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STORIES OF BOYS WHO SUCCE

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Issued Weekly. By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered according to Act of Congress tn the year 1997, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C,
Application made for entry as Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by THE WINNER LIBRARY Co., 765 West Fifteenth St., New York, N. Y.

NEW YORK, APRIL 6, 1907. Price, Five Cents

 

 

 

 

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PRC,
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On came the surging column of water, swamped the «‘Eagle’’ astern and dashed down both
our hero and Jolpin.

 
 
 

 

" STORIES OF BOYS WHO SUCL

 

 

 

 

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Lssued. Weekly: iy Subst pipe $2.50 per year. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1907, tn the office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C,
Application made for entry as Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by THE WINNER LIBRARY Co., 165 West Fifteenth St., New Vork, N. ¥.

No. 59.

ee YORK, April 6, 1907.

Price Five Cents.

 

 

Under Full

q team s

OR,

THE TUGBOAT ROUTE TO SUCCESS.

 

By “ONE OF THE BOYS.”

 

CHAPTER |.

SECOND MATE OF THE “‘PALATIAL.

“Ow! Wow!”

Chug! “ Bump!

It was a chance meeting, entirely, for the heavy man
didn’t even know the banana-peel was there until he stepped
on it, slipped, and sat down with a jar on the crossing.
“Out of the way, there!” roared a deep, loud voice.

A team of horses going at a lively trot had almost reached
the crossing.

Behind them rattled and bumped a huge, unloaded dray.

There was barely time to get out of the way, but the man
who had lived fifty years to be downed by a banana-peel did
not budge.

He tried to, but could not.
hurt.

Whirr-rr!  Gritt-tt!
upon the brake and tugged at the reins.

_ It was a manly, determined effort to stop the horses, but

It was plain that he had been

- could not succeed in time to save the man on the pave-
“ment.

Only one of the bystanders had the presence of mind
to act.

Darting into the street, a boy seized the the nearest horse
by the bridle, held on with grim determination, and threw
every ounce of his weight backward.

Added to the driver's own -exertions, the boy’s help
brought the horses up short, just one second before the
fallen man would have otherwise been under their hoofs.

Startled by the suddenness of it, the horses sprang for-
ward once more.

Still guided by that quiet, clear brain, the boy yanked

a. a horses out eS their forward course.

The driver threw half his weight,

Snorting and trembling, the beasts swerved to one side,
carried the dray sideways after them, and the wheels cleared
the fallen man.

It was all over in an instant, and the bystanders ‘cheered
an unknown hero.

“Hah! Good boy!” roared the driver laconically, and
allowed his team to speed down the street.

As soon as he let go of the bridle the boy fell back,
wheeled about, and ran to where the heavy man still sat in
the roadway.

“Can you rise if I help you?’ demanded the hero.

“Boy,” grunted the heavy man, “‘you’re a brick! What's
your name?”

“Dolph Dexter. Are you hurt?”

“Ankle turned, and the jar almost stunned me, Dolph.
If. you'll give me your arm, though, I guess I can get on
miy. “feet.

Dolph’s atm was already at his service. The big man
leaned more heavily on it than he had expected to, but the
boy never flinched.

“Dexter,” grunted the man, as soon as he had tried a
step, and found that he could walk slowly, “you're strong,
as well as plucky and quick.”

“Oh, I’m strong enough,’ laughed the boy cheerfully.
“Lean on me all you want to, sir, and I'll help you along.”

“I’m not going far,’ vouchsafed the big man, limping
slowly across the street. “Only over there,”
to a brightly lighted restaurant.

“T was going “to supper when that measly little peel tripped
me,’ he added. “I’m not badly hurt, as you can guess,
when I tell you that I’m still hungry enough to eat an ele- e
phant raw.’ ae

tlsothat your usual diet, sir?” laughed the boy, piloting: oS
his new acquaintance into the restaurant. ae

 

and he pointed — a
me,” continued the boy sadly.

MIGHT AND

There was an odd, ey twinkle in the big man’s eyes .

as he answered:

“Oh, when I’m not very hungry I just eat a boiled camel,
and let it go at that.”

“And the hump never sticks in your throat?” queried
Dolph, with mock solicitude. .

“You'll do, lad!” bellowed the big man, in a voice that
suggested rolling thunder.

“Sit down, Dolph,” he added, as soon as he had sunk
into a chair. ‘‘Now, then, help me eat.”

“Thank you. I had supper an hour ago; but [ll wait until
you get through and help you home.”

“Won't eat, eh?’ came the thunderous answer. “See
here—you take steak and onions, two plates of pudding,
and three cups of coffee, or——”

“Or, what?’ smiled Dolph, undismayed.

“Or suit yourself,” finished the other.

Dolph said he’d take a cup of coffee.
ordered food enough for three men.

“See here,” said the latter; fishing up a roll of bills from
his pocket when the waiter had gone away.

He placed a ten-dollar bill upon the table and another
on top of it.

“Por you, Dolph’ Dexter.”

To his surprise, the boy drew back, a flush of humilia-
tion reddening his face.

“No, not for me,” protested Dolph.

“I say yes.”

“You've made a mistake, sir.”

“Didn't you save me from shipwreck, boy?”

“Very likely, sir, but it wouldn’t be the act of a gentle-
man to accept money for an act of humanity.”

There was firmness and dignity in the boy’s refusal, so
much, in fact, that the big man put the money back in his
pocket without a word.

Then he lifted a mammoth paw over the table, seized the
boy’s own hand, ‘and BrPpee it warmly.

“So you're a gentleman; eh, Dolph?
though Pm only a rough old chap myself.
aren't you?”

fo eess Or, 1t Lay not,” tesponded Dolph, a sudden misti-
ness dimming his eyes, “it’s my own fault. I had every
chance in life up to two months ago.”

“And in hard luck now, eh?” supplemented the big man,
who had already noted the boy’s rather seedy attire.

“Ye-es,” Dexter slowly admitted. “That is to say, I’m at
present out of employment.”

The big man’s eyes looked the boy over searchingly before
their owner burst forth:

“Dolph Dexter, answer me as truthfully as you would
your own mother under oath.”

“Well, sir?”

“You didn’t run away from. home ?”

“Upon my honor, I didn’t,” said the boy seriously.

“Qh, parents dead ?”

“Hor a great many years, sir.”

“But you haven't been. knocking about for years?’’ de-
manded the big man.

“No, sir; only about two months. I had one of the best
homes a boy ever had. In fact, though through no merit
of my own, | came within a hair’ s-breadth of being a
_ millionaire.”

“Eh? That’s interesting. Mind telling me about it?”

“My father,” said Dolph, “was a sort of confidential. man
to a Mr. Ezra Kendall.”

“The Long Island millionaire?”

mv es: Sit.”

“Tye heard of him,” nodded the big man.

“Eight years ago my father died. There was no one to
look aiter me, so Mr, Kendall kept me with him. He edu-
cated me, took an interest in me—was almost a father to
Ae “One day, about three months
/ ago, he called me into his library. He had decided to adopt

His big companion

I believe you,
Educated, too,

MAIN LIBRARY.

me, he told me, and said he was going to his lawye
make his. will, leaving most of his fortune to me.
started off, but. died on his way to the layers It
apoplexy.”

"But he had adopted you?” cried the listener.

“Not legally.”

"And left no will?”

“No, sir; so the fortune has gone to some distant cousins
of Mr. Kendall. =

“And so you re penniless ?”

“Not quite,” smiled Dolph. “TI had some little belongings:
of my own. [ve sold them, ard I can keep going for an-
other month yet.”

‘And then?” persisted the questioner.

“Oh, Tl find something before then,”
rejoinder.

“But if you don’t?”

“There’s no ‘don’t’? about it,” declared the boy stoutly.
“T’'ve even hopes,” he laughed, “of finding something in the ©
line of thé career that I’d like most.”

“And what line is that?’

“Steamboating,’ declared Dolph. “You see, I was brought
up along the Sound, and the steamboats are almost the
earliest thing I can remember. I was always watching
them. Whenever I was missing, my father and mother
knew they'd find me at the water-front. I believe I knew
the name of every steam-craft that passed regularly, and
the points between which they plied. If I heard a whistle |
in the night, I knew the boat it belonged to. For years [ve
felt that to be captain of a steamboat would be the height
of bliss. But I’m boring you,” cried Dolph.

“Not-at all,” protested the other. “You’re interesting me,
for—well, to tell the truth,/I’m a steamboat man myseli—a
captain, in fact. So you'd like to be a steamboat man?”

“Like ite” pea the boy. “That life would be happi-
ness.”

“Tf you want, Til give you a chance on my boat.
much of a berth, perhaps, but it’ll do for a start.”

“Say that again, please,” begged the delighted Dolph.

‘BY gravy | * muttered the big man, glancing suddenly at
his watch. “DVve got to fly to “keep my appointment. See
here, Dexter, if you want to ship aboard the steamer
Palatial, be at Pier No. —, North River, at five sharp to-
morrow morning. Pay, twenty dollars a month and found.”

“I'll take it,” cried Dolph gleefully. “And what kind of
work shall I have to do?”

There was another odd twinkle in the big man’s eyes as
he answered: ‘

“Why, we'll give you charge of the deck, under the frst
mate. That means you're second mate of the Palatial,
doesn’t it, Dolph Dexter? It’s a big chance to give a boy
of your age, but I believe you'll fill the bill. Don’t disap-
point me—five sharp, Pier No. —, North River. Cane

%

was the hopeful

Not.

-Zenas Morgan.”

And the. captain, paying for his meal, hurried away,
showing only a faint trace of the limp.
By the time that bewildered Dolph Dexter reached the’

‘street his unceremonious new benefactor had vanished.

“Was it all real? Did it actually happen?’ wondered
the boy, passing his hand over his brow.

“Tt wasn’t a dream,” he declared next. “Was it a hoax?”

He remembered the big man’s twinkling, mirth-filled eyes,
and became: half- indignant.

“Vet I did him a favor,”

muttered the boy. “Surely he

‘wouldn’t repay me with a practical joke.”

Lawyer Cooper, who lived on a West Side street up-
town, had been very kind to him, first by helping the boy ©

in his vain attempt to get a share of the estate which Mr,. |

Kendall had intended for him, and afterward this same law-
yer had tried to obtain a position for our hero.  ¢@ :

“T’ll go up to Mr. Cooper’s house and tell him how ee
I've been,” decided Dolph. “I'll simply tell him, though,
that I’ve aot a job on a steamboat; not a word about the —

 
MIGHT

kind of a position it is. He might think me very simple to
hae all that a stranger tells me?
. Twenty minutes later Dexter descended the steps of an

fo at "p- town “L” station and started down a side street to his

destination.

It was a night late in summer, and the street appeared
deserted. On either side were massive private dwellings,
four out of every five presenting that boarded-up look which
leads to the belief that the ordinary occupants are away at

seashore or mountain.

“Could hardly be more lonesome in a desert,” thought the
boy. “Hold on; here’comes a cab, which proves that there’s
somebody else in this ward besides me who's alive.”

Walking briskly, Dolph was bound to meet the cab in a
moment.

It was the only moving object in sight, which was proba-
bly the only reason why our hero scanned it SO closely.

_ The sound of voices—a man’s and a woman’ s—rose sud-
denly,

“Gracious!” muttered Dolph. wonderingly.
row going on there!”

_ A scream of terror reached his ears, and Dexter invol-
untarily quickened his pace into a run that led him toward
the cab.

Open flew the door nearest the sidewalk. There was a

*There’s. a

flutter /of white, another scream from a woman, and an

oath in a man’s voice.
‘Turning, either in astonishment or. alarm,
looked back, and as he did so almost checked his horses.
Bound! Jump! Dolph landed on both feet at the curb.

The figure in white sprang forward, swished toward him,

and the boy caught her in his arms.

“Right side up,” laughed Dolph, setting her on her feet
in a twinkling.

_She was only a girl, short and slender, and evidently near

_ the boy’s own age.

Pretty, Dolph would have voted her at any time, but just

®now the look of mingled fear and appeal in her pallid face

» rendered her pce in his eyes.

X en

- who, he said, was hurt.

“He won't follow you.

“Excuse me,” muttered Dolph, swinging ee girl squarely

around, for he saw first a pair of blazing eyes in the interior

of the cab, and.then their owner appeared.

He was short and swarthy, this man, not of powerful
build, but with nevertheless a suggestion of strength about
him.

_“A foreigner,” flashed Dolph mentally.

_”Wheeling about between girl and man, he drew himself
up to his fullest height of five foot seven, and demanded:

“Well, my friend, who are you?”

rl am the euardian of this young lady, who is wilful,”
rejoined the stranger, fixing his dark eyes blazingly upon
| the boy's face.

“Don’t believe him,” pleaded the terrified girl.
> Rest easy,” Dolph assured her. “I don’t.”

“T am taking her home.
swarthy man.

“Don’t believe him!
the girl.

Don’t let him touch me!” appealed
“He pretended he was taking me to my father,
He tied to me.”

“Come here, miserable!” ordered the swarthy man, his
anger bringing out -a strong accent.

Alert, watchful, and agile, he darted around the boy and
reached out to seize the shrinking girl’s wrist.

His clutch landed instead on Dolph’s suddenly inter-
posed arm.

“Why do you interfere?” snarled the-man, not letting go
his hold.

Dolph looked swiftly about him. That he could not count
on the driver’s help he realized instantly.

“Do vay live far from here, miss?” asked Dexter.

“It is only a few minutes from here to my home.”

“Then, run, miss; run!” counseled Dolph, struggling.
If he tries, (ll make him see stars.”

the driver:

She is obstinate,” declared the -

AND’ MAIN LIBRARY. : 3

Only an instant’s indecision, and then the girl turned and
fled swiftly.

“Stop!” commanded the man angrily.
you brat!’ he roared at Dolph. !

Thump! Dolph’s clenched fist flew out and landed, all
business, on the other’s face.

Back, back staggered the fellow, and all but fell to the
sidewalk, while the man on the cab’s box, plainly not liking
the looks of things, whipped his horses forward.

- Dolph turned just in time to catch a fleeting vision of a

“Out of the way,

white skirt vanishing around the next corner.

Like a flash, he wheeled about again to give his full
attention to the swarthy man.

“Carrajo!” he roared. “Out of my way, or I wiil punish

ou!”

“And VIl stay here while you do it,’ mimicked Dolph.

At our hero came the swarthy man again, and Dolph
waited, watched, to put in the next and heavier blow.

What kind of antics were thése? Dolph had never seen
their like before. The swarthy man advanced, then re-
treated, then approached from another direction, zigzagging
like a jumping flea.

“He’s going to be hard to hit,” decided the boy, astonished
at his antagonist’s agility.

“Zim! Now, you miserable!” hissed the stranger, dodging
nimbly once more out of Dexter’s reach.

As he did so he thrust his hand inside his vest. There
was a flash. Dolph caught sight of a narrow steel blade
and shivered.

What warm-blooded man does not feel a sudden revulsion
of fear at sight of a knife in an enemy’s hand?

“I'll wring your neck, you brown monkey!” defied Dolph,
but his voice shook.

Again the man advanced, almost within a hair’s breadth,
only to zigzag out of danger again.

In a twinkling he landed before the boy again, and his
lowered hand described a wild, upward flourish that meant
disémbowelment.

Grip! By good fortune alone Dolph caught the other’s
hand.

There was a struggle. Dolph’s feet got mixed up with
the stranger’s, and both fell in the gutter.

“Caramba!” ha the swarthy man. ©

Wrench! Crack! Dolph Dexter did the only thing that
he could do in so short a space of time—he brought the
swarthy man’s right wrist down over the edge of the curb-
stone with fearful force:

There was a groan, and the knife fell to the sidewalk.

Seizing it, Dolph shook himself free and sprang upon his
feet.

There he stood, quivering and enraged, but too generous
to follow up his advantage.

“You've all but broken my wrist,” groaned the other.

“I’m not as sorrry as I ought to be,” retorted Dolph.
“Be thankful that there isn’t a policeman in sight.”

Those blazing black eyes regarded him searchingly.

“So. you are one of them? muttered the stranger oF
shall remember you.”

Turning, he ran swiftly off. But he went in the opposite —
direction from that taken by the girl, and our hero did not
take the trouble to follow him.

Tossing the knife contemptuously in the gutter, Dolph
kept on to the house of Lawyer Cooper.

That gentleman was out. Dexter left a message for him,
then turned his face homeward.

Away over on West Tenth Street, in a dingy board-
ing-house, was the top floor hall-room which our hero shared
with his chum, Luke Hepworth, a boy whom he had but
lately met, yet they had been fast friends from the start.

Luke was abed and sleepy, but he became speedily wide-
awake as Dolph’s excited story of the night’s doings
progressed,

“What do you think of it all?’ wound up Dexter.

 
4 MIGHT AND

“Well, as to the adventure with the girl and the foreign
chap,” said Luke slowly, “the best part of that is that you're
home with a whole skin.”

“But as to the other affair?”

“Now,” retorted Luke, leaning his head on his hand and
looking intently at his friend, “doesn’t it strike you as rather
unusual for a stranger to offer a greenhorn, without any
trial, the position of second mate on a steamboat?”

“It does,’ admitted Dolph reluctantly. “Yet this man
seemed so honest that I don’t like to think he was either
lying or playing a foolish joke. Yet—well, it’s all a puzzle
that the morning will solve.”

The alarm-clock went off at half-past three in the morn-
ing. Dolph was dressed in a few moments, said good-by
to sleepy Luke, and hurried away.

He found the pier all right, and there in the gateway
stood Captain Zenas Morgan, smiling a welcome.

“Morning, Dolph Dexter,’ greeted the big man.

“Good morning, captain.”

7 You're punctual, I -see.. It's. a goed: sign,
and I'll introduce you to the craft.”

Captain Morgan led him down the covered pier, halting
at last at an open gangway.

‘There,’ he said, with an outward flourish of his arm,

“4s ‘your new home. afloat.”

Dolph stepped to the gangway, and’ looked—but down,
instead of up.

There in the stream, bumping lazily against the pier, was
—one of the most ordinary- -looking tugboats in New York
harbor.

“What do you think of her?” chuckled Captain Morgan.

It required a moment for Dexter to grasp the situation.

“You told me,” he gasped, “that your boat was called
the Palatial.’”

“Oh, that’s her Sunday name,’ was the retort. “On
working-days we call the boat the Silas Bangs. Just a plain,
ordinary tugboat, you see. Arte you disappointed, lad?”

“No,” spoke Dolph promptly. “The Silas Bangs is a
steamboat, and you've engaged me to re on her. I’m
“more than satisfied.”

“Good!” cried the captain.

“But how about my being second mate? A joke, eh?”

“Not altogether,” protested Captain Morgan. “You see,
the engineer bosses his own crew of two firemen. I’ve
nothing to do with them. I boss the deck crew, beginning
with the mate—the man you see in the wheel- house. You
come next to him. Last night I discharged your predecessor
for getting drunk.”

“And the rest of the deck crew?”

“Why, there isn’t any rest, except yourself. So, as you
come next to the mate, you must be second mate ; eh >”

“Or, say that I’m the deck-hand.”

“Rither one, deck-hand or second mate,
self,” assented the captain obligingly.

“Well, whichever it is,’ asserted Dolph, “I’m ready for
work. At your orders, sir.”

“That’s right; always say ‘sir’ to me, and ‘sir’ .to the
mate. Say ‘sir’ to the engineer, too, when you speak to
him. Now, Dexter, I’m going aboard. You stay here,
ready to cast off the bow and stern hawsers.”

“G5, Sir,

Captain Morgan descended a ladder that ran from the
pier to the deck of the boat. At the same moment the
mate called out from the wheel-house:

“Cast off the bow hawser.”

_ Dolph tugged at the loop of rope, gradually got it up
and over the post. One of the firemen stood in the bow
to catch it as Dolpb. tossed the rope.

“Now, off with the stern hawser.”

Dolph obeyed, the same fireman catching that rope also.

“Come aboard, Dexter.”

Dolph descended as rapidly as he could.

“Lively with that ladder, Dexter!’

Follow me,

to suit your-

‘

Vbehirst Cand) last. call to breakfast,

MAIN LIBRARY.

y

Dolph swung it aboard, and, by a good guess, stowed it
under the guard.
“Go forward!”
Dolph obeyed.
Clang! sounded a gong in the engine-room, and the boat
began to move.
Clang! Clang!
engine-room.
Down the river the Bangs was headed, going at a good
ten-knot. clip.
Standing just forward of the deck-house, Dolph drank in
the fresh air and the beauties of the early morning.
Just back of him, in the galley under the wheel-house,
a negro was frying meat.
“Gracious! That smells good,’ muttered the hungry: boy.
Captain Morgan went into the galley and took a seat at
the narrow, benchlike table. .A moment later, the engineer,
leaving one of the firemen on watch, joined the captain.
Both came out again just before the Battery was reached.
Here there was. more clanging of bells, and the Bangs
steamed slowly alongside of a barge.

Then the Heelan soimded i the

Dolph, obeying orders, sprang upon the barge with the -

loop of the bow hawser in hand, carried it across the barge
to the pier, and. made fast.

A moment later one of the firemen had tade the stern.
hawser fast.

“Go back to the boat, Dexter,” ordered Captain Morgan,
reaching the pier. oe
Dexter,” called the
mate.

Only one call was heed Dolph sat down beside the
mate with a keen appetite. And what a breakfast it was—
hash, well browned, fried potatoes, bread and butter, and

coffee, and, to “top of, a Dis cut Of pie atid cheese.

Filled up and well content with the world, Dolph stepped
out on the sunny deck, prepared to show a marvel of in-

dustry.

But there was nothing to do.

The mate went up, stretched himself on a cushioned *
locker in the room aft of the wheel-house, and snored.
The engineer seated himself on the guard just outside the
engine-room arid smoked, while the two firemen crept into
berths in the room just off the engine-room.

Tiring at last of watching the sights on the river, Dolph
curled himself up in the bow and half-went to sleep.

More than two hours passed in this lazy fashton, while
the captain waited for orders in the company’s office ashore.

Along came Captain Morgan at last, and the drowsy crew,

Me af

turned out.

“Dexter, hustle ashore,” sang out the mate.

Just as Dolph reached the pier a couple appeared at the
gangway beside him.

They were a bridal couple, if appearances counted for
anything. The man was tall, and so dark that, but for his
straight, black hair, he would have been taken for a mu-
latto.

“Captain,”
sengers ?”

called the. man, “will. you take us as pas-

»

“We can’t make passengers’ very comfortable aboard this

boat,’ was the dubious answer.

“But we don’t care about that, captain,”
“What we want is the fun of the trip.”

was the answer.

And the handsome woman looked so bewitchingly oe

ing that the gallant Sues yielded.

Dolph and the woman’s companion assisted her down onto
the barge.
boat, and they next appeared on the upper deck.

Hawsers were cast off and coiled aboard, the ee

“pulled out’? and went puffing down the harbor,

Mate Osmond stood at the wheel. Captain Morgan’s pres-
ent idea of duty seemed to be to entertain the bridal couple,
with whom he stood talking on the upper deck..

In another moment the couple were aboard the |

Sin me

as
a

 

 
MIGHT AND
~ Dolph, hands in pockets,
occasional dashes of spray.
_ On the boat kept down the bay. East of Liberty Island
Wa lay at anchor a big tramp steamer, over the top of whose
slate-colored ifon hull appeared the heads and shoulders of
a group of the crew.
~The half -speed bell sounded in the eingine-room.
“Dexter!” sang out the mate.
vo es sit”

“Stand ready to pass the bow hawser aboard.”

Dolph seized the big loop and carried it forward to the
very bow of the boat. As he did so he heard the engine-
room signal for “stop.” . Lazily the Bangs drifted up to the
tramp steamer.

A pait of big red hands reached through one of the ports.
Just as the two craft came together Dolph passed the
hawser. It was pulled aboard, made fast, and hauled taut
with much rattling of windlass. \

Dexter, ~ out the ladder up,’ otdered Captain Morgan,
and, climbing up, disappeared over the vessel’s side.

There the two craft lay, bumping gently against each
other. Many minutes passed and nothing was done.

“This work,” muttered Dolph inwardly, ‘ ‘seems to con-
sist mainly of long intervals of loafing.”

Splash! Something fell into the water between the two
craft.

-Glancing over the guard, Dolph saw a small, oblong pack-
age floating in the water.

“Boy,” called a low, excited voice from overhead at that
instant.
. Looking up, our hero saw the troubled countenance of the
Bangs’, male passenger.

“Boy,” continued the man, in the same low, eager voice,
as he pointed to the floating package, “I dro pped it over-
board. Get it before it a and I'll give you five dol-
lars.”

“Easy enough!” Dolph called back softly.

_ Springing over the guard, he dropped into the water and
grabbed for the package.

At that instant tug and tramp jolted together, closing me
the gap of water between them.

A stifled shriek from the woman, an oath from the man,

accompanied by the boy’s disappearance between the two
deep ‘hulls.

No human bones could resist that awful crushing.

lounged in the bow, dodging

CHAPTER II.
“RoBBEDv?

“What's the matter?” demanded Mate Osmond, stepping

out of the wheel-house.

“Your boy—deck-hand——”

We HW: ??

“Jumped into the water—got crushed between this boat
and the ship.”

Saving his breath for action, the mate uttered not a word,
but sprang down to the lower deck.

_ Engineer, fireman, and steward came to his aid. In ten
words the situation was made clear. By main strength these
five men’sheered the boat off a couple of feet.

But there was no sign of pa Dexter,

“Back to. your engine, Jim,” ordered the mate quickly.
“VIL go to the wheel “and swing. the boat clear around.”

Slowly the tugboat’s stern began to move around.

“OQ. Ki. sang a cheery voice... .“‘Whoa!”’

It was ‘Dolph Dexter, dripping and breathless, who called.

Appearing on,the port side of the boat, almost amidships,

_ he clutched at a fender with one hand and held up in the

> other the. package.

First to see him was the male passenger. Imitating the

MAIN LIBRARY. 5

feat he had seen the mate perform, he sprang to the Tower
deck and was first to reach our hero.

“Give me the package,” he whispered, and snatched if,
stowing it in one of his pockets.

The rest of the crew were now on hand, and Dolph,

water pouring from him as from a drenched spaniel, was
hauled to the deck.

“Don’t let “em know it was my fault,” murmured the dark,

‘man, and Dolph understood, or thought he did.

“You're too careless, Dexter,” called the mate from the
wheel-house. “Look out next time.”

“You're lucky, lad,’ grunted Engineer Fallon.
have been killed. How’d you save yourself?’

“It was easy,” smiled Dolph. “I felt, just in the nick of
time, that the two boats were drawing together. I dove,
went under the tug’s bottom, and came up on port side.”

“Don’t try it again’

“Not if I can hel ip it,” deelared the boy, who had been
a great deal more scared than he cared to show.

Accidents are common among steamboat men. A minute
later, our hero found himself forward, no longer.an object
of curiosity.

Before long, however, the male passenger approached him.

“Boy,” he murmured softly, “I want to thank you.”

“It’s all right,’ nodded Dolph. “I was glad to help you.”

“IT promised you five dollars for saving the package.”

“Under, the circumstances, I guess it was worth it.”

“Worth it?” repeated the stranger, with a curious smile.
“Decidedly. Besides, you kept still about it, as I asked you
to. Boy, here’s ten dollars, with my hearty thanks.”

“Tt’s too much,” protested Dexter.

“Take it, or V'll be too greatly in your debt.”

Cons sidering his drenching and his narrow escape with his
life, our hero felt justified in accepting the money.

Aboard the tramp steamer now sounded a creaking and

rattling. The chgin cable attached to the anchor was “being
raised:

With anchor up, came a shrill chorus of whistles from.
both steam craft.

Now they swung around and headed for the North River.

Captain Morgan stood beside one of the officers of the
larger steamer on the latter’s bridge. he pilots who go
aboard i incoming vessels at sea leave their chat ee after pass-
ing quarantine. It is always the captain of the tugboat who ©
serves as pilot from anchorage to pier.

Again Dolph got a glimpse of the lazy side of tugboat life.
The big West-Indiaman was proceeding up-stream under
her own steam. Hence the tugboat, instead of towing, was
being towed.

Mate Osmond stood at the wheel.
Silas Bangs had a blessed thing to do.

Opposite the Franklin Street Ferry the Bangs and her
big consort came to a stop in the stream, owing to the
crowd of craft just ahead.

Turning, Dolph was surprised to see the Bangs’ two pas-
sengers on the deck near him.

“T’m seasick,” said the man, with a sheepish grin.
to get on land as quickly as I can.
man in a rowboat near-by.

“Vep.. olor.’

“All tight." Be quicky.’

Turning to the engineer, the dark man added:

“You and the captain use this bank-note for yourselves.”

It was Dolph who helped them into the rowboat. By the
time that the Bangs and her consort started again the tug’s
late passengers were ashore.

“That gent seems to have money to burn,” grinned Fallon,
holding up a five-dollar’ bill to Dexter’s view.

Dolph said nothing about the ten-dollar bill he had re-
ceived from the same party.
confidential request bound him not to do so. ;

Up-stream the tug and her bie consort continued, making
for a ‘pier at the foot. of one of the streets in the fifties.

“Might

No one else on the

“Got
Hey, boatman!” to a
“Take us ashore,”

 

He felt that the stranger’s ; a
6 fone AND

“Look alive, Dexter!’ shouted Mate Osmond.  ,

Dolph posted himself again in the bow, and, himself a
part of the operation, saw how a big vessel is berthed at
her pier.

Out from the wharf rowed a man in a Whitehall boat.
_ He dexterously caught a line thrown from the bow of the

West-Indiaman. This he carried to the wharf, where wait-
ing hands caught it. By means of the line a heavy bow
cable was hauled to the wharf and thrown over a post.

Next, the donkey- -engine on. the ship was set in motion,
and the cable reeled in, thus hauling the big craft nearer
to the pier.

At the same time the tug, with her nose against the West-
Indiaman’s hull, pushed her, side-on, far enough away from
the pier to avoid scraping or collision.

In this way the tramp steamer’s bow was carried beyond
the end of the pier. Now the vessel’s bow cable was eased
off the post, carried down the pier, and made fast to an-
other post.

Again the bow engine hauled the cable taut.

Backing off a few yards, the Bangs steamed, nose on,
against the West-Indiaman amidships, Dolph passing the
Bangs’ bow hawser through another port.

Once more the ship’s cable was shifted to/a post still
farther down the pier. The tug made fast farther astern,
and continued her bow-on pushing.

Thus the ship was hauled in, the pushing tug swinging
the huge hull farther and farther around, until the vessel
was made fast in her berth at the side of the pier.

All the while, Captain Morgan, standing at the post of
command on the tramp steamer’s bridge, directed the move-
ments of the ship’s crew, and at the same time transmitted
his orders to the tug by shrill blasts on a whistle.

Dolph watched the operation with keen admiration, though
to a boy of his turn of mind it was a pretty sight to see
the small, hustling tug helping the huge, helpless hull to her
berth of security and safety.

Now that the task was accomplished, the Silas Bangs
backed off and made fast to the end of the pier.

“Go ashore, Dexter, if you want to stretch your legs a
few minutes,” advised Mate Osmond, and our hero took
the hint.

The gangplank was being raised to the West-Indiaman’s
gangway, and a policeman and a customs inspector stood
by, watching the work.

“Officer!” shouted a trembling voice from the deck.

Looking up, the policeman saw an excited young man
waving his arms desperately.

“What’s the trouble?” called the officer.

“ve been robbed!” was the agitated answer. “Robbed
this morning, and by somebody aboard the ship. Don’t let
sany one land yet, in Heaven’s name.’

“You bet I won't,” responded the officer, springing to the
_ gangplank, which was now aboard. “Come down here, sir,
and tell me about it.”

In two swift steps the young man was at the officer’s
side.

“Don’t lose a minute,”
he plainly was.

“Lose much?” demanded the policeman.

“A. fortune—and, worst of it all, it belongs to another.
It was confided to my care, a sacted trust. Tt was a small
package, wrapped in oil silk,” continued the young trav-
eler breathlessly, “and worth a fortune to the man to whom
it belongs.”

' “And I helped the thief!” shouted ee springing for-
ward.

implored the passenger, for such

In an instant he comprehended bow he had been used ~

as an innocent tool in a master-stroke of villainy.

“Oh, you helped, eh?” roared the policeman, collaring. our
hero. “Then we'll hold onto you.”

“What’s the matter with the lad?” hailed Captain Mor-

MAIN

LIBRARY.

gan, from the tramp steamer, and he and the vessel’s cap-
tain hurriedly joined the group on the wharf. .
“What's wrong, Mr. Poole?’ queried the steamer’s cap-_

- tain.

Hurriedly the young passenger explained, adding:

“I know I had the package when we were at anchorage
this morning. I took a nap afterward. It must have been.
stolen while I slept. I just discovered its loss.”

“But what did my deck-hand have to do with it?” de- ©
manded Captain Morgan.

Dolph hurriedly detailed his share in the matter, and ex-
hibited the ten-dollar bill.

“You'll come along to the station-house,”
policeman.

“But the boy did nothing | criminal, ” protested Captain
Morgan.

“If my captain believes that, he’ll let the boy go,” replied.
the bluecoat., “Captain,” to the master of the West-India-
man, “round up every man on your ship, keep ’em on deck,
and don’t let one of ’em on shore until the detectives come.”

“Too bad,” said Morgan, as our hero was led away. .

Accompanied by Richard Poole, the young man who had
been robbed, the policeman led Dexter to the police-station.

Dolph was kept waiting at the desk while Poole held a
long consultation with the captain in the latter’s office.

Then Dolph was called in.

“Now,” commanded the police captain, “talk up.”

Dexter repated the story, just as it had happened, and
once more displayed the ten- dollar bill.

“Some one on the ship,” said the captain, “robbed you,
Mr. Poole, and passed the package over to the tug’s male
passenger as the two craft lay alongside. Dexter, did you
see the man who passed the stolen goods from the tramp
steamer ?”

“I saw nothing,” replied Dolph,
and saw the package in the water.”

“Any one hanging over the ship’s rail at ‘the time.”

“T saw. no one.’

“Mr.. Poole,” continued the police captain, “do you wish
me to hold this boy as a possible accessory?”

Dolph paled and looked appealingly at the young trav-
eler.

“No,” declared Poole, promptly and generously. “I think
he’s told the truth. He doesn’t look liké a sneak, and he
wouldn’t have spoken at all if he hadn’t been honest.”

“H’m!” said the Pe captdih.. “Mr. Poole, I can’t offer
you much hope: Vl do all J ean. Both of you leave 1008
addresses, and [ll get to work at once.’ Mey

Purer than ever tasted the fresh air, brighter than ever ~
seemed the sunshine, when Dolph descended the station-
house steps after his narrow escape from arrest.

“IT owe you a heap of thanks,” he protested to Poole
“Your generosity and faith haye made me your friend. I
wish I could help ee

“Perhaps you can,” replied the young traveler dejectedly.
“I don’t want to lose sight of you, anyway. If the police
catch that rascally thief, I’ll need you as a witness. Say, —
Dexter, won’t you agree to call on me to-night at the Con- »
tinental Hotel ?”

“Yes, Iwill,” answered Dolph promptly.
telling me what was in that Pe oe

“T can’t,” negatived Poole, “until I first speak ta the man —
who owns it. But don’t for get to- night.”

"Depetid on me: 1 won't.”

Th adaed Poole, “you ever get information that leads

grunted the

until I heard the splash

“Do you mind

‘to the recovery of the package, a reward bigeer oy you

dream of will be yours.’

They shook hands and then parted, Poole hurrying back
to the ship, while Dolph went to the nearest ae station
and caught a train down-town.

Forty-second Street was. the first station at which the
train stopped. :

 
1

MIGHT AND

Dolph, looking through the window, glanced carelessly at
a train that had just stopped on the up-town side.

A second later he.started as if electrified.

On the platform of the car opposite was a man in the
act of leaving the train.

“Our passenger—the thief!” gasped Dolph, in
recognition.

At the heels of the tall man was a second.

“The swarthy chap who tried to stab me last night!”
thrilled Dolph.

He was on his feet by this time, dashing through the car,
heedless of the passengers in his way.

Gaining the platform, he forced open the gate, just as
the guard was closing it, and darted down into the street.

He was in time to see the two dark-skinned men reach
the foot of the stairs opposite.

Dodging behind one of the iron columns of the ‘“L”
structure, our hero stared with absorbed gaze.

Instantly the pair he was watching were joined by a thie
man, a handsome, foppish, mahogany-hued, devil-may-care-
looking fellow of thirty.

For a few moments the trio stood in eager, subdued con-
' versation.

Then, wheeling swiftly about, they started up the avenue.

Across the street darted Dolph, and kept on after them.

Through a door vanished the three men.

Doiph reached the portal a moment. later,
glanced about him in an agony of uncertainty,

“Not a policeman in sight,” he groaned.

The door stood half-open. Dexter glided into a hallway.
Overhead he heard the footsteps of the ascending men.

Up after them he stole on tip-toe.

At the head of the third flight he heard a door close.
Only a few seconds later he halted on the same landing.

Two doors confronted him, but through one of them came
the sounds of familiar voices.

“Pye caught you!” breathed Dolph jubilantly, all but glue-
ing his eyes to the door in his eagerness to overhear,

, But at that very instant the door was yanked open.

Before Dolph Dexter could recover his wits or his balance
he fell inward.

Gasping, terrified, he found himself at the. fect of the
three men he had followed.:

“Ah!” cried the swarthy man.

“Oh!” ejaculated the tug’s late passenger.
Bang! went the door, closed by the third man, Click!
_ The key was turned, fastening Dolph Dexter in with the trio

he had pursued.
-< *“T recognize him,” snarled the swarthy man.

“and: I “also,” answered the second speaker.

While the third man contented himself with pouncing
upon our hero, dragging him to his feet and gripping his
throat with sinewy fingers.

-Gurgle! Dolph tic to speak, but found utterance pre-
oetad: by the gripping fingers at his throat.

“Who is he?’ demanded the third man, glaring hard at
his colleagues.

“The boy who aided the girl to escape from me last
night,” said the swarthy one.

“The one I told you about,”
passenger; “the deck-hand who jumped overboard and

Here the speaker checked himself, as if he had said more
than he intended to.

By this time our hero was beginning to recover not only
breath, but courage.

“Let me see,’ said the third man, easing still more -his
‘clutch on the boy’s throat. “Boy, you will not attempt to
shout for help if I allow you wind enough to speak?”

(> No, hesitated Dolph.
- “You realize what kind of Sompany, you are in?”
“Tt couldn't be much worse.’
~~ Richt, Try to fool us and your life will pay. for it,

instant

halted, and

supplemented the Bangs’ late

9?

MAIN

LIBRARY. 7

Now’—wholly releasing the boy—‘tell us why you are
here,”’

“My business,’ said Dolph boldly, nodding toward the
tug’s late passenger, “is altogether with this scoundrel.”

“So?” mimicked the tall one.

“You gave me ten dollars this morning

ee did.”

“And I take this first chance to return it,”’
holding out the bank-note. :

“And you are extremely kind,” laughed. the other, taking
the money; “but I advise you to accept it all over again.”

And he held it out invitingly.

“No,” negatived Dexter. “Give me, instead, the packaee
which you “deluded me into helping you steal.”

“But you never gave me one,” denied the tall man coolly.

“You lie, and you know it. Give it back to me, or reckon
with the police.”

“A thousand furies!”’ exclaimed the swarthy one, glancing
apprehensively toward the door.
“Deal with me or direct with the police,’ ordered Dolph.
Whack! bump! Knocked squarely. down by the third man,
who stood behind him, the boy found all three upon him hbe-

fore he could regain his feet.

A handkerchief was thrust into his mouth, a second forced
after it, and’a third was used to tie the others in place.

With precision and despatch his hands and feet were tied.

There he lay, as voiceless and as helpless as a log of wood.

Satisfied with their work, his captors walked a few feet
away to consult in earnest whispers.

A’ good deal of consultation the three men seemed to re-’
quire, and soon their voices rose above the pitch of whis-
pering. .

Listening intently, Dolph failed to comprehend a word.
He knew only that they were talking in some foreign tongue
—Spanish, he surmised.

By listening with more and more patience he was at last
able to catch the names by which these rascals addressed one
another.

The swarthy man, it appeared, was called Nomera, while
he who had been the tugboat's passenger was styled Alcan-
tara.

Rondeva was the name to. which the third man answered,
nor did it require much keenness to discover that he was
looked up to’ as the leader.

Presently, in the heat of their ced Balas Alcantara went.
to a door, threw it open, and revealed a closet.

Alcantara went out, locking the door un taking the key
with him. In a few minutes he returned with a package,
which he unfolded as soon as he had closed and locked the
door.

"A veoil of rope,
mean?”

They did not leave him' long in doubt, for Rondeva lifted -
him to his feet and pushed him toward the closet.

At the doorway Rondeva halted. with his prisoner.

Alcantara busied himself with making a firm knot in one
end of the rope.

Glancing into the closet, our hero saw a strong-looking
hook fastened into the ceiling.

Cold sweat seemed to ooze from every pore of the boy’s
Body.

“Merciful Heaven—not that!” he shuddered.

“Lift him up,” requested Alcantara, after he had fitted the

noose around the boy’s throat.

At the back of the closet ran g@ narrow icine perhaps a
foot and a half from the floor. level.
On this Dolph was placed, standing, his back to the wall.
“Bring me a chair, my dear Nomera,” requested Alcan-
tara, and, standing upon this, he drew the halter all but taut,

making the other. end of the rope fast to the hook.
“There,” smiled Alcantara, jumping down and surveying

his work with a critical eye. “I do not think it could have
been dorie better.”

>

finished Dolph,

9%

uivered Dolph. “Now, what can it
q Pp

 
8 MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

Dolph strove desperately to use the only language left to
him—his eyes.

“You feared that we were about to hang you,” smiled Al-
cantara softly. “Is it not so, my young friend? But observe
—we do nothing so vicious as that. We merely tie you up
as a small matter of precaution. It is necessary that we do
so much, but we are not cruel enough.to go beyond that.
Have a care, though, that you do not struggle, and so slip
. off the ledge. If you do you will have the extreme misfor-
tune to hang yourself.”

Finishing which, the fellow whom Dolph had risked his
life to serve shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

Now the trio stood together out in the room and held an-
other consultation. Through the open door our hero caught
many glimpses of them.

To move his hands and feet he dared not try. His footing
on the ledge was precarious enough.

“Good-by,” said. Alcantara at last, with a nod toward the
closet.

“And I also take leave of you,” added Rondeva.

They moved toward the door of the apartment, which was
just beyond the boy’s range of vision.

Nomera locked the door as soon as they had passed
through it, secured the bolt, and then walked slowly back to
the closet.

“You are curious, perhaps,’ suggested the swarthy man,
lighting a cigar and looking calmly at the boy. “You would
like me to talk with you, perhaps—to inform you. But—
bah! I can better amuse myself.”

Seating himself on a chair, within full view of the agonized
ree Nomera drew a book from his pocket and began to
read.

How fast the time was speeding terrified, tortured Dolph
could no more than guess. Yet he was certain that some
hours passed by, for Nomera smoked, certainly, nearly a
dozen cigars.

And all the while the solitary occupant of the room itself

read on or paced the apartment by turns, sending an indif-

ferent glance at the boy only now and then.

Frequently, too, the swarthy one consulted the handsome
gold watch which he carried.

“Ah, the time is up,’ said Nomera
the boy.

He came over, stood at the door a moment or two, and
then, as if fearful of weakening, abruptly banged the closet
door shut.

at last, looking at

CHAPTER III.
A STARTLING TOW.

After the last sound of Nomera’s hurrying footsteps had
died away in the distance Dolph Dexter lost all track of
time. :

Between fevered appeals to Heaven and frantic efforts to
retain his equilibrium, and with life itself as the prize for’
these efforts, it was not strange that the flight of time was
too great a problem.

At the height of this torture there came to the boy’s ears

the strains of sweetest music.

Music? Only such notes as are produced by the jingling
together of a bunch of keys,

Dolph listened acutely. Was it real, or only a delusion,
that one of the keys was ®eing fitted into the door that led
from the hall into the apartments?

No, not a delusion, thank Heaven, for the door, a dozen
_ feet away, swung open and more than one person entered
the room.

“As fine a suite of rooms as you can find anywhere for
the money. Furnished, and very complete, too, sir, though
perhaps the lady has some little bits of furniture of her own
that she would like to move in here:” oe

It was an agent or a janitor showing the rooms to pros-
pective tenants.

A great flush of hope, followed by a dash of despair, seized _
upon our hero. :

“The rooms are occupied just now by a foreign gent,”
went on the exhibitor of the apartments. “He expects to
give the rooms up soon—perhaps to-morrow. In three days
at the most.”

“What sort of closets?” chimed in a woman’s voice.

“Fine, large closets, ma’am—just the kind to delight a
lady’s heart. See this big front one, for instatice.”

A hand was laid upon the knob of the. door.

What would not Dolph Dexter have given for the power
to utter one cry?

“Too bad, ma’am,” continued the same voice. “The closet
is locked. Probably the gent has some of his belongings
locked up.”

- “Tt may be,” chimed in a third person’s laughing voice—
a man’s—‘‘that the present tenant has his family skeleton
safely boxed up in there.” oe

“Too bad!” cried the woman, in a voice of disappoint-
ment. “I should have liked so much to have seen that
closet. Isn’t there any way?’

“Heaven bless you!” murmured Dolph.

“Why, perhaps I can give you a glimpse of the inside,”
replied the exhibitor, running over his bunch of, keys. “If
I’ve got one here that'll fit I don’t believe the foreign gent
would object.”

Dolph thrilled with alternate hope and despair, while
key after key was thrust into the lock and found not to fit.

At last! The seventh or eighth key that was tried shot
back the bolt. ‘

Trembling with excitement, Dolph felt giddy at the first
rush of daylight through the opening door.

In spite of himself, he could no longer keep his balance,
but shot forward, dangling in the air at the end of the
halter.

There sounded a woman’s scream, an exclamation or two
of dismay in men’s voices, and then the door was swiftly
banged to.

“We won’t open that door again until we’ve got the police
here,” sounded the voice of the man who had been showing
the rooms. “It’s a case. for them, and we don’t want even
to look at that—that “4

“Hold on,” interrupted the man who was with the woman.
“Perhaps that poor wretch is not quite dead.”

He pulled the door open. Losing not a second in investi-
gation, he took a knife from his pocket, opened one of the
blades, and with two swift slashes cut down the still vi- “>
brating body.

“There’s been an attempt at murder!” gasped the man,
as he laid the body upon the floor and bent over it. “No
suicide could tie himself up in this fashion. The body is
still warm, and’”—slash !—‘there’s a’—slash!—‘“chance to’
—slash!—‘“pull this unfortunate around yet.” ;

“Right!” gasped Dolph joyously, the instant the gag was
pulled out of his mouth. :

Then his brain reeled: He felt as if fainting, and might
have done so had not the gentleman bending over him
thrust a flask between his lips and poured a draft of brandy
down his throat. :

“Thank you,’ murmured the boy gratefully. -““You are!
prompt; you saved my life.” ae

“Can you sit up?’ asked the gentleman, helping him to
his feet. -

In wondering silence the janitor and the woman came
close to him.

“When you get your first wind back,” smiled the first
questioner, “you can give us some idea how it all hap-
pened.”

“There was an attempt to murder me,” gasped Dolph,
slowly and painfully. “‘But I must go to the police-station
and tell the captain. He understands all about it.”

3

x

 
MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY. ! 9

Clutching at the back of the chair, he tried to get upon
his feet. But he was still too weak, and his legs threat-
ened to give way under him.

“Janitor,” said the man of prompt action, “this boy won't
be fit’ to stir for some time. You hurry out and come
back with the nearest policeman.”

Like a shot, the janitor was off, but in less than two
minutes he was back again, and after him up-stairs came
the rush of many heavy feet.

“Here they are,” gasped the excited janitor; “the whole

TOrCe. ’

Policemen enough there were, certainly—the captain, two
officers in uniform, and’ a man in plain clothes.

“The deuce!” muttered the astonished captain.
turned up again in mighty short order, Dexter.”

“But you'll be glad to hear what I’ve got to tell you,”
smiled the boy:

Nor was he mistaken in this prediction, for the police
captain, after leading our hero into another room, where
the man in plain clothes was the only other auditor, heard
eagerly all that Dolph had to tell him.

Then followed many questions from the captain and the
man in plain clothes, all of which Dolph answered as fully
as he could.

The lady and the gentleman were also questioned by the
police captain and the man in plain clothes, and were also
“put under a pledge of secrecy.

“For,” remarked the captain grimly, “if that chap Ron-
deva and his cronies do come back they’ll find some folks
waiting for them.”

Dolph took the first opportunity to again thank his res-
cuers.

“Dexter,” grinned the police captain,.“if you want some
good advice, it is to get back to your boat as quickly as
you can. A youngster born under as adventurous a star
as yours appears to be isn’t so safe anywhere as when he’s
tied down to work.”

Dolph was decidedly of the same mind, and soon alter
was speeding down-town on an “L” train bound for the
Battery. é

‘There was a tugboat at the pier, but it was not the
Bangs. 8

“Tt’s a case of wait,” sighed the boy, but at that moment
he recognized a man aboard the tug. It was Mate Osmond,
while, amidship, the engineer stepped into view.

“Hey, Dexter!” hailed a voice a few feet away, and
Dolph, turning, saw Captain Morgan.

“4 was looking for your boat, sir,’ explained our hero,

“Vou've

i\4 “hastening to his commander.

“She’s at the bottom of the river,’ rejoined. Morgan.
“We were coming down-stream when a ferry-boat, op-
posite Franklin Street slip, ran into us.. The Bangs sank

and the wreckers are now trying to raise her. So myself
and the crew were transferred to the Elsie, another boat
‘in the company’s bunch. But you've been a long time, Dex-
ter, getting down-town.”’

“Ts been an adventurous day for me, too,” retorted
‘Dolph. “I ran across our passenger.”

“The deuce!” ejaculated Morgan, full of curiosity.
I’ve got a job of towing.
under way.”

The craft to be towed was a barkantine, waiting to put
out to sea.

A few minutes later the Elsie, with the barkantine at the
other end of her stern hawser, was headed down the harbor.

How delightful it felt to have the free, salt breeze blow-
ing about him again! Dolph, as he stood on the top of the
deck-house spinning his extraordinary yarn to Captain Mor-
gan, felt almost as if his late terrible experience was but
the memory of a bad dream.

It was nearing darkness when the Elsie parted with her

Bat
You can tell me when we’re

; ~~ tow in the Lower. Bay.

“Last job of the day, I guess,” pronounced Morgan cheer-
fully, as the tugboat veered around and headed for the city.

Dolph and the mate were: sitting in the little galley at
supper when our hero, looking through the window, saw.
that the Elsie was steaming close up under the quarter of
a large and handsome steam-yacht.

The yacht lay at anchor some distance from Staten Island.
Her captain shouted to Captain Morgan that he hadn’t his
own steam up, but wanted to put out to sea, Then followed
the usual dickering for the price of the tow.

Siiddenly Dolph Dexter darted out of the galley, putting
the deck-house between himself and the yacht. :

His hat was pulled well down over his face as he darted
into the wheel-house. ;

Down upon the floor he sank, just as Captain Morgan
had closed the bargain for towing the yacht out to sea.

“Captain,” he whispered, “don’t look down at me, and
don’t ask me to stand. I don’t want that chap om the yacht
to recognize me, for I know him.”

“Who”? asked Morgan, in astonishment, looking down at
Dolph.

“The fellow on the yacht’s quarter-deck—the one you've
been talking with. He’s——”

“Who pee

“Rondeva !”

“T suppose you’re in a hurry?” shouted the yacht’s cap-
tain, “so we'll hurry with hoisting anchor.”

“T’ve got plenty of time, sir, if you have,” called Morgan.

Looking down at our hero, he added, in an undertone:

“Who do you say that is?” 4

“Rondeva,” declared Dolph unhesitatingly.

Captain Morgan stroked his chin perplexedly, then leaned
out of the starboard window and called soitly:

“Mr. Osmond.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Come up here and take charge.”

Promptly obeying, the mate was told, in a few words, of
Dolph’s discovery.

“You stay by the wheel and keep.cool,”’ was Morgan’s
order. “I want to take Dexter below and talk this over
with him, If you should get a glimpse at the face of the
passenger we had this morning let me know, and take
precious good care that he doesn’t see your face.”

Dolph and. the captain got below, our hero going first,
that the captain’s broad body might shield him from chance
recognition by any one aboard the yacht.

Into the galley both went, after Morgan had extinguished
the light there.

“Now, lad,” began Morgan perplexedly.

“T don’t: know what to do about this. If we were up off
New York I could get word to a police boat. Down here
there’s very little chance of our meeting such a erat,

“Tf Rondeva commands the yacht,” muttered Dolph, “it
seems pretty certain that Alcantara and Nomera are aboard,
too. If they are, then it ought to be equally certain that
they have with them the package that was stolen from Mr.
Poole his morning.”

“T’m not a policeman,” said the captain. “T can’t arrest
those fellows. I can’t go aboard and search either the yacht
or those: aboard her. I can’t even delay, for if they're
really rascals, and in such a hurry to get away, they’d take
alarm at the first real signs of slowness on my part. ‘If that
chap Alcantara recognizes me as the captain he sailed with
this morning, or recognizes the mate or any’ of the crew,
the whole crowd will be on the alert at once. Se I’m going
to tow the yacht out and keep my eyes open. You. stay
in here, Dexter, and don’t-show yourself, for Rondeva, too,
knows you.”

So Dolph remained in the galley. He heard the yacht’s
anchor-cable coming slowly up; he knew when the Else's
stern hawser was made fast to the tow, and at last realized
that the tug was going ahead.

Several craft were passing, at greater or lesser distances.

e

 
10 | MIGHT

In a few minutes more the tug would drop her tow, which
would then proceed swiftly out t6 sea.
a. tong blast, followed by several

sounded from the Elsze’s whistle.

Dolph started. What did it mean?
wholly unlike those usually employed.

Ahead there came an apparently answering blast.

Captain Morgan’s red face showed at the galley door.

“Police boat ahead,’ he muttered excitedly. “I knew. her
by her lights. 1 sounded a signal out of the usual, but her
officers under stood and answered. She’s headed straight for
us «llow.’

Tat be all right, then?”

VE dent: know,”
“trom the yacht.”

He walked rapidly aft.
Rondeva, making a speaking-trumpet of his hands.

“What is that steamer you signaled that is bearing down
on us now?’ asked the yacht’s master suspiciously.

“One of the health boats, sir. They'll want to see your
health papers.”

“But I have already a clean bill from the health office,”’
Rondeva called back.

“Of course; but this is a new port regulation which re-
quires a final examination.”

“That's strange,’ growled Rondeva.

Walking slowly forward, Captain Morgan again stood
in the galley’s doorway.

“Dexter,” when the police launch comes alongside I want
you tg be prepared to bundle aboard of her without being
seen from the craft astern. Hustle into the cabin and tell
your story to the officer in charge.”
eo Wes. Sit.”

Nearer and nearer glided the lights of the approaching
launch.

Dolph watched, with a return of his trembling eagerness,
the swift craft describe a sweep and come alongside the tug.

“Now,” muttered Captain Morgan,.and Dolph sprang into
the. launch.

“Sergeant,” vouched Morgan, in.a low tone, “this boy’s
got a queer yarn to spin about tie eraft astern of us, but
it’s about straight.’

“Come into the cabin, ana
_harbor police, and Dolph obeyed.

There, as swiftly as he could, Dolph told his tale in brief,
In two minutes the sergeant was as interested and eager as
the boy himself. In three minutes the official’s mind was
made up.

“Tl board the craft,” he declared. ‘“‘Now, youngster, you
must go ahead with me, and point out the men.”

“And they'll recognize me instantly l

“No matter; you'll be under the protection of the police.”

“Vm not afraid for myself,” declared our hero stoutly.
“But the moment Rondeva sees me he'll give the alarm.
There'll be time to hide the stolen package.”

‘Thats so,”. pondered’ Sergeant Rollins, | Hold on: VU
fix you. Here you are, a uniform cap and coat, such as ‘my
men wear... It’s dark. Go aboard, but keep in the back-
ground until I call you. Then step forward and point out
the men. They'll think you’re one of my men. Under-
stand ?”
_ “Do 1?” throbbed Dolph, fairly diving into the coat and

an, . Byery word. :

“Then we’re ready,” pronounced the sergeant.

Stepping forward, Rollins gave a low-toned order to the
policeman at the wheel.

Veering around, the launch steamed back alongside of the
yacht. Dolph’ noticed for the first time that Captain Mor-
gan was one of the police party.

Captain Rondeva stood at the rail of his craft.

_ “Health officers?” he called.
“We're coming aboard,” hailed Rollins evasively,

@

short, sharp Gries,

If a signal, it was

asked Dolph.
replied Morgan. “Ah, there’s

a hail

ordered.the sergeant of

and

‘In the bow of the yacht stood’

as MOATN LIBRARY:

Q
clambered up the: yacht’s side gangway followed a the
two policemen, Captain Morgan, ‘and. our hero,
“Health papers?” questioned Rondeva, holding out an en--
velope. “Here they are.’
“Call all. hands on deck,’ returned Rollins.
A whistle sounded shrilly, and the deck and engineer
crew, fourteen men in all, tumbled up.
Up the companionway came two men on whom Dolph in-
stantly centered his gaze. As they came forward our hero
was sure he recognized them
“Well?” muttered the sergeant questioningly.
At the signal Dolph Dexter sprang forward, eyeing an
accusing finger at Alcantara.
“There is the thief!” he shouted.
“Aye,” corroborated Morgan’s deep bass.
Alcantara, thus surprised, turned white with rage and
dismay.
Two harbor policemen sprang forward to seize him.
There was only a moment to spare, but Alcantara profited
by it.
One of his hands flew inside his coat, but reappeared,
clutching the oilskin-covered package.
Poising it, he swiftly fai it overboard.

CHAPTER IV.
“BULL STEAM FORWARD.”

As Alcantara’s arm descended it was caught by one of
the policemen.

“You are under arrest,’ said the bluecoat.

“Very well,” retorted Alcantara sullenly.

“But this is an-outrage,” cried Rondeva.

He spoke uselessly. “The sergeant, hardly heeding him,
sprang after. Dolph Dexter to the rail.

' Captain Morgan was there, too, peering down into the
water. :

“Evans, ” shouted the sergeant to one of his men in the
launch, “move alongside and see if you can fing a package
that was thrown overboard.”

Lights were turned on the water and the surface thor-
oughly explored, but no trace of the package was discovered.

“Well,” demanded Rondeva, “are you through with us?”

WY OUP Damier yu

“Rondeva, at your service.” |

“And. your name?’ Gee Rollins, turning to the.
third.

“Nomera.”

“You are all under arrest,” declared Rollins.

“Impossible!” raged Rondeva. “On what charge?”

“This boy, Dexter, accuses you three of attemptinz to
murder him.”

“Absurd! His proof?”

“Oh, that’s no concern of mine,” retorted Sergeant Rollins,
shrugging his shoulders. “I deal with accusations. It is
for the judges to consider the proofs.” Cs

NVhite-faced and angry, Rondeva and his companions ex-
postulated. Yet they wasted their breath:

“I shall take you three aboard my launch, ” vouchsafed
the sergeant.

For an instant Rondeva turned as if to call his crew to
the rescue.

Suddenly he changed his mind, and, bowing, ‘stiffly, said:

We submit ; but first permit me to give my orders to
my mate.”

“Certainly.”

Calling a powerful- looking mulatto to his side, Rondeva
conversed earnestly with him for a few moments.

“Now, I am ready,’ said Rondeva, returning.
Morgan, I must ask you to tow the yacht back to her
anchorage.”

 

“Captain.
MIGHT AND

”

“Very good,’ returned Morgan stiffly.

In silence the three prisoners stepped down the compan-
ionway into the launch, Morgan and our hero following
them,

The latter two were placed aboard the tug.

“Dexter,” said the sergeant at parting, “can I count upon

your being at the Forty- ‘seventh Street police-station before

eight o'clock to-morrow morning?”

OY 6s, sit.

Straight for the city steamed the launch, bearing three as
astonished and sullen prisoners as it had ever carried.

Back to her former anchorage the yacht was towed, and
then the Elsie steamed for her berth:

“Lad,” said Morgan, as they walked along the pier to the
Street, dhere s no. ‘telling what time you can be aboard to-
morrow. If you don't, stop running into adventures you'll
have no time left for business. But, see here, lad, what’s
the matter? Why, your eyes are ii

bi cant keep it back..any longer,’
dancing with delight.

And, putting his mouth close to the captain’s ears, he
whispered:

“I’ve got that package!”

“You? The——”

“Yes; the very package that Alcantara tried to throw
overboard. The wind must have thrown it back somewhat,
for I found it——”

op Where 2.

“In the main-chains. The package was resting there as
snugly as possible when I reached the yacht’s side. i
grabbed it in an instant. and thrust it into my pocket.”

“Why didn’t you tell Sergeant Rollins you’d found it?”

“Then the police would have kept it for evidence, wouldn’t
they ?”

- “Yes, I guess that’s what they’d have done.”

“But now, as they don’t know anything about it, I can
give it direct into Mr. Poole’s hands.”

“And without losing a minute delaying here,” rejoined
Morgan gleefully. “Dexter, you've saved me the disgrace
i tiat | felt for having such a thing happen on my boat. I’d
rather lost fifty dollars any time.”

, “Here’s the package, sir,” said Dolph, taking it from his
pocket and holding it up to his employer’s gaze.

“Shove it back into your pocket, boy. D6n’t take it out
again until you’re ready to deliver it to the right party.
Now, then, do you know where that chap, Poole, is to be
found 2”

“Yes, sir; I promised to meet him to- night at the Conti-
nental Hotel.”
~ “Yhen full-speed forward, this minute,” ordered Morgan
energetically:. “I’m going with you, and I'll keep on the
same side as that blessed pocket of yours until we stand

before Mr. Poole himself.”

' It was late when they reached the hotel, but they sent up
their names to Mr. Poole’s room.

A minute later the visitors went up themselves.

“Come in,” said Dick Poole, from the door of his room,
greeting Dolph with a sorrowful smile. “Ah, you, too, cap-
tain? Come in, sir.’

— Dick placed chairs before them, but Captain Morgan waved
_aside the proffered courtesy.

“We've come to tell you, sir,”
has been found.”

“Found?” exclaimed Poole iceedylously.
telling me?. Found?”

“That's right,” nodded Dolph. “And I’ve got it!”

For a moment Dick Poole stared at the pair, so over-
joyed that speech and motion forsook him altogether.

“You heroic old sea-dog!” the young traveler shouted,
grasping one of Morgan’s hands. ‘Dexter, you biggest
trump in all the pack! Found it, you say? Then you’re
-ready to fall into the biggest reward. But let me have it.
In Heaven’s name, don’t keep me waiting!”

cried Dolph, his eyes

he cried, “that the package

MAIN

“What are you.

LIBR ARY. Il

And Poe breaking free, fairly danced in happy expecta-
tion.

Smiling, our hero plunged one hand into his pocket.

As suddenly the smile vanished.

His lips, instantly becoming white and bloodless, fad
the one despairing word:

One!

“Gone?” cried Dick Poole, in a daze of despair.

“Gone?” echoed Captain Morgan, looking utterly stupe-
fied.

vadissing | Lostl” declared: Dexter, "See; it was in my
inside coat pocket, and there’s nothing there.”

“It was stolen, then,’ gasped Poole. “The cunning and
daring of our enemies know no limits.”

“But how could the package have been stolen?’ demanded
Morgan, mopping the perspiration from his face. “I walked
at the lad’s right hand all the way up here. In the cars
I sat at his right side. In all that time I don’t believe I
took my eyes off him once.. There was no stranger near
enough to him to take it from him.”

Tap! tap! sounded a knock at the door. -
the room, admitted an elderly gentleman.

“Any news, Poole—any news?” demanded the newcomer
at once.

He was shaking from head to foot, this old gentleman,
and his voice was querulous and wavering, as with one who
is breaking down under excitement.

“Bad news, sir, or, rather, more of it,”
dejectedly.

“Let’s have it, my boy; let’s have it,” implored the new-
comer. “Surely, after what’s happened to- “day I can stand
the worst.”

“The package has been found, sir, only to be lost again.”

“Eh? Do you tell me that?” cried the old man, shaking
more pitifully than before. “Are you telling me the truth,
Poole t’

“T’m sorry to say I am, sir.”

Plump into a chair fell the old gentleman, hiding his face
in his hands.

“Ruined! ruined! ruined!” he moaned.

Captain Morgan, full of rough compassion, turned and
stared hard at a picture on the wall, while Poole stood be-
side his aged friend, gently resting a hand on his shoulder.

“Tell me what has happened,” groaned the old man.

“Well, you see, sir,” began Poole, “this young man, Dex-
ter——”

The old man glanced up to look at Dolph. At that instant
the other two also turned quickly to look at the boy.

For Dolph was suddenly acting in a most extraordinary |
manner.

“Gracious!” he cried, yanking off his coat like lightning.

“I believe——” he began, handling the garment with a
nervousness equal to the last-comer’s.

“Yes, sir-ree!” he shouted, beginning to tear at the lining
of his coat.

‘With a quick gesture he held up before their eyes the
package that had caused all the trouble.

“Found!” roared Dick Poole, in a voice that was a cheer
in itself. ‘

“Full speed—dead ahead!” bellowed Captain Morgan, and
suited the action to the word by bounding upon our hero
and throwing his arms about the boy.

Not a word did the old man mutter, but, with a face
radiant with new hope, sprang forward and snatched the ~
package out of Dolph Dexter’s hands.

Bearing it to the table, he controlled his fluttering fingers
sufficiently to unfold the package.

There was a rustling of paper, and the onlookers saw
him unfold a piece of stiff paper two feet long by i
inches wide.

“Tt’s all right—it’s all right!” cried the old man, im a
voice choked with happiness. “Oh, God bless you all!’

Sinking into a chair, the speaker again grabbed the paper,

Poole, crossing

answered Poole

 
12 : MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

spread it across his knees, and the onlookers saw that it
was a roughly drawn map.

“Boy, cried the old man,

“Dolph Dexter,”

“And [ am Abner Patterson, your debtor in gratitude,”
was the reply. “And you, sit! p?

“Captain Zenas Morgan.”

“Now, let me hear, please, the whole story of this price-
less recovery.”

Not without embarrassment Dolph, and the captain told
the whole story of the yacht.

“Mr. Patterson listened eagerly.

“I had nothing in particular to do with it,” finished Mor-
gan modestly, “You see, your thanks are altogether due to
this lad.”

“And I do thank him,” exclaimed Mr. Patterson warmly.
“More, I shall reward. Lad, there will be one thousand
dollars waiting for you, if you call here to-morrow morn-
ing. 39

“A thousand dollars!” repeated Dolph eagerly. His eyes
sparkled with anticipation. What a fortune it was, and how
easily earned!

Too easily earned! The thought made him waver. This
excitable, broken-down old man before him did not have
a look of great prosperity.

“Thank you, thank you,” cried Dexter, speaking with an
effort, it must be confessed. “I can’t take the money—
haven’t earned it—don’t want it.”

“Haven't earned it?” iterated Mr. Patterson tremulously.
“Nonsense! Don’t want it? Double nonsense! Show me
any human being who doesn’t want money!”

But Dolph, not trusting bimselt to speech,
head stubbornly.

“Captain,’”’ appealed the old man, “you must persuade your
young friend to take the reward I offer him.”

“I won't do it, sir,” refused Morgan stoutly, laying an
affectionate hand on our hero’s shoulder. “T’m proud of
him that he’s manly enough not to take it. We steamboat
fellows are a rough, salt-water lot, but, thank Heaven, we’ve
got decency enough to give the tow-line of help to a human
craft in distress without taking a month’s rate for an hour’s
work. Thank you, lad, for holding up the honor of the
crowd.”

“But ” interposed Abner: Patterson.

“If it’s any thing more about the reward,” interjected Cap-
tain Morgan, “we're going to steam off under forced draft.”

“Wait! wait!’ begged Mr. Patterson, getting between
them and the door, and looking at them with moist eyes.
 ornce you wont take my money, you can’t refuse my
thanks.”

“No—o,” admitted Morgan slowly, permitting himself to
be urged into a seat. “I guess thanks are legal tender for
the job Dexter did for you.”

“You will be curious to know,” resumed Mr. Patterson,
more steadily, “why it is that the possession of this map
makes me so happy. I can trust you two, and I am going
to tell you something of the story. Captain, have you ever
been to Haiti?”

“Only once,” replied Morgan. “That was years ago, when
IT was mate of an ocean-going tug.”

“Did you ever meet Francisco “Alvarez Correro?”’

“Never heard of the greaser,’ answered Morgan.
he live there ?”’

“In the San Domingo end of the island,’ replied the old
man. “Ah, he is a demon—a monster who must have made
a bargain with the devil, for no mere mortal ever possessed
the fiendish ingenuity of Correro.”

“Brigand?”’ put in the captain interrogatively.

A thousand times worse and more dangerous!” cried the
old man. “Correro was a peon—a peasant. . Before reach-
ing the age of twenty he murdered his employer, robbing
the body of several thousand dollars. That was the start

of his evil wealth. He surrounded himself with bravos.

“what is your name?”

shook his

“Does

Had. the government wished, it would not have dared to

punish him.

“Crimes almost endless in number Correto has committed.
His wealth grew with giant bounds. He is the richest man
in San Domingo—the owner of a score of plantations, a
banker, and a merchant, and a man of such widespread,
secret power that he could overthrow any government of the
little republic that dared to oppose him.

“Twenty-five years ago I went to San Domingo. ‘T be-
lieved I could make my forttine there. After a while I
began to prosper fairly well. Three other Americans and
myself heard tales of opals that were to be found high up
in the mountains of the Sierra de Monte Cristi, We spent

several months in the search and made at last a marvelous -

strike in those beautiful, fiery, treacherous gems.
“We were rich. We toiled hard but secretly for months,

hoarding away the beautiful gems that became ours. To

none did we trust our secret, for had it become known we
would have been despoiled and murdered.

“At last we needed money. I had some at Puerto Plata,
deposited in one of the banks of that scoundrel Correro. I
made the journey to Puerto Plata, drew the money, and
made haste to get back into the mountains.

“Correro saw me. I know not what devil’s instinct en-
abled him to even guess at our secret; but, all unsuspected
by myself, agents of his followed me back. As to the money
I carried, | had no fear of brigands, for it is due to Cer-
rero to say that no customer of his can be robbed with im-
punity anywhere in San Domingo.

“But our secret was out.
rero he coveted our gems; he ordered our assassination.

“Some inkling of the truth reached us. Hastily we moved
our hoard to a cave miles from the scene of. our operations.
It was a small cave, which could be reached only by the
most devious route. The last of the opals had been trans-
ferred before Correro’s agents knew that we had taken
alarm.

“We were holding council at our diggings,
bushed assassins fired. My three comrades fell dead. How
I escaped I do not know, but I made my way over into
Haiti, and thence escaped to the United States, where I
rejoined my wife and baby son, whom I had sent out of
the island before I started on that fatal quest for opals.

“Yet, while Iwas still fleeing through the Sierra de Monte
Cristi, I was once-so hotly pressed by Correro’s men that
I hid the map in the hollow trunk of.a tree, for 1 was de-
termined that if the assassins killed me they should not
have the joy of finding the map on my body.

“Correro has never profited by the crime [ have related to... ,

you. Our opal diggings were exhausted. He has never
found the mine, though I believe he has been tireless 1 in the
effort to do so.

“Yet my return to San Domingo was impossible, for Cor-
rero trumped up charges that I had been guilty of political
intrigue. Absurd as these charges were, | was tried in my

absence, convicted, and the sentence to be shot still hangs —

over my head. Not an hour of life would be left to me if
I were recognized on San Domingo ‘soil.

“My son Guy grew up to manhood: before I told him the
story of the unlucky hidden opals. The curse of those gems
of ill 6men seized upon him.
Domingo. He resembled his mother, not me, and there was
little danger of his being recognized there as my son.

“Finally I consented to let Guy go to San Domingo, on
his promise that he would instantly, upon recovering the
map, return to New York without seeking the opals.

“Guy found the map, for I was able to describe exactly
the location of the tree. He escaped into Haiti and reached
Port-au-Prince. He engaged passage on a freight-steamer.
bound for New York. An hour before the time of sailing
he was arrested at Correro’s instigation. How that scoundrel

got on the track of my son passes my comprehension, At iS)

only another proof of the satanic ingenuity of the man:

¢

When the news reached Cor--_

when am-_

He insisted upon going to San

 
MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY, 13

“In the nick of time Guy saw the soldiers approaching.
Guessing the meaning, he turned to Richard Poole, the ac¢-
quaintance of an hour. How my poor boy knew that he
could trust his new friend I catinot say, but he did trust
him, as one true American should trust another. He gave
the map to Poole, confided in his honor, and then met the
soldiers.

“Off to a prison he was dragged and there most brutally
searched. Poole, too, might have been arrested, but there
was not fime to trump up charges against him before the
steamer sailed.

“Yet there was time to put a spy of Correro’s aboard the
ship, and Correro’s fast yacht sailed for this port, bearing
Rondeva, Alcantara, and Nomera, three clever agents of
that man-deyil, Cortero. How nearly they succeeded, my
friends, you all know.” :

“But,” interrupted Captain Morgan thoughtfully, “is it
not probable they, have already copied the map while it was
in their possession ?”

“They have not,” cried Abner Patterson gleefully. “They
did not open the map, for if they had they must have seen
and destroyed this penciled note which my son slipped inside
the package at the last moment.” »

With a ring of pride in his voice, Mr. Patterson read:

“Don’t be worried; dad. This is one of Correro’s moves:
but Haiti is not San Domingo, and there’s an American
_ consul here.’ ”

~ Tien,” persisted Captain Morgan, “how did those three
scoundrels know that the oilskin enclosed the map?”

“Trust Correro never to thake a blind hunt,” replied Abner
Patterson, as he saw our hero and the captain to the door.

“I shall see you again, my friends,” was the old man’s
parting message. “God bless you, and may you have seen
the last of all who serve Francisco Alvarez Correro!”

Apparently this wish was to be realized, for the next
morning it was found that the ‘San Domingo trio had been
admitted to bail during the night, on the surety of one of
their fellow countrymen.

They had disappeared, and the yacht, too, had vanished
from its moorings. —

CHAPTER: V:

ABLAZE IN THE NARROWS.
“utard aportl”

Ubaardsapert: it ig, sir]

Ceready..!
y * Steady itis, sir,”’

Captain Morgan, puffing at a very long and vety black
cigar, leaned out of the pilot-house window.
- Dolph Dexter, keen-eyed and delighted, stood at the tug’s

wheel taking another lesson in steering.

When the boat's: nose swung around, obedient to his
_touch, the boy’s being thrilled with a sensation of pride.
He was living, and here was mastery. His hands controlled
the course of the boat, and with the boat the two SCOWS,
betweett which the Silas Bangs was tightly lashed, swing
atthe same time.

_ “You ate improving, Dexter,” nodded Captain Morgan
approvingly. “You*steer like an old quartermaster already.
Starboard !”

Petavboard it is,’ sir,” : :

“In fact,” continued the captain, removing his cigar and
blowing out a cloud of smoke, “‘you are the best green hand
u ever had aboatd a boat.”

Dolph’s face showed his pleasure at this praise, though
he said nothing.

“To tell the truth,” pursued the captain, “I can’t call you
a green hand any longer. You are mighty near fit to be
mate. It all comes, lad, of going into a calling you’ve a
liking for. Starboard.”

“Starboard it is, sir.’’

“Steady !”

“Steady it is, sir.”

Two weeks had passed since their visit to old Abner Pat-
terson and Dick Poole.

In that time our friends had not seen éither. The Bangs,
raised and once more in commission after her accident, had
gone on her usual way of towing every craft that needed it,
and Dolph, who thoroughly enjoyed this life of steamboating,
had gone on feeling more in love With the calling he had
chosen.

With a great deal of success, too, for Captain Morgan,
who, aboard his boat, was not overgiven to praise, had more
than once commended the boy, and had taught him in mat-
ters which most deck-hands are compelled to “pick up” for
themselves, when they take enough interest, indeed, to pick
up anything besides hawsers.

' It was still early in the morning, and the Bangs and her
two barges were bound down the Jersey coast.

“Do you know where you are, Dexter?” questioned the
captain, looking musingly down at the water.

“Yes, sir; in the Narrows, between Forts Hamilton and
Wadsworth.”

“But do you know what is in the water underneath us?”

“Not particularly, sir.’”’

“Dynamite,” responded the captain.. “There are several
chains of cables and bombs on the bottom of the Narrows,
stretching from fort to fort. This isn’t a favorite spot for
anchoring on a dark night. There’s dynamite enough under
us now, boy, to blow up all the navies in the world. It’s
the way, Uncle Sam has taken to keep hostile war-ships out
of Upper New York Bay.”

“And only a spark would be needed to set off any one of
those bombs ?”

“Qnly the touch of a finger on a button,” smiled the cap-
tain. “That would send the electric fluid flashing along a
cable, and the next instant the biggest, most powerful war-
ship ever built would be headed for the bottom. Port your
wheel !”

PONE te isp 61.7’

“And. steady !”

‘Steady it is, gir.”

Both were facing dead ahead, now. Had either one
looked astern, he might have seen a stranger emerge from -
the cabin on the barge on the Staten Island side,

He was rather undersized, this fellow, yet with powerftl-
looking shoulders that bespoke unusual strength. As to
color, he was so dark that it might have been difficult to
say whether he was of creole ot negro blood.

Barefooted and roughly dressed, he might have been taken
for a scow-hand, but there was no crew aboard either of
the barges.

A cautious survey of the tug this individual took, then
glided across the scow, let himself over the side, and dis-
appeared under the surface of the water.

still, had any one been looking at him, this observer might
have suspected that the stranger was trying to commit sui-
cide, fof some moments went by and’the dark head did
not reappear. : ‘)

Ah! At last, there he was, only his head visible, more
than a hundred yards away from the scow, and striking out
vigorously but silently for the Staten Island shore.

He was so far away in a few moments that his bobbing
head was hardly visible.

Meanwhile, the tug had passed through the Narrows.

Captain Morgan pointed out the extremity of Sandy Hook, -
and added: a

“There’s your course, lad—about a point and a half off the
end of the Hook.” .

“A point and a half it is, sir.’

“And now, let me see how well you can do without more
orders just yet.”

Saying which, the captain stepped into the little room

 
14 | : MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

just aft of the pilot-house, stretched himself upon one of the
cushioned seats, and gave himself up to smoke and reverie.

Fifteen minutes later he stood up, stretched himself, and
took a look ahead.

“You're keeping her right to her course, lad,’’ he com-
mented. “The needle of a compass couldn’t point straighter
than you're holding the old Bangs.”

“Thank you, sir,” acknowledged Dolph, without turning
his head, so intent was he on the course.

“By the way, Dexter, you haven’t heard anything more,
have you, from old Patterson and that young man, Poole?”

“Nota word, sit?’ :

“No more have I. Can’t say I’m sorry, either. Nice
enough folks—no doubt about that—but the way we got
mixed up in their affairs in one day, I thought we’d run
- afoul of a hoodoo. I'd really like to know, though, if old
Patterson’ s boy got safely out of that scrape down. at aN
au- Prince.”

“So would I, sir,” replied Dolph. “Some evening, soon,
when I’m ashore, I’m going around to the hotel, pay my
respects, and find ovtt about young Mr. Patterson.”

“It almost seems like running in the face of Providence,”
objected the captain mildly. “For my part, I’m willing to
leave them alone, for fear of running into more hard luck.”

“Surely, you’re not superstitious, sir?” asked Dolph.

“Well, not more so, I guess, than most men who’ve been
used to standing watch on wild nights, with a dark sky
overhead and a mighty rough sea underneath. And, speak-
ing of feelings, Dexter, I often feel that we’ve not seen the
last of old Patterson. I often have a notion that we'll get
mixed up, somehow, in his life’s log, and that’s why I asked
if you had heard anything more from those parties.”

“I believe I'll go and see them to-night, sir, and to-morrow

Pil tell you whatever news I hear.”

“But there’s one crowd,” grinned the captain, “that I hope.

you'll never again run alongside of.”

“Those chaps from Haiti, or San Domingo, sir?”

“The—the deuce!” suddenly growled Captain Morgan,
who, after sniffing an instant, turned his eyes toward the
starboard scow.

Dolph, too, looked, and saw what the captain saw.

From the middle hatch of that scow a thin column of
smoke was ascending.

“Keep the boat to her course, Dexter,” shouted the cap-
tain, and in the next instant was down on the lower deck,
from which, without pausing, he sprang upon the scow and
ran toward the hatch in question.

Only a moment’s peering down the hatchway was needed
to show the captain what was going on there.

“Wash!” -he bellowed to the negro steward.
mate, then come aboard yourself.”

Mate Osmond tumbled out of the berth in which he had
been napping, and followed the darky onto the scow.

“There’s a blaze got started down there, somehow,” ex-
plained the captain. ‘Put one of the firemen aboard the
other scow and cast her off until we get this attended to.”

In a very short time the port scow was floating astern.
The mate, one fireman, and the steward came to the hatch-
way with the fire-buckets.

' Morgan himself now appeared through the hatchway.

“Dexter,” he bawled. “Ring the bell to stop. Then hustle
aboard yourself, There’s two kegs of powder somewhere in
this cargo!”

Clang !

Dolph Dexter’s hand, hurried and a trifle trembling
reached for the pull beside the wheel stanchion, giving the
bell-wire a tremendous jerk.

_ Darting out of the wheel-house, Dolph leaped from the
top of the deck-house to the deck below—the steps would
consume too much time—and sprang aboard the scow.

“Dexter,” growled the captain, turning his streaming eyes
toward the boy, “I can’t see down there. The smoke has

almost blinded me. But I know there are two kegs of

“Call the

powder in the cargo. Will you go down with me and help
find and pass up those kegs before we’re blown to kingdom ~
comer,

“Captain,” protested the mate, at his side, “you pass word
to cut loose from this old scow while Heaven gives us
time,”

“Shut oupt! roared Morgan, turning on his next in com-
mand. “Dexter, will you go down there with mer

UVess sity

Dolph’ Ss voice rang out clear and without hesitation, though
there was a slight tremble in his tones.

Had he needed any insight of the danger, Mate Osmond’s
pallid face would have given it.

“Then shut your eyes as you drop,” commanded Morgan,
pointing to the hatch. “Don’t open ’em again until I tell
you to, or you'll get blinded at the start.’

Ch ug! Dolph’s heels rang out against the floor of the.
hold in the middle of the captain’ s sentence.

“Ready, sir.’

Bump! It was the captain who landed beside our hero.

“Give me your hand, lad; let me lead you; don’t open-your
eyes until I tell you,” sounded the chief’s hoarse voice in his
ears, and Dexter permitted himself to be led blindly.

Wheeze! choke! cough! Smoke filled the air, forced its
way into their lungs with their very breath, threatening to
strangle them.

“This way,
gan.
on in the same direction, feeling as you go.
and then you come to a keg—lI hope!”

“Seven boxes!” called back our hero, and began to cough
as if threatened with strangulation.

“Find a keg, now?”

MY es! sir. s

“Is it branded ‘Powder’ ?”

“I think so,” cried Dolph, opening his eyes for the first
time and bending close over the keg. “No, sir; the brand
is Rosin,’

A minute later Dexter’s. voice, strangely hoarse, sounded
through the fog of smoke:

“T’ve found one keg of the powder.”

“And the other?’

“Blere it is, close by.

“Thank Heaven! Keep talking, lad, so I can grope my
way to you.”

“Careful, sir, and quick. JI can see fresh smoke coming
up through the floor between us.”

Groping through the smoke, Morgan tripped and would
have fallen had not Dolph caught him.

“Put my hands on one of the kegs, boy,”
but blinded commander.

Dolph instantly obeyed.

“Lift the other, lad. Don’t stumble and don’t lag. Lord,
it’s as hot as a furnace down here! Steady, now!”

“Tf you fall,” cried Morgan huskily, “or if the flames
break out between here and the hatchway, we'll never know
what sent us heavenward.”

It was a heavy load, even for a strong boy. Dolph fairly
staggered under it.

Both picked their way as swiftly as possible through the
tightly stored cargo.

Would they never reach that hatchway?

To Dolph it seemed as if the heat of the flooring was.
burning through the soles of his feet.

Just ahed of him a narrow tongue of flame glowed up
through the flooring.

Only half-way to ‘the hatch.. Heaven! Would they never
reach that opening in the deck? It seemed miles away.

More flames sprang 4p in their very path.

With a strength born of desperation, our hero managed
to hold the kee up as high as his head.

Bump! Captain 1 Morgan in the lead had staggered through —
to the clear space immediately nes the hatch.

lad; keep up your courage,” counseled Mor-
“There you are, with your hand on a box. Now? keep
Six more boxes °

roared the ali _

 
MIGHT AND MAIN

Now he rushed back to relieve the staggering boy or his
load.

‘Steady! I’ve got it now, lad. Thank God!”

And Dolph, as the load was taken from him, felt his

arms drop helplessly by his side.
» But not until then did he realize what a fearful strain
it had been. Not until then did he know what physical
endurance men are capable when playing the Bpme of life
and death.

Captain Morgan stood upon one keg, passing the second
to the muscular grasp of Fallon, the waiting engineer.

Stepping down again upon the floor, the captain, with a
superhuman effort, picked up the remaining keg, poised it,
and threw it upward.

Fallon caught it and held it, though he very nearly fell
down into the hold in the effort.

Now there were hands enough overhead to rush the pow-
der forward, whence it could be rolled overboard, should
the progress of the flames make that necessary.

“Osmond,” cried the captain, “jump down here and give
us a hand. :

Not an instant did the mate delay. Ashamed of his recent
fear of the powder, he sprang down to his chief’s side.

“Fallon,” shouted the captain, as the engineér’s head re-
‘appeared at the hatchway, “you and Joplin and Wash pass
water as fast as you can.
Dexter, you pass them to me.’

Splash! splash! Well directed, the water fell everywhere
hana the after part of the hold.

Everything capable of burning was quickly wetted down
and drenched.

Clouds of smoke still continued to pour ugward through
the hatchway.

Like beavers each one of the six worked, while the smoke ©

became less and less.

“We'll take a minute’s rest.
Morgan ‘gruffly.

Standing under the hatchway, the trio mopped their steam-
ing faces on their sleeves.

“I can’t understand what started the blaze,” muttered the
puzzled captain. '

“I reckon I kin, cap’n, sah,” ee Wash from over-
head. “We was gwine trough de Narrows, sah, w’en I
done saw somebody——he locked like a gen’leman ob color,
sah—come otter dis heah cabin and jump. overboard, sah.
it muster been dat coon, sah, dat set de fire.” ,

“Correro’s crowd again?” muttered the boy. .

“Why didn’t you tell me of this before ?” demanded Mor-
gan sternly,

We. can—at last!” called

“Well, sah, I ‘lowed dat mebbe dat coon stole a ride on

puppus, sah, ‘and dat when he saw himself as near Staten
Island as he could get, he done jump ovahbo’d and swim
asho’. Leastways, dat’s w’at 1 done ‘lowed, sah.”

“And so you sympathized with him and didn’t want to
spoil his stealing a ride?” -

“Dat’s jess de way I done feel about it, cap’n, sah.”

“Pass the water again,” interrupted Morgan. ‘Mr. Os-
mond, you stand next to me and let Dexter get his breath
under the hatch.”

At it again, toiling as much like Geayers as before.

Two minutes’ more work made it seem as if the flames
had indeed been drowned .out.

“Well, we’ve saved the scow,” muttered Morgan, pausing
at last with a full.bucket of water in his hand. “Osmond,
empty your bucket over on the pile. I’ll do the same.”

No more: danger? The two splashes of water landed al-
most simultaneously.

Crack! crack! sounded two subdued explosions.

Dolph, peering after them, saw both captain and mate
reeling.

“What-

But he cut its own question short and dashed forward,
for he had seen both men fall senseless.

39

Osmond, you take the buckets.

LIBRARY. s

Nearer! nearer! He had almost reached them, when he
experienced a fearful, overpowering sensation.

It was as if he were dying.

Breathing was impossible. eee

Struggling, strangling, gesticulating, Dolph Dexter, too,
reeled backward and fell: cia

CHAPTER VI.

BREVET CAPTAIN DOLPH.

“What's the

Engineer Fallon, looking down the hatchway, uttered
these two words, then reeled gasping and sputtering back-

ward,
Him, too, the choking fumes had assailed, but he retreated
in time.

“Stand: back, ” he muttered, waving away the fireman and
steward, “or you'll cough yourselves to death!”

“What's wrong ?” demanded Joplin.

“Ammonia! ‘The Lord only ‘knows how much of it is
loose down there. It’s strangling their life out. We've got
to get them. out of there somehow.  Cap:n! “Osmond!
Dexter!”

“Hello!” hailed Dolph’s muffled voice below.

“Can you get up on. deck?’’ shouted Fallon.

“Not without help. Lower a rope.” ‘

Only a few seconds passed before a rope was lowered
into the hold, though Fallon and his two helpers took good
care not to go too near the edge of the hatchway.

There came a tug at the rope. Above, the trio held fin
to. it,

‘Then Dolph’s head and shoulders wrigeled into view.

Darting forward, Fallon seized him ne the arm and hauled
him out into the fresh air.

Gasp! gasp! Dexter’s breath came cies and sharp, while
water fairly streamed from his eyes.

“T had to climb up without taking breath,”
“It’s fearful down there.”

“But the cap’n—mate?” interjected Fallon quickly.

“They're overcome—helpless,’ answered. Dolph.

“Stand by the rope, boys,’ ordered Fallon. ‘I’m going
down to them,”

“Let me go,” pleaded Dolph. “I hayen’t strength enough
left to be any use up here. Wash, get a wet cloth and
bind it over my mouth and nose.”

Back to the tug bounded the darky, reappearing with a
towel dripping with water.

Fallon himself made it fast over the boy’s
nostrils,

“Hold taut, until I get down,” pleaded Dolph.
throw down another rope, with a noose.”

Down he went, hand over hand.

Below, the smell of ammonia was still suing strong, but
the wet cloth kept most of the trenchant fumes out of the
boy’s lungs, and Dolph had the presence of mind to drop
upon his hands and knees. On the floor level the odor was
not so strong.

He gave a twitch at the rope, by the way of signal, and
down came a second rope, its end terminating in a. noose.

“Steady, old fellow,” choked Dolph, fumbling his way,
for the awful fumes made his eyes stream. .

He reached Captain Morgan first. That sislwart old
commander lay gasping faintly, like a fish that is dying.

In a few seconds Dexter had got the noose inden his |
chief’s shoulders.

‘Now, our hero pulled frantically at the rope. Tug! el
The trio above had all they could do to hoist the big 1 man.

But they accomplished it at last, and Morgan lay uncon-
scious on the scow’s deck.

“Here comes the rope again,”

he panted.

mouth and

“Then

sang out Fallon, Swish !

‘The noose fell almost in crouching Dolph’s hands.

Mate Osmond. lay aun still, seemingly more dead than |

 
16 MIGHT

alive. He was a much lighter man than the captain, and
was quickly in the untainted air above.

Swish! Down came the rope for the third and last time.
Our hero slipped the noose under his own shoulders. Up

he went, and as soon as his head showed, Fallon drew him

“out upon the deck.

“Stifled, lad?’’ queried the engineer.

“Almost,” nodded Dolph, pulling the damp cloth away
from his face. “A few turns on deck will fix me all right,
though, I guess. But how are the captain and Mr. Os-
mond ?”

“Lost their breath,” said Fireman Joplin. “They won’t
feel good until they’ve had enough fresh air.”

“Can nothing be given to help them?’ asked Dolph.

“Yes,” said Fallon suddenly. “I read once what to do in
a case like this. Now, I’ve got it—it’s strong vinegar and
water. Wash, jump into the galley and bring back a quart
of the stuff. Full speed, too.”

A pint of strong vinegar and a pint of water—this was
a mixture that was poured in alternate doses down the
throats of captain and mate.

It worked like a charm, too. Soon the captain, who was
less injured than the mate, was able to sit up, with help. _

“Better,” Morgan gasped finally. “Thanks—Dexter—
thanks—all.” s

Osmond was now able to open and close his eyes, but
still too much hurt to speak.

“Want to be helped into the berth-room?”’ asked Fallon.

Captain Morgan nodded his head. First, he and then the
mate were lifted into berths, and Wash vigorously fanned
fresh air toward both.

“Sandy—Hook—doctor,”’

“Of course,” cried Dolph,
before ?”’

He turned, but was called back by a faint hail from
Morgan.

“Tad—pick up—other—-scow—first.”

gasped the captain.
“Why didn’t we think of that

“Ves, sir,’ responded the boy, and, bounding up the short
| 5 g§ up

steps three at a time, was in the pilot-house.

Clang! Pulling at the engine-room bell, he threw the
wheel over hard aport as soon as he felt the craft moving.

It was Captain Dolph now, for the time being, and our
hero felt all the responsibility of his position.

Bringing the tug, and the starboard scow. around in a
wide half-circle, Dexter ran the Bangs up alongside the
cast-off scow as neatly and gently as any old captain could
have done.

“Make fast quickly,” called Dolph, leaning out of the
wheelhouse window, and the two firemen sprang to obey the
Oper, .

“All fast, sir,” reported Joplin, a few moments later.

Clang! clang! clang! Under full steam the old Bangs
surged ahead, yet, hampered by the two scows, the speed
was not great. .

“Tt seems as if we'were only drifting!”
pilot.

In truth, Sandy Hook appeared to be a fearful distance
away, but Dolph steered in the straightest line he knew
how. After what seemed an age, he ran in as close as he
deemed prudent, and signaled to stop.

Toot! toot! toot! sounded the tug’s whistle, and kept up
the signaling until he had the satisfaction of seeing a gov-
ernment launch put out from the shore.

“Doctor wanted!” yelled Dolph, as soon as the launch
was within bare hailing distance. “Wanted mighty quick,
too !”

“What's wrong?” shouted a sergeant in the tug.
“Captain and mate suffocated by ammonia.
please!” .

Around swung the launch and went back to the shore.
Presently it put out again, with the addition of an officer,
the green facings on whose uniform proclaimed him to be
an army surgeon.

groaned the young

Hurry,

AND MAIN

LIBRARY.

This young medico came aboard, saw the sufferers, heard
what had happened to them and what had been done for
them.

“The vinegar pas en” he said approvingly. “That was
a good start. Both these men will be feeling all right to-
morrow, but I think I’d better take them ashore with me for
treatment to-day. The only danger now is that the effects
of the ammonia may result in inflammation of the lungs.” ,

“Take Osmond with you,’ suggested Captain Morgan.

“And you, too,” added the surgeon.

“Osmond can go; I can’t,’ persisted Morgan. “This tug’s
got to go through with her job, and with Osmond ashore |
I’m the only licensed pilot left. It’s against the law for
a steam-craft to proceed except with a pilot.”

SBut ’ began the surgeon protestingly.

“Can't help it,” negatived Morgan curtly.
duty! Won't! You wouldn’t, would you?”

And that was the end of it. The surgeon, leaving medi-
cines for the captain, took the mate ashore in the launch.
Osmond was the worst injured of the pair, anyway. .

“Now, Dexter,”’ sighed the captain, when the launch had
steamed away; “you've got to be the real master to-day.
I’m the pilot, and that’s all the law demands.. But Fallon
knows the detsey coast like a book, and he’ ll give you a
hint when it’s needed.”

“Hadn't. I better take a look at the late are E

“Ot course.

Dolph and Fallon Went aboard the starboard scow. The
smell of ammonia barely lingered now in the hold, but it
had done one thing well. It had extinguished the fire, for
no flames can live in the strong ammonia fumes.

hats what caused the trouble,” StL ots Fallon,
pointing to a cracked carbovy.

This carboy had contained ammonia. It had become
greatly heated by the smoldering flames. -The last bucketful
had struck the hot ae causing it to crack and let out the
suffocating content

oe back to a wheel-house, Dolph laid hold of the
wheel, rang first for half-speed and then for full speed. —

The foe Atlantic lay on one side of the course, and
Dolph Dexter was in virtual command at last.

It was afternoon when they reached Sandport, and turned |
over the scows to the firm to which they were consigned.

Captain Morgan made an effort to leave his berth, but
found he could not. |

“Take the craft back, lad,” he ordered.

Unhampered by consorts, the Bangs made much one
speed back to the metropolis.

Dolph was steering her through the Nano when Cap-

““Can’t desert

tain Morgan, helped by one of the firemen, got as far as’ ~*
“the room aft the pilot-house. €

“Think you can take her into her berth caiely, laden
queried Morgan.

“I know I can,” was the confident answer.

Captain Morgan looked out upon the Narrows, then lay
down upon one of the lockers. Two minutes later, under
the influence of the medicines, he was sound asleep.

Had the captain been able to hold his head up, he Houta
have done so. He was too thoroughly an old steamboat
man to desert his duty while strength lasted.

But Dolph steered safely through the multitude of craft
in the Upper Bay, and brought the Bangs, without accident
or delay, into her berth, .

There a note was brought aboard from. the office of the
towing company.

“Read it for me, Dexter,” requested the captain.

“Tt’s from Abner Patterson,” cried Dolph, in surprise.
“He asks us both to meet him to- night at the Continental
Hotel, and says the matter is of vast importance. But of
course you. can’t\ go, sir.” ~

“Can’t 12” retorted the captain. ‘Just let me sleep here
another hour, and you'll see whether i steam is a Ou
of me!” es

3}

 
title.

MIGHT AND*MAIN. LIBRARY. 17

Dick Poole had moved into new quarters at the hotel.

It was that good-natured young man himself who re-
ceived Captain Morgan and Dolph Dexter at the door of
an anteroom, and who immediately closed. and locked the
door.

“Sh!” he whispered, placing his fingers on his lips, and
then led his mystified callers into a larger room adjoining.

Here they found Abner Patterson and a handsome young
fellow under thirty seated at a table on which a map was
spread.

“Speak low all the time you’re here,” Dick Poole. cau-
tioned the visitors.

Abner Patterson rose and came quickly forward, followed
by the young man, whom he introduced as his son Guy.

- “My poor boy, who got into that trouble at Port-au-
Prince,” said the old man proudly.

“He got out of it with a whole.skin, I see,” grinned Cap-
tain Morgan, shaking hands.

“Yes,” cried the father, “thanks to Port-au-Prince being
in Haiti and not in San Domingo, and thanks to a straight-
forward American consul. But I want to come to the point
quickly, captain. Come here to the table. Do you see this
map?”

“Haiti and San Domingo,” replied Morgan, reading the

“And do you see this point, called Cape Isabella?” con-
tinued the elder Patterson, pointing with trembling fingers.
“And here, to the eastward, Puerto Plata?”

“A rough coast and a nasty one,” commented the captain.

“But we must land on the San Domingo~ coast between
those two points,” Patterson went on, at trotting speed.
“Captain, can you take us there?” ak

“IP” repeated Morgan, in surprise.

“Yes; for now that my boy Guy is back we are resolved
to lose no time in going after the hidden fortune in opals
that is ours. Yet I dare not go on a regular passenger
vessel, for if I did I would be pounced upon the instant I
landed on San Domingan soil. I have already told you that,
owing to charges trumped up by Correro, the death-sentence
still hovers over my head. A squad of soldiers, the crooking
of a few forefingers, flashes from the muzzles of a few
‘guns, arid Abner Patterson’s life-story would be finished.
No, no; I must go with a captain whom I can trust in
everything, and aboard a craft whose movements I can com-
mand. What do you say, captain? Will you serve me with
silence and discretion ?”

“Why,” answered Captain Morgan slowly, “the Bangs
isn’t,a big,enough boat for an ocean voyage.”

/*But -your company owns an ocean-going tug, the Ameri-
fan lagic,’ persisted’ Mr. Patterson: “You sée; 1: have
looked into the matter thoroughly. If I charter her, will
you go as commander ?” :

“Why, I could, if the company is willing,” was the slow
answer. d
“And you could transfer your crew to the Eagle? For,
understand me, captain, I do not dare to charter a steamer
on which there’s a single man you do not know and vouch
for. One single stranger in the crew’’—old Abner Patterson
shuddered—“and that stranger would be a tool of Cor-
-rero’s! Captain, you can do more than faintly guess the
devilish ingenuity of that man. But you can take your own
tried crew, can you not?” — ‘)

“Yes, of course—if the company is willing.”

“Captain,” persisted the old man eagerly, “are you ready
to risk the adventure? Do not answer without thinking.
I do not conceal from you that it will be an undertaking of
> great peril”;

Dolph Dexter watched his chief ardently, but did not
attempt to interpose a word.

Had it rested with him, our hero would have said “Yes”
in a second. What living boy does not love adventure?
_ Danger? That is the spice that makes adventure palatable!

‘Hurry down there.

_deaths would please that terrible fellow.

San Domingo—that meant the tropics, travel, new scenes,
and strange people. :

‘Mr. Patterson,” asked the captain, “can you satisfy the
company that you are financially good for the price Of the
Charter 27 re

“I can do better,” retorted the old man fervently. “I can
put up the cash itself. It may take my last dollar, though,”
he added wistfully. “I am staking all I have left on re-

covering that lost fortune in opals.’’

“But you are thoroughly in earnest?’ asked Captain Mor-
gan keenly.

“In earnest? Can you doubt it? If the boat could sail
in two hours, I would pay down the money and be ready.”

“Dexter,” ordered the captain lingeringly, “Mr. Wynne,
the agent of our company, lives at the St. Denis Hotel.
If he’s in, tell him I’d like to see him
here at once.”

“Hurrah 1”
a shot.

While he was gone, Captain Morgan detailed the circum-
stances ofthe fire of the forenoon.

“They would stop at nothing,’ declared old Abner Patter-
son tremulously. “It was through you and young Dexter
that Correro’s plans were defeated. Nothing less than your
It shows, captain,
how closely you are watched. Not until you were towing
a cargo that contained powder was any attempt at revenge
made.”

“Then, by gravy!” roared Morgan, “the challenge of that
gang is accepted—that is, of course, if the company’s will-
ing.” .

Dolph, meanwhile, had found the agent without trouble,
quickly returning with him.

Mr. Wynne, a brisk, businesslike man, was quite disposed
to charter the Eagle for ready’ cash. ‘He was in business
for that purpose, and speedily he and old Abner Patterson
were talking terms.

In twenty minutes the arrangements were completed. The
Eagle, Captain Zenas Morgan, commander, was chartered
to “Mr. Carson,” who designed taking a party of friends
with him on a cruise to Jamaica and other points in the
West Indies.

Thus even Mr. Patterson’s name was hidden under an
assumed one in the charter papers, and the real destination
of the boat studiously concealed.

Mr. Patterson paid down a deposit of two hundred and
fifty dollars, and arranged to pay the rest of the money in
the morning.

The Eagle, coaled and provisioned, and with a trusted
crew on board, was to be ready to sail on the following
night at ten o'clock.

“I know where I can find a second engineer,” said the -
captain musingly, “but I shall have to hustle around a bit
to find two deck-hands whom I can thoroughly vouch for.”

Here Dolph remembered his chum, Luke Hepworth, who
was out of work, and immediately proposed him for one of
the new crew.

“I know he'll be glad to go,” pleaded Dolph. “He’s strong,
cheerful as sunshine, a hard worker, true ‘as steel, full of

sputtered Dolph chokingly, and was off like

grit, and a regular prince of good fellows.”

“Then I don’t see how we can get along without him,”
laughed the captain. “Bring along your prince, then. But,
remember, this sailing must be kept as secret as the grave.
Don't let out a word to anybody but your prince, and keep
at home to-morrow. Be on board neither earlier nor later
than half-past nine to-morrow night.”

The street-car went too slowly for our hero on his way
home that night. be

Luke was delighted enough with the prospect of travel,
adventure, and work, all three in one, —

Next day, obeying orders, they kept in the house, being
careful not to even talk with the other boarders,

 
13 MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

But night came at last, as it was bound to do on even the
slowest day in all eternity.

Then Dolph waited, with his watch on his knee, for nine
o'clock to come. Two or three times he thought the infernal
thing had stopped. Yet the time-piece kept on ticking,
though more slowly than ever before since he had owned it.

“See here,” whispered Luke, “it’s five minutes of nine.”

“Only five minutes more to wait,” replied Dolph eagerly.

“Five nothing!” ejaculated. Luke. “I> can’t: wait.
sides, we'd better allow a few minutes for possible delay.”

“Don’t suggest delays,” begged Dolph half-piteously. “I’m
ready to start now.”

And start they did, for there were no preparations to
aake. Both impatient boys had sat for the last half-hour
with their hats on, and now they hurried down the stairs
and out of the house.

They met with no accident, reaching the Eagle’s berth in
ample time.

Captain Morgan stood smoking at the gangplank. The
test of the crew were on board. There was no sign of .the
passengers, though they were aboard, nevertheless.

“AI right, Hepworth,” said the captain, when Dolph pre-
sented his chum. “Go aboard and take it easy: You're
green, and we'll have to break you in after we get started,”

A few minutes later, without marine fuss or feathers, the
Eagle was backed out of her berth and steamed down the
river,

Forward, where Dolph led his chum, they met a great,
hulking, good-natured fellow, who introduced himself as
Zeb Hunk, and who looked fully as uncouth as his name.

Zeb was the other new deck-hand, a man whom Captain
Morgan had known for years. :

Mate Osmond, who had come up from Sandy Hook during
the day, fully restored, was at the wheel.

Dolph was standing forward, talking in undertones with
Luke and Zeb while the Eagle plowed through the Narrows.

“All out here, eh?” roared Morgan, speaking as if he had
put the bellows to his voice. “Wash, you black rascal, come
out. of the galley a minute.”

Then, turning to our hero, the captain continued:

“Dolph, my lad, when I hired you, perhaps you remember
my little joke about your being second mate. But you're not
the only deck-hand on the boat now, and it’s a joke no
longer. I don’t like that cap you’re wearing. Try this one
on,”

And the captain held out a round, visored affair, on the
front of which, in raised gilt letters, appeared this terse
inscription;

“Second Mate.”

CHAPTER VII,
BARNEY'S TERRIFYING FIND.

Before astonished Dolph could speak, Captain Morgan
continued ;

“Mr. Dexter, being second mate on this voyage, will be
obeyed and respected accordingly.”

Dolph tried to stammer his thanks.

“Wait till I get through talking,” interposed the captain
dryly. “Second mate, Mr. Dexter, stands captain’s watch,
My first watch is from eight bells, midnight, until eight bells,
morning Hepworth will stand in the second mate’s watch.
Hunk, you belong to the mate’s watch.”

Again Dolph tried to thank the captain,

“No thanks necessary; you earned it,” retorted Morgan,
and ‘walked away. :

__, Dolph received the congraulations of the others, and stood
it modestly.

“See here, old fellow—I beg your pardon, Mr. Dexter,”
began Luke: “if I’m to be your deck-hand, won’t you please
remember that I’m green and post me in my new duties?”

“Your duties at sea won’t be onerous,” laughed Dolph.

Be- |

' “When not otherwise busy, you'll only have to stand for-

ward and keep a sharp lookout ahead. Whenever you ‘see
a light, or any craft or other object ahead, you report it to
the officer in the wheel-house. If you hear any unaccounta-
ble noise on board you report it to the watch-officer, and he ~
probably sends you to investigate, You follow any other
orders that may happen to come, and when the, watch is

changing you rouse the new watch. You see, there isn’t

a heap to do, Luke, except to keep eyes and ears open.
Going to sea on an ocean tug is very different from shipping
before the mast on an old-style sailing vessel.”

Sooty and perspiring, Barney Joplin emerged from the
stoke-hole, and seated himself on the guard amidships to
cool.

It was evident at first. glance that Barney’s usual cheer-
fulness had deserted him.

Counting slowly on his fingers, he gloomily shook his head
again and again.

“What's wrong, Barney?” asked Dolph, going. up to him.

Joplin turned his uneasy-looking face toward Dolph and
replied:

‘Mr. Dexter, do you know how many people there are on
board P”

“Well, what of it? There’s room for them, isn’t there?”

“Just thirteen people,’ Joplin went on moodily. ‘Mr.
Dexter, I never knew any good to come of that number.
Any man who has been long on salt water will tell you the
same.”

“Pooh!” retorted Dolph; “this craft goes by steam—not
superstition.” Ne

“I tell -you, now, Mr. Dexter,” insisted the fireman mourn- ~
fully; “this voyage will have no good ending.”

“That's mean sort of nonsense for an intelligent man to
talk,” ridiculed Dolph.

Yet now that the expedition was fairly under way our
hero began to have a very acute realization of the dangers
ahead when it came to braving Sefior Correro amid the wild
surroundings where that clever rascal held despotic sway.

-If the Pattersons and Dick Poole feared Correro, there |
was good reason why Dolph should feel apprehensive.

The time to eight bells, midnight, was not long in passing.

Dolph went to the wheel-House, relieved the mate and
took the course also from the latter.

By this time the American Eagle was well on her way out.
on the broad Atlantic, and the only shore-lights still visible
were one or two distant ones on the New Jersey coast.

Fairly well used to steering the Bangs, Dolph found his
first watch on the Hagle a much different matter,

bigger craft to her course. Yet it was all sport for this boy, -
who loved steamboating. His sense of responsibility only
made his work more enjoyable.

Inside the wheel-house all was dark where the shaded
binnacle lamp threw its narrow circle over the face of the
compass before him. oe

On the deck forward paced Luke Hepworth, with no less
sense of his new responsibilities,

There was a fairish swell on the water. It made the
Eagle roll considerably, and rendered the work of steering
more difficult than on a smooth sea, Bs

So passed the first half-hour, with Dolph so intent on his
duties that he supposed himself to be alone in the wheel-
house until an approving voice said:

“Cool head, Mr. Dexter that’s right. Keeping straight
to your course, I see.” es

And, lighting a cigar, Morgan strolled out on the hurri-
cane-deck to enjoy it. |

Too thorough a seaman to leave too much to a new mate, -

Morgan remained on deck nearly the whole of his watch, oo

though he did not find it necessary to give any orders.

He had turned. in, héwever, before our hero sent Luke, Sy
in the gray light of early morning, to call the mate’s watch.

 

Tt re
quired a firmer, stronger hand on the wheel’ to keep ‘this, ,-:
- many years ago as you did days.

ng
$e Eon their displeasure must not matter.

MIGHT AND MAIN

Osmond came up yawning and heavy-eyed, and took the
wheel.

Leaving the wheel-house, Dolph halted, intending to stand
there but a moment beside the canvas-covered life-boat.

Even as his feet stopped beside the boat our hero heard
a sound inside.
- In an instant Dolph was alert.
startled.

Something living was in the ‘boat.
moved; he distinctly saw it.

“One of Correro’s fiends aboard this vessel?” thrilled the
‘boyish second mate.

He. turned, bent on reporting his discovery to Mr. Osmond,
but thought better of it, and came back to the boat.

“Dolph, my lad,” he muttered resolutely, “if there’s any-
thing to be afraid of it’s your business to. face it.’

Now the canvas was strained. Some one under it was
trying to force it off.

“You want to come out, eh?’ exclaimed Dolph boldly.
pies time you did.’

With that he freed several of the fastenings, lifted the
- canvas, and threw it over.
~ Then he fell back, staring through wide- -open a
PY Ow? ue cried, in utter bewilderment,
_ For the figure of a girl—and a very handsome one—rose
in the boat, her eyes turned appealingly on him.

ltewas the girl he had saved from Rondeva the night of
the cab incident—Florence Patterson, the daughter of’ the
present charterer of the boat.

“Hush, please,’ she besought. “No one but you knows
that I am aboard. Do not let any one know—my father,
most of all—at least, not until we are farther on our way.”

“Do you know, Miss Patterson, the dangerous nature of
this expedition?” he asked, trying to look stern.

“Doubtless better than yourself,” was the earnest reply.
“All my life I have been accustomed to stories of that ter-
rible Correro. The story of the opals I heard almost. as
All that has happened in
New York lately I know quite’ well, including, my dear
friend, the part that you yourself have played.”

“Then why, in the name of mystery,’ demanded Dolph,
“are you here?”

“It is precisely becausé I know what I do,” replied Flor-
ence firmly. ‘It was because that | know that my father and
my brother, the only two on earth whom I hold dear, are
rushing to danger or destruction, that I hid myself in this
boat yesterday.”

“But. your father—your brother—they will be grieved and
anery.”

In another instant he was

The canvas over it

My father de-
cided that I should be sent to a small seminary, where I
Baum be kept sechided, Gay took me ‘there. As. if (|
should be any safer there from the power of Correro than
in- San Domingo itself! Nevertheless, I went. Guy and
I parted. I made: my escape, hid myself here yesterday
afternoon, and here I am.”

Dolph turned his troubled face toward the west.
“You ate looking for land, Mr. Dexter; you are wonder-

poe it there is still’ time to land me, Very well, then... I
appeal to your honor—to the chivalry of an American. Do
not let any one know for several hours yet that I am on
board.”

“T cannot promise—anything,”’ faltered Dolph uneasily.

“Nevertheless, I rely on you. It must not be in vain that
I trust in an American—a gentleman—one who reverences
our sex.’

oe felt himself weakening against his own better judg-
ment.

“You will not say or do anything, Mr. Dexter,” pleaded
the girl softly, “that will separate me from those I love,
who are going into the greatest peril, and whom I may
_ never see again if you fail me in my hour of need?”
“T_T cannot promise anything,” repeated Dolph.

LIBRARY. ' oe

“But I shall trust you just the same. Now, to help me
escape discovery for the present, please fasten the canvas
once more over the boat.”

Dolph obeyed this request readily enough.

He listened and watched for a few moments, but there
was neither sound nor sign from inside the life-boat.

Then the boy stole down the steps and paced the lower
deck for some minutes.

What to do he did not know at first.
only the right solution, he decided.

“AS an officer of this vessel, it is my duty. ‘to report -
everything to the captain. Whatever he may decide I
cannot help, but my duty is clear.”

That settled, he hurried to the captain’s stateroom with-
out delay.

Captain Morgan aroused and heard him through.

*H’m! hom! h’m'!’ said the captain... “Now, Mr. Dexter,
if I asked for advice, what would you say?”

“I—I don’t know, sir,’ hesitated Dolph.

“Don’t, eh?” said the captain. “Well, see here, we have
had no requests to wake our passengers at this- early hour
in the morning, so we won't do anything ‘about it before

xt eight bells sounds.

ae perhaps you'd better tell Mr. Osmond, with my
compliments,” continued Morgan, “that the course, until next
eight bells, is to be changed two points more to east’ard.”

That meant that, four hours hence, the Eagle: would be
decidedly farther away from land.

“JI,” said Dolph confusedly; “I thank you, sir.”

“Oh, go away with you,’ growled Captain Morgan; “T
want to go to sleep. But don’t forget my message to Mr.
Osmond.”

It is very certain that Dolph didn’t forget. Then, upon
leaving the wheel-house, he cast a glance at the canvas-
enveloped life-boat and stole below to sleep.

“Most eight bells, sir. Cap’n’s watch on deck!” bellowed
a voice in his ear, as sleepy Dolph opened his eyes.

He went out hastily on deck, where the first sound to
greet his ears was Florence’s sweet voice.

“Oh, Mr. Dexter, I must thank you for your generosity.
It’s all right, you see, and papa has forgiven me.’

And, reaching his side, Miss Patterson gave him her’ hand
most unaffectedly.

Vimneolad to hear it,”
long since

“Oh, it was only twenty minutes ago that Captain Morgan
came up to the life-boat and made believe to be terribly
angry over finding a stowaway. He told me just what you
did and said, though, and how you Huis onen my cause.
Then he called up papa, who stormed at first; but he has
forgiven me, and so has brother Guy. So I’m to go to San
Domingo with the rest of you, and it’s all right.”

All of which Miss Florence said with hardly an instant
for breath, while Mr. Patterson joined them, looking a little
worried, but far from angry.

Eight bells sounding, Dolph was obliged to excuse him-
self, and hastened up to the wheel-house.

Through the day, once or twice, he found oppértunity to
talk with the Pattersons. Captain Morgan, with seamanlike
gallantry, had given up his stateroom to the young lady,
and gone to berth with the mates.

All the while, steaming at a steady twelve-knot gait, the
Eagle bore them farther from New York, farther from the
United States, and ever nearer to that danger-haunted coun-
try of San Domingo.

In the evening Dolph sat.on the guard amidships, when —
a tall figure shuffled by him. He looked up and saw Barney

oplin, the fireman.

“Well, well, Barney,” laughed Dolph; “you can feel quite
easy now, since you know that there are fourteen po on
board.”

Joplin halted, and his face struck Dolph as being more
fee than ever.

Finally, seeking

replied Dolph heartily. “But how

 
oe

20 : . MIGHT AND

“T don’t know about that, Mr. Dexter,” replied the fire-
man. ‘Thirteen ain't troubling me any more, but there’s
another sailor’s sign that’s worse, and that’s having a petti-
coat in the cabin. It’s the surest sign of an unlucky voyage.”

Without waiting to hear any argument over this gloomy
“sign,” Barney shuffled below, whence the sound of his
shovel in the coal soon came up.

Speedily the shoveling ceased.
reappeared. _

“IT found this, Mr. Dexter!” exclaimed the fireman, placing
in Dolph’s lap a solid-looking box about fifteen inches square.

“What is it?” questioned our hero, holding it up to have
a better look at it. “Whew! It’s heavy enough !”

“Don’t know what it is,” rejoined Joplin. “Found it in
the coal, hidden away like. It struck me as mysterious.”

It struck Dolph as being mysterious, too. Sudden intui-
tion illumined his brain.

“Barney,” he gasped; “all I can Suggest is that it is an
infernal machine.”

“Oh, Lord! I believe you're right,” groaned Barney, his
pallor showing even through the grime of his face. “Wait!
Hold it! PU call the captain.”

And Joplin, at the first bound, seemed to clear twenty feet
of space.

As Dolph still held the box before his eyes he heard a
sound that filled him with the most paralyzing dread,

Whitr-rr! whirr-rr! click!

Too late! There was not even a second left.

Inside, the clockwork mechanism of the infernal machine
had reached the instant for which it was set to do its
devastating work.

An instant later Joplin

CHAPTER VIII.
“PLENTY OF LAND AT THE BOTTOM.”

Dolph Dexter’s suddenly nerveless hands almost dropped
the box.

To his dizzy brain sky and water seemed revolving about
him in hopeless chaos.

He dropped the box, but not on deck.

Ruled by instinct, he was on his feet like a flash when
he heard the warning click inside.

Poising the box with both hands, he hurled it as far from
him as he could over the side of the tug.

Then he stood there, gazing, awestruck, at the spot where

the splash sounded.

One second, two, three, four, five—would that imperilled
craft never creep away from the spot?

Pouf! An explosion, queer, muffled, but terrific, sounded.

Old Ocean itself seemed rended by that submarine com-
|. motion.

Barely the tug’s length astern rose a surging column of
water.

Onward it came, overtook the Eagle, swamped the craft
astern, dashing down both our hero and Joplin, atid washing
the deck from end to end, drenching the hurricane-deck,
wrenching away even the flagpole atop of the pilot-house.

Over to starboard plunged the Eagle, standing almost on
her beams’-ends.

No one aboard in that terrible moment believed the cra¢t
could right herself.

But she did, though slowly, and, after a few moments of
frenzied uncertainty, rode evenly on the water again.

Water raced through the scuppers, poured down into her
holds, and all but flooded out the fires under the boilers.

_ At the first instant of recovery every living soul on board
scrambled out on deck.

“Steady!” bellowed Captain Morgan. “Whatever it was,
we're safe and sound.”

Dolph, dripping with water, rushed up and excitedly ex-
plained. Joplin threw in words here and there, until every
one realized how deadly a peril they had escaped.

io»

MAIN LIBRARY.

Then Correro’s spies outwitted our best vigilance,” palpi- -
tated Abner Patterson, ashen-faced.

“Just as the Great Ruler of All outwitted him,’ uttered
Captain Morgan piously.

“How near are we to land?” asked Mr. Patterson.

“There’s plenty of land at the bottom,” replied the captain,
pointing overboard. : i

Then orders, short, quick, and crisp, set every man to
work.

The water in the holds and stoke-hole was pumped out, the
damage done to the fires remedied, and the Eagle spurted
on_ once more as if nothing had happened.

But that Heaven helps only those who help themselves is :
a maxim of which every seaman knows well the truth, and
Captain Morgan’s next move was to order a minute search
of every portion of the craft. :

So thorough was the search that every pound of coal
was turned over, and had there been anywhere on board ©
another infernal machine as big as a pill-box it could hardly
have eluded discovery.

Not until the night was almost spent and the search had

been thorough did those aboard whom duty did not keep 4

from their berths dare to turn in:

Even then little sleep came.

But morning dawned, a morning so bright, warm, and.
serene as to laugh at fears and scoff at the dread of deadly
perils. :

Then Captain Morgan, than whom no more teverent old
sea-dog existed, summoned all hands, opened the prayer-
book, and in full, sonorous tones read the thanksgiving
service. ed

Speeding to southward, the American Eagle steamed ever
nearer, neater to the islands of Haiti and San Domingo..

One day at noon Captain Morgan informed them that they
were now very near the coast they sought.

All through the afternoon the boat drifted lazily ahead,
under bare headway, that their speed might not bring them —
near land until long after dark. hoe

An hour after dark a vague, shadowy line away to the
southward showed where the land lay.

With Dolph as helmsman, Captain Morgan stood just out-
side the pilot-house, directing every turn of the wheel.

The point chosen for the landing was about midway be-
tween Cape [sabella and the harbor of Puerta Plata, the
northernmost portion of Sam Domingo’s coast.

Shallow water, thickly studded with coral reefs, lay ahead
of them—a most ticklish place for navigation,

At last the bell sounded to stop, and the’ craft lay to
nearly half a mile from the coast. Aaa
For hours the life-boat had been in readiness to lowWet

over the side. Now it was placed in the water.

Not much did it carry beside human freight and weapons.
Few provisions were needed in a land where nature was so
bountiful.

Mate Osmond took up his’ post in the bow of the boat. -
Two of the firemen handled the oars. Captain Morgan sat
at the rudder, with Dolph near him. Luke Hepworth and
Zeb Hunk were near the mate. Abner Patterson, ‘Guy, and

.Dick Poole took seats where they could find them, while

Florence sat opposite our hero.

“Give way,” ordered the captain. “Slowly.”

Very slowly the boat made for the shore. Mate Ostnond
kept up a constant lookout for reefs. In the general silence
his low tones could be heard by the commander at the
rudder. age

Slow and careful as their progress was, the keel of the
boat scraped twice over sunken reefs, .

At last, however, a safe landing was made. In silence
those bound ashore landed. Osmond took his place at the
rudder.” 7

“Good luck and safety to you all,” whispered the mate.

“And be prompt and vigilant yourself, Mr. Osmond,” re-
joined the captain. ae au.

 
i

MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

A push and the life-boat was out through the surf, her
three occupants soon becoming but dim figures.

“Mr. Patterson,’ ‘said Morgan gravely, “my command
ceases for the present, You take charge. We look to you
for all orders

‘It is little we have to do,” smiled old Abner grimly.
“You see that sput of mountains ahead of ys? All we have
to do is to go over that, cross a valley, and then assail the
main range of the Sierra de Monte Cristi, From where
we now stand to the hidden wealth of opals is but a scant
fifteen miles, as the bird flies, .

_ “Lucky, indeed, shall we be if we make the round journey
in seven days.” ! .

Lucky, surely, for Mate Osmond, with his short-handed
crew, was under orders to steam at once to he westward as
far as Tortuga Island, that place famous in the annals. of
olden pirates.

That hight a week the tug was ordered to be‘ back, and |
to lay to at the same point every night thereafter until the
travelers should: return.

“Tf we do return at all,” was the thought in the minds of
every one of the landing party.

“Allready? Then, forward!” cried Mr. Patterson eagerly.

It was a desolate enough spot. No light showed from any
point on shore.

“When I was here last,” said old Abner, “there was not
a human home within miles of this spot. I doubt if it has
changed much since.’

Two hundred yards from the surf-line the ground began
to rise perceptibly. Soon after that they were well up in
a spur of mountain.

How hot and stifling it was! Not a breath of air was
stirring, while the thermometer would have registered over
a hundred degrees. So intense was the humidity that when
Dolph remembered days that he had thought hot on Broad-
way he smiled.

Hard, up-hill work it was, through a mountainside forest
without the semblance of a path. Matted, tangled under-
growth made their progress all the harder.

Naturally, Florence was the first to begin to show signs
of fatigue. ;

“Now, you wilful little miss,” said her father reproach-
fully, “you are beginning to understand what you have ven-
tured.”

“I’m not complaining,’ was the quiet answer.

“Of course she isn’t,” came in a subdued bellow from
Captain Morgan.

Without another word, and heedless of protests, the cap-
Jains picked her up in his arms, seated her on one of his
broad shoulders and held her there.

“It’s a heap better’n walking, isn’t it?” demanded the
old salt. : at te)

“But not as easy for you,” Florence gently objected.

Only two miles to the top of this first spur, and only
about the same distance to the valley on the other side; yet
what, with slow progress and frequent halts for rest, it was
nearly daylight when they came close to the valley.

Here they found a little gulch, which old Abner well te-
membered, Its only approach well hidden by a tangle of
tropical jungle, it also possessed a deep, never-drying soring
of water. 3

Into this retrat their guide conducted them.
“Tt will be daylight in half an hour,” he explained. “Here
_. we must wait until night before we attempt to cross the
valley. Now that we havé water to wash down the food,‘
let us make a meal and then sleep through the hot day that
is to come.” r

Every word was spoken in a low tone. The sun was up
by the time that breakfast was over. :

Guy and Dick found a little nook which they declared
was meant by nature for Florence’s room. This they cov-

red over with boughs.

_ The remainder stretched themselves out wherever they

+

Zk

found “soft spots.” All were nearing slumber when old
Abner aroused them with a sudden cry of dismay.

For explanation he pointed southward.

In 4 moment the whole camp was clustered around the
old man.

Away to the southward, seemingly not more than a mile
distant, three columns of smoke ascended straight up over
the tree tops.

“Sinoke,” uttered the old man uneasily.
I was here this valley was uninhabited.

“And it may be now, dad,” conjectured Guy. “That may
come from the camp-fires of travelers like ourselves,. who
are in the valley now and may be gone before noon.”

But Captain Morgan shook his head, and to him Mr. Pat-
terson appealed.

“You have had more experience, sir. What do you say?”
“The smoke comes from factory chimneys,” rejoined

“The last time

Morgan,

“Exactly. And what kind of factories are to be found in
the wilds of this country? That smoke can come .from
nothing but the chimneys of mills where sugar-cane is being
ground. That means a sugar plantation. In this country
a sugar-plantation is at least a good-sized village in extent
and poptlation. Hence, when we try to move through this
valley, there are hundreds of natives whom we risk encoun-
tering:

“Risk?” repeated Morgan.

“Yes; for Correro already knows that we are coming to
this country. He will have his spies out everywhere. A
party of Americans once seen, the fact will be reported to
him. That means a running fight the whole of our journey,
with the odds all against us. It means that our precautions
must be trebled.”

“Yet, if we wait until late enough to-night,’ observed
Morgan, “it seems to me that it will not be so difficult to
cross the valley and get into the mountains on the other
side.” ‘

“True, if we have the luck to avoid the plantation. But
at night the native watchmen will ‘be out on the guard
against fires in.the cane. Dogs that are: fastened in their
kennels through the day will be prowling about at night.
Both the natives and the dogs havesa keen scent. for
strangers. Once we are detected passing by there will be no
rest on the plantation until the inhabitants have found us.
Such is the dread of fire that every vigilance is exercised
while the dry cane is standing.” -

“Then will it not be best for us to reconnoiter during the
day and get the exact lay of the land?”

“That is what we must do,” rejoined old Abner. “We
must know the lay of this valley as well as you do the
map of New York Bay. And it is I who will go forward
to reconnoiter.” :

“I hope you won’t think of it,” retorted Morgan quickly.

“Who is so well suited as I,” retorted the old man, “to
do this work?”

"True, beyond a question. But bear in mind, sir, that
you are our only guide. If anything happens to you, what
can the rest of us do? Remember, too, sir, that your daugh-
ter is here. You have no right to take unnecessary risks.”

“That’s true, dad,” spoke up Guy. “I am the one to go.”

“Wrong again,” retorted Morgan. “It’s your duty, Pat-
terson, to stand by your father.”

~ Chen who is to go?” demanded the old man.

“T” answered Dick Poole, with emphasis.

“There won’t be any lack of volunteers,” laughed the cap-
tain, “for I’m going to propose myself.”

“Why not draw lots?” suggested Dolph.

“Right,” approved Morgan. “But Mr. Patterson and
son must be barred from drawing.”

Old Abner cut five twigs of different lengths. These he
held in his hands, allowing only the ends to show.

“The one who draws the longest twig goes,”’ he announced,

In silence the drawing was made.

his

}

 
22 oe MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

s

“IT win,” smiled Dolph, exhibiting his twig.

“And mine’s the next longest,’ declared Luke.
means that I’m to go with you.”

“No, it doesn’t,” retorted the captain. “Two boys wouldn’t
be any safer than one, and we can’t afford to divide our
forces too much. Dexter, my lad, be mighty careful, not
only for your own safety,.but for ours, which may depend
upon how well you do your work.”

“And don’t oo, lost, so that you can’t find your way back
here,’ supplemented Mr. Patterson. ‘Notice all the land-
marks as you go, so that you can follow the same line back.”

Luke’s face showed his disappointment at not being per-
mitted to go with his chum.

There were other volunteers, for that matter, who were
equally disappointed.

Dexter ‘left the gulch, pushing forward as fast as he
could.

At first he had the smoke for a guide, but when he got
down into the level of the valley hee was able to see only
at times the three thin columns through the trees.

In an hour’s tramp he probably did not progress more
than a half-mile to the southward.

Here,. at last, through the trees, he caught sight of wide
fields covered with what looked very much like corn, except
that the stalks were much taller.

“Here’s the sugar-cane,” he reflected, pushing resolutely
through the last remaining barrier of matted underbrush and
jungle. “Now to find the location of the buildings.”

But this was not easy, for the thick cane was much
higher than his head.

There was nothing to do but to keep on through the cane.

At first uncomfortable, the day rapidly became worse
from the heat. Still before him in a seemingly endless mass
stretched the cane. Only the lessening of the distance be-
tween himself and the smoke made him realize that he was
actually progressing.

“T’d like to see what the human beings look like who
work here,? muttered the boy.

Rash wish, and almost instantly granted! forty feet
ahead of ‘him Dexter suddenly perceived a figure that
brought him quickly to a- halt.

“Who’s this?” wondered Dexter, backing stealthily away,
but keeping his eyes all the while fixed on this sudden ap-
parition. “A watchman, I suppose, though he looks more
like a brigand.”

Passive as a statue stood the stranger, giving Dolph a
profile view. A native laborer the fellow seemed to be,
part Indian, part negro, with probably a-bit of Spanish or
French blood.

Barefooted, with trousers and shirt of blue drilling, and
the swarthy face, topped by a wide-brimmed, straw som-
brero, the native appeared lost in his own thoughts.

By a cord from -his wrist dangled a machete, the odd im-
plement, half-sword and half-butcher’s knife, with which the
sugar-cane is cut.

A rustling in the cane caused the fellow to look swiftly
in Dolph’s ‘direction, but our hero had just succeeded in
getting out of the range of view.

For fully three minutes Dolph did not stir. :

“Tf there’s one of those chaps in the cane,” deliberated
Dexter, “there are likely to be more. How far apart are
they? That’s the question.”

Edging off sideways, after a while, Dolph again made
toward the smoke.

It was very close now. Evidently he was getting toward
the edge of the cane.

He crept almost to the beginning of the clearing, lay
down flat upon the soil, and made a mind’s map of the
scene before him.

First of all, two hundred feet away, he saw the big planta-
tion house, a roomy, two-story affair, with broad verandas.

Back of that were some smaller buildings that looked
like stables.

A That

: boy.

At a distance of five hundred feet from the house was
the he of a line of three mills. At no great distance from
the latter buildings were some others that’ looked like ware-
houses.

Close to our hero began a small village of laborers’ huts,
which reached about to the stable

A third of a mile away were perhaps fifty laborers cut.
ting cane and loading it on waiting mail-wagons.

Thud! thud! came a new sound.
“Horses—horsemen—a regular cavalcade,” muttered the
“More brigands—or is this the way planters travel in
San Domingo?”

They were making toward the house. Behind the leader,
whose superior clothing made Dolph guess him to be the
owner of the plantation, came sixteen other riders, in pairs.

All were well armed, each man carrying a machete, in
addition to firearms.

As for the leader, who rode like a born commander, from
under his sombrero came glimpses of a handsome, devil-
may-care face.

“Ugh!” muttered Dolph, with a sudden shock of an
sion. ‘He looks like a human snake. I'll bet he’s as cold
and<clammy as a rattler. Ugh! his restless eyes give me.
the shivers.” |

At that moment the leader, turning and halting before —
the veranda, gave some order to his followers.

As one man they spurred past the house, galloping to an
open field near one of the mills before they halted and dis-
hinted.

“Mr. Satan, I’ll call you,” decided the boy, still keeping
his fascinated gaze on the now solitary leader.

After a moment a man stepped out through the doorway
to greet the newcomer.

“Why, it’s Rondeva!” gasped the peeping boy.

Two more men came out.

“Nomera and Alcantara,” checked off Dolph, his astonish-  .
ment rising with each new recognition of. the three men who
had all but killed him in New York.

Full of respect, with something of seryility, were the
salutations they offered ta the newcomer.

“Oho! Mr. Satan, and now I know you,” quivered Dex-
ter, NO mistaking you, and your face fits your record,
Sefior Correro!”

CHAPTER: UX.
CORRERO'S CAPTIVE.

Francisco Alvarez Correro appeared very much at pene :

Walking to one end of the porch, he took a chair and mo-
tioned his three followers to seats.

“This is his own plantation,’ muttered Dolph. “Td like
to know ” he added; his eyes roving over the scene.

His gaze turned to where the squad of men had dis-
mounted.

Already they had tethered their horses and had gone, every +
man of them, to the shady side of the mill.. y
Before our hero stretched out the line of laborers’ huts,

beyond that the stables, and past that the house. | -
“It’s got to be done,” murmured Dolph recklessly.
Rising to his feet, ie darted down past the line of huts,
keeping the latter between himself and the range of vision
from the big house.
a7 Elven Heath palpitating, he Fone the first stale ee
after an instant’s indecision, darted inside.
Some dozen mules were here, but not a single human
being
“So far, good!” pronounced the reckless one.
The second stable and the third Dolph traversed.

Now there stretched out before him an intervening bit of —

yard, on the farther side of which was the porch where the
four men sat,

 
af

» short. glance at the paper.

- for swift flight.

MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

The low murmur of their voices reached his ears, though
not a single word could he distinguish.

“This won't do,’ remarked the eager boy, rendered au-
dacious by success.

Only a brief pause of uncertainty and observation, then
a figure shot out of that last stable.

Had the talkers on the veranda been less absorbed in their
words they might have seen that figure of a boy, bending
low as he ran, stealthy as a cat afid swift as a panther.

Life hung on a thread now—Dolph knew that, and so did
the success of the very good friends whom he was there to
serve.

Would he never reach the edge of the porch? “The time
occupied by his swift approach seemed interminable.

At last he gained the shelter of a thick hedge of tall,
flowering bushes that grew in the soil just below the end of
the porch,

Trembling though he was, Dolph got through
bery without making a betraying sound.

rawing
tumultuous beating of his heart. Even that sound, he feared,
would betray him. v

It was Sefior Correro who was now speaking.

“So that boy whom you call Dexter threatened to become
your evil genius?” questioned the San Domingan.

“Yes,” replied the voice of Alcantara. “A thousand
curses on the young medler!”

“Eh?” chuckled listening Dolph inwardly. “Oh, wouldn’t
you like to know how close that boy is at this minute!”

“But the best is to come,’ went on Alcantara. “After
all, I have the map.”
- “Eh?” gasped eavesdropping Dolph bewilderedly.

“True,” continued Alcantara; “I threw. overboard the

the shrub-

' package containing the map, but I had previously made an-

other copy of it on thin tracing paper. Whether that old
fool, Patterson, recovered the package from *the boy I do
not know; but it matters little, since I have this copy for
you, my dear Sefior Correro,”

“Oh, you excellent Alcantara!” cried Correro delightedly.

The face of the boy who crouched in the shrubbery was
deathly white.

What he had heard struck him with despairing force.

These scoundrels, then, had a copy of Abner Patterson’s
map. Provided with horses and with every facility for
traveling day and night, with no need to keep constant look-
out for enemies, these San Domingans could make the

journey in a half or a third of the time that the Americans
vould require.

Tt “was useless, hopeless, for old Abner Patterson to at-

_ tempt to recover his own hidden opals.

A profitless effort, «unless

In that swift crisis Dolph’s eyes, ears, brain, and body
all entered the race for speed.

“It is a very complicated map. I can’t make head or
tail of it,’ pronounced Alcantara on the porch overhead.

“Doubtless you will be able to read it, my dear Sefior Cor-
rero,”
_ Then there was the sound of rustling paper as the map
“was spread on the table around which the men were seated,

“It is somewhat complicated,’ admitted Correro, after a
“Wait; we will have fresli
cigars and good wine to clear our brains before we try to
unravel this puzzle. Rondeva, do me the kindness to call
one of the servants,” « '

The man addressed rose and walked into the house to
comply.

Bump! whack! whizz! grab!

In a twinkling Dolph had sprung upon the porch. Quick
as a flash he vaulted over the rail, landed both hands upon
the table before the eyes of his astonished enemies, turned,
-and sprang over the rail again to the ground.

Map in hand and kfiife in the other, his whole thought was

Ss

a long, cautious breath, he tried to quiet the

ao

Slash! He had cut the tether-rope and was upon the

back of Correro’s own steed before the startled horse had

time to, rear.
ffi-yi! hi-yi! Yelling like a circus Indian, Dolph dug his

_ heels into the brute’s flanks, and away they tore. ”

ie

"That's: Dexter floatedafter our hero, in Nomera’s
voice. “Shoot, quick!”

“No; I value that horse too much;” echoed' Correro.

Crack! .crack! sounded a pistol, but the bullets were
fired into the air with a’ purpose that was soon manifest,

Alarmed by the signal, the resting riders near the. mill
hastily leaped into saddle, and raced toward the planter’s
house.

Correro himself replaced one of the horsemen in the
saddle, leading the fifteen others off at a wild gallop.
“Don’t shoot him,’ called Correro. ‘Take him alive!”

“Not if T.can help it,” gritted Dolph, who heard the
order.

In the first moment of flight he had headed straight in
the direction from which he had come.

Realizing in a flash that this might indicate to his pur-
suers where his friends were encamped, Dolph veered the
snorting beast around to a course almost at right angles.

Ordered not to fire, the pursuers were at a disadvantage in
chasing a fugitive mounted on a thoroughbred.

Every instant Dolph increased the distance between them.

But a new difficulty presented itself. He could no longer
keep in the open, which would mean simply riding in a
circle. He must cross the cane.

Swerve! crackle! rustle! Obedient to the bridle pull,
the horse leaped into the cane.

“Forward! forward!” begged the boy, as if appealing to
a human friend, and accompanying his words with a furious
tattoo of heels upon the horse’s flanks.

Nobly the spirited beast fought its way through the tall
sugar-cane. It was slow progress compared with that made
in the open, but still it was progress. :

Behind him Dolph coufd see that his pursuers, who had
also taken to the cane, were doing even worse than he.

Both sides to this contest would be better in the saddle
than on foot.

“I can lose.’em yet,” ejaculated exultant Dolph.

Ahead in the cane loomed up one of the native watchmen
in threatening attitude.

“Get killed, if you’d rather
pistol at the fellow.

Stumble! crash!
hole.

Lurching through the cane, both horse
the ground.

Uttering a ferocious yell, the native leaped upon our
hero.

Having lost his pistol, which lay useless a dozen feet
away, Dexter had only his hands to defend himself,

“Let me up,” he growled at the uncomprehending native,
who only tried to hold him closer to the earth,

“No matter what happens to me, it’s the end of you,
then,’ panted Dexter,

Clenching with all his fury, he wound his arms about the
watchman, rapidly squeezing out ‘the fellow’s wind.

Suddenly changing his tactics, Dexter caught at the fel-
low’s throat. That move nearly carried the day.

Our hero was now on top, and had nearly freed himself
when the first of the horsemen rode up.

“Seize him, but don’t kill him!” roared Correro.

Dolph made one last frantic effort to free himself, then
found himself in the tight grip of three or four men.

Still he fought like a savage.

“Throw him to the earth and bind him, then,’ was Cor-—
rero’s next command. ;

Sheer force of numbers carried the day against our hero. ~
He was borne down, held there with his face to the soil,

{?

shouted Dolph, pointing his
One of the horse’s fore feet landed in a

and rider went to

 
24 : MIGHT

and when he rose to his feet it was with his hands f fastened
behind his back.

“Sol? hissed Correro, leaping to the ground and striding
up to our hero.

So fiendish was the look in the planter’s: blazing eyes
that Dexter recoiled.

“Miserable! Where is that map?” demanded Correro, in
a tempest of fury.

But Dolph held himself erect,
ascendant, all his grit recovered.

Hiuess (‘he retorted. /

Smack! = Correro’s hand, raised as quickly as a serpent
rears its head, landed with stinging effect across the boy’s
face.

“You miserable coward!” uttered Dolph, white with hu-
miliation. “Do you think you can make me afraid of you?’

“Yes,” snapped the planter, drawing his revolver , and
cocking it. é

“Afraid of a thing like you?” jeered Dexter. “Of a man
who has betrayed his best friends, who never heard the
word ‘honor’ ?’?

It was Correro’s turn to pale at the insult flung im his
teeth before all his dependents. But he gazed into Dolph’s

all his manhood in the

dauntless eyes and read there that angry violence could not -

make this American tremble.

“Search the dog,’ he snarled to his men.

And most thoroughly was Dolph searched, but not even
so much as a torn corner of the map could be found.

“What have you done with it?” insisted Correro, only
to be again defied by that laconic retort:

“Guess !”

“Take him to the house,” ordered Correro, and the planter
walked just behind the prisoner, eying him-keenly all the
while.

Rondeva, Nomera, and Alcantara, all smiling in their evil
way, met the returning party.

“Guard the house,” ordered Correro to his men, and, ac-
companied only by his trio of -liettenants, took the boy to
a room in the second story.

“Now, you gringo,’ roared the planter, “we shall see
whether you will tell me what you have done with the
map.”

Dolph’s lips curled at the corners in a scornful smile.

Sefior Correro, abandoning his recent tactics of violence,
questioned Dolph gently and adroitly.

But this course was an equal failure.
lutely refused to answer any questions.

Once more the San Domingan changed his tactics.

Teehor Dexter,” le said persuasively, “tell me what you
have done with the map, restore it to me, and I will send you
out-of the country with a present of five thousand pesos.”

“Perhaps you San Domingans can be bought,” retorted

. Dolph. “It is not so with an American who prizes his
honor. Tempt me with your whole fortune and I shall still
laugh at you,”

Again Correro realized that this young American had a
way of saying just the things he meant. |

“You need time for reflection, sefior,”’ rejoined the planter,
with a courteous gesture. “Very well; we shall not meet
again until this evening. Adios!”

Correro left the room, but his trio of lieutenants pee
until four other men came to relieve them.

Armed with machetes and pistols, this new quartet were
plainly guards. Two of them stationed themselves near the
door, while the other two took seats near the middle of
the room.

Dolph, somewhat to his surprise, found himself at liberty
to walk about the room as much as he chose. He was even
permitted to go to the windows. Looking out, he saw other
armed men in-the yard.

“Wonder what the folks in camp are thinking and doing,”
passed almost constantly through the boy’s mind.

And with it this other thought:

>

Our hero abso-

AND MAIN LIBRARY.

Sy 2,

“Is Correro seeking them? Has he found them?

But the day passed without any enlightenment.

Near stinset two servants came, bringing in a bath-tud
half-filled with water. Soap and towels they laid beside it
in the middle of the room.

Next they appeared with a complete outfit of fresh cloth- :

ing,.including a suit of white linen duck.

“For you, sefior,” said one of the servants to Dolph.

Then the servants withdrew and closed the door. The
guards turned their backs, after one of them had freed our
hero’s hands.

“Well, well,” reflected Dexter curiously, eying ie tub and
the pile of clothing. ‘“SPhis: is a. little “unexpected; bub 2
bath and change isn’t a half-bad idea on such a sweltering
day. I don’t understand it, but I believe Pll take.a hand in
this new game.” .

Bathed and reclothed, Dolph felt ten times more com-
fortable.

But his amazement was incréased tenfold when Senor

Correro appeared in the doorway arrayed exactly like ae
prisoner.

“Ah, mi amigo,” hailed the San Domingan.
you are dressed for dinner. And our three friends await us.
Come.”

Utterly mystified, our hero follgwed his jailer, or his host
—he almost wondered which—until they went out of the
house, crossed the grounds, and entered a large tent.

Had he thought of making any dash for escape, Dexter ~

saw the folly of it when he realized how many armed men
stood about.

Inside the tent Correro’s three lieutenants, also arrayed in

similar linen clothing, were waiting.
They saluted both their host and our hero with great
courtesy.

Paper lanterns were lighted. Correro waved his guests to :

seats; servants glided in and out, and the meal proceeded.

“Poisoned food?” wondered Dolph, with a sudden qualm. —

“But no, that’s not likely, for it would be>cheaper and
easier, if they meant to kill me, to hit me over the head
with a club.”

So, famished as he was, he fell to with a sada upon
the food. -

Laughter and light talk passed coed the table as freely

as did the wine, with this exception—that Dolph ee of

neither.

Once or twice Correro addressed him, but Dexter pre-
tended not to have heard him.

For nearly two hours the different courses of the aanes
were discussed.

Then came cigars.

“And now the crisis, too,” thought Dolph,

Tie was right.

“Senior Dexter,” began Correro suddenly, ee smoking
in silence for a few moments, “you see how devoted I am to
my. irieads. They -are devoted to me, too.. lt is because
we get along on the pleasantest terms.
with my friends. This morning I had the honor to offer you
five thousand pesos if you would restore to me the map.
which you took.” :

“And I told you then,” replied Dolph, “that the offer of
your whole fortune wouldn’t tempt me.” ~

But Correro, ignoring these words, went on calmly:

“T have decided to increase.my offer to ten thousand dol-
lars and a safe passage to any part of the world that you
prefer. With the offer goes a tender of my friendship.”

“My answer, sir, is the same as this morning.”

“Do not be too covetous,’ warned Correro,
slightly. “IT have made you the best
make.”

“It is just. as well, sir.
should keep on refasing”

Correro appeared mildly astonished,

“TI see thar =

I am. always liberal

frowning —
offer that T intend:to-

No matter what you offered, I~

q

 
<<

MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY. 25

“Do you realize, sefior,”- he asked, with treacherous mild-
ness, “all that your answer involves?”

“Perhaps I do; but, at any rate, I don’t care,” was Dex-
' ter’s straight-out reply.

“And your refusal is final?”

“Absolutely,” replied Dolph, his tone .as calm as the
other’s.

At a signal from the planter his three henchmen arose.
Dolph rose, too. .

“He has decided,” said the planter coldly. “He will not
change his mind. Let us have it over with.” _

Dolph permitted himself to be led, unresisting, through
the back door of the tent.

Once outside, he recoiled. An involuntary cry escaped
him There was plenty of light there, and this is what he
saw:

An herculean native, leaning on a razor-edge@ machete.

A trench in the ground.

Beside it a rough, six-foot box.

And against the latter leaned a freshly painted board, on
which was the inscription:

“Here lies a fool!”

CHAPTER x.
TRUE AMERICAN GRIT.

Death was written on every object that met Dolph Dex-
ter’s startled gaze.

“I'll disappoint them,” he gritted. “Dolph, my boy, if
you've only thirty seconds to live, remember that no Amer-
ican can forget himself or his country so far as to show
the white feather before these scum of the tropics.”

So, beyond the first start, the keen-eyed Correro saw not
the first sign of fear or weakening.

It was in a tone of disappointment that he asked:

“Well, Sefior Americano, do you find any fault with these
preparations?”

- Dolph looked squarely into the fellow’s eyes, and there
was not a tremble in a single muscle around his lips as he
replied:

“Ves; in regard to the epitaph.”

“Here lies a fool,” quoted Correro jeeringly.
not that describe the situation?”

“Not quite,” answered Dolph, in the same grave, imper-
turbable tone. “If you were to ask me to improve upon
it, I should suggest: ‘Here lies an honorable enemy.’-”
-“Fdo not agree with you, sefior,” retorted the San Do-
» mingan coldly.

“Of course you don’t,’ Dolph rejoined calmly, still look-
ing into the other’s eyes. “How could you, who have never
done an honest act in your life, you who have never en-
joyed the friendship of honorable men, you who have never

“Does

once felt the healthful sensation that comes from honorable

dealing ?” :

“Caramba!” cried Correro, all his hot blood surging to
‘the top. “You are too insolent to merit my patience any
longer. We will finish up your affair at once. Rondeva,
be good enough to hand me what you have brought in your
pocket.”

Immediately the one addressed handed over to his superior
a pair of handcuffs.
“Tt will be necessary for me to place these upon your
wrists,” resumed Correro, in his former tone of deadly po-
liteness. “You will kneel, of course, while your head is
removed. If your hands were not secured, instinct would
teach you to raise them when you felt the machete descend-
ing. It would be humiliating for us to make a bungling
job of it. Hold out your hands, if you please.”
_ But Dolph replied neither by word nor movement.
Standing quite erect, he gazed into Correro’s eyes with
a look that plainly dared the latter. ; a

Correro felt it. He was in no mood to submit to even
mental mastery.

“Since you will not hold out your hands, then,” jeered the
planter, “I must take them where I find them.”

Dolph’s quiet, mocking smile enraged him.

Darting forward a couple of steps, he seized the boy’s
left wrist.

It was the instant for which Dolph had waited.

In a twinkling Dexter’s other hand shot out. —

It closed upon the butt of a revolver dangling at Cor-
rero’s belt.

So swiftly was it done that it all seemed like one mo-
tion.

Against the planter’s temple pressed a ring of steel, tue
business end of the tube of Correro’s own handsome pistol.

“Not a move, now,” breathed Dolph fiercely, “or you'll
never move again.”

Raising his, voice slightly, he added, in a tone that ad-
mitted of no doubt:
“If any one moves I'll blow this dastard’s brains out.’

Fairly caught, and with the tables most completely turned,
Correro laughed.

“Diablo! 1 do not fear death, gringo.”

“T know it,” said Dolph quietly. “Yet you would rather
live. I am more generous than you. I. shall not harm
a hair of your head, if neither you nor your fellow dastards
disobey me.”

“Shoot this American dog down, Rondeva,’ laughed Cor-
rero, though he did not attempt to move so much as a

nger.

Rondeva hesitated, then demurred.

Dolph’s. eyes, now a clear, steely blue, seemed to emit
sparks. He was watchful at every point.

“Why do you not shoot, Rondeva?’’ laughed the planter.

“Because I fear to, my good friend. At my first move
he will——”

“Blow Sefior Correro’s brains out,” finished Dolph quietly.

“Shoot him down, Alcantara,’ begged the imperilled man.

But the individual addressed murmured:

“No, no! He is am American devil. He will do as he
says. 1 would find myself a second too late to save your
lite.”

“Juan,” implored Correro, “you have never disobeyed me.
Cut this dog down with your machete.”

“No, no, my dear master,” tremblingly replied the gigantic
native: “I cannot see you killed before my eyes.”

“Tt is for the love we bear you, my dear Correro,” said
Nomera.

“Sefior Correro,’ resumed Dolph coldly, ‘I do not seek to
kill you, though I promise you I will do it if you do not
obey my every word at once. Right about! March!”

With the word of command, Dolph used his left hand to
face his foe about.

Correro- hesitated only an instant, then took a step for-
ward.

“Keep on walking,” counselled Dolph, keeping at his side,
and holding the pistol io the fellow’s head. :

“Do not attempt to rescue or to follow,’’. Dolph called
over his shoulder at the astonished ones to the rear. “You
might fire and hit me, but if you do not kill me instantly
it would be your master’s last second of life.” :

It was an exhibition of steel nerve, and none realized
better than Dolph Dexter the risk he ran in turning his
back to Correro’s tools.

But they made no overt attempts. Something in the ring
of the young American’s voice made them realize how
almost unavoidable was Correro’s death if they lost their
heads. Cee ae

When they had gone fifty feet Correro defiantly halted.

“How much farther do you need my Company?” he cde-
manded.

¢

d

 
MIGHT AND

a was the cool retort.
“March !”
Correro obeyed, but sullenly.

At the end of another hundred feet he halted again.

“Keep on!” ordered Dolph sternly, and as soon as he
saw his command obeyed, he added:

“The next time you halt without my permission, I shall
shoot you without a word. Don’t put me to the test, for,
unless you do, your chances of) living are excellent.’

No -further urging ‘did Correro’ need.

In silence he kept on, merely asking, as ey came near
the edge of the clearing:

“Am I to go through the cane with you, sefior?”

“Yes,” snapped Dolph.

Into the sugar-cane they had penetrated some ten yards,
when Correro, uttering a low cry, tripped and fell.
~ “Get up!” ordered Dolph.

Trip! Correro’s muscular hands gripped his ankles, and
the boy toppled over to the ground.

In an instant after he touched ground Dolph struggled to
rise to his feet. :

Grip! Correro had hold of the pistol wrist.

Trying to reach for the weapon with his left, Dolph
caught the glint of the handcuffs in Correro’s left hand.

Throwing up his arm instead, Dexter just succeeded in
parrying in time to save: his skull.

Then began a furious struggle, one-handed on each side.

It was life and death now. Both knew that. Only one
could leave the spot alive.

fot me to command,”

So they fought silently, cautiously, but with the despera-
tion of tigers.

But time was measured only by seconds. Hardly had. the
combat begun when a figure loomed up through the cane and
darted forward. .

“Help, my good fellow,” cried Correro.

Dolph inwardly gave up the fight at that instant, though
he did not cease-to struggle.

At them’dashed the newcomer, and tow-
ered over them.

“Take away his pistol,” directed Correro.

But Correro was destined to one of the biggest surprises
of his life. No sooner had he given the order than a pair
of sinewy hands twined themselves around his throat.

“Choke, you sinner! Strangle!”

A command. which the San Domingan came very near
obeying,
his hold on Dexter.

reached them,

In a twinkling the planter felt himself lifted and again
thrown to the ground—this time the under dog.

“Luke!” gasped Dolph, springing to his feet and gazing
an instant at this.most unexpected choking-match.

“Help me, quick!” gurgled Hepworth. “This fellow’s
like chained lightning.”
“Help?” laughed Dolph, throwing himself upon their
overmatched foe. “The best kind, right here!’
Snap! One steel loop.of the handcuffs closed over Car-
rero’s right wrist. &
“Help me turn him over,” begged Dolph.
right.”

“There, that’s

MAIN

for the ‘clutch at his throat forced him to relax.

LIB RARY.

Both of the San Domingan’s hands were now
held there by his own

oo
safely secured behind his back,
irons. ;

“Help, help, my brave——” shouted the planter, but Luke.
cut short the appeal by another well-administered choking.

“Til crowd’ my handkerchief in his mouth,” muttered
Dolph.

“No; you'll find a bunch of cotton-waste in my pocket—
that’s better.” }

Dolph did find it. Between them the boys forced the
stuff into their enemy’s mouth, tying it in with our hero’s
handkerchief,

This completed, they bound their captive’s feet.

“lve got his feet,” sang out Dolph, in a low tone. “Pick ~
up his head. Hear that hubbub back at.the house. We'll
have a regiment after us in a minute. Now, then, hurry!”

It was high time, for the plantation was alive with sounds
of chase and impending rescue.

CHAPTER Xi
ON THE MARCH.

Up on the boys’ shoulders went the helpless form a Sefior
Correro.

“Head the way,
sea in this wilderness of cane.’

“We'll steer for the nearest woods,”
softly, as he set the pace.

Encumbered as they were,
Fortunately, the distance was

,

muttered Luke. “I’m worse than all at

Dolph called back

their speed was not great.
short.

“Going to take this thing all the way?’ demanded Luke,
as they found themselves under the trees.

“No,” vouchsafed Dolph gos aoe heavy. But we
won't leave him too near the cane.’

Behind them sounded the tramp of horses He
through the sugar-cane. :

With hearts beating, nerves a-tingle, but muscles firm
as iron, the boys forged ahead with their burden.

Informed by the sound, they knew. that the pursuit. sa:
gaining. It was also spreading over a wide line.

“Here’s as good a place as any,’ declared Dolph,
before a thick jungle of thicket. -

“What are you going to do?” whispered Luke.

“Put him: inside this junglé, covered oe the | mass of
thicket. Be careful not to break any twigs.”

Cautiously pushing aside the maze of branches and twigs,
they lifted their captive inside, laid him on the ground,
face up, and prepared for hasty flight. ;

“Good night, my friend the enemy,”
the motionless planter. “Go to sleep!
you!”

halting

whispered Dolph to
Pleasant dreams to

Even in the darkness of that thick jungle they Send see

the yellow, catlike glare in Correro’s hateful eyes.
Shuddering with the dread inspired by this repulsive man,

the boys stole silently out of the jungle. oe
Tramp! tramp! sounded the hoofs of horses and the feet

of men. 8x

Hardly a- minute behind them, now, was the pursuing
patty. ‘

 
Dexter here with me.”

MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY.

nee hold ‘of Luke’s hand, Dolph led the fight. So
stealthily did they move that they hardly caught the sound
of their own footsteps.

Farther and farther to the rear sounded the pursuit. Nu-
merous as they were, Correro’s employees were forced to
move slowly, after all, since they must needs search as they
moved onward. :

“Camp’s crazy about you,”
tone.

“I suppose so,” assented Dolph. _ ‘

“When it got dark I was so uneasy that I insisted on

going to look for you. Thank Heaven, my.luck led me to
the right spot.”

“You were just in one old} fellow. Without you I’d
_ have been taken again.’ (

“What happened to you, anyway?” demanded Hepworth,
a-quiver with curiosity.

“Wait until we get to camp.
Vath.

Still holding each other’s hands, they made a fresh spurt,
not slackening their speed for several minutes. .

Fear of pursuit had now nearly left the boys. -Correro’s
men were beating the bush much nearer the plantation.

“Are you sure,” questioned Luke,
right road to camp?”

assented Dolph. “A fellow who gets used
to steering a craft on the wide ocean at night knows his
compass by the stars. overhead. Besides, we’ve passed
groves of trees that I recognized this morning.”
“You beat me,” said Luke admiringly.
“Tll show you the gulch itself in ie minutes,”
Dolph.
And he kept his word, parting the screen of jungle and
leading Hepworth into the camp.
“Ts this the place, after all?’ muttered Doll, halting
. in dismay.
| For no living being but themselves appeared there.
“Whew!” whistled Luke, turning pale.. “Why, I left them
here. Yes, I’m positive this is the place.”
“Hepworth!” came a low whisper that thrilled both boys.
yes sir,’ answered Luke, staring about him, “and Dolph

volunteered Luke, ia a low

Tl tell you the whole

“that we are on the

“Pretty sure,”

predicted

Something care sliding down the trunk of one of the
trees that fringed the gully. In a twinkling the something
‘resolved ifself into Abner Patterson.

Four other tree-trunks seemed: similarly alive, and when
Florence came out of a narrow cleft in the rock the gulch
looked natural again.

“We were keenly alert,” said old Abner. “We heard
somebody coming, and-hid. Thank Heaven, boys, you are

both back. Tell me what has happened—all that has hap-
- pened.” :

Strive as he would to be brief, it took Dolph some time

to do this.

Listening gravely, old Abner drew in his breath with a

sharp hiss when he learned that Correro was in that very

neighborhood.
“1t seetis almost too strange to. believe, doesn’t. it?”

laughed Dolph, when he came to the end.

27

“No,” rejoined Captain Morgan grimly. “You've got
the greaser’s pistol and an extra suit of his clothes to prove
your story, besides Luke’s testimony.”

“And T’ve got something else,” laughed Dolph.
map that I grabbed.”

“The map!” cried Mr. Patterson eagerly,
ing.”

“It was on very thin tracing-paper. While making my
first escape, on Correro’s horse, the paper tore in halves.
Fearing they would overtake me, I folded each piece sev-
eral times. Bending low in the oe I thrust a piece
inside each cheek. There it is now.”

Inserting thumb and forefinger in his mouth, Dolph drew

“The

“You're jest-

out two thin, moist, pulpy masses of paper. °

With an eager movement old Abner took them from him,
unfolded them with great care, and looked them over by
the light of a match held in the captain’s fingers,

“Blurred, very much blurred,” pean Mr. Patter-
son, “but it was an exact copy of my map.”

“How's this for an idea, dad?” spoke up Guy, collecting
a little Beep of twigs and lighting them.

“Yes,” replied his father decisively. Bending over the
tiny blaze, he first dried, then reduced to ashes the halves '
of the map.

“Now we must go forward—we’ve got to,”
eagerly.

Next to no preparation was needed. In less than two
minutes they had left the gulch with Mr. Patterson and our
hero for guides.

Their progress for the next two hours was as rapid. as it
was exhausting.

Keeping altogether clear of the cane-fields, and passing
by on the opposite side of the valley from where they be-
lieved Correro’s seekers to be at work, our party left the
plantation behind them.

he announced

Now began the toilsome ascent of the main range of the
Sierra de Monte Cristi.

A point perhaps two hundred feet above the level of the
valley had been reached, when Dolph clutched at his com-
panion’s arm and pointed backward.

Rockets, one, two, three, went up.

“They have found our arch-enemy,”’
son.

guessed Mr. Patter-
“That is the signal to call the searchers in. Pass
back mene the line, Dexter, and urge all to quicken the

_ pace.”

It lacked only an hour of daylight when a final halt was
made necessary by the exhaustion of all.

But they had put several miles between themselves and
the plantation. Even breathing seemed safer now.

A clear space in the center of a thick grove of trees was
the spot chosen for the camp.

Old Abner stood guard first. An hour after daylight he
roused Dolph and thrust into his hands a repeating rifle,

“Be vigilant,’ whispered the old man.
call your friend Hepworth, to relieve you.”

The first half of his tour Dolph listened and watched,

hearing no sound but the chatter of multitudes of tropical
birds.

At last a different sound reached his ears.

“In two. hours

 
28 MIGHT AND MAIN LIBRARY,

“Some one prowling,”
thrill of alarm.

It needed looking into. Gliding stealthily out between
the trees, he alternately halted and advanced, listening in-
tently.

Not many moments passed before he caught sight of the
cause of his alarm. cee

Keenly scrutinizing the ground and staring all about him
was a peon (laborer). So, intent was he in his search that
he did not detect our hero’s presence until the latter de-
manded incisively:

“Well, what do you want?”

Wheeling swiftly about, the fellow coldly surveyed Dolph.

Noting the rifle and its bearer’s challenging look, the San
_ Domingan took a tighter hold of the sharp-edged machete

that dangled from his wrist.

“Buenos dias, sefor,’ was the stranger’s tranquil greeting.

“What are you doing here?’ Dolph sternly insisted.

“Exercising a citizen’s right to travel through the coun-
try,” retorted the peon, dropping into English.

“But what brings you here?”

“Diablo! J am seeking work, sefior. I will now take
leave of you, since you don’t like my looks.”

“No, by the Lord Harry you won’t!” warned Dolph.

“Then perhaps the sefior means to employ me?” grinned
the peon coolly.

“T don’t know about that, either,’ snapped Dolph. “But
I must warn you, my friend, that just now any opinions. or
wishes of your own may prove fatal to you.”

“Tt seems I have won the sefior’s dislike,’ murmured the
peon, without, however, seeming much disturbed.
A sound farther off in the bush caused Dolph to stop.

“Only my horse, sefior,” was the imperturbable peon’s
remark,

“Let us go to the aaa then.”

Not protesting, the peon guided him to where a horse,
saddled and bridled, stood.

“Lead the beast,” said Dolph, “and come with me.”

Silently. the peon obeyed, tying the animal to the tree
Dolph indicated.

“Now come into the grove with me. Stand by that tree.
Don’t try to vamoose, or you'll find bullets swifter than
legs.”

With unruffled calmness the peon lighted a cigarette and
leaned against the tree.

With a touch Dolph aroused old Abner.

All the while our hero kept one eye on the stranger's
movements.

But that worthy showed not the slightest desire to de-
camp.

concluded Dolph, with a momentary
\

CHAPUER X11
PEDRO’S SMILE.
“He had found our camp. I didn’t think it safe to let
him get away,” whispered Dolph.

“Quite right,” nodded the old man. “I'll talk to him,”

Under Mr. Patterson’s skilful questioning the peon lost
none of his former tranquillity.

He stuck to his story iat he was tramping in search of

e

He came from Salva Leon, in the easterm part of
the island, and had never been in this part of San Domingo
before, he declared, and explained his knowledge of English —
by asserting that he had lived for three years in the island

of Jamaica.

“And where are you going when you leave here?” de--
manded Mr. Patterson.

“How can I tell you that?” retorted the peon civilly. “I
must keep on until I find work.’ :

“And you would like to work. for me?” asked the old man.

“If the sefior wishes,” ®was the indifferent answer.

“But I have nothing for you to do.”

“Then, by your permission, I will leave you,”
the fellow, still without eagerness.

work.

alain:

Old Abner was puzzled. §While still suspicious that the ~

peon was employed by Corréro, he was forced to admit that
the native seemed equally unconcerned as to whether he left
the party or remained with it.

“But you have a horse,” said Mr. Patterson suddenly.

“It is quite at the sefior’s service. I will trust to his
generosity,” j

If this fellow was a spy it seemed even more dangerous
to let him go» back to the plantation than to detain him with
the party.

So both he and his horse were hired.

For, another hour Mr. Patterson allowed the
sleep, devoting himself to closely watching the peon.

All hands aroused at last, Mr. Patterson told them of
his determination to push ahead without delay.

In a short time Zeb Hunk, who was a good deal of a
jack- of-all-trades, had’ succeeded in transforming the peon’s
saddle into a very fair side-saddle for Florence.

Pushing ahead in single file, Dolph kept just behind the
peon. The latter, who gave the name of oy ee
Mr. Patterson. :

After all, it proved to be not a bad idea to have this
handy, willing, patient fellow with them. Thoroughly used

to the *heat, he carried most of the bagg age without de-
murring.

At times,

rest to

4 ®

too, on the way, it became necessary to cut’
a path through some barrier of tangled jungle. - :

Nit is easy) lavoned «Pedra,
machete like mine.”

Snip! snap! hack!
jungle passable.

In fact Pedro was possessed of such excellent Spirits ane
was so unflagging that he‘helped to cheer the rest.

But Dolph, still carrying a rifle, seldom let his gaze
wander far from the peon. _ coe

“T don’t suspect the fellow as much as | did,” _ ee
son found chance to whisper to our hero.

“But [I’m watching him just the same,”
“That can do no. harm.”

A. few minttes’ work made the worst ;

replied Dotph.

“This horse is a blessing on four lees. “The journey:
would kill my daughter if she were compelled to walk.” —
It had been agreed that there should be no further halt

until they reached the cave where the hoard of opals had —
lain hidden for more than a score of years.

A fearful day’s jaunt it proved to be in the sweltering

heat and through unbroken wilderness.

 

“when you have a sharp -
MIGHT

Just before dark they halted long enough for a hurried
peal.

Tethering the horse, Pedro stood idly by, awaiting his
share of the rations.

Smoking pensively, he swung the machete’s edge against
the bark of a young tree.

Dolph, watching the action inattentively at first,
moovuden star 2s

Three times had the blade struck the bark.

“A letter {X’ and a line underneath,” ejaculated the
watcher. “Is he doing that on purpose? Hold on! A
mile or so back he made another mark just like that. It
looked like an accident then.”

Just then Zeb Hunk came up with a tin cup of coffee
and a thick slab of bread for Pedro.

“Thanks,” murmured the peon, sitting unconcernedly on
the ground. “The day’s toil has made me hungry.”

“We're going forward again,” said Mr. Patterson, in an
aside to Dolph. “In three hours, as I calculate it, we shall
‘reach the cave.”

In a few hurried words Dolph confided his new suspicions
of the use to which Pedro was putting his machete.

“Confusion!” groaned old Abner. ‘“There’s little doubt,
then, that the fellow’s all we feared. Watch him closer
than eyer. Make his actions your especial charge. I still
Teel that it is safer to keep him with us than to turn him
loose.”

There was no time to say more, for a hurried start was
made.

Half a mile farther on Pedro swung his blade jauntily.

“ *X? and a line under it,” muttered watchful Dolph. He
had been watching, prepared to act!?

Yet neither tremor nor huskiness sounded in his voice,
as he said quietly:

“Pedro, I can see that your machete is an encumberance,
' you have so many other anes to carry. Let me relieve you
se an ae

“Tf you will be so good, sefior,”
_ Dolph took possession of the blade.

gave

was the cool reply, and

Though old Abner must have heard and seen what was
dassing he said not a word.

Into his eyes a strange light had come. Fatigued as he
was, his movements had a jauntier, more youthful, swing.

He was near his opals, his wealth that had lain dormant
so many years.

Living in the past, now he strode forward to the tragic

' future, going at such tremendous pace that his more youth-

ful followers found it difficult to keep up with him.
While Dolph, true to his charge, kept his eyes and ears

wholly alert for what Pedro might do, he was forced to.

admit that the peon’s actions were now above suspicion.

At length old Abner broke into a run. As best they
i could the others followed.
Into a narrow ravine they went, _where two. could not
go side by side.

Up on the top of a little crest it ended, where nature had
scooped out a basin in the rock.

Circular in shape was this depression, and not more than

: ; : fifty feet in diameter.

+
ae

AND’ MAIN -LIBRARY. | 29

Old Abner, his usually rugged face now hagg. gard, shook as
if with the ague.

HElere
where——

But the instant his glance fell upon the peon he cut his
opee short.

we are, he staat shouted. “Here we are,

+3

“Why, have you all followed me?” he demanded angrily.
“Why have you left the ravine unguarded? That is the
only approach here. Two good rifles will hold it against an
atmyy Quek. 1 veel you.”

Captain Morgan signed to Zebw and Luke.

“We'll guard it, sir; never fear.”

“Don’t you. think, sir,” whispered Dolph, “that you had
better keep Pedro with you under your eyes. Mr. Patter-
son has the best of reasons for stfspecting him.”’

Morgan nodded, and a moment later, as if by an after-

thought, invited the peon to join the guard-party,

Without a word, and seemingly without reluctance, Pedro
obeyed. :

Abner Patterson watched them until they were almost
out of sight down the ravine.

“Take the pick, Guy. Dick, bring the shovel. Dexter,
you may come, too. Florence, follow, and see with your
own. eyes that hee father has not been merely’ dreaming
all these years.”

Leading them unerringly across the enclosure, Mr. Patter-
son paused before the trunk of a tree that grew ‘almost
against the wall of stone.

“The tree has grown in all these years,” cried old Abner
eagerly. “Of course it has; I forget the flight of time. But
there is still room for us to get between the tree and the
wall. Dexter, hand me that machete.”

Mr..Patterson’s hand shook so that he tried twice before
he succeeded in grasping the handle that oe held out to
him.

Hardly less excited, the others drew back in order to give
the old man room enough to swing the blade agginst the
green brush around the trunk of the tree.

It was done in marvelously quick time.

“Light the lantern quickly, some one,” begged the old
man, with pitiful eagerness.

The first rays of light showed them what the trunk and
the brush had concealed—a low fissure in the wall of rock.

Holding the lantern in his trembling hands, Mr. Patterson
plunged into the fissure.

Crowding one after the other, the rest followed.

They found themselves in a cave large enough to hold
thirty or forty people.

“The pick!” almost shrieked old Abner,
scanning the moldy soil under his feet.

seizing it and

Click! click! click! rang the metal against the rock. Fa-
tigue forgotten, and movitrg as if endowed with superhu-
man strength, Mr. Patterson now toiled without ceasing.

Next the shoved came into requisition.
hole he®was digging.

Larger grew the

Then came the thud of metal against wooden Slankine,
Not a word from the toiler, while the watchers held pias :
breath.

Click! clack! click! Up came a few rotten bits of board.
Down upon his knees croppes the burrower.

&

At

 
- 30 MIGHT AND

“Here!” he screamed at last. “Help me!”

Up came a canvas bag, heavy and mildewed, but still in
a very good state of preservation. Guy caught it and laid
it on the ground.

“Another!” shouted the burrower ;
tinued to sound at rapid intervals.

At last a pause, whild the burrower continued to rum-
mage in the hole.

“Hew many bags?’ he demanded.

“Ewelve,” replied Guy.

Mihars all then.’ ;

Dirty as a mole, old Abner climbed up out of the hole,
seized a knife, and cut into the nearest bag.

Out upon his cast-off coat he poured the contents.

and ‘“‘Another!” con-

Then came a murmur of disappointment as the eyes of

the onlookers beheld a pile of dirty-looking stones.

“You don’t admire my gems?” demanded old Abner, al-
most angrily. “Bah! You do not know anything about
them. These are in the rough. Once cut and polished, they
would buy a ares ransom. Ah, here is one that needs
but little cutting.”

He held it up, and the gem passed from hand to hand.

Fiery tints flashed from the stone. In the rough though
it was, its radiant colors and hues made it seem ablaze.

“Guy, my boy,” said the old man, “go outside and get the
bags I brought to transfer these to.”

“Here they are, father; I brought them.’

“Now sit down on he ground beside me and help me
count and sort them.

“Once let us get these to our country,” declared the old
man, who handled the gems without once raising his eyes,
“and not one of you shall have cause to complain of my
lack of generosity.”

There were hundreds of stones, and old Abner handled
each as he came to it with the loving fondness of a miser
fingering, his gold.

Dick Poole, with pencil and paper, kept tally. Florence,
giving but little heed to the opals, found happiness in watch-
ing the radiant rapture reflected by the gems into her
father’s face.

“A fortune,” put in Dolph. “Whew! I can well believe ie
even if each stone brought but a few dollars.”

“No ten jewelers in America have such a stock,” replied
the delighted old man. “Why, lad, even at a low estimate,
these few little piles cannot be exchanged for six hundred
thousand dollars in gold in any country in the world ve

“It’s glorious!” declared Guy, when at last the count was
over. “But, dad, I’ve got to have some sleep. I’m worn
out.”

. “Go to sleep, my boy, and you, too, Poole, for I see you
can hardly keep your eyes open. Florence, you, too, need
rest. But who is to stay with me while I sort these beauties
over again?” %

“I will,” volunteered Dolph sleepily.

_ He stayed, while the other young people went out into
the open and slept the moment their heads touched the
ground.

“Here, I am going to make a new list,” cried the old

man.

“Can you write what I. dictate?” “

MAIN

Boys; :

PIBRARY:

Taking pencil and paper, and doing his best to stifle his
yawns,
riches.

And so dawn came, the toilers amid wealth never sus-

Dolph--worked on in the midst of this hoard of —

pecting the hour until the light streamed in through the

fissure.

The next day the whole party started back to the coast Aa
They had gained the object of

with their precious gems.
their quest and looked forward to a rest from the strenuous
life they had been leading in this wild country.

Dolph saw. the flash of steel in the sunlight in the dee
the party came in sight of the sea, and dis-

tance the day t
covered a vessel riding at anchor.

“Bayonets!” he exclaimed. “It looks as if soldiers are on
Ols Tia choy

“Yes; and Correro is with them,” answered Morgan, as he
viewed the file of men through a field-glass.

“He is after. the precious stones,” said Dolph;
will never get them.
everything will be all right.”

By making a wide détour, Dolph and his friends reached
the shore without being seen by Correro’s men. But they
had no sooner jumped into a yawl on the beach and shoved
off for the ship than the soldiers, who had been apprized
by Pedro of the Americans’ escape, dashed through the
brush, led by the baffled Correre.

After explaining to the captain why they had come aboard
so unceremoniously, he assured them that he would help
Dolph and his friends to elude their purstiers and land them
safe in an American port.

After sailing two days the vessel fell in with the Ane
ican Eagle, which shortly after steamed into New York
Harbor with our friends aboard. af

Abner Patterson kept his word in the matter of rewards,
and his gratitude took the most liberal shape. Dolph Dex-
ter received the largest reward, and deserved it.

Now it is Captain Dexter who commands one of the finest,
busiest tugs in the bay.

For with his share of the reward-money he eae a ae
interest in the craft which he commands.

3?

“but he

Luke Hepworth, for a long time his chum, is now mate

2

Tf we can only reach that vessel |

of the craft, and his money was used to ee a quarter-

interest.

Correro was shot a few months ee in one of those 8
brief revolutions that sometimes convulse the little, unstable —

republic of San Domingo.

And the Pattersons? They are te and happy, as is ee
Dick Poole.

Florence? It is the thought of her, when the a work

is done, that sends Captain Dolph Dexter into the wheel-

house, where, with glistening eye and increasing color, she 4)
rings the bell as a signal to start the homeward spurt

UNDER FULL STEAM!

Florence is Miss Patterson yet—but in a few months
_ more there may be news! ‘ ;

THE END.

Next week’s issue, No. 60,
or, A Trip to Maine.”

is entitled “The Roustabout

 
 

 

 

 

LARGE number of Lite have become tired of that ‘‘sameness’’

about most five cent libraries.

Might and Main is published

especially for boys who want a big five cents’ worth and still

3 want to be interested.

The stories in this line are at least one third longer than in any
other library and deal with the adventures of boys who reached the top of

the ladder by their own efforts.

A different story is published every

: week, deal ing with the adventures of a different set of characters.
Price oc Per Cop w

a For sale by all newsdealers, or sent by the publishers to any address upon receipt of money or postage stamps

 

 

37--Give That Boy a Chance; or, The Lariat Prince of
is Liberty Ranch.
38-—Sent, Adrift; or, Around the World On Eighty
Cents.
_39-—Dan Sharp’s Big Scoop; or, Beating the New York
: Reporters,
_ 40—From Switch to Lever; or, The Young Engineer
of the Mountain Express.

41—Little Snap, the Post-boy; or, Working for Uncle |

Sam,

442—Frank Marvin’s Search; or, The Brookville Boys

Club.

32—-His One Ambition; or, The Mishaps of a Boy Re-

porter.

i cAN Aboard; or, The Cruise of Rodney Marshall.
45—The Mud River Boys; or,eThe Fight for Penlow’s
a Mill:
*  46—Thrown on ‘the World; or, A Young Clerk’s Ad-
: ventures.
ConA 47—Never Give Up; or, Harry Holton’s Résolve.
}  48-—Striking Out for Himself; or, The Mystery of
ie Giant Forest. .
_ 49-—A Business Boy; or, Hal Hartley's Race for For-
os. tune.

 

5i—Pluck Beats Luck; or, Tom Talbot’s Trails and
Triumphs.

52—A Team of Thoroughbreds; or, The Mystery of a
Postage-stamp.

53—“‘Little Hickory ;”
public.

54—-The Young Klondikers ;
Stake.

55—TLhe Boy Musician; or, Playing to Win His Way.

50—Winning His Rights; or, The Fortunes of Vernon
Craig.

57-—Bright A Early; or, The Boys Who. Got There.

58—Clyde Crawford, Champion; or, How the Worst
Boy in Town Won Out.

59—Under Full Steam; or, The Tugboat Route to Suc-
cess.

60-—-The Roustabout Boys;'or, A Trip to Maine.

61—Bringing Back the Gold; or, Adventures Under
African Skies.

62—A Game for Millions;
Reporter.

63—His First Thousand; or, The Boys of the Honor
Bright Company.

64—Phil Farley, Rainbow Chaser; or, The Fortunes

or, Ragged Rob’s Young Re-
or, Jud Kent’s Golden

or, The Luck of a Young |

of a Black Sheep.

 

e 50—The Copper Coterie; or, From Rocks to Riches.

 

EF YOU WANT BACK NURBERS of our libraries, and cannot get them from your newsdealers, they can be obtained frem this office direct.
Cut out and fill in the following Order Blank and send it to us with the price of the books you want and we will send them te you by return mail.
POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY.

THE WINNER LIBRARY COMPANY, 165 West Fifteenth St., New York.

Ce
Gentlemen :—Enclosed find....... SNES cents for which send me:

%

a oss 0008 of Bowery mys NOB So ase waren coe ot eee et pete es Sues mene eeay Ue eee lus te copies of Might and Main Nos. .

a... RG sha owes awhde anak anya Street and No.......... prinssacst ese ee De apton esis ise TOW eeenrvenen ren tae TAuirananbennnaan a

woe er see sen eenaneaanees

 
 

ISSUED EVERY WEDNESDAY.

HANDSOME COLORED COVERS -

 

_ The hero of these stories is Bowery Billy whose pluck and wit are
by-words among the people who dwell on the lower “East Side” of New
York. Billy is only a waif, but he proves himself true as steel to his

friends and makes things mighty uncomfortable for his enemies. :

Do not —

fail to buy the Bowery Boy Liprary.
PRICE FIVE CENTS

for sale by all newsdealers, or sent, postpaid, by the publishers to any address upon receipt of price in money or postage stamps.

 

 

HERE ARE THE

55—Bowery Billy’s Bag of Gold; or, Helping the Man
From Butte.

56—Bowery Billy’s Boomerang; or, Queer Work on
Riverside Drive.

57—Bowery Billy, the Bell-boy Spy; or, The Missing
Money.

58—Bowery Billy's Bad Luck; or, One of Fortune’s
Freaks.

59—Bowery Billy’s Secret; or, A Waif of the Street.

60—Bowery Billy’s Hero; or, Fancy Frank at Bay.

61—Bowery Billy's New Deal; or, A Run for His
Money.

62—Bowery Billy’s Bravery; or, Chicot, the Chatham
Square “Cherub”

63—Bowery Billy’s Auto;
“Agent!”

64—Bowery Billy’s Trick; or, Playing a Double Hand.

65—Bowery Billy’s New Chum; or, Phii Irwin’s Fight-
ing Chance.

66—Bowery Billy and the Bench-warmers;
Search for Basil Lyndhurst.

67—Bowery Billy’s Tenderloin Chase; or, Mr. Nobody,
from Nowhere.

68—Bowery Billy and the Panhandlers;
the Fagin of Essex Street.

or, Artie, the Avenue

or, The

or, Spotting

 

LATE ST TITLES:

69—Bowery Billy’s Strange Case; or, The Belle of Lit- ~
_ tle Germany.
70—Bowery Billy's Clean Sweep 5 or, Bob, the Besom,
at Bay. ef.
7i—Bowery Billy’s Crooked Trail; or, The Hermit of :
Old Greenwich Village. a
72—-Bowery Billy and the Jolly Comrade; or, Chasing
the Sound Pirate.
73—Bowery Billy’s Chums; or, Rounding Up the Bed-
loe Gang.
74—Bowery Billy’s Black Hand Warning; or, The
Great Bayard Street Mystery. °
75—Bowery Billy on Dangerous Ground; or, The De
tective’s Double.

76—Bowery Billy’s April Fool; or, Bursting a Financia

Bubble.

77—-Bowery Billy for the Defense;
Findley. a

78—Bowery Billy, the Trolley Sleuth; or, Spotting the -
Transfer Grafters.

79—Bowery Billy, the Nighthawk; or, The Slip-up of
Sharpie.

or, The Firebug of :

80—Bowery Billy and the Missing May Queen; or, Q

Bianca, the Belle of Little Italy.

 

If YOU WANT BACK NUMBERS of our libraries, and cannot get.them from your newasiealers, they can be obtained from this office direc®, .

Out out and fill in the following Order Blank and send it to us with the price of the books you want and we will send them to you by return mai |

POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY.

THE WINNER LIBRARY COMPANY, 165 West Fifteenth St., New York.

Guu we cue CocuueUcaeouseetereevevenen ets n= eaadad 190

Gentlemen :—Enclosed find............-.-.-- cents for which send me:

Besaerccenns copies of Mowrery BOY NOS (0 oe ce a eee aie

ga IN a Mae i aes AE GRADE A Saale Py ee ek NE Gee NN Street and No.....-..-..-+.

ae .:i: copies of Tight and Main Nos.....--.-0005 002i

gadecanaaeebasnnudecocepanenvecsce POWis No. Sates

 
 
r

THE FAVORITE LIST

OF FIVE-CENT LIBRARIES

 

 

 

Might and Main
These are stories of the adventures of boys who succeeded in
climbing the ladder of fame by honest effort. No more interest-
ing tales can be imagined. Each number is at least. one-third
longer than the ordinary five-cent library.

 

 

 

 

ROUGH RIDER WEEKLY DIAMOND DICH WEEKLY

Ted Strong was appointed deputy mar- The demand for stirring stories
shal by accident, but he resolves to use his es a
ie of Western adventure is admir-
authority and rid his ranch of some very ae ;
tough bullies. He does it in such a slick ably filled by this library. Every 4
way that everyone calls him ‘‘King of the | up-to-date boy ought to read just |
Wild West” and he certainly deserves his how law and order are estab-
title. $100 in cash are given to the readers | Jisheq and maintained on our]
f thi blicati : j : e
ete ces Western plains by Diamond Dick,

Buy a copy and learn how to come in for a :
carol. Bertie, and Handsome Harry.

 

wy We know, boys, that there i
Buffalo Bill is the hero of a . EY Ss that tele
no need of introducing to you

thousand exciting adventures | Nicholas Carter, the greatest
among the Redskins. These are | sleuth that ever lived. Every
given to our boys only in the | number containing the adven-
Buffalo Bill Stories. They are | tures of Nick Carter has a peculiar, |
but delightful, power of fascina-

bound to interest and please you. | ~
tion.

 

 

BRAVE AND BOLD

Every boy who prefers variety The adventures of a poor waif
in his reading matter, ought to whose only fae

oe Billy.”’ Billy is the true product
be a reader of Brave and Bold. | of the streets of New York. No

All these were written by authors | boy can read the tales of his trials
who are past masters in the art without imbibing some of that
resource and courage that makes

of fete oe Ou Every the character of this homeless boy
| tale is complete in itself. stand out so prominently.

 

 

 

 

The Tip Top Weekly

Frank Merriwell and his brother Dick are known and loved by over one
hundred and fifty thousand of the best boys in the United States. They are
both clean-cut, vigorous fellows who dare to do right no matter what the
consequences. Get the current number. We are sure you will like it.

 

 

Baw