Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 545) (1916 03 10)

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aca oe GENET OR THE [UCK oF A HOMELESS BOY Ly ALLS Mie JW. AND Olt STORIES === Sss'=

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; Ps : Issued Weekly—By ahcmyate og 7 $2.50 per wear. Entered at ¥ " y Frank Touscy, Publisher, 168 ' NEW YORK, MARCH 10, 1916. Fameand Fortune Weekly < STORIES OF BOYS WHO MAKE MONEY the New York, N. Y., Post Office as Second-Class Matter West 23d-Street, New York. 5 Cents. Price GAST ADRIFT PO | . LUGK OF A nee CUr a oY ; i y¥Y " UTH THE ELCY p ct OT SEI |” aamanal oe Ne CHAPTER I. BIRDS OF A FEATHER. “So ye want the boy kidnaped, do ye, Mister Marsh?” said Captain Barnacle in a fog-horn voice, with a sardonic chuckle. _ “Well, I'm the man to do the trick for ye if the inducement is ‘sufficient to pay me for the trouble.” _ _. “tam willing to pay you well if you will guarantee that Tom _ Gilbert will never return to Rockhaven,” said the other, with a shifting glance at the skipper. - “I ean’t guarantee no sich thing. I reckon he stands an even chance of gettin’ back unless he was to fall overboard 4 some dark night when the sea was runnin’ high, and there _ warn't no: life-preserver chucked arter him.” : “In that case he’d be lost, wouldn’t he?” “Well, I've. know’d sailors to be lost under sich carcum- . sfances,” replied Captain Barnacle, pening a cloud of smoke upon the calm afternoon air as he took his pipe from his mouth and pushed the lighted tobacco down into the bow! with one of his calloused thumbs that seemed impervious to all sense of feeling. why ep you think such a thing would be likely to happen to ’ ere; ‘ » “If he was on deck at the time?” One Bien, if ‘he didn’t look out for himself.” d, don’t they? That is, sometimes.” when they're .well secured, as they generally are.” jead and. knock him overboard. d@ look at the man who was talking to him. t the skipper, but he made no veal: nce a gis d goes along with me,” said the skipper. aaa : and '.“If what?” asked the skipper, fixing bis companion with his hings fly around on shipboard on dark nights in a gale t maybe a belaying pin might accidentally hjt Tom thought that, did ye?” said Captain Barnacle, with AY * h ran his tongue over his dry lips and looked , if sich a thing happened to him, coche 36 w talk to Rockhaven, so I s’pose ye hope it 1—that is, HOMELESS BOY ._By A SELF-MADE MAN “I'll do it for a thousand,” he said. “Not a cent less, d’ye understand? And ye'll have to make up yer mind pretty. sud- den, for the Mary Bilen sails at half flood, which'll be eleven to-night by the clock.” Mr. Marsh hesitated, and then, evidently not relishing the terms proposed by Captain Barnacle, he started to argue the matter. “T ain't got no time for workin’ my jaw-tackle to no pur- pose, Mr. Marsh,” interrupted the Skipper, shortly. “Ye know best whether it’s worth yer while to pay me. what I[ ask or not. But them are my terms—take ‘em, or leave ‘em, as ye please,” and ‘the captain blew another whiff of smoke, which curled around his head and then floated upward. ‘The two men stodd by themselves in an. out-of-the-way spct, strewn with kelp and seaweed deposited there by the high tide, close to the water's edge, at the base of one of the ;great overhanging cliffs which formed a semicircular backing |to the red-roofed houses that made up the little village of Rockhaven on the coast of Massachusetts. ., . Captain Barnacle was a square-built, bulky looking man, with deeply bronzed features, a massive jaweand bulldog type of neck. and plenty. of it. He was dressed in a suit of shore-going togs that he dis- carded as soon as his stanch top-sail schooner slipped into blue water. Everybody in Rockhaven knew the captain, and few, if any, liked his coarse speech and boisterous, uncouth ways. The skipper and all hands lived im Rockhaven when ashore ‘ A » His huge hands were seamed and horny, as from hard Work’ , . His business was fishing for mackerel, and he and his crew They spent most of their idle time at the “Sheet Anchor,” oj eae +

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A . \ 2 ; : CAST ADRIFT... oe 7 “Tom's father had. been an old. friend of Mr. ‘Marsh's when, there: was not another captain who sailed out of Rockhaven the*two lived in the neighboring town of Rossvil thatthe store-keeper dared to make a similar proposal to. . Ten years before the opening of our story the oy lost his} “It’s'a bargain, then?” said Captain Barnacle, witht an ava- ~ mother, and then his father broke up housekeeping, arranged | ricious gleam in his eye. : Z with Mr. Marsh to look after Tom, and went West to try his! “It is.” * Yuck. “And when will ye pay me the first $500? Remember, Til He prospered to some extent, and for three years sent regu- |make no move till I have the money counted out in my hand.” ’ . lar remittances to Mr. Marsh to pay for his son’s eupnort. “Call at the store in half an hour and you shalk have it.” © hl Then he contracted pneumonia and died. “Now ye are talkin’, Mr. Marsh. I shail want to nail the * He left a will which made the boy the owner of a large plot |lad soon after dark. Ye must manage to send him down this _ of land which he had acquired cheap. way on some excuse or another. I'll have a boat here and a James Marsh was named as executor and trustee of this|couple of my hands with me to pounce on him and carry him property, with power to dispose of it at his discretion for the |aboard thé hooker. Mind ye, attend to that part of the busi- benefit of Tom, to whom he was expected to act as guardian |ness, for if I ‘promised-so soon to be immensely yaluable, he put his wits to| “A quart of molasses, Tom,” she replied. “We're going to ----'‘work to devise some scheme by which the boy’s span of life have buckwheat cakes for supper to-night, and father likes could be shortened without actually making himself out a them well-browned.” murderer. Tom took the jug from her and went to the keg to draw the He finally hit an the plan ef having. Tom carried off to sweet stuff.” Barna » fishing schoo M Ell “I suppose I’ll see you at the singing school to-night, Tom?” Mie ine, tm the ane ae 8 a therttabip-uhecerputves | the girl, following the boy into the dark corner where the he thought he could make a bargain with him {Molasses keg stood. i ‘that "would insure the boy’s disappearance for good and all. a #1 — you will, answered Tom, cheerfully, as he turned accom e@ sp ae penning SS eameiidin eens, fe sop gor “I'm glad of that, for we couldn't get along without you.” - mm seains dee Mr. Marsh that he hated to part with it “Why couldn't you? T don’t count such an awful lot, do m tain Barnaclé finally said that he wouldn't take|. ,X0UTe the best singer in the class.” v? a that i companion.could take his choice of stump-|. ,Ne*t to you, Martha,” laughed the boy. ‘up or looking elsewhere for somebody to kidnap the boy, “No, no. You are the best-of all of us,” veiteossl Matthe 2 D ree er arc, ou flatter a aa pay you $1,000, then,” said he, grudgingly, “but it must to. T donee e.” . . aoe ny warps targa rtoe ed mo proof of his death.” | “Say, Martha,” said Tom,’ assuming a solemn countenance, ikigier shook his head, “do Eye believe in €ortune-telling?” ve e?- I am sure I don’t know,” laughed the girl. “wh : he ae sich arrangement,” he said. “My terms are you ask me that?” . ss 1. ae 00 if the schooner “ hinge } back without him.” t put him ashore, or another vessel, i “There was an old woman—a stranger to this place—in the ut oo Miny wccond $000, aid od 9 wits imed tur up store a little while ago. I sold her a paper of pins. When I ae. 1othing had h to him.” : handed them to her she took hold of my hand and looked at y aaious to get rid of the lad” What's it with a great deal of attention. I asked her what she was t's or Cites” replied the store-keeper, shortly. looking at, and she told me she had a curiosity to see what ~ ; | was ‘the fate of such a bright boy as I. That was a compli- / y should think | ape more useful to ye at the store than of yer sight, om the a se ye hte Anquisitive : Stk yh ment, wasn’t it?” “Well, what did she tell you about your fate?” asked Miss i baie eg ae * ast aoa of 4 terest. in Rackhaiven. Hl p ether e y wi you. You are the most ; he'll ein : nek village. Did she tell you who this en es toe a ae ali we Ro hah question, and she told = ft carey, Sa ho et e SL wo der he she oes ae ‘uta ave Fo Ms aes Ie toss $y) Lae . Pi bac OF 25°

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/ CAST ADRIFT. a “ : ; ‘ “What else did she tell you?” { Her, thoughts seemed to center around Tom Gilbert, whom She said that I was going to leave the village soon.” : in the depths of her heart of heafts she dearly loved. “Leave this village!” exclaimed the girl. “Have you been She and Tom were the closest of friends and the jolliest of thinking of it?” comrades. “Not I. Rockhaven is good enough for me for a little while They were never so happy-.as when in each other’s company. longer, at any rate.” f There was one favorite song, “Robin Adair,” that she loved “Well, go on.” to sing to him; and the words she had improvised to suit her- “She said that I was going to cross water to a country | self. gew and strange to me.” - Tom had come to know that Robin addir’ was intended. for “My goodness!” , himself, “That I would face matiy perils and have more than one nar-| As the boy started up the path he suddenly came to a “full row escape from death within the year.” stop, thrilled by the voice of Fanny, which all of a sudden “She told you that?” said the girl, with some concern. broke out in accents plaintively sweet a little way above him. “She did.”- é “And do you believe it?” “Why are you leaving me, Robin Adair? “T haven't thought anything about the matter since she left If not deceiving me, why should I care?” etc. the store.” . “Was she a gypsy “fartune-teliat??. ; A strange feeling entered Tom’s heart as he listened, fasci- “I don’t know what she was. She looked like any other | Nated, to her song. Leave her! old woman of sixty.” He had never dreamed of doing so. | “Well,” said the girl, “I hope Sraitela nothing in it, Tom, for| What strange connection was there bet ween her song and the village would be dreadfully lonely without you.” the words of the old woman who had read his fortune that " *Oh, I ain’t the only boy in the place,” laughed Tom. afternoon in the store? “ ; ? Was a strange fate pursuing him? That deesn’t make any difference. We can’t spare you.” “I'm glad to find that I am of so much importance, Martha. Was he, against his own will, about to be launched upon Still, 1 can’t remain here forever, I've got to go to some big 2 life of wild adventure, in which his life would be threat- ° city one of these days to make my way ahead in the world. ened, far from his native land? A fellow can’t amount to much in such a place as this unless he becomes a saree fishepman and ows a schooner. Now, I don’t care about making my living on the water for a copper eent.” . “Den’t you, really?” “No,” replied Tom, closing the spigot. “I want to do - gomething better than that. I 'want to make a fortune. »By the way, the old woman told me that I was going to become ich. She said I'd. come into lots of money before 1 was a great deal older.” 4 ' “Did she?” ejaculated the girl, opening her eyes in sur- = 2 . rise »? by Pe That’s what she did. Now if hadn't told me that fairy ‘tale I-might have placed some dence in what she told me first; but that settled the whole yarn ‘with me. She was _ playing me fora chump.” ‘ ’ Tom handed the girl the jug and went to wait on the pea : customer. “I would not have missed this visit to-night for, the world.” He would have spoken differently if he had known that at that moment three forms were creeping upon him in the darkness, for the moon lay just then behind a heavy cloud. A few moments before Captain. Barnacle and two of his sailors had rowed in to the beaeh from the Mary Ellen. . While one stood in the shadow of the rocks holding the boat of the shadowy form that they knew must be their intended victim, crept forward to intercept him. They would have missed him, however, but for the tact that Tom stopped to listen to the song: . ° ‘The nearness of the singer for a moment disconcerted the captain, but he determined to take the boy anyway, im-Spite of the presence of Captain Gibbs’ daughter. As the last words floated down, and the singer became silent, _ Tom sprang forward to surprise Fanny. pit : The balmy spring afternoon wore slowly away,, but Tom 9) @ huge ‘hand descended upon “his, shoulder, ec weitiak en were ge less busy all the time, whether there was a cus-) i7, turned around dnd was grabbed by the other arm. : tomer ge the ‘St0re OF Rot. “What d this mean?” he demanded. “Who are you?” ¥ Mr. Marsh came in at about five o'clock and sat down be- “se As he spoke the moon suddenly burst from behind, the _. hind the letter-boxes to read a Boston weekly which came clouds and sailed into the blue ether. that morning. ‘Its rays fell full upon the group, and Tom recognized th Fe six he went upstairs to supper, and when he came down | swarthy and evil features of the skipper of the Mary Pllen. ae 40 gn later Tom was allowed to 0 up and get his own} “You! Captain Barnacle!” he ejaculated in astonishment. ~ tn mn - aye! my lad.” ; "At eight o'clock the store was closed for the day. . are te, f Tom then went to his room, put on his best suft and started for the humble cottage of Captain Gibbs, which was perched, “Tike a bird’s nest,,on a rugged plateau half-way up- the side ot the great cliff which formed the eastern boundary of the Sepressiqn in the shore occupied by Rockhavea ed 9 gor Fanny Gibbs, as usual, to the singing yes which were held once a week for about 7 “What do you want with /me?” “The schooner is about to put to sea, I am short-handed, “Take me! Why, I am no sailor. meee I wouldn't a w.” “Ye wouldn't, eh?” chuckled the captain, sardoniecally, “T bine ye-ain’t to be consulted. Ye are goin’ aboard whether : t-to or not. D’ye understand?” euNO, I don't d,” answered the boy, pluckily. this way. “Right or sae’ we're goin’ to do it. pasted him along, ‘Flin- *| gers.” “Fanny had heard the talk below, and when the moon came out saw the actors as they stood at the foot of the path. ins upward to the plateau was ¢ut by th gradually risen since sundown, swept y's curly ‘ocks as he rapidly strode algng the ‘occasionally, ob- mine of he cis A | pated brent ae lads se from the store to the foot. of. ‘the d , to’ ‘ pian tect 1d there was no. aca‘ pakeel asa ote ite ase bien MeL A Sjohaat Gnd' thay doing tor yon SH it laugh from oe hasan gn #2? “Always thinking of me, dear little” Fanny,” he breathed. by its painter, the skipper and the other, noting the approach: | so I thouglit I'd take Re aboard.” « “Take your han off me. You have no right to tackle me in ; “where $ stout boat iti. down EY

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oa CAST ADRIFT, a a a ee that time the boy had been forced into the boat, which was| Tom was sensible enough to make the best of a bad job. j them pushed off and headed for the schooner, riding at ahchor| He realized that he was at the mercy of Captain Barnacle half a mile away. and his crew, and decided that it would be a part of wisdom And poor Tom, held down on one of the seats by the burly |to say nothing and saw wood, feeling comforted with the re- skipper, saw the gir) of his heart kneeling on the rocks, with | flection that this could not last forever, and that when the > races aoe . Pa fill a vacancy in his crew. her arms stretched out to him, and that was the last he saw | Mary Elleh got back to Rockhaven he would have his innings. of her for many a long day. If he could have looked into the future, he would have seen that he was not destined to get square with the skipper and his satellites, but that a greater Power than he had the set- tlement of their score in His hands. CHAPTER III. In ten minutes Tom, in his bare feet, was on deck helping t to wash down, and while he was thus engaged. Captain Bar- OVERBOARD. lnacle made his appearance. When the boat arrived alongside of the schooner, Tom was lifted aboard in spite of his resistance. He was hustled forward and pushed down a short flight of steps into a dimly lighted forecastle, furnished with half a} dozen bunks,a small table and a cast-iron stove, the pipe of which pierced the roof. From a hook driven into the low, grimy ceiling suspended an ofl lamp, which shed an uncertain light around. Abaft of this space was the cook’s galley, which in vessels of larger tonnage is always on deck: It was separated from the main hold by a stout bulkhead. ‘Tom’s hands and legs were bound with bits of rope, and he was tossed into one of the bunks and left there to ruminate on his unfortunate sitwation. He could feel the schooner rise and fall with the tide which was coming into the almost-landlocked harbor. “What can Captain Barnacle mean by treating me ‘in this way?” Tom asked himself, wonder and indignation alike striv- ing for the mastery in his breast. “What use can he make of me—a landsman? How dare he use me in this high-handed manner, anyway? Just wait till I get ashore, and I'll warrant he'll have something to answer for. My guardian, Mr. Marsh, is a justice of the peace, and I'll bet he'll make Captain Bar- - nacle sweat for this!” - Poor, unsuspecting Tom! If he had only known that his guardian was the real cause - of all his trouble’his wrath would have turned more against him than the skipper of the Mary Hilen, who was merely try- ing to earn a dishonest penny by the transaction. vig es Tom didn’t know the real truth, and consequently the of his wrath were expended upon the head of the disrepu- pened not but the rascal deserved all the hard thoughts oe boy bestowed upon him at that moment. Pie scoundrel has kidnaped me for some purpose,” he ee man “He must be the enemy near at hand the old woman to this afternoon, So I suppose I’m to be carried pon abel reece iy a i ea Yet surely this be obliged to knuckle down ta such a villain as he. Well, _a long lane that hasn't a turning,” concluded Tom, philo- jophically. Ton grumble¢ to himself of hou rhc ‘some of the crew cine dow wih oa ers ; beerrrcneet & toeie eens s and then went on At ra? lara preparations began for getting the schooner tinder way. t the fre ay ac mote, the 2h Sa 4 | elu His sharp eye ‘piped the boy off, and he watched him like a hawk. Tom, saw him and took care not to relax his industry. After a while the crew was piped to breakfast, and the boy had to mess with the second section of the crew, as all could not eat at the sume time in the small forecastle. The schooner was running down the coast within a few miles of the shore. After breakfast Captain Barnacle came on deck looking rather savage. Something had gone wrong with him, and he had been hit- ting his demijohn also with unusual frequency. The fact of the matter was on recounting the money he had received from Mr. Marsh he had discovered a counterfeit $100 bill, and that fact made him mad clear through. Not being able to get back at the store-keeper right away, he looked around for an excuse’to vent his ill humor on the boy he had contracted to do up. He decided to give him a good licking, to begin with, and after that determined to disclose to him the truth about the kidnaping and turn him adrift ashore to go back to Rockhaven and make matters warm for his faithless guardian. Before attacking Tom he concluded to put him through a course of sprouts that would tend to make him sick “ the sight of a schooner for the rest of his days. He began operations by ordering the boy to scour one of the anchor flukes. Although Tom knew that this was a useless piece of work, he got busy with the mater, als that were furnjshed him for the’ purpose, The skipper stood over him for a while, chuckling at the purposeless job. Finally he got tired of the fun and fetched the boy a clout alongside the head that felled him to the deck: “You cantankerous young lubber!” he roared, psig up any better’n that?” “You don't expect me to put a shine on that thing, do you?” replied Tom, reséntfully, for his-tingling head pained him considerably. “How dare ye talk back to me, you whelp? I'll have ye keel-hauled if ye open yer st again to me,” and he aimed another vicious blow at the bo; Tom hopped aside with all vine nimbleness of a monkey, and the skipper, losing his balance, fell over the anchor, strik- ing his head against the side of it and drawing blood. His anger before had only been assumed, but now he was furious in downright earnest. - The liquor also went to h’s head, and when he scramb his feet there was blood in his eye, and these danger si were not lost on Tom, who hastened to get out of the ca) G0 Phat, however, was well-nigh impossible for a landsmnan like: | Gilbert. Barnac boy and spied a knot ‘at the end. oe a little over a foot ipo jal the worse for its e looked ‘around for a weapon to use on the ick piece- of peas tarred ‘Tope with a heavy *|liket? roared Captain Barnacle, furi f ‘as he made a dasb A ee’ Girt ex zl at the irate ki a nen ; m gave one epee, skipper an ‘ went down out of Jeaving him far the j and madea wicked kind Laat “You young cub, I'll tickle you, Bam Be in a way you wiert oy “can’t ye’ 1a

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CAST ADRIFT. 5 — He meant to leave him to his fate, determining to 2 eae The gale increased with the darkness, and, to make the situ- his former resolution and earn the thousand dollars that were |ation of the vessel all the more perilous, the Wind was driving still in abeyance. , her straight upon the coast. One of the crew, however, had flung a grating overboard, Tom, not being a sailor, did not at first appreciate the grav- and this floated bk cre the lad’s reach when he came to the |ity of their peril, though he was sufficiently alarmed by the surface. fierceness of the storm and the darkness of :the night. He grabbed it at ion and as it was Sufficiently buoyant to}. Life lines had been run fore and aft to give the officers and sustain him he was saved from drowning. crew something to hold on to, lest they be swept overboard Although the shore was only three miles distant, and there |by the heavy seas that deluged the deck every few moments. was a projecting point with a light-house that lay less than All hands were wet through, though the warmth of that re- a mile to the westward, the flow of» the tide carried Tom |gion mitigated some of the usual discomforts of the drench- farther and farther away from the coast each moment. ing. ‘Fortunately, the sea was comparatively calm, while the| “This is pretty fierce,” remarked Tom, as he hung on to one off-shore breeze was light. of the lines under the lee of the cabin, to Bob Lawrence, one Tom, after several attempts, pulled himself up onto the |of the younger seamen, a mere lad, with whom he had struck grating and sat upon’ it, forcing it an inch or so beneath |up a friendship. i the surface. “It's fierce enough, though the bark rides it like a duck, but On this wabbling raft, whose center of gravity the boy |it isn’t a circumstance to what we're facing.” maintained with some difficulty, he floated out into the broad}. “What is that?” asked Tom. Atlantic off Massachusetts Bay. “A lee shore.” The warm morning sunshine soon dried all of the boy’s “I thought the captain was working off the coast.” clothing that was not actually awash, and he felt fairly com-| “We've been trying to, but its no use, The wind is dead foriable, all things considered. on shore, and unless it shiffs around to another quarter this He looked around the horizon for some sign of a vessel by | bark is liable to rest‘: her keel on something more solid than which he might-be rescued from his perilous predicament. | water before morning.” To his satisfaction, he saw a sharp-nosed bark bearing down “Do you mean that we're likely to go ashore?” asked Tom, on him under full sail. aghast. She was evidently bound out from Boston, “That’s just what I do mean,” replied Bob, solemnly. The vessel came on at a smart pace, and in the course of a} “And all hands may be lost?” é quarter of an hour the loekout made out the strange floating “I’m afraid that few of us will escape if the bark strikes.” object ahead. “As I’m the most useless person aboard. this vessel, the _ The fact was reported to the chief mate, who was in charge | chances are that I’ll be a sure victim,” replied Tom, gloomily. of the deck, “It doesn’t follow. You stand as much show as any of us if the bark is wrecked, for then eae ne won't avail a chap much. It will be luck more than anything *Luck!” ejaculated Tom. “I’ve had pretty eg luck in the last ten days.” “I don’t know about that. You were mighty fortunate to be pickéd up by us from that floating grating.. Supposing it had been night that you went overboard from that fishing schooner, or supposing there had been a sea running at the tithe, where would you have been?” “I'd have been at the bottom of the Atlantic, I suites,” ad- mitted Tom, “That's right; you'd have been lost. When a fellow is born to be hanged he ean’t very well be drowned—not that I wish’ to infer that you. were born to be suspended,” chuckled Bob. At that moment a huge sea came aboard that nearly took them off their feet. “If you’d let go your hold that time, Tom, you'd have gone ‘overboard, and that would have been the last of you,” said Bob. “T know it: that’s why I held on for all J was worth, though it nearly took the arms out of me.” e.: This conversation was Carried on with Soisidefabte diffi- : culty, for the roar of the storm was something deafening. ey The boys, however, were ‘sheltered to some extent and fared : better than other members of the crew in more exposed po- sitions. 7. The vessel continued to drive on to her doom, and every- body was agreed that nothing but a change in the direction of . the wind would save her. No change came as the precious moments flew by, though the ‘on captain believed that the worst of the gale had spent itself. . The sea, running to a terrifying height in Tom’s eyes, was bearing the bark on to an inhospitable and deserted part of — y the New Granada coast. = . He leveled his glass and saw what seemed a boy sticking half out of the water. He first thought that it was a wooden figure floating out with the tide, but when Gilbert waved his arm vigorously he realized that it was a live, human being. He reported the odd circumstance to the captain, who imme- diately came ori deck, took a squint through the mate’s binocu- lar, and then ordered the bark hove to and one of the quarter boats lowered. ; Thus Tom Gilbert was saved from a watery grave. “How came you to be in that predicament, young man?” asked the captain when the boy stepped over the side. Tom made his explanation and the skipper stared at him. “So-you were kidnaped from your home and jumped over- beard to escape a beating, eh? Well, you’re in hard luck, surely. We're bound to Carthagena, New Granada, and 1 can't very well put you ashore, though the coast is hard on our lee quarter. But I'll do the next best thing—I’ll put you aboard any fishing craft or inbound vessel we run across,” and with that promise Tom was forced to be content. Ay The watch on deck got Tom to tell them his story, and he * had to repeat it to the otfiers later, on. ’ At one bell of the afternoon\watch, or half-past twelve, Tom was invited to take dinner with the captain and chief mate. aid During the rest of the day the boy eagerly scanned the hori- ot zon for a sail, but though many; appeared none came near : enough to be signaled. : _ The bark was now out of sight of the coast of the United ; ‘States, and with night approaching Tom gave up all chanee of 4 being transshipped until the next day. zs: Next day did not better the situation any; in fact, ‘it was ; worse for Tom, because a gale came up and he. became’ inglo- riously seasick, and remained in that condition three) days. . ‘By this time the bark was well on her way toward: the West She was like a shuttlecock in their grasp. SE ie , It was four in pea 2g le Pay the vessel struck on a se- . during the tiof.the voyage, nd he also made an-arrange- |Ties of outlying rocks, was lifted up bodily by the inrushing + the" red sat pws es sea, and then settled ‘back with a Sanh that broke her. back amidships. Reick ye ot ‘the’ vessel, with nearly all the crew, disap- peared waves, W ie rgeeme ch 8 composed = of the eabin, was jammed in between the oe rc ee ft a ‘nic beuibaihad Sob esas SQBcAUC Med Side ‘om Gilbert, LR pif meontyre

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6 "CAST ADRIFT. the steward’s pantry and quarters, on one side, and the car- penter’s berth and dunnage room on the other. - That saved their lives. A deluge of water had followed Tom and Bob into the pas- sage, and’ they scrambled to their feet half suffocated by ‘the yeasty foam and green sea, which, however, retired as quickly as it had come. “Are we really alive?” ejaculated Tom, with a gasp, grab- bing his. companion in the darkness. “Ill swear I am,” replied Bob, with a nervous laugh, “Where are we, anyway?” “We're on the vessel yet, but she’s hard and fast ashore.” “TI thought-she wént to pieces under us in that awful crash.” “I thought so, too, when the water closed over our heads; but I felt the planks under my feet, and then I knew we still had another chance for our lives.” “Are we in the hold?” _ “No. How -could we be? All the hatches were battened down. We're in the cabin passage. Stretch out your arms and you'll feel the sides of it.” Tom did so. “That's right,” he replied* “We;must be ashore, for I don't feel any motion.” Another wave, not so heavy as the other, dashed i at the open doorway and covered their tops. ov The roar of the storm still continued, though with dimin- ished force, and as the moments flew by, and the boys felt that their retreat seemed to be too solid to give way under the buffetings of the waves, they took courage. “We seem to be fairly safe for the present,” remarked Tom, at length. “The waves only come from the front, where the door is. The bark seems to have gone on shore by the stern.” “That's evident, for this part of the vessel is pointing up- . ward and fixed, and all forward looks to be under water. It's my opinion we’re wedged in among some rocks. When day breaks we'll be able to make ‘out just what our position is. “ I’m afraid most of the people aboard have been drowned. I haven't heard a sound from a human being since the crash.” nf “Nor I.” “It would be tough if we were the only ones saved,” said “Tt would that. It doesn’t seem to blow as hard as it did. ‘ “The gale is going down. It will probably be all gone by 4 the morning.” | *T hope so.” ! - The water did not come into the passage any more, though 4 the boys could hear ‘it beating and splashing outside. . '*Let's go into the eabin and see if we can strike a light,” suggested Bob. - a They easily made their way there. / a » All was dark and silent, save for the muffled noise made by a. the gale without. - . Bob hunted around for matches, but couldn’t find any. : “Let's off our wet clothes and get into the mates’ + bunks,” he said. “We are safe pete here, I'll warrant. I'll take the first mate’s stateroom this side, and you can oc- _ eupy the second mate’s on the other side. I’m ready to drop K p from fatigue and the knocking about I've received.” “Same here,” replied Tom. Accordingly they took. off their soaked clothes, got into the mselyes up. felt so ae ‘that before -Tt-was many tire ea 1 either opened. his, eyes. _ Tom was the first to do so, and he was astonished and be- to find himself where he was. le looked around the small stateroom and out through the 0 the cabin, which was brightly copa by ‘They were ee cpa, Wee eye oak a Eyres a blanket, around him and marched into the ‘semen Ooh yoke wand say Mn hough he open aes SS tlle ate 7 ‘| civilization,” “Blessed if I-know. I’ve just tumbled out of my bunk. My clothes are too damp to put on.” ‘ Bob grabbed a blanket and joined him, “Not a soul around. I'll bet we're the only ones on the wreck. Let’s look outside.” They climbed up on the quarter-deck by the brass-bound stairs in front of the binnacle and looked around. “Gee whiz!” ejaculated Tom. “Everything is gone but the cabin part of the bark, and that’s stuck into a-hole in the rocks. I wonder if this is part of the shore, or some distance from it?” “TI give it up,” replied Bob, “but we'll find out by and by in- climbing to the top of these rocks. The storm is gone, as I said it would, but the sea is still tumbling about below. We'd better bring our clothes up and dry them on the skylight. While the sun is doing its duty we’ll take a look into the pantry and see what we can find to eat. I don’t know how you feel, but I’m mighty hungry.” “So am I,” replied Tom, They brought their clothes up and spread them about to dry, and then started for the pantry. , There they found plenty of stuff to eat, including a breaker of water nearly full. After speuding- half an hour below they returned to the quarter-deck. Their clothes were getting on nicely. “Turn them over,” said Bob, “and that will help the good work along.” In an hour, during which they discussed the situation, they found that their clothes were quite dry, and they put them on, “Now let’s see where we*are, and what the prospect is of getting away,” said Bob, leading the way up the rocks. _'Tom followed and they soon reached a point from which ‘they got a good view of the shore. The line of black, ugly looking rocks on which the bark had struck was seen to be a part of the coast, with a beach ex- tending away in either direction. “We're a pair of Robinson Crusoes,” said Bob. “There’s not a house gr human being in sight, and we may be fifty miles from any for all we know.” “Is this part of New Granada?” asked Tom., “T guess it must be, for we were off that coast when the gale came upon us so suddenly.” “Tsn’t the shore inhabited?” asked Tom, whose knowledge of the coast of South America was exceedingly limited. “I’ve heard that the whole region of New Granada bordering ~ on the coast is inhabited by a savage tribe of Indians called the Goahiras, and I'm afraid that’s true, though, of course, I can’t swear to it, as I never was here before.” + “Gee! I hope that we won’t meet any of them on our way to said Tom, apprehensively, “for if we did, and they’re hostile, our names would be mud, for fair.. I dare say : they’d kill and scalp us.” : “They might kill us, it is true, but whether they're given to scalping or not I can’t say.” “It wouldn't make much difference, to us after we were “Don’t talk about being dead,” replied Bob. “It’s bad enough to recall the fate of the officers and crew without going any: further. We ought tO considar ourselves uncommonly lucky. Look at these rocks all around here. Just see what a remark- able dscape we've had. It was one chance in a thousand that this part of the vessel was cast up into this hole. Had she struck anywhere else there wouldn’t have been a plank left of us, and we should have been food for the fishes with the rest ‘ = oon people, who were probably washed overboard when she “It does seem funny that the bark should have been flung : in here,” admitted Tom. “Looks just as if it was done on pur- pose. I hope our luck will continue. That we'll soon find . some of the respectable inhabitants of the country who will , direct us to a town.” “The ret of it is that neither of us can speak the lan- guage of the country,” said Bob. “Oh, we can make signs. They'll understand that we're shipwrecked Americans.” “That's what. we'll have to do. . We'll have to’ shift the best ica way we can,” a “Shall we make a start right away?” asked Tom. an: “No, we’d better wait till to-morrow, for it must be noon now. We must make up a couple of bundies of provisions, for We can’t tell how far we may have 'to walk before we ran across an inhabited spot. You see, we don’t know where we’ sndahcel sarin ane a doves racnd loos weg Ap veri =

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CAST ADRIFT. 2 ee It won't do to take any more “That suits me,” replied Tom. “But we want to load the ehances than we can help.” boat now so as to Have all if readiness to be off.” Soon afterward they returned to the quarter-deck of the |. They spent an hour putting all their packages into the little bark, and thence made their way to the pantry again, where |craft, together with several additional boxes of canned stuff, they broke open a tin of potted meat, and with crackers and a|the bark’s compass, the breaker of water, a long coil of line, can of preserved peaches. enjoyed a capital meal under the |and other odds and ends they, figured that they might find use circumstanées. for during their trip. lage, or we may be fifty miles. ise “Ar, ee. Ca . bat | Ls ae ek ne” 7 — Bob then proposed ,to ransack the staterooms, especially the captain's, for what might be of use to them. « The discovery that gave them great satisfaction, for they felt that they stood in need of protection from the possible appearance of Indians, was the finding of a couple of first-class Remington rifles, with plenty of ammunition. is ew also found three revdlvers and several boxes of cart- ridges.’ - They busied themselves for the greater part of the afternoon making up small packages of canned goods, crackers, etc., to take with them next morning. What with rifles, ammunition and stores, they found they had a pretty big load apiece, and even at that they saw they would have to abandon much that they wished to carry. lof “Here are a couple of good fish lines I found in a locker in the chief mate’s stateroom,” said Tom, exhibiting them. “They'll prove useful, I'll bet, in providing us, with a mess fish,” said Bob. “You can stow them in the compartment under the bows.” “T’ve got another suggestion,” “What is it?” “That we rig a small mast with a cross-piece to carry a sail. Then when we have a breeze we won’t have to fatigue our- selves with rowing. Besides, we'll need something to shelter said Tom: jus from the sun, anyway, when we are asleep, for we can't count on finding a shady spot always when we want. it.” “That's a good plan. I expected to carry a piece of sailcloth along—there is a lot of spare canvas in the lazaretto under the “We'll start soon after sunrise,” said Bob, as they sat at | cabin—but I didn’t think about rigging up a mast. We'll look, their ease on the quarter-deck. “Which direction shall we take?” asked Tom. went the west, of course, for Carthagena lies in that direc- on “T hope it isn’t far off. Hello, what’s that?” ejaculated Tom, suddenly, pointing to an object floating in toward the rocks. “Blessed if it don’t look like a boat!” “It'is a boat,” cried Bob, springing \to his feet. *~ : CHAPTER VI. _ AFLOAT. The two boys watched the boat as it slowly floated toward the wreek ofsthe bark. “That boat is going to prove a big piece of luck for us,” Bob. “How is that?” asked Tom “Why, instead of walking along the shore to Carthagena, or the nearest town, and weighing ourselves down with a load of packages that will grow heavier with every mile, we'll be able to go by boat and carry several times as much provisions and said _ the whole breaker of water whose conveyance has puzzled us so much.” “That will be fine,” exclaimed Tom, seeing the great advan- tage the boat was bound to prove to them. “Besides, we'll be able to keep away from any stray In- dians that we might run across by land.” “That’s better still,” said Tom. “Then, again, we'll not be so likel to go astray and get lost,” added Bob. “By Keeping along the coast we're bound to hit, a port some time.” “So we are,” agreed Tom. “As it is awful hot during the greater part of the day in this latitude, we can do most of our rowing at night, and haul up.in some creek or along the shore wherever we can find shelter, when the sun begins to get in its fine work. Now, if we had to follow that plan in walking we should be apt to get all mixed up in the dark. We'll put the bark’s compass in the boat, which will be a better guide for us than the sun.. So you see, Tom, boca everything into consideration, this boat will a great help ou can just Se it will,” replied Tom, enthusiastically. crept down the rocks until he reached a point where he ture the boat when it came within reach. thing that troubled him was that there might be no would have to depend on pieces of bg 3 i eee ed to be unfounded. misgivings in this respect p Two pairs of oars were tied along the seats, from which cir- paps argh recognized the little craft as having belonged ~ to the bar Ina — w-minutes the boat floated in close enough for Bob to grab ee ere te to in hand. — _|bark’s spars have washed up,” ae ee rt need + seminar Tortie i *e around and see if we can find a suitable piece of wood to an-| swer the purpose; which we can lash to the center and to the. narrow plank that rums fore and aft in the bottom of the boat.” A.search soon proved that they were up against a problem that was not as easily solved as proposed. There was nothing about the wreck that would in the slight- est way answer the purpose, and they had no tools with which to shape a bit of wood. “Let’s take a lobk along the rocks and see if any of the suggested Tom, at last. Bob agreed that a short search might prove profitable, and so the boys started in opposite directions to look for a small , spar or something else that might fill the bill. Tom was fortunate enough to find a broken piece of the bark’s spanker gaff. \ He towed it around to the wreck. When Bob returned from an unsuccessful pcest he “showed it to him. “That will be just the thing,” said Bob. |“I’ 1 get a block out of the lazaretto and attach it to the top of this spar and reeye a line through it.. A piece of wood a yard and a half long will answer for a yard to tie one end of the sail to. We'll hook the block to it and thus be able to raise or lower the sail at a moment's notice. We'll have a bang-up little sailboat when we get everything shipshape,” After lifting the broken gaff into the boat they knocked off work for a while, as the heat of the sun was too much for further exertion. “Better take a short snooze in the cabin,” said Tom, “for it’s too plaguey hot to lounge around even doing nothing.” Bob agreed that it was an excellent idea, and so they turned in on the mates’ bunks and soon fell asleep. Tom woke at three o’clock and aroused his companion. _. _“Don’t you feel like eating something?” he asked him. “I think I could stand something in that line,” replied Bob with a grin. So they adjourned te the pantry and made a meal off of canned goods, washed down with water diluted with claret. Feeling much refreshed, they decided to begin rigging their mast and sail. This work fell mainly to Bob, who, being a practical sailor, best knew how to manage the matter, In due time it was completed to the satisfaction of both. “That's all to the 5, oe cried Tom, enthusiastically. “They say necessity is the mother of invention, and I guess we’ve proved the truth of it.” “That sail, will carry the boat along in a fresh breeze like a duck,” said Bob, admiring his own handiwork with great sat- isfaction “That's right, and save us a lot of hard work. I’m begin- — ning to take a great interest is coasting trip that's ahead of us,” said Tom. “T hope it will prove as sigh ge as you are looking for, but I have some doubts about it. ; “What doubts have you got?” , / a ees oe can’t tell now what we may run up against before _ I don’ of South Ameri you. There may be lots of know anything about the coast = __ ‘place and our destina- ,

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8 CAST “Gee! I hope not. Perhaps we'd better keep well out, as long as the weather holds fair, and not land anywhere along the shore. We can stand alternate watch, one steering while the other sleeps.” “As long as theré’s a breeze the Indians never would be able to overtake us. However, I think your suggestion a good one about sticking to the boat. Even if we lay up anywhere along- shore we'd have to'stand watch, for fear of trouble coming on us unawares.” * At sundown everything was in shape to begin the trip, so they decided to start without delay. They ate their supper aboard the wreck, and then conveyed the balance of the provisions aboard the boat, together with’ several bottles of claret and one of French brandy. “The Indians, or any one else, are welcome to what they find on the wreck,” said Bob, as he tossed a light bundle on top of a pile of canned goods in the bow of the boat. “What's that you’ve brought down?” asked Tom, regarding the bundle with some curiosity. “That,” Iaughed Bob, “is something we shall stand in need of if we should meet with some of the winged inhabitants of the country.” MY, don’t know what you mean?” replied Tom, rather mysti- A “] found that in the cap’s stateroom. It’s mosquito net- - “Are there mosquitoes here?” ..“Are there? I heard the second mate say that they swarm | about all the rivers and such places. He said they could give vi Lr geaae skeeters cards and mbades and beat ’ em to a stand- ) 8 : Thus speaking, Bob shoved off and seated himself at the :; rudder, while Tom hoisted the sail and trimmed it to the light The boat shot away from the wreck and headed westward along the coast. : _ CHAPTER VII. x ~ ‘ _ ASTRAY, ; i= ‘After passing the line of rocks on’ which the bark had been oe wrecked, they found the shore more’ or less covered with trees and wild vegetation of a brilliant character. They kept about a quarter of a mile out, the boat skimming along at a satisfactory rate. . With the setting of the sun night came on with a suddenness that might be co with the gradually snuffing-out of a candle; for there is ne twilight in the tropics. _ The sky, however, was brilliant with stars, which fact re- Jieved the darkness to a considerable extent. The boys enjoyed the beginning of their trip immensely. -- ‘It was a’sort of picnic to them, but there were stern reali- _ ties ahead of them that they dreamed not of. eee.” They decided on an alternate watch of two hours each, and - * east lots to see which should stand the first one. ¥ It fell to Tom, and soon afterward Bob curled upon one of the seats, with the soft mosquito netting for a pillow, and was | presently fast asleep. _ As the first watch began at eight, Tom aytoke his companion _ at ten and was himself aroused at midnight. “Phe wind has come up pretty fresh,” said Bob, “and there's gs haze creeping up from the seaward, I should think it might blow harder before your watch is out. If necessary you can take a reef in the sail by lowering it to suit. It may also be _ well to steer closer inshore, so‘ that we could beach the boat quickly if a Brenig! squall should come on with customary suddenness of such blows in these waters. I give you these _ points because you're not much of a sailor. If things should “bok skittish, call me at once.” “© Al; right,” responded Tom, and Bob turned in on the seats | t The wind gradually increased and the water roughened a under reduced: ¢ t : ‘when Bob came on duty ones, Saale the boat ; ADRIFT. é to be fringed with a dense line of trees, or what Bob took to be trees, The surf. too, was piling up on the beach in a way that promised an unsatisfactory landing if he considered it neces- sary to attempt it. At half-past four Bob, without knowing it, for he was fol- lowing the coast line as his guide, steered into one of the three mouths of the river Magdalena, which is second only in size to the Amazon and Orinoco on that part of the continent. There was some sea on the bar, and the first intimation the young stéersman got of it was when the boat rose suddenly, like one of the Coney Island flatboats when it strikes the foot of the inclined chutes, and for a moment he thought their little craft was going, to capsize. But it didn’t. , The boat continued on as before, leaving Bob to wonder what be had been up against, for he never dreamed of such a thing as passing a bar. Although the wind blew just as hard as ever, it wasn’t so perceptible as the boat sailed farther away from the sea. Bob thought it was going down, and ‘at five called Tom to relieve him. Tom, of course, supposed they were still sailing along the coast, and was amazed to find when day broke and the sun cameé up with its customary suddenness’ in that latitude, that the boat was sailing across what appeared to be a good-sized lake, As a matter of fact, it was the first of many lakes which are formed by the waters of the Magdalena River before it empties into the Caribbean Sea. He hurriedly aroused his companion. “Say, old man,” he asked in’a perplexed tone, “where have we got to, anyway? This isn’t the seacoast by a long chalk.” “Why, no,” replied Bob, equally mystified, “this looks like a lake.” ; ; “That’s what it is,” nodded Tom. “We sailed ifto it during the night. I suppose we'd better turn around and sail out again.” They were skimming along close to the eastern shore which was fringed with a broad belt of mangrove trees standing on numberless branching roots which extended far into the water. So dense and tall were these ‘trees that the view beyond them was completely shut out. “We'll douse the sail and have breakfast first,” replied Bob. The weather was fine again, and the wind dropped quickly to a soft breeze while they were disposing of their morning meal. The tide was flowing up the river and the boat was borne further and further up the lake. / “I'm afraid we shan’t have the breeze with us much longer,” said Bob, when they had finished breakfast. “In which case T don’t think it will pay to pull all the way back to the coast under the broiling sun. It looks as if we'll have to remain here for the better part of the day,” ~“Well, it's a good thing we came by boat, for had we walked, as we expected to have to do, how the deuce should we ever have been able to cross this lake, which seems to be the con- tinuation of another body of water above?” “You've got me, Tom. We'd: have been in a bad hole.” “T should say we would. This isn’t going to be such a pleas- ure jaunt as I fancied it would be, I'd like to know where we are, anyway. It appears to be a wild and uninhabited re- gion.” The words were hardly out of his mouth before the morning~ air echoed with the crack of a rifle. ‘“Hello! Are the Indians shooting at us,” added Tom, with something like a gasp, for the unexpectedness of the shot quite took away their breaths. They ‘both looked in the direction of the sound, snd saw a white man, in modern garments, suddenly appear on a point of the shore and gaze at them. ‘He waved his b amet with the gun above his head to attract their attetnion. , They o heard a faint “halloa! : oy, ‘lieve he’s calling to us,” said Tom. dice, ‘swear. Shall we head inshore?” “Yes,” replied Bob. “He just live in this neighborhood, and will be able to post sa as to our whereabouts. That shout seemed more like Eng- Tec or Portuguese. I hope he'll prove to be a nl ” “He isn’t an In- * | By t time the wind had died completely away, so they U pact wn the sail about half-way, tied the yard in that po; on to the mast and then stretched the canvas over the rear f the boat as an. an. awning, etachinng a end to two abet

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CAST ADRIFT. 9 . of wood they had nailed on either side of the rudder for the purpose. Then they got out the oars and ‘pulled toward the spit of land on which the stranger stood, waiting for them. He was a stalwart man of fine physique, clad in a suit of Soiled duck, with a broad-brimmed straw hat on his head. His face, which was a pleasant one, stamped with frankness and henésty, was sunburned to the color of mahogany. The riflehe held in his hand was a modern repeating weapon, and the butt of a heavy revolver stuck out of a kind of hunting-belt. He stood leaning on the gun while he watched the approach of the boat, and the boys, as they plied theif oars, wondered who he was, and where he lived, for there were no signs of civilization in that neighborhood as far as they could see. CHAPTER VIII. AN ODD MEETING. The stranger addressed them in Spanish as they got close in to the shelving piece of shore. As they did not understand a word he said they could not answer him. Tom, however, turned around and shook his head. “We're Americans,” he said; “can’t you talk English?” “Of course I can,” said the stranger, heartily, while a pleased smile came over his countenance. “I’m an American myself; but I did not dream of meeting a couple of my countrymen, and boys at that, here on the banks of the Magdalena.” “Is this called Magdalena Lake?” “Magdalena Lake! No; it’s Magdalena River, one of the longest in South America. Didn’t you know that?” in some surprise, as he stepped down to the edge of the water. “No. We know very little more than that we believe this is the coast of New Granada, replied Tom, “and that we ex- pect to find the port of Carthagena somewhere along the coast.” “Carthagena is about seventy-five miles from here as the crow flies, and probably fifty more by water. How is it you are here in that boat, which seems to be stocked for an ex- ploring trip, and yet you do not know that this is the Mag- dalena River?” “That’s easily explained,” answered Tom. “We are the only survivors of the American bark Albatross, Captain Seymour, bound from Boston to Carthagena, which was wrecked on the rocks three nights ago at some point along the coast to the eastward. The vessel was driven stern on into a hole in the rocks, and went to pieces except the cabin. section, where we were thrown by the shock.. The officers and crew must have been lost overboard, for not a sign of one of them did we see in the morning, nor up to the moment we left the wreck last night just before sundown. We expected to follow the coast westward, but somehow in the darkness we sailed in here, and so here we are.” “Well, it’s mighty lucky for me that you came in here,” said the stranger. “How's that?” asked Tom. “IT came down the river in my boat, looking for deer——” began the man. “Deer!” exclaimed Tom, in wonder. “Do you mean to» say | - ‘presence, Ae young man. As I was saying, I came down. the river before daylight this morning to shoot a deer or two, for my family and helpers would welcome a dish of fresh venison. .. Unfor- = no Topps sheng rgb ore with my rifie, counting myself lucky to jaws of an alligator. It was clear to me that 1 “I should consider it a Christian act as well as a great fa- vor,” replied the stranger. “Well, you can count on us to do the best we can for you, sir,” replied Gilbert, cheerfully. “We wouldn’t be such sav- ages as to refuse to help you out of your trouble. , How far up the river do you live?” “About eight miles. Let me introduce myself.. My name is John Sterling. I was born in Brattleboro, Vermont... 1. came to South America something like eighteen years ago. I took a fancy to the wilds of New Granada, and went to work for an American who had married the daughter of a Spanish hidalgo, and had settled out here near the banks of the Magdalena. I fell in love with his only daughter and married her. A few years since my father-in-law moved with the rest of his family to Carthagena, leaving me in full possession of his property, which now belongs to my wife. Lately, however, I have been thinking of abandoning it and going to that town myself, as the Goahiras, who have not bothered this particular section for some years, have been reported as on the warpath for white scalps and plunder. I don’t relish the idea of myself and family falling victims to them, Our house is very well protected, it is true, and I have no fear but I and my men could stand off any small stray band of the Indians, but if it came to several hundred of those savage rascals des¢ending upon us in’a body, the ease would become serious. Now that I have told you about myself, I should be glad to have you boys introduce yourselves, for it is a great pleasure for Ine to meet a couple of real Americans out in this unfrequented region.” * “My name is Tom Gilbert, and my companion is Bob Lawrence. I -hail from Rockhaven, a smal! village on the coast of Massachusetts, to the east of Boston. I am an orphan, and though I lived with a man who said he was my legal guardian, I worked for him like a slave, and all I got for it Was my support, such as it was. Practically, I am at this mo- Ment cast adrift on the world, and consequently my own boss. Now, Bob, it’s your turn to go into details.” Bob grinned and said he was raised in New York. That his father died when he was quite young, and his mother married a man who made life miserable for him to such an extent that he finally ran away to sea, and had been working aboard various craft during the last three years. “I guess that’s about all, and not very. interesting at that,” he concluded. “Now, Mr. Sterling,” said Tom, “if you’ll step into the boat we'll put off and row you, by easy stages, up the river. .You ean’t expect us to make fast time, as we're not used to this roasting climate.” “I don’t expect you to do any rowing at all. I'll. manipu- late the oars myself, as 1 am taking you out of your way. However, I hope to persuade you to pass a week at least with us at our place, and I'll try to make things interesting for you. After that I'll furnish you with mules and an escort overland to Carthagena, which will save you all the risk and trouble of going by water along the coast.” “You are very kind, sir,” replied Tom, delighted at the pros- pect that Mr-> Sterling's words opened up before them. “I think that will suit Bob and me immensely.” “Consider that, settled, then,” said Mr. Sterling, dipping the oars in the water and beginning to pull a strong, steady stroke. At that moment ah enormous alligator pushed his snout out of the water within a yard of the boat. “Great Scott! ing. “He's a corker for fair,” nodded Bob, grabbing: up the ean they had emptied of potted meat for their breakfast that morning and shying it at the saurian’s nose. | The alligator opened his enormous mouth; ‘showing a glit- tering array of teeth, and snapped in the can like a flash. “IT hope he’ll_enjoy that morsel,” laughed Bob, looking around for something élse to throw. “I’ve a great mind to take.a shot at him,” said Tom, grab- bing up his rifle. “The only vu-nerable part is his eye, or down his throat,” said Mr. Sterling. The alligator, as though he had heard and understood this reference to ces Bh ripple behind to "show where he had there many of his size around here?” asked Tom. “are there?” laughed Mr. Sterling—“a few thousand, more or less.” “Well ” replied Jip reideesd ae “14 e sthe gen is ¥ cao Secit to draw water from the river above mee Look at that fellow, Bob!” cried Tom, pointe » gank out of sight, leaving only a widen- sa been.

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IO ‘ By * on" ¥ _ aim with extraordinary quickness. + 3 dinary run of events: CAST ADRIFT. where the water is fresh. Scarcely a year passes in a neigh- borhood frequented by them that several native women are not destroyed while filling their pitchers with water. crafty saurian will dart'out of the water, seize its victrm by Of late, however, word had been sent in from outlying plantations of a general uprising of the -Goahiras against The} whites and blacks alike. A band of 600 or more had burned and looted one planta- the exposed arm and drag her into the water. Then it’s all| tion and murdered all but a couple of fleet-footed blacks who up with her.” “Gee whiz!” gasped’Tom. “I always had an idea that they | were dead slow in their movements, on land at any rate, on account of their unwieldy shapes.” f “Under ordinary circumstances they do move with the slow- ness of a salamander; but when excited, either by rage or hunger, they dart forward toward the object at which they It never pays to take any chances with them. As for bathing anywhere in the river, it is as much as your life is worth fo risk it.” “Then I'd rather be excused from taking a swim,” replied Tom, with a grimace. ‘ Thus they passed away the time, while Mr. Sterling, who seemed accustomed to continuous exertion. in the intense heat, worked with a steady and powerful stroke at the oars, pausing only at intervals to rest himself. Inside of a couple of hours they came in sight of a small landing-place, toward which the rower directed his course. This place was near the head of the second lake, and through the tropical foliage the boys caught sight of several small , dwellings, and finally a substantial building of two stories fo gay upon a small hillock commanding a good view of the “Yonder is where I live,” said Mr. Sterling, after a glance over his shoulder. “Welcome, my lads, to Sterling Castle.” CHAPTER IX. “CASTLE STERLING.” As they drew near to the landing, the boys saw two or three native women peering at them through the trees. ee oe _A white man, a native of the country, eame down on the wharf and gazed at the approaching boat in some surprise. - Visitors by water seemed to be something out of the or- “That's Pedro, Gonsalvo, my overseer,” said Mr. Sterling. _ “He is rather astonished, I guess, to see me aboard a strange . boat, with a couple of passengers new to the district. We don’t often have visitors.” _ S r _ The speaker drew in his oars and allowed the little craft to slip up to the wharf, where its bow was caught by Pedro, “brief conversation in Spanish Va Lr between Mr. Ster- ling his overseer after he stepped t of the boat. | to his employee. P formality over, ‘the white men had effectéd their escape and carried the alarm to the nearest civilized place. : Intelligence had also been received of the wiping out of a whole village within twenty miles of ‘the Sterling property. Successes of this kind naturally tended to emboliden the who pulled the painter out and made it fast to a ring-bolt in Then he motioned to the boys to disembark, and introduced j cir they left the craft to the care of Pedro the inclined ground, through a dense foliage, upper half of the second story Indians, and bring more of them out on the warpath. The heayy. deor of the stockade stood wide open, and through this Mr. Sterling and his young guests passed. Right before them was a wide, shaded veranda, which ex- tended all around the building. There were numerous tropical trees growing within’ the enclosure, around several of which were built circular benches. ’ Under the inviting shade of one of these was seated a hand- some lady of thirty-five, the olive tint of whose countenance betokened her Spanish origin. At her feet reclined a lovely girl of fifteen years, with golden-brown hair, a plump, rounded figure, . dark, melting eyes, and a tiny rosebud of a mouth. These two were Senora Sterling and her daughter Estella. Two younger children were swinging in a hammock under adjacent trees, ‘ With the appearance of Mr. Sterling the children in ,the hammock sprang out and ran towards him, but paused in shy wonderment on seeing Tom and Bob. Mrs. Sterling and Estella both rose to receive the strangers. “Inez,” said Mr. Sterling, “I have brought home two visitors who will stay “with us a little while. They are young country- men cf mine, lately wrecked on our coast, and I'm sure you will tender them the hospitalities of our home. This is Thomas Gilbert, and this is Robert Lawrence. My lads, this is my wife, and this my daughter Hstella.. You must make yourselves at home. There is no ceremony at Castle Sterling.” The boys bowed, and the senora and her daughter smiled charmingly and held out their hands in friendly welcome, at the same time greeting them in excellent English; indeed, | Estella spoke. the language perfectly, as did her younger brother and sister. Tom and Bob were far from being bashful, and were soon on easy terms with the lady of the house and her children. ‘Tom took the youngest child, a girl of eight, on his knee, and, after her timidness wore off, she seemed to take won- derfully to the boy. “I’m under great obligations to these young men, Inez,” said her husband, placing his arm tenderly around the senora’s waist. “They rescued me from a very serious predicament.” “Indeed!” she replied, with a look of concern, while Estella nd the other children regarded their father wonderingly. but for them.” ' Alarm at once showed itself on the lady’s features. “Dearest,” she said, “is it the Indians——” ling, who then recounted the mishap he had met with that morning in his deer-hunting expedition. “7 = The senora and her children knew that that sectfon of the river where the husband and father had been caught at a disadvantage was the most dangerous of any in that vicinity, though barely eight miles from home as the crow flies. To return to the “castle” from that spot he would have been | been compelled to have threaded many miles of a trackless sand had ane father-In-lay forest infested with jaguars, boa-constrictors, and other venomous creatures, that would have proved a constant menace tohim. ; Eis The senora immediately began to thank the boys for the service they had rendered her husband. ” said Tom, “It was just “Oh, no; something altogether different,” replied Mr. Ster- “Yes; it is quite possible that I might never have returned e

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_. inside this house to feed all hands for a month. As- for I have barricades CAST ADRIFT. stretched to him as Captain Barnacle and his two sailors bore him out to the schooner. - Neither could he forget her song that night, the words of which he had heard her utter till she shrieked for her father. He knew that Fanny loved him, and that he loved Fanny, therefore the charms of another girl, even more lovely, did not easily swerve him from his allegiance to the girl he had left behind him. © | CHAPTER X PREPARING ‘TO RECEIVE THE ENEMY. Dinner was served about one o’clock in a big room on. the . ground floor, and the boys enjoyed the many good things set before them. After the meal, Mr. Sterling showed his young guests over his plantation, told them what crops he raised, and explained how the work was carried on. The boys spent the rest of the afterncon lounging around the enclosure and talking to Estella, whom they found to be an interesting and tntelligent girl. About sundown supper was announced, and the family and »the lads sat, down. to partake of it. The conversation turned upon the possibility of a visit from the Goahiras in sufficient force to make things unpleasant for the plantation and Castle Sterling. One of the inside scouts had come in a little while before and reported that he was sure he had seen an Indian gliding through the woods three miles south of the plantation that afternoon. « Mr. Sterling seemed to think the native had been mistaken, though he asserted the fact with considerable emphasis. The appearance of a single Indian would indicate the pres- ence of a considerable number of the rascals in the neighbor- hood, and that fact could scarcely escape the notice of the outer line of scouts, one of whom would surely have hastened to report the news. . “Tf the Indians are on the warpath, as you say,” said Tom, “do you think that they are likely to attack this place?” “I shouldn’t be surprised if they made it their business ,to come this way, for they owe us a grudge for their defeat three years ago. Unless they should appear in uncommonly large numbers I don’t think they would gain much, for we are well prepared to receive them. I have a small armory of maga- zine rifles and heavy caliber revolvers in the house, and an abundant supply of ‘ammunition. In addition, T have a small ‘field-piece and a quantity of langrage that would make matters exceedingly interesti for-them at close quarters. Should they invest the placé with the view of starving us out, they would hardly succeed, as I have provisions enough stored water, an underground passage connects with a natural spring in an adjacent thicket. er I have taken every pre- caution to ensure safety and provide against surprise,” said Mr. Ster! “n ; y eS Well, if’ they should come while Bob and I are here you can count on us to help you out. » Did your overseer bring our rifles up?” j “Yes. They are standing in the passage, with the bags of ; tion.” ; “Your stockade eerie enough to stand off'a swell army of Indians,” ‘om. “Yes. It’s a formidable barrier, but ynot wholly effective against a very large force. Half an hour, or even less, how- ‘ever, would suffice to transform ‘this building, into a fortress. for all the windows and outer doors stored ” r ‘ ‘At that moment the overseer appeared in the doorway and Mr. Sterling, who arose from his seat and went building down with all in it.” ; serious information, truly, and disturbed Indians was.a formidable bunch to 11 The male defenders, all told, amounted to eight white men, the two boys, and twenty native workers, including the scouts, three of whom were siill outside on the lookout. The stockade, or outer line of defence, was eighteen feet high, built of stout logs, firmly planted in the earth, two rows deep, with a barbed wire running along on top, and two rows of it, a yard apart, along the sides. ; Casemated loopholes were cut in the logs’ at intervals of a yard, the outer opening being just large enough to accom- modate the barrel of a Tifle and leave space enough above to take a sight. A deep six-foot trench extended all around the stockade, except in front of the big gate, which was extraordinary stout and provided with a port-hole, protected by an iron trap that worked up and down in grooves, through which the field-piece covered the approach in that direction. The house itself, or citadel as it might be called, was built of stoné, and when its openings were barricaded was capable of strong resistance to an attacking force. Its only real weakness was the encircling-covered veranda, which would offer climbing facilities to the second story. The roof was parapetted, and commanded approach from all directions. . : Mr. Sterling, after a mioment’s consideration, issued direc- tions to Pedro, and the overseer left the building to attend to them, The gentleman of the house thén returned to the table to finish his supper. His wife saw by his Manner that \he had received unpleas- ant news, and she asked what the oyerseer had called him outside for. Inf order not to alarm his wife ard children, Mr. Sterling concealed ‘the real seriousness of the situation, merely inti- mating that a force of the enemy had been discovered within a few miles,of the place, and that to be on the safe side he. proposed to take every precaution against an unexpected at- tack. : “Do you really believe that the Indians will make an at- tack to-night?” asked Tom, “It is not unlikely.” © . : “If they do, I guess you will be prepared to give them a warm reception. I don’t know whether there’s fighting blood in me or not, but somehow I think I should’ like nothing bet- ter than getting into a scrap with those Goahiras, who can- not mind their own business and leave peaceable people alone,” d “A scrap of that kind would suit me, too,” chipped in Bob. “T hate Injuns, anyway, and from what I've heard of these fellows I'd like to help give them all that’s coming to them.” “Well, my lads, I'm glad to see that you're plucky and willing to lend a hand in the defence of the place. It may seem hard to press one’s guests into service, on the very day of their arrival at that, but our garrison is none too ‘strong at the best, and every extra arm counts for a whole lot,” said ~ Mr. Sterling. Sy “ae The meal was not hurried by the excitement of the mo- ment, as there was nothing in the gentleman’s manner to indicate that a crisis was close at hand, but outside the stockade things were different. 4 The overseer had called the natives together, told them what was in the wind, and ordered them to remove their families and belongings of most value to the long, stone outho built against one side of the enclosure. The horses, mules and a portion of the live stock weit driven into the stockade, but the rest were secured in a stone outhouse in the midst of the clearing, and there left-to take their chances. s - ) aa . activity greeted the boys when they came supper ‘ A scene of great out on the veranda after 5 Na Tt now dark, but the courtyard was lighted up by sey- eral large reflecting lamps that cast a gleam like small search -

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12 : CAST: ADRIFT. chain attached to the carriage and ran it ‘down to the gate in no time at all. “Td like to help work this thing,” said’ Bob, with enthu- present purpose. siasm. 3 3 leave a man or woman or child of them alive. “So would I,” _ coincided Tom. “Suppose we volunteer to|. Their course in warfare was complete extermination, and i do it?” se there wasn’t any doubt but that they meant business this trip. t “I'm with you.” “A single disthargd of grape would mow. down every In- dian within yards that attempted to charge - across that nar- : row path toward this - “gate.” Nearly three hours passed, and still there was no sign of the enemy. The moon was going down-behind the trees, and the roof of the castle was now no longer illuminated, which was a B “You can bet your life it would. Almost as good as a Gat-| great advantage to the defenders. ? ling gun.” “ The clock struck the hour of three. a Well, let’s go to the. house for. the ammunition, said Tom, At that moment the last of the scouts crept, like a gliding starting off. shadow, up to the gate, was recognized and assisted into the They soon had a pile of the terrible missiles, which con- sisted of bolt, nails and other pieces of iron fastened to- . gether, and a box of powder bags, each representing the ’ proper charge, piled up near the gun. ¥ When the clock in the sitting-room struck nine, everything eI. was in readiness to meet the foe. a4 The big gate was closed and secured with heavy cross- -») pieces that defied any kind of a battering-ram that could be _. brought to bear. } A watcher was perched on it with a, rope-ladder. to toss stockade. He said that the woods to, the west was full of the Goa- hiras, and that they were preparing to attack the plantation: When this intelligence was communicated to the master of the house he issued his final directions.to his little force. Pedro awakened Tom and Bob. “Come,” he said. “Are you ready to go with me to the post of danger—the gate? You offered to help work the field gun. Have you changed your minds?” ° : “Not on your life we’ haven't!” replied Tom, promptly. “We'll work the old thing for all {t’s worth, bet your life,” said Bob. “Follow me, then, young senors. I am glad to have two owe down to the scouts still out if they returned before’ the place __-was invested by the enemy, y The house barricades‘ were in place, and so, strong, was the "i appearance of the main building that the boys, who had re- ase d rsee _|such brave Americanos with me.” # Lev yrs Gon, Spaahunble sentie: aay. aeah thet y fear The boys followed him down to the courtyard and thence eo ¢) made by the Indians if they did succeed in passing. the to the spot where the brass field-piece stood, grim and ations, Sn qockade. ready for business. , : , ; “Tf the rascals succeed in scaling the stockade at any yoink pest? i in numbers, our name is likely to be mud,” said Bob, looking a > ; ; ’ : around the enclosure.” Fase v4 oss CHAPTER ae ts Dh “Well,” replied Tom, “we're here to do our duty, and I'm ¢ ‘ ° pa ie ere Mite tate 5OaS «) Weg hes Sh going to do it, for one, no matter what the consequences may ei , Fe avce cy |_“‘That's the way to talk, Tom,” replied Bob, enthusiastically, a. a LA gg pa ps nisabood: ans snastieeetiese _ “Never give up the ship. ‘I only wish there was an American {., and -ma whole nelg & y- flag flying over us—it would stir me up more.” ial Mr. Sterling cautioned the boys to keep out of ‘sight behind the parapet, for it was probable that the enemy would send)’ Pedro now showed the boys how to load the cannon. scouts out in advance to teconnoiter, and it was not advisable| “When I give the word, you,” indicating Bob, “raise the a. t h tack was anticipated. trap. And you,” to Tom, “help me shove the muzzle just a ae Be! pons cine Pn Rae sesteck distance ahthin:the Out of the hole. The moment she is discharged, drop the _ shadow of which they could make their observations without trap, for the recoil will send the gun back out of the hole, Mertuer tne at tk . flor anaecitoad: d saia Be 5 ; They unde an so. 7 Pe pryry r of the se ieye, inh ea forte a{° The field-piece, being now all ‘ready, was pushed almost al _ watch over the landscape, unobserved. against the trap, and then Pedro applied his eye to a peep- “This is getting tiresome,” said Tom with a’ yawn, after | Bole to watch for the appearance of the foe. _ the ee of an hour, “I wonder when those rascals. will turn From jis post on the roof Mr. ane caught the first sight of the enemy. Mr. Sterling say that he does, not: expect aeriit to ‘They issued from the woods in great numbers, one section along toward ‘morning-—say hepsi pick or three them, closing in on the huts deserted by the natives, while gate: Bob. le main. body came toward the stockade, aiming to begin t so? Then we'd better bari fe Pe Ne Selesk ‘snooe eir attack from the front, where iney knew the gate to ae ‘We? I'm dead tired, to tell.the truth. While: there be facing a solid path. was’ excitement in the air I ‘didn’t feel a. bit sleepy, Sint since Evidently they were aware that the stockade on the sides _have quieted down.I can hardly keep my. eyes open.” presented difficulties not easily to be overcome. % we'll stretch out rygut aere on the roof,” said: Bob. . They had no knowledge that the castle was defended by a | good deal better than a hot room below.” —- cannon ready to carry death and dismay into their ranks.” you're right, but they say it isn’t a good thing to The huts were surrounded, hut the attack on them was de- ep with the moon on your p ed until the main body Avner to argh the gate. “Ther , beh h ; ders gave no intimation t they were on the hadow. ‘Come ‘eet pegged ind the cupola where : ere’s watch their rifles ready to open a destructive fire. their plate, stretched themselves , out near| ae Mr. Sterling on the roof to give the signal 5 ‘ insi ‘pith, a e-shot. md asleep. tion ae COT ave minutes | "" “They're coming on,” said Pedro to the boys. “Take & look.” oad Bynes wil Ri Airs 1 ste ana ate blood ened with suppressed excitement as they saw the ety ba é crowd of Indians hove abs rae ih away, and then begin their ce on the gate as silently as so many ghosts. ‘et oe ore ipntroe, of ‘the Goahiras “There'll be something doing in a moment,” Bob whispered st of Sour: nema ka with ane | to ‘Tom. iy i a bet there will, ” was ‘the’ reply. “They won't know ‘struck them when this gun goes off.” ‘puch luck, u until ee teke then ee i f r the earene, advanced in a bunch toward ‘the he ate, expected that they would stop at nothing to accomplish their i If they once got the better of the defenders they wouldn’t ‘Each in turn applied his eye to the peep-hole, and their | ok would be a fine Pegorien ak if it would make them go we; ; e eager than his pomegnicn to be the first over the re

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CAST Pedro motioned Bob to be ready to raise the trap, and then stood with his eye at the hole. The Indians now came forward with a rush, and Pedro sprang to the gun. Crack! The single report of Sterling's rifle awoke the echoes of the night-air. As if this was a signal to the enemy, a tremendous blood- ADRIFT. 13 Dozens of them went down that time, but the Goahiras were only checked for a moment this time. While the boys were cleaning out and loading the gun they reached the gate and piled into the ditch, climbing on one another’s shoulders and grasping at the top of_the stockade. Their hands and bodies were torn by the barbed wie, a species of defence they had not expected to meet with. The attack on the stockade was simultaneous on all sides, curdling yell burst from hundreds of their throats, shatter- |but the height of the wall, from the bottom of the ditch, and ing the silence of the night. It was drowned by the simultaneous discharge of the can- non and four-and-twenty rifle-shots from the stockade. The Goahiras were taken completely by surprise. The sweeping charge of iron tore their onward rush to Pieces, and those who escaped fell back in paralyzed dismay. the barbed wire, bothered them tremendously.. ’ The defenders deserted the loop-holes arid sought the shelter of the veranda, ready to pick off the Indians as their heads appeared above the wall. The shooting of arrows over the wall had stopped, the whole energies of the attacking party concentrating itself in a des- At the same time the Indians who had pounced upon the'|Perate effort to storm the whole line of stockade. huts uttered shrieks of disappointment on finding them all empty. If they were successful, not only the cannon but the entire courtyard would have to be abandoned and the Getente During the confusion that ensued the defenders maintained centered in the citadel. a continuous and murderous fire into their ranks, while Pedro and the two boys sponged out the cannon and reloaded it. The din outside now was tremendous. The whole plan of the Indians’ attack had been upset, and it was some minutes before they renewed their attack. The air was filled with death-cries and the wails of the badly-mangled survivors. “Hurrah!” shouted Tom, his eyes glistening with ‘excite- ment. “Sponge her out, Bob. Quick! They'll be on us again, in a moment.” Hundreds of the enemy sought shelter behind the huts, i stone outhouse, trees, and any place that offered shelter, an a cloud of arrows anda ‘rain of Mauser bullets was iene on the stockade, / ? - CHAPTER XII. A DESPERATE FIGHT. “Gee! This is a regular battle, Bob,” said Tom. Whiz! Thud! An} aprow had skimmed past Bob’s ear and struck the side of the gate, where it quivered for a moment like a thing of jing for another victim. life. may. A second arrow “struck the inside of the stockade a distance away. ° -}. ' The boys’ heat idea was that some ‘of the Indians had sur- mounted a portion of the w ; Jeet they soon saw that this was not so. ; short | “Wow!” oxolaimed Bob, jumping a foot, hae a cry ot dis- | by this time,” Whether Pedro and his gallant young assistants wbald be able to make good their retreat before they were cut off was a problem. Sterling, however, had given orders to his men to cover their retreat at all hazards, and consequently a third of the marks- men gathered at that end of the house. Dozens of the Indians reached the top of the wall, but so bullets of the marksmen on the veranda, who picked them off as they would crows on a rail fence. Pedro, Tom and Bob continued to work like beavers at the gun, which, owing to the rapidity with which it was dis- charged, grew too hot for safety, and the overseer had to call a halt. _ They seized their rifles and rejoined the others on the veranda, carrying the box of powder-bags with them. oe * “This puts me in mind of a picture I saw once of a wild west fort attacked by Indians,” said Tom, with his eye trained cn the top of the gate. » Bob didn't answer. He raised his rifle suddenly to his shoulder and blazed. away. at a Goahira who had slipped over the dead body of a comrade that lay across the wall and landed in the courtyard. « The rascal threw up his hands; mtaggered several yards and then fell on his face. ' “T settled that chap’s hash, bet your lite,” said “—_ look- “We must have killed and wounded a lot of those fellows: said Tom. “I'll bet we cleaned up over a hun- dred at the gate alone.” : “More than that,” asserted Bob. on the gate now. Work lively, Tom.” Rapid spurts of flame illuminated the darkness as half a “Gee ‘whiz! There's six all and were shooting at them, |dozen rifles were turned on the Indians. Now that the cannon had ceased clearing the path, the gate The Goahiras were simply shooting hundreds of arrows |was the-weak spot in the line of defence, and the Goahiras yer the stockade at random, expecting that some of them | were quick to take advantage of the fact. would do execution. They began coming over the gate in increasing numbers To be shot at in this fashion made Tom and Bob not a little |but every one met his fate on top and either tumbled : nervous, but the indications outside that a third attack was on his fellows or down beside the cannon on the inside, about to be made.on the gate chased their fears away. “My rifle is getting hot, too,” said Tom. “If thote rascals. : Looking through’ the peep-hole, the boys saw that the path- way and ground beyond was strewn with - ‘Indians who had fallen before the two discharges. ‘i “This gun is all to the good, Bob,” said Tom. “They'll never be able to reach the top of the gate as long as we hold out.” ; “T guess we'll hold out arrows make a hole in us.” _~ Whiz! Thud! Nacht s Another landed close to Bob’s head and made him’ dick. + _ “What did you duck for, Bob?” laughed ‘Tom. “The pitas “I guess you'd sudk, ti * a) “Perhaps I wot: but what ga, waite it dor” dead and wounded |We can « they come again,” warned Pedro. uf Every Indian, when he appeared at the top of the sical, e+ 2 Seeette ee etter of the rascals came ‘dashing tovwira was outlined againet the starlit sky sky, pele toate: an (Ox zp: the ‘gate and ditch as well. Ch cellent mark, hs "Evidently they intended | to get over in spite of the gun. » So fierce and desperate was the att sone that they res wrent the trap, out meh arith the muzzle of the pita" ad — rd think apres a of th throwing nee iat away: ai be 3 Pedro pulled the lanyard. chance getting into ; roar of onane “med with the sraege A few got clear over ‘the x Som hut thes were ee rah ( a a p instantly afterward. = eae es keep this up they're bound to get in in spite of everything © do to prevent them. One would think there were — Millions of them outside.” “There’s a whole lot, all right,” replied Bob. - oh can | Fresh rifles were passed around to the defenders weary little: while, so that their fire was kept up unchecked. call right, if none of those blamed Tom, for the first time, noticed that several of the native women were on the veranda, too, firing away to beat sian ; band. The fight had now iaste half an hour, and was a ‘thor- 5 oughly desperate and stubboi n affray. j too There was every evidence that the enemy had suffered ter- aid for few bullets of the defenders were thrown away. By eir aim was too accurate and the distance too short: to ee, Decor them to miss their targets. a

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Fe PSS ter - numb 1¢ The carnage around the gate was something fearful, and still the Indians came on, hoping to prevail through sheer ferce of numbers; At last Pedro called to Tom and Bob to go back to the*gun. This was a perilous undertaking now, and was growing worse every moment. ’ For a moment-the boys hesitated, for it seemed like sure death to them, but when Pedro started off alone, they fol- lowed him-at once. . When they reached the gate Guvexul dark forms dropped down upon them, ‘but fortunately they were either dead or badly wounded men. The overseer turned his attention to the gun. Tom and Bob were now so thoroughly worked up by the excitement and strain of the desperate battle for life that they no loriger thought of the perils of their position. They had reached that stage that makes heroes even of comparative cowards in battle. If bullets had rained about their heads they would not have turned a hair. While Pedro was yanking the dead bodies aseabs from the gun the boys reloaded it. When the trap was raised and the muzzle of the piece was pushed through the hole it struck a savage on the outside. Before he knew what had hit him, he and seores of his companions were blown away like so much. chaff hi the first discharge. Several yards of the path was cleared of the assailants and brought the assault on the gate to a momentary halt. It was soon renewed with greater fury than ever, but once again the gun poured its terrible load of bolts and old iron into the crowded ranks and,upset the calculations of the attacking party. Many of the Goahiras had gone to their death since the attack commenced, but! penne still remined, — for vengeance, "Inside of ten ihectens: in spite of all they could do, they were driven from the path, and the grand attack was called off for the time being. The vanquished Indians retired to the sh of the woods to recover from the awful handling they received. It was probable that they began. to suspect that a body df soldiers from Carthagena had reinforced the small garrison of the castle, and perhaps they began to donbt whether they could ¢apture the stockade at all. ‘ Pa eee ie CHAPTER p 2 i Ke . Bon’s Close cant. fa] vr The cessation of the battle was hailed as a ‘idined relief little band of defendets, whose arms were growing) in the by t the continuous discharge of their rifles. Was now succeeded by a silence un- i ¢ deafening uproar broken save by the cries of the wounded ‘in the Wrenph at the feb ae saree Sterling took an inventory of the casualties on his side and ts that only three of his’ people had been, wounded by ‘sharp. watch roof of the citadel. vel were a sight rein ig ‘when they camie chocolate, was soon. passed around among the smoke against a renewal of the assault was kept on the CAST ADRIFT. * “That's right, ” nodded Bob. “No reward for us, bet your oots!” “My brave lads, I never before felt so proud of the fact that Iram an American as I do at this moment. I see in you the spirit that animates all my countrymen. It is the same spirit that won the glorious independence of the United States and walloped Mexico to a ‘standstill. Blood will tell every time. We may have been fighting merely Indians, but a more desperate and determined assault than that through which we havé just passed could hardly have been made by the trained veterans of many battles.” “It was pretty flerce,” admitted Tom. not yet out of the woods.” “No.. The attack may be resumed at. any moment. The enemy are taking a breathing spell. I fear they are mutter- ing vengeance against us for the carnage we have inflicted on them. Had I double my present force here I should have little fear of the ultimate result, but as it is I am much en- couraged by the showing we. have made as weil as the ef- fectiveness of the stockade. That’barbed wire has no doubt really been our salvation, That and the field-gin. They were chéap investments in the light of results.” Mr. Sterling walked away, leaving the boys together. “Jerusalem! But we’ve-had a hot time in od old stockade to-night, bet your life!” grinned Bob. “I'll bet we have. We ought to have our photographs taken, If I look“anything like you I must be a peach, ~ “Tf I had your face I'd go and souse it in a bucket,” replied Bob. “f don’t believe my face is any worse than yours, for you couidn’t be much. blacker.” “Well, there isn’t any use washing up yet. to go back to the gun at any moment.” The fight, however, was not renewed. Whether the enemy had given up the.attempt to capture thé stockade and had retired from the neighborhood, or were concealed in the dense wood’ to the west, the watcher on the rooftof the main building could not tell. There was no rélaxation of alertness on tite part of the de- fenders, notwithstanding the absence of all es indicating the presence of the enemy. They did not propose to be caught off their pat Shortly before sunrise two of the scouts were sent out to reconnoiter. One of them returned an hour later with word that the Goahiras had returned to their eamp nine miles’up thegriver. and that they seemed to be badly demoralized. This news was greeted by the wearied lictle garrison with ‘great satisfaction. | Sterling ordered ‘the gate to be opened and the bodies ly- “And I suppose we're We may have ing about the enclosure to be carried down torghe river and thrown into the water. - ‘This proceeding soon attracted ' the notice ot every alligator vicinity. a? Tom and Bob lent a hand in getting rid of the corpses, though ‘they couldn't avoid a shudder every time they ap- proached the landing-place, when theyssaw the alligaters darting forward to seize each fresh morsel as.it was dumped overboard. . After the stockade was cleared of the dead, and the dozen odd bodies had been remoyed-from the top of the walls, the more horrible task of getting rid of some bodies outside, many of them in a terribly mangled shape from the bits of fron that had torn their flesh “mn every imaginable way, was un- dertaken. The alligators in that palitibiaeod were ere long satiated and the splash of a body in the'river met with no responsive splash from a saurian’s tail, so that the corpses filcated down with the tide, to be devoured later on by other alligato Neither Tom nor Bob took part in the work of mohae the bee Indians from the, trenches and space in front of the They had had quite "dapat of that kind of exercise to satisfy them. ‘+ They were glad to monopolize a ae of pails of water and some common laundry scap which, together with a coarse towel, ‘scon removed ali traces of the smoke and powder from | their persons. All the barricades: were removed from the doors and win- dows, and when’ the/boys were called to breakfast things looked pretty much as they vere the/day before. : A sharp watch was maintained by the scouts on the enemy's camp, and late in the afternoon werd was brought in, that the ON Oe ee ee eee

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Bee usc 5 é CAST ADRIFT. 15 . The day was devoted to rest and sleep. Soon after the intelligence came that the enemy was taking themselves off. the natives and their families returned to their huts and put them in order again. Tom and Bob were, with Pedro, regarded by all as the real heroes of the fight, and Senora Sterling, her husband and their children, could’ not do enough for the brave lads. “We are having the time of our lives here, old man,” said Tom to Bob, on the’ second day after the night battle. “That's what we are,” grinned Bob. “When it’s time for us to go I’m afraid we will feel home- sick, for there’s nothing ahead of us that I see but hard work _ to make our way in the world. I want to get back to Rock- haven for two reasons.” ’ _ “What are they?” = “I am anxicus to see my particular friend; Fanny Gibbs, again, and, I want to get back at Captain Barnacle, of the fishing. schooner Mary Ellen, for kidnapping me from the village. He didn’t gain anything by it, but he has put me to a lot of trouble and worriment, and deserves to be punished.” The boys, having learned that there was excellent bird- shooting along the western shore of the lower lake, deter- mined to take their boat and go-there for a morning’s sport. _ It was from the eastern or forest side of this lake that they had rescued Mr. Sterling. They had no wish to penetrate the jungle over there. for the deer that lived in its fastnesses, on account of the chances - of meeting with a jaguar or boa constrictor, some of which _ Were uncommonly large, and all particularly dangerous, . Accordingly; having announced their intention the night before, and being provided with a light breakfast of fried eggs, plantains, tropical fruits and a bow! of thick chocolate, they _ Started, with the help of the tide and a light breeze, soon after sunrise. ; _ The eight miles that intervened between the plantation and & 7 ; was upon him, with widely-distended jaws, the lower lake was soon covered, and the boat was presently among the reeds of the western shore. _* As. they had brought a substantial lunch along, ae were in no hurry to get back to the castle. _ here was one thing they had to guard against. and that was the alligators, © . They shot’at several to no purpose and finally found a _ good landing-place. _ Bob was first to land. He took the painter and tied it to a small tree. Then he ‘walked slowly away, expecting Tom to follow ’ Suddenly there was a rustling noise through the bushes Rear the rs edge and an enormous alligator shot into view, making directly for Bob. Its back was bent and it appeared higher than usual aah ‘its + legs, presenting a truly formidable and rather terrifying ap- hart ini especially at such close quarters. ~ Bob was taken by surprise, and for a moment stood stock ‘ot asia at the. wicked-looking saurian as if fascinated. he let out a yell. a attracted Tom's attention, and to run, - His foot, however, slipped and down he went on all fours. Before he could scramble to his feet the huge alugatot Ss fate surely to be sealed, for there wasn’t a particle of 2 of the boy avoiding the scaly monster, © = however, was equal to the occasion, He grabbed up his rifle, cocked it, and fired full at the cee jaw. ; 2 - ——— 8. ; ° y ‘ + ‘apetae ‘ ay “ waar TOM cater brscovexo IN THE OLD WRECK. 7 ." ball went wn the-creature’s. ‘throat and’ ‘he stopped, " his reat jaws within soot: of Bob's, sboay. he lay quite dead. . t was a fine ot,” said Bob, getting on-‘bis| Fea et - er escape than that, you: ean "wae & goner {or sure bela st fo would have been, I'm atraia.| fe. mu been the coek-of- | u have Tom. “Did expect asked Tom. * Pvessel looks as if rath bay gpl per teony Wp | ably be in his-stomach by this time if you hadn't been around,’ I'll never be able to look at another alligator after this with- out having a fit.” “Then you will have lots of fits for we are bound to see fifty alligators before we get back to the plantation,” laughed Tom. “Well, let’s said Bob, “All right; but we want to take a good look around, here so as not to miss our landing-place.” The boys made a note of the surroundings and then started off in quest of game. \ In the course of two hours they had bagged ten large birds of the plover species, two ground doves of a beautiful plumage, three parrots, and wounded a monkey. They returned to the boat with their spoil, pushed off, and sailed further to the north, in the direction of the Caribbean Sea, along the western shore. After a while they landed again, but only succeeded in bring- ing down another parrot. “Let’s go and see where we came into this lake that morn- ing in the dark,” sugg' Bob. : Tom was willing, as they had lots of time on their hands, = the wind holding pretty good they kept along close to the shore. Bob presently discovered an alligator asleep on ‘a sandspit. He was at the helm and directéli the boat close to it. ; Then he grabbed his gun, and telling Tom to splash the water with an oar, he waited till the creature opened its eyes when he blazed away at its nearest optic. The saurian rushed into the water'and disappeared: “You'ré’a fine shot, I don’t think,” laughed Tom. ought to have plunked his eye as easy as winking.” “I'm: willing to swear that I did,” replied Bob, disap- pointedly. - “If you had you’d have killed him. struck one of the scales alongside his eye. You were too eager ‘that time.” “I guess I was,” admitted Bob. “Yonder is the entrance to the lake,” said Tom, pointing. “Beyond are the three mouths of the river Mr. Sterling told us about. We came in at the eastern one, followed the shore and thus got into the lake.” get away from here and into. the woods,” “You “There isn’t much doubt of that. Hello! What's that yonder?” . : “Looks like an old wreck.” “I’m going to head for it.” a5 ¢ They were soon alongside the wreck of a good-sized vessel, that had sunk in the mud up to her deck. All of her rotting woodwork, above that was exposed, as the tide was low. ‘Her stern overhung on the water, and Tom, making a spring, was soon standing on her after-deck. “Here, catch big painter and fasten it somewhere,” called Bob. Tom caught the rope and tied it to the top of the splintered rudder-post.” Then Bob clambered on board, and they both began to look s around this derelict of the sea. They looked into the cabin, and from its appearance it was evidently awash twice a day when the tide was up. They walked around the soft, yielding floor, for the wood was rotting fast, and looked into the staterooms on ei side, and into a they judged had been the pais ey was directly abaft. ; _ Everything had been cleaned out.. mae Not the ghost of an article of any kind r “I guess the Injuns went [onder pears 8 came ashore in here,” said” Bob. “They didn’t” leave shana for any one else to find.” ured + t to find anything?” T m_ standing in ion as otoad tar sonow Bob jesse gay oer fe feet an nak —— The ball may /have \

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‘ 16 3 a stepped out, ‘struck a match and flashed it down the ole “Say, Bob,” he said, “there’s a watt of boxes down here. Let’s get-them out and see what’s in them?” Bob came backiand looked. , \ They looked ‘as ifvthey were made of light mahogany, and had brass corners.) i “Each wa's about: eighteen inches long by a foot square, and cermae eight | ap pps ‘deep, and they were locked as tight as a drum : One .of sheen wails very heavy, the other about half as weighty. After some muscular exertion they landed them on the stateroom floor. “Finding’s keepings, I suppose,” laughed Tom. “Tf there’s anything of value in them I ought to have a share for helping you get them out of that hole, don’t you think?” said Bob. “Yes, that's right; but I don’t anticipate that they’ll prove to be very valuable. I'll give you half of what the heavy box contains, or a third of what both contain. Take your choice.” “That’s fair enough. I'll take half of the heavy box be- { cause I imagine that it might be t cap’n’s money-box.” ; “It’s ago. Help me get them into the boat.” It took both of them to convey the heavy box upon deck and into the boat. Tom ‘returned alone for the lighter box which he found he could carry under his arn® As there was nothing else of interest about the wreck they shoved off and headed up the lake toward the narrow passage which communicated with the lake beyond, at the head of ig which stood the plantation. They. made a quick run and reached the janding about four 385 y o'clock, Re Tom carried the: light box up to the house and showed it 4 _. to the senora and Nstella, who were sitting under a tree. “I found that and another like it, only heavier, on an old ie wreck down in the lower lake,” he said. (3) “It looks as if it:might contain something of value,” said the Ph lady | of the house. san have one of my women clean it for Ai ale eet: , et “Thank you,” replied the boy, “I'll go back. to the landing for the other.” . ° “What did you shoot?” said Estella. . “Four parrots and about a dozen other birds of two varie: ties. . Bob wounded a monkey, and “he nearly got ate up by an immenge alligator.” They wanted to know how that happened, and Tom told them af his companion’s harrow escape. Bob and Tom brought up the heavy box together and ex: hibited it. “What do you think is in it?” asked. Estella. Bs The boys said they.had no idea, though Bob hazarded the -~, giless that it might hold gold coin. i _ “What will you bet on it?” laughed Tom. | “1 won't bet. don't believe you have, either.” ak “You're not far wrong. Whatever change I had when I ae was carried off from Rockhaven was in my good trousers, __» which I shed in the forecastle of the ‘Ellen when the bot Sh brought this rig to me and told me to get into it.” OY have to make sek sal Bob provide you with a d Bob. ’ s of thelr. volar ag and it was soon on exhibition the senora, her daughter, and the other children. E inet carried onto the veranda for Mr. Sterling, he came in from 2 nia eee which he ‘to ee a hers ; F I haven't anything to bet, anyway, and I) CAST ADRIFT. They told him. Y “You ought to have shot a deer. “Bob wounded a monkey.” Then Tom narrated his companion’s ticklish experience with the alligator. “You are a very lucky boy, Lawrence,” the gentleman said. “Tf your friend had missed a-vulnerable spot you would have been dragged into the water and eaten in short order. I guess you're willing to admit now that the alligators are quicker on their legs even on land than you supposed.” “I bet you they are. That rascal lost no time going for me. He was hungry, I guess, and sized me up as a nice tid- bit. “We've got something to show you, sir,” said Tom. “What is it?” “A couple of ‘mahogany boxes we brought away from an old stranded wreck in the lake below.” “Where did you find them? I was aboard that hulk two years ago, and I could not find a thing in her.” “We, or rather I, found them by accident. They were un- der the floor of the stateroom at the back of the cabin. They were,in a hole covered by a trap. The trap gave way under my weight and that is how I discovered them.” “Where are these boxes?” “On the veranda.” Mr. Sterling went over and looked at them. “They look as if they might contain valuable papers, or even money, perhaps,” he said. “One of them is uncommonly heavy, sir,” said Tom. “Ig it? Well, we'll open them after supper, if you like, though it seems almost a pity to have to break apart two such well-made boxes.” Mr. Sterling entered the house, and ‘soon afterward the evening meal was announced. Some of the birds the boys had shot were on the table, and the lads both declared that they tasted all right. After Mr. Sterling had smoked a cigar on the veranda he called a man and had him carry the boxes into the room on the ground floor that he used as an office. He tried a bunch of keys on the locks, but to no effect. Then, procuring a hammer and a wide chisel, he com- menced operations on the heavy box. “Half of whatever is in that box goes to Bob, who waives claim to any share in whatever we find in the other. That’s understood, is it, Bob?” asked Tom. “That’s correct. If there isn’t some coined money in it J shall be much disappointed.” Mr. Sterling worked carefully, as he wished to pry apart the lock with as little damage as possible to the box. Finally the lock snapped and the cover flew open. The box contained eight bags, apparently full of money. “What did I tell you!” shouted Bob, in jeront delight. “It’s coin, sure as you live.” The master of the house lifted one of the bags out and shook it. “It's money,” he said. fortunate boys.” The bags proved to contain about $1,000 apiece in Spanish gold, “That's $4,000 each for us,” fortune.” ; “You can bet your life it is,” anid Bob, smacking his lips over his half of the find.” “It’s too bad the other isn't full of money, too,” “I wish it was,” replied Tom. }I wonder what is in it?” “Papers,” suggested Bob. “It holds something heavier than paper,” “Well; I congratulate you on the result of your find so far. ‘So much money as that isn’t picked up very often.” They make fine eating.” geld Tom. “Quite a little “Then I'd be worth $12,000. ‘He liad more trouble opening the second box, and it took him more than twenty minutes to do it. ‘ A layer of damp cotton first met their eager gaze. © When this was removed they saw a ‘tray filled with ‘Jarge ts uncut’ ‘Brazilian diamonds, In all there were five trays filled with’ ‘the rough ‘gems, “I’m not a connoisseur of these stones, but, judging from ‘the size and general appearance of the gems, I nage «fh 4 ‘their value roughly at anywhere from $50,000 to }said Mr. paslins sl an examination of many of 4 be speci “Probably gold. You are a pair of” said Mr. Sterting?! oe Peer

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out knowing their actual value, I certainly would not take a _. less than $75,000 for them as they stand if they belonged ‘Oo me.” “Good gracious!” cried Tom, quite overcome by. this pros- pect of sudden riches. “I_wish I'd agreed to take a third of the value of both boxes,” growled Bob, with a longing look at the uncut gems. “Never mind, Bob,” replied Tom, “If the stones turn out to be as valuable as Mr. Sterling says, I'll give you a share in them—say ten per cent.” ; “Will you?” exclaimed Bob, in delight. “You're a brick!” “IT suppose you mean to go back to the States pretty soon,” said the gentleman, with a smile. “Yes, sir,” replied Tom. “Well, I'll have this box securely nailed up for you so that no one will be the wiser as to the character of its contents. Or, if you prefer, I'll go with you to Carthagena and see if I can dispose of the diamonds at their actual value. That will save you from the red-tape business of passing the stones through the United States customs, aS well as prevent you from the possibility of being cheated when you, ignorant of their real value, attempted to dispose of them in the American market.” “T shall be very much obliged to you if you will do that, sir,” said Tom. “I don’t know the first thing about how I would go about selling them. I suppose you could have this Spanish gold changed into a draft on a Boston bank, too?” “Oh, yes! There will be no difficulty about that. Any of banks will figure out the exchange value of the coin and furnish you. with a draft. There’s a line of weekly steamers from Carthagena to Kingston and other ports in the West Indies. I'll secure a passage for each of you, and you can take another steamer from Kingston to New York. From there it is but a step to Boston, you know.” _ The senora and Estella were astonished when they learned of the rich nature of the contents.of the two boxes. “Just to think how long they've lain in the cabin of that old wreck, waiting; as it were, for these young Americans to come over here and discoveri them. It is really wonderful when you come to consider the matter.” The boys fully agreed with the lady of the house. Suddenly Tom gave a loud exclamation that drew all eyes to him. \ “You'll hardly believe what I'm going to tell you,” he said, with sparkling eyes, “but on the afternoon of the day I was kidnapped from the “seacost village where I lived, an old woman, after looking at the palm of my left hand, told me _ that I would become’rich'in a short time.” CAST ADRIBT. Ww Pedro, the overseer, down to the humblest laborer. At last the day arrived when, accompanied by\Mr; Sterling, and an escort of four. natives, they, bid adieu to the. planta- tion and all on it, and started for the seaport. of Carthagena. The distance to be traversed was about ninety miles, and the line of march lay over and through alternate plain and forest, with here and there a village of more or less import- ance, in the neighborhood of which were mapy outlying plan- tations, at one of which the party put up each night, as Mr. Sterling was well known to all the proprietors for many miles on either side of their route. They made the trip in a leisurely way, accomplishing about | twenty-five miles in each eight hours of travel, and on the levening of the fourth day, after leaving the banks of the Magdalena, they entered the town of Carthagena. They put up at the principal hotel, and on the following morning Mr. Sterling showed the boys the town, which they found to be the chief seaport of the Republic of Colombia. It was built on a sandy peninsula of the Caribbean Sea, connected with the continent by a narrow neck of land. They visited the handsome cathedral, and several of the churches and convents; likewise the fortifications, which they found to be extensive. On the following day, Mr. Sterling deposited the $8,000 of Spanish gold with the principal bank, and received two drafts on a Boston bank for equal amounts made out in the names of Tom Gilbert and Bob Lawrence. Then he started out to dispose of the rough diamonds, Previous to leaving the plantation Tom had presented to the senora, her daughter Estella, and Mr. Sterling, their choice of his collection, and had also given Pedro Gonsalvo one of the lesser stones as a present. It took Mr. Sterling several days to arrange the sale of the diamonds on asatisfactory basis, and when the deal was finally concluded he handed Tom another draft on Boston ifor $80,000. . | Tom showed it to Bob. ‘ b “I'll keep my promise with you, old man,” he said. “You jshall have ten per cent. of this after I have collected it, That | wat) make you worth $12,000, and ought to give you a good start in life.” ; ‘ “I'm satisfied,” replied Bob. “You're entitled to the bulk of the boodle, as it wouldn’t have been found but for you. I consider myself mighty lucky in having run up against you.” Mr. Sterling secured a passage for the boys to Kingston by a steamer of an English line bound for London, and two 8 after their business had been concluded the boys bade the “Is it possible!” exclaimed the senora. ‘American good-bye, with the promise that some day in the “Yes. I laughed at her, for it was about as impossible a| future they would try and pay him and his family. another thing as I could well imagine, yet here it has all come out’! visit, © true. She’ also told me I was going to leave Rockhayen soon,| Jn due time they disembarked at. Kingston, at which’ port though she didn’t say that I was about to be kidnapped. }they found a steamer on the point of sailing for New York However, she told me that I had an enemy who was vonspir- City. ing against me. Of course that was Captain Barnacle, though, ‘They took passage on board éf her, and in three days en-" what he had against me I cannot possibly imagine. She ; bor of American metropolis, further said that I was going to cross water to a One| tered Pe hee ae ie ie new and strange to me, and you see I have, much against my will, been forced to, come to this country. She also said I would be in peril of my life more than once, and I have. had forgotten all about her prophecy till the tlfought that I had become rich brought it before me again. Strange, wasn't it, how she could read all that in the palm of my hand?” All agreed that it was. *Some people seem to be endowed with the extraordinary faculty of looking into the future,” said Mr. Sterling. “The i “It feels good to reach the land of the good old Stars and Stripes again,” said Tom, as the steamer came to anchor at | Quarantine. I _ “Yon can bet your life it does,” replied Bob, enthusiastically. |“New York is my old stamping ground, you know; conse- | quently I’m thoroughly at home here.” ' | “I never was anywhere in this country outside of a limited /area of Massachusetts before,” answered Tom, “so things are | as new to me here as they were in South America.” “Not quite as new, for there isn’t muth difference between gypsy women are more or less versed in thé art of reading | the people of New York and those of Massachusetts.” '$ fortune from the lines in the palm of the handi What there really is in it I do not profess to know. The been people in all ages and countries who havé pro shave’ cerned. even tO} Boston, and that place isn't such a great way from the little “1 don't mean that. I mean as far as the sights are con- I never was in a big city in all my life—not _ be able to foretell past, present and, future events by means town fn which I was born.” of an observation made of the. heavens at the moment of ‘a person’s berth, Such persons have called themselves astrol- . ogers.” a ; : ‘It was a long time before Tom got to sleep that night, and x then he pag parnrst fantastic dreams, in which he figured 5 | to Rockhaven.” a ey . \ 7 x fr 3 i2 . ’ “Then I'll have the pleasure of introducing you to the big- gest city in the country. Between us we ought to’have a good time while we’ stay here.” ‘ ' ay “I'm not anxious to stay long, as I am in a hurry to go baek “I guess Fanny Gibbs holds a mortgage on you, Tom. Some day you'll cancel it by marrying her.” ets ae “T hope so. She’ finest girl in the world.” ‘s f ‘ a y _ That afternoon the boys landed in New York and put up © was to rig themselves out in a new w 1d shoes to match. ahs. Was 2 purchased a couple of substantial trunks, wniets “~ : c- We eee

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. hae ' . * ; 4 adopt criminal methods to gain 18 CAST a a LL ADRIFT. they filled with shirts, —e in that line. ” create a sensation when I make my appearance in Rockhaven,” laughed Tom, as he view himself ime pier glass. Bob induced Tom to remain nearly a week in New York. He showed him all the sights of the metropolis, and Tom was quite astonished at the wonders of the big city. On a Sunday night they took the midnight train over the Shore Line for Boston, arriving at the capital of Massachusetts early on the following morning. Shortly after breakfast they took a train over the Boston & Maine Railroad for the nearegt point to Rockhaven. A short branch line carried them to the town within eight miles by road of the village, and Tom hired a conveyance to take them over to the little seaport. About a mile outside of Rockhaven the vehicle broke down. “We'll have to hoof it the balance of the way,” said Tom, as he surveyed the damage which the wagon had sustained. “There’s a blacksmith shop a quarter of a mile down the road,” he said to the driver. “Start your nag up and I’ll have the repairs made at my expense.” Accordigly, they resumed their way, all hands walking. Tom and Bob went on alone after reaching the blacksmith’s, where an arrangement was made for the repair of the wagon. At last or boys came in sight.of the sea, with the steeple eae showing above the break that the road underelothing, and everything they They oa traversed half this wood when they suddenly heard voices proceeding from behind a big rock. ose voices belongs to Captain Barnacle, or I’m ”" he said. “And the other sounds like Mr. the man I worked for at the store, and who said he my guardian. I'm going to make sure. I'd like to give the captain an unpleasant surprise.” He crept up to the corner of the stone, followed by Bob, looked eeteey around it,,and saw at once that his suspi- were correct. Captain Barnacle and Mr. Marsh were seated on an old tree trunk talking, and the store-keeper seemed to be considerably worked up over something. “The boy is dead and food for the fishes long ago,” said the captain. “So there ain’t:no reason for ye holdin’ off no longer and — to pay me that thousand dollars that ye Promised me for kidnapin’ him and seein’ that he was put out of the way.” At those words, which thoroughly astonished the listening , Tom/caught his breath with a gasp. “But I want proof that Tom Gilbert wasn’t picked up and Saved by some passing vessel,” whined Mr. Marsh. “If he should turn up again, even months from now, all my plans would be ruined.” ig plans have ye gotyagin him, anyway?” asked the per. bet nde wy business,” replied the store-keeper, sulkily. that before, Mister Marsh. Now, I’ve made up my cd the pertic’lars. If ye don’t tell me I’ll have for passin’ a counterfeit hundred-dollar bill on me, no doubt . -ye did knowin’ly, thinkin’ I wouldn’t "t dare, soln ged re arrested I've no the diff'rence. _ “You wouldn “I wouldn’t, eh? Ye don’t know me, Mister Marsh, Tell me ‘ are workin’ agin that -dead boy, or I'll show u rye, hited me to abduct and put him out of way if ye don't. . “You'll only put a ig around your own neck.” “Don't ye believe it. Mage dah t a FS I kin prove ct gtr red ig desi ofa rang I,kin send ye and I'll do it, too, per thes myself for a Of observation, learned ‘all about the Le PN ke Ag dap father had left to him and which now '. that it had proved to be valuable had caused his guardian to : possession of it for himself. So Jaines Marsh. and not Captain Barnacle, was the enemy to old’ woman when she read his fortune at “So that’s game, is it Mister Marsh?” Jaughed. the cap- eardontal Secs woharme oe ate get for the property, or ye'll get nothin’ as sure as my name is Cap’n Barnacle and I’m the skipper of the Mary Ellen.” “He'll do nothing of the kind, Captain Barnacle,” said Tom, walking around the rock and presenting himself before the astonished gaze of the conspirators. “Tom Gilbert!” gasped James Marsh, rising with a white and haggard face. “Exactly—Tom Gilbert,” replied the sturdy boy. “I’ve heard the whole of your conversation, and I now know why I was kidnaped two months ago from Rockhaven. And I've a wit- ness, too. Bob, show yourself.” Whereupon Bob Lawrence put himself in evidence. Captain Barnacle swore a round oath and, turning on his heel, made off. “As for you, Mr. Marsh,” said Tom, “I ought to have no mercy on you, but because you were an o]d friend of my father’s I'll give you a chance, Go to the store. I will call there by and by for a full explanation. If you do the right thing by me I'll not prosecute you, and no one shall know from -me that a are such a rascal as your own words have proved you to Is it a bargain?” “Yes, yes. I'll tell you everything,” “T think I know most everything as it is. we meet aagin.” Then Tom and Bob left him, a badly demoralized man. Captain Barnacle went to sea that afternoon on one of his regular trips.. As neither he, nor the Mary Ellen, nor any of the crew ever returned, it was taken for granted that the schooner foundered in the storm which struck the coast soon after. It was with a beating heart that Tom Gilbert, followed by Bob, descended the cliff at the back of the Gibbs’ cottage after leaving his guardian in the wood. He thought to find Fanny at work in the kitchen, but she wasn't there. He walked around to the front of the house expecting to see Captain Gibbs either pottering around his little garden or smoking on the small veranda. The captain was not in sight. “Where can they be?” the boy asked himself. Then he stopped &hort as the voice he knew so well broke in plaintiff tones upon the air from a point on the edge of the cliff: whine the storé-Keeper. Now, good-by till “Where are you wandering, Robin Adair? On billowy ocean,‘ or on the land—where?” Tom advanced, as if drawn by the song, until he made out where the singer was sitting, with p Be hands in her lap and her face turned toward the ocean, sparkling in the morning sunshine. As the last words floated off on the air, and the girl buried her face in her hands, Tom went softly up behind her and put his arms around her. “1 have returned, Fanny,” he said, softly. She uttered a scream and sprang up. When she saw that it was indeed Tom who held her in his armis, she dropped her head on his shoulder with a sigh of joy. Bob knew better than to follow Tom as he went toward his sweetheart, but took a seat on the veranda, where Tom in a short time introduced him to the girl of his heart. Captain Gibbs returned from the village about this time, and he was mighty glad to see Tom again. The boys took dinner at the cottage and then Tom carried ‘Bob with him to the store, to be a witness to the settlement between him and James Marsh, They remained a week at Rockhaven and were the lions of the place, Then they went to Boston, where they sollaptenl their drafts con the bank, both of them leaving the’ bulk of their money on special deposit. Tom and Bob went into business together, and are to-day rising young-merchants of Boston. Tom has a summer residence at Rockhaven in addition to the substantial home in Roxbury, and both are presided over by Fanny, now his beloved wife; but neither of them will ever forget the night he was cast vad through the rascality of James Marsh. Next week s issue will souteda “PLAYING THE MARKET; OR, A KEEN BOY IN WALL STREET,” aachin: at all, SEND POSTAL FOR OUR FREE CATALOGUE. ? Lae tees " : roa : eh . ‘ CF ae fe pea) TYRE st TE UE CPE ED seem Meee ORO Herm wea bec Ce atta te! AP TiC Nelat "See DRT Ree fut ek OR fp SCRE > ge ane Tce,

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; FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. 19 ¥ 0) CURRENT NEWS} > ‘ “A Toronto jeweler has a set of earrings, necklace, locket and bracelets, all made of cast. iton by a Prussian jeweler. more than 100 years 'agd. The Jewelers’ Circular savs they have a wonderfully fragile appearance, and their | peckers or “robins. , Perhaps this wouldn’t have become known if the birds hadn’t got so-scandalonsly drunk that they tried to drill holés-in the tin roofs of farmhouses.’ With a whole squad of soused woodpeckers going it like a preservation is due entirely to the exquisite workmanship, | battery of pneumatic drills, the noise “was so terrific the They were made to replace gold jewelry given by women to the Government when Prussia was cpushed by Napo- * Jeon. “wide: Elsie Vail, in relating her domestic troubles to Cirenit Judge Shields, of St. Louis, said that one of ‘the things which displeased her was that her husband, George N. Vail, was in the habit of washing his feet inthe dish- pan. When she objected, Mrs. Vail testified, Vail’s mother, with whom the Vails were living, took her son’s part and said that her son had always washed his feet in the dishpan before his marriage. A mountain of water-soaked sawdust: released from‘ its position on the’ top of a hill about one-half mile-east of _ Pairfax. Wash., crashed down tle embankment, {ore the strong two-story home ‘of J. H. Skiles to pieces and in+| stantly killed Mrs. Skiles, who was alohé in her home. Her husband is principal of the Fairfax: school and had left home with his two sons some time before the slide. The sawdust was years in accumulating, being? he “dump” 4 sof an oe abanidoned mill. hy a “ahd iy % - . Henry J. Robb, i Alma;.N, Y., arrested in Continental- ville on a warrant pharging him with abandonnient, says he fled from his wife Jennie because she forbid him. to wear spectacles. Robb said that she placed a ban on spee- tucles because she thought they did not look good on him. He declared: he could not read without them. Mrs. Robh _, denies this, asserting her spouse took flight afier she took ~ his glassé¢s away to eh him from staying up late nights Roa, tinted “trashy stories.” . *S _ stitutional -Amendnient. - Eo i » bis 4 ipiaahoite pee gift of 2, 229 sian each of whom is worth $30,000, when Judge Henry Hudson handed down - a decision holding that all Osage Indians were full citizens ‘of the United States and as such were entitled to all rights, _ privileges and imfnunities granted in the Fourteenth Con- The decision gives the’ 2,229 _ members of. the Osage tribe complete control over their personal ‘properties, but does not ‘affect their real, estate holdings. In thesdecision Judge Hudson held of naught a divorcement which an Osage procured by tribal custom from his wife, holding that Osages are citizens and that their divorces must be granted by the State courte. 7 a Naa —~——_—— Pn be. tes the “cay birds” of this. States” “What ert the State et Iry? They can get drunk and oy drill holes in -the birch trees and let the} spifflicated ed don’t know whether they ate ‘have ficcked there in millions. ig Waglake wrk, ae ea farmers couldn't sleep. They investigated. the affair and then discovered that Maine woodpeckers are fast going to the dogs, . Sanfotd Phillips, Jr., two years old, of Elkins, W. Va., owes his life to the fear of wild hogs for their own like- ness when reflected from a mirror. Wild hogs which exist in the mountains of Randolph County came down into the foothills and eharged into the'home of Sanford Phil- lips, upsetting furniture and attacking Phillips’ tywo-year- old son. The animals had torn nearly all the clothing from the child when he ran into a corner where a big mir- ror hung. The hogs followed, but soon stopped when they beheld their likeness in the big glass. Only a second did they hesitate, however, then turned, plunging: from the house’ back up the mountainside. The child was only slightly injured. © : One industry which flourishes each winter in the north- - ern part of Crawford County, Kan., near Farlington Sta- tion, on, the line of the Frisco railroad, is the killing of crows. |The ’Frisco Railroad Company is the owner of a tree farm ' covering 1,000 acres, and ever since the trees became large enough ‘to serve as a roosting-place the birds So also have the hunters. A bounty of five cents a head prevails forall those who take the heads to the county clerk. With all-of this effort on the part of all the people to eliminate the pests, they have nevér seen the birds grow less in number. .The fa- vorite method of hunting them is to go into the tree farm during the night and there slaughter the crows.’ The men ~ who. understand their business obtain’ good results this. way. Dr. 8. A. Barrett, curator of anthropology at the Pini Museum, Milwaukee, is planning to build a reproduction of the trading post erected by Solomon Juneau when he came to Milwaukee in 1818. The restored. post, as com- plete as Dr. Barrett can make it, will be placed on exhibi- tion at the museum. Dr. Barrett requests the, assistance of every one versed in the history of old Milwaukee. ‘Sketches or weodeuts of the trading post, even though drawn from memory after the trading post had disap- peared, will be especially helpful. Actording to a aoa "| piled history of Milwaukee, Solomon Juneau’s home, built .| immediately after his landing, Sept. 14, 1818, was ie dwelling and trading post on the east fide of the waukee River, near the present intersection of Wiscofisin ‘East Wafer streets. It was made of ae: Pty meee gent a oe E

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FAME AND FORTUNE - WEEKLY. ‘ ~ MAX AND HIS MILLION” BCA 5 = - WORKING FOR THE WIZARD OF WALL STREET "2 CHAPTER IX (continued) ¥ “T have a letter,” said Mr. Brown meekly, “but I want to say before you read it that I can better advise you for to-morrow’s investment than ten days from now. I will tell you in strict confidence, that I am about to force United , Oil stock up ten points to-morrow.. Place your $200, 000 on margin with any reliable broker and. you are bound to be worth a million by the close of the board to- morrow. If your broker says the stock cannot be ‘had let obtained.” “The trouble is,. -sir, I cannot place my hand. on this money to-day:’ “State the case. ‘Perhaps Teean suggest something.” - “It is like this, Mr. Brown. L.already have the $200,000 in the bank, but I am pledged not to use it until the 10th |. of next month, I.cannot break that pledge. ms 4 / 10th of next mon eta ed a a SOay er. T ean't-do it” NE ate or €Whyinot? My-offer is most, liberal.” ” 3 igi aca on the 10th of mark month ith money may not be: mine: to use.” ¥ a c 2 y t “But. it is yours how?” tee b Ma. Vas . “Iteiss Look-here.” = he bank: book and exhibited the deposit | @ * said- Brown. “Py as you gh n - You’ are lade for it. Never mind your pledges. is a sure go, anyhow, and you can pay me out oh on the transaction. Bring me the Wizard's d vont, name to a little calgtihte ge T will hare attach, bank. deposit, but the temptation g fe or oo: ‘and he said yes. Brown. “N Max, drawing ait ‘tha = him telephone me, and I will inform a where it can be |. “Proye to me that you have $200,000 in the bank, and | | I will.advance you a pd amount on your check i dated the |. you get your check for $200,000, ANT shall ? ; $200, 000, will you buy on margin fo® me?” » “Surest ting, Maxey, and for mein ownself, too!” cried | ‘iibetein. Ki That, night Max got his sheet as usual, eagerly consult ang it as soon as he reached Pe room. | N ‘OW, a is my sebier to & 155 “ J, AP - te uk . a oP aehg eee that ‘Mr. Brown was figuring on ps} call on Brown, Max found Zi Pa Ad ter addressed to himself read. ees : Jan 'S ve Call 5 po cae paper he will hand Soh g a rare Fang By ED KING (A SERIAL STORY) brought before the public any more prominently than it now is. The details of this business it should not be neces- sary to go into with a man like you. It is enough to say that I suspect nobody in particular. The most skillful de- tectives have exhausted their efforts in the case. “T now appeal to you to name the thief. Understand-- ing that you refuse all money compensation except through your representative, I offer none. I, however, hold my- self at your service at any time. Yours truly; - Aa 2a Bares. * Max handed ‘the letter bade. “Are you not going to take it to the Wizard: e detent ed Mr.“ Brown, turning pale. “It is not necessary,” replied Max. “You can hardly understand the Wizard ; he is the.most singular man alive. Yesterday he gaye me the answer. I have it here.” ~ “In advance? You told him?” - “T told him nething. Listen while I read.” Then Max tore open his envelope and read as follows: 4 “Tn the Brown matter I would say to the man that the ol person who has robbed him sits at his right hand. Let ‘him force Asx the small safe and Bee of guilt will be . found, 3 “Great bodhene gasped the multimillionaire. “My ; son! 2" Clapping on his hat, he rushed out of the office like a - javild man. , *“Confound it!” thought. Max, “that settles my hash : Hold on! I’ve got the agreement, though. By thunder, ‘TL hotd himi to his word. z Max hurried around to Broker Ritein “1 got a tip from Brown to-day,” he said. is to be. boomed ten points to-morrow. It was so. - United Oi! was down for a ton points Reaching the office next. ert the ‘cashier of ‘the United Oil Company Company, and Nf nm = hich et: ready.” rls , Hs “United Oil If. ¥. give oe siti Pena See fal de determined to Py %

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FAME Unnecessary to say, Max called. AND FORTUNE WEERLY. _————— = 21 I could never “Oh, no,/Max. Don’t deceive yourself. Upon stating his name, the cashier asked if he had Mr.| do that: bat my ambition-is the stage. If I could only , Brown’s letter. Max handed it in and the paper came out. Tt was simply an agreement to pay, binding on what- - ever property he possessed. Brown risked nothing. _. Max knew that should failure come his bank account ~ could: be attached. ; Still he took the check and>carried it to Ebstein. _ It was'a day of wild ‘excitement on Wall Street. Stocks were up and stocks were down, and, following a _ ally at the close, Unitel Oil was pushed up ten points above the morning quotation. Max was in Ebstein’s office when at a quarter-past three the broker came rushing in, wildly excited. “Ha, Max! You vin owid!” he cried. “Hooray for de Vizard of Vall Street! I make ten tousand and you vas ~ vorth a million and over, mein boy!” CHAPTER X. PROPOSITIONS. - Yes, Max had made hjs million.- ti ' Isaac Ebstein’s excited words proved quite true. Tt was more than a million. It footed up $1.121,495.63. Max cashed in next day, and sent a check for $200,000 to Mr. Brown. Although Max was not of age, he had a _ special arrangement with his bank whereby he was per- . Spa to sign checks. For this he geceived a receipt and the canceled where. aunt’ nothing more. _ From Brown ally there was not a line. During the ey Max attended to business as usual; and gave eut ten tips _, The only thing ‘he did which was out of the usual line * was to inform Susie that his deals had been successful, and that her pay was raised to $30 a week. sf _ Said Max: “Now, Susie, T want you to leave that tene- “ment house right away. The old rooms can only have sad + iations for you. Find a respectable boarding-house at once.” — “T think T shall do so, me oe Susie paused abruptly. ap sty you were going to say something,” said Max. “Oh; no. ‘I was just thinking.” TOR what? Come, Susie, I don’t believe you liave any Wbelter viend than I am.” a Ul ta Max. The truth is, I have elidostié No, - friends.” ‘ “Then speak it right ont Is it about your music * reas > oa i") 2 1h sae T knoe you sing betutifully and in « tiet way have been trying to cultivate your voice”) 4H aid antl "Fa After that 1 * eee could not affo arenes eee aes ‘down to it Bs he! 4, learn ‘to sing well enough to help me out in thatvit is all I could possibly expect.” “All right,” said Max, ‘ ‘perhaps I can-help you. We'll see.’ He did not-say:a word about his millidns Max was reti- cent: by nature, and he | was firmly resolved to do no boast- ing. , "That evening he called at the Wizard’s. as usual. He- was most anxious to tell Mr. Coloney of his good fortune, but he hardly dared to try it. He got the chance without asking for it, however, for when the tip sheet came out there was a scrap of paper pinned “to it, upon which was written: “Time was up yesterday. Did you make your million? Answer yes or po.” “Yes!” called. Max. “I want to say——” Down. went the slide, but as Max was descending the stairs he heard his name called. “Max ! teed “Yes, sir.” Max turned to’see the slide raised a little way. -3 “Don’t get the big head!” called Coloney. ey The slide was instantly closed. And this ended the eventful day upon which May Meyers first came to fully realize that he was more ’ than a millionaire. Now to describe in detail all that happened jo "Bind during this eventful ‘period of his career-would, of course, ‘take us far beyond the limits of our story. We shall be ‘obliged to jump from one thing to another. To begin with, let us take up the doingsof one Dastigubes day. Max had particularly requested Broker Ebstein to keep lose about his good fortune, but, of course, the broker promptly let out the secret. . ‘Equally, of course, the matter, with wild exeggetation, got into the papers. Max was interviewed by reporters, his picture was pub- ‘| lished, his fortune was put down by one journal at two millions, by another at three, by another still at five. He was called the yo “Wizard of Wall Street.” There were unpleasant ‘allusions to his business of giv- _n ing out tips. One paper hinted that he acted as. andi for certain brokers who were profiting by exposing the secrets of their clients. made about our hero, but they only served to increase Max’s business. ‘The little office was crowded. Max could not begin to fae accommodate his customers, “One of theve days Max afterward called is day of * | propositions. ‘Ke bogan in the morning. Ebstein was Swaiting, tak #0y’ tha bed ISAS 5: % : ras cre to go into eam AP aia him, which was be pgecpyall Pps We could not begin to tell all the ridiculous statements

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; pauls BIGGEST GUSHER IN THE WORLD. Herbert G. Wylie, vice-president and general manager of the Mexican Petroleum Company, announced recently ‘that his company has struck the biggest oil well in the +i ‘world, eighty miles sonth of Tampico, Mexico. The oil be- the afternoon the flow from a pipe ten inches in diameter had become a column 500 feet high.’ “It ‘is still spomting to that height. - “The capacity is now 120,000 airtel a day,” the an- . nouncement records, “and the flow is at the rate of 5,000 barrels an hour through four sixteen-inch pipes} which run out of the dam that was built to hold the oil.” _ Work on the well was begun about a year ago, but ‘had te to be abandoned because of the revolution. Recently the drilling was resumed. Just before the oit gushed, 50.000,- . 000, cubic feet of gas blew out, sweeping a the der- SoH \ FIND TRUNKS FILLED WITH LIQUOR. _ The-seizure of liquor-laden trunks by prohibition officers / of West Virginia is told of by the Parkersburg (W. Va.) i be oot oe _ J. Walter Bee, the Prohibition officer, who, in attending | ee Federal Court, states that a trunk, a large one, such as ee ig used. by traveling men and weighing about five hundred " pounds, was taken from the train at Clarksburg the other %. _ night, having been checked from this city. It was seized ined it and found it contained 200 quarts of liquor. The es has not been located. Smaps uk was seized at Kingwood which had been: sNecliad @ which was found to contain 152 pints. Mr. Bee states that he is of the opinion that a number of are making an effort to ‘smuggle liquor into the te in beg but a wateh is iets on: eid who are sah ince fi ry ] AG : : INVENTS “ANTE-WIRE GLOV the inventions now being tested by tes War Of- jals is one plier ‘to George Lynch, a ‘well-known aad spelled thod of destroying wire entanglements.’ inster Gazette, describing the invention, says ‘consists of the use of a pair of gauntlets made ‘y khaki « cloth n lightly padded - with ‘cotton wool peculiar powder, \ a ec reper) the material deccrtetenaetan : ‘barbed wite materi re slightest fear enetrating seve) si 2 “peta gan shooting out the other morning and by 3 o’elock inj ° at Clarksburg by Prohibition Officer Tenney, who exam-| | months, and Russell, three years, in the care of tune. us, He ran across a friend of his younger days, and through |him learned of his children. Pleasant avenue, Union Hill. The maid conducted him to | the parlor, which Mrs. Carl E. Qunther, wife of a wealthy FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. INTEREST. A’ company hes been formed to develop the invention. The War Office already has ordered some supplies and the substance has been successfully tested in the Russian. army. : WANTED GREEN IN SHIRT. “Lemme see something nifty in shirts—something with a classy green stripe,” said Dan McKee; of Soho street, as he cruised into the men’s furnishing store of Emil. de Santis, in Webster avenue, Pitts burgh. The lone clerk evidently did not notice all the specifieations of McKee’s order, and listlessly drew out at random the first box of shirts his hand touched. “Picking the top shirt out, he laid it before McKee. “There’s something nice,” he began. > “Oh, is it?” yelled’ McKee. Things happened in. rapid succession for a few minutes, during which the clerk ran for a policeman. A showcase was smashed and haberdashery strewn about the floor. — “McKee,” asked Magistrate Sweeney at the hearing the next morning, “what on earth made you try to wreck that store?” : 7 “T asked for a green-striped shirt, judge.” “Well ?” "he “And that fellow handed me a bright, orange one.’ “T see,” said Sweeney.’ “But Pll have to ‘make it wae days.” ‘ FATHER BACK WITH FORTUNE. Charles Wyckoff brought a father and a fortune from Nevada on, December 27 as a’ Christmas present to two married children. ‘The father, who the children had not — seen in twenty-one years, carried the fortune. The reason the dual. gift was not delivered on time is that Wyckoff — failed to find the children until two days later. The i, ea was nét made known until recently. ; Shortly after his wife’s death, twenty-one years ago, Wyckoff left his two children, Florence, aged twe % eir ; grandmother, Mrs. Dora Dehm, at her house on Jefferson street, Union Hill, N..J:» He went sabe to seek his for- After a time his letters ceased, as david F themselves upon him, Finally he “struck it rich” — in gold and’ copper mining. Shortly before Christmas Wyckoff came to New York. a ~ Happy, he hurried to 25 _ cemarnea canes hl so § reine mek her : et in her

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FAME AND FORPUNE WEEKLY. 23 HARRY, THE HUSTLER Shion : . SS CHAPTER I. HUSTLING FOR A JOB. __ One raw, chilly morning in mid-November, when lower Broadway, New York, was at its busiest, a boy striking through the City Hall park crossed by-the postoffice and turned down Park Place. » . There was nothing peculiar about this boy’s appearance. He was decently dressed, but this was about all that copld be said of his apparel. His age was probably anywhere from seventeen to nineteen, he was rather undersized, and looked the boy of the’ people; n6é rich man’s son, born with a gold spoon in his mouth, but a-boy who would have to F make his own way if it was to be made at all. » 2 ett Ss Ae Ee «His bright, honest face, his keen gray eyes and well- built figure were all in his favor, but the chief peculiarity _ of the boy—indeed, we may say his only eat as far _ as appearance went—was his walk. Instead of lolling along with his hands in his peeote: or _ swinging idly at his side, this boy walked witlr a peculiar hustling gait, as if he was going somewhere. q _ Two gentlemen whom he brushed past ag he turned the ¥ corner particularly noticed this, and one of them remarked "to the other: _ “That’s‘the kind of boy I like to see, Dodson. Tf: he _hhasn’t business on hand he acts as though he had. He’s a born Suetler ; you can see it in his face and by the way he ¥ ‘Diotlom, a stout, overfed. man with a red face and rather thick about the neck, turned and looked after the boy, who _ Was just entering a store. ae “Yes, Mr. Longworth, that’s so,” he replied, . a : thew that boy, He% all business. He used to be with the Tntér- ' national Express. He frequently came to my office, but I hayen’t seen him of late.” _ “He is the very kind I was just speaking of,” said M . Longworth, “and T wish he was in my employ. Td}* -tather have a fellow like that—I’m speaking of him a he d college graduaté in the’ land,” es, yes,” assented Dodson. “A ‘fellow. has eet, ¥0 , nowadays, providing he expects to succeed at eanwhile the boy was mending in the Park P “wholesale paint establishment—waitin for a , get ina word beg the a NR fellow whom she d out as bx Rand ‘s to be, of course—than the mnpat Spy eda sags Sen ee Oe CRT THE BOY WHO WAS READY FOR BUSINESS By GASTON GARNE ; (A SERIAL STORY) Tt came at last. “Well, boy?” “Do you want a boy, sir? I want a job.” “No, no. Get out!” “All right, sir. Good-day.” The tone was civil, the boy’s manner brisk and business- like. He did not slouch out nor slam the door when he went out. He left the boss guessing whether he hadn’t made a mistake, for, as it happened, he had it in mind to discharge a particularly lazy boy that very day. The boy, with the same brisk walk and bosinmetibe air, . pushed on ‘to Church street, turned the corner, and tried-it again in a wholesale china establishment on Barclay street. This boy was bound to find a job. } Being systematic by nature, he was looking for a job on a system peculiarly his’ own. He did not want every one to understand that he was going from store to store looking for work. He had therefore adopted the plan of applying only at’ one store on a block. The day before he had been working the first blocks east of Broadway from the postoffice to the’ Battery; on this day the first blocks on the West Side. . As he entered the china establishment he came up against a pompous salesman who would have soon sent him ~ flying if it had not been for his business-like air and the very polite way in which he asked for the pecpaakie, whose name he had taken from the sign. , “He is not down yet,” said the snlentngin. row the manager, do?” “Yes, sir, He'll do,”-replied the boy. The salesman pointed out the manager’s office, and the boy, finding-the door open, walked in. ; Spodemmenting. sir. Do you want a boy? I want a job. 3? The. manapet, one of the cold-blooded sort, looked up ym his desk with an angry scowl, which instantly faded from ae face. .- “Won't Mr. Te ie Bard to tell thing which he saw in the fae can. you do?” he ask “Anything, tif. pede AREER It a os WY i re of” brace stone baton dein with Hie ng 30, bs me it i

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24 __FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. > a “Byer been in the crockery business ?” “No, sir. I have only had one job in this city, aah that z was on a wagon for the International Express Company. = I worked there three months.” “What were you discharged for?” “I was.the helper, sir. The wagon man had trouble with the boss about.leaving packages at the wrong address. He Be)’ got the bounce; for it, and I was fired, too.” Re . “Humph! Yon are outspoken ebout it, anyway. When was this?” * Mr. Dodson was leaning against the wall which supports the railing of Trinity churchyard. His face was redder than ever, and had a blue look about it as he stood there panting for breath. As Harry came hustling down the hill with that pecu- _ liar walk of his, Dodson called to him in a hoarse, gasping ~ voice : “Boy! Hey! You! International Express!” Harry stopped. At first he did not know the man, but he saw that’ he “Last week.” was suffering, and he asked him what the matter was and “Do you refer to the Express Company” what he could do to help. r “Certainly. I defy them to say a word against me.” “Don’t you know me?” panted the stout man. “Dodson! +: “Do you smoke cigarettes?” Diamonds! Maiden Lane! You used to come there from ty “No, sir.” the International Express.” + **Do you drink beer?” “T remember you, now,” said Harry. “What’s the mat- va No.” ter?” i ; . “Apoplexy, I guess,” panted Dodson; “but it isn’t that I want to talk about. Are you with the express company ~ | now 2”? - “No. “I’m out of that. I am hustling about for a job.” “hen you can help me and I'll pay you well for it,” Bo rage the diamond dealer. “I’m due on board the steamer | St. Peter, which is tc sai] at noon. I can’t go. I must “| est a doctor just as quickly as ever I can, Will you take a note on board the steamer for me?” “Certainly,” replied Harry. “Of course I will.” “Good! I remember you. You're a hustler. Here is a five-dollar bill for your trouble in ease I should be dead by © the time you get back. Here is the note, too. I had it. ready in case—in case anything happened to me. Hustle, — now! The St. Peter sails in half an hour. There will be a package, perhaps. Bring it to my place, but if I am not '| there. say nothing about it to any one; bring it to my Aquse, I will write the address on a card.” » All this was said slowly, and with much puffing and ‘ laity. Fumbling in his pocket, Dodson produced a card, a which. he scrawled an uptown address, at the same time giving Harry a letter. ° i “Hustle, now! Hustle!” he said thickly. “Never mind me,” Here was a Sood job ar one day at good pay, at all 4 “We expect to want a hoysia in our packing-room first of zh next week. ; You can call then, if you wish.” ied * » “All right, sire Ant the Pay ra “Two dollars.” . “A day, sir?” “A day? - What are you talking about? A Week” “Very sorry, sir, but I can’t live on that.” “You can’t, eh? Well, then, there are others who can. ‘What do you. wynt—the earth?” _ “No, sir. Shy just enough of it to stand on, and four iat dollars a week to pay for my room and grub.” ™ peas You get out... You are too high-priced.” _ ‘” x4 - “All right, sir. I’m off; a BOOM sartiole sere comes _Bigh, 3 ou know.” The boy departed. _ _ At first the manager was mi,” an d raga mute things. Ten minutes-Jater he said to himself: . - *Confound it, 1 believe that boy was oh pelea I wish +3 1 had asked him his name and address.” _ » Before three o’clock this same manager sent a clerk ail i “with sam advertisement for the want column of a leading - paper, reueaitng ‘the boy who had applied for a yaa at ee eae arclay street to please call. » As it happened, the boy never saw it, so the hap aahaek one hustler which he. might have had. . Meanwhile this hustling youth hustled rs i ae The next place he pd in- at was on /Veety ae events, _ where he was ‘promptly. refused, — Away flew Hany, leaving Mr. Dodson leaning against . ; He tried it again ‘on Fulton street, ‘opposite St. Paul the raveyard wall. urchyard. : ww ag lost no time in reaching the pier on West street,. to call-the' following week, and’ when rm which the St. Peter was about to depart. | gre as eee ie wet his: resi} pe was the usual crowd and the usual confusion at i yn. tending the sailing of a big liner. " ji the: aid that he-had sist She fui ‘The decks were crowded with pera? in spite of tte ha he had come | Aer ae the State; that’ his tiered of the season, é = { a er to look| Aa began to wonder how he was ever going to | i i Alpheus Mudge, which | was the name the letter bore. | "He, shed boldly cee ne Ne aime y vee t deckboy he met. portant | official was

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{: ; . ; ; ‘ of yellow. : x j ' ‘ . TIMELY According to advices received at Panama from La Paz, capital of Bolivia, part of the city, about 1,600 yards long, is sliding into the Choqueyapu River. The section com- prises mostly residences of the poor, although there are in it the market, barracks and the museum of the archeologist Posnansky. ‘Thus far there have been no casualties. The loss is estimated at $800,000. The slide is said to be due to an infiltration which undermined the river banks. A piece of musty hardtack carried in a knapsack by her brother, Enoch Leavitt, when he marched under Col. Bu- ford against the famous Morgan raiders, is a memento of the Civil War possessed by Mrs. James Lowater, of Litch- field, Minn. - Following Morgan’s capture, Mrs. Lowater’s brother was granted a furlough and brought the ancient piece of army bread home to his sister. She has had it now for fifty-two years. Though it is-a little green from age, it is still in a fairly good state of preservation. Mrs. - Lowater is one of the pioneers of this part of the coun- try. A young lady whose home is on Grand Isle, La., has been making a collection of the bright-plumage birds found on the island. The theory is that these birds have been blown out into the gulf during gales, and driven upon the Louisiana shore. A box containing fourteen specimens, which were trapped and prepared for mounting by this young lady, revealed, when opened, a most gor- geous spectacle, the colors ranging from the brightest searlet—a scarlet beside which that of the cardinal or red birds seems quite dull—down to the palest of pinks and blues. Some of the specimens were of the loveliest shade The first lynx pelt that has been seen at Ashland, Wis,, AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. TOPICS South Bend and Northern Indiana Traction Line between Elkhart and Goshen have carried many*‘drunken’ persons since Goshen voted against the saloons. ‘“Employees of the traction company are unable to meet the situation, which is serious. Requests of the Civic League that the offenders be arrested have been ignored by the Elkhart police, mem- bers of the league say. . There are hundreds of families in every city that are still denying themselves the comforts and conveniences of our modern mode of living just because they have never worked out the proper answer to the question, “Can we afford it?” says the Electrical Experimenter. They have inherited the belief that electricity in the home means an expense that can be afforded only.by the well-to-do. There are now many homes where the monthly bill for: electric current in midwinter does not exceed the cost of one roast of beef. They use the electric fan in summer, an electric heat pad in winter and electric suction sweeper each week, and the bill varies from $1.50 in June to $2.50 in Decem- ber. Why not give the electric current @ trial? What becomes of old sardine boxes, tomato cans and cans of all kinds? In France, where nothing is allowed to go to waste, they gather them up and use them—to cut into tin soldiers. In France, too, the old boots and shoes are collected and every part is used over again. The work is mostly done: by convicts in prisons, They take the boots and shoes to pieces and soak them; then thé ‘up- pers are cut over into children’s shoes, or, if they are too far gone for that, a peculiar kind of pressed leather is’ made by some chemical action. The nails are saved: and sold, and the scraps go to the farms to fertilize the soil. © Who would have thought it possible to make anything out of old saws? Yet it is said that many of the finest surgical instruments and some of those used by engineers t for many vears was brought to the county clerk’s office by SE. J. Lane, lighthouse keeper on Michigan Island. The ~~ animal had been ‘prowling about the. lighthouse for some time, and one day became so, bold as to come right! up to the back door. Lane picked up a club to attack the animal, but before he could strike the lynx had sprung ‘at him. 5 A fight followed, in which Lane had not by any means the an Dest of it, but he finally managed to reach the, house and _ warding the animal off for a moment rushed in, slamming the door after him. Then, seizing his gun, he hurried, to the window and shot the lynx through the head. , The killing of the lynx brought Lane a bounty of $6.» ... t a, “ns ‘ Yat _ = oH The Civie League of Goshen, Ind.; has given official no- are manufactured from the steel that first did duty in : saws, the quality being fine. ‘ “ Cannibals found in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa, by missionaries driven out of the country by uprisings, — ate only the limbs of their victims: Legs and arms were roasted and the meals made festive occasions, according to Miss Suckow, of Newton, Kan.,,one of the. missionaries who returned on the Spanish liner Antonio Lopez from — Cadiz, Miss Suckow spent three years with the Methodist Episcopal Foreign Mission Board at Jacktown, going there with the Rey. Wilbur Williams, his wife, and Miss Freda Roberts. Miss Suckow said the uprisings began in August fomented by the French and English and the A ¢ that it will \prosecute all persons who go from this| and were ited Bhi! nonless community to Elkhart, ten miles away, od ae iron each side in propaganda inst. the the spines ink there and ride home on traction cars. League man- Finally the English cut off the food supply. The mission- = s call attention to the law of 1913, under which ,in-| aries fled to Greenville, where, Dee, 23, the United States ated persons on traction ‘or steam cars and in railway | cruiser Chester from Monrovia with 200 native rare erty of misdemeanor, punishable by heavy] troops, who were landed and suppressed the revolution, be prisonment. Late cars on the Chicago, ‘The Chester 0 ; the missionaries to Monrovia. Ay is tei , Ue es eh ee ¢ te aa etd Ps eR by > ah y os. ai: ah FaA4°\¢ . > ee th AL Vier fe" y Yess an | wary ow . ea »S* =” Suan ig Pd ayy) “edoee pee ‘ ety Om Te By at SRS ~ ae ea eft 5 wh nee if at my 2 Sina

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26. FAME AND FORTUNE 4 WEEKLY. Fame and Fortune Weekly NEW. YORK, MARCH 10, 1916. TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS HOW tat. SEND MONEY--At our risk send P. 0. Money Order, Check istered Letter; remittances in Any other way are at your risk. ee the Coin in se neaae Saka oe Piva ia ea ti rye ~< ered paper to avoid cutting t envelope, Write your ams and address plainty. ver ress letters to iy Frank Tousey, Publisher — 168 West 23d St., N. Y. LP, Harxr E. oat President é Chases EN tary GOOD CURRENT NEWS ARTICLES Gold leaf is becoming so searce in Spain that the Bar- celona union of ‘gilders has appointed a commission to study the possibilities of establishing a local plant for its manufacture. Most of the gold leaf has come heretofore from England and. Germany. Two American sbcitiyhiined have been purchased by the _Duteh, Indian Government for use in Java, where they were successfully tried out recently. China, too, is devel- oping interest in aviation. The Chinese Government con- 2 Saareee ms pens an aviation school at Canton, = able animal in the State of Maine. Barney is his name. Barney kndws more about findinghis way unaided in the woods-after dark and in the midst of a heavy snowstorm than most men do. He goes nine miles through the woods alone to and from the dam to the clubhouse, ‘and never is in doubt for a minute in finding his way through the wilderness. Mr. White, in going from the clubhouse to Burlington for baggage and other materials, takes two methods for transportation—canoe and backboard. When , setting out he rides four and one-half miles by canoe to the dam and Sends Barney through the woods for the same distance. If Barney gets there first he waits in a hovel. Then Mr. White hitches Barney to a buckboard, they go to Burlington, get their baggage ‘and return to the dam. At the dam Mr. White unloads his materials into the canoe and starts on his way up the lake, sending Barney off through the woods. There is no road for Barney to follow, but he always goes straight as an arrow to the clubhouse and always arrives without delay. yee ta Shana GRINS AND CHUCKLES “What was Nero’s greatest act of cruelty?” asked the teacher of the class in history. “Playin’ the: fiddle,” was the prompt response.. And the teacher let it go at that. _ Grandpa—Well, Fred, you’re an uncle now; You ought to be proud of it. Little Fred—No, I oughin’t to. I we : ‘| ain’t no uncle. Grandpa—Why not? Little Fred—Cause ; Phe Hamilton Gun Club, in-a big hunt recently, proved | /™ a2 sunt. ‘The new baby's a girl * 9% Apical d_ juckrabbit Sak bueen ek Sweet Girl (affectionately) —Papa, you would) not like part. being divided into two teams. Their record for the me to leave you, would you? Papa (fondly)—Indeed L j We . would not, my darling. Sweet Girl—Well, then, Tl marry at day was 1,779 cottontail rabbits and seventy-three jacks, Mr. Poorchap. He’s willing to live here. ’ bers of making a total of 1,852 rabbits killed by the forty mem- the club, or an average of forty-six rabbits per : Beier t ! ain i. ra , died at Arlington, Mass., Feb. 12. Death was by bronchitis, which developed from a severe cold. sixty-three years ago that Mr. Trowbridge gave to the youth of an earlier generation “Father Brighthopes,” | ‘the first of a long series of books that included “Neigh- bor Jackwood,” “The Pocket Rifle,” “Cudjo’s ‘Care? = ended venge i ste #: Madoaips” in 1909: The boss told Pat to paint a st@h over the shaft, politely warning strangers of the danger. Pat thought it out care- fully, and, then painted on the fence in bright vermilion — letters: ‘Strangers will plaze not fall down, the shaft.” — They were getting up some amateur theatricals, and the manager said to De Smith: ‘have the role of Don Alfonso.” the public in that role?” “I’m sure of it. off ap the first act.” | re ie “Mr. De Smith, you are to curred to me that perhaps VapAte lived on ginger- “Do you think I'l please | You are killed © :; ‘Aatlay ache Boy—Isn’t there lots of life in ginger, teacher? Teacher—Yes. Sunday-school Boy—And bread | is: supposed to be the staff of life, teacher? Teacher— 4 Yes, my boy. Sunday-school Boy—Well, then, it has oc- _ -| bread. AF Dominie—Now, boys, what is the meaning of the see Ly. ig nice - Forty-six tongues were painfully sile ae Dominie— e—Dear me, what ignorance! “Ubiquitous” 1 Bay ing everywhere.” And now can you give me an aa se of something that is ubiquitous? ‘Chorus of Forty Ke ps, Beran (Crate forty-six arms were simulta neously fted)—Yes toni ee Pee ~~ oe

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FAME THE JEWELED DAGGER. ; : 3 7 : By John Sherman L “Well, Jack, they say you are to die.” “Yes, that’s the sentence. Two weeks oni: to-day, at eleven o’clock in the morning, I am to be hung, rain or shine, blow hot or blow cold.” “Well, you're right, I suppose, in taking it so philosophi cally.” “No good doin’ any thing else.” “No, of course not. But, Jack, I sincerely hope you don’t bear me any~ill-will personally for my share in bringing you here.” “None in the world. You were doing your business; you had your orders. You tried to take me; I fought like a man, and one of my bullets had to be cut out of your As to dying, what odds whether ~ best man, and here I am. I’ve got to die some it’s in two weeks or in two years? time.” - _ the gallows as calmly as any man I eyer saw. ~ “Well, Jack, now that the trial is over and the matter is all settled, suppose you give me a running account of 3 your life?” “Just as you say,” was the laconic aeind> of the _ doomed man. Jack’s Story. - \I first went to seastyhen I, was about thirteen, and was a -eabin-boy. Being strong and active, and large for my age, _, I was put beforé the mast before the voyage ended. That was in the Juniata. We went,to China in ballast, and brought’ back a gargo of tea. I sailed in the Juniata until I was eighteen, and then I shipped in the Dolphin for the East Indies. 'Phis vessel had the misfortune to be wrecked, and I was cast ashore in the Island of Ceylon. + You talk about my dying on the gallows! I'd Ee e hung a dozen times than to again go through what I mdured during my stay in that island, while waiting for a chance to ship on board of an American Vessel. Desperate at last, I joined the crew of the Blocdhoundl Bene Beni in port she bore a more peacelike name. ay noticed that most of the men were hard-looking cases, there was hardly a nation under the sun that was not ¥ nted on board, although there were iiore Malays : ce any other one nationality. I also noticed that the 4 srew was much larger than way necessary to handle such a t than she was, but, as I said, 1 was desperate, and I nt no questions wntil it it baie too late for there being any "good in doing so. fain give orders to bring up the small arms, and sodhound was laid on a) rse that would the ‘bows of a merchantman which had been while before.. ‘She wasia pirate ¢ cruiser. }. AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. shoulder. You got the best of me in the end; you were the, Jack Dempster certainly locked forward to a asath pe 4 Any doubts T might hove s Hind wate sottidd when't heard} ‘her merchant. vessels, but was always nervous, always. me otis 2? Spanish vessel which should have been in those waters just about then, and knew that she had on a valuable freight. Well, there’s no need of.telling you haw we closed in on the Spaniard, for you’ve heard such thipgs,described be- fore now. We ‘got alongside, yard-arm and yard-arm, then. we boarded. That was a glorious fight. They: Say that Span- iards’ are naturally cowards, but you wovldn’t a-thought so to ‘see them fellows fight. We numbered three men to their one, and it was only a few minutes before we were masters ‘of the situation. When we had pillaged the vessel we scuttled her. I won’t say exactly what passed in the meantime, but of all on board the Spanish vessel only, one human being boarded our vessel, and—well, the others didn’t escape. The exception was a young English lad named Derby St. John. Captain Dunn came to me after we’d got under way, again, and he said: “You fought like a tiger; the second mate was killed, and I’m going to give you pis berth and his share in the proceeds.” So I became second mate on the Bloodhound. ’ Well, to make a long story short, five years passed by, and during that time we took a powerful lot of prizes.. By that time I was first mate and Derby was second, although only seventeen. He was small—there wasn’t much of him—but. what there was was good. He was one. as 8 steel trap, and brave as-a lion. Just-about then they got these steam vessels to running, and the British Government sent out a cruiser after us, For two years we dodged, ’em, getting in our work at odd times, and then we got cornered. They caught usin a cove that we ised to make our headquarters, and we knew that the jig was up. The ecap- tain ordered our guns turned on the cruiser, and we gave her a couple of hot ones. Then they opened on us with solid shot and‘a few shells. One of’em found its way to our powder magazine, and ended the business in a jiffy. There was an awful explosion. I was shot up into the air, © and, after turning about fifty somersaults, dt landed i in the water, and at once swam ashore, » — a Not a living soul but myself was to be seen. But a few minutes later I found out that Tywasn’t the only one who had escaped, for Derby came ioe toward -the ag and was soon beside me. We waited a little while, until we were sure there pees another soul of us all left alive, and then—seeing as how the, cruiser had drawn inshore, and sharpsiooters were popping away at us—we struck back into- the country. ita, Some of the cruiser’s men chased us for Dink set but we managed to give ’em the slip. _ : Life after that was full of ups and eo) for me, and ae 3) = wines about in‘ every land, in every clime. | _ Sometimes I shipped as officer, sometimes as a r for the old exciting life on boar Reaktor ihe. Eire get’ people ved “kd

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28 I TY from his vessel whatever chanced to suit my fancy. Nor did I follow that life because I.made money in it. I cared no more for money than I did for another dinner just | after I’d eaten one. Had I wanted money I could have gone back to the cove, where there was buried thousands upon thousands of dollars, the spot being known only to . Derby and myself. It was hard on to seven years after the blowing up of the Bloodhound that I overheard my name mentioned as I was rolling through the streets of Singapore. Turning around, who should I see but my old messmate, Derby. “Why, old——” “Sh!” he said, putting his, finger on his lips. aboard with me.” , Without a word I followed Derby to his semis kang a _ beauty she was. He took me into the cabin and made me sit down on a gorgeous chair as soft as down in the seat. _ _ He told me that he’d gone back to the cove and dug up the buried money, leaving in its place a note ‘telling me ‘what he’d done, and how I could find him, and that he _ would always be ready to share up with me. With the _ money he’d bought this vessel and had just ended his first eruise—in the old business—and had been very success- ful. _ “T lost my mate J ack,” he said, and then offered me the Maperers ie Well; I just jumped at it. ‘Seeing as how the vessel was bought with my money, we were to share and share alike in the proceeds of our prizes. 4 While we were talking, the door of a stateroom opened, ~ and T was struck dumb when I saw the woman who came out ‘of it. Beautiful ain’t strong énough in speaking of her. - There was only one thing which I never liked about her, and that was that her black eyes had a Vicious snap in : them: when she got angry. age the “greatest ‘treasure Of all,” said Derby, witha “Tne, this is Jack Dempster, my first officer in aie and my most particular friend,” 0 introduc uced, the beauty gave me her hand, and, ny At how soft it felt. I looked at Derby’s. gentlemanly face Aa ee natty mustache, and wished I was him. 3 He had found thes on board a merchantman he had cap- wed, and had brought her on board of his vessel. Strange n, beers of sulking or pining s away, the beau- girl fe madly in love with him. . ‘to put to sea, and we did so a ae But we. no longer dared remain on our i, for it was now patroled by sevéral f Benard fea the Hom, and the coast of Peru. ver ee ae ro ] “Come SAO be A vi iptured w as off the coas E ot ee the most unfor- her ; woman who took a uA eal 4 narters. ar shot a man in am FAME AND FORTUNE WEERLY. . « braiding Derby, whom she had caught in the act of cares8- ing Madge. “At some slighting remark of his Inez snatched up a re- volver, and but for my quick hand would have shot him. Angry now, Derby flung himself upon her, forced her into her stateroom, and locked her in, then made the trem- bling octoroon come and sit beside him on the sofa. It was a few days after the scene mentioned that I went down into the cabin, just after sunrise. I had been -on duty the latter part of the night, and had just left the. second mate in ‘charge. Derby was lying asleep on the sith: the head of which was just beneath an open deadlight, through which the breezes came. fluttering, and through whicr the dancing waves could be seen. I paused beside the handsome pirate captain—handsome, indeed, and equally as brave. Then I crossed the cabin, and entered my stateroom. I had laid down, and was just slipping off into slumber, when a low, fiendish, hissing laugh aroused me. I listened. In the next stateroom the octoroon was sleeping; I heard the door of her stateroom softly opened. A moment later came a low moan, and then all was still for a brief while. Then I heard soft steps leave the stateroom. Impressed with the idea that something was wrong, I slid out of my bunk and stepped to the door, and looked into the cabin through the glass in the upper half. Derby was calmly” sleeping on the sofa, one hand above his head; and in the center of the cabin stood Inez, her face black with passion, her brows contracted prac T and in her hand a jeweled dagger. I tried to cry out, to warn ‘him of his danger, but in — vain. -I made a spasmodic clutch at the knob of the door and — succeeded in opening it. -As I appeared on the threshold Inez turned one swift, menaeing glance an me, and then bounded swiftly to the sofa, afraid lest I might balk her purpose, But I was too late to epee. She accomplished that which she set out to do. - Both Derby and Madge had been ‘| foully murdered. “4 Then the murderess fell on her knees and wildly kissed the paling face and the eyes which nevermore would open. — At last I stepped toward her with a stern face—for I had — loved Derby, but she articipated any movement of sd by paunging the dagger into her own breast. _. We sewed up the bodies and vonsigned them to the ocean. Whe loss of Derby cast a gloom over us, took away our. = spirit, Cruisers were pen after us, and to escape we had to run our vessel on a rocky shore.. I escaped, and after piles ahout again for years I took up piracy on my own account — in a swift little schooner, making the Tortugas my head-— 4 In Key West I let liquor get the best of me, sa pated needaeths Iwas ar- rested, my true character became known, was found | ont: by you, 1) Soe ote eae an am 4s as rein: and story. 1

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Seer’ FAME AND FORTUNE. WEEKLY. 39 | “x NEWS OF THE DAY ' ee en _ When Miss Tillie Hill, who had spent her entire life + with her uncle, Henry P. Palmer, of Columbus, Ind., died, | it was thought she had some money saved. the local banks and learned that no money was On deposit in any of them to Miss Hill’s credit. He wondered what _ had become of the money he felt certain she had saved. A man was ‘alled in to clean the rooms and when he turned over a table he found $350 in bills concealed. there. Standing on the bed on which lay his wife and child, H. M. Spencer, a rancher, of Wasco, Ore., swing the butt end of a shotgun against the snarling jaw of a mad coyote and stunned the beast. » club. Spencer, who has a place about five miles northwest of this city, was awakened by the yapping of his dogs. ing outside with his shotgun, he fougd the dogs grappling witha coyote. Spencer fired and missed. Then th« coyote - headed for the dor of the Spencer cabin. Spencer beat = him to it, and fought the animal from the bed. : ‘ : ihe will of Mrs. Blizabeth Hageman, of Muncie, ‘Ind., _ shas been filed for probate. It disposes of real estateand . other property estimated to be worth, many thousands, of ‘dollars. .Mrs. Blackman gives practically all the estate to May Marybelle Mier, her adopted daughter, but this is ; % remarry her divorced husband the property in its entirety #3 ‘is to go to the First Brethren Church.+ The will’ further oe _ says that if the beneficiary of the estate “keeps company” Be or associates with her former husband she is to lose call e interest in the estate. a Ry, J "4 hy Sisneros William has announced that the race of pare Joachim, his youngest and only unmarried son, ‘is to take place’ at Potsdam. Prince Joachim’s engage- “ment to Princess Marie Augustine of Anhalt was an- i nounced Oct. 14, 1915.. The Prince, who was twenty-five - "ment of Hussars, in the Foot Guards, the Grenadier @ and several other military organizations. Princess arie be Ansonia: a niece of the reigning Duke’ of ‘Anhalt, 0, 1898, Her father is said to be fighting gh vagy aah “front under Crown Prince, _Wittiam, , brother of the pieereaen sapere muprama ‘ aa on Go- | only on, condition that if Miss Mier should at any time Ss _ years old last Dee. 17, is a captain in the Fourteenth Regi-|- eee : ree ni _|-tion_one-mi Pate si ion “oto we bi : eee sands of miles away from shore, they &t’ their drinking water in that way. They smell out a‘Stotm a long’ way Palmer vis sited | off, they travel a hundréd’ miles maybe ‘to get under it, and they swallow enough raindrops to keep them going.” Three herbs said to haye been used extensively by In- dians in Mexico to check a widespread epidemic of “burn- ing fever’ 300 years ago are being employed successfully to combat typhus fever, according to information which reached El Paso, Texas, from Dr. Marquez San Juan, of the faculty of the University of Mexico. Dr. San Juan is given. credit for rediscovering the cutative value of. these; Then he beat it to death with 2) herbs in cases of typhus, the number of which, according to official Mexican declarations, is steadily decreasing. In a statement received Dr. San Jnan is quoted as advising people in the affected districts of Mexico to treat them- selves. All of the herbs grow in the sections of Mexico where the disease is most prevalent and the accepted meth- _} od of treatment is to drink teas, brewed from them. ? i In proportion te size, man is one of the weakest animals on the earth. The muscles of a large-sized oyster will sup- _port a weight of thirty-seven pounds. There is a crab that will lift 492 times its own weight.. This is equivalent of an average size than raising 73,800 pounds. Felix Flateau, a Belgian. scientist, who made many experimenis,. found that the. strength of a fly which was able to lift a* match- stick compared with a man’s supporting with his feet a beam 14 feet long and 2 feet 6 inches square. "There is a little bug that can. drag six matches, equivalent to @ man’s pulling 330 beams - ‘as big as himself. ‘To measure the. strength of insects Flateau constructed delicate harness — ‘to a weighing machine. By prodding the insects he made them move. Then he piled on weights until they stopped. By this means he found that a bee, weight for weight, was thirty times as strong as a horse. “Ten thousand persons witnessed the Eastern champion- ship. skating races at Newburgh, N. Y., Feb. 12. Bobby Logan, of Montreal, took the premier honors, winning the . quarter-mile and mile championships. Walter Kuehne, of the New. York A. C., won, the half-mile championship. F. A: Muckenhoupt, , of P le handicap, ¢ eS, nished first in the mile novice. a) Fred Robsor fet ae aie were -won his heat i Pachanes won the” consolida- . d-Rufus Tuttle, of Ver Planck, — “Mr. and Mrs. k MacMillan, of hor Lee, N. J, skated an exhibition —

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eS gees } ‘ | FAME Z —— — — sO + INTERESTING ARTICLES ‘AND pOsTONE WEEKLY. ' INMAN SUPREME AT ENGLISH BILLIARDS. '. Melbourne Inman, champion of English billiards, de- feated George Gray, the Australian phenomenon,’ in~a match of 18,000 points, ‘begun in London on January 10 and ended on January 22. The winner obtained a com- manding lead during the first week. The last three days of the second week a new cloth seemed to favor Gray, whose playing improved beyond the hopes of his backers. On the afternoon of the final day the Australian assumed - =e ht lead, but at the finish of the session the scores 6,800 atid 16,732 in favor of Inman. At night both re performed at their best. Inman scored breaks of . se 157, 133, 111 and 252. Gray made an early break ; of 105 and a late one of 719 (660 ‘off the red) that made . the situation intensely exciting.’ Inman, however, was equal ig the occasion, and with final ¢fforts yielding 111 7 and 66, won by 295. The match was for $500 a side. In a similar contest in London, from November 8 to 20, Gray * defeated Inman by 190 pgints. a - > AN ALARM CLOCK LIGHTS THE FIRE. ‘The electric fire starter makes it unnecessary to get up — i; wre , two needles. ‘The stoppers are fastened to the bottom of ‘the pan aid the needles stuck through the corks, miaking a spark ge. Phe gap is connected te the coil and set nn- der the gra e rags re Apa aa up tightly and soaked in Pitan or turpentine and put’ just’ under the te - oy ee he s ee oe & eer 5 a ~The alarm clock is vidi os set and a tie a in a 3 string: over the alarm thumbscrew on the back of the - The other end is attached to a small switch coming ~ po batteries. |The other wire from the batteries goes spark coj], and. the opposite end of the switch con- Pale sth coil, When the clock off, the thumb- sw will revolve, close the’switch and start the coil. The ay 3s Se, a faa rebel ae § om Saisinee me. tincas vorcn | Prof. Brown, of Sebi by Prof. Carl S. Sea- : ii a ere t to & ce 7 P » ona cold morning to light the grate. It is described by Re & Wesley Brown, Jr., inthe Electrical Experimenter. ATI that is required is a spark coil of any size, enough) cs batteries to operate the coil, an alarm clock, a battery -___ switch, a box 8x3 inches, a tinpan, two cork-stoppers and ee reat: eee ree <a and start the | all of ifeioram - candle. the tube is placed in a position so that a person may talk into it. As a man speaks into one end of the tube the sich Waves caused by his voicé are thrown against the candle flame, causing a variation in the reflection on the screen with each different pitch. The fact that these waves can be shown in this way has long been known, but its applica- tion is interesting. The real application of the tonoscope, However, is not in this manner, but to teach the deaf to speak. Tt is a well- ) ‘mown fact that deaf persons possess voices of unusual harshness, due to the fact that they cannot hear their own vocal efforts and thus cannot regulate their intensity and pitch. Througlr the*tonoscope, a téacher may speak into the tube, giving a sentencd or word at the proper. pitch. The pupil then may repeat the given word or sentence, at- tempting to get as nearly the same variation in reflection to that of the teacher as possible. j , “CAUGHT BY CLEVER TRICK. / ~ Detectives Birmingham and Dowling, of New York, got inside of packing cases in which peepholes had been bored, and, after the tops had heen fastened in place with tacks ‘instead of long wire nails, Detective Fenelly mount- ‘ed_the box of an’ express wagon in which the cases had heen placed at police héadquarters, and drove to the At- lantie avenue ferry in Brooklyn. In the last month some $10,000 worth of cocoa beans had been-stolen from Walter Baker. & Co., and the detectives “had finally decided the thefts were made from wagons on the way from Brooklyn to South Ferry. Fenelly guided his wagon directly behind . one loaded with cocoa as it boarded a ferryboat the other afternoon, — and thus cut off an empty express wagon which had been following. It was the theory of the detectives that the thieves transferred the cocha, while on the boat, from one wagon to the other, “According to Fenelly, this theory was justified when the driver of the empty cart approached him with an offer of |25 eents if-he would carry four bags of cocoa off the ship in his-wagon. Fenelly accepted and the concealed detec- tives watched the transfer while Fenelly sat in the cabin, ostentatiously keeping out of sight. AWE, the" beat Fetched ‘Manhatten anal ott fe men ‘eaught Might of the detectives and all three started’ to run: rtment_ of the sane uni: Riyminghem and Dowling threw open their packing cases ard sprang out, and Fenelly fired a shot after‘one of All threo were caught. a6 fugit es, ma 'Phey said they in tone and Robert MeKey, Willism Wareham and William: ‘Dupree, _ shh ee 4 coe , ad the others were einployed by the A screen is adjusted so that the flame’ of the candle will ¢ast reflections on, it, while the other end of - Sed tho ia Tees. ap: in upstia t a

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‘cannot betsent by mail. for these’ goods amounting to one dol- | TAKE NOTICE! Itch” Powder, Bombs and Cachoo Only orders lar will be accepted, as delivery will haye to be made by express. Goop LUCK BANKS. Ornamental as well as use- ful. Made of highly nickeled brass. It holds jyst One Dol- lar. When filled it opens tt- self. Remains locked until erefilled, Can be used as a watohcharm. Money refund- ed if not satisfied. Price, 10c. by mall. H. F. LANG, 1815-Centre St., B'klyn, N. ¥, na WINDOW SMASHERS. The greatest sensation, just from Paris. A most wonder- ful effect of a smashing, bregking, falling pane or t will electrify every- bedy. When you come home, siam the deor shut and at the same time throw the discs to the fleor. Every pane of glass in the house wil! at ence seem to have been shat- tered. Price, by matl, postpaid, 35c., a set of six plates. ; WOLFF NOVELTY CO.,, 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. ootaerier sams MOVING-PICTURE MACHINE. It consists of 2 small nickeled metal tube, 4% inches long, with a lens eye-view, which shows @ pretty ballet girl or any other scene. Hand it te a friend who will be delighted with the first picture, tell him to turn the screw on the side of the instru- ment, to change the views, when @ stream of water squirts in his face, mych to his surprise, The instrument can be refilled with water in an instant, and one filling will suffice for four or five victims. Price, 30c, each by mail, postpaid; 4 for $1.00. FRANK SMITH, 383 Lenox Ave., N. Y. ; Fy MAGIC CARD BOX.—A very cleverly made box of exchanging or wanishing cards. In fact, any number of tricks of this character can be performed by it. A very necessary magical accessory. Pr es 15c, WOLFF NOVELTY CO.,.29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. WHISTL. EPHONE This is one of grea'est musical Struments ever ed, the in- Iinvent- It is made entirely of meta! and its almost invisible when in use, With it. in a@ few mo- ments, you can learn to play ail kinds of tunes, Lave. lots of fun, please and amuse your friends and make seme money, too. Fine for either song or piano accompaniment or by itself alone. You place the whistlephone in the mouth with half circle out. place end of ac bl Hw. tongue to rounded part and blew gently if to cool the lips. <A few trials will ena- one to play any tune or alr. Price 6 cents ¢ ch by mall, post-paid F. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’kiyn, N. ¥. MAGIO DIE BLOCH. A wonderfully de- ceptive trick! A solid block, twe inches square, is made to ap- ae and disappear at pleasure. ° Borrowing @ hat from one of the audience, bn ae the black on top, siiding a cardbo: cov (which may be examined) over it. At the word of command you lift the cover, the block and the same instant it falls to the is gone, floor, through the hat. with a solid thud, or | into one of » gpectator’s hands. You may v this ex tie ont trick by passing the block Seas a table and on to the floor beneath, or through the lid of a desk into the drawer, eta, This trick never fatis to astonish the @pectatcrs, and can be repeated as often as Gesired. Price, 35e., postpaid. H. F. LANG, 1815 Centre St.. B’kiyn. N. Y. GREENBACKS Pack of $1,000 Stage Bills 0c; 3 packs, 260, send fora pace and show the boys whata WAD ge pore: C. A. NICHOLS, JR., Bex 90, Chill, N. Delivered vou FREE \ pnp a Le pa oy Write ined 308 os ee | | APA see acs peat ever madeon a bi a ee Wan Boys, a Ameri ‘be eee sae ‘aur CLE 0. DEPT L 188 CHICAGO THE INK BLOT JOKER. Fool Your Friends, ! —The greatest novel- } ty ef the age! Have | a jeke which makes : everybody taughb. ; More fun than any : ether novelty that has been shown in years. Place it on a desk, tablecloth, o.1 any piece of furniture, as shown ; i the above cut, near some valvable paper® on fine Si RE 3 apparel. Watch the ree sult! Ob, Gee! rice, 1$e. each, postpaid. NOVELTY CO., 20 W. 26th St., N. ¥. woLrr | THE DEVIL'S CARD TRICK.—From three | cards held in the hand anyone is asked to | mentally select one. All three cards are | placed in a hat and the performer removes first the two that the audience did pot select and passing the hat to them their eard has | mysteriously vanished, A great. climax; | highly recommended. Price, 10c. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. WE WANT YOU TO READ “NMioving Picture Stories” ‘ ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY J BEAUTIFUL COLORED COVER DESICNS New portraits of actors and actresses every week A Weekly Magazine devoted to Photoplays and Players { EVERY NUMBER CONTAINS Absolutely the finest little publication on the hews-stands @@ PRICE 5 CENTS A: COPY @ : THIRTY-TWO PAGES FINE HALF-TONE FRONTISPIECES Get a copy of this weekly magazine and see what itis Six Gripping Stories, based on the latest anc best films, each profusely Mlustrated with fine halftones of scenes in the F icedragih and Biographies of the most celebrated Pbhotoplay actors and actresses. Articles relating to Moving Pictures, written by the greatest authorities in the film business. from tlie/studios about the doings of every body of prominence connected with the Photoplaya de claire the companies who may buy the plays you write. . “and every bright feature calculated to interest both young and old. f NOW trom your uewsdealer, or send us 5 cents in money or postage stamps, and we will mail News Notes psi on Jingles, y you the Ta venber toned . - «MOVING ricene: STORIES,” .: 168 West 23d Street. a 7 iG.” Hari a

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FRANK TOUSEY, PUBLISHER, 168 WEST 23D STREET, NEW YORK No. 894. NEW YORK, MARCH 10, 1916. ws 8 6 Cents.

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ta na aha: a .

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SECRET SERVICE ——LATEST ISSUES—— 857 The Bradys in Wyoming; or, Tracking the Mountain Men. 858 The Bradys at Coney Island: or, Trappin 8 859 The Bradys and the Road Agents; or, 860 The — ‘Clerks: pac! age 861 The Bradys on the Race Track; or, Beating the Sharpe 862 The ae in the Chinese Quarter; or, The Queen of ine" Opium Fiends. 863 The Bradys and the Counterfeiters: Blue Ridge Mountains. 864 The mtr ig in-the Dens of New York: or, Working on the John | 887 The Street Myster 865 The Bradys wer Midnight Tra 866 The Bradys rand the Pickpockets; or, Keen Work in the Shop- ping District. 7 The Bradys and the Broker; 9 The Bradys and the Lost Ranche; or, or, Wild Adventures in the 885 | the Railroad Thieves; or, The Mystery of the 889 86 or, The Plot to Steal a Fortune = The Bradys as Reporters; or, Working for.a Newspaper. Great Deadwood Case. Thieves. Chinatown. Missour The Strange Case The Brady's Boy Pupil; 879 The Bradys in the Jaws of Death ; or sy ping the Wire-Tappers. 0 The Bradys and the T ng the Sea-side Crooks.| gsi The Bradys and the or,. Sifting Strange Evidence. ce Boy's Secret. writer; or, : on Chasing the Mountaia andit King; s and the Bank Clerks; or, Tracing a Lost Money-| gg2 The Bradys and the Drug Slaves; or, The Yellow Demons of 883 The a and the Anarchist Queen; or, Running Down the’ 884 The Bradys and the Hotel.Crooks; or, The Mystery of Room 44. | The Bradys and the Wharf Rats; or, Lively 886 The Bradys and the House of Mystery ; ; or, A Dark Night’s Work. Bradys’ Winning Game; 888 The Bradys and the Mall Thieves; or, The Bradys and the Boatmen: 890 The Bradys After the Grafters ; 891 The Bra _ and the Cross- Roads Gang; or, ork in the Harbor. or, Playing Against the Gamblers. The Man In the Bag. ‘lew Found in the River. in the Cab. e Great Case In or, The or, The Myster 892 The Bradys and Miss Brown; or, The Mysterious Case In Soctety. In | 898 The Bradys and the Factory ‘Giri; or, | e Secret of the Poisoned T A Envelo 870 tie Bondys and the Signal Boy; or, The Great Train Robbery 894 The Bradys and Blonde Bill; or, The Diamond Thieves of Maiden 871 The Bradys and Bunco Bill; or, The Cleverest Crook in New Lane. York. Custom Inspectors. Gang. 873 The Bradys and the Bank Mystery; or, The Search for a Stolen| 897 The Bradys and the Black Doctor; or, Million. Vault. 895 The Bradys and the Opium Ring; 872 The Bradys and the Female Detective; or, Leagued with the| 896 The Bradys on the Grand Circuit ; or, The Clue in Chinatown. or, Tracking the Light-Harness The Secret of the Old 874 The Bradys at Cripple Creek; or, Knocking Out the “Bad Men.” | 898 The Bradys and the Girl in Grey; or, The Queen of the Crooks. 875 The Bradys and the Harbor Gang: or, Sharp Work After Dark e Skeleton in the Cellar. or, The Bradys and the Chinese| 876 The Bradys in Five Points: or, 877 Fan Toy, the Opium Queen : Smugglers. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 6 cents per copy, In money or postage stamps, by FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - 168 West 23d St., N. ¥. IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS of our weeklies and cannot procure them from newsdealers, they can be obtained from this office direct. your Order and send it to us with the price of the weeklies you want and we will send them to you by return, mail. AGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - Write out and fill in POST- 168 West 23d St., N. ¥. ouUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOH SS No. 1. _ NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND DREAM BOOK.—Containing the great oracle of human destiny; also the true meaning of aimost any kind of dreams, together with eharms, ceremonies, and curious games of No. 2. HOW TO DO TRICKS.—The great book of magic and card tricks, containing full instruction on all the leading card tricks of the day, also the most popular magical tllu- sions as performed by our leading magicians; every boy should obtain a copy of this book. No. 3. HOW TO FLIRT.—The arts and wiles of flirtation 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 lan, and sentiment of flowers. No. 4. HOW TO DANCE is the title of this little book. It contains full instructions fin the art of dancing, etiquette in the ball- room and at parties, how to dress, and full directions for calling off in all popular square dances. No. 5. HOW TO MAKE LOVE.—A com- plete guide to love, courtship and marriage, be ob sensible advice, rules and etiquette to observed, with many curious and interest- things not generally known. ‘o. 6 HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE. —otring full instruction for the use of dumb- bells, Indian clubs, parallel bars, horizontal bars and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over sixty Miestrations. No. 7. HOW TO KEEP BIRDS.—Hand- somely illustrated and containing ful! Instruc- tions for the management and training of the canary,. mockingbird, bobolink, blackbird, et, ‘ot, etc. No. 9. ‘Ow. TO BECOME A VENTRILO- .—By Harry Kennedy. Every intelli- gent hog He confine this book of Instructions can he art, and create any amount of fun tor Simoelt and friends. It is the greatest book ever published. No. 102. HOW TO BOX.—The art of self- made easy. Containing over thirty ions of guards, blows, and the differ- ions of a good boxer. Every boy Shouta obtain one of these useful and instruc- as it will teach you how to box an instructor. No. it. “OW TO TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS. —A most complete little book, containing full fons for writing love-letters, and when use them, giving specimen letters for HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO —Giving complete instructions for writing letters to ladies on al! | tne also introduction, notes and 13. HOW TO DO IT; OR, "BOOK OF t is a* great life secret, and one that every young man desires to know all about. plete hand-book for making all kinds of candy, ice-cream, syrups, essences, etc., etc. No.'18. HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL. —One of the brightest and most valuable little books ever given to the world. Every- body wishes to know how to become beauti- ful, both male and female. The secret Is simple, and almost costless. No. 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EVE- NING PARTY.—A complete compendium of games, sports, card diversions, comic recita- tions, etc., suitable for parlor or drawing- room entertainment. It contains more for the money than any book published. No. 21. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH.—The most complete hunting and fishing guide ever published. It contains full instructions about ns, hunting dogs, traps, trapping and fish- a 5 together with description of game and ish. No. 22. HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT.— Heller's second sight explained by his former assistant, Fred Hunt, Jr. Explaining how the secret dialogues were carried on between the magician and the boy on the stage; also giv- In at the codes and signals. OW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS.— This. “little book gives the explanation to all kinds of dreams, together with lucky and unlucky days. Le 24. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO GENTLEMEN.—Containing full directions for bedet sti, Menage Oat ge on all subjects. W TO BECOME A GYMNAST.— Containing full instructions for all kinds of gymnastic sports and athletic exercises. Em- bracing thirty-five [llustrations. By Professor W. Macdonald. No. 26. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND BUILD A BOAT.—Fully illustrated. Full instructions are given in this little book, together with in- structions on swimming and riding, companion 7 to boating. 27. HOW TO RECITE AND BOOK OF RECITATIO NS.—Containing the most popular selections in usé, comprising Dutch dialect, French dialect, Yankee and Irish dialect Ee together with many standard readings. iW TO TELL FORTUN Bvery one is desirous of knowing what his facure life will bring forth, whether happiness or misery, wealth or poverty. You can tell by a glance at this little book. Buy one and be convinced. No, 29, HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR. —Every boy should know how inventions orig- inate This book explains them all, giving examples in electricity, hydraulics, magnet- ism, optics, agree mechanics, etc. No, 30. OW TO COOK.—One of the most “and all: kinds of pastry, and a instructive books on cooki ever published. It contains recipes for cooking meats, fish, game, and oysters; also pies, puddings, cakes grand collec- tion ofgrecipe: No. 31, “HOW TO BECOME A SPEAKER. —Containifig fourteen illustrations, giving the different positions requisite to become a speaker, reader and elocutionist. Also con- taining gems from all the popular authors of TO RIDE A BICYCLE.— Containing instructions for beginners, choice of @ machine, hints on training, etc. A com- plete book. Full of practical {llustrations. No. 35. HOW TO PLAY GAMES.—A com- plete and useful Hittle book, containing the rules and regulations of billiards, bagatelle, backgammon, croquet, dominoes, etc. No. 36. HOW TO SOLVE CONUNDRUMS, —Containing all the leading conundrums of the day, amusing riddles, curious catches and witty sayings. No. 38. HOW TO BECOME YOUR OWN DOCTOR.—A wonderful book, containing use- ful and practical information in the treatment of ordinary diseases and ailments common te every family. Abounding in useful and effec-. tive recipes for general complaints. No. 39. HOW TO RAISE DOGS, POULTRY, PIGEONS AND RABBITS.—A useful and in- structive book. Handsomely Mllustrated. No. 40. HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS —Including hints on how to catch moles, weasels, otter, rats, squirrels and birds. Also Se to cure, 3kins. Coplously illustrated. 41. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK END MBN's JOKE BOOK.—Containing a gree va- riety of the latest jokes used by the most famous end men. No amateur minstrels is complete without this wonderful little roe No. 42. E BOYS F NEW Y STUMP SPEAKER.—Containing a varied as- sortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch and Irish. Also end men’s jokes. Just the thing for home amusement and amateur shows. No. 43. HOW TO BECOME A MAGICIAN. —Containing the grandest assortment of ical illusions ever placed before the publ Also tricks with cards, incantations, etc. No. 44. HOW TO TE IN AN ALI-~ BUM,—A grand collection of Album Verses suitable for any time and occasion; embrac- ing Lines of Love, Affection, Sentiment, Hu- mor, Respect, and Condolence; also Verses Bose for Valentines and Weddings. E BOYS OF NEW YORK MIN- JOKE BOOK.—Some- thing new and very instructive. inne fail should obtain this book, as it instructions for organizing an Pn oy strel troupe. . For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 10 cts. per copy, or 3 for 25 cts., im momey or postage stamps, by_ FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, = 168 West 23d St., N. ¥.