Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 1059) (1926 01 15)
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JANUARY 15, 1926 = SY in .the basin- Sine nig ~ As Val pressed the knob orizontal | aling a room beyond. eK Sea Pees ca Sst ess sag
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Issued weekly Subscription price, $4.00 per year! Canada, est 23d Street, New York, N. Y. Entered the Post Oitice at New York, N. ' "No. 1059 os OR, THE % NEW YORK, JANUARY 15, 1926 50; Foreign, $5.00. Harry DB. Wolff, Publisher, :ne., 164 we Beira’ Chass tation, October 4, 1911, at ‘., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Price 8 Cents. ON PIRATE’S ISLE TREASURE OF THE SEVEN CRATERS By A SELF-MADE MAN . CHAPTER I.—The Island of the Seven Craters. Nie a “We seem to be up against it hard, Tom,” said Valentine Vance to his chum, Tom Massenger. “Tf there is anything worse under the sun than to be becalmed in a tropical sea I’d like to know ». what it .is.” pee That's: rightow al. blazes all day a fellow’s parboiled face.~ The sinking sun does not seem to bring a. bit of relief as far as I can gee. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, nor a ripple on the ocean an ere. Looks as if we’re as good as anchored for the night.” - ‘ " “And for to-morrow, and to-morrow night, and dey cnext day, if no longer, as well. Jack Junk says : you never can tell just how long these calms may ~- lest. ‘Toesn’t it put *you somewhat in mind of the ‘Rhyme of the Ancient-Mariner’ with his painted ship upon a painted ocean?” . “Tt does, with the horrors left out. That poem ‘was enough to curdle your blood if read under . proper conditions. The only person® on board - who seems to be at all contented with the present state of affairs is Professor Scotchley. He seems * able to stand ary amount of roasting. I believe if he was fried over a slow fire he wouldn’t kick ‘if he had his beloved box of specimens to monkey «over. : “There is another chap aboard who enjoys this a ‘roasting even better than the professor.” => "You mean——” - “Hop Hi, the cook.” “The chief mate made him hop high to-day _.. with a rope’s end for naomi the soup,” chuckled Val. “He’s a pretty clever Chink, just the same. Seems to have taken a shine to you and me and _ the professor.” fe ~ €That’s because we tip him off every once in a while,” said Tom. “Nobody else aboard gives him a cent.’ - “Je doesn’t look for a tip from anybody else. fe’'re passengers and are supposed to come u for any little extra attention on his part. wonder what island that is which we have sight- d. There’s a lot of smoke coming from from the op of it. Just as if there were several big fac- ry chimneys down there working overtime.” It’s been as hot as blue and not a breath of air to fan’ @ 749er. “Must be volcanic craters in action,” replied Tom. “I'll borrow ‘the mate’s glass and we’ll Ret a better look at them before night shuts them out. Tom walked off toward the poop, or quarter deck, where the chief mate was fanning himself under the broad awning which had been spread to ward off the fierce heat of the sun, leavin Val standing by the bulwark in the waist o the vessel gazing at the distant island. Drifting, but so slowly that her motion was searcely. noticeable, the American full-rigged ship Golden Gate rested on the bosom of -the vast South Pacific Ocean. She was bound from. San Francisco to Sidney, Australia, and after a pee ge voyage up to this point, had run into a m belt that stopped her further progress for the time being. Ever since the sun rose that “morning there had scarcely been wind enough to carry a feather. It was now close on to sundown, and the air became so rarefied by the intense heat thatthe crew were stretched out under an awning over the forecastle, languid and listless. The wheel aft was lashed and deserted, for the vessel] did not even have steerage way. The dead calm was terribly tedious to all on-board, ; except Professor Scotchley, perhaps, who seemed. to find pleasure and satisfaction under any cir- cumstances in examining and cataloguing his boxes of natural history and other specimens. The professor had persuaded Captain Rynders to put in for a few hours at several small islands en route so that he could go ashore and look up ~ a few new specimens. » The two. boys and a sailor named Jack Junk had accompanied the naturalist on these brief excursions, not because they took any interest in his hobby, but to enjoy a change from the rolling deck of the ship. Although all hands found the sun sizzling hot in ergasirie the line, still the strong breeze which propelléd the ship on her way tempered the heat to a considerable degree, and they did not feel ae same discomfort as that which attended this calm. : Valentine Vance and Tom Massenger were both California boys, born and bred. They were members of. the order called “Native Sons of the Golden West.” Val’s father, now dead, had bee: He had worked in the gold diggin; MES < rare OE DT na Ae ats
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g ° : ON PIRATE'S, ISLE 3 = made a good haul in gold dust and invested it afterward in San Francisco real estate, which netted him a fortune. Then he started to spec- ~ ulate in mining stocks with the expectation of becoming a millionaire, and narrowly missed fetching up in the poorhouse. Val and_= his widowed mother were now living in a modest way on the wreck of his fortune, but the boy ‘was smart and ambitious, and hoped to make a fortune for himself when he got to be a man. Tom Massenger was the son of a well-to-do architect, still in the land of the living, and had about everything at his command. that his heart could wish for. He and Val, in spite of the dif- ference of their social stations, were sworn friends and companions—a miniature edition of Pylades and Orestes, two famous Greeks whose friend- ship for each other was proverbial. A serious illness had so undermined Tom’s vitality that the family physician recommended a long sea voyage to build him up. Tom only consented to ra this trip on condition that Val accompany m. _ Accordingly, Mr. Massenger agreed to defray Val’s expenses, and secured his mother’s con- sent to his taking the journey. - Professor Scotchley, who was Tom’s private tutor, was sent with the boys to see that they didn’t get into trouble, and to increase their fund of general knowledge. When the Golden Gate got into the clutches of the-calm the party had been at sea many weeks—long enough to tire the boys : somewhat with the monotonous sameness of sea and sky, with an occasional island thrown in. he calm was bad enough, but there was another cause for gloom on board of the ship. Captain _ Rynders had been stricken with apoplexy the day ~~ before, and his death was looked for owing to the ~. lack of expert medical treatment. 2 ~ When Tom Massenger went on the poop to ask «the chief mate for the loan of his telescope, the second mate was watching by the captain’s berth - 4m his stateroom. Tom would have preferred * “asking the favor of the second mate, but as the ~ ease stood it was the chief mate or nobody he had ene to go to. ; William Gotch was not a handsome man by any .méans, though Nature, as if to make amends, «had given him a strong, well-knit figure. The usual expression of his feature was one of sullen- ness, as if he was afflicted with a perpetual grouch against the world. “My. Gotch, may I borrow your telescope?” asked Tom, politely. : ; : The chief mate lazily shifted -his position in the reclining chair that belonged to the captain ~ and gave the boy a cold stare. \ -. “What do you want with it?” he growled, sur- lily. : “Val and I want to examine that island in the distance. There seems to be craters on it throw- - ing out a great deal of smoke.” “Craters!” ejaculated the mate, sitting up. “Where is this island?” * “Yonder,” replied Tom, waving his arm in the direction where the land lay. 2 «Go into the passage and fetch the glass you ». will find hanging there. I will take a squint at - the island.” eee at , enéered the pasage leading deck to the cabin, i “on that, my hearties,” said Junk, with a’ sig ipped the telescope from its fastenings, and brought it up — to the chief mate. se He sighted the @@tant island and some moments with attention. ts “That is the Island of the Seven Craters,” he. said. Then he handed the glass to Tom, and after rolling a cigarette in an indolent way, lit it and fel] back in his former listless attitude. Tom carried the spyglass to where Val stood leaning ~ over the bulwark. : 5a “Mr. Gotch says that’s the Island of the Seven — Craters,” said Tom. as he raised the glass and took ~ a peep At the far-off land. . “The Island of the Seven Craters,” repeated Val. “That’s a curious name. I thought that — smoke came from voleanic craters. That island — must be the Summit of a great submerged moun- tain peak. It would be a pretty high one if it — started from the surface of the earth.” — ee: “T guess it would,” said Tom. “Here, take a look. You ean see the craters quite plainly . though the glass.” While Val was looking one — of the sailors approached them. This was Jack ~ Junk, the seaman who had accompanied the pro- . fessor and the two boys ashore when that privi- « lege was accorded them. His was not a reassur- ~ ing countenance by any means. A man with a broken nose, a shifty glint of the eye, and an - indefinable ,sinister expression about the mouth, is apt to be handicapped in that respect. “What are ye squintin’ at, my hearties?” asked Junk, in a foghorn voice. Spas “That you, Jack?” said Tom, glancing around — at the sailor. ‘“We’re looking at the Island of the Seven Craters.” Junk paused in the act of hitching up his trousers. ee “What island?” he asked, in a voice that indi cated unusual] interest. : é “The Island of the Seven Craters. That’ what the chief mate called it.” ees “Let’s have a peep,” said the sailor, with ill concealed eagerness. Val handed him the tele- — scope. The sailor took a long and sweeping look at the island. . . eee “That’s it, sure enough,” he muttered, handing _ the glass back to Val. : ie ge “You’ve_seen it before, I s’pose?” said Tom. “ard “I reckon I have, my jackies. I was wrecked on it nigh on to ten year ago.’ ee “You were!” exclaimed both boys in a breath, regarding: Junk with fresh interest. ~ Ae ies “T was.” eae “What kind of place is it?” . Es “The most wonderful ye ever seen in “It/is? Then we must get Professor : s to ask Captain Rynders to anchor there for a few hours, and let us go ashore,” said Valto Tom. * “You forget, Val, that the captain is danger. ously ill and may not recover. The ship is ni In charge of the chief mate,” replied Tom. — “Then the professor will have to ask Mr: Got ie too bad about the skipper. I hope he’ll _ we Ft “The cap’n won’t never git well, mark-my w gazed at it = 3 cant shake of his head. “He and Davy Jane shake hands afore this’ time to-morrer.” the short ladder to
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aft to the rail above the rudder. “Look here and tell me what ye see.” The boys looked and saw the shiny form of a huge man-eating shark lying motionless close to the surface of the water. “A shark!” exclaimed Val, with a creepy feel- “A meal.” : 3 “Prezactly,” nodded Junk. “That there shark -) has been follerin’ us since yesterday afternoon. He scents death aboard this hooker and is waitin.” : + - “Waiting for what?” asked Val. ‘ “A meal.” 5 “JT don’t understand you.” _~ * “Arter the cap’n’s dead, he’ll be sewn up in a ~ eanvas shroud, weighted with a heavy shot and chucked overboard. That there shark knows that ~as well as I-do. ‘He expects to catch the corpse as it goes down.” Junk’s words struck the boys unpleasantly. “My. Gotch ought to get a gun and shoot. that - shark,” said Val, vigorously. “Humph!” replied Junk. “He wouldn’t take _ the trouble.” : x = “Then Vll go down and get my revolver,” said. Val, starting for the companion-ladder. ™ . “Only a waste of time, my hearty,” ejaculated & the sailor, seizing the boy by the arm. “Look over again.” Val looked. J ' “Why, the shark has gone!” 4 3 - “Prezactly. He heard you and has sunk out of sight for a while.” The boys looked at Junk, and then at each other, in some wonder. It didn’t seem possible that a shark could understand what had been said about shooting him, and yet he certainly had disappeared as if by magic. _ “Maybe he’s gone for good,” said Tom. ' “Don’t ye believe it. e ain’t far away.” “se “How can you tell that?” asked Val. », “Ye want me to prove it, eh? Wait.” Junk went forward to the galley and presently returned with a chunk of ‘salt beef tied to a piece of wood. He chucked it oyer the stern so that - it fell with a splash. It had hardly hit the water efore they heard a rushing sound through the rine, the long, white belly of the shark appeared as it rolled over to give its month full swing, then there was a snap and the meat and wood er peared into the teeth-ribbed opening, and the _ shark. again sank out of sight. “What did I tell ye? S’pose one of ye had — . gone over by acdident, where would ye be now, < eh?” grinned Jack Junk. The boys shuddered and said nothing. Soon after the shark incident the sun set be- wv the watery horizon and darkness fell with areely any twilight upon the seascape. Hop i came to the head of the companion-way and -nnounced that tea was veady. Jack Junk went forward and the boys descended to the cabin, followed by the chief mate, who took the captain’s air at the head of the table. Professor Scotch- ley was already in his place. The second mate ‘sme out of Captain Rynders‘ stateroom and re- ted that the patient was neither better nor ; ee a lee ¥ ek ON PIRATE’S ISLE 8 Scotchley, who bubbled over about his specjmens, which rather bored the company. The first thing the boys did on coming on deck again was to look in the direction of the island, now lost in the obscurity, in spite of the” brilliant star-lit heavens. They expected to see the glow of the craters, but to theire surprise there was not the least Ls nee of light in the distance. They hunted Jack Junk up to ask him why there was no fire visible in the top of the craters. “Nothin’ but smoke comes out of them things,” _ answered the sailor. : Then the boys wanted Junk to tell them all ’ he knew about the island and he complied as fol- lows: ‘Tt isn’t a bad place to put up at; although there isn’t anything to drink there but water. It is said that a vast quantity of pirate loot is buried somewhere on the island too, amounting to millions of dollars’ worth.” “Who was it that buried it?” asked Val. “Vasco the Terrible,” answered Junk. “How do you know all thig?” “Because I met an old chap who belonged to his crew.” “Probably it has been found by this time and sold,” said Val. “The stuff that was planted on this island was never found,” said. Junk. %.. By this time the Golden Gate had approached near the island and in a short time the anchor was dropped overboard and the vessel came to — a pause. The first mate told Val and Tom that a boat would be sent ashore in the morning and that they could go with it.- The boys turned in early that night in expectation of their visit to the isle of the Seven Craters the next day.” . a CHAPTER II.—The Curtain Falls On Captain Rynlers. Val awoke with the dawn atid punched his: chum into wakefulness. They tumbled out on deck just as the sun was beginning to tint the blue water with purple and gold. the Seven Craters, a mass of green and luxuriant vegetation, like an emerald on a glass setting, lay broad on the vessel’s starboard bow, less. than half a milesaway. Three of the seven peaks were throwing off a dark smoke, which rose straight up into the morn- ing air. The ship, though not anchored, was per- fectly motionless, not a breath of wind ruffling her sails as they hung limply from her yards. The sailors, who had just finished washing. downsthe deck under the direction of the second mate, were now gathered around the galley, where Hop Hi was pouring out coffee into their tin cups. “Gee! That’s a fine looking island, all right,” said Tom, as the two boys gazed on the truly wonderful picture presented to their eyes. The seven conical elevations rose clear and well defined out of the tropical verdure which covered the entire base of the island. Here and there were abrupt precipices, crags of rocks frowning down like olden battlements, peaks shattered into strange forms, and deep ravines, down which could be seen streams of water falling headlong, — glittering in the sunshine like silver lines upon _ 1 A f he Island of . * :
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” toe. ? ON PIRATE'S ISLE fee <: a block of jet, or spreading, like a sheet of glass, over bare rocks. ; The rough, yet romantic scene, was mellowed ~ down by the softer features of rich-vales, cocoa- ee tut froves, clumps of dark chestnuts, stately ~ palms and breadfruit, patches of graceful ba- nanas, mingling in great luxuriance and forming with the wild reef scenery of the shore, and far- stretching ocean beyond and around, pictures of surprising beauty. Jack Junk saw the boys and approached them with a ; : “What d’ye think of it, my earties?” he said. “tts a dandy,” replied Val, enthusiastically. - A fellow has got to get away from home to see such sights as this.” : : cwerll go ashore after breakfast,” said Tom, tand make a day of it for I don’t believe there i be any wind before sunset, if then.” “You can’t tell ndthin’ about that,” responded Junk “I’ve seen jest sich a mornin’ as this, in this here latitude, wind up in a snortin’ gale that nearly took the ship’s masts out of her, and set her to leakin’ like an old sieve.” . “Pq like to bet there won’t be any storm around here today. I never saw a finer morning, did you, on - VatNo. 3 don’t think I have; but it will be blazing hot by and by.” : _ “What do we care after we get over yonder into “the shade of those groves?” “It’s lucky we have the island to take refuge on,” said Val. “I hope the vessel remains here ill a breeze springs up.” Se itiats a canis cia a laughed Val. “How is she going to get away without wind? Is the anchor down, Jack?” The sailor shook his head. “There hain’t no need of The hooker is out of the current. all. day if the calm holds.” : : ( “Then I hope the calm holds till night, at any rate,” said Tom, thinking of the fine time he and Val expected to have on the island. “You haven’t said nothin’ to the prefessor or the mate about that there pirate gold, have yer? asked Jack Junk. p - ‘Not a word,” replied Tom. . «That’s right. We'll look for it together.” “Haye you any: idea where to look?” asked Val, with some eagerness. 5 : The sailor shut one eye and assumed a wise air. “Mabbe I have, and then ag’in mebbe I haven’t,” answered, slyly. - nen manner, A coder jndicated a whole lot, and reatly excited the boys. a . eunene we found it, how would we divide?” asked Tom. : “One-half to me and the other half ’tween you 7° admiring the island rin. an anchor jest now. She'll lie here “Tf it amounted to much how would we be able to get it aboard the ship without attracting at- tention to it?” asked Val. “You leave that there matter to me,” returned the sailor. : *: At that moment Mr. Gotch, the first mate, came gp the companion-stairs, facing the wheel, and ' walked to the break. of the poop. He was followed . by the second mate, who, to the eyes of the boys, . looked: unusually solemn. Val, Tom and: Jack ~ Junk were standing at the starboard bulwark in she waist, and they looked up as the chief mate ; Frisco, and they would pay want to Val. = “Things has got to go as the new skipper says,” called the men aft. Evidently there was some+ — thing in the wind. In a few words Mr, Gotch announced that Captain-Rynders was dead, and that he had assumed command of the ship. His communication was received in solemn silence. There wasn’t a jack tar aboard but regretted — the loss of the man most of them had sailed #8 under for a number of years. “i This was Mr. Gotch’s first trip on the ship, and so far he had not made himself popular. After — saving all he had to communicate to the crew he dismissed them, and the men broke up into groups — and retired toward the forecastle. a “Say, Tom, this is tough,” said Val. “Captain Reynders. was a fine man, all right, and it’s a blamed pity he had to die away out here in the South Pacific.” ; “That’s right. I suppose he’ll be buried on the island. That’s much better than dumping him overboard as would have been done if we were out of sight of land.” ee © “The new skipper may not go to the trouble of sendin’ him ashore for plantin’,”’ said the sailor, “Why not?” asked Val “It would be an out- rage not to do it when we’re alongside of the island.” coe Junk shrugged his shoulders as if it was a mat-_ ter of indifference to him how the late captain’s — body was disposed of. : “Captain Rynders has a wife and family in ave his body brought to California. This couldn’t be done if he was sunk in the ocean; but it might be managed if he was buried on the island,” said replied Junk. ae “Well, we’ll get Professor Scotchley to remon- strate with him if he orders the captain’s body to be thrown overboard.” “Cae The sailor grinned, but made no answer. Since the announcement of Captain Rynders’ death, a pall seemed to. hang over the ship, a the boys felt as if half the pleasure of their e pected day’s outing on the island was alrea spoiled. Jack Junk walked away, and they talk together in low tones until the Chinese cook to them breakfast was on the table. Mr. Go the second mate and Professor Scotchley were ready seated at the table when the boys en- — tered the cabin and took their places. The meal was eaten in silence, even the professor havin nothing to say, which was unusual for him. At the conclusion of it the new captain sent for the sailmaker and told him to have Captain Rynders’ body sewn up in canvas and otherwise pre- pared for immediate burial, which was compulsory owing to the heat of that latitude. : “Aren’t you going to bury Captain Rynders on the island?” said Val, with some indignation in his tone. : eels oF: “No,” replied the new commander, shortly. — “Why not?” demanded the boy. a ee Mr. Gotch bashed an ugly look at him. “Mind your own business, young man,” he said, sharply, “and I’ll attend to mine.” “But you've no right to throw him over when you can just as well bury him a remonstrated Val. “Common decency——” - ~ Mr. Gotch’s face grew red with passio 3 -“T am master of this ship, and I wa
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‘eism from you, you young monkey. Do you un- - -derstand?” - ~ Val, who was a plucky boy, was about to make ‘an angry retort when Professor Scotchley inter- *-~ fered. t “Val, you have no right to question Mr. Gotch’s - arrangements,” he said. “He is the captain of the ship now, and is responsible for his own ac- sons) : Val subsided, but he met the new captain’s look with one’of defiance which. only widened the breach between them. Val and Tom were not the mly ones who objected to the late captain being mterred in the ocean. When the sailmaker had -eceived his orders, and went forward tc get a ‘suitable piece of canvas to make a shroud of, the epee spread among the crew. The men held a consultation, the result of which was a committee of the rough tars waited on Mr. Gotch with the request that the captain’s body might be turned over to them for burial on the island. - The spokesman “received an insulting refusal, .and the committee retired to report the unsuccess- ful result of their mission. A feeling of resent- _. ment and discontent spread through the crew, which was noticed by the second mate and re- "ported to his new commander. Mr. Gotch went * on the poop at once and called the crew aft. “ook here, my lads,” he said, in a threatening way, “I’m a man of few words, as mayhaps you have already learned since we’ve been together. ‘I’m the captain of this ship and what I say goes every time. If any man jack of you objects to the way I attend to business I’ll clap him im irons arid keep him in the hold till we reach Sydney, where I’ll turn him over to the authorities for unishment. I want you all te understand that T’l] stand no nonsense. If you mean to behave yourselves well to me,” I’ll treat you fair and square. If you don’t why then,” he looked around upon the men with a black expression, and punct- ated his speech with an imprecation that made ‘the boys’ blood. run cold, “I'll give you a dose of iscipline that’ll make you wish you had never een born. That’s all I’ve got to say. Now, go ‘or’ard.” = . The crew dispersed rather sullenly. They didn’t ancy the way the new skipper inaugurated his 4 € rail looking at the island ‘and talking to Tom. The words the lad had oken to him at the breakfast table rankled in ast and he was trying. get square with him. While he was turning, tter over in his mind the sailmaker re- by finished his job. A t re-— ON PIRATE’S JS 7 : ‘the sailor attended to his. “Junk then picked to think how he © into the waist, placesit on a plank, tie a heary bar of pig iron to its feet, and let it slide ovur- — board into its watery grave. Mr. Gotch walked to the end of the poop, intending to summon the. hands to witness the burial of Captain Rynders, ~ when his sharp eye noticed a peculiar haze ad- vancing along the Loner: He turned on-his heel, descended to the cabin and looked at the baro- | meter. He saw indications there of a sudden — change in the weather. When he returned to the poop there was a malicious grin on his counten- ance. -He gave orders to get the long boat in 3 readiness for lowering. Then he called Val over - to where he stood. ‘9 “Since you seem to take a great interest in the disposo] of the late captain’s body, young man,”, he said, fixing an evil look on the lad, “I’ve de- cided to let you have your way. You and your friend, and one sailor to row.the boat, shall take __ the. corpse ashore and bury it where you pleasé. Then I hope you'll be satisfied.” Brie “Do. you mean that, Mr. Gotch?” asked Val, in a tone of surprise. “T do. Look yonder and you will see that I have given orders for the lowering*of the long boat. The body of the captain will be put aboard of her immediately and the rest will be up to you.” — “T accept the responsibility. Professor Seotch- as ley will go with us to read th® service for the — dead over the grave, and I believe we already have your permission to remain on shore while the calm lasts.” Redes The new captain glanced again at the distant — haze and. nodded. . ; 3 Val notified Tom and the professor of the change in Mr. Gotch’s arrangements, and asked” them to get ready to make the trip with him. Tom expressed his satisfactica that the late cap- tain had escaped a watery :®uve, and willin i consented to help bury him ov the island. The — boys went to their stateroom, little thinking that — it was for the last tim, They strapped belts ~— around their waists cont#ining a revolver and a 5 bowie knife. . é eee Tom also took. his rifle and a belt of loaded cartridges. *The professor provided himself with ~ a pair of fieldglasses, a bag for carrying speci- — mens, and a hooped net attached to a long pole for capturing butterflies if he ran across any, — They heard a cheer on deck as the crew expressed — their satisfaction when the mate called them aft and said that Captain Rynders was to be buried — on the island. When they walked out on deck © they. saw four of the sailors bearing the body ta the boat, while the others stood uncovered out of respect to the deceased. The canvas-shrouded corpse was raverently placed in the boat, the boys — and the professor stepped in, followed by Jack Junk. In the bot of the boat lay two shovels. — “Cast off, my hearty,” said Junk, who was in — the bows, to Val, who sat in the stern. . 3 The boy unhooked the tackle at his end, while u the oars and began to row toward the feat while Mr. Gotch, the second mate, Hop Hi and the sailors watched the boat speed shoreward. ae * Ps Craters. "The line of the shore toward which th lakby _ CHAPTER Ill—On the Island of the Seyen 3% 4 Cte 3 X
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+ _ water’s edge. ' moved to the beach and then carrie 6 e coves. The boat was headed for the largest of these coves. It was only a’ short trip from the ship, and presently the bow of the boat grated on the sand. . 5 Jack Junk stepped out and tied the painter to a tropical tree which was growing close to the . Professor Scotchley got out next. While the sailor took hold of the feet of the corpse the boys lifted the head and shoulders, and in this manner the remains of the late skipper was re- F to the edge of the thick vegetation beyond. he boys then returned for the shovels, and the’ party entered the tropicai foliage to find a suitable spot to dig a grave. They had not far to go before they came upon a romantic-looking glade which Val decided would be just the place to inter Cap- tain Rynders. The weather by this time was decidedly sultry, and the exertion of digging a hole in the earth brought the perspiration out in t drops on the boys’ bodies. When the job was finished they were glad to sit down and cool off while Junk and . the professor went back to the beach to bring up the captain’s body. The corpse was dropped feet first into tHe hole, and lowered backward with the aid of a rope under the shoulders. .The rope walking through the thick tropical -jiant plumage, which they hadn’t the heart to at- tempts: dlacahter : was withdrawn and then Professor Scotchley read the funeral or from the late skipper’s own book, after which the earth was filled in and a mound raised over the top. “We ought to have brought a Board for a head- stone,” said Val, when all was over. “Maybe we'll get the chance to do that before sunset,” said Tom. “We can paint his name and ~ other particulars, except his age, which we don’t mow, upon it.” “Well, let’s take a look around the island now,” suggested Val. “It’s uninhabited; isn’t it, Jack?” he added, turning to the sailor. “JT didn’t see nobody on it when I was here be-~ fore,’ replied Junk, with a grin. _ “Whereabouts were ygu wrecked?” “On the northern shore.” “And which shore*is this?” -“The southwest.” - “You weren't. the only one wrecked here, were ou?” “No. There were six of us. There’s a big reef around ‘that end of the island. Our hooker was driven slap on to it in a howlin’ gale, and we - swum across the sheltered inlet and saved our bacon.” 2 ‘ _. Professor Scotchley was surprised to learn that Junk had been wrecked on that island once upon a time. He asked for some of the particulars and the sailor told quite a story of the wreck o ~ the bark he was in at the time, their life on the jsland, where they remained several months, and finally their rescue by a British ship that put in _ for water. While he was telling his yarn they had been vegetation that surrounded t on every side. The story was in- terrupted sevéral times while the professor chased - and captured several butterflies that were new to him, and which would greatly enrich his al- ready*large collection of the same species. The boys kept on the alert for pedopeera te, Ae shoot at, but saw nothing larger than small birds of bril- : ON PIRATE’S ISLE: . If. you didn’t make any discoveries in all “Were you ever at this end of the island before, Jack?” ; ‘ “Nez . “Whereabouts do you think that treasure is?” continued the boy, in a low tone. de “Somewhere around the north end.” ; “That’s rather indefinite.” aoe I don’t know prezactly. I only have an idee. “a “What gave you the idea?” wes “What that ‘chap said to me the time I met him in Peru.” { A ‘ “What did he say about the location of the — pirate hoard?” 4 pat “He said it was hidden in the foot of one of the @ erater hills.” ® . “At the north end?” $55 “That’s the way I understood him.” Pe “Why didnt you get more definite directions?” “He couldn’t give ’em himself, or he wouldn’t. Besides, I never expected to see this here island — anyway.” a “Then we'll have to examiné the three craters that appear to be at the north end, That will — take some time. I’m afraid we'll never be able to do it and get back to the ship before sundown.” “What’s the difference if we don’t get back?” said Junk, as if he felt assured there was no need of hurry on their part. “The hooker won’t run off and leave us here. You’ve paid yer passage to Sydney and back, and the new skipper has got to carry Py there and then return ye to Frisco.” “But if a favorable wind should come up Mr. Gotch would be as mad as a hornet if we were not board.” 3 # Rees AS The sailor grinned. ree “He’s a tartar, and there'll be somethin’ doin’ — 4 ticed the peculiar appearance of the sun, now al- most over their heads.- He called the attention of Jack Junk to it. The sailor uttered an ex- — clamation and sprang to his feet. 3 “There’s a gale comin’, and it’s goin’ to bea _ snorter.” oe CHAPTER IV.—The Storm Subsides, “T reckon this here storm will give us time t hunt for that there treasure,” said Jack Junk. “The old hooker won’t be back here for a cour ye. of days, and mabbe we kin find out somethin ag = that time.” ; ee “But you must have done some hunting for | when you were here ten years ago,” said V: “And you had four or five months to do it in, time how do you expect we will succeed any be in the short space of two days?” gi “We kin try, can’t we?” replied the sailor, ~ doggedly. : ee “Sure, we can try, witipesides, the: hook t git back in esides, the hooker may no a days, either,” said far ye days, or four i, a
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~ “But somebody will have to watch for her.” -~ The perfessor kin do that.” - _“We can’t expect Professor Scotchley to remain ; alone at the south side of the island while we’re ee knocking around at the opposite end a mile ‘ away,” said Val. . oe g' “We kin arrange it some way, I reckon,” per- sisted the sailor. ; “After all, there may be no treasure on this island,” put in Tom. : : “Yes, there is,” replied Jack Junk, with a ~ -yositive nod. cae. ~ “You couldn’t swear to it. “Yes, I kin swear to it.” , “How can you. when you’ve only the word of . that cha met in Peru? , mae aod Mwhat he was talkin‘ about. The _ Spanish Government believed Vasco’s gold was here, for they sent two expeditions to search for Ss 4 2 i “And you’re sure they didn’t find it?” “Not a nickel’s worth.” 2 : : “Didn’t other people search for it, too?” de: ~ “Yes, More’n a dozen has been after it at odd ~ times.” f . . “How do you know but one of them found and - ¢arriied it off?” said Tom: ; : e Jack didn’t know, but he didn’t believe they a + y . y “Tf all these persons made a systematic search _ for the treasure and failed to locate- it, I don’t gee where we come in.” * a Poms arguments were all good, but Junk ‘wouldn’t listen to them with any patience, use they didn’t fall in with his views. He had the jdea firmly imbedded in his head that Vasco’s treasure was still on the island, and no amount pao teument would shake his faith in that fact. ¥- He and the boys talked about the pirate gold un- til the latter, at any rate, were tired of the sub- ct. As the storm still went on as bad as ever, they - philosophically cut supper out of the programme, and lying down on the sandy floor of the cave tried to forget the seriousness of their situation. When night came on a couple of hours later, the lackness of the sky only ft densew and the gale continued to rage with full met eS tn The boys fell asleep after a while and did no Bey avril morning broke. By that time the abated. But it was not a bright, glorious morn- ing like the preceding one, The sky was still dark, and the clouds were chasing each other ildly.. There was neither sun nor blue sky to e seen. It still rained, but only at intervals. and the earth was soft and spongy. S _ “The storm is nearly over, isn’t it, Val?” asked ‘om. é “Jt looks pretty dark outside, but I guess it’s clearing up all right.” ‘Where’s Professor Scotchley?” ‘He’s snoozing away-over in the corner.” “And Jack Junk—where is he?” ; “T don’t see him. Gone out to investigate the eather, perhaps.” al stepped outside and presently caught sight e sailor coming from the banana grove with bi bunch of the luscious fruit over his shoulder. _ “Here he comes with our breakfast,” said Val. Cs Px ha re by his companion’s side in a minute. 12 tae Pee ¥ le had spent its force, and had already much . ley. The island was about a mile long and per- st is what I’m looking for,” he said, now about nine ON PIRATE'S ISLE s ees eagerly. “I’m hungry enough to eat anything in __ the shape of food.” ee Pan “I’m in the same boat. I don’t know when I ; have gone solong without having a meal. A nice, juicy: steak, some fried potatoes and coffee would. go fine now,” said Val. : “Oh, lor’, don’t talk about such delicacies, you — seen | my mouth Sr ‘ “Here ye are, my hearties,” said Jack Jun ¢ throwing down the bunch of fruit. “Help vee : self. There’s plenty more where-they come from.” “What about the weather, Jack?” asked Vales with his mouth full of banana. “Clearin’, The sun’ll be out before long.” oe “That’s good news. I’m sick of being cooped : up in this cave.” ma Professor Scotchley now woke up and came for- ward to get his share of the fruit. He made in- quiries about the weather, too, and asked Jack when he thought the ship would be back. ‘The sailor couldn’t say when she would be back. To tel] the truth, he hated she might not return for a week. The boys wanted to go back to the cove where they landed to make sure that the Golden. ~ Gate hadn’t been driven ashore and wrecked on __ the island. Professor Scotchley was also inter- ested in the matter, so, after all hands had satis- : fied their hunger, they took up their line of march — for the shore under the lead of the sailor. The found the little cove, the day before so béatite ful, was now a mass of sopyaing and tumultuous waves, and the surf was thrown for many yards upon the The horizon was econfused— they could not distinguish the line between the water and the sky, and the whole shore ofthe island, as far as they could see, was lined with a white foam. There was no sign of wreckage anywhere, which would have been the case had the ship gone on the rocks, so the conclusion was that she had _ been blown away from the island, and they might hope to see her later on. CHAPTER V.—Ruby Foster. - ee . “Well, what’s the programme now?” asked Tom, after they had satisfied their curiosity with respect to the shore. % “What do you say, Jack?” asked Val. “Well, my hearties, I’m for crusin’ ‘over to the : north end of the island.” : a No objection being offered to this suggestion, the party started in that direction. The walking was soft, as might be expected after the drench- ing ‘the island had received, but did not greatly _ impede their progress. They were treated to a continuous shower-bath, however, from the foliage through which they passed, -and were pret damp after they had walked a quarter of a mile. Then they came out into a wide open space, thickly carpeted with a brilliantly green vegeta- — : tion. They could see the seven crater peaks very plainly now, and the smoke issuing from three of — them. They formed a sort of cordon around the island, with wide breaks between them, the centre of the island being practically a luxuriant val-— haps a half a mile at its widest’ point. It w clock, and the sun was. st.
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8 gling for an opening between the flying, slate ~_ eolored clouds that covered the heavens. The air was fairly cool for that latitude, and _ + afforded the party great relief after the swelter- - ing they had got from the calm. “J wouldn’t mind living here for a while if I had all I wanted to eat,” said Tom. “Nothing ~~ < like feeling the solid ground under you, after all.” : “T should like it, too, provided I had something to occupy my mind.” “We've got the pirate gold to interest us.” “T have very little confidence in that.” 3 “Don’t you believe it’s here?” “Tt may be here, but if so it’s hidden too - securely for us to find it. After all those ex- peditions failed to locate it there is small chance for us to hit on it.” : y “Well, we can,amuse ourselves searching for it, at any rate,” replied Tom. They were now approaching the shore of the northeastern part of the island. Val was carry- ing Tom’s rifle, and the two boys were in the lead. Suddenly the entire party were startled by the shrill scream of a woman, “My gracious!” exclaimed Val. “A woman on the island, and in trouble!” The words were hardly out of his mouth before a second scream rang out. “Come on, Tom.. We must see what’s in the wind,” cried Val, starting off in the direction of the sound. . ‘A third scream added energy to the boys’ foot- steps, and they pushed their way through the tropical verdure as fast as they could. It sounded quite near, and~was mingled with the coarse and threatening ejaculations of a “man. At length Val, who was in the lead, emerged from the edge of the grove into a clear space that led down to the sea. A few yards before him he saw a lovely young girl struggling jin the arms of a bewhiskered man, who was dressed like the mate of a vessel. The girl was pretty strong and put up a good fight, but when Val reached the scene her strength was giving out, and she uttered another piercing scream. “Scream away, my. pretty bird,” laughed the man, maliciously. “I mean to have a kiss—ay, a dozen of them—in spite of your resistance. @ You’re in my’ power and might» as well yield first as last.” 2 '. +ffold on there, you rascal!” cried Val, bring- ing his gun down from his shoulder, “What are you about?” , Val’s unexpected appearance on the scene so astonished the man that he mechanically re- leased his grasp of the girl, who at once took ad- vantage of her opportunity and broke entirely away from him. . “Save me! Save me!” she cried, rushing wildly toward. the boy. “Sure, I’ll save you, miss,” said Val. let him harm you, you may be sure.” ’ The man recovered himself, stared in an ugly way at the boy, and then with an imprecation drew a revolver from his pocket and started to advance upon Val. “Stop!” cried the boy, in a tone that showed he meant business. “Drop that revolver or I'll fire at: you,” ‘ e As Val covered the fellow with his rifle the girl fell exhausted at his feet. At the same time Tom made his appearance from the grove. The ras- “T won’t Ret RA a eh TE a PS me ON PIRATE'S ISLE eal, perceiving that the odds were against him, came to a halt, but nevertheless held on to his weapon in a dogged way. : ; pe “Drop that gun or I'll drop you!” said Val resolutely. Tom, seeing the state of affairs, chip in, too. “Throw that revolver down!” he said, drawing his own weapon. H5 The man hesitated, while his eyes flashed fire, ‘Who are you and where did you come from?” he asked in an ugly tone. a “No matter who.we are nor where we come from,” retorted Val. “We are going to protect this young lady from you. I’ll ask you once more ~ to drop your weapon. If you don’t you'll take the consequences.” - & ; With another imprecation the rascal threw his © weapon down. peat x Sa ee Fa Ais wen” of it, Tom,” said Val, — and see that he doesn’t get away, whi ou Piha oe is? : 2 ek er Tom had taken charge of the man’s pis- — tol and then advised him to ering quietly where he was, Val lowered his gun and turned to the — girl. “My : concluded to as “Don’t be frightened, miss,” he said. ee Bud will Brotect you from further harm. — ill you tell me who you are, and how bn to be on this island?” : ie i 2 “My name ‘is Ruby Foster,” sobbed the girl. “My father’s vessel was wrecked on this island two weeks ago. Everybody. was lost except my — father, that man, who was the mate, and self, My father’s lez was broken and he is. unable to get around. He is in a cave near here. That man, whose name is Edward Fox, has been an- noying me with his attentions ever since we’ye — been on the island. I was going to a place where we get water when he came up behind me, grabbed me and tried to kiss me. I screamé : though I thought there was no one to help me. 1 don’t. know what I should have done if you hadn’t — saved me from him. I am very grateful to you for doing so.” . = “You’re welcome. I am glad I got here in time to be of service to you. That man shan’t both you any more while we remain on the island, an¢ when our vessel returns to take us off we’ll take — you one your oe with us.” 4 Bee id your vessel go away and leave you and that other boy here?” * f: y : Tle girl regarded him in some surprise as sh spoke. ; gas “T'l] tell you how it was,” explained Val. “Our ship} the Golden Gate, bound from San Francisco. to Sydney, was bécalmed off this island yesterday. morning. The captain died during the night and four*of us brought the body ashore to bury i While we were here the storm came up and ble the vessel off somewhere, but of course she'll. bi back after us inside of a‘couple of days. That’s the whole story in a few words.” ot “T am so giad there is a chance for us to 2 away from this place.. Father will be very ee to hear it, too. You miust come with me, both o: you, and I’ll make you acquainted with my father. | He’ll be glad to see you, for I am his only com= » panion, as Mr. Fox has little to say to him.” “We'll come in a few minutes, as soon as P: fessor Scotchley and Jack Junk come up. Li that man go, Tom,” he added to his companio: ¥
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ON PIRATE’S ISLE ; 9 “What was the name of your father’s vessel, Miss Foster, where was she from, and where bound? “She was a brig named the Lady of the Lake. “We were bound to San Francisco from Sydney with a cargo of coal. We went ashore here in a gale during the night. We had a crew of eight men with a cook, a carpenter and two mates. Mr. Fox was the chief mate. All the others were lost, either washed pueibenss ae the brig struck, or in trying to swim for the shore.” a mn Wien the girl finished her brief story Val told the girl his name and introduced Tom. At that juncture Professor Scotehley and Jack Junk ap- - Deared. The mate, Fox, had walked away. and _ was out of sight, but they were greatly astonished ‘to see Val and Tom in company with a young girl - whose age was apparently between sixteen and - seventeen. Val intreduced Ruby Foster to the '_professox, and hastened to explain matters. The party then, under the girl’s guidance, started for ‘the cave where her father lay helpless from his broken limb, which he had received the night of the wreck. ’ —_—_ : CHAPTER VL—Val and Tom Make Themselves — Generally Useful. ; ave into which Ruby Foster introduced Wal and the others, while not exactly facing the - gea, was close to it. It penetrated the base of one of the crater cones from which no smoke arose. Tt was really a series of caverns, as Val and Tom afterward discovered. The outer one wes the largest, and there, on a'bed ef surt veegtable se r, 1 i Ruby’s father. The fiber, lay Captain Foster, y eave was filled with a lot of stuff that had come ashore from a wreck of the brig—boxes, and kegs, sber“and rope, and a miscellaneous collection of other things, many of them very useful to the three castaways. Captain Foster was astonished when his daughter introduced four strangers into the cave, He immediately jumped to the conclusion that some Senta had anchored off the island, prob- bly in quest of water, which abounded on the eather,” said Ruby, “this is Valentine Vance.” “Glad to meet you, young man,” replied the captain cheerfully, extending his mahogany-hued aes ed) . i The girl then introduced the others in the Be sine you are from a vessel that put in re for water?” said Captain Foster. % 5 We were marooned here by yester- ay & x é islan i = Mee soon “un ~ clue will be short, as the Golden Gste will undoubtedly be back shortly to take ug off. Of course you'll have to return to Sydney, but that cannot well be avoided.” “Tt will make little difference to us, since the brig is lost,” replied the bluff skipper. “We will manage to get back to the United States by steamer. My vessel and cargo were fully insured, _ so that my loss will not be very considerable. She was an old craft, and I have been thinking of dis- posing of her and buying a more serviceable ves- sel, or retiring from active service altogether.” “Tt was fortunate that you and your daughter escaped with your lives,’’ said Val. “Tt was, indeed, and we feel very. grateful to Heaven. With the exception of my chief mate, Mr. Fox, every other soul was lost. Where is Mr. Fox, Ruby?” “Don’t ask me, father. ) I don’t know where he is, and I don’t care if I never see him again,” she replied, with some indignation in her tones. “Why, what do you mean, Ruby?” asked Cap- tain Foster in surprise. The girl then explained the indignity which the chief mate had subjected her to, and how Val and his friend Tom had saved her from his unde- sirable familiarity. The captain expressed his disapprobation of his mate’s' ungentlemanly ac- @ tions, and said he would certainly call him to ae- count for it when he saw him again. He thanked Val for his plucky interposition in his daughter’s behalf, and a he would not forget it. Va] and Tom then walked outside with Ruby, leaving Pro- fessor Scotchley and Jack Junk with the injured captain of the Lady of the Lake. Ruby séemed { delighted with the companionship of two boys about her own age, and she was especially taken with Val, not only becausé he had taken her part when she was in serious trouble, but because he was a good-looking and manly young fellow. Val was equally struck with her. She was an uncom-/ monly pretty girl, with sapphire-blue eyes, and fluffy golden ‘hair. Her naturally fair complexion was browned by. exposure to the sun and winds of the ocean, and the ruddy hue of perfect health - glowed on her cheeks. She was very vivacious, and not in the least degree bashful. The three were soon on the best of terms. Be- fore they were an hour together the boys hadtold «= her all about themselves, and she had been equall confidential with them. Her mother was dea: and the modest home in the Western Addition of, San Francisco, where she had been born, was rented during the absence of herself and father — on their long voyage. This was the second voy- age she had made with her father, and its un- © fortunate terminatien tempted her to believe that — it would be the last if she could persuade her parent to give up the sea for good. Val told her how this island had once been the rendezvous of the Spanish pirate, Vasco the Terrible, and that _ it was believed by many people that his treasure* of pillaged gold and other valuables was stil] se- creted somewhere on the place, probably in-one of the unknown caves of the seven craters. E “Jack Junk, the sailor with us, was wrecked here like yourself ten years ago. He hunted for ~ that gold during the months of his enforced resi- dence, but he gid not succeed in getting even a it. He heey ae to hel make n¢ to it.
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10 urpose than to pass away the time while we’re ere,” said Val. “There is another ca¥e behind the one in which we have taken refuge,” said Ruby. “I looked in at the opening one day, but it was so dark and for- bidding that I didn’t dare think-of exploring i’ ” “We'll take a look at it,” said Val. “What do ‘you say, Tom?” “Sure, I’m with you.” ~ “You will have to have a light of some kind.” said the girl. “There may be holes in it into Pe which you might tumble and go down ever so deep.” ' “We'll make some kind of. torches,” said Val. “Vou con do that casily,’” she answered. “A barrel of tar came ashore from the brig which papa Bxpe ‘eted to use for signali ing the firs’ vessel tha’ 've in sight. By smearing the ends of a coup! cf nicces of wood in the stuff and spply- ing a light to the tar you will have excellent torch. though they will give off a lot of strong smoke.” “Wol] furnish the light. for we have a small sup»ly of matches,” said Tom. é f “Oh, we have matthes, too. We got lots. of _ thines from the wreck before she broke un. Mr. Fox swam out to her one day and found one cf the boas uniniured. “He afterward made several trips hack and forth, bringing csoking vt-nsils from ‘xe galley and many boxes of canned goods from “he pantry, with knives. and forks, and specns. “nd dishes, and other ihing: ‘came came -in very handy for us. If the vessel had he™? to- gether longer he would have recovered Miucn more from her.” “J suppose you are the cook?” laughed Val. “Yes, and father says I am a good one. Mamma taught me how to cook and keep house, ‘but this is the only chance I’ve had to show my skill since we broke up our home after mamma ’s death.” “I’m afraid you don’t have much of anything, except fish, to try your hand on here,” said Val. “Mr. Fox shot a couple of rabbits this morning a with his revolver, and I intended to stew one of them for dinner. As we have company, I’m afraid both of them will hardly be enough to go around.” “Are there rabbits on this island?” “Lots of them. They must have been left here in the past by the crew of some ship.” “Why, we’ve been looking for something large enough to shoot, and not the ghost of a four- : “footed animal have we “spied,” cried Tom ss “You didn’t look in the right place for them, te _. laughed the girl. “They must have seen us coming and laid low ‘till we got by,’’ said Val. “Well, it’s time I began preparations for din- ner, I guess,” remarked Ruby. ‘You can help me if you wish,” “Al right. Our services are at your command, Miss Ruby,” said Val. - “What shall we do first?” asked Tom “Do you think you. could. skin the omits?” she asked. : “Don’t know,” replied ‘Tora, « “Never mind it.” Tom never did anything in the culinary line in his life,” laughed Val. “His folks have three ants, including the cook.” g to learn,” ate ‘Tom. ON PIRATE’S ISLE a tree, she took one down and showed the boyS how to take the furry jacket off the animal. TEs each grabbed a knife and proceeded to imitate her instructions. While they were thus engaged ~ she started a fire in a hole in the ground which ” the mate had prepared for the purpose, and then” got the pot to stew the rabbits in after they had . been cleaned and cut up. Ruby, with the assist. ance of her two helpers, turned out a first-clas: meal. Besides the stewed rabbits, there were rich yams, breadfruit and bananas, with canned tongue and two kinds of canned vegetables. T. liquids consisted of cool water and cocoanut milk. At the conclusion of this banquet, as the boys called. it, Captain “Foster produced a bottie™ prime whisky and. treated Professor Scotchle and Jack Junk.. This part of the program: suited the sailor so well that he helped himsel i; several cx‘ra nips on the sly, and finally wa off with the bottle while the captain was talkin with the prcfessor, and betaking himself to the concealment of the tropical vegetation, proceec to get ploriotisly full all by. himself. Ma. Fo did not urn un during the meal; and so Ruby se his d’nner aside for him. “Now,” said Val. after he and Tom had help wash the dishes, “suppose we make those torch and explore the inner cave?” “That suits me,” replied Tom, ° : “You'll ‘come with us, won’t you, Miss Raby She said she would, ana so the boys hunte ergund for suitable material to make the torehe out 0 ~2 as CHAPTER VII.—What Val Found in the Chest. - * When everything was ready for the explora of the inner cave, the boys lighted the torches and the three walked to the opening at the end the outer cave. Val went in advance, followed Ruby, while Tom brought up at the end of t procession. Vance held his torch above his _ to light the way and avoid Sp eee into an fall that might be in his path. The secon cavi proved to be only a small one, With a perfec solid floor. There was an opening at the fur -end of it, and when Val entered it he found. tes self in a harrow winding passage with no that he could see. “I wonder where this will take u8 to?” he x » marked over his shoulder to Ruby. : The girl hadn’t the least idea, The passag was not a long one, and ended in another against the walls. In.the center of the place w a long, rude table surrounded by half a kegs which had evidently been used as si They proved on examination to be empty. were a number of metal goblets on the table Tom declared looked to be made of silver: c corner were several old cutlasses and a single *reled pistol with an ornamented wooden stock “Hello, here’s-a silver coin,” said Tom, pir the piece of money up. ; It proved to be a Span
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. 4 ON PIRATE’S ISLE. “By George!” cried Val, in some excitement. “Jiooks as if we had struck the old pirate’s head- quarters.” : “That’s what it does,” replied Tom. “Maybe - -we’ll find a clue to the treasure here.” ~~ & closer examination of the cups showed they were not silver, but some base metal that looked like it. The chests contained a few pieces of faded clothing, but nothing of the least value. Val turned one of them over to look at the metal - _ knobs that studded it. He happened to press one - ™ of the brass protuberances pretty hard and in- _ stantly a shallow drawer flew out half way. <a “Hello!” he exclaimed, “this chest has a false bottom!” 7g Looking into the drawer he saw a folded sheet of thick vellum. Pulling it out, he unfolded it ; be --and examined it by the torehlight. It was cov- ered with writing, all of it in yee which Val couldn’t decipher. Tom and Ruby looked over x - Val’s®shoulder as he scanned the characters on the vellum. ; % “What do you suppose it’s all] about?” asked a: Tom. ‘ L : - “fow' should I know? It’s a foreign lingo to Se» me. I can’t understand a single word of i It’s - just like so much Greek.” x " “Professor Scotchley will translate it. It looks Jike Spanish to me. He can read half a dozen uages.” : zr might have some reference to the location of the hidden treasure,” said Val. “It must be of - §mportance to be concealed in a secret drawer. — &Wouldn’t - be great if it was?” r “Tt would be 'fine.’’* : a “That would let Jack Junk out of it. You found the paper, and if it should show where the treasure is you would be entitled to the biggest ‘part of it.” . ; Pa What do you take me for—a hog?” protested Val. ‘“We’d divide up even.” - “Nonsense! Only_us three and the professor would be entitled to ® share of it. If I had any- thing to say you’d have half, because you dis- covered the document.” 5 e secret drawers.” : eed did: so, but the other two chests did not m to have false bottoms. They looked the cave er thoroughly, but there was nothing else of rest, so they returned ‘by the way they came. Mr, Fox had showed up and was eating his meal rT tain had given him a laying- humor. He took no d presently got up, down to the shore. , “Gan cones read that, Professor Scotchley?” he ‘ked, while Val and Ruby gathered around in ae pol ramen joked at the writing. — : fessor looked a r. Gh By.” he replied. “It is Spanish. Where 62” : . - 11 ‘al discovered it in a secret compartment of an old chest we found caves.” ~ in one of the inner They waited impatiently for him to run over it. “What is it about?” asked Tom, at length. i ee) he seems to be directions how to find a secret cavern.” “Does it say anything about a treasure?”. » “Not a word about such a thing. I will trans- late it for you,” sad Professor Scotchley. Whereupon he read the paper off as follows: “Cavern in base of extinct crater, northwest of - island.. Entrance sealed by revolving block of stone working’ on a pivot. Impossible to distin- guish from face of rock. Find button in center of circle facing entrance. Press and stone will revolve on its axis, showing cavern beyond.” That was all, but it was enough to excite the * attention of the boys and Ruby as well. To their minds it could mean but one thing—a cavern so artfully concealed must be the resting place of. It. would not have been so carefully constructéd except for a powerful rea- son, and that reason could only be to hide the treasure acquired by Vasco and his lawless asso- ciates, through pillage and murder, “Write that all out in English, will you, Pro- fessor Scotchley?” asked Tom eagerly, - The professor smiled:and did so, using a lead pencil and the reverse side of the vellum. the pirate’s tred8ure. “That must be a strange cavern,” he said. “I hardly wonder that you are interested in it. you will get the bearings of this particular crater, from Mr. Junk or Captain Foster, we will go over © there and examine it.” “Tl see the captain at once about. it,” said- Val, putting the paper‘in his pocket. : He rushed into the cave for that purpdse, but. to his disappointment found Captain | Foster asleep, and he did not think he ought to disturb him, so he returned outside and told the others that the matter would have to be postponed. © ‘Postpone nothing,” replied Tom, who was hot on the treasure trail, “where’s Jack Junk?” Professor Scotchley said that Jack Junk had left the eave soon after dinner, and he had not seen him since. “Tl bet he’s looking around after that treasure himself,” said Tom, in some disgust. “What is eis treasure you’ asked the pfofessor. re speaking about?” “Tell him, Val,” said Tom. Te Accordingly Val told Professor ‘Scotchley all they had learned from Junk about the ill-gotten plunder of the pirate, Vasco the Terrible, who. haunted these seas about eighty years or so be- fore. The professor was very much interested in the subject. He agreed with the young people that in the light of the buccaneer’s notorious ca- reer, the expeditions "that had been made to“the island in search of the supposed treasure, and lastly the document which Val had found refer-— ring to a carefully concealed cavern on the island, there was some reason. to believe that the clue given in Spanish on the vellum, and for so many years hidden in the false bottom of the chest, might refer to the place wh : question was situated = ae fea, tA ~ i ok ere the P bee! ¥ if. =
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ay ley,” said Tom. , © latitude. ~~ the «circle. ee “That’s exactly our opinion, Professor Scotch- “T’]] bet nine dollars to a dough- nut that if we can find that cavern we'll find the gold and other things hidden in it.” d Ruby clapped her hands at the prospect of find- “ing the treasure. She had read many. stories about hidden pirate treasure, and the idea that - she might be connected with the finding of one delighted her immensely. “T suggest that we start to look for that cavern right away,’ went on Tom. “We must get the bearings first,” said Val. “We can get our own bearings.” “How?? - “chis is the northern end of the island, isn’t 9? Pee “Well, west is over there. You can see the sun is setting in that direction.” “That’s right.” “Now Vm facing north, and my left arm is ointing west. Half way between is northwest. ere are two smokeless craters over there. The eavern should be in the base of one of them.” “That’s all right; but if the entrance is impos- sible to distinguish from the @ace of the rock, we'll have a nice time locating it.” : “We don’t have to trv and locate the entrance, it’s the circle with the button in the center of it ‘we must look for. That faces the ontrance ac- cording to the psper. Find the circle, press the button and the mechanism will do the rest.” E “Tf that circle was put there seventy or eighty years ago it may be all washed away by this time. Think how it rained yesterday afternoon, and such rains are of frequent occurrence in this Say it rains thirty*tmes a year. - Mul- eighty. What effect would 250 that have on any mark on the. % < , ¥ tiply thirty by ~guch rains as ground? out long ago,” said Val. “Not if they were put there to stay. The circle was probably not marked with a: brush, but chipped out of the solid rock. It would take the - yain of several ‘centuries to wear the rock down smooth so that the circle would be obliterated. Don’t you think so, Professor Scotchley?” asked om, _ “That would depend on how deep the circle was indented in the rock,” replied the professor. “Well, as we’ve got nothing else to do, I vote we all eo over to those craters and take a look for We'll have time enough before. dark to tackle one of them, and if we find nothing in _ ‘the way of a circle we can transfer our investiga- tions to the other tomorrow,” said Tom. “Pm ready to go,” said Val. “Are you with us, Miss Ruby?” “Of course I am,” she replied, taking him by the arm. Tom and the professor went in advance, while -. Wal and Ruby followed, and in this order they - shortly arrived at the base of one of the craters. ro ® CHAPTER VIIL—Searching for the Secret Cavern. nee walk around this crater, examining the ground slose. to it-as we go,” said Val. : f T , the idea,” PO Orr | vy, _<.'*I suppose we must start from this point and replied Tom. ON PIRATE'S ISLE _ down, anyway, if he left the most important par- -going a short distance they met with. difficulties The markings would likely be washed -is a cavern there. ' When the boys got back to the + wy “Then all I’ve got to say is that we’ve got a pretty contract on our hands. The ground is all broken up yonder. I doubt very much if we'll be able to get around.” : 3 _ “It’s a wonder the chap who wrote that. direc- tion on the paper didn’t state on which side of the crater the circle was to be found. That would, have saved us a lot of trouble.” ‘ “He didn’t write-it for our benefit,” laughed — Val. “Apparently he didn’t care to make the — matter too clear.” ; “What was the use of writing the direction ticular out?” “P’m not good at guessing conundrums. Give me something easier,” ‘ : 7 “Well, there’s nothing gained by standing here and wasting time jawing. Let us get down to business. I’m going to see if I can cirele thi crater,” and Tom started off to make good his. words. SO a The professor , followed, and Val and Ruby brought up the rear as before. When they came to the broken ground progress became difficult. Tinally their way was blocked by a seriés of-gul- lies and chasms that were quite impassable. — “We can’t go any further in this direction said Tom. “We must return. There is nothing doing in the circle line any way in this direction.” So they went back to the startnge point an started around in the. opposite direction. Af again. There were rocks to get around or cli and all sorts of obstructions that made an inves gation tedious and rather discouraging. Ther they came toa ravine through which a ra stream ran down to the sea. ; “J don’t believe there’s any secret cavern in ‘ erater,” said Tom. : “It might be on the other side of the ravine, replied Val. ae ; - =e “We can’t get to the other side, from the look of things.” ° E 5 “Not from this point, but by going down to the beach and wading the stream we could climb v on the other side—the one facing the ocean. — should think that would be just the spot where the pirates would put their stuff provided there It was nearer to their vessel,’ or to boats from their vessel,” said Val. “You — and I could. go and investigate while Professor aeorig aes and Miss Ruby remain here till we ack. * ; “Well, come on,” said Tom. re “Why can’t I go, too?” pouted Ruby. “I mind climbing over the rocks.” mage ; “T think you’d better stay here with the pro sor,” answered Val. Tom thought so, also. didn’t want to be bothered looking after the gi and helping her over the hard places. The sur was going down fast, and they didn’t have too much time to finish the job of getting a: that particular crater. ‘So they. started off gether and found trouble enough in getting to the shore. They took off their shoes and wad the stream and then climbed up the ocean side the crater. They had all their trouble f ing, for the general character of. 1] showed no indications of a cavern ‘in thi ’ professor Pe: The fact was, the t
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iss Ruby it was high time for them to return to the north shore and the cave where Captain Foster was. They hadn’t more than reached the place when darkness, fell with its customary sudden- ~~ ness in that latitude. Ruby cooked a pot of cof- -- fee over the fire that Val made for her, and this, 4 with crackers and fruit, formed their evening -repast. Jack Junk wasn’t present, and the boys . wondered where he had gone. “It’s a wonder he wouldn’t turn up for his sup- . ~ per,” said Val. _ That’s his funeral, not ours,’’ replied Tom. Se. When it came time to turn in the boys found a soft and retired spot in the tropical underbrush near the cave and were soon asleep. The missing - sailor wasn’t very far from them, sleeping off his jag. He turned up in time for breakfast next - morning, looking rather seedy. o _ “Where have you been keeping yourself, Jack? asked Val. s : “~ “Takin? a long snooze, my hearty,” replied ‘the ~ sailor, and that was all the explanation they could get out of him. es, He looks as if he had been on a_ bust,” m,” replied Tom. : ‘ “Fe may have found one of those tropical trees e sap of which makes. an intoxicating. drink.” ~ “He must have struck something that gave him g, for he doesn’t seem to be thoroughly sober ie whe he got away with a bottle of the cap- 9 guess ere Rub me their search for the secret cavern. Va the professor were ready to join him, but uby couldn’t leave her father, so they started ‘without her. They hadn’t got very far before Junk joined them, and though the boys n’t particularly delighted to have him along “couldn’t shake him. They made staight for second of the two craters in the northwestern of the island. ; \re ye huntin’ for that there treasure, my es?” asked Jack suspiciously, hat’s what we’re doing,” replied Val. “I’ve a clue to it.” a5 : e@ have, eh? Where did ye get it?” , I got it where you never would have Do ye mean to say ye have an idee where it’s “That's about the size of it; but it doesn’t fol- w that we’ll find it, just the same. vted-up cavern.” “H ow do ye know An is?” ge SES d that out.’ : How did ye find it out?” persisted Junk, t difference does that make to you, Jack, ¢ s you get some of the stuff if we come ‘Some of the stuff! I’m entitled to half of it.” on’t_see that waite entitled to any of it, as 1v lone anything to help find it.” i s ON PIRATE'S ISLE _ 18 “a shallow drawer in it. It’s in a owned in your life before.” - turn eg “Yes; but that amounts to nothing unless it can be found.”. * : “Y told ye that it was in the north end of the island, didn’t 1?” 5 ? vel you were wrong. It isn’t in the north end.” Z “What end is it in, then?” “The northwest end.”’ “That’s all the same.” @ “Not by a long chalk. But, even admitting that it is, you don’t know the first thing abeut finding the cavern where it’s hidden. You hunted for weeks for it when you were here before, and | what good did it do you? There is only one way — to reach that treasure and Tom, I and the pro~ fessor know that way.” , “So ye’ve told the perfessor, have ye?” “We had to take him into our confidence.” “Why didn’t ye?» “Because the clue is in Spanish, and he’s the - only one who could read it.” “What is this here clue ye are talkin’ about?” = Jack asked curiously. - “It’s a.paper I found.’’ “Where did ye find it?” “In an old sea chest that belonged to one of the pirates.” : “Where did ye find the chest?” ; “In one of the cavern back of the cave occu- pied by Captain Foster.” ey ; “T seen them chests ten year ago when I waa © here, but there wasn’t nothin’ in’em. Ikin swear - _ to that,” replied the sailor positively. a - “Did you examine them? <2 “Sure, I did.” : : rs “You didn’t examine them carefully enough. ; One of them is fitted with false bottom. There’g The paper was in that + — drawer.” : « “Where is that there-paper?” - 4 “Can you read Spanish?” ; “Sure, I kin read it.” Val took the sheet of vellum out of his pocket and held it up for the sailor to look at. ; “Read it, then.” 2-w rious Jack Junk tried to, but could only make out a few words. Many of the words were faded, and it was so badly written that it was a poser for the sailor. Professor Scotchley, being an expert linguist, and well educated in al] kinds of hand- writing, had experienced no trouble in decipher- ing the paper. ‘ “Can you understand t?” asked Val. ? Jack Junk had to admit reluctantly that he couldn’t read it. ' : “Well, the professor read trouble.” ‘ - “What does it say?” asked the sailor eagerly. - — “It says nothing about the treasure at all, but © = it mentions a seuled cavern in one of those two craters we’re approaching, and how to get into ~— it. I’ve got a notion that if we can find that cav- ern we'll find the treasyge there.” “ : “How much do I get if ye do find the stuff?” asked Junk, willing to arbitrate the matter now. — “You'll get some of it,~and if there’s much — there you'll have more money than you ever, it without any “J want enough to have a good time on til 1 up my toes, d’ye understand?” : u'll get that 1 ht, Yo
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M4 “Don’t ye worry about me spendin’ it all at once,” growled the sailor. “The best thing you can do is not to think about it till you get it. We are not sure of finding the cave.” “Don’t the paper say where it is?” “Only in a general way. It is simply a clue. We've got to hunt for it.” “711 help ye hunt.” “You can do that when we reach the crater.” It was a brilliant morning, the heat” of the sun being tempered by a coo] breeze from the sea. There was little or no surf now around the shore, the ocean having subsided after the gale into a level and glistening expanse of water. The party caught frequent glimpses of it as they walked . along. At last they reached the crater they were aiming for, and without delay started in to look for the circle mentioned in the sheet of vellum. 1 o CHAPTER IX.—Discovery of the Secret Cavern. ee: They first directed their course toward the sea, . Jooking carefully along the ground which, how- ever, was thickly covered with vegetation. After going a hundred yards without result, their fur- ther progress was barred by a precipitous break in the ground. Here the crater, as far as they could see around it, descerided in a sheer perpen- ‘dicular wall into the ocean. “Stuck again!” said Tom, rather disgusted with the outlook. other direction I’ll begin to think that paper don’t amount to*a whole lot after all?’ i ~sThey reversed their course. -- “I'm afraid that the circle is covered up by the vegetation which has likely overgrown it in the eighty years sihce it was made,” said Val. “That’s a very reasonable supposition,” Professor Scotchley. i ‘ “We'll have to clear the vegetation away, then,” said Tom. ° . “How long do you suppose it would take us to cut the stuff down? Months. Besides, the circle, if made at all, must have been made on a slab of said : _ rock, and I don’t see how anything could grow on a rock.” : , “Tt could grow all around the rock and hide it, ~ eouldn’t it?” said Tom. > “Tt could do that easily enough in time, if the : rock wasn’t too big.” ; “The rains could wash enovgh earth over the -. slab to hide it, and form a bed for vegetation to | grow in,” said Professor Scotchley. “All that could happen inside of eighty years.” '. «J guess we’re up against a hard proposition,” said Tom, as they walked slowly along, loking in front and to the right and left as they proceeded. ' * “Hard or not, we'll stick it out as long as cir- 3 cumstances permit us to. The object to be gained is well worth any amoung of exertion,” said Val. They were now ascending to a higher plane up the side of the crater, and they gradually ob- tained a more extendéd view of the island. A - ocean, was the first of the three smoking craters. The second was at a right angle on the other shore of the island, while ue third was about a 3 1 en BP St ne é ON PIRATE'S ISLE ~ a4 “If we don’t hit the circle in the quarter of a mile away, jutting out into the- “Where are we going?” asked Tom at length, pausing to fan himself with his hat. “Up to the top of this cone?” “1g “Looks like it,” replied Val. Sa “Then we’re on the wrong track.- The paper said the cavern was at the base of the crater, and the base of anything is usually the bottom, or the spot on which it stands.” <i “The base in this case may mean the foot of the wall at any particular spot.” aye “It may mean a whole lot, but I don’t believe it does, just the same.”’ “We'll keep on, anyway, and see where we come out at.” : : “Oh, all right,” replied Tom. “I dont’ care; but I’ve money to bet that we don’t——” a Val suddenly made a dart forward several paces and tien looked down at the ground. oe “Hurrah!” he shouted excitedly. ‘Here’s the circle.” koe ag His ejaculation brought the rest of the party a up in short order. They all gathered about him | * le piece and began pulling the growth away. _ accomplished, he scooped the earth out of th hole into which it had taken lodgment. He was looking for the button’ which, according to the paper, controlled the mechanism that opened and closed the entrance to the cavern in the crater. At length he had removed the last of the earth. There lay a small protuberance in the ve center of the hole. The boy placed his thun upon it and, with beating heart, bore down oh it. As Val pressed the knob in the basin-like hol remarkable change took place in the apparentl solid surface of the rock. A ponderous stone, — working on an axis, swung downward into a hori- zontal position, revealing a room beyond. All 7 hands gazed on the opening with wonder and as- tonishment, then Professor, Scotchley broke the charm by an exhibition of boyish delight. H uttered a shout and a hop and swung his hat i the air. Tom threw one arm up and gave a lou hurrah, Jack Junk, who was in the rear, gaze in bewildered astonishment. Val, being down o: his hands and knees, had a better view of t interior than the others. He saw some boxes piled near the entrance, several of them actually over- flowing with what appeared to be gold coin. — “Hurrah!” he shouted gleefully, springing to his fect. “There’s the treasure. I can see money — to burn! We'll all be millionaires!” . He*made a dash to enter the cavern, closely - lowed by Tom. In a moment both had pas: under the poised slab and were gazing s ellbo I at the heaps of coin on the tops of: the box Professor Scotchley and Jack Junn followed then and the eyes of the latter took on an avari gleam as his gaze rested on the heaps of m “Gracious!” exclaimed Tom. “These boxes fairly overflowing with»yellow boys. -It n my mouth water to look at then... ts Val thrust his hand into one of the mone
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ey. ON PIRATE'S ISLE_ and took up @ fistful. ‘The coins were all about the size of an American quarter and uncommonly bright. Professor Scotchley leaned forward and - took several of the coins out of Val’s hands. A curious smile wreathed his countenance as he ex- ~ amined and weighted them. “This is not gold,” he said. “It’s brass.” “Brass!” gasped Val and Tom in a breath. “Bxactly—brass. And they’re not regular coins, either. They are private tokens of an old South American diamond mining firm, once used for barter and exchange among the employees only. I’ve seen samiples of these coins before. In fact, I have several in my coin collection at home. They are practically worthless now, and are no longer used for the purpose for which they were east.” - A closer look at the money convinced the two boys that Professor Scotchley had only spoken the truth, and their expectations of having be- come millionaires sank down to zero, while Jack — Junk gazed at the bright money in stupid bewil- : rment. < sie these iron-bound boxes are all full of the -dern stuff,” said Tom in great disgust. . He dug his hand down into one pile of coin, but - it met with a hard obstruction. Sweeping the _ brass stuff away, he found he had struck the top of the box. : : _ “These coins are only piled on the outside of ; this box,” he said. : . The boys found the same fact true with respect ~to the other two boxes. The coins were merely heaped on top of them to give them the appear- ance of being full to ovrflowing. ; “That’s what I call a low-down, deceptive _ trick,” said Tom wrathfully. “Do you suppose those pirates did ~ ee anybody who found this cavern by accident?” % cite it up,” replied Val gloomily, for all his «© golden visions had been ruthlessly shattered. “How do you suppose those pirates got hold of this brass rot?” asked Tom of Professor Scotch- ~ ley. put I feel sure that it isn’t the treasure we’re Lh gy? Mim’ was certain of that fact, too. He laid hold f one of the kegs and found it weighty also. “-‘syb. they’re full of gunpowder,” he said. . Jo:ne kind of liquor,” suggested Val, giv- ne one cf them a kick. : A+ the mention of the word “liquor” Jack Junk smacked his lips in a greedy way, for next to a <eg of guld, a keg full of whisky or brandy struck a long-felt want in his breast. ; “Tf the pirates had any treasure it must be ere somewhere,” said Tom. “Let’s look around.” Val at that moment spied a heavy brass-bound “What’s this?” he said, going over to it. : He tried to lift it, but it was as solid as a rock. “Maybe some of the pirate treasure is in this,” eee “It’s heavy enough to be filled with gold.” The four gathéred around the chest and looked at it critically. Suddenly Val stooped down and picked up three Spanish doubloons that lay along- side of the chest. They were silver pieces as big: as an American dollar. The discovery of the doubloons raised the hopes of the boys onee more. Tom lita match, looked behind the chest and found two more of the same kind of coin. ~“Pil bet this is one of the treasure chests,” he said, with fresh excitement. ‘Look, how strongly clamped the thing is! Why, it would take a sledge-hammer to burst it open!” The general opinion of al] hands was that the chest contained something of value, and the boys were eager to get it open. That, however, was an impossibility without tools. Tom suggested tackling it with heavy stones, but Val objected to that method as being impracticable. oe “There is a hatchet and some carpenter’s tools — at the cave,” he said. “We'd better return there. now, and this afternoon we’ll come back here with ‘the implements most available for the purpose and go through this chest, and also investigate the contents of the boxes and kegs. It’s the most sensible course we can pursue, don’t you think so, ~ Professor Scotchley?” The professor dgreed with him. Tom also thought it was a good plan, and said so. While the boys were talking Jack Junk was casting an avaricious eye on the supposed treasure chest, and mentally calculating how much of its contents ought to come to him. The attitude of the boys didn’t please him a little bit. As matters looked to him they apparently intended to claim the lion’s share of whatever treasure was found, and hand him over what they thought: fit, which he judged would be a very small part. He was of the opinion that he ought to have half of the pirate’s plunder. The boys never would have ‘thought about Vasco’s treasure but for him. To be cut off with a small share wasn’t a square deal in his opinion. The sight of the heavy iron-bound — sea-chest, which he felt assured contained the treasure he had been thinking about off and on for a matter of thirty years, excited’a strong feeling of cupidity in his breast, and an equally strong feeling of resentment against anyone who would try to deprive him of ‘what he considered rightfully his property. The longer he considered the matter the uglier he grew on the subject, until some pretty bad thoughts began to take posses- sion of his brain. “Come on, let’s get back,” said Val, at length, walking out of the cavern. * : The rest of the party followed, the sailor re- luctantly. ; “Now to close the entrance,” said Val, going to the hole in the center of the circle where the knob was. “I wonder how the revers action works?” As the party gathered around him Jack Junk watched the boy’s movements with sharp atten- ~_ tion, as he wanted to learn how to operate the — mechanism himself. ‘ : “I pressed down on-it before, which caused the stone to revolve,” said Val. “I suppose I ought to pull on it now to make it turn back into its place —
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_backward*and sealed up peep inside. = 16 ON PIRATE’S ISLE -He suited the action to the word. All heard the sharp click that followed somewhere about the entrance. Then the ponderous stone revolved the opening without making a sound, so nicely adjusted it was. “The man who exceuted that job was an artist,” said Val. “I don’t see how such a contrivance could have been built away out here on an island in the middle of the South Pacific.” “The fact speaks for itself,” replied Tom, “and there’s no cause for us to worry about how it was done. There were expert mechanicians eighty years ago as well as today. Press the button and let’s see if it works all right again.” Val pressed the knob, and the stone opened as noiselessly and easily as before. Then he closed it _ again. ~ “It is probably worked by a series of thin steel arms under the slab,” said Professor Scotchley, who was much interested in the mechanical con- trivance. a “1 don’t see why the pirates went to all this trouble when they could have buried the stuff ~ somewhere down along the seashore and it would have been just as safe,” said Val. “J should imagine that one of their number, being of a mechanical turn of mind, suggested this scheme as an improvement on the customary burying process,” replied the professor. “Its very novelty no doubt caught the fancy of his com- rades and they acted on it under his directions. At any rate, the fact remains that the idea was earried out, and in the most clever manner. After the knob in the hole was covered up with earth, no one not in the secret of its existence would ever -~ discover it except by accident. Just why the big circle was cut into segments, however, is not very clear to me, for it looks like a useless proceeding.” After some further talk on the subject ‘the party started back for the cave by the sea, full of golden visions of the future. CHAPTER X.—Trapped in the Cavern. The boys found Ruby impatiently awaiting their return. : “Well,” she asked expectantly, “did you make ‘any discovery?” 3 “We did,” replied Val. “We found the circle and the secret cave.” fs “Did you, really?” “Ask Tom.” . “That’s right; we found it,” said Tom. “What about the pirate’s treasure?” “That’s a conundrum at present,” he replied. “Didn’t you find anything in the cavern?” she asked in surprise. “Qh, yes. We found a lot of boxes and kegs, and a heavy iron-clamped sea-chest. If the treas- ure is there it is in that chest, most likely.” “Didn’t you examine the chest?” “No. It had too solid a lock for us to get a We’re going back after dinner with the hatchet, and any other suitable tools we can _ find, and open it,somehow so as to find out just what it contains.” “J’m going with you,” she said, in a tone which indicated that she didn’t mean to be left out in the zs e i , : ce right. J’ll see that you don’t get i trouble,” laughed Val. z aie “You’re very kind,” she replied, making him a mock courtesy. : : Val then told her about how they had been de- ceived by piles of brass private money, which they had first taken for gold coin. She laughed ; heartily over the matter, and. said she hoped the next money they found would be the real thing. “Val, let’s go and take a bath in the inlet be- gd ome said Tom. . : “I’m with you,” replied Val. “What's ee bill-of-fare today, Miss Ruby?” oe 2 “Potted meat, canned tongue, breadfruit, ce canned corn, bananas, yams, and cocoanut milk. That’s a fine lay-out for the shipwrecked and maaepones. ee af i island. Almost as - good as hotel fare,” said Tom. “I am‘beginning to feel hungry already.” ee _ “We'll have fried fish for supper if somebody — be kind enough to. catch a few,” said the rl. . 3 4 “Got any fishing tackle?” asked Val. Ma “Oh, yes. You boys might look for some shell- __ fish while you’re in bathing. You'll find‘lots — among the outer rocks of the*reef.” “I suppose we must make ourselves useful in — order to earn our grub,” said Val. ; “You won’t have to do it long, for I suppose your vesse] will be back by tomorrow,” she re- plied. : = Rg ee ae babe ote turn As for a week or® 0,” said Tom. “I’m just. beginnin oy myself here.” : . girs “Well, run along and take your bath. I shall expect you back to dinner inside of an hour.” ‘The boys walked over to a cove a quarter an i mile away, undressed and plunged into the waters of the inlet. The inlet was a narrow arm of the ~ ocean protected by a lone line of reef. Rice “Tl race you over to the reef, Tom,” said Val. os the stake?” a." “Oh, I’ll give you anything from a nickel to half a dollar.” pgs Be “Make it a quarter. I don’t want to rob you of all your change,” grinned Tom. a" “A quarter it is. Are you ready?” “Sure.” “One, two, three—go!” The race began at once, and Val won by a length. : “You’re an easy proposition,’ laughed Val, as he climbed on the outer line of rocks. “You didn’t beat me so much that you need crow over it,” growled Tom. iat “It’s like finding money to swim you for a wager. Aren’t you sorry you bet?” “No, I ain’t sorry, smart aleck. Ill bet yo another quarter I’ll beat you back to the beach. “You’re a dead game sport, aren’t you chuckled Val. “Come, now, you want to get bus: and look for some shellfish. We'll carry them back in this net I fetched ene They had no difficulty in fin ing all the shell- — ull they swam A fish they wanted, and with a net leisurely back, dressed, and returned to the where they found dinner waiting for them. 4 the meal Val announced that they would re to the crater. Pes Ls
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—_ _- “Wil] you carry the hatchet, Jack?” he asked the sailor. ; ; “No. I’m not goin’ over ag’in today, my F: hearty,” growled Junk, throwing himself down 3 under the shade of a species-of palm tree. ,. ‘ The boys were surprised at Jack’s apparent want of interest,{n the treasure, but were just as well pleased to leave him behind. They wouldn’t _ have been quite so satisfied if they knew_what ‘was passing in the sailor’s mind. Captain Foster asked Tom to lend his rifle to Mr. Fox to go rab- pit hunting with while they were away, and the boy consented. The party proceeded in much the same order as during the preceding afternoon, Ruby showing a decided preference for Val’s so- ciety. In due time they reached the crater and ascended to the place where the circle was. They had not the least ida that their footsteps were dogged by Jack Junk, who had followed them far . enough behind to escape observation. Tey 8 3 ' Ruby uttered an exclamation of astonishment f when Val pushed the knob in the hole and the heavy slab swung out on its axis, disclosing the ‘eavern with its barrels and boxes beyond. As _ they all disappeared inside of the opening, Jack Junk slouched cautiously up the inoline. ™» wicked plan had taken possession of his brain. If it worked all right he figured that the whole ‘of the pirates’ treasure, which he believed. to be ‘im: the sea-chest, would be his. How he could earry that treasure away from the island after . he got possession of it in the manner he was cal- culating on did not bother him just then. he was slowly making his way toward the mouth of the cavern Val and Tom were figuring whether they should commence operations on the sea-chest or on one of the boxes. Finally they decided to begin with one of the boxes, and Val, with the hatchet and a large-sized chisel, started to pry “the cover off. . - ; “Suppose we all take a guess as to what the box ~ eontains before the cover comes off?” said Tom ith a grin. ap bet it doesn’t contain any of the pirates’ _ treasure,” said Val. “Tl wager it’s full of those brass tokens,” said Tom. “ *f eouldn’t guess, for I haven’t the least idea _ what's in it,” said Ruby. _ ; “What do you think is in that box, Professor Scotchley?” asked Tom. “T think it’s a case of spirits,” he answered. “What makes you think so?” “That trade-mark burned in the wood, All the -'* boxes have it.” = ag ee some difficulty Val sueceeded in remoy- "ing the cover. The professor’s guess was the cor- rect one. The box contained a dozen sealed stone jugs labeled “Schiedam Schnapps.” .. That settles the contents of these boxes,” said "Wal. “They all hold gin.” “How about the kegs?” said Tom. ‘T’d like to bet a dollar to a nicke] that they contain some kind of spirits, too.” What do you suppose the pigates brought all _ that stuff, here for?” : » _ “To drink, of course. They always liked to have a howling old time when they were ashore, so they Jaid in a good stock of the stuff which they must have captured on some vessel which ‘pro ably carried a cargo of it. These boxes and 1 ON PIRATE'S ISLE . u* 17; barrels contain what they didn’t get the chance to consume. It was left for a future carouse which never came off, because the rascals never returned to the island.” “Well, let’s tackle the chest, and see if the treasure is in that. It must be somewhere about, if the villains didn’t take it away with them.” “If it isn’t in this chest then it may be con- cealed in an inner cavern. There’s a hole in the wall yonder which leads somewhere.” ‘ All looked in the direction that Val pointed and saw a dark aperture which indicated the way to a@ passage or cave beyond. “The reason why I feel almost sure the treas- ure Jack spoke about must be here is that the pirates would hardly go to the trouble of sealing this cavern up in such an artful manner if the didn’t have some powerful reason for doing it,” said Val. “If their plunder isnt’ in this sea- chest it’s hidden in another cavern back of this, reached through that opening in the wall.” “Well, see if you can knock the cover off the chest,”’ said Tom. * _ “What's the matter with you taking the first whack? I opened the case of gin.” All right. Give me the chisel and hatchet.’ “Where are you going to start in?” asked Val. “Here,” said Tom, giving the cover a smart up- ward crack with the hammer end of the hatchet. To the astonishment of the boys the lid bounced up several inches and fell back again. : “Why, it isn’t locked at all,” said Val, seizing the lid and flinging it open. As Val lit a match all gathered around the | sea-chest full of curiosity and anticipation as to” the character of its.contents. To their great dis- appointment it proved to contain nothing more — valuable.than several coils of rope and a number of heavy tackle blocks, together with a lot of other nautical gear of a similar kind. . are “Well, if that wouldn’t jar you!” cried Tom. “And we thought it was full of gold money and valuable jewels, and other things of that kind.” “Tsn’t it too disappointing for anything?” said Ruby.” Professor Scotchley, who since the discovery of the brass tokens had begun to entertain very seri- ous doubts as to the presence of any treasure at all in the cavern, stroked: his beard and looked wise, like an old owl. : woes “Tf Jack was here he’d have a fit over this - throw-down,” said Val. The words had hardly left his mouth before the attention of the party was attracted by a sharp ~ click at the opening. They turned just in time to’ see the huge stone revolve, shutting them prison- ‘ers in the cavern. . o CHAPTER XI.—The Way to Freedom Blocked. A moment before the afternoon sun, streaming through the opening, had lighted the cavern fairly well, now the little party was surrotnded by an _ Egyptian darkness. The transformation had_ Fs been so sudden and unexpected that fora moment _ or two those imprisoned in the place never stirred nor uttered a sound. Then the spell wag broken by Tom exclaiming: moe Le A “Great Jewhittaker! The stone got loose some- — ES
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18 how and we’re caught in here like rats in a box trap. What are we going to do now?” “The stone didn’t get loose of itself,” replied Val coolly. “Tt didn’t!” ejaculated Tom. “It must have.” “No, Jack Junk has trapped us.” “Jack Junk!” cried Tom in surprise. “Why, he didn’t come with*us.” “T know he didn’t, but he followed us, just the same. He’s up to some game.” “How do you know Jack Junk trapped us? And why should he do so?” “Because the moment I heard the click I recog- nized the sound and looked at the entrance. I could see right out under the stone as it com- menced to revolve. -Jack was lying on the ground across the circle with his face turned toward the opening with a look of triumph on his features.” "Ts that so?” gasped Tom. “Yes, it’s so.” ; “What do you suppose his object is?” “Probably to frighten us into making terms with him. He wants half of the treasure that he thinks is in those kegs and boxes.” “He ean have the whole of what’s in them, for all IT care. THere’s enough gin there to keep him blazing drunk for a year,” said Tom. “Tt is evident to me that the fellow is a rascal at heart,” said Val. ‘We have been deceived in him. The idea of him following us up here and then making us prisoners! I’d like to punch his head.”” . Val took out his match-safe and struck a light. “We'll soon use up all our matches if we’ve got to depend on them for illumination,” said Tom, as Val struck a second one. “We ought -to have torches.” “What’s that yonder on the top of that case?” asked Tom, pointing. : Tom went over and laid hold of the article. He uttered a cry of satisfaction. \ “T#?g a lantern,” he said, ‘and there’s a candle ‘in it.” ‘ _ The candle was lighted and it glowed as brightly as though it had been in steady use right along, and not out of commission for so many ears. Taking the lantern in his hand, Val with uby close behind him, led the way through» the dark hole at the end of the cavern. They found themselves in a narrow, rocky passage that in- clined downward. Val expected that this passage would terminate in another cavern close at hand, but it didn’t. Finally he came to a junction with another passage, lealing off to the left. Here he stopped and waited for Tom and the professor to come up, “Stuck?” asked Tom, over Ruby’s shoulder. “No,” replied Val. “I am simply up against another passage. I don’t know whether we had better follow the one we’re on or take the other.” You might try the new one. Go on a little way yourself and see if it runs far. We'll wait here for you to come back. If you hit another "passage on your way come right back for fear that you might. get muddled up and lose us.” . “Let me go with you, Val,” begged Ruby. “You can come, if you want to,” he replied, “hough I should think you’d rather remain here __ with Tom and the professor.” ~ - *No,-I want to go with you,” she insisted. She was allowed to have her way, and when _ Val started off along the new passage she tagged - ON PIRATEH’S ISLE / lieve there is a back. way out.” * on close behind him. After going down a short distance the passage took a decided up-grade, The floor was comparatively smooth and free of stones or earthly obstacles. Suddenly it took a- sharp turn, and Val saw light ahead. eon “There’s an opening in front 6f us, Ruby,” said + Val, dropping the Miss, as she had ealled him Val. “This may be a back exit from the cavern.” “T hope it is,” replied theegirl. “I don’t like to — be shut up underground.” Be ‘a «ve y The ascent grew steeper as they proceeded. — Then they caught a glimpse of the blue sky and a — fleck of sunshine. Val blew out the light in the — lantern, for he knew he had to go back through ~ that passage, and he wanted to save the candle. At length they reached the opening and looked out to see whereabouts they were. They found ~— they were about forty feet down the inside of the — extinct crater. All around them the wall of rock rose and descended in an inaccessible and precipi- tous fashion. Not the slightest chance of escape for them lay in that direction. “We're stuck, Ruby,” he said. out this way, that’s certain.” 3 “Isn’t that just too provoking for anything?’ | she replied, feeling ready to ery from vexation. ~ ; _ “Its rough, that’s a fact. Just take a look down into the crater. Doesn’t it give you the creeps to — imagine where you would go if you tumbled into — this yawning hole?” | ean: Ruby looked and then shuddered, while she grabbed Val’s arm the tighter. ee “Oh, dear, what shall we do now?” asked Ruby. _ _“There’s nothing for us to do but to go back and rejoin Tom and Professor Scotchley.” ae They started back the way they came, and ag Val knew the road was straight and clear he did not relight the lantern. When he thought he was drawing close to where Tom and the profes- sor were awaiting their return he shouted ow “Halloa, Tom!” i “Halloa, old man!” came back from a short dis- — tance ahead. eR In another minute the party came together again. Sony “Well, where did the passage lead to?” asked. cal Tom. ““You’d never guéss,” replied Val. “‘Y’m not going to try. Where did it lead to? The open air?” : ; “Yes,” . . “Can we get out?” asked his friend eagerly. - “No. The passage ends right in the crater.” “The dickens it does!” “a “It does, about forty feet from the top edge. The interior of the crater is nothing but a sheer __ wall of precipitous rock, up and down. If we had | wings we might stand a show of getting out, Re otherwise, nit.” 7 “That’s rough. Shall we go back and see if. Jack Junk has opened the entrance?” “You can, if you like, and we'll await you he:e: It’s my opinion®that he hasn’t made any effort to release us.” ai, “Then you want to push on down through this passage on the-chance that it may bring us out oat somewhere?” \ aes “To tell you the truth, Tom, I don’t really be- 4 a “Then why goon?”
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ON PIRATE’S ISLE _ .~ “P’yve-a curiosity to see where this leads to. It “is possible there is another cavern in this crater owhere the pirates hid their plunder. It certainly isn’t in the sealed cavern. If we don’t find such “an underground vault I think we may conclude that the pirates got away with their treasures themselves. Or else somebody who got hold of the secret of entering the cavern came here and carted the stuff off without anyone becoming the wiser.” Tom concluded not to return to the sealed cav- ‘ern, as he judged they would in the end all have to go back together, so the downward line of march was renewed with Val and Ruby in the ‘lead. oe CHAPTER XII.—The Wonderful Marine Cavern. * The passage had a clear descending grade, -- gometimes. quite steep in pee but mostly easy to walk along. It wound along somewhat in a . serpentine fashion, and was clear of pitfalls or - obstructions of any kind. Val was very careful not to advance too rapidly, as well as to flash the lantern continually before Ifim. As Val raised ‘the lantern above his head his hand came into contract with the roof of the passage, which was ‘scarcely more than a foot about their heads at - this point, while its width had narrowed to, about ‘three feet. The slope also became much steeper, ‘and they had to walk more carefully. Suddenly Val stopped short, and held up the lantern be- _ meath’ which he peered. + ‘To you see ‘anything, Val?” asked Ruby anx- ~ fously. ; FOUN, but I hear something.” : ~. A dull rushing sound smote upon their ears, but in a muffled, strange Rey, that puzzled them _. to make out what it might be. “Water, isn’t it?” spoke u “The sea breaking in throug here.” : - : _ “Maybe it is/’-said Tom; “but it sounds awfully ‘weird to me—just like the deep breathing of some ' sea monster.” : _ +«7']] bet there’s a sea cave below us,” said Va after listening intently. .““Maybe one of us coul get out by swimming. Then he could climb up the shore, return to the spot where the circle is and reopen the entrance for the reSt to get out.” “ “You may be right,” said Tom. “Are you going ~ to push ahead and see?” ~ : *T am,” returned Val. : He started to advance without his usual cau- .. tion, and as a consequence met with an unex- - pected surprise. He stepped into a shallow hole, lost his balance, pitched forward, and came down on all fours with a crash. The lantern was - smashed and the candle extinguished, leaving the party in complete darkness. Ruby uttered a -- geream which echoed and re-echoed through the = passage. ; : '_ “Great Scott! What happened to you, Val?” asked Tom, aghast. “JT stepped unexpectedly into a hollow about a ot deep. For the moment I thought I wasegoing down into a pit. The worst of it is I’ve busted the Jantern.” the professor. some hole: near “19 “That’s bad,” answered Tom. “Tt can’t be helped,” said Val, lighting a match and hunting among the debris of the shattered lantern for the remains of the candle He found and lit it, then he helped Ruby down into the hollow, and pointing it out to Tom and Professor Scotchley, started on again with due caution. As they pressed forward the sound of rushing water became more and more apparent, and evidently close at hand, “We are getting near the level of the ocean” said Val. “If there’s a sea cave down here We ought topreach it inside of a minute or two.” As he spoke Val came to a arp turn in the passage. Ahead of him he saw a dull, a light. This grew me as he advanced, a peculiar radiance filled the passage. It came around another turn straight before them. When Val reached it he saw that the passage ter- minated in a huge marine cavern. Not only that, but the floor ended with equal abruptness, leay- ing a drop about ten feet between them and a hard inclined sandy beach. Val gazed ina kind of entranced way at the picture before him, and Ruby, looking over his shoulder, had the same view. What Val and Ruby saw was a large cavern, floored with beautifully smooth, soft sand, and lit up by the same soft gray dawn that ha greeted them at the end of the passage, but how this light entered the place they could not make © out, for no opening was visible, and the rushing, er ee sound of the water came from the lof y roof. ° “What’s stopping you, Val?” asked Tom, from behind. Sam “I’ve reached the end of the passage,” replic! his chum. “There’s a drop of a dozen feet befor2 me right down inoo the finest sea cave you evere® — dreamed of.” : “You don’t say! That’s where the light comes from, eh?” said Tom eagerly. Z “T don’t know where the light comes from. ~ There isn’t any opening to the cave as faras I can see.” 3 a “There isn’t?” exclaimed Tom, in astonishment. __ “There must be an opening to let in that light.” “Probably there ‘is, only I can’t catch sight of —~ it from here. J’m going to jump down now and. then you and Professor Scotchley can get a view __ of the cave.” : : oa Suiting the action to the words, Val sprang ~ down on the sandy floor. Then he turned around ~ and held out his arms to Ruby. ~ = “Jump, and I’ll catch you.” + ey She obeyed without hesitation, but gave a little gasp as he caught her in his arms. Tom uttered — an exclamation of wonder and pleasure as he, os came to the opening and saw the dimly lit marine ee cavern. ate “Come on, Tom,” said Val impatiently. “We must examine this place and see if we can get out before the sun sets, otherwise we stand a good — show of remaining here all night.” : That aroused Tom to a sense of the situation, _ and he jumped down. Professor Scotchley fol- — lowed. tee “ello!” exclaimed Val. “Look at those chests _ yonder in the shadow of that rocky spur. Maybe — they contain the treasure we’re locking for.” — _He rushed up to the spot where four old-fash- ioned sailor’s chests were ranged in order,
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ah ON PIRATE'S ISLE - tially concealed by a projecting wall of rock that prevented them from being seen except when a person stood.in a certain position. Tom followed his chum, and they were looking at the chests when Ruby and Professor Scotchley joined them. “A dollar to a doughnut this is the pirates’ treasure,” said Val, in some excitement. . 2 7 e “CHAPTER XIII—The Escape from the Sealed Cavern. pe “Those chests were never brought here through - that passage,” said Tom sagaciously... “It’s too narrow for them to pass through. Consequently, it stands to reason that there is another entrance to this cavern. If we want any further evidence of the fact we have it in the wavy light which ~ iiuminates this place. The light must come from somewhere. When we find the source of it PU bet we'll find a way of getting out into the air once " more.’ : Tom pointed up at the side farthest from him where he stood, and a little closer investigation showed that the pale, soft light appeared to be yveflected upward against the roof, coming from }ehind a sereen of rock. He and Valcrossed to this point and found that they could easily pass around the rocky screen, which, reached halfway to the ceiling, and they now stood in a tolerably wide passage lit by a soft, seeing green light, - which came through a low arch, and on reaching and passing through this the boys uttered a . shout of delight, for before them was another cavern, whose low, flattened roof was glorious ‘with a lovely, ever-changing pattern, formed by “the reflection of the sunlight on the waves out- side. The inflowing and receding water reached from the seaward entrance to the ine of seaweed which- indicated This showed that the tide was h other that the avenue of ages: lay they were joined by Ruby and ‘Pro- measure. It was such a pleasant contrast to the kness ur. “Tsn’t this’ cave just too lovely for anything?” ‘a ctied Ruby, clapping her hands in delight. “Look ‘those anemones and limpets and coral! See = those little pools, too, among the rocks! And z esn’t the sea look grand from here?” ~The boys and Professor Scotchley agreed with her that the scene before them was both novel ind interesting, and worthy of being transferred i the canvas of some celebrated marine painter. “Well, it’s getting late,” said Val. “If we’re cing to escape from this place we want to be getting about it.” : : “How about those chests in the other cave?” asked Tom, whose thoughts were never far from the wished-for treasure. : “They won't run away, and we can’t do any- .¢ with them now. We know how to get down The hatchet « 4 KPIS “The only way to get out of this place’ that I can see is by swimming,” said Tom. “That ee wouldn’t be so hard for you and me, but for the professor and Miss Foster zt Reet oe: “Look here, Tom, only one of us need do the vA swimming act—me for instance. You, Miss Ruby and the professor must make your way in the a < dark back to the sealed cavern. The way is straight and easy, and you can’t go astray. Tl — swim out and around to the nearest landing place along shore. Then I’ll walk up the crater to the spot where the circle is and let you all out. That will solve all difficuties.”’ . Ruby didn’t like the idea of returning through the long passage in the dark, especially without — Ee: Val, but she had to agree to the arrangement, __ So they all returned to the inner cave and the boys assisted Professor Scotchley and Ruby up to the opening of the passage. Val then booster : Tom up and bade them a temporary good-bye, — Going back to the outer cavern he stripped and - rolled his garments into a smal] bundle. ce Holding them well above his head, he waded out through the entrance into the sea until the water reached his neck, then he struck out with one arm. -A short swim brought him to a spot where he obtained a footing on the rocks, and he found he could walk the rest of the way to the ~ beach by using care.. After dressing himself he had a roundabout walk before him to strike the — crater beyond the break in its seaward face. At length the reached the path deunltee to the circle and hurried forward, wondering if he should find ~~ Jack Junk up there. When he came in sight of Be the spot where the circle was, there was nosign of the rascally sailor, and the entrance to the ~ cavern was shut. , oe “T wonder if the villain intended leaving us in there all night?” Val asked himself. “It must be so, or he would be hanging around here. I don’t see how he expected to make his terms known” to us through that sealed door. I doubt if the ~ human voice would penetrate it.. Maybe he dis- & covered that fact and then decided to leave us _ in there til] tomorrow morning, thinking to scare us into coming to such terms as he means to pros, pose. Well, this is where he got left. He’s wel- come to all the gin and other spirits in there, ag — well as the contents of the sea-chest. We’ll be satisfied with what we find tomorrow in the four chests down in the marine cave.” ee Thus speaking, Val pressed the knob in the hole © and the stone revolved to its horizontal position, affording free entrance and exit to and from the — cavern. Val expected to find the rest of the party ready to step out, but there was no one in the cay- ern, so he threw himself on the grass outside © and waited patiently for them to appear. They entered the cavern five minutes later, and Tom gave a shout when he saw the entrance open: As soon as they were outside, Val closed the dourway and they started for the cave on the north shore. “Jt will be dark by the time we get theve,” said Val. “We'll have a late supper tonight.”’” pe “You and I will have to jump on Jack’s ne for playing us such a measly trick.” “Tl bet he’ll be surprised when he sees us, — He'll wonder how we escaped ftom the place.” “Let him wonder. It will do-him good.” / te with us tomorrow,
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marine cavern, for I have a strong idea we shall fitid treasure in them.” : : “ “FFe']] be suré to follow us if he doesn’t come with us.” : s “Then Professor Scotchley must sit outside the ~ ‘eave and stand watch.” : : “He couldn’t prevent Jack entering the cave and following us down through the passage, as he cer- tainly would do when he saw what we were up ‘to. He’d guess we were hunting for the treasure, and could insist on butting in.” : \ "oetow are we going to head him off, then?” - asked Val. : “You and I must enter the marine cavern by swimming.” ; “We couldn’t do it except at low tide. If the tide rose while we were in there we’d have to re- main there some hours in the dark til] it receded A Ro, ep : ‘ain.’ ; a “That wouldn’t hurt us any. We could make - gome more torches and use them.” ‘ - “That’s right. But I think we ought to build a raft. Then we wouldn’t have to swim into the eave. We'll have to do it, anyway, to remove those chests, if they’re worth removing.” ; They continued to canvass the subject till they reached the cave, which they did just at dark. Jack Junk was sitting under a tree talking to Fox, the mate, and when he saw them he nearly had a fit. The boys had decided to say nothing to him for the present, and they started in to assist Ruby prepare supper. After the meal the young people went off by themselves to talk about - the treasure they expected to find next day. - It was arranged that Ruby was to ask her fat- ther to get the sailor and the mate to go next morning to the cove where the body of Captain _ Rynders was landed, in order to see if the Golden _ Gate had got back to the island. * That would get ~ Jack out of the way for a.time, at least, This © plan was duly carried out, and Junk and Mr. Fox were persuaded to start immediately after - preakfast. The sailor went rather reluctantly, - but he couldn’t very well get out of it. was gone the boys rummaged the carpenter’s chest that Mr. Fox had brought ashore from the _ brig and picked out an auger and a center-bit. ~ They also manufactured four torches, and took enough eatables in a canvas bag for their dinner, as they were not sure of getting back until late - $n the afternoon. Ruby and the professor ac- companied them to the sealed cavern. ie « CHAPTER XIV.—The Gold of the Seven : rs Craters. ¢over of the chest. ‘the entire top of the chest. Val yanked this away After he- met again-as before. The four sea-chests were Faile their eyes was a Spanish merchant flag filling in aoe ON PIRATHS ISDH = 9 es rik and found the chest filled with silver plate, goblets, and flagons, as well as ornaments and vessels evidently intended for use in a church. The treasure at last!” eried Val, as they gazed upon the valuable contents of the chest. “Isn’t there any money-bags at the bottom?” asked Tom. - ‘ “T can’t tell what is at the bottom till we pull this stuff out,” replied Val. Investigation showed that there was no money or jewels in that chest. - “We'll find the money in one of the other chests, then, if the pirates didn’t spend it all,” said Tom. A second chest was opened in a similar manner, and it was found filled with bags of gold and silver. The third*was filled entirely with gold Spanish and French coin, and the fourth held not _ only money-bags, but a large collection of expen- — sive. watches, chains, and valuable jewelry of “every imaginable description. Professor Scotchley made a rough estimate of the value of everything at about a million dollars. It was decided then and there that Val was en- titled to two-fifths of the treasure, and that each of the others should have one-fifth. Then a coun- cil was held to decide on the safest way to get the treasure away from the island without attracting — attention to its real character. The chief diffi- culty in the way was Jack Junk, who would be sure to make trouble as soon as he saw the chests. He would suspect their contents at once, and unless he was bought off he would be likely to give everything away. When they got back to the cave at the north end they expected to hear that the Golden Gate had arrived and was waiting for them, consequently they would have little time to make their fina] arrangements for leaving the island. ‘ ; : “If we have time I think it would be the best — thing to take this treasure out of these chests, since we have destroyed the locks, and nail it up — in those boxes in the cavern above after dumping out the gin bottles,” said Val. a The others agreed that the boxes would look less suspicious than the chests, and that the treasure would not only be™ more secure, but easier to handle. ; , “We'll make the time,*old man,” said Tom. “You take a*chisel and I’ll take the hatchet and we'll go ig there right away and tackle the job. We'll bring down a couple of boxes first and — Miss Foster and Professor Scotchley can pack them while we go back for two more.” Val agreed to that, and they started back. through the passage. Tom opened oné box and. — Val another, and after taking the jugs of schnapps out they carried the boxes down to the marine cavern. = ““Pack the bags of gold first,” suggested Val, — “and drop a few watches and rings into the spaces — to fill up.” eo The boys then returned to the upper cavern for two more boxes. By the time they had six boxes down and packed Val said it was time to eat, an so the party left off work for dinnér. eet It took a dozen of the small boxes to hold ali of the treasure, and the covers were nailed back 4 4 to another part of the cave and the boxes 4, tea in their places ready for transportation =~
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“That's all we can do today, and it’s a mighty satisfactory job,” said Val, complacently. “Now we'll get back to our rendezvous.” They all returned to the upper cave, and each ‘taking two jugs of the gin, left the place and walked back to the cave by the seashore. Jack Junk and Mate Fox were back and had reported no ship in sight. The mate had shot three rabbits and they were waiting to be skinned and cooked. The sailor eyed the gin in a loving way, and Val told him he should have a jug of it after supper. At ten that night he was blazing drunk, and whooping _ things up along the beach. Next day the boys, accompanied by Ruby and Professor Scotchley, went to the cove to look for the Golden Gate. She ‘was not in the offing, nor was there any sign of a sail during the two hours they hung about the place. Every day after that for two weeks some- body went to the. cove, but the trip was a vain one, and then the impression began to prevail that the ship had been lost in the gale. The prospect _ of getting off the island grew less and less as the days passed, and finally a month elapsed without the appearance of a sail. A second and third month succeeded, and the boys began to wonder how long the party was fated to remain. ae Jack Junk was the happiest of the party, ap- __ parently, for he had all the gin he wanted, and _ «he seemed to have arrived at the conclusion that there was “no treasure on the island after all, especially as Val and Tom ceased to speak about it. One morning, after the party had been six _ months-on the island, they awoke to find a bark - anchored in the inlet. “The captain and crew of the vessel were surprised to find people on the island. The bark had put in to get a i of fresh water. . She was bound for San Francisco, and her cap- _ tain consented to take the shipwrécked and the marooned people on board and carry them to the -, United States. ; ee Arrangements were also made for transporta- tion of the boxes containing the treasure, which were represented as containing Holland gin. The kegs of what was found to be prime French _ brandy, nearly 100 years old, were presented to the captain of the bark in. payment for their - passage and freight on the cases, and as they _ were easily worth nearly $1,000, the skipper made a good thing out of the arrangement. In due time the bark reached San Francisco i and the cases»were landed in bond. - Subsequently the professor and Tom’s father had their contents appraised. | The money was allowed to enter ibe of duty, ‘but “the watches, ornaments, Silver vessels: and at. ON PIRATE'S ISLE for such things,-and a duty was paid on them, : after which they were sold to the best advantage. — Altogether, $1,500,000 was realized out of the — Z treasure, of which Val received $600,000, and — Professor Scotchley, Tom and ash $300, 000° an apiece. ee Captain Foster was now relieved from any fur- — = ther necessity of following the sea for a living, — and he settled down in a new and pretty, home for good. Val and Tom went to the University of Cali- fornia. together, and after their graduation went — into the office of a prominent lawyer and studied ‘ for the bar. fe Val was a frequent visitor at Captain Foster’s. home and soon after his graduation he asked'the old skipper for the hand of his daughter Ruby. A year later they were married, and Tom was best man on that occasion. : z Tom was married himself a year afterward, and — now both boys have splendid homes, close to each other, where Professor Scotchley is an ever wel- — come visitor, and where they often talk about the _ Treasure of the Seven Craters. in Next week’s -issue will contain “A WALL STREET MYSTERY! or, THE BOY WHO ~ BEAT THE SYNDICATE.” t cE RSG MYSTERIOUS ®MOODUS NOISES” _ Nature’s timé-worn jest, the “Moodus noises” — —subterranean rumblings the source of which — never has. been disecovered—occurred again with such force that buildings shook and dishes and windows rattled. Residents of the village, nearly as accustomed to the phenomenon as to the change in seasons, — had just finished breakfast when came the fa- miliar deep groaning rom the earth, accompanied by a slight tremor. ; The noise was distinctly heard in Wethersfield, Zi Glastonbury and Rocky Hill. The tremor was first attributed to the explosion of dynamite in the Connecticut River, near Windsor Locks, miles north of this village, but it was discovered later there had been no blasting. This visit was the second the mysterious force has paid in little more than two weeks, the ys ahs Ds Ss clk t rio ‘rumbling being most pronounced*in the vicinity ae of Mount Tom, in this village. For years geologists have been puzzled by the “Moodus noises.” William North Rice, rofessor emeritus at. Wesleyan University, helidves that the “noises” are slight earthquakes, accompanied by ‘substerranean earth slips. Others dave ad- vanced the theory that there is a cavern in the aT hills into which air rushes ,and is expelled sudden pieaay wo temperature.
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Re. HARRY THE HALF-BACK sm | OR A FOOTBALLIST FOR FAIR By GASTON GARNE pes (A Serial Story.) CHAPTER XV. Called Home. Ti. ow.y thing that worried them was the fear _ that possibly Silkwell might, by some underhand trick, succeed in making it impossible for Wins- ~ low to play. . ; = te : He had been keeping very quiet, however, since the day he ae been® beaten by Harry in the wrestling match. - It really seemed as though he had been ef- _ fectually squelched. Parker and Westley did not trust fully to ap- - _peerances, however, and they kept up a system - of espionage on the student. Curly Carwell and Jimmy Opper took turns at shadowing Silkwell, and they kept him under surveillance most of the time. He was a smart youth, however, and was aware that he was being shadowed, and so he was quite leareful. _He visited the two thugs in the cave a couple of times, but he managed by clever work to throw the watchers off the track. as the day of the footmall match drew near. - She knew Silkwell, and feared that he would ‘make an attempt to do Winslow an injury, or to get him away, so that he could not play foot- ball. - She saw: Winslow every day now, and had be- - ¢ome very well acquainted with him indeed.. es The day before that on which the game was to ‘Mr. Winslow,” she said. He laughed. : “JT won’t, Miss Marshfield,” was the reply; “I ill be careful, for I am eager to play on the “And J am eager to have you do so,” her eyes shining. “With you on the team, I just. know that we shall win.” mee iorclgg Mis - “Thank you, Miss Marshfield,” with a smile, and yet with rather an earnest undertone to his voice; “one thing is sure, if I can bring about a ‘win, I shall do so.” “Well, I am sure that you will bring it about,” mfidently. = Winclow then and there privately declared that e would win the game, or die trying. On the evening of the same day, Silkwell and 1is three cronies were in the former’s room drink- 1g wine and talking. fe Re FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Winnie Marshfield became somewhat uneasy Silkwell gave the speaker a peculiar look and then said; dryly: “T believe that he has played only once.” “T know, but to-morrow the game-takes place, and he is here, and you have not made any ar- rangements to keep him from playing—hav. you?” " : The last two words were added -because he 3 noted a peculiar, crafty expression come ovey igs . Silkwell’s face. “Say, fellows, let me tell you something,”’ said Silkwell. “TI have five hundred dollars bet on Larchmount with the fellows that’ won my two ; “hundred the time of the other game.” The three started, and an eager look appeared on the face of each. E ae “Then you—-have you made arrangements to——” exclaimed Small. oe “T am not telling anything at all, fellows,” said Silkwell. “But, if you want to win some money bet it on Larchmount.” oe pie “Say, do you think that-I will be able to play: 56 sure enough?” cried Wilkins. = “T don’t know what Parker and Westley will do, but I hope that you may be put on, Wilkins, — and if so—well, you know on which side your bread is buttered.” : Wilkins nodded, : “I know,” he said, “and I have a score to set- tle with Parker and Westley for shoving me oT the team to make room for that fellow Winslow.” The others nodded knowingly. They under- stood that Wilkins was going to do all he could to throw the game if he got to play on the eleven. But, much confidence as they had in Silkwell, they did not believe that he would succeed this’ time in getting Winslow out of the way. : The morning of the day on which the game— was to be played came, and all was excitement in the college. : +: Sn “Winslow was on hand, and there seemed to b> no possible chance for him to take unto himself wings, figurativély speaking, and. fly away. Ress At half-past nine o’clock, however, there came a telegram for him, and when he opened it he | turned pale and gave utterance to a groan. : Me “What is it, Harry?” cried Denman, who was standing near by. ; ; Winslow handed him the telegram, and Den. man read as follows: f : “Harry WINSsLow—Come home-at once. . Your mother is dying. * + : Soe “(Signed) ‘WILLIAM WINSLOW.” ~~ Denman seized his friend’s hand and pressed #4 sympathetically, at the same time saying: . “It may not be so bad as that, old fellow.” “I’m afraid it is, Walter,” was the sober rep “Father is eonservative, and would not have se me word unless he“ was s™re. Parker and Westley the news They were in de- — spair. Thev asked Denman if he thought it pos-_ sitle that Harry might be persuaded to remain — until after the game and take the evening train but Denman shook his head and said aetier the world could keep Harry-from his m Ss side a minute longer than was absolutely neces- _
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24 ot guess that’s right, too,” said Westley, gloom- ily. “A fellow has only one mother, and has any number of chances to play football.” Parker nodded assent to this statement . “Jt's too bad. I sympathize with Winslow,” he said, “and it is hard luck for us.” The news flew quickly throughout the college, and great was the excitement and terrible the feeling of disappointment because Harry could not be there to play against Larchmount. , Winnie Marshfield met Harry in the hall as he was hastening “ale 4 with his suitcase in his-hand and gave him her hand, and told him how sorry she was, and she spoke hopefully, telling him that possibly his mother might not be so bad as the telegram stated, after all. “Thank you, Miss Marshfield,” said Harry; “1 hope so, but 1 am much afraid that such is not the case. Good-by.” : - Then he was off; but he felt better for the meet- ing with Winnie. . ak * * * * * * The game of football was played, and Julian Wilkins, who was put in to ae right halfback, practically lost Wrightmore the game by making at least three bad plays at critical times. Larch- mount won by the score of eleven”to five, and went home happy, while the Wrightmore players and adherents were correspondingly miserable. “Tf Harry Winslow had been here we would have won in a walk,” said Jimmy Opper, dis- _ consolately. ' But he wasn’t here, you know,” said Percy Silkwell, sneeringly, and there was a malicious smile of satisfaction on hig sinister face. “Can he have had anything to do with—but no!” thought Opper. “It is impossible. Harry wee called home by a telegram from his own ather. About six o’clock Walter Denman got a tele- gram from Harry Winslow. He-was in the libra- ty with a score of the students when he received jt, and when he had glanced over it he gave a start and exclaimed: “Listen to this, fellows! It’s a telegram from Harry Winslow. Here {s what he says: “Waurer DENMAN—Message about my mother a fake, She is not worse, but is much better than when I left home. Be back to-morrow. “ (Signed) Harry WINSLOW.” & The youths stared at one another in amazement. What did it mean? , i Then suddenly inte their minds flashed the thought: > “Silkwell’s work!” : ; CHAPTER XVI. Villainy Temporarily Triumphant. About the same that Walter Denman was read- » . ing the dispatch to the students to the effect that ~~ the telegram that had called Harry Winslow home was a fake Percy Silkwell and his three cronies were in the former’s room, seated about the ‘een-topped table that had been the scene of many an all-night session at poker. On the table in front of Percy lay a large bun- dle of greenbacks. ; _ Silkwell was looking at the money gloatingly, the other three enviously and covetously. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY > tet ee = 1 at LM a: =e —_e ee TS et tee, oe “There it is, Fellows,” said: Silkwell; “five hun- _ dred plunks, and all won on the football game.” _ He took up some of the money and counted out fifty dolars, which he shoved across to Wilkins. “There, Julian,” he said, with a smile, “that is” to pay you for playing so well at right halfback.” e emphasized the word “well,” and Wilkins grinned and took the money promptly. a “Thanks, Percy,” he said; “I wish I could play football every day, at the same price.” 3 “You won that fifty easy by not playing hard,” — with a laugh. jane “Say, Percy,” from Eugene Small, “tell us how you managed to get Winslow out of the way—or did luck favor you in that the telegram that his mother was dyi py Rey att at just the right time, — thus saving you the trouble of having to do any- ~ thing?” ; aw 4 Silkwell smiled triumphantly. “I was responsible for that telegram being” — sent,” he said. SS “But how can that -be possible?” queried Thorp. “It was from his home town, and was signed with his father’s name.” ‘é Silkwell laughed again. He was particularly good humor. mites: “Simple enough,” he said; “I paid a certain — chap to go there and send the telegram—see?” “But how did he dare sign Mr. Winslow’s name __ to it?” Be “Oh, I paid him well, and he did it, that’s all.” “He was taking a Mgericls. a “Oh, not so very. e town is quite a large one, and the telegraph company did not investi- gate. Why should i:? They supposed that my Ae feeling in a . man came at Mr, Winslow’s orders, and that the © message was all straight—see?” The youths did see, and they stared at Silk- well admiringly. They decided that he was cer- ~ tainly a daring fellow, and an exceedingly shrewd one. c “T told you Winslow should not play on the ~ team 7 said Silkwell, complacently, “and I generally keep my word. I shall do so in this — instance. Harry, the Halfback, as they love to — call him, will not play on the team again. Mark ~~ my words.” “T hope that he won’t,” said Wilkins. J “He won’t. You will play in the next game, Juiian, and if you can menage to do as you ‘did this time, and practically lose the game for — Wrightmore, it will be one hundred dollars in _ your pocket, for I shall bet a thousand doll i on Larchmount next time.” - “I’m your man,” said Wilkins, his eyes snap- ping, - “One hundred dollars! Phew!” ha “J"wish I could play football,” grinned Small. — _“And I,” from Thorp. ¥ Silkwell smiled complacently, and got up and brought a bottle of wine and placed it and some glasses on the table. 7. a, “We will celebrate,” he said. Uz a poured out three glasses of wine, and then said: a “A toast, fellows.” They raised their glasses on high. “Here’s to the continued success of Perey S$ well and company, and the demorilization | discomfiture of Harry, the Halfback! Drink down!” : ¢ (To be continued) Ss ©. che Sing set ge oa! ae Pee, ee
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: STRANGE NURSERY Im a strange nursery on the banks of the Poto- mac, the United States Government keeps a host - of fleas, mosquitoes, mites and flies. When fully - grown, they serve to test poisons that are sold throughout the country for extermination of in- sects, says Popular Science Monthly. _ Among the most valued assistants on the bug - farm are four dogs, two cats, and 125 chickens, who produce bumper crops of fleas and mites. To _ get first hand information on whether advertised ~ mosquito and chigger preparations do all that they should, a human worker in the laboratory - daubs the stuff on one arm:and spends the after- noon fishing on a chigger-mosquito infested bank. _. ' BURNS SHOES TO GET WARM. Lacking coal, Louerio Baiardi, cobbler, + ea ty) i. East Seventy-first Street, New York, fe Bi shoes to the small stove at the rear of his shop. The stove exploded at 3 o’clock, severely injuring Baiardi and blowing a large plate glass window out of the store adjacent. p . Panic followed among eighteen families living in the five-story tenement above. A passerby turned ina fire alarm, and somebody called an ambulance. The cobbler was taken to Recept- tion Hospital suffering from lacerations and ~ burns. ; : _ Fire inspectors discovered a grayish powder that settled on the walls of the shop after the explosion. They said this came from the cement which hold rubber heels to shoes. They recom- mended that regardless of the coal scarcity all persons resist temptation to use old shoes in their _turnaces. RADIO-PHONOGRAPH DEVICE BRINGS mee HEARING TO DEAF : Bxperiments were made in West Hartford, - Gonn., at the American School for the Deaf with a machine which is a combination of radio and yhonograph, with head piece and speaking tube attachments, enabling pupils at the school who . never before had heard any sound, to hear not "only the voice of the speaker, but their own ~ yoices as well. ‘ : * An eighteen-year-old girl, considered totally deaf since she was four, the first pupil used in the test, heard and spoke her own name for the — first time, knowing from signs and lip reading that it was her name. e cae ‘The problem, according to Principal Frank R. Wheeler, will be to teach the children to identify- the sounds they hear with the words they speak and read. po ~ “HUMAN” pe eae R i After working eight years on his invention, eden Pierson of Denver, Col:, has perfected a machine with typewriter keyboard that may be called “almost human,” for it translates words into telegraph code, either Morse or Continental, . that anyone who can use a typewriter can end telegrams, though entirely ignorant of tele- aphiec codes. : < ' The speed with which a message is sent can FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY : CURRENT NEWS . total interna] revenue tax collected on t j be regulated to any desired rate, says Popular Science Monthly. Likewise, if the operator should write, unevenly or irregularly on the key- board, the mechanism of the instrument adjust: it and sends the message perfectly spaced, wita exact dots and dashes. Similar in size and appearance to an ordinary typewriter, it is said to be easier to operate. There is no end line to watch, nor line spacing. FRANCE REAPS HUGE ANNUAL PROFIT | FROM TOBACCO The tobacco industry in France, Poland and Denmark is a government monopoly, says the Department of Agriculture in discussing the to- bacce monopolies of Europe. In France the government alone has the righ. to manufacture and sell tobacco, and its culti- vation is ‘closely regulated, the report continues. ‘Every person who wishes to cultivate tobacco must receive a government permit. The govern- ment not only specifies the number of acres which a grower must cultivate, but also the number of plants an acre. The grower must agree to sow only seeds furnished by the monopoly, to de- vote the most careful attention to the cultivation of the area intrusted to him for that purpose and to deliver his entire crop to the monopoly at a fixed price, depending of the grade. The French government realized a net profit of more tthan $74,600,000 from the operation of the monopoly during 1921, the latest year fo: whcih statistics are available. The production of tobacco in France during 1924 amounted 1» 58,859,000 pounds, which was supplemented by imports amounting to approximately 58,414,009 pounds. - The Polish state tobacco monopoly was estab- lished in 19238, the government buying up all oc: - the seventeen private factories. At the end of 1924 its holdings represeented a capital invesi- ment of $5,940,000. The net profit to the gov- ernment during the first year ef the monopol,y was $25,817,000. ‘ The tobacco industry in Denmark is a govern-° ment monopoly, although producers and dealers have more freedom.in the conduct of their busi-. ness. The Danish government restrictes its ae- tivities to the control of factories and to the im- position of tobacco taxes and the collection of revenues. During 1924 approximatively 1,159,200,005 cigarettes, or 343 per capita, were consumed in _ Denmark, one-tenth being of foreign origin. The internal .revenue tax collected on foreign and domestic manufactured cigarettes during 1924 amounted to $1,384,000. The production of smo!:- ing tobacco in the government controlled factories amounted to 4,544,000 pounds, which was supple- mented by 421,000 pounds imported from abroad. The consumption of smoking tobacco during 1924 amounted te about 1.5 pounds per capita, the uct amounting to $392,000. ~ at prod- eto ee
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26 “Fame and Fortune Weekly” NEW YORK, JANUARY 15, 1926 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Mingle Copless. os vis. cvne vdieo Postage Free Scents One Copy Three Months........ “ a .00 One Copy Six Months.... ae ae 2.00 ; One» Copy Oné Year.......3..... tf sa 4.00 ‘ Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. HOW TO SEND MONEY—At our risk send VP. O. Money Order, Check or Registered Letter; remittances ju any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage - Stamps the same as cash.. When sending silver wrap the Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting the envelope Write your name and address plainly. Address letters to HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc., 166 W. 23d St., N. Y, ITEMS OF INTEREST TWO NORTH RIVER TUBES PLANNED ? IN NEW JERSEY Two new tunnels under the North River will be recommended by the North Jersey Transit ~ Commission in-its. reports to the Legislature Jan. 26, according to an Associated Press de- spatch yesterday. Proposed locations are 59th Street-and South Ferry, with subways on both the New York and New Jersey sides connecting the ends. = - ae : The plan to be offered by the commission is the first step of a project for linking every _im- _ portant city in northern New Jersey with New ‘York by rapid transit lines. Traffic from the South Ferry tunnel would be carried west in electric trains, over the tracks of the Jersey Central, through Newark on the ped of the abandoned Morris Canal to Lacka- wanna tracks at Roseville. Trains there would be . Harry E. Wolff, Pres. Charles E. Nylander, Sec. _| L. F. Wilzin, Treas. -vouted to the Oranges and to Bloomfield, Mont- - Six years yould be required clair, and Paterson. 40 construct the tunnels. SOAP AS A GERMICIDE Soap has a value as an aid to health even greater and more direct than has hitherto been expected. The ordinary routine of dishwashing and laundering or cleaning the face and hands is * fatal to germs of such dangerous diseases as pneumonia, diphtheria, blood poisoning and other serious infections. Dr. John E. Walker of the © service wating of the Army and Navy Gen- --eral Hospital at Hot Springs, Ark., has conclud- _ ed extensive experiments which showed that com- “mon soaps were effective germicides in at least three types of infections, while soap made with - cocoanut oil was markedly destructive to the or- . ganisms of typhoid fever. ; ; j _ The soap is greatest use in hospitals is the “official soft soap.” The substitution of coconut oil for the linseed oil used in making this soap renders it germicidal against the typhoid bacilli - ay well as against the other three organisms. Al- 4hough th's change pwould make the soap more wou'd be especially useful in case of typhoid FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY z _known technically as Staphylococcus aureaus, rit:.ng to the skin, it would be diserable, and- Pig sor us out here.” All the soaps tested were more antiseptic at — higher temperature. The organism causing boils, completely resisted all soaps, even at a higher — temperature, except a sodium resin soap. gr Dr. Walker found that when the hands. were . «, washed with ordinary care the lather formed con- tained about 8 per cent. of soap. This amount he said was more than enough to kill the pneu- monia, diphtheria and streptocoecus bacilli. The most careful washing of hands, however, did not kill the staphylococcus or boil-forming organisms, which showed that soaps alone could not be relied upon for compelte surgical sterility. a » In spite of claims put forth by manufacturers of special soaps, they were found to be no more effective than the average household kind. For- eign substances mixed with the soap often inter- fered markedly with the germicidal action. » He—Why do you call your husband governor? She—Because he vetoes 0 many ofmy bills. Mrs. Muchblest—I feel uneasy. The baby hasn cried all day. Mr. Muchblest—So do I. He will probably cry all night. i Clerk—Mr. Sapleigh complains in his letter that he is not hearing anything further about his suit Lawyer—Send him a bill. . ; “Why are you so fond of going to church?” “It’s so comforting to see one man keep so many women quiet for a whole hour.” _An old darky was convinced that a bill rendere him by his butcher was not correct. He com plained to the butcher who said, “Sam, figure don’t lie.” “Ah knows dat,” said Sam, “but liars do figger.” . : hey Bilkins—I never knew Cockshure to acknowl: edge that he had made a mistake. Pilkins—I did — once. Bilkins—How did it happen? Pilkins—E ey put the lighted end of his cigar in his mouth. ~ Mrs. Jehks—I haven’t heard you speak of Flori- da this winter. But then your lungs ave not weak this year. Mrs. Wise—No, and they’re not likely. to be unless my husband’s business Tapraten. ey: Se De Style—What did your rich uncle leave yo il when he died?) Gunbusta—Nothing. De Style Didn’t he say anything to you Wefore he passe away? Gunbusta—Yes, he said nothing was too good for me. ° : : Bejenks—They say it isn’t easy to keep a girlin your kitchen nowadays, but I’ve had Tne elie &s cook for twenty years. Bijones—That is a gr or How did you manage it? Bjenks—I mai ried her. 2 : rd “Who is the villain of your production?” as the hotel clerk. “Well,” answered Mr. Storm ton Barnes, “the man who ede the villain named Smith; but the real villain is the manaj a : } es
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/STATISTICS OF SESQUICENTENNIAL IN- ae ERNATIONAL EXPOSITION z Floor Space in Main Buildings aeres Auditorium -~:..... 2 8 aeres _ ‘Administration % acre ca “Tih 78 be eee ee Se ms reer oper ep 3544 acres a Units in Exposition Grounds 5 League Island Park and adjacent pri- ? vate QTOUMAS.....----.---s----e-eceeersecteeeetcneenene 450 acres Flying tield ..... ... 120 acres . Auto Parking me re 4 aah nciee J ne) es aac ‘Municipal Flying Fi ae the bicycle and the boy were- 21 escaped a policé car containing two patrolmen - _ which was halted at the brink of the suddenly formed cavity. A second manhole blew up a moment later a block away. Chemists of the New York and ~ “Queens Light and Power Company are investi- gating possible causes of the explosions. SESQUI TOURISTS WILL VISIT FRANKLIN’S GRAVE Impressive ceremonies at the grave of Benjamin Franklin are included in the program of celebra- tions to be held during the Sesquicentennial In- ternational Exposition. Nationally famed orators will speak on this memorable ocqgsion. . ; The remains of the statesman, scientist and philospher who played so important a part in bringing about the Declaration of Independence of which he was one of the signers, lie in Christ Church burying ground at Fifth and Arch Streets one of the busiest sections of Philadelphia, an only two blocks away from Independence Hall. This shrine of patriotism will be visited by mil- lions of visitors to the Exposition. ~ Standing in front of the gymnasium of the University of Pennsylvania is a statue of Benja- min Franklin, picturing him on his arrival in Philadelphia with his earthly possessions tied in a handkerchief, slung over his shoulder. As he was only 17 years of age at this time, Philadelphia claims him as her.own, and. with deepest gratitude acknowledges his many invaluable services to city and nation. Franklin is well called the “Founder of Ameri- can Institutions.” He projected the college which later became the University of Pennsylvania, now famed throughout the world as an institution of learning. The Pennsylvania Hospital, founded by Frank- lin, has carried on its work of mercy through all the years and ranks with the foremost hos- pitals’ of the. country. Franklin also founded the still influential Amer- ican Philosophical Society and made plans for the first public library. The reading public of the present day has reason to thank him for our well-. equipped libraries which bring knowledge within the reach of everyone. He also established one of the first printing offices in Philadelphia, publishing Poor Richard’s Almanac, which was not only a calendar, butea continuous stream of fun, dealing with the real things of life in the inimitable manner of which Franklin was master. . In this 20th century of steam-heated houses we find it hard to realize the discomforts suffered by — the people of bygone days. Franklin designed a stove which proved a veritable blessing. , Keen interest in science was manifested in © Pennsylvania at this time, spurring Franklin in experiments which resulted in the invention of the lightning rod. f Freedom in speech and action was to Franklin the only possible mode ‘of government. He was conspicuously unselfish when the appeal was to his public spirit or to his interest in the general welfare of mankind. His life was one of service,
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A> 28 _-- $10 BUYS $10,000 VIOLIN Joseph Rice, plumber, and erstwhile junk deal- er, of Fifth Avenue, College Point, L. 1., recently bought a modest looking violin, in fair condition at a_ sale of odds and ends in Brooklyn. He pai $10. It was recently appraised by experts in Manhattan at $10,000. ; - The violin, said to be a Stradivarius, remains in the possession of Mr. Rice, who is reported to have rejected a large offer from a Manhattan musie publishing company. ‘esa NEXT ECLIPSE The next total solar eclipse will be in Sumatra ‘very soon and already astronomers from Swarth- more College, the United States, Naval Ob- ~. gservatory have sailed to observe it, but before many years have elapsed people in the northeast- ern part of the United States will again have an opportunity of witnessing this rare phenomenon. - On August 3, 1932, a total eclipse will occur and _. pass through parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. This eclipse will start near the North Pole, and the path of totality will enter the coun- try in Northern Vermont, and will leave across the Atlantic Ocean between Portland, Me., and Ports- ~. mouth, N. H. As this will occur-about 3:30 in the _ afternoon, the chances for clear weather should be fairly good.- . : MUSKRATS YIELD MILLIONS -- In Louisiana a man started raising muskrats several years ago. The little bead-eyed animal - did not impress anyone favorably, but last year the inhabitants along the Gulf of Mexico sold 6,000,000 hides at a price of about $1 each. _ This is certainly a vindication of the little ani- mal. The revenue derived from the sale of the pelts of the muskrat has made Louisiana one of the greatest fur producing States of the Union. z - Insignificant muskrats give great values to marsh lands hitherto unproductive, and Depart- ment of Agriculture has requested Vernon Bailey, able naturalist, to see what he can do in making ‘the Louisiana industry permanent. A crop of 6,000,000 muskrats a year repre- sents interest on $100,000,000 at 6 per cent. And then the muskrat requires no care. The. race is _ self-perpetuating and requires no expenditure for ~ the young. '_. “WASHINGTON’S CROSSING OF THE sie een DELAWARE FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY GOOD READING - Lessons in / : hee Howe held Philadelphia, Cornwallis was at _ Princeton, and Rall with 1400 men, mostly Hes- sians, was at Trenton. The small army at Valley — Forge, challenged by the hardships of a severe winter, endured the ordeals of starvation and cold. Weary, half clad, poorly-shod men r sponded to Washington’s orders to advance. bs § cei cold and blinding snow the army began its march — to Trenton: Undaunted by the distance the so. - diers trudged the white snow for twenty mile leaving behind a trail in their footprints of blood. On the night before Christmas, 1776, on the _ west side of the river and nine miles above Tren- ton, Washington determined to attack the force of Hessians quartered in that city. He divided his forces into three columns and ordered them across * the Delaware. Two columns were forced to turn back because of the difficulties of the passage. : terrific storm and an ice-filled river demande every atom of strength. It remained for the thir column, with which Washington himself marched, to cross the river to the north bank, advance eight miles through sleet, and surround the Hessians. On Christmas morning in the midst of ‘tht revelry of the Hessians, who, boasting of th prowess and invincible strength, were celebrating the Yuletide, Washington made his surprise at- 24 tack. He forced them to battle and captured a : a thousand men. Rall was killed in battle and the Hessians were taken to P ers-of-war. * With renewed impetus, Washington and hi ‘forces recrossed the Delaware and again faced enemy, who concentrated a strong force at Trenton. Leaving the camp fires burning brightly, he slipped away during the night passed the British flank, and on the morning | January 8, 1777, defeated a strong force 2 ~ Princeton. ; In the exhibit of New Jersey, which embo ; the reconstruction of the Hessian barracks ate Trenton, will be portrayed the site of the battle that marked the turn of the tide of American for- tunes during the Revolutionary War. c The war of 1776 marked the darkest day of th Colonial cause. When the fate of Independene seemed doomed to disaster, when the colonists fe that theirs was a struggle without pain, and whe faith gave way to dismay, it was Washington ‘t whom the people looked for hope and courag The tale of his crossing of the Delaware has b come an epic. zr ; ennsylvania as prison- “ cs SONA? ° ie $9: ge Moving Picture Stories A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays and Player PRICE TEN CENTS PER COPY "i a Each number contains Three Stories of the Best Films on the Screen—Hlegant Half-tone Seenes from the Play —Interesting Articles About Prominent ae in Films—Doings of Actors and Actresses in the Studio an Scenario’ Writing, aoe aes = ETHEL ROSEMON, PusBLisHER AND. | Avenue, New York, ROR wee,
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| | BRIEF BUT POINTED. 29 « i A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY. “ Unsightly weeds along the garden path are . doomed, according to information from Germany. Certain eaooeade have just been patented that - may be added to the gravel before laying the paths in order to prevent any weeds from grow- ing, or they may be powdered or sprayed on the weeds to kill them. The most potent of these - compounds are the sodium and calcium parato- _ luene sulphonamides. 1,000 HUNGARIAN SOLDIERS, LOST NINE ws YEARS AGO, FOUND - _The*unexpected return of a Hungarian soldier, believed long dead, has cleared up the mystery surrounding the disappearance of 1,000 soldiers of Austro-Hungary nine years ago. Known to have been captured by the Russian army in the ‘sent to Siberia, all trace of the men vanished et ae ago and they were thought to have per- .. ished. ; soot Now, by the return of the soldier, it is known that the 1,000 have settled in the bleak territory to which they were sent, founded five villages and traveled well on the way to the development of ~ 400,000 acres of land allotted to them by the - Soviet Government. Furthermore, married Tartar, Mongol and Chinese wives, and gre so well content with:their lot that they will remain permanently in their new homes. _» he villages of the prisoners are on the side of the Amur River near the Chinese-Mongolian _porder. They were exiled to the place by the old Russian Government and were soon forgot- _ten. Slowly they turned their attention to agri- ~“eulture and various other trades.. Most of them were former Hungarian army officers, nearly all university graduates. Among them are a univer- sity professor, three doctors, an architect, two Catholic priests, a rabbi, while all others are . masters of valuable trades. — The foundation of these villages came with the Russian revolution. The prisoners had two choices; one was not to recognize the Red Gov- ‘ernment and suffer further punishment as pris- ners; the other choice was to join the Red army. Although all of them were against the Soviet idea, still the latter choice was better for _ them. "They joined the army and they were placed in ~ the same battalion. The Reds gave them about 00,000 acres of land, agricultural machinery, domestic animals and everything the farmeis eed, and they were to guard the border from “Mongolian and Chinese attacks. - That was the beginning of the villages. They wilt houses, agricultural buildings, brick fac- tories and a flour mill. Within a short time they iad formed a small ag eee gis in a terri- tory where only wild tribes existed. OPhey all maid Chinese, Mongolian, Korean d Russian girls, but an interesting thing: is they didn’t forget their mother language. y that, but they created a new European 4 7 They built churches and schools where the Hungarian language is spoken. ~ ‘Carpathians in 1916-and reported as having been’ they have_ Money is a thing unknown to them. Business ~ is done by the ancient methods of exchange. Most of their output is sold in Viadivostok, where their business also is transacted in the exchange of their produce for articles they need. NEW SOUNDING MACHINES New electrically-driven sounding machines which have been perfected by the United States Coast and Godetic Survey for the rapid deter- mination of the depth of the ocean and the nature of its bed as well as of its water at various depths, © are so efficient that a sounding three miles deep may now be taken in only one and one-half hours, says Scientific American. The new machine consists of a reel having a di- ameter of a little less than two feet, driven by a two horse power electric motor which ‘obtains its supply of current from the ship’s generator. On this reel-is wound 4,000 fathoms or nearly five miles of standard hard-drawn, steel piano-wire of No. 21 Brown and Sharp gauge. This size of wire is about half the diameter of the average pencil lead, yet it must be able to withstand a stress of 100 pounds without breaking. , The use of such small wire as this has several advantages which may best be demonstrated by an account of the material formerly employed. Long ago, hemp rope was used. This was extremely clumsy when used for deep sounding. It was sup- planted in 1872 by wire. Nevertheless: the wire at first used had to be quite large in diameter, for © it had to be strong enough to draw the séunding weight, some sixty pounds of metal, back to the surface against the water friction on thousands of feet of wire and of the weight itself ; Later, the detachable sinker was invented, in- stead of pulling both wire and sinker up after the sounding had been made,-the sinker automatically drops off when it strikes the bottom, a detaching Alevice_ effecting this purpose very simply. The sinker is, of course, thrown away forever, but it has little value. - The wire alone “may then be drawn to the surface comparatively rapidly with- out danger of being broken. The reel now used holds 24,000 feet of wire and when it is seen that each turn is wound with a tension of 100 pounds it is evident that the total compression on the drum, when all the wire has — thus been wound up, is about 400 tons. Therefore, the reel must be of very sturdy construction.. Its rim is five and one-half inches wide and three inches thick; of which a part must be cut away: to permit of reeling the wire on it. ; It is interesting to note that this cut for re- taining the wire on the reel is-only four inches wide by one and one-half inches.deep; yet is suf- fices to hold the entire five miles of wire. This conveys an impression of the small size of the piano wire used. 2 ; In making a sounding to.18,000 feet depth, one- half hour is required for the descent of the sink-— er,.and one hour for reeling in the wire. It hag — been found that. the electrically driven *machina reels in the wire about 80 per cent. faster than _the older type of reel. : per eas 4. 4 F - ae. -
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Ll TTLE ADS Write to Riker & King, Advertising Offices, 580 Broadway, New York City, or 29 East Madison Street, Chicago, for particulars about advertising in this magazine: AGENTS WANTED IF YOU WANT $96 A WEEK, a permanent business, an honest company, and an Hssex coach, without a cent of expense, write now. I need 100 men and women quick to take orders for Jennings hosiery. Don’t delay. Send posteard now for details. The Frank GB. Jennings Co., Dept. 1-224, Dayton, Ohio. AGENTS, 14 HOSIERY STYLES. Guar- @nteed. Best commission, 28 colors. We de- liver, Samples furnished. 8. Q. S., Lexington, Kentucky. $150 TO $400.00 WEEKLY selling Start Rite Switch for Fords. ‘To start car just retard spark lever; saves bendix and. starter trou- ble; secure demonstartor; write, today for lan and proof of $1,810.00 monthly profit. ept. 115, National Sales Co., Ine., Coin, Iowa, AGENTS: NO COMPETITION selling spec: tacles, guaranteed to satisfy, only $3.98. Pay daily. We deliver collect. Nearly every- body buys. $10.00 - $25.00 daily, easy. True Fit Optical Co., CW117, 1528 W. Adams St., Chicago, Ill. i Sg AGENTS: WRITE FOR FREE SAMPLES. Sell Madison ‘“Better-Made shirts for Jarge Manufacturer, direct to wearer. No capital, _or experience required. Many earn $100 week- ly and bonus. Madison Mfgrs., 503 Broadway, ew York. sph ne nec NEW CAMERA takes and finishes photos In one minute. Make money selling cameras, or taking photos. Exclusive territory. Crown _ C€Od., Dept. 967, Norwalk, Conn. “* HELP WANTED DETECTIVES needed everywhere. Big pay, experience unnecessary, easily learned, 17 to 45. write Marl Wilcox, 1407 Lafayette Ave., SH, Grane Rapids, Mich. DETECTIVES NEEDED EVERYWHERE. Work home or travel, experience unneces- sary. Write George R. Wagner, former Govt, Detective, 1968 Broadway, N. Y. PERSONAL CHARMING LADY worth- $50,000, lonely, will marry. Hlnore,. B-1022, Wichita, Kan. ARE YOU LONESOME? Write Betty Lee, Inc., Box 820 City Hall Station, New York City. Stamp appreciated. —— LONELY HEARTS—I have a sweetheart for you. Exchange letters; make new friends. ficient, cdénfidential and dignified service. embers everywhere. Eva Moore, “Box 908, Jacksonville, Florida. pri eS ie ES » Handsome, clear toned, Fie sized Violin with pegs, finger board, tail piece, full set strings, bow, box resin and self-instruction book. Send_us your name and address and GIVE AWAY: FREE 28 Fine Art. Pictures _ with 28 pkgs. Bluine which you sell at 10 cents a pkg. Write for them, BLUINE MFG. ©Q,, B-10, Mill St., Concerd Junction, Mass. er = S v, PRETTY GIRLIE, wealthy but oh so lone- some, League, Box 89, Oxford, Fla. MARRIAGE PAPER—20th year. Big issue with degeriptions, photos, names and ad- dresses, 25 cents. No other fee. Sent sealed. Box 2265, R. Boston, Mass. } MARRY—Free photographs, directory and descriptions of, wealthy members. Pay when married. New Plan Co., Dept 36, Kansas City, Mo. PRETTY GIRVIE, wealthy, but oh so lone- some, League, Box 39, Oxford, Fla. | MARR Y— MARRIAGE DIRECTORY with photos and descriptions free. Pay when married. The Wxchange, Dept. 545, Kansas City, Mo. MARRY—Write for big new_directory with photos and, deseriptions. Free. National Agency. Dept. A. 4606. Station E., Kansas City, Mo. pS TI GET A SWEETHEART—Exchange letters, Write me enclosing stamp. Violet Ray. Dennison, Ohio. MARRY—Lonely Hearts, join our club, we have a companion for you, many worth from $5,000 to $50,000. Descriptions, photos introductions free. Send no money, Standar Cor. Club, Grayslake, Ill. PRETTY GIRLIE, wealthy, but oh so lone- some. League, Box 39, Oxford, Fla. SWEETHEARTS for everybody. Stamped envelopes for proposal. The Lily Club, Station H. Cleveland, Ohio. CHARMING YOUNG WIDOW. worth $88,- 000.00, lonely, will marry. (Eva) B-1022, Wichita, Kansas. SONGWRITERS SEND TODAY for free copy Writer’s Digest; tells how to write and sell short stories, oboe HOE poems, songs. Writer’s Digest, G-22, B®. 12th Street, Cincinnati. _—— eee MISCELLANEOUS FOR A DIME (coin) I will tell the day of the week for any date for the last 400 years. G. EB. Hayes, Box 157, Newberry, 8. C. TOBACCO OR SNUFF HABIT CURED OR no pay. $150 if cured. Remedy sent on! trial. Superba Co., N4, Baltimore, Maryland. NEW KIND OF SHOES Finest quality shoes with inyisib arch support—wonderfully canfortanies —yet_ ultra-stylish, = eee erg A nets ear these beaut: PREM, Mako $5.10 $18 aden . Big: profita for | Rive you auiviiatic ineoiue. Seid | name aud ad We séud full sampie lire, PEE, Also compicte delails and amazing offer of FREE siwvs. STYLE-ARCH SHOE CO. Dept. H-12411, Cincinnati, Ohio 2) azing low prices. ‘| unhampered. Be vautking “next {0 ~~ | Jackson, whic. B. CHICAGO BOASTS LARG- EST MEADOW PARK IN U.S. © oo TN ial The largest = clear, level grass ae meadow in any | park in the | United States is the one in Wash- ington Park, in Chicago, says an Associated Press — dispatch. It has an area of 101.7 — square acres, which is nearly ie one-third of -the total area of the park. The meadow is as level as engi- neering skill can make it, and is_ covered with a velvet coat of grass, There is « space for 280 per- | fect football grid- irons, 125 base- ball fields and more than 1,800 tennis courts. Here Chicago’s — multitudes find — room to “stretch their legs.” The meadow is sur- rounded by shad- a ed walks and pleasure drives, miniature lakes and flower gar- dens. The fa- mous “Bug Club? an a unique to ica-_ go, meets at ine spot. Men, wo- © men and children of every descrip- — tion gather in groups to listen — to soap-box ora- tors and dema- © gogues deliver im passioned mes- sages,. It: 4s, haem place where the ia American,right — to absolute frees dom of speech i Washingt Park, is the. = ond largest © : Chicago’s parka” has’ an area’ 654 acres. as
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PURSE WITH $500 IN SECRET FOLDS - Somewhere in Brooklyn, N. Y., there is a _ prominent Brooklynite (name withheld) who is Gacy today because a wallet stolen from him - Saturday has been returned to him with the $500 - it contained still intact. _ Somewhere in the sity today there is a pick- _ pocket (name not known) who feels like going out and giving himself a swift kick when he * reads this. : : ~ Somewhere in the United States there is "a - manufacturer of trick pocketbooks with concealed E compartments who will feel proud of himself _ when he reads this and use it as an “ad” for his 2 product. ~ And somewhere in town its Postal Carrier J. G. ~ Ruhlman of 10712 12th’st., Richmond Hill, whose - hones!:y made this story possible and who has ~ eaused the prominent Brooklynite to be happy, the pickpocket to be disgusted» with himself and - the manufacturer .of queer pocketbooks to be proud. : Postmaster Firmin in giving the details of all iE this said that the identity of the “prominent = Brooklynite” was withheld, “as provided by the - postal regulations.” eet i “Pickpockets seem to have a predilection,” said - Mr. Firmin, “for disposing of ‘lifted? wallets in ~ mail boxes. Carrier Ruhlman, making a late _ Saturday collection, found the wallet in the box ‘before 64 Court st. and turned it in. The wal- let contained business, visiting and fraternity _ cards, also a membership card of the Elks. . - “When we telephoned the owner he said it had also contained $500. A further close inspection of-the wallet unearthed $300 in one secret com- partment, then $100 in another and finally the last $100, representing the full amount. The purse was stolen, the owner said, while he was alae in a surface car.” os HE GRAVE OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Patches of sunlight streaming in through the ron gate of the Christ Church Burying Ground lain flat slab, the grave of Benjamin Franklin. It is a lowly grave, a worthy tribute to the un- retentious qualities of the man. It is easily seen rom Arch Street, as-it is close to the northwest wall of the burying-ground. ee aie osition, commemorating the one hundred and Bétieth anniversary of American Independence, ich will open in Philadelphia, on June 1, 1926, lions of visitors will pay silent homage to Franklin, whose share in drawing up the Consti- ion of the United States was one of the crown- ‘ glories of his life work. The remains of Franklin were interred on ril 21, 1790. His body was placed_beside that his wife. “Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, 0,” thus only is his grave marked. ; 1e funeral procession, headed by the clergy city) attracted an immense crowd estimat- have numbered more than 20,000. Minute were fired and bells tolled. — Ba A= er > ‘ a _FAME AND FORTUNE. WEEKL¥ FROM EVERYWHERE m Philadelphia, reveal a simple inscription on a; During the Sesquicentennial International" Ex- 31 Distinguisned honors were paid to his memory. Members of Congress resolyed to wear mourn- ing for one month. In France; the news of his death was received with expressions of sorrow and respect. The casual passerby may wonder that no larg- er and statelier tombstone was left to mark the remains of Franklin. It was the emphatic re- quest of the seer that his grave be marked by but an unadorned small gravestone. Each year on the birthday of Franklin,.mem- bers of the “Poor Richard” Club, an organization of advertising men in Philadelphia, place a wreath upon the grave of its patron saint. Franklin left mightier memorials to the world than the world could have left to the memory of Franklin. Philosopher, scientist, statesman, in- ventor, educator, philanthropist, that he was, he contributed worthily to the civilization of his times. Upon the diplomatic stage of the Colonies he played an important role. Matched against the wits of England in the dispute against the Stamp Act, he was supreme. : He was the first to utilize electricity; he was the leader in matters of street paving’ and fire protection. He was the founder of the American Philosophical Society, the University of Pennsyl- vania, and the Pennsylvania Hospital. He be- came president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. OLD MONEY WANTED Do you know that Coin Collectors pay up to $100.00 for certain U. S. Cents? And high premiums for all rare coins? We buy ‘all kinds. Send de for Large Coin Folder. May mean much profit to you. NUMISMATIC CO., Dept. 436 Ft. Worth, Tex. Wrestling Book FREE B rt : t h by mail, Wonderfull Renee Marc cealy amplons Farmer Burns and Frank Gotch. Free Kk ae +r 8 geen et Uiccks aes baked A Bizmsowil ane esr eat Baw tee Shape, ict YWS> ly engraved. QD ~ 5 CAN ; ASTHMAZES amt a iiiites ere CP a a mA ES, Bec 2 2 ae
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OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS Useful, Instructive, and Amusing. They contain Valuable Information on Almost Every Subject. No. 1. NOPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND“ DREAM ~ BOOK.—Containing the great oracle of human destiny; also the true meaning of almost- any kind of dreams, hogerher with charms, ceremonies and curious games of cards. N. 2 HOW TO DO TRICKS.— The great book of pb and card tricks, containing full instructions on all leading card tricks of the day, also the most popular magical illusions as performed by our leading magi- cians; every boy should obtain a copy of this book. _ N.3. HOW TO FLIRT.—The arts and wiles of flirta- - tion are fully explained by this little book. Besides the various methods of handkerchief, fan, glove. parasol, window and-hat flirtation, it contains a full list of the language and sentiment of flowers. N. 4. HOW TO DANCE is the title of this little book. Jt contains full instructions in the ‘art of dancing, eti- “quette in the ballroom ‘and at parties, how to dress, and full directions for calling off in all popular square dances. No. 5. HOW TO MAKE LOVE.—A complete guide to love, courtship and marriage, giving sensible advice, rules and etiquette to be observed, with many curious and interesting things not generally known. No. 6. HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE.—Giving full instructions for the use of dumbells, Indian clubs, parallel bars, horizontal bars and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over _ sixty illustrations. : ‘No. 7. HOW TO KEEP BIRDS.—Handsomely illus- trated an d containing full instruetions for the manage- ment an dtraining of the canary, mockingbird, bobolink, blackbird, paroquet, parrot, ete. No. 9. HOW TO BECOME A VENTRILOQUIST.— By Harry Kennedy. Every intelligent boy reading this book of tnatructions can master the art, and create any amount of fun for himself and friends. It is the great- est book ever published. No. 10. HOW TO BOX.—The art of self-defense made easy. Containing over thirty illustrations of guards, blows and the different positions of a good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of these useful and instructive ~ pooks, as it will teach you to box without an instructor. N. 11. HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS.—A most complete little book, containing full directions for writ- ing love-letters, and when to use them, giving specimen letters for young and old. eons Re oe ‘0. 12. HOW, TO WRITE LE [3.— Giving complete instructions for writing letters to ladies on all subjects; also letters of introduction,. notes and requests. “No. 18. HOW TO DO IT: or, BOOK of ETIQUETTE. —It is a great life secret, and one that every young man desires to know about. There’s happiness in it. No. 14. HOW TO MAKE CANDY.—A completa, hand- book for making all kinds of candy, ice-cream, syrups, essences, ete. No. 18. HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL:—One of the brightest and most valuable little books ever given to the world, Everybody wishes to know how to become beau- tiful, both male and female. The secret is simple and almost costless. N. 20. HOW TO /ENTERTAIN AN EVENING PARTY.—A most complete compendium of games, sports, card diversions, comic recitations, etc., suitable for par- lor or drawing-room entertainment. It contains more for the money than any book published. No. 23. HOW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS.—This little book gives the explanation to all kinds of dreams, to- gether with lucky and unlucky day No. 24. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO GENTLE- . MEN.—Containing full directions for writing to gentle- “men on all subjects. : . 25. HOW Ear directions for all kinds of gymnastic sports and 3 tic eardises, Hmbracing thirty-five illustrations. By cal Oe W. Macdonald. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 10c. per copy, aS - in money or stamps, by HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. West 23 ce _ New York City — =, "0 BECOME A GYMNAST.—Contain- * Fame and Fortune Weekly —— LATEST ISSUES — 4007 A Pot of Money; or, The Legacy of a Lucky Boy. 1008 From Rags to Riches; or, A*® Lucky Wall Street Messenger. ae 1009 On His Merits; or, The Smartest Boy Alive. ‘Sh 1010 Trapping the Brokers; or, A Game Wall Street Boy. 1011 A Million in Gold: or, The Treasure of Santa Cruz. 1012 Bowne ae Make Money; or, From the West to Wall Street. f . g ; 1913 The Boy Magnate; or. Making Baseball Pay. : 1014 Making Money: or, A Wall Street Messenger’s Luck, 1015 A Harvest of Gold; or, The Buried Treasure of Coral Tsland. i ‘ 4 oad 1016 On i. Curb; or, Beating the Wall Street Brokers. — 1017 A Freak of Fortune; or, The Boy Who Struck — Oi : 1018 ee Prince of Wall Street; or, A Big Deal for Big Money. eh. 1019 Starting Fis Own Business; or, The Boy Wh Caught On. pe 1057 A iene Contract; or, The Boy Who Made a of Money. 1058 A Big Risk; or, The Game That Won. For sale by all newSdealers, or will be sent to address ongreceipt of price, 8c. per copy, ‘ in “money or stamps, by +s HARRY K. WOLFE, Publish 166 West 23d Btreee = cect , oF ng ts arte Se >