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HARVEY K. FORD’S...

Wall St.

HARVEY K. FORD'S...

Wall St. Story

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Tom Jones, the Messenger Boy
Or, The Swiftest Lad in Wall Street

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PAPER FOR

 

Issued Weekly and Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1906, by FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C,

 

Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office. October 19th, 1894,

 

Vol. XXIV. — (FRANK TOUSEY, Publigher, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 15, 1906. $2.00 Pen ANNUM, IN ApvANcE.. No, 622

24 Union Square, N. Y.

 

 

 

 

BOY FIREM AN Or, Always At the Front

By ROBERT LENNOX

 

 

 

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“Ready below, there?” shouted Captain Jack. “All ready !” replied Tim Flynn. “I’m coming!” “Jump!” With the child in his arms Jack leaped from
the balcony, and they shot down through the smoke and flames toward the life-net. :

 

 
x

 

 

“THE TURN OF THE WHEEL

At break of day he rode away
- To scorch and heal his grief,
-He’a quarrelled with his fiancee,

And thus he sought relief.

And she behind caMe riding soon,
“Not knowing he was gone,

And in the west the setting moon,
And in the east the dawn. _

And as the sun—a globe of fire—
_Arose and brought the morn,

The angry lover ran his tire
Upon a cruel thorn.

And pausing quickly to repair:
.. And get his second wind,
He gave a wail of wild despair—
He’d left his pump behind.

With hands up-clasping to the sky,
“Alas! alas!” he eried,

‘And then he heard a gentle sigh,
And she was by his side.

With pump in hand the maid did stand,
And pity in her eye;
Now morning smiles upon the land

CAPTAIN JACK

THE BOY FIREMAN
By ROBERT LENNOX

CHAPTER. Lf.
THE YOUNG FIRE CHIEF.

“Now, boys, give three rousing cheers
for Captain Jack Robinson, the best young
fire chief Salamander Fire Company ever
had. Hip-hip!”

“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” shouted
the twenty boys who were members of the
brigade of Factorytown volunteers, and
their voices made a deafening noise in the
neat little engine-house on Main street.

“Speech! Speech! ” exclaimed Nick
Jones,

Jack’s face flushed under his dark skin
but there was a gleam of intense catia.
tion inthis brown eyes as he bowed to the
-erowd of gallant young firemen who had
just elected him their captain.

“Well, boys,” he exclaimed in clear,. firm
tones, “nearly all my life I have wished
to be the captain of a fire company, and
my ambition is gratified at last. I can only
say that I will do everything in my power
to deserve the honor you conferred upon
me, and shall try to make Salamander No.
1 the greatest little wonder Factorytown
ever had. It all depends upon you fellows
carrying out my plans and attending. to
your duty.”

“Sure, yer kin depind upon us ter stick

ter yer through thick ‘an’ thin,” asserted
Tim Flynn, the foreman. “Hey, byes?”

“Yes! Yes!” roared the crowd, eagerly.

“Henry Fairfax, the president of the
woolen mill, and several other rich and
influential men in this town have given
us this house and the splendid little hand-
engine it contains,” proceeded Jack.
“They expect us to protect the property
of every one in the town against fire, and
the time has come for us to show them
what we can do. For some time past a
mysterious series of fires have broken out,
and no one seems able to learn their origin.
It is my firm belief that these fires are
the work of a gang of firebugs.”

A grave look settled upon every face
upon hearing this serious charge, and Bob
Dean shouted:

“Can you give a reason for them doing
such a wicked thing?”

“The object is either ‘robbery, or for the
purpose of getting insurance,” declared
Jack. “I do not believe that the fires were

lit by a person crazy on the subject of set-
ting fires to houses. I am firmly convinced
that the evil work was done for gain. And

I want every one of you boys to keep your

eyes open for firebugs, and try to have
them arrested when you. catch them at
their evil work.” ~*

_ After some further talk he glanced at
the handsome new hand-engine standing in
the middle of the room, and saying that
.*he was going home to supper, he took
leave of the boys and left the building.

Jack Robinson was an orphan of seven-
teen, and had supported himself ever since
he was fourteen years old, gaining what
education he had by studying at night,
after leaving the woolen mill in which he
worked.

e He now held the position of bookkeeper

-in the concern of which Henry Fairfax
was president, and was the most popular
fellow in the town.

He boarded with a widow named Mrs.
Harris, whose daughter Daisy also worked
in the factory, and it must be confessed
that. Jack and the girl had been sweet-

- hearts for some time past.

As the handsome, athletic boy made his
way down Main street toward Maple

. desperate people as you say,

| her.

 

‘avenue, he came abreast of the real estate

office of old Jasper Grimsby, a rich, miser-
ly man, who owned more houses and real
estate than anyone else in Factorytown.

The man stood in his doorway, clad in
a long frock coat, his back bent nearly
double, and his long gray hair framing a
gaunt, crafty face, and a pair of keen eyes
under bushy brows.

“How-de-do, Jack!” he grinned, rubbing
his bony fingers together. “I hear that
you were elected the new captain of the
volunteer fire department. He-he-he! I
hope you will make a better captain than
the fellow who held the place before you.
You know what his fate was, don’t you,
my boy? And—and—what if you were to
incur the enmity of the firebugs who are
burning up our town and should share
Martin’s fate?”

A frown gathered on Jack’s face, and
he paused and answered:

“Jasper Grimsby, poor Martin was shot
by an assassin, and some day the wretch
who did it will be brought to the scaffold.”

“He will, eh? Well, I hope so,” chuckled
the toothless old rascal, jeeringly. “And
will you be the one to expose the villain,
my dear boy?” /

“T hope to,” declared the young fireman,
with a nod and a sharp glance at the real
estate dealer. “Everybody in town is con-
vinced that poor Mart was a victim of fire-
bugs, and I am sure that he was killed to
silence him about something he knew of
the identity of the fiends who are terror-
izing this place.”

He saw the old fellow give a_ slight
start, and for an instant an expression of
anger gleamed in those deep-set eyes of
his.

“Ho-ho! So that’s what the gossips are
saying, are they?” he asked in rasping
tones. “Well, well! Maybe they were
right, my dear Jack. And if they are such
might it not
be just as well for you to look out that
you do not win their animosity right in
the beginning of your career as the .cap-
tain of the Salamanders? Mind you, I
take a very friendly interest in you, my
boy, and warn you just so as to put you
on your guard, you know.”

“Nothing in the world would give me
greater pleasure than to expose those
demons!” cried the boy, passionately, “and
you. Mark My words, Mr. Grimsby, I shall
do so yet!”

“IT hope so! I hope so!” purred the old
man, with a sickly grin, as he nodded his
gray head vigorously. “But if you do;
look out!” :

Jack passed on, for he detested this
man, as everyone else did in the town, on
account of his mean, heartless manner of
treating people who were unlucky enough
to get into his debt.

As he turned into Maple avenue a
stylishlty-dressed young fellow of twenty-
five, witha good-looking, dark, narrow
face, ran up to him with a small parcel
in his hands, and with a brisk, business-

like air tapped him on the shoulder and

asked in quick tones:

“Jack Robinson, I believe?”

“That’s my name,” assented the boy,
noting that the other was a stranger in
town. -" What can. I. do for you,: sir?”

“My name’s Dick Derringer. I-am-a
newcomer here. This evening E stood near
the woolen mill and saw a truck knock a
little bey down. A remarkably good-heart-
ed girl, whose name I learned was Daisy
Harris, was the first one to pick up the
youngster.
kind way that all my sympathy was won.”

“That’s just like Daisy!” nodded Jack,
with kindling eyes.

“Well,” proceeded Derringer, “I am
pretty well off, and I want to reward the
young lady for her kindness. Bat of
course I could not butt in, as I did not
have the pleasure of being acquainted with
I want to show that kind-hearted girl
that I appreciated what she did. So I
bought her this big five-pound box of the
best candy I could get. I was told that
you boarded with her mother, so I waited
for you. I want you to give it to her to-
night, and tell her not to open the package
until to-morrow when [I am gone So she
will not think I am too fresh, or si

“Well,” smiled Jack, taking the parcel,
“suppose I keep the candy over night and
give it to her to-morrow.”

“Just the plan!” eagerly eried the sleek,
plausible stranger. “You can say I sent
it to her as a slight token of appreciation
for her kind deed. You need not mention
My name, you know, and as I shall never
see her again, why, she could not get of-
fended at me for doing this, could she, old
chap?”

“Why, I should think not,” replied Jack,
who was quite won over by the frank,
pleasant way the fellow spoke, and he
glanced at a snake ring; with an emerald
on its crest, on Derringer’s little finger.

“Will you kindly do me this great favor,
then?”

“T shall, with pleasure.” ay

“The reason I choose you,” went on
the other, glibly, “was because I heard
that you and she were—well, quite fond
of each other, and——”

“Yes, yes. It was a delicate way to get
around the subject,” laughed Jack. “Thank
you in her name. I shall attend to it.”

“Very well. Now I'll be off, as I must

She cared for him in such a-

r

 

‘hurry to the hotel to pack my erip.

part early to-morrow. Good-by!”

He held out a sinuous white hand, as
cold and clammy as that of a corpse, and
Jack shuddered as he shook it.

The next moment Dick Derringer. was
zone. -

Puzzled over the incident, ang wonder-
ing what Daisy would say about it, Jack
went on to the neat little cottage, and was
met by Daisy herself at the gate.

She was a beautiful girl of sixteen, with
laughing blue eyes and golden hair, and
every boy in town was jealous of Jack
for having won the affection of such a
happy, winsome creature.

“Oh, Jack,” she cried, “I am so glad you
have come! Mamma has promised at last
to tell us that secret which has so long
been preying on her mind. Come in!
Come in! J am just dying to learn what
it iss”

“All right; in a moment,” laughed the
boy. “But first, I’ve got a word to say
to you in private, Daisy. You have won an
unknown admirer.”

“Why, Jack, what do you mean?” she
asked, with a puzzled look.

“Remember aiding a little boy who got

run over?”

“Oh, yes! ” she replied quickly, as a sad
expression came into her eyes. “It was
little Tommy Flynn. But he escaped seri-
ous injury, Jack.”

“Well, a-rich young swell saw how kind
you were, and sent you this package as a
token of his appreciation. You are not to
get it till to-morrow, when I will tell you
his name.”

“Can’t I open it now?” she pleaded: for
her curiosity. was aroused.

“No, not until to-morrow,
him,” laughed the boy.

“All right, It shall be as you say, Jack,”
she smiled back.

Then they went into the cosy little din-
ing-room, where Mrs. Harris had a nice
supper ready for them.

The widow was a kind, motherly woman,
with pure white hair and qa stout figure,
and she greeted Jack as if he were her
own son.

Both she and Daisy were delighted when
they heard that the boy had been. electdd
eaptain of the engine company and warmly
eongratulated him.

“And now, mamma,” said Daisy, as they
sat down to the table, “I have told Jack
that you were willing to tell us the secret
you have been worrying over so long, and

Te promised

‘we are both just aching to hear it.”

“It is simply a part of my past history,

Jack,” said the widow, as a melancholy ex-.

pression crossed her face. “I am dread-
fully anxious about the matter on account
of something that happened to-day, so I
made up my mind to tell you my troubles
and ask your advice.”

“You can depend that I will do anything
under the sun for you,” answered the
young fireman, earnestly.

“T know you will, my boy,” replied Mrs.
Harris. “And heaven knows that I need
the advice of a sensible person just now.
The story is this: Years ago my husband
was a partner of Jasper Grimsby. ~ They
both had’ plenty money and bought up a
good part of the land upon which Factory-
towh now stands, intending to speculate
by selling it off in building lots. They
had partnership papers drawn up to that
effect, and when they started in they be-
gan to Make money hand over fist. There
was a tremendous boom in real estate here,
and my husband told me that in a few
years the advance in value would make
him a millionaire.”

“T see,” said Jack, as the widow paused,

“Well,” continued Mrs. Harris, “just as
everything looked so prosperous my hus-
band suddenly disappeared and was never
seen again alive. I gave him up as dead
when all the searching failed to show us
what had become of him, A year later
a body beyond recognition was taken from
the river, wearing the clothing my hus-
band had on when he vanished. Papers in
the pockets and some jewelry seemed to
prove that it was my husband’s corpse,
and I buried it as such.”

“Then you don’t know how he came to

die?”

“No. And I never will. I thought, of
course, that he had left my child and I
well off, but you can imagine my surprise
when I went to Mr. Grimsby and asked
him for an accounting. He coolly told
me that my husband had not left any-
thing. He declared that my husband was
only a clerk of his—never was his partner,
and defied me to prove that any partner-
ship existed between them.

made a search for me, and we found that
the papers had not been recorded.”

“But your husband must have had a
copy of the partnership agreement.”

“And so he did, but I never could find
it, for he had hidden it somewhere in this
house and never told me where he put
it. ob

“Could you prove your claim if you had
this paper?”

“It is the only way in which I could
do so.”

“Then, by jingo, I shall see if I cannot
aid you to find it.”

A low, chuckling laugh broke out behind
the boy just then, and as he started and

2 Se f

I de-

A lawyer”

 

ctneed over bis shoulder he saw: that 7
door was ajar.

The next instant it was pushed
open, and the bent figure of Jasper Gi
by came gliding into the room.

CHAPTER II.
THE INFERNAL MACHINE.

“So-ho!” grinned the old real esta A
dealer, as he stood glaring at them and
rubbing his hands together. “Talking:
about me, are you?” ae

“What do you mean by sneaking
side of that door listening to our conye
tion?” demanded Jack, rising wrathfull
from the table.

“Now, now, my dear boy, don’t get hot
under the collar,” softly answered the old
reprobate, leering amiably at Jack.
really meant no harm. It was quite by
cident that I overheard part—only p
mind you, of the talk about me. - You s¢
I came here on a little business of
own with the Widow Harris, and that
how I happened to be at the door.”

Jack sat down and glanced inquiring
at. Daisy’s mother.

The good women had turned as pal
death, and was trembling with nervous
citement, as she said to the young:
chief:

“Oh, Jack, he has come to put us
of this house!” and then she burst
tears and sobbed miserably.

“What!” exclaimed the boy, as if
searcely believed the evidence of
senses. “He has come to put us out 0
here? Don’t you own this house?” -

“He claims to hold a mortgage on it,
sobbed the widow. “He said it was lon;
over due, that no interest has been paid
and that he wants me to pay him th
principal and interest at once or get out.

Jack was almost stunned by the shoe
of surprise these words gave him, and he
got up again and faced Grimsby wit
flashing eyes.

“So!” he panted furiously.
your game, is it?”

“My dear boy, this is no affair of you
remember,” grinned the old rascal, bari
his toothless gums.

“Do you mean to tell me,” thundees
the excited. boy, “that you have robb
and swindled this poor woman out of her
husband’s interest in your business, and
now have the cast-iron gall to eome here.
and try to put her out of house and home

“Tut, tut!” snapped Grimsby, a dar!
look creeping over his wrinkled features.
“Those are pretty strong words, Ja
Robinson, and are actionable in“any cor
of justice.’

“Why, you ranting old hypocrite!” =
claimed Jack, seizing him by the colla
of his coat, “how dare you come into this
house and talk about justice after the un-
just way you have robbed this poor
woman? Confound you; I won’t stand it!
You have no more claim on this place tha
I have, and by thunder I shall make yo
prove yourself a liar!”

“Oh, will you?” asked. Grimsby, regain-
ing his composure, and grinning at the boy
again. “Well, I do not see how you are
going to do it.
am here on legitimate business. My mon-
ey is invested in this house, and I can’t
afford to let you people live here for noth-
ing. If Mrs. Harris will pay Me rent for
the premises she ean stay here.”

“Not a cent!” cried the boy, fiercely.
“You don’t own this house, but she does,
and I’d sooner see it burned to the ground
than to permit her to pay you to stay
here.”

“Is that a threat to burn this house?”
asked the old villain. “Are you threatenin
to burn it down? JI call on these peo
to witness what you said. | You talk ¢
burning the house, and Aes

“You get out of here!” ue Jack in
exasperated tones, and unable to stand the ©
man any longer, he rushed him to ts for
and kicked him out.

Grimsby landed on his back on
ground, but he scrambled to his feet,

a Satanic grin on his yellow face,
cried: 3
“Well, well! How rough you are! 1]

I shall forget and forgive it, my d
Jack. A time will come when you Wi
bitterly repent of having treated: a poo
old man so badly. You ought to
ashamed of yourself. But I bear you ni
malice—oh, no, no malice! . Nor am I mak.
ing any threats against you. I wow

do such a thing.”

“Shut up and get out of here!” storm
Jack, wildly. “Do you want me to
you a good beating, you sneaky old bla
guard?”

He started toward the man, and Gri
by bolted for the gate.

With a look of supreme disgust,

“So that

‘went into the house, where he foun

widow and her daughter in tears over
impending danger. oo

Jack consoled them as best he cou
and they finally prepared to retire
night, wondering what Grimsby wo
next. :

He picked up the package Dick
ringer had given him for Daisy an
ried it up to his room, where he laid
his bureau.

 

Don’t: be foolish, Jack. a
HAPPY DAYS.

 

 

 

 

he ‘boy then went to bed, for ne bea
get up early next day to attend to his
tes as bookkeeper in the woolen mill.
Ti 1e boy slept soundly, despite the excit-
§ experiences through which he had

e.
At about two o’clock in the morning he
Ss suddenly aroused by hearing a violent
plosion in the room.
To his astonishment he saw the package
erringer had given him in the act of
ng to pieces, a jet of fire fying up in
ir, and myriads of burning particles
ring all around the room.
odor of ‘gasoline filled the apart-

‘The startled boy jumped. out of bed.

e saw that everywhere the sparks of
burning gasoline fell they set fire to the
Turniture and earpet.

Jack quickly pulled his confused senses
together and hurried into hig clothing,
Ww: re what es all meant.

the situation, —

Good heavens!” he muttered. “That
package must have been an infernal ma-
chine designed to set fire to this house.”

The boy was thunderstruck.

He could not understand why Derringer,
a total stranger, desired to cause the de-
truction of the poor widow’s humble little

n a minute more the young fireman
led the blankets from his bed, and at-

: ‘While he was so engaged Mrs. Hartis
and. her daughter came rushing into the
room with white, scared faces and saw
What he was doing.

“Jack, for mercy’s sake, what has hap-

pened?” gasped the widow.

“Run to a telephone and send in an

alarm!” he panted, as he beat at the
flames. “I. have no time to explain now,
Mrs, Harris.”

AS the widow dashed out of the room
Daisy caught up some of the bedding
and ran to Jack’s assistance, for it was
hard to extinguish the purning gasoline,
although the young fireman wad ce
2 furiously.

- "Don’t stay here, Daisy!” panted the
boy. “You may get burned. I will be able
‘to manage it. Run for your valuables—
‘quick! ”

“No, no!” she retorted spiritedly. “I

will help you. This job is more than you
are able to handle alone.”
They kept at it for five minutes longer,
but the flames kept getting the best of
_them every moment, despite all their ef-
forts.

Both were heated and half exhausted,
pien they heard the welcome jangling of
a bell and the sound of many running feet
‘Im the street, and as the boy ran to the
Window and flung it open he saw the en-
gine outside and a dozen of the young fire-
Men pulling it close to a water plug.
“Come in here, boys!” he shouted. “We
_don’t need the engine. Help me to beat
out these flames, and we can save the cot-
tage!”
_ Mrs. Harris was at the door to let them
“in, and as Tim Flynn led the boys up the
stairs, and they saw what the trouble was,
_ all set to work, and under their fierce on-
- slaught they soon subdued the fire.
~ Inside of half an hour there was not the
slightest spark left. The carpet was burn-
ed, and the furniture, walls and draperies
were badly scorched, but the cottage was
saved from destruction.
_ “How did your room get afire?” asked
Tim, wonderingly.
“I met a villain in the street, and he
_ gaye me an infernal machine in the form
of a box of candies for Daisy. It must
have been furnished with a clock-work

- which exploded it about two o’clock, and it

threw burning around the
room, ”
“Bad luck ter ther villain as did it, as

* ther soldier said whin he got his head

gasoline all

.. blowed off!” exclaimed the indignant fore-

Mian of the Salamaders. “Will ye tell me
where we kin foind him?”

“If I knew I would go right out now and
give him the beating he deserves!” de-
clared Jack. “Perhaps I may meet him

- “Shure, an’ what cbject had he in thryin’
ter set this house afire?”
- “That's a mystery to me,” replied Jack,
shrugging his shoulders.

' Mrs. Harris and Daisy had been Peeper.
to what Jack said, and the widow now
stepped forward and queried:

-“Do you think the man who gave you
that supposed box of candy was in the em-

joy of Jasper Grimsby?”
_ “Why do you ask that?” asked the boy
in startled tones.
“It’s only a suspicion,” hastily answer-
ed the good woman. “You know he claim-
ed this house and was refused. Out of
spite he might have hired someone to play
‘this trick to get rid of us.’

“But I got this infernal machine before
‘he came here.”

~"“] know it,” she answered. “There
might have been a deeper motive behind
the whole thing.”

“To what are you alluding?” asked Jack
in some gurprise.
“Well, you know that my shad hid
a porenoreiye papers somewhere in this

‘premises, he swore that

 

‘was a very jealous girl,

 

 

 

 

house, and if £ they were burned up, aa |

by would have ‘nothing farther ‘to fear
from me.”

“By thunder, I believe your argument is.

right!” exclaimed the boy.

CHAPTER III.
AT THE MILL.

On the following morning, while Jack
was in the office of the Eagle Woolen Mill,
the door opened and Mr. Fairfax came in
with Jasper Grimsby.

The president of the mill was a tall,
portly man, with gray side-whiskers, and
he was dressed with scrupulous care.

“There’s the young villain now!” ex-
claimed the real estate dealer with a sickly
grin, as he pointed at the boy. “When I
was at the Widow Harris’ cottage yester-
day demanding of them to vacate the
he would burn
down the house before he would let them
move out. And, my dear Mr. Fairfax, a
few hours afterward the cottage was in
flames. I must say that it looks decidedly
suspicious.”

The president of the woolen mill was a
very stern man.

He fastened a keen, searching glance
upon Jack, whose cheeks had colored under
the insidious accusation of Grimsby, and
he demanded:

“Robinson, what have you to say in an-
swer to the charge just Made by my old
friend Jasper Grimsby?”

“Why, sir,” replied the boy, “he tells
the truth. I don’t deny it at all. But
I will explain, sir, that the fire originated
in an infernal machine which came into
my possession in a very peculiar manner.”

“Indeed! And would you mind telling
me how it happened?” asked the rich man
in cold, measured tones.

“Certainly, sir,” replied the boy, and he
thereupon explained all the details of his
meeting with Dick Derringer.

When he finished Grimsby uttered a
scornful laugh, and asked derisively:

“And do you expect us to believe such
an unlikely story as that, my dear Robin-
son? Pooh, pooh! We are not so insane
as to believe any such ridiculous yarn.
Now own up—didn’t you set fire to the
eottage to get square with me for the
scolding I gave you?”

“No, L. didn’t!” indignantly ain
Jack. “That threat of mine was provoked
by your tantalizing talk, and was only a
figure of speech, anyway. I did not have
the slightest intention of carrying out any
such infamous proceeding, and you know
it very well, Jasper Grimsby.”

“Oh-ho! So you are trying to crawl
out of it now, are you?” chuckled the sly
old villain, rubbing his hands together
softly. “Well, it is no more than I ex-
pected. Of course no man is going to de-
liberately convict himself of a charge of
incendiarism, and I never expected that
you would. Of course I don’t, charge you
With the crime; my dear boy. But I could
not help forming my own conclusions
about the matter. And as Mr. Fairfax is
a dear friend of mine, I thought it safest
to notify him about the character of his

employee, for one never knows whom to

trust in business nowadays. I don’t want
my dear friend Fairfax to come to grief by
harboring a firebug. That’s why I warn-
ed him, you know.”

Jack turned pale with anger and shook
his fist at the man.

“You toothless old monster,” he shout-
ed, “you are trying to cast an. unjust sus-
picion upon me! You are trying to ruin
me with my employers because I kicked
you out of the cottage after you falsely
claimed that the property was yours! You
thief! You liar! You infernal old

“Here, Robinson,” cried the president,
reprovingly, “I shall not allow you to use
such violent language in this office.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Fairfax,” humbly an-
swered the boy, rapidly cooling off. “That
man drives Me half wild with anger, and I
can’t stand quiet while he is viciously try-
ing to smirch my character.”

Although Mr. Fairfax did not like Grims-
by, it was often necessary for him to go
to the man for money when he needed it
in his business, and he therefore did not

| care to antagonize him.

He said no more, but passed into his
private office with the old rascal and left
Jack to get over his rage as best he could.

Shortly afterward Grimsby went away,
giving the boy an evil grin as he passed
out of the door, and Jack noticed that the
president of the mill treated him with
marked coolness after that.

It troubled the boy, as he feared that
he might lose his job, and this he could
ill-afford to do under the circumstance.

In the rush of business that followed he
soon forgot his troubles, however, and to-
ward noon Mr. Fairfax went out.

He had not been gone more than five
minutes before his daughter Gertrude
came in and greeted Jack with a sweet
smile.

The heiress was a tall, thin blonde,
dressed in the height of fashion, and -wore
a stylish bonnet on her yellow hair.

She was about twenty-five years old, and
with a haughty,

 

overbearing manner toward those whom
she considered her social inferiors.

But she had taken a violent fancy to the
handsome young bookkeeper, and always
acted most amiably toward him.

“Good morning, Jack!” she exclaimed
sweetly. “Is papa in?”

“How are you, Miss Fairfax,” replied
the boy, with difficulty hiding an aversion
he had for the affected creature. “Your
father went out.on business a few minutes
ago. Can I do anything for you?”

“Why, yes,” she answered with an arch
smile. “I have been curious to see the
new machinery in operation. Would you
mind going into the mill with me and
showing me how that new machine
works?”

“I guess I can spare a. few minutes,”
laughed the boy, “more especially when
the request comes from our president’s
daughter.”

“And wouldn’t you do it for my sake,
even if I were not the only child of the
president of this company?” she pouted
coquettishly.

“Why, certainly I would,” replied Jack,
and that answer brought a smile to the
homely face of this petted and spoiled girly

“Then lead the way,” she exclaimed.
“And if papa finds fault for neglecting
your work, I shall take all the blame.”

Jack led her into the operating room,
where all the machinery was spinning,
while the girls and boys working there
attended to their duty.

The machine to which Miss Fairfax re-
ferred was the one which Daisy operated,
and this rich and arrogant young woman
detested the poor widow’s daughter, for
re knew that she and Jack cared for each
other.

Moreover, she was intensely jealous of
Daisy’s wonderful beauty.

A frown came over her face when she
saw that Daisy attended the new machine
which she wanted to see, and she tilted
up her nose and said:

“Oh, dear, I did not know that. that
horrid Harris girl was the one who oper-
ated this machine, Jack.”

The boy said nothing, but bit hig lip
with vexation when he. saw Daisy’s face
turn crimson under the marked insult.

“Did you hear me?” spitefully asked
Miss Fairfax, fixing a sneering glance upon
her humble little rival.

“Miss Harris is the most skillful opera-
tor in the mill,” said Jack, with dignity.
“That’s why she was given this machine,
I presume.”

“Indeed!” jeered the president's daugh-
ter disagreeably.

She stepped back as she spoke, and with-
out seeing her danger, she leaned against
a moving band of leather belting, the two
ends of which were fastened together by
broad, strong pieces of brass.

Unluckily for her, one of these pieces of
brass had parted, and as it now formed a
powerful hook, it suddenly caught in the
waist of Miss Fairfax’s dress and dragged
her up from the floor.

The moving belt was now carrying the |

screaming and terrified girl up to the ceil-
ing, where it ran over a pulley set close
to the ceiling.

Shriek after shriek burst from the alarm-

| ed girl’s lips, for she was threatened with

being mangled to death between the iron
pulley and the heavy beams just above it.

While everyone in the room who saw
the accident was shouting and screaming,
Jack retained his presence of mind and
sprang forward.

He caught hold of the girl, braced him-
self and pulled backward.

The resuit was that the hook tore itself
free of the silk dress with a loud noise,
and the young woman fell to the floor.

In an instant Jack lifted her; and she
threw her arms around his neck, and sob-
bing hysterically, she proceeded to try to
faint away.

When a workman rushed up and said he
was going to throw a pail of water over
her head to bring her to, she promptly re-
covered, as she did not wish to get her
handsome costume ruined entirely.
 Stiil panting, weeping and occasionally
shrieking, she finally muttered:

“Qh, Jack, how brave it was of you to
save My life! ”

“Don’t mention it, Miss Fairfax,” replied
the boy, striving to conceal a grin that

‘was trying to overspread his face.

“T shall never forget you for that!” she
proceeded gushingly.

“You got a bad shock; hadn’t you better
go home now, Miss Fairfax?”

Suddenly she stood straight up as her
glance fell upon Daisy’s smiling face, for
she saw that the pretty little mill girl was
on to her assumed hysterical fit, and it
mortified her deeply.

“You low, common object!” she suddenly
shouted at poor Daisy. “It was your fault
that I Met with this accident!”

“T don’t see how you figure that out,
Miss Fairfax!” laughed Daisy, paying no
attention to her offensive manner.

“Oh, don’t you, indeed?” sneered the
other. “Well,
know that your belting was out of order,
and you should have reported it to the
superintendent. It nearly cost me my life,

you nasty thing,.and I shall see that my |

father hears about it and discharges you

| from this mill.

it was your business to-

 

You are ‘not competent to
hold your position, at all.”

“Don’t you think so?” asked Daisy, de-
fiantly. 2

“No, I don’t!” snapped the other. “Ah,
here is Mr. Brown now!” :

“What is the trouble, Miss Fairfax?”
asked the superintendent, as he rushed up
to the spot. “Has anything happened?”

“That girl’s incompetence caused the
belting to catch me, and I was nearly kill-
ed!” cried Miss Fairfax, as she pointed an
accusing finger at Daisy. “I demand that
you discharge her on~-the spot! Do you
understand, sir!”

“But, Miss Fairfax——” began Jack, re-
proachfully.

“Silence!” screamed the girl. “I mean
to have my way in this! You heard what
I said, I believe, Mr. Brown?”

CHAPTER IV.

OUT OF WORK.

As soon as Gertrude Fairfax spoke she
was taken with another fake hysterical fit,

and the superintendent led her out to her

carriage in silence. As she had her hand-
kerchief to her eyes, she thought it was
Jack who was escorting her.

But when she finally saw that it was
Mr. Brown, her pale blue eyes glared with
rage, and she screamed at the poor man:

“Why, I thought you were Jack Robin-
son! How dared you presume to come out
to my carriage with me, sir?”

“Why, Miss Fairfax, » stammered the
superintendent, “you ,were ill, and I
thought it was my duty.

“Silence, sir!” she snapped, stamping her

99

“Go back to your work, sir! And do not
forget: to dismiss that Harris girl, as [
ordered! Do you understand?”

“Yes, Miss Fairfax,” humbly answered
Brown, bowing to her.

With a feeling of deep mortification, the
haughty heiress sprang into her barouche
and was driven away.

In the meantime Jack walked over to
Daisy and said ruefully:

“Did you ever see such a mean girl be-
fore?”

“Jack, I was not to blame for the acci-
dent,” said Daisy, whose cheeks were still
flushed with resentment. “She is about
he meanest girl I ever had the misfortune
to meet. I suppose I am out of a job
now.”

“Brown will have to do as she ordered,
or her father will bounce him, - too,” said
the boy, a frown gathering on his brow.

“Well, it can’t be helped,” said Daisy,
and despite her struggles to suppress her
feelings, tears filled her eyes and her lips
trembled.

“The money you earn is of great agsist-
ance to your mother, Daisy,” said the boy.
“She will miss it; but you may get another
place soon.”

All the different operatives standing
near who had seen and heard what Miss
Fairfax said openly expressed their resent-
ment, and said it was the meanest act
they had ever witnessed.

Their sympathy only made Daisy feel
worse, however.

Just then Brown came in and approach-
ed the widow’s daughter.

“Miss Harris,” said he, “you will have
to report to the cashier for your pay and
look for another place.”

“Then you are going to take your orders
from a stuck-up girl, who owns no intere
est. in this firm, are you?” asked Daisy,
scornfully. :

“I have got to, Miss Harris. She is the
president’s daughter, and will tell her
father to fire me out if I do not obey her. z

“Mr. Brown,” said Jack, angrily, “you
have no right to take orders from- Miss
Fairfax, and Miss Harris shall not go!”

“She’ il have to go!”

“Not until some official of this company
discharges her, sir!”

CC BUE E insist, ” began Brown. :
no right to interfere. ”

There were over fifty operatives gather-
ed around them, and when they saw that
Brown was determined to carry out the
order of Gertrude Fairfax, one of the girls
eed up to the superintendent and ask-
a

“You hove

“Are you going to bounce Daisy Harris
on that girl’s order?”

“ve got to.”

“Ig Miss Harris discharged now?”

“T am sorry to say she is.”

“Very well, then. We are all going to
quit, and not one of us will come back
until you take Daisy back, too!”

A cheer escaped the whole crowd, off
came their aprons and a rush was made
for the cloak room for their hats. -

Brown became alarmed, and shouted for
them to come back and 20 to. work or he
would have to shut down the plant. But
no one paid any heed to him, and the
whole crowd left the building in a body
with Daisy.

_ “Now see what you have acne ” exclaim-
ed “Jack, bitterly. “You have caused a -
strike, Mr. Brown. The president’s daugh-
ter had no right to order you to discharge
Miss Harris. You will have to account. to

 
HAPPY DAYS.

 

 

 

 

=

the company for that. I warned you a6i

to sack Daisy.”
And leaving the aupertntendent looking
_the picture of despair, the boy went back
to the office to attend to his books.
Pretty soon Mr. Fairfax came in. .
-“Robinson,” he exclaimed harshly, as he

- fixed his cold gray eyes upon the boy, “I

have been making some inquiries about
that fire at your house, and I must say 1
don’t like it at all.”

The boy started and faced his Soe
eoolly.

“You mean,” said he, in measured tones,
“that to please Mr. Grimsby you are going
to discharge me. Is that what you want
to get at?”

The old eentleman compressed his lips
and nodded his head.

““~T mean,” said he, deliberately, “that
your actions in regard to that fire were
highly suspicious, and that we do not wish
to have in our employ people who might
be proven to be incendiaries.”

“In other words, sir, you value the
financial aid of that old scoundrel above
the honest service I am giving you. You
ean get plenty bookkeepers, but you can-
not get money on loan so easily.”

“We will not discuss this matter any
further, sir! We would be glad to receive
your resignation at once. You can go to
the cashier and draw a full week’s pay.”

And waving his hand to dismiss the sub-
ject, the president of the Hagle. Woolen
Mills turned on his heel and passed into
his private office.

Jack got his money, put on his hat and
left the building, almost stunned by this
unexpected blow.

“Daisy and I are both down and out at
the same time!” he thought, as he walked
up the street. “It’s too bad! What in the
world shall we do now? By jingo, J am

- worried. Grimsby has got the best of me,
after all!”

Jack walked down the street, thinking
deeply.

When he reached the grocery store he
- met Tim Flynn with a big.poster in his
hand, and a broad grin overspread the jolly
foreman’s face.

“Hello, Jack!” he cried. “Shure, an’
it’s an army of frinds Miss Daisy has, as
ther feller ses whin he had a bunch of
money.” i

“Friends? What do you mean, Tim?”

“Paith, I met ther gang from ther mill
an’ they towld me about ther shtrike. Be-
gorry, I’d like ter meet Miss Fairfax; if
I was ter tell yer what I think av her
gittin’ Daisy bounced, I’d git arrested for
profanity.”

“Gee! How fast the news travels!”

‘“T’m sorry, Me bye, aS me father said
whin he gave me a lickin’, but that’s all
ther good it’ll do Daisy. An’ she so good
ter little brother Tommy!”

“Thank you for your sympathy, Tim.
I’m bounced, too.”

And he told Tim all about what hap-
pened.

Tim was as mad as fury at Grinisby,
and berated him roundly.
“Kin ye git another job?” asked the
young Irishman. :
- “Pm sure I don’t know yet.
you doing?” —

“Tm goin’ ter hang this notice up in
-ther Dutchman’s grocery.”

“What is it about?”

“Sure, all ther rich manufacturers in

- ther town have clubbed tergether an’ made
up a purse av ten thousand dollars for
ther arrest av ther foirebug who has been
settin’ ther buildin’s in this place ablaze.

This is wan av ther posters offerin’ ther
reward.”

“Let me read it,” said Jack, eagerly.

- Tim handed it over, and the young cap-
tain of the fire company saw that Tim had
stated the truth about the reward.

There was a thoughtful look upon the

- boy’s face when he finished his perusal: of
the notice, and he suddenly exclaimed:

7 BY. thunder, I am going to earn that
reward, Tim!”

“Be nabbin’ ther firebug?”

exactly: *

“More power. ter yer, thin, an’ I hope yer
will.”

“T am out of work now, and I may as
well spend my time at trying to run down
the rascals as to be walking the streets in
idleness. ”

“Have ye any clew?”

“T have a suspicion that Grimsby is the
-instigator of these fires, and I am going
to verify my suspicion.’

“Well, now yer come ter spake his name,
it occurs ter me that most av ther houses
- burned down are those he owned, bad luck
ter him!”

“He may be doing it to get the insur-
ance, Tim.”

“Ts ther sly aould fox he is, an’ heeorey:
yez will have ter be moighty shmart ter
eatch him, Jack.”

“T realize what a hard proposition that
man is,” said the boy, seriously, “and I do
not expect to win without a good deal of
trouble. But I shall beat him in the end

- if he is the guilty man, you can bet your
- life! Don’t forget, Tim, that the mysteri-
ous fires that are breaking out in this

_town have caused many sad deaths. If
the fires were kindled on purpose, the man

. who caused them is no better than a mur-

What are

_-derer, and the quicker he is brought to

as yours.

 

 

susie the better. If ie is allowed to go
on with his infernal work much longer it
will be unsafe for anyone to live in Fac-
torytown. Do not mention my resolve to
anyone.”

“Depind upon me, Jack.”

They shook hands and parted, and as
the boy started for home to tell Daisy
how he, too, lost his job, he suddenly
caught sight of a very familiar figure mov-
ing along ahead af him,

It was Dick Derringer, the rascal who
had given him the infernal machine which
had set fire to the widow’s cottage.

“Just the fellow I most wish to see!”
joyfully muttered the boy.

He quickened his footsteps, and followed
after the brisk young fellow with the de-
termination of having him arrested.

Derringer glanced back over his shoul-
der, and a cynical smile was upon his dark,
narrow face as he caught sight of the boy
following him.

He hurried down Main street at a rapid
pace.

Jack ran after him and shouted:

“Hey, there! Stop! Stop!”

Instead of obeying, the stranger broke
into a run, and Jack raced after him at
the top ‘of his speed. They passed out of
the town to a dusty country road, where
Derringer suddenly came to a pause.

CHAPTER V.

A STRANGE COMPACT.

“Vou hold on there a minute!” exclaim-
ed Jack, wrathfully.

“Well, young fellow, what do you want?”
was the cool answer.

“TI want a few minutes’
with you!”

“T expected as much,” said Derringer,
with an annoying smile, as he thrust his
hands into his pockets and sauntered to-
ward Jack. | “That's: why. ixran. “Didnt

conversation

-want anyone to hear what we said, so I

led you out On the suburbs. We are quite
alone here, as you can see.”

Jack saw that he had a cool, daring man
to deal with.

He was evidently a fellow who carefully
calculated all his chances.

Subduing his indignation, the young’ fire-
man strode up to within a few feet of the
stranger and demanded in sharp tones:

“What did you Mean by giving me an in-
fernal machine to burn down my home?

‘Who told you to make up that big lie you

gave me?”

Derringer gave a short laugh.

“You baffled my game, didn’t you?” he
asked, quizzically.

“Then you admit your guilt?”
Jack, with @ frown.
= “Why, certainly I do,” was the brazen
reply.

. “You seoundrel!” roared Jack, unable to
bridle his temper.

“Don’t get mad,” laughed Derringer, as
he took a cigarette from hig case and lit
it. “It won’t do you any good to lose your
temper, Robinson.”

“Don’t you know that your crime is a
states prison offense?”

“Of eourse 1 do,” admitted the other,
indifferently.

“And that I am going to see that you
go behind the bars for what you did?” con-
tinued Jack, glaring angrily at the rascal.

“You couldn’t possibly do it. Moreover,
if by chance you did happen to get me in
court, I would deny your accusation.’

“But you have just admitted your guilt

asked

to me.”

“Say, Robinson, you are certainly a
chump! Do you suppose I would have
owned up to my guilt if there’ were wit-
nesses present?”

“They ain’t necessary! ”

“Oh, yes, they are. My word is as good
A prisoner is considered inno-
cent until he is proven guilty in the eyes
of the law. Now, what early chance have
you got to prove me guilty?”

A cold ehill shot through the young fire-
man when he recalled to mind that no one
had seen Derringer give him the infernal
machine.

Moreover, the artful scoundrel had taken
good care to lead him to a lonely spot
where no one would overhear their con-
versation.

Consequently he was pretty safe, and
Jack knew it now.

“Blast you!” muttered the boy. “You
think you can escape by bluffing, but you
won't. Ill take you to the police mysclf
and try to convict you. You are too dan-
gerous a man to leave loose on the town.”

He started toward the villain, but was
brought to a sudden pause by hearing the
ominous click-click! of a revolver, and the
next instant he was looking into the muz-
zie of a glittering blue tube Derringer had
suddenly jerked out of his pocket.

“Stop where you are!” hissed the rascal.

“Coward!” jeered the boy, watching for
a chance to reach him, out of the way of
the bullet that was aimed at his brain.

“If you come one inch nearer I'll pull
the trigger,” said Derringer, fiercely.

“Why don’t you shoot now?” taunted the
young fireman.

“T don’t intend to kill you unless you
make it necessary, Robinson.”

“Afraid ‘of getting nae ain’t you?”

 

“Not ¢ a bit of it. I have got a fer better
plan.”
“Name it.”

“How much money is hung up as a re-
ward for the capture of the firebugs who
are burning the houses of Factorytown?”

Jack gazed at Derringer wonderinegly.

He could not understand what the cool
rascal was driving at.

“Ten thousand dollars,” he replied.

“Could you get that amount for my cap-
ture if it were proven that I was the fire-
bug who tried to burn down the Widow
Harris’ cottage?”

“T could get the money the moment I
land you in jail with proof of your guilt,”
replied Jack. “And I mean to do the
trick, too, Derringer!”

“You can, under one condition,” said the
firebug, calmly.

“What do you mean?” demanded Jack
in amazement.

“T want to make a deal with you. Now
suppose I. go with you to the police sta-
tion and admit the charge you make
against me, would you be willing to give
me half of the reward after I come out of
prison?”

This cool, audacious offer almost took
Jack’s breath away.

He stared at Derringer curiously, think-
ing the man was crazy; then, intending
to humor the fellow’s queer whim, he nod-
ded his head and said:

“Why, certainly I would.”

“All right, then,” suddenly exclaimed
Derringer, putting his pistol in his pocket
and approaching the boy. “J’ll take you
at your word. Arrest me. [ll risk prison
for the sake of five thousand dollars,
Robinson.”

“What!” gasped the startled young fire-
man. “Are you joking?”

“Never was more in earnest in all my
life. And look out that you keep your
word with me. If you try any skin games
you won’t live twenty-four hours after I
am out of prison—do you understand?”

Jack now felt sure that the man was a
lunatic.

Still wishing to humor
laughed and said:

“Oh, I won’t break my. contract with you
if you go along quietly and do not try to
play any games on me.”

“All right. Now just wait a moment.”

He whistled in a peculiar manner, and

his whim, he

‘to the amazement of Jack, the bushes at

the roadside parted and two men sudden-
ly stepped into view.

One was a short, thick-set fellow, with
square jaws covered with red bristles, a
cap on his head and a rough suit on his
heavy body.

The other was tall and wiry, with a
sneaky-looking face, shifty eyes, and wore
a shabby-genteel suit and a derby hat.

In the hand of each man there gleamed
a revolver.

An amused smile noverea over Der-
ringer’s dark face as he watched ,the ex-
pression of amazement Jack wore when
he gazed at these two hang-dog wretches,
and he asked the boy:

“Didn’t know they were hidden there,
did you?”

“No,” answered Jack, shaking his head.

“Both had you covered with their re-
volvers behind the bushes. At the first
attack you might have made they would
have dropped you.”

“ve had a narrow escape, then?”

“Very. These men are my friends. The
short brute is atbank burglar by prefession,
and is named Bill Muggs. The slim guy
is Slinker, the pickpocket. Both are well
known to the pcelice of nearly every state
in the Union. We three travel together.
If you fight one of us, you would have to
fight all three. Should one of us go under,
the survivor is Sworn to avenge the in-
jury if it costs his life—see?”

Jack could not help shuddering at the
deadly tone of the other as he exposed
the bond of friendship that existed between
them.

“Pretty tough-looking men!” he com-
mented. :

“ “None worse!” declared Derringer, cool-
ly. “Just wait here a few moments. [
wish to speak to my partners privately.”

He walked over to the two ruffians, and
the next Moment the three were engaged
in a most earnest conference in whispers.

“Well, I'll be hanged if this isn’t the
queerest adventure I ever had in all my
life!” Jack muttered, as he watched them.

Presently Derringer came back to him,
and Slinker and Muggs darted into the
bushes ang disappeared from view.

“Well?” demanded Jack. “Are you
ready to go to the police station?”

“All ready,” nodded the other, as he
drew his revolver out of his hip pocket
and handed the butt to the boy. “Just
take this gun. It is loaded, and if you
hold it in your fist it will look more as if
you had captured me in the regulation
manner—understand?”

Jack took the pistol, now convinced that
the man really meant to go to prison with-
out resistance.

“Well, you are a queer one!” he could
not help exclaiming. “There are mighty
few men in the world who would volunteer
to go to prison for a term of years just
for the safe of a few thousand dollars.
You must be pretty hard- “Up for money,

: Derringer. sa

 

The crook gave him one of his q
meaning smiles and replied:

“Don’t mention the fact that we
made a deal, and be sure to say at
police station that you caught me. If
tell that I gave myself up voluntaril
be sent to an insane asylum instead
prison.”

“All right,” assented Jack, who wa
tensely puzzled over the whole procee
and he seized Derringer by the arm w
one hand and held the revolver ready
business with the other hand.

Not another word was said after
and they marched back to the town, eve
one who saw them asking Jack who ‘his
prisoner was. :

The boy told them that Derringer was
one of the firebugs who had caused the

\

‘Dlaze at Mrs. Harris’ cottage.

By the time they reached the police st
tion there was a huge crowd trailing alon
and a couple of policemen joined them. —

Into the station they went, and the ‘cap-
tain asked Jack who his prisoner was, an
een to know what the charge mi ht

e

“He is the firebug who ae many «

.the fires in town,” replied the boy. ‘

have just arrested him. He admits
guilt.”

“Thunder!” exclaimed the officer, ¢
citedly. “You have made a most import
eapture, My boy, and if I ain’t very m
mistaken, you will get the ten- thousand-
dollar reward offered for this fellow’s a
rest.”

He then took Derringer’s pedigree, and
as the slick rascal admitted the charg
Jack made against him, he was locked up.

A wave of intense excitement swe
through Factorytown as the news spread
that Jack had captured the firebug, and
in the afternoon the officials of the fire in-
surance company sent for Jack.

When he reached their office he met all
the men who had donated the reward, an
they presented him with the reward of yes
thousand dollars.

CHAPTER VI.

AT THE BURNING HOUSE.

On the following day Derringer was
haled before a magistrate for a hearing
and was held for trial by jury.

He was returned to his cell, and there —
he remained all day, not a soul coming
forward to befriend him.

At night the warden of the town prison
carefully examined his cell to see that such
an important prisoner had no chance tg
escape.

He finally went to bed.

At ten o’clock the warden was suddenly
awakened by feeling a hand clutch him by
the throat, and glancing up, he saw Bill
Muggs, with a mask over his face, point-
ing a revolver square at his eye.

“Don’t make no noise dere!” warned the ~
burglar, in a deep bass voice. “De minute —
yer open yer trap ter yell I'll plug yer—
see?”

“Wha—what is the meaning of this?”
gasped the alarmed warden.

“De meanin’ is, dat we have broke inter
de jail an’ we wants der keys of der cells
so’s we kin git our pal out.”

“As there is only one prisoner here, you :
must mean Derringer?” = ;

“Sure ting! Say, Slinker!” :

“Here!” hissed the sneaky individual,
who also wore a mask, and he glided over
to his pal, with a piece of cable cord in
his hands.

“Tie him up!” gruffly ordered Muges. s
With deft fingers the pickpocket com-
plied with this command.

“Got the keys?” he whispered, :

“Here dey are!” retorted the cracksman,
as he fished a bunch out of the warden’s
pants pocket. “Now gag de bloke!”

This was done, and they glided out of
the bedroom into a. corridor..

They had ascertained that there was no
one in the building but themselves and the
warden, so they had no fear of interrup-
tion.

With a bull’s-eye lantern in his hand,
Muggs led the. way, peering in the different
cells they passed, until he arrived at the
one. occupied by Derringer, who seemed to
be on the lookout for them.

“Here I am!” he exclaimed.
trouble to get in, Bill?”

“Naw!” growled the ruffian, as he un-
locked .the cell door. “Come on.’ i

The three villains crept cautiously from —
the prison and sneaked away in the ‘night
without detection.

* *

“Have ans,

* * * *

The same evening Jack had gone down
to the engine house, as he had some busi
ness with the boys; and when it was finish-
ed, he passed out into his little office and
sat down to write a letter.

Just as he finished Tim Flynn joined
him, and asked jokingly:

“Wroitin’ a letther ter yerself, Jack?”

“T have just written to Mr. Fairfax,” re- —
plied the boy, “and I have asked him to see”
Derringer, who will admit to him that he,
and not I, set fire to Mrs. Harris’ cottage.

I wish to be cleared of that suspicion.”

ter clear yerself.”

“There was something queer about the

 
 

said Jack,
“Would you like to have

yo1 captured Derringer,”
ho ehtfully.
he details?”

“TI would that!” :

ck then explained how he had jestine-

‘made a compact with the firebug to

vide the reward With him.

“Sure, an’ ther blackguard must be

affy!” exclaimed Tim, vehemently.

‘Just my opinion,” said Jack. “When
i¢ is eonvicted he will go up for at least

years. Then what chance will be have
find me and expect to get half of that
ney, I’d like to know?”

“Did yer git yer cash?”

_“T have put the money in the bank in
“Such a way that I can draw against it if
‘I wish to, for I am a minor, you know.”
> “Bully fer you! An’ is ther shtrike on
yet at ther mill on account av Mr. Brown
bouncin’ Daisy at Miss Fairfax’s order?”

“Yes, but I have reason to think that
the company will take her back, as there
Was a meeting of the officers to-night.
The strike crippled them so that they had
ntO\: shut down the plant to-day.”

A roar of laughter escaped Tim, but it
was suddenly interrupted by the electric
bell on the wali over Jack’s desk ringing
furiously.

“An alarm!” exclaimed the young fire

chief,

- Ding-ding! _Ding-ding! went the bell.
“Number twenty-two!” exclaimed Jack.
“Haith, that’s corner avy Main an’ Glenn,”

said Tim.

- Some of the boys had retired to the club-

room upstairs, and they now came sliding

‘down the brass pole, with their clothing

only half buttoned up, and rushed to their

Stations at the engine.

— Just then the Town Hall bell began to

Ying out its deep-toned warning, and the

__ second alarm came in over the wire.

The alarm bell repeated its call of
twenty-two, and Jack yelled:

“All hands get ready!”

. He hastily put on his own uniform,

seized his speaking trumpet, and flinging

- open the doors, he rushed out on the side-

- Walk. :

— Only half of the boys were in the engine

house, but others came running there from

their ‘homes.

In a few Pieces the full complement

_ Of boys were ranged along the double ropes,

and under Jack’s order the machine was

pulled out of the house and went racing
down the street.

Jack was at the front of the Salamander,
running fast and shouting to the people
_ to get out of the way.

There was a glittering bell on the en-
gine, and it jangled loudly ag the acne
swept down the dark street.

Hundreds of people had been aroused by
the alarm, and they came running toward
Main street from all directions.

Many were looking out of doors and

windows, and a fast gathering crowd went

racing along in the wake of the Salaman-

‘der boys.

On rushed Jack until he came to the
corner of Glenn street, when he caught
sight of a sullen, deep-red glow far ahead
between the trees that shaded the fashion-
able thoroughfare.

: The wind brought smoke toward them.

: = “Left wheel!” shouted Jack.

* Around the corner  whizzed the leaders,
and around after the rest rattled the en-

: = gine and the yelling crowd.

ae “Fire! Fire!
shouting excitedly.
It was a dark night, and there was a
stiff wind blowing.
Jack saw that the fire was somewhere
in the neighborhood of Mr. Fairfax’s state-
ly mansion, and as he ran on, wondering
what house it was, he saw three men run-

Fire!” some one was

~ ning toward him.

They were on the sidewalk, and as they

passed under a street lamp, the boy was

- astonished to recognize them as Derringer,
Muges and Slinker.

“But it can’t be Derringer!” thought the

young fire chief. “My sight must have

deceived me. Derringer is safe in the town

ane jail. x

The excitement of the fire soon drove
these thoughts out of his mind, however,
and as the fire brigade drew near the
- burning building, he was startled to see
that it was the Fairfax mansion that was
 afire.
“Up to the water-plug!” he shouted to
his boys. ~
Around rushed the young volunteers
with the precision of a machine, and while
_ they were fastening the couplings to the
hydrant, Jack ran ahead into the grounds
- of the president of the woolen mills.
_ “He put up the money for this fire com-
pany, and we must spare no efforts to take
-eare of his property!” panted Jack to one
- of the boys who came racing along beside
him.

Near the house he saw the servants
gathered in a frightened group, and as he
ran up to them, he asked one:
. “Where is Mr. Fairfax?”

“Gone to New Castle with Miss Gertie ”
answered the woman.
“Anyone left in the house?”

“The eoachman just brought Mrs. Fair-

fax out in a faint.”

“How did the house catch afire?”
~ “Nobody knows.
when the gardener, who slept in the barn,

 

was aroused by?the smell of smoke, and
seeing that the house was in flames, arous-
ed everyone with his yells.”

Seeing that the rest of the servants were
grouped around the figure of Mrs. Fairfax,
who laid on a blanket on the ground, Jack
ran over to them just as a crowd of towns-
people came swarming into the ground.

~““Ts everyone out of the house?” demand-
ed Jack.

“Shure, an’ Miss Bess is missin’,” an-
swered the coachman.

“Who is she?”

“Ther little three-year-old daughter of
Mrs. Fairfax.”

“Ts she in the house yet?”

“Heaven only knows, Captain Jack.”

“Where did she sleep?” :

“In ther room wid her mother.”

“And where did you find Mrs. Fairfax?”

“Tyin’ sinseless on ther flure in her bed-
room.”

“Didn’t you see the child when you took
out the mother?”

“Why, ther room wor so full av smoke
I eouldn’t see annything.”

Just then Jack heard a terrible shout
from some of the people who were gather-
ing near the burning building.

Wondering what caused it, he rushed
over to them.

Be now saw that the parlor floor of the

| house was all in flames, huge tongues leap-

ing up toward the upper story, amid dense
clouds of smoke, while above the roaring
and crackling rose the shout:

“There she is! There. she is!”

The people were pointing up at a little
baleony upon which one of the upper win-
dows opened.

_ Upon the balcony stood a little girl with
golden hair, clad only in her mightgowa,
shrieking with terror.

That vast sea of roaring geass and
choking smoke curling up below the child
made a terrible spectacle.

As the hall was now a furnace of fire,
Jack realized that it was going to be a
hard job to reach the little girl if he wish-
ed to save her.

The hook and ladder truck had not yet
come, and there was no time to await its
arrival.

“In her efforts to get out with the little”
one, the mother probably fainted, and she.

was saved and the child was left behind! ”
Jack muttered.
Just as he stood wondering how he was

to reach the little tot, he heard the furious.

pounding of horses’ hoofs and the grating
of wheels.

The next instant Mr. Fairfax came dash-

ing up to the spot furiously in a buggy,

with Gertrude on the seat beside him.

“Oh!” he shouted, as he alighted. “My
little daughter!”

He had seen the child, and he also ob-
served that the way to reach her was cut
off by the flames.

The sight sickened him, and he turned
as pale as death and almost fell to the
ground with the terrible horror that rack-
ed his very soul.

“Save her!” he cried, frantically.
my child!” :

“There is no way to get up through the
house, sir!” said Jack.

“Great heavens, Robinson, has that poor
little thing got to be roasted to death right
before my eyes?” hoarsely asked the
wretched man.

“No!” cried Jack, ringingly.
way of reaching her!”

“for pity’s sake, go to her!” groaned
Mr. Fairfax, trembling with the agony and
excitement of mind he was suffering.

- “Ned,” exclaimed Jack to the young fire-
man, “call the boys with the net. Stand
ready to assist me if it is necessary! ”

Away ran Ned, and Jack rushed to the
Side of the mansion.

A tall pine tree grew there, and the boy
climbed it with amazing speed until he
reached a limb that stretched out over the
roof.

Everyone was watching him intently,
and they gave a wild cheer as they saw
him go out on the limb and drop down
on the roof.

The boy ran to the front of the house,
and reaching the cornice, he leaned over
and peered down at Bess on the balcony,
a story below where he stood.

It was a distance of twelve feet down
to her, and he could hear the frightened
child erying bitterly.

Terrific gusts of heat and smoke came up
in Jack’s face, but he paid no heed to this
and crept over the cornice.

Hanging from the cornice by ae hands,

“Save

“T see a

right above the balcony, he shouted at the

little girl:

“Stand aside so T won't hurt you when
[ drop down!”

“Oh, can’t you get me?” screamed the
little one in tones of dismay.

“Yes, yes! I am coming to get you now!
Stand aside—quick! ”

She crouched against the building, and
Jack dropped. :

He landed. beside her lightly enough and
picked her up in his arms.

It was like being in a furnace, standing
there with that awful heat and those burn-
ing flames gushing up under him, but he

/did not complain. .
We were all in. bed

Looking down, he saw a dozen of the
young firemen standing directly - beneath

 

t balcony with the. edges of a big net
gripped in their hands.

ene below, there?” ehouicd Captain
Jae

“All ready!” replied Tim Flynn.

“T’m coming!” —

“Jump!”

With the child in his arms Jack leaped
from the balcony, and they shot down.
through the smoke and flames toward the
life-net.

CHAPTER VII.
DEMANDING A DIVISION OF THE REWARD.

An involuntary shout of alarm escaped

-the spectators as Jack boldly leaped down

toward the net with the child in his arms.

There was absolutely no other way in
which the boy could have reached the
ground in safety with his little charge.

But it was a desperate leap for life, for
he had to pass right through that terrible
mass of smoke and flame before he could
hope to reach the net, and it meant death
to inhale that fire. ~

He had told the child to close her eyes
and hold her breath just as he sprang from
the balcony, and he did the same himself.

Down they plunged right through the
scorching heat of the sea of flames, and
the agony they suffered from the burning
they got was awful.

But it was over in an instant, for ey
had only to come down a little over one
story.

They struck the net with a. shock that
bounced them up in the air again, and,
landing the second time, they were safe.

A tremendous cheer escaped the crowd
as the firemen ran away from the build-
ing, carrying the net in which Jack and
the little girl still laid.

The moment they were at a safe distance
from the flames the Salamander boys gent-
ly lowered the net, and Jack and the child
‘sprang to their feet, totally uninjured by
their thrilling adventure.

Up to them rushed Mrs. Fairfax, who
had recovered, followed by her overjoyed
husband, and ‘she clasped her child to her
heart.

She burst into a passionate fit of weep-
ing as she kissed her child again and again,

and with the little one’s arms around her:

neck and her husband at her side, the re-
lieved woman hurried away.

The joy of those parents more ‘han j

compensated Jack for the risk he had run
to save the child’s life.

By this time the Salamander boys had a
stream of water playing on the flames, and
they heard the hook and ladder truck ¢com-
ing.

Jack hurried back to the house to direct
the boys in trying to save the building,
and he gave his orders with such direct-
ness that not an error was made, and the
water was poured into the building where
it_ would do the most good.

By the time the hook and ladder truck
reached the scene Jack’s boys had the
flames pretty well under control, and a
short time afterward the fire was extin-
guished entirely.

The young fire chief seemed to know:

just exactly what to do to get the best

of the flames in the shortest possible time.

He stuck to his post until the last spark
was put out, and then, while his company
was putting the engine in order to go back
to the house, the insurance agent arrived
on the scene, accompanied by a. short,
wiry little man with a pair of keen eyes.

“Mr. Hamilton,” said Jack, shaking
hands—with the agent, “I am glad you
came. There has been more firebug work
here.”

“Just what I expected,” esrimly answer-
ed the insurance Man, who Was well ac-
quainted with the young fire chief.

man,
pany’s private detective, Mr. Jim Joy.”

“Pleased to Know you, sir,” said Jack.
“And if you are looking for evidence of
incendiarism you can begin right here.”

“What makes you say that?” asked the
Officer, curiously.

“Simply because I saw two firebugs run-
ing away from here when we came along
with the engine,” promptly answered the
boy.

“Was Dick Derringer among them?”

“Well, there really ‘were three men, and
one of them looked strangely like Der-
In fact, if I was not sure Der-.
ringer is safely locked up in prison at the.
present moment, I would almost swear ‘he’

ringer.

was one of them.”

A peculiar smile crossed the detective’s

face, and he exchanged a significant look
with the insurance adjuster.

“Derringer was released from jail by two
pals less than an hour ago,” said the de-
tective “It must have been him you saw.”

“Good heavens! Is that rascal out of
prison?” gasped Jack in astonishment.
“How do you know about this, Mr. Joy?”

“We just came from the prison, where
we found the warden bound and gagged
and the prisoner among the missing.”

“Then it must have been Derringer I

saw with Bill Muggs and Slinker.”

“What!” exclaimed the officer. “Is he
paling with those two. well-known New
York crooks?”

6“ [ve :
come up to investigate with this gentle-.
‘Let me introduce you ‘to ‘the -com-'
'| firemen,

“You know them, then?”

“Know them! Why, boy, -they are the
two most notorious strong-arm men in the
business, and every police detective on the
continent is familiar with the pair. They
always travel together. Derringer must
be a new hand at the business. If you
saw them coming from the direction of
this house the chances are strongly in
favor of the fact that they set fire to it.
In short, they are the men I have got to
look for! 2

“But why should they burn down this
mansion?”
“Oh, for loot, revenge, or various other

reasons.”

“Question the servants. They may give
you some information. Mr. Hamilton, I
will return that reward money to you to-
morrow, as I am not sure now that I de-
serve it.”

Mr. Hamilton and the officer walked
away, and a moment later Mr. Fairfax —
came hurrying over to Jack with his hand
extended, and a most affable smile upon
his usually stern face.

“Jack,” he cried, “will you shake hands
with me?”

“Why, certainly, Mr. Fairfax,” heartily
replied the boy, “and I’m proud to do so.
Is little Bess all right, sir?” —

“The doctor who examined her said that
she hadn’t anything the matter with her
except a nervous spell from the shock and
a trifling singeing of her pretty hair. And
we owe it all to you!” ~

“Well, it makes me feel proud to have
been able to save the sweet little fairy,”
said Jack. “She is a fine child, sir.”
“In addition to saving her, you have
put me under the greatest obligations for
saving my other daughter, Gertrude, from
being crushed by the machinery in the
mill. I didn’t know it then or you can
depend that I never would have dismissed
you from your position, my boy. I want
you to say that you will forgive me for
the mean and brutal ‘manner in which I
acted. It “was all put ‘on, Jack, for I had
to do it to pacify old Grimsby, to whom
I am ‘under ‘great obligations for loans
of money, as you well know.”

It astonished the boy to hear this rich |
and important man asking his forgiveness,
for it must have humiliated his pride a ~
great deal ‘to speak in such a- manner,

“T have nothing to forgive, sir,” Said he,
simply. “I am a poor ‘hand to harbor.
malice against anyone.”

“Will you come back to -your job, Jack?”

“No; I thank you, sir,” replied the boy,
shaking hig head. “I have other plans in
view now. But your daughter did not
treat Daisy Harris right, and it led to trou-
ble, as you may know——”

“Ves, yes! I know all about that!” hast-
ily said the old gentleman, with a look of
annoyance. “My daughter was too pre- —
suming. She had no right to get Miss
Harris discharged. I severely reprimand-
ed her for it, and I’ll send for Miss Harris
and take her back. The strike is broken.”

*T am glad to hear that, Mr. Fairfax,”
exclaimed the boy, joyfully. “Have you
any idea-why your house was set afire?”

“T would not be surprised if it were done
at the instigation of Grimsby. He and I
had a quarrel to-day and have parted.”

oo have you done with your family,
sir?”

“We are to remain with neighbors =
My house can be repaired.”

“Well, I shall have to leave you now,
as Salamander is about ready to go back
to the house.”

“Will you call at the mill and see me
to-morrow? I have something of vital im-
portance to say to you.”

ek shall call some time in the afternoon,
Sir?

They Shook hands warmly and parted.

Jack went back to the engine house with
the ‘boys, and after the machine was put_
away, he had a short talk with the young
in which he ‘praised them highly
for the gallant manner in which they had
acquitted themselves and finally started
for home.

It was a long walk to Maple avenue,
and to save time he went across lots and
struck into a tree-bordered lane, with a
stone wall on one side, which was thickly
overgrown with creeping vines and bushes.

Et was a tonely spot at that time of
night, and Jack had about traversed one-
half of the distance when he was suddenly
startled by seeing three dusky _ figures
spring out from the trees around him.

He paused, and one of them advanced. ~

“Jack Robinson!” exclaimed the stranger
in quick, brisk tones.

“Ha! It’s Derringer!”
recognizing the voice.

“Right you are, My boy.
following you.”

“What for?”

“Have you forgotten our agreement?”

Jack gave a start, and an uneasy feel-
ing crept over him.

“You want half of the reward, don’t
you?” he demanded.

“Exactly! I will confess that when I
made that compact with you I already had
it planned with my pals to rescue me from
the jail as soon ag the money was in your —

ce Have you got my share ready for
e?

he muttered,

We have been

 

“Not” exclaimed the young fireman;

 
“HAPPY

 

 

 

“and what is more, Derringer, [ do not in-
tend to divide with you!”

CHAPTER VIII.
A TERRIBLE THREAT.

As Jack defied the firebug he expected all
three of the villains to leaptat him, and
his muscles became tense, while his fists
doubled up.

But to his astonishment no attack was
made.

A jeering laugh escaped Derringer.

“You said just what I expected you
would, Robinson,” he asserted.

“Then you know just what you will get
from me,” coolly ~replied the boy. or
never intended from the first to give you
a cent. All I wanted was to get you into
jail, and I succeeded, even if you did escape
afterward.”

“T knew very well that you would re-
fuse to keep your agreement,” said Der-
ryinger, quietly. “In fact, I foresaw every-
thing just as it has happened. But it is
now my duty to give you a warning. You
have got to pay me half of the reward.”

“Indeed!” sneered Jack.

“Yes, indeed! ”

“And if I. still refuse, you
threaten to kill. me, I suppose?”

SOR. no,” retorted Derringer, lightly.
“We won’t kill you. That would not hurt
you enough. We know you love Daisy
Harris. We would kill her so as to wound
you in the tenderest spot.”

“You demon!” gasped the young fireman,
turning pale.

“At ten o’clock to-morrow night [I want
you to have five thousand dollars in your
pocket and walk down to the bridge span-
ning Yellow creek. Stand in the middle
of the bridge until I come. You will hand
me the money, and remain there until l
walk out of your sight down the road
where it makes a curve. When I am out
of sight you can raise an alarm and send
the police after me.”

“TIT. won’t do it!” o :
“Oh, yes, you will! If you don’t Daisy
Harris will be found dead with a bullet in
her back. We will strike when it is least
expected.”

“Assassin!” roared the boy, breaking
into a cold sweat. *‘

“We are desperate men, Robinson. We
never boast. We always keep our threats.
We expect that you may pretend to agree
and go to the bridge. We expect that you
will have a cordon of cops laying for us
there. In fact, we have anticipated nearly
every game you could put up to trap us.
Therefore don’t you attempt anything of
the sort, for we will be ready for treachery
‘on your part. But I advise you-to be there
with the money and without:the cops. You
won’t be able_to fool us, ‘I warn you.”

“But J can tackle and arrest you now!”
eried the desperate boy.

These words were scarcely uttered when
he heard a click-click! coming from re-
volvers in the hands of each man.

There was deathly silence after that.

No threats were made, but the deadly
cocking of those pistols told the boy pretty
plainly that he was covered by three wea-
pons.

To venture an: attack now would cuercy
seal his doom.

“Go home, Robinson!” said Derringer,
dryly. “Don’t tell folks anything about
‘what I said to you. It won’t be healthy for
Miss Harris if you do.”

-The boy made no reply, but walked on
down the lane, and the three shadowy
forms flitted into the bushes and vanished
like a puff of smoke...

Reaching the widow’s cottage, Jack went
in.

Mrs. Harris and her pretty daughter
were waiting up for him.

They nearly always did this when he
went out to a fire.

“Well, Jack, how did you make out?”
asked Daisy, as he hung up his hat and
took off his jacket. “Where was the fire?”
“Mr. Fairfax’s house. We put out the

blaze before it destroyed the building.
The Fairfax family are living with a neigh-
bor now.”

“Dear me, I am sorry for them in spite
of Gertrude’s meanness to me.”
“Don’t let that girl worry you.
father said the strike was broken.
‘wants you all back at the mill to-morrow.
He had reprimanded his daughter for be-
ing so mean to you.”

“Good gracious!” cried the widow.
he do that?”

“He did more. He apologized for dis-
charging me, and asked me to come back
into his employ, but I refused.”

“What under the sun caused such a
wonderful change in him?”

“Oh, he heard that I saved Miss Gertie
from a mangling, and he just saw me jump
out of the window with his youngest
daughter in My arms at the fire. We land-
ed into the life- net, and the child was
saved.”

“My dear, oad fellow!” laughed Daisy,
impulsively. “I could almost kiss you for
that! It is just like you, though, to be
always saving somebody’s life at those
dreadful fires.” ©

“Well,” grinned the boy, “why don’t you
keep your threat and kiss me outright.

will again

Her

“Did

He.

 

Ud save a million lives if I could get a
kiss for every one.”

“The idea! Why, you impudent thing,
I will box your ears if you talk that way
to me again!” cried. Daisy, with mock
anger.

“It was certainly very brave of. you,
Jack, to leap out of the burning building
with Mr. Fairfax’s little daughter in your
arms,” said Mrs. Harris, seriously.
“Didn’t he offer to reward you?”

“No, but he seemed to appreciate it, for
he shook hands with me and invited me to
call at the mill to-morrow to see him.”

“How did his house cateh afire?”

“Derringer was liberateq from jail to-
night by his two confederates, and I am
of the opinion that they were the guilty
parties, although they did not say so when
I met them afterwards.”

-“VYou met them?” gasped Mrs. Harris in
alarm.

“Less than half an hour ago. They
wanted me to give them half of the reward
money, as I had promised Derringer.”

“How could they expect you to have so
much money with you?”

“They didn’t. They want me to go to
the bridge to-morrow night at ten o’clock
and hand over $5,000 to them, or

“Or what?” asked Daisy, eagerly,
paused.

But Jack was not going to seare her by
telling how. the crooks had threatened to
shoot her, so he laughed and said joking-
ly:

“Or if I don’t give it to them, they won't
have the money.’

“You silly boy!” laughed Daisy. “Of
course they won’t have the money if you
don’t give it to them.”

“Well, I am tired.
me, I will retire.”

They felt Sorry for him, so no objection
was made, and Jack finally went up to his
room and turned into bed.

On the following morning, after break-
fast, Jack left the cottage and made his
way down Main street to the police sta-
tion.

The chief was in, and the boy confessed
to him all that he had said to Derringer,
including the villain’s demand for money.

The police official thought over the mat-
ter for some time.

“It won’t do for me to send out Officers
to arrest them,” he said finally. “If they
see the cops they won’t turn up at the
bridge.”

“Then what do you advise me to do?”

“Defy them. Carefully watch Miss
Harris so they can’t get at her, and we
will fix up a trap to collar the whole bunch

as he

If you will excuse

‘of grafters.”

“And during all that time Daisy will
be exposed to danger,” objected the boy
uneasily. “She can't be. watched every
minute of the time.’

“Tf you don’t do that you'll surely have
to give Derringer the money he asked you
for,” growled the captain.

Jack reflected a few moments.

Finally he said:

“Guess Pu go to the pridge and meet
Derringer.”

“And give him the money, you lunatic?”
roared the Officer, angrily.

“No, sir. Ull;tell him he can’t get a
cent.”

“Then he’ll threaten to kill the girl,
IT suppose.”

“Hxactly. I expect him to say that. But
T’ll grab him, and we can hold him as a
hostage. He ean be told that we will kill
him if Miss Harris is injured by his pals.
I guess that will keep them from attack-
ing the young lady. It will be up to him
to send word to Muggs and Slinker to get
as far away from this town as possible.”

Bang! went the captain’s fist down on
the desk.

“Just the plan!” he bellowed, “Jack,

-you have the head of a general.”

The boy smiled, and after reflecting
again, he said:

“You needn’t have men on the scene,
sir, for they will know it. But you can
have them rushing for the bridge to aid
me a few minutes after ten, as I am bound
to have a scrap with them, anyhow. In
fact, I have an idea that I’m being shadow-
ed by those wretches now. They will very
likely be aware that I have called here to

see you.”

“They are no ordinary crooks, my boy,

sO We must meet cunning with a deeper
cunning than theirs if we wish to defeat
their game.”

After some further talk the boy with-
drew and went down toward the bank to
withdraw the reward money and return it
to Mr. Hamilton, pending an investigation
of Derringer’s escape.

When he left the police station he no-
ticed a man lurking in a doorway down
the street, peering out at him | pretty
sharply; but the moment he reached the
sidewalk the fellow disappeared in the
house.

Evidently he had run straight through
the hall, went out in the yard, climbed
over a back fence, and thus got into a
large, open lot, for Jack soon saw him
again scudding off toward some woods on
the suburbs.

“A spy watching me,” he muttered, “It
may be one of the three villains in_ dis-
guise, for all I know, ie he will Bs

om

 

the rest that I have been calling on the
police with my story.”

Jack got the money and gave it to
Hamilton. Then he called on Mr. Fairfax
in the afternoon, and the old gentleman
offered him a reward of a thousand dollars
for saving his two daughters, but the boy
refused the money.

The strike at the miil was over, and
Daisy was back at her work, as happy as
a lark over her reinstatement.

That night the starry sky was bright
with a full moon when Jack set out for the
bridge spanning Yellow creek to meet Der-
ringer.

The boy had armed himself with a good
revolver, as he-well knew what a danger-
ous mission he was on.

From the Moment he ieft the widow’s
cottage until he reached the rustic bridge
he was followed by a man.

The Town Hall clock was just striking
ten when he reached the bridge and halt-
ed in the middle of it, looking for his
enemy.

Jack was not kept waiting long before
he saw a man approaching.

(TO BE CONTINUED. )

$04040404040+40404040+404040404

You will find an exciting mining-camp
story in “Wild West Weekly” No. 202,
eut to-day on all news stands. Ask for
“YOUNG WILD WEST STRIKING IT
RICH; OR, ARIETTA AND THE CAVE
OF GOLD.” * * - * *

Five Cents a Copy
$0404040404040404040404040404

{This story. commenced in No. 619.]

Driven Out West

Ry

THE BOY TENDERFOOT OF “LUCKY STRIKE”

By Jas. D. Montague
Author of ‘Mustang Jack,” ‘Dead-Shot Dick,

the Boy Rifle King,” “Cowboy Charley,”
“The Prince of the Ranch,” ete. :

CHAPTER XXIL.
THE ABDUCTION OF CARRIE.

Hop Sing was not so far under the in-
fluence of the opium he smoked that he
did not hear the shot Harry fired at Poker
Joe.

It frightened the Chinaman, and just as
the scout brought Lanky Ike to his knees
Hop suddenly sprang to his feet.

At a glaneé he saw what was going on,
and he made a plunge at the door; but
Harry grabbed him and exclaimed:

“Hold -on, there, you dope fiend, do you
know that these two gamblers followed
you here from the Four Flush, intending
to rob you of the money you won from
Bill Boggs?”

“Letee go!” squealed the Chinaman. “Me
no sarvy. Hop Sing belly poor man, allee
samee tramp.”

“Come, come!” roared Dan.
see who’s got yer, yaller?”

“Oh, Mistler Hally,” gasped the Mon-
golian. “Yo’ comee dis house? Yo’ stopee
bad man lob poor Chinaman?”

“Yes, Hop: they were going to lay you
out while you were hitting the pipe. You’d
better cut out that habit in future, or the
first thing you know you'll be the star
boarder in a bughouse.”

Just then the crooked gamblers began
to beg off.

“Let us go,” pleaded Poker Joe. “We
didn’t do anybody any harm. You didn’t
see us hurt the Chink. We ain’t such bad
men.”

Harry reflected a moment and then ex-
claimed:

“T’ll let you go free on one condition.”

“Name it!” eagerly said Lanky Ike.

“Tell me where I can find Boggs and his
gang.”

“Well,” said Poker Joe, “I’ll answer that
question quick enough if it is going to get
us out of this fix. He and his mén are
going to hang around mine No. 10, known
as the Jennie McCartin, until they have
wiped you and your party off the map.”

“Then they expect to wrest the claim
from us, do they?” —

“Of course ‘they. do.

“Can’t yer

He and the gang

are going to attack you to-morrow even-

ing.”

“All right.. They’ve made a big mistake,
however. I suppose you fellows wil! see
Bill sooner or later, so I’m going to send
him a message of you. Tell Bill for me
that within twenty-four hours he and his
gang will go under unless they clear out
of these diggings in a mighty big hurry.
Do you understand?”

“Ves, boss.”

“In addition, I wish to say to you two
fellows that if ever I catch either one of
you around Lucky Strike again I'll shoot
you on sight.”

“ATL vrieht, sir”

“Now go. ae Lucky eee: :

 

It will

be a bad place for poth of you from ne
on. You may depart.”

Overjoyed at their release, the two
lost no time about rushing from the hi
and when they were gone Harry crie

“It’s your turn next, Hop. Clear out,”

“Me g0  Bossee Leland light aw
Hally,” answered the little heathen, ©
hée darted out of the hut and rushed — fo1
Monday’s hotel. /

Harry and Dan wey to the hotel
turned in.

-On the following morning after brea
fast Harry said to the scout:

“You go back to the mine
charge of the work, Dan. I want to ge
the Jennie McCartin in operation as fas)
as I can.”

“Ain’t you a-comin’ out thar with me?

“No. I'll be out later.” eon

“Whar be yer goin’?”

“T want to have a talk with Mr. Leland.”

“An? ther lassie?” chuckled Dan.

Harry flushed guiltily. :

The old fellow had guessed exactly what
his intentions were, for he was getting to
like Carrie very much indeed now, and
wanted to be in her company.

He made no reply to Dan, and the scout
departed.

Harry went into the parlor and found :
Mr. Leland there alone.

They had a long, earnest conversation
about their mining interests, and in con-
clusion the old gentleman said:

“We may go on with our work, but
Boggs is going to make a whole lot of
trouble for us yet, Harry.”

“He won't trouble us long,” replied the
boy.

“You are too hopeful.”

“Oh, I’m not dreaming. I’ve gota means
at last to put an end to his persecutions
He. and his men are still hanging out in
the neighborhood of the Mine. When Dan
gets back there he is going to push the
work ahead. Sometime this

at the mine.”

“Then there’s going to be trouble?” .

“Perhaps. But the outlaws will get the
worst of it.”

“Our men @

“Don’t bank on them, I’ve got some-+
thing better.” es

And that is? 2

“Lieutenant Jack Barton, of Fort Shaw,
and his troop of cavalry.”

“What! Can you get them?”

“T think so. They are encamped not
far from Lucky Strike, and I’m going out
there to see them now. If I can enlist
their aid, it will mean a raid on the out
jaws and a quick finish to the gang.” ;

Just as Harry ceased speaking there
sounded the clatter of horses’ hoofs in the.
street, and the tenderfoot glanced out the
window.

He saw a man on a mustang dashing
away from the hotel.

In his arms he clutched the struggling ~
form of a girl, and at the Same Moment —
Harry saw her she suddenly pulled the
man’s hand away from her face and ute
tered a piercing shriek.

The boy saw her features.

“Great heavens!” he gasped, his fac
turning pale.

“What's the matter?”
Leland, nervously.

“See there! - Don’t you recognize her?”

“Oh, Harry! It is my daughter!” shout
ed the old banker.

“Yes, and the villain who has her is Bill
Boggs! 9 ;

A deep groan escaped Mr. Leland, and —
he wrung his hands in an agony of alarm,
as he cried:

“What shall J do?
her?”

“You can do nothing,” the boy replied.
“Leave it to me, Mr. Leland. Ill follow
that scoundrel until I overtake him and
wrest poor Carrie from his power.” ;

Z “For mercy’s sake, what is he doing with
er? ty

“Abducting her, I presume, for ransom.”

“Follow him, Harry. Run him dow
boy. Don’t let him carry my peor child
away in that fashion. Oh, this is awful!”

“Don’t alarm. yourself, sir. He wont
keep her while J am on earth,” cried the
poy, as he ran toward the door.

In a minute more Harry was
stable.

Hastily saddling and bridling his mus-
tang, he mounted and dashed: out into the
street. ; :

The pounding of many horses’s. hoofs
reached his ears, and glancing around, to
his surprise and delight he saw Lieutenant
Barton and his troop of cavalry coming up
the street.

“By jove, luck favors me!” gasped the
boy. “Boges has got such a big lead thz
he will doubtless reach his gang befor
can come up with him. Now I can get th
troops to aid me. It oe then be mue
easier to rescue the girl and bring th
gang to terms.”

He reined in and waited for the soldi

In a few minutes they reached him an
reined in. :

“ello!” cried the lieutenant, smilin
and saluting the boy. “You here, Ha
Nevada? Glad to meet you again. ae

“And I’m véry glad to see you, lieu
ant,” answered the boy, “for TI am in deep
trouble and need your help.”

demanded Mr.

How can I save

in the

 

evening set
Boggs’ gang is going to attack the fellows
HAPPY.

4

DAYS.

 

 

“What is the trouble?”
arry told im, and in conclusion he

“Will you aid me, lieutenant?”

CHAPTER XXIIL
‘THE FIGHT BETWEEN TROOPS AND BANDITS.

The gallant young lieutenant glanced at
‘Harry much as if he were astonished at
what the boy asked him, and then replied
heartily:

“Help you? Why, of course I'll help
you. The crooked work of Bill Boggs and
his gang is well known at Fort Shaw. In
addition to my order to round up the In-
‘dians who broke from the reservation and
‘went on the warpath, I was told to break
up the Boggs’ gang in case I found an op-
portunity to do so.’

“Then you'll be acting right in your line
of duty in aiding me,” said Harry, smiling
with pleasure at the prospect.

“Bxactly. Moreover, the very fact that
Boggs stole a young lady has appealed to
omy chivalry. You can count upon my help,
“Sire”

“Thank you!
give me hope.
the Indians?” |

“All escaped us except the few we shot,
and I have since learned that the rest re-
turned to the reservation. We were going
‘to go back to the fort, and came to Lucky
Strike to spend the day before setting out
on our long trip back to headquarters
when We Met you.’

Just then. Mr. Leland, mounted on a
mustang, came dashing up to Harry, shout-
ing loudly:

“Hold on there, my boy, I am going with
‘you to aid in recovering my daughter,
Don’t leave without me, Harry.” —
“Who is he?” demanded the lieutenant.

“The father of the abducted girl,” an-
-swered the boy.

When the old banker joined them Harry
introduced him to Lieutenant Barton and
- told him what was going to be done.
fhe old gentleman was overjoyed.

: “We will guide you up to claim No. 10,”
said he in eager tones, “and you will find
the outlaws - hanging around our mines
~ somewher.”
~ “Very well,
‘young officer. “Get us in the neighbor-
hood of those villains, and it won’t be long
before we find your daughter.”

“Come ‘ahead, then.”

The lieutenant ordered his men forward.
With Harry and Mr. Leland on each side
‘of the lieutenant, the whole party set out
and. galloped through “Lucky Strike, much
to the surprise of the inhabitants who
chanced to see them.

‘They soon struck the main trail to the
‘foothills and followed it along the now
-dried-up bed of the creek.

Since the explosion at the Jennie McCar-
in the stream had taken another course,
‘Much to the disgust of the placer miners
who had been depending upon it for water
to wash their gold from the sand.

Long before noon our friends reached

e claim.

Here Dan had been working the miners
to such good advantage that ore was being
‘taken from the shaft and was being trans-
ferred to the crusher, where it was broken
to pieces.

Leaving the foreman in-charge of the
‘work, Dan hurried over to the boy tender-
foot. and demanded, as he pointed at the

Thank you! Your words
How did you make out with

I say! Where did yer find “em,

: e Gatering Lucky Strike,” replied the
boy.
» “What brung “em hyer??
‘ All hands are searching for Carrie
- Leland.”
. “Ys ther lassie lost?”
' “Stolen by Bill Boggs.”
“Ther scoundrel! ”
“You had better join us, Dan.”
) Waal, 1 reckon! Ill git my cayuse.’
“By all means, for we are going on a
hunt for Boggs’ gang now.”
Scouts were sent out by the lieutenant
‘with orders to hunt for the outlaws’ re-
treat, and they departed.
The rest had their rations.
- In the afternoon the scouts began to
-eome back one by one, and each one re-
ied. a total lack of success.
‘They could find no sign of the bandits,
‘ and they were all in, empty-handed, by
five o’clock.
- It made Mr. Leland wild with anxiety,
is and they had the greatest difficulty in pre-
~ venting him from starting off on his own
hook to find his missing daughter.
. Harry was equally as uneasy as the old

- gentleman, and he finally went climbing up

on the adjacent rocks to take a look over
the country in an effort to locate the des-
peradoes.
' Reaching a high pinnacle of rock, the
boy stood upon its crest and swept his
keen glance around the horizon in all di-
rections.
- When his gaze rested upon the steep de-
livity of the hillside, he suddenly caught
jew of a number of men lying flat on the
ground, half hidden in the tall, waving
Pee pes ee So

Mr. Leland,” answered the |

 

 

 

They were gradually creeping in toward
the miners’ camp, and the boy at once
realized that the anticipated attack upon
the mine was about to begin, as their
prisoner of the previous night confessed.

Fearing that the outlaws might see him,
Harry lost no time about getting dow?
from his exposed position.

Upon reaching the lower level near fhe
mine he went racing toward. the troops
and shouted to Lieutenant Barton:

“Our enemies are coming!”

“Indeed! Where are they?”

“Creeping up the mountainside toward
us.”

“Many of them?”

“About twenty, I imagine.”

“Trying to take us by
course. ”

“It looks so, lieutenant.”

“How far away are they?”

“About quarter of a mile, sir.”

“Good! -That gives us time to prepare
for them.”

The lieutenant hastily gave his troop
some orders, and they all dismounted and
hid their horses behind the rocks.

After that the entire troop was placed
behind various trees, rocks and bushes,
with their carbines held in readiness to
fire upon their foes at a moment’s notice.

Mr. Leland hastened away to notify the
miners to arm themselves and prepare for

surprise, of

ta fight.

In a short time everything was ready,
and they waited patiently for the gang to
appear.

Five, then ten, then fifteen minutes pass-
ed by, and finally Harry, from a place ef
concealment behind a tree, saw the gang.

The boy stepped out into plain view.

Instantly a dozen weapons were aimed
at him, but before they could be used the
boy shouted:

“Now, men!”

The. roar of fifty rifles pealed out.

A volley of bullets filled the air, and then
there came the yells of the wounded and
the swearing of the amazed bandits.

Realizing that their plan of attack was
exposed, and fearing instant death, those
who remained unijured sprang to their feet
and saw the troop of soldiers crouching
behind the trees, rocks and bushes.

Back came an answering volley, and in
a moment more the outlaws took to cover
and began to blaze away.

For a few minutes it was like a skirmish

on the battlefield.

The cracking of rifles and yells of men
on all sides made up an unearthly din, and
man after man was wounded on both sides,

Foreseeing that a fight of this kind was
bound to be long-drawn-out, Lieutenant
Barton suddenly yelled at his men:

“Charge on them!”

Out from their coverts dashed the sol-.

diers, and they made a furious charge on
their enemies,

Boggs realized that hig men could not
withstand the assault, and gave them the
order to retreat.

Once he got his Men started, the villain
suddenly plunged into the bushes and ran
away as fast as his legs could carry him.

Harry had witnessed this cowardly move
on his part, and regardless of the danger
it exposed him to, he dashed away in hot
pursuit of his arch enemy.

CHAPTER XXIV.
CONCLUSION.

Bill Boggs had taken a trail that skirted
the mine and ran up a rather steep ascent.
He was in plain view of Harry, and glanc-
ing around, he caught view of the boy pur-
suing him.

The tenderfoot expected he would shoot
back, but he did nothing of the sort, and
merely ran a little faster.

The sound of firing between the cavalry-
men and the rest of the crooked gang*be-
came fainter in the distance, as the villain
and the boy kept racing up the mountain-
side.

But within a short time Boggs darted
aside into a grove of trees, and Harry saw
him plunge into a clearing.

Here the gang had tethered their horses.

Carrie Leland was tied to a tree. -

Rushing over to her, with a revolver
in his hand, Boggs aimed it at her head,
and glancing around at Harry, he shouted:

“If yer don’t git back whar yer came
from J’ll kill this gal!”

Very much © startled,
paused and shouted:

“Hold on, Boggs! Don’t shoot her!”

“Will yer do wot I telis yer, then?”

“Yes. Ill go,” reluctantly answered the
boy.

“Oh, Harry, save me!” shrieked poor
Carrie’ in tones of horror,‘as she saw her
young champion turning to go away.

This appeal was too Much for Harry.

“T7ll have to risk a dash!” he ey euered
desperately.

Then he whirled around and started oe
ward Boggs again:

* But the villain had his eye on the boy,
and whipping his pistol over his shoulder,
he shot at the tenderfoot.

The bullet cut a gash in Harry’s left
arm.

But he did not flinch, and then he. raised
his own weapon,

the tenderfoot

their ponies,

 

“Knowine what a dead shot he was, Boggs
made a leap to get behind the tree to
which the girl was bound.

But he was too late!

Crack!

Harry’s revolver spoke sharply.

A wild yell escaped Boggs; he flung up
his hands, and reeling back, he fell heavily
to the ground at Carrie’s feet.

““P’ve knocked him out!” laughed Harry.

He strode over to the man, and casting a
glance at his pale face, saw that the bullet
had, as he wanted it to, grazed his head.

The villain was merely stunned.

“Oh, Harry!” gasped the girl, as he cut
her free. “I am so glad you came! I
thought that wretch was going to kill me.”

“He wouldn’t do that, I’m sure.”

“Well, he abducted me from Monday’s
hotel for the purpose of holding me for
ransom. Besides that, he said he had
fallen in love with me, and wanted me to
marry him.”

Then she burst into tears.

Harry consoled her as best he could, of
course, and then he bound the villain, and
having deprived him of all his weapons,
managed to hoist him upon one of the
horses.

Selecting a pony for Carrie and another
for himself, he secured the rest of the
horses so they could not get away.

By this time Boggs revived.

“What are yer goin’ ter do ter me?”
snarled the outlaw.

“Pil tell you,” replied Harry. “You
murdered Charles Dunn, otherwise known
as Cowboy Charley, in New York, and I
was accused of the crime by detectives.
They got after me, and I was driven out
West. Now I’ve got evidence enough in
poor old Dunn’s own handwriting, written
on the plan of the Jennie McCartin mine,
to convict you and exonerate myself. It is
my intention to send you East and make
you pay the penalty.”

“Don’t do thet!” pleaded Bill in alarm.
“They'll electrocute me fer thet job. Let
me go and I’ll give yer thousands of dol-
Jars ae

“No, sir!
Carrie! ”

They rode away, leading Bill’s pony, and
soon reached the mine.

Here they found that Lieutenant Bar-
ton’s eavalrymen had. defeated and cap-
tured all the outlaws.

Old Mr. Leland was overjoyed to get his
daughter back safe, and Dan warmly con-
gratulated Harry on his good work of cap-
turing Bill Boggs alive.

That night, with the prisoners bound on
which some of the miners
brought from the mountain, the cavalry-
men rode away from the camp, leaving
Dan in charge there.

Harry, Mr. Leland and Carrie went with
the troopers.

On the following day the ey reached. the
city and turned all the prisoners over to
the authorities, ang they were put in
prison.

Lieutenant Barton and his men
took leave of our friends and Set out
Fort Shaw.

Harry now began to communicate with

the New York authorities, and inside of
a week his old foes, Detectives Doe and
Roe, appeared with requisition papers for
Boggs.
- They got the evidence from Harry of
the villain’s guilt, and having learned that
the boy was now a rich mine-owner, they
humbly apologized for the mean way they
had treated him.

He gave them money to pay the poor
Bowery restaurant keeper at whose place
he had gotten his supper without paying
for it at the time he was driven out West,
and then.the detectives departed with their
prisoner.

In due time Bill Boggs was tried for his
crime in a New York court, was convicted
and finally expiated his sins at Sing Sing
in the electric chair.

Not for millions! Come on,

for

Those of his gang in the West who sur- |

vived the fight were all given long terms
in prison for their crimes.

Dan was now made a partner in the
mine, and Harry and the banker and his
daughter went back to Lucky Strike.

Here they remained a long time.

The mine proved to be a much better
one than they at first imagined, and soon
made millionaires of the three.

It was finally sold. Q

Then Harry parted with Dan, who pre-
ferred to remain in the wild West, and
joining Mr. Leland and his daughter, they
made their way to New York.

As Harry by this time had reached his
majority, and as there was now a perfect
understanding between him and’ Carrie,
they were married. .

Mr. Leland wag delighted with the
match, for he hag grown very fond of the
Boy Tenderfoot of Lucky Strike, who by
a strange fatality had been. Driven Out
West,
(THE END.)
$040404040404040+40+4040-40+40404

The adventures of a boy reporter are
set forth in a fine story out-day in “Wide
Awake Weekly” No. 20. The title is “ON
THE ‘LOBSTER SHIFT’; OR, THE
HERALD’S STAR REPORTER.” * +

Price Five Cents.

then

 

A Little Fun.

“The discipline in the navy is very strict,
isn’t it?” “So strict that they even dock
a vessel that can’t keep up with the rest.”

Green—I have. an awful cold in my
head; I can’t imagine anything more dis-
agreeable. Brown—Huh! Just wait until
your wife gets a cold in her head.

“So your daughter has become a soloist,”
“Necessarily,” answered Mr. Cumrox,
wearily. “Perhaps'I ought to be thankful
that she isn’t a trio or a quartet.”

“IT just wisht I wuz bigger,” saiq mis-
chievous Willie Smart. “Indeed!” asked
his mother. “How much bigger?” SOU:
just big enough to do all the things I git
blamed for doin’ now.”

Lawyer’s Clerk—Here is a letter from a
man who wants us to file a suit for di-
vorce from his wife because she threw all
sorts of things at him. Lawyer—What did
she throw? Clerk—A plate of hash.

“I’m afraid,” said the junior member of
the law firm, “that we are causing our
client unnecessary trouble.” “Oh, that’s
all right,” rejoined “the senior member.
“We'll charge him for it.”

“Why are you so extravagant?” asked
a newly-wedded husband of his wife. “I
am simply trying to live up to the diamond
ring and things you gave Me When Wwe
were sweethearts,” was her unanswerable
reply. ;

“You were at the opening performance
of Ranter’s new play, I hear. Did it go
off smoothly?” “Well, I noticed one bad
Dreak.7 2 aves 2 “Yes, it broke all right .
between his eyes and the si splashed all
Over his face.”

Mrs. Bensome—And when we were in
Egypt my husband found an amulet 3,000
years old—it was just perfect. Mrs.
Nonaut—My goodness! How did the eggs
keep fresh all this time?

“IT want to look at some carpet for my.
parlors,” said the lady, entering the New
York store. “Here’s something in a green
shade, which is new,” said the clerk, ex-
hibiting a sample. “Oh, no, I don’t want
a@ green carpet. Haven’t you anything in
red?” “Oh, yes, certainly. “You’re from
Jersey, I see, and you want something
which will harmonize with the mud. 2

 

 

 

 

coe oe

10-CENT HANDBOOK
No. 72

How to Do 60 Tricks with Cards

Embracing all of the latest and most
deceptive card tricks now in use. By A.
Anderson. Fully Illustrated.

OUR

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting -Items.-

 

 

According to a recent rep®rt by the
German Consul General at Calcutta, glass
bracelets, which are imported exclusively
from Austria, form an important article of
trade in India, and: are bought in large
quantities by the natives, who are, as a
rule, too poor to afford gold or silver.
bracelets,

William Alexander, of Montrose,
disappeared fifteen years ago. He was a
large land owner, and after his death a
lake was named after him. The other. day
his skeleton was found near the lake, with
the skull of his dog lying on his breast-
se They had dieq together in a bliz-
zard.

There are at present only 10,000,000,000.
tons of iron available, and of this Ger-
many has twice as many tons as this coun-
try, while Russia and France each have
400,000,000 tons more than the United
States. This country has at present work-
able deposits of 1,100,000,000 tons, with an
annual output and consumption of 35,000,-
000 tons.

The sharp-eyed hawk can spy a lark
upon a piece of earth almost exactly the
same color at twenty times the distance it
is perceptible to man or dog. A ‘kite
soaring out of human sight can still dis-
tinguish and pounce upon lizards and field
mice upon the ground, and the distance
at which vultures and eagles can sight
their prey is almost incredible. Recent
discoveries have inclined naturalists to.
the belief that birds of prey have not the
acute senSe of smell or of hearing that
has been accredited them. Their keen
Sight seems better to account for their
action, and they appear to be guided by
sight alone, as they never sniff at any-

Col.,

thing, but dart straight at the object of -

their desire. Their counterparts in ‘the
ocean doubtless smell and see, but are
more guided by smell than sight. In both
sharks and rays the eyes are good and
have a distinct expression, though since
they: scent their prey from a short distance
and Swim up to it with greatest rapidity,
smel] may be called their real eye.

 
AAP FP Y.

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THE SWIFTEST LAD IN WALL ST. <

 

GUS AND

[This story commenced in No. 621,

THE GOLD HUNTERS

THE SEARCH FOR MONTEZUMA’S MINES

 

By C. LITTLE

Author of “Hercules Harry,” “Out for Everything,” ‘‘Heir to a Cent,” “Good as Wheat,”
“Ben and the Banker's Son,’ etc.

CHAPTER X.
GUS TRANSLATES THE ANCIENT DOCUMENT.

Gus lingered in the hut until the last
echo of the retreating footsteps of General
Mendoza and the man Perez had died
away.

“Tye got the goods,” he thought. —“If
only they are. all here.”

That was something which could not be
determined then.

SHOOOOMOOOGO OOODOGHOOHOO

It was enough that Gus had trumped the
enemy’s trick; he felt that he would have
to be patient as to the rest.

He now stole from the hut and made his
way back to the lot where he was to meet
the last of the gold-hunters.

Walter came out of the bushes when he
whistled.

“Slide back in there,” said Gus, dodging

to cover. “Have you seen anything of
Perez and the general? They ran this
way.”

“Nobody has passed here,” was Walter’s
reply.

“Then we are safe for a few minutes,
at all events.”

“Did you get it?”

“Got everything there was on that table,
you bet.”

“The money and all?”

Veg. 2

“Good enough. If you have. only got
both halves of that paper we may have
some show.”

“We can’t look now, and yet we ought
to know. What we want to do is to light
out of this town without an instant’s de-
lay.”

“T ought to see those poor fellows
decently buried,”. sighed Walter. :

“I know it seems so, and it is so,” re-
plied Gus; “but to do that will spoil all
our chances. Has Winters any family?”

“No. He told me more than once that
he had not a soul left in the world who
felt any interest in him.”

“And Faxon?”

“T never heard him say anything about
his people. I don’t even know what part
of the country he comes from.”

“T say, let’s move on then. Somebody
will bury them. If we ever find out who
their friends are we can _ report. their
deaths.”

“I’m with you, Gus. We won’t discuss
it any longer. Now what ought we to
do?”

 

“What we need most are a couple of

HIS REVOLVER AND FIRED.
“BACK INTO THE TEMPLE!” CRIED GUS.

 

mules, but it is no earthly use to think of
buying them here. If we are found in
this town after sunrise we are dead ones,
just as sure as fate.”

“And we can’t carry this stuff without
mules. It was hard enough for the four
of us to lug it yesterday. We simply
could not get it up the Sierras.”

“Never; therefore let us take what we
can of it and leave the rest behind.”

So the boys began overhauling the gold-

 

 

 

AS THE INDIANS CAME RUSHING UP THE STEPS THEY SENT A SHOWER OF ARROWS FLYING.
THIS WAS ALL VERY WELL, BUT IT COULD NOT BE KEPT UP.
“wk MAY DODGE THEM So!”

hunters’ belongings as well as they could
by the aid of matches.

They finally made up two packs, which
included blankets, a change of clothing,

cooking utensils and such things as were

absolutely necessary.

The surveying instruments and every-
thing bulky were left behind.

A map, a compass and a fieldglass were
all they took of the somewhat elaborate
outfit which the gold-hunters had provided
for themselves.

And now with their packs the boys quiet-
ly left the town.

It was half-past two
before they got away.

They took the trail by which they had
come, and such good headway was made
that when the sun rose they were far up
in the mountain, at least a third of the
way back to the point on the coast from
which they had started the day before.

Reaching a level stretch where there
was a little stream, Gus declared the first
stage of their journey ended and proposed
a rest. |

They pulled aside and threw down their
packs among the bushes at a point where
the stream was about four feet deep.

The water was as clear as crystal, and
the bottom was strewn with white sand.

Gus immediately threw aside his coat
and kicked off his low shoes.

“What are you going to do?” demanded
Walter.

“Have a dip in this stream first thing.
After that we will plan our course.”

“T don’t know but what it would be a
good scheme,” said Walter. “It certainly
looks very cool and refreshing.”

The boys stripped and plunged in.

The bath refreshed them greatly, nor did
they trouble themselves to dress in a
hurry.

There were no mosquitoes, and the heat
was growing intense.

Breakfast was prepared from such pro-
visions as they had with them.

in the morning

 

 

These did not amount to much, and
oe not last them more than another

ay.

“Now to see what we have got,” said
Gus, and he began to empty his pockets
of the money and papers taken from the
table in the hut.

The money, which was all in gold and
United States gold notes, footed up to a
little over three thousand dollars.

“Bnough for us to travel a year on in
this country,” declared Gus.

Next he went over the papers.

These consisted of letters. from Perez
to Mr. Winters; notes on the country,
taken from some book of travel, and a
few .letters and papers relating to other
matters, ;

There was also a memorandum book con-
taining addresses.

All these things Gus tied up in
parcel and put carefully away.

There was nothing belonging to the
fortunate Faxon found.

But the main find yet remains to be
scribed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

one

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GUS WHIPPED OUT

 

 

This was the parchment described by
Walter.

Both halves turned up among the papers,
much to the satisfaction of both the boys. ~*
They were ancient-looking affairs and

matched perfectly.

Laid side by side, they formed a strip of
parchment about sixteen inches square
which was pretty well covered over with |
fine writing.

It bore a signature and a seal.

Gus caught the date, 1582, at the -first
glance.

There was no doubt about the age of
the document; its whole appearance bore
that out.

Gus examined it long and earnestly be-
fore making any remark.

“Can you read it?” demanded Walter.
“Tf you can’t, we are done for, and may
as well make tracks for the boat.”

“It is old Spanish and hard reading,”
replied Gus, “but I guess I can make out
the most of it. Which of these pieces did
Mr. Winters have?”

“I’m sure I don’t know. You must re-
member that this is the first time I have
seen it. Winters kept the whole thing
very close. I heard more about the busi-
ness the time Perez came to the fonda than
I had ever done before.”

“T see. Well, it appears to be the state-
ment of some Spanish priest who traveled
in this section in the year 1582.”

“What was his name?”

“That is the hard thing to get at. It
looks to me like Echeverria, Jose Maria
Echeverria; but as it don’t really make
any difference, we will call it that. Now
I will try to read.” ~

We do not propose to reproduce the en-
tire document.

It was a long-winded affair, and much
of it related to the appearance of the
coufitry and the character of the natives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of it was so obliterated by time,
{CONTINUED ON PAGE 10.)

 

     
HAPPY DAYS.

8

 

 

 

 

 

(This story commenced in No. 617.)

JONAH

MAKING A MUSS OF EVERYTHING

By SAM SIILEY

Author of “The Boy Next Door,” “Just Like His Father,” “Our Jim,” “Wally,” ‘A Boy
- From the Country,” “Rolling Rob,” ‘Billy Brass,” “Finnegan's Boy,” ete.

CHAPTER VI.

He wouldn’t, and Jonah went off to put
something on his neck and never once
thought of working his little snap on

Jonah’s careless attitude changed very-} Willie.

suddenly, and he indulged in some of the
liveliest kind of movements for a little

while. =

He danced, jumped, kicked, spun around,

“Well, it was just funny,” laughed Jack.:
“There’s always a surprise coming when
Jonah is around, and that’s what makes
him such a delight. That fellow can al-

hopped first on one lag and then on the | ways get up a laugh, even at a funeral.”

other, swung his arms about, put his hands
to his neck, and did more tricks in a min-

School was over, the great and glorious
Fourth was at hand, and Jonah, with the

 

“MWA

 

the time that we want to fire a salute,
let off our big crackers, explode the mines
and all that. It’ll be a lively old ride for

Waggles; but he won’t know that it wasn’t

all an accident.”

“Why, no, of course not.”

“He can’t prove anything.”

“No, and it’ll be lots of fun.”

“You'll see some lively old jumping when
things begin to go off.”

“Yes, and old Waggles will have a
chance to shake off some of his fat.”
.“You bet he’d shake off some of ours
afterward if he got on to us.”

“Yes, but he isn’t going to find it out.”

The fellows all agreed to be in the woods
at a given point the next morning early
and wait for Wagegles, the sound of his
horse’s feet being the signal to get ready
for a grand fusilade.

All hands were to be in the plot, and
they all agreed that it would be one of the
best ever.

Jack somehow had his doubts as to how
things would turn out, knowing Jonah of

old, but he was certain that there would [>

be fun, ‘any-
how, and so
went into the
thing with a
\g great deal of
\ enthusiasm.

Early on the
morning of the
Fourth, when
Jonah was

7 still dreaming
5 of the fine
; he was
going to have,
Sally Ann
aroused him
\a with a thump
= on his door,
and said:

E “Hey, you,

‘3 Jonah, get up;

ima wants
( you.”

SEP e is net
time to get up
yet. said
Jonah with a

i yawn. “Go

Raway and

fim mea
chance to
sleep.”

eEh come

fH in there and

H pour a pitcher

A of water over

you if --you

# don’t get up,”
warned Sally
Ann.

“Ah, go on,
you ain’t the
‘boss. ”

“You get up
or you'll find
out if Iam or
not. Ma wants
you to go to
the store.”

 

 

JONAH, HUSTLING THAT OLD MULE SO AS TO. SAVE TIME, SUDDENLY DASHED UP.
PISTOLS,- CANNONS AND OTHER EXPLOSIVES.

AND JONAH HAD THE LIVELIEST KIND OF TIME.

ute than a jumping-jack could think of in
a month.

That ball of Willie’s had taken him just
behind the ear, and had caught him for
fair.

He yelled as well as danced around and
attracted general attention.

*Aoh, caddy, did you see wheah the ball
went?” asked Willie. “I think I must have
~ driven it out of sight, don’t you know.”

“Yare, that drive was out of sight, all
right. You’ll have to dig the ball out 0’
the feller’s neck, though, if you want to
use it again.” .

“Great guns!” howled Jonah, “what the
dickens did you want to hit me for? I
wasn't in the way.”

“Aoh, I beg pardon, me deah fellah;
did I hit you?”

“Yes, you did; you nearly broke my neck
with your confounded ball. There’s the
hole, over that way. You can’t hit straight.
If you took that blame old one-eyed thing
out of your eye, you might do something.”

“Aoh!” said Willie, astonished at such
heretical language.

“You look like a hand-organ monkey,
anyhow, and you*can’t play golf nor noth-
-ing else for shucks, you shop-worn dude.”

“Not plahy goff?” gasped Willie. “Why,
I’ve plahyed it in Scutland, me deah boy.”

“Scotland nothing!” snapped Jonah, who
still felt the sting of that ball. “You
“never even went to New York; you never
went farther than the next town.”

Jonah was mad and did not care what
he said, although there was truth enough
in his statements.

Jack and the other fellows enjoyed the
fun, but the girls thought it was just
horrid for that awkward country boy to
speak so rudely to the elegant Mr. Walk-
over.

Jonah sputtered and said alot of uncom-
plimentary things which Willie Walkover
was not man enough to resent in any prac-
tical form, while the boys just howled and
tried to get him to do something.

 

other fellows, was preparing to have a }
high old time.

Jonah was not too big to make a noise,
and he had a cannon, a lot of the biggest
kind of crackers and a fine assortment of
fireworks for the evening display.

The boys expected to begin the racket

early on the morning of the Fourth, and |

keep it up at intervals all through the day
and night.

Jonah thought of a good joke on Wag-
gles, and told it to Jack and some of the
fellows.

“You know Waggiles goes in for out-door
exercise,” he says, “and I’ve a good joke
up my sleeve to play on him and pay him
up for the hard raps he gave us all during
the winter.”

“What is it, old man?” asked Jack.

“Well, old Waggles goes off riding every
morning before breakfast and takes a good
long spin on that nag of his.”

“All right; what of it?”

“We always goes through the woods
down the road a piece because its cool and
shady there and the road is fine.”

“Well, well, get at your little scheme,”
said Jack, “and don’t take so much time.”

“T gotter else you ‘wouldn’t understand,”
muttered Jonah. “Who’s getting up this
snap, I’d like to know? If I don’t tell you
how it’s done, how are you going to do
102%

“Go on, Jonah,” said Jack. “I’m sure
the snap is a fine one, and we're all so

anxious to know what it is that we may

be a little impatient on that account.”

Jonah was somewhat mollified by this,
and went on:

“Well, when Waggles is coming back
through the woods, we ail want to be
there, hid behind the trees and among the
bushes and make it lively for him.”

“That isn’t so. bad.”

“Why, no; that'll do first-rate.”

“Good boy, Jonah; great head.”

“Of course We won’t know he’s com-
ing,” chuckled Jonah, “and that’ll be just

THEN THE BOYS LET GO THEIR
THAT MULE BEGAN TO CUT HIGH JINKS,~

 

“What fone.

eX ] O = G:
things. Wee
going to have
company.
Come on now, get up, or the store’ll be
closed before you get there, you great lazy-
bones. ”

It is doubtful if Jonah would have got
up till some time later if his father had
not called him.

He would do about as he wished, as far
as Sally Ann was concerned, and he wasn’t
much better with his mother, but when
the old man got to running things, it was
different.

Consequently, when the father let out
his voice a few minutes later and told
Jonah .to get up, there was no humbug
about it.

Mrs. Jenkins made her own butter, and
her hens supplied her with plenty of eggs,
and what they did not use of these com-
modities they sold to the neighbors or
traded at the store, as many country
housewives do.

“Jonah, you take these eggs and this
butter to the store and get what’s on the
list,” said Mrs. Jenkins. “Hurry up now,
for I want to get things ready before the
folks come. You can have your breakfast
when you come back.”

Jonah would rather go with the fellows,
but he reckoned that he would have time
to do so even yet if he got a move on
him.

He was supposed to walk to the store
and back, but he knew of a better plan
than that.

The old man wouldn’t let him have the
horse on account of his way of getting into
trouble, but there was an old mule in the
barn which would serve just as well and
save him lots of time and shoe leather.

He got his basket of eggs and his pack-
ages of butter, went out to the barn, put
a bridle on the old mule and started off
bareback for the village.

He wanted to save as much time as pos-
sible, and so he thought he would take
a short-cut and go through the woods in-
stead of by the regular road.

Now, those boys were on hand earlier

 

than had been agreed upon, and were only

awaiting the arrival of Jonah to fire off

a salute. é
Presently they heard the sound of hoof-

| beats coming: through the woods.

“There’s old. Waggles now.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we got here
early.” :

“Now then, boys, let’s make it warm for
him.” a

“Get your pistols and cannons ready.”

“Don’t forget your bombs and your big
crackers.”

The boys hid behind trees and in the
bushes, all ready to give old Wageles a
surprise when he came alongside.

Jonah, hustling that old mule so as to
save time, suddenly dashed up.

Then the boys let go _ their
cannons and other explosives.

That mule began to cut up high jinks,
and Jonah had the liveliest kind of time.

Bang! bang! went the crackers and
cannons all around.

The mule kicked up his heels and fairly
danced.

Jonah had all he could do to hold on,
to say nothing of taking care of his bun-
dles.

Eggs were up and butter was down, live
stock was lively, and Jonah had the time
of his life.’

The famous six hundred didn’t have it
half as hot.as Jonah had it.

Cannons behind, pistols in front, bombs
under him and crackers overhead volleyed
and thundered, and the mule made as
much noise as everything else combined.

Finally he let fiy with his heels, gave a
great snort and bolted for all he was
worth, while butter and eggs strewed his
path.

Then the boys made a discovery.

“Why, that was Jonah!”

“Well, if that don’t beat all!”

“The same old luck, hanged if it isn’t!”

“Yes, but how did it happen?”

“Give it up.”

Jonah got ‘to town quicker than he ex-
pected, but he didn’t have his butter and
eges.

The butter might be all right, but the
eggs were too well scrambled to be mar-
ketable.

Jonah got what he had been sent for
and said that his mother would settle for
them later.

He wouldn’t trust himself to that mule
going back, but sent him home by his
lones.

He didn’t go home through the woods
either, nor did he take any part in the
roast on Wagegles.

As a matter of fact, there wasn’t any,
for Waggles did not go that way that
morning, and Jack and the boys did not
wait to see whether he did or not.

Jonah had to square himself over the
loss of those eggs, but he found the butter
ae in the day and made good with Pod-
gett.

He did not enjoy the Fourth quite as
well as he thought he should, but by the
next day he had got over his soreness,
mental and physical, and was as ready as
ever to get up jobs on folks.

That morning he was around at the
store and saw Miss Singles with a big
shade hat, a parasol and cotton gloves and
a basket on her arm, talking to one of
the old dames of the village.

“Yes, I walk through the woods by the
river every morning gathering wild
flowers,” Miss Singles said. “Oh, I do so
love wild flowers! ”

“But aren’t you afraid of wetting your
feet,” said the practical old lady.

“Oh, no; I wear rubbers, and my gloves
and hat protect my hands and face from
the glare of the sun on the water. It’s
so peaceful and quiet in the woods.”

“But gracious me, the boys go in swim-
ming in the river, and they don’t wear a

pistols,

-gstitch, they tell me, though of course I’ve

never seen ’em.”

“How shocking!” gurgled Miss Singles.
“I should really die if I saw them, even
with their bare le—feet, I mean.”

“It’s just shameful,” said the old girl.
“They ought to’ be made to put on
clothes.”

“But they never go in when I am there,”
muttered Miss Singles. “Dear me, I be-
lieve I should take a fit if they did.”

“T shouldn’t think you’d want to run the
risk,” sniffed the old girl with a strong ac-
cent on the personal pronoun. “JI don’t
‘think it’s proper, and those boys ought to
be stopped.”

Now, as the boys’ swimming hole was in
a secluded spot, out of sight of the road
or of any houses, there was really no harm
in their going there either with or without
tights, but then some persons are too criti-
cal for their own good.

“T really cannot lose my delightful
walk,” cackled the old maid, “and I don’t
believe they'll be there in the morning.
They never have been yet.”

Then she started off, and Jonah immedi-
ately had an idea.

He would get to the river ahead of the
old maid, get a stick and make a great
splash in the water and talk in four or
five keys so as to make her think the boys
were in swimming.

Then when she screamed and ran away
he would have the laugh on her and tell
all the fellows.

-He would have liked to have them with

wy

 
him now, but he saw none around, and

i“

= he would have to hurry in ordér to get

ahead of Miss Singles.

.He knew a Short cut across the fields,
and off he started, full of his project.

He had forgotten about Podgett’s bull,
who was kept in one of those fields, and
never remembered it until, when halfway
across the lot, he heard a bellow, and then
saw that gentleman cow putting for him
at full speed.

“Gee-whiz! I gotter run!” he gasped,
and he did run for fair, making for the
nearest fence.

There was a diteh on the other side of
that fence, and it wasn’t the easiest place
to cross; but there was no choosing now,
and, in - fact, Jonah never thought of it.

He made his lone legs and big feet fairly
fly, but the bull was a good sprinter and
came after him at a clipping speed.

Jonah looked behind him once and then
raced all the faster, for that bull was gain-
ing and the fence was still a good distance
off.

He reached it, climbed up in a hurry,
and was then politely helped over by his
pursuer, who gave a snort and a roar and
fairly lifted him off.

There was
ed on the right side of the fence, to be

sure, but up to his middle in a dirty ditch

-and sinking deeper every second.

oo  Oueh! You.stop, you nasty, mean
thing!” howled Jonah. “What you want
to do that for? Gosh, I’ll get all mud.”

The bull gave a roar and then walked
off, disappointed at not being able to get
at Jonah and do more mischief.

Jonah ‘crawled out of that ditch, not
without getting his hands and face plaster-
ed, however, and then sat down and-jawed
the bull, his own luck, the breaking up of
his nice little snap and everything in gen-
eral.

“Blame it, I’l] have to go in swimming
now,” he complained, “and I hain’t got
no towel, nor soap, nor tights, nor nothing.
Anyhow, it’s better’n going home all mud.”

It was not easy walking with his shoes

squirting mud and water at every step

‘and his soaked trousers clinging to his

legs, but it would be worse if he took off
his shoes, for he hag to cross a newly
mown field, and stubble between one’s toes
is not the pleasantest thing in the world.

He reached the river at last and pro-
ceeded to get off his wet, soggy, muddy
clothes and give himself a good cleaning.

When he was in the midst of it, along
came, not Miss Singles, but Podgett, who
said angrily:

“This ain’t no Sswimmin’ hole. ‘You’re
trespassin’, thet’s what you are, an’ Ill
hev th’ lawr on ye. Yu went acrosst my
field tu, an’ scairt my caows.”

“Didn’t!” snorted Jonah, “but that bull
0? yourn tossed me into the ditch and got
me all mud. You say anything and Pll
complain of your letting that ugly feller
go locse.”

“Don’t yu go tu sassin’ me,

goldurn ye!”
snorted Podgett, who had his whip with
him and now began to ply it in the im-
mediate neighborhood of Jonah’s bare legs
in a manner not at all to be. desired.

“Ouch! You stop!” yelled Jonah, and
then, grabbing up one of his muddy shoes,
he let Podgett have it in the stomach.

“Ugh!
while Jonah made a dash and dove into the
water, forgetting, however, to put his
clothes in & place of safety.

“Gosh, I’ll fix yu fur thet!” howled Pod-
gett.

Then he grabbed up Jonah’s duds, made

a bundle of them, tucked them under his >

arm and walked off.

“Naow. then, yu git hum th’ best yu
can, gosh hang ye!” he snorted, and in
another moment he was hoofing it home
with the things, leaving Jonah with noth-
ing to wear but a smile, and not a very
pleasant one at that.

-When Jonah came up and got his breath,
he saw Podgett walking off with his
clothes, and let out a yell.

“Here, you mean old skunk, come back
with my clothes!” he bawled.

“Waal, I’ll gin yu some on ’em,” laughed
Podgett, as he threw one shoe and then
the other and then a hat to the boy.

They all landed in the water, however,
and Jonah had a scramble to prevent the
shoes from sinking.

By the time he had rescued them Pod-
gett was too far away to be pursued.
Gee-whiz!
but my hat and shoes,” wailed Jonah.
.“Confound it, Tl fix that old skinflint
for this. How’m I going to get home, I’d
‘like to know?”

There was a road on the other side of
the river, for Jonah had not gone to the
regular swimming hole, and just now he
heard the sound of wheels.

- Putting on his hat and hanging his shoes

around his neck by the strings, he started ©

to Swim across. ©
He. saw a man in a light wagon and
bawled as he swam ahead:
“Hallo! Stop a minute! I want you
- to go up to my house and get——”
- Then he stopped, for he recognized the
-man in the wagon as his own father.
“Do tell!” said Jenkins. 5 What are you
doing there, Jonah Jenkins?”
: “Swimmin’, 0’ course, pa,” eaid Jonah.
“That blame ‘old Podgeti run off with my

e

a big splash, and Jonah land-

Great snakes!” grunted Podgett, .

I can’t go home in nothin’.

 

HAPPY. DAYS.

things ’cause I got on his lot, and his bull
chucked me in the ditch first off and got
me all mud, and he hadn’t ought to keep
him loose like that, and I’m just glad I
a him, and he oughter be complained
oO oe s

Jonah was getting things mixed, but
Jenkins had no time to straighten them
out now.

“Get in the wagon and cover yourself
up with the buffalo,” he said. “Dll see
Podgett about this later. I don’t quite
understand it; but you can’t go home
without your cicthes.”

Jonah was sneaked into the house by
the back way, and no one saw him but
Billy Bottles, who was working around
the place, and who nearly laughed himself
into a fit over the boy’s forlorn appear-
ance.

He told the story around town, and Pod-
gett told his side of it, so that by degrees
it got out, Jonah himself confiding his part
to Jack and one or two others.

“Never mind about Pete Podgett,” said
Jonah. “Ill fix him all right. He can
keep my old clothes. Pa ain’t going to
trade there no more; but that ain’t all of
it,” and thereupon Jonah confided a plan
which he hag thought of by which to get
hunk on the storekeeper, and all the boys
declared that it was the best yet.

(TO BE CONTINUED.)

There is a splendid sors out to-day in
“Work and Win” No, 404, entitled “FRED
FEARNOT AND THE FARMER’S BOY;
OR, A GREENHORN FROM THE COUN-
TRY.” Every. chapter is very interesting.

Price Five Cents Each
+0+0+0+04040+0

 

 

POOCOQGOOOOHGHOOOGOGOD
WE GO TO CHURCH

By “ED.” QZ
$SOOOO$HOOHOOHO050|15 1 308
$5555555555HH5HOH55 IS ©

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OY
SOS OOOS

 

Did you ever go to church in the coun-
try? I mean the real country, where the
church looks as if it would faint if any-
body should spill a drop of paint on it, and
the seats are cushioned with pine.

Tommy and I went.

It was the first time that we had been to
church since We were baptized, Even then
we didn’t go in. We sat on the front stoop
and let it rain on us.

Tommy considered it a great occasion.

He took, great pains in his dress.

He went in a plug hat, a red shirt, and a
pair of song and-dance shoes. He told me
that he was going in style, even if washing
his face did half kill him.

We went in very unostentatiously, with
six dogs and a cow with a boquet on each
horn. Some folks would put on airs be-
cause they came from New York, but, we
didn’t.

We took a seat. .

It was a seat that required me to wear
copper-bottomed pants to sit on easily. It
was the hardest, most unsympathetic seat.
I ever became acquainted with, and we
have eat off the mantelshelf ever since.

The minister was a nice looking old
man.

He looked like a potato. Spun on tooth-
picks, and he was dressed in a white tie
too big for him, and a suit of clothes evi-
dently made for him when he was Six
months old. He had grown up, but -they
hadn’t.

He gets eight dollars a month—when he
gets it—and is growing rapidly rich.

When we got in and got anchored, the
choir commenced to sing.

It was a choir that touched one’s soak
Touched you to get up and kill the whole
lot.

There were four of them.

One sang low, one sang high, and one
sang-in the middle. The other One sang
for the cigars. :

They sang: “It is sweet to die!” We
thought so, too. Tommy said that if he
thought they meant what they said, he
would get up and accommodate them. He
would help them die with pleasure.

But finally they concluded, and the min-
ister got up.

Then he read the amusements for the
eoming week. They consisted of three
funerals and a prayer meeting.

After that he gave out the text, but I
forget what it was. I have an idea that
it was something personal about Belshaz-
zar. But as Belshazzar didn’t have any
friends in that congregation, he gave it to
him hot.

The sermon was very interesting—so in-
teresting that I had a crazy desire to get
up and stand on my head to stop the
thing.

More especially as the minister said
everything over twice, and when he got
hold of a big word said that over a dozen
times. He wanted to crush us with his
learning. ;

- By and by Tommy got restless,

 

He took a pack of cards from his ro
and wanted to play poker.

I religiously refused.

Then he offered to bet six cents that he
could spit in the minister’s hat on tlie
pulpit stairs the first time.

I pretended not to hear.

So he took out his jackknife and tried

to carve his initials on the head of a bald-

headed baby in the pew in front of us.

The baby objected.

Tommy rubbed chewing gum into
head to make the knife work easier.

The baby howled.

And its mother turned around to glare
at. us. She was ephemerally © beautiful.
She was blind in one eyé, had rented all of
her teeth out, and had lost her nose when
young. :

“T.am ashamed,” nd she.

Tommy said ghe ought to be. Anybody
with such an unaccommodating baby ought
to raffle it off and buy a new one.

She snorted scornfully and turned her
back on us.

Tommy skillfully ornamented it with a
chalk motto. The motto said: “Please
kick me.” Yet probably that woman would
have made a fuss if she had seen it. She
looked just ungrateful enough.

I, too, had got restless by this time.

The minister was still giving it to Bel-
shazzar, and insinuating that he got drunk
and gambled.

I started to read a letter.

I handled it as carefully as I would a
glass pipe, and yet it made more noise
than a falling house. You could hear the
paper rattling for miles around.

Tommy had his mouth full of pop-corn

its

! ball at the time, and he laughed. The con-

sequence was that the laugh and the pop-
corn come out in company. Most every
one in that church got some of the pop-
eorn without asking.

The minister stopped sassing Belshazzar
and looked at us.

“Maybe he’s dry,”
him what he’ll have.
hotel is open.”

“There are sons of unrighteousness
amongst us,” said the minister.

Tommy asked him where.

He had frequently met old man unright-
eousness, but his sons were strangers. If
he would point them out Tommy would
like to see them.

The minister. seized on this to give all
the city folks present a setting-out. ©

He said they drank, smoked, played bil-
liards, went to dances and should be avoid-
ed. We were terribly affected at his words.
One young lady of our acquaintance was,
too. So much so that she remained seated
after the sermon.

She had to. 3

When. she started to get up the seat also.
arose. It had just been varnished and it
was very fond of her. To such a degree
that they had to be parted with an ax.

At last the sermon was. ended. We
were, nearly.

“Brother Place will take the chliceion, a
said the minister.

Brother Place did.

He took a long fish pole with a starch
box on one end and poked it among the
mourners.

The congregation gave liberally.

There were three cents, twelve buttons
and a fish-worm in the box when it got to
me.

I put in a half-dollar, (iron.)

Brother Place fainted and the bottom of
the box fell out.

We conciuded it was time to go.

We went.

No more country churches for me.

But I-am going this winter every Sunday
night—after church is over, to see my girl
home.

said Tommy; “ask
The back door of the

Note. hia
the country sketches true. They are. All
the incidents narrated occurred during my
vacation this Summer. If you don’t be-
lieve it, ask Mrs. Bayer, Daisy and Walter;
ask Joe Schmitt or his brother; ask jolly
Mr. Thurber or gay Mr. Washburn, or any
of the lively crowd of boarders up at Doc.
Ford’s in Westkill this summer.

$040404040404040404040404040-

A most mysterious détective story is out
to-day in No. 397 of “Secret Service.”
Ask for “THE BRADYS AND THE KING
OF CLUBS; OR, THE CLEW FOUND ON
THE CORNER.” It is a good one. * *

Five Cents is the Price
9-#00©0-9060-20©02060-00O020602060

Hickory, one of if not the most valuable
of our native woods, has become so scarce
that many substitutes have of necessity
been found for it.
in the demand for buggies and carriages
of the finer class had much to do with the
virtual exhaustion of the great American
hickory — forests. England, Germany,
China, Australia, South Africa and. the
South American countries made strong
requisitions on the American supply. Years
ago the supply of this fine wood north of
the Ohio river had been exhausted. De-
spite substitutes and changed conditions,
hickory remains one of the most valuable
of American woods.

-not venture beyond the
crouching puma, believing that the spirits

this mountain!

The wonderful increase |

 

(Continued from page 8.)

and the Spanish words so abbreviated, that

Gus could make little sense of it. —

Fortunately for his purpose, however,
the part which referred to the lost gold
mines of Montezuma was
plain.

Hea beran2. 2 4, Jose | Maria Echeverria,
padre of San Louis, in the - State of
Durango, finding myself in ill-health, did,
on the 6th day of December, 1581, "start
on my travels for the glory of God and
the benefit of my health. I went first to
the city of Guadalaxara, and 2

Here followed a long description of
routes and places visited.

Early in 1582 this perambulating priest

appeared to have turned up at Oaxaca,
where through an old Indian he heard of.
the lost mines.

He was guided by this Indian to a point —

on the shore where he came upon the
earved rock.
And the narrative continued:

“So like unto the upper part of the | ~

body of a man was this rock that I could —

readily believe the statement of my guide

that it was the work of man and not a
freak of nature, as one would have sue
posed.

“The hand is raised and. the foreinge
points to the Sierras. Here, with a good
glass, one can see a flight of steps above

the tree line, for the mountain is less than ~

three leagues distant. These. steps, my
guide informed me, led directly to the
mines from which the Aztec
Montezuma, extracted the
gold;

miners put it.
self had seen it, but that his people would

of their ancestors guard the treasure, and
that they would lose their lives by so do-

ing. He, however, did so venture and was.

stricken with a fever which laid him
low.”

Here there was a break, a whole sen-
tence being obliterated.

The docuMent resumed as follows:

particularly :

emperor, |
bulk of his. —
and said Indian further informed |
me that much gold still remains in an ~
ancient storehouse underground where the
He asserted that he him- ~~

image of the

“And with my guide I traversed the

foothills, taking as my objective point the
steeple
points, though this it is easy to miss.

“Once gained from this rock, the descent
is easy to the base of the Sierras, where
lies the ruined temple.

*From here the steps boo With what
labor must they have been hewn out on

it. I did ascend for the whole of one day.
I did reach the storehouse of Montezuma
and bring thence as Much gold as I could
carry, leaving behind a vast store. The
country is a wilderness. It is to be doubt-
ed if I ever return, but any man in good

health: and of ordinary courage could eas- —
ily enrich himself. at these mines, which

Here there was a long break.

Below nothing remained legible but the |
signature of the old padre, Josg@ Maria ©

Echeverria.

CHAPTER XI.
DODGING THE ENEMY.

We should have liked to have given
the entire text of the singular document,
or at least, all of it which was readable,
but it would occupy entirely too much
space.

The minute writing, all on the one sheet,
when translated, would spread over pages
of print.

“Say,” eried Walter, “it seems to me
that we ought not to have very Much trou-
ble in following up the route.”

“Perhaps not,” replied Gus; “but ‘you
want to remember that this thing is over
three hundred years old.”

““Fhat’s .so! Hundreds of people may
have been to that lost mine since the old
padre wrote this.”

“If it was anywhere else but Mexico we
wouldn’t stand a ghost of a show; but
here——”

“Hold on, Gus! Don’t you hear mules
coming along the trail?”

Gus listened.

“Now that you call my attention to it,

de hear something,” he said.

“It’s mules, sure.”

“Can it be Padre Perez?”

“That’s what we want to find out.”

“We had better finish dressing.”

They hurried on the remainder of their
clothes and gathered their things.

The sounds were very distinet now.

A number of mules were surely coming |

up the slope.

It is wonderful to think of ©

rock to which the finger in a way -.

ae

Protected as they were by the thick un-  _

dergrowth, Gus and Walter concluded that
their safest plan would be to remain just
where they were.
In a few minutes the leader of the ap-
proaching party hove in sight.
He was a full-blooded Indian, straddling

a auiite mule.

 
HAPPY DAYS.

il .

 

 

 

From the saddle hung allas, or wie
ts, baskets of food and other things.
Another followed,
ng other baskets, every one loaded with
Jes of wine, rum, brandy, whisky, ete.
hen still another carrying two new
tents, and another with several rifles on
each side of the mule which were lashed
ogether in bundles.
What kind of an outfit is this,” whis-
red Walter.

“There’s more coming!” replied
‘Watch the bend in the trail.

In a moment the fat form of Padre
Perez hove in sight. 5

The man straddled a burro, and present-
ed a ridiculous object, his feet ae

touching the ground.

It looked as if his clumsy form must
crush the sturdy little animal out of exist-
ence; but the burro did not seem to care.
; Following Perez came General Mendoza,
minus his uniform and dressed in the style
of a Mexican planter.

There were eight or ten armed men
trailing behind him.

The boys watched this singular outfit
until it was lost to view up the mountain-

Gus.

“They are after us, Gus,” said Walter.

“Surest thing,” replied Gus. “The gen-
ral has gone out of the revolutionary
business and has started out to look for
Montezuma’s mines.’

“Tt looks like it.”

“That's what it is.
ibout the boat?”
“Oh, yes; it was talked of.”

“Did he read the document?”

“Not while he was with us.
ave ‘done it in the hut.”

“Of course, and if he did, he probably

members enough of its contents to an-
wer every purpose. We have rivals in

r gold-hunting scheme.”

“And ones who will make short work of

if they catch us.’

“They will show us no mercy,” said Gus,

phatically. “This settles it. We can’t
go to the shore.”

“What shall we do?”
“You remember that place where Win-

rs remarked that it was probably the
urn-off you would have to take from the
ail” :

“Very well. a

“Let us push ahead. ‘Those peas will

Did Perez know

He may

; ave plenty of time to think. Perhaps
we can take that turn and cut in ahead of

So ‘the boys packed up and resumed their

urney up the mountain.

They made no haste—nobody ever does

. Mexico,

As they reached higher ground a cool
pPreeze struck them which was most re-
eshing.

By half-past three they reached the
Tidge, and were able to look down upon
the little bay where the boat had been
left.

It was still anchored inside the sand-
_ spit.
- The Perez party was there, too.
They could see the white tents pitched
S . upon the beach and the Indians moving
about a fire which had been lighted.
“Good!” exclaimed Gus. “We are all
‘Tight, -Walt;. they are good for the night.
Now it strikes me that what Mr. Winters
and Faxon were gunning for when they
made that survey was the steeple rock
mentioned in the document.
_ ~“Likely,” replied Walter. “Whatever it
was, they found it, I know that much.”

“Pity they hadn’t confided in you a little
mMIOre,”

_ “People
cook.”

“That's
will take
‘lands us.”

There was one thing to be considered.

They were in a section of country which

- appeared to be without an inhabitant.

-Gus’s spirits rose.

If the revolutionist and the man Perez
thought enough of the proposition. to go to
all the trouble of undertaking this jour-
ney, then surely there must be something
in it; a fighting chance at least of finding
Montezuma’ s mines.

' The boys did-not linger on the ridge,

but hurried down the slope, until along

about five o’clock they reached the nar-
row, indistinct trail which the unfortunate
Winters had pointed out to his com-
anions.

“Here we go,” said Gus. “For better or
for worse we make this. turn; let the
enemy follow if he chooses. For the time
being, at least, we have cut in ahead.”

Without knowing it, Gus was entering

don’t usually confide in. their

right.. No maitter, though: we
that turn-off and see where it

upon a region which was practically un-

explored...

For many generations this section of
the state of Oaxaca has been in full pos-
session of the Natico tribe of Indians, who
are noted for their fierce, untamable char-
acter, much as are the Yaqui nation in the
north,

The trail which the boys had taken was
one made by these Indians, who occasion-

ally came to Tepic to tradeAe
_ Not a white man in that town, nor, in
fact, in the whole state, would have daréd
to venture on that ‘trail without an armed
force at his back.

from whose saddle

 

 

But rumor had it cent General oteace |
was the one man in all Mexico who was
familiar with the Natico Indians and their

“Ways, and that on more than one occasion

this chronic revolutionist had been pro-
tected from the government troops by this
tribe.

Thus it will be seen that, having once
got the clew, General Mendoza was the
very man of all others who was likely to
make a success of the search for Monie-
zuma’s mines.

CHAPTER XTi.

xX

THE STEEPLE ROCK.

A MYSTERY AT

Ignorant of the danger they ran, Gus
and Walter pushed on along the trail.

It led them through a thick growth of
a species of tree which even the boy from
Honduras was unfamiliar with.

There was considerable underbrush, and

here and there were evidences of someone

having cleared the way by means of a
machete, and this quite recently, too.

“Someone has been through here within
a day or two,” said Gus.

“Yes, there is no doubt of that,” replied
Walter. “How long ago should you
think?”

“It looks to me as though it might have
been only this morning; but it was proba-
bly only some Indian.”

“T hope there are no wild Indians here.”

Gus shrugged his shoulders.

“Whatever Indians we find in a forest
like this we shall be pretty sure to find
wild enough,” he said.

But neither of them knew. anything
about the Naticos, or they would not have
pushed ahead as boldly as they did.

As it was, they lost not a moment, be-
ing resolved to walk until darkness over-
took them.

Just before this happened they came
suddenly: out upon what at first looked
like a great clearing of several miles in
extent.

“The steeple rock!” both boys cried at
a breath.

It was a most remarkable formation.

The “clearing” was, in fact, caused by
a@ series of alkali-boiling springs, or rather
geysers.

The water spurting up in a dozen places
at regular intervals had. so encrusted the
ground with some saline substance that
no vegetation could subsist, and the whole
surface of the enclosure, which was sur-
rounded by the dense forest, looked as
though it was covered with the driven
snow. .

In the midst of this ae circle rose a
rock which could not have been more than
a hundred feet in circumference.

It towered to a height of nearly three

hundred feet, as closely as Gus could esti-

mate, ending in a sharp point.

Beyond all question this was the eloanis
rock mentioned in the ancient document.

Gus was jubilant.

{Weve hit it!” “This
sure spells success.’

“Of course we can’t go any further to-=
night,” said Walter.

“No; we have reached our journey’s end
for the day, but we must get a move on
the very first thing. The Perez bunch
will probably start at the same time, for
people do most of their traveling in the
early morning and late in the afternoon
down here in Mexico. Meanwhile we will
put in all the sleep we can.”

“We had better look out for a place to
spreac our blankets,” remarked Walter.
“IT think— Great Scott! Look ~ out,
Gus! ” :

The boys had a narrow escape from a
hot water bath.

Suddenly a stream of steaming Water as
big round as a barrel rose right in front
of them with a noise like thunder.

The boys ran for their lives.

Turning, they saw that the stream was
up nearly a hundred feet.

It then slowly died down, and. after
having scattered its water in all directions,
vanished in a big round hole which ihe
boys had entirely failed to observe.

“Come,” said Gus, “this is no place to
travel about in at night. Let’s get back to

be exclaimed.

the edge of the woods where we are Safe.

They did so, and soon finding a suitable
spot, made their camp.

What little in the line of provisions
which had been brought along was pretty
well exhausted after this meal, and Gus
felt seriously concerned about a future
supply.

However, in the tropics one need never
starve if one knows his business, and Gus
did that.

Darkness settled down upon the clear-
ing, as we shall continue to eall this
singular place.

The boys talked for a while, ang they
lay down upon their blankets.

The night was warm, and they needed
no cover.

“JT suppose one of us ought to watch,”
remarked Walter.

“That’s me,” said Gus, quietly. -

“But you will go-to sleep if you lie
down.”

“No, I won’t. I am well used to this
sort of life. You sleep tili I wake you,

i‘which will be about one o’clock. All £

 

want to do is a rest my back a minute,
and then I shall be up and around.”

There was some further talk, but Walter,
who was a thoroughly tired boy, went to
sleep in the middle of a sentence.

Gus, however, was as good as his word.

In his wanderings about the mountains
of Honduras he had long ago trained him-
self to this sort of thing.

He was sitting up inside of half an hour,
and after awhile he got on his feet and
began to walk about, taking care to keep
close to the tree line for fear of falling
into one of the geyser holes.

Many geysers had been
since the one the boys first saw.

Gus had grown quite used to the strange
noise which preceded the eruption.

Just as he got up one away over at the
other side of the clearing shot up.

Gus watched the water glistening in the

‘moonlight.
All at once he saw a light of another

kind stream through the rising water.
ena on earth is that?” he asked him-
self,

It looked Hike the light of a blazing
torch.

“And that is just what it is,” Gus said
to himself, after a minute. “Phere is
somebody over there, sure. I hope it don’t
spell trouble for us.”

His first idea was to ‘wake up Walter,
but he concluded to wait a bit.

_ The light now moved beyond the spout-
ing geyser.

Gus saw that it was following the tree
line and coming his way.

It was time to get busy.

Gus called Walter, whe sprang tio his
feet.

“What’s the row?” he demanded.

“Look at that light,” said Gus.

“Say, it looks like someone coming this
way with a torch.”

“That’s just what I make out of it.”

“We had better get back into the
woods. ”

“Hold on a minute.
is running.”

“Indians, Gus?”

“Indians don’t carry a torch with them,
my dear boy. Give me that glass. If I
can fix it on the light I may be able to
gee who is carrying it.”

Walter got the glass, and Gus adjusted
it to his eye.
x“Why, say!” he exclaimed, after a min-
ute, “it’s a woman, if you please!”

ak woman! * ' cried Walter. “Surely you
are mistaken.’ A

“Oh, no! a a woman.
there is a Man behind her!
ning for dear life.”

“What shall we do?”

“Pull up stakes and get back just in-
side the tree line.. They are bound to pass
us if they keep on. We shall be able to
take them in all right.”

They hastily made up their packs and
removed them in among the trees.

Then, waiting in the shadows,
watched the movement of the light.

Suddenly a long, low cry was heard in
the distance.

This was answered by another, and an-
other still.

“Now what kind of a beat is that?” de-
manded Walter. “Come, you are the boss.
You are supposed to know all about the
tropics, and I don’t know a blame thing.”

“It is a human beast, Walt!”

“Indians?”

“That's what.”

“Then that explains why the woman is
running.”

“T guess you are right; but if it is some
Indian quarrel, you bet we don’t want to
butt in.” ‘

On came the torch. Gus looked to see
it extinguished, for the cries. were repeat-
ed again and again.

But it was not.

Evidently the runners were afraid of
falling into one of the geyser holes.

“Get back,” said Gus at last; “they are
almost here!”

They drew back among the trees and
stood waiting for the procession to pass.

But at the last moment, when the pair
were almost upon them, Gus jumped out
into the open. _

“Why, it is Luisa! It’s the girl we res-
cued at Tepic!” he exclaimed.

Here, by jove,
They are run-

they

CHAPTER XIIT.
LUISA.

“Senor! Oh, Senor Gustavo!”

The girl Walted the instant Gus spoke
her name.

Up behind her a young Indian had come
running.

At least, the boys took it so, but they
were quickly undeceived.

“Luisa, what are you doing here?” cried
Gus in Spanish.

The girl dashed the torch to the ground
and stamped upon it.

“So glad I found you!” she panted.
“Back in the woods! Quick! The Naticos
are upon us! You are both lost if they
catch us, and they will kill me, too!”

“And that is reason enough for me to
do anything you say, sister,” replied Gus.
“Lead on. We will follow.”

in operation.

: danger ous.

Whoever it is, he

 

Luisa spoke some hurried words in a
strange tongue to her companion. a
“This is Zelie; she is a woman, although
you might not think it from her dress,”
she explained. “Fellow her; she will show ~
you what to do.”

Zelie parted the bushes and led them
back about a hundred feet.

“She says that we are as safe here as
anywhere,” said Luisa. “We will wait. .
Probably they will pass us. They are after
me and Zelie; but they do not know that
you are here.” 2

“Are they-very fierce?” asked Gus,

“T ought to say nothing against them,
since they are my people on my mother’s
side,” was the reply; “but they are very
They will surely kill you if
you fall into their hands. This is their
country. They allow no strangers here.” .

“Oh! Then you are a halibreed?”

“Ves. >

“T would not have believed it.”

“T am not ashamed of my mother’s ee
ple, Senor Gustavo!”

“Pardon me. I didn’t mean that.”

“Oh, I know how the Indians are de-
spised. But listen; the Naticos are a brave
race. They are the last descendants of
the Aztecs, who remain uncondquered,
They never will be conquered. They allow
no white man to enter their land.”

“But what brought you here, Luisa?”

“You remember last night?”

“Am I ever likely to forget it?”

“By General Mendoza’s . orders an at-
tempt was made to kili me. ‘You and
Senor Walter saved my life. But I—I
thirst for revenge. _When the soldiers
come again I watch; but I take more care.
I follow General Mendoza to the hut of the
wicked padre whom everybody hates, I lis-
ten, I learn that they are to come into
this country and why. Then I come and
warn my friends, the Naticos, so that they
may watch for them and kill them.”

“Indeed! And how about us, Luisa?”

“How could I know that you were com-
ing, too?” cried the girl half fiercely. “Of
your head’ I would not hurt so much as
one hair. When the sun descended I was
standing on the other side of the hot
springs, and to my great surprise I saw
you and Senor Walter. Well, I must save
you, I say to myself, for I knew that per-
haps others might see you. When dark-
ness comes Zelie and I we make a move.
We hope that we shall not be seen, but we
were mistaken. The Naticos have follow-
ed us. Now what? Back I cannot. go
until their anger is over. Perhaps I save
your life, but I know not what to do.”

“The Indians do not wish you to leave
them, then?”

“The chief has ordered not.
is law.”

“But you cannot remain with him all the
time.”

“Oh, he does not expect ce What he
wants is for me to remain gntil the feast
of turtles, which will take place a week
from to-morrow.”

“Then these Indians are not of the
Catholic religion, and you are of them?”

“We are supposed to be Catholics; but
let us not discuss that. Tell me, Senor
Gustavo, for I have the right to know,
why are you here?”

Walter was looking rather mystified.

It was evident that he could understand
but little of what was being said. —

“We shali have to tell her our a -
said Gus in English.

“Look out! Not yet!” was the : answer. _

“We are wandering about the country
with no special purpose,” Gus said in
Spanish.

But Luisa would not ‘take it -So,

“Ah, Senor Gustavo, it is useless to try
to deceive me,” she exclaimed. “T heard
what the wicked padre and General Men-
doza said. They seek Montezuma’s lost
mines; somebody robbed them of money.
and papers which they had stolen from
Americanos whom they killed. I believe
I understand. You are the one, Senor
Gustavo. Doubtless you also seek Monte-—
zuma’s lost mine.”

All this was said very quietly, but Gus
could see that the girl was laboring under
a good deal of excitement. —

“One can’t hide themselves in this world,
no Matter how hard they try,” he thoug

Meanwhile the Indians were chasing
about the clearing, calling to each other,

None seemed to come in the direction
of the hiding-place of Gus and his com-
panion, however. ;

“And what if it ig true, as you say, —
Luisa?” continued Gus.

His will

mine?”
“Nothing else,” replied Luisa.
will be sure to follow, unless
“Well? There is a way out, then?”
“Unless I help you, Senor Gustavo.”
Ate You know where Montezuma’s
mine is, then? You have been there?”
“Oh, yes, I know, but-I have never been
there.” =
“Ts the way long and difficult?”
“T must not tell you. It igs the secret of —
my mother’s people. No, I will not tel,
but——”
Gus looked her full in the eyes and took |
her hand within his own.
“But you will not let me suffer, Luisa—
that ig what you would say. If I go on in
this search you will help me all you can?”

“Death

 

“Does it mean
death to me if I am seeking Montezuma’s —
HAPEY

DATS

 

 

' Gus knew that she was blushing, al-
Ly
“JT will never see you suffer, since it was
you who saved my life,” was the low re-
sponse.

“But tell me no more, ~ Senor Gustavo,”
she added. “I have made up my mind
what to do. I will go back to my people
at daybreak. Zelie and I can fix up some
story which will satisfy them. Thén I can
better watch over you and ward off the
trouble which is bound to come if you per-
sist in your undertaking.” .

“T would not have you make trouble for
yourself, Luisa.”

“JT shall be careful; but the bad padre
and General Mendoza! Ah, let them be-
ware! If they come into this country,
then it shall be to their death.”

There was some further conversation in
this véin.

Meanwhile Walter and Zelie were star-
ing at each other, or rather Walter was
trying’ to keep out of the reach of the
Indian girl’s black eyes which were ever
upon him.

The cries of the Indians had-now died
away.

Gus and Luisa ventured out into the
open. -

They could see nothing of them, and
Luisa declared that they had probably gone
back to their town, which was located in
the forest about a mile from the clearing.

“Look, Senor Gustavo,” she said, “if you
persist in your plan it would be better to
leave this place as soon as possible. Zelie
and I will guide you past the point where
one turns off to go to the Natico town.
Then for the time you will be Safe. For
you to attempt it by daylight might mean
death.”

“Do you mean to go now?” asked Gus.

“Not now. We should run the risk of
' falling into the holes out of which the
water comes, but as soon as the first dawn
appears you had better do as I say.”

Gus consulted with Walter, who came
along with Zelie just then.

“We are up against this girl, so I sup-
pose we had better do as she tells us,”
replied Walter. “Confound these Indians!
I wish we had not run up against them.
I was in hopes that you and I were to be
allowed to manage our. business in our own
way.’

But fate had decreed otherwise, and the
boys had to yield to the inevitable.

It would have been mere madness to
have rejected Luisa’s. offer of assistance
if they intended to persist in their search
for Montezuma’s mines.

And this they most certainly did intend.

Gus had not the faintest notion of giving
up on account of the threatened danger,
and as for Walter, he was one of the kind
ever ready to follow his leader. :

He had no other thought than to stick
by Gus. :

CHAPTER XIV.

GUS AND pees ARRIVE AT THE RUINED
TEMPLE.

For the rest of the night Gus and Luisa
sat talking. :

Zelie watched them with argus eyes:

Walter, tired of it at last, lay down on
the erqand and went to Sleep.

Nothing more was heard of the Indians.

It seemed certain that they had gone

~~ back to their town.

With the first gray of dawn the party
got on the move.

Luisa hurried them across the clearing
and started them on a trail which led down
the mountain.

She assured them that at the foot of the
slope they would find the ruined temple
without difficulty. :

Beyond this point she had never gone,
she said, and for that reason she could
not give further directions.

‘She had, however, heard of the steps
which led up the Sierra, and*she told Gus
that she did not think he would have any
difficulty in finding them.

They parted with the girls at a point
where there was a narrow trail leading
back into the forest.

“You are sure that it is safe for you
to go back?” asked Gus.

. “Yes,” was the reply. “Safe so long as
ft have not been seen with you, and I am
sure that is the case, or some of my people
would have been watching for us here.
Go your way and may success attend you.”

“And I shall see you again?”
~ *©¥You surely shall if we both live.”

This ended it. _

Luisa and her Indian companion glided
“off into the forest, and the boys persued
their way’ down the mountainside.

“Tm glad it is over,” remarked Walter,
dryly, once they were well on their way.

“Glad what is over?” demanded Gus,
who had not spoken until now.

“That flirtation.”

“Pshaw, Walt!
“Don’t tell me!

_ gteady stream.”
“Well?” c

It was no flirtation.”
Why, you two talked a

“Oh, it’s none of my business, of course;
— Only thing is that in all my experience [
never yet. found myself up against a good |

though he could not see her face distinct-

 

eine that some woman ‘didn’t butt in and
SpoH Tt alle

“You are certainly very unreasonable,”
said Gus, half angrily. “Here this girl
out of sheer gratitude risks her life to
warn us of serious danger and you are
kicking about it.”

“That’s all right.
back to her people.
is so much danger.”

“We'll cut it out,” cried Gus, hotly.

PAL rieht, cut: it out, then, ” retorted
Walter. “Best thing we can do is to think
Ups how we are going to get something to
ea ”

So no more was said about the matter,
and the fooq problem was solved before
they had gone much further.

A small- animal, so very much like a
raccoon that Gus was satisfied that it was
a creature of the same species, was seen
on the limb of a tree.

Gus whipped out his revolver on the in-
stant, and ‘with “a well-directed shot
brought it down.

“This gives us our breakfast, ” he de-
clared.

The discovery of a grove of banana
trees finished the. solution of the food
problem for the time being.

Coming to a level stretch about an hour
later, they halted.

“We will venture to build a fire here
and. cook Mr. Coon,” said Gus.

“It may bring the Naticos upon us, but
I suppose we have got to eat,” replied
Walter, who had now quite recovered his
good humor.

They escaped this danger, however.

The fire was built, the coon cooked and
breakfast eaten without anything happen-
ing to disturb them.

Fortunately there appeared to be streams
everywhere in these mountains, so there
was no lack of water.

After an hour’s halt the boys pushed on
until they came down into a valley of
some five miles in- width.

Beyond rose the high Sierras, towering
. 2 height of at least twelve thousand
ee

It was difficult to obtain a good view of
the mountains, for the forest remained un-
broken.

Now and then the boys got a glimpse,
however, and at last Gus, having climbed
a tall tree in order to get a better view,
was able to announce that he could dis-
tinctly see the steps.

The heat had now become intense, and
although the trail was well shaded, Gus
decided that it would be better to lie by
until afternoon.

Again the place chosen for the camp
was on the bank of a narrow stream where
there was a sufficient depth of water to
afford them a chance for a bath.

This stream was full of trout, and as
there was fishing tackle in the packs, the
boys were able to catch a good mess, which
gave them an ideal dinner.

A long snooze, and by four o’clock they
were again on their way, feeling much re-
freshed.

“And no sign of the Indians so far,”
remarked Walter. “Let us hope they
never treat us to a call. I don’t believe
they are in this part of the valley, any-
how.”

“Don’t you flatter yourself,” replied Gus.
“These Indians in the tropics are the sly-
est propositions ever. They stick as close
as wax to the forest, but when they get
ready for business they let you know it,
you bet.”

“I suppose this trail is their work?”

“Of course; and there lies the danger.
It would not surprise me if every move
Wwe made was being watched.”

“And those girl spies.”

“Shut up! You are simply prejudiced.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Pity we could not
have got in here without giving away our
business to one who went straight eo to
the Naticos, I say.”

Gus was silent,

He saw, of course, that there was reason

I guess she will get
I don’t believe there

in what Walter said, but he told himself:

that his friend was jealous.

Perhaps this was true.

Perhaps, also, Luisa would actually be-
tray them. Time would show.

These and similar thoughts continued
to occupy Gus as they trudged along.

But Walter soon broke it up by resum-
ing his old light manner, and the boys
found themselves good friends again.

They had now almost covered the width
of the valley, and were beginning to watch
out for the ruined temple which Luisa
had informed them was situated at the
base of the Sierras and also at the end
of this trail.

At last, just before six o’clock, they
came suddenly out into a broad, open
space with a swift river about two hun-
dred feet wide directly in front of them:

Beyond the river, standing at the foot
of the towering Sierras, was a long, low
stone building which packed up against
the mountain.

“The temple at last!” cried Gus. “By
jove, we are getting on!”

It was a strange looking structure.

Its length must have been nearly five
hundred feet, but nowhere was it” above
fifteen feet in height. :

Broad steps led up to a platform paved

 

la stone which ran the ase length of
the building.

There was dozens of doors, but no. Wine
dows.

Between the doors were groups of
squatty little pillars curiously carved.

Above all was a high cornice, all sculp-
tured over with figures of men and ani-
mals.

“An Aztec temple!” cried Gus. “Here
We are, Walt! Another stage of the jour-
ney accomplished. It is all coming out
true. I wouldn’t sell out now, not for a
little bit. We are bound to find Monte-
zuma’s mines.”

CHAPTER XV.
ATTACKED BY THE NATICOS.

There was. the ruined temple in sight,

-but the next thing was to get to it.

There was only one way, and’ that was
to swim the river.

The boys took in the situation at a
glance.

“We shall have to take to the water,”
said Gus. “Peel off, Walt; we want to
finish this up. I shall go no further to-
night.”

They stripped, tying their clothes to the
packs and the latter upon their heads:
then they waded into the river and struck
out.

The current was so swift that they were

carried considerably below the temple, but
they were able to make an easy landing,
and, having dressed, walked back to the
temple.
“Strange that such an enormous build-
ing should have been constructed in this
lonely place,” remarked Walter. “Do you
suppose there was once a city here?”

“There may have been,” replied Gus.
“These things are common all over South-
ern Mexico; Yucatan is full of them, some
in Guatemala, and there are also a few in
Honduras.”

“But there is no vestige of any other
building.”

“It is like this. The houses of the
common people were probably mere huts,
just such as the Indians build now. Those,
of course, have disappeared.”

“And this was the temple, or palace?”

“Formerly these big, ruined buildings
were so considered. I believe the latest
theory is that those big buildings were
commercial houses where the families of
the richer members of the tribe lived; but
I don’t believe myself that anybody really
knows.”

“There’s one thing, Gus.”

“What is that?”

“We shall have plenty of warninz before
the Mendoza-Perez outfit can come down
upon us.”

“On account of the river?”

SY ede?

“That’s so, of course, but it will surprise
you, Walt, to see how quick those Indians
with them will build a raft.”

“There will be time enough for us to
prepare for trouble, at all events.”

The boys now ascended the steps, and
throwing down their packs, started in to
explore the.temple.

They wandered from room to room, and
were lost in amazement at the immensity
of the work.

There were several hundred rooms, and
none Of any great size.

The strangest part of it all was that
every inch of the stonework, both inside
and out, had been worked over.

There were figures of men and women,

beasts and birds; and where these were
lacking were to be found long rows of
hieroglyphics.

But night was now close at hand, and it
was. necessary to prepare for it.

A fire was built and coffee made.

Fried trout formed the staple dish.

Bananas were growing on the very steps
of the temple.

There was no lack of food.

Supper over, the boys wandered about,
trying to discover where the steps started
up the mountain.

But darkness overtook them before they
were able to accomplish anything.

It was arranged that Walter should sleep
first, for he was almost too tired to stand.

Gus watched until one o’clock.

It was lonely work.

Strange cries were heard in the forest,
and once or twice he was sure that the
Indians were upon them.

But one o’clock came and there was stilt
no real alarm.

Walter now took his turn, and Gus was
gate to catch-a few hours of much needed
sleep.
~ He was suddenly awakened by Walter
calling.

“Well?
springing up.

What’s the row?” he exclaimed,
“TI thought you were going

_to let Me sleep it out?”

“T’m sorry to disturb you, Gus, but I
saw an Indian on the other side of the
river just a minute ago.”

“You did, eh? Well, then you did just
right to waken me. What did he seem to
be doing?”

~“QOh, just standing there looking across.

As soon as he saw that I was on to Pas
he pulled Out. =

| my life in Tepic.

 

It was now daylight, and Ga got up
prepared for trouble.

If there was one Indian,
more, of course.

“We are up against it, I am afraid, he
sai

“What shall we do?
other revolver.”

“If! But even revolvers may not count
if the Naticos take it into their heads to
attack us with poisoned arrows.”

“In that case, there is nothing to a but
to run for it, I suppose?”

“That’s right. But don’t let us worry.
We'll keep a sharp lookout, of course;
but while we are waiting we may as well —
get breakfast. It ig better to fight on a
full stomach than an eMpty one every
time.”

It was a cold breakfast for the boys
that morning.

They had fried enough fish the night
before to serve them now.

They ate it upon the platform, keep
a sharp lookout on the other side of the
river.

Not a sign of the enemy was to be dis-
covered. :

But, unknown to the boys, he was close a
at hand.

Probably the Indians crossed the stream
lower down.

While the boys sat on the platform talk-
ing, a loud war-whoop rang out, and there,
at the foot of the steps, six Indians sud-

there were

If we only had an-

4 denly rose up.

They were naked except for a cloth
about their waists, and their hair was
stuck full of prilliantly-colored feathers.

Each was armed with a bow and arrows.

As the Indians came rushing up. the
steps they. sent a shower of arrows flying. —

Gus whipped.out his revolver and fired.

This was all very well, but it could not
be kept up.

“Back into the temple!” cried Gus. “We

“may dodge them so!”

They ran in through the door medrese
to them.

The temple was full of queer nooks and
corners, —

Dodging from one room to another, the
boys ran on.

The Indians were after them hotfoot.

The old walls eho back their wild
cries.

“We can never hous to escape!” panted ~
Walter. “I say, we may as well make a
stand for it—fight it out!”

“Never, till the last gasp! These men ~
have shown that they are not afraid of
firearms. If we pick up one of their
poisoned arrows We are done for.” —

“But they are bound to catch us.”

Gus dodged through another door.

Here he halted in amazement.

There stood Luisa calmly regarding him.

“J knew you would come here,” she said.
“T’ve been watching. Quick, if you want
to save yourself, Senor Gustavo! Follow
me! ”

She ran to the corner of the room, and
kneeling down, must have touched some —
hidden spring, for now one of the stones of —
the wall flew back, revealing an opening
just about large enough to enable an ordi--
nary man to crawl through.

“Hnter!” breathed the girl.
an instant or you are gone!”

“In, Walt!” cried Gus.

Walter did not stop to argue, but crawl-
ed through the opening.

“And you?” demanded Gus, turning to
the girl.

“1-20, too. 42 must.”

“You next then.”

“No, no! I must close the stone.”

Gus crawled through the hole.

Luisa came in close behind him.

She pulled the stone into place by means
of a copper chain which was attaehed to
it.

They now found themselves in darkness.

“Now I have repaid my debt to you,
Senor Gustavo,” said. Luisa. “You saved
I have saved yours here.
Those are the Naticos. Their arrows are
poisoned. If one had hit you then now
you would surely be dead.”

‘(TO BE CONTINUED.)

$0404540+4040+40+40+4040+40404046-4

“TOM PORTER’S SEARCH: OR, THE
TREASURE OF THE MOUNTAINS,” is a
remarkable story published in “Pluck and
Luck” No. 430, out to-day. It is a very
long story, too. * * +

The Price is Five Cents

“Don’t lose

A banana bug of the kind which some-
times poisons banana eaters with a venom —
more deadly than that of the rattlesnake
was found in a bunch of bananas in a
South Water street commission house the
other day. The bug is*about 21-2 inches
long, with a pair of stiff, overlapping
wings, each about an inch wide. When it
clings to an overripe banana one cannot
tell where the banana skin ends and bug
back begins, on account of the mottled
brown color of these wings. Thrown on
his back, the bug reveals three pairs of
legs and one oe of long feelers.

 
of time, anyway.

43.

 

 

By Cpnactins Shea

thor of “Charlie Cooper’s Curves,” “The
Wreck of the Wren, » “<The Jewel of the
Jungle,” “Will Walker's Wish,” ete.

CHAPTER XVI.
FORD TRIES A GAME ALL BY HIMSELF.

Will Stetson’s blood was now up. He
elt that he must give George Ford an-
ther thrashing, and he wanted to get at
m right away.
It is hard for a spirited boy to hold his
per under such conditions, and Will
vas only human.

The whole team went with him in search
the young rascal who had hired the vil-
nous negro to hurt him so he could not
ay ball.

But Ford and his sneaking associates.

d taken good care to make themselves
scarce.
They had taken a car the minute they
t the ball-grounds and-had gone to the
her end of the city.
While the catcher of the Never-Heard-
f Nine was gradually cooling off from
s passion they were taking things easy
the back room of a cafe.
The fact that the colored man had tried
keep his agreement made Ford feel
ndly toward him, but he did not care
at happened to him.
‘I am going to ride back on the same
rain with the ball-players, Jim,” he said,
the two had been drinking wine pretty
boys as they were, and) he was
ote if Will Stetson says

at I will have him arrested, that’s all.
od if he strikes me I will have him lock-
fup. That would be a HES satisfaction,
wldnet it?” -
= Yes,” aiewered the sneak.
vould ‘be all right.
to have him hit me, George. He hits like
pile-driver, and you ought to know it.”
‘I do know it,” and the young reprobate
cowled, as he thought of the blows he
fad received from Stetson.
“Well, George,” and Harker shook his
ead doubtingly, “I don’t know whether
ou will take advice from me or not, but
am going to advise you, just the same.
on’t wait for the train. I think it would
ye better to go on ahead of them.”
“Do you think that way, Jim?”
‘I do, for if Will Stetson comes across
u he will surely hit you. You ought to
ow that by what he said on the ball-
rounds. . It is best to keep out of his
ay, b think.”
Ford took a time-table from his pocket.
“We can’t leave before they do, Jim,”
he said. “There is no train.”
Harker took the time-table from him.
“That’s so,” he admitted, “but there is
one an hour and forty minutes after the
one they will go on. We can take that.”
“Well, we’ll see about it. We have lots
We might as well en-

“That

“joy the trip.”

They had some more wine, for the man
who ran the place did not hesitate to sell
them all they wanted. They had the mon-
ey to pay for it—or Ford did, and that was
enough.

The result was that the two boys got |

e into a beastly" condition, and when the
train went out with the victorious team of
all-players they were both unfit to leave
he cafe. :
They straightened up sufficiently to take
e next one, however, and it was long af-
er dark when they arrived at Hudson.
rd took his crony home to sleep with
m, as he had often done, and the next
rning about ten o’clock they went to
cigar store, which was the haunt of
e of the boys on Sundays.
ey simply went there to try and find
out what was going on.

Of course there was much talk about
at had happened in Poughkeepsie, but
principal topic was the game itself.
here were a few who hung about the
igar store on Sundays who toadied to
rd just because he was the gon of a
ich Man and always had money to spend.
He was more liberal in treating this few
1an ever that morning, and when one of
em asked him about the negro trying

injure Will Stetson with the ball he

ed that Stetson thought he had hired

negro to do it.

You know,” he added, “that I will al-
rays get the blame if anything happens
o. the low cur since the trouble we had.

am sure I never had anything to do
‘ith it. I wouldn’t lower myself to bother
ith him, for I consider oe is poeean 7
- el Boies

But I should not like

 

This little speech had a nies effect on

‘some of them. They believed what the
young villain said.

But there was a burning for revenge in
the heart of Ford, and when he parted

“company with Harker at noon to go home,

he resolved to do something unknown to
his crony.

“T think I may be better off if I do some-
thing all alone by myself,” he thought.
“T will lay for Stetson to-night and make
out that Iam a robber. I can put a mask
on my face, and he will never know who
it, is.”

Having settled upon this plan of action,
the boy went to his home.

He went out in his automobile, as usual,
that afternoon arid rode up and down sev-
eral times past the house where pretty
Jennie Everett lived.

Ford had not yet given up hopes of win-
ning the girl, and he thought by showing
himself off in such style he would make
her change her mind regarding him.

But it was impossible for him to make
a favorable impression on Jennie, for she
was in love with the handsome young cap-
tain of the Never-Heard-Of Nine, and she
would stick to him through thick and thin.

That night it rained, and the young vil-
lain chuckled softly to himself.

“Just the sort of night for me to get
in my work,” he muttered, as he got ready
to go out.

He knew that it was likely that Will
would leave the Everett residence some
time between the hours of ten and mid-
night, and he was willing to wait until
he did, for revenge was sweet, so he fig-
ured.

It was a little before ten when he left

the grounds of his father’s palatial resi-
dence by the back way and proceeded on
his mission. ~~

Once under the shed that was in the
field behind the barn, he proceeded to
change his clothing.

He had a suit that he had taken from

the gardener’s quarters, and as they were
ragged and dirty looking, the clothes just
suited his purpose, for he was going to
play the part of a footpad.
- A black mask and a stout hickory stick
and a revolver made up the outfit he took
with him, and thus equipped, he peers
on his mission.

Taking an unfrequented strcct, he peach:
ed the corner where he kno 7 Vietson and
Frank Ray would part if tney left the
homes of their sweethearts together, and
when they did part he meant to follow
Will to the most lonely place he could
find.

Then he would attack shim.

It is strange that luck is sometimes with
a rascal when he sets out to commit a
crime.

It was so in the case of George Ford.

It so happened that Will Stetson left
his sweetheart. a little earlier than usual
that evening.

The last time he had visited her he re-
mained until eleven, but it was just quar-
ter-past ten when he came out on this
night.

It was raining pretty hard, and without
stopping to call for Frank Ray he started
for home, holding his umbrella over his
head to shield himself ‘from the rain.

Will walked briskly, for he was anxious
to get out of the rain as soon as possible.

He had not gone more than a couple
of hundred yards when he heard a stealthy
step behind him.

Turning quickly, he beheld a SOuChINe
figure following him.

It was George Ford, of course.

Ford slackened his pace when he saw
that the boy observed him, for armed with
the club as he was, he did not feel so much
like having an encounter with the young
catcher.

There was a big tree just ahead that
hung well down over the walk, and when
Will came to it Ford resolved to act.

It was as dark as pitch there, and “that
made it all the better for him, he thought.

Darting forward, he raised his club and
struck fiercely at e boy he hated so
much.

CHAPTER XVII.

AT PEEKSKILL.

Will Stetson had been keeping a watch

on the lurking, sneaking figure behind
him.

Though he made out that he was not
noticing his movements, he was watching
his every movement and listening for the
least sound that would tell him that the
fellow was moving swiftly toward him.

He jumped nimbly aside as the club fell
and escaped it by a good margin.

Then the brave boy shot out his fist and
caught his would-be assailant on the
shoulder.

Ford staggered back, and instead of re-

| newing the attack when he recovered his

balanee, he started on a run. -

But when fifty feet away he turned and

fired a shot in the direction of the boy.
The bullet went wide of the mark, and

as he had no weapon to defend himself,

Stetson started on a run.
He did not stop until he reached his
cwn house. — :
He. bag dropped his umbrella. when he

 

struck the villainous boy who had attack-
ed him, but he did not care for that.

He knew that his life had been in dan-
ger, and that it had been a close call for
him, and he was thankful to get away.

“George Ford was at the bottom of that,
I’ll bet!” he thought, as he stood on the
porch and listened for a few minutes.

But his mysterious assailant did not
show up, so after a while he went inside
and retired.

It was some time before Will could get
to sleep, however, for he could not help
thinking of. what had happened.

He was well satisfied that Ford had
hired someone to attack him, for he did
not dream of such a thing as the cowardly
boy doing it himself.

“Tl just make it my business and find
out about this,” he said. “I shan’t say
a word to anyone but the chief of police.
J. will tell him who I suspicion and have
a watch put on Ford.”

After having come to this conclusion he
dropped off to sleep.

Monday morning Will went to his work
at the factory, as usual.

During the day he tried to find out
something from Jim Harker, but he soon
came to the conclusion that Harker either
knew nothing of what had happened the
night before, or he was pretty good at
keeping things to himself,

But he could not resist the temptation
to say something that would reach Ford’s
ears, however, and when they were leav-
ing the machine shop that night he looked
at the sneaking fellow and said:

“It rained pretty hard last night, didn’t
it Jin?

“Yes,” answered Harker, showing his
surprise at being addressed. in that way.

“T lost my umbrella right in the worst
of the rain, too. Just tell George Ford
about it, will you? Someone might have
found it and given it to him.”

“Why should they give it to George?”
asked Harker, bound to stick up for his
wealthy crony.

“T don’t know. But just ask him, any-
how.”

“You had better ask him yourself, Will
Stetson.”

“T will when I see him.”

Then Harker slunk off.

Will had been as good as his word, for
he had reported the occurrence of Sunday
night at police headquarters, and he had
received the assurance of the chief that
they would look into the matter.

The week passed by and Saturday came
around once more.

The Never-Heard-Of Nine were to play
at Peekskill that afternoon, and it had
been rumored that the team there had
given it out that they were going to give
the boys the first drubbing they had re-
ceived since they had been up against the
teams of the minor league.

They had imported a Swell pitcher from
Brooklyn, so the rumor went, and they
were out for business.

But Dr. Coleman only smiled when he
told the boys of this, at the meeting on
Friday evening.

“Tet them put in all the swell pitchers
they have a mind to, boys,” he said. “I
guess if you fellows could bat the Montreal
twirler you can go against anything out-
side of the professional league pitchers.
I wouldn’t be afraid to tackle the Brooklyn
league team, let alone a pitcher from that
city who is out of a job and has to hire
himself out for what he can get.”

This was the sort of talk that encour-

aged the boys.

There was nothing like keeping them
confident.

Will had seen nothing of George Ford
since Sunday, and then when he saw him
he was out in his auto.

Of course he had really seen him that
night, but he did not recognize him.

The team went on a train from Hudson
that would get them at Peekskill at about
halfpast two.

By the time they got to the grounds and
got into their uniforms it would be a
quarter after three, and as the game was
advertised to begin at half-past three, they

4 wanted all their time.
Will had heard that Ford was to. be.

given a chance to play rightfield that day
with the Hudson league team, so he was
not surprised when he found that the
young scoundrel was not on the train.

He felt easier when he learned this, for
he knew that the boy was dangerous, if
he did not mean to kill him.

“Well, boys,” he said, as they got out
of the stage that conveyed them to the
grounds, “if you all feel like playing ball
as I do, I guess we will be able to surprise
this league team, the same as we have
the others we have played.”

“Well, my arm is as strong as it can
be, anyhow, and I feel just like pitching
the game of my life,” answered Frank
Ray, showing the muscle of his right arm.
“And I am ready to do my best.”

. “Nothing better could be expected of
you, I am sure,” spoke up the doctor, smil-
ing and nodding approvingly.

There was a big crowd, for the game
had been advertised well, and Peekskill
had lots of baseball cranks.

The rich and poor. alike came to see the
great game with the nine that had never

i been heard of until pecenely:

 

Jennie and Lottie had come down with

Frank would have their sweethearts to
cheer them on to victory.

The visitors were given possession of the
field as soon as they were ready, and
they started in to practice.

Will got them in position and then pro-
ceeded to bat out an assortment for the
benefit of each player.

He had a way of sending a ball about
where he wanted it to go, and when he
called the name of a player the ball al-
ways went in his territory.

The catching, picking-up and throwing
was faultless, and the result was that the
boys received a cheer from the grandstand .
and bleachers.

“That will be all right,” Stetson heard
the captain of the Peekskills say. “Just
wait till the game gets started. The balls
they will have to pick up will be a little
different. That young fellow at short is
very nice when the easy ones come his
way, but just wait!”

Will smiled and winked at Kinzey Acton.

He knew that Acton was perfectly able
to cope with anything that was sent out
to him, and when he made a throw to first
it generally landed squarely into the hands
of Mahon.

The home team had a ten minutes’
practice and then the umpire called the
game.

The Never-Heard-Of Nine got the field,
and they went to their places.

CHAPTER XVIII.
THE PEEKSKILL GAME BEGINS.

“Brewster at the bat!” called out the
scorer for the home team, and then the -
captain and first-baseman of the home
team stepped up. 2

He was a big, strapping fellow, too, and —
looked to be every inch a ball- -player.

Frank Ray sent in one that was called
a ball, though there were several on the
grandstand who declared that it cut the
corner of the plate.

But there was a reasonable doubt, so
Will made no objection to the ruling of
the umpire.

The next was a wicked inshoot which
the batter struck at and missed.

Then came two balls in succession, and
it looked as though Brewster was going
to walk.

third-base line, and that made two strikes. ~

Then Ray sent in a neat drop and the
batter struck out.

That was a very good beginning and
the boys felt easy.

There were very few “rooters” for them
on the grandstand and bleachers, since
only about fifty from Hudson had come
down to see the game. But those who
did favor the Never-Heard-Of Nine made
themselves heard all right.

The next man up had a strike called on
him, and then he made up for it by catch-
ing a high one near the end of his bat
and sending it to right-field, out of the
reach of Hogan.

But he only got first, for Hogan fielded
it in a hurry.

The player to follow was an easy mark
for Ray, and he struck out in a hurry. ~~
The man on first had not tried to steal
second yet, but he was taking big chances

by playing well off his base.

Ray was watching him, and when he
found a good chance he let the ball go
to Mahon, and the runner was caught.

Three out! The Peekskills had failed
to score in the first inning.

Will Stetson smiled at the girls on the -
grandstand as he walked to the plate to
lead off in batting for the Never-Heard-
Of Nine.

His sweetheart was waving her fan at
ae Seas and he wanted to make
a hit,

The hired pitcher from Brooklyn grin-
ned, as though he thought he had an easy
thing of it, and then he sent in a swift
outcurve.

dt was just to Will’s liking, and he hit
it fair.

bleachers called a “daisy cutter,” and it
got between short and third in such —
hurry that neither of them could pick it
up

ee es reached first on the hit.

Frank Ray came next, and Will stole
second on the first ball ‘pitched.

_ After getting two strikes on nim, Frank

hit an easy one to pitcher and was ‘thrown

out to first, ey
-- Mahon followed with a base-hit, and —
Will got to third.

Then Merry fouled out and Gill came
up.

He cracked out a neat single, and Will
came over the plate, while the supporters
of the visitors cheered him wildly. -

But that was the ondy run they got that
inning, for Acton went out on a high fly
to center and the’ side was retired.

But the Never-Heard-Ofs had made the
first run, anyhow, and there was much re-
joicing over it by. their stanch supporters.

 

In the second inning Peekskill got the
bases filled, with no one out. oe

 

their parents to see the game, so Will and

But the next was a long foul outside of

It was what the small boys on ‘the 3
14

HAPPY. DAYS.

 

 

‘The rooters let eccrcs out at this

stage of the game, for it seemed certain

that they were going to seore.
All it’ needed was a hit to do the busi-

~ ness.

But Frank Ray did not want them to get
a run, and he did not mean that they
should, if he could help it.

He got two strikes on the man at the
bat, and three balls were called upon him.

He must put one over the plate the next
time or a run would be forced in.

Frank nodded when Will signaled for a
aren

Then he sent it in and the umpire called
ae :
“Striker out!”
Will sent the next in the same place,

and a strike was called on the batter who {
~ followed.

He struck him out, too.

But the next man was a great deal more
lucky.

He caught an outcurve near the end of
his bat and hit out for two bases, sending
in two runs.

The yelling and cheering was deafening
at this, for the home team had at last
showed what they could do in the line of
run-getting.

Ray felt a bit sore over the hit, but he
decided that there was no help for it, and
the only thing to do now was to make
amends by striking the next man out.

This he did, and in short order, too.

The score was now two to one, but the
boys had their half of the He to play.

It did them no good, however, for Stout
flied out to center, Hogan batted to short
and was thrown out, and Norris went out
on a high foul to catcher,

In the third neither side got any runs,

though there was some sharp playing done

and both seemed to have good chances.

In the fourth Peekskill scored another
run, and the nearest the Never-Heard-Ofs
could come to it was to get a Man on third
and let him “die” there.

That left the score three to one in favor
of the home team.

“We've got to wake up, boys,” said Wil,

as they took the field for the beginning of
~ the fifth.

“Don’t get discouraged, though.
We have won up-hill. games before, you
know.”

The boys ‘grinned. They were not dis-
couraged in the least, and they meant to
stick right at it until the game was played.

In’ the fifth Peekskill did: some pretty
good. batting.

They: got the bases filled again, after

_two were out, and then the big fellow cali-

ed Brewster came up.

This man had a long reach when he
stretched out, and it made no difference to
him whether the ball was exactly over the
plate or not, so long as he thought he

~ could reach it.

Ray sent in a high one, and the big bate
ter Swung for it.

He caught it and a two-bagger was the
result, while two more runs came in.

It looked bad for the visitors now, for
five runs had been scored by Peekskill.
But they got no more that inning.

Mahon went to the bat first.

He hit out a stiff grounder, which was
fumbled by short, and got first.

Merry followed. with a liner out to left-
field and Mahon was advanced a base.

Then Gill struck out.

Mahon got to third and Merry. to. second

~ on a Sacrifice by Acton.

. three-bagger,

Two out and no runs yet.

Stout followed with a high fly to centen

It was caught and the visitors were re-
tired without a run.

In the sixth the Peekskills got two more
runs.

Still the boys were not discouraged.

“We'll win yet!” exclaimed Stout. “I
feel it in my bones.- It has been more luck
than anything that has allowed the Peeks-
kills to get so many runs. They have
managed to put the bail just where it was
impossible to get it.» Some might call it
good playing, but I know it is only luck.”

“Well, boys, luck or no luck, stick right
at it and play ball,”. said Captain Stetson.
“We don’t want to go home beaten.”

“And we won't!” cried Frank Ray. “I
am going to strike them out one after the
other in the next inning.”

The pitcher talked as though he meant
it, and his supporters nodded with ap-
proval.

Luck was still against the Never-Heard-
Of boys, for though they got the bases

filled, they could not score in the sixth.

They had made one solitary run, and

~ that in the first.

Some declared that it was lucky that
they had scored that one, or they would
have gone home whitewashed.

“In the seventh neither side scored, and
that left it seven to one, in favor of Peek-
skill.

In the eighth Will Stetson batted out a
with two eS and no one on
base. —

But the run never came in, and as the
Peekskills had failed« to cross the plate
that inning, the score remained the same.

Then the ninth began with victory right

in reach of the home team, so it seemed.

The first man up got first on a clean hit

to right-field.

ae

He tried to steal second, but Will got
_ the ball to ae in time,

 

The paitee fell before the curves of may .

and then’ the third man stepped out.

He batted a grounder to Acton, who

handed it over to Mahon, and then the
Peekskills had had their last chance at the
bat.

Seven to one!
game.

But Will Stetson was as cool as an ice-
berg when they came in to bat.

“We need just seven runs,
said. “Now brace up.”

“Merry at the bat!”
scorer.

The rooters jeered the boy as he walked
over with his bat, for they no doubt
thought it was all over but the shouting.

But Merry gave them a surprise.

He cracked out a liner and got second on

It surely was an up-hill

boys,” he

ealled out the

ibe

“Now, boys, keep it up,” said Will, as
he ran down to third to coach.

Gill stepped up and hit out a neat single
and got his base, while Merry got third.

It was getting real interesting now.

CHAPTER XIX.

XN

THE GAME IS WON IN THE NINTH.

Then Acton came up, and at the first
ball pitched Gill moved to second.

Stout was coaching at first, and he look-
ed at Acton and pointed at the bag.

“T’ll be there!” came the answer from
the home plate.

A nice one came along, and the plucky
little short-stop hit it.

It was a good one, too, and both Gill
and Merry got home.

“That's the way to do it, boys,” said
Stetson, smiling at the run-getters. “None
out yet! I guess we'll get the seven runs
all right.”

The crowd was strangely silent now.

Something seemed to tell them that
there was going to be a surprise.

With Acton on second, Hogan took a
chance at the ball.

He was “right on der job,” as a small
poy on the bleachers put it.

He hit a safe one to right-field
Acton reached third.

Then Norris fouled out and the rooters
for the home team made themselves heard.

With Acton. on third and Hogan at sec-
ond, Will Stetson stepped up to the plate.

“A homerun, Will!” came from the
grandstand, and the captain recognized the
voice as belonging to Jennie Everett.

He just had time to look her way and
nod, and then there came a straight one,
waist-high and right over the plate.

Whack!  Will’s bat hit the ball
though it had a grudge against it.

There was a brief silence, and then those
who favored the visiting team broke into a
wild cheer.

Will had done the trick, and he knew

and

as

it.

He saw the left and center-fielder run-
ning toward the board fence for all they
were worth, and then he ran as though
he was competing in a hundred-yard dash.

He reached third just as the left-fielder ,

got the ball.

But he did not stop running.

Acton and Hogan had already scored and
were beckoning him to come on.

Will got there with ease, for the ball
had just got to short when his foot touch-
ed the plate.

“That’s five of the runs we need, boys!”
he panted, as he wiped the perspiration
from his brow. “There is only one out,
so I guess we can land the other two. The
ninth is always our lucky inning, you
know.”

Frank Ray was a bit nervous when he
stepped up to bat.

He was not a good batter, and he knew
it.

However,
while.

He was resolved upon finding it this
time, for he knew a great deal depended
upon him just now.

The pitcher of the home team must have
been a bit rattled over what had happen-
ed, for he was very erratic, and he gave
Ray his base on balls.

“Now, Dan,” Said Stetson, as Mahon
walked up with his favorite bat, “let’s
see you hit out one of your famous ones.”

The first-baseman - nodded.

“One ball!” ealled the umpire, as the
pitcher held to the sudden wildness that
had come over him.

Then-he sent in a good one which Mahon
hit for a foul.

“One strike!”

The next two were bad ones, and as
Mahon waited, the pitcher had three balls
against him.

Mahon struck at the next one and miss-
ed.

“Two strikes! ”

Then came another ball and Mahon trot-
ter to first, while the crowd hissed.

' The visitors only need one run to tie the
score, and two to beat it, and here were
two men sent to first on palls!

It was not good playing on the part of
the wonderful pitcher from Brooklyn, so
the majority of them thought.

Merry now stepped up, and as the first
ball was about what he wanted, he let go
at it.

he found the ball once in a

more galling to the supporters

 

He hit it. for a stitt “eatndes and got
first, sending Ray to third and Mahon to
second.

The rooters for the visitors were now
cheering them on. :

There was a good chance for the Never-
Heard-Of Nine to win:now, and they want-
ed them to do it.

Gill came next and struck out, making
the supporters of the home team yell, with
joy.

The bases full and two out!

And the boys needed two runs to win.

There was excitement for you!

Acton came up for his second chance
that inning.

The little short-stop was not a bit flus-
tered.

He knew that it all deuended on him
now, and he was going to do it.

He had two strikes called on him and
then he hit out a long one that ‘was al-
most in line of third base.

Hiverybody ran, but it was a foul, so
they were compelled to go back again.

Then Acton tried it again.

This time he hit inside the line of third,
ao too high for the baseman to reach
it.

The game was won, for the ball bounded
along and the left-fielder failed to get it
in time.

Ray and Mahon came in.

The boys did not care now, ang when
Stout went out on a foul to the catcher
they were satisfied.

They had won an up-hill game, and it
was by good playing at that.

Dr. Coleman wanted to hug the whole
nine, so delighted was he with his plucky
little team.

The Peekskill leaguers had béen sur-
prised, the same as the others that had
fallen before the Nevwer-Heard-Of Nine.

The boys were cheered to the echo as
they retired from the field, and the pitcher
trom Brooklyn felt like the proverbial
“thirty cents.”

“Boys,” said Will, as he was getting into
his street apparel, “that was what I call
ball-playing. I tell you, it takes nerve and
good judgment to win a game in the
ninth!”

“Hurrah for Captain Will
shouted Hogan, swinging his hat.

The cheers were given wtih a will.

The team and its friends who went back
to Hudson on the six o’clock train that
night were as happy as baseball enthusi-
asts could well be.

When they got back to Hudson the first
thing they heard was that the Hudsons
had been beaten by the Cohoes team by

Stets son! c

_the score of six to nothing.

George Ford had played in the game,
and he had made three errors in the field
and struck out every time he went to the
baat.

That settled him as a player on the nine.

This defeat of the home team was all the
of the
league when they heard how the Never-
Heard-Of Nine had won in the ninth at
Peekskill.

Stetson and Ray walked to the homes
of their sweethearts with them, and they
Were as pleased over the day’s work as
anyone could be.

The girls understood all about baseball,
and they could talk it to a standstill.

The Hudsons were to play out of town
the following Saturday, so Dr. Coleman
had no difficulty in leasing the grounds for
that day.

He had a surprise in store for every-
body, for he had arranged a game with the
Troy team for that date, though it had
not been decided just where it would he
played.

CHAPTER XX.

HOW THE GIRLS WERE KIDNAPPED BY
ROBBERS.

But let us turn our attention to the vil-
lain of our story.

George Ford was humiliated at the
showing he had made on the Hudson team,
and this only made him all the more bitter
toward Will Stetson.

He attributed all his bad luck, as he
chose to call it, to the young captain of
the Never-Heard-Of Nine.

He wanted to get revenge, but he could
not think of a way to do it.

Everything he had tried failed, and now
he was at his wit’s end.

Ford was deeply in love with Jennie
Everett, too, for in spite of the fact that
she was a poor girl, he was willing to pay
attentions to her and marry her when they
became old enough.

When a boy gets into the state of mind
that Ford was now in there is no telling
what he will do.

But there are very few boys with such
a nature as Ford possessed, and we are
glad to say it.

The boy had been reading a great deal
in the line of old English fiction for the
past month or two, and the stories he
chose were those that invariably had a
villain for the hero, such as Dick Turpin
and others of a similar nature.

He séorned the idea of reading anything
that had a good moral to it, and when he

J read how the King of Highwaymen had

 

i Lea
stolen his lady-love from her home anc
placed her in an old castle and kept her
there until he got her consent to be h
OO he made up his mind to emulate

im, :

It was on Saturday night, after the de-
feat of the Hudsons, to which he largely
contributed, that he came to this conclu~
sion,

“If the boy had only thought the matter
over carefully he would have realized how
foolish it was. of him to think that he -
could act as a highwayman in the old days
of England did.

But he could only think one way just
then, and as he knew of a place where the
girl could be carried and held a prisoner,
he made up his mind to steal Jennie
Everett. e

This would not only gratify his ambition —
to get her to promise to accept him as a
suitor, but it would be getting revenge on —
Will Stetson at the same time.

Of course Ford did not propose to carry [

out this cheme without help. a
He was going to take his crony into his
confidence and get him to help.
Sunday morning Jim Harker came over —
to the Ford hceouse.
George at once told him of the sclera: |
Harker did not take kindly to it at first,
but when he hinted that Lottie Andrews ~
could be stolen at °*the same time, and
Ford nodded assent, he felt inclined to go
in with him.
“Tf we should get found Gut it would
go hard with us, George,” he said, gravely.

“Why wouldn’t ‘it be a good idea to carry —
off the girls, as you say, and then come —
along and make out that we rescued them? ~
better, E

That would be a great deal
think.” ee
“By jove, I believe that would. be @ ~
good idea,” said Ford. , Just let me tae
it over a minute, Jim.’ >
When he had thought a while he gave —
a nod,

“That will be just the thing!” he de-
clared.
them in the old ruined building on the
hill. Then we will come around a few
minutes after we have left them there,
fire a couple of shots and rush in and
save them. We can Say that we were out
and happened to see two masked villains
take them into the ruins. I guess a a
will be the thing, Jim.”

Vik 2ocin with you heart and soul on
that game, George,” Harker assured him.

“But the thing to do is to get hold of
the girls. That is the hardest part of it.”

“Well, that will be easy enough, I guess.
We'll get a horse and wagon somewhere,
and at dusk to-morrow night we will send
word to both the girls that Will Stetson
and Frank Ray have. been dangerously
hurt on the field where they will be prac-
ticing, and that they want to see the girls
right away. Then when they start for the
field we will catch them under the row of
maples.”

“Phat’s it!” cried Ford, jubilantly.
can do it, EF know.”

Then they set abou*t, to perfecting ar-
rangements to carry out the plot.

They had things all fixed «before the ©
next night, and when we. say that the ruse
worked as a charm we are simply stating
the truth.

It so happened that Jennie was at the
home of Lottie, and that the two were just
trying to finish a game of croquet before it
got so dark that they could not see, when
a boy came running. up breathlessly.

“Will Stetson and Frank Ray just got
hurt awful bad, and they think they’re
going to die!” he exclaimed, excitedly, for
he thought that such was really the case,
since he had been told by a stranger whe
came running from the field where the
practice had been going on. “They want
to see you girls before they die.”

The two girls were astounded at hearing
such news.

But they foolishly decided to go right.
to the field~ without fitst letting those ‘in
the house know about it.

The boy ran on ahead of them, and the

“We

girls, their hearts beating wildly, hurried — : '

on.

They took a short cut along by a row
of maples, and just as they got well under
the trees they were seized and blankets
were thrown over their heads.

They had just time enough to sée that
their assailants were masked, and then
they gave muffled screams and fainted |
from sheer fright.

This probably enabled the two boys to
carry. out their scheme, for if the girls
had remained alive to ‘their danger and
fought them off they would never have
Succeeded in capturing them.

They got them into the old wagon they
had ready in the shadow of the trees and

then drove off for the old ruins, which was

about a mile distant.

Ford tied the hands of the girls in a
bunglesome way, while Harker drove the
horse.

Just as the ruins were reached -Jennie
Everett came to.

Her companion was yet unconscious.

“Don’t ulter a sound or you will die!”

hissed Ford in a good imitation of the way

he thought a real bold robber would speak,
“The masked gang have got you, and they
will hold you for a ransom.’ :
Jennie gave a shriek, but when the muz.
gle of the revolver in the hand of the

 

“We will get the girls and placé
15

 

 

The two boys put them in a dark place
closed a battered door.
Then it was that Jennie began to scream

etter fire off the pistols now and rush
Harker suggested, as he removed his
ke
ot yet,” answered Ford. “Let them
cream a little more first. It will make
them all the more thankful to us for sav-
ang them.”
You are not going to leave the horse
nd wagon here, are you?”
-“That’s so. Take it over behind the
uilding.” ;
‘That won’t do. We had better start
the horse along the road.”
“All right, then, do that.”
Harker did so, but as soon as the horse
ot started it turned around and went
ack in the direction they had come from.
“Now then, I guess it is time for us to
et,” said Ford, cocking his revolver.
Crack! The sharp report rang out and
e screams inside the ruins ceased in-

Ford fired again.

Then he rushed up and broke down the
old door.
_ “Hello!” he eried in his natural voice.
“Who is here?”
- “~T am here!” exclaimed a voice behind
‘him, and then he was caught by the collar
‘end jerked back.

A cry of fear escaped the lips of Ford,
for he saw that it was no other than Will
Stetson who had seized him,

CHAPTER XX.

HOW THE YOUNG VILLAINS WERE FOILED.
Will and Frank had just started to walk
into the town from the ball-field when they

' met the boy who had notified the girls that
they were injured, and perhaps dying.

The boy was surprised “to see them all

right, so-he blurted out:

“Why, ain’t you fellows hurt?”

“Hurt! What do you mean?” Will ask-
ed. .

“Why, a strange fellow just told me that
both of you got hurt, and that he didn’t
think you would lives He sent me to get
Jennie HWverett and Lottie Andrews.”

“Sent you to get Jennie Everett and
. Lottie Andrews!” echoed Ray. . “Where
are they?”

“They are coming jon behind me,” an-
swered the boy, and’ then he turned 3
: looked around. “They must have gone the
> other way.”
Just then Will heard the clatter of .a
Wagon near at hand. :

“Come, Frank!” he exclaimed; “this is

put-up job! . Someone is trying to steal
the girls. Hurry!”

He set out after the rattling aeeoe fol-
lowed by the pitcher of the nine.

They just caught a glimpse of ne wagon
and saw that it was a rather ricketty
affair. —

The horse was being driven furiously,
too, and that made Will think that the
girls were in the wagon.

The boys were both good runners, but
_ they could not keep up with the rig.

However, they kept right on, for they
saw that it was going out toward the out-
skirts of the town.

: “Will, de you think someone has really
' Seized the girls and carried them away in
that wagon?” Frank asked.

“What else could have happened?”

“Tt might be a trick to get us out here

in a lonely place.”

“No! That boy was not trying to fool
us. The surprise he showed when he saw
-us-was genuine. He was sent after the

girls all right. Come on!”

- The two kept on and finally they heard

- the wagon stop.

“They have stopped at the old house on
the hill,” said Ray, panting from his exer-
tion.
:. “That's ‘so: Now let’s get up there with-
out any noise.’

_ They were at a dog-trot now, and. they
ran lightly.

Two minutes more and they were under
the shadow of the old building.

Tt was just then that Jennie Everett
uttered her first scream.

Will led the way in the direction the
- geream came from, but found that a solid
~ stone wall barred his way.

This necessitated going around, and he
started to do so.
Meanwhile the screams were ringing out.

The two boys got tangled in a mass of
vines, and it took them some time to get
out.

By the time they did get roa the
villainous George Ford had fired the two
- shots with his revolver.

Then they heard him.cali out to the
girls.

There was no mistaking Ford’s voice,
and both Will and Frank were amazed to
think that he would do such a thing.

But Will sprang forward and seized him
and answered him, as has already been

him.

“Oh, I am so glad you have come!

 

Ray promptly knocked Harker down the
moment he saw who it was.

“Lie there, you sneak!” he cried. “If
you attempt ‘to get up I will kick the face
off you!”

“Pick up that revolver, Jim,” said Will.
“Cover the both of them, while I find out
where the girls are.’

Frank obeyed quickly.

The two young wretches pleaded to pe
let go, but it was no use.

Ray told them he. would surely shoot
them if they attempted to run away.

Meanwhile Will Stetson had darted into

the old building.

“Where are you, girls?” he called out.
“Here, Will!” answered his sweetheart.
-It was
awful! ”

“I don’t doubt you, Jennie.
your hands tied?”

“Yes, Will.”

The boy quickly lighted a match, and
then he saw Lottie Andrews lying on the
floor.

The girl opened her eyes just then, and
as she found she was in such a strange
place a shriek left her lips.

“Never mind, Lottie,” said Jennie.
are all right now. Will is here.”

What! Are

“We

“And Frank is outside with the villains

who kidnapped you in his charge,” add-
ed the young catcher of the Never-Heard-
Of Nine.

The two girls were soon led out of the
ruins.

“There are the two robbers who abduct-
ed you, girls,” said Will, pointing out the
young villains. “They are George Ford
and his sneaking friend, Jim Harker!”

The girls were astounded.

But the revelation did more toward
calming them.than anything else could
have done.

The fact that it was not a couple of
fierce robbers that had been guilty of the
foul deed was enough to make them feel
easier.

“What are you going to do with them,

Will?” asked Jennie, when she had heard
just how it was that he and Frank had
come there.

“JT suppose we ought to turn them over
to the police,” was the reply.

: "Certainly!
will do,” spoke up Ray.

“Have mercy!” pleaded Ford, atone
upon his knees. “The. disgrace upon my
family. would be awful. We only did it
for a lark.”

A rather dangerous lark, I should say,”
answered Will. “Suppose one of the girls
had died from fright, what then?”

“Let us go, Stetson,” said Ford. “If you
do I promise you that I will behave my-
self as long as I live. Don’t make this
thing public, please! ”

Will thought of what the factory super-
intendent had said about the
boy’s father, and he decided to let them
20.

“All right, George Ford,” he said. “You
can go this time, but Ill tell you this
much: Iam going to keep the revolver we
took from you, and the next time you in-
terfere with me I am going to use it on
you. I guess that is about the best way
to settle you, anyhow. I don’t believe you
mean to reform, so you can bet. I will be
on the lookout for you!”

A few minutes later Ford and Harker
were allowed to depart, and they went off
like whipped curs.

Will was confident that they had both
learned a lesson.

The two boys walked back home with
the girls, and when they got-there Lottie
told the whole thing to her father and
mother. :

Her father. was an impulsive man, and
he at once grabbed his hat to start for the
police station.

Will tried to detain him, but it was no
use.

“Well, I suppose the whole thing will
have to come out now,” he said to Frank.
“We will be called to court, if there ig an
arrest made, and we will have to tell the
truth.”

But it turned out they did not have
to go to court, for on the advice of the
police captain the elder Ford was sent for,
and when he had been told of what had
happened he tearfully promised to send
his boy away.

The story leaked. out, as such things }

will, and it was the talk of the town for
the next few days.

Will Stetson and Frank Ray were put
down as heroes by many, and as they con-
stituted the battery of the Never-Heard-
Of Nine, they were more- popular than
ever. =.

Will Stetson was booked to go away on
the schoolship St. Mary’s, but he was not
done with Will Stetson yet.

He made up his mind that he was going
to try once more to have revenge on the
young catcher before he left Hudson in
disgrace.

‘(TO BE CONTINUED. )

Don’t miss No. 296 “The Liberty ao
of ’76,” out to-day. It contains the dash-
ing war story, “THE LIBERTY BOYS AT
STATEN ISLAND; OR, SPYING UPON
THE BRITISH.” x * *

It Costs Five Cents

And that is just ee we

wretched |

 

A Letter Carrier’s Palace

There hag recently been discovered in
the Department of Drome, in France, the
extraordinary “palace” of a rural letter
carrier, built in fantastic style by himself.
The letter carrier erected his fairy mansion
stone by stone with his own hands.

On his way across country one day he
picked up a strangely formed stone, which
flashed with brilliant colors. This excited

his interest, and he began looking out. for.

such things.

When he had collected quite a. number of
remarkable specimens he resolved to build
a dwelling for himself with them. He is
now 69, and he has consecrated évery mo-
ment’s ‘leisure in the last twenty-six years
to the work. Every stone in it he collected
himself; he has used 8,500 bags of lime
and cement, and has expended about 5,000
francs,

The “palace” now includes 1,000 cubic.

meters of solid masonry. It has four
faces, ranging from eighty to thirty-five
feet in length, and it varies from twenty
to twenty-five feet in height.

One front displays an Arabic mosque
placed on top of a Buddhist Temple; an-
other resembles a Swiss chalet, but is
decorated with colored pebbles; a third is
in the style of a Roman temple, and the
fourth of a castle of the Middle Ages.

The palace exhibits still other grotesque
features Which are partly fashioned after
nature and partly spring from the letter
earrier’s own invention. There are figures
of Egyptian gods and Druid priests and
priestesses, sarcophagi, statues of the
Virgin and the Evangelists, of Death, of
the Goddess of Fruitlessness and of angels.
All these are constructed with groups of
colored stones arranged by the builder to
suit his own sweet will.

Below the building he has dug a deep
basement in which, like the Pharoahs, he
has constructed a grave in which he ‘will
be buried when he dies. All around it are
labyrinths and catacombs with stone
figures representing elephants, bears,
ostriches, serpents, flamingoes, geese and
various gods.

The man has concentrated the whole in-
terest of his life upon the edifice; he now
lives in it; he is extremely proud of it
and of the celebrity that it has gained him
through the country, and is seemingly
quite unconscious of the fact that he is
generally regarded as a little bit crazy.
He has no greater pleasure than in show-
ing his great work to visitors.

UrTEE Re ATR NEN) TIES er AREER REE

Answers to Correspondents.

 

To 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 greatiy 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. Noricnr is now given that hereafter
no letters will be answered unless addressed
ee or Happy Days, 24 Union Square, New
vork.”?

 

NOTICH.

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.

F. F. H. M.—There is no premium on
any of the coins named.

A. J. R.—The story named is out of
print.

INQUISITIVE.—There is no premium on
the nickels of 1882.

M. D. Hammack.—Arkansas is pro-
nounced as if spelled “Arkansaw.” This
pronounciation was decided on by es
State Legislature of Arkansas.

M. D. H.—If the work in questidn is
in print you can obtain it through the
American News Co., 39 Chambers st., New
York. Write them regarding it.

W. H. L—You failed to state whether
the paper oney was United States or
Canada. € presuMe you mean money of
Canada, in which case it bears little, if
any, premium.

A. H. M. ALEXANDER —We can supply all
of the 72 numbers of “Snaps” except the
following numbers: 1 to 10, 12 to 16, 18,
21, 29, 30, 36, 38, 50 and 68 to 72.

Morris Muater.—First grade policemen _
in New York receive $1,400 per year,
seventh grade, $800: 2. Gold dollars in
perfect condition are worth $1.50. 5:
Dinner in the middle of the day should be
the heaviest meal; supper at night the
lightest. ~

Srecro tHe StroneEst:—The coin with a
hole in it is a Spanish coin of no value.
2. The large coin with lion and date of
1870 is a Spanish coin, issued when a re-
public; it bears no premium. 38. The other
piece with head on éach side is a card
counter of no value. —

oo

 

CrerK.—A mucilage composed of two
parts gum dextrine, one part of acetic acid,
and five parts of water dissolved in a
water-bath, and one part of alcohol then
added, will prove very satisfactory for of-
fice work. It is transparent, and is. pos-
sessed of considerable tenacity.

Jounny B. Brans.—As to the lump on
your forehead, we advise you to consult
some physician ‘who can make a personal
examination. 2. There is no way to make
curly hair permanently straight. You can
make it lay temporarily flat by using cos-
metic, which you can buy at any druggist.

READER oF “Happy: Days.”—If the can-
ton fiannel comes off the strip while pol-
ishing the shoes, brush it hard with a
shoebrush to remove all the superfluous
fuzz. We don’t know of any other way.
It will soon wear smooth by use. 2. The .
average weight of a boy of fourteen years
is about 100 pounds.

J. G. B.—It is said that coal was used
by the ancient Britons. At all events,
it seems to have been an article of house-
hold consumption to some extent during
the Anglo-Saxon period, as early as A. D.
852, and then England was the first
eountry in which it was used in any: con-
siderable quantities. In America the de-
posits near Richmond, Va., were discover-
ed in 1701, and Mining was begun in 1750.

Marton.—There are a number of “mad-
stones” in existence. The owners claim
that they will absorb the poison from the.
wound caused by the bite of a mad dog.
The stone is light in weight, of a greenish
color, and very porous... The stone is ap-
plied to the wound, and is said to stick
fast until all the poison is absorbed, when
it drops off.

Mart Wi11amMs.—Various governments
pay their chiefs as follows: United States,
$50,000 a year; Persia, $30,000,000; Russia,
$10,000,000; Siam, $10,000,000; Spain, $3,-
900,000; Italy, $8,000,000; Great Britain,
$3,000,000; Morocco, $2,500,000; Japan, $2,-—
300,000; Hgypt, $1,575,000; Germany, $1,-
000,000; Saxony, $700,000; Portugal, Swe-
den and Brazil, each $600,000; France,
$200,000; Hayti, $240,000; Switzerland,
$3,000.

Ss. S. S.—The new state will be called
Oklahoma, embracing the territories of
Oklahoma and-Indian Territory. It will
be the forty-sixth state and will embrace
70,430 square miles, with a population of
1,500,000, over 300 banks, 500 newspapers,
250,000 school pupils, a state university
and seven other colleges, four agricultural
and normal schools and over _ 1,000
churches. :

JockEY:—It is not against the law to
ask for payment of an account of any kind
on a postal card, provided there is no
threat of suit and no use of objectionable
language in demanding payment. Should
the postal card make such a threat or con-
vey abusive language against the person to
whom the postal card is addressed it comes
within the statutes. The penalty is within
the discretion of the Court, but must not
exceed five years’ imprisonment or a fine
of $5,000.

Harpy Wess.—To procure a patent on

an invention you must apply to the Com-
missioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.
You must submit a drawing, sketch, or
photograph of the invention if you cannot
send a model. An ordinary patent costs
about $60, as follows: Government fees,
$35; solicitor’s charges, $25. If you want
to act aS your own patent agent you will
have to do your own correspondence, and
prepare the proper papers at your own
expense; it would therefore be better for
an experienced person to make the appli-
cation through. some reliable agent.

EVELYN.—To clean feathers, coil the
feather up so as to get it within a half
gallon glass jar. Pour in a quart of gaso-
line, screw on the cover and shake gently
back and forth about a dozen times. Take °
out the feather, shake well and put in an
airy place to dispel smell of gasoline. If
not clean enough, pour off from the sedi-
ment and try again. To curl the feather
draw each strand of the feather gently
across a knife. As gasoline is highly in-
flammable, care should be taken not to- be
near any light.

JonAH.—Pop-corn balls are made by the
following method, the proportions being
given for a half pushel of corn, which will —
make a hundred balls: The corn is to be
put into a pan; and kept covered tightly
until it has stopped popping, when it may ~
be removed to a table. Then put a little —
water into a suitable kettle, with one
poung of sugar, and boil as if for candy
until it becomes quite waxy. Remove from
the fire and dip into it six or seven tabl
spoonfuls of thick gum solution, mad
boiling water upon gum-arabic, over ni
or some hours before. Now dip th
ture on different parts of the corn
ting a stick or the hands wpon the
lifting up and mixing until the corn is all.
saturated with the candy mixture. Then _
with the hands press the corn into balls, —
as the boys do snowbalis, being quick,
lest it may set before you get through.
White or brown sugar may be used. For
variety, take white sugar for a part, and
molasses or syrup for another batch.

(Several letters remain over to be an-
Swered next week.) <

 
 

 

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No. 38. HOW TO BECOME YOUR OWN
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No. 57. HOW TO MAKE MUSICAL IN-
STRUMENTS.—Full: directions how to

phone and other musical instruments, to-
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WILD WEST WEEKLY.

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Wild West at Grizzly Guich; or, The Shot that Saved the Camp.
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Wild West and ‘‘Nebraska Nick’; or, The Cattle Thieves of the Platte.
Wild West and the Magic Mine; or, How Arietta Solved a Mystery.
Wild West as a Cavalry Scout; or, Saving the Settlers.

Wild West Beating the Bandits; or, Arietta’s Best Shot.

Wild West and “Crazy Hawk’’; or, The Redskins’ Last Raid.

Wild West Chasing the Cowboys; or, Arietta the Lariat Queen.

Wild West and the Treacherous Trapper; or, Lost in the Great North Woods,
Wild West’s Dash to Deadwood; or, Arietta and the Kidnappers.

1 Ail to the Good; or, From Call Boy to Manager.
ow He Got There; or, The Pluckiest Boy of Them All.

Bound to Win; or, The Boy Who Got Rich. :
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A Born Speculator; or, The Young Sphinx of Wall Street.
The Way to Success; or, The Boy Who Got There.
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A Sure Winner; or, The Boy Who Went Out With a

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Golden Fleece; or, The Boy Brokers of Wall Street.

A Mad Cap Scheme; or, The Boy Treasure Hunters of Cocos Island.
Adrift on the World; or, Working His Way to Fortune.

Playing to Win; or, The Foxiest Boy in Wall Street.

Tatters; or, A Boy from the Slums.

A Young Monte Cristo; or, The Richest Boy in the World.
Won by Pluck; or, The Boys Who Ran a Railroad.
Beating the Brokers; or, The Boy Who ‘“Couldn’t be Done.”
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Almost a Man; or, Winning His Way to the Top

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‘Striving for Fortune; or, From Bell-Boy to Millionaire.

Out for Business; or, The Smartest Boy in Town.

A Favorite of Fortune; or, Striking It Rich in Wall Street.
Through Thick and Thin; or, The Adventures of a Smart Boy.

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Fred Fearnot’s Promise; or,
Drunkard’s Boy. ae
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Fred Fearnot and the Girl of Gold; or, The
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Fred Fearnot and Uncle Josh; or,
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Fred Fearnot and “Long Luke’ ;
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Fred Fearnot on the Diamond; or, Playing
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Fred Fearnot and the Silver Syndicate; or,
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Fred Fearnot’s Conquering Stroke; or, Win-
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Helping a

Saving
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Secret Service

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The Bradys and Dr. Ding; or, Dealing With
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The Bradys<and “Old” King Copper’’; or,
Probing a Wall Street Mystery.

The Bradys and the “I'wenty Terrors’ ; or,
After the Grasshopper Gang.

The Bradys and Towerman ‘10’; or, The
Fate of the Comet Flyer.

The Bradys and Judge Jump; or, The “Bad-
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The Bradys’ Stock-Yards Mystery ;
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The Bradys and Dr. Sam-Suey-Soy; or, Hot
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>. Trail of the Tonopah Terror.

The Bradys and the ‘‘uamb League’’; or,
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Wild West’s Silver Scoop; or,
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Wild West and the “Gold Ring’’;
Wild West’s Double Rescue; or,

Wild West’s Branding Bee; or,

Wild West’s Double Shot; or,

Cleaning Up a Hundred
Wild West and the Oregon Outlaws;
E or, Routing the Rawhide
Wild West. and the Comanche Queen; or, Arietta as an
or, The Flashy Five of
Arietta’s Race With
Wild West and the Texas Rangers; or, Crooked Work on
Arietta and the Cow
Wild West and His Partner’s Pile, and How Arletta Saved It.
Wild West at Diamond Dip; or, Arietta’s Secret Foe.

Wild West’s Buckhorn Bowie, and H ow It Saved His Partners.

Wild West in the Haunted Hills; or, Arietta and the Aztec’ Arrow.

Wild West’s Cowboy: Dance; or, Arietta’s Annoying Admirer.
Cheyenne Charlie’s Life. Line.

Wild West at Gold Gorge; or, Arietta and the Drop of Death.

Wild West and the Gulf Gang; or, Arietta’s Three Shots.

Wild West’s Treasure Trove; or, The Wonderful Luck of the Girls.
Wild West’s Leap in the Dark; or, Arietta and the Under ground Stream.
Wild West and the Silver Queen; or, The Fate of the Mystic Ten.

202 Young Wild West Striking it Rich; or, Arietta and the Cave of Gold.

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Alow and Aloft; or, The Dashing Boy Har-
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Buttons; or, Climbing to the Top. (A Story
of a Bootblack’s Luck and Pluck.) By
Allyn Draper.

The Iron Grays; or, The Boy Riders of the
Rapidan. By. Gen’l. Jas. A. Gordon.

Money and Mystery; or, Hal Hallerton’s
Tips in Wall Street. By H. K. Shackle-

ford. :

The Boy Sultan; or, Searching for a Lost
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Edgewood No. 2; or, The Only Boy in ‘the

Fire Company. By Wx-Fire-Chief War-

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Lost On a Raft; or, Driven from Sea to
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True as Steel; or, Ben Bright, the Boy En-
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Ed, the Errand Boy; or, Working His Way
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Pawnee Bill in Oklahoma; or, Fighting
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_Perey Greville, The Scout of Valley Forge.
A Story of the American Revolution. By
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Bulis and Bears; or, A Bright Boy’s Fight
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Lost in the Grassy Sea; or, Three Years in.
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430 Tom Porter’s Search; or, ‘Fhe Treasure of

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THE
LIBERTY BOYS OF °76
A Weekly Magazine Containing Stories of the
American Revolution. — aS

Colored Covers. Price 5 cents.
BY HARRY MOORE,

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The Liberty Boys and Emily Geiger; i =

After the Tory Scouts.
The Liberty Boys’ 200-Mile Retreat;
Chased from Catawba to Virginia.
The Liberty Boys’ Secret Orders; or,
Treason of Lee.

The Liberty Boys and the Hidden Avenger~ ;
or, The Masked Man of Kipp’s Bay.

The Liberty Boys at Spring Hill; or, After
Cluny the Traitor. : es

The Liberty Boys and Rebecca Mottes; or,
Fighting With Fire Arrows.

The Liberty Boys’ Gallant Charge; or, The
Bayonet Fight at Old Tappan. :

The: Liberty Boys’ Daring Raid; or, Hot
Times at Verplanck’s Point. ‘ ‘

or,
The

The Liberty Boys and Simon Kenton; or, .

Fighting the British on the Ohio.
The Liberty Boys Beaten; or, Fighting at
“Cock= Baill? Hort,’ ae
The Liberty Boys and Major Kelly; or, The
Brave Bridge-Cutter. : /
The Liberty Boys’ Deadshot Band; or, Gen-
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The Liberty Boys at Fort Schuyler; or, The
Idiot of German Flats. . :

The Liberty Boys Out With Herkimer; or,
Fighting the Battle of Oriskany.

The Liberty Boys and Moll Picher ;
The Brave Woman Gunner. ;

The Liberty Boys’ Bold Dash; or, The Skir
mish at Peekskill Bay.

The Liberty Boys and Rochambeau;
Fighting with French Allies.

289

290
291
292
298
294
295 or,

-ing Upon the British. ‘

or, The

The Liberty Boys at Staten Island; or, Spy-

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FRANK TOUSEY, Pub., 24 Union Sa., N. Ya