J All readers of the renowned Tip Top stories should beware of base imitations, placed upon the market under catch names very similar to Frank Merriwell, = and intended to deceive. Ip 19 IDEAL PUBLICATIO FOR THE AMERICAN YOUTH Issued Weekly. By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Seventh Ave one NEW YORK, MAY 26, 1906. Price, Five Cents ~” BurTL _ STANDISH~ All unconscious of the dragging anchors, Tubbs and Bemis pulled furiously at the oars, while the watching boys on the boathouse float literally choked with laughter. o PRAT FS ate ER Ao, oA Mele , Ghat aachtanmik ene re ery RE POET Pee or ~ point i in any game. - two boys mentioned had followed directions faith- fully. Issued Weekly. By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Seventh Avenue, N.Y. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1906, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. ‘No. 528. NEW YORK, May 26, 1906. Price Five Cents, ee a a ee ee ee sent eR a NN ail ee ntact tel te Dick Merriwell Dared: OR, THE GRAPPLE AT WELLSBURG. By BURT L. STANDISH, CHAPTER I. VICTOR AND VANQUISHED. The game was over. Fardale had won. Farnham Hall had been defeated on her own field through the “squeeze play,” skilfully worked by Hal Darrell at bat and Billy Bradley on third. Still it may not be said that Darrell and Bradley were principally responsible for the success of the visitors in defeating Frank Merriwell’s great team. Dick Merriwell had instructed his players to try the “squeeze play” whenever directed to do so at a critical He had given the signal, and the Even after that Farnham Hall had a chance when _ their last turn at bat came, but it was Dick’ s wonder- ful playing that “placed the game on ice,” for the -. last three batters to face him went down like men of straw. The great crowd that had been so confident of ‘Farnham Hall’s success was bitterly disappointed, but on all that field no one felt so bitter and regretful as Chester Arlington, who had driven two hundred miles in an automobile, with his sister at his side, for the purpose of watching the great clash between these champion teams. For a few moments it seemed that the crowd could not believe that its idols had met defeat. Then came ~ murmurs of regret as the spectators began to descend slowly from the seats and move toward the gate. Back of first base three old men, Uncle Eb Small, | Eli Given, and Deacon Hewett, who had rooted vigor- ously for Farnham Hall, were standing in a little sad- faced group like mourners at a funeral. The Farnham Hall boys lingered a bit on their seats. Out in front of them rushed Sparkfair, who hastily | spoke to Will Spenser, the cheering captain. “Wake up, Spenser, old fellow!” said Dale. Fardale a cheer. with good grace.” Me Spenser turned and waved his hand at the boys, at- tracting their attention. Then he lifted his megaphone © and called: Show that Farnham Hall can lose ~ “Give: “Let’s show our sporting blood, fellows! Let’s give -Fardale a rouser! Ready now! One—two—three!” He dropped the pcaeanane lifted his arms, and beat out the barking cheer that followed: “Rah! ’rah! ’rah! “Rah! ’rah! ’rah! ’Rah! ’rah! *rah! Fardale! Fardale! Fardale!” Already the visitors were packed about their cap- tain, Dick Merriwell, and promptly in response they cheered : “Rah! ’rah! ’rah! “Rah! ’rah! ’rah! ’Rah! ’rah! ’rah! Farnham Hall! Farnham Hall! Farnham Hall!” Without delay the Farnham boys gave Dick Merri- well a cheer, and, not to be outdone in courtesy, the visitors retorted with one for Sparkfair. “T don’t wonder them Fardale fellers feel purty good,” groaned-old Eb Small, leaning heavily on his cane; “but I don’t see how our boys ken cheer like that. It was awful to be beat arter gittin’ a good grip on the game.” “T ain't goin’ to see no more ball-games,” sighed Eli Given. “They’re too much for me. If we win, I git all ruxed up so that I’m played out complete, and if we lose,.[ feel so thunderin’ blue that I can’t eat no supper.. How do you feel, deacon?” “Well, I don’t feel jest like prayin’,” confessed El- nathan. “It’s purty hard to beat a “Merriwell, I’ve made up my mind on that pint. Frank Merriwell’s _ brother’s cap’n of that team, and that’s why we gut licked. Where’s Mirandy?, I’m goin’ home, boys. I shan’t stop at Applesnack’s store to talk the game over to-night.” . Mrs. Hewett approached, looking as sorrowful as her husband. Immediately he hastened to pat her on _ the shoulder, saying: “There, there, girl, don’t look like that. You’re bluer'n a whetstone. We can’t win all the games, ye know.” “What did you say he we é feck: Plnathan | ?”” ques- tioned his wife. “Did you say anything violent ?” Qh, no. ” e “Well, why didn’t you? If I’d a-been a man, I’m afeared I would.” Immediately Uncle Eb dofted his old: hat to the woman. “Mis’ Hewett,” he said, “you’re all right. I allus knowed you was, even if you didn’t think much of me and Eli. Mebbe you've noticed that me and Eli have taken to ’tendin’ church reg’lar of late?” “Ves, I’ve noticed it.” “Well, since you’ve gi’n the deacon permission to’ *tend ball-games with us, we’ve decided it was our duty to turn round and ’tend the church. We ain’t perfessers, neither one of us, and we’ve allus thought some of you church folks was too hidebound and _ matrer and prejudiced. Twixt Frank Merriwell and _ this new minister, purty nigh all the sinners in town s taken to ’tendin’ baseball-games and church reg’lar as rileclewrerk. I don’t know but one man who's. re- - mained sot agin’ the church. That was Homer Dear- TIP: TOP WEEKLY, born. T’other night over at the grocery Homer was sayin’ as how it would be better if people had baseball on Sunday instead of church. He kicked up a power-. ful hot argument over it, and he was. kinder gittin’ the best of the argufyin’. He -was holdin’: out, that folks who worked hard all the week and couldn’t git to baseball-games ought to have a chance to have fun on Sunday, instead of settin’ inside of an old meet’in- - house. Right in the midst of it, without nobody no- ticin’ him, Frank Merriwell come in. He stood still and listened awhile. Bimeby. somebody spotted him. and they spoke up and axed him what he had to say ‘bout the matter. What d’ye s’pose he said?” Mrs. Hewett shook her head. “Well, he said there wan’t nobody round Bloomfield that coitide’t find time once in awhile to see a good baseball-game. He said that Sunday was the Lord’s day, and it was the duty of every one to ’tend church in the forenoon, at least. In the arternoon he believed people should rest, and they couldn’t git much rest a-settin’ in the sun and bakin’, and hollecin’, and whoopin’ it up while they watched a ball-game. ‘Base- ball,’ says he, ‘is not a thing for the Sabbath.’ . At that Dearborn laughed and says, “The better the day, the — better the deed, ye know.’ Then you should have heard Mr. Merriwell trim Homer on that. He told him there was a lot of fool sayin’s jest like that that people attempted to apply to excuse their bad actions. He jest showed that simply because one thing was good it didn’t make another thing good. Says he, ‘Mr. Dearborn, do you cal’late a murder would be any bet- ter on the Sabbath day than it would be on a week. day? Well, by ginger, he had Homer, and he shet him up. tighter’n a trap. “Tween me and you, Mis’s Hewett, I wouldn’t be a bit s’prised to see Dearborn out to church next Sunday. If he does come, ‘Frank Merriwell will be responsible for it.” : “Oh, that young man has made a great change in this town,” said the deacon’s wife. ‘We've gut to give him the credit for it. But, come, we’re a-standin’” here and talkin’ after ’most all the folks have left.” In the meantime, Sparkfair: had hastened to shake hands with Dick Merriwell. “You gave us the gaff to-day, Richard, old man,’ he said, with a sickly “smile. “You won squarely aud handsomely.” “But you made us go some,” laughed Dick. “Tt. was the fiercest game of the season in some respects.” “IL was sorry to disappoint Arlington, but I couldn’t strike you out, Merriwell. I worked all the tricks I knew on you, and you managed to connect with the ball every time, whether you got a hit or not.” “T think we were both on our mettle, Dale. We | both knew a certain little girl with a pair of handsome eyes was watching us. You kept me from hitting safely once when a good clean single would have given oe us two runs. I wanted that hit, and I tried for itmy level best, but I couldn’t deliver the goods.” “Well, she’s: still here,’ reminded Sparkfair. “The i ee las ge ish riv reg ‘ like lias Tier tor last time we were up against each other we went to- gether to speak with her after the game was fin- ished.” “That was a good precedent to follow,” smiled Dick. Thus it happened that once more these two worthy rivals approached June in company, “Hard luck, Spark,” called Chet, shaking his head regretfully. “How do you feel about it?” “Well, to confess the truth,” answered Dale, “‘I feel like using worse English than was ever seen on a bil- liard-table. I have sternly repressed this desire to make remarks not fit for publication.” “Oh, it was a splendid game!” exclaimed June. “It was one worth traveling more than two hundred miles to see!’’ Spark felt a pang. “She’s glad Merriwell won!” he thought. CHAPTER II. DICK IS DARED. Nevertheless Dale spoke lightly in his usual jest- ing manner. “T’m going to retire to the solitude of my room and weep,” he said. “I shall shed buckets of water. Ni- agara Falls won’t be one, two, three with me.” “T’m sorry for you,” declared June. “Are you really?” he asked, with a trace of eager- _ ness he could not repress. “T am,” she answered; “but I’n» glad for Dick.” “Well, that’s rather cleverly said,” smiled Spark. | “Neither of us knows just where he’s at.” “Oh, you can’t beat Merriwell’s luck!” growled Chester. ' “Well, I’ve always thought J was born under a: lucky star,” nodded Spark. “Lillian Russell had an apart- ment directly over ours at the time I uttered my first squawk.” June laughed as she placed a hand on Dick Merri- | well’s shoulder, with her eyes fastened on Dale. o in “Don’t you think him an odd fellow, Dick?’ she asked. “He may be a thirty-second-degree Mason for all I know,” answered Merriwell. ay “Oh, that’s clever!” cried Sparkfair. give you something for that, Richard. | give you about six months.” “Perhaps I deserve it,” smiled Dick. “a tits to I'd like to _ Wellsburg friends and teammates approached. “Hello, Spark!” cried Cooley, with a grin. “You had it handed out to you all right to-day, my boy.” _ “So kind of you to mention it,” said Dale. “Oh, no reflections,” retorted Jack. “I know you’re feeling bad, but think how happy you’ve made me.” _ “Tt was very kind of me to pass you up a laugh,” fe said Spark, with a wry face. “Still, you mustn’t for- get, Cooley, my boy, that we remain champeens of the i Panty We took that Bieeens title away from you.” At this moment Jack Cooley and several of his | WEEKLY. “Why don’t you buy yourself flowers ?”’ “Oh, I’m going to, old boy. I’m going to pin a Christmas anthem onto myself. It’s a shame to be so modest.” “T haven’t met your friends, you know.” “Pardon the oversight, dear boy,” implored Spark. “Miss Arlington, this is Jack Cooley, captain of the Wellsburg nine. Cooley, Chester Arlington, a friend of mine.” “Glad to know you, Cooley,” said Chet, who had stepped out of the car. ‘Glad to shake your hand, old boy.” “Give it back to him when you get through,” urged Dale, as Chet gave Jack a prolonged handshake. “He may need it. Prepare to kotow, Cooley. This is Richard Merriwell, the original and only. There’s not another like him—except his brother.” “How are you, Merriwell?’ cried the Wellsburg lad, as he grasped Dick’s fingers. “You're the very chap we’re looking for. We have a proposition to make to you.” “Indeed?” smiled Dick. “Is there anything in it?” “There’s a good stiff drubbing for you and your team if you have the nerve to accept. As I hinted be- fore, I wanted to see you down Farnham Hall to- day.” “Very kind, [’m sure.” “Oh, I had a motive,” confessed Cooley. “You know these fellows whipped us for the county cham- pionship. That thing is all settled, but still we Wells- burgans have a belief that our team is the best one in the county.” “Tm not the only modest person around here, it seems,’ murmured Sparkfair. | “You know, Merriwell,”’ continued Cooley, “that there is unquestionably an element of luck in base- ball. The best team generally wins, but there are ex- ceptions to all rules. Farnham Hall barely defeated us by the skin of her teeth.” “But we’ve got the skin,” reminded Dale. three for yours.” “We want to show you up,” persisted Cooley. “Far- dale has beaten you twice out of three times, and I think that comes pretty near settling, which team is the better. Now we’re looking for Fardale. We're going to trim Fardale. If we do that, your champion- ship will be rather hollow and empty.” “You're making me feel like a bass drum already!” half-groaned Spark. “My proposition, Merriwell,” Cooley went on, “is that, now you're in this part of the country, you remain here until Saturday with your team and play us in Wellsburg. What do you say?” “T’m afraid it’s impossible,’ answered Dick. haven’t leave from school for that length of time.” “Oh, but you can get it!’’ cried Cooley. | fix that. Come on, Merriwell, You’re dared! We dare you to play us!” “Twenty- ““ “That’s a great idea,’ grinned Chester Arlington. 3 “Rub it in, Cooley! Put it up to him good and hard. ~ Vy e “You can — you're challenged! | ipa 4 TIP TOP WEEKLY. Don’t let him duck! If he dares accept your chal- lenge, [’ll remain and see that game.” “I trust you understand it’s not a question of chal- lenge at all,” said Dick. “It’s a matter of duty.” “Oh, the dutiful dear!” murmured Chet, in his most sneering way. “Isn’t he the real obedient thing!’ “Here are some of my friends, Merriwell,” said the Wellsburg captain, calling his companions forward and proceeding to introduce them. “We're all anx- ious for you to accept our challenge.” Brad Buckhart had been lingering at a little dis- tance, but now he ventured to come forward and spoke to Dick in a low tone. “Tf there’s any way to fix it, pard,”’ he urged, “take him up—go him. Can’t we telegraph to Professor Gunn? Can’t we ask permission to stay some?” “We can telegraph,” nodded Dick. “Will you?’ demanded Cooley. “Richard,” said Sparkfair, “I refrained from men- tioning the particular weakness of this Wellsburg chap when I introduced him. He’s greedy. He liter- ally yearns for defeat. If it’s possible, by all means take his dare and give him all that’s coming to him. You'll have to-morrow to lay off here at Farnham Hall, and [ll guarantee the fellows will do their best to entertain you.”’ Then he turned to June and spoke to her in such a low tone that no one else heard his words. “I’m the greedy one myself, June. If Merriwell stays, your brother has said that he’ll remain, and that will keep you here.” She gave him a smile. “Are you so anxious to have me remain?” she mur- mured. “Anxious doesn’t express. it. the glassy stare in my eyes.” “T should hate to have you die on my account.” “Oh, it would be a sweet death! If you should ask me to commit suicide for you, I’m afraid that this Spark would fare on to the Golden Shore.” “Oh, I never heard any one who could talk like you,” laughed the girl. “T’ve been told that before,” he nodded. “Why, once on a time, a manytold me if he could only talk like me he’d be able to sell electric belts. I’m a great talker, June. Why, sometimes I even talk to myself in my sleep just to be sociable. My mother could talk a little before me—at least, father said so. Once on a time I heard him tell mother that if lockjaw was con- _ tagious he’d hire a person who had it to hang round her until she got it. Oh, father was a heartless brute! _ At times he was the most tumultuously impolite man I ever saw. It’s always been a wonder to me, having such an impetuous and thoughtless dad, that I’m a perfect Beau Brummel of politeness myself. Still, my parents have always treated me nicely. Whenever I became greedy and wanted something I had no right to have, they gave it to me—good. Still, it’s barely _ possible they might have done better had they given it to me oftener. Say what I may, my father has al- I’m dying. Catch ~ “aah ways been, a stern and righteous man. He is a min- ister, you know. On Sunday he expounds the gospel — and pounds the pulpit. Besides being a minister, he’s an artist. He’s always been able to draw well, and his church is full every Sunday. On Monday some of his congregation are full, too. Oh, I admire my father. He can pound the pulpit better and holler louder than any other minister I ever saw.” “You ought to be ashamed!” protested June, al- though she was laughing in spite of herself. “It’s dis- graceful to talk like that! Are you telling the truth?” “You can’t prove it by me. Honestly, I don’t know. I have such a feverish imagination that I never can be sure whether I’m telling the truth or merely guess- ing at things. Come to think of it, I’m not certain whether my father ever was a minister. Somehow I got that into my head. It may have been my uncle. You see, my uncle and my father. were twins, and they looked so much alike that sometimes they got mixed up themselves. Uncle used to live with us a great deal, and trying to pick out my father was a most appalling job. Finally I struck on a scheme for doing it. When I wasn’t quite sure whether one of them was my father or my uncle, I would creep up behind him and jab him with a pin. If he said, ‘Oh, gee whiz!’ it was father, for he never swore. Uncle would always say some- thing else. But, really, that manner of settling the point didn’t work long. The trouble was that after I had tried it two or three times I had to eat my meals standing up. It was very painful for me to sit down.” While Dale had been chattering away in this fashion, Merriwell’s friends of the Fardale team had gathered around him and entered into a discussion regarding the advisability of accepting Cooley’s challenge. found the most of them in favor of accepting. “Tt’s up to you, Merriwell, old chap,” laughed the Wellsburg captain. I believe you are afraid.” | “Well, I’ll settle that point in your mind,” laughed Dick, easily. “As long as the boys are willing to stay, I’ll go with you directly to the telegraph station in town and wire Professor Gunn. mission, we’ll remain here and play you Saturday.” “Hooray !” cried Cooley. “By Jove! CHAPTER III. AT SQUEERS’ TAVERN. The only public house in Bloomfield was one owned — and maintained for years by a veteran citizen by the Dick - a eg z a If he gives his per-. name of Peter Squeers. It was called Squeers’ Tav- ern, although it was scarcely more than a village farm- house where such travelers as came along and wished to stop were given accommodation. ‘Squeers was rather a peculiar, old-fashioned, mild-mannered man, careless in his clothes and wholly unpolished in regard to manners, although about him there was a sort of simple freeness and hospitality that made up for his lack of polish. This man had accumulated what was regarded in - Bloomfield as a comfortable fortune. He had obtained this little fortune by years of hard work, economy, and business sagacity. Outside the village he owned two farms which he operated, and these, together with the little tavern, produced a modest income, which estab- lished him as a man of some importance in the com- munity, and made him feel safe from worry in regard to his declining years. Ever since the opening of Squeers’ Tavern it had been conducted on the same old-fashioned plan, and the transient guest, as a rule, had been well satisfied with the service and accommodation given him. No one around the place put on “frills” or seemed inclined to make a bluff that anything was superior to its actual condition. But at last Squeers’ Tavern had caught the fever for change and improvement which was running epidemic in the little village. At last Peter Squeers himself seemed to realize that his hostelry was inadequate to provide properly for the astonishing number of trav- __ elers and guests who were coming there. It is probable that the rumor about a new hotel being opened in town drifted to the ears of Mr. Squeers. It is not unlikely that this rumor was ac- companied by a hint that the old village tavern was not up to the times and just what it should be. Squeers was intelligent enough to note the changes and improvements taking place all around him in the village. By inquiry he found that all these things did not come wholly through the fact that his neighbors were seeking to outdo each other in “putting up an appearance.” He had discovered that all the little business places of the village were prospering far be- yond their most prosperous time at any earlier period. There was money in town, and it was circulating. The young people who came to Bloomfield from out- side places for the purpose of witnessing the sports and games on the athletic-field of Farnham Hall _ brought.in some of this money and left it behind them. Tike ae WEEKLY. z Many of them came hungry and sought accommoda- tions at the tavern. But this was only an item. Prosperous-looking men from the cities were dropping into Bloomfield with their good clothes and their “swagger atmosphere.” They were buying land over on the northern side. They were building summer cottages there. Laborers were required for this work, and Bloomfield could not supply them all. Indeed, Bloomfield could’supply only a small portion of the labor that was demanded. This brought workmen of all sorts into the village from outside, and these workmen, every one of them being well paid for his labor, were spending some of their earnings in the town. An idea began to take form in the head of Peter Squeers. Being conservative and careful, he looked this idea over in the most guarded manner before de- ciding upon it.. His one fear was that the sudden prosperity of the little village was a temporary change which would soon pass away, permitting the place to fall back into the old rut. Had he felt certain this prosperity would continue, Mr. Squeers would have carried his idea into execution before he did. Finally he decided to act upon it. One morning the villagers were surprised to find a number of laborers industriously at work on the old tavern. To begin with, they ripped off the shingles and re-shingled the roof. They followed this by ma-. king repairs on the exteriors of the huge stables and outbuildings. Then the painters went at it, and all those buildings were given three clean coats of white paint. The yard was cleared up. The lawn was trimmed. Sods were set in places worn bare. Flower-beds were made. And things generally were so much improved that Squeers Tavern presented an entirely new aspect to the occasional traveler who had seen it in years past. But all the improvements were not made on the outside. Within, the old tavern work was going on, Many of the dingy old rooms were repapered, cal- — cimined, recarpeted, and partly refurnished. The soiled yellow shades at the windows were replaced by new shades of a light olive color. The front windows were supplied with new muslin curtains. Squeers was the overseer while these alterations were being made. After the work was done and the laborers were gone he had a habit of going over the — S house and admiringly surveying things at least once a day. He would smile in his placid old way, rub his hands together, and murmur: Laas Cori, ervmoe tt 248 e ss neice) ete sh as haa Re oe ae ae Da Nee ® s ee 4% Be stable is for hosses.” Lie: FOP WEEKLY. “A new hotel here in Bloomfield! Why, there’s not another house as good as this within a hundred miles of here, outside of Wellsburg. I don’t think Bloom- field needs a new hotel. Rufus Applesnack told me I was getting behind the times. Rufus can’t say that now. I’vespent a lot of mioney here—a lot of money. But I never knew folks to have so much money to spend as they do nowadays. I’ve raised my prices a trifle, but nobody seems to object. Now, there’s the best room. I can get a dollar a day for it right along, and I never used to ask over seventy-five cents. I used to charge twenty-five cents a meal, but now I get fifty for dinner. I don’t see where all the money comes from. I’m afraid folks is getting foolish and spending more than they can really afford to. It’s a bad sign when folks do that. It ain’t right for anybody to spend more than he can afford to spend. Some folks say all this change has come through that young man, Merriwell. I dunno, I dunno. Perhaps it is. Any- how, it’s come since he settled here. But all the money that’s floating around don’t come out of his pocket. If I’ve been foolish in rigging things up this way, I'll have to stand it when the hard times come again. Un- ‘til them hard times do come I’m going to give every- body his money’s worth at Squeers’ Tavern.” An hour after the finish of the great baseball-game between Farnham Hall and Fardale a large touring- car came through the village and swung into the yard at the tavern. Chester Arlington guided the car round _ to the stable, the doors of which were standing wide open. He tooted the Gabriel horn impatiently for a man standing in the stable door, and when this man _ did not move, Chester sharply cried: “Get out the way, 8 old chump! I want to run in there!” . “I wouldn’t come in here,” said the man. “This “Seeing you there,” June uttered a little exclamation of dismay. - “Don’t—oh, don’t, Chester!” she expostulated. “Oh, these old Rubes give me a cramp!” he growled. The man in the stable door had made no immediate _ retort, but stood there, rubbing his hands slowly to- gether, his eyes fixed on Chet. Finally he spoke, and his voice was still calm and well modulated. “Are you intending to stop here at the tavern?” he - ‘inquired. “Well, what do you thinle I’m epee in here for?” neered Chet. 7 POA ' M insolently retorted Chet, “I _ thought perhaps it was for jackasses!” | the place of a horse is hitched to a plow. “Why didn’t you let the young lady out at the steps ?”” “Why didn’t I? That’s my business. didn’t want to get out there.” “Tf you was out driving with her in a team, you wouldn’t drive into the stable without letting her out, would you?” “Oh, I might. What the dickens is it to you whether I would or not? Come on now, give me room or I'll bump you!” Chet pulled open the throttle a notch and pressed his foot on the slow-speed lever. The machine moved forward straight for the map in.the door. That man did not move a muscle, although the automobile came on until it almost touched him. With a cry of exasperation, Arlington shut off the speed and applied the brake. “Are you paralyzed, you old hayseed?”’ he de- manded. “Do you think you can stop me by ss a in my way?” “T did stop you, didn’t I?” was the counter question. “Now look here, young man, I’ve told you you can’t come in here. If you’d ask me for my reasons, I'll ex- | plain. Last week one of them machines came here, and I kept it overnight in the stable. The next day Jack Jones, the insurance-agent, came round and noti- fied me that my insurance would be canceled if I done so again. You know them things contain gasoline, and in order to put them up we have to pay a bigger insurance, for the policy on this place won’t permit me to store autymobeels.” “Why, are you the proprietor?” asked, Chester, in evident astonishment. “T expect I be,” was the answer. | “Well, wouldn’t that bump you some!” muttered Arlington. “I supposed the old fool was a hostler.” “Now see what you've done!” breathed June. “You've insulted him!’ “Oh, you can’t insult these souueisinie he half- whispered. ee re too thick-witted to notice any- thing you say.’ Once more he addressed the deve insane, “Had you explained the situation in the first place, Perhaps she your royal highness,” he said, “I’d have understood it hetter. But let me give you a piece of advice. Take — out a new insurance policy. Provide for the accom- ‘ modations of motorists. You'll find it to your advan- take to do so. Horses are all right in their places, but | In these times people who have money to spend don’t rae around the oor belaind horses.” ieee Sh cton: _ first place?” - “let his sister get out without assistance. TIP TOP WEEKLY. “I dunno ’bout that,” said Peter Squeets. “It may be so where you come from, young man, but ’tain’t so round here. Mighty few autymobeelists come to’ this tavern. We see em going through town now and then, but they don’t stop here. My class of custom is the kind that travels behind hosses, and for all of your kind advice I ,think I'll continer to look for that sort of trade.” “By that you mean you don’t want us? mean you won’t put us up?” “Oh, no, not at all, young man. I mean I can’t take your machine into this stable. If you'll leave it out there in the yard a proper distance away, there’ll be no objections. As for you and the young lady, Squeers Tavern is open, and you'll get the best we have gut if you want it.” “That's very nice of you, sir,” said June quickly. “I wish you to know that we appreciate it, and we’re very sorry if there’s been any misunderstanding. My brother didn’t mean any harm, and we hope your feel- ings haven’t been hurt.” Old Peter Squeers bobbed a little bow and awk- wardly touched the brim of his hat. “It’s all right, young lady,” he assured quietly. “The young feller was a little brash with me, but I guess J] ken overlook it. These young fellers to-day are different from what they used to be, and they don’t seem to have much patience with us old folks. Be you thinkin’ of stayin’ overnight?” “Yes, we did think of it,” answered Chet; “but I don’t like to leave this machine outdoors and unpro- tected.” ; es “You won’t have to if you’ll run it round behind the stable and down yonder a piece where there’s a shed. The shed is fur enough away so you ken put the ma- Do you _ chine in there without affecting my insurance.” “Oh, well, it’s all right, old boy,” laughed Arling- “That settles it. Why didn’t you say so in the “I didn’t say so because you didn’t give me an op- portunity. You insisted on running in here whether I wanted you to or not.” “Well, forget it; forget it! I reckon we'll put up at a your shebang. We want the best rooms you have, and if there are any little delicacies for the table that you can get hold of, just scratch gravel and secure them, We don’t mind what things cost.” , , Arlington backed up, stopped, opened the door, and Directed by - Squeers, he ran the machine round past the stable and into the shed beyond. CHAPTER IV. A DISSATISFIED GUEST. Chester came swelling into the tavern in his pompous way and found Peter Squeers himself behind the desk in his little office. “You’ve got a rather bum old place here, my friend,” said Chet. “You know we’re not accustomed to or- dinary accommodations, my sister and I. I suppose we can stand it for a day or so. Give me the register.” Squeers pushed out a long, yellow-leaved grocery book and handed Chester a pen. Arlington contemptuously tossed the pen aside and took from his pocket a gold-mounted fountain pen, which he adjusted for use. “I can’t write with one of those common things,” he said. “They splutter and scratch and exasperate me. I have my own gold stub, which writes as slick as grease. Say, boniface, why don’t you get a decent register? Why don’t you have a book that’ s respect- able ?”’ “T never thought of it,” answered the landlord. “No one ever objected to that register before.” “Well, you must have a lot of Joshuas stopping here,” laughed the insolent lad. “I suppose you do a great business, don’t you? You must get as much as a guest a week.” “Oh, we had seventeen last week.” “As many asthat? Great Cesar, you were crowded, weren’t you!” 3 With a flourish the \boy wrote his own name and placed his sister’s name beneath it. “Um!” muttered Squeers, adjusting his spectacles and looking at the names, “ ‘Mr. Chester Arlington,’ ‘Miss June Arlington.’ Arlington? Arlington? Seems to me I’ve heard that name before. It sounds familiar.” “No doubt of it, old chap, You've heard of my father. He’s D. Roscoe Arlington, formerly the great ase: railroad man and Wall Street magnate, now retired. That gives you a tip, mister. Nothing is too good for the son of D. Roscoe Arlington. Assign me the best room in the house and give my sister the next best.” “Did I git that right?’ asked Squeers doubtfully. “You mean that I’m to give your sister the best room — ‘in the house.” “Now I don’t mean anything of the kind! Don’t tell me what I mean! [I'll tell you what I mean. I want the best room. I may have some friends call this evening, and I propose to entertain them. properly. Sister won't mind. She’s used to having less than I. It’s all right. You do as I tell you. and show us to our rooms.” “TI ain’t gut no boy, but I’ll show you myself,” said the proprietor. They followed him up the stairs, Chet mockingly commenting on the fine elevator, and were finally ushered into connecting front rooms. Arlington stopped and looked around, an expression of disgust on his face. “Is this the best you have?” he asked. “The very best,” answered Squeers. “It’s the best you'll find anywheres hereabouts, unless it’s in Wells- burg. We’ve had things all fixed up, you see. It’s purty comfortable, and I’m ruther proud of it.” “Ha! ha! ha!” shouted Chet. “I should think you would be proud! Why, haven’t you a private bath ?% “A w-h-a-t?” asked Squeers, astonished. “A private bath. I always take a dip in the morn- ing. Why, I don’t see even running water. You have an old-fashioned bowl and stand here. This furniture dates back to the flood.” “Now hold on, young man,” cried the landlord, ex- asperated at last. “You’re going a little too fur with ‘me! Don’t think you can poke fun at Peter Squeers and his tavern all the time. We don’t have no private Now call a boy baths in this house, and that washstand is good enough for anybody. I paid seventy-five cents for that bowl and pitcher, and, by jinks, you can’t git nuthin’ cleaner if you pay seventy-five dollars! We're jest plain, ordi- nary people here in this town. We don’t go round with our chests thrown out and insultin’ nobody. I’ve sorter made allowances for you on account of your sis- _ ter, who seems like a real lady. But you’ve gut me disturbed. When I’m disturbed I’m jest a bit un- pleasant. If you don’t like the accommodations here, the sooner you git out of my house, the better I'll be pleased.” Chet frowned and then he chuckled. 5 “Well, I suppose we'll have to put up with it, old boy,” he nodded. “As long as there’s nothing better, [ll manage to scrub along. Ta, ta! Skidoo! Think I'll wash up for dinner.” “Dinner? Dinner don’t come again until twelve o'clock to-morrow. We have supper to-night.” ri “Well, I'll stand for that, too, oat be sure that you have plenty of it and the best you’ve got.” As Squeers was leaving, Chet suddenly stopped him. _ “Hold on,” he said. ‘“Where’s the bell?” “The bell?” | he - | saloon in Bloomfield. On inquiring he learned that d |... the only place to obtain liquor was at the drug-store. With an air of exasperation and command, he strode er into the drug-store and ordered a quart of whisky. - “You'll h ” said th te ou'll have to get a prescription,” said the drug- gist. : | .. “A we-h-a-t?” icone the fretted youth. Ege “A prescription.” ‘i “Well, wouldn’t that bung you in the map! What ' the dickens do I have to get a prescription for?” : “For the whisky, if you want it.” 0 _ “But I’m not sick.” 2 “Then you won’t get a prescription if you tell the | _doctor that.” Be s- “Say, what kind of a Hacewoads, jay town is this? {mee On my word, it’s the worst I ever saw! Why, this | measly little wart of a burg is about two hundred | _-years out of date! If I lived here, I’d be ashamed to . look at myself in a mirror! Where does this saw- | bones live?” . |. “If you mean the doctor, my flip youn friend, he |. lives up the street about half a mile.” | “Half a mile? Well, I’m too weary to perambulate Ey that distance, and my bubble is in the garage of Peter, _ the Apostle. Oh, say, old man, can’t you let me have | just a little—just half a pint? My goodness! my neck Pr meee is so dry it squeaks every time I move my head.” - “That’s your jaw that squeaks, young man. You've been wagging it too much. This may be a back-num- ber wart of a town, but if you go round telling people so, you’re liable to get a jolt.” | _ Chet hunched his shoulders a bit and threw his chin forward aggressively. “Why, I wouldn’t be afraid oF any one round here - giving mea jolt,” he retorted. ®Did I call this a back- _ number wart of a town? I did? Well, you'll excuse _ me for being too modest, It’s a dried-up, antediluvian ela Sale if i ore accident on the face of the earth, and I’d tell you just what I thought about it if I could find the proper words in the English language.” With a contemptuous laugh at the angry retort of the now aroused druggist, Arlington left the store and sullenly returned to the hotel. He was in anything but a pleasant humor at supper- time. When supper was served, some one rang a hand- bell, and there was a general movement toward the dining-room. Growling at June, who was foilowing him, Chet descended the stairs. On entering the dining-room he found the guests seated at one long table, on which much of the food had been already placed. “Well, say, what do you think of this?” rasped sAr- lington. “Do we have to sit down here with this bunch of muckers?” “Oh, hush—please hush!” whispered June. “I wish you wouldn’t talk that way, Chester! Let’s not make a disturbance. The table looks very neat and attract- ive, and the food smells good. I’m hungry. Let’s sit down and eat.” oe “I’m not accustomed to anything like this,” mut- tered Arlington, as he plumped himself down on a chair, without waiting to see that June was seated. “T’ve heard of these places where everybody makes a_ grab for anything they want, and the ones who get there first are all to the good. I beg your pardon, June, for bringing you here.” Directly across the table from Arlington sat an Irishman, who regarded Chester with an expression of great awe. After staring in this awe-stricken manner for some moments, the Irishman leaned toward his right-hand neighbor, lifted his hand with the palm toward the fretful youth, and hoarsely whispered be- hind it: “Begobs, it’s the Prince of Whales!” “How do you know?’ asked the other man. “How do Oi know? Don’t yez notice th’ stoile av him? Don’t yez notice th’ royal bearing av him? Ob- — sarve the aristocratic look av his mug. Note the in- dacent manner in which he spakes. By th’ harp of Erin, Oi’m overcome intirely to sit in the prisince av the loikes av him.” 4 Arlington did not like this. | we _ “ET wouldn’t advise you to get gay with me!” he pelt “He spakes to me!” gasped the Irishman. “Holy : St. Pathrick! What an honor!’ “T'll do something more than speak to you if you keep this up!” threatened Chet. TO | TIP TOP This was about the limit for the son of old Erin. ingly observed : “It’s a. gintlemon ye are—not!” “T don’t want any trouble with you!” grated Chester. “Tt will be no throuble at all, young mon, for me to throw yez out av this room. It'll be a great pleasure to be sure. Me name is Michael Casey, and Oi’m a black- take yez in me two hands and break ye!” “He'll hurt you, Chester!” whispered June, in great- est alarm. “Please don’t say anything more—for my sake, don’t!’ Arlington gave his shoulders a contemptuous shrug. "Oh, all right, sis,” he nodded; “for your sake I won't say anything more, but later I may find a chance to tell this man a few things.” “Tt won’t take yez a minute to tell all ye know,” said Casey. That supper was far from a success for Arlington, although, to tell the truth, the food was excellent and he ate heartily. After finishing, he sauntered out and stood on the hotel steps, with his hands in his pockets, looking the village over. “Tt makes me mad if I can’t get a drink when I want it,” he growled. “Ordinarily I wouldn’t think of putting a drink on top of a hearty meal, but, by George! I feel like it now. can’t stand for it. I’m going to get a quart of whisky just to satisfy myself that I can get it.” He ran up-stairs for his hat, and June __— him just as he was leaving. _ “Where are you going, Chester ?’’ she asked. “Oh, just out for a little ramble.” “Mayn’t I come along?” “Better not. Sparkfair said he’d run over to see us this evening. You stay here to be on hand ze ae comes while I’m away. Tell him I'll be back soon.’ _ On the street Chester inquired just where the nearest doctor lived and was given directions. Fancy his dis- - gust after walking to the doctor’s house and ringing _ the bell on being informed that the physician was out and might not return for an hour or two. Walking back into the village, he entered the drug- store, It was a warm night, and the door was stand- _ ing open. On the steps Chester passed a young man who, in spite of the warmth, had his coat collar turned up and his hat pulled low over his eyes. _ “Say,” said Chet, addressing the druggist, “haven't you more than one doctor in this old town?” _ “Not more than one regular practising physician,” Suddenly casting aside his pretended awe, he mock- smith. Av yez kape on makin’ chape talk, sure and Oi'll I hate to be baffled. I WEEKLY. was the answer. “There’s old Doctor Spooner down at the Lower Falls. He doesn’t practise much now.” “And have I got to hang around until that other doctor shows up before I can get a prescription that will furnish me with a little booze?” “I guess you'll have to hang around, and maybe you won't get that prescription then. I’m pretty. sure you won't if you talk to Doctor Hamper the way you have to me. It’s my opinion that he’ll give you a kick instead of a prescription.” “Well, I’d like to see him try it!” snapped Chet, as he turned and left the store. The same fellow he had noticed on entering was still standing on the steps. This person touched his arm and spoke to him. “Having a hard time to git a drink in Bloomfield, ain’t yer, pal?” questioned the stranger. “Hard?” raged Arlington. ‘Hard isn’t any name for it! Why, I simply can’t turn the trick unless I go in here, knock the proprietor down, and take what I want.” “You seem to want it ruther bad.” “I do. When I can’t have a thing, I get fierce for it. Pd give five dollars for a quart of whisky.” “Would yer?” “You bet your life!” “Come with ne v “Why—you “Tl git a quate for yer if yer ‘ll give me five. I need the money.” Chester laughed. “Are you a druggist or a doctor?” he inquired. “Well, pal, I ain’t needer. I jest happened to have a little booze down at me-house, and I’m hard up. I’ve gut to make a raise. When you said you'd give me five for a quart it struck me that we could do bust- ness. See?” ) “Well, Til stick by it,” chuckled Chet. Where'll we go?” “This way,” said the stranger. And they set off together, “Come on. CHAPTER VI. CHESTER GETS AN EYE-OPENER. “Say, what’s your name?’ demanded Arlington, as they walked along together. “Now never mind my name, pal. That’s ail right. If I do you this favor, you don’t want to go’ round town blowin’ about it.” a. By a) \ hatred there is in me. Only for him I’d bea cadet in _ good standing at Fardale Military Academy to-day. : From the moment we first met we’ve been enemies, | _ and we'll remain enemies as long as both of us are 3 “Oh, I wouldn’t think of such a thing,” assured Chet. “You're a stranger round here, ain’t yer?” “Sure thing. I don’t live here. I wouldn’t live here if I had to get off the earth first.” “Well, I dunno’s I blame you much. I wouldn’t live here if it wasn’t for my mother. I ain’t living here now, anyhow. Had to dig out awhile ago on account of a little piece of business that went wrong. Know anybody around here?” “Oh, yes, I know a few fellows who are here just now, but the most of them don’t belong in this town. They’re from Fardale. I know only one fellow who belongs here. His name is Spark fair.” “Yah!” snarled the stranger. “I know him. He don’t belong here. He’s jest goin’ to school here. He’s jest goin’ to that old athletic school run by Frank Merriwell. I dunno’s I ought to have any particular grudge agin’ him, but he sorter done me out of a good snap when they had the three-cornered meet here. I put my wad on another feller, yer see, and this Spark- fair done him. I ain’t gut no use for that school nor the gent what runs it.” “Oh, he!” laughed Chester. “Then you don’t love Frank Merriwell a great deal?” “Not at all, yer bet yer sweet life! If it wasn’t fer him, I wouldn’t be sneakin’ round me own town this way. If he knowed I was here, mebbe he’d put the sheriff arter me. I s’pose I’m talkin’ too much.” “Not to me, not to me,” assured Chester hastily. “My friend, you draw me to you. The mere fact that you haven’t any use for a fellow by the name of Mer- riwell makes me admire you. Merriwell! Why, partner, I hate that name! I have good reason to hate it. I don’t hold any love for Frank Merriwell, but it’s his miserable brother, Dick, that gets all the above ground. He has done me no end of dirt, and all _ I want is the time and chance to retaliate. I'll get there if I live! I’ll even up with this Dick Merriwell!” | The stranger grasped Chester’s arm. 7 _. “I kinder like you,” he said. “You’re a good hater, and, if there’s anything that gets next to me, it’s a _ chap what can hate good and hard. You asked me _ my name a few minutes ago, and I didn’t tell you. I don’t mind tellin’ now. My name is Kane+Bill _ Kane. Ever heard it?” TIP TOP WEEKLY. ‘to say my father was D. Roscoe Arlington, the rail- same as my dad ahead of me. It sorter took any am-— boys give me the frozen face. “No.” “Well, you’d a-heard it often enough if you belonged around here. Lots of folks here’bouts ain’t gut no use for me, and, twixt you and I, I ain’t gut no use for them. The most of ’em are hypocritical, psalm-singin’ slobs, who think a chap ain’t gut no right to take a drink or play a little game of cards or hang round a pool-room. They spot him if he does any of these things and say he’s bad. I’m called bad, my friend.” “We're getting acquainted pretty fast,” laughed Chet. “My name is Arlington. My father is D. Roscoe Arlington, a retired business man, who, a year or two ago, was one of the big railroad magnates. The gov’nor has gone a bit woozy. I don’t mean that he’s off his nut—not that. He’s sort of lost his es nerve. You see he came up from comparative poverty i: and made his way by determination and brain power until he was pretty near the top. Millions were at his command. But while he was climbing he made ene- © mies who sneaked round behind him with knives up their sleeves. They watched for their chance to knife him, and the chance came at last. When they got at him they stuck him good and deep. Ina short time his immense fortune melted. Oh, he’s not poor now. He’s got enough to leave him a rich man if he’s will- ing to be satisfied with retirement. I guess he'll be — satisfied, all right. The turn in his luck took the sand out of him, and I feel confident he’ll never go into business again. It’s kind of pulled me down, too. I used to boast about my father. I used to be proud road man. I don’t boast about him now. I don’t men- tion him often. As long as he forks up the coin for — me and lets me go my way, I’m satisfied.” “Well, you’re lucky,” declared Bill Kane.’ “My old man never had no money. He allus was poor. He lived poor, and he died poor. They called him shift- less. When I was a little chap they used to point at me and say, “There goes old Jim Kane’s boy.’ It riled me when I heard them say that. I gut to hatin’ every- — body. I knowed they looked on me as no good, the — ek bition I mighter had out of me. I never went to. school much. I wouldn’t stand it to have the other I’ve managed to git along fairly, well, without diggin’ ditches or workin’ on farms. Work and me don’t agree. I reckon I’ve — gut brains enough in my head to slip through life with out carryin’ round a tired back from wieldin’ a shovel or a pick.” a hk ates ny : st De CAP: 4 ERE POT ELS 3 BIO RE L EP MEMO MESIAL BFE Le PALER RPM et ON ORS ay Ray Lor eee, Ti Ur “Work wasn’t made for gentlemen like us,” laughed Arlington, “T hope yer ain’t pokin’ fun at me, pal. You've gut the slick way of a gent, but I know I’m no gent. They say real gents eat with their forks and never put a table-knife in their mouths. That’s what I call work. I wish you'd tell me how in thunder they saw up a beef steak with a fork! Then I’ve heard say there’s a cer- tain way of eatin’ soup. Bah! All them things make me sick! What do they amount to?’ “Well,” drawled Chet, “that depends on how a fel- low looks at it. Of course society demands certain little things of every well-bred person. Perhaps you’re not well-bred, Kane, but that wasn’t your fault. For- get it. You're going to hand me up a quart of whisky, and I’m going to cough five for it.”’ “No, you're not!” exclaimed Kane suddenly. “When we started out I'd a-took your fiver, for I told you the truth when I said I wanted money. My old - mother lives down here, and I have to look out for her. Since I skipped away from Bloomfield I’ve been bumping on the rocks. I’ve been down to hard-pan. I’m on my uppers now. That’s why I was going to take your five for the quart of whisky. The whisky cost me exactly fifty cents. Give me a dollar for it, and it’s yours. I won’t take no more than a dollar, for I like you.” _ “This is so sudden,” laughed Arlington. “With a dollar,” continued Bill, “I can buy mother some stuff she wants. I’ll raise the next dollar some other way. I'll stick a sucker. You’re no sucker.” “Well, I’m ae you don’t take me for a sucker.” “Here we are,” said Kane, as they turned in at the broken gate of an old house, in one window of which a light was dimly burning. Bill produced a key from. his pocket and unlocked the door. Together they entered a dark hall, and Kane closed the door behind him, carefully locking it. _ Then he pushed open another door, and within a _ squalid room, sitting beside a-table on which burned a _ smoking kerosene lamp, Arlington saw a withered, wrinkled, age-bowed woman. whispered Kane, with some- 99 “That’s my mother, thing like a touch of reverence in his voice. a little hard of hearing, and she don’t know we're here. I'll jest speak to her. She’s feeling ruther bad peat Wait a minute for me.” He entered the room. oy Not until he was close to her did the old woman “notice him. Then she looked up with a feeble start of “She’s WEEKLY. surprise and peered at him closely, a smile coming to her aged face. “Ts it you, Billy?” she quavered. “Be ye back so soon, Billy? I didn’t ’spect ye now. It was awful lonesome here, but I didn’t ’spect ye’d come in much before midnight. Did you git the coffee and sugar for me, Billy? I’ve gut to have a cup of hot coffee. My nerves are all onstrung.”’ “T haven’t brought it now, mother,” he answered, as he clasped one of her hands and bent over her, “but I'll get it a little later. Never you fear, mother—T'll git it. Trust me!’ “T do trust you, Billy, for you’re a good boy to your — old mother, and you allus keep your promises. Oh, it was fine to see you when you come back home last night! Seemed like you’d been away a whole year. I was jest dyin’ to see you, Billy. You don’t know how lonesome the old house was without you. When you went away you told me you had business pros- pects, and you ’spected to make a lot of money. It was hard to let you go, but I didn’t want to spile your chances. Arter you was gone some folks come round and tried to tell me you had to git out of town on account of some trouble. I wouldn’t listen to them, Billy, for I knowed better. Yes, I was glad to see you when you gut back, even if you didn’t make no money while you was away. Money can’t take your place with me, Billy. I’d ruther have you than all the money in the world.” | “And with a mother like you,” said Bill Kane, in a voice literally imbued with affection, “I’m richer than the richest man in all the world. I’ve brought a friend with me. He’s goin’ to let me have some money, mother. He’s going to make mea little loan. Friends are good things to have sometimes, ain’t they?” “You ought to have a lot of them, Billy. It was good of him to lend ye some money, but I know you'll pay it back.” - , “Sure, sure,” said Kane. and take it easy while I take my friend up-stairs. We want to talk over a little business matter, and as soon as we git through [ll hustle to the village for that coffee and sugar.” “All right, Billy—all right. out too late to-night.” “T won't,” promised Kane. Arlington followed the “village sport” up the creak- ing stairs and into Bill’s room, where a lamp was finally lighted. There was a queer look on Chester’s face as Kane unlocked a, closet door and brought out a flat quart bottle. I hope you don’t stay “Now you set right here ae i et - % TIP TOP “THere’s that whisky,” said Bill. = “Good!” nodded Chet, as he accepted it “Well, I won’t swear it’s good,” grinned Kane; “but it’s as good as you can git around here. One dollar, please.” Chester produced a little roll ie bills, from which he removed one. “Here’s ten,” he said. “Ten?” cried Kane. “TI ain’t gut no change.” “T don’t want any change. You take this money, Kane, and buy whatever your mother wants. Nine dollars of it is a loan, and you can pay me when you get ready.” 2 “Well, if you put it that way——” “T do. I want to tell you something. I’ve gct a mother. I’m her favorite. I suppose she’s spoiled me. She’s done everything she could for me. I know it. ‘I’ve never done anything in particular for her. “J know that, too. Somehow, a few minutes ago, while _ you were talking with your mother down-stairs, I got a mighty queer feeling. I began to think that 1 hadn’t used my mother just right. Never felt that way before in my life. Perhaps it was a good thing for me to get that feeling. Perhaps it was worth ten dollars to me, Kane. I don’t know. Let’s have a drink.” Chester opened the bottle, and they took a drink. CHAPTER VIL A COMPACT. : After that drink they became more sociable and, if possible, more confidential. There was a bond of sym- pathy between these two lads. Never before had either one of them met a person to whom he so readily and freely opened his heart. In a short time suspicion that secrets thus mutually revealed would prove harmful was cast aside. There was no restraint. “T’d like to find a way to get at this Dick Merriwell while he’s in these parts,” said Chet. “You know it hurts that fellow t0 be beaten at anything.” “He'll stand a chance of getting his bumps at Wells- burg Saturday,” asserted Kane. “Do you think so?” “Sure. I know it.” “You say sure, but to me there doesn’t seem any- thing sure about it. Farnham Hall defeated Wells- burg, and Fardale beat Farnham twice out of three times. How do you figure it out that Wellsburg has a good show,to down Fardale?” \ WEEKLY. -underrate Farnham, and that helped along the accident. T3 “Well, it’s this way,” explained Bill. “Them Wells- burg fellers didn’t consider Farnham Hall in their class when they arranged to play. They decided that one game would be the limit with Frank Merriwell’s team. They sorter reckoned that they would rub it into Farnham Hall so hard in the first game that no- body would want to see a second one. That’s where they made their mistake. Later on I cal’late they be- gun to realize they’d blundered, and I bet they wished they’d arranged for the best two out of three. All the same, right straight through to the finish, Wellsburg reckoned on taking a fall out of Farnham Hall. Even when Farnham went through by defeating county team > “e after county team, the city*chaps ‘lowed it would be easy to choke these fellers down at the finish. That's where most of the teams made their mistakes. They kept counting Farnham’s success as accidental until it was too late for them to do anything for them- selves.” Arlington shook his head. “Your reasoning seems a bit mixed to me,” he de- clared. “When you started out to explain, I fancied you were going to say that Farnham Half won the county championship by luck, but before you had proceeded far you were confessing that the other teams 5 underrated Farnham.” ? B “Tt’s true both ways,” declared Bill. “They did % I’ll bet anything that Wellsburg can eat Farnham Hall up to-morrow or any future date this season. Why, that man, Flick, over there, is a holy terror on the slab. He’s a wiz.” “Between you and me, Bill, old boy, Sparkfair is pretty near a wiz.” . “Oh, he’s good for a feller with no more experience than he’s had,” acknowledged Kane. “Flick’s gut a better head. This Sparkfair’s a rattle-brained feller.” “Oh, he’s a bluffer,” laughed Chet. “He’s not half | as rattle-brained as he pretends to be. Between us, Bill, he’s pretty slick. He’s pretty shrewd—he’s © clever.”’ . “Didn't win to-day, did he?” questioned Bill, with a grin. “No, but it wasn’t his fault. He had a cold clutch on that game up to the seventh i eae: He had Merri- well guessing, you bet.” | “Did he outpitch Merriwell?”’ 3 “Well, I don’t know as the score-sheet will show that he outpitched him, but you can’t always go by the | score-sheet. I think he did.” : a “That’s nateral,” nodded the village sport. “You don’t like Merriwell, and you seem to like Sparkfair | some. I seen you go through town with a buzz wagon. Who was the skirt you had with yer?’ “That was my sister,” explained Chester. “Well, say, I didn’t git a lingerin’ look at her, old man, but she appeared to be all the goods.” “Oh, June is good-looking. She looks like me.” “Well, you want to keep an eye on her. The first thing you know somebody’ll steal her.” “Oh, yes, I’ve had to keep an eye on-her all right, all right!” growled Chet. ‘‘This Merriwell has been chasing her some time. I don’t know what it is girls ‘see in him, but they all go nutty on him. June has _ had an idea that he was the real thing.” “Has had?” questioned Bill. “Yes. I hope she’s getting it out of her head now i since she met Sparkfair. You know Spark is pretty slick himself, and I think he’s cottoned to sis. I’m - encouraging it all Ican. [’m in hopes she cuts Merri- _ well out for good.” “Now don’t you go to encouraging it too much,” warned Kane wisely. “It’s the worst thing you can 5 ade.” “Yd like to know how you make that out.” “It’s female nater to be contrary. Tell a girl you’ve _ gut-a fine feller for her, and she'll grab some other feller. The more you try to push one onto ther, the harder she hangs to the t*other one.” _ “Oh, that may be true, but I don’t believe it’s so _ with June. You know she’s only a kid, anyhow, and I don’t suppose there was anything serious between her and Merriwell. She liked him, and he was plumb ‘smitten on her; but she’s getting older, and she’ll see other fellows she likes as well or better. I think one of those other fellows is Sparkfair. Why, when I get back to the hotel, I expect to find Spark there with her. T shall look for them in the parlor of Peter, the Apostle, A and it’s more than an even break that I’ll find June at Peter’ s piano, with Dale goo-gooing over her shoulder. But we were talking of baseball. While we talk let’s have another nip.” , . “This is on me,” _ to uncork the bottle. | Bill produced another bottle from the closet, and oo te had a second arin asserted Kane, as Chester started TIP’ TOP: WEEKLY. from A to Z, you bet. - burg will win for sure in a close game. “Tt looks that way to me,” said Kane, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “But there’s nothing sure about it. If it was a sure thing, I’d try to make a dollar on that game. I need the coin. If we knew Wellsburg would beat Merri- well’s bunch, we could both make something.” “T couldn’t make a great deal, for I ain’t gut enough dough to stick up.” “That’s all right, Bill, old man; I’d stake you. No, I tell you what I would do if this was a sure thing. I’d furnish the spondulics, let you do the betting, and give you a rake-off out of the winnings.” “Do you mean that?” asked Kane. “Sure, I mean it. If I didn’t mean it, I wouldn’t say so.” “If you cla that way, pal, I'll find a method of fix- ing the game.” “Tell me how.” “There’s more than one way to skin a cat. I know some guys in Wellsburg. I stand solid with a few coves.” “What do you. mean by that?” “Well, now, for instance, there’s Bill Bowers. He’s the cleverest umpire in that town, and they git him to officiate at most of the games. He knows the game Bill and me are good friends. We don’t sport round together, but we’ve set in at a little game of poke’ and skinned a couple of suckers. Bill has tipped me off to one or two good things. T’ll guarantee that I can fix it up with him so that Wells- That ain’t goin’ to hurt Bill none in his home town.” “Well,” laughed Chet, “it’s a good thing to have a little grip on the umpire. If you can fix Bowers and he umpires the game, that’ll be mighty encoura- ging. Still, it wouldn’t make the thing safe and solid, for this Fardale bunch might take the game even though the close points all went against them. You — ought to have something better than that, Kane, old = 9 man. Kane scratched his head. “T have!” he finally cried. “Elucidate.” “What?” “Fire away. Explain. Go on.” “T know the little chap that brings water to all them games. same. He blacks boots around town. Once when I was feeling like a millionaire I forked him out a dol- | lar for a shine. Arter that he was ready to do any- thing for me.” brie : 7 | He’s sorter half-witted, but he’s foxy jest the a ~ won't be no hesitating, ing out with Sparkfair. , head: bowed as he talked to her. and the moonlight fell full upon his face. TIP TOP :“V’m-hazy yet,” protested Chet. “The bootblack’s name is Chick Farley. If I was to give Chick a little medicine and tell him to git it into a dipper of water for a pitcher, I’ll stake my pile he’d turn the trick.” Arlington leaped to his. feet. “That’s the stuff!’ he cried exultantly. “If you can fix it that way and be sure the boy won’t blow on you, we can clean up a good roll of the long green.” “V'll fix it,” promised Bill. “All right. Now we're beginning to see daylight. Now it looks like a safe thing. Of course you don’t want Chick Farley to dope Merriwell unless it’s neces- ‘sary. Pll get:the dope for you. ‘You give it to Farley and instruct him to use it when you tip him off a signal. If-you don’t have to give that signal, so much the bet- ter for us. If you do have to give it, don’t hesitate.” “You don’t have to worry about me, pal. There How much coin-can you raise to. back Wellsburg?” “Oh, I’ve got a hundred and twenty-five with me. Think you can get any odds?” *“Mebbe I can.” “Well, I’ll be in Wellsburg Saturday with my roll. Where’ll I meet you?” “At Priley’s Hotel. I’ll-be there in the billiard hall at ten o’clock in the forenoon. If things are all right, we can go ahead. If they’re not all right, I’ll tell you so.” a “That settles it to suit me,” nodded Chet, once more rising. “‘Now we'll have a final drink, and I’ll toddle back to the hostelry of Peter, the Apostle.” “Tl saunter into the village With yer,” said Kane. “ve gut to git that stuff for mother.” The moon had risen round and full in the east when they left the house. “Hello,” muttered Kane, as they reached the road, “here’s a loving couple taking a stroll this way. This g Pp g y is one of the favorite walks for pairs like them.” Chester placed a hand on his companion’s arm. “Hush!” he said. “That’s my sister. She’s stroll- You can’t see Merriwell for slust. He’s left at the post. He’s out of the race.” The boy and girl who were walking arm in arm along that road did not see Kane and Arlington until close upon them. Suddenly the girl spoke a low word and called her companion’s attention to the two boys ~ who were watching them. The girl’s companion had been walking with his He lifted his head, WEEKLY. 16 An exclamation of surprise and anger broke from ‘ Chester Arlington. “Well, hang me if it isn’t Merriwell!’’ he mart: CHAPTER VIII. TWO AGAINST ONE. For a moment Chester was so astounded that he found himself unable to make a move. _ Recovering quickly, he sprang out and confronted the couple. “What in blazes does this mean?” he savagely rasped. “Good evening, Arlington,” coolly. “Satan take you! What are you doing here?” de- manded Chester. “T’m taking a stroll with your sister,” answer. “Well, you’ve got a crust! You’ve got a nerve! Can’t you keep away from her? Can’t you let her alone? Haven’t you decency enough to keep away when you're not wanted?” “I think I have. When I’m not wanted, I'll keep. away.” “Well, you’re not wanted, I’ll tell you that!” “But June hasn’t told me that.” “That’s because she’s silly. Look here, June, where’s Dale Sparkfair ?” | “I don’t know,” answered the girl. “Didn’t he come to call?” “He hadn’t come when we left the hotel.” said Dick Merriwell was the calm “So you didn’t wait for him! You sneaked off with this whelp! I didn’t think it of you, June! think you’d treat Dale Sparkfair like that! How did this fellow happen to come around? Did you make a- date with him to-day when I knew nothing about it?” “You're getting very excited and heated, Arling- ton,” said young Merriwell, holding himself firmly in check. “Your wee is disagreeable. I don’t as Rot “You'll like it less before I’m through with you!” flung back Chet. ‘‘Here, June, break away from this — puppy. Ill take you back to the hotel. ee now, I mean business!” He attempted to place a hand on his sister’s ‘wrist, but, quick as a flash, Merriwell thrust him aside. og “You'll excuse me, Arlington, but ‘ # take June back — to the hotel when she’s ready to go.” o “You—you—you———” panted Chet, and was un able to find a word to express his feelings. : I didn’t ae PEER LAN ck MS LER 16 LIP eT Or Dick held himself in readiness in case Arlington saw fit to attack him suddenly. It was plain Chester longed to hit the boy he hated, but something kept him from doing so. This something was his respect for Dick’s athletic and fighting abilities. ‘Don’t make a scene, Chester, urged June. “You know Dick and I have been friends for a long time. We've scarcely seen each other of late. He asked me to take a little walk with him, and I consented. I left word at the hotel for Sparkfair to wait if he-called.” “Oh, that’s fine—that’s fine!”’ snarled Chet. “You left word for him to wait—for him to hang around while you were out spooning with another fellow! _ That’s splendid! You must think him a lobster. _. You’ll find he’s no fool. When he learns about this he'll throw you down.” 39 “Throw me down?” can’t do that, Chester. _ Ing more.” exclaimed June. “Why, he We're simply friends—noth- “But I suppose there’s something more between you and this duffer? Oh, I like that!” Bill Kane advanced and was standing near-by, with his hands in his pockets. “Why don’t you plug him, pal?’ he inquired. don’t you plunk him on the kisser ?” “My sister-——” “Why “Well, if you’re delicate about that, take your sis- _ ter away, and I’ll plug him.” _ Ina moment Merriwell placed June behind him and faced them both. “T don’t know this friend of yours, Arlington,” he said; “but evidently he’s a worthy comrade. Perhaps he'd better start in with his plugging.” _ “That'll be agreeable to me,” said Kane, taking his hands out of his pockets. “Take the girl away, pal.” - “T won’t go!” cried June. “I won't stir! You're _ cowards, both of you! You're two against one!” _ “That’s all right,” laughed Chester. “He'll deserve all he gets. Come on, Kane; we'll both jump on him.” _ Dick saw he was in for trouble, and he did not wait for the assault. Instead of that, with a sudden spring, he seized Arlington, getting a wrestling grip on him and suddenly flinging hiin spinning and sprawling into Dick whirled just in time to meet the rush of Bill Kane. a > ; _ The young a made a vicious pass at : Merriwell’s pading him prostrate in the dust. _“T don’t care to hurt either of you chaps,” said Mer- forward to take a hand in the encounter. - Wellsburg Saturday. _ this word back to the Ie that night. WEEKLY. riwell; “but you're going to be hurt unless you hoist the white flag instanter.” “Nobody ever saw Bill Kane throw up the sponge!” spluttered the village rascal, as he bounded to his feet and came at Dick the second time. Arlington crawled out of the ditch and hurried “We'll get him between us!” he panted. “We'll soak him! We'll fix him!” Needless to say, June was terrified and distressed, but she could do nothing for Dick. She was com- pelled to look on helplessly while Merriwell fought his two antagonists. That fight was ‘short and furious while it lasted. Once Dick was struck a blow that made him stagger, af but he recovered before either of his enemies could 4 : follow him up, and a moment later he landed such a jolt on Chester’s wind that Arlington’s hands dropped, and he reeled off weakly to the side of the road, sinking on his hands and knees. This left Dick free to give his entire attention to Kane. Bill fancied himself a clever fighter, but it was not long before he learned that this boy from Fardale was vastly his superior. The light of the moon was sufficient to enable them to watch each other’s move- ments, and three times Dick avoided being seized by: i Kane’s eager hands. He blocked; parried, side- stepped, retreated, and kept away until the proper opening came. When he did close in, his fists flew like piston-rods, and Kane was dazed and stunned by the fury of the attack. Merriwell punched him merci- lessly, ending with a powerful round-arm swing that landed on the jaw of the Bloomfield boy and literally hurled him flat upon the dusty grass at the roadside. Kane was down and out. Std Arlington had neither the courage nor the sivas ise to resume the battle, and Merriwell was the victor. "| Smoothing out his clothes a bit, Dick ee and offered June his arm. ; “Come,” he said quietly, hotel.” | PAT ao PD ah y Pe Sit it PEER tS Spel ote iaate Ii 5 Stag ARE INE Ss OE CE ERIE DR “we'll go. back to. the p CHAPTER TX, THE GREAT BOAT-RACE. Already Dick Merriwell had received his answer from Professor Gunn. The professor gave him per- i mission to remain with the Poaae team and play in | The Fardale boys were delighted hike Dick brought a \ ! } ? TIP TOP WEEKLY. 17 They were enjoying themselves at Farnham Hall. The following morning all were up bright and early to watch the Farnham lads go through their drills, At the American School of Athletic Development gymnasium work had been cut down to a low point, but the boys were required to do a great deal of out- door exercise and drilling. Not only that, but the foundation for Merriwell’s new trades school building was being laid, and the boys were required to do a certain amount of work on this each day. On this particular Friday, however, Frank Merri- well, excused them all from this manual labor, giving them another afternoon to spend as they pleased. ‘The boat-house and the lake attracted many of them. It was cool and shady down there, and the _ boys gathered: at the boat-house and in that vicinity, where they swam, rowed, wrestled, and enjoyed them- selves generally. With his usual nerve, Arlington put in an appear- ance about two o’clock and proceeded to make him- ___ self perfectly at home. As soon as possible he found : Sparkfair, whom he drew aside. “Thought you were coming over to see June last night, Dale,” he said. “T did,” answered Spark. “You did ?” oe CS. 1) “When?” — . i, . “About eight o’clock. I couldn’t get away sooner. |] Evidently you didn’t wait for me. When I. reached i ig the hotel ee you nor June were there.” _ “Oh, yes,” nodded Chet, “I had a little business that called me away. Didn’t you receive any word from June?” “No.”’ x “Well, that’s mighty queer: on the part of the seal “The Apostle?” 3 “Yes, Peter, the main squeeze at Squeers’ Tavern. Look here, Spark, “ don’t want to be so slow.” “Slow? Why, yar re the first one who ever called - me slow, Arlington.” Pie ~ “You were dead slow last “ _ “How’s that?” : ( - “Merriwell got ahead of you.” . “Did he?” “Sure thing. While you were taking your time slate getting around he hiked over, caught my sister, and w went out bs ia with her. She left word with rae - That’s an oversight -ain’f no athlete! Peter, the Apostle, that she’d be back soon, and asked you to wait.” “T didn’t get the message,’ you sure she left word?” “She told me so, but perhaps she fibbed.” “Oh, no, no!’ exclaimed Spark. “I don’t think that. I wouldn’t think such a thing of her. It was old Squeers’ fault. So she took a stroll with Merri- well, did she? So he kind of stole a lap on me.” “That’s about the size of it. Spark, old chap, if you're going to hold your own with that fellow, you’ve got to be up and doing all the time.” “But I thought you didn’t permit her to have much of anything to do with Merriwell.” “T don’t when.I can help it,” “Vou see, I wasn’t at the hotel when that slob showed up. If I had been, you can bet your life he’d never done any strolling with sis. I met a friend in town last night and went to call on_him.” “A friend? Who was it?” “Never mind that,” laughed Chester. “He’s all right, and he’s putting me wise to a good thing. If you will promise to keep mum, I'll let you in.” “Oh, I’ll-keep mum, all right. What’s your good thing ?” | “Wellsburg is sure to baat Fardale.” “Guess again, Chet! There’s nothing sure about it.” “But you don’t know, my boy. cinch.” , 3 “Don’t let any one string you with such ideas. I’ve pitched against both teams, and I know that Fardale is just as good as Wellsburg, if not a little better.” “It may seem that way to you, but take my advice and bet your money on Wellsburg.” declared Dale. ‘Are “Not unless I go bug-house. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Merriwell trim those Wellsburgans in beau- . tiful style.” “Look here,” whispered Chester, win. Ican’t say any more. Tubbs. were flourishing their arms and shaking: their fists at each other. “Why, dern your picter !” spluttered Tubbs. “You You’re nuthin’ but skin and bones!” confessed Arlington., I tell you it’s ae3s “it can’t be done. I’d tell you why if I dared, but I know Wellsburg will . | If you don’t put up a few _ rusty cope on Wellsburg, you'll be sorry after the | game.” At this point their attention was attracted by a furious wrangling between Hi Bemis and Obediah Looking round, they saw the fat boy, with his | hands on his hips, staring up at Hi, who stood bending | over him, glaring down into Obey’s eyes. Both boys — , “Well, mebbe you think you’re an athlete,” retorted Bemis, “but you’re nuthin’ but a tub of mush! Why, I’ve. gut more muscle in my little finger than you’ve gut in your whole fat body.” “Fat? fat?’ squawed Obey. fat! I’m well trained down. I’m in fine form. Jest look at yourself in a mirror! By Jim! you’ve gut to stand twice in a place in order to throw a shadder.” This argument quickly brought a lot of boys flocking around the two quarreling lads, who were egged on by the laughing youngsters. mes “Stand up for Fardale, Obey,” urged Barron Black. “Don’t let him throw it into you that’ way, Hiram,” came from Bob Bubbs. “Get after him, get after him!” 6 Ted Smart squirmed through the group and slapped Tubbs on the back. “You know you’re a real Adonis, Obediah,” he said. “We all know it! You're trained to such a fine point that you'll have to take on a little flesh pretty soon or you'll blow away.” 3 _- “Ch-ch-ch-challenge him! ch-ch-ch-challenge him!” | _ chattered Chip Jolliby. “‘Let’s sus-sus-sus-see you two fuf-fuf-fuf-fellows wrestle.” . ““T ain’t no wrastler,”’ confessed Hiram, wagging his head; “but I ken beat. him at anything else he'll pro- pose.” : “Tl run ye, by Jim-——I’ll run ye!” squealed Obey. “All right,” said Hiram, “‘it’s a go.” But the boys objected to: this. “Do something that you can do right here,” they urged.. “If you run a race, you'll have to go over Wi onto the field and do it in the hot sun,” : “Thaf’s right,’ nodded Bemis, struck by a sudden idea. “Tell you what I will do, P’ll row ye, Fatty.” “Fatty? Fatty?” howled Obediah, getting purple in the face. “Mebbe you"think you're a great rower? Jest you git ready! Jest furnish us the bo’ts and: see me skim right round him!” 4 “That's the stuff! that’s the stuff!’ shouted the boys. “The boats are right here.” “Hold.on!” cried Bob Bubbs. this thing myself. to steer, Hiram. Better take me.” “Twill,” said Hi. “I'll take ye, Bob.” “Although I hate to do it,” said Ted Smart, “I'll volunteer for Obediah. Come hither, Bubbs; let’s draw apart by ourselves and agree on the fine points _ ofthis ceremony. Let’s put our heads together and _ mix things up.” “Don’t you call me “T want to be in . You'll have to have somebody | “Not for me,” objected Towser. “T’'ll have nothing 18 PEP TOP WEEKLY. to do with Sarah Mony. Sarah’s not my style: Til step aside and consult with you, but we’ll not put our heads together. I prefer my own particular brand.” “Oh, you’re so funny!” groaned Smart. “You're so hilariously funny that I’m afraid I shall laugh my- - self to death over your jokes! Observe me laugh.” He pretended to weep. “Don’t laugh so hard,” entreated Bubbs. “You'll crack your face.” “That'll be all right if I don’t crack your face.” “Hiram can row all round Obediah, and I’ll bet On: it. Pe “You’re another!” shouted Ted, with pretended an- ger, as he shook his fists under Towser’s nose. “Obey - ; A is a crack oarsman. Every time he rows he breaks an oar or two, so he’s a crack oarsman.” “That’s the worst I ever heard!” “What do you call it, anyhow?” “That’s what I said the first time I saw you,” flung back Smart. ‘The moment I clapped an eye on you I cried, ‘What do you call it?’”’ “Sic ’im, Towser—sic ‘im!’ urged Berlin Brooks. For a few moments it seemed that the little fellows would fly at each other, but finally, instead of engaging in an encounter, they locked arms and drew. apart, where they stood talking for some moments, with their heads close together. Both seemed very earnest and made many gestures. At last they appeared to arrive at an agreement, whereupon they once more locked arms and rejoined the group of watching lads. . “Tt’s_ all settled,’ announced Bubbs. “At least, that’s what the egg said to the coffee.” “Yes,” nodded Smart, “we have reluctantly decided to act as ‘coxswains for these two great oarsmen. You know there can be no real race unless there are cox- swains. We'll get the boats ready. We'll prepare everything, and then we'll call these mighty knights of the shining blade to the struggle.” | Although he could not surmise the plot of the little chaps, Sparkfair knew they were up to something, and he joined with others in urging Bemis and Tubbs to accept the self-appointed coxswains. “All right,” said Hiram grimly; ‘I’m satisfied.” ~ “Well, dern my picter! I ain’t kickin’,” piped Obediah. Immediately Bubbs and Smart hurried away to get the boats ready. They dashed into the boat-house, and Towser quickly found two anchors, each having a long coil of rope attached. One of these anchors — was placed in the stern of each boat, the ends of the ropes being secured to the rudder-posts. Sa ee es , cr hissed Bobs - Next they a ‘ - {©} g ae: f hth Pt Ur ..) pa : eS away while these preparations were going on. everything was ready the rascally young coxswains gave the signal, and the “rival oarsmen” were hustled onto the float and into the boats, neither of them being given time to inspect things. the float and on the shore to watch the race. L also pulling with all his might. ith _ that rowing? What’s the matter with you?” _ All unconscious of the dragging anchors, the two ELP PPP lifted the anchors and dropped them over into the water to a depth of about a foot beneath the surface, making them secure in this manner. Sparkfair had taken pains to keep Hiram and Obey When The boys gathered on “Til act as starter,” cried Sparkfair. “Pull out there, you two, and line up.” Bemis and Tubbs set the oars in the oarlocks and pulled out a short distance into the lake. After much disagreement and fussing, they lined up side by side, and at this point Bubbs and Smart pre- pared to release the anchors. “Are you ready?” called Sparkfair. “Yes, by Jim, I be!” piped Obediah. “All ready, let her go!” came from Hiram. “Tl give you the count, and you'll start at the word go,” said Dale. “You're to row round the little island down yonder and return to ‘the boat-house. The one who reaches the float first will win.” He lifted his hand as a signal. “Now!” he cried. “One—two—three—go!” With the first splash of the oars into the water, Bubbs and Smart released the anchors, doing the trick : slyly behind their backs and craftily paying out the B anchor-lines. ‘ “Rah, ’rah, for Bemis!’ shouted the Farnham lads. “°Rah, ’rah, for Tubbs!” came from the Fardale crowd. The boys forged ahead a Birt distance, but be- ‘ fore they were fairly under way the boats were seen _ slackening up in spite of the desperate pulling of the two oarsmen. The anchors were beginning to take hold. “Dad bing ye, I'll show ye!” cried aiid: as he . madly surged at the oars. ? '? “You can’t show me nuthin’! ee back Hiram, _ “Come! come!” cried Sparkfair. “Get at it! get at You fellows are barely crawling! Do you call boys pulled furiously at the oars, while the watching lads on _ the boat-house float literally choked with “Don't , go so fast, Obey !” implored Gerate: “You're oe ae was ae !” | WEEKLY. 19 9 “IT had a shower-bath this. morning!’ exclaimed Bubbs, as Hiram splashed and threw spray all over the boat. “Tubbs is beating you out, Hi. He’s a foot ahead.” | “Hang rap it!” grated Bemis. ‘“What’s the matter with this old scow? She don’t seem to stir!” “The matter is with you,” declared Towser. you're weak as a kitten. strength into woe strokes. ‘doesn’t move.’ “Say,” squealed Obey, “be we stuck on the diet t “Stuck?” gasped Smart. “Great ginger! you're fairly flying! You're fairly skimming over the water! I’m dizzy from the speed.” : The rival oarsmen began to pant and perspire and get crimson. “By Jim! it don’t seem ,to me that we’re goin’ much,” gurgled Obey, glancing round toward the boat- house. “We ain’t covered more than three rods.” “Well, if you can stand it, I’ll have to, even if I can’t catch my breath,” said Smart. ‘Speed up if you want to. Pull harder if you care to.” “T’ll make her go—I’ll make her!” grated the fat boy, as he gave a mighty surge on the, oars. 3 At the same moment Bemis put all his strength into a sudden stroke. Crack! crack! Obediah’s right oar broke, and almost at the same instant Hiram’s left oar snapped. Over went the fat boy and the tall boy into the bot- tom of the boats, their heels flying up in the air. The watching lads’ screamed with delight over the spectacle. While Tubbs and Bemis were floundering about in a dazed way, Towser and Ted swiftly pulled in on the anchors, which they lifted from the bottom and deposited in the boats ere the “great oarsmen” could: recover and learn what was going on. When Hiram managed to sit up he uttered a grunt “Why, You’re not putting any No wonder the boat of astonishment, for he found the boat was going — . backward instead of forward. “T wisht somebody’d explain that to me,” tered in a bewildered way. ms “You made a great mistake, Hi,” said Bubbs x soberly. ‘You should have turned the boat round the | other way. ave can Tow faster stern foremost than | any other way.” #9 “By Jim! I busted that old oar, snyhow! Y ney ) Obediah. “I guess I’m the winner.’ “T declare it a dead heat,” laughed Sparkfair. “The race is off. (You'll have to settle itsome. other way.” — he mut- e es some of their long green. CHAPTER X. EVERYTHING READY. At the appointed hour Chester Arlington founa Bill Kane in the billiard-hall of Priley’s Hotel at Wells- burg. “Well, Bill, old sport,” land lay?” “°Sh!” warned Kane, glancing around and draw- ing Arlington toward a corner. “It’s all right.” “You've fixed it?” ® “You bet!” *“Got the umpire cinched ?” “Gut him solid.” “And the water-boy ?” ““He’s mine, too.” ” : . said Chet, “how does the “Great work, William. You're a chap after my own Pp y heart.” “T know where I can get all the bets I want,” said Kane. “Of course, most people here are for the local team, but a lot of sharks, who think themselves very shrewd, have money they’re willing to stick up on Fardale. They've doped it all out. They have made their little book to their own satisfaction. You see they figure it like this: Farnham Hall beat Wells- burg, Fardale beat Farnham Hall, and therefore Far- dale will have a snap with Wellsburg. What aston- ishes me is the way people count on Dick Merriwell. +pust because he’s Frank Merriwell’s brother, and Frank Merriwell has brought out such a team this season, they have an idea that Dick Merriwell is one of the cleverest articles that ever placed a Trilby on a pitch- ing-slab.” : “Well. that suits us,” chuckled Chet. the sort of chaps we want to reach.” “Those are “Give me the coin, and I’ll reach ’em all right.” Chester fished up a big roll of money. “This is enough to cover It’s all I have. If any- “Here it is,” he said. 9 thing does go wrong “Don’t count hae that, Arlington, thing go wrong.” “Tf anything should,” persisted Chester, “I'd ‘n There can’t any- _ plumb busted and more than two hundred miles away from the base of supplies.” ° “Instead of being busted, you'll add to your wad all ‘right to-day. Ill roam forth now and hook those suckers. See you over at the game this afternoon.” The announcement and advertising of the gene ‘ TIP TOP WEEKLY. - had aroused the Wellsburgans who loved the sport, and there was a great rush of fans for the field that afternoon. At least forty boys from Farnham Hall came over in a body to witness the game, and Sparkfair assured Merriwell that they were there to cheer for Fardale. “These people over here will find that all the shout- ing is not going to be for their own team,” laughed Dale. “You'll find a fierce bunch of fans here. They’re perfectly savage when they get started. They'll do anything to rattle a visiting team. Why, when we played here, the crowd seemed ready to charge onto the diamond more than once. You fellows will have to keep cool.” “And the price of ice is so high:this season,’ smiled Dick. “One thing,” said Dale, umpire.” “Well, that’s pleasant. “vow 'll have a corking good Ts he on the level 2” “Seems to be. He knows the game.” “What’s his name?” “Bowers. He’s an dld-time player. Something of a sport, I understand; but that makes no difference as long as he gives you all that’s coming to eee, “That’s all we want,” asserted Merriwell. * “THs all any team can expect on a strange field.” “There he is now,” said Spark, as a thick-set, red- faced man walked out from the crowd and spoke to the Wellsburg captain. . Dick surveyed Bowers. “He may know the game,” said Merriwell, I’m not at all struck on his looks. me, Spat I fancy he’s a chap who would make a trade.” “Perhaps that’ s right,” admitted Dale; “but I don’t believe these Wellsburg fellows would give him a penny to favor them. They want to win on the level, and all they ask is a square deal from the umpire.” While Dick and Dale were talking, two other boys had met back of the grand stand. They were Kane and Arlington, “How’d you make out?” asked Chester. “All right. that dope? I forgot about that.” Chester glanced around to’ make sure no one was watching them,*after which he produced a small phial from his vest pocket and slipped it into Kane’s hand. “Here’s the stuff,” he said. “Sure it won’t damage Merriwell?* | “but - Between you and Every dollar is But, say where’s — en + perme yo a at net a rte we al fe coe . | tle bunt in front of the plate, and Earl easily took sec- % i f ] ' by } { te a a iF b if : , °s a ee By é if eek “Tt’'ll make him sick as a dog.” “That’s all right. I mean, are you sure it won’t finish him?” ~— « “Oh, no danger of that,’ laughed Chester. “He'll recover, ‘The stuff is tasteless. If your water-boy can get it into a dipper of water and hand the stuff to Merriwell, the game will go our way without a ques- tion. But don’t work this thing unless you see it’s absolutely necessary. Depend on the umpire if Wells- burg gets a lead. If the game is close up to the sixth inning, Merriwell must be plugged with the dope.” “Leave it to me,” advised Bill, as he started to turn away. “I’ll see you at Priley’s to-night. I'll be there about seven-thirty.” » The home team had fnished practise, and the visit- ors took the field. Fardale’s practise seemed a little slower than that of the locals, but still it was good enough to cause many an anxious spectator to shake his head and predict hot work. During practise Barron Black wrenched his ankle, and it was necessary for Ted Smart to go in. Already Merriwell had decided to make a change in his batting order, and the line-up of the two teams, as given to the scorers, was as follows: FARDALE. Gardner, If. Bradley, 3d b,. Smart, ss. Darrell, 2d b. Jolliby, cf. WELLSBURG. Perkins, If. Lovett, rf. Boyd, ss. Cooley, 1st b. Tindall, 3d b.» Singleton, ist b. Soul, cf. Tubbs, rf. Barry, 2d b. Buckhart, c. Madder, c. | Merriwell, p. Flick, p. Wellsburg took the field, and Fardale went to bat. “Play ball!” cried Bill Bowers, as he tossed out a clean Spalding to Flick and took his position behind the catcher. CHAPTER XI. TWO RUNS IN THE FIRST. - Gardner led off with a stinging single. Sparkfair led the Farnham Hall crowd in a cheer for Fardale. “Dern our picters!’’? whooped Obediah Tubbs, as he gamboled awkwardly onto the ‘coaching-line. _ “We're hot stuff to-day! Git a wiggle on you, Earl! ‘a: q ; Duck off that sack! Be ready to scoot! Bradley will line it out!” Instead of lining it out, Billy Bradley dumped a lit- WEEKLY. 21 Bradley was thrown out at first. “Good sacrifice, William!’ piped Obey. comes our heavy hitter!’ Ted Smart was the next man up. “T’m so frightened!” he murmured. t-r-r-r-vous!”’ “Look out for another bunt, fellows!” warned Jack Cooley. a “Here “T’m so ner- The infielders crept a little closer and held them- selves ready in case Smart bunted. Ted had taken up on his bat and seemed in form to drop a bunt into the diamond, but when Flick pitched the Fardale lad tapped the ball just hard enough to lift it over the infield. Earl Gardner was off on his way to third in a twinkling. On the coaching-line back of third Chip Jolliby danced about in a comical manner, wildly waving his long arms as he stuttered: “‘Sus-sus-sus-sprint, Gardner — sus-sus-sus-sprint! It’s a Tut-Tut-Tut-Texas Lul-Lul-Leaguer! Go home, my bub-bub-bub-boy—go home!” Over third shot Earl at full speed, making a splendid dash for the plate. Perkins secured the ball and lined it to Madder. On this throw Smart raced on from first to sec- ond. | Gardner flung himself feet foremost in a fancy slide and reached the plate in safety. Madder did not try to tag Earl, seeing it was too late to stop the run, but whistled the ball like a bullet into the hands of Barry, who had leaped toward sec- | ond. Little Ted Smart’s legs were fairly twinkling. At the proper moment while Tubbs was shrilly shrieking, “Slide! slide!’ Ted hurled himself forward and scooted up to the sack, on which his hand was resting when Barry tagged him. Bowers had rushed toward second, and he was seen to hesitate a moment before giving his decision. In the eyes of most of the spectators there was no ques- tion about what had happened at that sack. . They knew Smart had reached it safely, and there was no growling from the home team when Bowers de clared him safe. ““Sus-sus-sus-say, stis-stis-sus-say,” chattered Jolliby, .?? “that’s going some! Hal Darrell followed Ted, and Flick did his best to fan the dark-eyed lad. After having two strikes called on him, Hal smashed the ball into right field. Smart saw that Lovett could not catch the line-drive, — Se ha 22 TIP TOP so the little chap was off toward third. Lovett took the ball on the bound and whipped it to first. To many persons it seemed that Darrell reached the initial sack as soon as the ball, if not a little sooner, but Bowers promptly declared it an out. Sitting on the bench, Brad Buckhart growled. he said. “Hal had Is he on the “That was robbery, partner,” that base. How about this umpire? level ?” ““He’s, said to be all right,” answered Dick. “Well, I don’t like his style any at all. bear watching and a lot of it.” Jolliby followed Hal, and finally succeeded in bat- ting a daisy cutter out of the diamond. I opine he’ll Pretending to feel very sad and ‘disgusted, Ted Smart trotted home with the second run for the visit- ors. Big Bob Singleton walked out with his heavy bat and lifted a long fly toward the far outfield. After a hard run, Soul captured this fly, which made the third out. Flick was muttering to himself as he came in to the bench. “What’s the matter, Flick?” questioned Cooley. “A man never knows what a lot of greenhorns will strike at,” said the. disgusted Wellsburg pitcher. “Why, some of those fellows connected with balls a foot outside the pan.” | _ The Fardale lads gave Merriwell, a cheer as he walked out to the pitcher’s position. “Great Jamaica ginger!” ctied Hi Bemis. “That first inning was hot stuff! Did you Wellsburg fellers think you had a cinch to-day? I guess you'll change your minds about that.” burg boy, from the bleachers. “Wait till you see what we do to Merriwell!’’ Perkins, the lanky, swift runner of the home team, stood forth at the plate, with a confident look on his face, and promptly put up a high fly, which Buckhart _ smothered. — “Yee-e-e-e-e!” squealed Bemis, _do much, did he!” pe Bert Lovett, the second batter, was a good waiter, and he refused to go after Merriwell’s wide ones. As a result three balls were called in succession, and Dick seemed to be “in a hole.” “That feller didn’t a - “Got him, Bert!” came from Cooley. ‘em over! Make ’em be good!”’ iA Sees “The game has just begun, Bemis!” called a Wells- “He can’t put WEEKLY. Like a bullet Merriwell whipped over a straight one. “One strike!’ announced Bowers. ? A moment later another straight one followed. “Two strikes!’ came from the umpire. Again Hi Bemis gave a squeal. “Jest stand right still, Lovett,” he cried, have a chance to sit down in a jiffy!” | The batter gripped his slugger and set his teeth. . He expected Dick to pitch another straight one, but | was surprised when the ball started straight at him. . It looked like a slip on Merriwell’s part, and Lovett quickly drew back. Too late he saw the ball take a sharp curve. He thought it might pass over the plate. It did pass over the inside corner, but Bowers shouted : “Four balls! take your base!” Dick shrugged his shoulders and smiled doubtfully as Lovett trotted down to first. “Now we're off!” yelled a coacher. Boyd!” Boyd swung wildly at the first ball delivered, having been “tipped off” that Lovett would try to steal. “and you'll “Keep it going, Lovett seemed to secure a good start toward sec- ond, but the ball came into Buckhart’s hands just right for a throw, and the Texan lined it down without loss | of an instant. To the surprise of many Lovett was caught fully two yards off second and tagged out. Up popped Hi Bemis. | “It’s easy to steal on that feller—I don’t think!” he = ; yelled. “Send ’em all down! They can git there if they run fast enough!” 7 , 1 Buster Boyd looked sour and disappointed as Lovett =! came in from the diamond with his head down. eet & “T’ll have to crack it out,” thought the batter. oe I Merriwell took Buckhart’s signal and sent over the « combination ball. Ce ‘ Boyd struck under it. Ki “Two strikes!” ; ae Immediately following this, Dick delivered a slow oo ball with a speedy swing, and the batter was hand- somely fooled, for he swung much too soon. , - “You're out!” said Bowers, as the ball landed in on Buckhart’s mitt. CHAPTER Mit <0.) a RAGGED UMPIRING. Flick was on his mettle when he entered the box the i, second time. Already this clever Wellsburg pitcher had been “approached” by “scouts” from several of TIP TOP the big. colleges, who were anxious to secure him when he should leave Wellsburg. His reputation as a most remarkable young pitcher had gone far afield. No wonder he was irritated, for he realized that these “kids” from Fardale had ‘‘worked him” very cleverly in the first inning, their skill in securing two runs being little short of professional in its caliber, At the beginning of the game Flick had felt inclined to sneer at the visitors, but this feeling was rapidly melting into respect. He again toed .the slab, and __ in his heart there was a determination to show the vis- __ itors that they were “not so much.” A “Come, Flicker, old man,” shouted a voice from the crowd, “show them what you’re made of!” a _ Flick was chewing gum. He balanced himself with his toe on the slab and surveyed Obediah Tubbs. 99 “Put her right over,” invited Obey, with a moon- faced grin. “There ain’t no danger. I can’t hit any, less I shet my, eyes.” “Get back a little or I'll bust that bay window of yours!” said Flick, motioning Tubbs away from Bie plate. “Never mind the bay winder!” retorted Obey. “If : I that projects, it ain’t my fault. My feet are fur = | enough back.” 4 ie This answer annoyed Flick, who decided to drive e _ the fat boy back and promptly delivered a ball for 3 I the inside corner. fae Too late Obey seemed to realize that the ball would not curve, for when he made a move to dodge he did er ) \not have time to get out of the way. He was struck . glancingly on the stomach, whereupon he dropped his bat and started for first. “Back! back!’ commanded Bowers. “W-h-a-t?” squeaked Obediah. “He hit me!” “You didn’t try to get out of the way,” said the | umpire. oe . “By Jim! I didn’t have time.” _ . “He told you to stand back from the plate.” H “And I told him my feet was back the proper distance.” "That'll do for you!” growled Bowers. “T’ll put -you on the bench if you make any more talk to me!” _ ‘Immediately Merriwell advanced toward the\umpire. “Mr. Bowers,” he said quietly, “you have a good reputation as an umpire. I’m not going to put up an : argument with you at present. Still, I want to tell you that we propose to have our just dues here. That batter was standing in his box. The pitcher attempted WEEKLY. 23 to intimidate him by throwing a swift one at him. The batter is entitled to his base.” “Now you hold on!” grated the umpire, glaring at Dick. “Don’t you tell me what is right! If you do, I'll put you on the bench, too!” “When you do that w ee all take the bench until they give us an honest umpire,” said Merriwell. “And you'll lose your guarantee, as well as the game. Ill forfeit the game to Wellsburg. Cooley won’t pay you a cent.” “As far as the guarantee goes it wouldn’t ruin us to be robbed of that in the manner you mention, Mr. Bowers. _Wellsburg could be as proud as she pleased over a game won on such forfeit. Now, see here, at the next sign of interference I’ll protest to Cooley and the Wellsburg management. . If they don’t see fit to give us a square deal, the crowd will be disap- pointed, for ns game will stop right there. That’s all I have to say.” Dick’s eyes were flashing, and they looked straight into those of the crooked umpire, who found himself unable to return that glance. : “Put him out of the game, Bowers—put him out!” howled an excited spectator. But the umpire simply cried: “Play ball!” “Go ahead, Obey,” “You've been robbed . a pass to first, but [ don’t think it will happen again.” Tubbs, usually jovial and laughing, now looked comically savage as he resumed his position in the bat- ter’s box. Flick grinned in a sickly way, hunching his shoul- ders and teetering on his feet while Madder crouched ° behind the bat and gave a signal. Whiz! a high one came over. “One ball!” droned Bowers. A sharp drop followed, and Obediah struck over it. “Strike one!” came from the ‘umpire. Immediately following this, Tubbs caught a sharp shoot on the end of the bat and smashed it on a line into the right field. Bert Lovett made a handsome running onehinnd : catch, “Great horn spoon!” exclaimed Buckhart. another robbery! It tooked like a clean two-bagger.”’ The Texan stepped out and waited until Flick cut a corner. Then Brad laced a furious grounder out of the diamond and reached second by great running. * directed Merriwell quietly. “That's 24) RiP OP The exasperation of Flick grew apace. Could all these boys connect with the ball? It began to look that way. And the lanky pitcher swore softly to him- self. The Fardale lads rose in a body and gave Merriwell a cheer. Dick responded by dropping a little bunt toward first and then making a sensational run that landed him on the sack, while Buckhart reached third. Between Dick and Brad signals were exchanged. Earl Gardner observed. those signals and knew what they meant. “Don’t try to steal second, captain!” implored Ted Smart, who had taken the coaching-line. “You can’t do it, you know! Stay right where you are! Don’t _ get off that cushion! Don’t take a lead! We don’t want any more runs!’ ! _ This was the little fellow’s back-handed manner of urging Dick to steal. After holding Merriwell as close to first as pos- Earl swung at it with no desire to connect. Merriwell was off toward second, and Madder lined ’ the ball down. Even as the catcher made that throw Buckhart went - leaping from third along the line to the pan. _ layed it back to the plate. : Madder put it onto Brad as the Texan slid across the plate. It was very close, and had Bowers followed the umpiring rules, which say the runner should be fav- — ored, he would have declared Buckhart safe. Never- theless, he promptly pronounced it an out. The point was so fine that the visitors could not claim unfairness, yet it was evident to every un- _ prejudiced observer that Bowers did not intend to _ show the strangers any favors. “T certain don’t wonder any that Wellsburg wins at home!” muttered Brad, as he seated himself on the _ bench. “It’s mighty hard beating the umpire.” “You fellers have gut to go some if you don’t want _ to be robbed to-day!” shouted Hi Bemis, whose dis- gust would not permit him to keep still. _ Gardner compelled Flick to put one over and smote _ the ball full and fair, lifting it far into left field. Pet- kins was there, however, and scooped the fly. Merriwell ee the opportunity to Cowie to Cooley. Poy “What do you shine of this umpire, Captain Coste? " Be asked. | _ + sible, Flick whipped over a high. one for Gardner. Boyd cut in ahead of Barry, took the ball, and re- hands apart, and let the sphere go on to Darrell, who hold of the ball in time to throw Barry out. dash for the plate if Buckhart threw to. Darrell. ‘lined the ball down. WEEKLY. COURT ’ 99 Why, he’s a good man; given satisfaction here.”’ said Jack. “He’s always “Would i “Put yourself in my place,” invited Dick. | you be satisfied ?” | ; “That was a close call at the plate ” acknowledged 3 the Wellsburg lad. safe?” “Tt looked that way to me.” “You were running bases.” “Well, pass that over. You know Tubbs. should have taken first when he was hit by the ball.” “T suppose Bowers thought he let the ball hit him on purpose.” “He was in his box. Cooley, I want you to speak to the umpire. We're here to play ball, but we’re not here to be robbed. I should hate to disappoint this crowd by taking my team off the field, but Ill do it the moment I’m thoroughly satisfied that this umpire means to steal the game. I’ve been led to understand that you’re a square man and that you have no desire | | to win games unfairly.” ee “T’ll speak to him,’’ promised Cooley. He did so, warning Bowers to give the visitors everything they deserved. Of course, the umpire pro- tested that he would not think of doing anything else. — Cooley led off in the second with a safe hit, while Tindall followed with a bunt and was thrown out. Soul tried hard for a hit, but Dick’s cleverness proved too much for him, and he could not connect. He was struck out, with Cooley still lingering at second. Barry hit one into the diamond, and Darrell man- aged to cuff it down. Nevertheless, Hal could not get Cooley went to third. On the first ball pitched to Madder, Barry was away toward second. “But can you say your man was Apparently Cooley was holding himself poised 608 without an instant’s hesitation, Brad | Smart got in ahead of Darrell as if intending to take the throw and return it to the plate. : Cooley had made a fake start for home, but turned back as he saw Ted making that cut. Hak Instead of taking the ball, Smart ducked, held his Nevertheless, received it cleanly and nailed it onto Barry as the latter slid. Hal poked the ball into Barry’s ribs so- fiercely that the man was checked in his. slide anid. held with his fingers fully six inches from second. Bowers had rushed down ‘toward second, but he. paused a moment before giving his decision. There was a res for the alent of the spectators CD ee OOD er ee a * bi wm Fae could see that Darrell had caught the runner beyond question. 3 “You're out!” announced the umpire. | _ voice there seemed a touch of regret. But in his CHAPTER XIII. B THE PITCHER WHO WAS DOPED. ae ~ During the concluding half of the fifth inning _ there was great excitement, for the locals found Mer- | é riwell for three safe singles, scoring a run and landing _» two men on bases with no one out. The Wellsburgans believed their time had come, and they howled like a lot of maniacs. Fardale cut their jubilation short, for Merriwell | struck out a man and forced another to put up an in- field fly, while the third died on a high foul that was gathered in back of first by Singleton. — Fire flashed in the first of the sixth, fell onto Flick in a determined manner. When the smoke cleared away the visitors had sent three men over the plate. Out behind the bleachers Bill Kane met Chick Far- _ley, the water-boy. Chick was on his way to bring a bucket of water. “Here, you,” hissed Kane, “it’s your move! Git that dope into Merriwell as quick as you can! See?” “Sure,” nodded the boy. “He'll have to wet: his whistle pretty soon. I'll fix him.” The sixth passed with no more runs for Wellsburg. gee 2 Flick was invincible in the seventh. : | .As Merriwell left the bench to pitch he started to- ward the water-bucket. Chick Farley was watching, and he promptly scooped up a dipper of water, into which he slyly _ dropped some of the stuff provided for him. oe to Merrivwell. ve "Lead me to/it}” exclaimed Flick, as he trotted in id took the dipper out of the boy’s hand before Farley could realize what was happening. © failure as they watched the Wellsburg pitcher pagerly swallow the contents of that dipper. — ey Merriwell stood, with his hands on his hips, smiling slightly at the Bae gtieie of the local pitcher. “Excuse me,” said Flick, smacking his lips. “I ‘didn’ t notice es Merriwell. Were you after a atink 27)" 1s, “That's all right, « "said Dick, sbeepting the oe TIP TOP WEEKLY. for Fardale Every dollar I had is gone! _- “Here you are, sir,” he said, as he held out the Among the spectators two persons nearly had heart ee 23 from Flick’s hand and throwing out the small amount of water that remained in it. “I suppose this is a dry game for you.” Then he dipped his own water from the bucket and drank. Imagine the feelings of Chester Arlington. Imagine the rage of Bill Kane. No wonder Chick Farley looked dazed and temporarily forgot his duties as water-boy when still other players came up for drinks. It did not take Arlington and Kane long to get to- gether. Bill followed Chet to a secluded spot behind the grand stand. Chester was livid with rage. “A million furies!” he panted. the water Flick drank?” “I guess he did,” admitted Kane. Merriwell was going to take it.” The language which came hissing from Chet’s lips will not be printed here. For a few moments he was literally beside himself with rage. “You’ve done a fine job!” he snarled. “Your fool water-boy is a dandy! Why didn’t he throw that water out when he saw Flick was going to take it?” “Guess he didn’t have time,” said Kane. “And your old umpire’s no good! Oh, fine job!” | | “Bowers has done his best,” declared Bill) “He couldn’t be no rawer than he was. Why, even Cooley — gave him a call.” BBL “Well, I’m soaked—I’m busted! Fardale will win! What in blazes am. I_ “Did that boy dope “He thought this is a going to do?’ -“Mebbe Fardale won’t win.” “Oh, yes, she will—yes, she will! She can’t help it now! Blazes! that’s Merriwell’s luck.) It sticks — by him. I swear I can’t stand to watch any more of | this game!” 2 At this point there was a rss cheer from the) Wellsburg crowd, and the two baffled schemers hur- tied back to see what had happened. | With two men out, a Wellsburg batter had driven a three-bagger into the field. Nevertheless, the joy of — the locals was short-lived, for Merriwell struck out the next man, and the seventh inning was over. muttered Flick, as he “Wonder what’s the Bee with | “T’m feeling mighty queer,” entered the box. me?” He was disey aiid thetehat wniceaid Meuate less, he managed to get through the inning with the aid of good luck, for, although three men hit the ball, not one of them hit it safelye ic. 094) 26. 3 TIP TOP WEEKLY. Cooley implored his men to do something in the last of the eighth. The game was nearly over, and Fardale had a lead of four runs. Plainly Merriwell intended to hold that lead, for his pitching was up to the best of his ability, and not a Wellsburgan reached first. As the home team started for the field in the first of the ninth, Flick attempted to ‘rise from the bench, but fell back with a groan. | “What's the matter?” asked Cooley, in surprise, no- ting for the first time that the pitcher was white as a sheet. “I’m sick!” groaned Flick. “I can’t see! thing’s the matter with me! I can’t get up!” There was some delay at this point, and finally Cooley called for his second pitcher, Sprawl, to. warm up. The visitors waited without the slightest show of impatience while Sprawl limbered his arm. Flick was led off the field between two friends. Sprawl did handsome work in the box, although he struck no one out. The three men who faced him could not hit safely, and Wellsburg came to bat for the last time. It happened that Sprawl led off, and he opened with a screaming two-bagger that brought the great crowd up with a mighty yell. Merriwell was cool as a cake of ice when Perkins stepped into the batter’s box. On the coaching-line Cooley danced and chattered, urging Perk to keep up the good work. Perk hit a weak grounder to Merriwell, who held Sprawl at second and threw the batter out. Lovett was fooled with the combination ball and fanned the air. Dale Sparkfair called on the Farnham Hall boys to rise, and they stood in a body while they chanted “The Merry Boys” song. With his mouth dry and his eyes staring, Chester ~ Arlington watched Dick Merriwell deceive Boyd, who failed utterly in judging the shoots and benders handed Some- . a up by the Fardale pitcher. The Farnham lads roared joyously as Dick finally struck Boyd out and ended the game. “What’s the matter with that fellow?” asked more than one of the spectators, as Chester Arlington sav- avely thrust aside every one in his path, making a rush for the gate. ‘‘He’s crazy!” Snarling, almost frothing at the mouth, Chester left the field, penniless and far from home. | .* THE END. The Next Number (529) WIII Contain Dick Merriwell’s Dismay; THE DEPARTURE OF JUNE. How Chester Left Fairport—Cap’n Wiley’s Snake Story. The Sailor Spins'Another Sad Yarn—A Partnership. The Accident atthe Bridge—After the Accident. The False Spur—Dick is Challenged—Fifteen Balls in Succession—The Sailor Exposes the Sharp—An Uphill Fight—A Nervy Finish—June’s Farewell. 3p 9-87 J a About the & . kl Ew wt Lip Lop Weekly We receive hundreds of letters every week from’readers asking if we can supply the early numbers of Ge Top contain- ing Frank’s adventures. In every case we are obliged to reply that numbers 1 to 300 are entirely out of print. We would like to call the attention of our readers to the fact that the Frank Merriwell Stories now being published in book form in the Medal Library are inclusive of these early numbers. The first book to appear was No. 150 entitled “Frank Merriwell’s Schooldays.” We give herewith a éomplete list of all the stories that have been published in book form up to the time of writing. We will be glad to send a fine colored cover catalogue of the Medal Library which is just filled with good things for boys, upon receipt of a one-cent stamp to cover postage. The Price of The Merriwell Books is Ten Cents per Copy. At all Newsdealers 7 : we PPPI POP II Os Frank Merriwell at Yale. Frank Merriwell Down South. Frank Merriwell in Camp. Frank Merriwell in England. Frank Merriwell in Europe. Frank Merriwell in Maine. Frank Merriwell on the Road. Frank Merriwell’s Athletes. Medal No. 233. 10c. Frank Merriwell’s Bicycle Tour. Medal No. 217. 10c. Frank Merriwell’s Book of Physical Development. : Diamond Hand-Book No. 6. 10c. Medal No. 193. 10c. Medal No, 240. 10c, Medal No. 271. 106. Medal No. 167. 10¢. Medal No. 312. 10c. Medal No. 225. 10c. Medal No. 267. 10c. Medal No. 251. 10c. Medal No. 229. 10c. Medal No. 308. 10c. Medal No. 284, 10c. Medal No. 178. -10c. Medal No. 320. 10c. Medal No. 336, 10c. & Medal No. 292. 10c. § Medal No. 197. 10e. Medal No. 254. 10a & Medal No. 324. 10c. & Medal No. 288. 10c. & Medal No. 304.. 10c. & Medal No. 316. 10c. Medal No. 828. .10c. Medal No. 296. . 10c. Medal No. 213. 10c. Medal No. be BOS Medal No. 189. 10c. Medal No. 258. 10c. Medal No. 340. 10c. Medal No. 204. 10c. Medal No. 276... 10c. Medal No. 800. 10c. Frank Merriwell’s Bravery: Frank Merriwell’s Champions. Frank Merriwell’s Chase. Frank Merriwell’s Chums. Frank Merriwell’s College Chums, Frank Merriwell’s Courage. Frank Merriwell’s Cruise. Frank Merriwell’s Danger. Frank Merriwell’s Daring. Frank Merriwell’s Fame. Frank Merriwell’s First Job. Frank Merriwell’s Foes. Frank Merriwell’s Fortune. Frank Merriwell’s Great Scheme. Frank Merriwell’s Hard Luck. Frank Merriwell’s Hunting Tour. Frank Merriwell’s Loyalty. Frank Merriwell’s New Comedian. Frank Merriwell’s Opportunity. Frank Merriwell’s Own Company. Frank Merriwell’s Problem. Frank Merriwell’s Prosperity. & Frank Merriwell’s Protege. Frank Merriwell’s Races. Frank Merriwell’s Return to Yale. Frank Merriwell’s School-Days. Frank Merriwell’s Secret. Frank Merriwell’s Skill. Frank Merriwell’s Sports Afield. Frank Merriwell’s Stage Hit. Frank Merriwell’s Struggle. Frank Merriwell’s Trip West. ° Frank Merriwell’s Vacation. .. 262. eae ee time to time. iP TOP NEW YORK, May 26, 1906. TERMS TO TIP TOP WEEKLY MAIL SUBSCRIBERS. (Postage Free.) Single Cepies er Back Numbers, Sc: Bach. B MONS... ncccosccccccsescoess 650. | ONG Year. ......ccccccccecce «++--82.50 4 months...... Adcaeevcone ae das 850. | 2 copies one year.............. 4.00 MP MUGUGUE debs bucccisdsnewssouss $1.25 | 1 copy two years.............- 4.00 How to Send Money—By post-office or express money order, registered letter, bank check or draft, at our risk. At your own risk if sent by currency, coin, or postage stamps in ordinary letter. Receiptse—Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper change of number on your label. If not correct you have not been properly credited, and should let us know at once. d STREET & SMITH’S TIP TOP WEEKLY, 79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York City. TIP TOP ROLL OF HONOR. Following the suggestion of Mr. Burt L. Standish, that appeared in his letter to Tip Top readers in No. 480, the following loyal Tip Toppers have won for themselves a place on our Honor Roll for their efforts to increase the circulation of the King of Weeklies. Get inline boys and girls and strive to have your name at the head of the list, TIP ( Richard Anderson, Pres., Baltimore, [Id. TOP + Alfred I. Hart, Vice.-Pres. se CLUB ‘ Joe Balzer, Treas. aes Sam Havery, 709 Santa Clara Avy., Alameda, Cal. Walter G. Whitehead, 328 Warren Ave., Chi- cago, Ill. Purnell H. Pitts, 934 Ellis St., Augusta, Ga. Harold fianee, 121 Vanderbilt Ave., Bklyn, N.Y. Calico Jim, 256 Jackson Boulevard, Flanagan, Ill. . An IIlionoisian, Rockford, Ill. Wm. Schwartz, 3026 Third Ave., N. Y. The names of other enthusiastic Tip Toppers will be added from Send in the result of your efforts to push the circula- tion of your favorite weekly and win a place on the Roll of Honor. APPLAUSE. Owing to the number of letters received, the editors of Tip Top g - cannot undertake to secure their publication under six weeks. Those who contribute to this department must not expect to see them before ge it is and what _» T have been reading Tip Top for some time, and I wish to say that I think it is the best book out for boys. There is another athletic(?) weekly which has more murders, etc., than all the other detective books put together; every one knows which one ne baseball stories(?) it publishes. _.I have started lots of boys reading Trp Tor who had never read it before, and most of them have been reading it ever since. The news-de : r of whom I buy the Tip Top says he sells more Tip Tops®than all of the other books put together, and you may rest assured that I am always one of the first to get there, for fear there won’t be any left. - 328 Warren Avenue, Chicago, Ill. Watrer G. WHITEHEAD. Pe A very interesting letter. It is such a good one, Walter, that your name will appear on the Roll of Honor, scent weekly published, or ever will be published. WEEKLY. 27 Not seeing any letters in the Applause from this vicinity, and not wishing to be left behind by the host of Tir Tor admirers, I will try to tell what I think of the king of weeklies. I began reading them with No. 320, was interested at once, and always regretted that I did not begin with No. 1. Though there are several imitations, with names similar to Tir Top, there are none that can give the good moral lessons and fine characters like the stories Mr. Standish writes. Ss. B Camden, N. J Your city has been represented in this column before, but, apparently, the letters escaped your notice. We have at last started a Tie Top correspondence and post- card exchange club, and would like all readers who are inter- ested in corresponding and exchanging post-cards to join, espe- cially our foreign friends. ; All information as to fees, etc., may be had from the secre- ary. Hoping to hear from all who are interested in this club, we remain, yours respectfully, Pe Tee Ts ee President, Hugh F.’ Hazen, 38 Mosley Avenue,’ Memphis, Tenn.; vice-president, E. A. Parker, 323 East Broad Street, Burlington, N. J.; secretary-treasurer, E. J: Bartlett, 42 Leonard Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. If any of our readers are interested in a Trp Top correspond- ence club they should write at once to the secretary, who will give them all the desired information. * Having read the Tie Top for a number of years, and not having read all the stories from No. 200 to 303, I would be pleased if somebody who has them would write and send me his address. I will pay him six cents a-copy for them. I have got one thousand copies of seven or eight different weeklies, and if there is any one who wants to trade or buy some, I will sell them to him cheap enough. I read six different weeklies, but of them all Tip Top takes the cake. E. WALTER WADHAMS. R, F. D. No. 2, Axtell, Neb. A very enthusiastic Tip Topper. As I have never seen a letter in the Applause from this place, I thought I would write and give my opinion of the king of weeklies. Frank and Dick are about equal, in my opinion, and I hardly know which I like the best, although most of the boys of this place prefer Frank. I think Tie Top is the best five- I%have only had Tip Top from No. 400 to date, but I have read a great many back numbers, and have read as far back as No. go. I like all of Frank’s crowd, and I enjoyed the baseball stories last summer. — Kane, II. Lacey D. Irwin. The baseball stories were fine, but how do you like Frank’s school of physical development? Being an ardent reader of Trp Top for going on eight years, allow me to express my opinion of the characters. _ Earl Gardner, Dave ‘Flint, and Hal Darrell don’t get enough of a show. Your best characters are Frank, Bart, Buck, and Dave Flint. Please tell me if Nos. 1, 5, 120, 380, and 420 are in print? 1r Short Street, Lawrence, Mass. Grace LANGFoRD. Nos. 380 and 420 of the Tre Tor Weekty are in print, and can be obtained upon receipt of price, five cents. hese May I say just a few words in praise of your great weekly? I He will not take much space, as I know there are so many others. — I have read the stories since the first number, and think the characters are well picked to form godd clean stories. I prefer — Frank and his followers to the others, but I suppose ‘that is be= cause I am an older reader, for stories of Dick and his “flock” are just as interesting and show the same self-sacrificing and honest natures. ‘ I also find the Applause columns very interesting, and never. fail to read the many letters there. Fount. — San Francisco, Cal. eF There are so many letters coming to the Applause column in each mail, and our space is so limited, that we are compelled fe ch ha 28 to leave out a good many. We would like to print every letter, but we are obliged to confine ourselves to a selection of those which are striking and original and likely to prove of general interest to all our readers. I have been a reader of Tre Top for five years, and have written to the Applause column before. I have decided to try again. Of the characters in Tip Top, I like Hal Darrell and Earl Gardner best, and of the girls, my favorite is June. I admire, or rather would admire, Chet’s “stick-to-it-iveness” were it used to a better purpose. I “have a feeling” for Rob Rioden, whom, I believe, has the material for a very good man in him. I would express my opinion of Dick, only so many other readers. have expressed it before that it is unnecessary. Suffice it to say that I admire him very much. Butte, Mont. A Girt From “THE ROCKIES.” An interesting he a young lady living in the greatest copper “camp” in the ‘world. I have read your king of all weeklies for boys from No. 1 up to the present issue. I attend Haines Institute, and I have succeeded in getting fifty boys to form the Tip Top League of the South. All of our members read Tie Tor. I am president, and we drew our constitution from Tie Tor. All of my friends read Tip Top. ®, PurNELL H. Pitts, President of the T. T. L. of the South. 934 Ellis Street, Augusta, Ga. You are a real hustler. Such a young man deserves his name on the Roll of Honor. The Burt L. Standish stories are ahead of anything ever pub- @ lished in the line of juvenile fiction. I am pleased to know that* such an author was born, to give to the American public such a sefies of adventures, and, at the same time, give tfs an ideal American boy. When reading these stories, think how much we differ from Frank and Dick Merriwell. I use neither tobacco, coffee, nor tea. Of course I do not use liquor. W. S. Denning, Ark. Burt L. Standish has a larger reading public than any other writer of juvenile fiction. I have read your king of all weeklies for boys from No. t _Not havfng seen any letters in Applause from this city, I de- cided to express my opinion of Trp Top Weexty. It is a great weekly for boys and girls, both. I think if the boys would do as Frank and Dick have done they would be doing something nearly right. An Ixurnots Lassie. Centralia, Ill. All our readers have been benefitted by the example of Frank and Dick’s noble conduct. - ‘ Sf This will make the second time I have written to Tip Top. I have read the book since it first appeared, and have not _ missed one single number. It is certainly very instructive, as well as entertaining and amusing. _ All the characters are true to life, and nothing in the story is impossible. In fact, they are very true to life, and show the skill of the author in arranging them. : Respectfully, L. J. Morcan. - Beverly; Mass, One always gains a great deal by reading Tir Top. Allow me to introduce myself as one of the readers of Tre Tor an _ for the last nine years, and also to say that it is the best weekly I ever saw. I have a éollection of Tire Tors, which I think ‘a good deal of, but there are some back numbers missing. If amy readers have Nos. 6, 14, 10, 20, 25, 29, or 196, that they would like to sell, I am a prospective buyer. If the cover is gone I do not care, for I only save the reading-matter and have them bound. In between Fridays I like to read the old numbers almost as well as I do the new ones. Harotp HANCE. - Ia Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Such a Tip Top enthusiast as you deserves to have his name on the Roll of Honor. | \ TIP “TOP WEEKLY. _quarterlies. Being a constant reader of the Tip Top, I will take the pleasure of expressing my opinion of it. I have read many other novels, but think it is the best. Whenever Friday comes, I go to the news-stand and get the Tip Top. As soon as I get through reading it I give it to some other boys who have never read them. I have tried to get up a club, and have got ten in it already. Cauico Jim. 256 Jackson Boulevard, Flanagan, Ill. Your name will appear on the Roll of Honor. I have been a reader of Tre Top WerExkty from No. 1 to the latest number. Please give my best regards to Burt L. Standish and S. & S. Here’s hoping they will live for many years and continue to give us the same brand of stories as in the past. 428 WwW ood Street, Vineland, N. J. Wo. STADLER. We not only intend to give our readers stories as good as those which have already appeared, but they will be better. Being ‘a constant reader of the king of weeklies, and not seeing any letters from Havana, I think it is about time for me to give my opinion. My favorites are Dick, Frank, Brad, Bart, Bruce Browning, Diamond, Ready, Smart. Never yet have I come across a book one-third as good as Tip Top. Havana, Cuba. MarciAL LaprapbA. Here is a letter from the Pearl of the Antilles. I have been reading Tre Tor for a long time, and my only complaint is that it is not published often enough. Can’t you possibly get it out at least twice a week? I read it every Friday afternoon, and it seems so long to wait a full week for another number. Jesse J. JENNINGS. If Tie Tor were published twice a week, as you suggest, then some one would want to see it come out every day; and it would soon be like the editions of the New York afternoon papers, which come out every hour. We want to give you time to at least sleep and eat! : The way I came to read Tie Top was rather peculiar. About two years ago I had an old number laying around the house, “Dick Merriwell’s Stroke; or, Unmasking the Man of Mystery.” I kept it, thinking that I would read it when Igjust couldn’t get anything else. One Saturday afternoon, a dismal, rainy day, I thought I would read it. Well, the time went so quickly that an hour seemed like ten minutes. It wasn’t long before I had all the available back numbers. A friend of mine secured all the The way we devoured those books was a caution! I have now read from No. 1 to date. Harry Mason. 1117 Maple Avenue, Terre Haute, Ind. You have had many hours of keen enjoyment reading the famous Tre Top WEEKLY. I have been a reader of Trp Top WeExkLy from No. 1 to date, and expect to read them as long as I live. I like “Dick,” but he can’t take the place of dear old “Frank” with me. I think Mr. Standish the best character-drawer of the age, and I’ know using Frank as a model has helped me over many a stumbling- block. A KENTUCKIAN. 205 St. Ann Street, Owensboro, Ky. Always take Frank as a model, and you will never go amiss. As this is my second letter to the Applause, I will try and | I still ride twenty-three miles for the king of © make it short. weeklies, and you can put me down as one who will always stand up for them. ' Hoping to see this escape the waste-basket, I will close, with three cheers for S. & S., B. L., and Tre Top characters. I re- main, as ever, Bucx JoHNSoN. Santa Paula, Cal. alts A thing has to be exceptionally good before one rides twenty- three miles week after week to get it. IT am a young girl admirer of the Tre Top, and have been us reading it for quite a long time, and as I have taken great pleas- __ Wee ee ge S; Le it {e CP te Ny ws, ae ot _Fardale? : Pp Top. gut to Kansas, if you will visit me, I will fill you up on all Breit ure in reading the Applause, and not seeing any letters from our city for a long time, I thought I’d write. Of all the Tip Top characters, I like Frank and Dick the best. I think Frank and Dick are the truest and noblest specimens of the American boy. If I were a boy I’d follow their ways and quit that awful smoking and chewing that so many boys are now indulging in. Yours truly, WIsconsIN BLUE EYEs. Superior, Wis. The great majority of our readers have taken Frank and Dick as models, and find that their characters have improved as a result. | _ Well, here I am, away from over the Golden Gate, from: that city that, has grown so much in commercial enterprises and population in the last few years—in fact, from ’Frisco. It may not be as big as your city, but, gee whiz! if it keeps on a-going at this rate, why, it'll just cut you Out, that’s all. Why, you won’t be able to notice you at all. Now, I hope New Yorkers won't get insulted, but what I have told in these few sentences is a well-known fact the world over; and, another thing: I bet we sell very nearly as many Tip Tops here as you do. Why, every house you go to the boys have ’em, and if they have no boys, why, the girls have ’em—it’s that way in my house—and. if there ain’t any kids, why, the old man reads ’em, and, I tell you, aed one that reads ’em thinks they can’t be beat, including myself, Why, I just got through reading the last number, and I wish there was about a dozen more pages, "cause it’s like a good novel—when you get interested, why, you just hate to stop. Ain’t I right, boys? - Well, Dick’s all right, and, it seems to me, if I had a brother I would like to have him follow in his footsteps. But I wish Frank and his crowd would come back to dear old Fardale, for, even though I’m only a girl, I do enjoy the college sports ’tween Fardale and Fairport. I go to business college, and 1 know how ao the boys are when a baseball or football-match goes on; but ’tain’t half as interesting as your books. 339 Grove Street, San Francisco. Cal. Dear old San Francisco! You certainly do not intend to let people think that that beautiful and enterprising city has neg- lected to show its appreciation of Tir Top. RosEesup PHILLIPS. I have been an interested reader of the Tre Top Weexty for two years, and I really do not think the paper has its equal. I will do my utmost to increase the circulation of the Tir Top WEEKLY in our town. I have secured five of six new readers ready. An ILLINOISIAN. Rockford, Ill, We appreciate your efforts in behalf of Tre Tor’s circulation, and will place your name on the Honor Roll as a reward. This is my second letter to our dear old Tie Tor. I wish to report the doings of the Bronx Tip Top Club of the Bronx, of which I am president. Our membership now numbers forty. Twenty-five of these ardent’ Tip Toppers were secured by our vice-president, Mr. John Wienants. Those of our club who never read Trp Top before fight for it now. I have a few early Tie Tops to exchange for other ones. Wma. ScHwartz. 3026 Third Avenue, New York. Your vice-president deserves to have his name on the Honor Roll. I have read the Tip Top Weerxty from No. 1 to date, and not having written before, thought I would write. Any reader who desires back numbers of Tip Top may obtain them by sending their list to me. CraiG NIcHOoLs. Chili, N. Y. Some of our readers have been complaining of not being able to get certaim Back numbers. It seems as if here was a chance for them to get what they want. Mr. Osepian Tupss: Hello, Obed! how’s things going at I have read Tip Top every week, and when you come kinds of pie. Your pards, Dick, Brad, and all the rest of the \ TIP TOP WEEKLY. 209 flock, are the “genuine article.” I have read Tie Top for over two years, and the games you fellows play are so good that I can almost see you play. I hear that Frank is having a hot time out West again. J.am sure that he will win out in the end. Now, Obed, you just show this te the rest of the boys, and say hello to all of them for me, and don’t forget to answer this. You tell Brad-to soak Chester Arlington once for me. The best girl for Dick is June, ain’t she? Now, if you get out in Kansas during your vacation this summer, you just call on me. What a time we will have! Your friend, J. E. Smirx. Mound City, Kan. J. E. Smrra. My Lone-Lost Frrenp: It was good for sore eyes to read your letter. I did not know what had become of you, but I don’t need to worry, having found you again. So you will fill me up on pie when I get to Mound City. I know what good pie is made in youf town, and can only say, “Go ahead and feed me with it all you want to.” I sha’n’t miss spending my vaca- tion with you this summer. Meet me on the ten-thirty train the second Friday in July. Yours till then, OsEDIAH TUBBS. As I have read quite a number of the Tip Tops, and think them the best books published for boys, I thought I would send a word of praise to it. Burt L. Standish is certainly a learned man. I would like to join the postal-card idea. C. V. WHITTIMORE. Adams, N. Y. Burt L. Standish is the most popular writer of juvenile fiction in America, I think I am capable of expressing my opinion of this excel- lent weekly. I have been a constant reader for over seven years, and during that time I have done my best to push the circu- lation of the best weekly published. I have read several other weeklies, but the Tie Top beats them all. If I don’t see this in print, I will believe there is no Applause column at all. heeling, W. Va. J. W: Borum. There were so many letters to go in before yours that you did not see it till some time after writing; but here it is at last, and you can judge whether there is a real Applause column or not. * I have never seen a letter from Bedford in the Applause column, and I wish you to know how much it is appreciated by | us. I ama pupil of the Bedford High School. Of all the week- lies, I like Trp Top the best. I have read a little of everything. For the building up of character of the modern American boy, Tie Tor surpasses them all. I like the numbers about sports—_ football, skating, and baseball—best. Those about school life are also very good and amusifig, In the high school we are just starting a library, and we are getting books that really make a person better for having read them. One of the teachers has promised to look over a Tie Top, and if she thinks that it is all right, we will have it in the library. kK. Kyte McCormick." Bedford City, Va. Your teacher will find nothing objectionable in Tre Top, and we dare say will suggest that it be put on file in your library» when she sees what a real moral force the publication has proved to be. I think that Tre Top is the best and most beneficial weekly: published, as it sets forth unexcelled models for the American — youth to follow. It awakens a slumbering spirit, which might, if it had not been for Tip Top, never been aroused. The following numbers I wish to exchange: 191, 213, 221, 220, 238, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, = 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 398, 402; 426, 427, 428, 430, 434, 460, Any one wishing to exchange books with me please send the numbers of the books they have before sending the books them- _ selves, as I might have read the ones they have. Roy E. Neat 616 Broadway, Knoxville, Tenn. - Here is a good big list to choose from. Pror. FouRMEN: Kindly tell me the correct weight of a person 5 feet 6% inches tall; also the record of the 16-pound shot and one-mile run. T. Houston. 5816 Alder Street, Pittsburg, Pa. 1. About 135 pounds. 2..American record for 16-pound shot putting is 47 feet, made by G. R. Gray, Chicago, IIl., September 16, 1893. 3. The record for one-mile run is 4 minutes 15 3-5 seconds, made by T. P. Conneff, Travers Island, New York, August 28, 1895. _Pror. Fourmen: As I am a reader of Tip Top, I will take the liberty to ask you a few questions. My age is 12 years 4 months ; weight, 75 pounds; height, 4 feet 714 inches; chest, normal, 29 inches ; expanded, 31 inches; forearm, 8 2-3 inches; wrist, 6 inches; biceps, 812 inches; flexed, 9 inches; ‘waist, 26 inches; neck, 1134 inches; thighs, 16 inches; calves, 1134 inches; ankles, 8% inches. How are my measurements? How do I compare with other boys of my age? How can I grow taller? I exercise with a pair of one-pound dumb-bells—are they the right weight? I indulge in all the.outdoor sports I can, such as baseball, foot- ball, tennis, swimming, ice hockey, and jumping, etc. Is this good? I will close with best wishes to Street & Smith and Burt L. Where can I obtain a good book on swimming? Bedford City. i Sam Berry. ~ You are on the right road to become an athlete, my boy. Just keep it up, and in four or five years you ought to develop into a strong, active young man. A. G. Spalding & Co. of New - York, publish a hand-book on swimming; price, ten cents. Pror. FourMEN: I am 5 feet 9 inches tall, and am 14 years 5 months old. I weigh 168 pounds. can expand my chest 214 inches. Is that good? I go to th Y. M. C. A. Would you advise me to keep it up? I am somewhat clumsy. How can I overcome this? Do you think smoking a pipe once in awhile is harmful? If that is so, I will stop at once. “A CLEVELANDER.” Cleveland, O. e - You are quite heavy, but continue your work in the Y. M. C. A. gymnasium to reduce it. Pipe smoking is the least harmful of tobacco indulgences, but I would advise you not to smoke at all. _ Pror. Fourmen: Please advise me how I can develop my weak points. My measurements were taken stripped. Age, 16 years 3 months; height, 5 feet 3 inches; weight, 118 pounds; neck, 13% inches; chest, expanded, 3614 inches; waist, 29% inches; _ biceps, natural, 10 inches; expanded, 11% inches; wrist, 6% inches; forearms, 934 inches; thighs, 18 inches; calves, 12 inches; ankles, 8% inches. 1. How can I reduce my waist measurement, and develop my wind? 2. How can I enlarge my biceps and shoulders? 3. Does coffee hurt the wind? 4. How do my measurements compare with others of the same’age and height? _ Kansas City. — A Fat Losster. | Regulate your diet, avoiding fattening foods, like potatoes and beans. Eat no pastry, drink no malt liquors or coffee. Eat only two meals a day. ‘Do not take any more meat than one slice of old mutton. Walk five miles every day, and take Turkish —:* AM -a food, and is beneficial. Do not worry about being short- winded if it occurs when exercising. You are fairly well-built, but use dumb-bells for your arms. : > ANSWI Be@rTs & ar baths. Massage your waist before going to bed with hot water. } Pulley weights will develop your arms and shoulders. You are larger than the average boy of your age. bs ! ; iI q Pror. Fourmen: As I have read Tie Top for three years, I take the liberty to give you my medSurements to review and com- ‘ ment on. I am 1s years of age; height, 5 feet 2 inches; weight, ei 120 pounds; chest, normal, 31 inches; expanded, 34 inches; waist, 27% inches; biceps, normal, 101% inches; flexed, 1214 inches; forearm, 11 inches; neck, 14 inches; thighs, 20/4 inches; calf, 14% inches; ankle, 8 inches; wrist, 614 inches. My large calves and thighs came from bicycle riding, which I have indulged in since I was eight years old; would you advise me to reduce them, or let them alone? Why is it that I can chin nine times or more with two hands, while I can hardly hold on with one hand? I do not smoke nor drink. What will increase my height? Thank- ing you, Livincston Howe. : Philadelphia, Pa. | $y. Your weight is good, but your biceps are a little small. It is not necessary for you to reduce the size of the calves and thighs. One arm must be very weak. Be careful not to put too much strain upon it. There are no artificial means of increasing one’s } height. * ee © = Shs Pror. Fourmen: As I am a lover of the well-known Tip Top t WEEKLY, I take liberty in asking a few questions. Here are my measurements: Age, 13% years; weight, 89 pounds; height, 4 feet 11 inches; chest, normal, 29 inches; expanded, 32 inches ; neck, 12% inches; waist, 27 inches; biceps, 9 inches; forearm, 9 inches; hips, 20 inches; calves, 12 inches. What would give me staying power and wind? Do you think there are chances of my becoming an all-round athlete? Have sometimes a dull and tired feeling. Cause of this, and remedy? North Philadelphia. . WipENER ScHOoL ATHLETE. Do not worry about whether you are the right build or not. Remember that at your age you are only starting to grow, as © % it were. Later on you may develop into an athlete. The feel- ing you complain of is caused by overeating. Pror. FourMEN: Being a constant reader of the great Trp Top WEEKLY, I take great pleasure in asking you these few ques- tions: I am twelve years old; height, 4 feet 614 inches; weight, af 60 pounds; shoulders, 13 inches; expanded, 14% inches; waist, Tas 20 inches; thigh, 13%4 inches; calf, 814 inches; forearm, 644 Nd inches; neck, 11 inches; left wrist, 514 inches; right wrist, 5S cee inches. My arms are not very large. I am short-winded. Will coffee or cocoa hurt me? Isapor LIBMAN. _ Texarkana, Ark. Give up the use of coffee; it ‘is bad for the nérves. aia has aici Cocoa is Pror. FourMen: Would you kindly look over my measure-— and answer me a few questions? Age, 15; height, 5 feet ments PS se ae we NES wie Lae Goere 5% inches; weight, 132 pounds with clothes on; chest, 33 inches; expanded, 3614 “4, inches; calf, 144% inches; hips, 36% inches; fore- arm, 914 inches; biceps, 11 inches; wrist, 614 inches; waist, 28 inches; thighs, 20 inches. How are my measurements? I can chin myself-seven times I-do the hundred yards in 11 I-5 sec- onds. I can do 16 feet flat on the running broad jump and 7% feet on the standing broad. Are these jumps fair for my age and measurements? I can jump 4 feet 8 inches on the high jump, and 3 feet 4 inches on the standing high jump. F play all outdoor sports, and this fall had my back injured in a game of football. The doctor gave me some liniment, but it did not seem to help it. In what book could I find a development for the back. Roy Hopkins. Philadelphia, Pa. Your measurements and records ate very good for a boy of your age. The lame back you speak of should have rest just at present more than anything else. Avoid exercise, for it will injure it. Do not play any more games uftil it is thoroughly well. . ra Pror. FourMEN: Please answer a few qtiestions in regard to my measurements. I am 14 years 10 months old; weight, 123 pounds; am 5 feet 6 inches tall; neck, 1334 inches; chest, normal, 34 inches; expanded, 36 inches ; biceps, 12 inches; forearm, 1014 inches ; wrist, 7 inches; waist, 29 inches; thigh, 19 inches; calf, 1234 inches. Am I heavy enough? How is my chest measure- ment? How are my measurements for a boy of my age? Chicago, IIl. Av Berry. You need weight, but will grow in the next few years and také on several pounds. Your chest lacks two inches. Your measurements, on the gvhole, are very good for a boy of your age. Pror. FourMen: Having read the Trp Top Weexty for over four years, and being a great admirer of it. and its heroes, again at night before going to bed. TIP. TOP WEEKLY. 3r Frank, and Dick, and their friends, I take the liberty of asking you a few questions as to how I can become an athlete. I am I5 years 8 months old, 5 feet 434 inches tall, though I consider myself small. I weigh 143 pounds, and my waist is 3314 inches. I play in all the outdoor sports to decrease my waist and weight, but instead it seems to increase. Kindly answer these qtiéstions! 1. How can I become taller? 2. How can I decrease my weight and waist? 3. My build might show that I have some strength, and I am often taken for about 17 or 18 years old. 4. Can you tell me the price of the book called “Frank Merriwell on Ath- letic Development” ? SED: G, Chicago, Ill. Long cross-country tuns will reduce your weight. Train hard in a gymnasium, avoid fatty or sugary «foods. Take Turkish baths. This will take flesh off your whole body. Your waist is not so very much larger than the normal size. The volume you mefition will be mailed postpaid to you upon receipt of 14 cents. Pror, Fourmen: I would like you to outline me a course of training for a person who works from seven in the morring till six in the evening. If I could not get any more of your weeklies I would not sell mine for five dollars. With three cheers for Dick Merriwell, I remain, yours, A. J. MARQUARD. Tombstone, Ariz. If yours is a sedentary occupation you should get all the exer cisé possible. Use dumb-bells and Indian clubs in the morning ~ after you have taken deep breathing exercises for five minutes Then punch the bag. When you have exercised for fifteen or twenty minutes, take a sponge bath. Go through the sarne thing If you have time take a brisk run in the early morning. Tombstone’s hard, sandy, un-= paved streets, if only longer, would make an ideal running track for you. TIP TOP BASEBALL TOURNAMENT IS NOW OPEN. - declared the winners. _ The two teams which, at the end of the season, have the highest average—the members of which play the greatest number of games, score the most runs and have lost the least number of games, will be” Of the two winning teams, the one having the higher average will be declared the TIP TOP CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM OF THE ALL-AMERICAN BASEBALL TOURNAMENT FOR 1906, and will receive a large pennant bearing the above device. Each winning team will receive a full equipment fornine members, consisting of trousers, shirt, stockings, shoes and cap. DON’T FAIL TO SEND IN YOUR COUPON AT ONCE. No notice taken of any score not entered on this coupon. Coupons must be properly made out. One coupon for each game, Is thisnot worth working for, boys? - NAMES OF TEAM. ete w ew ene eee eee ee ee COCR Oe EOE BE ORES! * CORO O Reem wet eee eee wennnw ee ee penn eeeenen ae een ee Ree ee REE Ee ee sae esenee waeeneeeeree eee wesenes TOO OOO EO EEE EOE Eee wrncnee . TIP TOP BASEBALL TOURNAMENT COUPON. NAME OF TEAM ene mewwen ee ee ed TOWN.... weer e enn : inset LA loesitel eee eww ennen OPPONENT’S NAME Peer eeer ry) en key omeer Sn lece POSITION. . Pitcher Catcher ete eeenerewnwnereceeercees (sub cn debe asisedisd ennd amaaw cipal asevenses 4 Fst Base. Lncceccesnccacccess Sik aiintey ha Roki ounemasspconsts dowaasnns weoade 2d Base pennants pidiidectil aA Andeniad Seana enigladsaeins seasusane beech} 3d Base DN SOB. ccunstecin seco kere ies sche dcasqabuscdnesenetsede dgriedds aohou sens * R. Field Seer ewww een ee SOOO ORC OR He Re ewes marr ewer eereewee Soeeeee eeweetoanvoess C. Pield Lis ncvesbiasden Seer eee emeweowere Oe rem rem creeoewewawre ter er ww owe “« , L. Field WINNER. ...-+.+0+ Geugkwadeucn Wen thaeta cone sacs FINAL SGORE......--« baa hs eae MIR Po ss oak ct Lee oie) caus akcenecea NAMES OF TEAM. OOOO RHEE EOHE REE OHM E ROMO oe Oe eee enw ene ee ewneee puenewe werneee [oO MO Mowe we nnn soe aetna een wne ewww newn Se wenn eeeweene oe -enene COREE EERE EERE EEE OREO EEE ORE R EERO ee oO RR REE EERE ER Ree ee E EERE EEE EERE TEES The Greatest Baseball Story ever written, by the most popular writer of stories of athletics in the world, Burt L. Standish, will appear as a serial, commencing in the July number of The Popular Magazine for sale at all news stands for ten cents per copy on June 10. The announcement of a new, long story by Mr. Standish will interest practically every young man in the United States. Every one who has ever read the Frank Merriwell stories, every one who is interested in the least in the great national game of baseball, every one who likes a story of action and incident in which every _ character is real and true to life,is sure to readthis ® story, which is entitled “THE ROCKSPUR NINE.’ It is the story of a baseball nine, but above all, it is the story of a real, human character—a young man with plenty of good points but with plenty of failings also. ‘In reading the history of his temptations, of his strug- gles and final victory, you feel toward him as toward a comrade and friend. You know, without being told, that Burt L. Standish can describe a game of baseball as can no other author. You know that he is absolutely unequaled in his ability to interest and hold his readers. This announcement will serve as a friendly hint to you to secure the copy of Zhe Popular contain- ing the first instalment in advance. ‘Tens of thousands are awaiting another long story by Mr. Standish, and the edition is sure to be sold out within a short time ’ after its appearance on the news stands. THE POPULAR MAGAZINE is the only magazine for young men. It is the only magazine which contains NOTHING but STORIES OF ADVENTURE. It is the largest fiction magazine issued. There are no “articles” in it, no poems, no love stories, nothing but stories of incident and dashing adventure. It costs 10c. at any news stand. STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK NS ee A GRAND IDE “THE old popular favorite, Frank Merriwell, has signalized his triumphant return to the pages of TIP TOP, beginning with No. 512, by opening a novel SCHOOL OF ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT where he has put into practice some clever schemes long entertained, with the idea of building up the constitutions of backward lads. Here, there has naturally opened up a glorious opportunity for meeting new characters; while the strange adventures and thrilling situations connected with up-to-date American sports are handled as only Frank Merriwell knows how. The famous TIP TOP promises great things from this time on to its world- wide circle of admirers, and with this novel field open to such a talented pen, you may rest assured, boys, Burt L. Standish will spread such a feast before you as has never before been dreamed of. Tell all your young friends that Frank has come back to his own, better equipped than ever to arouse the interest and enthusiasm.of his vast army of boy admirers. Consult the catalogue below for titles. 512—Frank Merriwell’s New Idea; or, The American School of Athletic Development. 513—Frank Merriwell’s Trouble; or, Enemies of the School. 514—Frank Merriwell’s Pupils; or, The Wizards of Water Polo. 515—Dick Merriwell’s Satisfaction: or, Hot. Work at Indoor Baseball, 516—Dick Merriwell’s Discernment; or, The Heroism of a Coward. 517—Dick Merriwell’s Friendly Hand; or, The Boy Who Was Saved. 518—Frank Merriwell’s New Boy; or, The Folly of Dale Sparkfair. 519—Frank Merriwell’s Mode; or, Winning the Confidence of a Wild Lad. 520—Frank Merriwell’s Aids; or, “The Secret Order of Scalp Lifters.” 52\—Dick Merriwell’s Visit; or, Hot Times at Farnham Hall. 522—Dick Merriwell’s Retaliation; or, Fardale Against Farnham Hall. 523—Dick Merriwell’s Rival; or, Dale Sparkfair at Fardale. 524—Frank Merriwell’s Young Crew; or, The Mystery of the Boat House. 525—Frank Merriwell’s Fast Nine; or, Champions of the County. Price, Five Cents. For sale by all newsdealers, or sent postpaid by the publishers STREET @ SMITH, Publishers, NEW YORK