APRIL 19,1913

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- He winced under the sting of the other’s words.

_ spasmodically.
-clared.

| _ better than young Merriwell,” he answered sharply.

  

 

UIP 148

 
 

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No. 38. NEW YORK, April 19, 1913. Price Five Cents.

 

Frank Merriwell, Junior’s, Cross-country Race;
Or, THE MYSTERIOUS COMPETITOR.

By BURT L. STANDISH.

CHAPTER I.

“ANYTHING TO BEAT MERRIWELL.”

,

A sneer curled the mustached lip of the man who was
called “Spider” Morris, His shrewd, shifty eyes half
closed and there was something akin to contempt in them
as they rested on the youth in front of him.

“Spink,” said he, in a jeering voice that’ was not with-
out a touch of anger and disappointment, “you’re no good.
Young Merriwell can run circles all around you, in a sprint,
and you know it.”

There was a scowl on Jerry Spink’s face as he listened.
A flash
as of hate leaped out on his dark, forbidding face.

“Confound him!” he breathed, in a hot outburst of tem-
per. “I could beat him in another set-to for money or
marbles, Morris! It was a case of luck, his winning the
last lap of that relay race off me.” His fists clenched
“All I want’s another show at him!” he de-
“T’ll prove that I’m better’n he is!”

Spider Morris shook his head.

“Not in a thousand years you couldn’t prove that you’re
“Be-
cause you ain’t, Jerry, and that’s the size of it. You're
pretty fair as an athlete, I’ll admit, but this other kid is
a wonder. This athletic business seems to run in his fam-
ily, and what a kid comes by natural is a heap more than
others can get just by practice.”

' “He’s all ‘front, I tell you,” insisted Spink, between his
teeth. “He sails around on the reputation of his dad and
his uncle, and that makes everybody scared of him so
they can’t do their best. I’ll make a show of him, Morris,
if you'll give me another chance.”

Through all the chagrin and anger in Spink’s voice ran

a begging note. But Spider Morris continued to shake his
head.

“I’m satisfied you can’t give Merriwell the worst of it
at anything,” said he. “We’ve come to a time where we've
got to call a spade a spade, Jerry. I banked on you to win
that race. Cawthorn and Brannigan, I knew, would hold
their own, and I had hopes of Taylor, but you was my
main reliance for coming across the finish line a winner.
You ‘had five yards the lead of Merriwell in starting that
last lap, but he ate it up and passed you on the home
stretch.”

“I led him clear to the stretch,” growled Spink.
les

“What's that amount to if you was looking at his back at
the finish?”

“Right there is where the Merriwell luck came in, Morris.
Next time we stack up against each other maybe I’d have
a little luck myself.”

“Didn't

Morris laughed mockingly. There was no mirth in the
situation for him, but a vast amount of chagrin and dis-
appointment.

“You're ’way wide of the truth,” said he. “You're a
tolerably fair sprinter, as I said, but you can’t do a quarter
mile. You haven’t\the endurance. Too many cigarettes,
Spink, after I told you to cut ’em out. Maybe you've
been crooking your elbow on the side, too, I don’t know.
Anyway, you ain’t dependable.”

Spink started to speak, but Morris interrupted him with
a curt gesture.

“Now, I’m doing the chinning,” he went ‘on, “so you
wait a while. Here’s the way the thing shapes up: Old |
Lee Rodno dies and bequeaths fifty thousand plunks for
buying and equipping an athletic field with gymnasium,
’

   
_. before the relay race, and what did he say

 

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clubhouse, and so on. His brother Amos is executor,
The fifty thousand goes into the hands of three trustees,
Amos Rodno being one. The trustees spends that money
wisely and well,
outlay, to be drawn on for maintaining the club.
Rodno Field is to be the property, on a life lease of ——”

“T know all that,” cut in Spink sourly.

“Maybe you do,” snapped Morris, “but I’m telling’ you
again, see? Ifa club was formed in Juneau, Rodno Field
and everything with it was to belong to that club. If two
athletic clubs was formed, then the field was to be the
property of the club that done up’ the other at certain
stunts set down by old Lee in that will of his. Young Neil
Rodno, nephew of Lee and Amos, blows in here about the
time Rodno Field is ready, and he gets a club together.
Then I see a chance to get hold of Rodno Field and I[
knock around a bit and corral enough members for a club.
So, last fall the Rodno Athletic Club begins a series of
sports against the Juneau Athletic Club, Seven events, ac-
cording -to the will, are to be contested, and the club that
wins four takes the field and everything a goes with it.
How did we start off?”

The glimmering, shifty eyes of Morris eo on Spink’s
face for a moment.

“The Juneaus cleaned up on the Rodnos,” the lad an-
swered, “at football, ice hockey, and basket ball.”

“That’s right. Three events was won, hand running.
Then came the relay race.”
Morris. “If we’d won that race, Rodno Field would have
been ours. I depended on you to win it. And you didn’t.”

Ott Merriwell had kept away from Juneau——”

“Oh, sure,” snorted the other, “but you were so blarihd
confident you could make a monkey of him that I didn’t
take him as seriously as I ought to. Still, I had a feeling
you was overestimating yourself. That’s why I had you
pick a fight with him. You're a pretty good bruiser, and if

”

you could have twisted an ankle for him he’d not have,

been in that race, and the J. A. C. would now be en-
camped on Rodno Field for keeps. But you couldn’t even
put him on the mat with your fists, If he had wanted to,
’ I reckon he could have sent you to the hospital for a
spell.”

“That was more of his blooming luck!” grunted Spink.
“You see, Morris, it was like this: He——” .

“You've told me all that a dozen times, Spink, and every
time you tell it it’s different. Merriwell outclasses you.
Now there’s three more events, and we've got to take one
of them to win a life lease of that field and all its equip-
ment. First, there’s the Marathon—and there’s not an
amateur I can get for it that’s worth a whoop. This Mer-
riwell, they say, can do a Marathon just as well as he can
do a auaeEY mile, and i can see the Rodno crowd winning
again.”

“Oh, yes,” sneered Spink, “Merriwell’s a star at every-
thing—to hear him tell it.”

“Not him, Spink,” the other corrected, “he cit tell it.
Others does the tellin’, I wisht I could have got him for
the Juneaus.”

“Well, you couldn’t. Think he’d turn any athletic tricks
fora saloon keeper that wants to grab hold of Rodno Field
and make it the prize-fighting center of the West? Well,
I should say nit, You tried to bribe him to leave town
Calléd you
a crook, that’s what he did.” © . |
| Spink seemed to relish repeating the term Merriwell had

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and there’s a fair margin left, after the,
Now,

A spasm of regret stirred

 

   

 

 

 

applied to Spider. Morris.
under his breath,

“If Merriwell knew how you had hired. Ricketts to
throw this lap of that relay race,” Spink went on, “I
reckon he’d have a chance to call you something else of the
same kind.”

Temper glowed in Morris’ eyes.

“Stow that!” he answered fiercely. “You don’t know a
thing about Ricketts, so don’t make any offhand guesses.”

“I know this about him, Morris,” persisted Spink. “If
you hadn’t bothered with Ricketts, Merriwell. wouldn’t
have been in that race. So it’s your own crookedne$s, and
not my failure to beat Merriwell over the quarter, that
caused you to lose the event.”

“It is, eh?” returned Morris, with cutling lip. “Well,
you can pack up and hike, Spink. I reckon I’ve had
enough of you.”

“I want another chance at Merriwell,” said Spink dog-
gedly.

“Don’t feel as though you'd been trimmed enough, hey?”

“IT want to show that a Spink is a better man than a
Merriwell,”

Morris laughed harshly,
he answered.

“No, not if you can get the Rodno Club to make a cross-
country race instead of a Marathon out of the next event.
You haven’t any Marathon runners, you say, and I happen
to know that the R. A. C. have only Merriwell to depend
on for that. Maybe they’d be glad to change from a
Marathon to something else.”

The suggestion caused Spider Morris to show some in-
terest, i

“Will you tell me, Jerry,” he asked, “how you can expect
to last over a course four or five miles long when you
can't do’a quarter of a mile without being all in?”

“This cross-country running is different,” was the reply,
“and I'll be in different form, too, when it’s pulled off. I’ve
got a scheme, Morris, and it will prove a winner, You
want to beat Merriwell, don’t you?”

Morris muttered something

“It’s too big an order for you,”

(??

“We'll do anything to beat Merriwell!
sponse,

was the. re-

“Now you're shouting. ‘Anything to beat Merriwell!’
Well, I’ve got a little trick up my sleeve that would, do
you good to hear about.”

“Come across with it, then.”

The two were talking i in a rear toom of Morris’ saloon.
There was not much trade in the groggery, at that time
of day, but Spink closed the door leading out into the main
part of the establishment, and drew a chair close to
Morris. ,

Then he proceeded to shake the “trick” out of his >
Morris listened apathetically, at first, and then
presently roused up and grew more and more animated as —

“sleeve.”

Spink continued to talk. Finally, when Spink was through,
Morris started to his feet.

“Are you sure you can make that work, Spink?” he

demanded, a throb of hope in his voice and a crafty look
emphasizing itself on his face.

“Sure it will work,” returned Spink confidently. “All ae

you've got to do, Morris, is to get the Rodno Club to

agree to a change from the Marathon to the cross-country

match, and then use the R. A. C’s cross-country course.
That course will fit in fine with the scheme. I’ye been over
it several times, and I know what I’m talking about. :

 

Wie ; ;

    

    
 
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
 

 

 

 
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

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~fence that bordered an upland meadow.

the next event, and you’ve got Neil Rodno and his bunch
skinned to a frazzle.”

Spider Morris reached for his hat.

“T’ll go right over and see Amos Rodno now,” he de-
clared. “If we can change the next match from a Mara-

thon to what we want, I reckon I’ll give this scheme of

yours a whirl.”

“T’ll show ’em what a Spink can do to a Merriwell, you
can gamble on that!” growled Spink.

“IT reckon you will, Jerry,” said Morris, with a broad and
meaning smile, “just about. Don’t send any telegrams or
letters till I come back and report.” :

With that, Spider Morris hastily left the rear room.

CHAPTER II.
THE BROKEN REIN,

“We haven’t any good distance men, Chip, and that is
the deuce of it. We have some pretty fair sprinters, as
you know, but we’re short on runners. I’ve known that
from the start, and ever since the weather opened so’s
we could, I’ve had the cross-country fellows going over
this course. Rodno and Rushington are the best of the
lot, but none of ’em have come on like I’d hoped. There’s
not a Marathon runner in the bunch—and the race is
Saturday.”

Frisbie, the Rodno Club’s athletic traimer, spoke very
discouragingly. Only to young Frank Merriwell, perhaps,
would he have expressed himself so plainly.

Frisbie and Merriwell were perched on top of a stone
It was rising
ground, and from the crest of the elevation the two could
look off over a panorama of field and woodland, with the
waters of a lake in the distance, a brook winding and
flashing in the foreground, and the country road weaving
back and forth through the light green of early spring.
Across a bluffy headland that shouldered into the waters
of the lake, could be seen the tip of a flagpole with “Old

Glory” shimmering in the rays of the sun. The flag was

waving over the track master’s house at Rodno Field.

Frisbie and Merriwell had taken their position on the
fence because it offered them a view of two miles of the
four-mile cross-country course. For half the course they
could watch the half dozen lads in white shirts and trunks
as they took the hazards and trotted over the clear going.

The course, marked at intervals with white flags, looped
itself about the base of the hill, following pe road for
a little distance and then branched off into’a trail filled
with hedge jumps, water jumps, and combinations. It
was a good course, although a difficult one, and Frisbie
himself had laid it out with the help and advice of Neil

~ Rodno.

There were times when the cross-country runners’ ap-
peared to the two on the top of the low hill as mere specks
of white, straggling out in a long line, and rising and
falling vaguely as they took the hazards; and there were
other times when the runners moved closer in on the slope
of the hill, grew more distinct, and showed all too plainly
their weariness and look of endurance. Rodno and Rush-
ington, who had taken the lead from the start, and had

‘increased it steadily, were the only promising runners
among the six; and it must be admitted that their work
left something to be desired.

Frisbie had some excuse
for feeling dejected. j

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“Well, Frisbie,” said Frank, “if what I hear is true,
Spider Morris hasn’t any good long-distance men to bring
into that Marathon against the Rodnos. Andy Cawthorn
has refused to run. Brannigan, Taylor, and Spink are
left. Brannigan and Taylor are good in a sprint, but I'll
bet they’re no better than Rod or Rush.”

“How about Spink?” queried Frisbie.
to be Morris’ crack athlete.”

“Spink is an athletic joke. His endurance has been
sapped” by tobacco, and perhaps something stronger. He
couldn’t last for a fast quarter, and I don’t see how he can
be expected to cover himself with glory over a four-mile
stretch.”

“Well, of course there’s some difference between a mere
sprint and a long run.” .

“T know, Frisbie, but Spink hasn’t the ginger in his make-
up to do four miles or ten. Unless Morris rings in some
new amateur, the heft of this Marathon work will fall on
Brannigan and Taylor; and I'll match Rod and Rush
against them any time.”

Frisbie was somewhat encouraged.

“Rod and Rush are all right, Chip,” said he, “but you
are our main dependence. We've got to win the Mara-
thon, the race with the shells, and the ball game in order
to get a cinch on Rodno Field. It’s a pretty stiff proposi-
tion, when you come to think of it, especially since we can’t
consider Spider Morris in the light of an, honest com-
petitor. He’s crooked, but he’s crafty enough to hide his
crookedness. If we could only catch him at some under-
hand work, then the trustees might decide everything in
our favor. But you might as well try to catch a weasel
asleep as to think of laying your finger on any skin games
Spider Morris pulls off.”

“T don’t think it’s necessary for me to run in this Mara-
thon,” said Frank, “so long as Branpigan and Taylor are
the only men Morris has for it.”

“Spink will run. You were against him on the last lap
of the relay race, and you ought to be against him in this
Marathon event. You saved the day for the R. A. C. last
Saturday, Chip, and I’ve an idea that you'll be needed just
as badly next Saturday.”

Merriwell had not intended to run in the relay race.
The failure of Ricketts, who had supposedly been taken
sick, to make his round of the quarter-mile cinder path,
had necessitated some quick changes in the Rodno relay
squad, and Merry had jumped in to contest the last lap
with Spink. How Merriwell had gained five yards over
his competitor and had won by a yard was already history
in Juneau athletics. It had been a great race, and the only
contest the Rodno Athletic Club had won from their J. A.
C. rivals. This gave the R. A. C. three more chances to
dispute with the Morris men the ownership of Rodno Field.

Small wonder Frisbie was worried and anxious. As for
Frank, he was equally eager to see young Rodno and his
club win over the other athletic organization. It was
generally known that Spider Morris would put the splen-
did Rodno Field to discreditable uses if he and his club
came into possession of it.

“It’s a cinch, Frisbie,’ said Frank determinedly, “that
I shall not stand back and let Morris walk away with
any plums if I can help it. But I still insist that Spink

“He’s supposed

isn’t going to make any bother at all during that Mara-
thon run. A run like that is a test of endurance, and Spink
hasn’t any endurance.” :

“But you'll be in the race?”

  

   
 

“Why, yes, if you think it?s necessary. I’m pretty busy
with the nine, you know, and that end of the contests is
my particular work.”

“The ball game is the last contest on the schedule. If
Morris wins with his Marathon runners, or with his crew
eight, there’ll be no game. Let him win just one more
contest and he will have four events out of the seven listed
by old Lee Rodno. That is all Morris needs.”

“I’m next to that, fast enough. But the Juneau Club
fellows are not going to clean up on the Rodnos, for an-
other event. Take that from me.”

Merriwell spoke with a calm sonfidence which, in itself,
was encouraging. This was the attitude he had taken
from the moment he first reached Juneau and the odd
athletic situation in the town had been explained to him.

Old Lee Rodno, who lov ed honest sports of the track
and field, had willed $50,000 for the equipment of an ath-
letic field in’ Juneau. His object was to arouse in the place
a love for athletics equal to his own. When the field was
ready, no club had been formed to take it over. Neil, com-
ing to Juneau from a school in the East, had started an
athletic organization, picking up its.members wherever
they could be found. A good many “undesirables” wanted
to join the club, but these had been carefully weeded out.
These undesirables formed the nucleus of the club launched
by Spider Morris, to contest with the R. A, C. the owner-
ship of the field made possible by the generous old miner.

As soon as Merriwell learned that the first three events
had been won hand running by Morris and‘ his crowd,
he started forthwith to infuse a little confidence and
“singer” into the dejected Rodno contingent.  Confi-
dence means a great deal in any fight, and Merry was not
slow in seeing the need of it here.

With the winning of the relay race, hope had risen high
in the ranks of the R. A. C. But now, after the first
flush of triumph had ‘passed, there was a disposition among
some of the club members to fear the resourcefulness and
the unscrupulousness of Spider Morris. The saloon keeper
was desperate, and it was realized that a man of his char-
acter, in stich a state of mind, would be tempted to go
any length.

“ll tell you, Frisbie,” Frank went on, “it isn’t Morris’
men you are afraid of so much as Morris himself.”

“T reckon you’re right about that,” admitted Frisbie.
“The peculiar rules of these contests make it possible to
ring in any amateur athlete for a part in the games, so long
as each contestant is nominally a member of the club he’s
trying to help. Morris has money and shrewd ability, and
he’s nof going to let a fifty-thousand-dollar athletic field
get away from him if he can help it.”

“Well,” declared Frank, “he can’t help it. Clean ath-
letics will win over the crooked sort every time. You
just let your mind dwell on that notion and don’t get
Bs des”

The two on the fence fell silent for a space and fixed
their attention on the bobbing white figures circling the
foot of the hill. One of the tail-enders of that long-drawn-
out procession came to grief taking the water jump. He
rose in the air, dropped straight downward, and was hid-
den momentarily by a jet of water and’ spray.

“Blazes!” grunted Frisbie. “That was Billy Dill.”

“He was too quick with his take-off,” commented Frank.

“He was tired, too,” added Frisbie. “That creek is no
jump at all for a fellow who hasn’t strained himself put-
ting a couple of miles behind him. It hadn't ought to be

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horse.
that if Chip was injured in any way by the risky proceed-
ing the Rodno Athletic Club’s crack runner might not be

very difficult, even at that, but Billy Dill is a disappoint-

ment. He was the chap who lost most ground in.the re-
lay race.”
“He’s a gamy youngster,” returned Frank, “and he did

his best. He’s entitled to credit for that, anyhow.”

Dill could be seen to emerge dripping from the brook
and hike on after the rest of the runners. There was no
thought in his mind, it seemed, about halting for repairs.

A distant and rapid fall of hoofs suddenly drew the
eyes of the two watchers toward a point where the road
came into sight around the headland. A horse could be
seen tushing at a frantic pace, plainly running away and
yet instinctively keeping to the road.

“Great Scott!” cried Frisbie, startled. “The woman has
lost control of that horse—he’s running away with her!
Bridle rein’s broken—see that piece of strap hanging from
the bit?”

Merry’s attention had been mostly concerned with the
furious pace of the horse, but his thoughts were already
taking account of the woman aslrisbie referréd to her.
She was a young woman—that mtch was easily discerned
and forced itself on Merry’s notice—and her side saddle
afforded her a very insecure seat. A bit of rein was
dangling from one of the bit rings, and the girl was
crouching forward and hanging to her bounding seat for
dear life.

Merriwell’s mind reviewed the situation swiftly, The

girl was in great danger and something would have to
be done for her without delay. The horse was following
the road that half encircled the hill. By hurrying down
the opposite slope of the elevation, Merriwell, if he moved
fast enough, could intercept the course of the frenzied

animal and possibly do something to resctte the girl from

her desperate plight.

The idea had flashed through his brain in an instant.

Without loss of a moment he bounded from the top of

the fence and plunged down the slope at top speed. He ©

was wearing a gtay knitted jacket. He got out of the
jacket as he ran, but carried it with him toward the foot

of the hill.
Frisbie, following at a slower speed, divined what Merri-
well was about to do, and feared for the consequences.

CHAPTER III.
GALLANT WORK.

Of course, Merriwell heeled to stop that tunaway
Through Frisbie’s mind had flashed the thought,

able to take part in the Marathon race. This was alto-

gether a selfish view and unworthy of the athletic trainer,
but on the spur of the moment it claimed him completely.

“Keep out of that, Chip!” he yelled. “The horse. will
run home with the girl! She can hang on, all right, until
the brute gets back to the stable!”

In order to restrain Merry, Frisbie wanted to make it
appeat as though the girl was in no immediate danger.

In his excitement, however, he made a statement wide of —

   
      

 
 
 

 

 

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the truth. The young woman was in danger, great danger,

at that very moment. As the horse bounded madly onward,
she swayed in her insecure seat and seemed many times on
the point of being dashed into the road. 1

Side saddles are all well enough so long as everything

 
  
    

   

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

  

 

 
 
  
  
 

   
 

    
   
  
   
  
   
  
   

   

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goes well, but let anything go wrong and they are too
often mere traps for any one who rides in them. The safe
and proper position for a woman on horseback is the same
as that taken by aman. Western girls are usually mounted
in that tanner, and Frisbie wondered a little at this
girl’s tiding in any other way.

The trainer’s first fears for the outcome of the Marathon
trace quickly subsided. Sober second thought ’convinced
; him that the young woman was really in grave peril, and
al that Merry was doing no more than the occasion “de-
# matided—no more, in fact, than Frisbie himself would
HH have done had the alert Merriwell not taken the work out
i of his hands. The trainer continued to hutry down the
hill in order to be of what service he could.

Bs Merriwell leaped into the road less than twenty yards
| ahead of the wildly galloping horse. The animal did not
| a halt, but bore_ onward swiftly and seemed intent upon

trampling the plucky, lad underfoot.

Suddenly Frank lifted his knitted coat in front of him
and waved,. The horse snorted with fear and began chéck-
ing his speed. Frisbie saw the brute swerve as though

to pass Frank, and then he saw Frank, quick as a light-
e ning flash, drop his coat and leap to grab the loose rein.
if i. A false’ move, at that instant, would have sent the
| daring youngster flat into the road to be trampled under
iF

|

 
 

 

 

 

  
  
 

 

four frenzied hoofs. But Merriwell made no false move.

Seizing the horse’s head in a firm grip he clung to it like
me a-leech. The maddened brute reared and flung himself
sideways. Frank was flung right and left and tossed fear-
fully about, but his clamping hands could not be torn from
the rein. Gradually his weight overpowered the horse
and brought him to a restive stop.

i By that time Frisbie had reached the road and was able
a to go to the girl’s assistance.

a ‘ horse firmly, the athletic trainer helped the girl to dis-
mount.

She had yellowish hair and large eyes of steely blue.
She had lost her hat, and her hair, in bright masses, was
tumbled about her face. Although she was pale, A she
seemed perfectly calm.

“That was a close call, I must say!” she exclaimed, toss-
ing a quirt to the ground and coolly beginning to bring
her flowing tresses into something like order. “Every

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

into the road, with Jupiter going at such a pace, would
have meant broken bones, all) right.”

“The horse is an ugly brute,” muttered Frisbie, staring

at the animal.

“Not at all,” protested the girl promptly. “He’s spirited,

of course, but Jupe is the best-behaved little horse you

ever Saw, as a general thing. The rein broke, and when

he couldn’t feel my pull at the bit he naturally thought
he had a license to do as he pleased.”

She finished fixing her hair and stepped to the horse’s
MORAL A"...

“Jupe, you old rascal,” she went on, stroking the arched,

 
 

 

 
  

wasn’t nice of you to go plunging away just because a line
happened to snap. I wish I had a lump of sugar,” she
added regretfully. }
“Instead of giving him sugar, miss,”
_ “the horse ought to be pounded good.”

“You're mistaken,” said the girl. “It’s been almost a
year since I’ve ridden Jupe, and I suppose he has sort of
lost track of me. While I’ve been away from home he

returned Frisbie,

Or

While Frank held the.

instant I thought I was going by-the board. To be thrown >

 lathered neck, “I reckon you’ve nearly forgotten me. It

 

WEEKLY. | 5

has had a mighty easy time of it, I'll bet. If We had been
exercised every day he wouldn’t be so fractious. Could
you mend that bridle rein for me so I can go on with
my ride?”

“You surely don’t intend to ride the horse again to-day !”
exclaimed Frisbie.

“I surely do,” answered the girl, with a light laugh.
“Gracious! You don’t suppose for a minute that I’m
scared, do you? It takes more than Jupe to get me stam-
peded.”

3ut I don’t think it’s safe!” persisted the trainer.

“Oh, my!” and the girl smiled and looked at Merry.
“I’m not going to be cheated out of my ride, I can tell
you that. It was mighty nice of you to grab hold of
Jupe the way you did. The way he shook you around was
something fierce. But you held on like a trooper. Are you
hurt?”

“No,” Merry answered laughingly.

“Well, you didn’t miss it by very much. But a miss is
as good as a mile, eh? How about the reincan it be
tied so that it will hold?”

“Why, yes,” replied Frank,
manage the horse.”

“I don’t think anything about it,”

“if you really think you can

was the spirited re-

joinder, “If the riding gear is all right I can manage any
horse that walks. I'll trouble you to fix the rein, if you
please.”

She pushed up the saddle flap and examined the cinches.
Evidently she found the cinches firm, for she dropped the
flap and turned back toward Merry and Frisbie.

“I'd be glad to take Jupiter home for you,” Frank
went on.

“T believe you, but it won’t be necessary.” There was
a touch of impatience in the softly imperious voice, “I
am anxious to be hitting the trail again, and if you’re
going to fix that rein /

“We'll do it right away,” said Frank, highly amused by
the girl’s determination and lofty manner.

”

 

While he held the horse, Frisbie took a knife from his
pocket, opened the blade, and began making repairs. The
girl, humming softly to herself, strolled off along the
side of the road, surveyed the back trail, the hillside,

. and then turned to survey the trail ahead.

“A lot of boys in running clothes startled Jupe, back
by Rodno Field,” the girl remarked, , “That was what got
him to going, in the first place. I can’t see anything of
those boys now.”

“IT reckon you won’t see anything more of them if you
keep on along the road,” said Frisbie. “They’re nearly back
to Rodno Field by now. All ready,” he added.

While Merry continued to restrain the spirited Jupe,
Frisbie assisted the girl back into the. saddle.

“Don’t think for a minute that I’m not ‘appreciating
what you’ve done,” said the fair rider, her steel-blue eyes
on Frank, “I’m not obstinate, either, and I’m not rash.
I just know what I can do, that’s all. I’m greatly obliged
to you.” Sf

“Glad to help you,” Frank answered.

“And you're sure you're not damaged any?”

“Not in, the Jeast.”

“That’s ‘Anal Please let go and we'll be off.”

Frank took his hands from the bridle and stepped back.
Smack went the quirt, and away leaped Jupiter with a
A moment later and horse and rider whisked from

snort.

 
   

   
‘6 --” NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

sight around a bend in the road. Krisbie stood looking
after the girl with a look of intense disapproval on his
face.

“She’s got a will of her own, that’s sure,” he declared.

“She’s plucky, all right,” said Frank. “Do you know who
she is, Frisbie?”

“No. Can’t remember of ever having seen her in Juneau.
We might have asked her name—or she might have given
it without our asking. Seems to me that’s what she
ought to have done.” ;

“Tt wasn’t at all necessary, old chap,
picking up his jacket and getting into it.

“Sure it wasn’t necessary! And it wasn’t necessary
for her to know your name, either. After all you’d done,
Chip, she wasn’t interested enough in you to inquire who
you were. Thunder! She’s a queer one, and no mistake.”

Together they started back along the road to Rodno
Field. Frank had had a severe shaking up, but to one
in his superb physical condition this mattered little. His
nerves and muscles were quickly readjusting themselves
to their normal state.

“Sure you weren’t hurt at all?” queried Peiauie casting
an anxious eye over the form at his side.

“I’m positive about that,”
“Don’t fret, Frisbie. I’m ready for that Marathon if you
think I’m needed.”

“Oh, I wasn’t thinking of the Marathon altogether.
When you went for that crazy horse, I didn’t see how you
could get out of the set-to without a broken bone, or
a sprain, or some other injury.
to do, Chip, and it was a little reckless.”

“It was a time when a fellow had to be a little reckless
if he did anything to help.”

“Suppose you had missed that rein when you grabbed for
it?” asked Frisbie, drawing a long breath.
dropped in the road and the horse would have trampled
on you.”

“I was pretty sure I wouldn’t miss the rein—and I didn’t,
so that’s all there is to it.’ Frank deftly shifted the sub-
ject. “I think, Frisbie, that a Marathon race is about as
difficult an event as could have been selected for the
Rodno Club to stack up against.”

“I wish, on my soul, that the next contest with the
Juneaus was anything else but a Marathon! It can’t be
helped, though. Morris probably knows how weak we are
in candidates, and he’ll insist on it. He’s pinning his faith
to Spink, Brannigan, and Taylor. If he thinks they’re
good for the run——”

_ The trainer broke off abruptly. At that moment, Rodno
and Rushington, trotting slowly side”by side, came around
the base of the hill. They were pretty well fagged with
their four-mile canter, but evidently were strong enough
to come back and meet Merry and Frisbie.

“What’s keeping you fellows?” called Rdd.

“Merry just starred himself by stopping a girl on a
runaway mae. answered Frisbie.*

“That is,” explained Merry, with a chuckle, “T stopped
the horse, not the girl.” 4

Rodno came to a dead stop and stared.

“Chestnut horse, girl riding in a side saddle?” he queried.

Frank nodded. | 7

“Great hanky-panky!” gasped Rod. “Say, Chip, you’ve
had the pleasure of rescuing Miss Rilla Morris, the only
daughter of Spider Morris, confound him!”

”

commented Frank,

said Frank, with a laugh..

It was a plucky thing

“You'd have

_ vaulting, or hammer throwing about here, Neil?

CHAPTER IV.
A CASE OF LUCK

“The daughter of Spider Morris!” exclaimed Frank.
“Jingo! Why, I didn’t know he had a daughter.”

“Nor °I,” said Frisbie. “Mighty queer how things get
jumbled up sometimes. Our crack athlete rescues the
daughter of the Rodno Club’s worst enemy. How’s. that
for a complication? Wonder if there’s-a chance of its
working out to our benefit, in any way?”

“Not a chance,” returned Rod. “Morris never lets a
thing like gratitude get in his way.”

“Who the mischief would want him to?” struck in
Merry. “You wouldn’t want him to feel so grateful that
he'd withdraw his club from the contests and gave you
Rodno Field, would you?”

“I guess not!” said Rush emphatically. “We don’t want
any favors from Morris on account,of his daughter Rilla.
The R. A. C. will stand on its own feet, thank you.”

“If gratitude would only make him play square, that’s
all I'd ask,” spoke up Frisbie. “It’s the crookedness of
Spider Morris that worries me.”

“We're going to beat him whether he’s crooked or
square,” averred Merriwell. “Let’s get back to the gym,
fellows,” he added. “This incident that concerns Rilla
Morris is closed. I didn’t do much to entitle me to any
gratitude, and, if I had, I wouldn’t want the gratitude of
a man like Spider Morris.”

They started back along the road again, Rod and Rush
stopping only long enough to pull on the sweaters which
they had been carrying over their arms.

“What did you think of our work on the course, Fris-
bie?” queried Rod.

“You and Rush did fairly well,” was the answer, “but
the others——” Frisbie finished with a disapproving shake
of the head. “I don’t think there’s a Marathon man in the
lot.”

“Never tried a Marathon run in my life,’ Rod continued,
“but I reckon we’re not so rotten as we might be. We
have four days yet to get into shape.”

“You'll need about four years, Rodno. Why can't you
keep your arms down when you’re doing a long run?\ For
the first mile your férm is pretty good, but after that you
crook your elbows and begin to put the clamps on your
lungs. Boy, you need those lungs. What’s the use of
smothering them?”

Rod laughed.

“My old fault, Fris,” said he. “I begin to hug myself
without thinking; but I’ll get over that if I have to tie my
arms at the back. Anyhow,” he added, chuckling, “Rush
and I and the rest don’t count—Chip is eur best bet.”

“Tm out to do my best, of course,” remarked Frank,
“but I wish that contest was anything but a Marathon.
Why didn’t your uncle throw in a little jumping, pole
Last
week was the relay race, and now next Saturday we have
the, Marathon. Here’s the place for a little variety, I
should think.” i

“Uncle Lee was particularly fond of a foot race, and
I suppose that’s the reason he follows the relay with the
Marathon; but I understand that he didn’t put down a
hard and fast schedule. Uncle Amos told me that the
events could be changed, providing two competing athletic
clubs could agree on something else.”

When the returning party reached Rodno Field, Billy

 
    

  

De
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an
A
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of Sea a

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NEW TIP

Dill, Tom Lathrop, Archie Grovesnor, and Bruce May-
nard, the other four who had taken the cross-country run,
were getting their rubdowns in the bathroom.

“Quick as a wink I went in the drink,’ chanted Dill,
otherwise “Pickles.” “It was the water jump that made
me hump. Say, did you see me?”

“See you?” grunted Frisbie. “Where you struck, a gey-
ser went up forty feet high—more or less.”

“Forty feet high, sir? Well, that was some geyser.
Think I'll be in the Marathon, Frisbie?”

“Not if I-can help it, Billy,”

The cross-country team fellows were. all prospective
candidates for the Marathon. TFrisbie had had the lads
at work for somé time, but he had been so taken up with
the relay race that he had not given the close attention
to the cross-country team that he was doing now.

He gave them a square-toed talk, analyzing each lad’s
weak points and advising him how to get in better form
before the grueling Saturday’s race. While he was talk-
ing, Merriwell, Rodno, and Rushington jumped into their

showers and were soon glowing with a brisk rub. They

were just getting into their clothes when Jones, the
ground keeper, hurried into the gym. :

“Frisbie, Merriwell, and Rodno are wanted in the club-
house,” Jones announced.

“What’s daing in the clubhouse, Jonesy?” queried Rod,

’ surprised at the summons.

- Morris hasn’t had time to see her father.

 

    
  
  
  
    
  
  
 

 

bie and Rod.

“Your Uncle Amos is there and Spider Morris is with
him. They've been talking for fifteen minutes,”

“Whew!” murmured Rush. “Something doing, all right.
I wonder what?”

“Maybe Morris has had an attack of gratitude on ac-
count of his daughter Rilla,” hazarded Rod.

“Too soon for the attack to set in,” said Frisbie. “Miss
Anyhow, she
doesn’t know who it was that brought her horse. to a

halt. You see, she wasn’t interested enough in Merriwell
to ask his name. There’s something else in the wind.
Hurry up, you three!” °

Five minutes later the three who had been sent for
walked into the reading room of the trim little clubhouse.
The building was not in general use, and it would not ‘be
until the ownership of Rodno Field was finally* decided
and the winning elub took complete possession of the prop-
erty.

Amos Rodno and Spider Morris had a speaking ac-
quaintance with each other, but they were not on intimate
terms. The old sheepman saw nothing particularly attrac-

tive in the saloon keeper, but he was trying to give him a
-square deal in administering the property left. by his

brother, Lee Rodno. Amos was a man of strict integrity,
and would not shirk any duty thrown upon him, no mat-
ter how unpleasant it might be.

Spider Morris had eyes for nobody but Ad eeriyielt from
the moment the latter entered the reading room with Fris-
He had tried*to bribe Frank to leave the
Rodno Athletic Club to shift for itself, and this attempt

had drawn a few stinging words from Frank which, in the
nature of things, could not have left the two on anything
_ like a friendly footing. However, there was no animosity
in the shifty eyes the saloon keeper kept fixed upon the

young athlete.
“What's the trouble, Uncle Amos?”
three newcomers took chairs.
“Morris brings a proposition,” was the answer,

aoe -Rod; as the

“and it

 

 

   

\

LOOP

    

WEEKLY.

doesn’t seem to be anything that I have much to do with.
It’s up to you, Neil, to accept or decline. Morris wanted
me to put the matter before you, but I thought it would be
best to have him do that himself.” Amos Rodno nodded
to Morris. “Go ahead,” said he.

“It’s my understandin’,” said Morris, “that the schedule
of sports, which we're contesting for the ownership of
this here property, can be changed if both clubs agree. Mr.
Rodno says I’m right in that. Is that the way you've got
it, young fellow?”

Frisbie straightened in his chair and pricked up his ears.

.The attention of Merry and Rod was also claimed forth-

with.

“That’s my idea of it, Morris,” Rod answered.

“Well,” pursued Morris, “are you stuck so hard on this
Marathon proposition that you can’t be pried away from
it P”

“Why ?”

“Seems to me as though that’s a pretty tough sort of a
proposition, that Marathon. Couldn’t we shorten the race
down a little, and, say, make a cross-country run of it?”
Frisbie tried to conceal the satisfaction he felt in this query
of the saloon keeper’s. But it was a case of luck; and no
mistake. The .Rodno fellows were all anxious to have
some other sort of a contest and, wonderfully pat, this
proposition of Morris’ was now being put forth.

Neil Rodno, although secretly delighted, very success-
fully held his feelings in check.

“The race is only a few days off,” he Seabee: “and

it’s pretty late to make a change in the schedule, don’t yon

think ?”

“It isn’t any later for you than it is for us,”
ris.

“I reckon, boys,” put in Amos Rodno dryly, “that Morris
hasn’t been able to get the amateur Marathon runners that
he was calculating on. If you insist on the Marathon,
you'll probably have his club at a disadvantage.”

“You're wide of the trail, Mr. Rodno,” returned Morris.
“I’ve got all the amateurs I went after.”

“Why this change, all at once?”

“A cross-country race happens to suit me better, that’s
all. If you insist on the Marathon, though, we'll lift
your scalps at that. It’s for you to say.”

“Do you want to lay out a new four-mile et
queried Rob. “That will take time, and—~—”

' “We're not particular about that. We'll use the course
you've already laid out. What's the word?” /

“Tell you in a minute.”

Rod got up and went over to Frisbie.
hardly restrain his jubilant feelings.

said Mor-

The latter could

“Tell him yes, Neil,” said he. “Cinch it now while
Morris is in the mood. Don't get him mad or he'll back
out.”

“IT don’t want to appear too eager, Fris,” said Rod, in
a low tone, “or he'll certainly back out,”

“He’s giving us our own course and it's the best thing
that ever happened to us. Eh, Merriwell?”

rank nodded. Rod turned back to Morris.

“We think it’s pretty late to make a change, Morris,’
said he, “but Frisbie and Merriwell say it’s all right.”

An exultant glimmer shone for a mement in Spider

Morris’ eyes... He got up from. his chair.

“Then we can consider it -settled, eh? We'll have three

runners, and you'll have three. The scoring will be by

|
points—first man in to count five, second three, and third
one.”

“No,” said Rod, “the first man in wins the race—no
matter which club he’s running for. It amounts to the
same in the end.”

“All right, then, we'll leave it that way.”

With a nod and a wave of the hand he walked to the
door and let himself out. As soon as he was gone, Fris-
bie broke into a laugh.

“This is our lucky day, all right,” he said jubilantly.
“I don’t care what Morris has up his sleeve, he’s playing
right into our hands!”

CHAPTER V.
MERRIWELL IS ASTOUNDED.

The day following the agreement to make a cross-
country race out of the contest scheduled as a Marathon
event, Merriwell and Rodno went over the course together.
It was Wednesday forenoon. In the afternoon Merry had
work on the diamond with the R. A. C. nine, so it was
necessary for him to make use of the first half of the day
in getting better acquainted with the cross-country course.

Nearly all the members of the Rodno Club were clerks
and employees of Juneau business houses and factories.
They were allowed part of each afternoon, during those
days of sharp competition with the Morris followers, ‘for
training on the field and track. So it was necessary for
Frank to accommodate his prospective nine by being on
the diamond whenever the players were able 'to get to-
gether, and the work of the ball players and of the cross-
country team had to go forward at the same time.

The cross-country course, as laid out by Frisbie and
Rodno, was four miles long. It left the cinder path on
Rodno Field directly in front of the grand stand. Pass-
ing west along one side of the oval track, it turned to the
right through a wide gap in the white picket fence and
-angled to the road that followed the edge of Loon Lake.

Loon Lake was a crescent-shaped body of water, with
the blufflike headland pushing into. its waters and almost
dividing them in half. It was just a mile from the grand
stand to a thick grove of timber that bordered the south
shore of the lake with only the road ribboning between.
This mile was used by the runners going and coming.
Going, they continued to follow the road around the lake,
leaving the thoroughfare a quarter of a mile north for a
bit of a detour that held a bank jump and a water jump.
A quarter of a mile farther on the course entered the
road again and continued skirting the hill from which
Merry and Frisbie, the preceding day, had watched the
work of/the cross-country team. Another quarter of 'a
mile onward and the road turned sharply to the north from
the hill’s base, but the cross-country course kept on around
the hill and encountered some exceedingly difficult hazards.

First there was the “combination”—a four-foot ditch
and a three-foot stone wall; then a hedge jump of nearly
four feet; another water jump, more difficult than the
first; then a “Liverpool,” consisting of a three-foot dry
ditch, a four-foot stone fence, and a five-foot hedge. From
the “Liverpool” to the grove of timber where the course
joined the road and doubled back on itself there was
straight going and no hazards.

Rodno had drawn a rough diagram of the course for
Merriwell, and he had looked it over carefully. Now
Merry wanted to bolster up his theoretical knowledge by

 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

practical experience, and he and Rod donned their run-
ning clothes and started. ;

No attempt was to be made to see how fast they could
get over the course, for Frank wanted to stop as he went
along and familiarize himself with the various jumps, the
“combination,” and the “Liverpool.” The character of the
ground was also to come in for a good share of his at-
tention. .

The road from Rodno Field to Stucker’s Woods where
the first mile terminated was hard and good. Merry and
Rodno trotted over it easily, talking back and forth as
they went.

“You could have knocked me down with a feather, Chip,”
remarked Rod, “when Spider Morris batted up that propo-
sition of his yesterday. Just what we wanted, and the
best part of it all is that he was the one who asked for
the change. Old Fris is almost tickled out of his boots.”

“Any notion what Morris has got at the back of his
head, Rod?” Frank asked.

“Haven’t an idea. You can bet it’s something, though.
The old fox wouldn’t have come at us like that unless he
had some sly scheme in his mind. But if we’ve got what
we wanted, why worry?”

As they came abreast of the timber, they saw some one
sitting on a log at the roadside, a little distance ahead.
At first the boys thought the fellow was Frisbie, who was
off somewhere on the course. In a few moments, how-.
ever, they saw that they were mistaken. The figure on
the log wore a sleeveless jacket and white trunks, and
proved to be no less a person thah Spink.

Spink kept his place as Merry and Rod came close. He
stared savagely at Merry.

“Hello, Spink!” called, Rod.
up against next Saturday?”

“None of your business,” said Spink, in a surly tone.

“Oh, very well!” called Rod easily, and laughed.

Following the little flags on the turn to the right, Merry
and Rod trotted onward, still following the curve of the
lake shore. ie

“What do you suppose he’s sitting there for, Chip?” Rod
asked.

“Probably he’s tired,” Frank answered.

“He looked savage enough to bite.”

“T guess he would bite, if I gave him the chance.”

“Not you, old man, He’s tried that and couldn’t make
it work,” Rod chuckled.

Turning from the road for the detour, they made the
four-foot bank jump easily, then sped on to the water
jump where Billy Dill had taken his bath. There was only
a four-foot stretch of water to clear, for the white flags
guided the runners to the narrowest part of the brook.

“Out to see what you're

“You were trying. to do something, Rod,” remarked |
Frank, when they were safely across, “when you put the
easiest water jump at this end of the course. A mile or
two farther on there’s a jump of seven or eight feet—
and just when a runner is half fagged with the other
hazards.”

“The latter part of the course is where Fris and I tried |
to put the hardest work, Chip,” Rod answered. “We dished
up a fine list of calamities farther along. The ‘Liverpool,’
you know, follows the other water jump.”

“Some of the runners are sure to come to grief if
they use up too much energy before they reach the sec-
ond water jump and the ‘Liverpool,’”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
  
  
  
  
   
  
   

 

 

 

 

Spink they watched him.
ditch, and stone wall in splendid style, and was in his

When the boys angled back into the road again, they
heard a calf*from the stone fence that topped the hill.

“By Jove,” exclaimed Rod, “there’s Frisbie! He’s roost-
ing on his favorite perch, and just now he seems to be
wanting us.”

The trainer was waving his hands and beckoning for
them to come up the slope. As quickly as they could, they
reached his side. :

“What’s on your mind, Fris?” queried Rod.

“I want you to see Spink,” answered Frisbie, with a
startled look on his face. “The fellow is showing up re-
markably. Watch him.”

Frisbie pointed toward the road, north of the place
where Merry and Rod had come into it from their recent
detour. There was Spink, sure enough, hustling along
like a steam engine, and yet in perfect form.

“Well, I'll be hanged!” muttered Merriwell. “Why, we
passed that fellow at Stucker’s Woods. How did he get
in ahead of us?”

“Must have cut out the detour,’ returned Rod, “and
have come the road al! the way. How long have you been
watching him, Fris?”

“T picked him up about a couple of jumps north of
where you two came into the highway,” was the response.
“If you passed him at Stucker’s Woods, then he certainly
must have cut out the detour. But watch him. Say, I
never dreamed he had so much speed and ginger. Be-
lieve me, he’s going some,’

All three of them stared at Spink. Their wonder grew
as they watched, and Merriwell was frankly astounded.

“T can’t believe it possible!” he murmured, rubbing his
eyes. “Why, Spink, more than two miles from the«start,
is going like a singed cat. But is it Spink? Perhaps it’s
somebody else.”

“No,” said Frisbie decidedly, “it’s really Spink. I had
a square look at him when he was a good bit closer than
he is now. Still, even at that distance, you couldn’t be
mistaken in the fellow.”

“Why didn’t he run like that during the relay race?”
muttered Rod.

“That’s what gets my goat,” added Merry. “Do you

_ think he-was playing off on us during that last lap of the

relay?”

“Not on your life!” declared Rod. “If you had watched
him as he staggered and dropped a yard short of the
finish line, Chip, you’d know mighty well he wasn’t playing
off.”

“Then where in thunder has he picked up all that speed

and endurance?”

“I’m by,” said Rod, tossing his hands.

“Same here,” supplemented Frisbie. “If he runs like
that next Saturday, Chip, he’s going to give you a hand-
ful. ”

“That’s no dream. He must have got hold of the seven-
league boots and cut them down into running shoes. By
Jove, fellows, but this is sure hard to understand.”

Frank was deeply mystified. As long as they could see
He took the “combination,”

stride almost as soon as he had cleared the obstacle. Be-

_ yond the “combination” a patch of brush gathered him in —

and shut off the view.

“You can’t tell me,” growled Frisbie; “Spider Morris
knew about this, and it had something to do with his
desire to change the Marathon to a cross-country affair.

‘

 

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 9

Why, Spink’s one of the classiest distance men I ever
saw. I never dreamed—I never had the remotest idea—he

was this sort of a chap. A few days couldn't make all
this difference. He’s been playing possum, all right.”

“Why should he play possum, Frisbie, and lose the relay
race for Morris?” Frank asked. “That doesn’t sound rea-
sonable, does it?”

“No,” admitted Frisbie, drawing a deep breath. “As for -
that, Spink’s performance doesn’t look reasonable, either.”

“Well, don’t let it bother you,’ went on Frank. “He is
evidently a better rhan than I thought he was. But that
only makes a better race of this cross-country run. Come
on, Rod,” he added, starting down the hill. “Let’s trail
Spink back toward the clubhouse.”

“Set the pace, Chip!” answered Rod.

“Look out for those arms, Rod!” called the trainer.
“For goodness’ sake, boy, keep ’em down.”

Merry set a good stiff pace, and, in his excitement and
curiosity, passed the hazards of the course without giving
them the .attention he had intended to do when he set
out to make the run. Rod was lagging at the hedge jump,
and the second water jump proved a hard trial. He cut
out the “Liverpool” altogether, and then, side by side with
Merriwell, came down the stretch toward Stucker’s Woods.
A quarter of a mile beyond the timber they caught their
next glimpse of Spink. 5

He was still moving steadily, tirelessly. His pace had
slackened somewhat, but there was not tthe faintest sign of
fatigue noticeable about him.

Merriwell himself was breathing hard. He put forth a
fine effort and spurted even closer to Spink. The latter
turned. his head and smiled sneeringly, but his . face
showed not a sign of weariness. Merriwell, muttering to
himself, came to a halt and waited wonderingly for Rod
to overhaul him.

CHAPTER VI.
MORE MYSTERY.

“Wouldn’t this put kinks in your headpiece, Chip?”
panted the amazed Rodno when he had come up with
Merriwell.

“I’m all at sea, for fair,” said Frank, “Spink has gone
over the course, starting behind us at the woods and
getting back ahead of us. What’s more, he seems as
fresh as though he hadn’t been running at all.” ’

“He got ahead of us by keeping to the road just north
of the woods and cutting out the bank jump and the first
water jump. All we saw him take was the ‘combination,’
and he may have passed up all the other hazards.”

“Even at that, Rod, his performance was staggering.
Considering that it is Spink, the fellow who couldn’t do a

fast quarter in the relay race, who has gone over the

course in this amazing style, I’m knocked all of @ heap.
Hanged if I know what to think.”

“Well,” said Rod, “you overhauled him.”

“We managed to gain on him because he wasn’t trying
to get away from us, If he had let himself out, I couldn't
have come within gunshot of him. Spink has got me
going, all right.”

They returned-to Rodno Field, puzzled and bewildered.
Frisbie, when he finally showed up at the eym, was equally
nonplused.

Merry, Rod, and the trainer agreed to ae their aston-
ishing discoveries to themselves. It would never do to let

 

  
   
    
  
    
  
   
  
   
  
    
   
  
 
  
   
  
 
 
 
 
   
 
    
    
 
   
   
     
  
   
   
    
   
  
  
 

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IO

their fears and worries get out among the members of
fhe Re Aa es Stl want. Morris
crowd to: learn that. Spink’s. forendon

less did they and his

performance had
aroused mystery or panic in the rival camp.

Merry knew very well that astonishing and apparently
contradictory “things cannot happen “just of themselves.”
Down underneath them, if one probes around enough, lies
a logical explanation. The young fellow made up his mind
to do everything possible toward finding out how Spink
had managed, in the course of a few.days, to jump from
the ranks of the “B” class in athletics Into a position very
close to the amateur top-notchers,

For the day, however, Frank dismissed the disturbing
topic from his mind. In the afternoon he had a work-
out with the nine. Two members of the ball squad—Rodno
and Rushingtén—were away oi the cross-countfy course,
but a-couple of fellows were drafted to fill their places,
and the practice went on without a hitch.

Thtirsday morning Frank did not get. into his track
clothes. In his ordinary gatments he took a little -walk
alotig the lake shore ta Stucker’s Woods. And he went
alone, not even Rod having beet invited to. go along.

It. was early—not yet fAiné o’clock. On the same log
where he and Rod had found. Spink: sitting’ the previous
afternoon, he took up his position. He was intenditig to
play-a “waiting game.” In other words, he was going to
roost on that log wntil Spink happened along for his
practice rin; then, if possible, he was going to talk with
him. If Spink did not prove to be in a talkative mood,
Frank was going to watch his work at close qitarters. /

Nine o’clock came, and then nine-thirty, but Spink did
not materialize. Frank was just beginning to think that
he had been frightened off the course by the events of the
preceding day when a girl 6n horseback hove into sight
from the direction of Rodno Field,

The rider proved to be Rilla Morris. The horse, of
course, was none othet than the spirited “Jupe.” As the
girl drew close, Frank saw that her eyes were on him, and
that she wore a friendly smile. When she came abreast of
the log on which he was sitting, she pulled Jupiter to a
halt. . %

“Buenos! said Miss Morris, in her eng Western way.
“This is lttck, and no mistake. -I was hoping I'd find you
out this way, but naturally I couldn’t be at all sure of it.”

“So you were looking for me?” returned Frank, his in-
terest aroused at once.

He got up from the log atid came nearef the horse’s
side. He was “asking himself iff gratitude for what he
had done was sputring the gif] - to reveal some of her
father’s crooked work in athletics.\ ae was a wild guess,
as was soon tnade manifest.

“PIL bet you’re Chip, Merriwell,” said Miss Mortis, her
blue eyes regarding Frank quizzically, |

“That's what yott might call a safe bet,” F rank answered,
with a laugh,

“You must have thought I was a little bit rude yester-
day, not to ask your name and work myself into a spasm
of mock heroics. Runaway horse, fair—aherm—maiden in
distress, gallant youth risking’ his noble young life to
bring horse to a stop and rescue maid from her impending

‘doom—teads like.a novel, eh? But while ydu acted “ike

a hero, I must have posed as a very titisatisfactory heroine.
But that’s my way. Hope you didn’t get mad, Chip, or

feel hurt.” |
“Well, I should say not,” said Frank, i a broad smile.’

‘ 4 4

TIP AOP WEERLY.

‘you to undefstand that, Chip Merriwell.

 

Miss Morris was bright and original, and somehow dif-
ferent from most of the girls Frank had met. ° She had.a
way with her that was most attractive.

“You see, Chip, I made a guess at who you were,” Miss
Morris went on. “Since I got back home I’ve heard a: lot
about young Merriwell, and when you threw yourself at
Jupe’s head yesterday it flashed over me that you were
the famous young athlete. Now, don’t blush. You know
you're famous—not quite so famous.as your father or your
uncle, but you’re running them a close second. Well, when
I realized that you were the one who had brought Jupe
to a halt, I didn’t feel like asking your name, or giving
mine, or making very much fuss over having been saved.
Now, then, make ready to receive a shock, Chip, I’m Rilla
Morris, the daughter of Spider Morris.”

But Frank was not “shocked.” The girl seemed sur-
prised at his calmness.

“T knew that yesterday,”

“Oh! Who told you?”

“Neil Rodno. He was one of the cfoss-ecountry runners

said he,

who gave Jupe a fright before that bridle. rein went.

wrong.”

“After you found that out,” proveeded the girl, “weren't
you sorry you took the trouble to grab Jupe’s head atid
make him be good?”

“Certainly not!’ he éxclaimed indignantly.
that to do with it?”

Rilla Morris peered at him steadily for a moment; then,
with a serious light in her blue eyes, she went. on:

“Dad’s a saloon keeper,” and something like regret
thrilled in her voice, “and there are people in Juneau who
\think that he’s a crook and a tinhorn, and abotit every-
thing else that’s mean and low.” The blue eyes flashed
an angry protest. “That’s not true!” she exclaimed. “T
know dad better than anybody else knows him, and I say
he’s as honest and square as anybody in Juneau. I want
If theré’s any
crooked work during these athletic games, dad isn’t re-
sponsible for it. I know you don’t like him—none of. the
Rodno Club fellows do—but you take my.word ‘for it,
dad’s all right!”

Metry’s expetience with Spider Morris had convineed
him that he was anything but straight and square. How-
ever, the lad admired the girl for thinking as she did
and for so spiritedly taking her father’s part.

“That’s about all IT want to say along that line,” Rilla
Morris continued. “Just remember this one thing, Chip:
If anything crooked turns up in these athletic contests!
Spider Morris isn’t responsible for it. Spider!”
lip curled. “That’s a fine nickname for a respectable citi-
zen of Juneau, isn’t it?” Her mood changed, and a half-
stifled sigh escaped her. “Well,” she continued, “we'll. drop
this line of talk. You’re out here watching for somebody,
T stippose ?”

Her words were significant,

“Yes,” Frank answefed.

“For Spink, eh? Yot'’re stirprised at the way he has
suddenly commenced to show his athletic ability?”

we

“y

“He seems to be doing pretty well,” said Frank guard-/

edly, “for a fellow that couldn't win a lap in that relay
face”
“There’s something wrong there,”

him here.

    
 

“What hiss .

Her red’

£ re
i

sbhlevea Miss Mone. Mi
ris, “But Spink is the one to be blamed, not dad. You'll —
have a long wait for Spink, Chip, if you expect to meet. 5
He'll not, be seen on this part of the cross-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      
     
       
       
    
 
    
    
    

  
     

 

 
  

 
   
   
  
  
  
     

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country course.
Rodno fellows.”

“That hadn’t ought to bother him any, Miss Morris.”

She laughed. “I reckon he wants to keep out of sight
and see if that woh’t bother you,” she returned.

There was something queer in all this. The girl—and
probably the source of her information was reliable—said
there was “something wrong about Spink.” But all the
rest of her talk merely deepened the mystery.

“Now,” resumed Miss Morris, “I’m one who wants to
see fair play in this fight between the two clubs. If, by
committing the slightest dishonorable act, my father’s
boys could secure Rodno Field, I wouldn’t countenance it
a moment. Nor would dad. He can’t be held responsi-
ble, though, for any crooked: work some member of the
Juneau Club might do without his knowledge or consent.
Personally, I dislike and distrust Jerry Spink. If he’s
trying any underhand games, I want to help you find out
about it. At ten o’clock this morning he’ll be at the first
water jump. Meet him, if you can, Chip Merriwell; talk
with him, watch him. I won’t have Spink working’ any
crooked games and making dad stand responsible for them.
Understand what I mean?”

“I think I do, Miss Morris,” said ‘Chip, “and I'll. say
right here that your feelings do you a lot of credit. I
like a fellow to be a good sportsman, win or lose, and

He doesn’t like being watched by you

-no one can be a good sportsman if he isn’t square.” ’

“That’s the idea!” exclaimed the girl brightly. “What
time is it now?”

“Just ten o’clock,” replied Frank, looking at his watch.

“Gee! You’ve got to hustle if you meet Spink where
he comes on the course. Here, take Jupe! I’ll bet you
can stay on his back, easily enough.”

She slipped lightly from the side saddle to the ground
and held out the reins to Merry. He drew back.

“IT couldn’t ride in a saddle like that,” he demurred.

“T reckon you could, on a pinch,” she insisted. “Hurry!
If Spink sees you coming after him on foot he’ll try and
get away from you. I want you to find out what he’s up
to, and to do it this morning. I’ll sit on that log and wait

until you come back. Now, then, don’t say no.”

He yielded to her wishes, and climbed to an awkward
seat in the saddle. The girl waved her hand to him, and
Jupe bounded away. Certainly she was taking a great
deal of trouble to help Merry overhaul Spink. What did
she suspect Spink was up to that Merry could find out
merely by talking to him or by keeping an eye on him?

It was a queer condition of affairs, and Merriwell was
in a greater quandary than ever. Spink, from a very ordi-
nary young man, was blossoming into a great mystery as
a competitor. Frank was even more determined to get to
the bottom of the mystery if he could, for it might mean
triumph or defeat for the Rodno Athletic Club.

CHAPTER-VII.-
__AN IMPROMPTU RACE.

Merriwell followed the road to the point where the
cross-country course returned to it after diverging for the
bank jump and the first water jump. He could not very
well ride over that part of the course, and he hoped to be
at the north end of the detour to meet Spink when he came
running up to the turnpike between the white flags.

From the road he could see nothing of the,course, owing
to bushes and stunted trees that shut off the view. With

TIP TOP WEEKLY. a

Jupiter at full gallop he swung across the bridge that
spanned the brook, and then halted and tied the horse
at the roadside. Farther along, he knelt down in a clump
of bushes and continued to play his “waiting game.”

Several minutes passed, and Frank began to fear that
Spink must have come and gone, or that the girl’s in-
formation regarding his plans was not to be depended on;
but these doubts had barely taken shape in his mind be-
fore a figure appeared bounding along the course and
making directly for the road.

Frank had an excellent view of the oncoming athlete,
and was able to see clearly without being seen himself.
The fellow was Spink, and he was moving with that same
perfect and steady stride which had aroused Frank’s
wonder on the preceding day. Across the breast of his
shirt were the letters “J. A. C.,” Juneau Athletic Club.
When Spink was about to leap into the road, Merriwell
started up and stepped quickly clear of the bushes. The
lad in the running togs halted so abruptly that he almost
lost his balance and pitched over.

For a moment the two stood staring at each other.
Blank surprise was reflected in Spink’s face; perhaps
his astonishment was too great for him to show the hos-
tility which usually flew to.the surface whenever he met
Merriwell.

“If you’re not in too big a rush, Spink,” said Frank,
“I’d like to have a little talk with you.”

Spink suddenly got himself in hand. Muttering some-
thing which Frank could not understand, he leaped by |
one of the white flags, landed in the road, and began
moving off around the foot of the hill.

“Wait a minute!” yelled Merry.

Spink paid no attention, but kept plugging steadily on.
Then Frank got in motion himself.

“Tl find out something about that chap,” he thought,
“if Ihave to grab hold of him and throw him down.”

Spink must have heard Frank’s feet pattering in the
hard road, for he turned his head and threw a startled
look over his shoulder. When he faced the other way
again he was going like a deer.

Right then and there an impromptu race’ started, in
which Merriwell did his level best to overtake Spink,

while Spink did his prettiest to keep out of the way—and
succeeded beautifully.

The race lasted for a mile, and covered. that much of
the cross-country course. Merriwell held his own until
the combination jump was passed, and then, as Spink was
still going strong and seemed able to keep up his pace
indefinitely, there was nothing for Frank to do but to
give up, sit down on the stone wall of the * “combination,”
and ask himself a few questions.

If Spink could hold him even for that mile of rough
going, what chance would an R. A. C, runner have against
him next Saturday? Had Frank finally met his match in
this Spink, who had made such a dismal failure of that
last lap of the relay race?

A little close figuring was required to settle these ques-
tions. The main thing was, of course, that Spink was
stripped for this impromptu race, while Merriwell was
cumbered with his ordinary clothes. In racing trim, Merry
ought to have a slight advantage; but it was so slight
that Merry shook his head dubiously as he got down from
the stone wall and started back eet the hill to get
Miss Morris’ horse.

“T’ve got the fight of my life on my hands next Satur-
ra . NEW TIP TOP. WEERLY.

day,” he thought. “Spink is certainly going to give me all
1 can handle, | wonder if he had been drinking the day
of the relay race? That would account for his
showing, perhaps, I can see where I’ve got to get a hump
on myself if Spider Morris doesn’t

Merry had been striding rapidly back around the hill,
As he stepped into the road, he saw a figure in white
shirt and trunks about a hundred yards ahead of him. He
gave a gasp of astonishment. It was Spink again!

Frank could scarcely believe his eyes. Then, suddenly,
it flashed over him that Spink would cross the hill rather
than show himself in the vicinity of Stucker’s Woods,
That was just what he had done, of course! While Frank
was sitting on the stone wall and later walking back to-
ward the spot where he had left Miss Morris’ horse, Spink
had clambered up one side of the hill and down the
other.

Here was another chance for Merry to try out his speed
against that of the mysterious Spink. He leaped into ac-
tion forthwith.

Strangely enough, Spink was not giving any attention
to the road behind him. One would have thought that,
if Merriwell was to be expected from that quarter, Spink
would have been keeping his eyes in that direction,

Frank had covered seventy-five of the hundred yards
separating him from Spink before the latter became aware
that any one was charging down on him. When Spink
made the discovery, he gave a startled jump and began to
run,

“Wait a minute!” cried Frank.

But, as before, Spink paid no attention to the summons.
He traveled his best, and Frank thrilled with amazement
to find that, with every leap, he was coming closer and
closer to the lad ahead.

What did this mean? Had Spink, the tireless, suddenly
become fagged? Had the climb across the hill sapped
some of his endurance?

“T’ll get him now!” thought Frank.

But he was mistaken. Had he been able to run out the
race to a finish undoubtedly he would have succeeded in
laying his hands on Spink. Fate intervened, however.

_ Spink, hurrying southward along the. road, turned at the
white flags and pushed frantically in the direction of the
brook and the water jump. He passed so close to Jupi-
ter, Miss Morris’ horse, that the animal grew frightened.

Frank had hitched Jupe to a small sapling beside the
road, and the horse began to plunge and jerk and was in
imminent danger of breaking the reins of the new bridle
and getting away. Frank gave up his pursuit of Spink and
ran to quiet the plunging animal, Better to let Spink

poor

”

 

get away, he thought, than to run the risk of losing Jupe.

He came uP quietly beside the horse, and, with a few
Unhitching the

soothing words, managed to quiet him,
animal, he climbed into the side saddle and galloped in
the diregtion taken by Spink. But Spink had vanished,

probably leaving the cross-country course and taking to

the bushes,

*

“I've made a botch of this morning’s work all around,”
murmured Frank to himself, “but I’ve found out one
mighty important thing, and that is that Spink, great run-
ner though he is, is really short on endurance,” |

While trotting back toward /Stucker’s Woods, Frank
suddenly remembered how fresh and fit Spink had seemed
after his four-mile run on the previous day, This clashed

  

with the discovery he had just made, that Spink was
fagged,

llow was it possible for him to show the effects of a
mile chase and a:climb over the hill, when he had cov-
ered four miles on the other occasion and had not shown
a particle of ‘weariness.

“Oh, thunder!” exclaimed Frank impatiently; “I'll go
nutty over this Spink business if it keeps up much longer.
That chap must be in league with the Old Nick. One time
he does four miles without turning a hair, and another
time he goes stale with only half that distance. Who can
explain a turn of affairs like that? I'll give up, ‘Jerry
Spink is too many for me.”

In coming down the shore of the lake and drawing near
Stucker’s Woods, he saw Miss Morris seated on the log
and patiently waiting for him to bring back her horse
and his report. The girl got up as he drew rein, and
while he stood holding the horse she approached him with
a smile and an expectant light in her blue eyes.

“You were gone a long while, Chip,” she remarked.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting, Miss Morris,’ Frank

returned glumly, “but, you see Well, a good deal has
happened since I left here.”

“Then you found Spink and had a talk with him?”

“T found him, yes. Ran across him twice, But he
wouldn’t talk. He ran away.”

“How could he run away from you, when you were
mounted ?” ;

“I didn’t happen to be mounted. You see, I hitched
Jupe at the place where I expected Spink to come into the
road, When he came, I stepped up to talk with him. He
wouldn’t have it, and took to his heels.”

“Ah! Even then,” she went on, “I don’t see how he
could run away from you.
lete, and as good at running as you are at anything else
in the way of sports. You don’t mean to say that Spink
was able to outrun you?”

Frank looked at her sharply. A suspicion flashed
through his brain that she might be securing information
for her father. But the suspicion died almost as soon as
it was born, There was nothing of the spy or the in-
former about Rilla Morris. Her face was as honest as it
was beautiful.

 

“The first time I took after him,” said Frank, “Spink 7

had the lead, and kept it. I had to let him go. When I
started on the back trail to get Jupe and return him to
you, I met Spink again. He had come over the hill, in
order to avoid passing these woods, J presume. Then we
had another race. This second time I gained on him, and
if Jupiter hadn’t got scared and been in danger of break-

ing away from the tree where he was tied, I guess I could
But I had to stop and take care

have overhauled Spink.
of the horse. When that was done, Spink had vanished.”

“T’d like to have seen some of.that racing,” remarked

the girl, her eyes widening brightly. “How do you account

for the fact that you couldn’t catch Spink the first time

_ but might have done it the second time—if it hadn't been
for Jupe?” aaa jah

“I suppose Spink was tired,” Merry answered,
“You were tired, too, weren’t you?”
“Well, not so much as Spink was.

sprint,”

A thoughtful, troubled look crossed the girl’s face... :

You are an all-around ath-—

If I had been, you
know, I couldn’t have gained on him during that second —

 

 

 

    
  
  

   
    
    
 
   
   

 

“What you say, Chip,” she remarked, “seems mighty
queer to me. I tell you there’s something wrong about
a Spink, and if I can find out what it is 1 am going to let
a you know.”
1 3ut your father
4 “Dad has nothing to do with it. Please, please,’
implored, “revise your estimate of dad.”
He assisted her to mount.
‘ “Mirid what I say, Chip Merriwell,” she went on, hehe:
; ing the restive Jupe for a final word, “if I can find out
4 what’s wrong with Spink I’m going to let you know—
| even if it costs the Juneau Club this cross-country race,”
; With that, she struck Jupe with the quirt and galloped
away.

 

she

CHAPTER VIII.
FORERQDINGS OF DISASTER,

In spite of the efforts of Frisbie, Merriwell, and Rodno
to keep to themselves their worries on account of Spink,
the report got out that Morris’ crack runner had shown
such speed and endurance that the Rodno Club virtually
conceded the Juneau Club the victory in the cross-country
race, |

There was no truth in this whatever, but reports have

a habit of becoming wild and unreliable if they travel far.
‘ Every partisan of the Juneau Club who heard the rumors
ae added to them something out of his own imagination, and
fairy stories about the Rodno Club’s gloom and dejec-
tion were flying through evéry quarter of the town.
_ Those of Rod’s friends and clubmates who secured their
oH information secondhand were filled with alarm and fore-
bodings of disaster. They say that even a well man can
be made ill if you keep telling him he is sick. That is
i how the majority of the Rodno Club members began los-
; ing hope. Everywhere they went some one mentioned
Spink and the remarkable track showing he had made
during the last few days. It was said that he had run
off a mile heat with Merriwell, and that the Rodno Club’s
_ crack man hadn’t been able to see him for dust! But the
worst slander of all was this, passed from one Juneau
man to another in exultant whispers: Merriwell had said
' he was afraid of Spink, and would withdraw from the
Bia race,
' .. The slander, naturally, found its way to the startled
eats of some of Rodno’s friends. They went to Neil
with it, and Neil said things that emphasized his state of
mind and called the rumor a base canard, and even used
_ the shorter and uglier word, The Rodno Club’s well-
_ wishers were partly reassured, but they did not feel en-
- tirely at ease until they had heard from Merriwell direct.
Frank listened, with his calmly confident smile, Then
he answered:
_ “What sort of a sportsman do you fellows kale me for?
You don’t think I’m afraid of the chap I beat out in the
im ‘relay race, do you?) Anyhow, it would be a pretty measly
- proceeding to back water just -because I thought the
Juneaus had a man who could run me off my feet. I’m
going into that cross-country race, and I’m going in to
1 witht, r :
These remarks clipped the spurs of the calamity howl- |
ers. They could still howl, but they were powerless. to
drive the Rodno contingent into a panic. Some of the
Rodno fellows were faint-hearted and held privately to
orebodings of disaster, but they took their pattern from.

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
   
  
 
   
   
   
   
     
 

 

NEW TIP TOP

  

WEEKLY.

 

T3

Merriwell and presented to their enemies a calm and con-
fident front.

‘rank, meanwhile, had cut out the baseball practice
and was giving all his time to the track work. Again and
again he went over that cross-country course, negotiating
the obstacles until he had each of them down pat, some-
times jogging leisurely over the four miles, and some-
times running the distance while Frisbie held the stop-
watch on him at the starting and finishing line in front of
the grand stand, |

Late Friday afternoon Frank “went over the line for
a record.” When Frisbie looked at the watch and gave
the time it was in a voice of suppressed but perfect con-
fidence.

“Neither Spink, nor any one else Spider. Morris can
dig up,” said he, “can beat that. Chip, we’ve got the other
side skinned to a fare-you-well. Foul work is all we've
got to beware of now.”

“If there’s foul work on the part of Morris or his
runners,” answered Frank, “the race will be given to us
even if one of your fellows runs second.”

“Always providing,” qualified Frisbie, “that we can put
our finger on the thing that’s crooked. But I’m not going
to think of that. We're going to take this race on our
merits. I was never so sure of anything in my life.”

With that, the trainer put up his watch and wore a
complacent look which did not alter by so much as a line
during all the excitement and anxieties that followed.

Amos Rodno, Neil’s uncle, and chairman of the trus-
tees that looked after Rodno Field and had charge of. the
contests, was known to have no love for athletic sports.
During the relay race, Rod’s splendid work had lured
him out of his shell of reserve and he had waved his hat
and cheered. This, to those who knew Amos Rodno, had
looked like the entering wedge of a wholesome interest in

. track sports; but, in the days following the relay race, the

old sheepman drew back into his shell again, and his
friends thought disappointedly that he had again become
indifferent to the contests. But Merriwell discovered that
this was not the case.

Friday evening Amos Rodno called at the Burton House,
where Frank was staying, and drew him aside for a brief

talk,

“You still think it was all right to ‘change to-morrow’s
race from this Marathon business to a cross-country con-
test, Chip?” he asked.

“T still think it’s a good thitie for the Rodno fellows,
Mr. Rodno,” Merry answered.

“All the trustees have to agree to it,” went on the other
vaguely. “They let me handle that end of it, though, but
I could get them to call off the cross-country event even
now and insist on the Marathon.”

“That wouldn’t be square, after giving the Juneaus an

‘assurance that the change was agreeable to us.’

A look of approval crept into the weather-heaten face
of Amos Rodno.

“Of course it wouldn’t be square,” said he, “if you come
to figure it right down to a fine point, but. it would be
legal, and it would hold.”

“We don’t want the Marathon,”. insisted Frank. “And
if we did want it 1’d be for going ahead just as we have
planned, and just as everybody is expecting.”

“That’s you! Well, we're going ahead according to the
revised schedule; but, * and here, to Frank’s surprise, anx-
iety glimmered in Rodno’s eyes, “what's all this talk about

  

    

 

 
 

 

     

Spink being a better man than you, and showing a speed
and style no one ever dreamed he possessed?”

“There’s truth in that, Mr. Rodno.”

“You mean'that he’s a speedier man than you are?”

“Well,” and Frank smiled, “that remains to be seen.
Spink has certainly changed a whole lot during the past
week. I never dreamed he was so good as he has proved
himself, He can go like a streak.”

Amos Rodno chewed at an unlighted cigar for a few
moments, hesitating, possibly, about expressing himself
further. Finally he went on:

“When my brother, Lee, set aside fifty thousand dol-
lars for an athletic field here in Juneau, I thought, and
still think, he was wasting good money. At first, I didn’t
take much interest in the games. When that relay race
was pulled off, though, I got excited over the closeness
of it, and I reckon I was about as tickled as any of the
members of the Rodno Club at the way it came out. I
confess, Merriwell, that I’d like to see the R. A. C. clean
up! the other outfit. I hope, I sincerely hope, that you
will show Spink your heels and come in a winner. If
there is anything I can do, outside of my official duties,
to help you fellows, just tip me off.”

“There’s nothing more to be done by anybody but the
cross-country teams,’ answered Frank. “Speed and en-
durance will tell the tale now.”

“They ought to, and that’s a fact. If there’s any crook-
edness, somebody’s going to be sorry.”

The old gentleman walked out of the hotel.

“Neil’s uncle is certainly waking up,” said Frank to
himself. “He'll probably be yelling himself hoarse before
that cross-country race is finished.”

Spink still remained a mystery; and he remained away
from the cross-country course, too, for after Merry had
tried to talk with him and to watch his work, he was not
seen again going over the line marked by the white flags.

The interest in that next event, scheduled for Saturday
afternoon, had risen to fever heat in the town. All that
talk about Spink had a good deal to do with focusing
popular attention on the race;-.but there was another rea-
son, as well.

In the early stages of the contests, when the Juneaus
were getting the better of the Rodnos with dismal regu-
larity, there was no spice to the dual meetings, and people
stayed away. It was known, of course, that Neil Rodno
was laboring hard to keep his uncle’s legacy strictly inside

_the channels for which it had been designed, and it was
also tacitly understood that Spider Morris wanted Rodno
Field for uses which could in no wise be a credit to the
town. Yet this knowledge did not arouse any interest on
the part of the townspeople.

Neil was only a kid, and it was not believed that he
had a possible chance to win out while battling with a
crafty veteran like Spider Morris. Morris and his men

took the football game, then the ice-hockey contest, and /

_then the basket-ball event. The winning was done with an
ease that left no element of uncertainty.

Juneau people merely wagged their heads sapiently and
remarked one to another: “I told you so.” But young
Neil Rodno, after his club had lost three straight events,
played a trump card. He wrote to Dick Merriwell and
asked the benefit of his aid and advice.

Dick could not answer Neil’s letter in person, but he
sent Frank to investigate athletic affairs in Juneau; and
young Frank, “who had come to see, remained to con-

  

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

~ quer.” Through him the tide of disaster that had set in
against the R.*A. C. was stemmed. The relay race had
been won against Morris and his imported amateurs.

This triumph of itself was enough to arouse the Juneau
people. They began to sympathize with Neil in his hard
struggle, and to make of him a hero second galy to Chip
Merriwell.

Saturday afternoon, therefore, was made a holiday in
the town. Stores closed, factories shut down, and on the
front door of every business place could be seen a card ©
bearing the legend: “Closed till after the cross-country
race,”

While the relay race had drawn no more than a hun-
dred spectators, the cross-country event was filling the
grand stand with a crowd that overflowed to every part
of the picket fence in its immediate. vicinity.

There were a few rooters for the Juneau Club in the
gathering, but they were not many. Spider Morris was
not popular in the town; his calling was in keeping with
his character, and his friends belonged to a class with
which the best people would have little to do.

It was nearly time for the race to, start, and in the
dressing rooms of the Rodno Field gymnasium the three
lads who were to champion the cause of the R. A, C. were
looking to their shoe laces, stuffing cotton into the heels

of their shoes, and otherwise making ready for a hard oe j

struggle.

Frisbie was talking to the three, talking earnestly and
with a note of supreme confidence.

“Spink, Brannigan, and Taylor are good, fellows,” said
he, “but they’re not good enough. Chip, I haven’t got a
word to say to you except this: We know you're going
‘to lead Spink to the finish line. Rod, just keep your
hands down, Rush, don’t be too ambitious at the start.
Let the Juneau fellows make the pace. Save your strength
till you need it most, all of you. Don’t try for style in
getting over the hazards, and remember that good, hard
running is what will save Rodno Field for those to whom
it rightfully belongs. Now, get out on the track—they’re
waiting for you.” .

_ The three lads, with good wishes from those who clus-
tered around them, left the gym and crossed toward the
cheering crowd in the grand stand.

CHAPTER IX,
RODNOS VERSUS JUNOS.

The distance judges had gone to their several places
along the course, and the referee, the starter, Amos Rodno,
and his two fellow trustees were holding a consultation at

‘the starting line.

Spink, Brannigan, and Taylor were already on the track,
hopping around and limbering up their legs. Each bore
a number pinned to his shirt, and on his breast were the
“J. A. C.” initials of the club to which he nominally be-
longed and for which he was running. 3

Merriwell, Rodno, and Rushington were given a big ova-
tion as they trotted toward the front of the grand stand.
Nearly every person in the stand got to his feet and helped
in the din. Through all the cheering rang the war cry
of the Rodnos: “Remember Lee Rodno!”
| “Hey, Merriwell,” piped a youngster from somewhere.
along the picket fence, “don’t you fail to come back with
Spink’s scalp.” *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  

 

 

 
 
 

    

NEW

“Don’t you never bet your tin that Jerry Spink is
going to win,” sang the high-pitched voice of Billy Dill.

“Merriwell is\ scared stiff!” whooped a husky voice.
“Somebody get around him and hold him up!”

Frank looked in the direction from
came and laughed good-naturedly.

“He looks scared—I don’t think!” countered a Rodno
rooter.

“He'll not be held up—for this. race or anything else!”
cried another.

which the voice

Spink had fixed his glimmering dark eyes on Merriwell.

' There was defiance in the hateful look, and a gleam as of
triumph... Spink undoubtedly felt sure he was going to
win.» '
Merriwell met his enemy’s glance with a tolerant smile.
Some, who did not know Merry, might have taken that
smile for an amiable expression of weakness. But it was
anything but that.

The. starter began fingering his pistol. The referee
started forward and the six runners ranged themselves side
by side across the path. Their shoe spikes took firm grip
of the track and they poised alertly forward, ready for
the signal to start.

“There’s a penalty for getting away before the feport
_ of the gun,” warned the referee. “See that you use your
ears, and don’t try to beat the pistol.” The referee stepped
- back and nodded his head toward the starter.

“Are you all ready?” asked. the man with the pistol.

After a brief silence, during which the straining muscles
clamored for the initial jump, the signal was given.

Crack? . ‘

The six leaped along the track as one. It was as pretty
a start as ever had been made on the Rodno cinder track.
Of course, this was not saying a great deal, for the field
was not yet the legal property of any club and had not
been in readiness very long.

At the gap in the picket fence, through which the run-
ners diagonaled across to the road along the, lake shore,
Rod and Brannigan forged into the lead. Before the road
was reached, Rush and Taylor were pressing the leaders
closeyand Merry and Spink were bringing up the rear.

» Frank’s purpose was to beat Spink over the course, so
he paid little attention to the other runners. He knew
that Spink, being the best of the Morris men, would
sooner or later head the procession; and here, at the be-

ginning, Frank was willing that Spink should set the pace

for him. He was content to keep at his competitor’s side.

Watching Spink warily out of the tails of his eyes,

- Merry was amazed at his clumsy efforts. He was running
unsteadily, and throwing his arms about at a great rate.

Once, or twice he lurched toward Frank, as though he

would fall against him.

_“He’s putting that on,” Merry thought; “he’s trying to
get in my way. I'll block that!”

Instead of keeping at’ Spink’s “ide, he drew ahead for a
couple of strides. Rod and Brannigan had entered the
shadow of Stticker’s Woods. They were running easily,
and neither was making any attempt to get ahead of the

_ other. /

|). Following them by a dozen feet came Rushington and

‘Taylor. They also, it seemed, were contented to get over
that part of the course neck and neck, All the runners
were saving themselves,

_ As Frank ran past the heavy timber standing knee-deep
in a brushy undergrowth, he, heard an angry exclamation

abe. La WaT. 15

behind him. Throwing a look over his shoulder, he saw
that Spink had fallen to one knee close to the log on
which Frank and Neil had seen him sitting a few days
before.

He was in some sort of trouble, that was sure. Frank
continued to watch over his shoulder until the’bend in
the shore carried him out of sight.

“It doesn’t look as though Spink was to make much of
a showing, after all,” Frank thought. “Theré’s no use
for me to hang back any longer,” and he let himself out
a little.

Before he reached the bank jump, on the detour from
the road, he had passed Rushington and Taylor. . Ahead, ©
just going over the four-foot bank, Merry caught a fleet-
ing glimpse of Rod and Brannigan, They dropped from
sight together, making the leap in perfect form.

Halfway between the bank jump and the brook Merry
came alongside the two who had been in the lead up to
that moment. They were still keeping together. Instinc-
tively Brannigan increased his pace when he heard Merri-
well coming up behind. Rush likewise ran a little harder,
so the three rutiners came down on the first water jump
together.

At the take-off they arose in the air, all at the same
time. Coming down on the opposite side of the brook,
Rushington fell back a little, but quickly recovered him-
self.

“Tf you’re bound to set the pace, Merriwell,” said Bran-
nigan pantingly, “go to it.”

Merty had other use for his breath besides wasting it in
talk. He made no response, but went into the lead at a
jump. He was not increasing his pace—it was Brannigan
who had slackened gait somewhat.

Headed back into the road again, Merry continued
steadily onward. Presently he heard a crunch of rapid
feet behind him.

“Brannigan!” he thought. “He’s made up his mind to
try and get back the lead again.”

Merry went a little faster, feeling as though he would
like to disappoint Brannigan. But the flying feet behind,
as he could tell from the soutid they madé, were drawing
up on him.

Frank was already setting as fast a clip as he thought
advisable for that part of the course. He would let
Brannigan come alongside, iftthat was his desire, and then
try and hold him even.

The runner behind came up. His stride. was powerful
and easy, and he seemed to do his overhauling with
seatcely an effort. I'rank was astonished, for the fellow
proved to be none other than Spink!

But it was a different Spink altogether from the one who
had started and had experienced trouble at Stucker’s
Woods. There was no awkwardness about him now. His
form was perfect, and hinted at an immense amount. of
speed and staying power held in reserve.

Ae splotch of mud had stained the side of his white
running parits. Probably it had spattered over him at the
water jump. He undoubtedly had taken off too soon
and sttuck in the oozy edge of the brook bank, for his
spiked shoes were also mudstained,

Merty and Spink were now leading the runners, If
Spink had tried at the beginning by feigned awkwardness
to foul Frank, that design had now passed from his mind.
lle was going straight as a dart, and he and Merry came

  
 

 

   

16

together back into the country road and began their circle
of the hill.

Spink looked aside at Merry. His face wore a grim,
determined smile, but the ugly*hostility was missing. He
Frank also put his pace up a notch.
Spink went him one better. Merry was content to leave
the matter so, for the present. Later on he could cut into
his energy. Just then all that was necessary was to see
that Spink did not get too far ahead.

3ut if Merry was satisfied ta have his antagonist a
little in the lead, Spink himself was not. Apparently it
was his intention to make that lead as great as possible.

Frank wondered if he was going to wear himself out in
circling the hill and then find himself on the final mile
with his strength failing. .The effort the fellow was mak-
ing seemed to point that way.

Could this mysterious competitor last over the rest of
the course with stich a telling *clip? Frank was so little
acquainted with his powers that he dared not husband his
own energy. He must not allow Spink to get too far
ahead. *

He started in to run his best, and the running was about
an even thing as the two rushed for the combination jump.
Spink bounded to the top of the stone wall, cleared the
four-foot ditch at a leap, and was on again without losing
his stride. Merry was on the wall as Spink came down
beyond the ditch, and the judge at that point caught the
numbers of both as they bobbed into his sight and out of
it again.

Midway between the edie jump and the hedge
jump was#the two-mile mark—just half of the course.

increased his speed.

Spink was in the lead by half a dozen strides as the run- .

ners came up to this point.

By that time Merriwell realized that he had the race of
his life on his hands. He tried his best to come up with
Spink on the fairly clear going beyond the combination
jump, but Spink seemed to have inexhaustible speed under
his command, Apparently he had only to draw on his
energy for what he needed at any given moment.

At the hedge jump the relative positions of the two run-
ners was about the same as they had been. Well behind
_ those two, Rod was leading Brannigan by a yard. Bring-
ing up the rear was Taylor. Rushington had had a mishap
at the combination jump, and was limping back over the
return course with an injured ankle. é

Merriwell had no time for observation. With set teeth
and strained face, he put himself to the task of keeping
as closely on the heels of Spink as possible.

Spink was like 4 steam engine. Wasn’t he capable of
feeling exhaustion? Here they were going over the third
mile, and Spink was, bounding along with grace and ease,
pulling up or letting himself out at will. :

The blood was pounding in Merriwell’s ears. He knew
he was going too fast for the work that yet lay ahead of
him, but he did not dare let the chap in front get too big
a lead over him. If Spink kept up that clip clear to the
finish line, then the race would undoubtedly be his. But
it was not humanly possible for him to do it! On this
Merriwell pinned his hopes. And the question flashed
through his mind, would it be possible for him to keep on
as he was going? ;

A lot of energy was being expended which should have
been saved for the home stretch. Yet how was Merry to
spare himself, with Spink going like he was? Gritting his
_ teeth, Frank raced doggedly on.

{

}

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

CHAPTER X.
THE FINISH.

The hedge jump was nearly four feet; and it was wide,
with thorny branches outspread to bite into the luckless
jumper who did not clear it. The seemingly tireless Spink
rose lightly into the air. He was a little too soon with
his take-off, however, just as he must have been at the
first water jump. When he came down, one of the thorny
branches caught and tore slightly one leg of his running
pants. Spink’s flesh did not suffer from the contact, and
it is doubtful whether he noticed the slight mishap. But —
Frank saw it.

If Merry wanted any further proof of the’ fact’ that
he was going altogether too fast, the effort that hedge cost
him was enough. He barely skimmed it, but he was into
his stride and off again as soon as his feet struck the
earth.

It was necessary for him to slow down a little. The
water jump was just ahead, and a seven or eight-foot
jump after such a grueling pace was not to be lightly
considered.

Through the sweat that trickled from his forehead into
his eyes he thought he saw the vague figure ahead like-
wise diminishing speed. A great throb of hope ran puls-
ing through his breast. Spink, who seemed so tireless,
was evidently feeling the pace. Now, if Frank could hus-
band his energies, he would have his chance.

Little by little, as Stucker’s Woods were neared, Frank
gained upon Spink. At the second water jump Spink’s
leap fell short, and he landed with a splash in the opposite
side, of the stream. Apparently none the worse for the
accident, he stepped clear of the brook and bounded off
once more.

But now matters began to take on a different aspect for
Frank, Even at an easier pace, he was gaining slowly on
Spink.

Was this because Spink was tired, or because he real-
ized that he could not last if he kept going as he had been?
Whatever the answer to this question, it made little dif-
ference. The fact remained that Merry was getting ahead,
and that his star of hope was rising higher and higher.

Red, Taylor, and Brannigan were so far in the rear
that the fight between them was merely for second place.
They were so greatly outdistanced, in fact, that the fore-
most of them was just jumping the hedge as Merriwell
made his second leap over the brook.

When close to Stucker’s Woods, Spink turned and
looked back. His gaze seemed to travel over Merry’s head
and to search the background for the other runners.

That backward look brought disaster. Spink stumbled
over a stone and fell sideways, He was not hurt by
the tumble, but Frank ran past him while he was Tegain-
ing his feet.

“Stucker’s Woods seems to be a hoodoo for Spink,”
Frank thought, remembering how his competitor had run
into hard luck there when outward bound from the ath-
letic field.

Spink made no remark ds Frank went by ‘him. Per-
haps he was too far gone for breath to have any for
words,

Frank, when fifty feet away, looked Goce te and saw
Spink staggering as he came on.

“He used himself up at the start-off,” Frank said to
himself, “but he came mighty near getting me all in be-

  

 

 
 

fore he began to lag. He did the same during that relay
race. I knew he couldn’t last!”

Frank felt.sure, just then, that he had the race as good
as won. He was amazed, a moment later, to hear hurry-
ing steps behind him. The very fall of the feet sug-
gested energy. Which was it who was going so strong as
the end of the race came near? Was it Brannigan, or
Taylor, or Rod?

Then, to Merry’s astonishment, Spink hove alongside.
He was going as fast as though he had just started, and
had not left three trying miles behind him!

For a moment Frank was almost stupefied. Had Spink
been playing off? What was his object in pretending to be
more tired than he really was?

Frank was forced to the conclusion that Spink, when
well within view of the crowds on Rodno Field was striv-
ing for a spectacular effect. He wanted to come up on
Merriwell, pass him, and cross the finish line a winner;
and it must be that he wanted to do all this where the
crowd could see him.

And the crowd at Rodno Field certainly was watching.
A chorus of yells had greeted Merry as he appeared from
the shadow of Stucker’s Woods. Then the yells had died
down and a breathless silence ensued, marking the ap-

_ pearance of Spink, creeping up on Metriwell and running

strongly.

“Spink’ll do the trick!” shouted Spider Morris, standing
‘up in the grand stand and peering at the oncoming run-
ners. “Mark what I tell you, this Merriwell hasn’t got
nothing over that boy.”

“Seems queer to me,” said Rilla, who was standing be-
side him and taking fully as great an interest in the race,
“seems queer to me, dad,’ that Spink can’ come on so
well after doing nearly four miles, and taking several
hard jumps. How do you explain that?”

The eyes of Morris dropped with sudden suspicion to

the face of his daughter.

“Don’t need to explain, Rill!” Morris aisiieted, “There’s
Merriwell, and there’s Spink. Their work shows for it-
self.”

“But Spink can’t run a mile without getting all tired
out,” insisted the girl.

“He’s been taking care of himself since that relay race.”

“He’s had a week to pick up,” said the girl caustically.
“What sort of dope has he been using, dad?”

_ “Never you mind about the dope—keep your blue eyes —
‘on Spink, girl!

Here’s where he wins Rodno Field for
118."

The girl started to push her way out of the grand
stand.
“Where you going?” demanded her father.

“Just down to be close to the finish line,” she answered.

Morris seemed on the point of saying more, but a burst
of cheers came from the little group that surrounded him,
and his excited eyes once more sought the runners.’ .

“Spink’s passed Merriwell!” howled the Juneau con-
tingent.

“He’s comin’
feet !”
~ “Hoop-a-la, Juneau!”
-Méunted on the white picket fence, his tall form reared
high, was Amos Rodno.
had come into sight the old sheepman had been yelling.
But now, with Spink passing Merriwell, he seemed sud-
denly to become palsied. The excited shouts died on his

strong! He'll beat him by a hundred

5
\

NEW: TIP. TOP’ WEEKLY.

From the moment Merriwell °

      
  
    
    
   
  
   
    
   
   
    
  
 
 
 
 
   
 
  
   
  
   
   
   
  
   
   
    
   
  
   
   
   

17

lips. An awful silence had settled over him, as well as
over all the rest of the Rodno Club’s members and well-
wishers.

-Merriwell, the crack runner which the Rodnos had put
forward to save the day for them, was being passed on
the home stretch by his rival—by the fellow whom he had
worsted so cleverly in the relay race!

A thin voice piped a little comfort from the ranks of
Merriwell’s supporters:

“Eat him up, Merriwell! Surprise him at the finish
line! Remember Lee Rodno! Come ahead, Merriwell,
come ahead!”

“Come ahead, Merriwell!” roared Amos Rodno. “Come
ahead, boy! You aren’t going to let that saphead get
away with you!”

Tumultuous and mocking laughter broke from the
Juneau crowd.

“Merriwell’s all in!” they shouted.
now! He can’t hold out!
J. A. C. Whoop-ya! —
feet!”

Up in the grand stand, the friends of Spider Morris
began shaking hands with him. Over in the door of the
gymnasium building stood Frisbie. He heard the tri-
umphant shouts of the Juneau crowd and, for the first
time since the race started, his heart faltered.

Then, the next moment, Frisbie became aware of a slen-
der figure moving rapidly in his direction. It was the
figure of a girl. She stopped in front of him and put
out a small hand that trembled a little.

“Your name is Frisbie?” she asked, her voice scarcely
more than a whisper.

“Yes,” he answered dully.

“You're the athletic trainer for the Rodno Club?”

“Yes.”

“I thought so. I remember seeing you with Chip Mer-
rgwell the day he stopped my horse.”

“Ah!” muttered Frisbie, his voice hardening. “You're
Rilla Morris. I remember now. They say Spink is win-
ning this race. Give your father my congratulations,” and
he turned with a sneer on his face.

But the girl caught his arm.

“Listen,” said she. “Spink isn’t going to win this race
—not and do it fairly. I want you to go at once to Stuck-
ers Woods. Go as fast as you can. There’s a place
where a log is lying by the roadside. Jump into the
bushes there—and see what you find.”

Frisbie whirled around. But the girl had released his ‘
arm. He saw then that her face was pallid, and that and
she was withdrawing hurriedly.

“What do you mean?” he demanded, leaping ,after her.
“Do as I tell you!” she answered.

She vanished into the crowd that had flocked into the
oval bound by the cinder track. Everybody was pressing
hard upon the finish line. There was a perfect bedlam of
yelling and cheering.

Frisbie did not wait to take part in the demonstration.
Things were not coming his way, it seemed, and he was
not anxious to remain and watch the dismal event come
to an end. He started forthwith for Stucker’s Woods.

Meanwhile, Merriwell was doing his utmost to overtake
Spink. He was desperate. He could not understand how -
Spink could develop-so much energy when he had been
all but played out farther back on the course.

A mist filled his eyes. Through it he saw the white-clad
4

“He’s staggering
nodno Field belongs to the
Rodno Field is ours—by a hundred

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    
 

 

18

figure leaping along in front of him—but he could see
little else. ,

One thing he remembered, and that was the spot of mud
on Spink’s white running pants, and the rent made by the
thorny branch at the hedge jump. There was no stain on
the running trousers of the man who was now leading him
to the finish line.

It flashed throygh Merriwell’s seething brain that
trickery of some sort was being used to defeat him. He
could not guess what sort of trickery it was, but the fact
that crooked work was being used, stung him into a fury.

His teeth clenched. A new access of strength ran
through his lithe limbs. He hurled himself forward and
gave a most remarkable demonstration of reviving power.
Steadily, foot by foot, he cut down Spink’s lead. He was
almost upon his rival’s heels at the gap in the picket
fence.

As the two came down the cinder path, Merriwell ranged
alongside the Juneau Club’s champion. For a dozen yards
the race was neck and neck. Silence had fallen over the
crowd. Merriwell’s strained, white face was etched into
Amos Rodno’s mind, at that moment, never to be for-
gotten. And then, with a leap, Chip Merriwell hurled
himself across the finish line—winner of the cross-country
race by just that one jump!

CHAPTER XI.
NOBLY FOUGHT!

Merriwell’s jump, the jump that won the race, carried
him over the finish line, but dropped him limp and sprawl-
ing upon the cinders. He lay there, spent aad breathing
in quick, hard gasps.

The crowd rushed toward Hin First to reach his side
was Amos Rodno.

“Keep back, all of you!” yelled the old sheepman.
“Don’t push in too close. Can’t you see he’s all played
out? Help me pick ae up, some one, and we'll tote him
over to the gymnasium.” |

Dill and Wes Bilkins started totward t to help Rodno, but
the three had barely laid hold of Mertiwell when he com-

menced getting up of his own accord. He was dizzy

and played out, but he was able to stand on his own feet.

“Crooked work, 'Mr. Rodno,” he whispered faintly, in
the trustee’s ear. ~ .

“What’s that?” demanded Rodno.

“There has been crooked’ work. Get Spider Morris.
Make him bring Spink over to the clubhouse. Hurry up,
before Spink has a chance to get away.”

Amos Rodno muttered angrily to himself.

“We'll get him,”. said he. “I’ve been expecting some-
thing crooked; and we'll make things hot if we can tack
tinhorn methods onto Spider Morris.”

-Rodno left hurriedly on his mission. The crowd
pressed. around Merriwell, trying to get near enough to
shake hands with him and to slap him on the back. Bil-
kins and Dill, with a few other members of the R. A. C.,,
constituted themselves a bodyguard, and kept the enthusi-
‘astic people at a distance.

“You sure pulled victory right out of the alaly of de-
feat!” eried some one in the throng.

“Pluckiest thing I ever saw done!” said some one else.

“Who'd ever have thought Jerry Spink could have given
Chip Merriwell such a run? Some runtier that Spink,
eh?”

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY,

) Spink.”

 

Amid remarks such as these, frequently interspersed
with cheers, Merriwell and his friends crossed fo the
gymnasium.

“Where's Frisbie?” Dill asked of a man from the bath-
room,

“Search me,” was the answer. “He was here a. spell
ago. Reckon if he ain’t around he must be off celebrat-
ing. Great race, eh? Merriwell, you’ve done us proud.”

Frank was. stripped and pushed into a shower. Rodno
Club members clustered outside the hathroom and felici-
tated each other, and offered a running fire of compli-
ments to the lad who had won the victory for them.

In half an hour, Merriwell was in his street clothes and
was sitting in a chair in one corner of the gymnasium.

“Has Mr. Rodno got here yet?” he asked.

“Neil has arrived,” said Wes Bilkins jubilantly
come in second, Chip.”

“Where’s Rushington?”

“Still a-runnin’, I reckon.”

At that moment Amos Rodno was approaching the door

“He

of the gymnasium with Spider Morris and Jerry Spink.

Rodno had found Mortis easily enough, and the. two of
them were obliged to wait, in the dressing rooms tinder
the grand stand, until Spink had changed his garments.

“Here’s Amos now,” announced Dill. “Gee! He’s bring-
ing Spider and Spink along with him. ‘What’s up, Chip?”

“A little private business, that’s all,” said Merry,. a
resolute look overspreading his face. “We want the gym
to ourselves for a while. Say, fellows, clear out, will
you?”

The request was sufficient. Although every one who had
flocked into the gym was wondering why there should
be so much secrecy about proceedings, yet each took his
way quickly out of the big room. Only Merriwell, Amos
Rodno, Morris, and Spink were left in the place. .

“What’s this Amos is tellin’ me?”
“You accuse me of not playin’ square? Is that right,
Metriwell ?”
' “Pm not acctising you,” was the answer. “I’m accusing

“What're you sobbing about?” scowled Spink:
won the race, didn’t you?”

“That’s what they say,” Frank answered, giving Spink
a steady look, “but you had to make me work to/ do: it.

I don’t think I’d have had to work like I did if eee 3

had been fair and aboveboard.’
rid of it, can’t you? I want to pike for town.”
“Open Spink’s satchel,” went on Frank,
look at his running clothes.”

as
~&

“Let’s see those clothes, and then I’fl tell you.”
“Take ’em out for him, Spink,” said Morris.
Spink opened his suit case and pulled out the wattnents:

¢

“Do you see any mud and water on them, or on his _

shoes ?” Frank inquired.

“No,” said Morris. “They’ #e in fairly good sti

“That’s the trouble. I stispected crooked work the min- ae ;

ute Spink passed me 6n the home stretch and I got a goad
look at his back. What happened when you took the first

water jump, Spink?” Frank demanded, giving the eaten ea

rufner a searching scrutiny.
“Nothing happened,” was the / gruff response.

made a clean jump of it, that’s all "

“Where was | when you made the jump?”

blustered Morris.

yy Oatid

“and .let’s, have

“What’s his clothes got to do with any craoked work?”

“What's on your mind, anyhow?” growled Morris. "et

mi fun By

 

Rie ae

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 
    

  

“About two strides behind me.”

“Oh, was 1? When you made that first water jump,
Spink, I was ahead of you. You took off too soon and
dropped into the mud.”

“How do you know that, if you were ahead of me?”

“When you passed me, I remember seeing mud on your
white running pants and on your shoes. Those muddy
running clothes were right ahead of me clear around to
Stucker’s Woods. Now, think a minute. What happened
to you at the hedge jump?” ;

“Nothing.”

Spink’s voice was not so warlike as it had been,
cast an anxious look toward Spider Morris.

“Well, maybe you didn’t know what happened there.
The hedge tore a hole in these white knee pants. I saw
that. When you passed me, coming the last mile toward
Rodno Field, the mud and the torn place had disappeared.
You didn’t stop to change your track togs during the
run, did you?”

There was a deep silence.
Rodno.

“Great blazes!” he exclaimed. “It looks like Merriwell
had put his finger on something mighty crooked. What
have you got to say, Morris?”

“Only this,” snapped Morris: “If there was any crooked
work, I ain’t responsible, and I didn’t know about it. I’m
playing fair, by thunder! And, look here once: Why
should you take Merriwell’s say-so about this? It’s a
mighty one-sided argument he’s putting up. And it doesn’t
get us anywhere.”

  
  
 
 
 
      
 

He

  
  
  
   
    
  
  

It was broken by Amos

  

 

“What do you figure out on account of that missing

mud, Chip?” queried Amos Rodno.

“I’m asking Spink to do the explaining,” said Frank.
“I don’t know what happened. It’s mighty queer, that’s
rele.

“What you say about crooked work is all SaeMeneuiric,
sneered Spink,

“And it seems mighty queer, too,® went on Frank, “that
you shouldn’t know where I was at that water jump, nor
just how you made the leap.”

“T reckon we can settle this in about two minutes,”
fa voice. :

_ It was Frisbie. He had come into the gymnasium with
Rushington. Between them they had a prisoner—a young
fellow in street clothes and carrying a suit case.

It was Spink!

But, no, it could not be, for Spink was at Amos Rodno’s
_ side, with Rodno’s hand gripping his shoulder.

: All in the room stared hard at the two young men; and
| then slowly a light of understanding began to dawn.

said

    

CHAPTER XII.

A COUPLE OF SPINKS.

 
  
 

_ “By thunder,” shouted Amos Rodno, “there are two
Spinks! And they’re as near alike as two peas in a
pod. It’s hardly possible to tell *em apart.”

“This is pretty fierce,” said the youth who had been
conducted to the gym by Frisbie and Rushington. “But I
uldn’t help it, Jerry,” he went on to his double. “These
wo guys jumped me, there in the woods, just as I got my
clothes changed.”

_ “JT reckon it’s all up,” said Jerry Spink.

“Where'd you get that fellow, Frisbie?” demanded
mos Rodno,

  
   
  
 
  
  
 
   
 
 

 

NEW: TTP POP OWEEAEY,

19

“In Stucker’s Woods,” was the answer. “I had a tip
where to look, and I went there after him, just as the
race was being wound up. On the way I met Rush, limp-
ing in. He had damaged his ankle and had to give up
the race. He wasn’t so badly off but that he could’ turn
around and go back to Stucker’s Woods with me. That’s
where we found this counterfeit. He didn’t want to come
with us, but we made him.”

“Look at his running clothes,”
there’s mud on them?”

The other suit case was opened and the clothes brought
out. They were stained with mud, and there was a torn
place in the short’ pants.

“This crookedness is mighty puzzling,” remarked Amos
Rodno. “What do you figure out, Chip?”

“I figure that I raced with two men,” Merry answered.
“Jerry Spink side-tracked himself at Stucker’s Woods, on
the way out, and that other chap took his, place. I ran
after Spink number two almost all way around the hill;
then I passed him by the woods, and he dropped out and
let Jerry continue the race back to the field. Jerry ran
only two miles, you see, and he had a rest all the time I
was trailing the other fellow around the hill. When Jerry
got into the race again, I was badly fagged, and he was
comparatively fresh. All the two had to in the woods,
was to change numbers.”

“Who are you?” Morris asked, idiiting on the fellow
brought in by Frisbie and Rush.

“T’m Jerry’s twin brother,” was the answer.

“Your’e a runner, eh?” \

“Professional runner, yes. When Jerry wanted me to
come on here and help him out, I came. I wasn’t far

said Merriwell. “See if

‘away when I got his telegram. My front name is Sid,”

and he grinned as he flashed his eyes over the faces of
those around him. “Tough luck, Jerry,’ he added, “but
this Merriwell is too many for you. He’s too many for
me, too, with anything like a fair trial between us. You
can go some, boy,” and he nodded toward Frank.

“Tt was you I faced with the other day, wasn’t it?”
Merry asked.

“It sure was. ‘I thought, for a time, you’d get me, but
you gave up just as I was beginning to feel the pace.”

“I gave up and came back around the hill,” went on
Frank. “I thought I saw you there again.”

“It was Jerry you saw,” said Sid, “and he had a dickens
of a time getting away from you.”

Frank drew a long breath.

“That clears up that mystery,” said he. “But I’ll be
hanged if it wasn’t a brain twister while it lasted.”

“It clears up the mystery,” spoke up Amos Rodno
sharply, “but it doesn’t let Spider Morris out. If you had
a hand in this, Morris, we'll decide all the contests in
favor of the Rodno Club. That’s flat.”

“He didn’t have anything to do with it,” said Jerry
Spink, “I fixed. it up myself. What I was after was to
show that I could beat Merriwell. That’s the way I was
aiming to do it.”

“You're a crafty young cub,” growled haa Rodno,
“and you'll do no more work in these contests. I don’t
think Morris can Win either of the two remaining events,
either with or without you.”

Morgis turned angrily on Jerry.

“You can see what kind of a deal you’ve mixed me up

” he snarled, “and even if Amos; here, would be will-
ing to let you stay on our team, I wouldn’t have it. I’m

   

4

      

  
' tather a jolly condition.

NEW

done with you! The quicker you can get out of town
the better I'll be suited.” He turned back to Amos
Rodno. “Are you satisfied?” he asked.

“Yes,” was the answer. “I’m glad to know that you
didn’t have any hand in this crooked work. If Jerry
Spink had come in ahead of Merriwell, I’d have given the
race to Merriwell just on this showing.”

“You couldn’t have done anything else,
swer of Spider Morris. ;

He turned about angrily and left the room.

“You two clear out,” ordered Amos Rodno to the two
Spinks, “and don’t let me see you around here again.
You're a couple of rascals.”

Sid laughed, and Jerry joined in.

“It’s anything but a joke,” went on Rodno.
before I help you with the toe of my boot.”

The Spink brothers went quickly enough at that; but,
at the door, Jerry halted and turned around.

“I'll get even with you yet, Chip Merriwell,” he threat-
ened.

Then the door closed on the pair of crooked athletes,
and Merry, for one, hoped he had seen the last of them.

” was the an-

“Clear out

THE END,
2 \

“Frank Martiwell Junior’s, Four Miles; or, Substitute
Number Seven,” is the title of the story that will be found
in the next’ issue of this weekly, No. 39, out April 26th, It
tells of the third event, a rowing race, of the four that
must all be won by the Rodno Athletic Club, if they are
to become the owners of the fine athletic club and grounds.
There has not been a boat-race story in the weekly for

some time, and, by the way, this is a great race, with Chip

Merriwell stroke oar. So be sure and read this story. The
description of the race alone is enough to bring you to
your feet,

———> 101+

AN INDIAN’S POWER OF ENDURANCE.

To show what power of endurance an Indian pos-
-sesses, I will tell of an incident which happened during
the winter I was with them. Toward evening, on a very
cold winter day, when it was snowing just a little and
drifting a great deal, an Indian came to the log house with
a jug half full of whisky and with his rifle. I imagine
that the jug had been entirely full of whisky when he
started, and by the time he got to the house he was in
The jug and the rifle were
taken away from him, and he was ordered to get to his
wigwam as quick as he could before darkness came on.
He left, and was supposed to have gone to the camp, but
early!next morning his squaw appeared at the house and
said he had not come home that night, and, as the night
was cold, she had been anxious about him. Then the
search for the lost Indian began.

At length he was found in one of the sheds near the
barn under a heap of drifted snow, and the chances are
that the snow that was above him had helped to save his
life. The searchers for the Indian had gone in different
directions, but it was his own squaw, who, with true In-
dian instinct, had tracked him out, and she was alone
when she found him. Apparently the Indian was a frozen

corpse, but she tumbled him out of the snow bank and |
morning.

pulled off his blankets and dragged him down to the creek,

where a deep hole was cut in the ice for the purpose of

_ pearance,

TIP. TOP, WEEKLY,

watering the cattle. Laying the Indian out on the sriow,
she took the pan that was beside the hole, and, filling it
repeatedly, dashed pailful after pailful of ice water over
the body of the Indian. By the time the other unsuccess-
ful searchers had returned, she’ had her old man thawed
out and seated by the fire, wrapped up in blankets. There
is no question that if he had been found by the others,
and had been taken into the house frozen as he was, he
would have died.

Tom Armstrong, Cop.

By MARVIN MERCURY.

CHAPTER I.

ONE oF “THE FINEST,”

1°?

“Present batons! Carry batons! Forward, march!

At this command, delivered, in a sonorous tone by the-
sergeant, the fourth platoon of the twenty-third precinct
marched slowly three times around the station-house floor
in perfect military step, and then filed out of the doorway
to go to their posts,

They were a fine-looking body of men. There were a
few of the older ones, to be sure, whose step was not
quite as springy as the rest and who were a little too
fleshy to be considered in.perfect physical condition; but
the: majority of them were as sturdy, erect, clean-cut |
young men as one could find anywhere—not excepting
the army and navy.

New York has proudly nicknamed its police force “The
Finest,
and certainly anybody who gazed upon the
fourth platoon of the twenty-third precinct ‘as it marched
out of the station house, that evening, would not have
felt inclined to dispute the force’s right to the nickname, y

There was one young giant in uniform, in particular,
among that squad, whose appearance would have com
pelled admiration even from the most hostile critics of the fe
department. FR te

This young policeman overtopped his tallest comrade by &
at least three inches; his shoulders were broad, and there —

was not a single ounce of superfluous flesh in his whip ok:

massive frame,

It was not merely his athletic figure, however, bie ae

commanded attention, The head set squarely upon his ©
fine, broad shoulders was well worth looking at; for his —
frank, boyish countenance with its clear gray eyes and a
straight, determined mouth was very handsome, and the %
shape of his cranium bespoke intellect and refinement,
His uniform, which fitted him perfectly, was brand-
new, and its brass buttons flashed in the light of the stree i
lamps. He presented sucha dashing appearance, in fac
that if it had not been for the unmistakable police helmet —
on his head one might have mistaken him for a commis-
sioned officer in the army or navy instead of an ordinary. 4
policeman. ne
He marched with his comrades in double file up Thirtieth
Street to Sixth Avenue. Here the squad broke up, the
men going in different directions to take the posts allotted |
to them and remain there until two o’elock th following

The Res oitine whose beat adjoined that of oh to |

 

” because of its brawn and pluck and smart ap-
 

NEW

some young policeman accompanied the latter to the bound-
ary line. He was a grizzled old fellow with several
service stripes on his sleeve, and as the pair walked to-
ward Madison Avenue he imparted some advice to his
younger companion,
“Take things easy, sonny, and don’t lose your head, no
matter what happens, and you'll get along all right,’’ he
said. “You've got an easy post to start with, and you
- oughtn’t to have any trouble. It’s very rarely that there’s
_ any excitement on Madison Avenue; but remember that
if you should need assistance a rap on the sidewalk with
your nightstick will bring :ae.to the rescue right away.”
_ “Much obliged,” replied the young policeman gratefully.
“T guess ll get along all right.”
“There’s no reason why you shouldn't,” responded the
| veteran, looking at the young giant admiringly. “If ap-
_ pearances count for anything, you’ve got good stuff in
_ you, and ought to make a first-class cop.
' “You'll find it pretty hard first of all, I guess,” he went
on, with a chuckle. “Trudging a beat for hours is no
| cinch, even though it may appear so. It takes all the
starch out of a beginner, I bet that, big as you are, by
_ to-morrow morning you'll be so sore and stiff all over
Ki that you'll scarcely be able to move, It always affects
| green cops that way. After you’ve been in the business
| for a few days, though, it will come easy to you. Well,
| a I'm leaving you here, my boy. So long, and good luck to
b you.”
tn Ae young policeman turned the corner, and, swinging
his nightstick blithely by its strap as he had seen the
other men do, he began to patrol that part of Madison
- Avenue which had been designated as his beat.

 

  

 

   
 
  
  
 

an automobile drew up to the curb, and its occupant, a
young woman, fashionably dressed and very righ leaned
over and beckoned to the policeman.

Katee: beg your pardon, officer; could you tell me——” she
: began, and then interrupted herself by a little scream of
surprised recognition. “Why, good heavens, Tom Arm-
strong!” she gasped. “What is the meaning of this ridic-
ula us masquerade?”

‘he policeman smiled.

It isn’t a masquerade, Carolyn,” he said quietly.

. Don’t be absurd!” she exclaimed indignantly. “You
lon’t suppose for a minute that I’m credulous enough to
believe that you are really entitled to wear that horrid
uniform, do you? Are you paying a foolish wager, or
is this another one of your wild college pranks, Tom?”
“Neither,” he answered earnestly. “IT have joined the

     
   
 
   
    
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
 
  
 

onsense!”” she interrupted him impatiently. “Please
; ae with me, Tom. You know that I hate to be

   
  
 
    
   

” “ie didn’t get it

A guess. We oe our hotels so ae that

    
  
 

   

TIP TOP

all?
such a thing?

For the first fifteen minutes, nothing occurred, and then

* dollars

Carolyn,”

It must have gone dite in the

  

WEEKLY. : . 21.

ing to allow my mother to pay my way through Yale with
the little money that father left her. | made up my mind
that it was up to me to go to work instead of allowing
my mother to support me.”

“Very commendable on your part, Tom; I’m sure,” said
the young ‘woman in the automobile coldly, “but surely
that does not explain why you are now wearing that
uniform.”

“I think it does,” he answered. “When I left college I
came to New York to look for a job. I soon discovered
that there is a great deal of difference between deciding
to earn your own living and actually earning it.

“T tried everywhere. Nobody seemed to want me, The
best I could get was an office job at five dollars a week,
and in these days a fellow, no matter how moderate his
tastes, can’t live on five per.

“Then I read in a newspaper that the New York police
department was very short of men, and that the city
was experiencing so much difficulty in getting recruits

that the authorities were seriously thinking of changing

the civil-service laws so as to make the entrance require-
ments less rigid.

“I inquired and learned that a policeman’s pay at the
start is enough to live on, and I decided to take the exam-
ination. I did so, came out at the head of the list, got
my appointment, and—here I am.”

CHAPTER II.
AN ULTIMATUM.

She regarded him with horror.

“Then it is'really true? This isn’t a practical joke, after
Good heavens, Tom Armstrong, how could you do
You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

“On the contrary,” he replied, with dignity, “I am quite
proud of myself. I am very satisfied with the choice I
have made, I am earning an honest living, and that’s
more than a whole lot éf men can boast.”

“But a man in your station of life to become a common
policeman!” she protested. “It is incredible! It is awful!
You must have taken leave of your senses.”

“Not at all,” he retorted. “As far as my station in life
is concerned, I don’t see where J come in to put on any
airs. As you know, my father died almost penniless, All
he left us was an insurance policy for a few thousand .

1 I am in no better circumstances than the rest of
my fellow members of the force, and probably worse
off than a good many.”

“But think what they are!” she cried.
ignorant, brutal men!” /

“You are very much mistaken, I assure you, my dear
he answered. “You must not believe all that-
you read in the newspapers. I find my associates on the
force a fine, manly lot of fellows. There are some bad
ones among them, of course—there are black sheep in
every flock, you know—and some of them are pretty rough —
diamonds; but most of them are big-hearted, decent men,
and I like them first rate.”

“There is no accounting for tastes,’ she sneered, her
little nose tilted disdainfully. “How long do you intend
to continue this nonsense, Tom? When are you going to
resign this odious position and. become a gentleman
again ?”

“T. shall always be a gentleman, I hope,” he answered, °
“but as for resigning from the force, I have no-such in-

“A lot of coarse,
22 tke NEW TIP

°

tention. I am going to stick at this game, Carolyn. I
don’t expect, though, always to be an ordinary patrolman.
I have donned the uniform merely as a means toward an
end.”

“Toward what end?” she demanded scornfully.

“It is my ambition to be appointed to the detective
bureau. You know that I have always been fond of de-
tective work. At college they called me ‘Sherlock’ Arm-
strong.

“In order to become a ceniral-office detective, it is

necessary to start in by wearing a uniform and patrolling:

a beat,’ he explained. “I am in hopes, however, that it
will not be long before I shall get a chance to distinguish
myself and induce the commissioner to appoint me to the
buréau.”

He placed his foot‘on the dashboard of the automobile,
and, leaning toward her, went on eagerly:

“The salary of a central-office detective is forty dollars
a week, Carolyn. A fellow can support a wife on that
sum, I believe. On the day that I win my promotion,
little girl—and I am confident that it isn’t far off—I am
going to ask you a question that has been on the tip of my
tongue for a long time. I——”

She interrupted him coldly.

“If you are about to propose, please don’t bother to
finish.
circumstances, Tom.”

“Under what circumstances?” he demanded. “I know
that forty dollars a week isn’t much to offer a girl whose
father is as rich as yours, Carolyn; but——”

“Oh, it isn’t the money,” she declared. “Forty dollars

a week would be all right, Tom, if you were earning it.

in a dignified and gentlemanly way. My father would
never let me want for anything, even though I married a
poor man; but my social position makes it impossible for
me to think of marrying a common policeman.”

“I am not ‘going to be a compon policeman,” he an-
swered, with a smile. “I am going to be a very uncom-
mon one; and I don’t intend. to stay in the police depart-
ment all my life, either, Carolyn. I have got my future all
mapped out.

“After I have been promoted to the bureau, I am going
to serve as a detective for a few years, and then, when I
have sufficient experience, I intend to resign and open up
a private detective agency of my own.

“Surely that would be dignified and gentlemanly enough
for you, Carolyn. A private detective agency is just as
respectable and high-toned a business as banking or law.
Take the Pinkertons, for instance. They are wealthy men,
and moye in good society.”

“Well, why not resign right now, Tom, and start your
agency at once?” the girl asked eagerly.

He shook his head.

“No, I couldn’t do that. I haven’t had any practical
experience, and I haven’t the capital. As I have told you,
I need the salary I get for wearing this uniform. I
couldn’t afford to sit in an office and wait for clients
to corhe.”

“My father might be willing to let you have whatever
money you need,” she offered; for she really liked this
tall, good-looking young man, and would not have been
at all averse to becoming his wife under other circum-
stances. “Shall I talk to him about your plan, Tom, and
‘ask him what he is willing to do?”

I really couldn’t think of marrying you under the’

TOP WEEKLY.

Many young men would have jumped at this oppor-
tunity, but Tom Armstrong was not that kind.

“No, thank you, Carolyn,” he said. “I couldn’t think of
accepting money from your father—even as a loan, All
I want from him is yourself, and if you will marry me I
shall be the happiest man in the world.” j

“I shall not marry you, Tom,” she said firmly, “unless
you get out of that horrid uniform before another day
has passed.”

“That’s out of the question,” he declared.

“Very well,” she retorted stiffly. “In that case, we had
better consider our acquaintance at an end from now on.”

“Do you really mean that, Carolyn?”

“I certainly do, and please don’t call nte Carolyn any
more. It scarcely sounds well to be called by one’s first
name by a mere policeman.”

He was about to speak, but she cut him short.

“Don’t let me detain you any longer, officer;’ she said
witheringly. “It may get you into trouble with your
superiors if you are seen conversing while on duty.”

As he took the hint and hurriedly removed his foot
from the side step of the automobile, she signaled to the
chauffeur, and the latter started the motor.

The car went up Madison Avenue, and the girl inside
did not once look back at the big, handsome young police-
man who was moodily pacing.up and down his beat.

An hour later, Patrolman Tom Armstrong saw her again.

/ The automobile was coming back, and the girl was no

longer its only occupant.

A man near middle age sat beside her, and Armstrong
noted that their heads were very close together, and that
they seemed to be engaged in a very intimate conversa-
tion.

Patrolman Tom Armstrong recognized Carin com-
panion at a glance. He was Wilton Sayres, a lawyer whom
Armstrong had for some time regarded as his rival for
the hand of the girl.

Armstrong did not like Sa virhis Without anything défi-
nite on which to base his prejudice, he felt oe
that the fellow was not to be trusted.

“IT guess she’s going to marry that crook,” he now mut-
tered, as the automobile passed. “He’s bound to get her,
after all, for he’s got the field all alone now. As Carolyn
remarked, there is no accounting for tastes—but I should
think any girl of sense would prefer an honest policeman
to a crooked lawyer, and I’m positive that that chap is
crooked.”

CHAPTER III.

ON THE Jos.

On a “beat” as quiet and genteel as that which had been —
assigned to Patrolman Tom Armstrong, a policeman’s chief —
duty during the night tour is to try the doors of houses to _
see that they are properly secured and to keep a sharp
lookout for burglars and fires.

After midnight, lower Madison Avenue and its side.
streets are practically deserted, so that a policeman on ae
there is not confronted with those street problems—such —
as intoxicated pedestrians, sidewalk brawls, and even riots —
—which occupy the attention of the guardians. of the peace ©
in less refined neighborhoods throughout the night. -

That is why Tom’s friend, the grizzled old policeman —
who had the adjoining beat, had remarked that the new
policeman had “an easy post.”

 
        

mo

0 0

   

 

 

  

ae

 

NEW

  

   
 
  
   

By midnight Tom began to wish heartily that he had not
been thus favored. He would have preferred a beat that
Was not quite so much of a sinecure, for the solitude and
inactivity. were beginning to get on his nerves.
- Fora young man who has been the leading spirit of one
of the liveliest group of students at Yale, tramping up
_ and down a deserted stretch of sidewalk, swinging a night-
_ stick by its leather strap and examining windows and doors
a of private residences is not a very agreeable occupation.
- Tom began to ask himself whether perhaps, after all,
- Carolyn was hot right. Wasn’t he a fool to be doing this
_ sort of thing when by birth, education, and ability he was
fitted for something much better?
' “Well, as I told her, this is only a means toward an
end,” he muttered. “After I’ve served my apprentice-
. _ ship at this dismal grind and am appointed to the detective
_ bureau, Til no doubt get all the excitement I want.
“And, after all, uninteresting as this part of the game is,
Bi Tm doing an important and useful work. If it weren’t
_ for me being out here: now, none of the people in those
i _ houses would be able to sleep a wink. Their lives and
| property are being safeguarded by me. There’s a whole
lot of satisfaction in that thought.” :
_. Asche turned the corner to inspect one of the side streets
of Madison Avenue, which was part of his beat, he caught
4 sight of & man inserting a key in the front door of a house
| which was one of a tow of unpretentious brownstone
residences.
t There was nothing about thig man, at first glance, to
4 arouse suspicion. He was well dressed, and looked as if
_ he -might. easily have been a respectable citizen coming

 

   
  
  

kept him out until midnight.

But the furtive manner in which the fellow kept glanc-
ing up and down the street and the difficulty he seemed
to be having in making his key turn in the lock caused
the young policeman to divine that all was not quite right.
A Jaw-abiding citizen who is letting himself into a
hotse which he has a perfect right to enter ought not to
be nervous about it, and it seemed to Armstrong that this
n was very nervous.

“He may be all right, at that,” reflected the policeman,
; he stood in a dark doorway on the opposite side of the
eet, watching the other’s movements. “He may have a
colding wife in that house who, he knows, will give him
dickens for coming home late. That would account
or his very evident anxiety, _

“But no,” he decided, “that can’t be the reason. .If this
was merely a case of a late home-comer trying to sneak
without awakening his wife, he wouldn’t be looking
round in all directions to see if any one was watching

   
  
  
  
  
   
  
 
  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  

    
 
   
 

something wrong. I’d better investigate.”

He stepped swiftly across the street, and as he reached
toop the man at the front door, hearing his, footsteps,
: “hastily.

| Teceived a surprise. He had not iintit now been
to catch a glimpse. of the fellow’s face. As he turned
BO at the top of the high stoop, facing the police-

 
 
   
   
 

   

 

Hot Saytes—the lawyer wtio was his rival for the hand
arolyn Howard.
viet pees at this erie but not at Lit re-

 
   

 

TSE

home from his club or some social engagement which had.

this key as such.

m from the’ outside—as this fellow is doing. There must

 

WEEKLY. 23
picions that all was not right, for, as the reader has al-
ready been informed, Tom distrusted his rival in love,
and since the first day he had met hit at €arolyn’s home
had felt convinced that the fellow’s character would not

~ stand the acid test.

“What are you doing here?” the policeman tiow de-
manded sternly,

The startled look which he had seen come to the lawyer’s
face had quickly disappeared, and Sayres was master of
himself, and smiling genially as he answered: “Ah! Good
evening, officer. How you scared me by creeping up on
me like that! I thought for a moment that you were a
holdup man,’

Although Sayres was well acquaihted with Tom, it was
evident that he had not yet recognized him, The latter’s-
helmet and uniform and the fact that he was standing with
his back to the light served to conceal his identity from the
lawyer.

“What are you doing with that door?” se io Tom,
ascending the stoop.

Sayres laughed. “What am I doing with it? Really, my
good friend, that’s a.very foolish question. J.am trying to: .
open it, of course. The confounded thing always sticks,
I never saw such a wretched lock.”

“Do.you mean to say that you live here?”

“Yes, of course. You don’t suppose I’d be trying to get
in at this time of the night if I didn’t, do you?” As Sayres
uttered these words with a sneer, Tom’s sharp eats caught
a faint metallic sound as though some small. metal object
had fallen to the ground.

This sound puzzled him for a moment, but a glance at
the lawyer’s right hand enlightened ‘him. That hand, which
had held the key with which he had been tryifig to open
the door, was now empty.

The policeman glanced overt the balustrade of the stoop
and saw a long, slim key lying on the stone flooring of -
the basement.

Although this was his first day on the pulls force, Tom
knew a skeleton key when he saw one, and he recognized
He felt sure that it was this small piece
of metal falling against the stones which had made the

' sound ‘he had just heard.

Sayres had thrown away the skeleton key in. order to
avoid being caught with the incriminating article in his
possession. The policeman’s suspicion that something was
wrong became a certainty at this discovery.

“If you live here, as you say,” he remarked quietly,
“vou, of course, have a key which fits this front door?”

“Oh, yes,” ae the lawyer, apparently, not at all dis-
coneerted by this‘question. _ ”

“Will you let me see it?”

“Now, really, officer,” protested Sayres,
little too far, you know.”

“I want to see that key,” insisted Tom.

His face was now turned so that the light of a street
lamp in front of the house shone upon his profile. Sayres-
suddenly recognized him, and gave vent to an exclama-
tion of surprise,

“Well, I'll be hanged if it isn’t Tom Armstrong! I
didn’t recognize you pefore, old man. Carolyn was telling
me this evening that you had joined the force. How db
you like it?” ;

“Pretty well,” said Tom, “Come—that key, * please!”
He held out his hand eeCrney.

‘Sayres ese

“this is going a
 

24

“Now, see here, Armstrong, this farce has gone far
enough. Since you know perfectly well who I am, there
is no excuse for your insulting attitude.”

“Nevertheless,” retorted Tom quietly, “you’ve got to
convince me that you live in this house—otherwise I’m go-
ing to march you to the station house.”

_“Isn’t my word good enough?”

“No, it isn’t. You say you have a key that fits this door.
I want you to produce it.”

The other shrugged his shoulders.
absurd. However, you are an officer of the law, and if you
insist I suppose I must humor you.” He plunged his hands
into his trousers pocket, and produced a bunch of keys,
separating one from the bunch and extending it toward his

inquisitor.
“Here it is. Now, I hope you're satisfied.”
“Not quite. Put it in the lock and let me see you open

the door witht it.”
With a scowl, Sayres obeyed—that is to say, he tried to

obey. As the policeman had confidently expected,.the key

did not fit.

CHAPTER IV.
/-HIS FIRST ARREST.

“By Jove!” exclaimed the lawyer.

“Tsn’t. it?” sneered Tom. “Why not try that skeleton
key which is lying down there? You might have more
success with that.”

“What skeleton key?” demanded Sayres indignantly.

“The one that you threw away a few minutes ago—the
skeleton key with which you were trying to force an un-
lawful. entrance into this house.”

“Don’t be absurd,” growled Sayres. “You’re talking
like a crazy man. I don’t know anything about any skele-
ton key.”

“T heard you throw it away,” declared Tom. “However,
in order to make quite sure that you don’t live here, I am
going to ring the bell and interview the people inside.”

' He was just about jto do so when Sayres halted him by
a sharp exclamation: “Hold on, there, Armstrong. I’ve
just made a discovery. This is the wrong house.”

“Wonderful discovery!” sneered the policeman, “Let’s
take a walk to the police station. I arrest you on a charge
of attempted burglary.”

“Don’t be a fool. I can very easily explain how the
mistake occurred. I live on the opposite side of the street,
and you can see the houses look very much alike, I some-
how got a little mixed. The fact is, I’ve been drinking a
little, Armstrong, and——

“That won’t go,” declared the other. “You’re as sober
as an owl. I don’t believe you’ve had a drop of liquor

to-night. Anyway, I’m going to lock you up, so it’s no
use arguing abotit it. Come on—march!”

Sayres shrugged his shoulders. “Very well,” he sneered,
“go ahead and arrest me if you want to. I warn you,
though, that you'll be mighty sorry for it.”

The policeman marched his prisoner down the stoop, and
when they reached the sidewalk he halted and drew his
revolver.

“Stand right there while I pick up that skeleton key,” he

‘ commanded. “If you attempt to run away, I'll shoot.”
The other smiled.
sneered. “You're just like a policeman in a play or a dime

4

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY,

~ escape.”

“This-is really too -

“This is very queer!” _

“My, how theatrical we are!” he

  
 

novel, SHOES GH Don’t worry. I’m not going to try to

Despite this assurance, Tom kept his prisoner igen
with his revolver, while he went down the three steps
which led to the basement and picked up the long, slim
key, which he intended to use as evidence.

Then he took Sayres by the sleeve, and they resumed
their march to the police station.

“What have we here?” exclaimed the lieutenant behind
the desk, as they entered. “Ah! It’s the new recruit!
An arrest on your first tour, eh? What’s the case?”

“I charge this man with attempted burglary,” said Tom.
“I caught him trying to get into a house on’my beat with a
skeleton key.”

“Caught, him trying to get in,” growled the lieutenant.
“Why the divvle didn’t you wait until be got in before you
interfered? You've spoiled a goad case.”

Armstrong winced at this. He/realized now that he iv
had acted altogether too hastily. What the lieutenant) ]
said was right. If he had waited until Sayres had actually. |
broken into the house and had caught him red-handed, it |
would have been much better. He berated himself for a
fool, and realized that he kad a whole lot to learn before
he would be fit for the detective bureau.

“Well, don’t take it to heart, son,” said the lietitenant a.
kindly, observing the new policeman’s chagrin. “You'll :| 4 W
know better next time. Always bear in mind, in future, —
that a smart cop never makes a move until he’s got the
goods on his man. It doesn’t pay to lose yer = an
jump in too quick.” . esis

The man behind the desk turned to the prisoner. “What's ae
yer name?” he demanded sternly.

 

 

 

 

“Sayres—Wilton Sayres, counselor and attorney, of num- | 4
ber fifty-one Pine Street—but, before you put it down on | ™
the blotter, lieutenant, I would like to Bas!) a few words.” :

   
    

“Well—what is it?”

“This arrest is all a mistake. I am a reputable citizen,
and it is preposterous to bring me here on such a charge _
as this. I admit that I was caught trying to get into the |
wrong house; but, as I have already explained to this —
stubborn officer, I live in the house directly opposite, and —
they look so much alike that I got a little mixed up.”

It was evident that the man behind the desk was some- —
what impressed by the lawyer’s good ae and | smooth
address.

    
  
   
   
 

“Humph! You say you live in ‘the house opposite.
How long have you been living there?” x

“Only a week. That's how I came to make the iss
take. I’m not very familiar with the neighborhood, and
in the dark one cannot see the house numbers. It is-a
boarding house run by a Mrs. Baker. If you will call he
on the phone she will vouch for me’ ; :

The lieutenant nodded. “I guess it won’t do no ba
ticular harm to find out whether you're telling the truth. 0

   
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
   

not. What’s the phone number?” + Hs :
“Madison — three-three-naught-nine,” replied Say: s. 1
readily. i

   
 

The lieutenant lifted the receiver from the telephonn
his desk, and got Mrs. Baker out of bed. The wom
assured him that Wilton Sayres was one of her boarde
He had been living there for a week. She did not knov
anything personally about his character, but he had com
very highly recommended. She never took anybody w
could not furnish the very best of references. She vi

    
  
    
   
   
 

    
   
      

  

quite sure that Mr. Sayres was not a burglar, and if he
_ had been arrested as such there must be some mistake.

' The man behind the desk was now considerably im-
_ pressed in the prisoner’s favor. He took the precaution of
_ looking up Mrs. Baker in the telephone directory, and
_ verified the fact that her boarding house was exactly op-
_ posite the house which Sayres had tried to enter.

    
   
  
 

 

‘ | “His story seems to be all right,” he said hesitatingly to
d ¥ § Armstrong. “It may have been an.honest mistake, after
, | all, officer; I have known perfectly respectable people to
1 commit such blunders before. What do you think?”
— “People who try to get into other people’s houses by
: ' mistake don’t use skeleton keys,” declared Tom, taking
_ the key from his pocket and placing it on the desk.
i. “I didn’t use a skeleton key, lieutenant,” declared Sayres
“7 indignantly. “I used the door key attached to my key
| ring. This officer is mistaken. If he is truthful, he will
eo . admit, that he did not find that key in my possession.”
eh of “Where did you get it?” inquired the lieutenant, of the
ye policeman. ;
7. ae I picked it up in the basement of the house—where he
4 | threw it upon my arrival.”
a ae “Did you see me throw it?” demanded Sayres.

“No, but I heard it fall.”

nt a “How do you know it was the-key which you heard?
my | Would you be ready to swear that it was?” cross-examined
| the lawyer.

 

 

i, i Seeing that the policeman hesitated, Sayres turned tri-
at umphantly to the man behind the desk.

|. “You see, lieutenant, this officer has absolutely no case
ae | ; a against me. Now, I don’t want to be ugly, but unless I
~. | am allowed to go immediately I shall certainly bring a
ee 4 suit for false arrest against everybody who has a hand in
on | my detention here.”

| citizen who will vouch for your good character, Mr.
_ Sayres—somebody who can be reached by telephone?”

   
  

en, ‘ ; :

rge _ “Certainly; I can give you a hundred if you like. I am
the: well known about town. Would Mr. Michael O’Brien do?”
hig “Mike ©’Brien, the politician—do you know him?” asked |

  

the man behind the desk, in a tone of awe.

“Very well indeed. I’ve got a letter in my pocket in-
viting me to take lunch with him to-morrow. I'll let you
see it, if you like.”

The man behind the desk read the politician’s missive,
d said: “That’s good enough for me, Mr. Sayres. You
go, sir. I hope you won’t bear us any ill will on
ount of this little misunderstanding. The fact is, sir,
this officer is new on the force. This is his first arrest.”
“But——” began Tom protestingly.

~ “Oh, shut up, you!” growled the lieutenant, in a tone of
eep disgust. “Get back on your post, and don’t make
y more such breaks as this. If you want to remain on
force, you'll have to hurry up and learn how to tell
he difference between crooks and honest men.”

As Sayres stepped out of the police station, he glanced
t the discomfited patrolman with a triumphant smile.

TO BE CONTINUED.

   
 

and

  

me- |
oth

 
 
   
   
   
  
 
 
  
    
 
 
 
  

4 ie
s

ORIGINAL ENGINEERING.

may not be known outside of the neighborhood in
ich it is situated, but it is nevertheless a fact that in
onoma County, California, there exists an original and
sful piece of railroad engineering and building that

 
 
 
 
     
 

   

 

*NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. , 25

Can you give me the name of any reputable’

vain boaster, doubted it.

is not to be found in the books. In the upper part of
the county named, near the coast, may be seen an actual
railroad bed on treetops. Between the Clipper Mills and
Stuart Point, where the road crosses a deep ravine, the
trees are sawed off on a level with the surrounding hills,
and the timbers and ties laid on the stumps. In the center
of the ravine mentioned two huge redwood trees, standing
side by side, form a substantial support. These giants
have been lopped off 75 feet above the bed of the creek.
This natural tree bridge is considered one of the wonders
of the Golden State, and for safety and security far ex-
ceeds a bridge framed in the most scientific manner.
ee

e

TWENTY MINUTES UNDER WATER.

By JOHN RIVERS. e&

The following incident is related by an old English-
man, whose veraciousness we have no reason to doubt,
but from a long and intimate acquaintance have every
reason to believe:

“When I was about fifteen years of age,” he said, “I
was very fond of sport, and was always foremost among
my companions and ringleader of every dangerous or
hazardous enterprise.”

Boys are always more venturesome in proportion than
those of more mature years, and then it is that so many
heart burnings are caused fond parents, whose minds and
affections are always wandering unseen after their house-
hold jewels, which causes their fond hearts to leap to
their throats whenever: the pees of any accident to boys
sound ‘upon their ears.

“Wandering along the banks ot the Clyde one day with
several of my young companions, we commenced to talk
about exploits in swimming and diving. Each one boasted,
as boys always do, of how far he could swim; another of
how deep he cculd dive and bring up bottom. So, after
we all had a hearing it was unanimously resolved that we
go into the river and prove our assertions.

es though young, had acquired great proficiency ‘in the
art of swimming and diving, so that I was styled by my
companions as the ‘water dog.’ My ability in these re-
spects was never disputed, and whenever disputes. on“
these points occurred among my associates I was called
upon as ‘judge’ to decide the point.

“T had acquired the art of keeping my eyes open under
water, so that I could descry anything on the bottom,
and when a particular stone was thrown into the river
I could dive after it, and return with it to the shore.

“We had all divested ourselves of our clothes, and gone
into the river. After the disputants had settled their ac-
quirements to their own satisfaction I was called upon to
display my abilities. Accordingly a stone was thrown into
the river to a depth of about fourteen feet, which I was
requested to go and bring back. Although I had been a
considerable length of time in, the water, owing to the
compliments bestowed upon me for my skill as a diver,
for boys feel very proud and courageous when lauded, I
did not hesitate to.dash in after the prize.

“T went down amid the cheers of my comrades, daiaed
the bottom, and secured the stone without the least diffi-
culty, and returned to the shore, ™

“My companions took the stone and examined it. All

were satisfied that it was the same, but one, who was a
Therefore,

in order to settle

  
   

  

NEW. “FIP: TOP: :wWEEKLY,

 

the doubt, a piece was broken off it, after which it was
I followed it down and secured it, then
proceeded to fise again to the surface, but had not lifted
myself more than three feet from the bottom when |
was seized with a cramp. I had presence of mind enough
to know that I could not reach the shore by swimming,
and also that the bank of the river was very.steep; I there-
fore dropped myself again to the bottom, and commenced
crawling up the bank as well as my weak state would ad-
mit, hoping, in this manner, to reach close enough to the
shore to get into shallow watér, so that I could get my
head above to breathe. At every step I would bob my
head up, thinking I had gained shallow water.

“I was finally compelled to breathe—the supply of air
which I had taken having become exhausted. Accord-
ingly, I made the attempt, and the last thing I remember
was the water ryshing into my mouth.

“All this was the work of but a few minutes, but to me
it appeared a very long time, almost an age.
of all kinds’ flashed through my mind like lightning, until
the moment I attempted to breathe.

“When I became conscious again I found myself in the
deadhouse, confined in a sort of iron coffin, and covered
with warm sand,

“The circumstances of my rescue from a watery grave

again thrown in,

“My companions, seeirig that I did not come to the sur-
face in a reasonable time, became considerably alarmed
for my safety, and feeling that something had befallen me,
set up the cry, ‘A boy drowned, which brought a namber
A boat was immediately brought
from the dead house, and grappling irons were put down
In the meantime’ my companions were

not idly looking on, but were diving in various parts of

the river in hopes of finding me,
peated dives, one of my companions found me, and
brought me to the surface, a short distance from where

the men in the boat were grappling. In a few seconds I

was takeri from my rescuer, and placed in the deadhouse,

where the usual restoratives’ were put in practice to bring
me to life again. It was for this purpose I was placed in
the iron coffin, with the warm sand around. 1 me, in order
to restore circulation, A tube was placed in my mouth
and a weight on my chest, which produced an artificial
breathing, thus, after a while, causing a natural breathing,

_ “After a circulation of the blood had been caused,
suffered the most excruciating pain. My agony was so

“fhtense that I wished they had let me die.

“It was a long time before I fully recovered, and the

lesson was taught me never to venture into deep water
My diving and swimming exploits*were ended, and
some ‘ot my companions also relinquished theirs.

' “The deadhouse keeper informed me that I had been
upward of twenty minutes under water; that he had often
restored persons who had been fifteen minutes below the
surface, but never before saved one who had been under
as long as twenty.”

of people to the shore.
in search of me,

At length, after re-

 

HOW TO TAKE CARE. OF THE BRAIN.
The brain stands most abuse of any organ in the body.
Its best tonic'and stimulant is success,
depressing thing to it is ‘failure,
fects come by using stimulants in early life, Young people
should never ‘use liquors, hy, or coffee.

The worst and most
The most injurious ef-

The latter two

 
 

   
  
 

 

   

may not exactly do harm, but they are conducive of no
good, ‘They act mostly on the brain, and injure its growth
very materially. Abundance of sleep is necessary. Eight
hours is not more than enough.- Sléep is the time of rela-
tively lowered expenditure and increased repair.

   
  
   
  
 

a a, a

PIGEONS WORTH $250 EACH,

During the siege of Paris the. practical utility py carrier .
pigeons was forcibly demonstrated, the result being that
the scientific breeding of the birds has been carefully ob-
served ever since. The ministry of war maintains control
over all the carrier pigeons in the country. The price
of a carrier at Havre varies from $3.80 for an ordinary
subject to $250 or more for a prize winner in a race.

  
 
  
  
   
 
    
 
  
 
   
   
   
    
   
  
   
  
  
   
    
    
    
    
   

+ <> 40+

COMMERCE OF THE WORLD.

France, exports wines, brandies, silks, fancy articles, fur-
niture, jewelry, watches, clocks, paper, perfumery, and
fancy goods generally,

Italy exports corn, oil, flax, flour, wines, essences, . dye
stuffs, drugs, fine marble, soap, paintings, engravings, mo-
‘ lasses, and salt.

Prussia exports linens, aboalete. zine, articles a iron,
copper, and brass, indigo, wax, hams, musical instruments,
tobacco, wines, and porcelain.

Germany exports wool, woolen goods, linens, rags, ‘corn, :
timber, iron, lead, tin, flax, hentp, wines, wax, tallow, and.
cattle. oy

Austria exports minerals ravr and manufactured. sie
thread, glass, wax, tar, nutgall, wine, honey, and mathe-
matical instruments. i

England exports cottons, woolens, glass, hardware, earth-
enware, cutlery, iron, metallic wares, salt, coal, wate tin,
silks, and linens.

Russia exports tallow, flax, hemp, flour, iron, linseed,
lard, hides, wax, duck, cordage, bristles, fur, and pota:

Spain exports wines,. brandies, iron, fresh and drie
fruits, quicksilver, sulphur, salt, cork, saffron, anchovi
silks, and woolens, —
Chins exports tea, rhubarb, musk, ginger, borax,

 

mee Seta ee

    
 
 
 
  
  
  
   
    
  
   
    
  
  

Bibra cid,

Hindustan exports gold, silver, cochineal, cies
parilla, vanilla, jalap, fustic, campeachy wood, pimte tO,
drugs, and dye stuffs. Feo

Brazil exports coffee, indigo, sugar, rice, hides, sick
meats, tallow, gold, diamonds and other stones, gums,
hogany, and india- rubber,

cigars, mahogany, dyewood, attes, pimento, fresh. rt
preserves, wax, ginger and other spices, ot
East India exports cloyes, nutmegs, | mace, . pepper,
indigo, gold dust, camphor, benzine, pep neS ivor.
tans, sandalwood, ap and nuts.

 
 
 
   
 

oe Adippantings agricultural neat sewing.
cotton goods, cutlery, builders’ hardware, _furnit
motives, munitions of war, gold, silver, quic
cetera,

   

  
    
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.

 

Fifteen Thousand Dollars a Year for Smiling. »

It is no wonder that there was a hot fight for the job
of chamberlain of the city of London several months ago,
for it is doubtful if a more absolute “snap” exists in the
whole of the British empire. And Adrian Donald Wilde
Pollock, who won out in the election, is a lucky man, for
he will now exchange one billet with no duties worth
mentioning at a salary of $10,000 a year for another billet
with no duties forth mentioning at a salary of $15,000 a
year.

‘The job which Pollock, who is a solicitor by profes-

sion, occupies at present, and has occupied since 1903, is

that of city remembrancer, which, like his new post of
chamberlain, is little more than a picturesque relic of the

E.-classic past: of the city of London—that historic square

mile between Temple Bar and Aldgate, of which the lord

mayor is officially the boss, and whose queer municipal
machinery is quite distinct from that which controls the
rest of this metropolis.

There is a king’s remembrancer, too, who, oddly enough,
is also named Pollock, though he and the present city re-
membrancer are not related—and he actually does some-
thing to earn his salary. In the old days his majesty’s
“remembrancer” apparently kept the royal engagement
book, and saw to it that the monarch didn’t forget any of
his dues, and probably the city remembrancer did a like
service for the lord mayor. To-day, however, the actual
work of running the rich corporation which is the
of London” is done by permanent officials, who teally earn
‘their none too munificent pay, but who sport no grandilo-
quent titles, wear no comic-opera dress, and are not seen
riding in state coaches at the annual lord mayor’s show.
_. Fat snaps that date back to the Dark Ages are as plen-
tiful in the city of London as leaves in Vallambrosa, and

nobody yet has discovered what their respective holders

do to earn their money. There is a “secondary,” for in-
_ stance, in the list of city officials with a salary of $5,000
a year, but apart from the fact that he draws his salary
regularly there is no evidence that he has any actual ex-
istence. No one outside the city government knows what
the two “ale conners” of the city of London do to earn

their “ancient” salaries of $100 a year each, nor who the ©

window clerks are, or whether the keeper of the city’s
_ greensward keeps it green, or what are’ the functions of
the prothonotary of the Southwark borough court.
_ The lord mayor, whose salary is equal to that of the
President ‘of the United States, has quite a few real duties.
esides presiding over the deliberations of the aldermen,
e an American mayor, he sits as judge in the court of
e Mansion House, and when there are no cases, is duly
resented with a pair of white gloves. He is the head of
o end of charities and other institutions, and the official
host of the city’s distinguished guests, and altogether has
2: work pretty hard. iane wearing gorgeous robes

“Ritye

exhausting of his other duties will be those of “admitting”
persons who are entitled to the freedom of the city and
acting as adjudicator in disputes between masters and ap-
prentices, such a dispute coming up for settlement about
once in twenty years.

Unlike the perfunctory “election” of the lord mayor—
the result of which is a foregone conclusion before it is
held—that of the city chamberlain is a real contest. This
year there were four candidates for the $15,000 snap, one
of them, Sir Vezey Strong, being an ex-lord mayor. The
“electors” are the liverymen of the city of London, and the
original “show of hands” apparently gave Sir Vezey the
victory. His opponents, however, demanded a poll, and
this resulted in a majority of 76 in favor of promoting the
present remémbrancer of the city to the higher office.

Mail Cartier’s Race fot Life.

George Keech, employed as mail carrier between St.
Ignace and Mackinac Island, Mich., had a thrilling ad-
venture while returning from the island with his team of
dogs at the same time that the steamer Lotus was plowing

, through the ice on her way to Mackinac.

To the north of him lay: open water in the bay. He
saw the approaching steamer and realized that if it reached
the water before he did he and his dogs would be marooned
on a floating sea of ice.

Lashing his dogs to get to the solid ice field before being
cut off by the boat he went toward St. Ignace almost
with the speed of the wind. At that he would never
have ‘made it had not the captain of the Lotus noticed his
predicament and stopped the boat. And just in time, for
the ice had parted and Keech and his dogs were obliged to
cover a gap of about two feet in width to reach the
solid field to the south.

A few minutes more and it would have been neces-
sary to rescue him with the aid of the steamer’s lifeboats
or he would have perished. Keech is said to have the
fleetest dog team in the upper country.

Find Lost Diamond in Piano.

A diamond lost from a ring on the finger of Mrs. Ellen
Long, of Falconer, N. Y., over four years ago has just
been found under the keys of Mrs. George J. Griggs’ piano.
Mrs. Long; first missed the gem when attending a ladies’
meeting at the Griggs home. The other day Mrs. Griggs
noticed that something was the matter with the piano,
so she called in a tuner, who discovered the gem wedged
under the keyboard.

. Took Despetate Chance.

Brought suddenly to face the alternative of being ground
to death on a railroad bridge over the. Park River, near
Hartford, Conn., or taking the desperate chance of fight-
ing for his life in the deep, ice-laden briver, Ferdinand
Osborne made the latter choice in the nick of time. Before
his plunge had carried him to the river’s surface the Val-
ley Division ~xpress, of the New York, New Haven &
Hartford Railroad, was rushing over the spot where he
had stood.

At the point where the bridge crosses it, the river is 100

\

 
28 NEW TIP

fect wide. -Trains do not slow down on approaching the
bridge. Pedestrians frequently use the bridge for a
cut,’ but there is no room on the narrow structure for
a man to stand and allow a train to pass him.

Osborne crashed through the ice of the river. Bleeding
_from two scalp wounds and being unable to swim well, he
was weakening perilously when a little girl, who had seen
his plunge, brought men to his aid.

Fot a Better Understanding of Boys.

Although the recent address’ of Bishop William A.
Quayle at the convention of the Northwestern Minnesota
Educational Association was scheduled as a talk on Mark
Twain, it was in reality a plea for a better understanding
of boys.

“Boys will be boys,” he said. “Boys can’t sit. still.
They have to wiggle. They do so because they are Boys,
yet, back of all their boyish escapades,’ and back of all
their assumed attitude of don’t‘care, there is sometimes a
heart full of anguish—anguish so bitter that even the
mother, in most instances, is unaware of it.

“Give the boys a chance to be boys. Try to under-
stand them. Try to have a real sympathy with their
aims and aspirations. Let them be boys, just as the char-
acters were in Mark Twain’s ‘Huckleberry Finn.”

Bishop Quayle began by saying that weeping and laugh-
ter both are good for “what’s the matter with folks.”

“Mark Twain,” he said, “occupies a place all his own.
He has made people laugh the world over.
people forget their troubles and laugh at the antics of
the boys in his stories.

“Giggling is a habit that we should all cultivate. The
person who cannot see a joke is a joke. The man\who
can write a book that will make everybody laugh is doing
the ‘world good. Live a while, be natural like the char-
acters in Mark Twain’s stories.”

This Indian Stands by His Word.

The proverbial reputation of a full-blood Indian to
stand by his agreement was. exemplified in court at Tulsa,
Okla., recently. Tom Hickory, an aged Creek Indian, had
agreed to sell some land to.a friend for $8,000. The goy-
ernment Indian agent, who had appraised the land at $16,-
000, objected to the sale.

“IT no want $16,000, I want $8,000. Indian keep his
word,” Hickory told the court when government officials
asked to have the sale set aside,

To Enter College at Ninety,

Although over ninety years old, Reverend David J.
Higgins, for many years well known as a Methodist
minister in Minnesota, has applied for admission to Ham-
line University, St. Paul, Minn., to \complete a course
for the degree of doctor of philosophy. Reverend Mr.
Higgins is at present residing near Los Angeles, in south-
ern California. He retired from the ministry in Minne-
sota about ten years ago, and since going to California,’
has been studying in connection with the University of
Southern California,

In a letter to President Kerfoot, of Hamline, Reverend
Mr. Higgins says that in spite of his advanced age, he
desires to go on studying.

The aged divine now holds both bachelor’s dnd’ master’s

degrees, and also the honorary degree of doctor of divinity.
He was probably one of the best-known Methodist. pas-

“short

He has made,

TOP WEEKLY,

tors of his time,
held thé pastorate of a large church.

“He is a man of vigorous mental make-up,
Ker foot.
large his scope of knowledge, and his application for.
enrollment for the degree of doctor of philosophy is
characteristic of the man.

“It should shame some of our modern youth,
become impatient to be through with their college courses,

”

to think of a man of that kind, who though nearing the |

century mark in his life, keeps on, trying to assimilate
more knowledge.”

In his letter to Doctor Kerfoot, Reverend Mr. Higgins
says he expects to live to be over one hundred years old.

Marble City for Arizona.

said Doctor
“He always is pushing out, and trying to en-

who.

4

Doctor Kerfoot said, although he never’

fe
Ce

A great marble city, intended as the seat of a post-

graduate school of sculpture and the home of the esthetic

and beautiful, is projected by Jack London, the author, es CZ

several residents of Los Angeles. It is to be built on
plateau not far east of Dragon, Ariz.

Plans for the city have been drawn by Henry Busse,
a Los Angeles architect. The Arizona site was selected
because of its rich deposits of marble. Within a few
miles of the place are billions of cubic feet of exposed
marble of many shades and varieties.

Fall One Thousand Feet into the Sea.
A crowd at Palm Beach, Fla., on the bathing beach saw
a government aeroplane of the coast-defense type contain
ing Frank Coffyn and Lieutenant Eric Ellison turn a quick

circle in mid-air, pause an instant, and then plunge 1,000 ©

feet into the ocean about two miles out. The machine
appeared absolutely vertical as it rushed toward the water,
but a couple of hundred feet above tie sea straightened out
and hit the ocean at’ an acute angle.

rescue. The ocean at that point is infested with sharks, ‘

Ropes Mountain Lion Alive.
. The largest mountain lion ever captured in diatda w
caught recently by Uri Hotchkiss, a hunter and. tape
of Colona, six miles east of that place. —

Hotchkiss started in quest of the lion with he ‘or

George, Roy Humphrey, and a pack of dogs. The dogs
struck the trail and drove the lion up a tree, up_ which
Hotchkiss climbed after it, unarmed: except for a rope
The lion chased him down the tree several times, bu
finally Hotchkiss got within about three feet of he ani
mal, and threw a rope around his neck.

The men at the other end of the rope attempted to pul
the lion out of the tree, but were unable to do so. Hotch.
kiss worked around behind the lion and forced him

the treegby twisting his tail. oe getting the lin

head to the horn, Ainbied on tebiad: and ‘ough
animal into Colona.

The lion stands fully three feet high,
feet from nos¢ to the tail, and weighs 146 pounds.

measures nin

Dig Up Sheletunt of Two Raglsh Troopers,”
boas excavating and noes for a new: suburbar

Kenneth Howard,
_ of New York, manned a motor boat, and went to the

1

 
NEW -TIP: TOP. WEEKLY. 29

--decayed. The bones were carefully exhumed and ex-
amined, Near each of the skeletons was found a “horse
pistol,’ which led to the impression that both men were
killed in a duel. Parts of steel buttons, found .near in-
. dicated that they wore the English army uniform.

The belief is that during the time the English troops
were garrisoned in Wilmington in 1775 under Lord Corn-
_wallis, two soldiers adjourned to this then unfrequented
 $pot to settle some personal differences, with the result
that both were mortally» wounded and left to bleach in

the sun, or probably covered over with earth by some other

_member of the English garrison, The bones were found
at a depth of ten feet in the ground, and were in a thick

_ topse near the banks of the Cape Fear River.

Two Mote Explorers Die.

_ Disaster has overtaken the Australian antarctic expe-
_ dition of Doctor Douglas Mawson.
_ Professor David, of Sydney, who was with Sir Ernest
_Shackleton’s south pole expedition, has received a wire-
less from Adelie Island, in the Antarctic Ocean, by way of
-Macquelarte Island, saying that Lieutenant Nirnis and
- Doctor Mertz, members of the party, had died.

-_ Doctor Mawson’s party had been in the antarctic for
about a year and a half, having left the Firth of Thames,

New Zealand, in July, rort.

Ninnis was a surveyor and Mertz a zoologist. The
_ Aurora got into the antarctic in December, t1o11,

_ The expedition carried a flying machine with it, and
was equipped to stay in the antarctic three and a half

years.

All Want Bicycles Because Wilson Rides.
_ Representative E. Y. Webb, of North Carolina, has
purchased a bicycle, and will ride to the Capitol and back
every day. Other congressmen are looking at wheels with
a view to buying. The sudden desire for wheels is at-
tributed to the fact that President Wilson rides.
: Recotd Find of Ambergris.
What i is described as the record lump of ambergris has
en discovered by Captain Larsen, of the steam whaler
orvegia.
Nearly half a ton of this precious substance was taken
from a whale, which an expert chemist estimates is worth

Dog Saves. Mastet’s Life.
As Fred RN inabalce was drtving across Hogan’s Pond,

vent ised to her memory ig the bavs and girls of

orld. She has devised a way of “teaching spelling

vith ut drudgery.” Her pupils range from five to six
ars, antl she has made each one of ‘them to represent

a letter of the alphabet, and the class spends its time in
playing a game called “putting the letters together.” The
consonants are all cousins, and the vowels are either short
brothers or long brothers, representing the different pro-
nunciations of the letters. The child who represents
double o wears a green coat because of the pigeons that
coo in.the green grass. There is a hint from which the
whole game may be constructed.

Has to Support Daughtet-in-law.

To what extent is a father-in-law responsible for the
maintenance of his son’s wife if the husband has gone
away from her?

The problem has been raised and judgment given upon
it by the French courts, where ethical problems seem as
frequent as they are sure of a decision of some sort.

Madame Lisa Besnard married M. Robert Besnard, son
of the celebrated painter, but in 1899 her husband left

- her and went to Italy.

Her father-in-law has since allowed her and her three
children $1,060 a year. Recently she asked 'the courts to
raise the allowance to $2,400, and to settle it on her by a
legal decision.

The tribunal decided that M. Besnard’s family were re-
sponsible for the wife’s maintenance, and ordered a yearly
allowance of $1,200 to be paid her.

Kill Two Beats and Catch Two Live Cubs.

The shooting of a bear and one cub and the capture
of two other cubs alive by Henry Wagner and Charles
Siefeldt, of the town of Grover, Wis., makes them the
champion bear hunters in’ that part of the country. -A
fourth cub got away.

The shooting followed the uncovering by the hunters’
dogs of the winter home of Mother Bruin and her four
cubs. The resistance of the bear was desperate, and the
capture alive of two of the cubs was attended by con-
siderable excitement.

This makes the sixth bear killed in this vicinity within
a few days. Evi Collard, of Middle Inlet, while chopping
cedar, aroused a big bear from its winter sleep and later
the animal was killed. It weighed 225 pounds, and was
over six feet long. Another bear was shot at Suring, in
Oconto County. The animals are just beginning to awaken
from their hibernating season.

Exodus of Germans to Escape New Tax.
Consternation spread widely among the property-own-
ing classes of Germany as the news became known that
Emperor William has announced that this year’s taxation

. will be the heaviest ever demanded in times of peace, and

has warned his subjects that this will be a “year of
sacrifice” in Germany like that just a century ago—the
year 1813.

It is now given out that $150,000,000 will be the sum
demanded this year for the projected increase of Ger-
many’s army and for new fortifications which it is fai
cially planned to build on the Russian frontier.

Indeed, there threatens to be something in the nature
of an exodus among old people who are living on in-
comes derived from small capital accumulated after years
of toil and thrift. Many will leave Germany and take
up residences in Switzerland.

Every person having a capital of more than $5,000 will
be compelled to pay from one-half to one per cent of on

Phy

 
NEW TIP ‘TOP WEEKLY.

value of their possessions. This’ proposed levy is roundly
denounced as smacking more of confiscation than taxation,
The only consolation is the small one that the emperor
himself and all the petty German sovereigns and princes
must also meet the tax.

The program contemplates adding 100,000 fresh troops
to the Germany army within two years.

Frog Famine Hurts Indians.

A frog famine in Renville County, Minn., has caused
John A. Dalzell, of Morton, a former member of the
Minnesota legislature, to go to the national capital to ask
relief for the Santee Sioux Indians, living in the vicinity
of Morton.

Fifty families made a precarious living by catching frogs
for the St. Paul and Minneapolis*markets until the year
just passed. The coulee where they caught frogs dried up
late in 1911. No income was derived in 1912, hence the,
destitution of the Indians. '

Spiders Help Complete the Big Panama Canal.
Spiders are to play a part in the completion of the
Panama Canal. Colonel Goethals has placed a man in
charge of six large spiders, from whose cocoons threads
will be taken for use in all the engineers’ transit instru-
ments. Heretofore the threads used have been of plati-
num.

Makes Living from “Lucky Plant,”

M. and Madame Tardout have a small farm at St.
Michel-sur-Orde, France. Madame Tardout found some
four-leafed clover plants in their garden, and since then
she and her husband have made a living by selling the
“lucky plant,” chiefly to actresses and to jewelers, who
set it in brooches and pendants between two pieces of
crystal.

‘ Gum on Shoe Picks Up a Lost $100 Bill,

Just before he entered a downtown hotel in New York,
R. H. Walker, a Chicago business man, stepped on a wad
of moist chewing gum. He scraped his sole on the side-
walk, but some of the sticky substance remained and he
complained to a friend who was with him.

Walker and his friend went into the men’s café and
attended to what they went in for. They were just leav-
ing the cashier’s desk when Walker felt that the chewing
gum had picked up something.

“That’s the worst of this stuff,’ he said, scraping his
foot on the floor. “I suppose I will be picking up things
for the next two days.”

Investigation sires that sticking to the gum was a
$100 bill.

Just at that moment on the other side of the cashier’s
desk a man cried out:

“Hey, there! I’ve lost $1o0o—a $100 bill. I had it just
now when I paid that check. Anybody seen a $100 bill?”

“This it?” asked Walker.

It was. The man who lost it was Manager Tench, of
a near-by hotel. He accepted the bill with thanks and
shortly became better acquainted with Walker.

The Latest Word in Aviation.

The new Curtiss flying boat was one of the principal
attractions at the Sportsmen’s Show in Madison Square
Garden, in New York. This machine is positively the

last word in aviation.

nautics every year since’ the prize was awarded, was this
year gfven the trophy for the flying boat. The new ma-
chine has the body of a fast launch with the wings of an |
aéroplane. As it goes skimming over the surface of the —
water or gliding gracefully through the\air it resembles
nothing so much as a huge swallow.

The flying boat was originally intended for use on war-
ships. It flies from the decks Of the vessel and goes aloft
or far ahead of the fleet on scouting and reconnoitering

work. It is in reality the eyes of the ship. Already nine ~ 4
governments are using these aérial boats on their men-of-
Since the first of the year the flying boat has been —

war.
put on the market for private sales and has met with —
the enthusiastic favor of all who have seen it.

Face Death in Search. for Gold. ial :
Of three prospectors who started a short time ago frou
Atlin, a placer camp on the Yukon line, in search of gold,
one nearly starved to death, one was crippled for life, and
one went insane from cold and died.
The men headed for Silver Creek, at the head of Teslin
Lake. One man, sent back for more supplies, lost his way

and was rescued by Indians when nearly dead. One of —

the two remaining—a Swede named Lindemann—became —
maniacal in his desire for warmth and jumped into a roar- —
ing camp fire. Redmond, his companion, pulled him out, —
but he died. Redmond buried Lindemann in the snow and |
turned the dogs loose, following them wherever they went. —
They finally led him to an Indian camp and Indians took —
him to Atlin, where both his feet were amputated. =

Special Delivery Parcel Post. a

The postmaster general has issued an order extents a
special-delivery service to parcel-post mail. This feature ©
of the new system was postponed at the outset in order }
to avoid complications. f
The operation of the parcel-post system, however, has ¥

been so successful that on March 1 it became possible |
to secure special delivery of parcel-post packages by pay-

ing the customary fee of 10 cents in special- “delivery | %
stamps of ordinary: postage. ee

Chipping on Man Who Has “Cemented’”” Nose. aes

John Tholt, 34 years old, employed at the plant of a —
cement company at Prospect Hill, Mo., Ne
ment at the City Hospital for “cemented” nose, an ail-—
ment which hospital physicians say has no parallel. ag

Both nostrils are stopped up with cement, making it 2
impossible for him to breathe through his nose. Shite

Hospital physicians are drilling and chipping the cement
and havé hopes that they will be able to remove the ob-—
struction. The cement dust became hardened and is
now attached to the skin as though it had grown there. —

f
Two Valuable Historic Relics,

The two most valuable relics in the United States are
the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
These were recently brought to the light of day for
the first time in many years, and, upon being subjected .
to examination by the secretary of state, were fou
to be in as good condition ase when they were placed in
their present abiding place—a steel safe especially made
for their custody. The four pages of the Constitution and

 

Glenn H. Curtiss, who has re- 4}
ceived a Collier trophy for the greatest advance in aéro- ©

is under treat-
NEW TIP
‘the resolution submitting the instrument to the United
States. for ratification are in excellent condition, the ink
» being as black and delible as when it was used a cen-
ury and a quarter ago.
It is claimed that the ink of the Constitution is of a
superior grade, and that it will outlive’ any manufactured
to-day. The greater part of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence is legible, but it is in not so good a condition as’ is
the Constitution, Nearly all of the signatures are now
- obliterated. The Declaration has been submitted to strong
unlight.on several occasions, and this is claimed to have
dimmed them to a certain extent. Both of the documents
‘are written.on parchment with a quill pen. They are
never open for public inspection, but are kept in a library
at the state department, Washington.

Handling a Posted Babe Roughly.

Taking a little bundley from a ragged woman at the
indow and tossing it carelessly on the scales, the parcel-
st clerk at the main post office in New York was startled
hear the woman exclaim:

“Don’t toss that bundle around. That’s my baby.”

The clerk looked at the bundle of soft clothes and saw
indeed contained a wriggling little infant about five
lays old. Upon inquiry the clerk learned that the woman,

Mrs, Abra Mowitz, lived in a tenement; that the baby was

sick, and that she hoped to save its life by sending it

parcel post to her sister in the country,
Gently the clerk explained that Uncle Sam could not
indertake to transport the infant through the mail, and

'snow- oid prospector’s cabin five cates north of Mile
fty Three, British Columbia,
eturning trappers recently told of finding the bodies.
the door of the cabin Le Claire had scratched a brief
ic record of his last days. He wrote that he had
led his dying companion and: eaten him, Lemieux’s body
ad been hacked to pieces with a hunting knife. Le
Cl re had been frozen to death.

City Without Pawnshop;
- city without a pawnshop—this describes Washington,
C,. The bill recently signed by Ex-President Taft will
e the doors of every pawnshop in Washington,
e national capital offers large and rich opportunities
the money lender. No other city has in its population

poor men and so few rich men as Washington. In’
her city is the standard of wages so high or the.

tunity to make money so limited, Washington is not
isiness city,
women who draw salaries from the government,
i s of senators and representatives, Féderal judges,
officers, and the pay of army and navy offiders have
creased within the last few years,
ed by the clerks have not been increased. Uncle
paying the same salaries to the clerks he paid years
the advance in food became a problem. The

C1 ment: pays its employees twice a month.
the money lender gets his or makes trouble.
eels the loan-shark-bill did not include pawnbro-

indorsed notes.

Its population is made up largely of men.
The ,

But the salaries

And on pay

TOP WEEKLY, 31

kers, who, under the Jaw, can charge 3 per cent: per
month on loans, It was prepared by persons who work
among the poor of Washington, and it was aimed at the
“10 per centers,” who lent money on furniture and on
It was the government clerks who got
loans on these notes. The clerk who did not: pay when
they fell due was blackmailed into a settlement. Some
of the 10 per centers did business as “codperative asso-
ciations”; others as “attorneys at law,” who lent money on
the quiet, and each government department had clerks
and in some instances high officials, who furnished depart-
ment employees funds. The department Shylock had a
sure thing. Only death or resignation kept him out of
his money.

Under the new legislation any person who lends money
at a higher rate of interest than 6 per cent per annum
must pay a license fee of $500 and give a bond of $5,000.
He cannot make a loan at a higher rate of interest than
I per cent a month nor any foan in excess of $200. The
loan-shark bill contains other severe provisions, including
a heavy fine and imprisonment.

The largest pawnshop in Washington is on Ninth Street.
Its proprietor is known as the “millionaire pawnbroker.”

He did not take advantage of the thirty days respite

provided in the bill, but stopped lending money the day
the president signed it. He announced that he would keep
his place open until January: 1, 1914, in order to give every
borrower an opportunity to redeem the article pledged for
his loan. One of the managers of this establishment ex-
plained how the loan-shark bill put the pawnbrokers out
of business.

“There is not a pawnbroker in this country who can
lend money at 1 per cent a month and break even,’ he
said. “Pawnbrokers borrow from the banks and it stands
him, say 5 per cent to start with. That would leave him
7 per cent leeway under the loan-shark bill. But he will
not make it. He must pay the license fee and other ex-
penses, including the cost of maintaining -his shop, Be-
sides the congressmen overlooked an important thing in-
volved in our business. Only a> pawnbroker and the
police have any idea as to the loss sustained by the pawn-:
broker from loans made to thieves. “

“The loan-shark bill is a bad bill. Those who borrow
money. from a pawnshop cannot borrow elsewhere. ~The
banks will not lend them money, and with the pawnshops
closed they will be up against it and must becortie objects
of charity.” :
Facts You May Not Kaow.

The annual rainfall and snowfall in the United States is
estimated to weigh six million tons.

Bank notes valued at $750,972,246 are in circulation in
the United States.

The Alexandrian library, 274 B. C., contained 700,000

- volumes.

A model hospital for children is to be built in Phila-
delphia, Pa., at a cost of $500,000,
-M. B. Allen, of Springfield, N. ts has succeeded in wrow-

ing a pineapple frorh a potted plant. - ©

The president’s wife has a definite legal status and

_stri¢t rules are laid down for her behavior during her

husband’s term of office. The lady of the White MORE
must not accept general invitations. }
The Assouan Dam, in Egypt, with its associated irriga-

tion works, has cost the large sum Of $53,000,000; but it is

 
32 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

estimated that, as a result of the expenditure, the value of °

adjacent land has increased more than $1,000,000,000.

Shanghai goldsmiths and silversmiths recently organ-
ized to secure shorter hours—the first trades union China
has ever known.

Imports of cocoa are now almost three times as large
as they were ten years ago. Tea shows an increase of
only 20 per cent, while coffee imports are actually less than
in 1902,

Wealth is more evenly distributed in Bulgaria than in
any other European state. Poverty, according to Edward
Dicey, “does not exist among the Bulgarians.”

In the battle of electricity against steam an important
victory for the former agency is the announced intention
of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway to electrify its
main line in the near future.

The largest railway shop in the world is, according to
one authority, that of the London & Northwestern Rail-
way, at Crewe, England, which employes 10,000 men. A
rival claimant for the distinction is Altoona, Pa.

Judge Spanks Big Boy in Court.

“Johnnie, I know exactly what you need to help make a
‘man of you,” remarked Judge Porterfield, in Kansas City,
Mo., to a fifteen-year-old youth who was haled before
him by, the probation officer.

“Come here,” continued the gudge, as he reached under
his desk for an overshoe. Catching Johnnie by the neck,
he caused him to turn so that his trousers were properly
tightened, whereupon he applied the shoe with audible
effect.

John Lehman’s mother is dead and his father is not in
town. The gumshoe treatment was new to John, and

. as a punishment surprised him. He decided one experi- —

‘ence was enough and consented to go back to the delin-
quent farm and stay there.

“That boy is bright, not very bad, but has never been
trained to tell the truth,” remarked the judge, as he re-
turned to the room where he was presiding over the
Hyde trial. “The chief trouble with him is that he is
a wanderer. I hope I can cure him.”

Teaching Children to Save.

Nine thousand school children of San Francisco, Cal.,
have saved $92,000 since August 1, 1911. On the date
named the board of education inaugurated a school-chil-
dren’s bank system. The depositors range from : to
14 years.

In pennies, ridiele and occasional dimes, intrusted to
teachers during the week, the deposits are made up and
exchanged at the bank for credit stamps, which the receiv-
ing teller credits to each holder of a pass book. Four
per cent interest is paid.

Like Museum of Firearms.

A motley and interesting, collection of firearms has
resulted from the disarming of strikers in the coal-mine
district of West Verginia, where martial law has been de-
clared by Governor Glasscock. The arms taken from the
guards hired by the mine operators are commonplace
enough—hundreds of Winchester repeaters with boxes’ of
the ammunition*for them. But the other pile takes one
back to the days of the minute men.

_ There were old English fowling pieces of beautiful
workmanship; Kentucky rifles, with barrels six feet long;

flintlock muskets that probably did good service in
1776; Sharp’s rifles like those that the free soilers car- —
ried into “Bleeding Kansas” in ’58; a dozen varieties of —
carbines—Burnsides, Maynards, Spencers, and others —
such as the troopers of ‘61-65 knew how to wield —
so well, and modern military rifles, effective weapons
that are now sold for a few dollars

policy of selling discarded firearms at auction. Among 7
the old pieces are guns by such famous makers as Tyron —
and Derringer, of Philadelphia; Sutherland, of Richmond —
and Baltimore, and others of seventy-five or one hundred
years ago, to whom gun-making was a fine art.

Austria to Increase the Size of Het Navy.

A sensation has been caused by a statement in Die ©
Ziet that the annual levy of recruits will be increased —
by 30,000 adding 300,000 in all to 4he effective war strength. —

It is understood that in view of the increase in the |

German and French armies the Austrian war ministry —
sounded the Austrian and Hungarian governments on the

subject, but encountered opposition for financial and po- — is

litical reasons.

To Presetve Bitds of Paradise. Se:

The famous birds of paradise are henceforth to have in —
their struggle for existence against the women of the —
world the protection of the German government. The
number of these birds in German New Guinea having —

been greatly reduced by the insatiable plume hunters, the os :

colonial authorities have just decided to quadruple the eet
port duty on their skins from that colony.
that this wise measure will considerably reduce the de- —
mands for the feathers of the bird, and make it possible
to prevent the species from becoming extinct.

Only One Battleship Ordered.

After four days of debate, accompanied at times bie
schemes of disorder seldom seen at the capitol, the Hou
passed the naval appropriation bill, carrying approximatel
$138,000,000 and authorizing the construction of one bé
tleship, six torpedo-boat destroyers, and four submarines

An amendment to provide for one battleship instead of
two, as recommended by the committee, was carriéd ty
a vote of 174 to 156,

Aerial Shooting. ‘

The English army is getting ready to greet aérial in-
vaders by making its marksmen proficient in the art of :
shooting at moving targets in mid-air. The target con-
sists of the model of a flying machine, made about hal
size, which is passed rapidly over the heads of the mark
men by a wire. The machine carried a dummy “pilo
and recently this was struck by a bullet at an equivale
distance of 1,000 feet, and another shot struck the machi
but missed the pilot.

Gels Twenty *Theuskad! Doliacs fee ldo lania
- Both hands of a man were valued at $20,000 by a jur
in McCracken circuit court, at Paducah, Ky., in the su
of George Banks, 26 years old, against the Nashville, Chat
tanooga & St. Louis Railway. He filed suit for $100,
Banks was a brakeman, and while uncoupling freight

cars at Hollow Rock, Tenn., both hands were oe
severely that amputation was necessary.

 

apiece by |
many department stores as a result of the war department’s |

It is hoped a
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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