A Great Story | . By ROBERT MAYN ARD . PER FORYOUNGANDOLD Issued Weekly and Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1905, by FRANK TOUSEY, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D, C. daniasgo aaiZap z ‘jueUlLuN}|| OSG Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office, October 19th, 1894. Vol. XXIl. : FRANK tOUSEY, NEW YORK, AUGUST 19, 1905. : $2.50 Prr ANNUM, IN meme No. 566 $1.25 FoR Srx MONTHS. he Boy With the Diamond °* i yet" By OLD KING BRAD seo | Lepr $z'0t 80°00 9ELb SZ'TS 900 «———Ayjsuag 60'°0 STO 0 96'T iilivizfi bitin | britain 10| SaSesane yojeq aie sanjea jy 87 AritcligfiecberSlrciteep ed 785Q00W | SJJOWWINUSO ‘ “Oh, look, father !” the ae cried. “Here is one of the diamonds. Where did you get it, boy?” “Where’s the other?” roared old Wilson, springing ~ “up and snatching the diamond away 1m Will. a AES the er Don’t you try to. conceal it from me. I'll have you arrested. Speak 1” TWO VIEWS. “What a weary world!’ = sighed a hen for- lorn, All in ruffled plumes complaining; “Not a happy hour have I known since morn, For it’s raining, raining, raining!” “If I venture out with my downy brood, In the mud they'll soon be slipping; Why the rain should fall, I don’t see at all, With its dripping, dripping, dripping!” “What a splendid world!” laughed a lively : oh is “Mother hen, what is the matter? Come, my golden bills, for we are in luck; How we'll spatter, spatter, spatter! ” b) ‘Then she led them down to the river side, And they plunged in without winking. © lings world,” quacked she, “if alike were In ae thinking, thinking, thinking!” - Oy With the Diamar By OLD KING BRADY. CHAPTER IL. WILL FINDS THE DIAMOND. When Will Hudson, after being turned down a.dozen times, finally did get a job, it was with a wretched fraud of a get-rich- quick man, who passed under the name of Hugh Montpensier. He had elegant offices in a big skyscraper on Broad street, New York city, and ae sign on the door read: “The Chittems-Bodley Co., Ltd.” Just what the Chittems- Bodley Co. was Will never knew. He had a grave suspicion that it was a different kind of a company on different days and with different people. . ; At one time Will was sure it must be a gold mine up north in the Klondike. At another he was equally certain that “it was an asphalt company, pitch lake down in Venezuela. Some days later he concluded that it was probably a diamond mine concern with diggings in Dutch Guiana. There were samples of gold ore in the Office, and also samples of asphalt. . Besides theSe there were certain glassy- looking balls which were locked in the safe, which Will heard his boss tell a man were rough diamonds. As for other samples, Mr. Montpensier always carried several samples of whis- ky about with him—often so many that their weight affected his speech. Will was with the man six weeks alto- gether, and so thoroughly convinced did he beeome that his boss was a fraud that ‘he was on the point of throwing up the job and going back to Ploversville, the small town up the State which he left af- ter the death of his mother, to seek his - fortune in New York. Still, there would have been little use in. that. Will’s father had been dead for many years, and he had no relatives and few friends in that country town. Will was not cut out for farming, and what little he had seen of life in New York ‘suited him very well. Moreover, Mr. Montpensier was an _Caey boss to work for. Will had almost nothing to do, oul the six dollars a week which he had bargain- ed for was promptly paid until toward the | last, when Montpensier let it run on 2 week. This worried Will a- lot, for he was boarding with a woman in Brooklyn who wanted her money, and told him so when it was not forthcoming on Saturday night. Board five dollars a week, salary six. One dollar for washing, carfare, clothes, shoe leather, and all the rest of it! Tt was bad enough when the six was - ferthcoming, but now it was worse. Black - ruin stared Will in the face when he went -to the office on Friday. He had not seen Mr. Hugh Montpensier in two days. He did not know that he should ever see him again. Ali day Thursday people were coming to the office inquiring for the boss, and they wert away muttering = told that he was not in. Will thought they wanted to collect bills, i There were others whom he knew did, for they said so over the telephone, and called Mr. Montpensier names which would not look well in print. -. Things were getting decidedly warm for Will when on Friday, just before noon, the office door opened, and in came the boss himself. He had been drinking as usual, but he seemed to know perfectly well -what he was about, and to be in a Breat hurry about it, too. Will es to tell him who had. been i. in and who had called him up, but Mont- with a big’ thought Will. pensier cut’ him short., “Never mind all that, Will,” he said. “Tell them to go to Harlem, ‘and that I have gone to Tex—Mexico, I mean. Look here, I shan’t want you any more till I come back. You. might leave your ad- dress, and—oh, you needn’t look at me that way: Here’s your money with a week in advance to give you time to look for another job.” As he said this Mr. Montpensier thrust a sealed envelope into Will’s hand. It was quite bulky, and there was some- thing hard in it. Will put it in the inside pocket of his coat. without opening, for he was all taken aback. “Then you really won't want me any more, sir?” he stammered. _ “Didn’t I just say so?” snapped the boss. “Here, hold this grip open, will you? Con- found that spring! It keeps snappirg to- gether. There, so!” There was nothing the matter with the spring of Mr. Montpensier’s handsome grip—the matter was that the man was very drunk. He opened his safe now, trying the com- bination half a dozen times: before he was able to work it. Once the doors game open he began cramming papers into the grip. At first he put in everything as it came, then he pulled the papers all out again, and sorted them over, keeping some and rejecting others. “Will, eall up the ticket cffice of. the Pennsylvania road and ask them when the train leaves for Galveston,” he said, as he began arranging the papers in the bag. Will did so, and having obtained the information Mr. Montpensier closed the bag, threw a light overeoat over his arm, took a silk umbrella out of the closet, and started for the door. “So-long, Will,” he said. Mexico.” Out he went, ee the door. “By George, I’m bounced!” thought WilL “But I suppose it is just as well.” He stood dazed for the moment. - Should he lock up the office and light out, or what? Just then the telephone bell rang. Will answered the eall, expecting “anoth- er dun. “Montpensier —is this Montpensier?” the voice called. “Yes,” replied Will, with no other mean- ing than that it was Mr. Montpensier’s office, “T’ve' just heard from Dutton!” called the voice. “He wires me that he won’t be able to meet you at San Antonio for three weeks. You are to wait for him there— see? Get that? Yes. Good-by.” Pe a off for Will tried to stop the caller, and make r | him understand that it was not Montpen- sier himself with whom he had been talk- ing, but it was too late, the man was gone. “Guess I might as well light out,” thought Will. “There’s nothing doing here.” He took the envelope from his pocket, _to count his cash. It was crumpled and torn. There was something hard in it hearae what seemed to be bills. “Will ripped it open and took out the money. As he did so the something hard drop- ped on the floor and rolled under the safe. Anyway, Ive got eighteen dollars,” “Pil give up over in Brook- lyn and get a cheap room somewhere. [ —hellio! What in thunder is this?” Highteen dollars! ‘Phe first bill on the roll was a $20! So was the next and the next—so were they all. _ Will’s eyes grew big: as he eounted. There were twenty-five of these bilis— five hundred dollars all told. “The boss has made a mistake!” ex- elaimed Will. “I must go to the train and give him back this money.” He looked at the clock. © It was then too late. Will saw that if Mr. Montpensier caught | the train-boat at the foot of Cortlandt street he would do well. “This beats the band!” exelaimed Will. “Just the same I can write him at San An- tonio, Mexico. Ten chances to one this is all the money he has got, and he’ll be back again sid it. The best thing I can do is to wait ere.’ He put the money in his pocket oe sat down to think. Just then the door opened and the agent of the building came in. “Montpensier here yet!” he demanded eruffly. “He was here a little while ago,” replied Will. : “When will he be back?” '“Not for some time, I guess. He has} gone to Mexico.” “Mexico be blowed! He’s dodging me, and I won’t have it. When you see him you tell him that I want the rent. Either he must pay up between this and Monday noon or get out.” “T shan’t see him again,” said Will. “Boy, don’t you give me any back talk. You do what I tell you,” snapped the | “Whoo!” cried Will, ‘ his coat dramatically, He probably lied when he said | agent, and out he went. — : q hot. If it wasn’t for that money. I'd light out right now, but the boss will sure be back again after it.” Just then Will thought of the something hard which had rolled under the safe. He got down.on his knees and peered under the safe. There lay something like a round piece of glass glittering like a blazing star. “What on earth!” gasped Will. He jumped up, got the ruler off the desk and poked the thing out., Even if Will Hudson had just come down from the country he was no fool. He knew a good thing when he saw it. This was one! ' A diamond! It was as big round as a cent, and the glitter fairly dazzled Will’s eyes. CHAPTER II. STRANGE VISITORS AT THE. CHITTEMS-BODLEY , ~ CO. But was it actually a diamond? If so it must be worth a fortune. Might it not after all be glass? Will was still wondering, and stood turning the glittering thing over and over when he heard someone outside the door. Quickly Will slipped the diamond into his pocket,.and that just in time, for the door opened and an excited individual came bouncing in. ‘ “Is this the hoffice of the Cheatem-Boldly. Company?” demanded the visitor, a bluff Hnglishman with a very red face. “It’s the office of the Chittems-Bodley Company,” cen Will. “What do you want?” “Mr. Morlevendics in?” “No. He has gone away.” “Not for good?” “He has gone to Mexico. [I don’t think he means to come back again.” “What! What!” eried the man. “He owes. me $75. for making him a suit of clothes. I away.” “Well, I’m onus the office boy, so I don’t think you will: get it out of me,” replied Will. The tailor began to tear around the of- fice saying things. Fraud, swindler, cheat, liar—these were the ‘mildest. ~ Will just held his tongue. It was a re- lief when the man went out at last. Now again Will ventured to look at the diamond. And surely it was a diamond. It must be! No giass eould ever glitter like that: Will had some wild idea of going over on to Maiden Lane and showing the thing to some jeweler. He quickly abandoned it, however. “Vd only get arrested,” he said to him- self. “Anyhow, the boss will sure be back after this.” Again he heard someone outside the r door. Once more Will had. just time to slip the diamond into his pocket when a little man with a tall hat tilted on the back of his head came bustling in. “Mr. Montpensier!” he exclaimed, pom- pously. “I must see him right away.” “He’s not-in,” replied Will. “The deuce he ain’t! Stand aside, boy! I’m an officer of the law!” The little man threw aside the Lipet of displaying a gilt shield. Pushing Will iside he strode to the closed.door of the private office and threw it open. eo “Ha! Nething doing! Foiled again!” he cried. “Where is that man?” - He wheeled about and thrust his face close to Will, who backed away. “Well, you needn’t go at me like that,” retorted Will. “I haven’t got the boss in my pocket.” ‘ “Where is he then?” “How do I know it’s any of your busi- ness?” “My business, boy, Do you know who. : am?” “No, I don’t, and I don’t care, either.” “Don’t be sassy. I am O’Dady, the de- tective. Of course, you have heard of me?” “Can’t say I ever did.” “Ha! And this is fame! But I never get left. Tell me at once where this man is?” “TI can’t tell you, for T ‘don’t know.” “T hold a warrant for his arrest.” “What for?” “Swindling. Further than that it’s none of your business. When will my man be in?” CCarct say” “Boy, you are deceiving me.” “Think so if you want to. Look here, the boss has gone to Mexico. Lf you want to see him you will have to gO there after him—that’s all.” “Mexico! ” “Yes. 9 “When? How? “What?” “Speak, or [ll arrest you!” This didn’t suit Will very well. He now told all he knew about his boss. Where?” “things are getting must have-my money right This sent Detective O’Dady off on ’ run. Whether or no he expected to chase th ie train to Texas he did not state, but Wi had told him that Galveston had been M1 Montpensier’s objective point. After this visitation Will waited an ho Several more duns came in, and th were others over the telephone. Every moment Will expected to see hi boss come bursting into the office callin out: for his diamond and his cash, but did not come. And during that hour Will did a p of thinking. : “Suppose Mr. Montpensier never came? Again and again the boy looked at th diamond. That he was now beginning to figary keeping it cannot be denied. Two o’clock came. Will was now beginning to ask himse how much longer he was going to w And now the door opened again and walked a young girl not so very much 0 er than our hero himself. Pretty she could hardly be called; bri and intelligent looking she certainly w Her face wore an anxious look as sh asked for Mr. Montpensier. * “He is not here,” said Will, who was f this time getting tired of answering thi everlasting question. “He started Mexico this morning.” “Mexico! Oh, my!” cried the girl, a loo of positive terror coming over her face. “That’s right, miss.” “When will he be back?” “TI don’t think he means to come back. “Oh, the scoundrel! Do you mean t tell me he has run away?” “T’ll be honest with you, miss, he has.” “Then my diamonds are gone forever! gasped the girl, dropping limply into a chair. “What on = will father say?” Diamonds! Will . was beginning to. get now. Before he had time to say a word the door again opened, and a large man so ‘mueh under. the influence of liquor that he could searcely walk straight came stum- bling in. “Father!” gasped the girl, springing to her’ feet. “Ah, ha! Ah, ha, Lil! Now I’ve trapped you!” cried the man, thickly. ~So you. wil go making trouble with my business friends by your absurd suspicions. How dare you, miss! How dare you! lve a great good mind to chastise you right here and now!” “Father, be quiet. ‘For shame!” breathed the girl, very red and angry now. : “Don’t you tell me to be quiet, you bold thing,” retorted the man, shaking his finger in the girl’s face. “The idea of you coming here after what I said.” “T want my diamonds.” “Your diamonds! The Fauconia dia- monds are not yours till you come of age.’ “Father!” I believ Mr. Montpensier is a gentleman. are going to have a lot of business together. I’m going to invest in this Chittems-Bod- ley diamond company. I’ve already put five thousand ee into the scheme, as it is. 9 Lil oe back: in the chair. “You have!” she exclaimed. “¥es, I have. What business is’ it yours?” “You had better ask this boy where you friend Montpensier is?” sneeged the gir -“What do I care for the boy? He'll here soon enough. He has an appointm with mie here at this hour. Do you me to. tell me that you had the assurance come here and accuse him of stealing | Fauconia diamonds? I can’t believe now.” ! | “You had better ask the boy where is,” repeated Lil; who seemed to be grow- ing bolder every instant. “Where is he?” demanded the man, turn- ing on Will. “I want to see him. Dan Wilson, 2 plain and proper man. When will Montpensier be in?” Will was with the girl. 2 He was about ready to show his @ mond. The “plain and proper man,” howev was a very expensively-dressed~ man wore diamonds himself. The girl’s get-up was equally costl Will was thinking about a reward. “You won’t see the boss here, I’m af sir,” he said. “The fact is, I guess h run away.” : : : CHAPTER Il. WILL TAKES A NEW JOB. “Run away!” roared Mr. Dan Wi “Tooker here, boy, none of you nons | What do you mean by run away?” y “Just what I am telling you, sir. Montbensier told me that he was goir Mexico. I have reason to believe t lied, and has gone to Texas. He 01 everybody. The Chittems-Rodley comy PES: cb _ fraud. de interested SY “Shut upand let me speak. You have a..-- | great deal of assurance to come here. He and f ~ IT am The plain and proper man staggered to the chair by Will’s desk and sat down. “Lil,” he gasped, “you ‘want to go light on me, girl! Tt looks as though I had been sucked in again.” “Of course you have, father,” replied Lil, coolly. “I told you how it would be last night, but you wouldn’t listen. You were mad to show Mr. Montpensier the Fauconia diamonds. When he left the house, I knew he had taken them. It was madness to think anything else.- You would persist in accusing poor James, our waiter, and in having him arrested. make you believe the truth, I came here myself to see what I could do. £ wish I had come earlier, that’s all.” ~ “Ye gods! I wish you had!” cried Wil- son. “Think of my five thousand!” “Well, you can afford to lose that. You are worth ten millions, they say. It will teach you to be more careful another time, and not to attempt to do business when b> ,“ When I’ve been drinking, you would y a Don’t you say it, girl! I won’t Look here, young man, is “will had been thinking hard. He had made up his mind now to tell Of eourse the five hundred dotlra was } part of the five thousand taken from this man. He saw that plain enough. . _ Moreover, too much time had passed for it to be likely that Mr. Montpensier would now return. “Ts this the diamond, miss?” asked Will, suddenly producing the glittering stone. bil fave ai ery of delight which was echoed by the “plain and proper” man. “Oh, look, father!” the girl cried. “Here one of the diamonds! Where did you it. boy” ‘ ‘Where’ s the other?” roared old Wilson, ‘springing up and snatching the diamond away from Will. “Where’s the other? Do not try to conceal it from me. I[Il have yu arrested! Speak!” bor shame, father!” cried Lif. “The y has given us the diamond, I’m sure © must be-honest. Let him speak.” Will was hot under the collar as he shook maself free from old Wilson’s clutches. ‘Vl tell you all about it, miss,” he ‘put E won't talk to him. I’ve only sot ne diamond, and the way I came to get ‘it is this.” Will told his story then and produced ‘money when he was through. ‘That’s part of my money,” cried the . “I drew those twenty dollar bills fro m the bank and gave them to him. Oh, what a fool I have been!” “Of course you have,” said Lil, “and it Serves you right. What about_the other diamond, though?” . ‘Boy, what’s your name?” ilson, erowing milder now. ill Hudson,” was the reply. . believe you are honest, Will. I can’t leve anything else after what you have but think. Isn’t it possible that you ypped the other diamond, too?” might, but I don’t think so, sir.” Kk! Look!” cried Lil. “Tone of the ds rolled under the safe, so might er. We may find it yet.” they didn’t, and that in spite of a ost lengthy search. vidently that scoundrel has got it,” i Old Wilson at last. “He gave the boy that package by mistake for the one con- taining his wages.’ Probably he put the monds and money in different packages, d that’s how it came about.” t’s all just as I tell you,” said Will. fontpensier will never come back again. e done all I can. I’m going now.” a old on,” said Wilson. “What are you going to do?” _ “Look for another job, I suppose. are out on this deal, then so am I. have to be a case of hustle,” “Father!” exclaimed Lil, almost stern- AN. : “Now you hold up, Lil,” said the old man. “I’m coming to that.” “You are slow about it, just the same.” “Never you mind, - Will.” ae 6 Sir. ” “YT believe you are an honest boy.” . “You said that before, Mr. Wilson. I’m ure I have tried to be.” ~ “You are. Say!” is 66 Well?” ‘That diamond is worth over fifteen housand dollars.” *Yes, are € “Yes. It’s one of a pair I bought last week for Lil. They are called the Fauconia diamonds because they once belonged. to he French general of that name. You re heard of General Fauconia, I dare- demanded Hf you It will ever. : paid thirty thousand for the two. ies. That scoundrel was at my house is morning, telling me about the dia- nds in this Chittems Bodley mine.” ‘here is no mine, sir. nn day it’s gold, the next it is asphalt, and Wes diamonds, but it’s always the ittems- -Bodley . — ~ Its ab od Since F eould not. It’s all a fraud. | “So much for picking up chance ac- quaintances,” snapped. Lil. “Shut up,” retorted her father. “Now looker here, Will, from what you tell me I’ve no sort of doubt that the trail of this | here man leads direct to Texas, and that’s where [I belong.” “Texas!” “Yes. I made my pile down here. it in oil all in a minute, so to speak. I came up here to New York to enjoy it, but such another Jot of thieves and robbers: I never struck. This makes the third time I’ve been bit.” “Serves you right,” said Lil. “You are always making free with strangers. What else can you expect?” “Lil, will you shut up?” cried the father. “What do gals know about business, any- way—now come! ” “Tt seems that I knew a good sight more about this diamond business than you did, then. I told you how it would come out from the first.” “Well, so you did, Lil. finish with this here, boy. “a Sir. ” “T’m of the opinion that Mont-what’s-his- name “It ain’t his name. it,” broke in the girl. “Lil, will you be quiet?” “Yes. Go on, dad.” “Ag I was a-Sayin’,” continued old Wil- son, “this here trail appears to lead to Texas. Let’s hit it. haul that snake in San Antonio and make But say, let’s Will! a V’d like to bet on him give back the other diamond. Come, what do you say?” “Do you mean for me to go, too?” de- manded Will. “Go, too! to. Texas.” “But I haven’t got a cent in the world,” faltered Will. “You lie; you have,” said old Wilson, bluntly, and he tossed the $500 roll over to the boy. : “Do you mean this for me?” “Sure — mean it for you. — It’s little enough for what you’ve done. In this here den of thieves it’s refreshing to meet one honest boy. Come along with Lil and me to Texas. If I take a fancy to you, mebbe I'll locate _an oil well for you. Mebbe I might decide to marry you off to Eid.” “Shut up, father, and don’t be a fool,” snapped Lil, blushing. It was the chance of a lifetime. “Why, E don’t see any reason why f shouldn’t go if you really want me to, Mr. Wilson,” he said. “Tf I didn’t want you to I shouldn’t ask you. Fact is, I need a gardeen.” “A what, sir?” “A gardeen, Someone to go round-with me and see that I don’t heave money away like I have been doing since — hit New York.” : “Tt should say you did,” put in Lil. “Shut up!” retorted her father. “Come, boy. I never cry over spilt milk, and 1m not going to lose sleep over that ar other diamond. All the same, if I can get it and jail that thief, I mean to do it. Will yer go? 999 "Yes, 2 replied Will, determined’ now. “All right. Me an’ Lil is stoppin’ at the Waldorf-Astory, an’ I’m near dead with their beastly French cooking an’ fancy chicken fixin’s. You come thar this even- ing and T’ll have all arrangemdnts made. I’ll have a room ready for yer. Better get some new clothes with that money I gave yer. Ill pay expenses down to the Lone Star State.” “ATL pight, sir; Pll be on hand,” replied Will. Of course it’s go, too. Go “Good,” said old Wilson, getting on his feet. “We'll be off now. jWaldorf Astory, don’t forget. Come along, Lil.” They were gone in @ moment, leaving Will to wonder whether or no he had made a mistake in accepting the proposition of this peculiar man. CHAPTER IV. O’DADY, THE DETECTIVE. Will turned up at the Waldorf promptly + at seven o’cilock. It was the first time he had ever enter- ed that gilded palace, and the insolent re- ception which his shabby clothes brought to the boy did not suit him very well. Indeed, it is doubtful if he would have been able to connect with his man at all if he had not happened to run imto the same little detective who called in at the office earlier in the day. Will had just made his fourth attempt to gain the attention of the pompous clerk, when someone gave his coat-tail a violent yank. “Ha! Onee more we meet!” a voice breathed in his ear. “Will you tell me now, boy—will- you tell me now what has become of that man?” It was a relief to hear a familiar voice. “You are the detective,” said Will, turn- ing away from the desk. “ Keerect. O’Dady, the detective. - ‘man who never gets left, Made « I believe we ean over-. The | ligations to your father.” Well, my son, well?” Will could hardly keep back the laugh. There was the little man with his plug hat tilted back on his head, jumping about like a hen on @ hot griddle, as the saying goes. To make him look more Sica: he had put ona false mustache, very fierce and bristly, with the ends turned up a la Emperor William. This had sagged a little on one side, which gave the fellow a per- fectly absurd appearance: “Have you found your man yet?” laugh- ed. Will. “Meaning Mr. What-you-call-him, Chitt- ems-Bodley?” “Tt meant Mr. Montpensier, yes.” “No. He is still non est comeatabus. That’s why I am after you, old son.” “Do you mean’ to say you have been shadowing me?” demanded Will. “Surest thing you know.” “Youre away off.” “Not a bit of it. You are here to. meet | Montfiddlefum, or whatever you call him. Don’t tell me.” “Vil tell you one thing.” “What's that?” “That false mustache of yours is Awist- ed,sand I believe you’re the same.” “Softly, boy, softly. I can easily un- ‘twist my mustache, but the twist you have given my feelings by that last remark of yours was wholly. uncalled for. Do you deny that you are in this holdout of nabobs for any other purpose than to meet your boss?” “Vm certainly not here to meet him. As I told you, he left the office this morn- ing, saying that he was going to Mexico. That’s all I know about him.” “Mr. O’Dady, you will oblige me by mov- ing away from this desk,” called out the clerk. “You are blocking the way here.” “Ha! Is it so? Certainly you shall be obliged!” eried the detective. “Meanwhile oblige this boy. with your attention, wuich he has been trying for the last half hour to get.” “What do you want?” demanded the clerk, with an imsolent stare at Will. “TI want to see Mr. Wilson,” was the re- ply. “There are three Wilsons stopping here, Be more definite.” “Mr. Dan Wilson, of ‘Texas.” “Are you Hudson?” “That’s my name.” “You are to go upstairs.” The elerk struck a DBeil. “Show this boy to 408,” he said to the page, who immediately appeared. “Hold!” cried O’Dady,. dramatically, at the same time seizing Will’s arm. “Are you deceiving me? Is this my man?” “Let me alone,” retorted Will, shaking himself free. He saw no more of the debe tice for he was immediately conducted to the eleva- tor and shown to the Texan’s room. It was Lil who received him, however. Mr. Wilson was not on hand. “T’m so glad you eame!” exclaimed the girl, offering her hand to. Will. She was dressed all in white and wore a beautiful diamond ‘sunburst at her throat. While no stretch of denne could make Lil out a beauty, Will thought her very attractive. He knew very little of. ‘the fair sex. On the whole, he was inclined to eon- sider Lil very peautiful: fascinating to him she certainly was. “Father is not in,” said the girl, “and I don’t know when he will be. The fact is, I am very much troubled about him, Ever Since we struck this town he has been drinking, and it has got him into all kinds I wish you would wait here a | of scrapes. while and see if he don’t come.” “Tll eertainly wait if you wish me to,” replied Will. “But tell me, Miss Wilson, do you really think I had better go to Texas with your father?” “TI knew as soon as you came in that you were feeling that way,” said Lil, “for you have not bought the clothes.” : “J did not feel justified in —— the money. It isn’t mine, miss.” “It’s yours, if my father gives it ue you. He has more money than he knows what to do with, and a great deal more than is good for him.” “But you haven’t answered my question yet. 7 “Certainly [ think you had better go, Will,” said the girl, seriously. “My father is a very rich man. -He has taken a fancy to you, and you had better humor him. It may be the makin@# of you. Texas is a great country. If we should happen to catch That miserable thief and get back my other diamond, father would stop at nothing to reward you; not with money so much. He would put you in some good business. But of course you must decide for yourself.” “T would Hike to g0. I will not deny that.” “You have a desire to see agit of the world?” “I would like nothing better.” — “Then go, by all means.” “But I dislike to put myself under ob- + not later than eleven. “Think nothing of that. He has, as fF said, more money than he knows what to do with. Besides, you may be very useful to me. Father really meeds someone to look .after him. But hush! Here he comes. ” Lil knew her father’s step, and she “was not mistaken, for the Texan now entered the room. ee “Hello! You are here, are you?” he ex- claimed, thickly, for he was even more under the influence than he had been in the morning. “Glad you came. Heard any- thing more of that man?” “Not a thing,” replied Will. “He did not show up. He has gone to Texas, I have no doubt.” “That’s what I believe,” said Wilson, dropping into a chair. “That telephone message settled it. Say, well start at noon to-morrow. I’ve engaged passage for all three of us on the Texarkanna. She sails from the foot of Burling Slip.” “Do we go by steamer?” cried Lil I’m so glad!” “Don’t you think we stand a chance of losing him if we go that way?” asked Will. “Not a bit of it,” replied Wilson. “Did not the message say for him to wait two weeks in San Antonio? We've got lots of time. Fm all used up with this infernal city of yours, and the water trip will straighten me out. Anyhow, that’s the way we go. You'll be on hand, I suppose?” “T£ you Say so, yes, sir.” “T do.say so. Have you bought what you need for the trip?” “Well, I haven’t, sir.” “You must. E told you to, and I telt you again. Hold on to that money I gave you. Use it for what you need and we'll square accounts by and by.” “T’m sure I’m very much obliged to you, sir,” replied Will. “Don’t mention it,” answered the Texan, yawnine. “You will be useful to me, I daresay. We haye got to find Montpensier... I shall never fet up till — do, and I want - you as a witness. -Be on hand at the steamer, please.” ; As he said this the man’s eyes closed, and he sank off to sleep in his chair. “t’d hetter be going,” said Will. “T suppose you had,” replied Lil, frankly. “T’ve got to get him to bed. Oh, I wish he would leave that dreadful stuff alone. It worries me almost to death to see him drink so. You won’t fail me, Will?” Lil caught Will’s hand as she earnestly put this question. “T’ll be there,” said Will. “If there is anything I can do to help, rely on me.” The girl thank him, and Will then with- drew. Downstairs O’Dady again. “Ha!” exclaimed the detective, cache his arm. “Just one word.” “What do you want ndw?” demanded Will. “Why don’t you leave me alone?” “Say, old son,” whispered the detective, with his mouth close to Will’s ear, “I’ve hit the trail.” . “TI wish someone would hit you. I will pretty soon if you bother me any more.” “No, you won’t. If you did that you would be a fool, and that’s what you are not. I’ve hit the trail, and it leads to Texas. So long! I’m O’Dady, the detec- tive. That’s me, the man who never gets left.” And as he said this, O’Dady gave his plug hat a push on the back of his head and mingled with the crowd. | “The little jumping-jack,” muttered Will, as he left the hotel. “If I ever do get to- Texas I’m blest if I don’t believe I shall find him there, too.” a “6 Oh, in the lobby he ran into CHAPTER V. OFF FOR TEXAS. Will scarcely slept a wink that night, so excited was he over his changed situa- tion. When along. toward morning he finally did drop off he dreamed of O’Dady, and as the dream was anything but pleasant, he was glad to awake and find it all a dream: ~It was a hurried morning in every sense of the word. Will settled up with his landlady and went to New York with such. of his belong- ings as he eared to take with him. : Here he made his purchases, and rigged out in his new suit, he really appeared a handsome fellow. ‘He stopped in at the office, but there= was nothing doing there, nor anything to indicate that Mr. Montpensier had put in an appearance since the day before. At half-past eleven, dress-suit case in hand, Will turned up at the pier of the Texas line at the foot of Burling Slip and went aboard the steamer Texarkanna. He had scarcely stepped on the deck be- fore Lif came forward to greet him. “Oh, I’m so thankful you have come!” she exclaimed. “You have not seen any- | thing of father, I suppose.” “Why, no, I haven’t,” replied Will. “Tgn’t he here?” “No, he isn’t and he promised to be here In half an hour this pecs HAPPY DAYS. steamer will sail. come at all?” ~“Oh, I guess he will turn up all right,” replied Will. “Don’t be worried.” — “It?s enough to worry anyone. He was ‘drinking again this morning. If I only can persuade him to stop it when we get out to sea.” Will had his doubts about that, but he said what he could to console the girl. “T have the tickets,” said Lil, “and I have got the key of your stateroom. It is No. 56, on the other side. Will you go and put away your grip?” ‘Will assented, and this done, they return- ed to the gang plank again. Jt was now a quarter before twelve and the warning bell rang. “Tt won’t do!” exclaimed Lil. go back to the hotel.” “But your things?” “T must “et them go. Something tells me that father won’t come, This is just dreadful. “I don’t Know what to do.” Neither did Will. His dreams of Texas were beginning to fade away in the dim distance. “Perhaps we had better get our things together and stand on the pier,” he sug- gested. “Perhaps this is father now!” cried Lil, as a eab was driven furiously down upon the pier. But no! When the cab stopped and the date flew open out popped a pudgy little man, with long white whiskers, carrying a dress-suit ease in each hand, a cane, an umbrella and a long mackintosh, which trailed on the plank as he started up. His foot caught upon the trailing coat and down he fell. “This caused him to lose his high hat, and when he made a dive for that he lost his grip on one of the dress-suit cases. It ended up in the pudgy man rolling back on the pier with his belongings, to the infinite amusement of the watchers on deck. He bounded up like a rubber ball, how- ever, and hurried on board, steering straight for Lil. “Bee pardon!” he exclaimed, dropping one of the dress-suit cases on Will’s toes. “You are Miss Wilson, I presume?” ° “Well, you presume right, then,” replied Lil, in her off-hand way, “but just the same I don’t know you.” - “No? I daresay “not, ” said the man, focbitne in his pocket. “I’ve a_ letter from your father. Read it! You must de- cide right away what you are going to do.” Lil seized the letter and hastily perused it, z i “Well, this is too aggravating!” she ex- claimed. “Read it, Will.” And Will read as follows: “Dear Lil: I’ve been called to Boston, but you must go on to San Antonio. Will Hudson will look out for you. I will follow to-morrow by train. This will be handed you by my friend Mr. Fudgely. In case of any trouble, he will see you through. * Affectionately, “FATHER.” “That seems to settle it,” - “What do we do?” “Yes, what do we do?” cried the little “man. “Ding dong! ‘here goes the bell. Last call. Do we stick or do we fly the -eoop? Say?” “I suppose you are Mr. Fudgely,” said Lil, disgustedly. “I’m going to Texas, that’s ale? “A settler for yours truly,” laughed the little man. “Acquaintance not wanted. I withdraw gracefully. Good-day.” “You are sure the letter is straight?” in- quired Will, as Mr. Fudgely picked up his belongings and hurried away. - “Cortainly. It is father’s writing.. He did say something about having to go to - Boston, . Oh, I can do nothing with him. We may just as well go along.” And indeed it was too late to change now, for the gangplank had already been hauled in and the deckhands were casting off the lines. A few moments later the Texarkanna swung out into the East River and headed for the bay. “Well, I. don’t care, anyhow,” said Lil, seeming to throw aside care all in an in- stant. I’ve done all I could to get father home, and if he wees go I can’t oes ite” So there!” “Where is home?” asked Will. “Oh, anywhere in Texas,” was the reply. “We had a ranch near Beaumont, but when they struck oil father sold it out. Lately we have been living in Galveston. JI shall be as much at home in San Antonio as any- where else. I’ve been there many a time. Anything to see the last of New York.” -. But Will did not feel that way, and it was with something very like sadness that he watched the highlands of Neversink fade away in the distance that afternoon. _ Although the boy had been but a com- paratively short time in New York he had already been caught in the fascination of that wonderful city. - Onee a New Yorker always a New York- ot seems to be. the rule. What if he should not _stateroom with me?” he thought, said Will, 4+ Wilson. That afternoon was oe emacs will had ever put in. — Within half an hour after they had set- tled down to the voyage he and Lil were ‘chatting like old friends. And such interesting stories of Texas she told! Will was wild to see that wonder “country. By this time he had come to think Lil perfectly charming. The girl appeared to have thrown aside all thought of worry about her father, and now settled down to enjoy the voyage. Having been dismissed, Mr. Fudgely re- mained dismissed for the rest of the day. There were many passengers on board the steamer, and Will scarcely saw the man again during the evening. At nine o’clock Lil retired, and by ten Will was ready to follow suit. “T wonder who is going to be in the as he opened the door. The room was dark, and whoever his | roommate was to be, he had not yet ap- peared. Will undressed and turned in, leaving the light burning. He had not been in the bunk more than a minute before it occurred to him that-he had: s@en two dress-suit cases and a mack- intosh in the top berth.” “Heavens! Can it be that man Fudge- ly?” thought Will. It was Fudgely! He was coming now. Someone tried a key on the outside. - Will had left his in the lock, so he had to get up and open the door. Of course it was Fudgely! “Oh, beg pardon!” he exclaimed, and then of course he had to fall over the rais- ed threshold and tumble against Will. Down went our hero in his shirttail, with the pudgy man on top of him. Worse still, the door swung open, and -there were people passing on the deck out- Side. “Confound you!” roared -Will. and shut that door!” Fudgely did it, but not in time to check “Get up the roars -of laughter from the outside. CHAPTER VI. O’DADY JUMPS ON HIS MAN. “Roommate, I bez pardon!” cried Fudge- ly, as poor Will picked himself up and erawled back into the lower berth. “You ought to,” growled Will. “Are you sure you have got the right room? Upon my word, I wish you belonged in any other.” “Come now, young man, don’t you get sore on me just on account of that little accident,” smiled Fudgely. “Of course it’s the right room. No. 56. I might have taken the lower berth if I had wanted to, but I left that for you, so you may see what an obliging person I am.” Will was silent. “Don’t you believe me?” demanded Fudgely. “I can show you my ticket if you insist. If I do that, though, I shall in- sist on seeing. yours.” “Oh, it’s all right, I Sibance growled Will. “I wish you would go to bed and let me go to sleep.” “Just what I propose to do, old son,” re- plied Fudgely, pulling off his coat. Will started up and stared at the man. Having removed his coat, Mr. Fudgely next took off his plug hat. A. white wig came with it, leaving a closely-cropped red head beneath. Next the long white whiskers were de- liberately removed. “O’Dady, the detective!” gasped Will. “Hal. You ve hit itl: The man who never gets left.” Will was disgusted. “And so it’s you,” he growled. following me, or what?” “I’m here, old son. I’m right here.” , “One would think you thought I had Mr. Montpensier in my breeches pocket.” “J think I thought that you meant to hit the trail which leads to Texas, so here am I hitting it, too.” “You want to look out how: you bother that lady, then. She’s in my charge, and I won’t stand for that.” “You are both in my charge, old son. I have been regularly engaged by Mr. Dan Be good enough to read this lit- tle document.” Detective O’ Dady thrust his hand up un- der his vest, but instead of the little docu- ment he brought out a little pillow and the pudginess now disappeared. The document came into view in a min- ute, though. It was in the shape of a letter addressed to Will himself, and read thus: “Are you “Dear Hudson: This will be handed you by Detective O’Dady, whom I have engag- ed to look up that rascal who has robbed me. This need not disturb you at all. I am detained, but I am coming right on down to San Antonio. Meanwhile you and | Lil had better look to Mr. . O’Dady for or- ‘He PBS been very y highly -recom-- ders. ‘mended to me as a person who knows his business ene a most skillful man. “Yours truly, eo): WILSON.” “And what ae you think of that, old son?” demanded the Ne ie as Will handed the letter back. “The man drinks too much. fe doesn’t know what he is about half the time, his daughter says.” “He knew what he was about when he engaged my valuable services, and don’t you forget it.” “Oh, I’m not going to talk any more. Get to bed and get to sleep,” growled Will. A little to his surprise, O’Dady took this in silence. He went right on undressing without a word, and putting out the light, climbed into his bunk, and Will saw no more of him till next day at the breakfast table, for the man was still sleeping when he got up. Of course Will told Lil who Fudgely was. “That’s the way father has been going on ever since we struck New York,” said Lil. comes across.’ “Like me,” remarked Will. “Come now, you know I didn’t mean that.” “It is true, just the same. I had no right to be here.” “I’m sure I don’t know what I should do without you, then. Just think of my being left to the care of that horrid creature. I want you to tell him that he needn’t speak one word to me, for I shall have nothing at all to do with him. WHe’s just a grafter, I don’t doubt. He means to bleed father for all he is worth. 'Fhis comes of picking up acquaintances in these dreadful saloons. I have no doubt that’s where father met the man.” O’Dady tried to scrape acquaintance with Lil right away after breakfast, but- the girl turned her back on him. “Kindly don*t bother us,” said Will. I feel as if SATE you have got anything to say, say it to me.” “That’s all right, cold son,” replied the detective. “I shall have plenty to_say later, and Miss Wilson may regret having given me the cold shoulder.” With this O’Dady tipped his plug hat on ‘the back of his head and walked away. The next Will saw of him was about an hour later. Lil had retired te her room, then com- plaining of a slight touch of seasickness. Pacing the deck, Will heard music aft, and there he found O’Dady entertaining the passengers in great style. The detective had six harmonicas ranged on a camp stool before him, and was play- ing on a seventh, and he played well, too. ‘Will had never dreamed that there was so much music to be had out of a-har- monica. - The detective was playing a “series of operatic selections in different keys. He would drop one harmonica and seize another with lightning speed. Not a false note did he strike, and the passengers loudly applauded him when he was through. Will watched and listened while several airs were played. . At last O’Dady, suddenly gathering up his harmonicas, thrust them in his pocket and, rising, took Will’s arm and led him to one side. “Say,” he whispered, man.” “What man?” demanded Will. “The party you call Montpensier, though that is not his name.” “Nonsense! Just as though I wouldn’t know Mr. Montpensier if I saw him. There is no one I’ve seen aboard here who re- sembles him in the least.” “That’s where you are blind. Did you see that tall man with the sandy whiskers who leaned against the deck house while I was playing? There he is now.” “Nonsense! That’s no more Montpensier than tam.” “There you are wrong, Will. kers are false.” “So are yours.” “That cuts no ice. “ve found my al- Those whis- I believe that man to be your boss.” “Did you ever see my boss? I don’t be- lieve you ever did.” “T’ll be perfectly frank with you, Will. I never did. He has been very accurately described to me, though.” “Well, let me tell you that man doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to him.” ~“Montpensier went clean shaved?” “ Always.” “He was the same height as that fel-~ low?” “Well, about his height.” “Any particular distinguishing mark about his face?” He had a mole under the left eye.” “So has that man, old son. By jove, I knew I was right. I never get left. Now see me put the kybosh on this business and get back the diamond. Here goes.” Off went O’Dady, striding straight up to the man in question. Will’s curiosity was now too thoroughly aroused ‘to hang back. He stood right be- hind O’Dady when the climax came. “He'll take up with any tramp he The detective planted himself directly in front of the stranger and said: “Well, friend, how is the Chittems- Bod- ley Company these days?” oe “What do you mean?” demanded the ~ sandy- whiskered man. “I don’t know you.’ “But I know you all right,” sneered — O’Dady. The bewhiskered one turned pale and glanced nervously at Will over the detec-- - tive’s shoulder. “By gracious, thought Will. ““See this?” demanded O’Dady, display- ing a detective shield. “A detective?” gasped the man, falling back. os O’Dady threw up his hand and seized the fellow by the whiskers, giving them an uD- merciful yank. Sure enough off came the whiskers, to the great amusement of the passengers, who had crowded up to see what was in ~ the wind. ‘ can it be the boss?” CHAPTER VII. CAUGHT IN A NORTHER. “Mr, Montpensier, I arrest you in name of the law!” shouted O’Dady, wavin the sandy whiskers aloft. The denuded face of the detective’s man ‘assumed a look of relief. “When you talk about my name being — Montpensier I don’t know what you mean,” | he said. “If I choose to. wear that beardy it’s. nobody’s business, I suppose.” “You are Mr. Montpensier, of the Chitt- ems-Bodley Company,” persisted O’Dady, put the ginger had all gone out of his voice now. The fact is, he was watching Will Hu son’s face out of the corner of his eye. “JT don’t know what you mean,” said- th man. “You have no right to arrest m on the high seas without a warrant. I am not the man you think me. I am not awar that it is a crime to wear-a false beard.” “This boy identifies you!” answered O’Dady. “Don’t you?” he added, turnin to Will. “No, I don’t,” said Will. seen the gentleman before.” “He is not Montpensier, then?” _ “Certainly not. Doesn’t look anyth like him. “Here, take your old beard. You're. fakir, anyway,” cried O’Dady, and toss the false whiskers at the man’s feet, turnéd away, while several of the passen- gers among those who had crowded ab began guying him and others laughed an jeered. ee The frightened, hunted look on the man’ 8 face did not altogether leave it. He paid no attention to the whiskers, and had just started to push his way through the crowd, when a big, bluff fello: with a very red face, suddenly sprang. ward, and throwing himself upon the ma crowded him up against the deck house “Tf you don’t want him, then I do! cried to the astonished O’Dady. Quick as a wink he snapped the hi cuffs upon the bearded man, saying as did so: ~John Whitesides, rest!” _ This time there was no protest. The handcuffed man simply- collap and fell to the deck in a dead faint. With the confusion which followed _ we have nothing to do. The captain of the Texarkanna bustling up, and the big man showed hi a paper. After that two deckhands carried t half-revived prisoner below. eg Lil came up to Will just as this going on. “What in the world is it all about?” she demanded, and while Wil! was a= “lve neve you are under -O’Dady came up, too. “Did you see that?“ he cried, breakin in upon them. “Just my blamed luck.” : “He wasn’t your man after all, it seems, ae said Will. “I told you as much. oi soe “Not my man! wrong!” retorted O’Dady. was my man. guess.» Why, I’ve got a list of them as long aS your arm, old son. If I don’t get one I get another—see? I never get left.” “You seem to have got left this time al right,” laughed Lil. “Pooh!” said O’Dady, snapping his gers. “I could have had him if I’d wan him. What do I care? All the same, tell you in strict confidence that John Whitesides is the notorious Riverside bank defaulter. Boston. Five thousand rewa Goes to the other fellow. Exit O’Dad floored, but ready to bob up Serenely ag at a moment’s notice. So-long, old s Thus saying, O’Dady turned, awa ruptly, and he kept away from Will fo e rest of the day. _Of course Lil and our hero had laugh over the, affair. ‘So did the rest of the passengers, and arrest of the man Whitesides and the grin of that keen sleuth O’Dady w one topic of conversation in the cabins a on the deck. e - always win out. “Not quite alone, Lil. - Of course I stand ready to protect you in trousers. “HAPPY DAYS. Whitesides was the cashier of the River- _ side bank, of Boston, it appeared, and had walked off with a hundred thousand cold Po cash, (> The bluff man turned out to be a Detec- tive Spencer, straight from the bean city, and the rumor went around that he had not only got his man, but the money. How true this was Will had no means of knowing, but O’Dady asserted that it was so that night in the stateroom. “Don’t care,” he said. “A fellow can’t Whitesides wasn’t on my list, anyhow. There’s as good fish in the sea as ever were caught, and T’7ll fish one out pretty soon.” | After that O’Dady never mentioned the - matter again. - During the rest of the voyage the. man _ Whitesides was kept a close prisoner in his stateroom, except for an occasional airing with the Boston detective constantly on guard. The time slipped by so fast that Will -could searcely note the passing hours. Lil proved splendid company, and by the -time the Texarkanna rounded Key West and began ploughing her way through the - blue wafers of the Gulf of Mexico, they had become fast friends. ~~ Nor was there any happening to mar the _ pleasure of the voyage until the night be- _ fore the time set for their arrival at Gal- _ veston, when the sky suddenly began to cloud over and the screaming gulls an- - nounced the coming of a storm. “It’s going to blow up a norther, I’m afraid,” said Lil, as she sat on deck with Will about ten o’clock. “But there is no wind,” replied Will, “I * have always understood that these Texas northers were fearful wind storms.” “And aren’t they!” exclaimed Lil. “You just ought to see one. Buk the wind will come later.” ~ “Do you think there is any danger?” - “Oh, no; probably we shall run through it all right. -But of course you must know that there igs always danger from a norther. - You know what one did for Galveston a few.years ago—wrecked the whole city and Sent thousands to their death. Father - swore then he would never travel to Texas _by water again, and yet here he is, sending me alone.” You have me. case trouble comes.’ “Vou!” retorted Lil. “Why, you are only a boy, and a bold one at that. But never ‘mind the norther. I don’t believe it will amount to anything. I’m going to bed.” ~ Will found O’Dady already in his bunk when he entered the stateroom. At first the detective appeared to be asleep, but he roused up while Will was undressing. “Hello!” he exclaimed. weather out?” - “Quiet as yet,” replied Will. “As yet is good. Just you wait. We are booked for a norther, old son, and if we see Galveston by noon to-morrow, as per schedule, I'll eat my head.” “1 should think you would find it rather tough,” laughed Will, as he pulled off his “Have you ever been-in a north- er before?” : “Can’t say I ever nae Don’t want to be in one now. We’ve got to take things as they come, though.” “Well, I s’pose that’s right.” “Of course it is. Say, will!” “Well, what?” “T was talking to that detective to- night, Spencer, I mean.” eT hat: sor.” Pes: “T thought you were giving him the cold shoulder. I’ve seen you pass him on the deck more than once.” “Now looker here, old son, put it straight. You saw him give me the cold _ shoulder and pass me by. He thinks I’m a “jackass, I suppose. Well, perhaps I am, but I’m the luckiest jackass you ever saw, and I’m going to get the best of that fel- low yet. Do you know he hasn’t got a cent of the Riverside bank money off of that fellow in spite of the yarns to the con- trary he set afloat.” “Ts that so?” “Ves. He admitted as much to me. He has searched Whitesides’ baggage and every stitch of his clothing again and again, ~ but nothing doing, and yet the fellow: sim- ply picked up the bank money and_ walked off with it. No speculation case, mind you. He just lifted the cash.” “And you think he must have it with spim?”’ “How can it be otherwise?” “He may have sent the money on ahead of him to Texas or Mexico, or ee he is going.” ee “He never did. Spencer believes it now, ‘put I don’t. Just you wait. Something tells me that fortune is going to turn that affair my way yet. I tell you I never get left.” Sy ‘Will laughed at the little man’s earnest- ness, and turning in soon, went fast asleep, but only to be rudely awakened by having _his head go kerbang against the top of the Spunk... - The blow was almost enough to pees his pee. out. “How’s the He pulled away, and he would have Soe it again if he had not put up his hands to ward off the blow. The storm had come at last. The Texarkanna was in the grip of the norther: she was pitching and rolling for all she was worth. CHAPTER VIII. THE DOINGS OF A DREADFUL NIGHT. “Will! Oh, Will! Are you awake?” It was Detective O’Dady calling down from the upper berth. “Awake! How could I be asleep when I’ve almost had my head knocked off?” re- torted Will. “The old tub is pitching about to beat ‘the band. There is something wrong some- where. If we ever reach Galveston I’m a ghost.” “What makes you say that? It must be a common thing for these steamers to run through the Texas blows.” “Common, yes, but this is one of the old- est boats on the line. Listen! Do you hear the grinding of the propeller? No, you don’t.” “Well, now you come to speak of it, I don’t know that I do.” “Tt stopped haif an hour ago. I’ve been awake a long time, while you haven't. It’s my opinion that we’ve lost our propeller, and the rudder into the bargain. You'll see that I’m right, too.” “What had we better do? Get up?” - “Not just yet. We can’t do any good, and they would only chase us off the deck. By thunder, there we Bo again! Oh, my head! My head!” It was O’Dady who got it then. -His head came against the back of the bunk with a fearful bang. “This is hard!” he growled. the end be?” “A cracked skull for yours if you don’t look out for yourself,” laughed ‘Will. “That is, unless your head is harder than the boards behind it. But P’m going to get up, anyway. I am anxious to see what is going on.” “You had better lie still.” “No, I’m getting up.’ Will slipped out of the berth and pulled on his clothes. He had scarcely dressed himself when it became painfully evident why O’Dady did not care to rise. The detective came tumbling out of the berth in a hurry, taken horribly seasick. “What will Will fled from the stateroom, feeling that. there was nothing he could do for the little man. Ascending to the promenade deck, he found several of the passengers there ahead of him, backed up against anything which would afford them shelter from the wind. The waves were running high, beyond all telling, and the steamer seemed to have listed badly to one side. There was clearly something wrong. ‘The deckhands were’ chasing about, and the captain was bawling unlente vl or- ders from the bridge. . Within a minute or two eter Will struck the deck he struck it again in a fashion which was anything but pleasant. Suddenly and without the least warning a wave swept over the steamer and Will found himself flat on his nose, clawing wildly for something to hold on to. : On top of him was a man who had been standing near, but whose face Will had not been able to discern. “Great Scott!” gasped the man, being the first to regain his feet. “This is terrible! Are you hurt? Shall I lend you a hand?” “Clear the deck there!” roared the cap- tain through a megaphone. “All passen- gers to their staterooms or the cabin! Lively now!” “Ts your stateroom on the outside?” de- ae man, as he helped Will up. £6 es.’ “So is mine. Let’s go into the cabin, though. My sister is in the ladies’ cabin, aes I want to be on hand in case of trou- le.’ “Same with me,” replied Will. got a lady in my charge.” - They made the best of their way to the cabin only to find many others there up and dressed. Will now recognized his companion as a young man he had frequently encounter- ed on deck. “Ig there any real-danger, do you sup- pose?” he asked. “lm afraid there is,” was the reply. “T’ve traveled up and down on these steam- ers lots of times. I’ve been in many a norther, but never before were we so hard hit as this.” “It’s a terrible storm.” “Oh; I don’t refer to that. You know that we have lost our propeller and the rudder chain, or ‘something about the steering gear is broken.” “You don’t mean it!” “Yes. “Tve i The young man stopped, rose and bowed, for Lil had now come out of the ladies’ cabin: adie was. at ot. side. Perhaps you couldn't understand the captain’s talk, but I could. “Tg it: as bad as all that?” she asked. “I’m afraid it is, miss,” was the reply. “My name is Blanchard—Ben Blanchard.” Will responded to the introduction and introduced. Lil. “Why, I know your father very well, Miss Wilson,” said Blanchard. “Have you met my sister? Is she all right?” “She was up and dressed when I left the cabin,” replied Lil. © “I’m afraid she is rather seasick, to tell the truth.” “Poor Jennie! her.” oe i “You can do no good. The stewardess will show her every attention. Will, I wish I could go on deck. I just love a storm.” “It’s impossible,” replied Will. “You see the condition Mr. Blanchard and I are in. We got a big wave all over us. Be- sides, the captain ordered everybody off, and I don’t think we would be allowed to stay there even if we were to try it.” “IT suppose not. Thank heaven, I never get seasick. But where’s O’Dady? Why isn’t. he here, jumping about and telling us what to do?” Will laughed. “I’m afraid O’Dady is as poor a sailor as Mr. Blanchard’s sister,” he said. “I don’t know, after all, but the best thing would be to stick to our bunks,” “I don’t go back to mine, then,” said. Lil. “I want to be ready for any emerg- ency, and I’m afraid we are going to have a hot time of it before we are through. I’m so glad father isn’t here. He always makes such a fool of himself at a time | like this.” The talk went on for an ahr or more. Ben Blanchard and Lil found that they had many Texas friends in common. Later Miss Jennie Blanchard was brought out of the ladies’ cabin by Lil, and they remained together, still talking. Will found himself rather crowded into the background, for Lil seemed entirely ‘taken up with young Blanchard, and Miss Jennie apparently did not care to talk.: Meanwhile the storm had not abated a bit, but rather seemed to grow worse if. i miss hearing- that soul-stirring cry. anything. About three o’clock Will ventured on eck again, but it was only te be ordered — 1 and with it came another ery scarcely less back. That the steamer was tossing about wherever the wind and waves carried her was evident, and there seemed to be no signs of a let-up. Before returning to the cabin Will sought his stateroom to see how O’Dady was get- ting along. He found the little detective stretched out in the lower berth in a state of com- plete collapse. “Ym a dying man, Will Hudson,” he moaned. “There can: be no doubt about that. I shall never live to see morning. That’s one thing sure.” “Oh, that’s all nonsense,” said Will. “it is morning now, and this storm is going to let up after awhile. Is there anything I ean do for you?” ~ “T don’t know that there is. It strikes me I’m about done for as it is. What’s the ee with the propeller? Why don’t we 20?” “T understand that you were right and the propeller is gone.” “There! [I knew it! Anything else?” “The - steering gear is broken in some way.’ “What did I tell you? Old son, I’m a prophet, and let me prophesy something else.” “Don’t make matters out worse than they are, O’Dady. That won’t pay.” “lm not going to. I s’pese you -know the cargo has shifted?” “T notice we are all listed over. to the right.” “And that’s all wrong. I only hope there is. nothing inflammable aboard. These shifted cargoes are very serious things.” “Oh, pshaw,” said Will. and everything looks dismal te you. I was sure of it. captain will be able to repair damages. IT am not worrying a bit.” “Perhaps you are right; same— Oh, great heavens! but all the which cut O’Dady’s speech short, coming ap- parently from deep down in the steamer’s hold. stern. “What did I tell you?” cried the detec- tive, springing out of the bunk. “Prepare for the worst, Will Hudson. The——” At the same instant a seeond and louder explosion burst upon then. This time the shock was so great as to send O’Dady to the floor, with Will on top of him. It seemed as if the whole steamer would be wrenched to pieces. The very fldor appeared to rise up against them; the woodwork erenked and groan- | ed. Before Will could move it came a third time. ; Now it was still more serious. The berths were torn away and came : tumbling down on top of Will and the de- tective, while the stateroom filled on the Instant with a dense,” suffocating smoke. I wish I could go to What's that?” It was the sound of a dull explosion | It shook the Texarkanna from stem to ; “Oh, great heavens!” yelled O’Dady. “This is the end of everything! This is the time I do get left! Now I shall never get My man!” CHAPTER IX. AFTER THE EXPLOSION. Precisely what it was that came crash- ing through the side of the stater¢om Will Hudson never knew. Probably it was some piece of the ma- chinery. All Will could make out when he looked up after the light came was a huge bar of iron looming above him between the broken berths. : And if it had not been for those same berths Will and the detective must surely have perished, for if that huge piece of iron had ever struck them it would have meant good-by to life. As it was, the shattered woodwork pinned them down most effectually, and with that dreadful smoke pouring in through the breach they would have surely suffocated but for the fact that the state- room window had been battered out by some piece of the- broken woodwork. This formed a vent, and the smoke rolled out into the open. For the first moment Will, struggling to free himself, heaped imprecations upon the darkness. But this was all changed next instant. The smoke cleared and a bright tongue of flame shot up about that huge iron bar. “Wire! Fire! Fire!” That awful cry! Fearful, horror-inspiring enough when heard on land, but how much worse when heard at sea. “Fire! Fire! Fire!” The rush of many feet; screams, ee despairing yells! “Fire! Fire! Fire!” “What was the use in repeating it?” Will asked himself. Just as. if anyone could “Wire! Firet Firet’ But it was repeated again and again, despairing. “Man the boats!” This was the beginning of the end. And during all the confusion which fol- lowed, Will Hudson and the man O’Dady lay there unable to move. Terrible for Will? Well, of course! Man the boats! It could be done. Will could follow every move by the sounds. But what beat could live in such a sea? He heard the captain’s voice as plainly | above the hissing steam, the cries of the passengers and the howling of the gale as though the man had been there in the stateroom with him. He heard the mate when he ordered the men to fall back under pain of instant death at the revolver’s point. He heard the splash of the first boat when it struck the waves. Perhaps some of this was imagination. Will was an abnormally sensitive person; perhaps it was all imagination when it seemed to him that he heard Lil’s voice calling: : “Will! Will! Oh, save me, Will!” . Save her! He could not save himself, pinned down there hand and foot. And so it went, until at last all sounds began to merge into one sound more fear-. ful than all the rest—the roar of the fire | in the Texarkanna’s hold, which was gain- ing headway every instant. But the smoke had cleared from the stateroom now, the flames having forced 2 draft in some other direction, apparently. The heat, however, was increasing every instant, until new it had become almost Will! Are you. dead, old son? 1 intolerable. “Vou are sick 7 will soon be daylight, and I’ve ne doubt the Why don’t you talk to Are “Wall! me, Will? you dead?” Was that O’Dady calling to him? Had the man been calling before? Be declared that he had, later, but Will © had never heard him, he was so dazed. The detective had changed his tactics, it ‘appeared. Instead of his silly talk he was speaking up bravely like a man. “Will Hudson, answer me!” he ‘cried. “Are you alive or dead?” “OQ’Dady, there’s nothing the matter with me,” said Will, roused at last, “except that I am pinned down here and can’t move!” “Thank heaven! Do you know I’ve been talking to you for the last ten minutes, but never a word could I get out of you, Brace up, old son, this is a very serious affair.” “T should say it was. What about Miss Wilson?” “She must take her chances, Will. We can’t help her. Heaven knows I would if I could, and so would you.” oe would give my own life to save her.” “Would you, really? Are you so far gone as that? I wouldn’t have believed it. Say, Will?” : “What?” “They have all gone off in the boats and ; left us behind.” — “T know it.” HAPPY DAYS. “We shall be roasted to death and no gravy saved if you don’t do something pretty quick, old son.” “What can I do?” “It isn’t what you can do, but wae you must do. What holds us down?” “Part of the berth—it is wedged against my back, and held in place by a big piece | of iron, aS you see.” .. “As I see nothing! How can I see when my face is pressed against the floor. Like Sam Weller at Pickwick’s trial, at the pres- -ent m@ment my vision is limited.” “Tm afraid you were right in the first place, and this is the end of us, O’Dady.” “Tt is if we stay here, surest thing you know. See here, can’t you squeeze your- Self into a little smaller compass? I may be able to crawl from under if-you only. will.” “T den’t see how I can do it. I’m wedged -in tight here.” : “Try, boy, try! Pull yourself forward so that the thing will come against your legs; there will be more reom so.”. “Perhaps I can manage to work it that way,” said Will, and sure enough he did; After several attempts he continued to work his body clear of the berth, but he eould go no further, for now his head came up against the stateroom door. “Tm all done!” cried Will. turn now, O’Dady!” “Right! It is getting blamed hot here, and I have about concluded that I won’t linger longer. Here goes.” O’Dady then began to wiggle and twist, and then in a moment Will found the de- tective sliding away from under him, and he himself dropped to the floor. - To his great relief the splintered wood- work did not follow him. It was so wedged in that it remained firm, “Done!” eried O’Dady, whe had man- aged to get on his feet in the narrow space afforded him. He seized Will’s hand and with consider- able difficulty pulled him up. “Ali over now,” he said. “I guess they are all gone, Will. I can’t hear a vioce.” “Through the window with you,” cried Will. “If there is any chance at all for us it is coming now,’ O’Dady crawled through the open win- dow to the deck. Will quickly followed him. Running along to the nearest passage- way they soon were able to comprehend their full danger. The Texarkanna was all torn away amid- ships, and was blazing like a volcano. Aft, where the stateroom was located, the fire was rapidly eating its way. Not a soul was to be seen anywhere, but that they were not quite alone was now made apparent by a doleful cry: “Save me! Save me! Oh, don’t i me here to be roasted alive!” (TO BE CONTINUED.) em ee aa Ask Your Newsdealer For Frank Manley’s Bunch of Hits Or, Breaking the Season’s Batting Record | OUT. TO-DAY “The Young Athlete’s Weekly’ No. 28 [This story commenced in No. 563.) Short SUOp dal “It’s your The Boss of the 1 Base-Ball Boys By CORNELIUS SHEA. - Author of “Will Walker's Wish,” “The Shang- haied. Boys,” “The Boy from New York,” : Reems Dave,” “Only a Kid,” etc. CHAPTER XXI. THE HIT THAT WON THE GAME. _ Fred Jenes came next and sent 2 grounder to’ second. The second baseman made a double play on this, and that made two out. Pitcher Timlin stepped up to the plate, a look of determination in his honest gray _ eyes. “Line her out, Frank!” said Sam. “If _ you get first T’ll try and fetch you home.” “JT see yo’ doin’ it, yo’ little grasshop- per!” called out the darky who had been first at the bat in the first inning. “That’s all right, Mr. Smoke,” retorted Sam, thinking it all right to speak that way, since the fellow ealied him a grass- hopper. ¢ But the darky did not get offended by being called Smoke. He, as well as the rest of the players, were used to that sort ~ of talk. Timlin managed to hit out a fly to right garden, which the man there could not get under, and he got his first. _ Then Shortstop Sam picked up his fav- orite bat-and a deafening cheer went up. It seemed that every man, woman and child on the field were rooting for him. But this was not the case, though, for Jack Cuny and his cronies were there. Right here we might as well say that Cuny was wondering what had become of the man he had given the five dollars to. If he had taken a walk around to the saloon he had seen him come out of be- fore giving him the money he would have found him fast asleep there—dead drunk from part of the money. But let us follow up the game. Sam was aS cool as an iceberg when he faced the mulatto, who was doing the twirling for the colored team. He meant to make good what he had said. The first ball pitched was right over the plate and Sam struck at it. But it was a little too high and he got.a strike on him. “Yah, yah!” laughed Mr. Smoke from second base, which he was covering. The next. was a ball, and then a foul fol- lowed, making it two strikes. But Shortstop Sam was not discouraged. He knew the pitcher was trying to strike him out, just because he had ene Timlin to fetch him in. . He expected the next would be a good all. It was. It came straight for his waist until it was within about six feet of him and then shot off to cut the plate. Whack! Sam hit it-squarely, and away it sailed for left garden. ~ Timlin put on a sprint and was to sec- ond in no time. He cast one glance to the reue and saw that the ball, had gone over the fielder’s head, and then he let himself go for third. He touched the bag and swung around for home, while Sam was just getting over second. But the ball had been fielded now and was coming for the home plate, It.was a wonderful throw, but it fell short, for all that. As it struck the ground six feet in front of the catcher, Timlin crossed the plate. If there had been frantic cheering be- fore it was now a perfect tornado of cheers that burst from the throats of the spec- tators. Timlin took off his hat and bowed right and left. But he was net the one they wanted. The modest little fellow on third, who had made the hit that brought the run in, was the one they were cheering. Not until Sam had bowed his acknow- ledgment several times would they stop. Reardon was the next to the bat, but he knocked a grounder to first and that end- ed the second inning, with the score one to nothing in favor of the home team. The Cuban Giants were very quiet when they came in to bat. They now fully realized that they were “up against it,” if we may use the expres- sion. Pitcher Timlin kept up his good work } and struck the first man out. The second up went out on a fly to Rear- don, and then the men and boys on the bleachers began ito sing and whistle “There’ll be a hot time, etc.” The third darky at the bat hit a hot liner | straight into the hands of Sam, and that wound up the beginning of the third. The Peerless boys did not succeed in get- ting a run in their half, but they were content, since they had one run against | nothing on even innings. The next two innings were played very quickly, neither side scoring or making an error. ; It was certainly the greatest battle on {the diamond that had been seen that sea- son by the spectators, and that they appre- ciated it was evident by their approving voices. In the sixth inning the Giants got a run through an error on Pete Perkins’ part, who let a ball thrown by Timlin go through his hands. Just how he came to do it he could not tell, but there was no time for explana- tions just then. Of course Pete was much mortified over it, since it let in the run that tied the game, Peerless failed to score to make a lead again, and as the next two innings gave nothing but goose eggs to both sides, it stood one to one at the commencement of the ninth. ' In this inning one of the visitors led off + with a neat single and got first. Then Frank made a mistake and gave the next man a base on. balls. Tt seemed fhat luck was - against him, for the next man up accepted a high drop and sent ‘it to center for a clean hit, bring- ing in a run. Then Timlin settled down and struck three out in succession. In their half Bates and Jones got to second and first on clean hits, and then Timlin went out on a fly. It was Sam’s turn next, and when he stepped up he realized that he must do something or the game would be lost. “Look out for de grasshopper!” shouted the darky called Mr. Smoke. The pitcher did look out for him. But he made a mistake and gave our hero one just where he wanted it. Crack! It sounded like a pistol shot when the bat and ball came together, and “Cuban Giants, too. away went the ball ‘soaring out for cen- ter. The instant he saw it going Sam knew that he had done the trick. Bates and Jone scored, and that ended the game. Shortstop Sam was carried around the entire base line by a yelling crowd of base- ball fanatics, and it is safe to say it was the proudest moment of, his life. CHAPTER XXII. THE ATHLETICS ACCEPT THE PEERLESS CHALLENGE. After their game with the Cuban Giants the Peerless club received all kinds of of- fers from various clubs througout the East. The score got in the New York papers, and that was how it became known so gen- erally. The most of the offers were for Sunday games, and as the boys did not play on that day, they were laid aside without com- ment. Some of the clubs offered a guarantee of a hundred dollars and all expenses would be paid the team if they would come there on a certain Sunday. Of course there were many offers for Saturday games, so the boys looked them over and accepted three or four of them. They would much rather play in town than to go somewhere by rail, even if they did get paid for it. The Gazette, which was now coming out in a much improved form, and with a cir- culation that was leaving its competitor far behind, gave the Peerless nine plenty of poosting and gave detailed accounts of each game. The Recorder just about gave mention to the games they played and did not offer /to comment one way or the other. It so happened that Shortstop Sam’s club accepted two flattering offers to go out of town on the two Saturdays following the _ Fourth. On the second Saturday the Sharpton Athletics brought the Cuban Giants to town, and with five hired men, defeated them by a score of seven to two. None of the Peerless boys saw the game, but they heard enough from friends to con- vince them that the darkies had been bought off. They had probably let the home team win because it paid them to do so. The Recorder, in its next issue, gave more baseball news than it had ever done before. It simply lauded the Athletics to the skies, and even went so far as to state that there were few clubs in the State of New Jersey that could beat them. Harry Bates, the eaptain of the Peerless nine, took pains to learn that the Athleties had no game scheduled for Labor Day. A special metting of the club was held, and it was unanimously decided to chal- lenge the high-toned club to play a game on the afternoon of Labor Day. A copy of the challenge was given to Pete Perkins’ uncle, so it appeared in the Gazette the morning following the receipt of it at the swell club: The lovers of baseball were stirred to enthusiasm when the challenge was read. Nine-tenths of the residents of Sharpton were in favor of the Peerless nine, anyhow, and the thought that there would be a match game between the two teams was enough to stir them. Both teams had met and defeated the That meant that it would be a contest worth looking at. True, one nine was composed of boys, whose ages ranged from sixteen to eigh- teen, and the other had players as old as: twenty-four in it. That made no difference, however. boys could play ball. Peerless won both the out-of-town games they played, and kept up the reputation they had made since Sam Walters started to play with the nine. Not a game had they lost, and they had played with the best amateur clubs in that section of the country. It was fully a week after the challenge was issued before the Sharpton Athietics gave an answer. They accepted it, as a matter of course. To have ignored it would have put them up to ridicule. : When it was announced in the papers that the two home clubs were to cross bats on the diamond at the fair grounds, even people who had. paid very little at- tention to baseball before got stirred up. All this time Sam had seen very littie of Len Marks. Marks was still working at the mill, and by diligence and perseverance he had re- ceived a raise. He did not mix with any of the boys, and was never seen on the streets at night. The Saturday before Labor Day Peerless was to play a crack team from Newark, and as Sam Walters was leaving the mill at noon, he happened to run across Len Marks. “How are you making out these days, Len?” he asked, speaking kindly to the boy, for he was well satisfied that he had re- formed, and meant to be straight and hon- est in the future. “Very well, Sam,” was the reply. “—T don’t see much of eae The “No. I am keeping close for two rea- sons. One is that I am so ashamed of what I did to you that I don’t want to mingle with anyone who knows you, and the other is that I am studying pulse all my spare time.” _ studying, eh?” “Yes, I hope to be a lawyer some day, Sam.” “Well, I ean tell you truly, Len, that I Be only hope you will succeed in your ambi- — tion.” “I don’t deserve any good wishes fron you, but I feel thankful when you say them, just. tbe same.” e Do you ever see Jack Cuny?” asked our hero. “T see him, but I never notice him, TI want nothing to do with that fellow. He took advantage of my jealous disposition and made a villain of me. Sometime I may be able to make amends for what I did to you, Shortstop Sam.” “I am satisfied the way it is, ion ee oe get it, please.” Marks went on his way looking relieved. a The game played that afternoon was rather close until the last inning. - Thep the Peerless boys let themselves out and showed what they could doe. with the bat. : Sam played a faultless game throughout, accepting every chance and keeping up his reputation as the “boss of the baseball boys.” Monday dawned bright and clear. Everybody interested in the great game that was scheduled to take place that day breathed a sigh of relief when they awoke and found it was going to be clear. It had looked very rainy all the day before, and many thought it would’ surely storm on | Labor Day. At one o’clock the club fell in. line in front of their quarters, and headed by a band, paraded through the principal streets and finally wound up at the ball ‘grounds a little after two. : Jack Cuny was very conspicuous in the parade and his toadying friends cheered him to the echo. The young man had not attempted to in- terfere with Shortstop Sam since he had given the drunken man five dollars to in- jure the boy, and had simply thrown it away. It was more than likely that he had become afraid, as he knew his name was at police headquarters, and if it had not been for the influence his father had in polities he would have Pee brought up before the bar. Cuny spent a good deal of money to win the game this day. He wanted to beat the nine of the poor class boys, as he termed them. He well knew that there was not a nine to be picked in Sharpton that could come anywhere near doing it, so players were hired. Counting himself and three other mem- bers of the club, they only had four players © ; to represent the town that day. The other five were hired, receiving all the way from five to fifteen dollars apiece. Cuny was going to pitch, though. He was really quite a good twirler and threw a drop that was said to be one of the best. The hired players took part in the parade, as a matter of course, and the Peerless boys had a good chance to size © them up. “They are all grown-up men,” Shortstop Sam. “But never mind! We'll show them what boys can do when they make up their minds to play ball.” CHAPTER XXIII. SAM MAKES A HOME RUN. The game was. advertised to start promptly at three o’clock, but long before that time the grandstand was filled with the peopie who had come to see the con- test between the Athletics and Peerless. Mill Owner Bagley and his wife and daughter arrived at about half-past two, and, as they had been doing since the fall of Lena from the grandstand, they remain- ed in their earriage. There was plenty of room for carriages along the line of trees that skirted the ~ ball field from home base to third, and under one of these the mill owner located. “We will have a good chance to - see Shortstop Sam in action,” Lena sai@® and her mother smiled and nodded approving- ly. It was a few minutes after three when — the two teams were ready to. begin the game, and by that time the bleachers were crowded so that there was not room for another boy or man to sit down. The grandstand was well filled ‘with ladies, and the gay colors they wore and the fluttering fans made a pleasant sight for the young bali-tossers to look upon as. they stepped out, ready for business. | The Athletics went to the bat first. Both sides had gone through their prac- tice and both seemed fit to the expert critic. Frank Timlin’s face wore a confident smile as he stepped in the pitcher’s box. The band ceased playing and the umpire tossed out a brand new ball. Frank rubbed it around in his hands, and while the catchers of the other team was selecting-a bat, he sent one in to y 4 said pees : a i “HAPPY DAYS. = Jones just to let him know that his arm “was good and strong. Jones threw a quick grounder to Sam, ' who picked it up as neat as a pin and sent = At to first, “Play ball!” exclaimed the umpire, who was a man that had been brought over from Amboy for the express purpose. ae got the ball and the game start- ed. The batter he had to pitch for was a professional, but that did not worry the boy in the least. - oo “One strike!” called the umpire, as the . bali cut the plate, as the batter was caught happing by a neat inshoot. -. The next one he hit out for a long foul, ~ and that made two strikes and no bails. : But two balls followed in quick succes- sion, : _ Then the batter sized up one that he thought was a good one and sent a hot liner to short. There was no need of his running, how- ever, for Shoristop Sam was right there and the ball was caught. Jack Cuny was the next to the bat, and the sinister smile his face wore as he cast a look in the direction of Sam Walters was noticed by several of the players. He acted just an though he would like to send a hot one out there and make the boy miss it. Stn The first ball pitched was a good one, and Cuny hit it for a high fly. It was Seaver’s ball by rights, e saw Sam running for it he gave way to him, - hence he let the star player of his nine thave the credit of putting the snob out. Sam caught the ball easily and that made two out. : 3 The rooters ' their cries, and much discomfited, Cuny took a seat on the bench. The next man up was the hired short- top. . He was a youn man of perhaps twenty- wo, and was very active looking. Rumor had it that he had played one eason with the crack Newark team, but ‘the Peerless boys would not have cared if he had been the star. batter of the New Yorks. e Timlin resolved to strike him out, and “he tried his famous inshoot on him. x The batter bit, and a strike was called out by the umpire. ae ~. The next was a ball, and then came a foul. That made two strikes. Jones signalled for a low straight one. He got it, and the striker hit at it, but went a full foot over it. : “Three strikes and out!” warbled the ~~ umpire, as he rubbed out the marks he had - been making on the ground with the point _- of the umbrella he had in his hand. _ It was hardly a cheer that went up as _. Peerless came in—it was more like the _cwar-whoop of a band of red Indians. =«_—- ae The crowd was with the boys, and there was no doubting it. _ The band played for a minute or two just to make things more thrilling, and ' then Catcher Jones stepped up as the first . of the Peerless players to try Jack Cuny’s - curves. Jones was perfectly cool, and he smiled gas he saw Cuny shaking his head in an- “swer to the signs the catcher was making. The first ball pitched was right over the _ plate, but it dropped so close as to nearly hit it. And Jones struck at it, too! The admirers of the swell club let out a yell of delight. ; Jones must have been a little off in his calculations, for he struck at another of made the welkin ring with Jack ae the same kind. ; Then three balls were pitched in quick - succession. : A high straight one came next, Jones struck at it and missed. Timlin came up next and cracked out a safe hit, reaching first with ease. Then Bates came up and got first on balls. A sacrifice was the best Seaver could do, and Timlin reached third and Bates second, with two out. Pete Perkins, the lanky third baseman, was the next batter. Pete was right in form, too, for he hit out a long drive over centerfielder’s head, reaching third on it and sending Timlin and Bates home. Peerless had scored in the first inning, and the rooters began to sing their little song. Two to nothing! and Tt must have been galling to Jack Cuny. and his followers, but they had to swallow hous : “Sam Walters at the bat!” called out one of the scorers, and our hero stepped up gmilingly. _ A cheer that was almost deafening went up. -._.“Nothin’ but a home-run hit will do, ; Shortstop Sam!” yelled the small boy, who as in his accustomed seat on the bleach- rs. “Line her out an’ Show der dudes hat yer kin do!” : There was a sinister smile on the face yf Jack Cuny as he got ready to deliver He knew very well that Sam was given oO making home runs, and he did not want to give him the opportunity. 2 but when. He knew how Cuny hated Sam, and | He decided to hit him and make him walk to first. He threw one straight at the boy, but Sam was too nimble to be hit by it. “T am. not the plate, Cuny!” he exclaim- ed. “Don’t hit me, please.” A vicious inshoot came next, and Sam had to use all his quickness to get out of the way. “Two balls!” called out the umpire. Cuny sent in another that came within an ace of hitting the young shortstop. “HWe’s tryin’ ter hit yer, Sam!” warbled the small boy from the bleachers. “Look out fur der dude! He wants ter knock yer out, so yer can’t play der rest of der game!” : Cuny flushed at this. The boy had told the truth. It served to make him quit, too. The next ball he delivered was just to our hero’s liking. Crack! The bat hit the bail with great force and away went the sphere for center- field. Tt was not a high fly, but a long drive, and it was out of the reach of the fielder. Stortstop Sam was legging it for first with all his might. He reached it just as the ball hit the fence a hundred feet ahead of the fielder. It was a_home run hit, and he knew it. Around the bases he ran, Perkins, who had already got home, urging him on. Sam crossed the plate a foot ahead of the ball and scored a home run. CHAPTER XXIV. CONCLUSION. It seemed as if pandemonium had broken loose when Shortstop Sam came in, making a home run. With two men out four runs had been scored, and he was responsible for two of them, : A perfect sea of hats, parasols, fans and handkerchiefs waved on the. grandstand, and it seemed as if all were vieing with each other in trying to shout the loudest. The band was playing its loudest, but it could scarcely be heard above the din of the yelling, screeching crowd. But as McGuire stepped up to the plate and went out on a fiy to second the noise ceased somewhat. The first inning had been played, and judging from the playing, Peerless would win in a walkover. Four to nothing was a great lead. . In the second inning the Athletics were blanked again, much to the disgust of those who so ardently supported them.” Peerless seored one run, O’Donnell being the boy to cross the plate. In the third neither side scored. In the fourth Peerless got another run and the Athletics were blanked again. An enthusiastic supporter of the Peerless recklessly offered to bet five dollars against twenty-five that the Athletics would fail | to get a run in the game, and he was im- mediately taken up. ; It looked like a very foolish wager, as the cooler heads allowed. Shortstop Sam scored the run-in the fourth, and that made two to his credit. In the fifth and sixth neither nine got a run across the plate. Jack Cuny was doing some good pitching now and was holding Peerless down to a few seattered hits. - Sam and the rest of his nine were play- ing with a coolness that was surprising for boys of their age. They never allowed themselves to get rattled at any stage of the game. In the seventh Peerless got another run and their opponents were whitewashed once more. : In the eighth both got goose eggs, and when the Athletics went to the bat for their last chance at the beginning of the ninth the score stood 7—0 against them. “Don’t give them a run, Frank,” Short- stop Sam whispered to the pitcher, as he walked out to his position at short. “If we can shut them out it will be the greatest thing that ever happened in the line of baseball in this town.” “You bet it will!” was the reply. “Now, just keep your eye on me! {[ mean to do the trick!” Godfrey, the outfielder of the swell was the first to the bat. In spite of Timlin’s efforts a base hit was made, and a yell went from those who were so anxious to see the Athletics score. The next to the bat was the hired catch- nine, er. He, too, hit the ball for a base. Two men on bases and none out. It surely looked as though the man. who had made the rash wager was going to lose. Those who had seen the bet made began to jeer him, but he simply smiled and said: “Wait!” Jack Cuny was next to pick up the wil- low. He stepped up with a great deal of con- fidence. Whack! He hit the first ball pitched and ‘a hot grounder bounded straight for Short- stop Sam. — It was picked up in a twinkling and sent to second, and with the greatest accuracy Seaver sent it to Perkins at third. angi _ Both runners were put out with room to spare, and Cuny got to first. “It is an even bet now!” shouted the man: who had bet five to twenty-five. “I’ve got a hundred dollars that says that the Athletics won’t score! They can’t play ball a little bit!” No one took him up. The hopes of those who wanted to see the swell club score had gone down a hun- dred per cent. And Shortstop Sam’s double play had done it all. The next man was the hired shortstop. He stepped up with a wearied expression on his face. He knew it was all over but the shout- ing, and it was evident that he did not in- tend to try very hard for a base. Whether he did or not, he struck out, and that ended the game with a score of seven to nothing in favor of Peerless. The ovation received by the boys was certainly great. | : But Sam Walters was the real hero of the hour, and he was almost breathless when the crowd got through hugging him and shaking his hand. He got away from them after a while and chance brought him to the carriage oc- cupied by the Bagley family. We say chance, but it may have been that he walk- ed that way purposely. Anyhow, he was seized by mill owner and almost lifted in the ear- riage. : And with shouts of the throng ringing in his ears, he was driven from the grounds. That was really the proudest moment in the life of the Boss of the Baseball Boys. Reader, our story is about ended. We could go on and describe the games played by the Peerless nine the balance of the season, but it is not necessary. Suffice it to say the boys covered them- selves with glory on the diamond, and that Shortstop Sam always did his part in the winning of the games. The purpose of this story is to show that an active boy who knows how to play ball can win out every time, providing he keeps cool and plays for all he is worth. Inci- dentally we might. remark that energy, push and coolness will win out in anything. . Sam Walters possessed all of these quali- ties, and he was bound to reach the top of the ladder. The last we heard of him he was still working at Bagley’s mill, but he had been promoted to a responsible position in the office. Jack Cuny quit bothering him and Len Marks remained true to his purpose to do right and become a lawyer. _The newspaper called the Recorder was sold out, and Pete Perkins’ uncle bought it and consolidated it with the Gazette, mak- ing a daily, which, the last we heard of it, was. a power in that part of New Jer- sey. i & : Some day it will have a double column head about a’ wedding, no doubt, and the contracting parties will be Shortstop Sam and Lena, the pretty daughter of Mill Owner Bagley. pe Hurrah for basebail! greatest sport on the face of the globe! «THE END. rear HERE IS A GOOD ONE The Bradys and the Russian Duke Or, The Case of the Woman from Wall St. OUT TO-DAY «SECRET SERVICE” No. 34! A Concrete Dwelling. The latest and most important example of concrete construction in buildings is found in the case of one of the large rail- way companies whose shop buildings, with one exception, have concrete walls and foundations, and some of them also floors and roofs of the same composition: general plan of construction was the usual one of pouring the concrete into moulds, built of tongued and groved pine boards, special wooden frames being used where necessary. The buildings call to mind what was, in all probability, the earliest practical venture in this field, made about a quarter of a century ago. This enter- prise took the shape of a building for dwelling purposes in which not only the external and internal walls, cornices, and towers were made of concrete, but all the beams, floors, and roofs as well reinforced with light iron beams and reds. Further- more, all the closets, stairs, balconies, and porticoes, with their supporting columns, were moulded from the same material. The only wood in the structure was in window sashes and doors with their frames, and in the stair rails, thus ex- cluding everything of a combustible nature from the main construction. Indeed, it was the desire for something of thorough- ly fireproof character that seemed to have, to a great extent, inspired the undertaking. The exterior portions, too, of the house, which were more or less ornamental in their functions, were made of concrete, and in the interior the cornices, ceiling, and wall panels and other details were of the same material, covered with the finish usual in such work. — ee ‘—No; I-want to see his ghost. the delighted | It is surely the The A Little Fun. Man Overboard—-Help! help! Stranger —Phuy don’t yez swim? I don’t know how.” “Begorry, ye’ve got an iligant chance to learn.” : Magistrate— What proof have you that this man was intowjcated? Constable—He stopped his motor car at a watering-trough for horses, sir. > Medium—Do you wish to see your de- parted husband’s spirit? Mrs. Whiffletree Josh never h&d no spirit. ‘ “What de you think of her vocal abil- ity?” asked the manager of the show after the prima donna had ceased to warbie. “Well,” said the man who had come in on a pass, “she has an admirable voice for destroying: silence.” : Mr. Skinflint—The paper says skirts are to be worn longer than ever!, Mrs. Skin- flint—Well, you needn’t be figgerin’ on me wearin’ mine any longer. I’ve worn it five years this fall already. “T fell over. the bulwarks,” said the sailor, “and the shark came along and grabbed me by the leg.” “And what did you do?” “TI let him have the leg. I never dispute with a shark.” B “What is your order, sir!” asked the waiter. “Bring me some frenzied eggs,” said the man with the napkin tucked under — his chin. And presently there: was a dis- tinctly audible scramble in the kitchen. “Who set fire to the Temple of Diana at Ephesus?” asked the teacher, looking sharply at the boy.. “I—I don’t know, ma’am,” answered the frightened urchin. “As true as I’m settin’ here I didn’t have nothin’ to do with it.” Mrs. N. was giving instructions to her new servant: “Before removing the soup plates, Mary, always ask each person if he or she would like any more.” “Very gqod, madam.” Next day, Mary, respectfully bowing to~one of the guests, inquired: “Would the gentleman like some more oun “Yes, please.” “There isn’t any eft. 7 BUY OUR 10-CENT HANDBOOK No. 47 How to Break, Ride and Drive a Horse A complete treatise on the horse. De- scribing the most useful horses for busi- ness, the best horses for the road; also val-. uable recipes for diseases peculiar to the horse. = Interesting Items. A telegraphic instrument that sends 1,000 words a minute is a recent mechanical wonder. A human operator transmits about forty words a minute in a rush. ~~ Each town and city in the state of Rhode Island elects a state senator, no matter what its population. Providence, with a population of 200,000, has only one repre- sentative in the senate, while other towns of only 600 inhabitants have one each. The total agricultural area in the United States, it is estimated, is 841,000,000 acres _ —an area larger than France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Japan, England, Scotland, Ireland,. Wales and the Transvaal. There are engaged in agricultural pursuits 14,- 439,000 persons. ~ The wooden pie plate has come and will doubtless stay. A factory in Maine is turn- ing out 300,000 a day. The forests are hbe- ing devoured wholesale for paper for wooden butter dishes, chip baskets and matches. We shall have to replant or be ruined. A system of deep well boring is prac- tised in Japan, in the province of Kadzusa, which for cheapness and simplicity ap- pears to be unequaled. An ordinary irri- gation well leading down to the thirty-foot water-bearing stratum in the province of Kadzusa costs only some fifteen dollars, and fifty dollars seems to be the highest price charged for going down to the seven hundred and twenty foot stratum. The secret of this system is the use of the bam- boo. = Corea looks askance at Western ideas and inventions. This is strikingly shown in the immense rain hats worn by the farmers’ wives while working in the fields during the rainy reason. Through superstition no umbrella, nor other waterproof garment is ever employed. The cultivation of rice is the main occupation of the country folk, and while the women have to stand nearly all day in a foot or more of water planting and gathering rice, yet they are extremely afraid of a short downpour of rain, and at the first signs of a storm they at once . rush for their great rain hats. These ex= traordinary coverings are often more than — seven feet long by five feet broad, and fully © protect the wearer from a wetting. They are made from a combination of thickly ‘woven horse hair and a tough, fibrous plant. | S$ HAPPY DAYS. NEW YORK, AUGUST 19, 1905. Terms to Subscribers. Qne Copy One_Year . . $2.50 One Copy Six Months . . 1.25 One Copy Three Months. ._ . 60c remittances should be sent by express money order, P. O. order or draft on New York to insure safety. We will be responsible for all money sent in this way. Postage Free During the year 1905 Hapry Days will be for- warded FRDN OF POSTAGH, to our subscribers, which will enable all our readers residing in re- mote parts of the os to receive their favor- ite journal & . low ra Address NK TOUSEY, : ar Union Square, New York. AH NOTICE! Those of our readers who wish any of the back numbers of HAPPY DAYS and cannot procure them from their newsdealer, ean, by sending to us, secure any back number they desire, at 5 cents per copy. OOOOOSD PAPE Y [This story commenced in No. 565,} _ TRUE YAN \KEE PLUCK THE MINUTE BOYS OF CAPE ANN ‘By RALPH [MORTON Author of ‘Roy Dawson, War Correspondent,” “Between the Lines,” “On Special ee " “Among the Japs and Russians,” ete., etc. “On Special Service, CHAPTER X. IN WHICH MOSES CRICK CROWS OVER DON WRIGHT. How long he lay insensible on the floor of the cellar of Jabez Crick’s house Don Wright never knew. -As a matter of fact, it wasn’t more than fifteen or twenty minutes. His first sensation when he came to was one of bewilderment. GOOOOOOOD © OD NEXT WEEK DOPOOOOOC HOOGOHOOOO OS Me Read This One! NEXT WEEK Editor Eddie DOOOSOOOOOOOGHOOHHSHOHHOOOOOOOHOHOOOOOOOSH AN 819.900 Reward’ T rson who can prove that the ee fond ened in the below outioned Weeklies are not GER and BE R than any others of their kind published. PLUCK AND LUCK No. 374 THE PHANTOM BRIG Oh, The Chase of the Flying Clipper By Capt. Thos. H. Wilson. The Young Athlete’s Weekly No, 28 Frank Manley’s Bunch of Hits Or, Breaking the Season’s Batting Record WILD WEST WEEKLY No. 146 Young Wild West’s Lively Time Or, The Dandy Duck of the Diggings WORK AND WIN No. 348 Fred Fearnot’s New Ranch — And How He and Terry Managed It SECRET SERVICE No. 341 The Bradys and the Russian Duke Or, The Case of the Woman from Wall St. THE LIBERTY BOYS OF °76 No, 240 The Liberty Boys and the Midget Or, Good Goods in a Small Package SPECIAL NOTICH:—If you cannot procure back numbers of any of above weeklies from newsdealers send the price to us in money or postage stamps and we-will send them to you by return mail, as all back numbers are always in print. Address FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, Ono >> : > 4 > ® Newspapering Out West > ee ; ‘4 By. Robert Maynard mS eS The story of a plucky boy’s $ fight for his tights 26. > > e e > (it will interest you"Spg $ © NEXT WEEK NEXT WEEK ¢ » | VVYVY . ) > . : < i Die > mF NO. 068a 3 a, Will contain the Opening’ Chapters of $ Rie > (MF ANEW STORY eg ¢ if $OHO9OOOHOOOOOO 909000000000 § FREE! FREE! © S A copy of our big 32-page, illustrated Catalogue $ : SEND FOR ONE | g g OOo Seeks ' Naturally he wondered where he was, and how he had: got there. As his brain grew clearer recollection of his mishap came back to him. Then he understood the situation, or at least thought he did. But when he attempted to get up he found that his arms were bound close to his body by a rope which passed several times around his chest, and that his legs were secured in the same manner. At the same time he became aware of the fact that he was not alone. That Moses Crick, seated on a lobster pot, with a horn lantern by his side, was regarding him with-undisguised delight and malicious satisfaction. “He, he!” ejaculated Moses. “So you’ve come to your senses, have you?” “Looks that way,” replied Don. “If you have tied me up this way for a joke,” he added with assumed cheerfulness, “I think the fun has gone far enough.” “He, he!” grinned so making no move to relieve him. “What are you grinning at?” said Don, impatiently. “You,” answered the youthful Crick, with another chuckle. “Come, now, cut these ropes, do you hear?” demanded Don, peremptorily. “Won't. ” “What’s that? You won’t, you little mon- key?” Master Crick nodded and seemed to be immensely tickled at the helplessness of the young leader of the Minute Boys. “If you don’t cut me loose in the shake of a lamb’s tail I’ll give you a good licking just as soon as I lay my hands on you, & said Don, in a threatening tone. * Ain’t ‘afraid of that,” grinned Moses, tantalizingly. “You'll grin on the other side of your 24 Union Square, New York City. jaw before long,” said — angrily. “FIRE! ’?? SHOUTED DON WRIGHT IN HIS LOUDEST TONES. MANY LEADEN BULLETS SPED UNERRINGLY AT THEIR EASY MARKS. CARTER, WITH HIS FIFTEEN GUARDS RUSHED FORWARD TO HELP ON THE GOOD WORK. DAYS “No, I won't.” “All right, you little imp! smart for this.” “You won’t get the chance,” chuckled Master Crick, defiantly. ll make you “Won’t I? You don’t know me, Moses Crick.” "He, he! Brag is a good dog, but hoild- fast is a better one,” said Moses. “You had that beast of a Seth Carter tie me up in the loft of your barn last night, and you left me there all alone in the dark till this mornin’,” snarled Master Crick. “Served you right, you miserable little Tory,” said Don, heartily. “Ugh!:> I hate you!” cried Moses, venge- fully. “T don’t care the snap of my finger. whether you do or not; but if you don’t let me loose you’ll have cause to regret it, do you understand?” “Will I? He, het I won’t! Dad is goin’ to take you where you won’t get back here in a hurry. I wouldn’t be B prised: if you never did. He, he!” “What do you mean?” cried Don. sud- denly interested. “You'll find out,” said Moses, nodding his head in a suggestive manner. “Your father won’t dare to meddle with me. +> “Won’t he? Oh, my!” grinned Master Crick, in huge delight. “Do you want to know what he’s goin’ to do with you?” . “Well, what is he goin’ to do?” asked Don, incredulously. “He’s goin’ to take you up to Boston in the sloop and turn you over to the admiral of the station.” This bit of information rather startled the young patriot. “He won't do any such thing.” “Yes, he will. You’re the cause of the eapture of the powder ship. You got the boys together and headed the scheme. You stood off a king’s ship that tried to retake her, and I’ve heard that lots of the king’s men were killed and wounded. The ad- miral will pay dad a hundred pounds, I guess, to get hold of you. I wouldn’t be in your. shoes for a shipload of golden sover- eigns. I guess you’ll be hung. I hope you will, for I hate you for the thumpin’ you gave me two months ago, all on account of Dolly Prescott, and for other things.” The mention of Dolly’s name_ started Don off on the subject which had brought ‘him to the neighborhood of the Crick cot- © tage. now?” he asked, anxiously. “None of your business, in an ugly tone. - “JT believe you do. I believe you and your father have taken the girl and hidden her, in this house maybe.” “He, he!” snickered Moses. wish you knew?” “I’m pretty certain that’s what you folks have done. If it’s proved on you both, you will find Cape Ann too hot to hold you,” said. Don, wrathfully. Just then there was the sound of steps on the cellar stairs, and Don dimly made out another form moving forward in the darkness among the nets and baskets and rubbish scattered about the cellar. “That you, Steve?” asked Moses. “That’s me,” was the reply. “See here, Steve Cobb,” said Don, “you'll cut me loose, won't you? This little beast has me tied down fast, and is tantalizing the life out of me. Let me up so I can give ” replied Moses, “Don’t you him a dressing down for his impudence.” FIFTY FLASHES SPU RTED OUT INTO THE DARKNESS, AND AS THE TRAIN STOPPED, AND SETH This request was received with a roar “TI ain’t got nought to do with the fix you're in, and I wouldn’t dare cut you loose, his old man and my old man tied you them- selves, and they’d skin us alive if we so much as touched you.” Don wasn’t at all pleased to hear this. serious than he had calculated upon. best face he could on the matter, “all I can say is that Jabez Crick and your. father, Steve, are going to get into trouble.” Moses and Steve looked at one another and grinned. get into trouble yourself,” said Steve, with a wink at his crony. “Dad says it’s: likely you'll be hung to the yard-arm of a king’s ship for helpin’ to take a powder ship and turn her over to the rebels.” Crick proposes to surrender me to the Eng- lish at Boston?” asked Don, .with not a little anxiety. “T guess that’s what he means to do,” said Steve, pleasantly. does he?” “Tt ain’t heard dad make any objection,” replied Steve, with a chuckle that was echoed by Moses. “And what has Uriah Gibbs and Simon North got to say about it?” with a startled look. “They’re in this house, ain’t they?” — “Who said they were?” said Steve, with a look of interrogation at Moses. “TJ ain’t said nothin’,” said young Crick to his chum. “I saw them enter the house before Tr tumbled into this cellar,” said Don. Ee (CONTINUED ON PAGE 10.) “Do you know where Dolly Prescott is of laughter from both of the young Tories. if I wanted to. Neither would Mose, ’cause ~ The situation was evidently much more ~ “Tf that’s the case,” he said, putting the’ “Tt’s more like as if you were goin’ io: “Do you mean to tell me that Jabez. “And your father thinks that’s all right, _ “What do you mean?” ejaculated Steve, — HAPPY DAYS. 9 (This story commenced in No. 557.) ROBHAHER > The Boy who Wanted to Know. By TOM TEASER. of “Wally,” ‘Hodge, Podge and Dodge,” “Jim Jump,” “Mat, the Mimic,” “The Schoolboy Minstrels,” ‘Little Vox,” “The Dude of the School,” - Author PART X. Bub had got a pretty good wetting on ac- count of that leaky spout. - The water had run down inside his shirt, and soaked him to begin with. -It had drenched his shoulders and spat- tered his hat pretty well besides. That was a pretty good suit he had on. It couldn’t stand such heroic treatment as it had, however, and keep its shape. rT 1 See << “Say! GIMME THE BAKERY. FLEW OPEN WITH A BANG. The shower was soon over, and the sun came out strong and bright. -Luke took a car for home, and -he and Bub stood on the rear platform. Bub was where the sun had full play up- on him. His coat was soon dry under the strong Sunshine. It had lost its elegant shape, however, by — the time he reached home. The well-fitting collar hiked up in the neck, and the back grew tight across his shoulders. It had dried too soon, and quite lost its shape. >. Then, too, Bub’s trousers had got a pret- ty good spattering, and they were out of shape. : In fact, that nice suit looked just like all of Bub’s things by the time he got home. Buster saw him when he got home. “Hallo,” he hailed him. “Didn’t you get a new suit, after all?” “Suttinly I did,” said Bub. “Oh, you’re going to have it sent home, are you?” “No, I hain’t. -_I brought it with me. Can’t you see nuthin’?” “Well, you’re a pretty fellow to buy clothes,” laughed Buster, addressing Luke. “Where did you ga? To the misfit parlors? Well, you got one, all right, all right.” “Small. boys have too much to say some- times,” said: Luke, dryly. ‘“What’s the mat- ter with the suit, I’d like to know?” “Oh, nothing, only it looks as if it had been thrown at him and had not struck right, that’s all. { wouldn’t wear it to a dog fight.” “You wouldn’t be allowed to go to a dog fight, young fellow, neither in that suit nor any other.” “What’s the matter with it?” asked Bub. “T think it’s real nice myself.” “Ah, you’d think anything was nice,” snorted Buster. “Luke just soaked you on that suit.” “Yas, begawsh, I believe he did. It was I WANT A PIECE OF APPLE PIE———” SWISH! OUT CAME A STREAM OF WATER, AND TOOK BUB FULL IN THE FACE. ~ etc., etc. him what got me under that there water spout, by durn!” “Oho! I guess I smell a mouse,” chuc- kled the urchin. “Why didn’t you tell me that at first?” to Luke. “Small boys don’t have to know every- thing,” returned Luke, dryly. Buster went off disgusted, better satis- fied with Luke’s taste in ~picking out clothes, but mad because he had not been there to see the fun. ANNU Nig SPLASH! IT WAS NO GENTLE STREAM. Bub’s new suit looked better than his old ones, and with a little sponging and pressing it did not look so bad, although it would never resume its former elegant shape. ' Aunt Nancy was not going to let him wear it, but Luke and the rest insisted that he should, and so the thing was settled. He did not look quite so countrified as he had, except when he got to rubbering, and then you could not disguise the fact that he was not to the manor born. He learned how Bub had been caught under the spout after a little, for it was too | good a joke to keep to one’s self. “TI guess Luke isn’t going to have all the fun,” he remarked to himself. Then he proceeded to get up a snap on his own account, which he promised him- self would be as good as any that Luke had perpetrated. Not only that, but he meant that Luke should see it, so as to learn that he was not the only joker in the family. Whether it was as good as any of Luke’s jokes I will leave the reader to judge. There was a telephone in the house, along with the other improvements. Bub had not monkeyed with that as he had with other things. Luke had told him that folks were some- times struck by lightning while talking at the instrument. That settled Bub. He rubbered .at the thing, but did not attempt to touch it. _ Buster set up a telephone in his room that afternoon. It was made of a cigar-box, nicely polish- ed; it had a receiver and a bell, and looked all right. The wire running from it looked pretty big, but Buster had an explanation for that. The thing was set up on the wall in his room close to the wash-room, into which the wire passed. : : Buster was standing at his door that af- ternoon when Bub came along. . me. THE LITTLE DOOR SUDDENLY “IT tell you, that’s a great invention,” he said to himself. “I’m glad pop put it in for It’ll save me a lot of trouble.” ~Bub was interested. He stopped, looked in, and asked: “What’s that that’ll save you a lot of trouble?” “This telephone,” said Buster, greatest invention of the age.” “What you want another one fur?” ask- ed Bub. “Hain’t you got one daownstairs?” “Oh, this is different. That’s all right to talk through, but this beats it all hollow, my boy.” “T want to know.” : “Sure it does.” “Looks to me just like t’other one, on’y the wire ‘is bigger. That there wire looks just like a hose pipe.” “Well, it has to be bigger. That’s the beauty of this invention. The other isn’t a marker to it, old man.” “T want to know.” “That's what. I can not only talk through this, but I can get what I want besides.” “Get “It’s the what you want?” asked Bub, rubbering. “Sure; I tell them what I want, and I get it.” “Oh, . they send a man around with 1G?! “No, they ‘send it by the phone. That’s the beauty of this new thing.” “Gawsh! How can they do it?” and Bub’s eyes opened. . “That’s the secret of it, and they’re not giving it away. All the same, they do tte. “TI want to know,” and Bub’s. mouth opened like a : \ cavern. = “Sure thing. . i; Just you watch me if you don’t be- lieve it.” Then Buster stepped up to the box and took hold of the erank at the side. He turned it over, put his mouth to a lit- tle hole in the front, and said: “Hello, Central! Give me the dairy.” “H’m! What you want thet fur?” asked Bub. “You wait. Hello! This the dairy? All right! Send me a glass of milk.” : “Gawsh!” said Bub. “You don’t expect to get it, do you?” “Yes, and hello, hold the wire a mo- ment. Step over to the bakery and get me a piece of pie, will you? What kind? Oh, huckleberry will suit me all right.” “Gee whizz! I should think it might,” said Bub. “Coming?” asked Buster. right. Much obliged.” Then he put down the receiver, turned a knob, and opened a little door. “There you are!” ne said, in a tone of tri- umph. “T want to know!” gasped: Bub, in great amazement, There in the box was a little china plate with a piece of pie on it, and a knife, fork, and napkin alongside. Close by was a glass of milk, the sweat standing on the outside to show that it was fresh and cold. “Bust my buttons!” declared Bub. - “Isn’t that all right?” asked Buster, as he removed his cold lunch, set it on a table and closed the door. “Gawsh! I should say it was.” “Saves me all the trouble of running downstairs, getting jawed by the servants, and maybe not getting what I want after ate : “T want to know!” . “Now, when I want anything, all I’ve got to do is to call up the dairy or the bakery; or any old place, and be served with neat- ness and despatch. No trouble to show goods. Orders solicited, goods delivered out of town. Isn’t that great?” “I should say it was!” answered Bub, while Buster was putting squares of rich, black, huckleberry pie in his mouth, and “That’s all ‘washing them down with milk. Sea ee “Doesn’t that beat that antiquated thing downstaiss all to bits?” the boy asked. “You bet!” “Well, I should say so. This is the limit, this is. Pop did a good thing putting it in my room. He knew where it would be ap- preciated.” “Can you order anything sent through it?” asked Bub. “Sure you can. Lunches, dinners, cigars, bottles of wine, suit of clothes, theater tickets, grand pianos, anything. Ali the stores are connected with it, and they give you trading stamps besides.” “T want to know!” “Sure thing!” and Buster finished his milk and wiped his mouth with the napkin. “What you do with the dirty dishes?” asked Bub. “Oh, they’re sent back the same way,” said that young romancer. “T want to know!” “Bet your life!” Now, Buster did not ask Bub if he didn’t want to try the thing. Bub did, all the same. In fact, he was itching to do it. “Say,” he presently said, “‘let me try that thing.” “Certainly. Step right up and do it. Or- der what you want. Wait a minute, though, till I put in the dishes and have them wash- ed and sent back.” He opened the little door, put the things in, and closed it, Then Bub stepped up and turned the crank. : Buster stepped into the wash-room ad- joining. “Say! Gimme the bakery. piece of apple pie——”’ Swish! Splash! a The little door suddenly flew open with a bang. Out came a stream of water, and took Bub full in the face. It was no gentle stream, either, but a full head, forty gallon a minute affair. Bub jumped back as if he had been shot. Then Buster turned off the water at the cock in the wash-basin. That was what the tube was for. “I declare!” he muttered. “I ought to have waited till they had washed the dishes and taken them away. Funny I didn’t re- member it.” Just then Eph came in and said: “’Scuse me, sah, but I doesn’ lak ter hab yo’ takin’ things to eat in yo’ room. It jus’ scattahs de dishes all ober de ho’se, an’ makes mo’ wo’k. Wha’ yo’ done wif em, Marse Mark?” ; ee the box,” laughed Buster, pointing oO it.” “H’m, dat’s a funny place to put ’em,” said Hph. «He was reaching for them when Buster turned on the water again. The tube did its work as before, and Eph got a soaking. “Wow! Wha’ yo’ do, yo’-bad fellah?” ao turned off the water and stepped out. “You ain’t the only one to catch it, Rub- ber!” he chuckled as he fled. “I want to know,” muttered Bub, as the truth dawned upon him. Then he roared and slapped his sides with delight. : “T vum! but that ain’t so bad!” he chuc- kled, “if I did git ketched. I wasn’t the only one though, by gravy!” ; “Wha’ yo’ laffin at, h’m?” asked Eph. “’Scuse me, but I can’t help it, be gawsh. Thet was a putty good trick, wa’n’t it? I got nicely ketched, but it’s a gol-hanged good one, fur all that.” Bub knew now that the whole thing was a fake, if he had not known it before. : - little rubbering assured him of the act. If Eph had not been caught he might have got mad. Having a companion in misfortune put a new aspect on affairs, however, and he laughed as heartily as if he had put up the job himself, “se gwan to wahm dat young fellah’s knickahbockahs fo’ him when I gets de oppachunity, yo’ bet you’ life!” muttered Eph, as he went out, taking the*plate and glass. “He’m altogeder too fresh fo’ him own good, he am.” Buster did not get a spanking from Epk, for he kept out of the coon’s way till the latter got over his mad. Eph was generally pretty good-natured. and when he did get mad, which was Sei- dom, it ‘never lasted very long. Luke met Buster in the main hall laugh- ing ready to burst. “What’s up, Buster?” he asked. “How was that for a double-header?” chuckled the kid. “Say, you’re not the only one that’s it.” “Well, but what is it all about?” asked Luke, who saw that something funny had I want a ‘happened. “First Rubber got it, walked right into it with his eyes open, as innocent as a sheep, and then along.came Eph, and—oh, gee! —didn’t he catch it!” “IT suppose he did, if you say so, Buster, but what was it? Can’t you put me next?” “Ask Eph!” chuckled the small fry, and then, as he heard Eph coming, he skipped - out and did not appear till time to get ready for dinner. 140 HAPPY DAYS. - then from Bub, and later investigated for himself. . “That wasn’t so bad,” he said. “That . kid is coming on. I shall have to look out or he’ll be playing roots on me some day.” his brother just then. All he cared for was to have fun with - Bub. tainly it would be much more difficult. Luke had not seen Buster’s little racket on Bub, and before dinner he put up an- other which Buster did not see. They were in the dining room after Bub had put on a clean collar after the wet- ting he had received from the fake tele- phone. The dining room was on the parlor floor instead of in the basement, as in a great many houses. Communication was had with the kitchen by a dumb-waiter. Bub had seen things come up on this, but ‘had never thoroughly investigated it. The fact was that he was not in the din- ing room much, except at meals, and he had had very little show. Just now Aunt Nancy was down in the kitchen trying to convince Mrs. Bounce that her ways of doing things were better than the housekeeper’s. Mary Ann was there, and so was Eph, but they took little or no part.in the dis- cussion. hard -matter for either of them to have got. a word in on its edge between the housekeeper and the old ma Some of the discussion came floating up- stairs through the dumpwaitef shaft. ~ “"Pears to me you. can hear ’em pretty plain downs Jabez, with a sneer. ae “Of course not,” put in Silas; “but we depend on you to delay the takin’ of that stuff to Boston for a day or two.” “T shall use my influence with the head selectman of Gloucester, who is a personal —s—s> friend of mine,” said Uriah, humbly. Se “It’s a good thing you ain’t generally suspected of being friendly to the royal- ists.” “Why should I be? Am fF not the most important man in Rockport?” said Uriah, with some pride. ° “That wouldn’t make no manner of diff’- rance if they once believed you were an. Tory at heart,” said Silas. “The Lord, I hope, will protect me from these rebels, ” said Uriah, sanctimoniously. “Tf I were you I’d keep my weather eye liftin’,” tersely suggested Silas, with a laugh. : : oa HAPPY DAYS. n “Now my plan is this,” , said Jabez, im- : patiently. “I’m goin’ to Boston with Silas here and the boys, and shall young imp, Donald Wright, along, and the gal. I’m goin’ to turn her over to an old maid sister of mine in town, and Prescott shan’t hear nothin’ from her till I’ve wrung | his heart good and hard. Maybe not then if I think he’s likely to prove dangerous. I mean to sell the boy and the information about the location of the brig’s cargoto the admiral for one hundred and twenty pounds, but as it’s doubtful whether he'll pay the hundred till he gets his pot-heoks on the stuff, why, you two must detain that powder, by hook or by crook, till he can send a sufficient force down to Glo’ster to take possession of it.” “JT think I could suggest a better plan with respect to the recapture of the pow- der,” ventured Uriah Gibbs, rubbing his hands together. “Well, what is it?” said Jabez Crick. “It would be advisable, in my opinion, to - -. allow that stuff to leave Glo’ster under the escort of those young—ahem! patriots, and t®us avoid a conflict with the people of the town, who seem prepared to obstruct the efforts of his most gracious majesty George - il There should be many excellent chances for a small force of the British to - evercome those boys between Manchester and Salem, as the country is but thinly settled and the road runs not far from the waters of the bay. Simon and nryself can in the meantimé use our influence to de- _tain the powder in Gio’ster for twenty-four hours, which ought to give the admiral time enough to send a suitable force to some point along the route I have imdi- cated.” “Your scheme is a good one, Uriah,” said Jabez, “and I ‘will lay it before the ad- viral, = ON shuffling of feet and pulling back. of -< chairs in the kitchen at this point was hint enough for the Tistening lad in the entry to think that an immediate change ' of base was desirable, so Don scurried up the creaking stairs. to the attic as quick as his bare feet would carry him.” © There were two doors facing him on the -¥Yanding. One of them was ajar, and he looked into the room, to find nothing but a rumpled ped, a few clothes hanging from wooden _ pegs, and a couple of stools. The other door was Jocked, but the key was in the lock and Den turned it. It worked harshly, making some noise, but those below were too much engaged to notice such a Small matter, even suppos- ing the sound reached that far. - The young patriot turned the knob and - slowly opened the door, and the very first thing he saw was the frightened face of z Dolly Prescott, her big brown eyes staring -_ £1] at him like a fawn at bay. CHAPTER XII. OVERBOARD. “Don Wright!” The girl sprang to her feet with a Tittle ery of delight and rushed across the room ‘to the young commander of the Minute . Boys. “Dolly Prescott!” She seized his two brown hands in hers as he Bpoke and carried them almost to her Tips. “Oh, Don, Don, I have been so frightened and unhappy! ” she exclaimed, with a little hysterical gasp. “How did you find me Bul.” “It would be too long a story to tell you now,” he said. “We must try and get away from this house at once.” “Vos, yes, we must go,” and she ran back and Snatched up her sunbonnet, which had Jain upon the uncarpeted floor. “It is late in the afternoon. Mother and father must “pe worried to death about me.” “Tt was Jabez Crick, of sounrse, brought you here,” said Don. “Yes; he and Silas Cobb. They overtook me while I was on the way home from the Stark farm this mornipg. They wound a handkerchief about my mouth and carried me out here. be so rude to me? Why make a prisoner ef me in this cottage?” “Because they owe your father a grudge and take this mean and cowardly way of trying to get square,” replied Don, in in- dignant tones. “Oh, do let us get away at once!” she begged, grasping him nervously by the arm. “J wouldn't be in such an ali-fired hurry!” exclaimed a harsh voice behind them. who Turning around, the boy and girl saw the |. uncouth figure and disagreeable counte- os nance of Jabez Crick filling the doorway. “Well, you’re a pretty slick one, you are,” gnarled Jabez to Don, “to wriggle yourself free of them ropes. I can’t imagine _ how ‘you done it, for you didn’t loosen a single knot. I could have sworn you didn’t have the ghost of a chanee, yet here you are a-nosin’ about where you ain’t: got no yight to. If you can squirm out’r a rope that’s put about your neck aboard a king’s ghip, with a couple of dozen stout jackies at the other. end Teay to run an aloft at a take that | 1jints of a { much,” jeered Silas Cobb, meaninegly. | Oh, Don, why should they. the proper moment, [ll -believe you’re somethin’ more’n human.” Moses Crick pushed his ugly face under his parent’s. arm and favored Dolly and her champion with a grin of malicious satis- faction. Don threw his left arm protectingly about Dolly Prescott, while she clung to him as her only hope. “You make a pretty pictur, haw, haw!” roared the voice of the disreputable Silas Cobb, who now pushed his way into the room, . “Don’t they, old man?” added _ his precious son, who took his stand beside his crony, Moses. “You’re a cowardly crew!” exclaimed Don, regarding the four Tories with scorn. “Hard words break mo bones,” sneered Jabez, with a wicked look. “But a stout rope is apt to loosen the fellow’s neck that talks too “T know what you mean, Silas Cobb,” gaid Don, desperately, “but if you’ll let this girl go unmolested to her home, Ill take my chance of the rope without giving you any more trouble.” “Oh, my, hear him blow off,” snickered Moses, with a caper of delight. “He, he! Don’t you worry about givin’ us trouble,” said Silas. “I guess we can handie you all right.” “Come now, drop that gal. We'll take charge of her without any of your help,” said Jabez, stepping forward and laying one of his huge, weather- tanned hands on the Jad’s shoulder. “Oh, Don, what shall we do?” cried Dolly Prescott. “Not” roared Silas. you, d’ye understand?” Resistance was clearly useless, so the brave boy and his gentle companion had to submit to be separated. “You'll do as we tell first moments of his freedom ‘while his enemies were at dinner but for his chival- rous effort in behalf of the daughter of Henry Prescott. Did he now regret that ne had not avail- ed himself of that opportunity?: Not he. His only regret was that he had failed to save her from the indignities that yet lay in store for her. As for ‘himself, his stout heart never failed him when he thought what might happen to him after he had been delivered to the angry admiral in Boston harbor. Don was not returned to the cellar, but was bound to a settle in the kitchen, where he was constantly under the eye of one of the Tories. Sundown was not far away, and judging from the preparations, Don guessed the party were preparing to embark in Jabez Crick’s sloop. When the gloom cof night began to fall upon the landscape, Don and Delly were marched down to the beach by a rough pathway cut inte the face of the bluff. Being a lonesome spot, there was little likelihood that their movements would be rebserved by anyone. The breeze blew fresh and salty from the vast Atlantic, causing myriads of little white-capped waves to ruffle the surface of the fast darkening water. “Well be in Boston afore midnight,” said Silas Cobb, as he helped set the main- gail, The anchor aboard, the sloop quickly shot out from the shore and was headed south by Jabez, who stood at the tiller. in the little fish-smeliing cabin, and it was not_long before the closeness and filth of tion of the boat, had made her a pretty sick girl. Don, with his arms bownd securely, was stowed away in a small space between the heel of the short bowsprit and one side of the bows. Of course neither Moses Crick nor his eroty Steve could leave the prisoner alone so Jong as the humor to taunt him was in their hands. The grudge that Master Crick bore Don had been accumulating for some time, and consequently he was overjoyed at this chance to pay him off. So when the praceless pair had finished der way they went forward, and squatting down so they could peer under the bit of half-deck, where Don lay, began to amuse themselves at his expense. “He, he!” said Moses. _ “How do you feel now, you rebel?” Don, understanding their object, made no reply. “Ho, ho! Sulky, isn*t he?” said Steve. “He’s thinkin’,” observed the Crick boy. “What’s he thinkin’ of, Moses?” “Thinkin? whether *twill hurt when they put the rope about his neck,” chuckled the other. “Do you think they'll hang him? 2?” asked Steve, with a wink. “Dad says there ain’t no doubt about it,” snickered Moses. Their fun, however, was rudely jolted in upon by Silas Cobb, who, pipe in mouth, eame as far as the mainmast and yelled at them. that fellow alone.” “He, he!” squeaked another yoice, and | Don might easily have escaped in the’ Dolly Prescott had been placed below - the place, not to speak of the jerky mo-. helping their fathers get the sloop well un-_ So Moses and Steve melnctmly left Don to his’ own reflections. “The dirty little rascals!” he ejaculated. “It’s just like them, to spit out their spite against a fellow when he’s down. Oh, if I ever get a chance at them I'll make their hide tingle.” As night closed in, and the shore receded farther and farther away, the motion of the sloop grew more uneasy, for she was now catching the full force of the Atlantic swell as it set landward. The sky looked dark and forbidding, with scarcely a star in sight. The breeze gradually increased in weight, though it was not steady, but came | in intermittent gusts from the southeast. “T’m afeared it’s goin’ to be a nasty night,” said Jabez, pulling his jacket well about his ears. “T’m afeared it will,” agreed Silas, blow- ing a puif of smoke to the leeward. “Loak yonder to the son’-west. It’s blacker down there than the ace of clubs.” “We've got a pretty tidy stretch of the bay to cover afore we fetch the mouth of the Gut.” e - “Ay, we have that.” The wind was blowing a small gale when the sloop entered Shirley Gut, a passage between Deer Island and the mainland, the nearest entrance to Boston harbor by sea from the north. From that point to Copp’s Hill, in a di- ‘rect line, was about four and a half miles, bearing due west. Don had had a hard time of it in the eyes of the sloop, being tossed about. as if he were a sack of grain. The jolting, however, had loosened his bonds, and by the time the Gut was reached a little straining on his part enabled him to get his hands free. Jo slip off the rest of the rope was a Simple matter to a boy of his calibre. When he crawled out of his narrow quarters he found the night dark as pitch, with not a light anywhere about. Of course he had no idea of the position of the sloop or what time of night it was. He had to brace his feet against a ring- bolt and grip the outer leach of the jib to prevent himself from being tossed over the bows by the dip of the BleoP as she met the seas head-on, The small craft was soon through the Gut and headed for East Boston, and a few lights could now be seen twinkling around the harbor. Suddenly out of the gloom ahead came the flash of a Jamtern, then a hoarse voice bawled out a hurried. command, while something blaeker even than the night rushed down on the sloop at great speed, and as Jabez and Silas sprang te the sheets, the bowsprit was struck and carried away as clean as though cut with a knife, and with it went Don Wright, who, before he knew what had happened, found him- oe struggling i in the cold waters of Boston ay CHAPTER XIII. IN WHICH DON REJOINS His MINUTE-BOYS. Part of the northern. shore of Boston harbor lay within half a mile of the spot where Don went overboard. The boy’s fingers naturally closed upon the wreck of the bowsprit, and this par- tially supported -him above the water. "With the instinct of self-preservation he struck out with his feet, pushing the piece of wood before him. The lights he had seen ahead before the Sloop had been struck told him that he was not so far from land. If he could reach the shore he hoped to be able soon to secure himself against any effort of his enemies to effect his re- capture. However, he needn't to have worried about that, fer when Jabez and Silas went forward to investigate and repair dam- ages the absence of Don from. the space beneath the half deck convinced them that the boy had been jolted overboard and drowned, a death which Moses deelared to be too good for him, and at the same time very disappointing to himself, as he had hoped to see him hanged offhand by. the admiral. Getting ashore in the rough waters of Boston harbor was not an easy matter, but the set of tide helped Don along, so that after battling an hour with the choppy waves his feet finally touched. bottom. He experienced no great difficulty in walking out of the treacherous element which might have ended his career in a very commonplace fashion. Drenched and shivering, he stood on solid ground at last, and looked about him with avery vague idea of where he was. It seemed clear to him at length from the many lights he saw to the southwest that he was on the shore of some part of Boston harbor, which was the fact. “At any rate,” he mused grimly to him- self, “I won’t have to pay my respects to the admiral of the station, with the cer- tain prospect of being obliged to serve a jong term aboard one of the king’s ships.” Then his thoughts reverted to Dolly | Prescott, “Tumble aft here, both of you, and leave “Poor girl! She’ll be stowed away some- where in Boston to gratify the spite of that 4 old Tory scoundrel, Jabez Crick. Well, ll — wager Ill find a way to get her out of that town in spite of bolts, bars, and redcoats. You haven’t found it so easy to handle me so far, Jabez Crick, and you'll find it hard- er work to down me in the future. It will be a sorry day for you and that son of yours when I and my gallant Minute Boys get hold of you two. As for the rest of your crowd, well, you’re ail tarred -with the same brush, and shall suffer accordingly.” While these thoughts, which boded no good for the Tories of Cape Ann, were passing through his mind, Don was walk- ing rapidly, northward along a neck of land which skirted the northeastern end of Boston harbor. His clothes rapidly dried upon him while the exercise brought a glow to his mut- brown cheeks. “So Uriah Gibbs and Simon North mean to arrange matters that my brave boys who will act as escort to that powder, as well as the stuff itself, shall be scooped in by a detachment of the admiral’s jollies and bluejackets from one of the station © ships at Boston.” Don laughed the project to scorn. “What a great head you have, Uriah Gibbs, you blamed old Tory!. The attack is to be made on the unsuspecting train somewhere along the road between Man- chester and Salem, close te the shore. Well, I guess [Pll prepare a surprise for the surprisers. If the admiral gets that pow- der away from wus he’s welcome to it. His men will be apt to get more lead than they - will be able to carry away.” Don laid his plans as he trudged along, and chuckled to himself. : “So you and your Tory partner expect to pocket twenty pounds apiece of English gold for betraying your neighbors, do you, Uriah Gibbs? Oh, you precious old villain! And to think you’ve got the nerve to call on mother and eat at our table, and we never suspected what a scoundrel you are! And I’ve heard more than one person hint that you want to marry mother. Marry her! I’d see you hanged first on a pole as high as the old South Church!” It was a long, deserted apology for a road that Don traveled that night, but sun- rise found him in the north end of Revere township, and from an early farmhand he > had no difficulty in getting his bearings.~ He got some breakfast at Lynn farm- house, and by noon reached Salem, where he took a needed rest and got another meal. Then he took the road for Manchester. He got a ride part of the way on a farm vehicle, and at the town he caught a wagon which earried him all the way to Glouces- ter, which he reached late in the afternoon. Here he found the bulk of his Minute Boys assembled waiting for Andy Rich- ardson, Gill Wayne, and Job Tucker, who were searching the wilds of Cape Ann for . some trace of their absent commander. Of course, he was greeted with great -en- thusiasm by the boys, who naturally were eager to learn what had happened to him, for Since leaving his mother’s home to search for Dolly Prescott no trace of him had been discovered, and all sorts of ‘sur- mises had been rife to account for his un- expected disappearance, which was just as 2 as was that of Miss Dolly her- self. “The cargo of the Elizabeth Ann would have been well on its way to the Continen- tal army by this time if it hadn’t been ‘for your absence,” said Seth Carter to Don. “That is, provided the selectmen of this town weren’t influenced to delay its depar- — ture,” said Don, darkly. “Why, what ‘would make them hold it back? Wasn’t it arranged yesterday morn- sing that we were to start for Cambridge /with it to-day?” “Have you seen Uriah Gibbs or Simon North about this neighborhood to-day?” asked the young eommander. : “Sure I have. Saw them both talking to the chairman of the board this morn- ing. 29 “And did the chairman have sayvinlar to say to you afterward?” “Well, he said that the powder could re- main here till you turned up, as the delay of a day or so didn’t matter.” “Look here, Seth Carter, I know for a fact that Uriah Gibbs and Simon North have Sent notice of the capture of the Hliza- beth Ann by us boys to the English admiral at Boston, together with the information that we are to convey the powder and hall at once to Washington’s army at Cam- bridge.” “Do you mean that?” asked his astonish- ed second lieutenant. “T do. And,further, these two Tories have engaged to try and delay the depar- ture of these war munitions from this town for at least twenty-four hours in order to give the admiral time to send an expedi- tion to cut it off somewhere between here and Salem.” “Geewilikins!” “And in return for their zeal in this mat- ter they hope to receive twenty pounds apiece, while Jabez Crick and Silas Cobb, who took the message to Boston on their sloop at the same time they carried me a prisoner, expect to pocket sixty pounds between them.” “The rascals!” : “Twenty-four hours has already been lost because I failed to turn up at the hour & agreed upon for starting, so it is probable that the admiral has already prepared a trap for us somewhere along the road.” “What are we going to do then?” asked _ Seth, scratching his head. : : “Do? Why, go ahead just as it has been - decided we should do.” “But if we walk into that ambush?” - “Of course, we won’t do any such thing.” “How are you going to prevent it?” “Worewarned is forearmed, isn’t it? _ Well, now we know what lies in our path, _ Andy and I, and perhaps Job Tucker, will go on ahead and ferret out this trap. When we have located it we will rejoin the boys and arrange to give the Englishmen a sur- prise they won’t forget in a hurry.” — *@ood! That will be fine!” exclaimed __ Seth enthusiastically. __ “As I propose we shall start as soon as possible, you must send Josh Putnam back -to Cape Ann to hunt up Andy and Job, and also to notify my mother on the quiet that I’ve turned up here all right.” “And Gibbs and North? What shall we do with them?” : “Nothing at present. It will be time ‘enough to deal with those traitors when we shall have returned from Cambridge. My idea is to keep quiet and scoop the whole; bunch. So don’t let what I’ve told you get away from you. It is not necessary for the . boys to be as wise as ourselves, because one of them might babble and spoil the game.” “That’s right. Ill be aS mute as a mop- - stick. Hello! there’s Andy and Job now, and they’re coming this way.” “Where have you been, Don? Job and I have been all over Cape Ann looking for you,” said Andy Richardson, rushing up and grasping his chum by the hand. “T’]] tell you all about it by and by. It’s getting dark fast now, and as the boys have had their supper the wagons had bet- ter be hitched tp and loaded ready to start. You attend to that, Seth.” “Sure I will,” and Seth left Andy and Don to themselves. “Ag you and Job have just come in from the Cape I suppose you’re hungry. J know { could put away a good-sized meal. So we'll go around to the hall and sample some of the stuff the Selectmen have been so kind as to provide for us.” Thus speaking Don Wright took his first . fieutenant by the arm and led him away. CHAPTER XIV. (REATS OF THE MIDNIGHT RIDE TAKEN BY DON ; AND ANDY, AND ITS RESULTS.- “Say, Don,” cried Seth Carter, bursting suddenly into. the hall where the young captain of the Minute Boys was eating his supper along with Andy Richardson and Job Tucker, “I’ve just seen Steve Cobb.’ “Ts that a fact?” exclaimed Don, rising in some excitement. : “Yes; he’s nosing around among the - prowd that’s helping us load the wagons. “The little villain!” cried Don, angrily. -*T can guess his object. He’s come over with that British expedition, and has been gent down here to find out when we start, and what route we’re going to take.” : “Then I’ll just take the little skunk pris- poner!” said Seth, starting for the door. “Not on your life, Seth Carter!” cried Don quickly. “That would spoil every- thing. I’m going to follow him back. He'll lead me right to where the British are in ‘hiding. Save all the trouble of hunting for them, don’t you see?” ; “Don, you’ve got a great head,” said Seth admiringly. “That’s what he has, Job. : “T’1] see where they go into ambush,” con- tinued Don, “and can then figure out just how we'll pickle them. It’s great luck, fel- ” sei have to look out that he doesn't suspect he’s. being followed, Don,” cau- . tioned Andy, earnestly. : “T’l] look out for that. You come with me, Andy. Of course, he’s got a horse ready to take him back, so you must get a couple to take us on to Manchester any- way, where we must arrive before him. The ambush will be laid beyond that town, as the road beyond there runs much closer to the shore. At any rate, that’s the way these Tories planned it out, and their sug- gestions are pretty sure to be adopted. We will follow Steve when we sight him be- yond Manchester.” The boys left the supper room, and after Don had given his orders t@Seth, and made sure that Steve Cobb hadn’t started out, he and Andy mounted their horses and started on their road. - It was ten o’clock when they reached and passed through -Manchester. - They continued on for about a mile, and then drew rein at the entrance to a by- p’gosh, ” chipped in lane where they were concealed from ob-.| _ servation by the trees. ~ It was a cloudy night, and the wind, “- plowing in from Massachusett’s Bay half a mile distant, waved the branches. across Pei Laces.) oo) Sige ee +: Not a light shone from any of the scat-. tered farm-houses round about, and the silence was broken only by the monotonous croak of the frogs and the song of the katy- dids. = : Nearly an hour passed before they heard the expected sound of a horse’s hoofs. The roadway being soft from a recent thunder- storm, the rider was almost upon them before they became aware of his presence. They saw it was Steve Cobb all right, but he did not seem to be hurrying himself at this stage of his journey. . They let him pass by and then silently came out of the lane and followed upon his trail. e As only a moderate pace was required to keep him in sight their animals made little noise, though the darkness of the night obliged them to draw closer than Don could have wished. Still Steve seemed to have no suspicion that anyone was behind him. The three horsemen covered perhaps three miles in this fashion, when Steve suddenly stopped, dismounted, and began to lead his animal through the hedge. Don and Andy reined up quickly and also dismounted. “Stay here, Andy, till I return.” Don passed him the bridle of his horse, and disappeared through the hedge. Remounting his horse, Steve galloped across the meadow in the direction of the bay, and Don followed him on the run, and managed to note where the young Tory fin- ally disappeared. He had gone down into a wooded ravine of no great extent that ended on the bay shore, and right there, well screened from observation even in the ‘daylight, Don Wright disovered a detachment of sailors and soldiers, about fifty in number, gath- ered around the embers of a fire, smoking and talking. “Tf the boys ‘were only here now,” thought Don, “we coud take them like rats in a trap.” He saw Steve, after tethering his horse, go up to the officer who seemed to be in command, and engage him in conversation. Don skirted the ravine to a point that he judged would bring him exacty above the British, and then crawled up and looked down. : A dozen feet below Steve was talking to the officer. : s “How long ought it to take them to reach this neighborhood?” asked the officer. “Anywhere from two to three hours,” re- plied the young Tory. “They were about to start when you left, you say?” “They were all ready to do so.” “How many men will guard the wagons, do you think?” “About thirty men and boys, armed with muskets.” “Boys, eh?” ejaculated the officer. ought to be easy then.” : “Oh, I don’t know. They put up a good fight against the king’s boats the other day. I tell you those chaps can shoot. live down my way.” “You know them, then?” “Most of them; but there isn’t any love lost between us.” “TI suppose not,” said the officer dryly. “The road is soft after that thunder- shower, so that will make their progress a bit slow. The place you suggested for the ambush As where the road dips down into a hollow above here. I’ve been over the ground and think it will suit all right. I’ post the soldiers in the bushes at this end, and the seamen can lie concealed in the copse at the other end. Then we'll have them between two fires. It will be just the thing, and the surprise will be complete.” “Well, that’s your business. want me any longer I[’ll go back home,” “Don’t you want to stay and see the fun?” asked the officer, jokingly. “T ain’t hankerin’ after it.” “Well, I can’t let you go yet awhile. “That I’m going to hold you till I see if you’ve given. me the facts exactly as they are.” “You don’t suppose I’d lie to you?” asked Steve, uneasily. _ “Oh, no; I don’t think you’d find it heal- thy to do that,” replied the officer signifi- cantly. “I am simply detaining you as a precautionary measure. If these rebels were to get wind of our presence and inten- tions they would probably muster in suffi- cient force to make it as unpleasant for us as the Minute Men about Concord did for Major Pitcairn a few weeks ago.” “You promised me a couple of sovereigns for goin’ to Glo’ster and fetching back the information you wanted,” said Steve, sul- lenly. “Well, there you are, young man. poral!” to a soldier hard by. The man sprang up, and saluted. “Keep your eye on this young shaver till the fun is over.” “That I will, leftenant.” Cor- “Send Sergeant Jinks and Midshipman Fluke to me.” “Come, young fellow,” said the corporal sharply after he had saluted his superior, and Steve followed him with sulky reluct- ance... When Sergeant Jinks and Master Fluke came up Don easily overheard the explicit- ‘directions the officer gave them for posting the men about the spot selected for the am- bush, “Sergeant, send a couple of your men [ | down the road a mile or so to watch for They all If you don’t | the approach of the wagon train. It is now midnight. I think we may certainly ex- pect it by two o’clock. We shall march the men to cover in One hour. That’s all.” Don having learned all that was neces- sary, withdrew with due caution, and re- joining Andy both rode rapidly back toward > Manchester to rejoin their comrades. CHAPTER XV. HOW A CRAFTY SALEM TORY PROPOSED TO REMEDY A BRITISH FAILURE. Don Wright and Andy Richardson await- ed the arrival of the ammunition train at Manchester. Here a halt was called and forty stout- hearted patriots were added to the force. Every one of them had been aroused from his bed and showed his eagerness to help his country’s cause as soon as he learn- ed why his services were needed. : And every one had his musket and pow- der-horn ready at hand. The train itself was sent forward with fifteen guards under command of Seth Car- ter, The balance, consisting of the Minute Boys of Cape Ann and twenty-five of the men, under the leadership of Don himself, made a rapid detour till they reached the vicinity of the ambush, and then they crept as silently as so many Indians upon the English rear. They soon reached a position where they could easily make out the British redcoats on one side and the seamen on the other, waiting impatiently to pounce upon the powder wagons which could now be heard drawing near, the guards talking loudly and laughing boisterously, according to ar- rangement, for Don wanted to keep track of their exact position in the road. Now the wagons were within a hundred feet of the trap, and the soldiers and the sailors, never suspecting what was ogcur- ring in their rear, prepared to fire and then rush out. The lieutenant in charge was rubbing his hands with suppressed glee at the prospect when “Hire!” shouted Don Wright, in his loud- est tones. Fifty flashes spurted out into the dark- “ness, and as many leaden -bullets. sped un- erringly at their easy marks. The train stopped, and Seth Carter, with his fifteen guards at his back, rushed for- ward to help on the good work. The British lieutenant was mortally wounded, and those of his command who had not gone down under that withering fire were thrown into such dismay and con- fusion that they were in no shape to offer resistance. “ They threw down their arms and were taken prisoners. Don had thoughtfully fetched a doctor from Manchester in expectation that. there would be plenty of use for his services, and he had his hands full for an hour. The corporal who had been detailed to watch. over Steve Cobb was the only man of -the detachment who escaped to carry the news of the disaster on board the schooner which had brought the expedition and was expected to carry the powder and ball to Boston after it had been retaken. “We got them pretty slick that time, Don,” said Seth Carter jubilantly. “Three cheers for Captain Don!” shouted a Minute Boy, and they were given with a hearty will. : “The admiral of the station will have a fit over this,” said Andy with a grin. “And General Howe will be madder than a hornet,” said Ollie Stark, gleefully. “T’ll bet he will,” chipped in Gil Wayne. “The boys of Cape Ann can do their duty as well as any man in the Commonwealth.” “That’s what they can, b’gosh!” ejacu- lated Job Tucker as he reloaded his squir- rel shooter. : A couple of farm-wagons were pressed into service to carry the wounded to Cam- bridge, and then, after dismissing his brave Manchester allies, Don ordered the wagon train on its way. Soon after sunrise a halt was called in the neighborhood of a large farm-house, and the young guards and the horses had an hour’s rest and breakfast, after which the wagons got on the move again. Salem was reached just before sundown, and the whole outfit went into camp for the night on the suburbs of the town. Naturally their arrival, and the nature of the freight the wagons bore, created a good deal of curiosity and excitement in the vi- cinity. ; Pee The camp of the Minute Boys of Cape Ann was visited by crowds of young and old, but on account cf the character of the stuff in their charge no one, except a cou- ple of the most important residents, wre permitted to pass the sentry line. There were many Tories in that neigh- borhood who, no doubt, would have gladly tried to blow that powder and ~its brave young guard to little bits in order to pre- vent it from reaching the Continental camp before Boston. _ Don keenly felt. the responsibility that rested.on him. =. -*T tell you, Andy,” he said, his anxious eyes glancing continually around the little _said Don. further south or camp, “I shan’t have an easy moment till I’ve delivered this powder and ball over to ~ General Washington.” “IT don’t wonder,” replied his chum. “It isn’t the Tories alone we have to fear; we ought to be able to keep all strangers at a respectable distance, might happen. If a spark ever reached one of those barreis, oh, Lord!” “Well, I’ve got them covered up well with — sailcloth.” a “I know that; but a jolt along the road might create a friction between two of the barrels, and then is “I had Seth see that the space between each barrel was well padded with oakum,” “T should say so. bridge.” “I notice the boys don’t seem to realize the danger that hovers over us. They think this march is great fun. They’ll get over that feeling before this trouble with King _ George is ended.” “You can hardly blame them, Don. It’s an entirely new experience for the major- ity of them. I could put my hand on half a dozen who were never out of Cape Ann ~ before, while scarcely two out of the twen- ty-five we have now enrolled have ever been west of Glo’ster until now. ” ~~ “Are those seven new fellows who join- ‘ed while I was away to be thoroughly de- pended on?” asked Don. “Oh, yes, as far as I know. They are from Rockport, and were introduced, at least six of them were, by Putnam and Carter.” “Then I guess they’re all right.” The boys had brought cooked provisions from Gloucester, and the weather being warm no fires were lighted. Cans of hot coffee were provided by several patriotic inhabitants of the neighborhood, so the Minute Boys wanted for nothing in the way es of food. After dark the camp was more carefully patrolled than ever. Don wasn’t taking any ee chances. The boys not on duty lay down in the dry grass and most of them went to sleep at once. : - Andy had charge of the camp from eight o’clock till midnight, and during that in- ~~ terval he persuaded Don to seek the rest he needed badly. . but some. accident ~ “Too much care cannot be taken _— with such ticklish freight.” I wish we were at Cam- At twelve o’clock, when Seth Carter re- lieved Andy, Don awoke of his own accord and his anxiety was so acute that, although he had every confidence in Seth, he could not close his eyes again. So he got up, and after encircling the camp and thus making sure all the senti- nels were awake and on the alert, he wan- dered off to inspect the neighborhood, though without suspicion that any danger threatened his little detachment from the outside. A hundred yards from the camp was 'a shallow creek, and beside this stream stood an old tumble-down hut, long deserted. Don’s steps took him in this direction, probably because he wanted to bathe his face in the cool water. 2 As he knelt down behind the hut and laved his eyes and temples he distinctly heard the sound of voices inside the ruin- ous shanty, and as the word “powder” was mentioned his senses were in a moment — keenly on edge. He crouched close up against a crack in — the wood and applied his eye, but every- thing was dark within. however, all that was said. “You have followed my directions care- fully and laid a train from the middle wa- gon to that clump of bushes just outside of the sentry line?” “I have,” said a boyish voice. “Good!: You’re a bright lad,” said the first speaker, approvingly, “and my sister ought to be proud of such a son, though she has buried herself, as it were, way down in Rockport. The Peesleys, if I do say it my- self, have always been loyal to their king.” Don made careful note of the name. “When I saw you in the ranks of those hair-brained young Minute Boys of Cape Ann, as they call themselves, I allowed that you did a foolish thing to join them.” : “But Nicky Nudge asked me to,” said the oy. “Well, I don’t know who Nicky Nudge is —some friend of yours, I s’pese. However, by placing yourself under my guidance you have wiped out any disgrace that might have come to you by connection with those young rebels, and at the same time you are ~ performing a service to the king for which you shall be rewarded.” “Shall 1?” asked the boy eagerly. “Undoubtedly. By the way, are you sure you won’t be missed?” “Don’t know,” answered the lad doubt- : fully. “Well, you mustn’t go back, because in ten minutes I’m going to crawl up to the bushes and set off that powder train. You managed to get that piece of board I point- — He could hear, noes ed out to you and slanted it under the ~ wagon so the top of it would come against the crack in the bottom of the vehicle, and you put: plenty of the powder out of your ~ horn about the crack and on the board?” “Yes, uncle.” ; : Pees “All right; then I guess there won’t be any slip-up to this affair,” said the man in A ) "HABE DAYS. ee ‘tone of satisfaction as he rose and - stretched himself. His fist accidentally struck the rotten : board against which Don’s head was press- ed, and it went to pieces with a crash, one - of the sharp ends striking the young patriot leader in the face, causing him to cry out involuntarily. “Hello, what’s this?” cried the man. “A = 5 spy? a - He reached out his long arm, gripped Don by the collar, and yanked him through the — Opening into the hut. ' The boy’s next sensation was the cold _ muzzle of a pistol pressing against his fore- -. head. (TO BE CONTINUED.) ee ... BE SURE TO READ... Young Wild West’s Lively Time Or, The Dandy Duck of the Diggings ss OUT TO-DAY — WILD WEST WEEKLY” No, 146 (This story commenced in No. 564.] Wall St. “Tloodoo 9 The Boy the Brokers Feared By H. K. Shackleford Author of “Chasing the Dollars,” ‘Al by Himself,” “A Boy and His Nickel, "SAN Innocent Kid,” “Phil Wamboild, * ete, CHAPTER XVI. ‘HOW BOB HOODOOED THE PRETTY TYPEWRITER. During the next week scarcely anything Ilse was talked about in the great Office juilding but Bob Whiddon, the typewriter irl, and young Blakesley. Of course, the gossips took pleasure in giving free rein to their imagination, and many impossible stories were told. The brokers themselves joined in the fun, and many a discussion that was started in fun wound up rather seriously, for when some of them propounded the question: “But how do you account for it?” they found themselves up against a problem. Not one appeared to account for it ration- ally. Nearly all of them knew young lakesley personally, and recognized him as a very proper young man, not given to skylarking or boisterous conduct. As for Jennie Rogers, she was teased im- mensely. Many of the brokers asked her what she thought about it. “Why, I. don’t allow myself to think about it. It is all foolishness, and they are teasing Mr. Blakesley outrageously.” “But,” said one of them, “the story: is that you asked Whiddon to put a hoodoo on him, and that he said he would, and they all now say that he certainly has done So. 99 Nonsense!” she replied. self doesn’t believe in it, and I don’t sup- pose anybody in the building does. They are only having fun with Mr. Blakesley.” Then came the inevitable question: “How do you account for the accident?” - “Why, accidents have always happened,” was the reply. “But just because those two accidents happened as they did, people | are talking about it.” It was then: that Broker Mason, her em- ployer, took a hand in it. - He had no love for Bob, for he had suf- fered even worse than young Blakesley ad. He had broken a big toe after being hoodooed by Whiddon. “Say, Jennie,” he said to her, “is that messenger-boy .your steady company?” “Why, no, sir. I have no steady com- pany at all. Our homes are within two blocks of each other, and being acquainted, - it is only natural. that we should’ meet in coming and going. The truth is, I asked him to help me to get rid of the attentions of Mr. Blakesley, and he volunteered. to escort me to and from home. I never dreamed of there being sO 28 gossip on account of it.” “Well, ?’'m Sorry you are mixed up in it aa as you are. The best thing for you to do is to send Bob about his business, and may- - be that will put a stop to it.” “Mr. Mason, I won’t hurt his feelings, - because I went to him for assistance, and he promptly rendered it. Besides, he is a -polite and well-behaved youth.” “All right. But he was only recently a _ bootblack, and if you let him go with you, - you will hear a good deal more talk.” “Oh, you can’t stop the talking. They must have something to talk about. For awhile they talked about you having been hoodooed. I don’t intend to let them force me to treat Bob ungenerously.” LL right, then. The next thing you _ know the story will get into the papers. I - hear that Blakesley is threatening to thrash Bob, and you know what capital the report- s ‘will make of it. _ She merely iaunhed: She was a great be- co liever in young Whiddon, and remarked: i 6 several have > attempted to thrash Bob, ede “Even he him- bit Te hhaven’t heard of anyone suddeédine | at it yet, sir. I don’t believe that Blakesley has the grit to attack him.” That was an unfortunate remark of hers, because Mason lost no time in repeating it to parties who he knew would take it to Blakesley. He very “much hoped that Blakesley would give Bob a good thrashing. Naturally the remark irritated Blakesley not a little, and had the effect of precipitat- ing a collision. In the afternoon of the next day they met in the corridor accidentally, when a mix-up followed, with the result that Blakesley got a pair of black eyes and a bloody nose, while Bob received one blow on his ear, which left no mark. Just as Mason had pee the report- ers got hold of it, and an extremely lively and amusing story was published. The pretty typewriter was alluded to sev- eral times, but her name was not given. Blakesley wore a pair.of black eyes for ten days, a. standing advertisement of young Whiddon’s powers. One day when Bob waited for Jennie at 1 the foot of the stairs she nearly took his breath away by saying: “Oh, Bob, they’ve got a wonderful story going around about you!” “Well, what is it—something newt? “Yes. They say that you have a big lot of money in the bank, and that you are speculating on margins, and have actually made a fortune.” “Well, I’ll be hanged! If I knew who started that story I’d put a hoodoo on him sure.” “Bob, I believe there’s some rath in it, for I notice you always have plenty of money, which certainly doesn’t come from your salary as a messenger. Now tell me the plain truth about it. Once you asked me if I could keep a secret, and I told you I could. But I don’t think you. believed me.” “Well, you know how it is. There are very few people who believe the average girl can keep a secret. She must have one or two other friends to help her keep it.” “Well, that’s not the case with me. If you want me to swear to keep: the secret il. do it:” “Very well. Just promise me you will never repeat it, and. I’ll tell you the straight story, Miss Jennie.” “Bob, I’ll never tell it.” AT ‘right, then. The story is true. I began some time ago putting up margins when a stock was cornered, and I have made a lot of money.” “Oh, I’m so glad! Now, tell me the whole story, Bob. How much money have you made?” “Oh, several thousand dollars.” “As much as ten thousand?” “More than that,” he laughed. “Twenty thousand?” she asked. “More than that.” “Oh, my! Have you made as much as twenty-five thousand?” “Yes; a good deal more than that. But look here, Blue Eyes, don’t ask me again.” “Bob, can you put up some money on a margin for me? I’ve got a little saved up, and you know how dearly a girl loves dress. I’m only getting eight dollars a week sal- ary, and a girl can’t dress much on that.” “Well, how much money have you saved up. You’ve been quizzing me about how much I had. Now show your pile.” “All right.” I will. I’ve got fifty dollars saved up.” : “Oh, you can’t buy with less than $100, for the banks won’t put up margins on less than ten shares. fifty dollars now, and. the next chance that offers, let me have it, and I’ll add $950 to it and make it $1,000 and put it-up for you. That will buy 100 shares of stock. But you’ll- have to keep as dumb as a clam about it.” “Bob, if you'll do that for me,” she said, laying her hand on his arm, “I’ll always be the best friend you have living.” “Yes,” he laughed, “and when you get rich you'll give me the cold snub, and turn up your nose at me just because I’ve once been a bootback.” “Bob, have you such a mean opinion as that of me?” “Well, isn’t that the way most girls do?” “Yes, and a good many men do the same thing 3 “That is true. But look here now; let’s make a bargain. When we are both rich I’ll buy a fine home, and horses and car- riages, and make you a present of them on the day we are married. What do you say to that?” “Why, I say yes, Bob, for it would be™ very foolish for either of us to marry un- less we have a home.” “That settles it, then. You just keep your eye on me, and have faith in me, and Ill let you know when I seé an opportunity to make a hit. Meanwhile, if you can hear of a tip, you let me have it.” “Oh, my, yes!” I have often got hold of a good tip, and almost cried because I didn’t have any money to take advantage of the information. But tell me, don’t you ever buy stock except when somebody is boom- Me Tee “No. I let my money lie in the bank and wait until a syndicate starts to boom a stock, which they frequently do, you ‘know. When a lot of rich fellows get ‘together et You just hold on to your’ “hoon ‘a stock they run it up. ies a sky-. rocket.” “Ves; and it comes down as quick, too, " she said. She was a bright girl, and no- ticed what was going on in Wall street. _ “Yes, but I keep my eye on it, and just before it turns to come down I sell out. I haven’t lost anything yet.” “Well, don’ t everybody else do that way, too?” “No; somebody gets. hurt every time a stock’is boomed, simply because they don’t know when to let go. They want to hold on for the last dollar.” From that they became more confidential. She was a magnetic girl, and Bob was very much in love with her. She was about eighteen years of age, and of course some Six or eight months older than he. There was something about him that she greatly admired, and she was more than half in love with him long before the en- gagement. She had great confidence in his courage and discretion. “Now, Bob,” said she, “we are not to have any secrets from each other after this. Please tell me how much money you have made, for of course my curiosity is greatly excited.” “All right. I will,” and he told her that his account at the bank amounted to over $60,000. It nearly took her breath away. That was in her eyes a great fortune. Young as he was, if he had asked her to run away with and marry him, she would have done so that very afternoon. Not that the money attracted her so much, but the fact that a youth like him had accumu- lated it showed qualities that promised a great deal in the way of making a great financier. Before they parted she made him prom- ise to bring his sister around to her home that evening, which he did. CHAPTER XVII. HOW BOB SET UP FOR HIMSELF. A month passed, during which Bob was very attentive to Jennie Rogers. He not only escorted her to and from Wall street six days in the week, but was with her every Sunday afternoon. It was believed among all the prokers that he had money and was speculating on margins, but not one of them was ever able to draw: an admission of the fact from’ him. It became known among his neighbors that he was a young: Wall street broker, and of course that gave him much social prestige to his mother and sisters. He kept them well dressed, and they en- tertained friends as their circle of acquaint- ances enlarged. | Dora’ Whiddon and. Jennie Rogers be- came warm personal friends. Mrs. Burwald had sued for separation from her husband, and he had the good sense to keep- away from her. He hated Bob, and was only waiting for an oppor- tunity to wreak vengeance on him when he could do so without being caught in the meshes of the law. ~ One day Jennie informed Bob that she believed she had a good tip for him, but just what it was worth she didn’t know. She had overheard two brokers talking about the consolidation of two railroads, which, if accomplished, would send the stock of the stronger one booming up to par. “Well, if that happens it will be.a big thing,” he said to her. “But it would be a great risk to buy the stock unless one is quite sure that the consolidation’ will be made. Il] keep a sharp watch out for it. If such a thing is contemplated, those fel- lows will begin buying up the shares of M. & J. at once.” “Well, if you find it is true, you won’t forget to put up my fifty dollars for me, will you?” “No, I won't. I will not only remember it, but will let you keep it where it is, and put up my Own money and divvy with you.” “Oh, my, Bob! that?” “Yes, I do, for it will all be ours some Do you really mean | time, won't it?” “Ves, yes! But have you so much faith in me as all that?” “Yes. trust my very soul in eur keepme, Jennie Rogers. ” “Oh, Bob, you never said aasihing ‘In your life that made me feel so happy as that!” and the glow on her cheeks and the sparkle of her eyes confirmed her sin- cerity. : A few days later Bob found that the two brokers whose names she had given him were both steadily buying M. & J. shares on the quiet, when they began to advance. They were then quoted at 70. He put up almost his entire bank acectint on a margin, and secured 6,000 shares. Of course, he told her what he had done, and the delighted girl eagerly watched the ‘steady rising of the price in me Wall street ‘quotations. Not until ‘ had gone up to 75 dia ‘the I have faith enough in you to |. brokers awake to the fact that it was a good stock to speculate in. A rush was end of the week the shares ‘were quoted at 80, and the tremendous struggle between the bulls and bears ensued. All through another week the battle went on. then made, which sent it booming. At the — From 80 it crept up to 90, when it be-- eame a battle royal. When it reached 90 the consolidation of the two roads was made, and the shares went up to par. It was then that Bob sold out. ~ His 6,000 shares were dumped on the market in a block, and it staggered the consolidators not a little. He had made $30 a share on 6,000 shares, an enormous profit of $180,000. That evening when he met Jennie in the corridor to escort her home, he squeezed her hand and whispered: “You area rich girl, Jennie Rogers.” “Bob, have you sold out?” she almost — gasped. “Yes; and sold at par. You can figure up in that pretty head of yours what the re- sult is.” She clutched his arm, and he felt her whole frame trembling. “Oh, come on now,” he said. “We’ll have some ice cleam before we get home.” She went with him, of course, “TI don’t know,” said he, “exactly what the bank’s commissions will be. I think, though, it is about $1.25 a share. At any rate, we'll have about $170,000 to divide between us, sO you can dream of having $85,000 of your own.” “Bob, are you going to turn that much money over to me?” “Yes, of course.” “Well, don’t do it. Give me $10,000, and keep the other as a working capital for future deals, for I’m afraid if I were to tell =: mother that I had so much money she - would lose her head entirely.” “All right,” he laughed. “Just tell her that I’ve made $10,000 for you.” ' Mrs. Rogers was a poor widow with three children, but she had social ambition. When Jennie told her that she had. $10, ee 3 000 she insisted on renting a much © expensive flat, and furnished it expens and employed a music teacher for the other two daughters. She wanted Jennie to give up her typewriting machine and take music a vely,. lessons also, but the level-headed girl re- fused to do so, although she took music les- sons evenings, Her mother knew of her engagement to Bob, but hoped that she would get over her infatuation and capture a rich broker down in Wall street. But now it looked as if Bob himself would some day be as rich as any of the brokers, and she was willing to let the engagement stand as it was, on condi- tion that they wait until he was of age. Mrs. Burwald was given $10,000, too, by Bob, and he let her understand that he had a good deal more on hand to speculate - “with. Meanwhile the rumors of Bob’s specula- tions in Wall street increased among the — brokers, and like most unconfirmed rumors, — they attributed a mythical fortune to him. They questioned Hennessy, but Bob had — kept his last speculations a secret even — from him. But had be known the true facts, he would have said nothing about it. All Hennessy would admit was that he — had a good deal of money, but how much he didn’t know, and that they had better take that into consideration in the Street, — to say nothing of his power of hoodooism. “Bob,” said he, “I guess we shall have to part as employer and employee, for I find that the brokers are becoming suspicious of me-on your account. You'd better open an office of your Own.” “Oh, thunder! Bob. dave desk room in here?” “No; you can take that typewriter’ = room. mS “Well, what'll you do with the typewrit. CX “She’s not coming back any more,” said Hennessy. “She has notified me a week ago that she was going to be married.” “Well, you’ll want another one, won't you?” “Yes, of course I will! ” “Then hire Jennie Rogers. dollars a week more than Mason is paying her, and I'll pay the difference myself.” - “Why, you won’t have any use for a type- writer, will you? ‘You can’t do commis- sion business, you know.” “Well, I guess I'll have some use for her at any rate.” “All right. You make the offer your- self, Bob, for Mason and I are enemies, you know. a “All right,” and two days later, Jennie moved into the typewriter’s room of Hen- nessy’s suite of offices, and Bob had his desk in there where they could converse during business hours when she had no work to do. But as he was always in the office the brokers thought he was still Hen- nessy’s messenger. Hennessy had te secure another messen- ger, and he hadn’t been in the office two | ‘days before the other messengers in the building posted him about the hoodoo, and “he stood more in fear of Bob than he did Offer her five. That wouldn’t do,” said - “What's the matter with letting me * of Hennessy. The fact that he had open- _ bed an office of his own was a strong con- HAPPY DAYS. firmation of the many stories that were going the rounds that he had made big money on marginal speculations, and that he was no longer a messenger boy, but was sitting in his Office like a spider in his = den. Typewriter girls came in to see Jennie about it, and of course asked her no end of questions. “Why, no; I’m not his typewriter! I’m working for Mr. Hennessy,” she would say to them. “Well, what’s Bob got his desk in here" for?” : “Why, because there’s nowhere else for him to keep it. Mr. Hennessy lets him ‘keep it in here.” “Has Bob set up in business for him- self?” “No, he is not doing business for any- | body else. own.” “Well, what is his business?” ome very persistent young lady asked. He has no business but his “Indeed, I don’t know,” she laughed, “un- | less it is to hoodoo people for Mr. Hennes- sy. °F “Phe truth is she was as fond of a joke as the broker himself. CHAPTER XVIII. THE GREAT DEAL IN B. & O. Bob was now in a position where he sould strike a heavy blow when an oppor- ty -offered. fl sorts of opportunities were present- to him by brokers, who thought perhaps y could trap him and-get a large crop gs fieece, but he had only one idea of ll street speculations, to which he had ved to adhere, and that was to let his y lie in bank for ready use. He knew at various stocks were fluctuating ‘con- | ously on the floor of the Exchange, and t brokers with big capital were buying elling every day. ay when Broker Hennessy warned inst other brokers who were con- y offering him shares of stock, he té him: Mr. Hennessy, I never intend to buy a _ Single share of stock as an investment. - When I have money enough to.make a per- ~ manent investment I intend to buy real estate. I can afford to let what money I have stay where it is until somebody begins to boom a stock. Then I’ll take all I can get of it, and let go when I think it is un- --safe for me to hold any longer. I can af- ford to let it lie there for a year,-so they are wasting their time when they come to Me with all sorts of offers.” “Well, you may have to wait a. good while, Bob, before you get such another chance as the last deal.” *Very true. But I can afford to wait. My expenses are not heavy, and all the time I’m studying Wall street and its meth- and occasionally having a little fun.’ Yes, I see you do. Ht has afforded us a ‘deal of amusement. But you must ember that business is business. How sh money have you, anyway?” guess ¥’d better not tell you, Mr. Hen- sir. But I don’t think it good busi- tet anybody know, for when a man edit for having a zood deal more ni i really has.” That’s right. But you must keep Sa open. about those fellows who are ning in on you.’ ourse. If any of them catch me g you can laugh at me. [’m not a Dut I’m trying to imitate a weasel’s | > of business. I’ve been told that one ever found asleep, though I know y must sleep sometimes.” One day a well-known broker came in with a lot of railroad stock and wanted to make a loan on it. Bob shook his head, saying that he was a@ minor, and had no license to do business; _ that if he loaned money at interest he would violate the law. “Oh, that’s all right. do the business for you.” “—T’ve no money te lend,” said Bob. - When the disappointed broker went out, the typewriter said to him: — “Bob, you lost a good opportunity there - to make several hundred dollars.” “Yes, but that’s not the sort of opportu- nity I’m waiting for. Suppose I let him have ten, twenty, or thirty thousand dol- lars and an opportunity suddenly presents itself to speculate on stock on margins. Then I’d have that much money tied up} where I couldn’t handle it. I don’t intend control.” They had many @ private business ‘con- versation in the room, which nobody else heard. x She had come to look upen him as being as sharp as any broker in the Street in business matters. It had become known _ that she had money, too, and brokers in -asmall way tried to cultivate her acquaint- ance, and many tips were offered her. _.She was pleasant with all, but said that -into: it. Let Mr. Hennessy she didn’t have ‘much money, and what she did have she was using personally. Bob was now no longer seated where he could hear business propositions made to Broker Hennessy, aS he was in another room. He thought nothing about it at the time. One day Hennessy heard of a. syndicate that was being formed among several of his friends for the purpose of booming a ceér- tain stock, and he made application to join Ht. Several of them objected on the ground of his having young Whiddon in his office. “What in thunder do you mean by that?” he asked one of the objectors. “Well, that boy is a hoodoo,” was the | reply, “and the first thing we know we'd all | be hoodooed, and lose money.” Hennessy gave an old-fashioned horse laugh, and inquired if the man was so su- | perstitious as to have any faith in Bob’s ability to hoodoo anybody. “Oh, well, faith or no faith, you know what has happened several times, Hennes- sy, and if you come into it I go out.” Hennessy and two of his friends tried to lawgh the matter down, but to his astonish- ment. he found the objectors were serious, and he became quite angry. When he had an opportunity to do so he talked to Bob about it, saying: “Look here, Whiddon, I found out some- _ thing to-day that surprised me.” “What was it, sir?” “Why, that: your being here in my office was a detriment to me in a business way.’ “Well, if that's so P1l get out, Mr. Hen- nessy.” “Not a bit of it.. Yow stay where you — ” and with that Hennessy told him the story. “ Great Scott, Mr. Hennessy, it’s a great deal better to keep out of it than to get Let those fellows. boom all they please. They can’t stop you or anyone else buying the shares of any stock they may boom.” — “Very true. But as long as we are in ignorance of what the stock is we lose the benefit of the early tip.” “All right. Just keep your eye on them. When any of them begins a steady buying of stock, you may be sure that’s the stock they are going to boom, and we’ll load up with it at onee.” “Yes; but the inside fellows have the first start, and I’d have to wait until it went up several points before I’d be sure that. it was the right one.” “Well, that’s all right. You ought to be sure, anyhow. FE wouldn’t go im on the ground floor with any of those fellows, be- cause I’ve noticed, when they undertake to boom a stock, they have to take all that comes in order to keep the price going up, and when it gets up high they have to keep on taking it at the current price, or else down it comes.” A few days later Hennessy became cor- vinced that it was B. & O. that the syndi- cate was booming, for they were buying all of that stock they could get hold of. So he went in at once, and bought 8,000 shares of it. He never bought on a margin, but some- | times borrowed heavily on such securities as he had. Bob, however, never bought way than on a margin, so he Pave orders through his banker to buy 20,000 shares of | the stock, but he didn’t say anything to Hennessy about it. He bought ft at 80. In due time the effect of the heavy pur- | chases began to be felt, and the shares ac- | cordingly went up in price, and soon there | was great excitement on the floor of the | Exchange. It was one of the strongest properties on : . Prop ‘in eagerly inquiring for a certain stock, the market, and an immense vwumber of shares were bought. and sold. , Scores of brokers bought and sold at an | advance of two or three dollars a share, and of course made a good deal of money. The uproar on the floor of the Exchange was so great that only those who were ac- customed to the noise could stand it. The syndicate was composed of men -with many millions behind them. From 80 it reached 90 in three days, and two days later went up to par. The syndicate, of course, was able to hold it as long as they saw proper to do so. “Mr. Hennessy,” said Bob, “B. & O. has reached par. Hf you have any of it you’d better sell out, for I intend to give those . fellows a hard blow.” “Have you got any of it, Bob?” “Yes, sir. Pve got @ bie block of it, and when I unload on them it'll make some of those fellows sick. Ill wait until you un- load’ yourself.” “Thank you, Bob. FH go over to the Ex- change and unload at once.” He went over and sold, making a big F pile of money out of it. to. let any of my money get beyond my | Then Bob ordered his shares sold, and ' such an enormous block of it staggered the But they had to take it or Iet | ithe boom eome down on them. syndicate. Bob got the full market price. The syndicate staggered, and the. other brokers noticed it. A panic ensued and brokers sought cover, and fnside of ten minutes it dropped from | par down to 95. Then it rallied, but that | drop lost many thousands to brokers, some } of them being entirely ruined. any other | The syndieate had to bid it up again, or ‘else lose heavily themselves. They won- dered who it was that had hit them so hard. couldn’t betray the identity of the bank’s | client. Bob had cleared about $400,000 on the | | from a@ fair speculation?” they had to sell their seats in the Ex- | deal, while four brokers lost so heavily that change. Others were so badly crippled | that they were practically ruined and lost | prestige. . CHAPTER XIX. BOB'S PHILOSOPHY. Inside of a week after the great excite- ment over B. & O. shares it. was known to ‘all the brokers that it was young Whiddon who had unloaded the enormous quantity of 20,000 shares on the syndicate, and many members of it aceused Hennessy of having betrayed them. He indignantly denied the charge, saying that he was not a member of the syndicate, hence it was impossible for him to betray them. Some of them inquired of Bob how he got the tip. “Oh, that was easy,” he laughed. dooed the whole crowd of you.” Then he added: “But see here, I bought at 80 when every- body in the Street knew that the stock was being boomed by somebody, hence one did- nit meed a tip. But I laid for those fel- lows.” When he admitted that he bought at 80 “Tt hoo- and sold at par, they easily figured wp what his profits in the deal were, and eurses loud and deep were hurled at him. Some of them said that the boy had mil- lions of dollars behind him, whieh he couldn’t. call his own. Of course, his mother and sister Dora read the papers, and thus learned that he had made a. fortune. Tt was then that he told them how much he had made. He promised to buy his mother a fine residence and keep a. horse and carriage for her. Jennie also teld her mother that Bob had used some of her money, and that she, too, was able to buy a home, and she did so. Broker Hennessy was abused so much by the other brokers that he begged Bob to rent another office in the buildmg. He did so, renting a suite of three rooms, although he had no use for them except as a place for headquarters. The pretty typewriter moved imto the office with him, where she still did. the type- writing for Hennessy. The three rooms were furnished beauti- fully with mahogany furniture, and nicely earpeted. Other brokers, in the hope of deriving some benefit from keeping up their ac- quaintance with both the typewriter and Bob, brought in a good deal of work for her.., Bob really didn’t want her to take it,. idle. More than six months oa before any of the brokers had the nerve to undertake to corner a. stock, for they were afraid of } the Wall Street’ Hoodoo, as they called young Whiddon. But nearly every day in the week during .business hours all sorts of opportunities to invest were Offered him, but he pleasantly dectined. He received invitations to join syndi- | cates, but refused them alk _ One day nearly a score of brokers came and it attracted his attention, and he won- dered if that stock was to be cornered. Of course, he was not a member of the Stock Exchange, and all he could find out there was from the visitor’s gallery. He was shrewd enough to notice that no- body was buying the stock on the floor of ; ‘the Exchange; hence he suspected that a trap was being laid for him; that he was to be induced to buy great quantities of the stock and thus lose money. The stock was stationary, but he never bought. a share of it. . It didn’t take them many days to find out that he was not biting at the bait that. was offered him, and they gave if up as a bad job. Then they tried other plans, but Bob knew what he was up against. His head had not been turned by his good fortune, although nine hundred and ninety-nine boys out of a thousand would have lost ‘their wits entirely under such circum- stances. He was suspicious. of every man’s motive | He | wouldn’t act on any tip voluntarily given | who came to him with a proposition. him, nor would be buy one; but if he could get hold of ome accidentally, he put faith in it. and he didn’t. care whose money he scooped so long as he raked it into his own coffers. The brokers finally became tired of set- ting traps for him. Finally one of them asked him: “What are you doing these days, Bob?” “Just waiting,” said Bob. The broker for the bank: of course, | He well knew that every operator | in Wall street was there to make money, ‘he had died suddenly, “Waiting for what?” “For you fellows to get through setting traps to catch me.” The broker smiled, and asked: “Has anybody been Setting traps for you?” “Yes, a few,” and then he smiled. “Well, how do you distinguish a trap “Say, did you ever see an old rat circling > around a trap, inspecting it without stick- ing his nose into it?” Bob inquired. “No, I never did.” “Well, you've set traps for rats that you” failed to catch, haven’t you?” “No; but my housekeeper has, and I’ve _ . heard ‘of such things being done.” “Well, you catch an old rat, and ask him how it was that he didn’t go into the © trap.” “What good ae that do? couldn’t explain so I could understand.” “Neither can [. There are some people who don’t know how to set a trap. They give themselves away. badly, and when their backs are turned I sit down and smi and smile. Now, last week nearly twenty brokers came in-kere inquiring for a cer- tain stock. They all seemed eager to buy, when they could have gotten thousands The rat | i of shares in the Exchange, but not a call - was made for them.” “Well, that’s easily accounted for. ers are buying and Selling every day.” “Yes, but I’m no broker. You fellows have heard that ve made some money, and that money is what you are after... I made Brok-_ it while you were not looking, and I ex-— pect to make some more the same way. I simply abide my time. When I see-a stock _ going up I look into it, and try to find out what is back of it. Some stocks 20 up on their merit; when the pushers let go, down tumbles the whole thing.” “Oh, yes!” said the broker. knows that.” “Very true. others are pushed up, and ~ “Everybody © But everybody doesn’t know that I know it, and I let them think just what they please. IT am not. doing a brok- | erage business at all, [ am not lending er. borrowing money. I’m simply waiting for bargains, and when I see one, I buy it, or at_ least I get my banker to do it.” “Yes,” assented the broker. “When the bank buys you begin to work your hoodoo racket. ” “That’s. all right. If I ean hoodoo a fel- low, and get hold of his money, that’s my business. A man ought not to let another hoodoo him.” One day a reporter dropped in to see him and interview him for his paper. He asked hundreds of questions, alk of ~ which he answered good-naturedly. He asked him: if he believed in a hoodoo.- “Yes. I believe in fools, too! There are lots of them. It’s easy enough to hoodoe a fool, just as it ig am easy job for a hypro- tist to hypnotize certain kinds of people. You can’t hoodoo a fellow unless he’s shart of gray matter and believes in such foolish- ness.” : “Well, Bob, how do you explain things } that have happened to people you claim te ‘have hoodooed?” put she said she’d rather do it: than to be | He laughed and shrugged his shoulders | Significantly. “Well, have you no explanation ‘to i make?” the reporter asked. “No; VII leave the explaining to the vic- tims.” “Well, all the explanation they make is that those things happened, and they can’t ‘understand it.” “That's the trouble,” he laughed. “ They haven’t the sense to wnderstand many things. When. the imterview terest through Broad and Wall street. A famous financier read it, and laughed heartily. It amounted to three columns in an af- terheon paper. “Say,” said the fimancier, “that boy is the sharpest. chap in the financial district. He may not be so well posted on finances, but he knows a. fool when he sees one. He understands human nature, and: that’s the seeret of his success. He seizes upon op- portunities and makes the most of them.” The comments of the great financier were printed in the next. issue of the paper, and of course it added greatly to Bob’s reputa- tion. Still, there were brokers who sought alliances with him. ~ Many men of small capital came to him and begged that he handle their money for them. To all such he stated that he was not-2 . broker, and had no license to do busimess at all; that what business he did was dome by the bank. CHAPTER XX. HOW BOB HIT THE BLIND POOL. One day a prominent. Wall street opera- tor died suddenly. He was rated as a mul- , timillionaire, and had millions of dollars ' invested in a certain stock. When the news reached the Street that alt the stock in which he was interested dropped down from ten to five dollars a share, because it « You ean’t hoodeo a fellow who — | isn’t superstitious.” ' was published it created a good deal of im 5 | = about it?” HAPPY DAYS Ss expected that it would all be dumped the market. [nstantly Bob rushed over to his banker d bought about 32,000 shares of the stock ter it had dropped. down. He knew, of urse, when the estate was settled up, the cks would rally, as they were all divi- nd-paying property. rhey all rallied inside of four or five ys, when Bob began quietly unloading, d in a week he had made about $100,000. By some means or other the report of his mderful success got out, and he received ee credit of having made five times as ch as he really had. Brokers shook their heads, saying they dn’t understand it: that he was an en- ma. They wondered at his nerve. Where rs would fiee he would step in and ‘discussing it an old broker remarked ennessy: They talk about Bob’s nerve, but I think. is his lack of sense.” : es, I think so, too,” said Efennessy. t all the same the results Stagger me. as afraid to take hold of those stocks n they tumbled that way, but he rea- d that dividend-paying stocks would again, and he reasoned rightly. They rally, and he made a fortune out of You may call it: sense, ignorance, or rve, or what you please, but it was a suc- But Ill tell you he has nerve, and ren he thinks he has inside information ‘acts upon it without depending upon | ybody else’s judgment.” He then told the story of his good luck uying Round Hill mining shares when 4y were really not selling for more than y eents a Share, and eeelly sold them at f he had had the money he could have de a million just as easily, but at that ne he only had $400, and bought 800 es of the stock with it.” e broker asked Hennessy how much | ey he thought Bob had. anged if I know! I’ve tried to find but that’s something that no one can ‘If anyone knews how much he has must be Miss Rogers. He speculated for and now nobody knows how much she i-but shes rich, iet me tell you.” ‘Look here, Hennessy, it is reported that they are engaged. What do you think . “TI guess the report is correct. He has \ hoodooed every fellow who has tried to cut him out there.” “Oh, well, that’s nonsense.” “Yes; that’s what he says himself; but ‘somehow or other he succeeds where oth- ers fail. Several, gmonths passed before another at- tempt to corner a stock was made in Wall : street, and scores of brokers were wasting - their time buying and selling, sometimes . barely making as much as ten dollars on a deal of ten thousand, and on others losing. It was hard work for little pay, so a party of them got together and pledging each other to profound secrecy, they proceeded to buy up all the shares they could get of -@ certain western railroad. ‘ . By the merest accident Bob learned that a clique was buying up the shares, but he didn’t know who the members were. He took the chances and bought up every share floating dround the Street within twenty-four hours. ._ Of course, he did not buy individually, but through the bank’s broker. Every member of the clique cautioned the eibers to look out for the Wall street hoo-. _ doo, and not let him get wind of what was going on. But Bob had already gotten the wind and i bagged great storms of it. radually the stock began climbing until ; had increased about $15 a share. hen everybody seemed to want it. quietly unloaded in blocks of two to ree thousand shares each, and the clique r syndicate had to take it in order to old up the price on the shares-they al- ady had. hen he had unloaded entirely, he re- Mmarked to a member of the clique that if he knew who the fellows were at the back of it he would tell them to get out of it, as there was an awful hoodoo resting on it. “How do you know there is?” the mem- _ ber asked. “Because I’ve been watching it. I sold out what I had of it; and hoodooed the lance.” “Took here, Bob, did you have any of that stock?” “Yes; a big lot of it, but I got rid of it ssterday, and now whoever is carrying it m their shoulders are actually staggering under the load.” f Bob didn’t know that the man he was talking to was one of the clique, but he oticed the fellow’s excitement, and actu- ally saw him slip away and unload his share of the holdings at the current price, thus going back on his agreement with the An hour later the whole combination went to pieces, and every member of the trayed the confidence of his friends. Of course, crimination and recrimination followed, and soon it was known that Bob as the originator of the disaster, and ae aw men looking daggers at him. o ee of ee actually ee threats of personal violence, for men smarting ee) financial losses frequently talk _inprudent- Ly. By this time all the brokers whe specu- lated daily on the floor of the Exchange not only feared him, but hated him. Many of them were afraid to join any combination to boom stock for fear he would slip in some way and spoil the whole thing. Of course, others had the same chance to do as he did, but they seemed to lack his nerve. Others lost confidence, and would enter into no combination with other brokers for fear of treachery. A prominent broker, to overcome that difficulty, suggested that they enter a blind pool, and that all of them chip in capital and place it in the hands of one whom they could trust and Jet him buy the stock without letting them know what it was. Several millions of dollars were put up, subject to his check. Then he bought stead- ily the shares of a certain Western rail- road. He was trying to get hold of a suf-. ficient number of the shares to enable him to contro] it. Then they could run things their own way. Bob knew nothing about it at all, and the thing worked admirably. When the secret became known another blind pool was organized to work onthe same principle. The same parties were engaged in it. A certain woman owned a block of a thousand: shares, and when the manager of the blind pool tried to buy them from her she became suspicious, and believing there was some kind of a game going on, of which she knew nothing, she called on Bob at his office and had a lone interview with him. Bob knew she was a very wealthy wo- man. She assured him that before other parties could control the road by getting a majority of the stock they would have to buy the shares she owned. “Now, Mr. Whiddon,” she said to him, “I’ve been watching you ever since you be- came known in Wall street. I don’t believe in the hoodoo business they are talking about so much. But I do believe in your good luck and your good sense. I happen to know how many shares of this stock are on ‘the market; and I know several parties who own large blocks of it. I don’t care to sell my shares, for I believe that by holding on to them I can force the others to terms, but I’ll let you have control of them so as to help you retain your grip. If you’ll buy the other shares, [’ll advance half the mon- ey, provided my name is kept out of it.” “All right, madam. Give me your check for $50,000 and I'll put up the same- amount, and I’ll have my broker buy up the shares as far as the money will go. Then, if more is needed, we’ll put up more.” She promptly agreed to do so, and the ar- rangements were made. She gave him the names of parties, some of them living out of the city, who were holding many shares of the stock. Bob knew it --as best for him not to be known in it, so he posted his broker who represented the bank. They bought the shares, paying cash for them, The stock kept climbing up steadily, but the manager of the blind pool soon saw that he was bucking against someone unknown, and every one of the party who owned the stock were besieged by him only to find that the stock had passed beyond — con- trol. He tried in vain to find out who was con- trolling it. e He lacked two or three thousand shares ‘of having a majority, and to bring it out he ran it up to enormous figures. It had gone so far that now it was impos- sible to retreat without submitting to heavy losses. One day somebody suggested to him that the young Wall street hoodoo had a finger in it. He shook his head, saying:. “That is impossible. I haven’t seen any traces of him so far in any of my dealings. It is too deep a thing for a young head like his. He simply buys and sells on margins, and some day in his over-confidence he is going to be crushed as flat as a pancake.” Still another mentioned the matter to him, and he decided to call on Bob and ask him if he had any shares of the stock. “Yes, I have a few shares,” Bob replied, very much to his surprise. “Well, how many shares have you?” “Oh, I guess I have enough to enable you to control the road if you had them with what you already own.” “How do you know how many shares I own?” “I know .exactly how many shares you Own, sir,” said Bob, and he .named the fig- ures. It nearly took his breath away,*and Bob heard him gasp. He denied it, though, and Bob merely shrugged hig shoulders and smiled. “Well, what do you want for your hold- ings?” the manager asked. “Well, I want more than you are offer- ing for them. You see, they have another value besides the market price, for they would give you control of the road. You are now offering 128. If you can. get 3,000. shares more you will have a majority of the stock, and in-order to get ode ee of the - road you can afford to ae 150 not ae on the 3,000 shares, but for the other 4,000 f hold besides. HM “Oh, you are trying to work your oo racket, ” said the financier. “Well, I hold a hoodoo so far as the on trol of the road is concerned. If you and your friends in the pool with you want to control the road, you'll take my 7,000 shares at 150.” “Why force me to take the other 4,000 when 3,000 is all that would be necessary?” the gentleman asked. “Because I want what I can make out of that 4,000.” The man. demurred, but within twenty- four hours he accepted the offer and the trade was made. It. was the biggest deai Bob had ever made, and those who had trusted him with the 7,000 shares were more than pleased. The woman financier complimented him so lavishly as to actually make him blush, and she asked him if he really had worked his hoodoo on the blind pool. “Yes, madam,” he laughed, “that’s just what I did.” “All right. VU give you a chance to get in some more of that kind of work. If you want a half million to help you out in any future deal, you can get it by calling on me. I’ve had other brokers to attend to business for me, but never one who man- aged things so well as you have.” (TO BE CONTINUED.) eee anna a ine fone cere ances The hunting of foxes with eagles takes place among the Kirghese in the southwest district of Siberia, in the autumn and early winter, when the foxes’ coats are ruddy and perfect. The eagles are powerful birds, of such weight that a small wooden support is carried by the eagie-bearer. A _ well- grown bird of more than usually fierce temperament will occasionally kill a wolf. Directly any game is seen the birds make their flight and swoop down with great precision, “One of these birds, to my knowledge,” writes our correspondent, “killed seventeen foxes in six weeks. I can vouch for this killing of foxes by eagles, for I personally took photographs and saw the whole sport from beginning to end. . —— Oe Nasmyth, a landscape painter of repute, was held in great esteem as a landscape gardener, and in this capacity helped to compose some of the finest park and forest. scenery. The estate of the then duke of Athol was disfigured by an unsightly crag, the rocks of which were inaccessible to climbers. By a happy thought Nasmyth determined to make a bold bid for success with a cannon, which was at hand, By his advice tin canisters were prepared, and loaded with tree seeds. Fired from the cannon’s mouth, these novel shells burst against the face of the crag, and scattered their fruitful contents among the rocky crevices.. Nature carried on the work so cleverly begun, and in the course of years those barren heights were clothed and crowned with trees of luxuriant growth. Nasmyth’s son James, the Scot- tish astronomer, is said to have repeated the experiment with equal success. emotaspun msteom ae fet Pre Leaner Answers to Correspondents. Toe Correspondents. Do not ask questions on the same sheet of pa- per with mail orders, as they will not be an- swered. Correspondents, in sending a number of questions, will aid us greatly by writing on one side of the paper only. If this is not done, questions will have to be rewritten by those who send them. Notice is now given that hereafter no letters will be answered unless addressed “Horror oF Happy Days, 24 Union Square, New York.”’ NOTICE. Readers of Happy Days who send questions to be answered in this column should bear in mind that Happy Days is made up and printed two weeks in advance of publication; conse- quently it will take from two to three weeks from the time we receive the questions before the answers will appear in print, and should the questions require any special research it may take longer. If the readers will take this matter into consideration, they will readily see the folly of requesting us to put the answers to their ques- tions in the next issue of the paper. TAKE NOTICE! If Charlie H. Umpenhour, who left Mt, Carmel, Penna., 2 years ago, wishes to learn any information about his wife, children, or mother, he should address Mrs. Mary Umpenhour, National Military Home. Box 313, Ohio. Jack.—We cannot furnish ee in this column. V. E. A.—The rubbings you ee are of very common coins, bearing no premium. CHartes I1.—We will send you the twelve numbers of this paper specified ve receipt of sixty cents. Burcu Hart.—We do not know of any electric tatooing machines, nor can we fur- nish the address of any person who can supply designs for tatooing. — ATBERTA.—From Juneau to Circle City, overland, is 970 miles; From San Fran- cisco to Circle City by way of St. Michaels and the Yukon River is 4,450 miles. _ -“Tom and the Tiger,” in 175. January 11, 1785; Epwarp rinse ae Sawer is no premium — on Canadian dimes. 2. We can SUED y this paper as far back as No. 301. READER.—Hair cannot be removed per- manently except by electricity, a slow and tedious but finally effective process. Each ~ individual hair must be killed. Tommy Dopp.—We can still supply all the — 96 numbers of the “Frank Reade Weekly” and the thirty-two numbers of “Blue and | Gray.” The other two libraries are entire- ly out of print. s ANDERSON.—The stamps you describe, in’ a perfect condition, are worth about fifty cents each. We cannot publish the address of a stamp dealer, as it would be giving him a gratuitous advertisement. A CoNnsTANT READER.—You can find full directions for learning the art of swim- ming in “How to Row, Sail and Build a Boat.” Price 10 cents. The article is fully illustrated. We cannot publish a descrip- tion in this column. A Reaveg or. “Happy Days.”—The au- thors or the characters named have never been used in any of our publications, 2. “Happy Days” has the largest circulation of any paper of its class in America, and will be continued indefinitely. CLaupE.—Here is a freckle and pimple wash: Borax, 60 grains; potassium chlor- ate, 240 grains; alcohol, 1 dram; glycerine, 2 drams; rosewater enough to make 3 ounces. Dissolve as much as possible of the two salts and filter. Label. Apply with a soft sponge several times a day. Witt Norton.—We cannot describe in this column the different methods used in pitching the different curves to balls, as it would require illustrations showing the manner of oa the ball just. before it leaves the hand. 2. We do not publish any — baseball guide. Pe W. EH. J.—We cannot publish an opinion as to the reliability of any business firms, nor can We advise you as to when and how much dividend they may pay, or have paid in the past. As to their reliability, consult _ any of the mercantile agencies. As to the payment of dividends, write to the secre- tary of the company for that information. Swamp Tiger.—“ The Boy Freemasons” is still in print. The complete story will cost you twenty-five cents. 2. Try the follow- ing: Mix a small quantity of chlorate of potash with spirit of wine in a_ strong saucer; add a little sulphuric acid, and an orange vapor will arise and burst into flame with a loud crackling sound. 3. Any of the colored fires which can be purchased from dealers in fireworks will produce a bright flame and a dense smoke. JENNIE, JR.—Leprosy is said to be ineur- able. 2. The last we heard of Frank James was that he was farming in Missouri. 3. Bob Ford was killed by Sheriff Kelly in Creede, Colo. 4. “The Boy Senator” began in No. 133; “Two on a Wheel,” in 136; “Goliah,” in 137; “The Lost School Ship,”- in 171; “Rob Ralston’s Run,” in 172; “Tony the Torment in College,” in 173, and They are all out of print. No stories began in Nos. 128, 130, 132 and 176. Scriptor Scrrerortum.—The first 300 numbers of this paper are out of print. 2. We will supply the numbers you mention if al] are ordered at one time for $2.00. 3. Some of our authors wrote for both publi-. cations. 4, “Maceo’s Boys” began in No. 117; “The Rise of Eddie Dunn,” in No. 119; “His Father’s son,” in No. 123, and “The Three Friends,” in No. 124. No stories were commenced in Nos. 120 and 122. 5. “Noname’s” second story in this paper was entitled “Frank Reade, Jr., in Japan with His War Cruiser in the Clouds,” Nos. 12 to 24, FREDERICK THE GREAT.—A locomotive puffs — because the steam exhausts itself in the smokestack. 2, The exact cause of the light emitted by the firefly has never been definitely determined. 3. The clouds are simply moist vapor or fog. 4, We cannot go into a description of the moon’s action © on the waters of the earth, causing the tides. Consult your school astronomy, which will also explain the phases of the moon. 5. The full moon is always opposite the setting sun. 6. As the earth, air, and everything connected with it revolves as a solid body, a balloon ascending 1,000 feet, on a perfectly still day, would descend to about the same spot it left at the beginning of the ascent. 7. Common gas is made out of bituminous coal and petroleum. CoLuMBIA.—We hardly comprehend your question, but the following will, no doubt, answer your purpose. The seat of govern- ment by the Continental Congress and United States government has been held at the following places: Philadelphia, Pa., September 5, 1774; Baltimore, Md., Decem- ber 20, 1776: Philadelphia, Pa., March 4, TCCrs Lancaster, Pa., (one day only) Sep- tember 27, A177; York, Pa., Septem- ber 30, 1777; Philadelphia, Pa,, duly 2. ITTS; *Prinéeton, N, J., June 30, 1783: Annapolis, Md., November 26, 1783; Tren- ton, Ne ta; November de 1784: New York, Philadelphia, Pa., De- cember 6, 1790, and Washington, D. a November 19, 1800. (Several letters remain over to be an- = ‘swered neat week.) HAPPY DAYS. TEN CENT HAND. BOOKS. USEFUL, INSTRUCTIVE AND AMUSING. Containing valuable iformaten- on almost every subject, such as WRITING, SPEAKING, DANCING, COOKING; GYMNASTIC EXERCISES and THE SCIENCE OF SELF-DEFENCE, ETC., ETC. TRILOQUISM, MESMERISM. No. 81. HOW. TO MESMERIZE. Gon: taining the most approved methods of mes- -merism; also how to cure all kinds of dis- eases by animal magnetism, or magnetic healing. By Prof. Leo Hugo Koch, A. C. S., author of “How to Hypnotize,” etc. PALMISTRY. . No. 82. HOW TO DO PALMISTRY.— Containing the most approved methods of reading the lines on the hand, together with a full explanation of their meaning: also explaining phrenology, and the key for telling character by the bumps on the head. By Leo Hugo Koch, A.C. S. Fully illustrated. HYPNOTISM. No. 83. HOW TO HYPNOTIZE.—Con- taining valuable and instructive informa- ‘tion regarding the science of hypnotism; also explaining the most approved methods which are employed by the leading hypno- tists : the world. By Leo Hugo Koch, A. C. S. SPORTING. No. 21. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH.— The most complete hunting and fishing guide ever published. It contains full in- structions about guns, hunting dogs, traps, trapping and fishing, together with de- scriptions of game and fish. No. 26.. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND BUILD A BOAT.—Fully illustrated. Every boy should know how to row and sail a boat. Full instructions are given in this little book, together. with instructions on swimming. ‘and riding, companion sports to boating. No. 47. HOW TO BREAK, RIDE AND DRIVE A HORSE.—A complete treatise on the horse. Describing the most useful horses for business, the best horses for the road; also valuable recipes for diseases peculiar to the horse. No. 48. HOW TO BUILD AND SAIL CANOES.—A handy book for boys, con- taining full directions for constructing canoes and the most popular manner of sailing them. Fully illustrated. By C. Stansfield Hicks. FORTUNE TELLING. No. 1. NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND | DREAM BOOK.—Containing the great oracle of human destiny; also the true meaning of almost any kind of dreams, together with charms, ceremonies and cur- ious games of cards. A complete book. No. 23. HOW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS.— Everybody dreams, from the little child to the aged man and woman. This little book gives the explanation of all kinds of dreams, together with lucky and un- lucky days, and “Napoleon’s Oraculum,” the book of fate. No. 28. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES.— Everyone is desirous of knowing what his future life will bring forth, whether hap- piness or misery, wealth. or poverty. You can tell by a glance at this littie book. Buy one and be convinced. Tell you own fortune. Tell the fortune of your friends. . No. 76. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES BY THE HAND.—Containing rules for telling fortunes by the aid of lines of the hand, or the secret of palmistry; also the secret of telling future events by aid of moles, ‘marks, scars, etc. Illustrated. By A. An- derson. é ATHLETIC, | No. 6. HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE. —Giving full instructions for the use of dumb-bells, Indian clubs, parallel bars, horizontal bars and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; con- taining over sixty illustrations. Every boy can become strong and healthy by follow- ing the instructions power in this little book. No. 10. HOW TO BOX.—The art of self- defense made easy. Containing over thirty illustrations of guards, blows, and the ditf- ferent positions of a good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of these useful and also, RULES OF ETIQUETTL, “THE ART OF V instructive books, as it will teach you to box without an instructor. No. 25. HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAS —Containing full instructions for all kin of gymnastic sports and athletic exercise Embracing. thirty-five illustrations. 8B Professor W. Macdonald. A handy ai useful book. No. 34. HOW TO FENCE.—Containin full instructions for fencing and the use of the broadsword; also instructions in: archery. Described with twenty-one prac- tical illustrations, giving the best positions in fencing. A complete book. TRICKS WITH CARDS. No. 51. HOW TO DO: TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Containins ‘explanations of the a general principles cf sleight-of-hand ap- — plicable to card tricks; of card tricks with ordinary cards, and not requiring sleight off-hand; of tricks involving sleight-of- hand, or the use of specially prepared cards. By Professor Haffner. Illustrated. — No. 72. HOW TO DO SIXTY TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Hmbracing all of the lat- est and most deceptive card tricks, with il- lustrations. By A. Anderson. a No, 77. HOW TO DO FORTY TRICKS. es WITH CARDS.—Containing deceptive card. tricks as performed: by leading conjurors — and magicians. ment. Fully illustrated. All the above books are for sale by newsdealers throughout the United States and Canada, or they wil] be sent, postpaid, to your address on receipt of 10c. each, or three s ae 25¢c. in money or postage stamps. FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, Send your name and address for Our Latest Illustrated Catalogue. 24 Union Square, New York City. THE YOUNG ATHLETE'S WEEKLY. BE STRONG - . BE HEALTHY By “PHYSICAL DIRECTOR” ' A 32-PAGE. BOOK FOR 5 CENTS. = These intensely interesting stories describe the adventures of Frank Manley, a plucky young athlete, who tries to excel in all kinds of games and pastimes. of manly sports, replete with lively incidents, dramatic situations, Every popular. game will be featured in the succeeding stories, such as baseball, Not only are these stories the very best, but they teach you how to become strong tling, ete. Each number contains a story and a sparkle of humor. skating, wres- and healthy. -You can learn to become a trained athlete by reading the valuable information on physical culture they contain. tection, called Jiu-Jitsu, will be explained. From time to.time the wonderful Japanese methods of self-pro- A page is devoted to advice on healthy exercises, WILD WEST WEEKLY. Containing exciting stories of the Wild West. 2 By AN OLD SCOUT. 32 ‘Pages . LATEST Colored Covers. Price 5 Cents. ISSUES: Young Wild: West and the Mustangers; or, The Boss of the Broncho Busters. Young Wild West. after the Apaches; or, Arietta’s Arizona Adventure. Young Wild West Routing the Robbers; or, Saving Two Million Dollars. Young Wild West at Rattlesnake Run; or, Arietta’s Deal with Death. Arranged for home amuse- ~~ Young Wild West’s Winning Streak ; or, A Straight Trail to Tombstone. Young Wild West’s Lightning Lariat ; or, Arietta and the Road Agents. Young Wild West’s Red-Hot Ride; or, Pursued by the Comanches. Young Wild West: and the Blazed Trail ; or, Arietta as a Scout. — Young Wild West’s Four of a Kind; or, A Curious Combination. Young Wild West Caught by the Crooks : or, Arietta on Hand. Young Wild West and the Ten Terrors; or, The Doom of Dashing Dan. Young Wild West’s Barrel of ‘“Dust’’; or, Arietta’s Chance Shot. Young Wild West’s Triple Claim; or, Simple Sam, the “Sundowner.” Young Wild West’s Curious Compact ; or, Arietta ‘as an Avenger. Young Wild West’s Wampum Belt; or, Under the Ban of the Utes. Young Wild West and the Rio Grande Rustlers; or, The Branding at Buckhorn Ranch. Young: Wild West and the Line League; or, Arietta Among the Smugglers. Young Wild West’s Silver Spurs; or, Fun at Fairplay Fair. Young Wild West Among the Blackfeet : or, Arietta as a Sorceress. = Young Wild West on the Yellowstone; or, The Seeret of the Hidden Cave. Young Wild West’s Deadly Aim; or, Arietta’s Greatest Danger. Young Wild West at the “Jumping Off’ Place; or, The Worst Camp in the West. Young Wild West and the “Mixed Up” Mine; or, Arietta a Winner: Young Wild West’s Hundred Mile Race; or, "Beating a Big Bunch. Young Wild West Daring the Danites; or, The Search for a Missing Girl. Young Wild West’s Lively Time; or, The Dandy Duck of the Diggings. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 Union Square, New York City. and questions on athletic subjects are cheerfully answered by the author “PHYSICAL DIREC: TOR.” ALREADY PUBLISHED: Manley’ s Off Day; or, The Greatest Strain in His Career. ‘Manley on Deck; or, At Work at Indoor Baseball. Manley At the Bat; or, “The Up-and-at-’em Boys’” on the Diamond. Manley’s Hard Home Hit; or, The Play That purpend the Bradfords. Manley in the Box; or, The Curve That Rattled Bradford: Manley’s Scratch Hit ; or, The Luck of “The Up--nd-at-’em Boys,” Manley’s Double Play; or, The Game That Brought 1. Manley’s All-around Game; or, Playing All the Nine « -_Manley’s Hight-Oared Crew : or, Tod Owen’s Decoration Day ‘Regatta, Frank Manley’s Harned Run; or, The Sprint That Won a Cup. Frank Manley’s Triple Play: or, The Only Hope of the Nine. Frank Manley’s Training Table; or, Whipping the Nine into Shape. Frank Manley’s Coaching ; or, The Great Game that ‘Jackets’ Pitched. Frank Manley’s First League Game; or, The Fourth of July Battle With Bradford. Frank Manley’s Match with Giants; or, The Great Game With the Alton “Grown-Ups. " Frank Manley’s raining Camp; or, Getting in Trim for the Greatest Ball Game. Frank Manley’ s Substitute Nine: or, A Game of Pure Grit. Frank Manley’s Longest Swim; or, Battling with Bradford in the Water. Frank Manley’s Bunch of Hits; or, Breaking the Season’s Batting ! Record. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 co per copy, in money or postage stamps, by - FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 Union Square New York City. Frank Frank Frank Frank Frank Frank Frank Frank Frank - 383 340 ~ 347 i “ : . @- Work and Win THE GREAT FRED FEARNOT STORIES. Largest Circulation of any Weekly Published. 32 pene: Colored Covers. Price 5 cents. LATEST ISSUES: pred Fearnot’s Great Crash; or, Losing His Fortune in Wall Street. Fred Fearnot’s Return to Athletics; or, His Start to Regain His Fortune. Fred Fearnot’s Fencing Team; or, Defeat- ing the “Pride of Old Bli Fred Fearnot’s ‘Free for A? *; or, His Great Indoor Meet. Fred Fearnot and the Cabin Boy; or, Beat- ing the Steamboat Sharpers. Fred Fearnot and the Prive -Kighter ; or, A -Pugilist’s Awful Mistake. Fred Fearnot’s Office Boy; or, Making Mon- ey in Wall Street. Fred Fearnot as a Fireman; or, The Boy _ Hero of the Flames. Fred Fearnot and.the Factory Boy; or, The Champion of the Town. Fred Fearnot and the oe Man”; or, The Bluff from Bitter Creek Fred Fearnot and the Shop Girl; or, The Plot Against An Orphan. Fred Fearnot Among the Mexicans ; Byvelyn:and the Brigands. Fred Fearnot and the Boy Engineer; Beating the Train Wreckers. Fred Fearnot and the “Hornets”; or, League that Sought to Down Him. 329 330 331 332 a 334 335 = a8 ae 338 339 or, or, The 341 242 343 B44 an 346 Shallow Youth from Brooklyn Fred Fearnot in a Death Trap; “or, Lost in The Mammoth Caves. “The Gamest Lad in Texas.. Fred Fearnot and the Stage Driver; or, The Man Who Understood Horses. : gering the Wall Street Brokers. Fred- Fearnot’s New Ranch, and Terry Managed It. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to _ any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy,. ' I money or postage stamps, by me FRANK TOUSEY, Pub., 24 Union 8q., N. ¥. Fred Fearnot and the Cheeky Dude; or, A Fred Fearnot and the Boy Rancher ; or, | Fred Fearnot’s Change of Front; or, Stag- And How He Secret Service Containing Great Detective Stories. Colored Covers. Price 5 cents. LATEST ISSUES: The Bradys and ‘Bedrock Bill’ ; “Deadman” from Deadwood. 3-The Bradys and the “King” of Chicago; or, The Man Who Cornered Corn. The Bradys and Admiral Brown; or, Work- ing for the United States Navy. 5 The Bradys and. ‘Madame Millions” ; The Case of the Wall Street Queen. The Bradys and the ‘Prince’ of Pekin; or, Called on a Chinese Clew. The Bradys Facing Death; or, Trapped by a Clever Woman. The Bradys’ Rio Grande Raid; or, Hot Work at Badman’s Bend. The Bradys’ Madhouse Mystery: or, The Search for Madame Montford. The Bradys and the Swamp Rats; or, After the Georgia Moonshiners. The Bradys and “Handsome Hal’; or, Dup- ing the Duke of Dakota. The Bradys and the Mad Financier; Trailing the ‘Terror’ ‘of Wall Street. The Bradys and the Joplin Jays; or, _. Three “Badmen’’ from Missouri. The Bradys and Capt. Klondike; Man from the North 32 pages. or, The or, or, The or, The : Pole The Bradys and the Wall Bereet Club; or,. Three Lost ‘‘Lambs.’’ The Bradys’ Lightning Raid: Chased Through the Hole in the Wall. The Bradys and the Hip Sing Ling; or, After the Chinese Free Masons. The Bradys’. Diamond Syndicate; or, The . Case of the “Marquis” of Wail Street. The Bradys and the Seven Masks; or, : ‘Strange Doings at the Doctors’ Club. The Bradys and the Se s Special ; . The Plot of the The Bradys and the Race Duke ; or, The Case of the Woman From Wall Street: For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by FRANK TOUSEY, Pub., 24 Union Sq,., N. ¥. or, or, Pluck and Luck ALL KINDS OF STORIES. Colored Covers. Price 5 cents. LATEST ISSUES: 382 pages. Ten. Treasure Houses of the By Richard R. .Montgom- ery. : Railroad Rob; or, The Train Wreckers of the West. By Jas. C. Merritt. A Millionaire at a or, The American Boy Croesus. By H. K. Shackleford. The Seven White Bears; or, The Band of Fate. A Story of Russia. By Richard R. Montgomery. Shamus O’Brien; or, The Bold Boy of Glin- gall: By Allyn Draper. The Skeleton Scout; or, The Dread Rider of the Plains. By An Old Scout. ; “Merry Matt’; or, The Will-o’-the-Wisp of * Wine. - A True Temperance Story. By H. __K. Shackleford. : The Boy With the Steel Mask: or, A Face That Was Never Seen. By Allan Arnold. Clear-the-Track Tom; or, The Youngest’ Hn- gineer on the Road. . By Jas. C. Merritt. Gallant Jack Barry, The Young Father of the American Navy. By Capt. Thos. H. Wilson. : Laughing Luke, The Yankee Spy of the Revo- lution. By Gen’! Jas. A. Gordon: — From Gutter to Governor; or, The Luck of a Waif. By H. K. Shackleford. Davy Crockett, Jr.; or, ‘“‘Be Sure You’re- Right, Then Go Ahead. 2 By An OW: Scout. - The Young Diamond Hunters: or, Two Run- '-away Boys in Treasure’ Land. A Story of the South African Mines. _ By. Allan. Arnold. ‘ The Phantom Brig; or, The Chase of the - Flying ee By -Capt. Thos. H.° Wil- son, S For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in. money or postage stamps, by FRANK TOUSEY, Pob., 24 Unton Sq., N. Y. 360° 3 or, The Tartar King. 361 362 363 874 THE. LIBERTY BOYS OF 76. A Weekly Magazine Containing Stories of the : e American Rey olution. Colored Covers. Price 5 dente: BY HARRY MOORE. LATEST ISSUES: The Liberty Boys at F rineeion. ‘or, ‘Wash- ington’s Narrow Escape. The ‘Liberiy Boys Heartbroken ; or, The De- sertion of Dick... The Liberty Boys in the Highlands: Working Along the Hudson. The Liberty Boys at Hackensack ; or, Beat- ing Back the British. The Liberty Boys’ Keg of Gold; or, Captain Kidd’s -Legacy. The Liberty Boys at Bordentown ;. or, Guard ing the Stores. - The Liberty Boys’ Best Act ; or, The Capture of Carlisle. The Liberty Boys on the Delaware: or, Do-. ing- Daring Deeds. The Liberty Boys’ eee Race; or, Beating the Redcoats Out. =e The Liberty Boys Deceived ; or, Dick Sla- ter’s Double. a The Liberty Boys’ Boy Allies; But Dangerous. The Liberty Boys’ Bitter Cup; or, ee - Back at Brandywine. : The. Liberty Boys’ Alliance: or, The Reds. Whe Helped. : The Liberty Boys on the War Path; After the Enemy.. The Liberty Boys After Cornwallis ; Worrying the Parl. The Liberty Boys’ ae the Liberty Bell; How They Saved The Liberty. Boys. and: ‘Lydia Darrah ; Sore A. Wonderful Woman’s Warning. The © Liberty . Boys