Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 586) (1916 12 22)

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DECEMBER 22, 1916 No. vie COLOEN STARE ; JR, [HE TREASURE OF THE |NDIES. oe, Cite ee, Sy ASLELF WHE YW. on” it: FIND OTHER JTORIES As Jack neue tree first box of coin out of the Gieking two forms suddenly appeared upon the rocks behind him. Tom Pecognized the piratical-looking Jim Crowe * in the 1 to defend the treasure. B.

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Las, FAMEAND FORTUNE WEEKLY - «Issued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered at the New York, N. Y., Post Office as Second-Class Matter i. -¢ : by Frank Tousey, Publisher, 168 West 23d Street, New York. ’ - A 5 ee . NEW YORK, DECEMBER 22, 1916. Price 5 Cents. A GOLDEN STAKE , er + "THE TREASURE OF THE INDIES By A SELF-MADE MAN. ea CHAPTER I. “What do you want?” 2 “ T' want the ecap’n. As soon as I ran foul of a clue to hf 3 : JIM CROWE, A. B. bein’ in this here’ port I made all pjain sail from New York J “Hello, sonny!” ; and here I am. It’s a satisfaction to know that I hit it all ' Jack Dalton, a stalwart, good-looking boy of seventeen | Tight.” > 2 F = years, who, with his back to the counter, ae sorting over y ou want to see Captain Josiah Norris? F a score of letters he had just taken from the mail-pouch, That's what I do, sonny. I want to see the cap’n, and 1 liminary to distributing them in the pigeon-holes lettered | Want to see him bad. . _ A to Y, turned a 1 “Well, he’s out just at present.” eee al zie rned around and looked at the person who had “When dye expect him back?” ’ ' * He had not heard any one enter the store, which was a|_ 1 couldn’t rio _He might return in an hour, and then he neral one, kept by Josiah Norris, a retired sea captain, on | ™ightn’t be back till after dark. ; se 9s ain street, in the village of Bluevile, Long Island oP a a beepermaao, Conny TM a sck whe q Lae ater on, hebaoor i the villne gS deck aw Sheth wae’ 2 perfect did not relish the idea of haying the hard-looking sailor ge : Anybody could see with half an eye that he was a sailor,| banging around the place. | : though he was dressed in a new suit of shore-going togs, orry, sonny, but I ain’t no place to go. hat chair by and not a prepossessing-looking one, either. the stove looks like a snug anchorage and T’ll take posses- sy s There was an evil glint in his shifty eye that the boy did shun of it. P’r’aps ye wouldn’t mind handin’ me out a hunk f - not like. j \ of cheese and some crackers, I ain’t had nothin’ to eat since = If he wasn’t a rascal at heart then his face belied him. | + ‘¢ft the metropolis, and I feel kind of empty "tweendecks.” ~~ ‘At any rate, that’s the way Jack sized him up as they, . 1 *F9se you've got the price?” said Jack, without mov- _ looked as each other across the counter. nS. - -__ “Well, sonny,” “said the mariner, with a wicked sort of T reckon I have, sonny, but the cap’n wouldn’t charge me Ea ae Aisi Seepage to come a his boots, his pelt was ie Tae Reed Piva ce teak, vo ho on ta H e ae oarse, “when ye have got thr in’ t s I do iyo ave to & A eS A a -. Pd like to ask Gdia pobsilon oF fang La 8 Ba: SE Oe you’re an old friend of Captain Norris he’ll probably return — “What do you want. to know?” asked. Jack, not over po-| You the money.’ is 23 — Body, for he distrusted the man. *What’s the damage? é 2s _ + “I'll allow this store is kept by Josiah Norris, for his name |’ “The crackers and cheese will be ten cents. If you want _ ' is on the sign over the door, but I’d like to know if he’s| 4 Mug of cider, too, that will cost you another nickel.” _ known as Cap’n Josiah Norris,” and the sailor put a strong Haven’t, you got somethin’ stronger’n cider, sonny ?” - decent on the word “captain.” i “No. If you want anything in the line of spirits you'll have to go to the tavern in the next block.” : rey _“That’s a pity. I reckon I’ll have to’ put up with the — cider, though it’s a poor thing to_swab a chap’s throat 4 os. after swallerin’ a cargo of fog. Here’s a quarter. Ye kin ~ < gon. give me a dime change.” . £ a hooker, Jim Crowe, A. B., took possession of the arm-chair in k. front of the stove, where he proceeded to make himself at home with the cheese, crackers. and cider that Jack : ¢ before him. : The boy resumed the sorting of the letters and then placed them in boxes, after which he followed the ss course with the dozen-odd papers that the pouch contain i i ae during which operation he cast several furtive g' the opinion that the fellow’s brea ‘the strange sailor, wondering what he had called. ; than sea brine, but -didn’ i ss 10 oe eae ee sn os port | Sack was an orphan, and to hi owledge you, Mr. Crowe?” | sked. | tive in the world. — ‘a gies) See jt Drop the ha used| || When his

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- Mary Ellen, which was come to Blueville and invested a portion of his savings in the general store. While Captain Norris had relatives, with whom he oc- casionally corresponded, he was not troubled with visits from them, and lived with Jack as his only companion in three rooms above the store. _He was very fond of Jack, treating the boy as if he were his son, and Jack thought a whole lot of him in consequence. The captain Was now about sixty-five years of age, with bushy gray whiskers and a thick head of hair of the same eit complexion was tanned-to the color of mahogany by the sun and winds of the tropics, and he was as hale and ees d as any man could be at his age. Jack was a great favorite im the village, not only with the girls and boys, but with the grown-ups as well, for he had a sunny disposition, and was always willing to do a favor for anybody that wanted it. 2 He had all the liberty to enjoy himself that any boy could ask for under his circumstances, and with rugged health and a large fund of animal spirits to draw on, he was as con- tented as the day was long. When Jim Crowe had finished his frugal ch he picked up a copy of the village paper he found at hand and, planting his muddy boots against the grate of the stove, for the spring ey was chilly, he proceeded to read the local and other in- telligence. é, : ; : ; pao dropped in occasionally and were waited on by ack. All of them noticed the sailor, because he was a stranger and they asked the boy who he was, and what he was doing in the store. 4 Jack’s answer to all was that the man’s name was Jim Crowe, and that he had called to see Captain Norris; who = was out. S i: Among the visitors to the store was Tom Trimble and _ Mat Mulford, two particular friends of Jack’s, Tom came in to get a package of tobacco for his father, and Mat arrived almost immediately afterward to get some- ; aps, that his mother wanted. : » “Who’s the chap over by the stove?” asked Tom. “He looks like a sailor.” _ “He is a sailor,” replied Jack. “His name is Jim Crowe.” _” “He seems to be taking things easy for a stranger.” Jack explained why the sailor was there. ,, At that point Mat entered the store, and the first thing he no was the maritime visitor. _Jack had to tell him who the sailor was and the object of eal. | don’t like his looks,” said Mat. i er do I,” chimed in Tom. , He’s got a bad eye,” said Jack. “I don’t fancy the way ‘Sized me up when he came in the store. I wish the cap- Sard oo and send him ema Bo Lrgee a : file the boys were talking together the sailor got u approached them. . ee Tom and Mat over and then said'to Jack: Ai Sa BORBY, it’s "bout time the cap’n hove in sight, Norris usually takes his time when he goes any- batt ened the sail “T 8’ ’re_ ski ; or. pose you’re skipper You ain’t his son, are’ ye hee oh ‘when he's away. aps you're his 2”, als no reltsar ay han” so,” chuckled Crowe. “Cap’n married?” Tide rose gee se the cap’n has a spare room for an old ship- ‘only three rooms up-stairs. Captain Norris oc- front one, I use the small one next to it, and the Kitchen ‘and dining-room combined. “We've no n’t nobody in the house “cept the cap’n and faa ae A GOLDEN STAKE. — ig ies in the West Indian trade, and had| “I reckon I’ve fotind ye at last, cap’n, and I’m mighty glad to see ye ag’in arter ten long years that ye manag to put between us. Ye ain’t changed much in that time, — aand_I don’t reckon that I have, either. I’m the same old sheliback, and it ought to put ye in mind of old times to see me once more.” ; . : Captain Norris didn’t look as if he was overjoyed at seeing one of his old. hands again. a BS In fact, the unexpected appearance of Jim Crowe, Av B., seemed to give him a chill. ; The boys noticed that he started back aghast and looked much discomposed, > He made ‘no effort to welcome the sailor, but started at him with mouth half open. ‘ ; He started to say something, but the words died away in his throat. : Evidently if Jim Crowe had expected a royal reception, with a fatted ealf in the baekground, he was disappointed. CHAPTER If. “I WANT THE CHART, AND I’M GOIN” TO HAVE IT OR YOUR LIFE.” “Ain’t ye got a word of welcome for your old shipmate, cap’n?” grinned the sailor, sardonically, as he fixed the retired skipper with his wicked eyes. “Maybe ye thought I was dead and buried years ago, and ye are so overj’yed at seein’ me alive that ye can’t speak.” “So it’s really you, Jim Crowe,” said the captain, at last, in a hollow kind of voice that didn’t seem natural to Jack or the other boys, who regarded the meeting-of Captain Norris and the stranger with no little interest and curiosity. “Right ye are, cap’n; it’s me, sure enough. I told ye there warn’t no use of ye tryin’ to shake me. I ain’t to be shook, leastways not so long as ye hold on to that there chart which: = : ; Captain Norris led the way to the back part of the store. “I don’t know how you managed to find me out, Crowe, but since you have we’ll talk business right from the start. “That’s what I like to hear, cy ee chuckled the visitor. “It won’t do you no good to hang around this village keeping your eye on mé, Crowe. You won’t gain anythi by it. I haven’t used the chart, and I don’t expect to now. “Ye couldn’t: find the island, I reckon. Ye can’t tell me that ye didn’t look for it, for I know ye did.” “Py allow I hunted for it, but I couldn’t find it.” “Then ye are willin’ to gre up the dockyment, are ye?” “No, I’m_ not,” replied the storekeeper, firmly. “There’s a, fortune in it for some one ,vounger than me, and I’ve picked out the party who’s to enj’y it.” t “Oh, ye have,” snarled Crowe, with a wicked’ gleam in his eye. “Ye have picked out some one ye mean to give ait. to?” 2 “T have.” “No,” replied the captain, firmly, “you never. had any right to that chart at all. If you had I would have seen that eee a fair show along with me to realize on the strength of it. . “I never had no~xight to it, eh?” gritted the sailor. . “Not the slightest. You as good as murdered the man who owned it. He gave it to me in gratitude for what I did for him when he lay dying at the hospital in Rio. He; ave it to me also on the condition that I would keep it rom you. I swore to do so, and I’ve kept my oath.” “Jest so,” sneered Crowe, “Well, it ain’t done ye no good, has it?” - “Not a particle.” “Then I’d advise ye to give it to me a “I doubt if you could find the island “Ye needn’t worry ’bout that. there's no ha f the gold, tho nd save either. trouble.” ther. ” = .

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insurance comp’ny I wouldn’t take no risk on ye as long as ye hold on to that there chart.” “Do you mean to threaten me?” demanded Captain Norris, y. I reckon I ain’t tellin’ ye more’n ye suspect yourself, otherwise ye wouldn’t have taken such precious pot 4 eare to throw me off your scent,” “You’re a conscienceless scoundrel, Jim Crewe. I have no doubt you wouldn’t hesitate to take my life if you saw your way clear to that chart, but you’ll never find it, mark ie It’s hidden where you nor no one else can find it till die a natural death.” The sailor seemed considerably taken aback by the eap- tain’s words. “Why don’t ye finish it?” replied Crowe, who made not the slightest resistance to the captain’s attaek, although his mu > frame showed that he was well able to defend ee if necessary. “Why don’t ye say what’s in your mind? “You’re an infernal rascal!” _ “Jest so,” replied Crowe, coolly. “Keep on. My feelin’s is that hardened I kin stand it. I’ll allow when we sailed together ye could lay the law down to us chaps from the break of the poon as strong as any cap’n I ever knowed. Ye warn’t no milk-and-water skipper. Ye warn’t afraid of no man board the hooker: But it’s diff’rent now. It’s been - diff’rent these ten year back. Ye are afraid of me.” “Afraid of you! “Ye have shown it in a dozen’ways, What has changed ye? That there chart, and ye know it. Ye know I intend to have it if—I haye to take your life,” the sailor hissed. “So what’s the use of tryin’ to hold me off? Ye are takin’ chances holdin’ out ag’in me. When a chap has waited ten ear for somethin’ he’s determined to git he ain’t in no b for triflin’.” The sailor clearly meant every word he said, and Captain Norris knew it. However, he deemed it prudent to temporize with the “I'm willing to give you $500 cash, Crowe, if you'll agree to quit the vi and not return,” he said. ‘ at's in cash when maybe there’s a million in gold hidden away on ther island?” “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. There’s no certainty about the treasure being on the island even if the chart eventually leads to the island.” y “You hand. over the chart and I'll take all the chances of findin’ the island and the gold, too,” replied the sailor. “You refuse my offer, then?” “I wouldn’t look at it. I want the chart, and I’m goin’ to have it or yopr life!” gritted the sailor. 2 “Then you'll have to take my life, for the chart you'll never get while I’m alive.” j “Tl give ye another chance. Fit out a schooner, take me with ye and we'll hunt for the island and gold together. If we the treasure we’ll divide even. Then’ ye can go our way and I'll go mine. Is it a in? = as he Sttered the words. » The speaker’s eyes snap “Tl think it over. Call here in the morning and you 1 have my answer, one way or the other,” said n ‘Crowe fixed the captain with his wicked eyes, and seemed to be debating in his mind whether to give the old man r eS ink it over,” he said finally, with a treach- t ought to have warned the §ki “T'll be an A GOLDEN STAKE, 3 - that as long as he lived he never would cease looking for me. He swore that he would track me if he spent his whole life doing it, and he has kept his word. Well, his perse- verance shall do him no good as far as the chart is con- cerned. My oath must be kept even at the cost of my life. For me the treasure of the Indies has no further significance, but the: chart shall be my legacy to Jack. He is young, and plucky, and stalwart. He may be able to locate the island some time, and if the treasure is there it shall be his.” The captain entered the room and shut the door behind him. CHAPTER III. THE CAPTAIN’S STORY. The three boys had watched the interview between Cap- tain Norris and the unsavory-looking sailor in a furtive way, Tom and Mat wholly forgetting the errands that had brought them to the store. ’ They only caught a word now and then when either the captain or Crowe raised his voice above the low tone. in which they were carrying on their conversation. The actions of the two men, however, spoke volumes, and the boys readily believed that the subject under discussion was a weighty one. “That sailor seems to be laying the law down to Captain Norris,” said Tom Trimble, in a low tone. Jack could not help agreeing with him, and he wondered that the captain did not throw the rascal out of the store. The captain made no attempt to do so, however, though when his passion momentarily got the better of him, and he laid his hands menacingly on the sailor, the boys looked to see a serap, but it didn’t materialize. Finally Jim Crowe left the store and Captain Norris went upstairs. : “That sailor acted as though he had a hold over the ca tain,” said Mat Mulford, with a suggestive shake of the head. “Otherwise, from what I’ve seen’ ofthe old man, he’d have got the bounce.” “Captain Norris isn’t ed with, is he, Jack?” the rascal,” said Jack. “Looks very mysterious,” interjécted Mat. ertaini y does,” agreed Tom. “What do you think about it, Jack?” ; “J don’t know what to think. I’m bound to say that, I don’t like it. That Jim Crowe isn’t up to any com- ing here,” : shine “T guess he’ll bear watching,” said Mat. “I wouldn’t like to meet on the county road of a black, and.one s poo “All right,” replied Jack. get them for you,” He stepped across to a cabinet behind the counter on the opposite side of the store, picked out the spools, wrapped’ them up and handed them to Tom. “Anything else?” he inquired. , “No, that’s all. So ye and Trimble left the store. “I want a package of Old Crow tobacco,” said Mat.

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could handle»me with one hand. Just then two men came in to see if any mail had come for them. There was a paper for one of them, and the other treated to cigars. Then a girl came in with a jug and asked for a quart of molasses. : i While he was waiting on her Captain Norris came down- stairs and re-entered the store. e went to the stove and, seating himself in the chair vacated by Jim Crowe, leaned his fread on his hand and dropped into a brown study. e girl departed with the molasses and Jack busied him- self about the store and waited on other customers who came in. At length it grew dark, and the captain still sat motion- ‘ess in his chair. Jack watched him occasionally with some uneasiness, It wasn’t at all like Captain Norris to act in such an odd way. . ake as he started to light the lamps, was satisfied there Was something out of the common the matter with the old man. Whatever it was, it evidently arose from the visit of Jim Crowe. . '. that I'll be able»to put him out bodily.’ He looks as if he It’s a pity he turned up.” | too However, unless the captain chose to take him into his! erence he wasn’t likely to learn anything about the matter. At lenzth Captain Norris raised his head and called Jack over to the stove. “Jack,”. he said, solemnly, “I’ve got something to tell you.” “What is it, captain?” “You Saw that sailor who was here a while ago?” “He’s the greatest scoundrel unhung.” “IT believe you, captain. He’s got a bad eye, and I sized him up as a rascal when he first came in the store and _ asked for you.” “He has threatened to kill me, Jack.” “What for?” asked the boy, greatly startled. ' “Beeause I have something in my possession that he _. covets.” as oi oh dl you send for the constable and have him 5 arres ti “ve been thinking of doing that, Jack, but I fear it _ Would afford me but a temporary respite. When-he got out - of jail he would seek to carry out his threat. I’ve known him for the matter of fifteen years, and he’s the only man Fe. Yve ever felt powerless to handle.” : _ ~*~ “But if you don’t have him arrested he may do you an ©. injury.” <i i cake Cyt have to risk it, Jack. He’s coming here in the morn- ee ing to get my answer to a proposition he male me. On account of an obligation, a very sacred one, I entered into ' eleven years ago in Rio de Janeiro, I cannot comply with his scheme, even if I felt disposed to do so,.and consequently I cannot say to what extremes the villain will go when he re- ceives my ultimatum. Owing to this crisis in my affairs, J ‘ awe decided that it is necessary to take you into my con- i ce. I am going to tell you a story that will probably si ; ou. lt is the story of pirate goli, buried on a certain island in the Caribbean Sea.” , “Pirate gold!” ejaculated Jack, in surprise. “Yes. You remember that I have told you many tales of the pirates of the Spanish Main, and of the West Indian Jack nodded and waited with great interest for the old to go on. * told you how those rascals originated« how, under dif- : ama they flourished and painted ‘ae tropical seas of Spain in | - A GOLDEN: STAKE. “Yes, sir. I remember all that, and I’ve read about it, “Most of the stuff was, no doubt, dug up at a future date and squandered by the rascals; but a good deal of this treasure still lies where it was originally buried, mostly in the sands of secluded coves on unfrequented islands in the Caribbean Sea. It is to one of these unrecovered treasures that my story relates,” said the captain, wiping his brow with his red bandana handkerchief. ai ; Jack was now an eager listener, and he waited impatiently for further developments. 4 “When I was at Rio, twelve years ago,” went on Captain Norris, “I was one night traversing an obscure street close to the water side when I heard a cry of ‘murder!’ A man ran out of a narrow alley, closely pursued by another with a knife in his hand. As the first man stumbled blindly toward me, repeating his thrilling ery, the second man closed upon him and raised his knife to finish his bloody work. I had paused in the shadow of one of the buildings and was unnoticed by either.’ Seeing that murder was about to be committed, I sprang out just in time to arrest fhe impending blow that would, no doubt, have finished the fleeing man. As I seized the uplifted arm of the would-be murdérer, he turned furiously upon me and it was then that I recognized him as a member of my crew—an able seaman name Jim Crowe.” “The man who called “Jim Crowe!” ejaculated Jack. here this afternoon?” “The identical man. He was rather staggered when he recognized me as his captain, and as I always was a man who stood no nonsense from my men, and they know me, he made no further effort to attack me, but dropped his knife and stood in sullen silence until I released his arm, when he immediately took to his heels and disappeared into the alley whence he and the other man had just issued. I then looked for the object of his murderous assault and saw him lying huddled all in a heap a dozen feet away. He was un- conscious, and I discovered that he was bleedi from an ugly found in his breast. At that moment a police patrol came upon the scene and I had the victim of Jim Crowe car- ried to the hopital. “Next day I visited him. He was a sailor, stranded in the port, and taking pity on him, I left orders that everything possible be done for him. I went to some small expense to see that he got nourishing food and sundry delicacies, for I felt that I owed him a duty since his assailant was a mem- ber of my crew. The poor fellow seemed to be grateful for the attention I gave him. and when he learned from the surgeon that he could not live over twelve hours, he sent for me. Then I discovered that the possession of an old chart, disclosing the hiding-place of a store of pirate gold, was the cause of his plight. He had made the acquaintance of Jim Crowe at a low drinki when somewhat under the influence of liquor had told Crowe about the chart, and the latter evidently determined to get possession of it by foul means. He attacked the man in the alley as he was leaving the house, stabbed him, and was following up his evil work when, as I have told you, I hap- ened upon the scene and defeated his purpose. To make a ong neg short, the dying sailor gave me the chart which had cost him his life and, at the same time, on learning that Crowe belonged to at4 ship, made me swear that if the ras- cal found out I had the chart, under no consideration should he benefit even to the extent of a dollar in the buried treas- ure. Next day the sailor was dead. “Crowe h house, it in the hands of the authorities. Hardly were we in waters when Jim Crowe made his appearance hold, where he had been hiding with the connivance eral of the crew. I called him up, told him that murderer, and that I considered it to be my duty him over to the authorities of Havana, whi bound. He gave me an ugly look, but said i day while I was examining the chart in pened to glanee up at the open skylight raseal looking down at me. ; “From that moment his sh : - 7 ad

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to turn him over to the police in New York, but the day we arrived he escaped, with the assistance of two sailors who ‘were chummy with him. -Detectives hunted for him in vain, but I felt that I might expect him to turn up when I least expected it. “On my next trip to the Tropics I made a hurried search for the island where the treasure is, but could not locate it. On my return voyage I repeated the quest, but without re- sult. When I returned to New York I found that I was constantly shadowed by the villain or somebody. in his in- terest. I had several narrow escapes for my life, and at length the strain proved too much for me. I resigned my command and determined to bury myself somewhere in the country. and have lived here undisturbed for ten years. “As time eneg I believed that I had effectually thrown the villain off my track. A month ago I had an ugly dream. I thought the rascal had found me at last. Since then I’ve lived in constant fear that my dream er be realized. To- day it was. The ‘scoundrel has discovered me, and once more Y’m at his merey. But he shall not get the chart, though he kills me. Long ago I decided that the treasure on that Carib- bean island should be yours, Jack, if in the course of time you were so fortunate as to find the place described in the art. “Mine!” cried the astonished boy. “Yes. You are young, with the probability of many years before you. The chart shall be yours to do with as you choose. It is hidden——” 2 At that moment the sound of cat-like steps in the room above their heads—the captain’s room—reached their ears. CHAPTER IV. THE CHART. “Hark! What’s that?” exclaimed the captain. They listened intently. i Presently they heard the cautious tread of footsteps again, followed by the fall of some small article on the floor. “There’s some one in my room!” cried the old skipper, spring ae te his feet and starting for the stairs at the back part of the store. Jack was about to follow him when a small boy entered and handed him an order for sundry supplies that his mother wanted. ‘ “7 attend to it, Billy,” said Jack, after glancing over the list. ’ He handed the lad a few candies, placed the order on a file, and as the door closed behind the boy he started fo- the stairs to listen at the foot, or ascend to the floor above if he thought his presence was necessary there. He had hardly taken his stand there when he heard muf- fled sounds of a struggle on the floor above. . That was enough for Jack. The captain had evidently surprised the intruder and w ing to capture him. : ; e boy started up the stairs, two steps at a time, As he struck the corridor he heard a cry from the captain, followed by the words: “Villain, you have stabbed me!” Jack’s blood ran cold, and for.an instant he paused aghast. » Then he recovered his nerve and dashed for the old skip- per’s room. f : RSs The door stood open, a gleam of light shining into the _ corridor, and when he reached it a dreadful sight met his Captain Norris lay stretched upon the floor, like a dead : --man. and standing over him was Jim Crowe, knife in hand, looking down at his terrible work. . With a cry of grief and rage, Jack sprang upon the rascal. The fellow, en by surprise, back, tripped over - _-the exzptain’s body and, losing his balance, fell backward. _ His head struck the corner of the chimney and he rolled over, stunned, the knife falling from his coe 28 _ Jack paid no further attention to him, but devoted his ie: Sieeaiigy Norris, who seemed to ‘be recovering The tore open the old man’s vest and shirt and saw £ bleeding profusel from a wound in his side. the h: y ere ef from his pocket he tried to d looked at him, Pies Sects. cer Ym ne fo, hal i) A ‘GOLDEN STAKE. I selected this retired village, bought this store, | hj lain played a march onsme. He came back on the sly, and I caught him searching my room for that chart. I grabbed him, and in the struggle that took place between us he knifed me. I am growing weaker every moment. I believe I am dying, Jack. But before I go I must see that you get the chart. It is hidden in the chimney. Put your hand up the flue. You will feel a loose brick at the back. Remove it, and you will find the chart in the back of the hole. Se- cure it at once. Do as I tell you, Jack. I want to know you have it in your possession before I die.” “I can find the chart any time, captain,” sobbed the lad, for he loved the old man and the prospect of his death, in such a sudden and tragic manner, was a terrible shock to m. ~ “No, no; get it now, Jack. Let me see it in your ‘hand and then I can die satisfied that it is beyond the reach of that scoundrel. Where is he? Has he escaped?” “No. He is unconscious on the fioor.” “The chart, the chart!” ‘cried the skipper, with a frantic kind of eagerness. Jack saw that it would be necessary to humor him, so he jumped up, stepped over to the chimney, inserted his hand }up the flue, removed the loose brick, felt around the aperture junti? his fingers touched something like a small packet, which he drew forth. The wounded man watched his movements with feverish interest. “That's it, Jack,” he said in a voice hardly above 'a whis- per. “That’s it. Hide it, quick! Hide——” "5 re head dropped back and the next word died in his ~ roat. Jack thrust the packet into his pocket and sprang quickly to the captain’s side, unconscious that the sailor had recov- ot his senses and had heard a portion of the wounded man’s words. “He is dead! He is dead!” moaned the boy, noting the pallor on fhe old man’s face and seeing how still and death- like he lay. Half-frantie with grief, he felt for the skipper’s heart, ; aoa great joy he noticed that it was still ting, though aintly. “T must a doctor at once,” he cried, “There isn’t a moment to be lost.” Without thinking of the motionless ruffian near the chim- ney, he dashed out of the room, down the stairs and into the store, where he found Tom Trimble standing with his back — against one of the counters waiting for somebody to turn up. a 3 was much startled by the excited appearance of Jack — ton. “What’s the matter, Jack? What’s happened?” “Murder is the matter,” palpitated Jack. 3 “Murder!” Tom, turning pale, “Yes. That sailor came back and has stabbed the captain. I’m going for a doctor as quick as I can, Mind the store, — will you till I get back?” PF, With those words Jack snatched up his hat and rushed out — at the door. ; : There were two doctors in the village, and the nearest one — lived about a quarter of a mile from the store. ; Jack made for his house as fast as he could run. 4 The doctor was in and the boy hurriedly acquainted him with the facts of the case. aes eee agreed with the lad that there was no time © to ost. ; a He got his emergency bag and accompanied Jack back to the store. . me Tom was doing his best to wait on two customers who had come in and, without stopping, Jack led the doctor up — to Captain Norris’s room. the boy had left him and Ja The old skipper lay just d be trad past all help. e. was afrai Da anenielont” etrammtuadl- Oh d and pronouneed e sician e wound and pro ; dingercub. batt not necessarily fatal. . . grees washed it with an antiseptic preparation and ti carefully band it. , a th the old skipper had lost a good deal the physician hoped that his rugged constitution

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= -. So Pa ‘ : We ee. er - Ae at > Se = ‘ “ A GOLDEN STAKE. ; aoe _ through, and the physician told him that he thought he had a good chance of doing so. pe It was arranged that the doctor, should send a nurse to _ attend to Captain Norris, since Jack would have his hands ‘full looking after the store all by himself. = After the physician had departed, Jack went downstairs and sent Tom for the constable. called chart pointing the way to a priate’s treasure was, at first sight at least, little better than so much Greek to him._ It. was impossible for him to go to the captain now and ask for an explanation. That would have to be deferred till the old skipper grew better, if he ever did. : Jack, however, was’ curious to*learn the meaning of the writing as soon as he could, and he thought he would try and see. if he could study it out for himself. He first tackled the word “Lucayos.” “That must be the name of the island,” he argued. “It’s a little key, or island, about four leagues, that is twelve miles, northeast of Grand Caicos. That’s easy enough to read, but what is Grand Caicos?” : He had never heard of such a place as Grand Caicos be- fore, and he was inclined to believe that it was a town on some island in the Caribbean Sea. +4 As Jack, believed in doing things methodically before proceeding further he got his geography, which had a very ae map of the West Indies, and opened it up at the proper place. Starting with the Bahama Islands where they began off the southeastern coast of Florida, he took each one in turn and studied every name printed on the map. He met with no encouragement till he drew near the end of the group, at a point directly north of Hayti, then his heart gave a great thump when he saw the name N, Caicos attached to a small island, and then right near it a larger island labeled Grand Caicos. “Why, it’s an island!” he exclaimed, with a thrill of sat- isfaection. “The little key where the treasure is, buried is twelve miles notheast of this place.” y He studied the location with no little curiosity. There was no little island marked on the school map. “I dare say it’s down on a regular ship’s chart, all right. Probably it’s too insignificant to find a place on such a map as this. Now, if it was down on a ship’s chart of these waters, how is it that Captain Norris failed to find it in two attempts?” ; ‘That was a puzzler for Jack. ; While he was studying the map before him he noticed a word in small type, enclosed in parenthesis, directly under the words, “Bahama. Islands.” He looked at it closely and saw that it spelled “Lucayos.” Then he understood that Lucayos was the former or original name for the Bahama Islands. “So that isn’t, the name of the little island, after all. Its presence on the paper means that the little key is one of - the Bahama Islands. I’m beginning to understand this writing, after all,” he said, prapters ls “[’ll bet nine dollars that I'll get at the bottom of it before I’m done.” ¥ Having mastered the first part of the writing to his satis- faction, he took up the next sentence, which was a short one, “L, abt 71—16.” ‘ It took him abovt fifteen minutes to translate this into “Bongitude, 71 degrees, 16 minutes,” west, of course. Then naturally the next sentence meant “Latitude, 21 ‘degrees, 30 minutes” north. _ The next was easy: “Big mound close to the west end of the island.” The next was also simple: “Entrance to the mound faced to the east about midway north. and south.” ; The last read easily, to his way of thinking: “Dig one - foot northwest,” but still it didn’t seem to be quite clear as ? a definite direction. \ Jack decided to write the whole thing down on another — iece af paper, so that if by any chance he lost the original - e would have a copy that, would answer fully as well for all practical purposes. / x So he got a clean piece of notepaper and made the fol- lowing copy: j “Lucayos, or Bahama Islands. The- little key (island) — ‘about twelve miles notheast of Grand Caicos Island. Lon- — gitude about 71 . 16 min. - Latitude about 21 deg. 30 min. Big’ mound close to west end of island, entrance to which faces east about midway north and south. Dig one foot, northwest.” tenes : ~- When that official arrived, which he did in a hurry when _ Tom told him what had happened at the store, Jack put _ him in possession of all the particulars of the case. “You say it was a sailor named Jim Crowe who, stabbed Captain Norris?” said the constable. .. “Yes, sir,” answered Jack. : “Describe him, please.” Jack did so, and Tom corroborated the description. & “ff the captain is in a critical condition I had_ better 226 - the justice here and haye his ante-mortem statement a en. : “Dr. Harper said that he thought he’d pull through, _. owing to his strong constitution.” “Well, Dr, Harper ought to be a good judge of the man’s condition. Still, it’s well to be on the safe side. I think his Statement ought to be taken, anyway. Can I go up and __ see him?” mp Jack said he could, and accompanied the constable” to = Captain Norris’s bedside. A : "As the old skipper was not in condition to answer ques- tions without weakening himself, the officer concluded to _ Postpone getting his statement for the present. “S gee went away to start an immediate search for the rasecally sailor. Ei In a short time the nurse came to attend the captain. _ When Jack came downstairs again he found Mat Mulford : in the store with Tom. Jack locked up the place and the three boys sat around ___ the stoye and talked about the advent of Jim Crowe in the __.Willage, and the well-nigh fatal attempt he had made on the _ eaptain’s life. : _. Although Jack having heard the old skipper’s story, knew ___ the reason that prompted the villain’s desperate act, he did LAL ‘not consider that he ought to explain matters to his com- _panions, though they were his particular friends. Im fact, he could not have made matters clear without a telling the story of the chart, and that he did not propose Tom and Mat were both satisfied that the sailor had a ‘strong grudge against Captain Norris to cause him to make _@ murderous assault on the old man. F _ They hazarded a dozen reasons to account for Jim Crowe’s animosity against his former commander, but not one came anywhere near hitting the truth. i Jack had little to say on the subject, though his chums plied him with numerous questions, thinking they might t a clue to the mystery through his answers. In the end they went home as much in the dark as ever. When Jack went to his room after looking in on the iptain and learning from the nurse that the skipper was easily, he lighted his cw and then, full of boyish , he took the packet that had caused at least one urder, and nearly two, out of his pocket and started to ine it. apping an outer covering of several folds of an old per, Jack found a piece of stout paper folded twice. g it out with care, it proved to be about six inches by four the other, perfectly regular in its oblong though it had been especially prepared for some ittle Leagues N E Grand : Tis gund:close to| « Phere,” said Jack, with a feeling of satisfaction, “I guess . Entrance facing E abt midway N—S.| py¢ got it down all right. I'll show it to the in when ee 3 a en | nama tae EE hety a4 ae) ; a

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| nd a oe oe Oe ©. eh ad & ‘a + 4 + —¢ ee ee A GOLDEN STAKE. fe m At that moment he thought he heard a noise at the win- 5 on eet had been dislodged so that it was out of the’ a _ dow. ; oy’s reac ee _. Turning his head quickly he saw something that made| “Come,” said Jack, “we must go downstairs and out the his heart almost stop beating. back way.” Thrusting the chart, which he had held in his left hand all the time, into his pocket, he rushed from the room, down the « stairs and into the store. ; Reaching for several pieces of short line that hung from m book on the wall he opened the back door and sprang out- side. But when he ran around the corner of the building he was only in time to see the figure of the sailor vanishing into the gloom. : “Too late!” he muttered in a tone of disappointment. “1 . thought I had him.” 4 é . Satisfied that it wag dangerous as well as useless to pur- = sue Jim Crowe, he carried, the ladder into the store, made the door fast again and returned upstairs. é The nurse, who had not followed him, evidently wanted an explanation, and Jack told her as much as he thought neces- ote: Tt was the face of Jim Crowe pressed against the glass * 4 ge of the lower panes, his baleful eyes glaring full at e boy. 2" . CHAPTER V. THE HOLD-UP AT THE BRIDGE. _ For a moment the two stared at each other without movy- ing, Jack fascinated by the basilisk gaze of the murderous raseal, then Jim Crowe lifted his arms to the sash, threw up the window and proceeded to crawl into the room. “Stop!” cried Jack. — There was something in the boy’s ringing tones that arrested the scoundrel, arld he patised with his knee on the sill and his body half-through the opening. Jack looked around for a weapon with which to defend . himself, but saw nothing that séemed available for the pur- pose. After favoring the boy with a deep scowl, Crowe’s fea- tures relaxed into an ugly kind of grin. “Tl trouble ye, sonny, for that dockyment ye haverin your hand. Hand it over and I won’t hurt ye. I came all the way from New York to get it from my old cap’n who wanted to defraud me of it. If he’d acted squarely with his old shipmate, he wouldn’t have got hurt.” Be do you want with it?” asked Jack, to gain time to think. “That’s my business, sonny. That thehe dockyment be- longs to me, The ecap’n hadn’t no right to keep. me out of it. I’ve been huntin’ for him ten years to get it back. Now he thought to fool me by givin’ it to you. But I was too sharp for him. P’*haps ye don’t know the danger of holdin’ on to that there chart. Then I'll tell ye. What happened to the cap’n happened to another man twelve years ago, and it’s likely to happen to ye if ye don’t turn it over. to me. Possesshun may be nine p’ints of the law, but the Yint of a knife is a more powerful argyment than all the ‘law in the world. ‘So hand it over, if ye would save your sary. When she retired he got a hammer and some nails and secured his window so that it could not be opened again. Then, confident that the rascal would hardly pay him an- other visit that night, he undressed himself and went to bed. e€ was up as usual with the sun, which rose aboutya quarter to six, and his first thought was of Jim Crowe, and next of the precious chart. < Looking out of the window he saw by the rumpled grass __ and patches of kicked-up earth where the rascal had fallen, and perhaps Jack half-wished that the scoundrel had broken _* his neck, for Ke richly deserved such a fate. ; After making his toilet, the boy went in to see how the F captain was getting on, and was pleased to learn that he was no worse, and perhaps a trifle better. Then he went into the kitchen, lit the fire in the stove and started to get breakfast for himself and the nurse. While thus engaged his thoughts were busy with the chart. He realized that from now on, unless the rascal was ar- rested and sent to the State’s prison for his latest crime, Jim Crowe would shadow him with the same dogged persever- ance with which he had hunted for Captain Norris.. ‘ As long as the villain believed the chart to be in his . Q possession he would be it danger of an unexpected attack, “Never!” cried Jack, desperately. the consequences of which were not cheerful to think 6f.: ° “Then I’m sorry for ye, sonny,” replied Crowe, with an| His only real safety lay in the capture of the sailor by il grin. “I ain’t got nuthin’ ag’in ye ’cept your objec- |the village authorities, and he determined to spur them up shun to part with that chart. Since I’ve made up my mird |that morning with the story of his last night’s adventure.’ : , to get it, no matter what the ‘risk, I’m thinkin’ ye’ll have| Jack regarded the chart as a kind of sacred trust given to give it up whether ye have a mind to or not.” - * Thim by the captain for his future advantage, and he de- ith the agility of a ‘cat he made a sudden leap into |termined, be the risk what it might, that Jim Crowe should La as = -_ pt ea ac eset sed er ese eit can aie eee the room. — never get it into his clutches. As he did so Jack snatched the lamp from the bracket | “Where shall I hide it?” he said.to himself. “I think and threw it full at him.. jits original resting-place in the chimney of the captain’s Tt struck him square in the chest. room is the best place for it, I'll put it. up at the first The chimney broke into a score of pieces, the flame of |chance I get. In the meanwhile it’s hardly safe to. carry _ the wick flared up, igniting his flantel shirt front, which |it about with me. That scoundrel may lie in wait for me _ ‘was spattered ‘with oil, and in another moment his chest | when I go for the mail this afternoon. I think I'll get Mat Was a mass of flame. oan ot Tom to go with me for the next few days as ak As the lamp fell to the floor and rolled on its side, the | protection. He might think twice before attacking the two wick still alight, Jim Crowe uttered a wild yell of rage and }of us. At any rate, an ounce of prevention is worth-a — a and \began beating out the fire that was fast envelop- | pound of cure. BS ing his shirt. F After thinking of several places to hide the chart for- 4 Sack. who was worked up to a high pitch of excitement, | the time being, Sack, leath to let it out of his reach, fi ‘~ _ «Sprang at him and struck him a heavy blow in the face. decided to stow it. between the sole of his stocking and his: ~ The sailor si red back and fell out of the window, foot. ¥ He would p ly have broken his neck by the fall but d for the fact that his body landed upon the ladder by which} 7 he had ascended and one of his arms, passing through an - ** upper rung, arrested his downward pregress enough to save After hanging fora moment in mid-air he slid to the By : landing in a heap at the foot and rolling over on =. -his face. - The grass extinguished the fire and he lay for some min- | Captain _+ utes thoroughly dazed. ¥ Teak was very. _ Jack snatched up the lamp and held the flame above his to feel light-hearted once more, in = 1 down at him, until he felt a hand on his Cc secreted somewhere in turning around saw the nurse looking at him h ‘ So, wrapping it up in a piece of, brown paper, he soon had it out of sight. riebs After a hasty breakfast he opened the store and ade a fresh fire in the stove. i z Customers began to drop in and ask about Captain Nox | and by and by the doetor came to visit the captain. When he came downstairs he told Jack that the bad as he had at first supposed it to he, and y)

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Dalida a V4 He tumbled it into the wagon, and as his companions got in, Mat taking Tom’s place on the seat for the return trip. pusniieeing the mare, Jack climbed up and started for the village. He whipped up the horse, as he was anxious to get back to the store. It was dark before they reached the wood, and Jack kept his eyes skinned when they entered it. He hardly expected to encounter Jim Crowe, but deemed it bia to keep on the lookout. : ; ey struck the bridge at a good clip and were dashing _» “Pm going to lock up while I’m away.” . ~ across it when the mare fetched up as if she had hit a stone “I suppose you’ve had a good many visitors to-day,” said | wall. Tom. A stout rope stretched across the further end of the _ “Nes. You’d think half the village was here off and on | bridge was the cause of her sudden stoppage. to, ask about Captain Norris. He’s.very popular with the| The shock toppled Mat and Jack backward off the seat, ple, and they are all sorry to hear of ‘the attack made} and sent Tom and the box floundering in the bottom of the upon him by the sailor.” : wagon. : “The fellow hasn’t been arrested yet, has he?” | A stalwart figure darted out of-the bushes, climbed into “Not to my knowledge. I guess he’s as cunning as an|the wagon and, singling Jack out, yanked him from the old fox, and will be hard to catch. What do you think? He | vehicle, half-dazed as he was, and dragged him away. ; the nerve to come back here after you and Mat left | ; last night.” “You don’t mean it!” exclaimed Tom, clearly astonished. Ee “I do mean it,” and Jack told ‘his friend all the : CHAPTER VI. b lars of Crowe’s visit, except that part relating to the chart: _.. That gave Tom the same idea that the constable had, that the sailor had returned to finish the captain. am When the time came for Jack to go to the station for the __ mail he left Tom to look after the store while he went to the - barn to hitch up the light wagon. : __, He found Mat Mulford in the store when he drove around in front. : ‘Mat wanted to go to the station, too. __*You can go, but there isn’t room on the seat for three,” said Jack. _ . “What’s the matter with putting a box in and Ill sit be- _ hind you?” said Mat. , i IN THE HANDS OF JIM CROWE. It didn’t take Jack many moments to realize that he was in the clutches of a powerful man, and though he couldn’t see the fellow’s face in the darkness he knew that it must be Jim Crowe who had trapped him, He put up a desperate struggie to get free, but the ras- cally sailor was twice as strong a8 he was, and paid little attention to his efforts. 2 He had a strong-hold on the boy and Jack, seeing that the scoundrel had him dead to rights, began shouting for hele hoping that Tom and Mat would come to his rescue. im pe ‘There was no objection to this arrangement, and it was rowe crashed down through the bushes toward the bt carried out. 7 stream, dragging the boy. with him. 1A About half-way to the station the road led through a| He was aiming for the rusty black sloop, moored to the es wood where a narrow stream, connecting with Great South | stump of a tree by a slip-knot, such as sailors know how to _. Bay, was crossed by a bridge. make. ‘ _. It was at this point that, had he been alone, Jack would; In the meantime Tom and Mat pulled themselves to- - 2 gether ‘and stood up in the stalled wagon. fered many advantages for such a thing owing to the dense “What the dickens did we run inst?” asked Mat, rub- shrubbery that grew along the road. : bing a lump on the back of his head. “One would think : t he had two stout companions with him the |we’d struck a fence from the way we fetched up. The road seems clear enough as far as I can see.” est ots “Ask me something easier, Mat,” replied Tom, with a ; rueful grimace, not apparent in the gloom. “Blamed if at a rusty-looking sloop lying half-hidden among |I know what we struck, though I’ll swear I hit the bottom se craft is that, and where did it come from?” | of the wagon hard enough to put a hole through it.” ” replied Jack. “I saw it there yesterday af-| “Where’s Jack?” asked Mat. | ; 1en I Xe : “T don’t know where he is. I guess he’s looking for the “You don’t suppose that it belongs to that sailor, do | obstruction.” , you?” said Tom. f “ “Help! Tom! Mat! Help!” came the voice of Jack This suggestion rather startled Jack, and he looked hard | at that moment. t the lonesome-looking and wo omen deserted craft as| “Hello!” said Mat. “There’s Jack’s voice now. _He’s in Wy slowly across the bridge. } some trouble and ‘is shouting for us. Come on, let’s see ll, it might,” replied Jack, as he started the mare! what’s the trouble.” ; a trot. } Both boys leaped from the wagon, slipped past the horse ‘hen we'd wer put the constable on to it when we ees then fetched up against the rope which had stopped ie ’t be any harm in you doing so on your in, as surprise this time came in sudden contact with the ‘ope a ae es There’s been Lone ched?” ro Mat “don't say!” . 1’t tell you, but I 3 WMG Pe FT yanked shes. i 3 uty | had ed Jack, . The carefull and then saw what a “ =53

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Said Mat. on,” and he started off in the direction of the hail. “What could have taken him down there?” asked Tom, as he followed his companion. ; “Maybe he is stuck in the mud and water. Come _ “How do I know? He’s there, at ayn rate, and he’s call- oe us to help him out of some scrape.” the boys said nothing More, but made all haste to reach their hapless companion. They struggled through the bushes in the darkness, half afraid that water before they knew where they were. “Help! Help!” shouted Jack, not far away. “Shut up, ye infernal young sculpin, or I'll choke the wind out of ye!” came a second and decidedly hoarse voice to their ears. ' Tom and Mat recognized the tones as belonging to Jim Crowe, the murderous sailor, and they both came to a sud- den halt. ag “It’s the rascal who stabbed Captain Norris,” said Tim, in a tremulous whisper. “T know it is,” returned Mat. “He’s got hold of Jack - and Lord knows what he means to do to tim.” “What shall we do?” palpitated Tom, who had a terrified vision of a knife coming his way in the darkness, if he and his companion went too far. “Do!” cried Mat, who was full of spunk. “We’ve got to help Jack out. We can’t desert him when he’s in trouble.” “But, suppose——” “Suppose nothing! Come on,” and he dashed forward. Tom followed, ashamed to hold back. ~ He was not wanting in courage, but the reputation the sailor had already made in the village had its effect on him. The two lads reached the edge of the creek where the sloop lay just as Crowe had-thrust Jack into the cabin, and shut the door on him. He was hastening to slip the moorings when Mat, fol- lowed by Tom, came piling over the bows of the craft. “Hi, there, vou rascal, what are you doing with Jack Dal- ton?” demanded Mat, advancing aft with a stout stick in his hand. A I Jim Crowe was a bit staggered by their unexpected ap- - pearance. ones 2 Mas an imprecation at them and ordered them off e sloop. “We don’t go without Jack,” replied Mat, resolutely. “What have you done with him?” “None of your blamed business, ye young monkey. Get ashore, both of ye!” ¢ “Not on your life, Jim Crowe. We’re not afraid of you. We want Jack and we’re going to haye him.” “Ye are, eh?” snarled the sailor. “I'll see if ye are!” He rushed at the boys. If he had his knife about him he disdained to use ‘it on the lads, whom he expected to crush with his ponderous, hairy fists, which were like a couple of sledge-hammers. _" Mat aimed a blow at his head, ‘The sailor saw the stick coming, arm grabbed it as it descended. : With a jerk he yanked the brave boy toward him, struck him in the face and tumbled him down the short stairway leading to the cabin. a , Then he sprang at Tom, snatched the sti¢k from_his grasp, and crabbing him bodily, threw him on top of Mat. The two boyd were thus placed hors de combat in no time at all. e _ Jim Crowe slipped his mooring rope, hoisted the jib and _ then ¢he mainsail, made the sheets fast, and went to the helm as the sloop gathered way and pointed her nose down ¢ the creek in the direction of Great South Bay. | The wind was light and the little craft didn’t make very, ; wan allo: secared the iter so fiat tiie sloop, would “cs __ her course steadily down the ‘creek and then, a couple of pieces of rope in hand he went forward to where Tom and throwing up his A GOLDEN ey might find themselves in th® mire and} Mat were just recovering from the effects of ,their,en- with him. ; a STAKE. where ye ain’t got no business. -Lie there, both of ys, till I make up my mind whether I'll feed ye to the fishes or put ye ashore somewhere along the bay.” Having said his say, Jime Crowe returned to the tiller and proceeded to guide the sloop down the creek to the point where it connected with the bay. CHAPTER VII. THE SECRET OF THE CHART. In the course of twenty minutes the little vessel was in Great South Bay, with her head to the west. Crowe once more secured the helm, and then went to the door of the cabin, which he unfastened and entered. A dim light from a swinging lantern partially dispelled the gloom and showed the figure of Jack Dalton stretched out on the floor with his hands and feet bound. “Now, you son of a sea-cook, I’m goin’ to ’tend to your case,” said the sailor, with an evil leer. “Ye nearly done me up last night, so ye can’t complain if I fix ye for keeps now that. I have ye in my power. First of all, I’m goin’ to see if ye have that chart about ye. [If so, p’raps I up on ye. He — a close search of.Jack’s clothes. From his vest-pocket he drew forth the copy the boy ha made of the vellum document. The rascal took down the lantern and examined it. “So that’s what I saw ye doin’ last night—copyin’ the chart,” ‘he said, with a sarcastic grin. “Well, ye kin have it back. It’s no good to me no more’n the chart was to my, old cap’n. The man who gave it to him didn’t tell him the: real secret of the paper. So he followed the writin’ and went on a wild-goose chase. Ye kin do the same if ye ever get the chance. I know how to get the real meanin’ out of that there dockyment. The chap told me while he was three sheets in the wind, and but for my old cap’n buttin’ in I’d have been livin’ in clover these twelve years. However, I reckon it ain’t too late yet, pervided I get the chart, and I mean to get it if I have to go back to the village and s’arch the cap’n’s house from cellar to roof. Ye’ve either it, about ye or ye’ve hidden it. If ye havén’t it in your clothes ye’ll tell me where ye’ve hidden it or it’ll be wuss for ye.” While Jim Crowe was talking he was se Jack's garments, and feeli and his vest to see if he’d sewed it into the lining. . Jack maintained a dogged silence, hoping that the rascal would not think of searching his right stocking. As he met with nothing low’s tem grew steadily worse. Finally he pulled off Jack’s them. : The By heart jumped into his mouth, for he expected nothing else but that his stockin; then the chart would come to light. __ As cunning as the rascal,was he didn’t su hiding-place of the chart, much,to Jack’s relief. ~ The sailor made a second and more careful search of his prisoner’s. garments, and as he didn’t find what he was after he gave up the quest, fully satisfied that the boy hz hidden the paper somewhere about the captain’s house. “T see ye haven't got it,” he said, with an ugly S “Well, ye’ll tell me where ye’ve hid it or Pll make of the real ! done with it?” . 7 vai “You won’t find out from me,” revlied Jack, ee p: “Won't 1? Vl see if I won’t. When a bird won’t sing he must be made to. I reckon I kin make ye warble afo * ie he > “4 rc 2 let every inch of the cloth of his jacket | but disappointment, the fel-- eo sf wy Rate & 2 shoe and looked into both — would come off next, and | . ! i ye’d never been born. Come, out with it! What have #55)

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A GOLDEN STAKE. ge a ye’ve hid the chart. I’ve seen stubborner chaps than ye| pretty hard luck. In fact, I never was in it. ‘Neither was - come to the scratch wheh fire was brought ag’in the soles| Captain Norris. The secret writing on the back of the chart a - of their feet.’” seems to be the key of the whole thing. Neither the captain a With another crafty chuckle he began pulling Jack’s stock-| nor I would probably have ever learned of its existence, _* ing off. and consequently the chart would have been valueless to us.” x “Hello, sonny! What have ye got in your stockin’? Such was the tenor of Jack’s thoughts as he lay helpless - Blamed if I don’t believe it’s the chart,” he added, shaking | on the floor of the cabin. ; ; ; _ the little packet out in his hand. 5 He was not aware that Tom and Mat were also prisoners nS Tt took him but fifteen seconds to assure himself that} on board the sloop; although he had heard the rumpus on such was the fact. deck befové the sailor slipped his moorings in the creek. _ ~~ “Ye are more clever than I took ye to be,” he said, with _. your stockin’, That saves ye from a scorchin’, sonny. _ veckon ye have got off easy. This here chart wouldn’t have done ye no more good than it did the cap’n. He hunted for that there key accordin’ to direcshuns, and he didn’t find it, _ though the latitude and longitude is writ down here as a lain as daylight, till it would seem jest like plain sailin’ ig 9) ge to that there island. Ye’ve got.a copy. of it in your pocket, which ye kin keep, and go huntin’ for it on your own About all he knew was that the little craft was out on _ a Satisfied chuckle. “And I never thought that it was in| Great South Bay, and that the water was not rough. CHAPTER VIII : LOST IN-THE FOG. For an hour or so longer the sloop sailed along and then hook some day if ye’ve a mind to. But ye might sail around] Jim Crowe ran her close in to a small island just north of that there Grand Caicos till. ye was gray-headed and ye! Fire Island, which forms part of the narrow strip of shore . wouldn’t find no little key, leastaway not the little key where! marking the southern boundary of Great South Bay. A short distance away was a channel connecting she bay the gold is buried. P’r’aps ye don’t believe me? J’ll jest how he failed to find the island. This here writin’ ain’t the _. what hadn’t no right to the chart: The chap that give it away to him. But he gave it away to me when his brains Was thick with licker. Now, look at the back of that. there lantérn chimney for a few minutes. chap out of t When he took it away it was no longer blank, but covered with a faded kind of writing. : “There ye are. There’s the keyrect latitude and longitude, which ain’t near Grand Caicos at all, but near another island 250 miles or more from it. Now ye understand why the — Ye made the marks: out mighty well, considerin’ ye ain 2 | The last sentence he spoke ironically, for he knew there "wasn’t much chance of Jack ever getting hold of another turned the Jantern to the hook where it had swung before, |’ ok S ‘of the chart. _ No wonder Captain Norris had failed to discover the lit- the secret writing on the back of the paper. The got the chart away from me. It seems strange that should lay into the hands of such a scoundrel. But $s, and i’s all there is to it. I wonder w hé’ll do me now? Land me somewhere alongshore-and then for the island, I suppose; that is, it he’s, got grub remain on the key. He must be something of a island is. , Most sailors like him cou!l@n’t do it could) show ye. Ye kin go back to the cap’n, then, and tell him| with the great ocean outside. s a . It ran between Oak Island and Fire Island, and at the keyrect direeshun. It was put there to fool any one| extreme point of the former flashed the Oak Light. c ‘ The sailor stepped ashore and secured the sloop to a large to my old cap’n forgot, or didn’t want to give the secret} stone. ED nen he returned ep board. i dea - a. u 4 : : : “Now, you young shavers,” he said to Tom Trimble an » chart: Ye don’t see no writin’ on it, do ye?” he grinned. Mat Mulford, “I’ in’ to let!. nd - friend with P The rascal held the vellum against the hot glass of the nig eae) are a he hench chilet tek So get up and jump on the beach while I fetch tother & p 3 : e€ cabin.” “Aren’t you going to cut our arms loose?” asked Mat. “Your friend Jack kin do that for ye. Now, vamoose!” / Tom and Mat obeyed the order, and lined up on the shore waiting for Jack to join them. Presently Jack walked out of the cabin followed by the sailor. Without a word he stepped on the beach. h As soon: as he Sia 9, Crowe slipped the mooring rope, off ti and the sloop drifted then the sailor headed her for the channel. Il the wind filled her sails, and “Good-by, sonny,” he said, in great good humor. “I’m Pe Seat say Bt : J obleeged to ye for bringin’ me that there chart. Maybe I'll _ but for fathom, which is six feet, Since ye’ll never see the | vember ye in my last will and testyment. Tell my old- cap’n that I’m sorry I did him up, but I reckon he’s too ~ = 4 nemayar’s tough a knot to turn up his toes easily. Tell him that me tee another treasure chart with that there letter in it. and the gold will soon be on good terms.” The rascal took off his hat, waved it ironically, and was soon lost in the gloom of the night, The boys looked after the receding sloop as long as it traced in sympathetic ink on the back of it had already faded | ‘mained a blot_on the water, and then they looked at each seid and put it carefully in his pocket, other. 7 “Cut us loose, Jack,” said Mat. : “All right,” replied Dalton, whipping out his knife and and went on deck. beginning on Mat’s bonds. “I didn’t know you fellows were Jack lay still and thought over what had just happened. | aboard until that scoundrel released me from the cabin. He was staggered by the strange revelation of the real| How did it happen that he carried you and Tom off? *Mat explained how it came about. . “Well, I’m much obligéd to you both for trying to hel island where the treasure was buried. .{me, but Jim Crowe is a mighty tough proposition, and at rascal seems to be the only one, after all, that the| don’t wonder that he did the two of Was any good to,” he muttered, “for he alone knew | cutting Tom free of his fetters. you up,” said Jack, * “Where the dickens. are we now?” said Tom, looking will be wild when I tell him about it, and how the | round in.the darkness. “Somewhere along the south shore of Great South Bay, I “ should judge,” replied Jack. : . How ‘are we going to get back home? We can’t walk across the bay.” ¢ There was no doubt about that fact, and the three boys t senate to last him for the trip and the time he| gazed blankly at each other: “I wouldn’t care so much -if it wasn’t that the horse and r if he hopes to reach the latitude and longitude | wagon with the mail-vouch was left standing on the bridge,” Jack. “Then the captain being under the. weather, too, ¥ even if they had spent the| with the nurse waiting for me to get back, is rather tough.” The boys started to, walk slowly eastward while they can- fee elo - "Il have to quadrant ves at sea. He ye ea : c: it, and then be able to t hi vassi iieuce dase bata Covinesh facet pace | ie ne that he linew enough io do hat, Maybe | thes the situation. about fifteen minutes they arrived. near the end of ly Tom gaye a shout and rushed down to the -

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‘pair of oars in her. We can row back to the north shore, | and then we'll be able to walk to the village.” ‘Luck had evidently run in their favor, and. Jack and Mat were just as pleased as Tom was over the discovery of the boat. ; Jack struck a match ard examined the little craft. The first thing he saw was a fine shotgun lying across the seats. . Then there was a hamper forward which looked as if it contained provisions. ; “This craft belongs to some sportsman who was out shooting. It must have slinped its moorings and floated away, leaving him marooned somewhere alongshore. One person’s misfortune is often another persofi’s good luck,” said Jack. “Let’s see what’s in the hamper,” said Mat. “Looks to me as if it was grub. If it is it’s mighty welcome, for I’m so hungry I could chew a tenpenny nail.” : “Me, too,” chimed in Tom, his mouth watering at the prospect of food. They examined the hamper and found it stuffed with sandwiches, a whole pie and a quart bottle of milk. “Oh, my!” cried Tom. “Do we have supper oF don’t we?” “V'll put it to a vote,” eet Jack. “Those in favor of eating this | poe will say ‘ ye.’ = Mat and Tom yelled “Aye” at once. “The motion is carried unanimously. We'll proceed to eat, and then we’ll row across the bay, each of us taking his turn at the oars.” There wasn’t much left in the hamper when they finished their meal, and the niilk bottle was empty. While they were eating a fog had been slowly coming in from the ocean. ' : When they pushed off for the north shore of the bay Jack remarked that it looked misty. Before they had gone a quarter of a mile the fog rolled around the flatboat and its three occupants, and they soon lost all track of their surroundings. ; “We’re liable to be lost on the bay all night if this fog . doesn’t blow away,” remarked Jack, a bit anxiously. “There doesn’t seem to be any wind ‘to blow it away,” said Mat. “It’s almost calm.” - They kept on aah by turns, unconscious that the out-! going tide had gradually worked the head of the boat around and that they were being carried both by the tide and the action of their oars toward ‘the channel at the eastern end of Fire'Island. . j Believing that they were still heading for the northern shore, while in point of fact they were proceeding in the 7 Sa direction, they worked hard to get .across the big Y- : “I wonder how close we are to the shore?” said Mat, at last. “I’m about played out.” “I’m done up, too,” said Tom, though he hadn’t been working the oars for half an hour. “T’ll relieve you, Mat,” said Jack, and the other was glad to let him do it. Jack rowed steadily for about twenty minutes and then stopned to rest. a f “We ought to. be nearly across,” he said. We've been rowing for more than two hours, I should judge. “Seems more’like four hours,” growled Mat. “How far is it across from the south shore?” : “From three to five miles at this point, I should think,” replied Jack. ' “Til bet we’ve rowed all of five miles,” said Tom. Po rowed enough to be over, I'll swear,” asserted a To tell the truth, they had, for at that moment the boat was already three miles out in the Atlantic, south of Long Had the boys dreamed of the seriousness of their situa- _ tion they probably would hzive had a fit. é Jack resumed his rowing, expecting every moment to hit though he worked his best in order to bring their speedy conclusion, they met with nothing in the land. turned around in “and are i 4 we've resting on the sees A GOLDEN STAKE. a “That’s cheerful—I don’t think,” mbled Mat. “The fog may not lift all night, and we’d have to float around till morning.” “We can keep on a while longer,” replied Jack. “If we don’t strike shore in fifteen minutes we may know that we’re off our course.” Tom reluctantly took the oars, but he worked like a per- son who had little heart in the job. His arms were tired and sore, and he was feeling decidedly glum. i “What’s the use?” he said, after ten minutes’ exercise. “We’re in for it, so we might just as well float till we can see where we are.” : Accordingly, the oars were taken in and no more rowing - was done. : At that moment they were nearly five miles south of Long Island and getting further out to sea every minute. They talked together for an hour longer and then they began to grow sleepy. om dropped off first, then Mat followed his example, pe finally Jack, having no one to speak to, commenced to oze. And while they slept the boat continued to increase her distance from the shores of their native country, the fog radually drifted away, and the wind began to blow a gentle reeze. Under a clear, star-lit sky, the flatboat floated softly upon the bosom of the mighty deep with its freight of three sleep- _ ing boys, two of whom were probably dreaming of home at that moment, while Jack’s slumber was disturbed with dis- quieting visions in which Jim Crowe largely figured. CHAPTER IX, SHIPWRECKED. When the first rays of the rising sun struck Jack in the face he awoke with a start, rubbed his eyes and looked around him. 2s i: He saw nothing but nm unlimited stretch of water in whatever direction he gazed. He gapefl dumfounded at the sea and sky, and began to wonder if he really was awake. ; “Where in thunder have we got to?” he asked himself, thoroughly bewildered by the situation. At that moment Mat awoke, and in stirring his legs he -_ kicked Tom, and he awoke also. 2 They, too, looked around and saw the same picture Jack | Was surveying. “Great pki a What was does this mean?” gasped Mat. “Suffering sixjence! Where are we?” palpita Tom. By that time Jack had realized their terrible plight. “We're out at sea,” he replied, in a solemn tone. “Out at sea!” ejaculated Mat, his heart rising into his ‘throat. “Out at sea!” Jed Tom, turning pale. “Yes, fellows. o We're out on the Atlantic. That fog last : oa meOh, Lord! “Wyhat will become of us?” asked Tom. “I give. it up,” replied Jack, feeling o— blue. “Can’t you see the Long Island coast? ed Mat. “No, I can’t see anything but water and sky. “Gee! But we're in a fine fix now,” said Mat. nothing to eat or drink we'll starve to death pretty soon.” “We may be picked up by some vessel,” said Jack. “We should be right, in the track of ships and steamers bound in foun oT choad come on to blow hard before we were picked up we'd all be drowned,” said Tom. + ““No fear of it doing that for some hours, from the look: of things,” replied Jack, encouragingly. There were three sandwiches left in the hamper, \ bserve the littl ace of the ocean, nd the boys x e

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They looked eagerly in the djrection he pointed. A i schooner-was bearing down upon them. In about half an hour the schooner was close to them and they were sighted as they rowed toward her. Fe they were received aboard and the boat was allowed to go adrift. : Jack, acting as spokesman, told their story of how they got lost in the fog on Great South Bay the previous night, and how they found themselves at sea that morning, with cag sandwiches between them and starvation. learned that the schooner was a fruiter, bound from New York to Santiago de Cuba. - . The captain said he’d have to carry them to Cuba, and if - they would make themselves useful in helping to load the vessel at Santiago he would be willing to bring them back ~ to New York City, whence they pe easily reach Blue- ville in a couple of hours. _. The cook got a meal for them, and it tasted better than : se they’d ever eaten before—at least they said it The boys turned in that night feeling like fighting cocks, _ but as the weather changed for the worse during the night ay je A awoke in the morning dreadfully seasick. : [They remained under hatches. several days as miserable _ as three mortals could well be, for a terrific gale was blow- ing, and the vessel pitched and rolled in the heavy seas in a way that was very trying to them. On the sixth day the weather was, if anything, worse than ever, and they didn’t show their noses on deck, nor evince any interest whatever in life. _ They heard a strange clanging noise on deck, which went on for a time. _ Finally a sailor came down into the contracted forecastle where they were huddled together and ordered them on deck to help work the p, as the schooner was leaking badly. _ They didn’t feel much like doing this in their condition, _ but there was no help for it, and on deck they had to go. The exercise had one advantage—it cured them of their _ illness, and they soon forgot that they had been seasick. __ They passed a tough night, about two-thirds of their time . = spent at the pump. x era schooner only carried five hands, and three of these were swept overboard by a giant wave before daylight and Just ‘at daylight, when the gale appeared to be breaking, long, low island was discovered right ahead. ; t that critical moment the rudder was rendered useless the beach, one by one, rolled over bbles, and finally left by the receding water. i or some time in the midst is broke up and fied before the beams of the ‘sun, whose rays in time warmed the boys back to ‘ first to recover consciousness, - e sand and looked around him in a dazed m, and as far as he could see in either direction, many e palms, ean surfilined. shore, the tumultuous the motionless form of Tom Trimble at Mulford lay with face almost ae se mass of tropical hie. le srg with here and there | bef rible gale about three here ever since.” _ ane ral re Sea | Mat and him over on his ‘! A GOLDEN STAKE. _“Washed ashore,” replied Jack. “Where’s Tom?” “Yonder; but I don’t know whether he’s alive or dead. I’m going to see.” t As Jack spoke, Tom moved, rolled over on his face, then on his back again, and finally scrambled to his feet. “Hi, Tom!” said Jack., “I see you’re still in the land of the living. Come over here.” Tom walked over to his two friends. “Where’s the schooner?” he asked, looking across the agitated waves. “Gone to the bottom,” replied Jack. longing to her coming ashore yonder.” “Where is the captain and the two men?” “I’m afraid they’re gone, too.” “Are we the only ones who escaped?” “Looks very like it.” “Where do you suppose we are?” “On some island.” : “I hope it’s inhabited,” said Tom, “so that we can get something to eat. We haven’t had a square meal since the afternoon we were taken aboard the schooner.” : “Let’s start ahead, then, and see if we can find any of the inhabitants. We'll walk up on that ridge where those palms are growing. Terhaps we’ll be able to see something from there—a house, maybe.” Jack’s suggestion was adopted and the boys started for the ridge. It was only a short walk and they were soon standing among the scattered palms. The view they obtained was not particularly encouraging. They saw a sloping stretch of tropical vegetation running down to the ocean on the other side of the island. ‘ At the most the land was only about a quarter of a mile wide at that point. There wasn’t the least sign of human. habitation any- where within range of their eyes. The island seemed to be long and narrow, pointing east and west. : . Dense foliage cut off their view westward, and a grove. of trees intercepted their vision’in the opposite direction. “Looks to me as if the island- were not inhabited,” said Jack, “but still you can’t tell. There might be a village on the other side of that grove, for all we know.” “Then we'd better push through the grove,” said Mat. “No good standing here. I hope we find somebody, for it would be fierce to be all alone on this island.” > Jack and Tom. agreed with him, and the party made for the grove, . They were within a few yards of it when suddenly 2 young and pretty white girl came out from among the trees and faced them. ; “There’s a spar be- CHAPTER X. y ones—you “Yes. oop-) months ago, and we’ve been living “You don’t say. “No. We've they were too that time, and And you hayen’t been able to get away?” ,

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A GOLDEN STAKE. ‘rocks. Father also has no difficulty catching fish from the end of a reef of rocks. Then there’s lots of plantains, cocoa- nuts and some bananas on ine island, as well as a spring of fresh water. There is no danger of any one starving on this Place. We could have managed to get along even without our own provisions,” ‘ “Pm glad to hear that,” interjected Mat. “We haven’t had but one decent meal in three days. We were seasick till yesterday afternoon, when we were made to go on deck and work the pump because the schooner was leaking. Now Ym so hungry I believe I could eat a raw fish, and I guess Tom and Jack here feel the same ,way.” ts ou can bet your life I do,” said Tom. “I could eat any- thing. “You shall breakfast with us,” said the girl. “Father * was making the fire in the cookstove when I came over to the spring in this grove for a pail of water. I was on my way to the banana. grove at the other end of the island when I saw you boys. I was so surprised I didn’t know what to do. We won’t mind the bananas now, for we have plenty of other food without them. Here is the spring.” ; She took up the pail to dip it in the bubbling basin when Jack interposed. “Allow me, miss. I’ll carry the water for you.” “Thank you,” she replied, with a smile. “But, dear me, you haven’t told me your name.” “My name is Jack Dalton. This is my friend, Mat Mul- ford, and this is Tom Trimble. Now will you tell us your hame, miss?” ; “Eva White. You three don’t look at all. like sailors.” “We're not. We belong in the village of Blueville, Long Island. It was all owiig te a fog that caught us in a boat on Great South Bay, three nights ago, that we’re in our — unfortunate pickle. T’ll tell you our story after we ve had something to eat.” “Father and I will be glad to hear it. Since it was your fate to be wrecked, I’m glad you came ashore on this island, for you'll be company for us until we’re all taken off. You don’t know how lonely we have been—just our two selves— since we were wrecked here.” : _. “We're mighty glad to find somebody on the island, too,” said Jack. Were they lost?” : “Yes. e had a sailing-master, a cook and one. sailor. They were on deck when our yacht struck the beach. Father and I were in the cabin. Father went on deck after the ¢ came ashore, and then there wasn’t a soul aboard but and I. He told me that they must have been Washed off by a big wave and drowned.” ed now emerged on the other side of the grove. Right before them, well up on the beach, with her bow- and bows jammed between two stout cocoanut trees, which held her on an even keel with a vise-like grip, was a ul-looking sloop-yacht, about thirty-five eet dong. ) had a good-si trunk cabin, a cook-room, whic held two bunks, besides a stove, forward, and a standing- room, or cockpit aft. ‘ A short stovepipe projected from the roof of the cook- room and at this moment smoke was issuing from it. “Father,” cried the girl, as she stepped on the deck, after ascending a rude four-runged ladder, with the boys behind her, “I’ve brought some visitors.” f _ _ Almost instantly the head of a fine-looking man, evi- - dently a» gentleman, popped up through the entrance to the oom geaae and he gazed with astonishment at the three Why, where did they come from? Iw there a vessel an- off the island?” he added, eagerly, for he would have gladly welcomed the prospect of __ “They were wrecked on the northern shore of the island _ this morning,” replied his daughter. : : “Indeed!” replied the gentleman, surveying them with from the island the! to make your acquaintance, young man,” said Mr. Winke, stepping ‘a the two stairs that led down es rag ae his hand, which Jack took. introdu companions. a will have breakfast for you right away,” said Eva Vhite, taking up the pail of water Jack had deposited on and disappecring with it into the cook-room. — ~ Py « ie As 2 “But what became of the crew of the yacht? | into | in misfortune,” said Mr. White. ‘to the cabin, where‘the smiling. “This yecnt of mine was driven ashore’ here three months ago, an been living aboard of her like a pair of hermits. We are very thankful to have fared as well as we have under the circumstances. Had the yacht struck on the reef yonder she would undoubtedly have gone to pieces, and we would have shared the fate of our sailing master and the two hands. As it is, she selected a very snug berth to beach herself, and was so good as to jam herself into an upright position, as you see. I believe if she could be hauled off she’d be as good as ever, for she’s a stout boat, and there are four air-tight compartments in her hold that wouid prevent her from sinking even if she capsized at sea. What was the name of your schooner, and where were you bound?” “The schooner was called the Ellen Lane, sir,” replied Jack. “She was a fruiter hailing from New York and bound for Santiago de Cuba.” “And you boys are the only survivors?” “Yes, sir.” ; “You hardly look like young sailors. Perhaps you were passengers ?” “We were, sir, but against our wills.” “Passengers against your wills?” ejaculated Mr. White, in some surprise. Cae ; “Yes, sir. We were carried out of Great South Bay, Long Island, in a small boat three nights ago in a fog. Next morning we found ourselves at sea out of sight of land. We were picked up by the schooner in the afternoon. That night a storm came on which lasted two days and tres niente and it finished the vessel this morning off this island.” ; “You’ve been the victims of quite a chapter of accidents. Where do you belong?” “In the village of Blueville, Long Island.” “You were out sailboating on the bay, I presume?” “No, sir. We were carried off from the county road be- tween Blueville and the railroad station by a rascally sailor.” “Carried off by a rascally sailor!” exclaimed Mr. White, astonished. “At least I was carried off by the sailor, who had a grudge against me. My chums here tried to save me and were knocked out by the rascal on board his sloop, He car- ried us across the bay, landed us on an island near the south shore, and left us marooned there. We found a boat along the beach, took possession of it and started to row across to the north shore. We had hardly started when the fog set in around us and we lost our bearings. We rowed for several hours, and not fetching the shore gave it up till the fog should lift. We fell asleep in the boat, and when we awoke we were out in the Atlantic, as I have al- ready told you.” “Upon my word, you lads have had a most remarkable series of adventures. I’m afraid the loss of your schooner was the worst of all, for you are now ashore on an island that I fear is seldom visited. We-are all likely to remain here some time. Perhaps for months. Fortunately, we are not likely to suffer for food and water while we are fated to stay here. That, at least, is some consolation. In the meantime, the worst feature in your case is that your par- ents will have no idea where you boys have vanished to. They will hunt for you in vain, and in the end, if your sta is prolonged, will » i you up for dead. However, it will all come out right by and by. my guests during our stay here, and when we shall have been rescued I will see that you get back to Tour homes.” “We are very much obliged to you, Mr. ite,” said Jack, “and shall appreciate your hospitality. You are the and two hands, have been cruising among the Bahama Isl- just for vecnpe the sailing master’s The ; “W of you boys go i asked the table the Will one coffee pot OBS > Ah since then my daughter and myself have. 13. You will, of course, remain .

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_ “Yl get it, Miss Eva,” said Jack, with alacrity. He disappeared into the cook-room in two bounds. ; Mr. White piloted Tom and Mat into the cabin, where ‘Eva was placing three mote plates around the board, with the requisite number of knives, forks, spoons, cups and saucers. * She cut up a loaf of bread she had made herself, and sup- — it With a dish of soda crackers and some plan- ns. By the time she had things to right, Jack appeared with the hot coffee. The yacht owner helped the boys to liberal supplies of fish and potatoes, while Eva poured the coffee. “I’m sorry to say that we haven’t any butter,” said Mr. White, as he passed the bread around. “We had a_ good supply aboard when we were wrecked, but it only lasted - us threé weeks, though we managed to keep it fresh by sinking it in the spring of the grove.” “We can get along without butter,” said Jack, who sat next to Eva, with his mouth full of fish. “This breakfast is a regular feast. I never tasted anything so good in all “my life. Isn’t that a fact, Mat?” “Bet your life it is,” mumbled Mat, who was filling up at a great rate’in common with- his associates. Eva cooked a liberal supply, knowing that the boys were famished, so there was enough for all, though there was nothing left but the bones when the meal was finished. The boys insisted on making themselves uséful to the éx- tent of clearing off the table and washing up thé dishes, under the supervision of Miss Eva, who laughingly déclared |if he knew it was in our that it was quite a treat to have three such active assistants at her disposal. CHAPTER X11. WAS THIS THE TREASURE KEY? After everything was cleared up, Jack, proposed that the four of them take a walk around the island. ; “You'll need hats,” said Miss Eva. “There’s a couple in the cooking-room that belonged to the cook and the sea- man. [i see if I can get another from the cabin.” She got a soft hat that formerly belonged to the sailing- master, and it fitted Jack exactly. The other two were white canvas-covered ones, similar to those worn by the naval reserves, and by a strips of pa cin the lining they were made to fit the s of Tom a at. The party then set out for their walk. . .. The boys soon found that the sun was uncommonly hot in that region; and it wasn’t long before they were glad to gest a temporary retirement under the trees. ; ’ e thev were sitting down in the shade Jack told Eva __. ‘the story of their adventures from the moment pa were waylaid by Jim Crowe af the bridge on their way to the vil- I from the railroad station to the wreck of the schooner the island that morning. _ P . *¥You boys have. had an exciting time of it,” said the irl. _ “You can gamble ori it we have,” said Mat, in a vigorous way. “Hf an iy had told me last Tuesday that in less _ than a week I'd be down on an island in the Caribbean Sea _. Yd have thotight he was crazy. Yet here I am down here ‘ _ four days later.” | “And likely to stay here for a while to Jack. : “That’s the fiercest part of it,” admitted Mat. “If ves- --sels never put in here how are we going to get away at all? -’ “We must keep a sharp lookout for any craft that ap- A LA a near enough to see a signal and then build a fire, and by covering it with wet leaves send up a column of smoke to attract attention,” said Jack. hose aboard bs La not pay any attention to such, a sig- ‘om. “well pare to take nvbgs ——— pte ra s the ma wi our come,” grinned to get the yacht a He floventnd tea gain?” Mat, as ‘A GOLDEN STAKE. would Grand Caicos to “y They continued their walk westward across the island. They took another rest in the banana grove, and ate some of the luscious fruit. When they left this grove they saw the end of ‘the island and the ocean a short distance away. Samer were several large rocks between them and the ach. There was one in particular that attracted Jack’s notice, for it looked like a huge mound. He walked around the three sides that were not obstructed by the rocks and studied it with so much care that Tom eed Mat asked him what there was about it that interested im. : “It puts me in mind of something,” replied Jack, think- ing of the mound on the treasure island as recorded on the chart taken from him by Jim Crowe. “This island runs dué éast and west, judging from the course of the sun.” “That’s what it does,” replied Mat. f “Do you think this island is one of the Bahamas, Miss Eva?” said Jack, turning to the girl. “Yes. It’s what father calls a little key.” “Little key, eh?” said Jack, reflectively. big island not far away?” X “Qh, yes. Watling’s Island is about ten or fifteen miles t6 the south. We put'in there for a few hours on the after- noon of the day we went ashore here. We left there about sundown and stood north. This key is not down on our chart, Probably that’s the reason our sailing-master did not give it a wide berth as he would have done, I am sure, ath. When they returned to the yacht Jack asked Mr. White if he had a chart of the Caribbean Sea aboard. : “Certainly. We wouldn’t think of sailing around among the islands without it.” ‘ “May I see it?” “Of course. Come into the cabin and I’ll spread it out on the table.” “Where is Watling’s Island?” asked Jack, as soon as the ‘ “Is there any chart was before him. Bs, Mr, White pointed at it and then said: ; “The island we’ré on is right here,” and he pointed to a_ small pencil mark on the chart. \ : “How can you tell that it’s-there?” said Jack. “Your daughter told me that: it was not down on this chart, and that was the reason why the sailing-master did not give it a wide enovgh berth, because he didn’t know it was in the way. ~ “It was not down on the chart until I put that little mark there to designate its presence,” replied Mr. White, “and my daughter was right in saying that Mr. Jay, our sailing-master, did not know that there was an island about twélye miles northeast of Watling’s. Now I will answer your question as to how I know the island is where I placed It. Mr. ¥ showed me how to’ find the position of the yacht any day at-noon when the! sun was shining by a sight with the ae and emer | the proper calcula- tions afterward. Well, a few days after we were wrecked on this key it occurred to me to locate its position just as_ if it was the yacht. I took my bearings at noon, made my calculations, and discovered that this island was practically in longitude 74 degrees, 16 minutes west, and latitude 24 degrees, 30 minutes north. You see, I have marked it on the chart. That makes it just about 12 miles northeast of Wat- ling’s.” } o Jack took the copy he had made of the chart on the night Captain Norris was niurderously assaulted by Jim Crowe from his pocket and examined it. He found that while there was a difference of three de- » | grees in the longitude and one degree in the latitude, the minutes corresponded in both cases with the figures he had taken down from the chart. : in miles between longitude “What would be the distance 71 and 74, Mr. White?” asked Jack. “About 200° miles,” “That would be in a horizontal line, of course?” “Of course.” “Now, su the line was at an angle, say from Grand Cateoe te atling’s Island, what would be the distance in es? i “You want to know the distanec in a straight line from — atling’s, is that it?” de i White made sundry calculations, and then said: ‘ Reig stay. inne till our; “ 250 miles.” pares a ae ; ued es : on. will be : er| “About 250 miles, peated the boy, his heart beginning ning — ore we tava eeu” es.” to -beat quickly. — j 44 Seraae > o: . mr anid y : a

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: _ captain rushed = _ *Jim Crowe had remarked, when he pointed to the faint outlines of writing which the application of heat had pro- duced on the blank side of the chart, that the treasure island - Was not near Grand Caicos at all, but near another island 250 miles or so from it. What if he and his companions had actually been wrecked on the treasure island? Everything seemed to jibe with the writing on the chart -except the important facts of the latitude and longitude, and the reference to the island of Grand Caicos. Suppose Grand Caicos was to be read Watling’s? The more he thought about it the more certain he became that this was the Little Key referred to in the chart. The island lay east and west as it should, according to the chart. The mound was at the extreme western end as the chart indicated. Everything seemed to point to the conclusion that the boy might be now said to have arrived at. ack looked up and saw that Mr. White’s gaze rested on his face inquiringly. He was evidently wondering why the lad had asked the questions about distances, and what reference they had to the paper in his hand. ; at is all, sir,” said Jack. “I am much obliged to you = showing me this chart, and for answering My ques- ons.” _ “You are quite welcome,” said the yacht owner, returning the chart to a locker. ¥ “I may want to have a little talk with you, Slr, after dinner,” said Jack, as they walked on deck together. “It is connected with a story which I will relate—a story that directly concerns the old sea captain with whom I lived in Blueville, and incidentally with myself.” : “I am at*your service at any time, Dalton,” replied Mr. White. “I shall be glad to listen to anything you may have to say to me.” “Thank you, sir. I think this is a very important mat- ter, and one that will rather astonish you. I must think it over well before I see you about it.” ‘ Miss Eva was just starting to prepare dinner, With the assistance of Mat Mulford and Tom Trimble. ( CHAPTER XII. JACK TELLS HIS STORY OF THE TREASURE KEY. When the meal was finished Jack said he had a story to tell and there was no reason why everybody present should not hear the particulars, ; . After a moment or two Jack began: i “Captain Norris possessed a chart, which he got from a dying sailor in Rio de Janeiro twelve years ago, Which pur- ported to reveal the hiding-place of 4 pirate treasure. Jim Crowe, the sailor who called at the store on the afternoon you two were there and saw the interview between him and ‘the captain, knew that he had this chart, and it was to get it away from Captain Norris that he turned up in the village, called at the store and made his demand for it. The cap- tain refused to give it up and Crowe went away, aS you know. He returned later, as you also know, climbed into Captain Norris’s bedroom from the outside and to hunt for the chart. The captain and I were in the store at the time and we heard a suspicious noise upstairs. The and I followed him, I reached his room after he was stabbed by the sailor. I jumped at the rascal, tripped over the captain’s body, fell up against the cor- of the chimney and rolled over, unconscious. ag _.*He did!” exclaimed Mat. “Why didn’t you secure him when you had such a fine chance to do it?” } : “Because I thought about nothing but the captain. I tried to stanch the blood that was flowing from the wound in his side, and partially succeeded. When Captain Norris re- ed his consciousness he made me get the chart, which had concealed in the chimney, beer#@se he sa he wanted know that it was in my hands before he 4: As soon at, A GOLDEN STAKE. 15. “After you two left I went up to my room, took the chart out of my pocket and began to study it out. I succeeded all right after a time, and finally I made a free copy of it. “At that moment k heard a-noise at the window. I looked and saw the face of Jim Crowe at one of the panes. He had been long enough there to distover that the chart was in my possession, and he determined to get it away from me.” Jack then went on to tell what occurred immediately after, = how the affair terminated in the discomfiture of the sailor. . He proceeded to tell, without further interruption, how the’ sailor had evidently seen them going to ‘the station for the mail-pouch, and how he laid his plans to get him (Jack) in his power when they returned along the road. When he explained how the visible writing on the chart was misleading in its most important point, that the true latitude and longitude of the treasure key was inscribed on the reverse side in invisible ink, which could be brought out only by the application of heat, his hearers were astonished. “Then the copy you made was no good,” said Tom. “Not on its face, but I think it will turn up a winner, after all.” “How?” asked Mat. “Because by the most astonishing good luck I am satis- fied that this little key on which we were wrecked is the treasure island.” Tom and Mat gasped again. “Before I go any further I will read you the copy I made of the chart,” said Jack.’ He took it from his pocket and read it, altering the last sentence to “dig one fathom, northwest,” instead of one foot. “The latitude and longitude as given here would, no doubt. be correct for an island twelve miles northeast of Grand Caicos, which is 250 miles southeast of this key,” said Jack. “The treasure key is not there, however. The writing was made purposely misleading by the man who wrote it, whe put the true directions in sympathetic ink on the reverse side. Captain Norris made two vain attempts to find the island in the neighborhod of Grand Caicos. Had it been there he would no doubt have located it.” Jack then pxoceeded to explain why, in addition to the fact of a large mound’ being on this key, he believed this to be the treasure island. When he finished his story Tom and Mat, as well as Eva, were greatly excited over the prospect of finding a lot of buried money on the island. “T move that we start for the west end of the island right away and investigate that mound,” suggested Tom. “Second the motion,” cried Mat, with alacrity. “I’m in favor of it,” said Jack, “if Mr. White can sup- ply us with implements with which to break into the mound.” “I can furnish you with a spade and‘ a pickaxe,” replied the yacht owner. “The latter will probably be the most ser- viceable for making an impression on the mound. Did you notice what it was made of ?” “Tt appeared to be like the rocks that were near it, very hard, sir.” “You didn’t see any sign of an entrance to it, I should judge, or you would have been satisfied beyond all doubt m4 it was the mound referred to in the chart you spoke of.’ ; “No, sir; there is no sign whatever of a door.” | “If the entrance really faces east, about midway of the mound, you will, of course, direct your energies at that point.” “Yes, sir.” The entire party adjourned to the deck. Mr. White told Jack where he would, find the shovel pick-ax, and the boy got them. |< CHAPTER XII. A GALLANT RESCUE.

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' where we ought to begin operations,” and he pointed at. what appeared to be the center of the eastern face of the mound. “Give me the pickaxe, Tom. I'll start the ball rolling.” _ The point of the pickaxe rebounded as from solid rock. j Jack worked away for five minutes, when he desisted with 2, 9 alge running down his cheeks. i _ Mat then took a turn and after him Tom had his innings. The sum total of their united efforts seemed to indicate that the mound was merely a big rock after all. ; They dug into the rock over a space a yard square and nothing came of it. i Mat then declared he had had enough for that day at ri: least, and Tom said ditto. Jack reluctantly agreed to knock off operations until the following morning. ahey left their tools on the ground and returned to the yacht. The evening was spent on deck in general conversation, under a brilliant sky. ! About nine the moon rose above the watery horizon, pre- _ _ senting a lovely picture. ‘ 3 When Mr. White suggested that it was time to retire, Eva declared that she did not feel the least bit sleepy, and | da : Suggested a walk to the boys. 4c She seized Jack’s arm, as if he were her special property, and they went off together, Mat and Tom following behind. _ The sea was comparatively calm, but the water ebbed and flowed about the reef, which ran out for quite a distance from oe eastern end of the island near where the yacht was ty “oS “ It was not easy walking abrden these rocks, and some of _. them were slippery from the slime and seaweed, but for all on They worked away’ with renewed industry, and in the course of half an hour, in spite of the heat under which they ‘sweltered, they succeeded in dislodging the slab, which they moved to one side, disclosing an opening, like the porthole of a ship, on a level with the groun “ Looking inside, the boys saw that the interior of the mound was about four feet lower than the ground outside. The honor of being the first to enter the treasure hole was accorded to Jack, as he was the head and front of the enterprise. Tom and Mat followed him. “The directions are to dig one fathom, or six feet, north- west from the entrance,” said Jack. 3 ae He asked Eva, who was standing at the entrance looking in, to pass him the compass. A ; . With the instrument in his arms he measured off six feet id a poag guess, which brought him close to the back of e mound. ‘Then he called for the shovel and began to dig, Tom and Mat getting outside in order work. shovel. ©. << Jack saw that the obstrue-

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A GOLDEN STAKE. “Ym going back to the yacht to tell my father the news # and bring him over,” said Eva. * ‘All right,” said Jack. can.” He told Mat to hand him the hammer and the cold chisel. soon as he got them he started in to break open the Cover of the brass-bound box. In the meantime a surprise was under way for the young treasure hunters. ; . Umnoticed by them a small sloop had been approaching the d_and was now close inshore. There were two men aboard of her—one sitting at the helm, the other standing on the deck with one hand around the mast. The mound and rocks hid the boys and what was going on from them. : It took Jack about a quarter of an hour to break open the cover of the chest. When he threw it up his eyes were dazzled by the sight of the stacks of gold money which the top tray of the chest contained, He lifted this tray up after considerable effort, by the aid of its fwo handles, and saw that there was a similar ene underneath ally well filled with gold. As Jack lifted the first box of coin out of the opening, two forms suddenly appeared over the rocks behind him. Tom and Mat recognized the piratical-looking Jim Crowe in the lead, and sprang forward to defend the treasure, The sailor Crowe was clearly staggered, and he paused on the top of the rock, glaring down at the boys as though he couldn’t believe his eyes. ~~ ? He sprang down and reached for the tray of gold. Mat swung the flat side of the pick around and struck him a blow on the head that laid him out senseless on the ground. * The villain’s companion held back undecided what to do under‘the circumstances. ; The resolute attitude of the boys, especially as Jack had reached out and drawn Crowe’s revolver from his belt, de- terred him from taking the offensive. At that moment, too, Mr. White and Eva appeared on the scene, astonished spectators of the incident. “Tie that rascal’s hands, fellows,” said Jack. “It won’t - do to let him go now that we’ve got him in our power.” “What’ll we tie him with?” asked Mat. “Use your handkerchiefs for the present. When we get him to the yacht we’ll substitute rope.” i Tom and Mat quickly followed out Jack’s directions, and they took care to make the knots good and fast. ae “I say, what do you mean by treatin’ my companion that way for?” objected the sailor’s associate. ack sprang out of the mound and covered the fellow with the revolver. bode tac “If you don’t want the same kind of treatment just skip out the way you came. Do you understand?” replied the boy in a determined tone. “No, I don’t,” answered the man, doggedly. “Crowe and me came all the way from New York. to get that treasure. It belongs to us, for Crowe has the chart to it.” *“Crowe stole that chart from me. I got it from a man who came into possession it honestly years ago. Conse- quently I am the rightful er of this treasure, and neither you nor Jim Crowe are entitled to a cent of this money.” “ The man made no reply, but cast his eyes longingly down at the tray of money. f eee é __*¥ou’ve got a raft of gold there,” he said. “You might give a chap a small share. You’d never miss it.” “Pm not ge to argue the matter with you. You say you came here in-a sloop?” : ‘ : _ _* “Where is the vessel?” fe he “Yonder,” replied the fellow, waving his arm back of him. = the shore?” - : te + to. 2” P i 1 ae tet Mins ‘We rowed to the beach in a small “Well, come down here,” said Jack. “Are you goin’ to make me a prison cmt a yo like you did him?” 9” ‘ he-meant business, so the ‘Jack, behind Mat,” said ’s hands - him.” e “Tie that gears 4 The prisoner walked to the spot indicated and sat down. “Tom, you and Mat haul Jim Crowe over beside his “Get him over as soon as you| friend.” This was done. 2 “Tom, take this revolver and stand guard over that pair of rascals.” Tom took the weapon and proceeded to carry out his in- structions. “Now, Mr. White, will you please come with me? You can come, too, Eva.” e. Si The three walked down.to the beach and around the mound till they came in sight of the sloop, which was anchored a short distance offshore. : “Now, Mr. White, you are something of a navigator, I think. Don’t you think you can fetch Watling’s Island, twelve miles to the southwest, in that sloop?” “No doubt of it.” : 5 i “Very good. You have no objection to leaving the island, I guess?” ; : . “My daughter and I will be glad to do so.” “That’s what I thought. And the three of us will be gad to get back to the United States as soon as we can. ell load the treasure aboard the sloop, take whatever we may need for the trip to Watling’s Island, and leave those two men here marooned till they can be sent for by the authori- ties at Watling’s, where I propose to make a charge against , Jim Crowe. ow does that plan suit you?” é “Jt is what I would have proposed myself,” replied Mr. White. “You can engage a steamer to come over here and drag your yacht off the island. Whatever repairs she may stand in need of no doubt can be made at Watling’s Island. Then I dare say you'll be able to. engage a sailing-master there. Tom, Mat and myself will, with your permission, act as your crew. Though we are not sailors, we can make ourselves useful under any one who is competent to navigate the yacht to the United States. Have you any objection to this ar- rangement, sir?” “None whatever. I may say it is exactly what I would wish,” replied Mr. White. , a Eva said she would go at once and get the dinner ready, and the three then returned to the entrance of the mo ‘ where they found Mat trying to estimate the value of the gold in the tray. ae “1 CHAPTER XV. nary THE TREASURE OF THE INDIES—CONCLUSION. ae White examined the — and pronounced them Span- ish money over 100 years old. 2 agen . “There’s a whole lot more in a chest in the mound,” said Jack. “We'll take this lot aboard the sloop first. Mat, you go back to the yacht with Miss Eva, and bring some line to tie those rascals with so they won’t break loose and give us trouble. In fact, Tom had better go with you, and help you = bring those empty boxes I saw in the pantry. Don’t forget % to fetch a pocketful of nails, too.” ; Sas While the boys were away Jack and Mr. White watched over the prisoners. j hate When Crowe recovered his senses and found himself help- less, he was furious. . a Now that several boxes were at hand, Jack grain & bring all the treasure out before removing any of it ; i. 3 There proved to be four trays of coin all told, and Mr, of wealth, necklaces, articles of more ator fuerte worth, whose value, Mr. White said, might be anywhere from a

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A GOLDEN treasure by rights belongs to Captain Norris. Or, at least he ought to be entitled to half of it.” : “Well, Jack, you are the arbiter in the matter. If you _ feel that you ought to divide with Captain Norris, no one _ sented to steam over to the little _ White’s yacht afloat. c Accordin _ hour, a hawser was __ She hands’ has any right to object to your doing so. As the case stands the treasure is yours to do with as you choose.” All right, sir, Let’s box up as much of it as we can and stow it aboard of the sloop. I guess the balance can remain in the chest, which we can easily moye now.” Accordingly the four boxes were filled, nailed up and re- moved to the sloop. , . “I think we’d better get the anchor up and sail around to the other end of the island, Mr. White,” said Jack, after eveything ab oo on boars, : “I agree with you. I think, however, that the two rascals had better be put in the mound and left there till we are ready to leave the island.” The boys went ashore, dragged their prisoners into the mound and left them there after placing the slab partly over the entrance. They then returned aboard the sloop, hoisted the mainsail, and the little vessel carried them around to the other end of the island, where they anchored and went ashore to eat dinner which Eva had ready by this time. Baie ‘I don’t like the idea of leaving those two rascals at large after we leave the island,” said Mr. White; “but as several days might elapse before we can: return properl equipped ie get the yacht afloat it would hardly be right to leave them w ? “Couldn’t we place a week’s supply of provisions in the mound, release them and fix the entrance so they couldn’t get out?” asked Jack. “We might do that,” replied the yacht owner, reflectively. Jack’s suggestion was finally adopted. Leaving Eva on the yacht the others carried a d sup- ply of the vessel’s stores, including a small keg which they filled with cool water at the spring, across the island. They = some plantain fruit and a big bunch of ripe also. The food was introduced into the mound and the two men released from their fetters, Jack holding Jim Crowe in sub- jection with the revolver, __ One end of the slab was broken off so that air could enter mound, and then it was fitted into place. The party then returned to the yacht. Selecting what they wished to carry away with them; and ct it on board the sloop, sail was made for Watling’s n Mr. White expected that he would have to hire a navi- me to take the sloop to Nassau, in New Providence, about miles to the west, in order to charter a small steamer —— to Key, as they called it, to get the yacht On their arrival at Watling’s Island, however, they found: good-sized steam yacht in the little harbor, with a party English people on board. Mr. White immediately boarded her and had a conference with her owner. ‘His name was Sir John Blount, and he graciously con- key. and try to get. Mr. morning the yacht steamed over in an t nade fast to the stern of Mr. White’s i and she was easily hauled out into deep water. nese considerable water, as the heat had opened her the owner of the steam yacht sent a couple of aboard to pump her out on the way back, poagh it was impossible for her to tan Ree prrcetble for her 40 gly, next sink owing to her airtight \ around to the western end of the land, where Jim Crowe and his associate were released from niound and taken aboard the vessel. y were earefully watched all the way back to Wat- g Sir John for his kindness; Mr. White, his and Jack ed tothe sloop-yacht, which was STAKE. Jack and Eva found especial enjoyment in each other’s society, and were almost sorry when Sandy Hook lightship hove in sight, announcing that they were almost at their journey’s end. As soon as the yacht passed quarantine and came to anchor near the Brooklyn shore, Tom and Mat were eager to get away for home, Jack deciding to accompany them, leaving the treasure in charge of Eva’s father. : They were landed and took a southshore train for the station near .Blueville, the one where Jack had been accus- tomed to go for the mail every day. , The. station agent knew all about their sudden and unex- plained disappearance two weeks before, and he gaped when e saw the three boys get off the car. , af ay They were too eager to reach the village to stop and gratify his curiosity. There being no vehicle from Blueville at the station they had to hoof it, and they put their best foot forward over the well-remembered road. When they reached the bridge which had been the scene - of their trouble, and the beginning of their late adventures, they stopped to rest themselves and look down at the spot where the rusty black sloop had been moored. x ‘All their recent experiences seemed like a dream to them as they stood there and talked the matter over. At last they reached the village and began to meet people they were acquainted with. Of course, every one they met wanted to know where they had been, but they wouldn’t say a word on the subject. The three soon separated, Tom and Mat rushing off to their homes, and Jack to the store. The captain was not yet able to be downstairs, and Jack found a man he knew in temporary charge of the business. “Good gracious! That you, Jack?” cried the man. “Yes, it’s me, all right,” replied Jack, making a dash fog the stairs. . In two minutes he startled Captain Norris by rushing into the room and grasping the old skipper by the hand. “Jack,” cried the astonished captain, “where have you been?” : “To the treasure island,” cried Jack, “and I found the pirate gold.” It was a long and wonderful story he had to tell the cap- tain that day, and the old skipper could hardly credit his narrative. i Of course, in the end he did, but he flatiy refused t6 ac- a more than a few thousand dollars of the treasure trove. ext day Jack returned to New York, according to ar- rangement, and found Mr. White and Eva at their Madison avenue home. ; . Jack learned that.the gold had been placed in the vaults of a safe deposit company, while the jewels, watches, and other valuable trinkets had been turned over to the custom house for appraisement. Eventually they were ‘taken out and the larger part sold, piter a, consinerable duty had been assessed against them and paid. By: Jim Crowe was taken to the county seat, near Blueville, and subsequently tried and convicted of murderous assault on Captain Norris. , ee eompanion had been allowed to go free on the arrival of the yacht. ; After the treasure had been duly converted into American money, Jack found himself worth about $100,000. ‘ He divided $25,000 of this between Tom and Mat, and they considered themselves rich for village boys. ae Mr. White advised Jack to invest his money in certain gilt-edged bonds that he suggested, which paid five per cent. a year. Jack did so, and thus secured a steady annual income. Captain Norris sold out his country store and came to reside in New York with Jack as his companion. can The boy entered the College of New York, intending to become a lawye¥ in time. de He became a steady and welcome visitor at Mr. White’s home, and the lodestone that drew him there was In due time their friendship developed into love, and they — ed, which event will come

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Vie s, Seer eee FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. a CURRENT NEWS | , -— -« 27 Fg I eae One of the most beautiful of the early lighthouses, and the first tower in a sea-swept position, was Cor- feet, but from many views obtained of it while he was climbing Captain Rawling has no hesitation in douan light on the coast of France at the entrance to stating that the greatest perpendicular height is not the River Gironde, says the Indianapolis News. It was built in 1611, and, although it has been re- modelled, some of the original structure is still there, more than 200 feet high. Conservation of binding twine used in the postal service is urged upon postmasters by the Post- Office Department because of the abnormal increase in price. ‘A department statement suggests that a considerable saving may be effected if twine on in- coming mail packages is saved -and used again. The 55,000 post-offices in the United States require each year 680,000 miles of jute twine, weighing 2,000,000 pounds, which it is estimated would en- circle the globe twenty-seven times. , The fact that a cow can live seven days without water has been proved on the farm of James Fo- garty, south of Anderson, Ind., where a cow became _a prisoner under a stack of straw and was found weak, but still alive. In the night before the cow disappeared and Mr. Fogarty notified Sheriff Black that it had been stolen. This morning a second cow was found missing. Aysearch under a straw stack that had led over dis¢losed both animals under-. neath. e cow that got under the stack first was penned in on all sides and compelled to stand for seven full days and subsist on straw without a drop of water. It will live. A peculiar incident in connection ‘with a collision between two automobiles is reported from the Lyons district of Hamlin County, S. D. The two autos collided with such force that the occupants of both cars, with the exception of a twelve-year- old boy, were thrown from the cars to the ground. The boy at the time of the collision was asleep in the back seat of the smaller of the two cars. After the collision those thrown from the car looked ground for him, finding him in the front seat of the car. The boy was yet asleep and on being _ awakened could not explain how he had made the . flying leap from the back to the front seat. C. G. Rawling; a member of the British ex- that explored Dutch New Guinea, describes Capt. -pedition ; e what may be the greatest unbroken precipice In the world. It runs, he says, for a distance of eighty ‘miles from Mount Carstenz westward to the Charles Louis Mountains. Its greatest sheer height is at Mount Leonard Darwin. The’explorers were never in a position to measure with the theodolite a sheer ve of this immense precipice exceeding 6,500 less than 10,000 feet or almost exactly two miles. Art has been added’ to the scope of the activities of the officials of the Canal Zone, as indicated by this announcement in the Panama Canal Record: “The bronze statue of Christopher Columbus and the In- dian maiden which has stood in front of the de Les- seps Building at Cristobal Point, and overlooking the Atlantic entrance to the French canal prior to the erection of Docks 9 and 10 on the adjacent water- front, has been moved to the grounds of the Wash- ington Hotel and is to be erected in the yard facing toward the Atlantic. The statue was presented by the Empress Eugenie of France to the United States of Columbia, and’ was accepted by the Congress of Columbia through a decree dated June 29, 1866.” Five million copies of Congressman Tavener’s speechés against preparedness were franked by him at a cost to the treasury of the $490,000 that should have been paid for postage. Three million copies of the Tavener speeches were sent in packages to various persons throughout the United States, who were asked to address the franked envelopes which accompanied the speeches and mail them to their friends. This was the grossest abuse of the frank- ing privilege. Not content with this, Tavener sent letters urging other individuals to send for more speeches that might be franked out. Tavener, his — secretary and his clerk, all of whose salaries were paid by the government, devoted a great part of their time to this franking campaign. It is believed that Sayaji, the Rajah of Baroda, is the possessor of wealth equal, if not superior to that of John D. Rockefeller. He was educated in an Eng- lish university, and his people are well governed. — Much of his vast riches is in the form of preciouk’ stones. His wife owns the most famous diamond necklace in the world. It is warth $12,000,000, and is made up of 200 stones, each the size of a hazelnut. __ She also has a collarette of 500 perfect diamonds, — none less than twenty karats. In the treasure cham- — ber is a carpet four square yards in surface, made — up entirely of ropes of diamonds, pearls and rubies. It required $4,000,000 worth of gems and three years — of labor. The long corridors of the palace are lined © with marble and onyx of incalculable value. ° palace is steam-heated and electric elevators placed at frequent intervals. Bronzes, painti statuary, all imported and worth many milhia { dollars, are scattered throughout the royal well ae i : ’ v ’

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‘FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ' TURNED OUT WEST THE BOY WHO FOUND A GOLD MINE By GASTON GARNE a CHAPTER XXIV (Continued). os “T have my memorandum book and a pencil—yes.” wi SSy “Draw up a statement that you are the only Leon i Mack—that I ama fraud. i will sign it. Be quick!” _ And there was need of all the haste that Leon _ -Made, for no sooner had William Whitehouse affixed his name to the paper than the pencil dropped from _ his hand, and he sank back—dead. 30 At the same instant a wild war-whoop rang out through the valley, and Leon, springing to his feet, saw the Navajos sweeping down upon Buck Shee- han’s camp again, full force. The last vestige of the eclipse had now vanished. and the Indians were ready for business again. ‘It was useless to even think of taking a hand in . this fight: _ All Leon could do was to watch. _. And there was less to see than he expected. _ The fight was no fight—it instantly turned into x Evidently Buck Sheehan and his followers had no ‘intention of facing the Navajos now. | Later Leon learned that they had already packed ) and were ready to get on the move when this sec- i alarm came, feeling satisfied that their patron nite ouse had been killed. ip they were on the full run. he Indians opened fire on them, but it was not s in the moonlight, Leon felt satisfied that the ndians were not urging their ponies to the utmost, ut proposed to content themselves with chasing the nemy out of the valley. d such proved to be the case, for they never any harm, nor did they give over the chase pata had started: them -? the “slide.” s he hurried forward, watching ‘tliies /maneu- ached near enough’to, Buck Sheehan’s gang to (A SERIAL STORY) was turned out West by his dying father, and Leon Mack had no troubles after that night. His luck had turned, and from that hour every- thing seemed to come his way. The danger passed, Leon, Jack, Charley Shin and Pepita started fori Tombstone as soon as they had finished burying the dead. The traitor Behyends was among the dead; Lawyer Pigeon’s remains were interred as well as the others, each in a separate grave near the camp, The Indians had lost but two men, it appeared, and their remains were taken back to the Navajo vil- lage by their friends. Arrived at Tombstone, there was no trouble. News of their coming had somehow preceded them. A change of feeling had taken place, and Jack Fox was enthusiastically received. Buck Sheehan and his gang had gone off in an- other direction, and that part of Arizona knew them’ no more. Leon exhibited Whitehouse’s dying statement to |the authorities, and his identity was at once ac- knowledged. Within a week the real Leon Mack Kote himself in full possession of;the Virgo Mine. He at once went to work with a will to make the most he could out of his property. Jack sold the Alhambra and Leon made him as- sistant superintendent at the mine, as Jack was part owner as well, having inherited his father’s share. A year put the boys well up in their business, and |the yield at the Virgo was heavier that year than ever before. Meanwhile with the mine Leon had found there was nothing doing. Charley Shin went to San Francisco with, the idea of forming a company to work it. ‘ What he actually did was to drink "himself to AY, death, Then Leon and Jack took hold of the old Jesuit: Beer? among dune in : the lead, and his | working. ; t of pane was: at ag ea the boy had; To-day the Mack: mine is cach one of the rich- s " jes gold properties in Arizona, and the largest stock- a in the COmEpaTy: is Mrs. teen segs meg 2 i: hins re 36 or Leon married his cousin ab: the end, of wphiood and Jack, ining in

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Prise, both he and Leon are now many times over ionaires. : | a hive of industry. Within hearing of poor Pigeon’s grave huge quartz mills* are crushing ore, and on the battle- field a town has sprung up. _ Pepita is its name. Leon called it for his wife, and he often declares that even if he had never gained anything else than _the hand of his fair cousin from the strange train of adventure through which he was called to pass during his early days in Arizona, that he would now be perfectly satisfied at having been Turned Out West. THE END. = -—-— - | : i ANOTHER GRAND SERIAL - : BEGINS NEXT WEEK : —THE TITLE Is GOD AS WHEAT +; AOR _ THE BOY WHO WAS ALL RIGHT By Gaston Garne __OPENING CHAPTERS NEXT WEEK f ee ‘AUTO CATCHES ANTELOPE. "With a 5 gloat automobile John Rainey of ‘Rapid City, S. D., ran down and captured a mature antelope oie “The animal was grazing at the ide when Rainey chanced upon it. He put on power and the animal, too, frightened to think : ae leaving the road, sped on for six miles, with machine in close pursuit. Unable to endire the fifty miles-an-hour clip, the antelope sank exhausted ‘in the road. Rainey stepped from the car and ound its legs securely with a sone he chanced to have in the machine. ae. 2 RABBIT COMES TO LIFE. Which had laid like dead for an hour, jump out of ia’ machine and escape in a fashionable part of adera, Cal., was the novel experience which befell ang Beldin, a citizen. _ in | bagged the rabbit while on a hunt near s head. To make sure the animal was ked it in the neck several times and then ‘int pong “It bled vhagigende and FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. To have an apparently bullet-drilled jackrabbit aaa well directed shot that he thought 21 HORSE CARS TO GO. The New York Railways Company recently noti- And the site of their adventures has now become fied the Public Service Commission that the last horse car will be taken from the streets of Man- hattan by April 1, 1917. In fixing this date the company assured the commission that the promise must not be considered a joke. The only line in the city on which horse cars regularly operate is the Madison street and Avenue C line, a part of the route of which lies in Cham- bers street. The company, according to its statement to the Public Service Commission, had expected to have all horse cars off the line by November 15, but owing to delays in obtaining cars from the shops the com- pany has reported that it will be unable to put its first test car in operation before the latter part of November. The cars which will replace the horse cars will |be of the storage battery type. 14 DESTROYERS ORDERED FOR U. 8. NAVY. Awards for the construction of fourteen of the twenty torpedo boat destroyers authorized by the last naval appropriation bill were announced by the Navy Department at Washington the other day. The Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Mass., will construct eight and the Union fron Works Company, San Francisco, six. A contract for four vessels of this type has pees warded to the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Me. The Department is undecided whether the remaining two ships will be may by contract or at the Navy Yard. The minimum yrins for the construction of the destroyers is fixed at $1,200,000 each. They will have a displacement of 1,185 tons, will be 310 feet in length, have 35 knots speed and will carry a bat- tery of four 4-inch guns, two anti-aireraft guns and four triple torpedo tubes. As the result of the decision to award contracts for four battleships and sixteen\destroyers to pri- vate builders, the Navy Department probably will spend the $6,000,000 available for improvement of- Government plants on the navy yards at Philadel- phia and Norfolk. No final decision has been reached, but officials © say the indications are that the money will he’ divided about equally between the two places. appropriation places the expenditure entirely at the j } discretion of the Secretary.. The Puget Sound Navy Yard also is to be equipp from the same appropriation, but to what cannot be d ined because the Navy De is confronted with a difficulty in getting land for its purposes. Negotiations are in progress bapa he Chamoer) of boraguisnviets of save -

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~ % aaa FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. INTERESTING ARTICLES , 5 Prof. W. B. Nickerson of Epworth, Iowa, who| The United States Army authorities at San Fran- a has been making extensive excavations on the site|cisco, Cal., have advertised for women to aid in © of an old Indian village near Cambria, Minn., and |securing recruits for the army. The advertisement, _ in some Indian mounds in the vicinity of Mankato, |inserted by Lieut.-Col. John H. Gardner, retired, Minn., has just completed his work for the Minne-|who is in charge of the recruiting station there, sota Historical Society. called for “twelve girls for the United States Army.” The advertisement specified that they must be “attractive, intelligent and industrious”; held out the inducement that there was a chance to “make money and do your country a service,” and con- cluded with the warning that “no triflers need — apply.” . Col. Gardner’s plan is to secure a store on a_ prominent street and install therein an exhibit which will demonstrate the life of a soldier from camp cooking to infantry drill.. The woman re- cruiters will work out of that station, and will be paid $1 for every recruit they secure. P Prof. Nickerson found that the Indian village 2 UNEARTHS OLD INDIAN TOWN. GIRLS TO LURE MEN TO ARMY. wn bear caused Kornird action on the part of . Peopmeller was loading a car of wood at th siding, and his little nephew was playing about explosion would have killed any living | creature with- "y 6 car when Mr. Peopmelier was attracted by jin 150 yards. } ; tw Roving iat in ’ sce underbrush about” OR Shell charged with liquid air cannot, of course, be fired from any projectile; the shock of -| would detonate the explosive and wreck the gun. At-_ tempts have ‘been made to use liquid-air grenades and liquid-air bombs in trench mortars, which are’ }ted by one incl: as a st eet 4

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ee pee PP re aie se ie a Ao. oA a ; = ‘Tug took the letter from Tiff’s hand and read it, Then he whistled softly: “This is important, Tiff.” -— “Well, in what respect ? sad _ “Well, the old fellow is dead, and his: lawyers want to see you. It means = pmeiarad that the old fel- low has left you a legacy.” wha: Tiff was greatly Tricia “Me?” he exclaimed. “Why should he remémber ) ie?” _ “Why not? + He probably remembers your kind act in defending him.” bai . “That was of little consequence. “It cannot be any- « of that sort, for the poor old chap probably | not more than enough money to pay for his 3 CHAPTER VII (Continued). S zi “Don’t you believe it,” said Tug confidently. “He has been known as.a miser for years,. There are all sorts of stories of his money-bags and hoardings. I you are in fot a windfall, Tiff.” - The more Tiff thought of the matter the more ex- Cited /he grew. He recalled the words of gratitude ken by the old eripple. It was hard for him to/ ) e in Tug’s story of the legacy, however. That night his dreams were of the most fanciful ind, and involved hidden treasures and heaps of d. When Tiff arose the next morning he was de- ed fa answer the summons. of Rudd and Reed, at- “T really couldn't t ates it.” ‘ ny at?’ exclaimed Tug sharply. “Don’t be a dose, now. There’s nothing wrong about accepting ney willed to one by sarhody: put a PPE. f course you'll take it.” — Sut Tiff set out a little Beta for the office of the Wwyers with some misgivings. He paused at the et. = ae eae SP - Pas 5 x + FAME _FORTUNE eet | | Bid Bas which was.sealed;with tape and wax: He eer ‘i in Tiff’s a are ——— ‘ Tie. - CHAPTER VIII. THE LEGACY. Tiff did not. open the box in the lawyer's ‘elfieb. ft He thanked Mr. Reed, and then left the office ai Seah SieeNly Sella i eecincoes Ae Mis. Si door and had to summon all. his self-control to jing his Pe aneehter. a, res! sat a shrewd-faced. man ae middle age.

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The box when opened contained heteie gold nor jewels. Only a plain-looking document rested in the bottom. Tiff took it out and read: “Warranty Deed! Moses Fiske to Tiffany Clark, forty-four acres of land situated on Wild Creek, Mon- tana, bounded and described.” : ~ Then followed a description of a wild, rocky tract, which few would have deemed of any possible value. But when Tiff looked the deed over in a critical way he could not but yield to a feeling of disappointment in spite of all. “Humph!” said Tug, with a deep breath. “Only forty acres of land in Montana! They say the old fellow had thousands of dollars hoarded up some- where. It’s queer that he should throw such a worthless thing as this at you. He must have been grateful indeed!” . “T had really no right to expect him to remember me at all,” said Tiff, 3 __ “I don’t know about that, Here is an old miser m leaving probably thousands. He has no chick or child to leave it to. You-are probably the only per- Son to do him any kind of a favor. Why shouldn’t 4 he remember you? He might do worse than be- '__ queath you all his money.” — “Your judgment is biased, Tug,” said Tiff lightly. “But here is something else. It is a letter signed sby the old fellow, Let us see what he has to say.” Tiff then proceeded to read as follows: ~ “To my dear young friend and champion: When : ‘you shall peruse these lines Moses Fiske will have passed into another life. There was a time when he, like you, faced the world without a competence. He _ found it, as you no doubt will,-a hard and heart- Rite, sickening struggle. Work and privation and _self- _ denial is nothing. The worst thing to face in life is _ Man’s ingratitude. The utter heartlessness of hu- _ ™an kind in general, base deception, and trickery of _ presumed friends which brings care to the heart _ and canker to the soul. But I have done with it all, and so for many years I have been a recluse. Wealth and dress have long since lost their charm for me. __ My general reputation is that of the miser. It is believed that I have hidden wealth. But I. assure 5 "you all that I own in this world is embodied in this _ Montana deed, which I bequeath to you, as the best fy Ang: type of an honorable youth I have ever met. ous you to remain as you are in spirit. As with , boy, so with the man. But I impose one condi- n: You must at once proceed to Montana and e your home upon this land. Develop its re- ces, no matter how barren. Plow and till, and hs a of honest ene: My rt bless- ee edie eames J FAME AND ‘FORTUNE WEEKLY. ‘ > > “. ’ , was well meant in the old fellow, if he really tells the truth, It seems to me that the game isn’t worth the candle. Just to think of burying yourself way out there in the wilderness because it meets with the whim of an old philosopher like Fiske. old chap was a little out in the upper story.” I think the — Tiff, however, had undergone a change of heart. | “However that is,” he said, “Moses Fiske has left me in the goodness of his heart all that he had of this world’s goods. It may be a very humble prop- . erty, but it is mine, and all I have in the world, and — I am going to accept it and develop it as he requests. I am going to start for Montana at once. I want you to go with me, Tug.” The boy of the streets, who knew little of the world beyond the town thoroughfares hesitated and shook his head. “JT dunno about that, Tiff.: It’s a tana. We haven’t ‘got the price to get there. seems to me we better stay in our.own country.” “TJ am surprised. Only a few hours ago you were all in for our venture in the West.” “T’ve been thinkin’ it over,” said Tug. “They say there are bears‘ an’ tigers an’ cowboys an’ Injuns there. What could you or I do against them?” long way to Mon- It, Tiff laughed heartily as he saw the earnestness in his friend’s face. ““That’s all a story,” he said. “I don’t believe the — wild animals will trouble us, and the Indians are at | peace. to Wild Creek, but I am going to try.” I don’t know myself how I am going to get — “Well, of course, I’m going where you go!” said — Tug. “That settles it. When shall we start?” “At once,” said Tiff resolutely. “Here is the deed — to my inheritance at Wild Creek. I’m going to sew — it in the lining of my vest next my body. The world is before us, Tug. We have health and strength, and we'll make a living somewhere.” “All right!” cried Tug, with fresh enthusiasm. ; : : “If we can’t get to Montana any other way we can count railroad ties.” “T don’t think that will a necessary. Perhaps we | can find odd jobs of work along the way. As soon as we earn a little money we can pay carfare and so work our way along.” “Good!” cried Tug. “You’ve got the head, Tuff. T'll leave id planning to you. What you say goes. Hello!” The latter exclamation was caused by a rap on 'the door. Mrs. Mullins opened it. “Two gintlemen to see Misther Tiff,” she said. Then two jap stepped into the room. Both Tiff and Tug were attorney, Reed. .The other was a man of appear- ance most unprepossessing, at least to the boys. He was tall and lanky, with a hatchet face | and furtive, restless eyes. His skin was dark to s rl Feiancas and wore a broad Par eet oY given a start. One of them was the — and , ness, and his manner cat-like. He was. dressed i in ; . od

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TURTLE HANGING ON CARP. Wallace Amick of Scipio, Ind., captured a nine- _ Pound carp and a good-sized turtle in a peculiar Manner recently. When rowing in Sand Creek near 4 there his attention was attracted by the flopping of oa fish apparently grounded in shallow water. The fish was easily captured, being almost exhausted, _and on drawing it from the water Amick found a - turtle hanging to the fish. It had seized the fish _mear the base of the tail and retained its hold till it was killed. * - ——— : SISTERS EARN $2,400. _ Four Westmoreland County, Pa., young women, - daughters of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Smith, of near _ Ruffsdale, have established a new agr -icultural rec- 3 ordi in the yield and profits*to be derived from a two- _ acre plot of cabbage. The Misses Smith, the eldest of whom is eigh- tetoen, now have a bank account of $900 with ac- counts due from Pittsburgh commission men z amounting to $900, and a fourth of their cabbages yet remains to be cut and marketed. Buyers esti- - mate the value of the entire field at about $2,400. 2: Early this. spring Smith turned the two-acre plot over to his daughters, telling them to make any use of it they desired. The girls, after closely scanning the market reports for weeks, decided to grow cab- bages. They set about 18,000 plants. When the time arrived to cut cabbage, the scarcity of the vegetable and sky-high sauerkraut quotations pees a matter of patience and good salesmanship. DEER ATTACKS POSTMAN. . Clark Smith, the oldest rural route agent at- ed to the Huntington, Pa., post-office, met with spirited attack from a big buck deer while on ‘return trip a few evenings ago within three s of that place. . she 4 ie leisurely past. and attacked the broncho by rearing voring to strike it with its forefeet. Mr. weak arew ie ey driver FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. , TIMELY TOPICS | Made the realization of $2,400 for the two-acre plot! re wi herd of six does, led by a large buck, had been | below in a mountain meadow and were about to) WHarer, carrying his gun with five shells—all ‘the 2 into the open highway just as Smith was! ammunition in the house—and his brother, armed horse, a calico-colored broncho, seemed to|Harer pumped the remainder of the ammunit aroused the ire of the buck, which leaped ajinto bruin’s body and the enraged animal tw up and/on him. : fae ‘ Raising itself ‘the animal vigorou on the deer. The broncho|front paw, oy to aj bear fbis DOGS BURIED SEVEN DAYS. Entombed fifteen feet in the earth for 168 hours, and without food or water the entire seven days, two dogs belonging to two boys of Rosedale, Kan., dug themselves out and have returned to their home after being given up for dead. The boys, with their dogs, were chasing rabbits about a bluff when they ran a “bunny” into a deep hole in the ground. The dogs followed the rabbit in and there was a cave-in. The boys came up and dug to rescue the dogs, but when they quit at nightfall they were still many feet away. The next day, imagining the dogs had perished from suffocation, they were given up for dead. Six days later the boys were astonished to see one of the dogs appear at home, weak from lack of nourish- ment and scarcely able to walk. His nails literally were worn off from constant digging. The boys then went to the cave-in and dug in the hope that they.could save the other dog. . After digging about two feet in the earth they heard moans and soon the other dog was rescued, after: he had dug himself that close to liberty. Neither of the dogs would eat at first and would only drink milk. Then they began to seek food and ate it ravenously. SAVED ALIVE FROM THE JAWS OF A BEAR. Ammon Harer, a farmer living near Liberty, Pa., saved the life of his brother Ellery (who lay pros- trate under a wounded bear, which was tearing and chewing the man’s arm) by striking the ani- mal on the head with an ax. The exciting battle occurred on the Harer farm recently. As Ellery Harer opened the kitchen door at his farm home to investigate a peculiar noise, he was confrented by a large black bear only a few feet from the doorstep. The farmer jumped back into the house and slammed the door almost in og face of the bear. eA Armed with a gun containing one shell he pary: ee opened the door and fired. The shot wounded the — bear, which turned and disappeared down a gully . the house. with an ax, followed. They soon overtook the ote struck | tearing the flesh off his both .

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NEW YORK, DECEMBER 22, 1916. TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Single Copies One Copy Three Months One Copy Six Months One Copy One Year POSTAGE FREE HOW _TO SEND MONEY—At our risk send P. 0. Money Order. Check or Registered Letter; remittances in any other be are at your risk. We accept Postage Stamps the same as We PNB AUT ee ah E : bar tt : When sending silver wrap the Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting the envelope. Write your name and *. ress plainly. Address letters to By Harry E. Wolff, Pres. ) FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher = . N. Hastings Wolff, Treas. : $9 Charles E, Nylander, Sec, 168 West 23d St., N. Y¥. 3s ‘ 7h Py . eae Pee ; - ° Good Current News Articles at 2 ‘ r r ” Mr..H. C. Moffit of Whiteville, N. C., is showing sy his friends a potato of the: Dixie yam variety that measures twenty-nine inches in length. grown on Mr. Moffit’s farm near town. a wes Sh aac AS AS 7 It was ay Canceled checks’ representing $7,000, said to have been paid to alleged members of the syndicate of _ handbook operators by a widow, were, placed before Federal Judge Landis, at Chicago, Ill., in the course of his investigation into the betting ring case. A woman is said to have informed the court officials _ that she lost the sum indicated in the checks and - $23,000 more betting on horse races, and that she is now working for $2 a day. . —————_—__—_—_—_— Bava! oe the most curious of trees is the gigantic _ zaobab, which flourishes in Central Africa, the trunk _ of which sometimes attains a diameter of forty feet, according to the Los Angeles Times. - serves as a natural cistern, retaining rainwater in quantities in a cavity formied at the top. The ‘abs artifically hollow out the trunks of large bao- abs and fill them. with water during the prevalence of rain as a provision against the dry season. These are in many cases twenty feet in height and eight 0 or ten feet in diameter. ‘The Rev. Benjaivin Brunning, of Boone, Iowa, “a Six years old, is the oldest minister in the States in active charge of a pulpit for the n Church. The Rev. Mr. Brunning declares expects to be more than one hundred years or tem giiect as to his longevity recipe at joven e one should take ee, me. The Rev.|as I do, madam. Put your money on the which corresponds to your age.” ‘upon’ pla This trunk| | » FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. Fame and Fortune Weekly | The Junior Hop Club of New Albany, Ind.,' has — voted to offer. a reward of $100 for the arrest and ~ conviction of the person or persons who drugged punch served at the club’s dance at Glenwood Park, causing acute suffering for a dozen or more young }men and girls. The physicians believe that Croton oil, ipecae or lobelia was the drug that some mis- creant or would-be joker dropped into the punch after it had been delivered at the park pavilion. © \It is certain that the symptoms! of the sufferers, such as burning at the mouth and in the throat, — extreme nausea and acute pains in the stomach, indicated the use of a powerful irritant, not nec- l\essarily fatal, unless swallowed in unusually large quantities. Grins and Chuckles Mistress—But, bless me, why are you leaving us, Mary? I’m sure I do all the work. The General Servant—Yes, ma’am, but I don’t like the way you do it. Mamma—I suppose you find Robbie a rather re- markable boy, don’t you? Teacher—Yes. Mamma —In what special study? Teacher—In all. He never knows a lesson in any of them. “My wife was arrested yesterday.” “You sur- prise.me. What was the trouble?” “She got off a trolley car the right way, and a policeman thought - she was a man in disguise.” Vahdeiviakey an to tell you, sir, that one of: your shirts is lost. Customer—But, here, I have just paid you twelve cents for doing it up. Laundry- ia agin right, sir; we laundered it before we ost. it. : “Which is the starboard side ofa ship?” “Why, don’t you know? That’s the side where the star boarder has his room.” “Then why do they call \ the other side the port side? ” “Because that’s where the porter sleeps.” “Heavens? Who’ Ss neg ‘pink that’s trying to sing?” “That is my daughter.” “Oh—um—if that fool of an accompanist would consent to stop thumping the piano as if it were some wild savage thing he wanted — to kill, we might—ah, that’s better. What a sweet, beautiful voice she has!”’ “Yes. That is her brother — at the piano.” ; A lady at the tables at Monté Carlo sith not make ae up her mind on ‘which number to place her mot ne ay Seeing her hesitation, her neighbor said to her: The lac sd the

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738 ' FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. — ay, F, by the Inman steamer of the day previous, as no 3 A CURIOUS CASE other ocean steamer had sailed that day, and it was Se not likely that the man would have taken a coastwise ; By Col..Ralph Fenton vessel. The brother was arrested, but he had nothing, not eyen spending money in his pocket, and he seemed to know nothing about the affairs of the firm, good “Bad failure, wasn’t it?” “Yes, indeed; quarter of a million gone up higher than a kite.” or bad. “Get caught?” In the meantime the police were on the track of. “No.” Joseph, and were in a fair way of running him down. I was satisfied that he had not taken the Inman steamer, though his name on the passenger list would seem to indicate that he had. : I was confident that the man.had either sent his groom away under his name, or that there was an- other Joseph Crafts, neither of whom knew the other. In disguise I visited the place, a few miles out- side of the city, where the banker lived, andtin a rather odd manner became convinced of his presence there. I was somewhat acquainted with the habits of the banker, and had noticed more than once a little peculiarity of his. He was a heavy man, and had a habit of overrun- ning his left boot at the heel, to counteract which a steel plate covering half of the heel had been put on. In the pathway leading up to the house from the road I saw footprints, and among them the mark of this heel, which was easily distinguishable from the other. I knew at once that the man was at his home, and while others had been looking for him at the steam-" ers, and sending messages to Europe for the police + there to look out for him, I had come across him in the least expected place. : He left the house the next morning in disguise, and a good one it was, too, I myself being deceived by it. There was one thing he had forgotten to change, and that was his boot with the steel heel. : oa I recognized the mark it made on the sand,andI sy. followed my man all unsuspected, the rascal never 5 dreaming that anyone was upon his track. PMs I followed him, making up my mind to arrest him . not. too hastily, but when he least expected such a *“You’re lucky.” “T should say so; I had some of Crafts & Broth- ers’ paper two days ago, but got rid of it just in time; didn’t know anything about,their shaky con- dition, either.” “Tt is not as honest a failure as was at first sup- posed.” “No, indeed; and Joe Crafts, the senior partner, is missing, and worse yet, has taken away all the ‘available funds, leaving not even enough to pay the Woman who sweeps out.” “And his brother has nothing at all;they say he Was no more than a clerk after all, though he -was “put down as a partner.” g “It’s a curious case, all around, and likely to prove more so.” “That's so, for the police have done nothing as yet in the matter.” That was where the two talkers were wrong, for I was already at work on the case, and expected to unearth the swindler, for such was Joseph Crafts, beyond a doubt. The firm of Crafts & Brother ‘carried on a private banking business in the city, and were reputed to be very wealthy, and had always been considered reliable. “Suddenly, however, news came of a crash; bad investments, other failures, defaulting clerks, tem- Porary inability to meet sudden demands, all these Were given as causes, and the banking-house Was After the disappearance of Crafts it was rumored that he had gone to a dozen different places, the only reliable information being the following: It was the man’s habit to ride in on horseback very morning and out again in the afternoon. movement. ‘i On the morning of the day when the failure was I tiaced him to the city, and, describing him to one ia announced, an office boy employed in the vicinity of| of my assistants, had the latter shadow him, whileI the park, while sweeping the steps, saw Crafts ride} looked after the other side of the case, 5 Up and dismount, giving the bridle to the groom| I had my suspicions about the groom,. who, it was Who stood near. said, had disappeared, and I finally ran across him The groom handed*him a letter, which he opened in a drinking saloon chatting with some of ‘his and read, turning his back to the man. cronies. 5 ee ‘In a few moments the boy saw: Mr. fs mount ; Biscif at pe hah supnathing to do wits the bank Ser horse in and gallop off at a rapid pace, Say-| failure, Jim,” ig to the groom in p Rees er, audible at that “Not a aie oe *tend the berpeg that works ang ‘was : “You'd better leave at once. I shall go by first . mer; everything has gone up.” a Nee Oa incendie wee ds. BY Soa Hose Chess reee oe brother.” and Crafts was thought to hi io

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Pil 28 “Yes. And he’s as big a scamp as the other.” “But he was arrested and proved innocent. is “He was never arrested.” “Who was, then?” “Only the footman in disguise. I tell you the whole thing was nicely planned long ago, and now the brother has gone, and Joe will follow after the mt cops have got done looking for him.” “And the young one has all the money?” “Nearly. He’s the cute one o’ the lot, seeming so ee like, but really as big a rascal as ever you'd n ” “It’s a wonder you’d go back on him.” a “T wouldn’t, but what I’m telling you now can’t PR make any difference, ’cause they’re both out of the : way. Anyhow, I don’t care-very much. They might _ 7ve let me in for a little, having served them as many years as I did, but never a cent extra pay did Joe Crafts give me, and he knowing well enough that I could tell many a pretty story about him.” . “And he’s in the city yet?” “Yes, and if they catch him he’s got money enough to buy ’em off. The other fellow’s got the bulk of it, and Joe is only here as a blind.” The man did not say anything else of importance, and after a while I left the place without being sus- rvs I was not so sure that the rascally hei had no ~~ money with him to speak of, and that night I fol- _-_ lowed him into a noted gambling house and saw him ___ lose heavily, many thousands of dollars passing from Y =m to the proprietors of the game. _ At last I noticed a man whisper something in his : ear, and instantly he ceased playing, and a few mo- _ ments later left the place in company with the other. | followed, and was just in timé to hear the sible 2% er. ‘say, as they reached the street: “You are mad to risk your mqney here! would Arabella say?” . |“Gonfound Arabella! Her eutriivadante hes al- . ‘ready ruined me. I wish I had never met her.” __ Arabella Montmorenci, the keeper of a gaming s , and the owner of a dozen trotters, had fascin- ated the banker, and had. -well-nigh ruined him by her avagance. — He had feigned a failure in order to escape, ane ter ded to go to Europe alone to get rid of supply- the frivolous Arabella with any more spare cash, ing had experience enough in. that line, and know- she could spend all he gave her. ‘became the more curious the more I fol- it up, and I could not tell where it would end. brother had disappeared, that was certain, cheat was quickly discovered, and the aaa? to odo was to get back the stolen property. 3 Rone aie | ere for some point in Eh e, th What FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. , "there -we were mistaken, for the fatow The brother was very angry, and reproached Joe with ingratitude, and threatened to expose him. I waited until the steamer was ready to sail, and, not seeing anything of the roue, went to the state-_ room of Crafts in order to arrest him. The door was unlocked, and I pushed it open and looked in. _ The banker was lying in one of the berths, but he | made no sound at my approach. Thinking he was asleep, I put my hand on his — shoulder and shook him, but he made no response. Then I put my hand upon his face, and drew back with a start, for if was icy cold. He was stone dead, and had been so/an hour or more. I found several thousand dollars in the man’s © pockets, and two or three powders wrapped up in fine paper. The latter I had analyzed, and found them to be deadly poison. I saw nothing of the brother of Arabella, and fancied that he had taken a suspicion that all was not right, and had resolved not to come to the steam- er again. I telegraphed to New York to have his sister ar-_ rested for assisting a criminal to escape, and by night she was locked up. George Crafts, the brother of Joseph, had taken’ passage for Amsterdam, not Liverpool, as was sup- posed, there being no treaty of extradition between Holland and the United States. -He had nearly all the stolen money, amounting to only one hundred thousand dollars, and not a quar- — ter million, as was thought, but still enough to live on very comfortably for many years. It was not long before we arrested the woman’ Si brother, and, suppressing all news concerning thé — affair, I laid a plan by which to. capture George ‘Crafts and regain the money. ? I went to Amsterdam, and soon ran across him, — representing myself to be his brother’s friend. By careful management I induced him to leave — Holland, and the moment he had left the border had . him arrested. He had suspected this, I think, for he drew a_ revolver and fired at my head. ‘Thad taken the precaution, however, to put blank cartridges in the chambers, foreseeing that the man might be troublesome, and, consequently, all the in- jury I received was being a little scorched by the powder. i The money was recovered, and the claims of creditors partly settled, but the greater po the ‘could never be paid, as the assets of the concern tind: always been overstated, and money had been’ spent for which there was no account made. Out of the tangle, however, we made one thi : clear, and that was that George Crafts was a villai oo a ane a considerable part of his: ee rother’s example the prison > To FED PES | ‘ ; " ¥

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ‘ FROM ALL POINTS J = $300 IN WOODEN LEG. On his way to Chicago to buy a mechanical leg _ to replace the wooden one that he was wearing, : Isadore Jerry was brought into court in Milwau- _ kee on a charge of being drunk, and was fined $5 _ and costs. Since the left leg was cut off by a a train four years ago, he had saved up for an arti- _ ficial limb, he told the court. To prove it he un- screwed the bottom of his wooden stump and pulled from the hole $300 in bills. ‘ CUT OFF TOE TO CURE CORN. Jones Forsell, a retired and wealthy farmer of _- Grandview, Wash., has a new corn remedy. He _ Was troubled for years by the pain of.a corn. He _ has a neighbor who is.a carpenter. Recently he _ went over, borrowed a chisel and adjourned to his _ own back yard. Placing his toe on the chopping- : block, setting the chisel between joints and firmly _ grasping a hammer in his right hand, he cured his corn. “I’m rid of that corn,” he told his wife, “but _ Tm also minus a toe.” a es BOYCOTT BOARDING-HOUSES. ___ Because some boarding-house keepers of Lynn, _ Mass., announced an advance of fifty cents a week _ for twenty-one meals, both for men and women, we with an increase of fifteen cents for Sunday dinners, - union shoe workers are preparing to boycott those _ Places. The men plan to eat in union restaurants and lunch carts, while the women workers will cook _ in their rooms. . Bis When boarders appeared for their New England _ Sunday breakfast of baked beans and bacon and - eggs they found typewritten notices at each plate _ which stated that “because of the high cost of _ food stuffs the price of board from this time until further notice is increased fifty cents. That applies _ to men and women.” . The present rates are $3.50 for women and $4 for men. Scores of boarders refused to start a “ new week's bill. — INDIAN ON THE CENT. | 3 the Government of the United States made|monk’s idea and was shown to be practicable ' The engraver’s daughter, Sarah, aged ten, greatly enjoyed the visit of her father’s guests, and during the evening, to please her, one of the chiefs took his feathered helmet and war-bonnet and placed it on her head: In the company was an artist, who immediately sketched her and handed the picture to her father. Mr. Longacre, knowing of the com- petition for a likeness to go upon the cent projected, junder the inspiration of the hour, resolved to con- tend for the prize offered by the Government. To his delight the officials accepted it, and the face of his daughter appeared upon the coin, which was circulated about the nation for nearly a century. It is said that there were more than 100 competitors” for the prize. Savage and civilized life was thus intermingled in the American face and the Indian headgear, re- marks the Pittsburgh Leader. The face of Sarah Longacre has gone into more hands, more pockets, more homes, more stores, more banks, more schools; yes, more churches, than any other coin in the United States, if not in the world. ; SUBMARINES KNOWN IN SEVENTEENTH ‘CENTURY. | According to researches which have been m by a French professor, it would appear that s sy marines have almost as hoary a past as aeroplanes, which, as is well known, involved ideas which are — centuries old. It appears that submarines were built _ as early as the beginning of the seventeenth century. — The origin of the invention is older still. Aristotle tells how Alexander the Great made use of subma- rines during the siege of Tyre, more than three hun-_ dred years before Christ.. as eee A Dutchman named Cornelius Van Drebbel a astounded London in 1620 with a submarine that held twelve oarsmen and some passengers, among _ whom was King James I. Bb Previous. to this, in 1534, a monk suggested the idea that-a ship be constructed of metal so as to be water-tight and able to resist the pressure of bg A submarine was constructed according to he certain degree. eh in ee In 1537 a ship with twenty cannon, eighty sail Reus and many bags of money on board blew up and sank J bs e ws ar *

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ARTICLES OF ALL KINDS DROUGHT HELPS HONEY CROP. Two hundred and fifty pounds of honey in one bee gum tree is the record of the George Reed bee farm in Salina County, Kan., where 4,000 pounds of honey will be gathered this year. Reed says the dry season is responsible, the alfalfa being in bloom constantly, and the bees were able to work without delay. Reed says this year is the best honey year he ever saw and all because of the pro- - longed drought. | BOY WEDS HIS TEACHER. ne | He is sixteen years and she is twenty-two. They : are married and they are happy. Two years ago Miss Sadie Patrick of Arlington, Tenn., came to Memphis and secured a position in the public schools. She had one pupil to whom she became greatly attached. He was James L, Yar- brough, at that time fourteen years old. _ This fall James was in the fifth grade. Miss Patrick was again his teacher. School ran along smoothly for a month. Then the principal noted a marriage license had been, issued to James L. Yar- brough and Miss Sadie Patrick. ~° Bs He questioned teacher and pupil. They admitted they had been married. The school laws do not et permit married women to teach, so Mr. and Mrs. -- Yarbrough are making their heme with the elder ; pod and Mrs. Yarbrough. <3 WAR HITS SMOKERS. ee The cost of smoking and chewing is advancing : along with the cost of living, according to John F. Whelan, vice-president of the United Cigar Stores - Company, and the situation will be worse after the _ first of the year. Except in the case of cigars, the fnclan will not be a direct raise in price, Mr. : n says, but will mean that the number of cigarettes to\a package will be less, and that the ‘size of plugs will be cut down, __ The war is partly responsible, according to Mr. n. Other causes have been costly strikes, the 2 et that many cigar makers have gqne to the muni- on Bais also that bands and label formerly ade in Germany are now made here at increased 2 ‘cost, ser that it costs more to make the boxes. ; : now selling three and two for a quarter will 4a bly be ten and fifteen cents straight after the i eae Mr. nelan says. sae BGs Sakae a, PB ritton was recently elected divorce filed by his wife. a Some used by the bathers; then he w pecmiauney of a major league club. Schuyler ¥. Britton’s resignation from his executive position is believed to have been the direct result of a suit for It is said Britton’s resig- nation has been in the hands of his wife ever since he was elected to the office, several years ago, While Mrs. Britton has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the Cardinals heretofore, she was content to remain behind the scenes, though she generally attended the annual meetings of the National League as a representative of the St. Louis ‘club. Mrs. Britton came into baseball promi- nence together with the possession of the Cardinals several years ago, through the will of a late uncle, Stanley Robison. She was the first woman owner of a major league franchise. Mrs. Britton announced at the ecrictnuaiall of the meeting that Miller Huggins would be retained as manager of the club, but that there would be changes among the players. LEA LION ANSWERS TO NAME. At Avalon, Cal., one of the most interesting ex- amples of tame wild animals is to be seen in the shape of a sea lion, which must weigh a quarter of a ton, if not more. This great creature I have seen on the main street of Avalon, surrounded by tourists, who were snapping kodaks at it and view- ing the marine giant with open-eyed wonder, writes - C. F, Holder in the September “St. Nicholas.” The sea lion, which the fishermen call Ben, is a wild animal that is the head of a rookery that has for years held ground at a point of rocks on the south end of the island. Every day these sea lions start out on a fishing trip and follow the island up the coast; but four or five of the largest, led by Ben, frequent the bay of Avalon and give daily exhibitions that amaze the many tourists who visit it. To see a man step down onto a float and shout “Ben! Ben!” at the top of his voice, excites laughter _ and wonder. But in a few moments a big head ap-. pears, perhaps fifty feet from shore, then a huge animal, the size of a cow, comes up to the float and crawls upon it, or the beach, as the case may be. In summer there are too many people around and Ben will not craw] up into the street, but he will come out on the float or beach and take an albacore © from the man’s hand—really a remarkable exhibi- jm saw. Ben oh one edeasion come up. the’ beech!” and follow the man to the sea wall, then up a short, the very street, where he stood, hea

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THE LITTLE GEM TELEPHO?PE, umes wa transmitter oe Gem this telephone 6 made from the best TFELLPNOHE. imported parchmient; Ee cord; the only real telephone for the Money; each one put up in a neat box; fully flustrated, with full directions how to use with ordinary use them. Price, 1%¢., postpaid. will last a long time; Wolff Novelty Co.. 29 W. 26th St., N. Y. can be made in any length by adding BLACK-EYE JORE. New and gmusing joker. The oo is tok’ te Rois the tude close to his eyé so as te exclud all light from the back, and fon to remove the tube until pictures appear in the center, In trying to lecate the pictures he wiN ra- ceive the finest black-eye you ever saw. We furnish a small box of blackening préparation with each tube, so the joke can be used in- definitely. Those not in the trick will be caught every time. 2 H. F. Lang, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N.Y. SURPRISE MOVING-PICTURE MACHINE. It consists of a small nickeled metal tube, 4% inchdés’ long, with a lens eye-view, which shows a pretty ballet girl or any other scene. Hard it to a friend who will be delighted with the first picture, tell him to turn the screw on the side of the insteu- ment, to change the views, when a stream of water squirts in his face, much 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 mall, postpaid; 4 for $1.00, Frank Smith, 383 Lenox Ave., N. Y. i WHISTLEPHONE This is one of the greatest musical in- struments ever invent- ed. It is made entirely of metal and is aimost invisibie when in use, With it, in a few mo- ments, you can learn to play all kinds of tunes, Lave lots of fun, please and amuse your friends and make some money, too. Fine for either song or plano accompanimont or by itself alone. You place the whistlephone in the mouth with haif circle out, place end of tongue to rounded part and blow gently a* if to cool the lips. time. Complete with_rub- THE BUCULO CIGAR. ber ball apd tubing. Price; Se. by mail, postpaid, ented i. F Lag 1815 Centre St, B’klyn, N.¥ The most remarkable trick-cigar in tne world, It smokes without tobacco, and never gets smaller. Anyone can have a world ef fun with it, espécially if you smoke it in the presence of @ person who disiikes the odor of tobacco. It looks exactly like a fine es” fecto, and the smoke is so real that it is bound te deceive the closest observer. Price, 12, each, postpaid. H. F. Lang, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N.Y. “KNOCK-OUT” CARD TRICK.—Five cards are shown, front and back, and there areé_no two cards alike. You place some of them mh 5 handkerchief and ask any person to hold them by the corners in full view of the audience. You now take the remaining cards and request anyone to name any card shown. This dont; you repeat the name of the card and state that you will cause it to invisibly leave your hand and pass into the handkerchief, where it cannot be made to and yet by simply passi h will be found among the other cards. At the oe hand over it, word “Go!” you show that the chosen card one thee a tt Res Vansenise, leaving adenlutely only, twe L cards. e handkerchief Is unfo any amusement, and 1s of convenient ee ee person, and win it is found the identical card, UDOT. ss seeeerceees PS ey eee te Rooantitenidaer wee? hier heer, iride. When C. Behr, 150 W. 62d St. New York City. ' H, F. Lang, 18*5 Contre St., B’klyn, N. ¥.

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FRANK TOUSEY, PUBLISHER; 168 WEST 23D STREET NEW YORK NEW YORK. DECEMBER 22, 1916.

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ——LATEST ISSUES—— Market; or, A Keen Boy in Wall Street. 571 of a a Boy. es; or, A Lucky Wall Street Me The i Fee Legacy Regs to Rich THE HAND.—Containing rules for telling fortunes by the aid of lines of the hand, eo the seefet of palmistry. Aiso the secret oe telling future events by aid of moles, marks sears, ete, Illustrated. No. 77. HOW TO DO FORTY TRICKS WITH CARDS,.—Containing deceptive Caré Tricks as performed by leading conjurer- and magicians. aresere for home amuse ment, ully illustrated. No. 78 HOW TO DO THE BLACK ART g Ceaiatoe a complete description of th« mysteries of Magic and Sleight-of-hand, te Nay d with many wonderful. experiments y A, Anderson. Ijlustrated. No, 79. HOW TO BECOME AN ACTOR —Containing complete instructions bow t& make up fer various characters on the stage together with the duties of the Stage Mar ager, Prompter, Scenic Artist and Propert> an. No. 80. GUS WILLIAMS’ JOKE BOOK — Containing the latest jokes, anecdotes ané funny stories of this world-renowned Ger man comedian. Sixty-four pages; handsom- colored cover, containing a half-tone phote of the author. No. 81. HOW TO MESMERIZE,—Contats ing the most approved method ef mesmer ism; animal magnetism, or, magnetic hea ing. By Prof. Leo Hugo Koch, A.C.S. av thoriof “How to Hypnotize,” etc No. 8% HOW TO DO PALMIST ope gee taining the most Fy gt methods of ing the lines on the hand, to; with « full explanation of their ng. Also a plaining pbrenology, and the key of telling cbaracters by the bumps on the head. B« Leo Hugo. Koch, A.CS. Fully (Mlustrated No. 838. HOW TO HYPNOTIZE.—Contais ing valuable and instructive information re garding the science of hypnotism, Aiso ES plaining the most approved methods w are employed by'the leading hypnotists » the world, By Hugo Koch, A.C.8. No. %. HOW TO BECOME AN AUTHOB —Containirg information regarding choles of subjects, the use pe weeds ane the mas ner of preparing and su mane seripts. Also containing valuable informs tlon as to the neatness, leeibility and ges eral composition of manuscripts. sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 10c. per copy, or 3 for Zc., in money or postage stamps, by PRANK TOUSRY, Publisher, Se ee 168 West 23d St. N. Y. é pow nek