant reader and have induced many of my
friends to read just one copy, and they were just as inter-
ested as I am, so they can hardly wait for the next issue.
It is undoubtedly a good idea for the American youth to
take Frank Merriwell for an example. There are other pub-
lications which look similar to Tip Top Weekly, but to read
one chapter of them will disgust every one. With regards to
Burt L. Standish, Frank Merriwell and friends.

JOSHPH H. THRISEN,
Chicago, IIL.

You have done

a

Thank you for interesting your friends.
both them and us a service.

 

I thought I would write and let you know how much I
enjoy your splendid weekly. I can hardly wait for Saturday
I think the Yale
series better than any yet and I have read from No. 129.
I was in the country for a while where I couldn’t get any
Tip Tops, and as soon as I came back I bought all-that I
had missed, The one in which Frank broke his rib was
very interesting to me, as the same thing happened here.
Every Thanksgiving the University of Calif.-Berkeley and
Stanford, down at Palo Alto, Cal, play a football game
here in San Francisco. They have played several years, but
this year is only the second time Berkeley won. Capt,
Murphy of Stanford had a rib broken in practice, but he,
knowing he was the only hope of Stanford, went into the
game to help: the Cardinals (Stanford). This conduct was
regarded as specially heroic, because he is going to Harvard
next-year and wanted to get on the team there, and he
knew if he played this fourth year here he could not get on
Harvard's team. It is said Stanford played with the buil-
dog spirit of Yale and Berkeley _has a Yale coach—Mr.
Cochran. A Berkeley man jumped on Capt. Murphy when
he was down with the ball and he had to retire. They say
he suffered agony even in repose and he had to wear a
leather harness all the time. Berkeley won the game 30 to
©. I like Jack Diamond next to Frank and then Harry

Rattleton. I will not make any suggestions, because I think
Mr. Standish knows best. Wishing Mr. Standish every suc-
MADBELINE SNOW,

cess, :
. San Francisco, Cal.

Your account of the football game is most interesting. It
is odd that Frank and Capt. Murphy both had the same
experience. Thank you very much for taking the trouble
to let us know about it.

 

Not having seen any applause from our little city, I
think it only just that I should praise you a little.@We have
a club; we call it the Merriwells- 7
bag, trapese, handball, etc. We are going to Kansas or
the World’s Fair in the spring, wherever our captain, Eddie
thinks best. Eddie.won’t let us read any. novels
except Frank Merriwells. We all think they are fine. Eddie

thinks Frank should marry Elsie and thinks Bart Hodge

should marry Alice Decan. We are all going to send for a
badge. Bidding you good-night on behalf of the club.
EDDIE LIPPITT, Pres., Wi SW LAMBERT, Sec.,
GEO. DARBY, Vice-Pres., N. LIDESTER, Ass. Sec.

ss “Beloit, Wis.
We wish your club all success. Your captain has the

 

wight idea.

 

   

TIP TOP WEEKLY.

e have a punching ~

31

I am really ashamed of myself for not writing before to
show my appreciation of Mr. Standish’s fine stories. I think
the Tip Top is simply grand, and can’t be beat. Jack and
Bart are my favorites; being a Southerner myself, I enjoy
reading about them. Inza is the only girl for me and I wish
Frank thought the same. Please tell the Arkansas boys
and girls.to wake up and show their appreciation of the
prince of weeklies. I agree with Gerald Romaine and ‘A
True Kentuckian’’ about the imitator of the Tip Top. Best
regards to Mr. Standish. Ex-Ark girl,

GUSSIE HENSLEY,
St. Louis, Mo.

Take the young lady’s advice, Arkansas boys and girls. Be
certain that you will receive a warm welcome to these
columns. Mr, Standish sends regards.

      
 

We have read the Tip Top from No, 1 to the present num-
ber, and are forced to admit that it is the best library pub-
lished. We have organized a club, which we named ‘“‘The
Hebrew Boys of Salem Street.”” Weare not ashamed of
our title, or to have it known in public. We will read the
Tip Top as long as it is published. "We think that it does
us morergood than any other story. We buy 7 or 8 of your
books every week.

THE HEBREW BOYS OF SALEM STREET.
M. JACOBS, Pres. P. ROBODICHISKY, G’dman,
M,. PATIBAS, Vice-Pres. HYMAN ALEKEKON, Hon. Mem,
D. PATIBAS, Sec. SAM. TAKE, Hon. Mem.
NATHAN KRAMER, Treas. FORBER, Hon. Mem.
Boston, Mass.

There is no possible reason why you should be ashamed of

your name. We hope you will meet with every success.

 

I read Tip Top every week and find it ‘‘tip top.”’ I
would like to see Frank playing baseball again and to
hear from Herbert Hammerswell. Mr. Standish knows

Long life to him,
BRIC PALMER,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Frank will probably play baseball again next season. We
do not know whether fate will bring him in contact with
Herbert Hammerswell again or not. Perhaps so.

what to write to suit boys and girls.
publishers and Frank Merriwell.

I have seen some lines written in the Tip Top Weekly
and thought I would send some in, too. They are the first
I have ever written.

Frank/Merriwell is all right,
Bart, Jack and Harry, too,
They all stand ready to fight,
For their true blue.
Now boys I’ve always said,
That Frank Merriwell is out of sight;
Of all who of him have read
I will ask if I’m right. ;
GHRORGE E. WHITFORD,

North Ridgefield, Conn.

Thank you.

 

As I have not noticed any Applause from this section of
the country, except one or two, I would be very glad to
have the following added to your long list of admirers:
I, in behalf of the ‘‘Sons of Rest Tip Top League’’ of
this town, which is an organization just formed for reading
the Frank Merriwell Series, in particular, wish to say that
of all the papers written, the Tip Top, in our opinion, is
far the most deserving for the American or Canadian youth
to read. The club has certain rules by which we can supply
it with the Tip Top; any members violating these rules are
fined five cents, so at the end of each week we have quite
a large amount of cash on hand to buy your papers, and
every Friday afternoon, after school, we all make a rush
to our rooms, which are in. ‘Wan Tail Settlement,’’ a part
of the city, to read the Tip Top, as that is the day it gets
here. Martin Butler, who is editor of a small paper here
ealled Butler's Journal, is president of the club and I am
secretary. Quite often Butler has articles in his paper about
your Tip Top, advising every boy or girl to read them for
their own good. If you would bring Frank Merriwell here
we would guarantee to give him a good time at our club.
Wishing Bert L. Standish our best regards for ‘the future,
I close in the hope of reading Tip Top to the end.

* JOSEPH M’PEAKE,
Fredericton, N. B.

Mr. Butleris very kind to write the articles mentioned. We
should like to see them. We are sure Frank would have a
good time in Fredericton, and would be delighted to meet
his numerous Canadian friends, .

 

It is a source of pleasure to be able to say with perfect
truth that the Tip Top is the best weekly published, and
we do not overestimate its value when we say that it is
equal, if not superior, to more than half the magazines
issued at the present time. We wrote you some time ago
expressing our appreciation of your splendid weekly, and
had the pleasure of seeing our letter printed in your Ap.
plause column. Since last we wrote we have induced a
friend to become a reader of the Tip Top. At first he was
much averse to ‘‘wasting his time on a foolish novel,’’ as
he expressed it, but we were not to be turned down in that
style, and patience and perseverance finally had their re-
ward, and to-day he is one of the thousands who hail with
joy every issue of the Tip Top. A long life to the Tip Top
and its popular author, Burt Ll. Standish, is the wish of

; Os: Begs Se
Toledo, Ohio.

Thank you for inducing your friend to read the Tip Top,

We are confident he will continue to do so. Best wishes

All success to your club. “"

*
»

“~201—Frank Merriwell’s Ice

TIP TOP LEAGUE MEMBER'S BADGE.

HALE PRICE TO OUR READERS ONLY.

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. The picture shows the
design, butit does not give youan adequate idea of the exquisite
beauty of this elegant ornament. It is solidly and substantially
made, finished in gilt and beautifully embossed. The widespread
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 (‘en Cents in Cash or Stamps and ‘Ten Cents in Coupons.)

AN EXACT PICTURE a THE LEAGUE BADGE

 

FOR ‘MEMBERS ONLY

Each coupon is worth five cents when accompanied by five cent®
in stamps or coin. TWO COUPONS AND TEN CENTS SECURE
YOU THE BADGE. You can get as many badges as you desire
at the same rate by use of the extra coupons. Badges without
coupons will cost fifty cents each. The coupons are free to ‘Tip
Tor 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

MEMBER’S COUPON

This Coupon and FIVE CENTS
will be accepted for ten cents
towards the purchase of the
League Badge.

STREET & SMITH.

 

 

 

TIP TOP LEAGUE

MEMBER’S COUPON °

This Coupon and FIVE CENTS
will be accepted for ten cents
towards the purchase of the
League Badge. °

STREET & SMITH.

 

 

 

address all letters on the

To ssecure the promptest attention,

TIP TOP LEAGUE

238 William St., N.Y

subject to

STREET SMITH,.

 

The Ti Top Weekly = The Frank Meniwell

STORIES

O modern series of tales for boys dnii youth has met with anything like the cordial reception and

popularity accorded to the

publications combined.

There must be a reason for this, and there is,

Frank Merriwell Stories,
Tire Tor WEEKLY, a publication which has to-day a circulation larger

published exclusiv ely in Street and Smiths
than that of all similar

Frank Merriwell, as portrayed by the author, is a

jolly, wholesouled, horest, courageous American lad, who appeals to the hearts of the boys.
He has no bad habits, and his manliness inculcates the idea that it is not necessary for a boy to in-

dulge in petty vices to be a hero,

to follow.. The following are theJatest issues:

203—Frank Merriwell’s Musketeers;
Vendetta.

202—F rank Merriwell’s Sleigh;
Brave Hands.

or, The Mountain
or, Warm Hearts. and

Yacht; or, Wing and
Wing. f
200—F'rank Merriwell’s Skates; or,
199—Frank Merriwell’s Work; or,
Spring Sports.
198—F rank Merriwell’s Temptation; or, Nothing but
Quiet Sport,
197_—Frank Merriwell’s ‘‘Flock’’;
or, A Doubtful Honor.

of Badger.
196—Frank Merriwell Tested;

Calling a Halt.
rue Friends

Into the Ice Trap.
In Training for

or, The Awakening

195—Frank Merriwell’s Limit; or,
194—Frank Merriwell’s Stratagem; or,
and False.

a ISSUED WEEKLY 5 Cents a Copy

Frank Merriwell’s

s example is a shining light for every ambitious lad

198—Frank Merriwell’s Holidays;
mas with Old Friends.

192—F'rank Merriwell’s Touch;
Yet Heavy as Iron.

191—Frank Merriwell’s Generosity; or,
Brick

190—Frank Me rriwell'* s Drive; or,
fessionals.

189—Frank Merriwell’s Heart;

ing

Merriwelf’ s Sport; or, The Hazing of Jack

or, A Merry Christ- |
or, Light as a Feather,
Square as a
‘Defeating the Pro-—
or, A Royal Thanks-
18¢—Fre
Ready.
197 rank Merriwell’s “Set”; or, Picking Up an Out-—
cast.

186—F rank aeereae ae s Trust! ‘or, Taming a DSEEAR
ous Foe. ;

SOLD BY.
ALL NEWSDEALERS

2 SE REL & SMITH, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK. —

 
 
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STREET & SMITH

always up to date

ANY readers of our ever-popular libraries are so enthusiastic as to
wish us to publish the Tip Top twice a week—or even every day in
the week, so as to give them more of their favorite reading.

It will be readily understood that this would be inadvisable for many
reasons. Mr. Burt Standish writes the Merriwell stories carefully and well,
as you all know. He does not feel that he can afford to jeopardize the

"quality in the slightest degree by increasing the quantity.

We will not permit any other publishers to supply the wants of our
readers, as we are the originators of this class of refined, entertaining and
instructive literature, which has attained world-wide popularity.

It affords us pleasure to say to our friends that we shall soon issue other
new libraries, which will be far superior to anything of similar character
issued by other publishers, and certain to be favorites with the readers of the
Tip Top Weekly. The first of these new libraries will be known as the

DO AND DARE WEEKLY

' It will contain 32 pages, with illustrated cover, conforming in size and
appearance to the Tip Top.

No.1 will be on sale February 13,1900, and will be found

at all newsdealers. The price will be 5 cents per copy.
p p Py

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The ae and Dare Weekly will tell of the exploits and adventures of one
PHIL RUSHINGTON, a lively, hustling, bright and brave American boy—
a fet asia all-round athlete, and a thorough gentleman in all the phases of
his eventful career. The author of these stories is Mrz Stanley y Norris,
an able writer, and one sede aati in sympathy with the wants of our boys
and girls in the line of reading. His work is bound to please. The first
number is entitled

Phil Rushington, or, The Sophs of Springvale Academy

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<; a rattling, strong story. Read about the eighteen pretty rebels from the
a neighboring Nort mal School for girls, who set up a camp on an island and
defy the faculty. Read how Phil runs the gauntlet, and turns the tables on
his would-be hazers. ead of Phil’s “‘terrible right.’’ In fact, read the
first number and you will like it. There is no doubt about it. Our other
proposed new libraries will be announced and issued as soon as “ Do and
Dare” is well introduced.

S 1S SSISSS SRS

Yours faithfully,

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