Ee Bees Ie yO Vago ie cee mae ea Bi inantoaee ne aad emo et _ Nasium of the Fardale Military Academy. oe IP 1 An Ideal Publication For The American Youth T dssued Weekly. Entered as Second-class Matter at the New York Post Office according to an act of Congress, March 3, 1819. Published dy STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Seventh Ave., New York. Copyright, 1913, by STREET & SMITH. O. G. Smith and G. C. Smith, Proprietors. Terms to NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY Mail Subscribers. (Postage Free.) Single Copies or Back Numbers, 5c. Each. BS Months. ...--. ecco vee sevese BOC. OMG YOAT coeds ceaves naenee cenece $2.50 4& MONEHS, 0+ 00+ cscees cone senes 85C, 2, COPIOS ONG VOAT --++0e+ seseee-+ 4,00 6 MONEE, «2000+ -eeeeeceveceee $1.25 1 COPY TWO YOATS.-cseeesecencees 4.00 How to Send Money—By post-office or express money order, regis- tered letter, bank check or draft, at our risk. At your own risk if sent by currency, coin, or postage stamps in ordinary letter. ; Receipts—Receipt of your remittance is acknowledged by proper |. change of number on your label. If not correct you have not been | properly credited, and should let us know at once, No. 66. ‘Frank Merriwell, Jr., and the Little Black Box; . Or, THE MAN FROM THE WEST By BURT L. CHAPTER I. ; | A PRYING PLEBE, A preliminary skirmish was going forward in the gym- : It was early November, and right in the middle of the football season, but already Captain True, of the basket-ball squad, was combing the ranks for promising material. True had staged the skirmish with the idea of getting a line on the capabilities of some of the plebes who had been doing surprising’ work in other branches of athletic sport. _ For several minutes the baskets had been shivering under the assaults of the balls as the players charged back and es forth and shot at goal. The work of one plebe stood out brightly against thé more or less awkward work of others of his class, and even put some of the “old stagers” to blush. _ “As usual,” muttered Wally Teneyck, in the ranks of the spectators, “the son of his dad is making a beautiful uff—and getting away with it. I wish to thunder I ad that fellow’s luck!” : “The son of his dad?” queried a voice at Teneyck’s el- bow:, “Who might that be, pard?” Teneyck turned and saw at his, side a plebe named efferson Pettigrew. Pettigrew hailed from beyond the Missouri River. somewhere, and his talk was filled with Western expressions which jarred somewhat on the nerves of the fastidious Teneyck. ey am not your pard, as you call it,” said Teneyck frostily, and with all the top-loftiness of an upper class- mat... : “Sure not,” went°on Pettigrew cheerfully. “My tongue ist slipped a cog, as it were, Mr. Teneyck. But, speak- free as between cadets and fellow sports, will you NEW YORK, November 1, 1913. Price Five Cents. STANDISH. quit putting on dog long enough to explain who this son of his dad is? We all belong to that tribe, I reckon, and your lingo don’t explain a whole lot.” Teneyck grunted, gave the questioner no further heed for a time, and watched the playing with an expression of mingled displeasure and resentment. The plebe against whom he appeared to have a griev- ance was playing right forward. This was Frank Merri- well’s. position, and Merry’s chum and roommate, Owen. Clancy, was at center. Clancy tipped the ball back to Merry, a neat pass across the floor was followed by another pass to a waiting guard, and then a jump‘ forward dropped the ball through the — basket for an easy score. Teneyck growled his disgust as the plebe onlookers stamped and cheered. “Why the deuce Presbery lets his ‘grid’ team mess around with basket ball, at this time, is more than I can guess,” remarked the annoyed upper classman. “I don’t sabe much about this athletic business,” said Pettigrew amiably, “but it’s been buzzed off to me that basket ball is first chop for keeping football chaps in | training.” “T don’t care how it has been ‘buzzed off’ to you,” said Teneyck ill-naturedly. “No more you don’t, neighbor. ‘ I can see that with half an eye, but I just have to warble to somebody.” “Warble to yourself.” “Tt don’t get results.” “You’re too fresh.” “Born that way. I allow I get you, Steve. dad’s Chip Merriwell, huh?” Teneyck did not answer, but dropped his head forward and rested his chin on his hands. He felt in a grouchy mood and wished to be let alone. Son of his 7 2 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. Then, suddenly, he began to feel better. The plebes were getting “rattled” and forgetting their | teamwork. Merriwell tried hard to rally them and get them to work together, but his efforts were fruitless. At last he had to do his best, almost unaided, and scored twice, one of them the prettiest goal of the evening. Teneyck went blue and ugly again. The regular team had the best of the game, but what of that when the work of Chip Merriwell showed so brilliantly in the tide of disaster ? While the balcony was still echoing with plebe cries of “Merriwell, Merriwell, Chip, Chip Merriwell,’ Ten- eyck got up and left the spectators, making his way out into the crisp air of the November night. : “Hold. your bronks a minute, Mr. Teneyck,” called a voice behind him. The upper classman whirled in annoyatice to an about face. “Why are you following me, Pettigrew?” he. demanded. “Mainly because I want to have a bit of a powwow,” was the serene answer. “That’s my way, pilgrim. Whenever I want to palaver with a chap, I camp on his trail till I hit him on his nigh side.” “IT don’t choose to palaver with you,” was the irate re- sponse, “nor to associate with you, You're too confounded cheeky for any: use.” Teneyck spun around on his heel and started across the parade ground in the direction of barracks. ~The per- sistent-plebe kept’on his’trail, as Teneyck could tell by the crunch of footsteps in his rear. “T opine you're offish because you don’t sabe what I’m trying to get at. For myself, I’m always as,chipper as an Injun squaw with a new string of glass beads, and I'll take more and fight less than ’most any juniper you ever saw. Born that way. I’m right prying this evening, and I’m hanging on same as a dog to a bone. How about Drood and his little black box,’ Mr. Teneyck?” Teneyck halted as though he had suddenly run into a “live” electric wire. He squared around and peered at Jefferson Pettigrew through the cold starlight. “Reckoned that would wake you up,” the Western boy chuckled. “You had a heap of fun with the yearlings the other night, while the yearlings were having a heap of fun hazing the son of his dad and a’few more plebes. Only I low the yearlings got the hot end of the joke. Drood ‘and his black box figured in the performance, if all that’s beet buzzed off to me is straight goods. Mr. Teneyck, where is that black box now? That’s the upshot of my. prying, and you can confer a favor and give Chip Merriwell a slap in the face by giving me the informa- tion. I opine a slap at the son of his dad would amuse you a-plenty, wouldn’t it?” | “What is your game, Pettigrew?” demanded Teneyck. “Oh, well,” drawled the other, “I’ll have to say manyana to. that. I’m doing the prying, Mr. Teneyck, not you. Rise to that?” — , Teneyck’s dislike of Mertiwell was intense. If asked for a reason for it, the upper classman would have put forward a number of. excuses, all.of them far-fetched. The’ truth, as he knew it down in his heart, was that he hated Merriwell because he was a plebe, and growing’ in popularity at Fardale faster than he believed a first-year student should grow. And, also, because\ the Merriwell name. glowed brightly in Fardale’s past on account. of the honorable, and in many respects remarkable, records left at the academy by young Frank’s father and his Uncle Dick. There are fellows in this world who make vit a point to sneer at excellence, just because they are excellent at nothing themselves. It takes.a small nature to feel that way, of course, and a crafty disposition to follow up such a train of prejudice and get in a few telling blows against the innocent object of it. Wally Teneyck, how- ever, was exactly that sort of person. “That black box belongs to Drood,” said he. “How can it have anything to do with Chip Merriwell—in the way you suggest?” “Didn’t Merriwell cop out the box and save it for Drood, the other night? And didn’t Merriwell, not so long ago, save Drood’s life? It’s buzzed off to me that Chip Mer- riwell has sort of taken Drood under his wing, and if anything happens to the black box it will prove that Merriwell isn’t much of a guardian. Eh?” Any little back-set for Merriwell, now that he had struck a winning stride at Fardale, appealed to Teneyck very pleasantly. He saw what Pettigrew was trying to get at, and unbent a little toward him. “What is going to happen to the box?” he inquired, “Maybe nothing, I don’t know,’ was the indefinite re- sponse. “I’m just heaving a few questions at you, and something might go crossways with that box if I bagged the right answers.” “What's in the box?” “T’m by. Not even Merriwell knows that, I reckon.” “It’s foolish for you to try to get hold of something when you don’t know what it is.” “l’m not trying to get hold of anything. There’s an- other cimiroon to work that end of it.” . “What makes you think I know about the box?” “You're a pard of Bingham’s, and Bingham is Drood’s roommate. If you don’t know, you can find out, If you find out and tip it off to me, something will happen. ‘Til not be the one that makes it happen, but it’s pound to occur. Sabe the burro?” Teneyck was thoughtful. for a few moments. Drood’s black box was nothing to Merriwell, as he well knew, and yet if the box turned up. missing some fine day. it might, in a manner, cause Merriwell some regrets. The loss of the box would probably send the excitable Drood to the hos. pital, for it was known that he was worrying -himself sick over the safety of it. oe “That box of Drood’s,” commented Teneyck, “ig ont of the biggest mysteriés that ever happened>. No one knows what’s in it but Drood, and he almost throws a fit if you ask him anything about it. Bingham ‘told- me Merriwell advised Drood to put the thing: in Colonel Gunn’s strong.box for safe-keeping. Likely enough it’s there at this minute. If so, neither you nor any one else cant get hold of it.” SS “Ti’s not in old Gunn’s strong box,” declared Pettigrew. “Drood’s plain daffy over the box, and he’s afraid to put it in Gunn’s safe and affaid to keep it in his own ‘hands. Find out where he’s cached it, Mr. Teneyck, and let me ktrow. Do that, and I'll guarantee we'll set things by the eats a whole lot. If Merriwell gets nosey, when things begin to happen, I know somebody who'll make a mark of hini. That shot goes as it lays, neighbor. © If you want to put your shoulder to the wheel and push, you'll never get a better chance.” ha oe } f HI \ NEW TIP / : “Pll see what I can fio," said Teneyck, port to you to- morrow.’ “Keno!” said the prying plebe. “If things turn out as I expect, you'll sure want to shake hands with me. Keep it under your hat, though.” “You can bank on that !” returned Teneyck grimly, as _ he went on toward barracks. “and will re- CHAPTER II. DROOD AND HIS BOX. That evening, such of the cadets as wanted to go to _ the gym had been allowed to absent themselves from quar- ters. Merriwell had looked in vain for his two class- mates, Bingham and Drood. Bingham he had wanted on the plebe basket-ball team; and, just at that time, wherever - Bingham went his roommate was bound to trail along. _ Neither of the two plebes, however, had appeared in the gymnasium. Merriwell was thinking about this as he and Clancy left the gym, something like half an hour before tattoo. Clancy was also reflective, but his ete concerned them- selves with other matters. “Chip,” said the red-headed fellow, as the two walked _side by side toward barracks, “your middle name is luck, and no mistake.” _ “Behave!” Frank answered. your head, Clan?” “Well, look at what’s going on. You're a plebe, but you hadn’t been in school a month before you’d cinched a place on the first eleven. Now you've got a mortgage on the academy basket-ball squad, and Loring is getting ready to draft you for the hockey team. When the spring “What got that notion into | sports open up, you’re sure to be one of the king-pins. Oh, it’s great to be great!” _ “Tt’s great to have a chum with an imagination like yours. Much obliged, Red, for your bunching up so many athletic jobs and heaving them at me. Somebody else will haye a little to say about that, I fancy.” ; “Cold facts, no imagination about it. Pretty soon, old top, you'll have so much athletic work on hand there'll be no time to bone at the books. Then you'll be headed for the goat section same as Drood. That’s the deuce ° of it. The more you sport around, the lower you drop in our studies ; and if your class standing gets too pesky low, all the sport goes glimmering and you have to be- ome a grind in order to keep neck and neck with the ‘curric.” ‘Now you've said something, Red. A fellow can’t af- ord to be an athletic hog in a school like Fardale. I’ve en guessing a lot about Drood.. He fessed out cold in m: th and English to-day, and he jumps like\a rabbit when- t anybody speaks to him. One of the brightest fel- ows in the class, too. Why the slump?” _ “Easy guess, Chip. B-o-x spells toboggan for Drood. : has at the slide, and is due for an awful jolt at the © ttom.” ‘If that’s the case,” murmured Frank, “this thing has ceased to be a joke and is getting mighty serious. Won- ? der if. he stayed in quarters to grind, this-evening, instead oming to the gym?” ‘No grind,” returned Clancy. and fret over the awful responsibility he’s got on i he It must be terrible to receive something by sap and ginger all out of you, “He stayed in barracks to. TOP WEEKLY. gets you wrong in the head and makes life a burden. If something doesn’t happen to that darned old box before long Drood will be a candidate for the asylum.” “Strangest thing I ever heard of!” muttered Merry. “A fellaw has to be built just right, .though, to have an ex- press package get him going in the way that black box has started Drood.” “Well, Drood comes up to the specifications. bunch of nerves, and there’s no snaffle on’ his fancy, no curb on his imagination. His judgment is poor, and he’s so excitable he can’t hold himself down. The fellow who sent him that box ought to be pounded.” “What the mischief is in the box? That’s what gets my goat. If it was a clockwork bomb, and Drood was chained to it so he couldn’t get away, the fellow couldn’t act worse.’ “The box gets everybody’s goat. The whole school’s wondering about it. There’s not a fellow in the academy who isn’t guessing good and hard about the great Drood mystery: Hanged if I can make anything out of it.” “And Drood won't tell a soul. He seems afraid to let out even a whisper about what’s in the box. Thunder! Something’s got to, be done.” “Sure,” agreed Clancy. “But who’s going to do it, and what’s the move? Bingham is up in the air, and if he He’s. a _ can’t accomplish anything with Drood, who can?” “I’m going to try my hand,” said Merriwell. “Side step it, Chip,” urged the other earnestly. “You saved Drood’s life once, but that doesn’t signify. ~He’s nothing to you, and there is something about this box business that doesn’t look right. Don’t get tangled up in it.” “Drood’s going to the dogs by fast express, just on ac- count of that pestiferous little black box. I can’t stand around with my hands in my pockets and see a fool thing like that clean-up on such a promising or as Drood is.” “The Fardale fellows have already about made up their minds that you’re trying to .be Drood’s guardian. If anything wert wrong with him or his box, you might get yourself in deeper than you think for, Chip.” “Bosh!” laughed Merriwell. “I don’t believe there’s any- thing criminal about this affair of Drood’s.” The two chums bounded up the steps leading into the big dormitory and were soon in their quarters on the top floor. They had a little time to give to their books before tattoo, and Merriwell felt the necessity of making the most of it. But he studied to small advantage. His brain was filled with Drood and the mystery of the black box, and he could not concentrate on his studies. He was just beginning to drive his attention the right way when a cadet orderly stepped into the room and an- nounced that Colonel Gunn, the principal of the school wanted to see Merriwell in the office at once. Merriwell reported to Gunn without delay, half fearing that the re- cent hazing experience, in which the plebes had given the yearlings the worst of it, was to be the subject of the interview. But in this he was mistaken, The colonel, big and pompous, was alone in the office. He unbent from his high and awful dignity a good deal in greeting Merriwell. In fact, he condescended to smile in acknowledging the plebe’s salute. “Mr. Merriwell,” said the colonel, whirling his chair around so he could face the cadet squarely, “I havye—ah— sent for you-at this rather unseemly time to’ talk upon 7 4 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. a matter which I—ah—deem of some importance, It con- cerns Cadet Ellis Drood, of—ah—your class, and a—er— certain receptacle which, I am informed, was received by him from the express company a few days since. Mr. Merriwell, what do you know about the matter?” “T was in the gymnasium with Drood, sir,” Merry an- swered, “when the black box was delivered to him by the driver of the express wagon.” “What happened—ah—if anything, at that time?” “Drood seemed greatly frightened and excited.” “H’m!” mused the colonel, looking into vacancy and rubbing the wart on his prominent nose as was his habit when reflecting. “Have you noticed, Mr. Merriwell, that since receiving that—ah—peculiar express package Mr. Drood has acted queerly, in short has not been at all like himself?” “IT have noticed it, yes, sir.” “T presume that this is—ah—some personal or family matter in which the right of faculty to interfere might —ah—be questioned, Yet, on the other hand, the uncanny influence of that mysterious express package is—ah— playing havoc with Mr. Drood’s classwork. This, naturally, is a point that—ah—should command,my attention. Mr. Bingham, Mr. Drood’s roommate, can throw no light on the matter, and Mr. Drood himself refuses to answer my questions regarding the—ah—box and its contents. I could not press him for further information on a possible pri- vate and personal matter, and yet something—ah—must be done or the deplorable affair will result in disaster to a very promising young man. Mr. Bingham tells me that Drood has—ah—a greater respect and liking for you than for—ah—any other member of his class, So I have called you here, Mr. Merriwell, to ask you to undertake a very—ah—delicate but important duty.” The colonel sank back in his chair, again thoughtfully rubbing his bulbous nose. Merry heard tattoo sounding from barracks. It was the signal to make down beds and get ready for retiring, Clancy, he knew, would see to his bed, and the subdivision inspector could say nothing if he was late in getting back to quarters, for he was delayed by order of Colonel Gunn. “Tf this express package of Drood’s is so very impor- tant, Mr. Merriwell,” the principal finally proceeded, “I wish—ah—that you would advise Drood to relieve his mind of its care by placing it in the office safe.” “T did advise. him to do that, sir,” returned Merriwell, “and was hoping that he had done it.” “He has not. It is not my—ah—province to order him to take such action, and if he refuses the matter must re- main in its present unsatisfactory condition, But you— ah—may be of further service. I place implicit confi- dence in you, Mr.—ah—Merriwell. Here is a note, given under my—ah—hand, which gives you permission at any time to leave barracks or miss recitations without in- viting reproof or demerit. I—ah—know you will not abuse the privilege. I wish you to watch Drood, to be of help to him in his emergency, and to go and come, while—ah— performing this duty, as your judgment dictates, If any- thing of importance transpires, you will report to me per- sonally,” “Very well, sir,’ Merriwell answered, taking the folded paper which Colonel Gunn extended to him, The principal got out of his chair. “That will be all, Mr. Merriwell,” said he, “Your noted father and—ah—your no less noted uncle have reflected much glory on this institution of learning. I feel that I can trust you just as—ah—I might trust them, if either was in your place at the present moment.” Merry saluted and withdrew. He considered the inter- view just finished as most surprising. It proved that Drood and his box had been debated by the faculty, and that the discipline of the school was to be set aside, in Merriwell’s case, to give him a chance to help a member of his class. On this point the action of Colonel Gunn was more than surprising. “Now,” thought Merry, as he hurried back to barracks, “it’s up to me to do something for Drood. But I’m all at sea, and don’t know where or how to begin. Guess I'll have to trust to luck,” Taps had sounded and lights were out in barracks. The colonel’s note got Merriwell safely past the guard in the lower hall; then, as he hurried up the stairs toward plebe quarters, he was suddenly thrilled by a loud cry, Every cadet on the top floor, must have heard that startling, bloodcurdling yell, and an excited stirring could be heard behind the closed doors of the corridor. Merriwell, reaching the head of the upper flight at a bound, paused for a second. Again came the yell, fol- lowed by sounds of a struggle. The noise issued “$eors the room occupied by Bingham and Drood, and: Merriwell dashed toward the door. The subdivision inspector came from the other way at, the same tir me, and the t at the threshold. y both me CHAPTER III, A VICTIM OF FEAR. “What are you doing out of your room, Merriwell?” demanded the inspector sharply. “Cc : olonel Gunn on i s orders, sir,” Frank answered, offering the note. The inspector glanced hurriedly at the credentials, but had no time to show the surprise he must have felt He returned the paper and flung open the door and bolted into Bingham’s and Drood’s room. Merriwell ‘followed him, A strange scene presented itself to the eyes of the new- comers, brought out vividly by the flash of the inspec- tor’s electric torch. Bingham was holding Drood against the wall, and Drood was fighting like a madman to get away. Both youths were in their pajamas. On the floor at their feet lay a small tin box japanned black and bound with a stout cord. From the cond hung an express tag bearing Drood’s name and address. The entrance of the inspector brought a quick shift in the state of affairs. Bingham sprang away from his room- mate. Drood’s arms fell limply at his sides and a be- wildered, half-dazed look came to his face. Bingham came to attention, Slowly Drood assumed the. same attitude, “What is the meaning of this?” asked the inspector sternly. “Drood was asleep, sir,’ explained Bingham,-“and he suddenly gave a yell and bounded out of bed. I rushed to grab him and he began fighting with me in the dark. That's all I know, sir.” ~ ‘What have you to say, Drood?” Drood stooped down and caught up the black box with feverish eagerness. “JI thought there was a fire,” he murabied, “T could ee he m<¢ an ge tt b NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. | hear the fire bells and the engines, and—and I could al- - most smell the smoke. I rolled out of bed, got the box, and started to run from the room. Some one grabbed me. _ It was so dark I couldn’t see who it was, and I fought to get away.” ty The inspector stared. A slow grin worked its way "around Bingham’ s lips. ~ *Drood must have been dreaming, sir,” observed Bing- ham. “He didn’t wait for taps before going to bed, but crawled in early. He was sound asleep when I put out the light and hunted my own blankets. His first yell brought me tip with a jump, and right now is the first _ chance he has had to explain. He’s wide awake, sir, and he knows now that there isn’t any fire.” Drood looked around, shivered, and drew a long breath of relief. | - “It was mighty real,” he murmured, “but, of course, it _ must have been a dream, I am sorry I caused all this trouble, sir.” _ The inspector flashed his torch ‘around the room. The eam of light rested for a few moments at the bottom of one of the walls. A section of the baseboard, about a foot in length, had been cut out and removed, This left a cavity within the wall, and was clearly the place from which the black box had been taken. In his haste, Drood had not re- placed the section of board that covered the hole. “What is that?” asked the inspector, Pointing. _ “That’s where I hide the box, sir,” stammered Drood. TE is very valuable and I can’t take any chances of los- ing it.” “Did you cut out that piece of baseboard, Drood : pe ; “I_—er—yes, sir.’ “Wantonly marring or defacing any of the academy buildings is strictly forbidden. I presume you know that?” “I didn’t do it wantonly, sir. These rooms are so lain and bare there’s no place to hide anything safely. t would be terrible if anything happened to that box, d I know there’s a gang of roughs trying to get it away, from me. I'll make good any. damage I’ve caused, but I want to use that hole in the partition for a while Please don’t report ya Why don’t you have Colonel Gunn in F hus a ae or take it into the village and let the nk store it = you?” f1—T'm afraid to take it anywhere,” ‘was the rejoinder. and reason. See that he goes to bed, Bingham, and stops this foolishness.” The inspector left the room and Frank followed him out into the hall. “Let’s see that paper again, Merriwell,’ said the in- spector, as the two stood facing each other with the door closed behind ‘them. , Once more Merriwell passed over the colonel’s note and the inspector read it more carefully. “All right,” said the petty officer, finally returning the paper. “You seem to have permission to skip drill and recitations and to go and come about as you please. That ig all I have to know.” He went on with his inspection of the rooms and Merri- well returned to his own quarters and began undressing for bed. Clancy had not been able to get to sleep. He had been impatiently awaiting his chum’s“return in order to find out what that late summons to the’ office could mean. He started in with his questions, but Merry hushed him up with a warning. “The inspector is due in a minute, Clan. ter, for now.” Clancy relapsed into silence. Merriwell got into bed. A moment later the inspector trailed his light into the sleep- ing alcoves, withdrew, and passed on. That was Clancy’s cue to jump up and come around to his roommate’s side of the partition. Stow the chat- “Now then, old man,” he whispered, “tell me what’s up.” “T have been detailed on special duty,” was the reply. “Gunn wants me tod keep an eye on Drood.” “Thunder! So faculty’s taking hold.of that matter of the black box, eh? The mystery is getting deeper and deeper. Deuce of a lot of bother over a scared plebe and a dinky little express package, strikes me. Why doesn’t old, Gunn use his authority direct and bring Drood to time?” “He seems to think the box is a personal matter, and that he hasn’t any right to butt in. He knows, though, that Drood is going to pieces under the responsibility of keeping the box, and I’m to watch him and do whatever I can to help him. I’ve been given written leave to dodge recitations and drills, and go and come, day or night, just as the notion happens to hit me.” Clancy gave vent'to a low whistle. “Well, what do you think of that? Wonder if Gunn’s got any sort of hunch regarding what’s in the box?” “Search me. I don’t believe he has, though, for he asked me what was locked up in the thing. He wouldn’t have done that if he had known.” “What are you going to do?” “Give it up. I'll just keep my eyes open and let things drift for a while. If I’m needed, I'll take hold.” “You're liable to get into hot water,” grumbled Clancy. “Not with Gunn back of me.” A sudden thought struck the red-headed chap just then. “Say,” he burst out, “while you were gone there was a dickens of a powwow kicked up. Two or three smothered yells came from some room on this floor, and I'll bet there were few fellows in plebe barracks who didn’t hear it. . The inspector was late getting around. Must have been investigating.” “T know all about that,” said Frank. “I was just ¥f coming up the stairs when the first yell broke loose. Drood — caused the commotion. He was dreaming the building ; was on eo and grabbed the black box and started to ’ \ NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. run. Bingham caught him and the two had a tussel be- fore Drood got fully awake. I went with the inspector to Bingham’s and Drood’s room, and got next to the whole thing.” ‘ Clancy drew a long breath. “Wouldn’t that floor you?” he murmured. to prove that. Drood is going daffy.” “We found out something, anyhow, that no one but Drood knew before.” “What was that?” “Why, the place where Drood’s been keeping the box.” “The yearlings were wise to that. They got the box the night of the hazing, you know.” “Not from this particular place, I'll bet a farm. The jolt the yearlings gave Drood that night must have made him anxious to hide the box where it. would be next to impossible for any one to find it. Drood sawed a hole in the baseboard of his room and put the box in the parti- tion! Bingham saw the cache, and so did the inspector and I. The inspector called Drood down for it.” “Which was right. He hasn’t any business doing car- penter work in barracks.” Clancy started to return to bed. “Keep what I’ve told you under your hat, Clan,” Merri- well requested. “I had to explain to you, so if I turned up missing at any time you’d understand the reason.” “Oh, I’ll understand,” returned Clancy, “but I don’t see why the mischief old Gunn had to connect you up with this. It’s going to mean trouble, Chip.” “I was going to do what I could for Drood, even before Colonel Gunn asked me. Now I have the authority, and Pll be hanged if I see where the trouble is to come in.” “Drood says there’s a gang after the box.” “He's scared and imagines things. No gang would dare try to pull off any criminal work in barracks. They’d get more than they bargained for.” \ “Well, old man, I wish you were out of it, that’s all.” Clancy went gloomily back to bed. Merriwell chuckled a little over his chum’s inconsistent attitude. He de- clared Drood’s worries were foolish, and yet he feared there was trouble in store for Merry if he tried to give the worried plebe any help. “Ten to one,’ thought Frank, just before dozing off to sleep, “nothing is going to happen. Drood’s got the whole school guessing. The man he’s expecting to come for the box will arrive at Fardale and take it away—and the whole business will end in smoke.” “Tt all goes CHAPTER IV. LOST IN THE ROAD. ‘The whole school was laughing over the sad plight a party of yearling hazers had got into while putting a few selected plebes through a “course of sprouts.” There were five of the plebes—Merriwell, Clancy, Bingham, Drood, and Villum Kess. The disguised yearlings carried the important black box away with them for the festivi- ties, and Drood was wild for fear something would hap- pen to it, The yearlings had purloined Colonel Gunn’s touring ear, and the plebes were borne away to a deserted farm- house at the dead, of night and the fun had waxed fast and furious. In the small hours of the morning the plebes _ were taken farther down the road, made to get out of the _ car on a pretext that something was wrong with the en- * gine, and then the yearlings suddenly dashed away, leaving their five victims, as they supposed, to walk back to the academy. But the plan went wrong. Two roughly dressed per- : sons held up the party of hazers and made off with the _ machine. Merriwell led the plebes by a short cut across country to another road, and there laid an ambush and trapped ‘the | two thieves—only to find that they were disguised upper classmen, out for a bit of fun on their own account. One of the fellows was Wally Teneyck, and the other was Joe Gordon. Merry allowed the two to ride back to bar- racks in the car. ze Up to that time, Gordon had rather sided with T eneyck in thinking that Merriwell was rather too “cheeky” and popular ‘for a first-year man. That night, however, Merry showed ‘himself to be such a good fellow that Gordon — “was won over completely. The hatchet was buried, so far as Gordon was concerned, and very tuch to the dase gust of Teneyck. The latter knew how to hold a grudge, a and was more hostile than ever toward Merriwell. The footsore and weary yearlings straggled back to the’ academy an hour or two after reveille roll call, thereby falling into the very snare they had set for ‘the plebes. The hazers were guyed unmercifully, and for several days life, for them, was filled with regrets and heartburnings. — Drood’s black box, through all those hazing experiences, had been juggled about very recklessly. But finally, through Merriwell’s efforts, it was recovered and placed in the hands of its half-crazed guardian. Rae: This work, perhaps, was what gave Drood his high opin- ion of Merriwell, although the beginning of the plebe’s trust and gratitude lay several weeks in the past, when. Merry had saved his life. TN Colonel Gunn could not have selected a cadet so ek qualified to keep an eye on Drood as Frank, Frank, in spite of the,fact that he thought Ellis. Drood’s affair would work out all right if left alone, nevertheless, was ready and eager to do anything he could in the matter. The main thing was to discover what he could do. . Directly after dinner, on the day following Frank’s in- terview with the colonel, Frank and Owen started off on a short run along the road that led to the village of Far- dale. The football team had to snatch every moment. possible from the endless round of study, recitations, and drills in order to keep in training. After breaking ranks at barracks, following the march back from dinner, twenty minutes to half an hour could be put in by the football squad in a brisk trot around the athletic field or down the road. That afternoon, Frank and. Owen were the “onl i ones who chose the road. As they swung around the end of the huge dormito they passed Teneyck and Bingham in close and animated conversation. Both the plebe and the upper classman sho startled looks at the two chums as they jogged i ‘a’ ae on the way to the road. : ; “What are they gabbling about, I wonder?” remar Clancy. i q “They've got a tight to gabble, haven’t they?” said Me ry “Tt needn’t bother us, Clan.” ee “Looks queer. They got out of sight to do their talk- ing, and when they saw us they acted suspiciously.” “Go on! You don’t like either of them, Red, and it is” you that’s suspicious. Quit working yourself up ovens trifles.”? eat a) passed him. NEW TIP " Leneyche hates you like poison.” “T can stand it.” _ “And. Bing’s two-faced. He’s a friend of Teneyck’ s, and he’s: trying to stand in with you at the same’ time.” “Bing can’t tell Teneyck anything that will hurt me.’ The matter dropped there, and the chums turned into the road and set a smart clip toward Fardale. A short _ distance from the academy they passed a man in a buggy, driving the other way. The man was a square-shouldered, heavily built person with a flowing, iron-gray mustache and a sun-browned face. He nodded civilly as the boys “Bet he’s a Westerner,” commented Clancy. “That's an easy guess, old man,” Merriwell answered. “The broad-brimmed Stetson on his head and the blue ‘flannel shirt with the flowing tie belong on the other side ‘of the Big Muddy. Must be on his way to visit some see at the school. Pe Just at that moment the chums rounded a bend in the ae Simultaneously, each drew to a halt. At the edge of the road lay a rusty, battered satchel. _ “Whoop!” cried Clancy. “Mr, Westerner lost his. bag- gage in the road.” “How do. we know it’s that fellow’s baggage?” Merry returned, stooping and picking up the bag. “It’s possible Some one else lost it, and that the Westerner drove by and os “Probabilities are, Chip, it belongs to the man in the ‘Stetson. The grip has a Western look, too.” _ “I’ve seen the same kind of a satchel.come out of the wilds of New Jersey. It’s possible the bag belongs to ‘the fellow who just passed: us, but it’s no cinch,” | “Is there a name on it?” i “No,” answered. Frank,. turning ‘the bag around’ and around i in his hands, “and no tag.” “Maybe there’s ” someting inside with the name of the, ner?” ~~ Frank sat down on a rock at the roadside, took. the satchel on his knees, opened the end clasps, and-pressed the spring” at the lock. The grip had not been locked and ‘it readily opened tinder Frank’s hands, There was another flannel shirt in the bag, a pair of yarn ‘socks, a pack of playing cards in a case, a loaded six-shooter, a flask of liquor, and-—— © Merriwell stopped ig examination with a gasp of amazement. His ‘troubled yes wandered. to’ his: companion, ree What's to pay?” demanded lacey, “You've found 10ugh to prove that the grip»belongs to Mr. ‘Man’ in the buggy, and what ‘else is biting you? y” "Ting t” With that, Frank pulled from the satchel a black, tin ‘box, crisscrossed with a cord from which dangled an ex- snake. His face went blank and ‘his aey eyes stared his chum’s. “Great Cesar!” gulped the red-headed fellow. brain- twister, and no thistake! “Here's How in) creation oe jnto that wey tip? : aN ack me,” said Frank. “Tm staggered. ae x was ‘hidden in "the wall of Drood’s. room. How in blazes: did the man ae hold of it?” A: ie ' Clancy. dead ringer for it, I'll admit, all but the tag. TOP WEEKLY. “Not being a mind reader, Chip, I’ll have to c¢all that question a poser. What’s on the express tag?” Frank lifted the tag. and both tead the name and address of the consignee as well as the name and address of the consignor. There, plain enough, were the written words: “Mr. Ellis Drood, Fardale Military Academy, Fardale.” And then this, equally plain: “From Carrolton Drood, Wanahatchie, Colorado.” ; “It’s the same box, the same box,” huskily. “No,” declared Frank abn “T'll be hanged if it’s the same box.” A rattle of wheels and of trotting hoofs came from around the bend in the road. Hastily Frank replaced the box back in the satchel, crammed in the other articles, closed the top and dropped the traveling bag in the mid- dle of the highway. “What the mischief ails you?” asked the astounded Owen. “Why don’t——” “Stow the talk, Clan,” cut in Frank. “The Westerner is coming back. When he rounds the turn, let him find us looking at the grip and wondering who dropped it. Don’t let on that we know what’s inside. Steady, now!” Owen, naturally, was all at sea. He could not under- stand his chum’s queer actions. Nevertheless, ‘he adopted the suggestion. Both lads were staring down at the satchel when the horse and buggy came into sight around the timbered bend. The Westerner drew to a halt: “Well, strike me lucky!” he exclaimed. “There’s that goldinged contraption, right where it. spilled out of the buggy.” “Did you lose it?” Frank inquired’ innocently. “That’s a bean on the right number, son. Sartin sure I lost it. Soon’s:I missed it I turned right around .and took the back traile. Didn’t you pick it up and look in- side?” “We were just trying to figure out whe could sere dropped it,” said Frank, parrying the question. “Well, stop figgerin’ and kindly hand it over to me whispered Owen ‘Frank picked up the grip and ‘passed it to the owner. “Obliged to you. You belong to. this eae school, T take it; from the uniform you got on! ee) A Vag”? : *“Sabe a kid name o’ Jefferson Deine “Tt don’t know hitn. very well, but He's in our Glass.” “I’m his big unclé from the West, jist ‘éalling to Have a bit of a palaver with him. Like enough I'll see you again. So long.” The Westerner turned the bugey and once more vanished around the turn. “What did you give it up to him for, “Chip?” asked “It’s Drood’s box——” “No,” asserted Mertiwell, “it’s not Drood’s- box. Ti’s a 1 In Drood’s room, last night, T saw that address tag on the real box, and there was a blot of ink on one corner. ‘There was no blot orl this tag; Clan, so that proves the boxes are hot _ the same.” Clancy removed his campaign hat and rubbed a . dazed hand across his forehead. “Why in Sam-Hill are there two boxes? he erie have a brainstorm if somebody doesn’t: let in a little light on this’ business.” That NT eae is crooked, and I'll bet on ae averred ie, Owen looked over his shoulder, “Tn ty : of those expressive glances. denly became aware of the presence of Merry and Clancy, Sata SiS “amenpisenne T a e NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. Merry. “That’s a fake box he’s taking to the academy, and he’s going to use it—somehow.” “But how?” Merriwell was silent. He had no idea how the West- erner intended to make use of the counterfeit box. CHAPTER V. LOOKING FOR TROUBLE. th guess,” said Frank, slowly and thoughtfully, “that about here is where I'll have to take hold and begin doing something for Drood.” “What are you going to take hold of, Chip?” asked Owen. “This is worse than a Chinese puzzle. I can’t see a single loose end long enough to grab.” : “Tl just fool around and look for euobie-eunle that’s being hatched for Drood.” “Try that, and a little of it will be hatched for you! There were other things in that grip besides a bogus tin box. Don’t forget the bottle of fire water and the gun. They form a bad combination in the hands of a man .who wears a broad-brimmed Stetson.” Frank laughed. “t don’t think the Westerner. will cut loose with a shoot- ing iron in this part of the country, Red.” “Then why is-he ‘heeled’? Just for the fun of it?” “Don’t bat up any conundrums. [ve got a pair of black boxes. to guess about, and it’s a cinch they'll give -me-all I-can attend to. Let's get back. . At three this afternoon the first and second elevens are booked for a clash.” : “Will you be in the. set-to?” “T don’t know, Clan. That depends.” Perplexed and excited by the queer developments. that had taken place on the road to Fardale, the chums re- traced their way to the academy. Entering the school grounds by the same path they had used in leaving the premises, such a short time before, they were surprised to see Teneyck still standing just around the corner of the barracks building. He- was engaged in earnest conversation with another cadet, just as before, only now it was not Bingham he was talking with, but Jefferson Pettigrew! “Look at that, will you?” said Clancy. “There’s Jeff Petty now. Bing’s slid out and Petty’s slid in, but Ten- eyck stays right on the job. Wonder if Petty knows that his wild-and-woolly uncle is around?” “He will know it in about:a minute,” returned Merri- well. “There goes the orderly from Gunn’s office. He’s heading straight for Petty and Teneyck.” Frank and Owen had caught sight of the two by the dormitory when turning out of the road. By the time they had come close to Teneyck and Pettigrew the orderly was delivering his message to the plebe from the West. “Mr. Pettigrew, your Uncle Felix is at the office, and -Colonel Gunn requests your presence at pet im- -~ mediately.” “Whoop-ya!” cried Pettigrew. “T allowed the old cimi- ‘Toon would be dropping in. Me for the office muy pronto.” ‘He started away, but halted to exchange significant looks with Teneyck. Merriwell was near enough to take note Pettigrew and Teneyck sud- : and their ayes swerved abruptly to Merry. After a brief stare, Teneyck spun around on his heel and moved off to the front of- barracks, while Pettigrew pushed along in the wake of the orderly. “Something is in the wind,” breathed Owen. “Possibly,” Frank admitted. “A lot of suspicious things have been piling up since — ; fe ‘dinner, Wonder if they are all connected with Drood?” Frank also wondered,*as he and his chum fell in at the sound of assembly and marched to the sections. At the door of the academic building Frank caught sight of Jeff Pettigrew and his uncle. The two were strolling about and Jeff was showing the “sights” to the man from the West. Frank immediately fell out of ranks, showed the colonel’s note to Cadet Captain Presbery, and was allowed to absent himself from afternoon recitations. Merriwell hastened back to barracks. On the way he had another look at Jeff and his uncle. Under the arm of Felix Pettigrew was a small Package wrapped in a newspaper, “This is getting interesting,” thought Frank. “Fett has | been given leave to\skip classroom work and.show his uncle around. If the. two are up to. anything I’ll try. and | find out what it is.” Just within the big doorway. at the entrance to bar- racks Merry posted himself and kept track of the move- ments of the plebe and the man from the West. The two moved in and out among the various buildings; now lost to sight for several minutes and now reappearing ; again. At last they headed straight for the dormitory. Merry passed into the lower hall. One of the yearlings was doing extra duty as guard in the corridor. He had — one of the hazers, and was paying for his night's un “Carson,” said Merry, “do me a’ favor” “Blamed few favors I can do for anybody, Merriwell, hooked up as I am,” was the gruesome response. “But tell me what you want?” “I want to take your job off your hands for a while and walk post.” aoe “That’s queer. And it might be costly if any one “got”: wise. I’ve got all the hard tuck I can stagger ous without loading up with any more.” “Neither of us will suffer. Read that.” He let Carson read the colonel’s note, whistled softly, ; “You're getting pretty solid with the office, seems to m 7 Merriwell,” he remarked, handing back the note and pass- ing over his gun. “Go to it. I guess it’s all right. When you want me I'll be around the corner, in ine wing.” Oo “Keep mum about this, will you?” “Sure! But what’s up?” “I can’t say a word about that.” Carson was curious, but did not press Merriwell with questions. He got out of sight around an angle of. he wall and Merry began tramping his beat. A little later.Jeff and his uncle entered the building. The yearling. NCAR ' There was surprise in Jeff's face as his eyes fell’ Merry.° He did not feel, however, that he knew Me well well enough to inquire as to why he was doing gu duty when he was supposed to be in the academic build- ing. \ Felix Pettigrew, however, recognized Merry at once. A broad. smile etclod, around the ends of his flowing mus- tache. ; “Well, wouldn’t this rattle your spurs? Jeff, wea te of the fellows that found my lost bag.” NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. “Merriwell,” spoke up Jeff, “pass the time o’ day with my uncle, Felix Pettigrew. He’s here for an hour or s two, and I’m snaking him around.” Frank shifted the rifle and took the -hand Felix Petti- grew extended toward him. “Glad as blazes!” exclaimed the man from the West. -“Merriwell,” Jeff explained, “is one of our crack foot- ~ pall players. He’s on the regular team. If you’ve got a notion, you can see him pound the pigskin this afternoon.” The red face of Felix Pettigrew began to glow. “Strike me lucky!” he cried. “I’m a bug on this here football layout. Game on, you say?” ~. “PFactice game,’ ’ Frank explained. “Two fifteen-min- ute periods between the regulars and the scrubs.” “T’l] be there with both feet and a yell that will carry to’ Fardale and beyond. My train leaves at three-forty- ‘five. When's the kick-off due?” “Three o’clock.” “Reckon I ‘can see fifteen minutes of it, anyhow. I’d _ rather see a scrap on the gridiron than eat. Oh, T’ll be ‘there with my mellow bazoo for a quarter of an hour, you can gamble a blue stack on that.” ; “You'll get in such a taking over the first quarter,” chimed in Jeff, “that you'll stay for the ea I. know _ you, you old cattawampus.” “Can’t stay. Got to hit the iron rail at hiten forty-five from Fardale. Can’t leave till midnight if I miss that train.” “Well, come on upstairs,” said Jeff. fe see my hang-out in the cockloft.” “Righto, neffy.Merriwell, if you ever break out in Wanahatchie, Coloraydo, you look up Felix Pettigrew. ‘I'll saddle up the white elephant for you and we'll parade. Buenos! Y ~The two Pettigrews vanished up the stairway. Merri- well was anxious to follow them and to see what they “did, if anything, in plebe quartets. But there were more than a dozen yearlings on the second floor, and he feard "discovery. ° At that stage of his “trouble hunt” he realized that he could not be too careful. ‘ ‘Shortly before the bugle announced the close of’ the "sessions in the academic building, Jeff and his uncle de- “scenided from the upper regions of barracks. \ Jeff seemed nervous and wrought up over something, but Felix was in his: most genial mood. Felix had the same package _ under his arm which he had brought into the building. _ Frank was at the farther end of the corridor when ‘the two left barracks, and they went out without speaking to him. Calling Carson, Frank returned the rifle. Al- ready, out in front, the rattle of a drum and the tramp, tramp of cadets, marching back to barracks, could be heard. - Jt was a quarter to three. Afternoon drill had been called off for that day, so that the football players could “I want you to Frank darted ssitateal He hesitated for a moment in front of the door leading into Bingham’s and Drood’s ‘room, then turned away and entered his own quarters. ~ He would have given a good deal to have a look into , Drood’s cache in the partition, but there was no time for he work: It-would be better, anyway, he decided, to have Drood examine the cache in his presence. And Bing- ham must not be around, at the time. He had seen. Bing- ham and Teneyck with their heads together, and later on had discovered Teneyck and Pettigrew in star-cham-_ Of time? ber session. Like Owen, Frank’ was also Hea eee to have suspicions. In a few moments Clancy burst in on Merriwell, and began discarding his uniform preparatory. to getting into his football togs. “Hustle, Chip,” urged the red-headed chap. game starts at three.” “I’m out of it, Clan,” said Frank. “What! Oh, say——” “Clean out of it,’ went on Frank firmly business to attend to.” “Drood’s business, eh?” growled Clancy “Presbery will be hot under the collar if you don’t show up. What will the regulars do without their plebe quarter?” “They'll get along,” was the quiet response. Clancy continued to mumble protests as he got into his playing togs. “Practice “T've got CHAPTER VI. THE COUNTERFEIT BOX. “Anyway,” said Clancy, sitting down. to stuff che toes of his canvas shoes with cotton, “you can tell me what's the row. Come across with your reason for cutting out the football.” : “T will,” answered Frank, and hurriedly explained ‘the latest developments, in so far as they concerned the two Pettigrews. Owen. was so deeply interested that he stopped dressing to listen. ” “Climb into your clothes, old man,” continued Frank. “Your time is rence and you football fellows can do a lot to help: me.” . “You're going to see whether this Felix person tam- pered with the box in Drood’s room?” asked Owen excitedly, as he went on with his dressing. “That's the idea.” “You'll have to work fast!) The Westerner, you say, leaves Fardale on the three-forty-five train. That means he'll have to get away from the academy by half‘past three at the latest, and if he lingers even that long he'll be rushed. If the box is gone, Chip, you won’t have time to do anything. And what could you do if you had: worlds Don’t forget that loaded gun?” “Listen,” proceeded Frank earnestly. “Felix Pettigrew is intending to see the first period of the football game, and then hustle for the train: If he doesn’t catch the three- forty-five he'll not: be able to leave Fardale until ‘mid- night. . Well, he’s got to miss the three-forty-five, that’s it. “How can you waite him do it?” if “That’s up to you and the football squad. ed Petti- . / grew admits that he’s ‘bug’ on this grid work. The fact ‘actice forthe big — soon to be played with White © sticks out oll over him, and I know he’s telling the truth. You scrubs must put up such a game, Red, that the West- erner just can’t tear himself away until he sees the whole of it. Get that?” “But——”_.. i” “No buts. You haven’t time. If crooked work’s afoot, you can help me and help Drood by delaying Uncle Felix. _ That’s your part, and if ‘you don’t make good I’ll take 3 you down and rumple your red hair. You know how these Western fellows are when they get all wrapped up in a 5 match game with the horsehide or the pigskin—you can’t pry ‘em away with a crowbar. Now clear out!” 8 BS EW AIRE RING le BETTE AE SRT NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. Frank grabbed Owen and pushed him out of the room by main force, throwing his sweater after him, Owen, determined to do his best to chain the W esterner. to. the grand stand for both fifteen-minute periods, caught up the sweater and. hustl ed for the stairs. Since Merriwell had been transferred to the first eleven, Clancy had stepped into his shoes .as captain of the scrub. The red-headed fellow was all on edge to hurl his second- string men against the regulars and cause the worst: foot- ball smash in the history of the academy. He was hardly out of sight on his way downstairs when Bingham, equipped for the game, rushed out of his room. Drood, in his school uniform, followed, protesting angrily. “This is a nice way to treat a roommate! Bing, you could cut out the practice for once and stay here with me,’ “I'm tired of this blamed foolishness,” Bingham snapped. “You act as though I was your bodyguard, and hadn't a thing to do but hang around and keep you out of. trou- ble. ..I don’t believe you're. threatened with any trouble. If you had any sense, you ’d get into your moleskins and come along.” : Bingham was on his way to the second floor when. he finished. Drood, white and trembling, watched him help- lessly as he vanished ; then he seemed to take fresh cour- age as his wild eyes fell upon Merry. “Aren't you out with the squad, Merriwell?” Drood asked. : “Not this afternoon,” was the reply. “You're going to be here in quarters?” Drood questioried eagerly, “Yes.” “Come into my room, will you? Stay with me till Bing gets back. I’ve got a feeling in my bones that there are tocks ahead.” “Don’t be foolish, Drood,” counseled Merry. “Get the clamps on your-neryes. I never saw such a fellow for going to pieces.” Drood wiped ‘the perspiration from his forehead with a shaking hand. “I can't help it,” he answered tremulously, “If you knew what I had to bear up under you'd think differently. _ The fortunes of the whole Drood family are——’ He checked himself suddenly, and added: “Come on in and stay with me for a while, Merriwell!”’ “All right,” assented Frank. Closing the door of his own room, he passed along the corridor and turned into Drood’s, The worried plebe was walking up and down the narrow confines of his _ quarters. His state of mind was stich as to arouse Frank's - sympathy. © “You're afraid that black box will ree adh Ellis?” Frank queried, — _ “I'm positive something is going to happen to it!” _ “But why this afternoon more than at any other time? You. go to recitations and leave the box here. What's the reason you’re not at the football field?” _ “Things are different than they have been, Merriwell. _ I was the only one who knew where the box was hidden, up to last night. Now you know, Bingham and the Anapee* tor know—it’s all over school by this time, I guess,” i? “That's: what’s pestering you, is it? Well, you needn't. ‘ worry. I don’t think any of the fellows you mention “Bingham | has | told navel? ” fluttered rood. “He ‘badly hurt. Frank was startled.. So that was what Bingham and Teneyck were talking about? Had. Teneyck. passed he information along to Jeff Pettigrew? “ve been badly worried all morning,” continued Dravid who seemed to find relief in talking, “and this afternoon I simply couldn’t bring myself to leave quarters and go- out, for practice. I must find another place to hide that box.” “Take it over to Colonel Gunn, and——” “No, I’ll be easier if I have it around me sone He halted his pacing up and down to stop in front: of Merriwell. “I’ve got more confidence in you than I have in anybody else at the academy,” he proceeded. “Merri- well, I’m going to tell you about that box, and then you'll | understand how it gets on my nerves. You're not like © the other fellows. You can put yourself in my place and understand just how I feel.” Merriwell was all attention. He said nothing, but. his manner invited.any revelation Drood might see fit to make. “Before the box came,” said Drood, “I received a letter from my brother, Carrolton, ’way off in Wenahatchie,. Colorado. He told me about the box, that it was com- ing, why it was important, and what was to be done with — it, I was afraid to have that letter around, and 0° ae burned it, I can tell you what was in it, though, _ es “My father and brother went West when I was a. kid, leaving me in the East with some of my mother’s people. For years we had mighty hard times financially, until father made a strike in the mining country. That hap-_ : pened two years ago, It was a rich strike, Carrol wrote me, and he said the Droods would soon be on Easy Street and with money to throw at the birds. But things went |— wrong. Some men out around Wenahatchie contested father’s right to the claim. Near as I can find out, a gang manufactured a lot of evidence and started in to cheat dad out of a fortune. “First thing the gang did was. to drive father and Carrol off the claim, There ‘was shooting, and father was He’s in the Wenahatchie hospital now, and Carrol is carrying on the legal fight alone, A New York lawyer “has been hired to defend our claims, and next month the trial comes off in Wenahatchie. Pee “Carrol has collected a lot of evidence for oancithe a evidence enough to win the case, But he has trouble han; ing on to all those affidavits and depositions and things. Some of the people who made them have died, or move out of the country, and if the papers are lost half a million dollars will be lost to the Droods, Understand? The fortunes of our family hang upon the safe-keeping. of those. papers!” Are those papers in the black box ?” queried | Fra va Yes.” “Why the deuce were ‘they sent! to you?” % “Carrol explained that in the letter I destroyed. He said the name of his New York lawyer was known our enemies, and that he didn’t dare send the: papers 0 him direct. So he sent them to me, and the lawyer ° to come on here from New York and ‘get them, letter Carrol warned me to look out for possible tro He said the gang that was trying to get the bette the Droods was powerful, and they might find out : the papers were in my possession, He hoped that v not he the case, but it was .a possibility,” - The again dabbed at his wet forehead with the handker “That’s—that’s all, Merriwell,” he finished, Frank was astounded, Farrelton Drood | n § NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. . have been hard pressed to try to get important documents into the New York lawyer’s hands by such a roundabout course. And to trust the nervous and excitable Ellis with them—— “Why didn’t your brother bring the papers personally ae. to New York?” queried Frank. “He thought of that, but he—he said he knew he’d never reach New York alive!” “Why didn’t the New York lawyer go to Wenahatchie?” “He is going, but he must see the papers first. There’s evidence to be taken in New York before the Colorado trial, and the lawyer has to cover that ground before he starts West. And he has to use the evidence in order to secure his New York affidavits.” “Well, Drood,” said Frank, in a kindly tone, “I can see plainly that you had some cause to feel nervous. You ought to realize, though, that by going all to pieces, you’re in pretty poor shape to look after those important docu- ments. You need to keep cool. Don’t let yourself get rattled.” “Tt’s my nature, Merriwell. My nerves have been in a ‘quiver ever since the black box came into my hands. Vl die if that New York lawyer doesn’t show up and claim the papers pretty soon. I’ve about reached the limit of what I can stand.” “The box is in the partition now, is it?” “Yes.” “Bring it out and let’s have a look at it.” Drood went to the side of the room, knelt down and ¥ pulled away the section of baseboard. Removing the box _ carefully he brought it to Merriwell. Frank took the box jin his hands and examined the ex- press tag. Then he caught his breath, If he-was right in his conclusions, this was not the box originally delivered to Drood-by the express company. It was the counterfeit box, the one that Felix Pettigrew had had in the satchel! - Drood, ignorant of the course of events, was guarding the wrong box, while the right one, undoubtedly, was al- - ready in the hands of the enemies of Carrolton Drood and his father! CHAPT ER VII. 4 ee MERRIWELL’ QUANDARY. “What's the matter, Merriwell?” asked Drood, alarmed at th > expression on Frank’s face. “Is anything wrong?’ ait a minute, Drood?” Frank put the black box on a table, got up’ from, his chair and went to a window, He wanted to think. Here ‘was a situation in which it was necessary for him to act decisively, in one way or another, and to use clear-headed _ judgment. ‘He heard cheering, faint and far away. That was from e fooball field, of course. He qched at his watch. Ten minutes after three! * Jf the game had started promptly on time, only five minutes was left of the first period of play, He was far rom sure that Felix Pettigrew would remain at the eld for the whole game. In five minutes Frank, in order e on the safe side, must make up his mind what he as going to do. ‘Down the road he could See the horse and mee which id brought the man from the West to the school, The horse was hitched to a post. So long as the rig was there, Felix Pettigrew would remain within easy reach. Drood’s story was a strange one. Nevertheless, barring a few inconsistencies, Frank was prepared to accept it. He had spent more than a year in» the mining districts of the Southwest, and had heard a great deal about dis- puted claims, and the troubles, and often the bloodshed they caused. Carrolton Drood’s difficulties did not form an isolated case, by any means. It seemed absolutely certain that Felix Pettigrew be- longed to the crowd that was fighting the Droods for the claim. It was equally as certain that Felix or his nephew, possibly both of them, had come to Drood’s quarters and removed the original box and substituted the counter- feit. Bingham had told Teneyck where Drood hid the box, and Teneyck had passed the information on to Jefferson Pettigrew. Jeff, in turn, had given it to his uncle. The capture of the important documents had thus been made easy. But why had the man from the West made use of a counterfeit box? Possibly Felix wished to disarm Ellis Drood’s sus- picions that anything was wrong. By leaving an exact duplicate of the real box in the cache, Drood would prob-— ably not discover his loss until the lawyer came on from New York. Felix would thus gain time to get safely out of the way. This, precisely, is what would have happened had Frank and Owen not examined the contents of the lost satchel: Frank’s keen powers of observation had enabled him to decide that the box in the satchel was not the one Drood had been hiding in his room. But could Frank possibly be mistaken? He believed that the package wrapped in a newspaper, which’ Felix had carried upstairs to plebe barracks, was the fake box, and that the package brought down in the same newspaper was the parcel delivered to Drood by the express company. Might there be a mistake'in this reasoning? A great deal depended upon Frank’s getting the matter absolutely right. He could not go ahead and deal with Felix Pettigrew as a sneak thief until he had made as- surance doubly sure. Then, again, if Frank was right, how was he to deal with the man from the West? The thief must be arrested, but there would be little time for such a move if Felix left Fardale on the three-forty-five train. Frank decided that he should take the matter up with Colonel Gunn, after leaving no loophole for errors re- garding what Felix Pettigrew had done. The colonel, in his motor car, could drive quickly to Fardale and have the legal authorities take Pettigrew in hand before he could get out of town. The first thing, then, was to settle every possible doubt regarding the box on the table being a counterfeit. Frank whirled from the window and addressed himself to the anxious Drood. ' “Ellis, have you the key to that box?” “Yes,” was the answer, “it came in the letter from Car- rol, by registered mail. Why?” “T.want you to open the box and see if the papers are inside.” i “You don’t think—you haven’t any idea that——” “Never mind what I think. Go ahead and do as I tet you. 1 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. “But I don’t want to tamper with the papers,” protested Drood. “I wish to leave that for the lawyer.” “Don’t hang fire,” said Frank sharply. “I fear there is something wrong. Let’s find out at once whether the papers, or something else, are in that box.” Drood’s face had gone white and his eyes held a glassy stare, He staggered as he made his way into the alcove where he slept and opened a suit case. Removing an envelope from the grip, he shook a key out of it into his palm. Coming back to the table, he took a knife from his pocket and would have cut the cord that bound the box, “Don’t do that,” spoke up Frank, with a sudden thought that the box, in the same condition it was at that moment, might prove valuable. “I’ll untie the cord.” Drood made no objection. He seemed so harassed with fear and worry that he could not use his tongue. A daub of red sealing wax covered the knot of the cord. Frank broke the wax, removed it, and patiently picked the knot apart. The express tag, which was strung on the cord with a loop of stout twine, he carefully re- moved and laid to one side. Then he took off the cord. Fumblingly, Drood pushed the small key into the lock and turned it. Before he could lift the lid, Merriwell restrained him. “Ellis,” said he earnestly, “I want to tell you this:' If the papers you expect to find in this box are not there, don’t take it too hard. I believe I know where they are, in case they are missing, and I am positive we can get them back. Understand?” Drood nodded mechanically. The box lid was opened the next moment, and Drood bent down, He stood for an instant as though paralyzed; then, wildly, he plunged his hands into the box, gave vent to a stricken cry, and crumpled up on the floor, A quick look showed Frank that there were only torn scraps of newspaper in the box, no written documents of any sort. His suspicions were confirmed. The shock of the discovery, in spite of Frank’s warn- ing, had been too much for poor Drood. Overcome, he had fallen in a faint. Frank stretched him out on the floor, loosened his blouse at the throat, removed his collar and tie, and un- buttoned his shirt. Hurrying into one of the alcoves, he got a pillow and a pitcher of water, and came back. Lifting Drood’s head he pushed the pillow under it, then splashed the cool water in his face. Frank’s anx- iety over the outcome was growing by leaps and bounds. He knew Drood would be all right, but it was necessary to take care of him—and, meanwhile, what was Felix Petti- grew doing? Frank ran to the window and looked out. He drew a quick breath of relief when he saw the Westerner’s rig still standing in front of the post. He glanced at his watch once more. Twenty-five min- utes after three! He felt like shouting for joy. Felix Pettigrew was staying for the rest of the football game! The players had made things so interesting that the man from the West could not get away. Drood gave a husky sob and suddenly sat up on the floor. He looked around blankly, picked up the chain of events where he had dropped them, and seemed on the point of losing his head again. Merry grabbed him by the shoulders. “Be a man, Drood! I'll get back those papers for you, but you’ve got to help. Get that through your mind, will you? If you don’t, we’re up a stump completely.” “We're ruined!” wailed Drood. “I’ve lost everything for Carrol! I’m no good on earth——” Merriwell jerked him roughly to his feet and shook him. “You'll not be good for anything on earth if you don’t come out of this on the jump, and act as though you had some sense!” he cried. “Do you want me to get those documents back, or don’t youP” “Yes, yes!” “Then you've got to do as I tell you. I'll have to leave here-——” “Don’t go, Merriwell!” Drood grabbed Merry’s arm con- vulsively, “For Heaven’s sake———” “I can’t get back your stolen property by staying here. But you're to stay here, understand? And you're not to say a word to Bingham, or anybody else, about the papers being stolen, That’s important. If news gets out that you have discovered your loss, we'll not get back those affidavits and things, Are you going to be man enough to see this thing through?” “I—Ill try,” faintly. s You’ve got to do more than try, Drood. You've just simply got to make good, Put the cover back over that hole in the wall, then keep your mouth shut about the theft. Better put the key back where you got it from, too. Wait a minute, though !” Frank stuffed the scraps of newspaper back in the box, closed the lid, locked it, and thrust the key into Drood’s hand. Picking up the box, the ta Dl started for the door, g, and the cord, Drood stood weakly in the middle of the room watching proceedings with dull, lifeless eyes, : “What are you going to do with the box?” he asked. “Tt may come handy in getting the papers,” Frank an- swered, his hand on the doorknob, “T abe know about that yet. Remember, not a word about the robbery. And cheer up! Everything is going to come out all right.” Without delaying further, he rushed out of the room and bounded away down the stairs, As he crossed the parade ground, headed for the colonel’s office, cheering came to him from the football field. “Keep it up, you fellows!” he muttered. “Five min-. utes more and we'll have Mr, Felix Pettigrew tight and fast!” But Frank was doomed to disappointment and thrown _ into a big quandary, Colonel Gunn was not at the of- fice. He had taken his car and gone into the country somewhere, and would not return till late in the even- ing. ; Frank, after receiving this information from the colo- nel’s clerk,,walked slowly and undecidedly to the steps in front of the building. What was he to do now? He was thrown back on his own resources, Should he get ~ some of the football fellows and capture Felix Petti- grew by main force? Even as this thought plunged through his mind, he saw a sight which astounded and discouraged hihid A horse and buggy were moving at a rapid pace away from the academy and along the road toward Fardale. Felix Pettigrew was driving, and was using the whip to urge the horse to a faster pace, 2G SPR Bhi eae BILE We ROPE ER OER ERS “3 a ee “NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. CHAPTER VIII. ONE MINUTE BEHIND. What could this mean? Frank had suffered. a severe shock, but he recovered from it swiftly. His mind instantly engaged itself with the problem of Pettigrew’s sudden departure. ; The second and last period of the football game had not been finished. The shouts and cheers of the specta- tors were still ringing out, and the contest must have _ been mounting to a most exciting point. Yet there was Felix Pettigrew making a grand rush to catch the after- noon train! Frank guessed that the Westerner had hung to his seat in the grand stand, oblivious of the passing time. Sud- denly consulting his watch, he had realized his danger of missing the train and had hurried to get his rig and _ drive away. Frank’s cue was to follow. Colonel Gunn was absent _ from the academy, and he had taken his car. There was _ no other car and no rig for Frank to use; and it was not possible to get a horse from the stable without a special - order—even Gunn’s note would not cover that point. _ If Frank followed the Westerner it would have to be on foot. Stuffing the cord and tag into his pocket and tak- ing the black box under his arm, he leaped down the steps of the headquarters building, and flung off across the pa- rade ground. In two minutes he had reached the road, » and was going like a streak. - He had proved the swiftness of his heels in many a dash, mile run and ten-mile endurance test. Now, when so much was at stake, he would live up to his record, But the chase seemed: hopeless. The horse would outpace him, of course. Felix Petti- _ grew might reach the Fardale depot in time te get aboard | _ the train; and, if he did, Frank would have to watch from rae distance and smother his disappointment. While he ran, he reflected that, in the event that Petti- grew did get away, a telegram could be sent to officers ‘in some town ahead of the train and the Westerner ar- rested just when he thought his escape was assured. So, even if the chase was hopeless, the prospect of ultimately capturing Pettigrew was not. Settling himself down to a steady effort, Frank ran ‘on and on at a pace consistent with his staying powers. From an elevation of the road he got a far-off glimpse f the horse and buggy. The Westerner was plying the whip and increasing his lead rapidly. A few minutes later the buildings of the town came in sight. Among them the railroad station was promi- elf this question as he raced onward, straining his eyes to watch the speeding Westerner and the oncoming train. conductor was hurrying to the cab with orders for engineer. Trunks were being slammed aboard. The ess agent was loading a truck, and the baggageman vent. Frank heard a whistle of the approaching train. - Pettigrew also heard it and began using the whip with was loading another. Fallen logs lay in his path; he took them at a single jump. Running vines, half hidden under the carpet of dead leaves, stretched out invisible tendrils to clasp his ankles; he tore himself free and dashed on. ie The voice, at intervals directing his footsteps, was — nearer now, but sounded feebler, as if the strain were telling, as if the woman were growing weaker. heel Hollister’s rifle. caught on a projecting branch and nearly, threw him to the ground. It was in his way, hampering him, retarding him; but he dared not abandon it. He could not tell whether he should. need it or not. With a wrench, he jerked it free and plunged on. Ss “Hello! Hello!’ Where are you?” he shouted, stopping — for an instant to assure himself that he was on the right course. There was no answer. : A chipmunk, swaying on a dead limb over his head, set up a shrill chatter. Hollister burst through a tangled clump of juniper and sumac bushes, and the voice again came faintly to him: “Here! Quick, oh, quick!” 5 ibe Spread before him was a carpet of emerald grass, with — here and there dark patches of black or brown that glinted in the failing sunlight. A little way out was a wider patch —of a different hue, and splashed with scarlet. etghn® As he looked, it resolved itself into a woman—the head — and shoulders, and the body from the waist up. The lower limbs were gone—buried in that dusky patch of brown! In a flash he understood. The bright-green grass w growing on a quaking bog, and the woman was sinking in the bottomless mud! 4 e ‘Seizing the hand ax he always carried, Hollister | NEW woods, and, with a few swift strokes, felled it to the - ground. who ‘had turned “Hold on! I’m » “Courage!” he called to the woman, a white, miserable face toward him. coming !” “Take care! Oh, take care!” she cried. “Tm all right,” stepping lightly from tussock to tussock, feeling his way with the sapling. A few feet from the woman he paused, and thrust out _ the end of the trunk. _ “Hold this—don’t be afraid to let go of the grass, I'll have you out in a jiffy!” _ The woman did not hesitate. She transferred her clasp _ from the clump of grass that had undoubtedly served to hold her up until rescue had come, to the end of the sapling. Hollister braced his feet on two firm tussocks and ‘pulled ‘sturdily. he answered cheerily, The water gurgled and sparkled; but the thick, black at ooze of the morass held firm. “Pull !” begged the woman feebly, “I can hold on, But do take care. If you should slip——’ “I shan't!” said Hollister confidently; but even as. he spoke, his foot slipped, and he barely saved himself from plunging into the rapidly widening pool. A cry of terror broke from the girl. : “Now!” said Hollister, bracing himself again, So far from being daunted by his narrow. escape, he was more than ever determined -to succeed. _ Slowly, oh, so slowly and reluctantly the black mud gave up its prey: It seemed hours to Hollister before the weight at the other end of the sapling pole began to move more easily, before the woman could help herself in. any. way. With straining muscles, he bent himself to is task, and at last had the satisfaction of dropping the pole and holding out both hands to the exhausted victim. Once safe on firm ground, she tottered and would have fallen had he not caught her. “There, there!” said he soothingly, “You're safe now. Don’t give way. Nothing can hurt you now.” “I—I’'m not going to faint,” she faltered. “I shall be‘ all ght in a minute. But it was so terrible there. I called and called, and no one answered.” She shuddered, and t_ must have been awful,” he agreed sympathetically. as lucky I happened to be up yonder, and I heard i It was mighty plucky to hold out oe way { was mighty plucky of ost to come to my rescue and our life for me,” she answered, For the first time 1€ ‘ned to him and looked him full in the face. ot she started, back, with a little cry of. astonish- urse . he knew that slender, lithe hairenalaas now y bespattered with the ooze and slime of the morass; 0 course he knew those big brown eyes, that Cupid’s bow uth, that mass of wavy chestnut hair, with. the cop- ¥ {?? | e hands in his own, “Y oun-of all ie TIP TOP WEEKLY. AHAPTER V. NELL EDWARDS. To see a girl nearly every day for the best part of two years, to be her escort on walks, canoe trips, at balls and dinners; to think there is nobody else in the world just like her; to stop just short of asking her to marry you, with the determination not to stop short next time, to be pretty sure that she is going to say yes—and then to have her disappear suddenly from your ken, is surpris- \ing enough. But, after writing many times, frantically and futilely, to come suddenly upon her in the woods, at the other end of nowhere, and be called upon to pull her ont of a quaking bog at the risk of being swallowed up your- self, is more. surprising still. Which might have accounted for the fact that Hollister stood gazing at Eleanor Edwards—generally called: Nell— for fully a minute without uttering a word.. Indeed, he was’ incapable of speech, He could only grip her hands and devour her with his eyes. The girl was the first-to break the Stig: “How in the world did you come here, Jack?” she asked wonderingly. “I—I can’t quite realize it yet, you see.” “I came on a train, on horseback, and on my: two feet, as far as the top of this hill!” laughed Hollister» happily. “And then you called me, and I-came down mostly on my hands and knees, I believe. — SBut never mind me. I want to talk about you! What are you doing in this part of the world? I didn’t. sup- pose theae was a woman under fifty within ten miles of here.” A sudden shadow crossed the girl’s face; she drew her hands away. “TJ live here,”’*she said simply. Boston, and I’ve been here ever. since, know?” - “How should I know, when you never answered my letters?” he demanded. “I never got any letters. I wrote you when I left Bos- ton, but you never sent. me any reply.” “I did! I wrote half a dozen times, and then I. thought you simply didn’t care, so I left off writing to you.” | “And I—I thought you didn’t want to write, because I didn’t heat from you,” she chimed in. “Well, we'll have to blame Uncle Sam, I guess.” “Yes; but I’m afraid we can’t blame Uncle Sam if you catch cold from standing in your wet things, though,” he declared, suddenly smitten with contrition. “What a brute I am to keep you here! You'll get your death! Do you live near here?” é “Over the second ridge, Perhaps I had better run along, andjyou shall come over to-morrow to see me, . and we'll have a good, long talk about old times.” A “Fine!” cried Hollister enthusiastically. “But I'l! go. with you now. I might not be able to find my way alone to-morrow, you know,” he added artfully, as she seemed about to demur. He picked up his gun and fell into ye at her dis ; It was good to see her, to. be with her again! Oh, how lovely she was! Even the mud of the bog with which her face, hands, and clothes were thickly besmeared . could not hide the fact of her beauty. “Where are . “you staying?” she asked presently. . “T came here right from Didn't you “And you haven’t even told me what brought you up here.” or NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY, “Y’m staying at Hammel’s; and I’m inclined to think my lucky star guided me in this direction, although the star was disguised as a fat old doctor, who charged me a ridiculous fee for telling me that I wanted a holiday in the woods. I knew that!” “At Hammel’s?” said the girl. “That is about three miles from us by the creek, about four through the woods. You'd better come by water. I want to have a long talk with you, and hear all about everything and every one. How is your father, Jack?” “Dad died early this spring,” Hollister said gravely. “Oh, J am so sorry, Jack!” Nell cried, laying her hand on. his arm. “So very, very sorry.” Hollister’s hand closed over hers with ‘a warm pres- sure. Her genuine, spontaneous sympathy was very sweet, for his father had been more like a chum or a brother than a parent, and Hollister felt his loss keenly. “After dad’s death there was a lot to be -done, ag know,” he explained, after a moment. “Most of his money was in real estate, and there was a lot of land to be looked after. “I turned in and worked day and night to get things straightened out, and the confinement in the office, after I had been accustomed to being out so much in the open air, rather pulled me down. “Then, to cap the climax, I caught cold, developed pneumonia, and nearly cashed in, with thé result that I got ordered to the woods—and here I am!” “You poor boy! You have had a time, haven’t you? But now that you’re here, and I’ve, discovered you, I hope you're. going to stay a while. It’s lonely here, you know.” There was a wistful note in the girl’s voice that did not escape him. “I did expect to leave the day after to-morrow,” he returned, “My illness knocked my plans into a cocked hat, and I left half the work unfinished. But I ran into a little adventure this afternoon, a short time before you were good enough to fall into a bog, so that I could ‘come and pull you out, and I’ve changed my mind. [I’m going to stay.” “A little adventure that made you change your mind? Tell me about it, Jack,” Hollister laughed. “There isn’t very much to tell,” he said. “I was pot- tering around after a deer, and walked plump~into a little pastoral scene that had not been prepared for my delecta- tion, Which reminds me,” he added, with sudden con- cern, “that you must not go about these woods by your- self. It isn’t safe.” “Nonsense!” she protested. “If my head hadn’t been miles away from my feet I shouldn’t have fallen into that ‘bog to-day. And I always go armed, in case any wild animals should presume to get too friendly.” “I wasn’t speaking of wild animals,” said Hollister. “What, then?” / “Men!” : i CHAPTER VI. DISMISSED, The girl bibie into a rippling latigh! “There isn’t a man in these woods who doesn’t know me, ‘and who wouldn’t fight for me, in case I were in danger,” she said. safe here, and probably safer, ‘than I would be on Boston : _ Common, eife Sap “You mustn’t think that I’m not as “But we're straying from the subject. What was your pastoral scene, Jack?” : “Why, as I told you, I was trailing a deer, and came to a little clearing just in time to prevent a great, big bully from garroting a\smaller man in a nice, convenient trap—one of those bent saplings, with a noose at the end, you know. The little man had evidently found out some- thing and threatened to tell, and my large friend was try- | ing to fix it so that he wouldn’t. f “I was for marching the scoundrel off to jail, or wher- ever they lock up their ‘bad men’ here; but the other chap interfered, and said to-let ‘him go. So I did; like a fool. “And then he called me by my own name and intimated that I would do well to keep my weather eye peeled. “The funny part of it all was that the little fellow de- clared he’d rather any one else had broken up the little. inquisition, and warned me that I was ‘discovered,’ or words to that efiect, and that I’d ‘better get out, The ted- bearded one——” ee “The what?” a “The big fellow. -Didn’t I tell you he had a beard? He had, a regular Santa Claus affair,’in color. “I should like to turn an Italian barber loose on it. He had funny little black eyes, as keen as a knife, arid he was a -good bit over six feet, I-should say. the other chap was short and dark, “Well, anyway, he said——” “Jack,” Nell interrupted breathlessly, “you anitiois come any farther to-night. It’s getting dark, and “Of course I’m coming: Do you think I’d let you go alone? What if it is getting dark? All the more reason’ why I should see you safe home. I know enough about these woods to get back to Hammel’s, all right.” The girl stopped, and shook her head. “No, Jack; you mustn’t come another step. to go alone. I——” “Come on, Nell,” said Hollister authoritatively, “There's no use your talking; I shall go with you.” foe: “You shall not! And you must not come to- morrow. I—Fl write you and explain. Good night!” She was walking quickly away trom him, bate he caught her hand. “What do you mean, Nell?” he asked aaa “Don’t - you want to see me again? At least, then}-let me take you home to-night, assure myself that you are safe, and [ll not bother you any more.” a “No, no, no!” she stamped her foot. “That sabi you must not do! I—I—oh, I can’t tell you, Jack! * Only trust me—I have a reason, indeed I have. ma that— and let me go!” once eee She caught her breath in a little sob, and Hollister leaning closer to her, saw the gleam of tears in her’ ey “T don’t understand,” he said. “Forgive me, Nell, if I have hurt you. I don’t see why—— Oh, girlie, dear, wire ; is it? What is troubling you?” “TT can’t tell you to-night,” she faltered. please don’t try to come with me, Jack.” “*®Yoy mean that you don’t want to see me again?” “Yes—no—— Oh, why do you make it so hard f me?” Her voice broke, but she mastered herself i an effort, and held out her hand. ° 5 “Good night, Jack,” she whispered. “Don't come morrow. I’ll write you very soon, very soon,’ Jack 2 .In a breath she was gone—vanished into the wena ahs I—I ee . “Please NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. the forest. Hollister stood still, listening to her light footfalls. Then he deliberately turried and followed her. But. he had not gone a dozen paces before a shadow loomed up.in front of him—a shadow that advanced so ‘noiselessly that it was. almost upon him before he realized its presence. He. stopped—half in caution, half in fear that the girl would hear him. It was inconceivable that she should expect him to allow her to go alone through the woods after dark. “Who is it?” he whispered. A grunt was the only response. Peering intently before him, he made out the face of Pete Jennings, the man whose life he had saved but a short while before! TO BE CONTINUED, WHY CLOCKS GO WRONG. -The reason why mantelpiece clocks so often get out of order is so obvious that it is strange that attention to it has not been drawn before. A clockmaker says: “It is because the mantelpieces are rarely level. If a clock meant for a mantlepiece: is not placed in an exactly hori- zontal position, it is sure to go wrong. When the clock gains or loses because of its slanting position, people regularly move the. hands forward or. backward, as the case may be, in order to adjust it. Eventu- ally the clock’s hands are moved about so much that the mechanism gets out of order and the clock refuses even to tick.. Watches. and traveling clocks are constructed differently from the stationary clock, and they will go. in any -position. That is why they are relied upon more than the ornamental mantelpiece clock,” ° —f A STRANGE RESCUE. ; Eoim in hand I made my way through the tangled forest, eagerly searching for some specimens of a rare bird, which I required to complete the collection I had formed of the feathered tribe since my arrival in Natal. _ I had advanced a distance et one hundred yards, when t came upon a patch of “open,” through which a narrow ‘track led down to the edge of a small stréam, which rip- Bet eal over its — bed. As I emerged from ver): the next moment. It was loaded with emath shot nly—too small, indeed, to penetrate the hide of the splen- id creature before me; and it seemed, too, a cowardly act o take advantage of him in his helplessness and suffering. His eyes looked glazed and dim; his tongue, white, rred, and dry, hung out of his mouth, and his sides eaved painfully at every inspiration. As I emerged from the bush, he lifted up.his head and itp garded. me with an expression as distinctly appealing as ! ything I have ever yet séen, while, slightly raising his paw, he uttered another groan. This action at- as. rightfully swollah: an searrely even now account for the Sp use which It was evident the moment I approached him that part of . his sufferings proceeded from thirst, aggravated intensely no doubt by the sight of the water which he had striven . unavailingly to reach, Seeing this, I went down to the brook and filled my pith helmet with the cool, sparkling liquid and offered it him. He lapped it up greedily and seemed so plainly to ask for more that I at once fetched it, and this, too, disap- peared. He now seemed much better and attempted to rise, but sank upon the ground again with a horrid how! the mo- ment his wounded foot touched the earth. I allowed him to remain undisturbed for a minute or two, and then gently took his paw in my hand to examine it; my patient, as I may now call him, offering me no re- sistance beyond a faint whiwe. I saw at once that the poor brute was suffering from a very large and painful gather- ing in the ball of the foot, and that it would afford him immediate relief to have it opened. But how would he be inclined to behave under the operation? I asked myself. The chances were that the pain would arouse him to a pitch of ungovernable fury, in which case I should stand but a poor chance in a struggle with him. While I was hesitating as to whether I should run the risk or not, he again looked up into my face with such a pitiful, beseeching expression that it was simply irresistible. I drew out my knife—which I always kept as-keen as a rhzor—and without further ado, drove the point into the. skin, making at the same moment, by a quick jerk of the hand, an incision about three inches long. The splendid fellow never so much as winced. Beyond a deep moan, he showed no sign of having felt the slight- est pain; and I shall always feel fully convinced that he knew I was doing him a service. Matter and blood flowed copiously from the: opening | I had made in the skin, and in the course of two or three minutes it became evident that the poor brute had experi- enced very great relief. I made another incision across the first one, and then very.gently pressed the swollen part until the discharge had entirely ceased. I then got more water, and fortunately provided with! abundance jof soft linen—which I used ‘to wrap my birds in after I\had shot them, to preserve their plumage un- tuffled—set to work to bathe and wash the foot thor- oughly, after which I made a poultice of some healing leaves, and bound it securely over the puncture, the poor creature affectionately licking my hands all the while. I then gave him a little more water to drink, and left him. . A few days later I was again making my way to the patch of “open” where I had played the part of er with a leopard for my patient. I spent a considerable amount of time in pinning and adjusting the plumage of my birds, when—I did not know why—I felt irresistibly constrained to turn my eyes to- ward the stump of a fallen tree. _Obeying the impulse, I took a good look at it, and, as I did so, became con- scious of two bright, sparkling objects glittering in the deep shadow of one of its projections. Vaguely wondering what these could be, I remained steadfastly regarding them; and, as I did so, a very pe- culiar sensation stole over me. A slight and intermitting shivering seized my frame, accompanied by a momentary \ \ feeling of giddiness and nausea; all surrounding objects — 26 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. appeared to reel and swim out of my range of vision, leaving nothing but those two glittering points, which now appeared to expand into orbs of brilliant light. Then came a sudden darkness—a shock of electricity— a confused buzzing noise in my brain, which commenced to throb as though it would burst my skull—and a sen- sation of extreme giddiness, which passed away as rapidly as it had come; and I found myself stating stupidly at a magnificent leopard—my former patient, as I saw at once by the remains of the bandage on his foot—who was standing, growling savagely over an immense green mamba —a deadly, venomous snake—who lay writhing with a broken back upon the grass, vainly trying to strike his poison fangs into the paw, which, with extended talons, was dashing the reptile, more maimed and mutilated’ at every ‘stroke, into the earth. The tragedy was soon over; but I have no idea how long I might have remained seated there, staring vacantly and confusedly at my preserver, had I not at length been aroused by his approach, Then it suddenly dawned upon me that I might be his next. victim; but he speedily set ‘that fear at rest by rubbing’ himself against me, thrusting his head under my hand, and walking his whole length backward and forward, causing my hand to traverse his back until it reached his perpendicularly elevated tail, and purring loudly with pleasure all the while, like an immense cat—as, of course, he was. When ‘the first eager manifestation of his delight had ~ somewhat subsided, and I had soothed him into a state of tranquillity, I examined his foot once more, washed it again—he followed me to the river when I walked down . to its margin for water—and put a fresh dressing upon if. Then I packed up my birds, examined the body of the snake, whose powers of fascination I ‘had so fully, though unwittingly, proved, and took my way homeward, accom- panied to the extreme edge of thé bush by my strange friend, who then for a minute or two followed me with his eyes, his tail waving gently to and fro the while, until he apparently realized the fact that I was actually leav- ing him, when he crouched low down on the ground, placed his head between his fore paws, raised a dismal howl, and finally started up and bounded back into the bush. I never saw him again. PECULIAR NATURAL’ KACT. One of the puzzles of nature is the fact that many springs show an increased flow of water sevetal hours “before a-coiming rain begins to fall. Various explana- tions have been attempted, the’ most plausible being that the weather before a storm is often of the kind which checks loss of moisture from the ground by evaporation and hence leaves more to feed the springs. THE STORY OF COAL. Millions of years ago the earth was covered with a luxuriant gtowth of trees, bushes, and ferns of wondrous height and strength. At last that growth died and its dead leaves and branches were gradually buried under the earth. In centuries of tite this buried, dead foliage began to change. It changed first into a fibrous, stringy substance; then it slowly became almost as hard as stone. ~The spongy stuff was peat. It is used for fuel in ‘great qiiafitities both in Scotland and Ireland. Peat is found where dead growth lies just on the surface of the earth, instead of beneath it. There are great bogs of it in Ireland. The harder substance was coal. Many times, if you look closely, you'll be able to see the impression of the veins of a leaf or a stem on the surface of a piece of coal. It is the most practical fuel known and it is getting more expensive year by year. When the Romans were in England they used coal. But some of the English kings, who came after, forbade the use of it because the gentry “objected to the unpleasant smoke!” Wood was the fashionable fuel. Even Queen Elizabeth thought that the burning of coal was unhealthful, GARNETS BY THE TON. Garnets are generally classed as precious stones, and a fine gem garnet may be worth from $5 to $25 a carat, according to variety and size, but it is not necessarily true that the owner of a garnet mine is a millionaire be- cause his mine produces garnets by the ton. : In fact, the bulk of the garnets produced are measured by ‘the ton; but those of inferior quality are used for abrasive purposes. In ror2 the production of abrasive garnets, according to the United States geological’ survey, amounted to 4,182 short tons, valued at $137,800, so that the average price for a ton of garnets was not quite $33, or ‘considerably less than double the price of a ton of hay. The production of garnets in 1912 showed an increase of 160 tons in quantity and $16,052 in value, compared with 1911. The three garnet-producing States are New York, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. THE WORK ABOUT A SHOE. In a pair of fine shoes there are two sewed pieces, two intier soles, two stiffenings, two pieces’ of steel to give a spring to the instep, two rands, twelve heel pieces; two sole linings, twenty upper pieces, thirty tacks, twelve nails in the héel, and twenty buttons, to say nothing of thread, both silk and flax; but the wonder is found in the rapidity with which these multitudinous pieces are combined in a single complete work, for, as an experiment, some of our shoe factories have from the ‘leather completed a pait of shoes in’ less than an hour and a half, and as a test a single pair of men’s shoes have been finished in twenty mintites. ; aks ARE YOU LEFT-HANDED. Why don't you make more use of your left hand? It has been estimated that 97 per cent of. the English- speaking people are right-handed when they grow up. Seventeen out of every hundted are born right-handed, but the remaining 83 are born without any inclination to use one hand more than the other, and, therefore, become right-handed owing to influences brought to bear on them during their childhood days. It is impossible to calculate how much men lose by neglecting their left hands. Formerly—~in’ primitive times, that is to say—every one was ambidextrous, and the sooner people become ambidextrous again the better. © © - >’ In Japan, for many years past, soldiers ‘and schoolboys have been taught to use both hands. And this ‘wise ex- ample is now being followed in Germany, = NEW TIP ue WEEKLY. NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST. Language Obstacle to Americans in Russia. The suggestion that certain West Point graduates be an- - nually sent to Russia to acquire the language and become acquainted with Russian methods of tactics and strategy has a formidable obstacle in the fact that the students, in order to make the most of their opportunities, would be obliged to acquire the Russian language. According to the reports of British officer-students at St.- Petersburg, that obstacle would be almost prohibitive. It is considered almost an impossibility that an Anglo-Saxon adult can sufficiently learn the Slav language so as to understand and _ to make others understand him. Also, among the restric- tions placed upon the foreign military student is that he _ must reside in the military district to which he is assigned, and not travel about at pleasure without special permission from the Russian government. _ Few foreigners, unless they have passed their youth in Russia, have acquired 4 mastery of the language sufficiently to have them mistaken for Russians. ‘was Bismarck, who, however, had a natural gift for lan- guages. He was Prussian minister at St. Petersburg in the early sixties, and is said to have astonished Alexander Il. by opening a private conversation with his majesty in ; good, intelligent Russian only three months after his ar- Tival at the Russian court. But Bismarck, even with his later and more perfect knowledge of the Slav language, always contended that for a grown-up student Russian was a feat of mental gymnastics entirely without any com- pensating pleasures, either literary or conversational. London Clerks Parade Masked. ay "The “black-coated worker” imade his first demonstra- tion in Hyde Park, London, recently, in favor of trades “unionism, following tactics similar to those adopted by the laborer and artisan who were holding meetings in the close vicinity. The participants, many of whom were women, were ‘all clerks representing a great variety of employment. They marched from the Thames embankment to Hyde Park wearing black masks, with the object of “avoiding victim- tion.” "Sandwich boards carried in the procession informed in- erested persons that 25 per_cent of the clerks die of con- tumption in consequence of the wretched conditions under vhich they are forced to’ work. | Speakers drew a lurid picture of the underpayment of e clerks, the unsanitary conditions prevailing in most of the offices and stores, and the slave- -driving methods of em- loyers. | The leaders called for an organization of clerks, who are as essential to the prosperity of the United ingdom as are the employer, the ‘mechanic, and the ttisan.” : | Ametica May Not be in Next Olympics. hls goihg to London from Paris, France, Secretary ames E, Sullivan, of the American Olympic \ gommittee, led a further comment to his recent criticism of Eng- _ land’s action in raising $500,000 on a basis of virtual pro- nalism. : ere is the same tendency,” said Mr. Sullivan, “in A notable exception® France and in Germany, where amateur athletics is being backed by money to such a degree that: it is really pro- fessionalism. If games are to become commercialized, as well they may as a result of such practices, we. Ameri- cans shall not compete any more.’ Though he admired the Rheims athletic college as “the most perfect institution of the kind in the world,” Mr. Sullivan says he doesn’t believe the training there is suffi- ciently special in character to produce athletes of Olympic standard, Rheims is teaching one and the same man, for instance, to run dashes, middle distance, long distance, as well as to jump, walk, and cycle. The result is, so it is asserted, that the Rheims athlete develops a prodigious set of contradictory muscles, and can’t do anything sufficiently well to beat another coun- try’s best specialists in Olympics. “But,” added Sullivan, “France might get around to a> good showing in the nineteen-twenty Olympics.” ; Fate Guides Her in Strange Adventures, Mrs. Belle Gray Curtis, of Iowa City, Iowa, who can- celed her passage on the steamer State of California the day before the vessel sailed to its destruction recently off the coast of Alaska, has passed through a series of unusual adventures. Mrs. Curtis made one trip on the State of California, and had planned the other. She made one trip on the steamer Walla Walla several years ago, and after she had canceled her passage for another voyage, the vessel went down, with nearly all on board. Mrs. Curtis was on a Northern Pacific limited train - robbed near Spokane, Wash., in 1900, and the “lone high- wayman” thrust two revolvers in her face. The San Francisco earthquake destroyed her home and all her per- sonal property, and she barely escaped the flames. She was a figure in the United ‘States government land- fraud cases, and during the past year she won in the su- preme court of lowa a verdict that restored to her $200,- 000 worth of farm lands in Mills County, lowa—alleged to have been misconverted by an uncle after the death of her mother and grandmother, —_, ! McGraw and Lynch at Odds. Hardly a year passes in the big-league baseball world without an upheaval in the great, green diamond organiza- tions. A year ago the Horace Fogel affair kept things in a turmoil, the then Philadelphia National magnate threat- ening that he could and would disrupt the parent league, and in the end finding himself voted out of the league. Now it is the row between the New York National team and President Lynch, of the National League, that threat- ens to supply j fireworks for the followers of the game. Dire threats are heard in the camp of the Giants against Lynch, it being averred that the chief executive did not give the team a square deal when he reversed the decision of Umpire Brennan in thé recent game at Philadelphia and gave to the Quakers the contest that Brennan had awarded to the Giants by the score of 9 to o. The fact that the Phillies were their closest contenders — for the pennant-race leadership particularly aggravated the — 28 NEW. ‘TIP TOP: WEERLY: Giants, and Manager McGraw, never a very quiet-tempered individual, is now looked on to start a spirited. protest against Lynch that will result in a fight to oust that official at next winter’s annual meeting of the club owners. McGraw feels that Brennan’s decision ought to stand, and points to the umpire’s explanation of his reasons for giving the disputed game to New York. Brennan’s explanation, which did not satisfy President Lynch, is to the effect that before the game Managers McGraw and Dooin agreed that the center-field section was to be kept clear of spectators, and that when they were allowed in this section in the ninth inning it was just as much a violation of the playing rules as though they had encroached upon the playing field. Furthermore, he de- clared that if he had allowed the game to continue he would have had to call everything a ball that Pitcher Chalmers threw, as with the fans in the center-field sec- tion waving score cards, et cetera, he couldn’t see the plate. The point raised by the episode is an interesting one, and it may result in a change in the league rules. The Philadelphians claim that Brennan’s decision -was not based on precedent or rule, and that the mildest term that can rightfully be given it is “unique.” The public cares little about international squabbles in the leagues unless they threaten the prosperity of the game, and it is eagerly awaiting the outcome. The general opin- ion is that any attempt on the part of the Giants to oust Lynch will prove fruitless. Knife in Pocket Kills Putsuer. A knife ih the pocket of John Meyer caused the death of Walter Jensen, at Menasha, Wis. Following an argu- ment, Meyer attempted to get away from Jensen by run- ning, and in his flight tripped and fell. Jensen, coming upon him, fell on the knife in his pocket, the blade pierc- ing his heart. Death resulted instantly. $180,000 Aviation Center for Army. Plans, tentatively adopted for an army aviation center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, which include buildings costing about $180,000, are being considered by the chief of the quartermaster corps of the army, Major General Aleshire. It also has been proposed to buy at least two nonrigid dirigibles, which probably would have to be purchased abroad at a cost of $175,750 each, as no attempt has been made to manufacture the larger types in this country. A rotating hangar, costing $122,500, also has been recom- mended, and this, with 16 automobile tractors, would bring the cost of the proposed plant and equipment, including provision for personnel, up to about $1,000,000. War-department officials feel that the House military committee is disposed to be liberal as a result of a recent hearing on aviation, held in connection with Chairman Hay’s bill for the establishment of an aviation corps. Mack Fails to Get Felton. Marlager Connie Mack, of the Philadelphiq Athletics, made a record offer recently for a great college baseball star, and, after striving as he has never before done for any player, failed to gain the athlete. This much-sought collegian whom Manager Mack admitted would have made the greatest college pitcher in the history of the game, is \Samuel Feltort, football and baseball star at Harvard for 7 three years, and the man whose pitching last spring de- feated Yale for the baseball championship, and whose kicking also brought woé to Yale on the football field last fall. Manager Mack offered Felton a flat contract of $15,000 for three years, offering to permit him to make his own terms and giving him the option of an unconditional re- lease should he tire of professional baseball. All the well- known persuasion of the Athletic manager failed, and Connie and the club officials then interested a number of noted Pennsylvania Railroad officials who are associated with his father, but their efforts were without avail. Felton lives at Haverford, Pa., comes of a wealthy family, and does not have to play ball for a living. He is engaged in business in Philadelphia, Has Killed More Than 3,000 Snakes. With a record of having killed more than 3,000 rattle- snakes in twenty-five years, Charles H. Silcox, a farmer, claims the championship of the central States. So far as is known a Texas snake killer is the only man who is in the same class as Silcox. Silcox, who was formerly a printer, afd who, when a ” youngster, “set up” copy from the pens of Mark Twain, Bill Nye, and M. Quad, quit the type-setting business thirty years ago and settled on an island in the middle of a 5,000- acre tract of swamp land owned by Zack Chandler, Michi- gan’s greatest statesman. Chandler, when he was a United States senator, bought government scrip and acquired a vast acreage in central Michigan. The land was composed of marshy ground, much of which was inundated the year around. Some of it, however, was tillable, and Chandler declared that there was a future for it when Michigan became settled and agriculture became an absolutely neces- sary industry. Silcox was hired by the Chandler estate to till the ground that was workable on the island, whereon Chandler had erected a fine old house, and where in the earlier days he entertained statesmen and congressmen. The plow- ing season was a dangerous one every spring on account — of the great number of rattlesnakes that infested the low- lands and which came out on high lands to bask in the sun and thaw out their dormancy. The first year on the Chandler farm Silcox’s wife neatly abandoned him on account of fear of reptiles, which came into the house as regular as ants. Silcox, however, per- suaded her to remain and assist in the killing, and nearly 4oo rattlers were ‘slaughtered the first year. Every year from then on Silcox averaged over a hundred dead rat+ tlers. He has killed as many as ten in one small pile of swamp hay. Last spring was his smallest record, as but ten poisonous snakes were victims of his club. The small number’ killed was owing to the fact that he moved to a farm onthe edge of the marsh, and snakes were not so plentiful. In all the time he has lived near the big waste, Silcox says he has never been bitten nor has he had the misfor- tune to lose any stock from snake attacks with the excep- tion of once, when rattlers bit a sheep, which died before the usual remedy of gunpowder and soft soap could be applied. “Tt have treated a number of cows that were bitten. by rattlesnakes in the swamp,” said Silcox, “and always found that the mixture of soft soap and gunpowder was effec- tive, The rattler is an honorable fellow, and never strikes SS ee we + nmwW oO fF = 6s nO nO oO, to Do re Aa“ O wh Oo, = mae A —tr ~*— te or Ke KH TD Ay ~~ rr oO A at behind your back without giving you proper warning. He is more to be trusted than some human beings I have met. “The number of harmless snakes, such as black snakes, milk snakes, and the common grass or streaked snakes, that I have killed on the old marsh would fill a box car. Never paid much attention to them, however. There aren’t as many of the poisonous snakes left in the marsh as for- merly, as the railroads passing through make a difference. Hen Renders First Aid to a Choking Rooster. Charles Stewart, of Marissa, the only dry town in St. Clair County, Illinois, owns a flock of chickens presided over by two roosters. One of the collection, a rooster, partook of a breakfast food, consisting of a long wheat straw. When one-half of the food was down that part of the chicken that sometimes is warmed over for supper, the straw stuck. The rooster tried the usual chicken method of extracting the straw—that of putting one foot on the straw and pulling back his head. This did not work. His temper became ruffled, and he began to run around the yard. One of the hens noticed his plight and coyly approached him, reached up, grabbed the unswallowed end of the straw, and pulled it forth. The rooster crowed his praise, and then turned around and whipped the other roaster. Thousands of Bees Died of Starvation. Thousands of German emigrants died of starvation in Holland this summer, whither they had gone in search of food. The victims were not persons, however, but bees, of which the beekeepers of Westphalia and the Rhine districts take thousands of hives across the frontier every summer to the great Peel heath, which in summer is cov- ered with masses of wild flowers. Special trains are em- ployed to facilitate the transit of the honey makers. This year, however, the flowers bloomed later than usual, and many of the bees starved, so that honey will be scarce and dear in Germany this winter, Calls Greek King King of Liats, Too. “The king of all liars” is the title bestowed on the King of Greece by Pastor D, N. Furnajieff, a Bulgarian, who is in London as a member of the delegation which pre- sented the foreign office with a statement regarding the proportions of Bulgarians in the region of the Enos-Media line.” Pastor Furnajieff, who is a Princeton graduate, de- clares the Grecian monarch has earned the title by his signed statement to the press that 30,000 Moslems had been massacred at Doiran by the Bulgarians.. The pastor is a native of the district near Doiran, and he declares that the town, which is almost purely Bulgarian, has only 7,000 people, and that in the whole district there are not more than 1,000 Moslems, Wheat Supply Failing, The day of striking geographical explorations passed with the finding of the earth’s two poles; the geographer of the future will have as his field the vital questions of supplying and distributing food and clothes to the world, in the opinion of H. N, Dickson, professor of geography at University College, Edinburgh, and president of a section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. si Sop MiG nd 15> Dede AA NEW. TIP TOP WEEKLY. - Professor Dickson so asserted in an address delivered re- : 29 cently before the association. Foremost of these questions, Professor Dickson believed, will be that of growing wheat enough for the world’s bread. Mr. Dickson referred to the wheat acreage as not keeping pace with the increase in population. “Tf prophecies based on population statistics are trust- worthy,” he said, “the crisis will be upon us before the end of the century. After that we must either depend upon some substitute to reduce the consumption per head, or we must take to intensive farming of the most strenuous sort.” As to the world’s coal supply, Mr. Dickson said that the largest fields known would last barely three centuries, even at the present rate of consumption. “What is wanted,” he concluded, “is that we should seriously address ourselves to a stock taking of our re- sources. We should vigorously proceed with the collec- tion and discussion of geographical data of all kinds, so that the major natural distributions shall be adequately known. Eventually we shall find that country planning will become as important as town planning.” Club Swinget Collapses. Tom: Burrows, the Australian all-around athlete and champion club swinger, collapsed at the Earl’s Court exhi- bition in London recently in an attempt to swing three and one-half pound clubs one hundred hours continuously, He succeeded in keeping the clubs in motion for ninety-seven hours and thirty-five minutes, and then dropped over. Last April, Burrows swung a pair of three pound six ounce Indian clubs for more than one hundred hours, but later became delirious. World Record With Rifle, George W. Chesley, of New Haven, Conn, made a world’s record on the rifle ranges, at Camp Perry, Ohio., recently, when in the Palma match elimination shoot he made a run of 224 out of a possible 225 on the 800-yard range. His total in the elimination shoot in the 800, the goo, and the 1,000-yard ranges was 438. This places him first in the line-up in the final try-out, which will be held next week. Private J. S. Stewart, of the Massachusetts Corps, also established a record for a boy of 19 years, when he scored a total of 435 in the elimination shoot. Old “Whaler” Goes to Ocean Grave. The schooner William A. Groszier has gone to her grave after a famous career. When the news of her sinking was received the other day it caused sadness at all the haunts of old settlers, for the “lucky Grozier,” as she was called, was one of the best-known vessels of the world’s diminished “blubber-hunting” fleet. Built at Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1865, she sailed on her first whale cruise, January 6, 1866, and kept at whal- ing until September, 1911, when she was sold to become'a Cape Verde packet. During her long whaling career the Grosier brought in over 18,000 barrels of oil, Perhaps the most profitable cruise of the evatt was that on which the capture of an ambergris-bearing sperm whale greatly enhanced the gross stock, and, incidentally, the voyage profits. Ten pounds of ambergris were taken 30 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. from that whale, and the lump sold for $500 per pound— the largest price ever paid for the commodity. Three times at least the Grozier narrowly escaped being run down while “trying out” on the Hatteras ground. On one of those occasions a steamer passed so close to the schooner in the thick fog that the swell created by the steamer caused the, oil in the trypots to slop over the rims and run down the sides of the brick arch into the open door of the fire box. At once the oil in the pots ° caught fire and instantly the schooner was threatened with two dangers: collision and burning. The crew worked with frenzied zeal, the situation being alarming. The large quantity of oil burning made an in- tense heat and the flames mounted halfway aloft, com- pelling the crew to boom out and hoist foresail and its spars nearly to the masthead to prevent the ignitiom of the same. Even so, the “rider” parted allowing the sail to fall once, it being gotten aloft anew with difficulty. Masts and other woodwork: in the vicinity of the try- works began to char and smoke, presaging quick spreading of the fire, so, while most of the men fought the flames others hurriedly lowered and provisioned the whaleboats for possible abandonment of the vessel. Finally, braving the intense heat, men tried the expedi- ent of cramming the trypots with cold blubber, and at the end of a two-hour fight had the satisfaction of subduing the fire. Of all the fighting whales of her career the Grozier met most, pethaps, in her 1900 voyage. During that voyage the Grozier men tried conclusions with the most cross-grained lot of whales that ever hobnobbed with lance and bomb gun, grim fate willing that the toughest specimens in each of the several herds encountered should be selected for cap- ture and to inflict injury upon boats and gear. On one occasion the mate’s boat was attacked by a whale and bitten almost in twain, six timbers and a large por- tion of the cedar planking being ground to splinters by the ponderous jaws. The shattered boat was towed alongside ship and hoisted in for repairs; but after examination it was condemned as beyond service) The stern boat was reqttisitioned in its stead, the broken craft being stowed on the stern davits meanwhile, As matters turned out it was fortunate that the broken boat was not cut up for firewood. In the next set-to with whales the first whale fastened by the mate’s boat proved to be a fighter. It charged its assailants and another used up boat was the result, bringing the vessel’s complement downto one uninjured craft (the boat used by the second mate\ and crew). Reduced to a third of her usual whaling power, the Grozier stood but little chance of securing a cargo., Realizing that little oil could be taken with one boat, the captain declared that the boat first smashed must be patched into shape, and with much difficulty that craft was made fairly serviceable. Say Sun Cutes Deformities. During the discussion at the medical congress, in Lon- don, it was stated that deformities among young children could often be completely corrected by the sun cure. All that a parent has to do is to entrust the child to the family doctor, who may use machines to strengthen or stretch the limbs and then to let the child spend as much time as pos- sible basking unclothed in the sunshine. The Medical Museum, which has been orgarlized at the Imperial College to illustrate the remarkable cures in all branches of medicine, contains some striking photographs of children whose physique has been restored by sun baths alone. All kinds of malformations in arms, legs, back, neck, and chest have been adjusted by the simple expedient of letting the sun’s rays play upon the cells of the body. New Aeroplane Record. A remarkable flight, establishing a new cross-country record, was made recently by the French aviator, Ernest Guillaux. With a passenger he covered 118 miles from his home at Savigny-sur-Braye to Paris in fifty minutes. This was at the rate of nearly 142 miles an hour. Guillaux recently established the single-day record of 85034 miles. / ‘Game Rooster Travels Free. A game rooster beat his way over the Grand Trunk Railroad from Toronto to Guelph, Canada, but was ar- rested as soon as he arrived in the yards there. The rooster, flying up on the pilot of the engine as it stood at a water tank, esconsed itself above the cowcatcher and crowed lustily as the train drew out of the yards. At Guelph it presented a most bedraggled appearance. - Its feathers being filled with cinders and sand. Eleventh Army Flyer to Die. First Lieutenant Moss L. Love, of the army aviation corps, who was killed at San Diego, Cal., when his aéro- plane plunged 300 feet to the ground, was the eleventh aviator killed in army and navy service since experiments were started five years ago. Ten army aviators and one navy flyer have met death. ; Fishes from Aeroplane. The aviator Levasseur is amusing himself at the Deau- ville, France, waterplane meet by fishing from his flying machine during the immobility tests. Levasseur says the late William Latham, who was killed while hunting big game, used his aéroplane for shooting purposes, and he has now extended its sporting uses to fishing. He had some fine catches. Salaries of Managets Have Taken a Jump. Baseball managers and plays of a quarter of a century ago received salaries that appear ridiculous as compared with the fabulous sums which those of to-day are said to receive, according to information brought to light by a Chicago sporting writer. “Cap” Adrian Anson is said to have received the princely sum of $2,700 for managing the Chicago White Stockings in 1888, the year after he had finished the season with a batting average of .421. And of this amount $700 repre- sented his services as acting captain and manager of the team, the major portion being his salary as a player. R. E. Smith, of Chicago, claims to possess the contract. Smith also has the contracts signed by N. Fred Pfeiffer and Edward N. Williamson when they consented to play in the Brotherhood League in 188. These two players were talked of at that time as the greatest in the game. The Chicago club paid Williamson $3,000, while Pfeiffer, one of the greatest of all second basemen, received only $2,000 and the score-card privilege. fri plo fri Tur tie fas to not are fes of Th the by Sir vat chi enc sté by obt het he all ry & oO as » ws er ws nas NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. | 31 A larger salary than any of those old-time stars was paid to Charles Comiskey, present owner of the Chicago White Sox, when he jumped to the Brotherhood League. His contract, also held by Smith, called for $7,000 in 1800. Comiskey was then regarded as the dean of fielding first basemen, although he was not regarded as good at bat as Anson, Practical Joke Kills. A practical joke, so called, played upon him by his friends has cost the life of Sam Stumm. He was em- ployed by the Youngstown, Ohio, Sheet & Tube Company. At noon one day recently he was seized by several of his friends and carried to a near-by. railroad track. “We're going to tie you to the rails and let a train tun over you,” said one of the crowd. Rope was procured, and Stumm, despite his yells, was tied to the tracks. The crowd suddenly recalled that a fast. freight was about due. They had just time enough to cut the ropes and yell to Stumm to get out of the way. He-heard the warning, but was so frightened that he could not move. The train crushed him to death. The police are invesigating, but so. far no arrests have been. made. Vestsvius 625 Degtees ‘Hot, In their recent descent of the crater of Vesuvius, Pro- fessor Malladra and his two companions reached a depth of 1,200 feet, constituting a record for such an enterprise. They spent an hour in making scientific. experiments on the brink of the great funnel at the bottom of the crater, which. they were able to sound to a depth of 200. feet. The funnel, which is 500 feet in diameter, was. created by the sudden subsidence of the old crater floor last month. Since then the flames which were visible at night have vanished, owing to the temporary obstruction of the chimney. The explorers found the inside of the funnel to be an, enormous fiery cavern. They lost their thermometers, the stéel rope on which they were suspended becoming fttsed by the acids and the terrific heat. However, they had Obtained a registered température of 625 degrees Fahren- leit before the mishap occurred, A Snake-egs Shes, Christopher Christenson has at his home in Marquette, Kan., .two hens’ nests in one box, the nests being sepa- rated: by a partition which extends from the top of the box t6 an inch and a half of the bottom. He keeps. a china egg in each nest. A large bull snake crawled into one of the nests and swallowed the china egg, It then rooted in the straw and got its head in the other nest by crawling under the partition. Finding ‘the other china egg, the snake swallowed it, thus trapping itself, as it could not crawl forward or backward because of the fact that an egg was on each side of the partition, Mr. Christenson found the snake at ege-gathering time, and, cutting it in two, recovered the eggs. rEvers Raps Fraternity. “The Baseball Players’. Fraternity is making a mistake,” ‘said Manager Evers, of the Cubs, recently, “in its attitude. ' toward salaties; The playets of to-day are getting salaries far in excess of what they did in 1902, when I broke into the National League, and-considering. what stars like Ed Delehanty, Lajoie, and others received before the Ameri- can League came East. “When I started to play with the Cubs the man who was playing alongside of me received four thousand dol- lars as against my salary of thirteen hundred and fifty. It made no difference to me what the other man got. I went ahead and did my best, feeling confident that my re- ward would come in time, and it did. “In agitating about salaries and contending that a player who is sent back to the minor league should receive the same pay as he would had he been kept in the major league, the fraternity is not living up to the original prin- ciples of the organization.” A Netvy Hunter. J. F. Misplay, a deputy in Superintendent George Rad- cliff’s office in thé Capitol Building at Sacramento, Cal., re- turned from his vacation with a tale of how he slaugh- tered 4 magnificent big brown bear. Misplay was getting along fine with his story until one of his party told a friend how the superintendent’s deputy had come across a ninety-pound cub a farmer had tamed to pull logs in the woods and shot him while the bear was tied to a tree. Misplay déclares that he trapped the bear, and that he had a perfect right to blow the cub’s brains out while the animal was kicking in the trap. As proof of his prowess in the wilds, Misplay. had some of the cub meat shipped to his friends. The “kill” was made about fifteen miles north of Cisko. Robin Hanged by Cord Used in Making Nest. Hanging from a high limb of a big apple tree east of Ypsilanti, Mich., is the body of a robin, . Just above the dead bird is an unfinished nest, and interwoven in its con- struction. is.a-portion of the string from which the bird hangs. In the early:morning another robin, the mate of the dead one, comes daily, warbles a few plaintive notes and disappears until dusk, when it returns, sings-an even- ing dirge and keeps a nightly vigilin the tree. The unfinished nest tells. the story of the tragedy. The little home among the leaves was being built on a big limb. It was high where the wind blows strong, and the mother instinct told the feathered housewife the nest should be tied securely to prevent its being blown down as the little ones: were rocked to sleep on’ the swaying limb. Somewhere she found a piece of stting, and, with a grate: ful trill, flew. with it to the tree. It was being wound in and out among. the other ma- terials of the nest when a-loop slipped over her head. She struggled to free herself, but the noose grew tighter and the body hangs from the cord which was to have anchored her home safe among the branches. “Grizzly Bear’ Old Greek Dance. Much attention is being given to a remarkable article by Léon la Farge, the French historian, tracing the descent of the “grizzly bear’ datice from an ancient Greek “bear dance” solemnly performed in Athens every five years. It is said to have come originally from the City of Brauron, one of the twelve towns of the Ionian confederation, and to have ‘been instituted in honor of the goddess Artemis to appease her wrath on account of a pet she-bear of hers, which was accidentally killed by a young girl devotee. The dance was performed in the spring by the young Jo girls of Athens, dressed in saffron robes and carrying palm branches, who on the appointed day mounted the Acropolis, followed by their parents leading goats for the sacrifice. There, to the sound of sacred hymns, the girls, sometimes disguised as bears, danced around the image of the goddess, imitating the steps and movements of the sacred she-bear—dancing “the grizzly bear,” in fact. This discovery of the illustrious lineage of a dance thought to be.of American origin, is causing people to regard it with increased respect and interest. It is now hoped that rec- ords of the turkey trot may be found in Egyptian inscrip- tions, or of the bunny hug among the brick tablets of Assyria. Rabbit Muscle for Her. Miss Hermita Tovar, fifteen, daughter of a wealthy merchant of Lima, Peru, is in a critical condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Kansas City, Mo., from injuries re- ceived in an accident on a roller coaster at Electric Park recently. Her brother, Daniel Tovar, twenty, is in an ad- joining room suffering from severe bruises about the head and shoulders. The muscles from the foot of a rabbit will be grafted into the girl’s leg to take the place of those torn off in the accident. To Compile World’s Record. The International Athletic Federation, formed to place athletic rules and procedure on an international basis, an- nounced recently the appointment of James E. Sullivan, secretary of the A. A. U. of the United States, as chair- man of a committee to compile world’s records. The gathering also has agreed on the definition of an amateur as one who does not accept pecuniary reward for any form of athletic competition and who does not receive pay for acting as physical instructor, trainer, y i 52 oe O—I dick Merriwell, Tutor. 1— Dick Merriwell’s Quandary. 2 —Dick Merriwell on the Boards. >—Dick Merriwell, Peacemaker. 4—Frank Merriwell’s Sway. 5—Frank Merriwell’s Comprehension. 5—F rank Merriwell’s Young Acrobat. Tact. Unknown. Acuteness, Young Canadian. Coward. Perplexity. Intervention. Daring Deed. Succor. Wit. Loyalty. Bold Play. Insight. Guile. Campaign. in the unk Merriwell’s Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s < Merriwell’s ‘ank Merriwell’s ‘ank Merriwell’s ‘ank = Merriwell Forest. —Frank Merriwell’s Tenacity. —Dick Merriwell’s Self-sacrifice. —Dick Merriwell’s Close Shave. Dick Merriwell’s Perception. —Dick Merriwell’s Mysterious pearance. 7T88—Dick Merriwell’s Detective Work. 789—Dick Merriwell’s Proof. 790—Dick Merriwell’s Brain Work. 791—Dick Merriwell’s Queer Case. 792—Dick Merriwell, Navigator. 793—Dick Merriwell’s Good Fellowship. 794—Dick Merriwell’s Fun. 795—-Dick Merriwell’s Commencement. 796—Dick Merriwell.at Montauk Point. 797—Dick Merriwell, Mediator. 798—Dick Merriwell’s Decision. 799—Dick Merriwell on the Great Lakes. 800—Dick Merriwell Caught Napping. 801—Dick Merriwell in the Copper Coun- ty. 802—Dick Merriwell Strapped. 803—Dick Merriwell’s Coolness. 804—Dick Merriwell’s Reliance. Ss s National Disap- 805—Dick Merriwell’s College Mate. S806—Dick Merriwell’s Young Pitcher. 807—Dick Merriwell’s Prodding. 808—F rank Merriwell’s Boy. 809—F rank Merriwell’s Interference. 810—F rank Merriwell’s Young Warriors. 811—F rank Merriwell’s Appraisal. 812—F rank Merriwell’s Forgiveness. 813—F rank Merriwell’s Lads. 814—Frank Merriwell’s Young Aviators. 815—Frank Merriwell’s Hot-head. i—Dick Merriwell, Diplomat. 7—Dick Merriwell in Panama. S8—Dick Merriwell’s Perseverance. —Dick Merriwell Triumphant. Dick Merriwell’s Betrayal. 1—Dick Merriwell, Revolutionist. —Dick Merriwell’s Fortitude. Dick Merriwell’s Undoing. Dick Merriwell, Universal Coach. —Dick Merriwell’s Snare. Dick Merriwell’s Star Pupil. Dick Merriwell’s Astuteness. | Die Merriwell’s Responsibility. Dick Merriwell’s Plan. —Dick Merriwell’s Warning. —Dick Merriwell’s Counsel. 2—Dick Merriwell’s Champions. 38—Dick Merriwell’s Marksmen. Dick Merriwell’s Enthusiasm. Dick Merriwell’s Solution. Dick Merriwell’s Foreign Foe. 7—Dick Merriwell and_ the Warriors. 8—Dick Merriwell’s Battle for the Blue. 9 0- PDD « BD AND et bed fh ed ed oe Carlisle [2026 2 1 2h HO 26 0 CO.4H Mh 20 CO 40 Ch Dick Merriwell’s Evidence. Dick Merriwell’s Device. 1—Dick Merriwell’s nents. 2—Dick Merriwell’s Sixth Sense. —Dick Merriwell’s Strange Clew. —Dick Merriwell Comes Back. Dick Merriwell’s Heroic Crew. —Dick Merriwell Looks Ahead. —Dick Merriwell at the Olympics. 8—Dick Merriwell in Stockholm. 84 4 Oppo- Mnnn Princeton a Hato Ont cocncn cn co 9 0 PP eo oe 84 SS 1 4 7 8 v 10 1 38 9—Dick Merriwell Stadium. U NEW in ~Dick Merriwell’s Mar the Swedish athon. SERIES. New Tip Top Weekly Merriwell, Jr. Merriwell, Jr., i Merriwell, Jr.’s Merriwell, Jr.’s Merriwell, Jr., i rank Merriwell, Jr.'s rank Merriwell, Jr., ders. Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, thon. —Frank Merriwell, Ranch. —Frank Merriwell, Jr. Frank Merriwell, Jr. Frank Merriwell, Jr. —F rank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr., Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Fvank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr., . rank rank rank rank ca Hs IP E Pr Frank iP iB JT: 9a S ’s a "gs Jr.'s, n the Box. , Struggle. , Skill. n Idaho. , Close Shave. on Waiting Or- , Danger. Relay Mara- at. the *Bare4 , Golden Trail. , Competitor. , Guidance. , Scrimmage. Misjudged. , Star Play. , Blind Chase. , Discretion. . Substitute. Justified, Frank Merriwell, Jr., Incog. Frank Merriwell, Jr., Meets the Issue. Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr., ¢ Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Foes. ‘rank Merriwell, Jr., ¢ “rank Merriwell, Jr.’s ‘rank Merriwell, Jr.’s “yank Merriwell, Jr.’s “rank Merriwell, Jr.’s ‘rank Merriwell, Jr., “rank Merriwell, Jr.’s ay “rank Merriwell, Jr.’s I I I I I I I I I Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s I —F rank Merriwell, Jr.’s, Race. ‘ank Merriwell, Jr.’s ‘ank Merriwell, Jr.’s JT: ay ank Merriwell, Jr.’s, , Xmas Eve. , Fearless Risk, mn Skis. , Ice-boat Chase. ; Ambushed ind the Totem. , Hockey Game. , Clew. , Adversary. , Timely Aid. in the Desert. , Grueling Test. Special Mission , Red Bowman. » Task. Cross-Country , Four Miles. , Umpire. ‘rank Merriwell, Jr., Sidetracked. . Merriwell, Jr.’s Merriwell, Jr.’s rank ‘ank , Teamwork. , Step-Over. Merriwell, Jr., in Monterey. Merriwell, Jr. Merriwell, Jr. Merriwell, Jr. Merriwell, Jr. ‘ank Merriwell, Jr.’s ‘ank Merriwell, Jr. ture. Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank ble. | “a *s ‘rank ’S Ss Ss 53—Frank Merriwell, Jr., 58 59—Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s, 60 61 Doctor. —Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s, Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Frank Merriwell, Jr., —Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s mate. —Frank Merriwell, Jr %o 25 Merriwell, Jr.’s, , Cross-Fire. , Athletes. , Outfielder. , ‘Hundred.’ , Hobo Twirler. , Canceled Game. , Weird Adven- , Double Header. Peck of. Tron and the Spook Sportsmanship. , Ten-Innings, , Ordeal. on the Wing. * Lost Team- , Daring Flight. —Frank Merriwell, Jr., at Fardale. Dated October 4th. 62—Frank Merriwell, Jr., Plebe. 63 64 Dated October Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s Dated October -Frank Merriwell, Jr.’s, Vith: , Quarter-Baek. 18th. Touchdown. © PRICE, FIVE CENTS PER COPY. If you want any back numbers of our weeklies and cannot procure them from your news dealer, they can be obtained direct from thi: office. Postage stamps taken the same as money. Street & Smith, Publishers, 79-89 Seventh Ave., New York City