Pluck And Luck (no. 112) (1900 07 25)

Page 1

ETE, | IES OF ADVENTURE. | NETTIE EERE HAYS + Issued Weekly— By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York Post Office, by Frink Tousey. ? EEE ry No. 112. NEW YORK, JULY 25, 1900. Price 5 Cents. peti | The ere cracked spitefully, the dogs yelped. and barked as the keen lash took them in the re flanks, and the sledge fairly flew over the rough ice, jolting and pitching, and more than once threatening to scatter its occupants in every direction.

Page 2

a "3 “These Books Tell You Everything! A COMPLETE SH IS A REGULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA! diack book fonsists of sixty-four pages, printed on good paper, in clear type and neatiy bound in an attractive, Wustrated cover! out of the books are also profusely illustrated, and all of the subjects treated upon are explained in such a simple manner that ang #hild can thoroughly understand them. “Look over'the list as classified and ‘see if you want to know anything about the subject ‘mentioned. y THESH BOOKS ARE FOR SALEBY ALL NEWSDDALERS OR "WILL BE SHNT BY MAIL TO ANY AY ORDSS FROM THIS OFFICE ON RHGEIPT OF PRICH, TEN CENTS. EACH, OR ANY THREE BOOKS, FOR TWHNTY-FIVE @ENTS: POSTAGH STAMPS TAKEN THB SAME AS MONEY. Address PRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 Union Square, N, X, ia) MAGIC. ue? 2. HOW. TO DO TRICKS.—The great. book of miagic ane aoe tricks;: containing full instruction of ali the leading card tricke of the day, also the most popular magical illusions as performed: by § r¥ boy. should obtain a copy of this book, as it: at # Ditié Novel Mchange-_ a! Nog 2% Box DO SECOND SIGHT.—Heller’s aN sight ined his former aspistant, red Hunt, Jr. Dxplaining Low Hiniumavil do, Minny, varried on between the magician Mmd the the on the ODS iving all the codes and signals, . Tike ony uF #! second sight. ) BECOME A MAGICLAN.—Contajnin the ; SPORTING. No. 24. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH.—The most Ne munting and fishing guide ever published, It ged full in- jtriuctions about ‘guns, hunting dogs, traps, trapping and ispppis i ape with descriptions of game an 0. 265 HOW TO ROW, SAIL WILD A BOAT.—I Xo row and sail a boa (iitatrated, Wyery boy should § Full instructions are given yy k, together with in- ompaniod sports to ae No. 47, HOW DO B BH, AND D ivi A HORSH.— 4 complete treatise oy . Dese ribing the’ ] for business, the be the read; also va\uable recipes for diseases eculia , granucest assortment of magical iheciees eyer placed hefore the i 48. HO . TL BX” SA’ S.—A handy} public. Also tricks with cards, incantations, ete. 3 a ‘for bas; sing ast Wrectis ry rtucting canoes No. 68. HOW LO DO CHEMICAL TRICKS. i arte OVNE rf Fully illustrated. | one hundred highly amusing and instructive tricks with chemical By A. Anderson. Handsomely illustrated, No. 69. HOW TO DO SLHIGHT OF HAND.—Containing over fifty of the latest and best tricks used by magicians. ae contain os, One secret of second sight. Wully illustrated. ae . Ander 70. HOW. TO. MAKH MAGIC TOYS.— ontaining fur) Prey a Iso the tru oan tig o\aimost.any kin, apts, piconet canis, evawionien oe for gute F Rie doe faa and devices of many kinds. By ’ : é : Peay . Andetson. | Fully illustrate s aoe : SAN THAR Se “Taverybody dreams,|_ No. 7 WOW TO DO TRICKS WITH NUMBERS. age ee ; mary curious tritks with figures and the magi¢ of numbers vom the he aged man and woman. This little book Maeetaon. Bally Wustcated. ie gives the € f to all kinds of dreams, together with lucky and unlucky ygMand “Napoleon's Oraculum,” the book of fate. Bese Sioe tricks with Dominoes, Dive Cups and Balls, Dats, ete. | Embracy No. 28. we TO TELL SORTUNHS.—veryone is desirous of duicteahe (RiGtea oc se ae tecis. ts, acih knowing what his future life will bring forth, whether happiness. or ie ’ BiaseH wea tis or poverty. You can’ tell by a glance at this fete ” ar BA clad 2 alas ane 4 com vook. Buy one and be-conyinced. » Teil your own fortune. e together Sith wees woadeetul enone, oe Snasrwoe No, 75. HOW. TO. BECOME A CONJURER—Contaix * ‘the fortune of your friends. No. 76: HO OW Oo THLE FORTUNES BY THE HAND.— |, presarre (eG: pep eiatein reies for telling fortunes by the aid of the lines of the)... 343 MECHANICAL. Waric, or the secret of palmistry. Also the secret of telling ae ithe sgl a lee t6 BRECOM®: AN, ON "POR.—lvery « bey ents a aid of moles, marks, scars. ete. Illustrated. A. yhan td iow how inyentions originated. ik explains then: ‘Anderson. all, giving exc in Mlcriity hy deal, mngntsin, pene. pneumatics, mechanics, ete., ete e most instructive boo i) ATHLETIC. lished. : No. 6 HOW TO BECOME AN ATHL BYE.— Giving fuli in- No. 56. HOW TO BECOME AN ENGINEER.—Containing full rae action tex the a of distal Thells,, Indie: clubs peretel ekg iistractions how to proceed in order to become a loctinotive 4 t d yarious : eat sitiacle’ artiniae over sixty illustrations. Every boy can gineer; also directions for building a model locomotive; togethe: ‘ apitrd ere pe healthy by following the instructions a No. 57. HOW TO MAKE MU [CAL INSTRUMENTS pay Eta, Te tle 00: directions how to make a Banjo, Violin, Zither, qe ae an No. 10. HOW TO. BON.—The art of self-defense made easy, fe Sontaining over thirty illustrations of guards, blows, and, the differ- ‘| Phone and other musical’ instruments ; tozeth ‘ant positions of a good boxer. Every boy ihe ates aes of modeth dined” Pronunely ilueeratede i pet these useful and is Tat books, as it will:teach you how, to for twenty years bandmaster of the Royal Bengal M arin, es.) without an. instructo Eee ; fil sa ae Bee ‘0 Pee ai kin paCOMD “Ac Se a eres eat lsear 8 description of the lanter n, together with its history and i aenlene | at ‘ Embracing tiinty 8 ve, saabeaetone. By Professor W. Macdonald. iinsteate aby Son Pent and for painting slides. st nti + Randy and OW TOLE 71. HOW TO DO MECHANICAL TRIOKS.—Containi : ee ia ngs be ae. Dende tee Ee SORTER eee ea complete. ‘instrusions for cae over sixty Mechanical Described with tweHtiaape eee jiltustra tions, giving the: best By A, Anderson. Pully Ihustrated sitions in. fencing. A.tomplete boo yi ' : NO. BL. HOW TO BECOME A BOWLER. mee pomplete manual | No. 11. HOW LETTER ees ws poe 1 ipa peg bei Bee AR pian eed on fn sae Heme plete little book, containing full directions for nie love-lette ef aporting in use by the principal bowling ¢lubs se ‘the United sey ee when to ‘use them; also giving specimen letters for both wine Biptea By Bartholomew, Batterson, oe 18 0"%o, HOW TO WRITH LUTTERS TO LADIMS.—Girs 5 pret complete ‘instructions for writing letters to ladies on all subjec Was TRICKS. WITH CARDS. also letters of introduction, notes and leet / ' = af i. Low TO DO TRICKS WITH. OARDS.—Containing No. 24. HOW TO WRITE UBTTORS TO GENTLEMEN, mth ae oe ye general Danolel of sleight-of-hand applicable Containing full directions for writing to’ gentlemen on all) abject ~ onrd tricks with ‘ordi aoe oie any not requiring ‘Al ee Biving cau gee Toe ee GL GAL: nS ie we bites d, or the use of Mae Pe, ie " {By Paster ladtuer, With iustra- | an tailing you bow to write to your sweetheart, your Ry 3 + ‘ mother, sister, brother. DIO er | and, in fact, eve dy al shanty: ee ee: “TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Hm- | body aan wish to write to, Every young man and every . b Usrsehigtall 4p getrat ac ane es coi Fat ast! d ~| lady in the land should h tis book 98 er most deceptive car tricks, with il a ate nin ee a Gt Wwaire, 8 Hs mR 8 cORRROTL. Hen TRICKS win CARDS,— | taining full tnaroctions i ive ters on Almont Containing deceptive 0; eee “pune Na aie ony hom ame Omae Ne conn ‘ ormed also ra a ™m ; NTR: Sod es Oi ty” fa page. ASR

Page 3

Issued Weekly—. y Se Roe. $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the New/York, N. Ao : i November Entered according to py of Congress, in the year 1900, in the office of rage Libra ie Et pene a Washington, D. C., by Frank Tousey, 24 Union Squar e, ew York. OR, p Preling f Adventures in the Frozen. tm. ene Fat, te By HOWARD AUSTIN. ssi “a ane” ED ° My me ; j stature seeming to be greater on account of his slim ‘figure? eo ae CHAPTER I. raw-boned and angular, wore a long, yellow chin beard <a mustache—being of a decidedly blonde type, by the way—with a . aT Iv THE ich —THE “aTpLAS” AND CREW—FOREBODINGS. watery blue eyes, a large, sensuous mouth, long, sharp nose, - and low forehead, his chin denoting weakness, his, nose and The exploring ee Atlas lay fast in the ice, her masts mouth cruelty, and his eyes and forehead low cunning and one spars covered with a glittering mantle, her decks thick | craft. ! a now, her engines disabled, her rudder gone, and her People generally would have called him handsome; he had ae ; ibiesa to the north most completely! blocked. ready flow of language, not always made up of the choicest She had been fitted out by private parties in the United | terms, however, and he was accounted and rated as a good ates, and sent on an exploring expedition to the North Pole,} man in his position, and generally secured a good Dillet, but — r as near thereto as possible. for all that, a thinking man would find something in him not But now her voyage had come to a sudden termination, and | at all pleasing, and be very chary at making friends with him. ‘er officers and crew had the melancholy prospect before ‘them He seemed to have a good many friends, however, and yet, a ‘a winter in the ice, to say nothing of what might | when these were counted over, they would be found to be al occur When the pack should be loosened, and the waters be| lacking in some essential, and not quite the class of men t! i an + free from their cold and ‘glittering fetters. a cautious man would care to reckon as his friends, pene ! ce ommander was Captain Charles Chicks, an experienced | not even as acquaintances. : 4 ‘seat man, a careful navigator, and a great traveler; but he was However, no one could say any evil of Spencer Tyrrell, or at i Ai fore sort of man to command an Arctic expedition, | least none was said, but for all that there were several mem- ay hi rte not lying in that direction. 7 _| bers of the crew of the Atlas who-studiously avoided him, and ~ :. s lieutenant, _Mr: Wheeling, his ice pilot, Mr. Manne, his| had as little as possible to do with him. eer, Mr. Tyrrell, and his boatswain, Dickson, were Two of these latter were Frank Anderson, a young fellow 0 etic travelers, however, and experienced men withal,| nineteen or twenty, and Theodore Freeman, his chum, and if he himself were a little out of his element, he had | boy of his own age, both volunteers on board the ‘Atlas, : od advisers and ee cap of giving him the best assis- both fine young fellows. f ; ta ice possible. They were only sailors, to be sure, but they saw more or 1 His ability as a. comma: r had never been questioned, but | of Spencer Tyrrell, and they not only did not like him, but the; ] “new to the Arctic, and therefore not to be depended on distrusted and ie him as well; that is, they were not afraid ‘gency, as might have been the case. had Mr. Wheel-| of him, in an ordinary sense, but ‘they felt a fear of evil, cons , is knowledge ii the north, oe his” comman-j| quent on his presence, though they had no particular’ Yr vers. | to feel that he hated or aa any sinister designs against Atla been caught in the pack ice on the western selves, : e Franklin Bay, some two miles from the shore, in| It was. tacitly agreed upon. between hea howerar that ] sit bie ae had, been for two months previous to the | should have nothing to do with him, that. = should a ; "story which begins in November, 1870, the quarrel as. well as entering upon fri endh ations with m, ork in July of the ame year. _ |and that they should | always. ‘be on th okout ioe tre in the floe, but at : I where she was | on bad part. N, ; : j herefore ‘re: ne a slig) ght deg og had ‘been. cauient in aie 166, as” as e d|

Page 4

DESERTED. ais e co men at present than to abouts expeditions which might only _ eripple them. There was a pack of dogs, numbering seventeen, and they were well provided with sledges and boats, so that it would be an easy matter enough to make up an exploring party when i the weather should, permit, but just now it was impracticable. “rank, do yow know that t- morrow is Thanksgiving Day at home?” asked young Freeman of his chum, one evening as they sat in the mess-room of the forecastle, eating supper. “What. have you got to be thankful for, I’d like to know!” spoke up one of the party,. a long, thin, cadaverous-looking | specimen of humanity by the name of Sam Salt. “I’m sure I ain’t a bit thanktul. I’m half starved, in the first place, if you want particulars.” “You certainly eat enough,” retorted Frank. . . *“Wat—yes that’s it, but what do I eat? Good Heavens! what’s that you’ve got there, Ted Freeman?” he suddenly cried, - looking fixedly at the young man. te “Tt looks to me like a pork sandwich, and I’ll soon demofi- strate to myself that it is one.” xa “Pork? Don’t you know that some pork is unwholesome— not to say poisonous? Here, you must not peril your life in that’fashion. Let me see if it’s good first, and if it don’t hurt me, then you can eat it. I’m willing to:be a martyr for your Ba sake.” 5. Then taking the sandwich from Theodore’s hands before the latter could resist, he proceeded to take several huge mouth- fuls of it.in rapid succession, while its owner looked on in - open-mouthed astonishment. ; Not until the last crumb had disappeared down his cavernous ~ maw did Sam Salt venture to give an opinion concerning the propriety of eating the article in question, but then, smacking his lips and rubbing his stomach, he said, glibly: “Well, 1 can safely say that I fell no evil effects from it, but _ perhaps one bite is not enough for a test, and if you’ve got an- other one handy I can tell you better whether you ought to eat that sort of thing or not.” “Thank you,” returned Freeman, with a laugh, “I think I’ do the testing myself,” and, supplying himself with a second ee sandwich from a plate in his lap, he moved further away from _the martyr to science. - “Experiment with some other fellow’s grub next time, Sam,” Pigata Vrank, with a laugh. “You can’t play the same game twice on Ted.” - “There’s no game about it,” indignantly retorted Sam. “Some rae of food are very bad, and I wouldn’t see any of my friends kill themselves for anything. Are you quite sure that the piece of beef you’ve got is not full of creepers?” “Let them creep, if they can,” laughed Frank, bolting the meat. “It pleases them and don’t hurt me. own supper, let me have mine.” ubriously. . “It’s only fodder, to my mind, and not food. Ha! may remember a supper that Jack Spratt and I had once, and that ‘was a supper.” “What did you have?” “Well, first we had some clams on the half-shell, a la North Pole, that is to say, very cold and slippery, and then we had a redingote of Chili pepper, stuffed a la sauvage, if you know what that is, followed by a puree of buckwheat cakes and! sausages, with molasses trimmings, and winding ’up with a briolet of pickled tripe and pigs’ feet, a beefstead a la Union, ad an apple pie ad libitum.” ‘Did you have anything to drink with all that?” “Drink! | Of course we did. We had lots of it. There 1 agua pura, one of the best wines you ever tasted, and Sala- magundy, and Mahogany claret, with a bumper of Sockdolageri - to finish with. H’m! that was a supper to remember and make your mouth water for months afterward.” - “Then you don’t like the feed here?” ats ; ‘0, I don’t. I’m always hungry.” J “*Pon my word,” put in Jeff Tyler, onsiof the party, “it’s no wonder you’re thin, for you eat so much that the weight of it g$ enough to make a walking skeleton of you. Eat less and Pe biill be fatter.”. There was a shout at this sally, and the ‘meal being over, ions, leaving the grumbler alone to. rood’ over his troubles. i That night it came on to snow soon after nine o’clock, and, the sounds in the distance there was evidently some com: no dec! accompanied by baie an ‘You’ ve had your | “Hm! you don’t call this a supper, do you?” asked Sam, lug- n going on in a ‘ice Heol een ‘Chicks remained face being exposed to the weather, so that by keeping in con- — stant motion he kept himself as warm as could be desired. : The snow at last fell so thick and fast that it was impossible — to see as far ahead as the length of the vessel, the cracking and pounding of the ice continuing and growing louder every few minutes, making the position of those on board the Atlas more dreadful, as they could not tell at what moment she might be ‘loosened fiom her hold and borne out into the influence of the moving ice, “JT don’t like this,” observed Frank to Ted, supposing no one but his ffiend to be in hearing. “Suppose we should be caught in the ice and crushed?” “Small loss "if somebody should be,” muttered to himself a man standing not far away, in the shadow of the house on deck, “for that would save me the trouble of doing what is in my mind.” The man was Tyrrell, and could the boys have known what he was thinking about, they would have found reason enough oe their distrust and dislike of him, CHAPTER II. TED’S ADVENTURE ON THE ICR. It was close upon midnight, and Frank and his chum were still upon deck, when there came a sudden crash, and the ves- sel keeled over to leeward with a groan, as though she had been a human being. , The boys were thrown down, and ere they could regain their feet, a voice cried out: “Qall all hands! We are going down!” There was great confusion at once, the men rushing up from below in the wildest fright. The vesseli shivered once from stem to stern, and a fright- ful crash was heard forward, but after that all was still. “What has happened?” asked Ted. “Don’t know, but it seems to me as if an iceberg must have overturned and fallen upon us.” However, the snow still fell in such a blinding mass that it was impossible to tell what had happened.’ Somebody got two or three big lanterns, and the captain, Tyrrell and two or three sailors, went forward to endeavor to ascertain the extent of the damage. All they could see was that the bowsprit had been broken short off, that some of the deck planks forward had been ripped up, and that there was a big hole in the mers though as yet no water had come in. ac “Tt’s this wretched pack,” muttered the ioecsihade “It was a lucky thing for us that we weren’t swamped.” Those below now reported that the steamer did not seem. to. in have sprung a leak, as the pumps had been set going and sucked in a very few minutes, there being nothing more than the ordinary amount of bilge water in the hold. — It was easier to examine affairs below decks than above, and box” @ party with lanterns, headed by the captain, went down | to make an investigation. The vessel was keeled over a little upon one side, but hires ) now no longer rocked, and was evidently tight, so that no ¢ es: ie pecial danger was felt, and Captain Chicks ordered all hands to tutn in and await the morning. Nye The stn being at this time of the year totally extingutahed, there was little difference between day and night, it being dark ; most of the time, except, of course, when the moon shone. or the — fitful gleam of the aurora illumined the scene. nny In the morning, or at least what would have: een the “morn- ie. ing had the sun been shining, the snowfall had ceased, a cold — spell had set in, and the aurora made the whole heavens pri liant, so that the adventurers could see their way as well, aa : though it had been daylight. ~ c There had been some movement in the pack during the night, arid a htige mass of ice had fallen upon and broken the bowsprit, besides making a hole in the bow big en three men to enter, walking abreast. The hil had been raised up, however, much higher formerly, and now seemed to rest upon a cake of ice been driven under it by the force of the ‘current, a clear of the water as though Manat in dry dock. The captain gave orders that a sai should first be thrumme Lover the opening, and that then the car enter should ¢ se as nearly as practicable, by building a thorot Bs és tion or Lata ae eross it on the inside. sie iy pee eee Me rite bow as it had t i lal ue?

Page 5

marked the commander, sadly, “and our best plan is to save the boats and sledges, form a winter encampment on shore, and in - that purpose,” _ The work of patching up the bow and making the vessel habitable was at once begun upon, but in the meantime, those ‘not employed on this job engaged in other work or went out upon expeditions across the ice, more for exercise than with . the idea of making any discoveries. y At one o’clock, which was the dinner hour, some of the latter had not returned, although the ship’s discipline required that all men not engaged in regular expeditions should be present promptly at meal time, there being a general warning, also, - that no one should venture to any distance from the vessel, tak- ing care to keep her always in sight. When Frank sat down to dinner he observed that Theodore was absent, and, questioning the men, he received the infor- - mation that his chum had gone. off for a run upon the ice soon after breakfast, and had not yet returned. “I have told Ted not to go away without me,” he thought, “for he is terribly green on such matters, and it would be the easiest thing possible for him to miss his way and go astray. I don’t like this business at all.” The young fellow finished his dinner as quickly as possible, refusing many choice dainties which had been prepared for the occasion, and, obtaining permission to leave the vessel, set out at once in search of his friend, The air had grown much colder than in the morning, and there was a keen wind blowing, which made one feel, when fac- ing it, that a shower of needles was driving into his face. Frank put on extra preparations against the weather, his - face almost entirely covered, and also wore heavier boots and mittens than ordinarily. He took with him a steel-tipped pike to assist him in walking, and provided himself with a small bundle of food, a little flask of Spirits, a short coil of rope, and a brace of revolvers. Thus equipped, he set out across the ice, at first following i the foot prints in the snow, which were still plainly visible, as _ the latter had hardened before the wind arose, There were several sets of prints, but after a while one pair went off alone, and this single track Frank followed, helieving it to have been made by his friend.. ward the ship, and Frank was puzzled. He determined, at last, after debating with himself, to push on, keeping the vessel always in sight, in the hope of finding the missing boy, and he therefore resumed his weary march. The silence and the solitude were dreadful, and were it not that the sight of the vessel was some sort of companionship to him, the poor boy felt that he would go mad. red. “The dreariest dungeon;would be a paradise to this, ‘then one could know that there were human beings near m; but here, the sense of loneliness is terrible.” On and on pressed the boy until, just as he feared to take an- tep lest he should lose sight of the vessel, which he yuld just see in the distance, he beheld some dark pHIegE on the ice some little way off. x Fil lled with a vague hope, he hurried on, and soon was cer- that the object on the ice was the form of a human being. took but little time now to reach it, and kneeling down the motionless form, he turned it over and beheld Theo- "e pale features. find that it was still beating, although faintly, and that just the intest breath issued from the cold lips. ‘hank God, I am in time!” he cried, as he tore off his V’s mittens and began chafing his hands energetically. ‘Then, forcing a few drops of liquor down the boy’s throat, et his bare hands into his bosom and began rubbing and aan carry him back alone,” he wailed, “and I must ee ‘a little to help himself. Ted! Ted! for God’s sake do shall both meet our death!” eager boy was striving to awaken the life of his own was in deatlly peril. knelt there, so utterly absorbed by his: labor of love perfectly oblivious to all that went on around him, had crept from behind a mound of ice, and ad h unheeded, ‘DESERTED. the spring beat a retreat to the south, saving what we can for |~ Presently, however, the ‘track made a detour and returned to-. “What a fate to be left alone in this desolate place,” he mur- Ph icing one hand ig hig boy’s heart, he was gratified to ra set the ice around them in motion, and free the vessel M1 and spare, with a red beard and ‘aight very. myetton, nes the wicked: mine ‘. ym. : r A rude openi vas left at. one side.for a doorway als ermitted oke and impure air to esca; } e] Is there no warning voice to tell the boy of his danger? c If not, his death is certain. hs = Na The man smiles cruelly as he poises his weapon for the blow, an and then, nerving himself for the effort, he takes one step forward. God help the boy now, for unless the warning comes his life is not worth a rush.’ Suddenly Theodore opens his eyes, stares at Frank wildly, and uttering a cry of terror, throws up his arms, and hurls his friend over upon his side in the snow. Crash! Tyrrell’s weapon strikes the ice with such force~that the stock of his rifle is separated from the barrel. Frank turns at the sound, and sees the useless stock lying on the ice. ' At the same moment, glancing up, he sees a man dressed in. furs hurrying off, and presently he disappears. “Who was that?” he cries, not recognizing the man from see- ing his back alone. r “T wouldn’t swear,” mutters Theodore, faintly, “but I thought it was Mr. Tyrrell. He had his gun raised ready to: strike you, when I woke up and cried out.” ; “Well, well, we have no time to think of that now,” said Frank, hastily. “Here, swallow this, and get qn your pins. Mea, Iam going to make you put in some lively licks with those legs + i of yours.” : Theodore swallowed the big dose of spirits which Frank gave him, and he felt as if he were burning up. : “That’s better than freezing up,” answered Frank, getting him on his feet and supporting him with one arm. “Now see if you can’t run.” He could, for a short distance, but then he wanted to stop, and would have done so, if Frank had not obliged him to keep on, even faster than before. At last, however, Frank sueceeded in getting so much life into his chum that the latter would have distanced him, had not Frank kept hold of his arm to keep him from going astray, (bees which he might easily have done. Our hero and his friend kept up the same terrible pace until Theodore’s whole body was in a glow, and the perspiration was — actually streaming down his face, but by this time they had — reached the vessel. Going aboard, they proceeded at once to the forecastle, where Theodore discovered that he had been frost bitten in many — places, and but for Frank’s timely interference would have been frozen to death. ; “T don’t know how it happened,” he explained, “for ‘all £ af can remember is getting drowsy and sitting down to rest, and then the next thing you were bending over me trying to phat ae me, and some one was about to strike you.” ee? “Don’t say anything about that,” cautioned Frank. “I nave t my suspicions, but we must keep them to ourselves, for the present. At any rate, we have something to be thankful for . even here, and that is that we are push alive and well.” CHAPTHR It 9° > ¥ THE WRECK OF THE TATEAB Considering ‘the fact that any nadie change in the wid: om her fetters—in which event the greatest danger was to aS apprehended—Captain Chicks deemed it expedient to begin i building of a shelter on land at once, in order to forestall — the calamity of being without either that or a vessel to protect them from the wintry blast. : The next morning was decided upon as the time to commence operations, and it was none too soon, as subsequent event proved. i The dogs were brought out and harnessed to the siedg which were loaded with provisions and supplies of all so and then driven over the ice to the shore, some two miles’ tant, where the contents were deposited. f After several trips had been made, the eonstruction pteate porary shelter was begun, all hands engaging in the work. The sides. of this affair were made of rocks, piled one upé the. other, a number of spare spars ‘being laid on top, and ove these sail-cloth was placed, the ends being secured at ground by placing rocks upon them. fe

Page 6

_the other for heating purposes, simply, besides having antes for the men placed around’ the sides. One whole day was consumed in this work, and then the weather grew so cold, being accompanied with blinding gusts of snow, that all hands were confined to the’ vessel for three days. $ This time was ocupied by the carpenter in building sectional » walls of planking, to be placed outside of the hut for its fur- ther protection, these being so made that they could be taken apart and packed in a small compass for transportation across the ice, The others were employed in making and repairing fur gar- ments; in making up packages of provisions to be cached; in ‘cleaning guns and pistols, and sharpening pikes and axes; in ‘looking after the boats, and in various other useful ways, not one of the crew being idle. When the weather at last became more moderate, a sudden change in the wind warned the ice pilot that they might look for disturbancés, and he made his fears known to the captain. Indeed, it was not long before the ice began: to: show signs of breaking up again, and the boats were made ready to be _. transported upon the sledges, it being of the most vital im- ' portance that they, of all things, should be saved, for upon _ them depended the salvation of the whole party. The boats were safely transported very early'the next morn- - ing, though the journey was a difficult: one, as already the ice ee had begun to move slightly in the neighborhood of the vessel, ‘and’ beyond it could be seen to be violently agitated. _ The wind was constantly freshening, and not long after the sledges eontaining the boats had reached shore, Mr. Manne, the ice pilot from his post in the crow’s-nest, reported that he could see open water a few miles to windward of them, and that the ice seemed to be advancing rapidly. “To the shore, all hands!” cried the captain; “there is no as time to lose! ” -- Tyrrell, the engineer, amended this statement by declaring that the men would have time to load the sledges with sea chests, and. this was Seay done, the trip being suc- cessfully made. Tyrrell himself went. with the first: sledge, but Manne re- mained behind, accompanied by Frank and. Theodore, Sam Salt, and Jeff Tyler. Frank went up into the crow’s-nest with the pilot, and wit- eee the advancing of the ice, which was, indeed a grand sight. er e soa see the water rishing through narrow Jeads, break- the ice off” in great. masses on either side, piling it up in ‘layers and driving it ahead which fearful force, opening pas- ages | AGRE all ek been apparently solid but a moment before, Better come does now, my lad,” said Manne, presently, pre- ‘ing to descend. “We will be better off on land half an hour ice ‘than to remain here.” ing to the deck, they found the captain just prepar- “You have your eicuaena gir?” asked the Pilot. s. What do you think of this?” — k that there will be a smash-up here very eee and oor yessel suitviyes, it will be a piece of extraordinary a ell. says we are nevond the influence of the pack, eae we are safe enough until spring.” ; Yule Tyrrell Jmnow: about it?” demanded the other. is Superintending the work on snore, * , and taking good care of his precious life, J I'll be bound,” Cy ede ret eae: ete Clie sir, Trenk - saw the ice sud- estar of the vessel. DESERTED. ‘ * | was not as much as he had thought, so there Neo an e matter, and nothing more was said. § ‘ “ “We'ye got enough to have lots of good eee the vessel, and immediately tiereattér a second uprising took place, more terrible than the first. ¢ “Waster; faster yet!” cried Manne. The whips cracked spitefully, the dogs yelped and barked as the keen lash teok them in the flanks, and the sledge fairly flew over the rough ice, jolting and pitching, and more than once threatening to seatter its occupants in every direction. When Frank looked again his astonishment was supreme, for the Atlas was ailoat and bounding along upon the.ice-laden waters with all her old-time’spirit. . It was not for long, however, for by the time the sledge had reached the shore she was seen to be in great danger. The huge masses of ice were crowding in upon her, and in a moment she was jammed between two immense blocks and thrown upon her side. The concussion was so great that her sides were stove in and the mainmast cut in twain by the weight of ice whieh sud- ~ denly fell upon the deck and rolled over to leeward. As far as they could see the ice was now in motion, the water running like a mill-race, huge cakes of ice piling one upon another, or grinding themselves to powder, the whole mass being carried forward at an awful speed. Our party had barely reached land when the inshore ice sud- denly broke free and joined the main body in the mad race to- ward the north. “Look!” suddenly cried a dozen voices. Their beloved yessel was seen to roll over upon her beam | ends, the water poured in a flood upon her, and then, wrecked and dismasted, torn, mangled, and rent asunder, and bearing but little resemblance to the noble ereation she had once been, the unfortunate ship was seen struggling amid the ice and ie waves, borne rapidly on to her doom. mire Then, as though caught between the cogs of some gigantic mill, she went all to pieces, and the fragments were scattered : in every direction. a “That’s the last of her,” sighed Frank. “I loved the old 2 vessel like a human being, and with its destruction I seem al most to have lost an old friend. How soon may I, too, meet the ue same fate?” Soe ‘At these words Tyrrell, who was standing near, smiled — y cruelly, and muttered to himself: PS ive “How soon, indeed! Not too soon: to suit my, pune let. me cs tell you that!” shell AAS iy 18 ose ite | CHAPTER IV. A DESPERATH CASE AND rTs REMEDY. And so the ill-fated Atlas had perished, and her crew. had been left on a bleak and desolate coast, to battle with il -for- tune as best they might. i The sectional walls for the outside of the house aaved, and the first thing to be done was to put these in ‘pla secure them firmly, and make all snug. ‘and warm withi Snow was banked around the bottom to the height or three feet, and packed down hard so as .to keep out all draughts, and as considerable snow was expected to fall u the roof, that was made as strong as possible, to bear the weight which would then only add to the warmth = not add to their discomfort. All hands worked with a will, for all wer in the matter, and no one idled or shirk pta self setting an example to the rest, a toiling harde one. When they came to get the peoridione and other supplies gether in | the store-house which had been made just. off of main dwelling, there did not appear to be as much ai was posed had been ‘saved, and the sea question abour t coky oe : ‘They all gaye Leeaiputierward answers, and t ) | cluded that he had miscaleulated the amount, and t | observed Sam Sait, “though this se hes D| know how to make oe eg! of °

Page 7

‘itiaatice pie, with grated ruta paga—that’a the kind of stuff you ought to have.” “You ought to give Mert a few recipes, and perhaps he’d make you up something nice,” suggested Jeff Tyler. i “Oh, yes, to be sure he would,” chimed in Joe, the boy who waited on the captain, being a sort of relation of his and priv- ileged to do just about as he chose. “He’d make, a fine hash of that black cat Grim of his, provided Grim himself would not object. ui “Or a fricassee of Spitz dog,” added Ted. “You fellows are too funny,” retorted Sam. “Do you take me for a Chinaman? Besides, that coon couldn’t catch Grim— the old Tom has allus been afraid of him.” “You’d laugh to see that cat the first time Mert came aboard,” said Joe. “He’s black enough, goodness knows, but . Grim is blacker yet. Well, Grim was setting on the captain’s ' table, and hadn’t seen anything of Mert, who had only just ; been engaged, when in he comes to get the captain’s orders. _ “By Jinks, when that old black tom-cat looked up and saw the darky, he just made one flying leap off that table, and ‘smash he went through the cabin window on to the deck out- side. -“ Fm!’ said Mert, turning up his flat nose as much as he ‘was able, and giving a sniif of scorn, ‘ye needn’t ter be a-scared of me. I ain't half as black as you is.’ And ever since that, though we coaxed Grim back, for he knows when he’s well off, ‘he’s had as little to do with Mert as possible, and would sooner steal his grub than take it from that coon. If it was not for me and the captain he’d starve to death, I do believe.” . .\“Perhaps he knows where the missing grub is, ” muttered 5 DESERTED. ' Sam, while the others laughed. ‘It happened, however, that Spence Tyrrell was passing the group at that moment, and Frank noticed that he slightly turned color at Sam’s remark, as though it had been meant for him. Frank had noticed the same thing when Tyrrell had an- swered the captain’s questions, although it had not heen so Taarked as now. ~ “Ts a hard thing to think of a man, "mused Frank, within _ himself; “but if there were actually more provisions than have | turned up, and some of them have been stolen or hidden away a _ which is. much the same thing, I bet I can put, my hand on 4 “i ‘man that knows something about it.” _ The work of making themselves comfortable for the winter, 5 for there was no doubt but that they would have to remain vt s long, and perhaps longer, than that, proceeded with all (dili- gence, the house being more habitable every night, until at ast ere was little to be done in that quarter. bout, and hunting parties were organized to go in chase of vue and obtain their furs and flesh, both of which were im- The pack of dogs which had been brought along were kept “secur in a little snow hut, where they were fed every day by f rf the Esquimaux, and exercised quite often, though, of e, they were not allowed to run free, as in that ies noth- would ver have been seen of them. ne ers procured furs, which were made into eartienis: esh of animals, which was salted down and put away uture use, | as there was no knowing how long they might be obliged to remain ‘here, in which case any extra supplies ae might lay in would Pe of, great value to them in the ¥ ape routine practiced. on. Goon: the vessel was still kept up, g regular hours for meals, for rising, and for going r exercise on the ice, for work, and for recreation. manner the men were kept occ ied, and, as a mats | course, contented, a most important Consideration under reumstances in which they were placed. | There were still seals, bears, and other animals to be found| ast, by the aid of carpenter, tailor, chandler, cook, stew- and “general superintendent, the. house was comfortably |, well lighted and warmed up, the men were well clothed, food in abundance, there was plenty of good reading, Sey and amusing, there was no lack of entertain- 1 28 the year turned and the bitter cold set in, our| astaways found themselves as favorably situated for | ter in the ice as eet fondest ey could } ‘ is much greater than I ha _| pickles, bottles of lime-juice, and other necessaries, all xe) articles of clothing and other things are missing, and the stew- ard tells me that he is-constantly finding articles gone, when he knows that he could not have used them up. — “I should be sorry to think that any of you were guilty of theft, and yet this matter has now reached such a point that I cannot think otherwise. There are no Indians or strange Hs- quimaux about to commit these depredations, and, therefore, they must have been committed by some of our own party. ~ “This is a grave accusation, I know, but our situation de- mands that there should be the best of feeling among us, the most perfect harmony, for our safety as well as our happiness depends upon that. I propose to make a thorough investiga- tion of this matter, and [ would therefore like to know just what things have been taken, in order that we may determine who is the thief. First of all, I would say that I wish to give — him an opportunity to confess, for in that event his past of- fenses will be condoned. “I wish the thieving to stop right here, and if the evil- doei’ will come to me privately and own his fault, no one shall know who he is, although I warn him that his offenses must cease from this time, or measures mre be taken to punish and make ‘ an example of him. co “T will stand in the aoarhar and as I call out the names, let all pass out-one by one. If any wish to speak to me, they can do so quietly and secretly, and no one but myself and he be the wiser.” “ ; This speech séemed to have a decided effect upon the men, and they all looked one upon another, as if trying to detect the thief, for however loose the morals of sailors may be in other | directions, they regard a thief with the greatest contempt. The captain then took up his position just outside and called oft at names of his men at random, each passing out as he was_ called Each, as’ he passed his superior, saluted him, according to his own rank, and then continued on his way, so that he saw nothing of what went on behind him, but no one did-more- than this. No one changed countenance to any degree more than th excitement ‘of the occasion would warrant. No one confessed a fault orintimated that he was willing to do so at some mor convenient time, and all passed out of the sa vigs spikes th captain no wiser than he was before. i Captain Chicks then assembled them again, ah sata slowly “Tt appears that no one is the thief. Now let me know who have missed anything from their wardrobes or elsewhere, Mr. Wheeling.” WHET “Half a dozen silk undershirts, and as many pair of heay hose, are missing from my chest, sir.” “Ts that all?” ¢ ; f [s “Yes, sir.” ‘ i “Mr. Manne?” , , ah ee “Two pair of sealskin boots, three heavy shirts, a pealacbee ere and some of my smaller instruments, such as compasses, spirit levels, and the like. These things have disappeared, not al at once, but one at a time.” : “Dr. Warren.” : “T have lost a small chest of medicines, two moins’ of ale hol, a pair of boots, five pqunds of tobacco, half a dozen shirts, ‘several pairs of socks, and some smaller articles which I canno reckon up.” “Mr. Tyrrell, have you ing. anything?” asked the captain, having made notes of the articles already mentioned. “T have, sir,” returned the engineer, quietly. “Two of heaviest coats, several of my. books, all my Ss and logs, nearly all my tobacco and my private supply of 1 le of my warmest shirts, and one pair of boots.’ m . y The dope eae Sool ae steward, LOOK, and. even oe and flour had been taken away, fodether: with’ pear had been missed from time to time, until the cuite considerable. , Going through the entire fist, there “was not. one of the officers ‘9 what had lost something of value ts “T find,” said he, gravel Captain Chicks of en, ioc inclu ae t at systen:

Page 8

“YT warn you now—and I call upon every honest man to aid - me in apprehending the thieves—that the first man caught stealing, no matter how trifling the article; will be made an example of. You are still under naval discipline, let me tell - you, and the punishment for an offense of this kind, under the - circumstances in which we are placed, is death.” A hushed murmur ran around the room, and more than one _face turned pale at these words. Frank noticed that Spence Tyrrell turned red, but for that matter his own face was burning, he knew, and it need not be said that he was entirely innocent. “Understand me,” the captain continued; “affairs have now gone too far for any leniency. You have all been given a chance to confess, and no.one has done so. The thieves are among us, and must be discovered and punished. I call upon ~ eyery honest man here to aid me, and I warn all others that if the thieving goes on, somebody will have to suffer for it. Now you can go on with your usual duties and occupations,” CHAPTER V. AN UNEXPECTED FON—A THRILLING CHASE. The greatest excitement prevailed after what had happened, as might naturally be supposed, but.the men separated without anything further being said, . Wrank, Theodore, Joe, the cabin boy, and Sam Salt went out together for a run over the ice, and of course the topic of con- -yersation was the subject just discussed. “See what your big appetite has got you into, Sam,” said Joe, with a laugh. “That's all right, ‘ returned the other. “I know I don’t. - get enough to eat, and that I’m allus hungry, but if I was starving I wouldn’t steal, and everybody knows it.” “Joe knows it, too, Sam,” spoke up Frank, “and that’s only his joking way. He wouldn’t charge you with theft unless he ' was able to prove it.” _ “We'd better not go too far,” said Theodore, “for it looks like snow, and it’s easy enough to be lost, almost in sight of home, in this region.” Frank, and so they continued. I thought the birds had all gone home,” observed Sam, after ng silence, “but if I ain’t mistaken, there’s a snow owl sit- _ ting on that bit of ice yonder.” “That's a rare bird,” cried Joe; “suppose we catch him and ‘ive him to the doctor for his collection?” Phe surgeon of the party, Dr. Warren, was a great enthusi- % on the subject of the feathered tribes of all climes, and he i a ath to get as many more as he could. The possession of a snow owl, therefore, a most rare bird, ‘s the way, would greatly enhance the value of his museum, and this the boy knew; and, being desirous of keeping within the eccentric doctor’s good graces, it immediately occurred to him that to present him with the specimen in question would be the best way of accomplishing his object. The others immediately assented to the proposition, and as it would be better to capture the creature alive, if possible, ey began to advance toward it with all possible caution. Frank wes in advance, and dropping upon his hands and knees, he made his way swiftly and silently over the snow, _ without making as much as the faintest crunch or in any : ay disturbing his expected prize. Reaching the mass of ice upon which the owl sat motionless, Hi sonerer. looking to the right nor the left, nor uttering a sound, 3 U ough it occasionally moved slightly, Frank suddenly g up, reached forward, and catching the bird by phe at, pulled it toward him. — ' nstanly there arose a yell which certainly no “owl, snowy or j wise, could have uttered, and the young fellow found rimself suddenly confronted by-a hideous savage, stalwart and rong, and | a very giant in stature. — : He was. Hoe an Innuit or Esquimau, but an Indian, the deadly. make war with the most. persistent ferocity. hat Frank had mistaken for an owl was the head-dress of savage, and he greatly resonted being deprived of it, in- dishing his ane hatchet and aking every dem: | § at its £ war. ” ut ie ‘also ae utterance to wi veries 0 ‘ , and instantly DESERTED. .“Oh, we can go further ‘without any trouble,” returned | had a lready gathered a most valuable collection, and was not j, (hola upon the captured trophy, and falling back several paces, © cried out in alarm to his comrades. “Indians!” yelled Sam Salt. “Northern Indians, as ’m a sinnerf ‘The very wust of the hull race. Skip, boys, or yer £ hair won’t be worth the price of cutting it off!” i Notwithstanding this speech, Sam put himself on the de- fensive, his only weapons consisting of a pike. steel-pointed, and an ordinary sheath-knife. Little Joe had a heavy walking staff; pointed with steel and very sharp, and Theodore carried another, in addition to a small, sharp hatchet stuck in his belt; but Frank, in addition to his pike, was provided with a pistol, which he had always carried ‘since the time Tyrrell had made that attempt upon his life. “Stand firm, boys!” he cried, joining his friends. “We'd bet- ter retreat, for these fellows outnumber us; but don’t make a break or scatter, for then they will pick us off al] the easier.” The Indians, seeing the small force opposed to them, began to make hostile demonstrations, advancing upon the little party with their weapons in their hands, and only awaiting a signal from their leader to make a charge. “Don’t let ’em close in upon us,” cried Sam. keep moving, and Ill cover your retreat.” , This maneuver was tried, successfully at first, until the en- emy became aware of the intention of the little party, and then they dashed forward with fierce yells. Sam was about a dozen paces behind, covering the retreat, when three Indians made a rush upon him. . Grasping his pike firmly in both hands as the enemy came dashing pell-mell upon him, he impaled one of the Indians upon its sharp point, the point being driven through the fel- low’s body by the force with which he fell upon it as well as. by» which it was impelled. Sam dropped his weapon and fled, three or four of the sav- ages falling in a confused mass over the body of their dead comrade. The hungry seaman, drawing his sheath-knife, rejoined his — comrades, and the whole party fled in a body toward the fort. Three or four tomahawks went whizzing through the air, but, although one of them passed disagreeably close to Frank’s head, no damage was done. » “We must stop that,” cried the lad, and turning swiftly ee drew ‘his pistol, a breech-loader, and fired. The distance was so slight that there could be no missing, and the swift-winged messenger of death flew speedily to its mark, and laid low one of the Indians, a big fellow, who’ was, just about to hurl a hatchet at the retreating whites. — fhe noise, as much as the sudden calamity which had over- taken them, caused the Indians to come to a,sudden halt, while , they gathered around their dead comrade in the greatest sur- prise. They knew nothing of fire-arms, and the mystery of thon a a Cae cass death frightened them more than the imbaryen cave oF : t a “They don’t know what to make of it!” cried Sam, looking “You fellers be ee ae back, “That was a good idea o’ yours, Frank, You'd better hurry up and load, and keep a-runnin’, too, "cause if you don’t they’ll catch us and make us into hash, x There was some little distance to go in order to reach ae fort, and the light of the aurora was beginning to pale, threat- ening to leave them in total darkness, the moon not yet hhav- ing arisen. “Cut and run, boys!” cried Sam, “for if we lose sight of the aap house, we’re goners sure enough.” - The Indians, although they did not seem to have gotten over ta their alarm, were yet determined to have vengeance, and, leay- : ing their comrade lying on the snow, they once more started in pursuit of the enemy. Py The latter had made good headway, but the Indians were the E better runners, and everything was in their favor. 3 } “Keep on!” cried Frank, when he saw that the savages were gaining, “and I’ll see what I can do toward stopping them — saat I only wish this was a revolver instead | of a single shot.” B wipe Turning quickly sad taking as good. an aim as ‘po ible, Frank fired, hitting an Indian running alongside the. les der full in the forehead, and bringing him down as Mosely: Hereaca been struck by a thunderbolt. q He tiled ene ice with. ih ee when ‘is! bri ie

Page 9

DwERTED. “= Sa vengeance for the terrible and mysterious lessening of their numbers. _ A short, heavy spear, hurled by one of them, struck Theodore in the back and knocked him down, not seriously hurting him, however. ‘Still, to assist him to his feet would cause a delay, and that was what the enemy wanted. Standing beside his fallen chum, Frank fired another shot, this time merely wounding his man, and not killing him. “That's bad,” he muttered, with deep chagrin. It was bad, for now the Indians saw that this mysterious weapon was not always fatal, and that gave them renewed courage. it . “Leg it, Frank, as well as you know, and give young Joe a lift, for he can’t run as fast as you!” So shouted Sam, suddenly stooping down, picking up Theo- dore, and throwing him across his shoulder. Frank took the cabin body’s hand and helped him wonder- fully, while Sam brought up the rear in good style, although weighed down with his extra burden. _ The house was now in plain sight, however, and, the captain - . and seme others appearing and seeing the danger of their . friends, flew to the rescue, and the Indians beat a hasty re- treat. f . ! CHAPTER VI. A VISIT FROM THE ENEMY——SA. NARROW ESCAPE—FRANK’S TERRIBLE ACCUSATION, When the little party entered the House, which they did at once after the departure of the Indians, Frank related their ad- venture to the captain, the latter being much surprised by the appearance of the Indians. “JT thought we were the only human beings to be found in all this desolate land,” he said} “for as long as we have been here, we have seen no one, not even any wandering bands of Msqui- maux.” i “The numerous thefts are now jag ain sy ” observed Saeess ing, a Stow $0?” “These Indians have dentiloce been prowling about, and - have entered the house when no one has been inside, or if so, sound asleep, as has often been the case. We have not been very watchful in that regard, having nothing to fear, % By George, you are quite right,” put in the doctor. “These Bolas Indians are great thieves, and adroit ones, too. They rill prowl around for days, and you won’t know they are any- where within a hundred miles, saa steal whatever they can lay hold of.” “Tt looks reasonable enough, ” said the captain, “or would, upposing these thefts had all taken place within a short time, t on the contrary, they have now been going on for at least ix weeks, ; and maybe longer. Indeed, you may remember that pAgy after the loss | of the Atlas we missed many things which we ft re certain we had saved.” : “We were all very much excited at that time,” spoke up Tyr- : 11, with a cold smile, “and may have imagined many things ich did not take place. I have only missed setae of mine hin a week.” ‘Well, whether these savages are the thieves ‘op not, and I uld rather believe they were than that any of us were ty,” pursued Captain Chicks, “they are to be feared, and fa a strengthen ss fort and always have somebody on o? s eente break in,” jaughed the ice pilot, “with a. three- ali of snow all around us, so that once we are within we fe enough unless——” ess what?” ey would bank us in, which they might ‘do by tumbling snow walls leading from our door.” _ - that reason we must keep watch: but,” suggested ng, “I don’t think they would care to shut us in. They rather pick us off one by one, from some ambuscade, as ver they took a fancy to.” . aS ntinwous watch was therefore kept during that night, red to cause pe least alarm. | vv phils about in ch king up the door ible man outside. gimme suthin’ to eat.” You have friends outside, and want to get in here and steal.” Injun. cold, hungry, most frozen—ugh! m t —gimme rum.’ find it warm enough, I’ll warrant!” ve come out, and then force an entrance and help themselves to |. hi captain at the door, gun in_haud, they knew that somethit was up, and scr res yang out of their bunks and hurried on thet clothes. t relieving each other at cern ve intervals, but cowl Jeff Tyler and the steward came forward, | bitter wind, the captain and half a dozen of the men saw no signs of the Indians, and it was concluded that they had gone. That night it was clear, still, and very cold, the fires within being kept up to their fullest capacity, and the men, upon go- ing to bed, putting extra robes in their bunks. Fortunately there was plenty of coal saved from the ill-fated steamer, and this warmed them much better than wood, of which there was also a liberal supply, though much of that had disappeared, together with other missing things. It: was about two o’clock in the morning, and Frank and his chum were sitting by the table, upon which burned a single shaded lamp, the others having been extinguished so that the men could sleep, The two boys were on watch, and were conversing in low tones, when Frank suddenly put a finger to his lips as a signal of silence. “What is it?” asked Theodore, with his eyes, however, for he uttered no sound. “Listen! outside.” : Both boys listened attentively for a few moments, and then both heard that peculiar noise which one makes by treading upon snow when the weather is aan ticularly cold, a sort of crisp, crunching sound. “There is some one outside,” jiniepered Frank. fast?” Yes, it was, as both boys could just see through the half light, a heavy bar being placed across it, restirtg in iron Sock: ets upon either side. Frank arose cautiously and approached the door, which was “Ts the door suddenly moved, the latch rattling at the same time, as though , some one were endeavoring to push it open. ' I thought I heard a footstep on the hard snow im ea x %, Then there was a muttered exclarhation without, as though the person, whoever he was, had not expected any resistance. “Somebody is trying to get in; go and wake the sie Ted.” The young fellow hurried to the ecaptain’s bedside, while + Frank went to the door and listened. The captain was soon aroused, and, hurrying on his outer garments, caught up a gun and followed Theodore to the door. “What is it, Frank?” he whispered. The door was again moved as much as it was possible to do so, and then the same guttural sound which Frank had heard | was repeated. Then a hurried consultation was heard without, as if there. were several persons talking together, — The tones were loud enough, but the words could not be un- derstood. “The Indians!” whispered Frank. At this the captain suddenly struck the door with the stock of his rifle to command attention, and then asked, in a firm tone: ' “Who is there, and what do you want?” cy There was an instant silence without. Then a deep voice answered in broken English; “Come in—cold—something to eat. H “Who are you? Innuit?” “No, poor Injun—cold—hungry—ugh!” “Those fellows of the other day have got yaineorebnvenine cried Frank, “for none of them could speak English then.” — “Good Injun cold, run away from bad Injun,” continued th “Lemme in, no hurt white man, all alone—cold; “He says that plainly enough,” observed Ted, with a Jaugh. ‘ “Go away!” cried Captain Chicks, “You are lying to! me “No lie; Injun good—no lie, no steal. “Go away, or I'll shoot® Do you understand?” “Fm! me ’stand. No shoot poor, good regis CS grub “Not a drop—not a crunch!” “Hm! white!man no good; him bad. “You will, eh? Well, you’d better get out of here or you'll The sound of voices had awakened the men, and ‘socing the “You're just in Hisas, ” said the captain, as Wheeling, M he Injun break door; es make him gib rum, gib grub—let ‘um hab fire to warm ’um.”

Page 10

DESERTED. before we awoke you, sir,” doubt there are more yet.” “Lemme in?” grunted the man outside, inquiringly. “No,” returned Captain Chicks, making signs for no one to speak. ) “Injun break um door down. hungry.” “Go ahead, then.” The captain hurriedly whispered to those near him to stand aside, so as to allow the door to swing, but to remain in-readi- ness to repress any attack that might. be made. ‘ All hands had gathered about the door now, and they were ~ all around, and presented a most formidable army. Advancing to the door, the commander suddenly took down the bar and sprang aside. At that very moment there came a terrible pounding upon the door from without, as if the Indians were about to carry out their threat. ; The bar being down, in came the door, all of a sudden flying _ wide open, and sprawling a most hideous and repulsive-looking f gavage flat upon the floor. _ The black cat Grim, who had been awakened by the noise, and was now howling about between the men’s legs, suddenly arched its back at the sight, its tail growing double its proper size, while it hissed and spat in the most terrible fashion, The savage must have thought that the fiend itself was after - him, for at sight of Grim, whose open mouth was on a level “with his own, as he raised his head he uttered a yell, and sprang to his feet. As the door flew open, those within beheld in the path out- side, at least a dozen brawny savages, all standing ready for a rush, and doubtiess there were as many more behind. . “Give it to them!” yelléd the captain. ee. Those that had fire-arms discharged them, while Sam Salt 2 seized the Indian in the room, and hustled him, neck and “ a -erop, out into the midst of his friends, who were thrown into _ terrible tonfusion' by the human bombshell thus hurled into their midst. Frank was not near the door, explained Frank, Injun strong; Injun cold ’n’ ~ and was therefore quite sur- ullét go whizzing past his head at the next instant and bury self in the wall. It eould not have been aimed at the howling crowd without, ‘or it never would have sped so wide of its mark. z 2 No, it had been aimed at him especially. “Who fired that, shot?” cried the lad, quickly. 5 A man stood not far away with a smoking pistol in his hand, da look of triumph on. his face. ( He had been the Jast one to fire, and the only one that could re sent that shot. It was he,” cried 'Ted; “I saw him take aim.” Spencer Tyrrell!”, cried Frank. “That is the second time ou have attempted my life, for now I know that it was you _ who tried before and failed.” t this terrible accusation a hush fell upon. the whole com- led, as it was a cruel ih a and one that boded no good Mae CHAPTER VII. iced ai THE ‘CASE AGAIN, sr TYRRELL Is NOT PROVEN. : here is no time for’ ‘quarreling now,” eried the captain, es a if “Get rid of these knaves before we do anything else, i tnt have the whole horde down upon us.’ , there was great danger of this; for although the In- had at first retreated at the sound of fire-arms, they now o swarm toward the door in- great numbers. rgetting his difference with Tyrrell, therefore, Frank did jest to keep back the gies and so did Theodore and those est him. ~ rrell ehidently thought it best to do the same and we his (0) ect eh aa the young man, but at ‘the ior d “weapons, made ae grand | “and beyond a} rised at Ted’s suddenly pulling him down, and by hearing a. ¥ pany, ¥ while Tyrrell himself, recovering his composure, merely d for Frank lie quiet for a time, as he, too, exerted him- when there was a great probability of my bein ‘| Certainly, not, and any sensible man will say the “T said that he had attempted to take my life! e answered the young man, boldly. =| “And I will swear to it,” added Theodore, “for I saw him fire point-blank at Frank’s head, and only for my pulling him down he would have been hit.” ; Spence Tyrrell said nothing, but his cruel smile told only too plainly that if he could have his wish both boys would be ly- ing dead at his feet. “And it is not the first time either,” continued the young fel- ~ low, “for at the time that Frank saved me from being frozen to death this man tried to kill him.” “Can you swear to it?” demanded ee Chicks. “No, for I-——” -“T thought so,” said the villain, endeuinaty: “Let the boy finish what he has to say,” interposed the cap- tain, sternly, “and when he has finished you can speak. Go ~ on, my lad,” turning toward the boy. “TI was dazed at the time, and could not tell who the man was standing behind Frank with his rifle clubbed, ready to strike him, but there was one, and that I will swear to.” “Then it does not naturally follow that I was the one?” in- terposed Tyrrell again, with the same contemptuous manner as before. “Silence, Tyrrell!” cried the captain, sternly. get at the rights of this affair.” “T could see the man,” the yound fellow went on, “and I _ sprang half up, threw my arms about Frank’ s neck, and pulled } him down, the blow falling upon the ice.’ “That is true,” said Frank, in a quiet tone which Calon con- viction with it. “When we arose,” the narrator went on, “we saw a man ‘as tily retreating over the ice, being soon hidden behind the rocks. We could not tell who it was, aS sO many of our men dress) alike.” ogee “Then you could not swear it was Tyrrell?” asked the cap- “4 tain. a “No.” AM oe “Of course not!” laughed the accused. “I did eae suppose ED you could, although I wonder that you did not try to force your lying story down our throats in spite of all reason.” e but “Will you be quiet, Tyrrell?” said the captain, quietly, “T will give you all the chance you want to apes when is . ap “IT intend to 4 firmly. I have heard the other side through.” “T could not swear, sir, that it was he,” continued ‘Theodore, “for I saw the man’s face in a sort of daze, and just as I WER } recovering from the swoon in which Frank found me.” yay i Tyrrell smiled, but said nothing. “However, I firmly believe that it was he, and that lug 8 designs against Frank’s life, and to-night I am positive tha he fired not at the Indians, but at-us. Otherwise, how could ‘the © “bullet have struck the frame of the house instead of going out: side?” A murmur ran through the little assembly, and many a: ngry glances were cast upon Tyrrell, for Frank: we a universal “ta vorite, and he was not. “I suppose that you never heard of any one getting excited — during such a scene as we have passed through to-nig’ shooting one of his friends by mistake?” said the man, qui : but with a same sneer lurking in his tones, - The thing i has again aehord men are peerage cy more cool and collected at such times than my fellows, a thing is as likely to happen to me as to any on ia; “T don’t deny that, in the hurry and bustle | I might have sent a shot toward my young friend’ these words with bitter sarcasm—‘nor will I deny, even did do it, it being very probable that I did. j “TI do deny, most emphatically, however,, ‘that I did it any direct intention. Why shou f 1? “What do I car the young man lives or dies? e is not necessary to ex: istence; his death can benefit me in no way; there is. no 0 teason why I should seek his life. j “Even supposing that I did, is it likely that T. wo “AS said before, you can show, no motive, on my part, fo desir y young friend’s life. He is’ nothing to me, an could not do yself any good by tak \ oo to si occasion that his ill-a that statement

Page 11

: j DESERTED: » ‘by the idle tales of a nobody? I thought you had more good | time. J sense, sir, than to take stock in such rubbish!” This was not the case, however, as-the added warmth and — “The young man is sincere in what he says, and.I do not! comfort of the house attested, the stockade greatly protecting | - believe that he has lied. However, as I have said, there is not! it from the keen winds which so often swept around it. $2 sufficient proof to substantiate the charge, and I am not sure The wall kept these off, and inside the inclosure the men that he has made it.” could often take their daily exercise, and indulge in various “T said I believed such to be as I had stated,” answered recreations, when they could not have ventured outside on ac Frank, “but I cannot swear to it.” count of the icy blasts which prevailed. _ “As. far as firing at this young sailor, and my very dear| That it was a protection in other ways was also soon made friend,” Tyrrell proceeded, “I do not deny it. I only protest | apparent, and the wisdom of the captain in having it erected, against having imputed to me a motive which never existed.” | clearly shown. “Then you deny any intention of injuring Frank?” One day, a week or so after it had been finished, the weather “Most decidedly. He is nothing to me. No one can say that! being not too severe te allow of the men venturing outside, — I ever showed him any hostility, or took more notice of him] Frank, Theodore, Sam Salt, Jeff Tyler and Mert, the black cook, then of others in his position. Why should I, indeed? What] started out for a walk ) have I to do with common sailors?” The black cat, Grim, who had become attached to Frank by ~ Then the man turned away, as if the case were closed defi-| reason of the little dainties which the young fellow sometimes nitely, and he had no more to do with it, his manner indicating | gave him, although he had not as yet entirely conquered his the most supreme indifference. aversion to the cook, followed them a short distance, being evi- “My boys,” said Captain Chicks, kindly, “Mr. Tyrrell admits | dently in want ef a breath of air, although he walked daintily haying fired that shot which, fortunately, did no harm, but | over the snow, as all cats do when afraid of. wetting their feet. disclaims any desire to take the life of either, and I do not He had hardly gone a dozen feet, however, when the whole see why he should not be believed. There is certainly no| pack of dogs that had been turned loose in the inelosure for _ proof, by reference to his former conduct, to show why he! exercise, espying their natural enemy, made a rush for him. ~ should wish to.do you harm.” - Grim did not want to try conclusions with them, being evi- _ “No, there is no proof,” answered Frank, laying particular | dently in doubt as to his ability to cope successgully with the stress upon the last word. whole seventeen, but made at once for the ice stockade. ; “And you will let this matter drop?” — Up he went, tooth and nail, reaching the top successfully, Both boys readily assented to this. where, with arched back and a tail twice its usual size, he stood — ; “And apologize to Mr. Tyrrell for having acctised him un-| hissing and spitting down at his canine foes below. ; justly of a heinous crime?” The dogs yelped, and barked, and vainly endeavored to get , “I want no apologies!” returned Tyrrell, séornfilly. “The| at Master Grim, but, not being able to scale the walls as he had _ matter is settled, and so let there be an end to it.” done, were forced to content themselves with waiting for his” + “Tf IT have been unjust to Mr. Tyrrell, I am sorry to have} descent. : _ been mistaken,” said Frank rather ambiguously, leaving it to Grim, however, after taking in the situation, scampered — Tbe; inferred that he was not sorry at all that he had called at-| along the top of the wall, until, having distanced the dogs, who ; tention to the man and put him upon trial. had not expected any such move upon his part, he leaped down The matter ended here, but Frank felt that his enemy had jand made a bolt for the house, into which he escaped unharmed. — won for the present, and also that he had become more denger- “Them dogs wouldn’t have minded having a supper out 0’ 4 ous: than before, that black cat,” remarked Sam, having witnessed the whole # is own words had given an indication of this; and that'the| affair, which was comical enough, although it might have time he would be careful to see that there were no wit- proved otherwise for Grim. “I just. wonder how a cat stew. ieee: about, and to make sure work of it. would taste, anyhow?” “Keep a sharp lookout for him, Frank,” advised Theodore, “About like rabbit,” answered Jeff, “and I don’t believe you “for ‘as sure as we are here he means mischief, and now that! could tell the eat Sranne if you was careful to leave the claws: he has been found out he will be more careful.” out.” : The suspected man himself, as he lay in his bunk after the “H’m! I guess I’d nee to be a good sight hungrier ’ nt am. excitement had subsidéd, and there was no danger of the In-| now afore I’d eat cat,” retorted Sam, with a grin. _ ; : dians returning, or at least no present cause of alarm, mur-| They had now passed outside the stockade by this time, aad mured softly: took their way toward the inland, when, upon arriving at the~ “I must be more careful. The young dogs are sharper than | top of a slight incline, they beheld a ‘sagriead of Beets or Sory ve thought, and I must not expose myself. I beat them this| Indians rapidly approaching. t but the captain sides with them, and the next time, if I As soon as they saw them, the: enemy Bet up a shout and ail, ‘T may not face it out so easily. However, I shall not fail.” | started in pursuit. é It is needless to say that our friends Sok to their deste i a , - pies 1 much the same thanner as Grim had done when beset by th HC a yi h eabe BN Sy ‘ dogs. — Nee. oe | CHAPTER VIII. | It was necessary not only to save themselves, ‘bub to giv By Be ME riae | warning to the others as well, for that the party intended to. 4 LIVELY BRUSH WITH THE INDIANS. \ attack the fort was a matter of not the least doubt. | “Golly!” cried Mert, the cook, his eyes starting from norning following the incidents. just narrated a| head, “dem Injun fellahs mean business, dey do; and dis nig- nee was made for the purpose of discovering if the] gah tinks he’d bettah not ’tay.” ms were still in the neighborhood. . *Gosh! they’ll be making a stew out o’ me afore al know ‘At, race was seen of them, however, and it was decided that| exclaimed Sam, “and that won’t do, you bet!” ha returned to the village or camp, wherever that might} “To the fort!” cried Frank. “We must give the alarm { ‘ E once!” : aptain determined not to be led into danger through| Away they all scampered, the Indians hurling a stows Ot We Ise sense of security, however, and he therefore took spears. at them and following in swift pu uirsuit, yellin; a to protect the house more thoroughly, and make it} bawling like 50 many fiends Bake set free from pendenioal a fort og it was, in case of a fresh attack by their] — Ss Bee to work, therefore, and built a high wall of 1 around the house, leaving it in the centre of some twenty feet each way, counting from the walls to the embankments. was but one entrance through this stockade, and that over at the ae and: mene ree 80 that but one “Some of the men were in the duistaadee and some house, there being no one away, as far as was known. ” sate Frank met the captain in the doorway, and. told him whe the trouble was, and how nairow his own escape had been. ae “Quick!” cried the captain; “the Indians are upon us; ‘have no time to lose.” _ All: hands. flocked outside, hastily jseleing; what | means! of d y nearest hand. \

Page 12

- “Wire, my men!” he cried, pressing forward—“fire after me, slow and steady, and don’t get excited.” Then he discharged his rifle through the narrow passage -into the struggling mass of humanity beyond, and. made way for the next. “This was Mr. Wheeling, and after him came Mr. Manne, and then the boatswain and carpenter, both firing together, one over the other’s houlder. Every bullet took. effect, as it could not but do where such @ mark wag presented. . Everybody who possessed a rifle or pistol fired into #he heaving, surging mass, which now seemed as eager to get away from the entrance as it had before been to get through it. - The captain had reloaded before his turn came to shoot _again; and, advancing to the opening, he stood for a moment - undecided. “There’s not much need in killing any more of them,” he said, “as they’ll get out of here as soon as possible.” They could not press their way through now, as three or ‘four dead bodies, piled one on another, choked up the entrance. As those on the outside discovered the condition of affairs within, they hurried away, and in this manner those nearest the stockade had a chance to free themselves, which they did forthwith. $ As the captain saw them hurrying away, he fired a last shot to hurry them more, and Tyrrell followed, bringing down his man with ease. The Indians, perceiving that they would be obliged to enter the place singly, and also that as fast as one man entered he would be stricken down by the terrible weapons of the whites, saw the folly of trying to carry the fort by assault, and beat a hasty rétreat, resolving to ae some other mode of getting at their enemies. They therefore withdrew to, 8 short distance to consult, sit- ‘ ting around upon lumps of ice and talking most excitedly. Meanwhile, the captain had suggested the piercing of loop- holes in the ice walls at various points, a thing which had not een done before, as no one had thought of it. ‘This was speedily accomplished by means of pikes and crow- ars, without doing material damage to the walls, the holes be- made on three sides of the stockade, and nurobering a little ore than a dazen. This had no sooner been accomplished than the Indians, hav- ‘ing evidently concluded to seale the walls and attack the ene- - Ty at sever al. ee simultaneously, came een ee forward, Toe ; nee ‘once. the men took their places, and, at a signal from the « aptain, discharged a volley at the advancing horde when they ‘ere but a short distance away.. | ferent points was something «they had not expected, and leay- ‘ing thelr dead lying on the snow as they had fallen, the sur- __vivors fled away, terror-stricken, the castaways being masters of f the gale CHAPTER TX. wuo WAS THN THIEF?—OPEN INSUBORDINATION, c tielte was no more trouble from the Indians, and as time es ase on they did not re-appear, having seed e ie all they | from the whites, dies of their Jead had been taken to one spot and i a hole in the ice, after being stripped of all that was ua le, some of saat garments being of the bes* make and re comfortable han those worn by the whites. Days: merged into weeks, and as the enemy did not re-ap- mur friends began to congratulate themselves upon: be- e from anxiety on that score, although there were other dan ers in store which they knew not of. e stockade had not been built in vain, and after that no d a word to say against it. e time passed on, an old matter was suddenly revided, Ma his was no less than the mysterious disappearance of us a rticles of wearing ee supplies of food, and other 16 thette being, pee not pe and as being on the in- : DESERTED. fhe blazing forth of so many columns of fire at so many dif-| | these two fellows?” - a Not only were portions of the stores taken, but one of-the — sledges was suddenly missing, and nothing could be seen of ~ it, high or low. Neither could the thief be found, though every effort was made, and the men began to regard each other with suspicion, not knowing when the guilty party might be discovered. At last the captain said, one day, angrily, when some new theft had been reported: “This thing has got to be stopped, and if I hear of another case of anything being lost, if it isn’t more than an old «shoe, I'll have every chest searched, and if J find anything in any of them that does not belong there, I’ll have the owner of the chest shot, as sure as my name is Chicks!” Many of the men thereupon declared that they were willing — to have their chests and bunks searched at once, in order a be relieved of any suspicion that might attach to them. i ; “Are you all agreed to have the thing done now?” asked cee captain. “It’s not likely that any one will object, after such a call, © sir,” answered Tyrrell, with a harsh laugh, * ‘and be suspected ; of wanting time to take the stolen articles out of their chests.” °- With these words, he gaye such a look at Frank that no one could fail to notice it. “Yes, let’s have a search! ” eried the car Renter ” “Now’s as. good a time as any.’ “Yes, let’s have a search!” cried the men, conscious of their innocence, The chests were brought out into the centre of the room, from under the hunks, and searched, beginning with that of the ” captain Rineeks, for he was as ready to stand a trial as any one. There was nothing in itybut what he could swear to as Solitik his, and thus the search proceeded, Wheeling, Manne, the doc- tor, Tyrrell, Warren, the boatswain, carpenter, smith, cook and steward following in order, no trace of anything wrong bid as yet found. B Then Sam Salt, Jeff Tyler, and one or two of the seamen followed, and their belongings were found to be all right. © Frank then opened his chest, and right on top, in the tray, was a pair of gold-bowed eye-glasses belonging to the doctor, and a silver drinking eup owned by Joe, the eabin boy. A “That’s all right,” said the latter, blushing, as he heard a muttered exclamation from some of the men. “T loaned that cup to Frank.” * { “Did the doetor loan him his eyeglasses too?” sneered Tyr. ihe rell. “You may try to shield the thief, byt the rest of us won't.” Zs !“Fe’s not as much of a thief as you are, Spence Tyrrell!” cried Ted, forgetting all discipline in his indignation, force you've been trying to steal his character as well as his life.” ' *Silence, Freeman,” commanded the captain. Wipes |. that Mr. Tyrrell is your superior.’ 2 “Better open his chest too,” muttered the engineer. “Perhaps ~ > he is in the same boat as his chum.” E “Yes, open it!” cried the boatswain, carpenter, blacksmith, steward, and two or tt ree seamen, in a breath. ‘ “T’ll save you the trouble,” retorted the lad, throwing open « his chest and throwing the contents on the floor. ie Among the first things thrown out were two bottles ot ; brandy, and a silver-mounted pipe, known to belong © to; the steward. “TI thought so!” cried Tyrrell, triumphantly. “You did, did you? Well, as I don’t drink nor SooKe. and everybody here knows it, it’s very likely that. I should steal” ae these things, isn’t it?” returned ae “Nor. does Frank | r use glasses.” “This is @ bad case, my boy,” remarked the captain. gravely. “Joe,” turning to the cabin boy, “speak the truth. Did: py ; really lend Anderson, your mug?” an “No, sir,” returned the lad, “but he is weloome th it if he wants it, only E did not think he would steal from me, Pease | we’ye always been good friends.” “Do you think so, even now?” asked Captain Chicks, tind ree “No, sir, I don’t; hang me if I do,” returned Joe, stoutl Mig bin? it’s all a plot, put against him by eome ons who h toe : Tia naued ; 7 “Pll swear to it,” added Frank. “Of course you would,” laughed the engineer. Ie ca tain, are you going to keep. your Nee A make an gen, ne The captain was saat 9 arian, a

Page 13

TEE ay rs ee 3 ee Ce ee Ceo ye DESERTED. _.“T did not know that the things were in my chest, sir, and I Wheeling, Mr. Manne, seize this mutineer, and put him in did not place them there.” irons.” “The evidence is against him,” cried Tyrrell, “and he ought The two officers sprang forward to obey this order, ie £ a to be made an example of.” _| Tyrrell leaped back and gave a peculiar whistle, at the sound ‘ aa “T deny it!” cried the captain, suddenly. “The things found | of which several of the men rallied to his side. * aa here are not such as he would steal, for I will not believe that | These were Dickson, the boatswain; Smith, the carpenter; oe he is so hardened in guilt as to steal for the mere desire, and to | Woods, the blacksmith; John, the steward, and all the sailors 520 take things for which he has no earthly use.’ and firemen, except Frank, Theodore, Sam Salt, and Jeff Tyler; 4 “Neither do I,” echoed the doctor. 80 that Tyrrell and his followers outnumbered the captain’s 4 “Nor I,” cried the first lieutenant, the ice pilot, and several | party by one. Ay jothers. @As the two natives, the black cook and young Joe were in the bas “I am the judge in this case, Mr. Tyrrell,”’continued the| latter division, they had really less fighting men than the — know, for I have watched you ever since he charged you with | comfortable for their enemies in a hand-to-hand fight. : i: seeking his life.” “You see, do you, Chicks, that there are plenty more of my a ~ - “Oh, yes, you’ll take his part, but if the stolen things had | way of thinking?” asked the engineer, in hiS most impudent been in my chest, you would have been hard enough on me. | manner. This is discipline with a vengeance,” For a moment the good captain was nonplussed. _ “Silence!” thundered Captain Chicks. “Let me get an opin-| The whole affair was so sudden aid startling that he sear cely * ion on this point. As many as believe this young man inno-| knew what to think. oe * cent, and the victim of a hideous plot, step to the right.” Recovering from his surprise, he turned to Tyrrell’s com “All the officers expect the engineer did so, and many of the| panions, and addressed them thus: sailors. “My men, have a care what you do. This is mutiny, just “Then I suppose I must infer that the others believe him|as much as though you were still on board the Atlas. Con- ‘guily?” sider what you are doing. You are placing the Jives of us all — “Tt looks that way,” was the cynical reply of the engineer.|in jeopardy. If we do not support one another now, in our, — peril, we are lost.” Woo ae “You’ve gone back on your word,” blustered Dickson. “You — said you would punish the thief, and you have let two uiteyee " 4 “And we outnumber. you,” added the captain. “The young man shall have the benefit of the doubt.” “Ted is no more guilty than I am, captain,” said Fr ank, “and theme has been a purpose in picking out us two and no others.” | go. ; “TI believe him innocent, Frank. Let the owners of these things take possession, and now put away your chests. There is am end to the matter.” « “Tits shameful,” cried Tyrrell. “The young sneaks have been found guilty, beyond a doubt, and yet they are let go free. _ There’s an end to discipline for you after that, and favorisism - will reign supreme.” “Do you command here, or I, Spencer Tyrrell?” asked the ” “Have them two fellers shot, and we'll side with you,” gdaea : the carpenter; “but if you let ‘em go, I’m blamed if you won't — get sick of your bargain mighty quick.” ; “It’s not for us to ask for terms at all, my men,” interposed Tyrrell. “We've got the upper hand, and we must keep it. If these fellows want to submit to us, let ’°em make a fair offer.” — “Hear me for the last time,” cried the captain. “Are FH resolved to stand by this traitor?” “We are!” shouted every man of the mutineers. “Then I must use force. Follow me, men, and seize this mutinous scoundrel.” i At that the captain and his chief officers, Frank, Theodore, : Sdm, the doctor, Jeff Tyler, the black cook and even the cabin pe boy, made a dash at the mutineers. So sudden was the assault, expected as it was, that for a moment the mutineers were forced back, and Tyrrell was actu- ally in the hands of his enemies. Frank dealt the carpenter a blow between the eyes that floored him, while Sam Salt» caught the smith’s head in preety, and belabored him most unmercifully fora few mo- ments Then there came the report of firearms, and Mr. Wheeling fell to the floor, badly wounded. ‘ This caused him to release ‘his hold upon Tyrrell, and in ai da instant the latter had wrenched himself free from Mr. Manne i and rejoined his companions. : These had now recovered from their first surprise, and they now hurled themselves upon the\ captain’s party with great violence. Frank was thrown. down, Jeff Tyler received a black eye, Sa: Salt was hurled against the wall with such force that. mah “You are captain im name fast enough, but that’s all,” torted the other, with anblushing impudence. 4 ein aeby™ eaven! you'll find that I am In fact as well. Mr. % Wheeling, Mr, Warren, put that man in irons. He is no longer chief engineer, but is degraded to the forecastle.” “IT reckon it’s the fo’c’sl] that gets the disgrace,” muttered Jeff Tyler, sotto voce. . - Hie ns ‘the two officers advanced to arrest Tyrrell, he sprang back a pace or two, and the men that had gone over to the gist with him closed in before him and prevented the others from passing. tat: oid man dare to ae his hand upoh me,” blustered the will thie more, ” stormed ib mutinous engineer. 4y you. no respect, no obedience, Captain Chicks, so called, and e you to do the worst. Once an issue is raised, we will o has the most power, you or I.” a tates x. doctor and the black cook were tripped up and fell into a he in one corner. - " The mutineers were ready for anything, and Ditkson roar ; out for the captain’s life, his commander having struck brave captain saw himself thus openty defied, and hil/| braggart a blow which felled him like an ox, DS nds set at naught, he turned pale and quivered from There is no doubt that blood would have been. spee hed 0 fowt. had not the engineer restrained his men, and commanded then , with fear, however—for he knew not what that was—but | With many oaths, not to further molest the enemy. h anger and righteous indignation at thé thought of being} “You see I’ve got the upper hand, don’t you : ently bearded by one whom he had always re-| asked, “and that if I liked 1 could wipe. out whole crowd?” The captain iat not dels to ake any reply to this. val speech. “Now, what do you propose ‘to do with those two young that were caught with stolen goods in their possession?” “Nothing. They were made the victims of a foul pl “Kill’em both!” roared Dickson, “and burn the house oy ified protest would not be, and I would be the last | the heads of these duffers. We can get along ‘elton he bject: to it, but your language cannot be called that. It | — see if they can get along without: us. id Bees a more than that, woes are attempting to stir |. “Shut up, you f 1 ; ei ‘Captain, eyeing the engineer sternly. “You hate that boy, all of whom were,;capable of making it pretty un- yrrell, "he said, in a calm tone, ‘recovering his cool- an effort, “are you aware of the seriousness of the have just committed?” . ot know it was an offense to protest against favor- artiality, ” returned the engineer, in his most brazen

Page 14

DESERTED. ss Then the mutineers made another assault, both parties fight- ~ ing with desperation, The reports of firearms were mingled with the clash of steel; shouts answered shouts; groans, shrieks and yells were all united to make up the horrid din, while the air grew so thick with smoke that one could not see across the room. ' Sounds as of fieavy bodies falling to the floor were heard, and now and then a frantic cry arose above the awful tumult. At last both parties ceased fighting, as if by mutual agree ment, and withdrew to opposite corners of the room. “Al he two Esquimau guides had been killed, Mr. Wheeling was - mortally wounded, and Manne and the doctor badly hurt, the others having all received more or less serious wounds. ; Tyrrell had received a fearful’gash across his forehead, the marks of which would last as long as he lived. _ Dickson’s nose was broken, the steward had lost three of his teeth, one of the sailors had had two fingers shot off, and the Test were all more or less disfigured, though they were all alive. Frank was still with his friends, however, the enemy having - failed to secure him, and Tyrrell scewled like a demon when he saw himiand realized that his plans had failed in regard to the young man. The mutineers now outnumber ed their forces more than ever, _ but they seemed to have had enough of fighting for the present, and Tyrrell saw that it would not be wise to urge them any _ further just then. _ They remained in their corner, and the captain ‘kept his, en- couraging his comrades with cheerful words, and bidding them - not’ to lose heart. No further demonstration was mada by Tyrrell’s party, their jeader commanding them under pain of his displeasure not to say or do anything to their late comrades, but to leave them entirely alone. - Thus the day passed, the captain, fearing another attack, keeping watch on his enemies, Tyrrell occasionally going out i for some little time, and always returning with a smile on his cruel face. Toward night Mr. Wheeling died, but neither Tyrrell nor ny of his men paid the least attention to him, and seemed to care as little as though only one of the dogs had been taken’ and. expired, uring the night the captain remained awake and on guard, dding the men get what sleep they could, for they could not tell when they might be called upon, but toward morning the bri we man fell asleep in spite of himself, and knew nothing i CHAPTER XI. DESERTED. j oe any of then aii stood en Ais in need ‘of it. first thing that Frank noted was that the corner 0¢-| ied by Tyrrell and the mutineers was deserted.. ne of the men were in their bunks either, and Frank came he conclusion that they had gone out for’ their usual morn- xercise. \e fires were still senes. and Mert at once set about getting _ his ‘dium made the wounded men comfortable, on as it could be procured, gave them some warm, ae which they greatly relished. h ae ti had their breakfast, Tyrrell and his men still pee their loss was not a’ matter of regret, ay ns. oe be am oe ened the door and uttered ti eacieeabion of h bear-pie with sausage trimmings, and a pudding a la gardener, but you don’t know what that is, of course. Joe, you young glutton, you’ll do perself a mischief eating so much. Gimme that! ” » Thereupon the hungry fellow whisked out of the boy’s hand — a bone which he was industriously polishing off, and in an in- stant every scrap of meat on it—and there was pis ae peared down Sam’s throat. “Oh, you pig!” cried the boy, indignantly. “Don’t you say nothin’. You knowed the captain wasn’t awake, or you wouldn’t have dared to eat so much, Don’t yer know that bones is dangerous? S’pose you’d got that one down yer throat and choked to death? Ye kin thank me for say- ing your life, ye young stubby!” “This is a more serious matter than you think,” said Frank. “We must have fresh air or we will stifle in here, so many of us together. Get a bar, Ted, and help me get some of this ice out of the way.” There was a bar under the captain’s bunk, and there were three of four pikes, so that several could work simultaneously, and they set about it immediately. ' After penetrating between two of the blocks, however, Frank | discovered that there was another course of blocks beyond, and . that without doubt the entire passage had been filled up. All that could work did so, and before long the middle block was removed, the one above it remaining in its place) “You'd better get that one down, too, Frank,” suggested Mr. Manne, who, though unable to do much himself, watched the progress of the work with great interest, “or you may have it tumbling down upon you when you are working at the course beyond.” A few sturdy blows with the pikes looseried the cake in question, and it presently fell with a crash, narrowly escaping crushing the feet of some of the men, who leaped aside just in time to prevent such a catastrophe. ; Frank and Ted then entered the opening formed by the re- moval of the ice, and attacked the next course, being relieved when they became tired by Sam Salt and Jeff Tyler, who in es turn gave place to the cook and the cabin boy and they to * Frank again. : The second’ wall of ice was removed only to reveal another — cne beyond it, and when Frank forced a bar between two, of the | A cloud passed over his face, but he merely said: L 4 blocks he struck still another layer next to that. The entire morning was consumed in the removal of four 4 different courses of ice, the outer ones being harder and thicker than the inner ones, and still the gai 9 as a party had HOU: sea effected their release, aa Then they stopped for dinner, and to tative a much-needed : rest, the working in a cramped position and among the cold | ‘pt ice having greatly fatigued them. i The captain, having awakened just as they were about to sit down to dinner, was told what had occurred and how they, had been occupied, ee. “You have done all that could have been done, and perhaps | you were right not to awaken me,” _ ‘There was evidently much more gn his taina than he | -to mention, however, as a shade of sadness was frequent] “i served to pass/over his face, but no one questioned sep and k f said but little during the meal. The dead officer and the two natives had been placed. i bunks and coyered from sight that the appearance o corpses might not be a constant reminder to the rest hho they might meet a similar end. : | After dinner all hands attacked the obstruction, (and the others that had been wounded being able Dp. 'what, and everybody worked with a will, so that after anh or so the wall of ice was pierced, and Frank and aie: ca stepped out into the inclosure. ; Then, by being able to operate ‘apon both sides, passage was cleared, and the ice that had been left ‘insi ried out and thrown into the inclosure. There was no sign of any of the other part \ ¥, a that the shade on the captain’s face deepened. The door leading to the storehouse was open, and Captain | Chicks led the way to it, still with that dark lo eng ‘This was explained when they entered iS Nearly everything in the ee Hag been taken « ee away, " :

Page 15

DESERTED. soar = : _ the things formerly missed—lay upon the floor, and thus the secret was revealed. There had been systematic thieving, and the stolen goods had been stored here until they should be wanted. — No wonder then that they could net be found before. Just then the ice-pilot came running in, and said, in a tone of the most intense excitement: “Captain, the dogs——-” “Are gone?” + “Yes, and the sledges; the shed is empty and the tracks of oe the sledges can be seen outside the stockade, which has been - broken to admit of its passage.” “My God! I feared as much! Oh, the heartless villainy of these men! Better had we been all slain than to be abandoned thus.” ; “Good Heaven, sir! what can you mean?” cried Frank. “T mean that, we have been left to die by those fiends! ” “Deserted!” ' “Aye! abandoned, here in this cruel land, with insufficient - food, no means of getting away, and only a roof to shelter us.” “T see it all. Tyrrell and his friends have been robbing us day by day, and hiding away supplies necessary for their jour- . ney, and now they have taken dogs, sledges and all, and have left us.” “And while we were toiling away at the wall they built in front of our door, they may have been making their last prep- -arations,” added Theodore. - “T only hope they may all get twice as hungry as I ever _ thought of being,” growled Sam Salt, in virtuous indigna- tion. “T knew the man was bad,” mused Frank, “but I never thought to witness such a depth of wickedness. I fancied his spite was directed against me alone, but for months he has been plotting against us all, and now we have been heartlessly deserted. Could man ever be such a fiend.” “Got forgive him!” muttered the commander; “I cannot, for ‘such vileness is beyond earthly pardon. If ever there was justice in Heaven, we may yet live to see the wretch punished for this crime. If he had desired to attempt an expedition in earch of assistance and had asked for his share of the supplies, no one ‘would have refused to let him take his chances, but— } Oh, ak. cannot even bear to think of Auch siahohan treachery. L us, 8 60 into the house!” CHAPTER XII. ae & & = le a ie =. re 5 ‘a! mm ‘& 4 E qh rm oe & 5 RR ae 3 So bic! s 2 al % ely doned, hey the step had been contemplated and : . ared for “months before by the villainous Tyrrell and his ~~ evi ted adherents. : I oking over their stores, they found that they had gh to last them little more than a month, but;upon ‘they would have to depend solely, the animals Laving all d sappeared long since, " “l The “spring or time of breaking up of the ice was more than months distant, so that> they would” be obliged to use ng ¥ ith, the utmost prudence, or die of starvation. Zs or sledges at would be madness to attempt to solve ed to remain until the spring, at least, provided they ntil that time. now consisted of the captain, Mr. ‘Manne, and Dr. heodore, Sam Salt, and Jeff Tyler, and the “cook, nine ‘persons: in. all, not £9, peniton the eat much, a you, Grim?” iid hoy asked, aa imal; “and then you eat what we can’t, and. You won t be afraid of the dogs now, od?” Rey ach, cat was ee much a favorite ‘in | suspicions, the huge creature flopped himself out upon the A 8.) oe and therefore they made : a ar of a necessity, | Gaby you see a bird or a mouse you bas haye ity) ‘his. scape glossy side against Joe’s foes) as the’ n to m, and. purred loudly for answer, at? which. broken up and burned as soon as the coal gave out, and if — necessary, the board sheeting on the outside of the house — could be used for the same purpose, although this would not — be taken except in a case of emergency. . j It being thus settled that there was no immediate danger, the — party resolved to make the most of their circumstances, and re- — main cheerful and contented, despite their gloomy surround- — — ings, this being the surest way to retain their health and be © better able to combat their dangers when they came. “Boys,” said Captain Chicks, cheerily, one morning about a. week after the departure of Tyrrell, “how would you like to gout for a hunt? It is not very cold.” as hunt!” echoed Frank. “I should be delighted, l am sure, but what is there to hunt?” “Oh, we'll have to find something,” was the laughing an- swer, “but even if we don’t we will have plenty of fun and lots of exercise.’ Frank made no objection, of course, and so he, Theodore, Joe and Sam Salt accompanied the captain, the others béing left at home to keep house during their absence. Instead of striking inland as had been their usual custom, they started out upon the ice, much to Frank’s surprise. Keeping the house in sight, they marched across the ice, which was now a solid mass, with apparently no motion, for — the distance of a mile, the air being cold and bracing, but lacking the sharp wind which would have been so disagreeable, — and might even have prevented the excursion. The captain, who was in advance, suddenly stopped, and pointing ahead, said in a whisper: “T thought so.” “What is it, sir?” : ' “Do you see nothing, my lad?” ee “Yes, I see a round hole in the ice,” ni ry: “That is the breathing-hole of a seal, or ‘perhaps a walrus; in fact, I think it is the latter. These fellows; though living — under water, like to get a whiff of fresh air now and then, and hence these holes.” “Do you think it likely that one will come up?” “Yes, but you must keep as quiet as possible, and not let yourself be seen, or we may miss him.” | f “Gosh!” remarked Sam, “I shouldn't mind having a good big walrus-steak fried in oil, a la Esquimaux, with hunkidori sauce, and a side dish of vis degyeau Americaine to top off with.” Approaching the breathing-hole, the . expectant | hunters es ‘crouched behind the ice hummocks, and weapon in hand, ; waited the coming of the seal or walrus, whichever: gr i might be, ” An hour passed, and the boys were Hoong to think that’ their labor would be in vain, when the captain suddenly held up his hand and made a warning gesture. At that moment water was seen to fill the hole and flow out | upon the surrounding ice, and at the next the head of an im ‘mense male walrus appeared above the opening. ara They all held their breath and kept out of sight as much as possible, big the huge animal, however, with the greatest: re fae anxiety. p Gazing all around him, and sishile ‘nothing ‘to arouse s te and lay at full length a few feet from the opening, i “We must not miss him,” whispered the captain, “nor we waste a shot. If I do not kill him, Frank, do a fire ing aim see a point sek under the forearm.” “A fired. - The report rang out with startling ee eae ‘upon awful stillness which reigned all about and when the s had cleared away the animal was seen lying upon the ice parently. dea a “Hurrah!” cried Frank, forgetting the Sas ta cant ae os to his feet. “What: a prize ety nnd nd ba his princiy ward, befor he thought bi way of his enraged = , 01 Ww sing xe

Page 16

DESERTED. tae ed ~s— oe In his fall his rifle caught on the edge of the hole and sus- . tained his weight for an instant, but before his friends could interpose, his’ grasp upon it loosened, and he sank out of sight, the weapon remaining upon the ice above. 5 The walrus, missing his foe was now making direct for the * airhole, which was his only means of escape. : If he ever succeeded in reaching it, poor Frank would be lost to a certainty. “Stop him!” screamed the captain, frantically. Little Joe, armed only with a pike, rushed headlong at the _ great beast, and piunged it into his flank to the depth of sey- eral inches, the blood spouting forth in a crimson stream. The creature uttered a roar of pain, and turned upon his new enemy. The boy was in deadly peril, for he could not run as fast as the walrus, and the latter was almost upon him. Sam Salt was armed with a rifle, and quick as a flash, he threw it to his shoulder, and without taking aim, fired. Chance, or-rather Providence, must have directed the bullet, for it penetrated the animal’s body just under the forearm, and entered a vital spot. The creature fell forward weltering in gore, and Theodore, rushing up, drove his pike deep into its side, literally trans- fixing it upon the ice. : One fierce struggle and all was over, the great creature now lying dead before them, though it had been only by the turn of a hair that they had not all been sacrificed to his rage. “Where is Frank?” cried Joe, suddenly, running to the place where their friend had last ‘been seen. They all approached the airhole and looked into its depths, vainly hoping to see their beloved comrade appear. : But no, there was not the least sign of him, and with sorrow- ing hearts they gave him up for lost, and turned from the sad “spot with moist eyes and throbbing breasts. CHAPTER XIII. FRANK RE-APPEARS. - “Poor Frank!” murmured the captain. “I loved that boy _ as though he had been mW own, and now he has gone from ” us! ” “He was the only friend I had!” sighed Theodore, “and now i he’s dead. I could have’ been spared better than he.” “Don’t you s’pose he’ll come up again?” asked Sam, gazing down into the dark water, as if expecting to see rank rise to _ the surface any moment. -“Tmpossible,” returned the captain. “The current has taken him under the ice, and the poor fellow has been drowned by : _ this time. It wouldn’t be possible for him to roe this place again.” - “Well, I’m mighty sorry for him, anyhow. Yeu re the cause of it all, you big brute!” he added suddenly, giving the carcass of the walrus a smart kick. pel Bos wasn't for you Frank would be alive now,,and helping us skin you.” - /“Hallo! What’s Joe up to?” cried Theodore, baddeter: “The boy had strolled away while they were talking, and he ‘was now observed to be running over the ice, shouting and ges- iculating in the wildest manner. All at once the wind bore to them certain words which the boy was shouting. “Help—Frank—alive—hurry up—help pe “Trank is yet alive!” gasped the captain. e no time!” ; The cabin boy, roaming over the ice ‘in sheer desperation, and with the hopeless idea that he would somehow find Frank, had enly seen, hee the distance, a darks object appear above the i arr we must omit rose toa seat height, staggered about for a moment, a then fell headlong upon the glittering surface. — ‘ ne tee and one only, took possession of the boy’s mind. ying there helpless and in danger of freezing to ‘death. he had escaped he knew not, nor did he stop to think, | never for a moment thought that it might be a walrus ul or some other animal common to these regions, ‘such entered his head. ank, and Frank, only, and id waved ine anms for useful articles, and knicknacks, thus Panteny ey a ee |industriously polishing a bit of ivory he had carved, uestion of assisting the ‘young fellow being uttermost in 3 spinach, and hash a la moutong. Then came more w: as he spran It was Frank indeed, whom they had never expected to see again. He had been carried under the ice at a rapid rate, but haying presence of mind enough to hold his breath and make no use- less struggles, he was much better off than he might have been. The swift-flowing stream bore him directly under a second — air-hole some distance off, and by the merest chance he. threw up one arm and arrested his progress. Having a place to escape at, the water threw him to the sur- face, and in a moment he scrambled out upon the ice. Drawing himself up, he attempted to shake the water from his dripping garments, and put some blood into his chilled limbs, for he was cold, notwithstanding that the water had not soaked through his clothes as yet. He was too exhaysted to make much of an effort, however, and after staggering around'for a few moments he fell at full length. In this manner Joe found him, when he came up, half uncon- scious and shivering like a leaf. “Has anybody got any brandy?” cried the boy, as the others came up. “T did not expect an accident of this kind,” returned the cap- tain, “and so brought none, but it will be safe to always carry a small flask of spirits when we go out.” Then lifting Frank to his feet with the assistance of Sam and Theodore, he said: “We'll have to run him back to the fort as quickly as possi-*— ble, for if the chill strikes in he’ll never get over it. He may live, of course, but he’ll never be the same boy he was.” Then, the captain on one side and,Sam on the other, they ran him as fast as he could go toward the fort, never stopping themselves, never allowing him to stop, until they reached a shelter. ; The result was that when they got within doors Frank was about worn out, but he was also in a perfect glow, the perspi- ration fairly running off him. They had him undressed and into bed in a twinkling, and then the captain made him up a hot rum punch, which he forced him to drink almost seething, and which threw him into a more violent perspiration than before. However, he soon fell asleep, and slept for three or four hours, awaking greatly refreshed, and with the sense of 6 haustion entirely removed, Merton having a fine hot bowl ioe soup for him the moment he awoke. ’ 3 “Well, Frank, my lad,” said Captain Chicks, coming in, as” he was eating it, “how do you feel? We’ve brought back the fellow that caused you all your trouble, and now we have meat enough and fat enough to last us quite a piece.” ; “T’m all right now, sir; but I had a narrow squeeze, and i you had not found me when you did it would have been all up with me.’ t “You must thank J Joe for that, for while we were all giving you up for lost and mourning for you, he started off to hunt © you up.” 3 The walrus, after all the trouble taken to secure it, pron tobe a valuable acquisition to their stores in many ways, for it would furnish food, clothing, light and heat and amusement, The latter consideration was on account of the iyo : creasure possessed, ‘having two magnificent tusks, which captain cut out and cleaned, and which all hands began i diately cutting up’ and carving into trinkets, ornament doors. “T’m going to Bea a pie-knife,” said Sam, one aicite co makes me think of the bully wittles I ‘used ze. have rent I wa a waiter im Lord Foodle’s house.” il. “Waiting for cold grub at the back door, r suppose?” put i Joe, with a grin. © “Well, I don’t s’pose, if yon does, No, airs we used t ‘mince pies that'd make your hair eurl, tambourine dream over, and plum puddin’ a ‘VAngiais, what wo ye—” “The colic, most likely,” retorted Theodore. “Shut up you. I tell you it was- fine li place., One day we ‘had oysters on the half plate, saue wine, ‘then, pottage Frangipani and champagne, with r and apple sauce—oh, my! pork and parsnips, liver and oh, dear! it makes me hungry to think of—stewed that was, and Vinegar d aes and to; nuts and sweet ci ickory nut

Page 17

DESERTED. ee “Now, you're laughing at me, you young vagabond, and I It was two hours after their usual time for stopping when ' -won’t have it,” and Sam made a dash for Joe, but only fell| the boatswain, who was in charge of one of the sledges, stopped — over a chest on which Grim was sitting, causing that highly | his sledge, released the dogs, and began to prepare for a halt. intelligent cat to spit and arch his back in the most aggressive] Tyrrell instantly stopped, turned back, and leaping from his - manner. sledge, demanded to know, in terms more vigorous than ‘ele- - Besides the working in ivory, which was one means of keep-| gant, who had given the boatswain authority sto halt. ing them occupied, the captain used frequently to talk with his} To which the latter replied that he thought his judement comrades upon various topics, and would invite discussions, | was as good as anybody’s, and he would be blessed if he was ‘so as to bring out all the points of the matter under consider-| going to ride all night without anything to eat and run the ation, — chance oi being frozen to death. \ x He would also read aloud from the books saved from the| “Well, suppose you wait for orders,” stormed Tyrrell. “I ship’s library, and talk of what he read, thereby making it| want you to understand that you haven't a softy like old more interesting. Chicks to deal with, and that I’m the boss of this crowd.” - Learning by accident one morning that it was Joe’s birthday, |° “You're not bossing me, then,” returned the other, “and you | he invited the lad to choose the bill of fare for that day’s din-| had better not let that idea run away with you, for if it does ner, and at the feast placed him in the seat of honor at the| you’ll get left. I consider my judgment a good sight better head of the table, promising also to mark with equal distinction | than’yours in this matter, and I’m not to be taught by a fellows, | the birthdays of the different members of the party as fast as| that knows less than me about the Arctic.” they came around. Tyrrell, rushing suddenly upon Dickson, struck him a tees - *That’s bad for me, then,” muttered Sam, “for I was born} in the face which floored him. ; on the 29th of February, and this is an off year far me.’ Recovering his senses, but not his feet, in a few momenis, ~ “Very well; we'll make it the 28th, Sam, for we can’t slight} Dickson whipped out a revolver and, still lying on the ice, sent you any more than the others.” a bullet whistling through ae top of the engineer’s hood, nar- “Tf you only had the stuff to make it of,” returned Sam, | rowly missing his scalp. smacking his lips, “wouldn’t I order a boss dinner! I’d have| Tyrrell drew his own weapon, and blood might haye been blanket of veal, hurricane of mutton, salmon of roast goose,| spilled had not Woods, Smith and the steward guterposed and macaroni of grating, filly of beef with champagne, turtle doves prevented the irate engineer from firing. styffed with bull-frogs, humming birds buttered with lard, “What's the matter with you, Spence?” said Woods, who was patty de fore grass, and plum-duff oleomargarine. If that on terms of intimacy with the engineer. “This is as good a - wouldn’t be a dinner worth eating, then I hope I seer never get | place to stop as any. There’s a bluff here which keeps off the another square meal.” wind, and we’re all used up, dogs and all. Put up your anne : Captain Chicks also assisted Joe and the 7ounR fellows to get | and listen to reason.” up a minstrel entertainment and concert, Mert and Jeff Tyler} “Do you think I’m going to let any duffer draw a pop on me . being end men, Joe in the middle, Sam, Frank and Ted filling; without resenting it? I’ll have that fellow’s blood if it takes -+up the circle, the large and select audience consisting of the| every drop of my own. I wasn’t raised up here, and I’ve got captain, the doctor and Mr. Manne. hot blood, I have.” : The “Black and Tan Minstrels” proved a great success, and “Go sit on an iceberg and cool off, then!” was the impudent there were calls for a repetition of the entertainment, but as| retort of the boatswain, who had now risen and stood de- Joe said they must have something fresh, Frank got up a} fiantly glancing at Tyrrell. “If your mother had set yer ona dramatic performance, and they produced a very queer version | paving stone when ye was little and got cranky, you’d know ss. of “Uncle Tom,” with Grim as the child, Mert as Eliza, Sam as| how to behave yourself now. Bah! you ain’t fit to light fires _ the pious and much persecuted old darky, Joe being Hva, and| with. Hot! Why, you’d smother the fire if you was put on it.” — Frank and Ted a the remainder of the characters be-| This retort only increased the bad blood between the two tween them. men, and had it not been for tlie strenuous efforts of the - Thus, ‘by the exercise of a little tact, and by making the | friends of both parties a pitched battle would then and there — most of everything, the honest skipper contrived to keep the | have taken place between them. 7 whole party happy, healthy and contented, while never a quar- The matter rested for. that night, and the camp was formed, rel interrupted the serenity of this lovely life, and disputes | and the evening meal prepared and eaten in silence. : and bickerings were never dreamed of. The insults which he had received rankled in Tyrréll’s aaa: bet a hat that Spence Tyrrell and his crowd don’t get| breast, and he har dly slept a wink all night for thinking of long half as well as we do,” remarked Sam, speaking upon | them. this point, “for I’ll wager anything that somebody’s allus kick- While two of the sailors were getting breakfast ready, ie. ing up a fuss. They’re jest that kind of fellers, all of ’em, and | arose, left the tent, rifie in hand, and came directly upen Dick ouldn’t be in that crowd for a whole roasted ox!” son, no one else being in sight. : sate Veen With eyes inflamed with passion, and lips fairly foaming: the — x ‘ scoundrel raised his weapon instantly and fired, pene: the. 3s aS boatswain in the middle of the forehead. sie : CHAPTER XIV. j He fell as he was in the act of grasping his own MEADONS this” : E {being discharged by the shock. a DISCORD—TREACHERY—A BASE DESIGN. oes Tyrrell instantly whipped the revolver out of the man hand ee and fired two shots through his own ¢lothes, throwing th 3 salt could not have stated the case more correctly had | weapon on the ice as though it had fallen from the man's hand. _ been with Tyrrell and witnessed the manner in which he} Everybody that was up came running out to see what was the — and his men got on together. matter} the reports indicating that there was trouble | brewin do s themselves could not have snarled more than they| Dickson was found on the ice dead,,the ball having ee arguments, disputes and quarrels were going on ae trated his brain and caused instant death. om on ing ti a ll night. : “The scoundrel fired twice at me when I came out,’ a ‘plus preg When the party set out they cook all the boats but one, hav-| ‘tered Tyrrell, “and I shot him in self- -defense. You can’ see» ne to leave that behind for want of a place to put it, the where the bullets passed through my clothes. aah Bae ges being well loaded as it was. There had, been no witnesses to the affair, and all tt Cy ‘Tyrrell would have destroyed it, but some of the sailors| dence there was seemed to confirm the murderer’s statement ere taken with a fit of tender- heartedness*and hid it away in-| Dickson was known to have gone out finst, and without Ste ' breaking it up, as they were ordered. eans of the stolen instruments, they were enabled to lay ourse, which was toward the south, along the American a plan being to cross the Upernavik as soon as the ice ke up, and from there get passage on some Danish ship. ra week or so they got on with comparatively little squab- , but after that ‘quarrels were of almost ‘constant oceur- f sai no effort A stop them and titans ae men A cer kien a Mae apo? ' Pr ee. o “ - and waylaid the engineer was not without color. Then, too, his weapon had been discharged — ‘two. or times, and Tyrrell's but once, which seemed to show tha had fired more than once upon Tyrrell efore the latter ha taliated with the shot that had killed his assailant. “Served him right, too,” growled the “smith. mutinous scoundrel, | and we are well rid Th fr iends of the dead ‘man buried his r oO rat the qeande was. men 7 on ak

Page 18

,] DESERTED. The next morning, howéver, two of the men got into a dis- pute over their food, one of them being the smith, and came ~ to blows, when Tyrrell, who chanced upon the scene with a cigar in his mouth, said nothing to Woods, but sent his op- ponent flying, by a well-directed kick in the pit of the stomach, - follownig up this:brutal act by laughing and stroking his goat- beard. » There were not as many fights after this, for a time, at least, but-there were constant bickerings and disputes. How different from the manner in which Captain Chicks and his companions conducted themselves, The march was prosecuted as rapidly as possible, but there were times when it was impossible to proceed, and then, snugly _ sheltered beneath the tent and wrapped in their warm sleep- ing bags and lying before the fire, the men would spend whole hours in gambling. Time passed on, and the death of Dickson seemed to have been forgotten in the excitement of the march along the coast, or at least it was never mentioned. There had been so many detentions on the way that at last Tyrrell, scoundrel that he was, determined to,take a desperate step, and calling the blacksmith to his side one night when they were about to form their camp, he said, bluntly: “Woods, there won’t be grub enough to last us all, if we don’t hurry, and, in fact, 1 don’t think there will be in any event.” ~ “TJ am sure of it. There’s a big party of us, and we didn’t _ save everything from the vessel in the first place.” _ “Then our party has got to be reduced, that’s all there is “about it. Do you understand?” “Yes; those that’s agr eeable to you you’re going to take along, but the rest is going to share the fate of the captain, and ’ be left behind. It’s a pity if I don’t understand.” r CHAPTER XV. “THE PLOT SUCCESSFUL—THE WARNINGS OF THE*DEAD. aT Gs j “That's it exactly,” muttered the villain. erted.” ““Who’s going on ahead besides you and me?” te “The steward, and Brown,.and Jones, making five alto- gether. The. other, seven can stay behind and suck sap ties thumbs.” “How are you going to manage it? eh it comes to a fight.” ire Il see to that, if you'll warn the rest. We don’t want a owd, and we’ye got to get rid of some of ’em. i, ‘The heartless villain then began arranging his plans, and in wa meantime Woods: quietly gator ee the men designated of “They're to be de- They'll outnumber us it ‘horough?7 selfish, and car ing nothing for aught but their interests, these men readily agreed to assist in darrying out any plot that niight be settled upon, and if blood-shed were necessary feature, were not the less willing. t od ; reported progress to his principal, and Tyrrell made portion of his plans, being too suspicious to tell them ne who might ‘possibly see it to his advantage to betray nd catch him in the trap he had set for others. coffee that night was unusually. strong and hot, and it spved that neither Tyrrell nor the blacksmith drank though they were usually very fond of it. rown and Jones always took tea, morning and nisitt, zy steward was busy at the fire, so that at ‘was not. noticed carpenter, after finishing his meal, lit his pipe na sat eorner to smoke and enjoy himself, but he had hardly a dozen puffs before the pipe fell from’ his grasp and he over fast asleep. > i of the sailors was, ee asleep, and the-bners began ath Pe bate expressive ihicosss when who. appeared to . be cae dens biy: less at: and cried a 11 take my “Salt you’ ve “watery eyes, Tyrrell, y i now? en’ t ‘| he divided, fearing that if he did not his companions, would kill , companions when they awoke. And so he would have done had it not been for Woods, upon i whose ‘assistance he relied. The latter whipped out a pistol, and at the very moment that the furious sailor was about to plunge his knife into Tyrrell’s heart, having already seized him by the throat, despite his re- sistance, a bullet whizzed through the air and struck the man in the back of the head. He fell to the ground in convulsions, dragging Tyrrell after him, and so fierce was his grasp upon the latter’s throat, that he had liked to have choked him, dead as he was, his fingers haying to be disjointed before the clasp could be loosened. The drugged sailors did not awake, despite the noise and confusion, and Brown, glancing around with an expression of awe, said nervously: “Wur it p’ison ye put in the coffee?” “No, only something to make ’em sleep,” laughed the stew- ard, coming up at that moment.“ They won't wake under twelve hours, with that dose in ’em, Mr. Tyrrell.” Thus it was the engineer who had thought of dosing the cof- fee, and had taken that means of quieting his enemies Tues than meet them in fair and open fight. He had taken an ounce of laudanum from the doctor’s case of medicines, and given it to John to put in the coffee, and all who: had drank it were now fast asleep. The dose was not sufficient to kill, but mer ely to cause Soa though the villain had not refrained from killing his victims from any pure motive. } He had been afraid that too great a dose would have the contrary effect, and keep the men awake, and that was:the real reason why he had given them just enough to send them Nab to sleep. “We'll have time enough to make ready,” he muttered. “Tf this fool here had gripped me a little tighter 1 wouldn’t have” any preparations to make.” i Then he spurned the body of the dead sailor with his foot, . like the brute’ and coward he was, and turned away. : is The drugged men slept all night and well into the morning, va but long before they awoke their treacherous ‘companions had departed, taking everything with them, and leaving the sleep- — ers lying on the bare ice, to awake or not, as the case Polen, be, The tent, the sledges, all the supplies, and all the extras. be: longing to the men were taken—nothing being left them but. f the clothes on their backs. Haye tng The carpenter and the sailors never awoke, but the rest aroused themselves at last, cold and hungry, and found that — they had been abandoned. The truth dawned upon them, Gul with heavy. hearts wee scraped the snow together, covered up their dead mates, and followed the track of the sledges. One man had a small flask of whisky in his pocket, and this i him to obtain it. Hungry and cold, footsore and wretched, the four men t led on thr ough the dim light, the sky being obscured and the rora giving but a fitful light, until one fell down exhauste declaring he could go no further. 4 “This is a judgment upon me for listening to that tr and deserting my kind captain,” he cried. “Now I am oe ore A curse upon the villain who has brought thi May he come through this same path himself ang Mis’ aoe bitterness of death in this cruel land, without, frie without hope, either in this world or the next!” His comrades trieti to per suade him to go a little furthe ( he urged them to leave him and try and reach some shelter e- fore they all perished. Then they lifted him up and carried him althoug' he themselves were worn out ah scarcely able to get on, ad this added burden. At the end of an hour they ‘were forced to stop and rest, : i then, as the wind was blowing keenly, they dug a hole in snow, covered themselves up and went to sleep. i They had not been careful where to dig, and, being, expo to the wind, part of the drift was blown away, and the man and another. were frozen to death, being, found by There were now but two left, and. these, ‘a coats of their dead comrades, ypushed on. in the vain overtaking Tyrrell and his party. _The se tracks ha be en obliterated, and it wa e trail e be g little

Page 19

sible, hoping to meet either with Esquimaux or to come upon an animal of some sort, all hope of again seeing Tyrrell hav- ing departed. 2 After a long and dreary march of many hours, they came upon the spot where the fugitives had last encamped, and dig- ging in the snow, found a few miserable scraps of food that had been thrown away. These they eagerly devoured, and searched for more, but all in vain; and then, a strong wind and snow setting in, they buried themselves deep in a drift and passed many hours in troubled sleep. At last they dragged themselves out, and once more took up their trail, even hoping that they might meet the hostile In- dians, feeling sure that the latter, although they might take them captive, would at least give them enough to eat. But no such good fortune was in store for them, and they toiled on, looking more like skeletons than men, from want of food, exposure to the cold, and other sufferings; but still they persisted, almost defying death, and sustaining themselves by their will power alone: Even that could not stand against what they had to suffer, and one of them went mad; and cutting a deep gash in his arm, sucked the blood that spurted forth, the better to sustain life. He had severed an artery in his madness, and now, weak from loss of blood, he fell upon the snow, while his companion, not daring to look upon him, lest he should be too greatly tempted, hurried from the spot, and never once paused until many a weary mile had been passed. Then seeking refuge at the bottom of a snow-drift, where he unexpectedly found a quantity of edible moss, he composed himself to sleep, murmuring to himself: “Spence Tyrrell, you villain, you have much to answer for, and I pray that I may never meet you, for if I do. as sure as I breathe, I'll take your life, and I’ve sins enough now to an- swer for! Look to it that you don’t meet the same fate as the poor fellows you abandoned, and God have ry aint on. me for ony part I took in the first desertion! ” ‘s _ Then he dropped off to sleep; but even Aes he was puted off, and in a safer place than Tyrrell, the miserable villain that pee | had brought him to all this. CHAPTER XVI. Ng THE RUN AWAYS MEET WITH A MISFORTUNE—TYRRELL’S FEARS. Panu gins himself secure from all anger, and sure to reach a somfortable shelter before jong, Spencer Tyrrell felt no qualms f conscience, no regret for the crimes he had committed, no ap- prehension for the future. » He was not the first man who, in the insolence engendered by his ‘suecess in evil doing, has scouted the idea of a just ret- ution for all wrong, but who, in the very arrogance of his ce ss, has ‘been suddenly thrown from his high state, and on e defied His laws to escape their final punishment. ‘It was not long after the treacherous and cruel abandonment fa is late companions, when one night, as the retreating party encamped ina collection of deserted -Esquimau huts, or igloos, aoe a severe snow storm arose which detained them for many n order to procure fuel to keep themselves warm, _ their sup- ply having given out, they were forced to break up the sledges. ut them on the fire, and, when these weré used up, to de- hh two of the boats, leaving but one with which to even- make their escape. eatly reduced their stock of provisions, every day they ained inactive counting for another on the road, during ich they would, of course, be obliged to eat. Gries ocke all these dogs now, any exclaimed Tyrrell, on, mber will draw us just as well as the whole. We'd let some of ’em go, and then we won’t have to feed ’em.” Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to let somebody else loose | 8} aici to save the trouble of finding them,’ ” sug: | rown and Jones?” asked Tyrrell, it being un- ) add that the two seaeny ar alone, eg rest ther gloos. ; DESERTED. © before a righteous Judge, who never allows those who | snow storm kept them from ‘continuing, their journey, | “That’ ll do, and as soon as this weather seems like moderat-. iu in’, we'll carry it out.” “We probably ‘have not so very far to go,” remarked Tyrrell, — “as the presence of this abandoned village indicates, but i might be a long time before we could cross over to the other side, and we want all the provisions for ourselves and not to feed a lot of lazy louts and a pack of dogs we don’t need.” In fact, the mutineers had been prodigal with their provis- ions at first, and that was why they were now beginning to see the necessity of retrenching. ; The snow at last stopped, and Tyrrell foreseeing that it would do so, made his preparations for flight, assisted by Woods and the steward. we They packed everything on the one remaining sledge, putting the boat on crosswise, and harnessing the dogs, so as to be in readiness to start at an instant’s notice. f The two seamen slept in separate igloos, and when every- thing was ready, the men having gone into their huts to get something which Tyrrell pretended to want, the signal was — given. ‘ Upon the instant Woods began to block up the entrance of — one hut and the steward the other, big clumps of ice haying — been prepared for that purpose beforehand. § The entrances being small, it took them but a little while to close them up, and then Tyrrell helped his companions to cover them with snow and to pack it down hard wiph their feet. The men within, apprehending that some act of treachery was going on, shouted and kicked, and tried to get out, but all in vain. They could not assist each other, being in separate huts, while their enemies could work in concert, and: thus had a — great advantage over them. shite “That'll do,” laughed Tyrrell, stroking his beard; “if ae ie 3 get out, they’ ll be so far behind us that they can’t catch up to. us. Now, off we go, and good day to those fools!” a; The three men leaped upon the sledge, Tyrrell cracked’ his long whip, and away started the dogs at a lively pace, over the ice and over the snow, soon leaving the igloos far behind. — Tyrrell managed the dogs fairly, and the latter kept upon a tolerably straight course, avoiding ice hummocks and other ob- structions, the sledge running smoothly and Jolting but little. The best-laid plans of mice and men sometimes fail, and the present was an instance in point. It might have been two hours, more or less, from the time of departure, when the dogs struck a steep down grade, and put forth all their efforts to keep the sledge from running j upon their heels. iy Just at the food of the decline, however, was a considerable mass of rough ice, which lay directly in their path. ; Tyrrell saw this, and, cracking his whip vigorously, | tried turn the dogs off to the right, so as to avoid a collision. — Hither the little creatures were determined to follow th ir own bent, or they were unable, at the pace they were going, to. change their course so suddenly; but, in any event, they kept straight on, and in another moment there came a crash. The sledge was overturned, the three men went flyin through the air, and away scampered the dogs, still draggi the sledge after them. — Woods went head first into a snow-drift up to his heels, steward rolled into another, and was nearly covered up, Tyrrell fell upon the ice and broke his leg, being unable to move, and suffering great agony. He raved and swore, called to ‘expended a great deal of vitality ting, but all to no purpose. : The lines by which the dogs were attached to “snapped or came away on ‘account of the front sledge breaking off, and away they scampered in ing the broken and overturned sledge far behind kept on as though their lives depended on covering te Lest distance in the shortest space of time. John succeeded in extricating himself, and the Woods by pulling at the latter’s heels until he draggec of the suit, very red, very oe and as a as a bea he the dogs to come back, and in useless fuming and fret-

Page 20

DESERTED. was possible, and, spreading their great coats out upon the ow, laid him in a more comfortable position. : “Dhis is a pretty state of affairs!" he said, with a growl— ‘laid up with a broken leg, the dogs run away, and no means of getting out of this God-foysaken region, I never had such luck in all my life.” : Maybe they'll come back,” suggested Woods. “And maybe they won’t, and that’s mare likely. “you fellows set my leg?” “TT can, if it’s not badly broken,” answered the steward; “but when it’s done you'll have to lie still until it knits, and that may take a month.” “Well, I don’t see how 1 can help myself. However, make “me as comfortable as you can, and then build a house, for if we've got to stay here we must have things ship-shape. You won’t desert me?” he whined. ? Aye, well might he think of that now, when he was helpless, Can any of but why had he not thought of it before, when he had so wick- edly abandoned his late companions? “We ain’t going to leave you,” said Woods, “so you needn’t be scared, We don’t know the way, and you do, and it ain’t likely we're going to run our heads into a noose, just for the sake of spite,” “Shut up!” growled the steward, get out of this.” __ Did he speak the truth? _ Time will show. “and by and by we'll all CHAPTER XVII. ’ BACK FROM THE DEAD—A ee QUESTION, ‘There was not material enough at haiid to build a house, and} therefore it was deemed best to construct a rude shelter with tts ‘back to the point from which the wind generally came. First, the sledge was broken up with the axes and the two mers imbedded deeply in ‘the snow, end up, and made firm th blocks of ice. : Then the boat was placed behind these, being gradually aised by placing blocks of ice under either end until its gun- wale rested on the tops of the runners. : ‘hus it formed a roof, and hae lashed ee in Piece and t was quat large enough for the thee to move abit in, s tight and as warm as could be expected, and, at any was better than sleeping out of doors. hen the house was about half finished, so that Tyrrell could ‘gO in, he was moved thither, and placed on a couch of blankets ani furs, in as easy a position as DORRIT) and then the stew- ar undertook to set his leg. 4 - It was not an easy task, for the man was impatient and uld not bear the least pain without making a terrible fuss, which are increased eg latter’ s labors. would bring them nearer to the time of the breaking up of the ice, il was not perhaps so unfortunate, ag they then could use the boat, which they would otherwise have been obliged to leaye behind as being unable to take it along. ' “We ain’t so bad after all, if it wasn’t for that leg of yours,” remarked Woods, “only we've got to be saving with the grub, and if we do see anything to shoot we must shoot it.” “And you won't abandon me in this helpless condition?” asked Tyrrell, abjecily. “Oh, shut up! You make me sick!” growled Woods, thor- oughly disgusted. “You don’t think nothin’ of desertin’ other fellers, and killin’ ’em, too, in a sneakin’ kind of way; but you’re awful scared when ye think it’s coming your turn. Ye’re a durned calf, Spenee Tyrrell, that’s what ye are. and if you go to bellerin’ again, durned if I don’t cut stick and leave ye right here! ” He had no intention of doing so, of course, but the threat quieted the miserable scoundrel, and he had no mere to say. There he was, unable to get up from his couch, obliged to have all his meals placed before him, remaining indoors when the. others were out, and dependent on them for everything; so that, if they should take a notion to abandon him, he could not help himself, “Gonfound the luck!” he would mutter at times. “The idea of my being ceoped up here, when I ought to be making for the south. If those beasts of dogs hadn’t run away J] could go in the sledge, but now I am as badly off as old Chicks and those fools that stayed with him.” Four or five days had passed when one afternoon, when the wretched man was alone in the hut, his comrades having gone out on the ice to try and catch a seal, or some other kindred animal, some one entered. 3 He did not look up at first, thinking that one of the men had returned, but a sudden exclamation of surprise from the newcomer caused him to raise his head, “Spence Tyrrell, by all that’s bad!” Tyrrell looked up and beheld one of the party that had been | drugged and abandoned some little time before, It was the one survivor of that unfortunate five, Jack Clay- ton, the man who had cursed Tyrrell in his agony, who had been sparéd when he had thought death at hand, and: who | had now come upon his enemy, helpless and alone, be That long snow storm, which had delayed Tyrrell in the ig- loos, had also prevented him from going out, but it had saved his life, for the increased weight of snow had augmented | i the warmth of his burrow in the drift, so that nature had been: E kinder to him than his fellow man. He found a quantity of edible moss under the snow, and’ with this and the tobacco in his pocket which he chewed upon con- stantly, and by gnawing upon strips cut from his sealskin boots / he had managed to keep life in him, though, of course, he was haggard and wan, and looked more like a abe than a human eing. When at last the snow had ceased to fall he had continued his journey, having now some little hope of overtaking Tyrrell, or, at least, of meeting with humans like himself, though Silage he thus hoped he could hardly tell. One day, when nearly worn out, he came upon a solietigeel of ice-huts—the same occupied by Tyrrell—one of which was broken open at the top. In this one of the two sailors abandoned by Tyrrell had bee | imprisoned, and breaking out, had attempted to follow the Dy so’s you'll always have trouble with this leg, just you n worrying and fretting and acting like a baby, but if aw, or Pil wish that. ned been broken ‘and ioe panes too, in is ema t a n ing Pasar potas new from an, inferior. : suppose I do, but I can’t help that, ’cause I ii a reg’lar e and you sigh it worse bat say your ee and if 1e job and let the thing mieetiey and fester and gan- everything else, till it carries you off to blazes.” don’t do that,” whimpered the coward, the thoughts ing anything but pleasant to him; “do your best— , good eed but Ben's. hurt any more than ~ you can the steward a on better, and the tee being reset splints, was ikea ey out and yaa villain. He had released his comrade; but only a short distance off Jack Clayton found them lying on the snow, frozen to death, ‘an empty spirit flask tightly clasped in the hand of. one of them. » When they had been shut up there had been food and t | bottle of liquor in the huts, Tyrrell being ignorant of the fa When Brown had broken out and released Jones, the two, thinking nothing of food, had emptied the bottle ‘between. them, and, in a state of helpless inebriety, had fallen. on ; snow and met their deaths. Jack found the food left in the huts, and welcome enc it was to him in his desperate and half-starved condition , There was some fuel, too, and upon one of the dead m found a tin box of water-proof matches, each of whic worth a thousand dollars to the poor, abandoned castawa; f Selecting a hut which was small, whole, and ‘warmer ‘than a) the rest, he took thither r his food and: fuel, bape gar ;

Page 21

a ‘That he might not be tempted to cannibalism—and he would not have been the first by any means in adopting this course - for the sake of saving his life—he buried thesbodies of his late ‘comrades under the snow, only reserving their warmest gar- ments for his own use, as they would have no possible need for them now, and taking care of such little valuables or keep- sakes that they possessed, in order to give them to their friends and relatives when he reached home, which he now had more hope than ever that he would do, although again he could not tell why he felt so. The food, the liquor, the fire, the shelter, and above all, the hope newly awakened within his breast, made a new man of Jack Clayton, and he felt himself stronger and better than he ‘had ever anticipated he could feel. He wisely husbanded all his little resources until returning health and strength told him that he might push on, and, as his. fuel was now all gone, he made a bundle of the little food | Jett and started off down the coast, little knowing how near his enemy had been to him all this time, and in what a help- ‘ less condition. He had left the igloos early one morning, the weather being good for traveling, and carefully protected from the cold, and feeling more able to endure fatigue and privation than he had done for some time, continued his journey doggedly, reso- _lutely, constantly talking to himself, in order:to have some ‘sort of: companionship amid this maddening solitude. . It was near six in the evening, or what would be that, hour in the natural divisions of day and night, the aurora lighting up the scene with unusual brilliancy, when he sugidenly came upon what could be only a hut or rude shelter formed by man. The roof was formed of an inverted whaleboat, the sides of canvas stretched between two oars, and the front was that very ~ tent which had sheltered him when on the retreat down the ay ‘coast in company with Tyrrell. Pushing forward, he qui¢kly entered the miserable dwelling, hich yet afforded ample shelter from the blasts of winter; ‘and there, right beneath his gaze, helpless and alone, was the - monster to whom he owed all his misery, all his privations— almost the deprivation of life itself! j __. “Ha! I have found you, have 1?” he hissed: “Now, Spencer Tyrrell, what prevents me from taking your wretched life?” cy CHAPTER XVIII. Z po § BIRTHDAY—JEFF TYLER’S MISFORTUNE—A GLOOMY OUTLOOK. “Livin in the greatest contentment, showing nothing but the I best of feeling toward one another, dach member of the party ying all in his power to promote the general good, the late Sy ¢ ptain of the Atlas and his friends at the fort got on admir- ably, and decidedly better than Tyrrell had expected. There was not an abundance, to be sure, and they had to tint themselves somewhat, but at all events they were con: tented and happy, and this was worth a good deal. As the winter wore on the cold weather inereased, and it took onsiderable fuel to keep the fort warm, notwithstanding the a unt of snow that had fallen upon it, e coal was nearly exhausted, and Captain Chicks knew that before long they would be obliged to use thé wooden sheathing or the fires, and, indeed, portions of it had already been used _as kindlings, there being nothing else. As they had tormed no definite plan of action, Captain Chicks hades at first thought that it might be wise to send a party e Sable, Littleton Island, or some other of the Polar sta- that had been established, in the hope of finding there upplies of provisions left by former exploring parties. % he main trouble was that they had no instruments, these ng been stolen by Tyrrell, and could not, therefore, lay ir course with sufficient accuracy,to sure the success of e peditions, a very important consideration, by the way, ase of non-success there’ would only be a waste of pro- energy, and perhaps life, the danger attendant upon indertaking, having always to be considered. The ain, the journey would have to be made on foot, and ile the emergency was a pressing one, there was really so ce of the object of the quest being attained, that it | together too hazardous to undertake it. wait till the ice breaks up, sir, and then get away na! the boat those cowardly villains have left us,” sug- DESERTED. fon the journey now will Be attended with | F aes 7S ok The next birthday that aupenea. to come along. was | and, as had been the custom, he was asked to name the tf fare for the grand dinner to be given in the evening. “Well, if you only had the things for it,” he said, cheerfully, “I'd start in with a soup de bully, with chickens’ feet on toast, and a shoo-fly amulet for intermets, and a baked shad om: trifles on the side. Then I’d have a pig’s head a la hungry, and pigeon’s wings au naturel, with turnip-tops garnished and batiledores elegante in between, not to mention ‘stuffed bul- frogs and a plum-pudding, but——”" “Well, what’s the but?” asked the captain. “But we ain’t got the stuff, so suppose we have potato scouse, salt beef, some pickled onions and plum- -duff, for we have got | them, and they’re no trouble to fixp up. -This was descending from the sublime to the ridiculous by — | such a tremendous jump that all hands could not help laugh- ing heartily, and every one was in the best humor possible. The dinner, it need not be said, was an entire success, Sam | keeping the table in a roar by his quaint sayings, and surely the most luxurious repast that caterer ever provided for the — tickling of pampered appetites could not have been eaten with — a greater relish than were:the simple viands which furnished — forth the birthday feast of old Sam Salt. : “Are you hungry now, Sam?”.asked Captain Chicks, whens they pushed back their stools to indulge in a smoke. “Well, no. I don’t think I am,” answered,the other, “but it’s the first time in six months.” The next day, remembering the success they had had on a former occasion, Frank, Sam, Jeff and Theodore set out to- gether to hunt for seals, all being provided with muskets, for it would not do to miss the least chance of neyt asin wesiere, they might see. They had traveled a considerable distance when Fronk pare denly espied a seal lying beside an airhole, either asleep, or so unconscious of what was going on that he had not heard the ‘advance of his enemies. — They had come upon him quite suddenly, and Jeff, fearing — that he would hear them and disappear before they could fire: a shot, Tushed forward with his gun clubbed, to strike him rene the head. : Just as he was about to strike, he slipped and fell, the blow | me ‘falling indeed but on the creature’s back instead of on his head. He made one dive for the airhole, overturned Jeff, and ais. ei appeared. Ee In his fall, the unfortunate sailor’s weapon was discharge and the entire contents entered his breast, lacerating h frightfully, one ball entering his left lung, near the heart. © When his comrades ran to him, he could not speak, and ap; peared to be fast failing. Pe They attempted to raise him np; but his wounds bled ‘ise violently, and the expression on his face indicated that he suffered so much that he would prefer to be let alone. He extended one hand, and when Frank took it, he presse the boy’s hand and smiled, turning his eyes toward his ce panions. : Sam and Theodore took his hand, and then, with a strug C he said, faintly: L Ei ““Good-by, boys, and tell the captain that I am sorry to teave: him, but that———” He could say no more, and fell back in a dead faint, ane which he never recovered, for when they lifted him up rem : was extinct. y “Poor fellow,” said Frank. “We shall all miss him sadly.” They raised the body between them and bore it back t ’ fort, where it would be given the last rites before being | ied beneath the eternal snows of this luckless. land. Be When near the fort, the captain came hurrying toward and asked, excitedly: a aes “Ts that the doctor?” ih _ Being told what had happened, the captain eformed: { that Dr. Warren was missing, and that his pike had been fou ‘upon the snow a long way from the fort, but that there was sign of him, and there was no telling what had happene He did not return all that day, and all hands turned out find him, for they all liked him, and could not bear ei that a fresh See had oer them.

Page 22

DESERTED. Bi. ticable to get it out, they left it there marking the spot by a The boat, too, could not be reached, and beyond a doubt it - rude*cross formed of ice blocks. had already been destroyed, and with it the strongest hope of - They turned their steps sadly toward the fort, the captain re-| the unfortunate castaways. marking gloomily: A sudden shifting of the flames enabled Captain Chicks to “Misfortunes come thick upon us, and no one can tell what | bring up his ax-men again, and considerable timber was saved, new disaster may happen, or how soon.’ which was only partly charred, and which would serve for con- The words were prophetic, for as they neared the stockade a | structing another shelter, the pieces being of good size. P sudden burst of smoke came from the door of the house, fol-} While this was going on, Frank caught a glimpse of the lowed by a tongue of flame. boat, and his heart sank within him. _ “The house is on fire!” shouted Manne. “What can have} Jt was in the very centre of the burning pile, and was now - caused it? Quick, let us save what we can!” more than half consumed, its outlines being just distinguish- They dashed across the intervening space, and into the| able, ~ house, which they found all ablaze. — _ This was a sad blow, indeed, and Frank could hardly re- saat One of the stoves, becoming overheated, in their absence, had | strain his tears when he realized how much it meant to them - burst, and seattering its fiery contents all about, threatened in their helpless condition. z the entire destruction of the dwelling. j ‘ With the boat they might have accomplished much—perhaps\ been able to reach some aie ae port; without it they could do nothing. Choking down his emotions, Frank resumed his work, for CHAPTER XIX. there was no time to lose in idle regrets, and every moment eee was precious. ACCIDENT AND DISASTER FOLLOW FAST ON BACH OTHER'S HEELS. The flames suddenly shifted again, and drove the workers i away, and now there was no place where they could do any- When the captain and the rest entered the house it was full| thing, and they were obliged to stand and watch the work of of smoke, and the flames were spreading rapidly. destruction without being able to prevent it. They endeavored to put them out, but as fast as they sub- The storehouse was now a mass of fire, and to remain near _dued them in one quarter they broke out in another, and with | it was exceedingly dangerous, owing to the frequent explosions _ greater force. caused by the steam escaping. - The bunks were on fire, and the flames had crept up into the Great blocks of ice were thrown to an enormous height, and ceiling, where they could not be reached, although when the | showers of scalding water fell on all sides, so that it was ex- - snow began to melt it would greatly arrest them. : tremely hazardous to remain near the fire, Bde was now en- - By that time, however, they would have no roofs to cover | tirely beyond control. me their heads, and it was therefore necessary to save it, if pos- Nothing could extinguish the burning coal, and there it pea _ sible, and thus prevent such a catastrophe. a glowing mass surrounded by ice, sinking down to the ground _ , The canvas composing the main walls was now in a blaze, | heneath, and still burning on, and every now and then causing : however, and it became necessary to save the contents before | 9 voleanic eruption of stone and earth, ice, hot water, and gen- _ they were destroyed. eral rubbish, the volumes shooting up into the air to a con- _ The lighter articles were at once hurried outside, the extra | siderable distance, and then falling in showers all around. ; j _ clothing, blankets, and weapons being first saved, and then such What they had saved the captain and his friends took away provisions ‘as were not in the storehouse below. to a safe distance, and then stood upon a slight eminence over-— By this time, however, the mud and snow walls had begun to | looking the scene and watched the thrilling sight. _ Melt and fall, letting) down the rocks which were at the bot- “The fire will burn itself out,” mused the captain, “and. then we , and greatly endangering the whole structure. the ice will resume it sway. It conquers everything, and it will he wooden sheathing being so cold, did not, fortunately, conquer us in time if we remain in this pitiless country.” _ eatch fire, but it warped and cracked and gave way in many “Tt looks like burned brandy on ice,” remarked Sam, look- pl 18S, which was about as bad, for it threatened the des-|ing at the glowing coals surrounded by ice, “or like a dish eg tes truction of the house as much as if it had caught fire. of ice-cream set on fire. Gosh, what an elegant punch aie: 2 : The castaways had saved nearly everything, except the boat, | would make!” a which was rather heavy to manage, and were returning for it,| «fa110!” said Joe, suddenly, “bless ‘my heart if there isn’t ‘wher a warning cry from Frank told them that Some new }Grim. Well, that cat takes the cake. The fire must be danger threatened. mighty hot that hé won't sit alongside.” is | In fact, the captain was already over the threshold, when our|’ Much to the surprise of all, the black cat, which until that : See pulled him back, and both fled from the spot. | moment nobody had given a thought to, suddenly dashed out he walls of the shelter, weakened in many places, suddenly | trom amid the burning rubbish, rolled on the sward, an e way with a crash, letting the roof, with all its weight tran to Joe and sat on his shoulde. rring vigo now and ice, right down into the centre ne what had been “Well, Mr. EDS i : fi i “a ng ye mmon room, x kin, you found it warm in there, did you? | And so you came out to see Joe, did you? That's right, Puss,” skein bh a nal they ean ron 2 oad oa ae high py his. pet, meat the latter purred and rubbed We o 3 i8 sleek head against the boy’s cheek. ear : nese : end hint going into the BORER Has any ies "Pears to me that cat is the Old Nick himself,” - Sam, “for anything else would a’ been roasted or melt he faithful fellow was not seen, and uegond a doubt he he don't Reem.to be even scorched.” The hut was now a mass of steaming, smoking ruins, the| “Hé’s a boss cat,” returned Joe, with a laugh; “and wh flames every now and then bursting forth in spite of the snow | S¢t home I’m going to exhibit him around the country as | S ,and driving our friends away by their intensity. eens rte ie end ee i ei based ane) fae e storehouse had been hollowed out of a snowbank, not far | 2t@phs of this wonderful animal, only a dime! ock oi he a = this \had now been broken in a hair for a quarter! Step right up, vorte da begi at access to it was impossible, a mass mediately! * : These words, given in the ‘style affected by the “side. sh —what there was—and this now oe 1 oceasi ee ‘wich axes, the caida Frank, a Mr. ‘tales, ; attacked the outer edge of the burning rubbish-| At last the fire disappeared beneath the surface, a rder to save what they could for ee tag also al continued to burn beyond a doubt for some the boat, ¥ ae what material they had at hand, of tiher ‘was cut away, ed a shelter, for it could not be called the reac ‘of the flames, ua! re lo. t Att SUD \ upon the burning portions, : put | Seth him ‘ g-bag, so that noth outa a ; 4 ani ie and possessing a ‘vein of comical Huon which J ally drew upon, ‘much to the amusement of ia co L

Page 23

: CHAPTER XX. OUR FRIENDS LOSE A FIRM FRIEND-—-AN UNFORESEEN CALAMITY. 33 ~ There was opportunity the next day to improve their shelter ‘im a measure and make it more comfortable, and this our friends attended to without delay. _ Wor a week or ten days they lived in comparative comfort, considering the desperate state of their circumstances; but then Mr. Manne, formerly ice-pilot, began to notice signs in the pack which he did not altogether like. It was not so much that it seemed ready to break up, and __ that the long-imprisoned waters were about to re-assume their _ sway, for the time for the return of the sun was approaching, _ but the position of their house seemed also changed. Th fact, without knowing it, they had built upon the floe in- stead of upon the land, and in a week’s time they had drifted _ to a considerable distance, so much so, indeed, that they could not help notice it. There was great danger, therefore, of the floe separating, and of their being precipitated in the icy flood, without the slight- est notice, at any time, “Tn fact, it was but a short time after Mr. Manne had called attention to the fact that strange sounds began to come from the pack, groanings, gratings, and occasionally a noise like the snapping of innumerable whips, or the discharge cf a “number of pistols, accompanied, now and then, by strange vi- brations, as though the foundations of all things were giving _ way. _ “E would advise a speedy removal to the mainland,” said ‘ Manne, “for we cannot tell how soon we may find ourselves ; floating down-stream on a cake of ice, or perhaps even worse than that, I do not see how I could have made such a mistake _ as to take a part of the floe for the land.” - *Nobody blames you, Manne,” returned the captain. “It is a wonder to me how you can tell one from the other, when both are so much alike.” ay “The ice shifts, and the land does not.” : ut certainly this part has been stationary all the winter ~unti now. In fact, it was so before the ice closed in, and if oli mistake hot there were rocks and a sandbar right where. our » house stands.” _ -'*“So I thought,” returned Manne, musingly; “but so many strange, exciting things have happened to us, that I was not ure oe haa I really remembered it, or whether I had only oem too, where the doctor lost his life, was a © affair. That wasn’t out on the floe in the thick ice, re no other signs, no glaciers, or anything of that-sort. ‘eally very strange.” h first indications, all hands began to move the supply of ns and other necessaries to a point where it Mise not, ch took as large a bundle as he could conveniently carry on his back, and Pe procession then moved further inland, _retur ng after thei: burdens had been deposited in what vas. ( ed a safe spot. red to take the latter itself down, so as to put it up some- ake | it pieces as fast as ae ‘and bundles made als, which the castaways shouldered, and started file, the captain first and Mr. Manne last. ._ ‘a tremendous crashing sound was heard, and the | spouted up between Frank and Mr. Manne, the Ww yards behind. ke an avalanche the : ice suddenly slid away toward the a olumn of water, aes sand and rocks was thrown ank sta gered 1 rather than ran forward, and at the next “was a channel a hundred feet in width petwagn aon oe ice-pilot. , DESERTED. |have happened time and again on the ragged shores of the embling having increased at the end of an hour after ing removed evouy bing: rota the house, they then pre- ‘not his words have aroused? '. “What prevents me from taking your wretched lit res crouched years before, a large sandbank, and upon this the floe had grounded, becoming almost a part of the land itself. i Upon this had been carried alluvial deposits brought by the warmer currents from the south until upon the floe was formed — land, the ice being covered up, and a continuous chain formed connecting it with the main. a Rocks brought hither by the pack ice had settled down, the — sand had separated itself from the snow, and here, finally, was a firm tongue of solid land, as it seemed, projecting into the sea. Finally, in the course of years, the original sandbank had suddenly settled, the ocean had re-assumed its sway, the land founded on the ice had been swept: away, and the deception at last exposed, There had been nothing but an ice-floe covered with sand and rocks, although it had been mistaken for the land itself, and now the connecting link had broken away, and the floe had been swept into its natural element. Such things, though seemingly strange and unnatural. Arctic, and will continue to do so till the end of time. i Thus, the crevasse into which the good doctor had fallen was merely the pit formed by the first breaking away of this ephemeral peninsula from the actual mainland, and it was © that thought which had puzzled Manne and given rise to such — yague alarm in his mind. me The others were safe, but Manne was carried away before their sight; the ice gradually went to pieces, as it met the — opposing masses, and was broken and piled up confusedly. ey Every now and then the stream would become choked with ice and would not be visible, but would then suddenly re-assert itself, send columns of spray in all directions, and roaring _ and rushing and tumbling, would send the irregular masses of ice rolling and crashing on one another on its way through! the . pack. 7. It was a grand sight, but a sad one as well, for in one of | these struggles their house was suddenly seen to disappear be-— neath the flood, and at the next moment the ice parted under — Ee Manne’s feet and he was precipitated into the boiling flood. ho They saw him struggling for an instant, but then they lost sight of him, and the seething waters rushed on, tossing hi, their spray and foam, grinding and pounding great blocks | ice to powder, and putting down all opposition, one poor hum: life being as nothing to their mighty power. Safe on the bank, they gazed sadly at the awful sight, and then, as the wind gradually shifted and the motion in the pack became less yiolent and finally appeared to ‘cease altogeth the waters having again subsided, they betook themselves to _ | where they had left the supplies, and began to consult with — each other about building a shelter. | ’ “The place is accursed!” éried the captain. “Let us rat: er try our fortunes with the icy blast, and like those villains who deserted us, ages to reach civilization.” CHAPTER XXI. THE QUESTION ANSWERED-—TYRRELL'S BITTER BOR. At 'sight of the man who had suddenly broken in upo solitude, sitting there alone in the hut, his comrades gone knew not whither, Tyrrell turned faint and, SICK: The sight of the man was a reproach, a warning to him, a he saw in his face a dreadful f reboding of a fate well meri but dreaded with all the intensity of groveling fear. ‘The man’s face caused him fear, but. what emotion ‘This was the man’s question, and what answe’ he make to it—what_ else could he reply but “Not your es Be me! a t like th t He dia not say this, hands as if t expecting. i Blow “Don’t kill me, Jack! ae a ove. Don’t

Page 24

DESERTED. — yejre all blow and bluster. Ye could lose yer soul through a _ Grack in the floor, it’s so small. Bah! I ‘wouldn't touch such carrion ag you, for fear of contagion.” _ Master of invective as Tyrrell was, in his abject fear and - cowardice he could not invent words jn reply to the withering - torrent of well-deserved abuse which Jack Clayton now poured upon him. “Kill you!” hissed the other. “I don’t kill skunks, for fear ot being made foul by the contact. If I was to touch you, I'd be'smirched like I had touched pitch, and I could never get the smell of your dirty blood off my hands. It’s bad enough to - have to breathe the same air with ye, to say nothing of coming aear enough to strike. _ “So you cry for mercy, do you, with the cries of your mur- dered mates yet ringing in your ears, with their blood still fresh on your hands? Much mercy you showed our good cap- tain when you deserted him. “Helpless, eh? So was we helpless when you drugged us and left us to perish in the snow; but little you cared for that. Oh, you miserable snake, toad, worm, whatever else is mean and vile! I could crush ye under my foot if it wouldn’t disgrace me too much.” : So the man continued, until he had exhausted all his wrath, _ expressed all his scorn of the contemptible creature before him, who, had he not been the small-souled, driveling brute that he was, would have arisen long since, broken leg and all, and , choked his accuser into silence. ' He had not the spirit to do this. He knew that every word Jack uttered was the truth; he knew that he had no boy to contend with, and that Jack, spite of his wan look, was more than a match for him, and coward that he was, he could not be eyen goaded to resistance, not even by the scathing abuse which rained upon him. “Bah! you’re not worth wasting words on,” said Jack, at length, clearing his throat with an action characteristic of dis- - gust. “If ye’d been a man ye wouldn't have stood the half of what I’ve said to you without knocking me stiff, game leg or no game leg, but you ain’t worth the hangman’s rope or the ' powder that’d send your mean soul to where it’s long been ~ waited for, so I’m blessed if I say another word to such rub- *- bish!” '\Presently turning around, however, he said contemptuously: “J asked ye what prevented my taking your life, didn’t I? Well, I’ll tell you what. I’d rather ye’d live and suffer—live and feel the bitter scorn of all decent men eating into your black heart day by day. _ “What prevents me is the knowing that. if I killed you now op ui Jet you off from further punishment, and you hayen’t had _ the half that you deserve for all you’ve done, and another g that prevents me is that I hate to lower myself to your _ level by dipping my hands in your filthy blood. “Recollect, though, Spence Tyrrell, that you haven’t got a more bitter foe in the whole world than me, and if I choose take my own means for punishing you for your treachery, _ that’s my affair, and now I’ye said all I’m going to say, and be hanged to you.” Then he urned his back upon Ns wretch, and paid no more attention to him than if he had not been there, © After i ta himself, he took out his bundle of ee rrell looming on in wonder at the sight. After a long time the steward and Woods came in, being reatly Paani at seeing the man prow they had long Ber Al if “Guess _ you didn’t expect to see me again, did you?” ‘ob- ervyed Jack, quietly. a enough, no thanks to some I might HASH, and what's ore, I’ve come to stay.” “Don’t | let him!” shrieked Tyrrell: =he intends to kill us all. e said so to me. Drive him out!” Shut up, you booby,” blurted out Woods, roughiy. eed a sight rather have Jack Clayton with us than you, any Besides, we're two to one, anyhow.” Ye. needn't mind me,” said Jack to the arith. “T ain’t come here to fight, unless you fight fust. I know ‘well enough why yor uw stick by Tyrrell—it’s because he knows how to find his this wilderness and you don’t. Otherwise, you'd | ik would. the plague.” Yi ht there, Peaks said the steward, fan “Oh, you needn’t look scared—I’m alive | nS } out he’s too durned glad to get out of workin’, and so he jest keéps it from healing quick.” Tyrrell, seeing that they were all against him, and that his two comrades had made friends with Jack instead of ejecting him from the hut, ground his teeth in impotent rage, and set himself to thinking how he might revenge himself upon the man for his contempt. There was little to do except to keep the fire going and look after the comfort of the hut, for there was no game nor fuel to be had, and consequently time dragged heavily on the hands of the quartette, and little quarrels and bickerings were of frequent occurrence, Jack, however, seemed to read a good deal out of a little black book he took from his pocket, though when asked what it — was he would put it away and not produce it again for some time. Tyrrell fretted more than any one, for he could not ey out like the others, and was often left alone for hours at a time, unable to help himself, and tormented by the feeling that at last the others had deserted him, and that he must die, alone and friendless, in the inhospitable North. ‘ So the time passed on, Woods and John continually dis- puting, Jack reading from his little black book whenever he could get a chance without being observed, and the sick man’s jeg seemed greatly improved, so much so, in fact, that the smith finally declared he was not going to wait any longer for at “You can walk with a stick, and I’ll make you 4 crutch,” said Woods, “and you’ve got to do the best you can. The ice is ready to break up, and the sun ‘is already here, and afore we know it the snow will be melting, and then we'll have the fiend’s own job to make our way out of this beastly hole. If we had a boat it wouldn’t be so bad.” . “Besides that, the grub isn’t going to last forever,” growled | the steward, “and we don’t know as we shall find any game.” Tyrrell protested that he was not yet able to bear the fatigue of a journey over the snow; but the others insisted upon his ’ attempting it, and Woods fashioned him a rude crutch to ae sist him in walking. The camp was therefore brokén up, and the four men. set off to find that home which some of them were destined heyer to | reach. te They traveled all day without stopping, but at night Tyrrell was so used up that he swore he would go no further Drei his = leg was stronger. ee “You'll do as I say!” growled Woods, with his fist ofenlebmdpa while Jack Clayton retired to a corner of the wretched hut * they had made and pored over the pages of the mysterious little book. ak In the morning Tyrrell refused to budge until the next day, iat whereat the steward struck his crutch from under him and i caused him to fall violently to the ground. Ten the brutal wretch kicked the prostrate villian in th . : side, and swore roundly that he would stand no nonsense, an that if Tyrrell was not ready to guide them they would leay him there and get on as best they could without his help. This brought him to terms, and he remained with them for three-or four days, although suffering the most intense ‘pain from his broken leg. a At last, however, a fever attacked him, his limbs ranesede support him, and it was entirely out of thé question | ton him to attempt to lead them. “We've gone far enough for me to know the rest of ‘the ra anyhow,” said woods, “and I say let’s leave him and BO on alone.” A “You may ‘do oe if you like,” said Jack Clayton, to ier "| intense surprise, “but ae going to stay behind and bs of him.” — “What!” - “That’s what I’m going to do—stay sin ie and look eit him. ” ‘ Such a declaration fram a man like Jack Clayton seemed utterly nonsensical that both Woods and the steward bre into a coarse laugh, but, spite of all their ridicule, Jack c unmoved, and merely said: fit “That's my determination, boys, so make the best of is enact XXII Abe

Page 25

DESERTED. They were sure that he had some design to carry out, and glad he’s dead. I wish Jack Clayton was, too. He defied via ; 4 that having gotten rid of them for a short time, he would re-| heaped scorn upon me, bearded me to my teeth. Ugh! at {2 - join them. could catch him asleep once I’d knife him as sure as I live.” 7 “T know what you want,” said Woods, at length, “and that’s “Steady, Jack, steady,” muttered the seaman to himself, as - to be alone with Tyrrell so’s you can kill him. If that’s all} he checked down his rising anger. “You’ve taken upon your-_ - that’s keeping you, go ahead and do it. I’m sure we won’t|self to be forgiving, to be merciful, to-act the part of a Chris- stop ye,” tian gentleman, and not of a miserable, murdering ruffian. . -. “Course we won’t,” growled John; “we'll help you, Jack, and! God knows it’s hard, after what you’ve been, but try, Jack, my - then we can all three go on together. Come ahead. I'll toss : boy—try with all your might! et - up with you to see whovstrikes the fust blow. We're in need! “You know it’s hard to leave a man to die in this ‘wilderness, * of provisions, anyhow, and—-——” even when he’s done his worse again’ you, and when he’s as bad ec | What a horrible suggestiveness there was in the man’s look! as this man seems to be but it’s your duty, Jack, remember _ as he drew his sheath-knife and whetted it upon his boot! that; it’s your duty, and the more hard it is to do the greater ; What frightful ideas came sweeping through the mind, called; the praise when you have done it. The book tells you that, up by the action, by the broken sentence, and by the man’s} plain enough, Jack.” gavage glance. Tyrrell was quieter now, evidently thinking, if he thought at Des : All the dreadful stories he had ever heard or read of man} all, that he was alone, and he soon fell into a gentle doze, while i 4 preying upon his fellow-man rushed tumultuously over Jack} Jack went away to a corner, sat down, and took out the little # _ Clayton’s brain. black book his companions had noticed him reading on several = His face turned the hue of ashes, while the cold sweat stood | occasions. + a: upon his reeking forehead. Turning over the pages, he finally found what he was look- fe f Grasping his own knife, he threw himself in front of the|ing for, and said aloud, rather than read it, for he seemed 4 - wretched hovel where Tyrrell lay delirious, and, intercepting | perfectly familiar with the words: ‘ “eet - the steward, cried fiercely: “Wor, inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, a * “As God sees me, I’ll strike ye dead if you attempt to pass. | My children, ye have done it unto Me.” “ee _ Tl have no such demon’s work as you propose. That man is} This, then, was the source of Jack’s altered feelings, to which — under my protection.” }he now turned for consolation .and for confirmation in his ae a _ “Well, then, go in and kill him yourself,” retorted John, de-, new course of action. i - precatingly, “only be quiek about it.” The book was the New Testament, a common cheap pocket — _ “The man’s life shal} not be taken by any but the One that edition, such as are sold by the thousand, at a féw cents each, Pe. ~ gave it.” |and had been the parting gift ofa friend. Tay _(*Oh, come along,” growled Woods. “Leave him to die.; Jack Clayton had carried that little Testament in his coat- y That'll be the easiest way out of it.” pocket for more than a year, simply from force of habit, and “No!” said Jack, firmly. “Understand me, boys—I’m not} because it h&d been the gift of a friend, but it had only been going until Tyrrell can go with me. Do you think I want his |of late that he had troubled himself to look through its pages. - life?” In his solitude while making that fearful march thfough - “You might have taken it once, only you wanted him to suf-| the desert, he had begun to look over it to relieve the monot- - fer all the more.” ony, and mahy passages had become familiar to him, though | “Well, that time has: gone byl I don’t say Spence Tyrrell} much in the same way as a child knows and repeats Rerges, ‘yet ain’t a bad man, for he is, and so are all of us, but I do say | without comprehending their meaning. that I’ve got no right to take vengeance on him. I’d be worse After coming to the camp of Tyrrell and the ethers: he had than him if I left him now, and I’m going to stay,” continued his reading, but it was not until within a few days _ “Fm! turned pious!” sneered Woods. | Of the time now described that he seemed to really catch the -*No, I haven’t, but I’m not the man I was, and don’t look at} sense of what he read, and to get its true meaning. , things like I did once. I prayed once that Tyrrell might come If he had been slow to comprehend, tardy in accepting | the | ayb0: suffer just what those suffered that he abandoned. He’s/ truth, he was certainly not lacking in faith in giving it his done worse, and now I’m sorry I said it, and I’m going to take | whole attention, his full belief when he at Jast did come over, care of him till he gets better.” and though perhaps not a converted man in the common use _ Jack had certainly changed, if he could say and mean these} of the term, he was a decidedly changed one. : “thi gs, and he looked as if he did, beyond a doubt. Nor could his sincerity be questioned, for it had been put to. ‘The others were angry, and, as they were ready to go, turned | a severe test and had not given way, and the man had already away.and left him. laid out a plan of action, which, if carried out, would entitle -" “You're a fool, that’s all I can say,” growled Woods. him to far more credit for real Christianity than people usually ‘Good-by, pafson,} sneered John. “You'll get sick of your | get in this world. job afore long.” 4 “Captain Chicks was a good,man,” he mused, as he sat with i Jack stood and watched them out of sight, and then turned | the book on his knee; “and sd was Frank good, and Ted and the miserable shelter they had built, where Tyrrell lay | Mr, Wheeling. Even Sam Salt, cranky as he was, would no ng and moaning in his agony. sooner do anything mean than he'd eut off his toes! They was ‘od give me strength to bear this trial,” murmured Jack, | all good, when you come to think of it, and yet I was we x »entered, “I am a changed man I know, and don't think enough to go leave them and follow this ——” Pinan to, but maybe I’m not as strong as I think, and might| He suddenly broke off, as he was about to apply some eer empted.” | | temptuous. epithet to the unconscious engineer, and muttered to rrell was too delirious to recognize the man, although he} himself: that some one had entered, and as he aie hough he “Hold on, Jack! You've no right to judge him when you’ ‘pon. his rough bed, he moaned: ain’t such a good fellow your own self. How would you like to n’t leave me alone, Woods, or Jack may ois in and kill| be judged just as you are judging him?” e e hates me and glares at me so that I know he means Then he arose, moved Tyrrell into a more comfortable po _ mischief. us I could move from here, I'd shoot him some | tion, washed the fever-damp. from his forehead, gaye him so ee and have an end to this.” thing to drink when he awoke for an instant, still un eeded all the man’s good renanetioes to prevent him| scious of who his attendant was, and otherwise supplied | springing at the villain’s throat and throttling him, but! wants, doing all this with the utmost tenderness, and without ontrolled himself by a ‘masterly effort and remained ‘stand-| the least fuss or worry, and bearing all Tyrrell’s fuming ae iy where he was, saying never a word. | complaining with the greatest patience. "we esently Tyrrell, in his feyer, half raised himself upon one|, Jack Clayton was a changed man, indeed, st Go ‘all this. | and said in a whisper, as if talking to some one: é pars ay, John, if you'll put him out of the way, I’ll give you undred dollars when we get home. I don’t like Jack} it was an evil day for me when he came back. I been around that day—-I’d have shot him. Get ridj or me, won't you? I'd do it myself if I was stronger,” listener was greatly tempted to rush forward and{ Lo hind man aud his mutterings at one moment, but } his etermination, he remained rooted to, (x v ‘ CHAPTER XXIII. AGAIN ON THE MAROH--FACE TO ee

Page 26

DESERTED. a) s 7a s FS until he had finally subdued them and put them under his|I don’t know whether you want to poison me or not, and I ey feeb, want to make sure that what I eat is all right.” ay He could not have made a better nurse if he had been trained Jack did as requested without a murmur of complaint, and for it, and his efforts were rewarded by the recovery of his Tyrrell, eyeing him suspiciously all the time, at last snatched ‘patient from the fever which had so harassed him. the plate from him and eagerly devoured its contents. _ One morning, after the first easy sleep he had had, Tyrrell} Then getting upon /his feet, by the aid of his crutch and a ; awoke, and glancing about him, saw Jack sitting by the scanty | stick, not permitting Jack to assist him, he drew his hood over fire, getting breakfast. his head; put on his gloyes, and went ousside, not without He shuddered and tried to get up, and this made a noise | some difficulty, for he was still weak. - which attracted Jack’s attention. Jack ate his own breakfast and then went outside, where he “Better not try to do that, sir,” he said quietly, “till I can| saw Vyrrell coming toward the hut, after having tramped over : “come and help you. I don’t think you’re strong enough for| the ice, and evidently suffering from cold and exhaustion. that yet.” : As he neared the shelter, he would have fallen if Jack had “What are you doing?” growled Tyrrell; but his tone made| not caught him, he was so faint, but even for this kindness he no difference to Jack now, as he had conquered himself was not the least grateful, swearing aud cursing, and telling “Getting your breakfast.” _ | the man not to come near or touch him, for that he was afraid “My breakfast?” “Aud my own, too, sir, at the same time.” ; of him-and knew that his intentions were evil. “There’ve gone, fast enough!” he muttered, as he staggered oe “Whefe’s Woods?” j to his couch, “the thankless dogs. May they lose their way, ; ~ *Couldn’t say, sir.” | ; and be frozen to death! Curses upon them, the brutes!” a _ “Haven’t you seen him this ue at “Don’t do that, sir,” interposed Jack. “Curses, they say,’ ( “No.” always comes back on them that utters ’em. Let ’em go, sin, oie “Then, where’s John?” and be thankful it’s no wuss.” nage “With Woods, I suppose; ies was together when I last saw To this Tyrrell made no reply, put, presently, when Jack hie them. a proposed to shift him to an easier position and bandage his leg, . “When was that?” was the petulant inquiry. he offered no objection, but watched the operation moodily and “I can’t remember; it was some little time ago.”, in silence, his mind being evidently occupied in turning over E ‘They have abandoned me,” cried the wretch, partly rising; | the incidents of the last few days. — Mette i “they have left me with you, knowing your hatred of me. He did not seem to fret much after this, and, as a conse ; ; ee kill fe! Jack—don’t, don’t! Help, there! help against quence, his fever departed, and he had a much healthier look i ‘ than before. The sun was now quite strong, and during the middle ot wise to ne on at once. oa next day, therefore, when he proposed fie GY ng and if you bring if on again, I can’t tell what harm it to his feet, ona % even took hid arm Hint walkirig. patie ht do you. ‘Rest yourself a bit, and then have something The hut was left as it was, a bundle being made of a at.” uate _ | was valuable, Jack strapping this upon his shoulder. ; i shane are alone here?” asked the other, girinaue evidently, ‘Then they set off together, Tyrrell using his crutch and eee kd i | Jack's shoulder, and thus they, made pretty good - progress. “They haye really gone away—left us s two here alone?” | suaaenty. upoa rounding a bend in the pneine: came ry ‘ a group of persons Sitting around a mise able little fire, cook- f f : ; ing a few scanty provisions. i r ‘four oie You would find it out sooner or later, Tyrrell started back, uttered a ery of horror, and fell. as. well tell you, rhoned I was going to wait till ing in Jack Clayton's arms, Ty thtias ; ronger.” No wonder, for in the leader of this, little group ‘hree or four days?” echoed Tyrrell. “As long Bs that? I started up he recognized Captain Chicks. : ; elieve Tr ; “My .God, captain, are you still alive?” ‘cried hat’s the time, sure. enough. " aye ce thought your whole party had perished.” * And we have been here alone all that time?” “No thanks to you and this villain here,” 4 Fear | tain. “You two, then, are the only survivors’ hat’s likely. Do; you think is would: ae: stayed with have done better not to have deserted WSs op that time? Do you think rm mad?” Ar Sit “Don’t tax me with that, sir,” said Jack, mets e had a fever, and T didn’t know ao you ’d have oe = know it ‘myself too well, t } ¢ 1 oi 0 ‘that. your might Kill me in ft possesion | stay oe! him.” i : Sg ‘you i Were ‘if you ean’ Saevde yourselt to int ee

Page 27

ae z hy . I heels Fin ei hy i yee. view gt DESPRE Dw A oo | and wounded now, and it seems unnat’ral to leave him so. _ You wouldn’t advise me to do it, would you, sir?” turning an appealing glance to the captain. “No, Jack, I would not indeed. much yourself. I see it in your face. It had been better for 5 s all, though, if we had never met this man.” “Ts this all of you?” asked Jack, still supporting Tyrrell, and ' glancing around; “only you and Sam, Frank and Ted? Why, - you've got that black cat, too. Where is Joe—little Joe, the ‘cabin boy? That was his pet.” _ “We left him behind there under the snow,” said ‘Sam, pass- ing his coat-sleeve across his eyes. “He was a good little fel- low, Joe was, and I’m sorry he couldn’t stand it.” And the officers—Mr. Wheeling, Mr. Manne, the doctor and the rest?” ; , “Lost,” answered Frank, “one after another, and now we're on the retreat, and God’ knows how soon we, too, must g0. _ ‘We have barely enou&h food to last another day.” ‘Tyrrell now opened his eyes, glared wildly at Frank and the ca tain, and then clutching Jack’s arm, pulled him forward, auttering hoarsely: _ “Come, Jack, come. horrible dream if I can. ill, they will!” Then Jack led him on ahead so that he should not see the lers, and they following on behind, took up the dreary pro- I am haunted. Let me shut out this I am afraid of ghosts. If they can ¢ <a \ \ CHAPTER XXIV. / 3 ha fii asics a ttt ONE MORE yrerrm TO THE PITILESS NORTH, ition his resolution ne to remain nee on the. ‘spot, and 1 next morning preparations were made for departure. provisions were made up into pundlés, the hut was torn he material split up and made into bundles to be el, and then each one took his share of the load, and was ree cm ler under his fur fiopal i Somes what that theta eat, can 1 stand,” observed eat him!” eried Toe; as though ann had meant | “He's. my cat, and Pm going: to take him Ca ) more snugly on Joe's shoulder and looked bi his green eyes, as though eh ‘ You seém to have suffered | | road, and when they raised him he could not stand alone. | way, or I wouldn’t object to a marmalade of mackerel au fins, a “herbs, or a trot-’em-out of chickens’ livers and gimblets.” tee 3 e . “Or some ten-penny nails larded with tin- tacks,” suggested peo Theodore; “that would be almost as digestible.” = Day after day the weary journey was kept up, and little Dye little the spirits of our friends began to flag and their atrenee Pd to fail. The way was long, and they could see but ok end to it, and that lay in the grave. Joe, unused to such fatiguing work, began to give out, but, nevertheless, he toiled on, uncomplainingly, and did his best — to be cheerful, aud to keep up with the rest. ‘ _ Cold and weary, foot-sore and hungry, worn out in body and — mind, there at last came a time when he fell exhausted in the That night was bitterly cold, and though they covered him up as much as they could, they could not warm him or bring the glow to his wan cheeks. In the morning his sleeping-bag was frozen, and had to be cut apart before he could be released, and even when he was ~ brought close to the fire,-he did not seem to growf warmer. They made him up a hot breakfast, but he did not relish it, j and complained of feeling sick at his stomach, and cold. , , His feet and limbs were badly froxt-bitten, and the skin came — off his hands, leaving them raw and sore, while his feet were Y so tender that he said it felt as if he were walking on “holy eoals. poe A fever seemed racking his brain, too, and he was frequently i delirious, and talked all sorts of nonsense. The captain and Frank carried him in their arms half ‘of that day, but at last he begged them to stop and put ae down. “But you can’t walk, Joe, and you’re not rene ¢ “Even my weight tires you, Frank, burdened as you are already, and you’re not as strong. as you were. i : “Ted and I can carry you, then, é: suggested Sam, me give the others a spell.” ’ i “No, no, it’s no use; you'd better put me down. I can’t— A sudden change came’ over his a tate as he rank shuddered. : 4 | it knew that the boy’s last hour had come. At a sign from the captain, Frank released his hold, and: the kind-hearted commander laid the boy tenderly upon hea’ sn Ww, over which Sam had hastily thrown his outer coat. MS : Joe smiled faintly, cians their hands one by one, and “| said: “Good- -by, Captain Chicks. You’ve been very kind to. me, 5 who was only a poor cabin boy, and I shall not forget it be I go up yonder. Goodby, Sam. You won't hurt Grim, you? He’s good, if he is only a black cat. Good-by, Frank an Ted. You've been kind to me, too, Will you ‘put me under snow when I am gone, and let me stay there?” “Yes, yes, my boy,” cried the captain, understanding dread. “ Nothing shall harm - you when you are gone. (Gee “Then good-by, all, and*God bless, you. a would have. to get home and see my peers aeuia, but | a must be con ‘to wait 28 eae as. a ‘candle burns nd the ‘eels still resting on rae f ‘though his eyes were closed. “) Y The’ end came upon him so gently that they hardly when he died, ‘but sat by his side ; atching.h ‘s

Page 28

wrapped about him, and the hood just revealing a fringe of * curly brown locks, the smile still on his handsome face, the _ poor worn body at last at rest, and redeemed from all suffering. Above the spot arose a soft mound of snow, with a block of ice at the head and foot, and upon it the boy’s staff, which he had laid down forever in this world, and gone on to a land : where his feet would never be weary, and where he would need no staff but that of the Good Shepherd. - “Rest in your lonely grave amid the glistening snows of the frozen North, Joe, my boy, until the dawning of the bright day when we shail meet beyond the sea of trouble which sweeps all around this world.” So said the captain, kneeling beside the little grave, and all hat saw him echoed the feeling, and as they knelt beside him for an instant, more than one sob was heard, more than one tear flowed unchecked. This sad duty performed, the terrible march was resumed, and day after day, week after week, our friends dragged them- selves on, suffering cold, hunger, and thirst, enduring bodily and mental fatigue, hoping against hope, but still struggling - on, that even if they died on the road they might be nearer _ that home for which they longed so earnestly.’ ae ‘What they suffered no one can realize who has not been through the same experience, but in the midst of all their trials they remained faithful to one another, cheering and assisting, guarding and comforting, each the other, and binding them- ‘selves closer together by ties that not even death could sever. The sun appeared again, the snow began to melt, the ice showed signs of breaking up, and nearer was the end of their journey; but in spite of all that was encouraging there was still a terrible danger staring them in the face—death from ia starvation! _ At last, when they had but enough fuel to build one wretched oe fire, but food enough to last one day, they came upon two men » almost as badly off as themselves, and one of these the man to whom anes eae the greater part of all their suffering. ed if ry o CHAPTER XXV. TYRRELL’S LAST ACT oF TREACHERY. , ay ‘ A Reeth hh reg tee? morning in the month of May; ae Two men ead in Savanies of the others, one using a crutch and I having to be frequently assisted by his companion. _ These two men are Jack Clayton and Tyrrell; the others are cat in Nas cae and his ang ae from the aban ngoned fort. es, ‘hotigh Tyrrell never looked or andes to the captain or | friends, seeming to have a dread of them, and ahd kept evident that the breaking up was at anid. i boat Jett. behind fe ‘Raye been a yrs along, % ee ene divided what he had with them, though Tyrrell took him aside afterward and strongly protested against this, swearing that the men were spirits come to haunt them, and that it was — throwing food away to give it to them. The outlook was bad enough as it was, but there were worse things in store for them, though it was well they knew it not. They were plodding on as described, when, upon traversing a bit of higher ground where the walking was hard and dry, Tyrrell pointed to something lying half buried in the snow ~ ahead of them, and uttered a ery of terror. “Don’t go there!” he howled. “Don’t do it! cursed! ” Jack led him away, but Frank and the captain pushed on, and presently came auae the objects that had so auatEneA the engineer. They were merely two lifeless bodies clothed in fur, fein sightless, staring eyes turned to the leaden skies, their faces distorted with agony, their limbs stiff and rigid, and twisted — out of shape. s They were the bodies of Woods and the shewabe, who had been frozen to death from exposure. rs That last terrible night had been to much for them, and there cx they lay, cold in death. > : “Served ’em right,” muttered Sam, who had no charity what- ever for men of their class. : . The bodies were searched, but not a single article ot ‘rood sy was found upon them, not even a scrap. iy They had devoured all they had, and had _ probably gone — 4 without any for some time, and had at last fatten down and 4 been frozen to death. ae, -Tyrrell knew what had befallen them, and he was. savagely exultant over their fate, although not daring to look upon their dead bodies, evidently fearing that a like fate might be 1% store for him, Frank and the captain, assisted by Ted and Sam, dug a grave The place is and left them to their eternal sleep. That day Tyrrell seemed more anxious fiat ever to ep i Geese the others were close at hand, aed iE Tdoke faster, so as to put a greater distance between them. “We can’t leave ‘em behind, sir, altogether, if that’s, whi you want,” declared Jack, at length. “I won't Bane no more!” of that.” > “But they are pied spirits, phantoms, and not real lhe “We'll be the same, too, if we go to leaving them, and do make a mistake. If you want to leave ’em behind, you'lh har to go alone, and I won’t let you do that, either.” ‘it tae LS by “Maybe you can’t help yourself!” thought Tyrrell, although he said nothing. “If he attempts to thwart me, he, too, shall die. I'll have no triumphihg over me by Mb wu : do!” That night they aida ai Re that term “couilt *s use seeking refuge in a snow-bank, on’ the shore,. in sight swollen waters, the mist settling thick around them, and th air being . cold and clammy. . BS But for aise sleeping bags, fur-lined and impervious meotp saghes deep. It was past midnight, and all was “atl: when a Pa dently arose and went limping about among the sleeper ng up something here and something there, pon’ i 4 dbo sivas sc sane on the snow.

Page 29

slightly so as to arouse him, which he presently did most - effectually. ; sult.” The dark figure crouched down upon the ground, and in “Well, there’s no use crying over spilled milk,” observed — the thick mist was lost to sight. Frank, resignedly. “There is more chance of finding game _ “What’s the matter, puss?” asked Ted, stroking his pet, the | now than there was a while ago, and if we do see anything we Pe _ latter purring loudly. “What in thunder did you bite my ear | can knock it over the head.” : : _ for? Are you hungry?” “Blowed if I wouldn’t give up the bulliest dinner I ever tas Grim cried, though ratuer as if in alarm than because he! to do that for him,” muttered Sam, who, now that there was _ was hungry, and made an attempt to get out of the hag. nothing to eat, made no complaint of being hungry. “It _ “What's the matter, Grim? You'll wet your black socks if| would give me a satisfaction, it would, and it’s a great pity _ you go out there. Why don’t you keep quiet?” somebody didn’t do it fur him long ago.” ee! _ The cat would not keep quiet, and at last Theodore, annoyed} “j*ye got a cake of hard-tack in my pocket,” said Frank, _ by his’actions, let him go and turned over to take a fresh nap. suddenly. “I'll divide it. We'd better not stay here, anyhow, Grim approached the silent figure cautiously, when the} and perhaps if we go on we'll find something.” latter shied something at him and frightened him away. d ‘ 5 4d catlestaacal The guns, being useless, were left behind, the pikes and axes ae ams beer ae he Seah Ee ee ee ‘a ©| being taken as weapons, and with heavy hearts the unforte- oa Bard sa ag api See ear ne ONEn Ee Bnoeieer’ Bie nate fellows set out once more upon their tiresome way. | — _ heavy stick in his hand. a 2 ; Sx : ie ie nf j othe é - ene Titth Theodore found a scrap of meat in one of his pockets which ‘ i, Bee rerag, aie cans : as ee Leng i be eee ae tty | he had saved for Grim, and now offered him, but the latter ree camp | SEP E Un ecpecion es it Sen ciery or bee ¥ fused it, and darted ahead, utterly regardless gf oe his ? “Let them get on without me if they can,” he hissed, as he walvet tents. <* ee 7 +29 ped off into the gathering gloom. “I am well rid of them. Ph Re 3 hes ay; Pd dared, I’d’ve put an end to their lives, but I might have e meat was divided among them and, with the hard-tack missed my aim once and alarmed the rest.” which Frank had, made a Barty. meal enough; but it a all The sleepers slumbered on, and’ Tyrrell stole away in the they had. 3 : 4 arkness, having done the last dastardly act that he would ever | Dragging themselves along wearily, nobody Seen ns torcare commit, aie accomplished all the harm he could. to talk they journeyed on for several hours, until fatigue and 4 Grim came back and nestled by Ted’s side after a little, but | ™@¢ Smawings of hunger forced them to stop. Lakes he young fellow was fast asleep, and did not wake up, and his They cut strips from their seal boots and gnawed upon them, Bb did wot-sem to careito disturb.him again, considerthe the |®°™° little nutrition peedntng, although it was little enough, : and hard to get at. ‘ <5 i AN The snow around them afforded them the means of quench-_ he, ing their thirst, so that agony was spared to them; but signs of Me €; scurvy had made their appearance, and all were more or oe : affected by the dread disease. pat After a brief rest, they started off again, and kept on, with — eh occasional halts, until’ dark, when they crouched down upon a the snow together, lying as close to one another as possible, in pes order to keep warm. : =, Mage “T wonder where Grim is?” mused Theodore. “TI dian’t 7 think he would desert us. Poor fellow, I have nothing to give him now, and I should hate to see him starve.” s bs An hour or so later he was awakened from a troubled sleep — é by hearing his pet mewing ee him, and feeling his’ whiskers, ye t brushing his face. 5% x im “What do you want, old fellow?” he asked, rising upon one By elbow and stroking Grim’ sglossmfur. “I haven’t anything for you to eat, my boy.” Bs Grim went away a pace or so, and then returned, laying something in front of Ted, and purring loudly. “What's this?” asked the young fellow, putting out his hana, ’ “What!” he almost shrieked ae he: felt of it, eis, bird! And you the thorning, when our friends axetined themselves, they ced that ‘Tyrrell was é miseing, and tracked bie aca n wh OT ee had pais earried away by She black- fed ingrate, leaving them exposed to the greatest danger could fear—death by starvation, with no food, and no Ss ‘of procuring it. : \ CHAPTER XXVI. IN THE asia or DESPAIR, ¥ rH Then the full consciou-ness of their terrible loss began to be the members of the little party expressed themselves in ways regarding the heinousness of the offense com: itted ‘against them. , declared that nothing was bad enough for the wretch ould dc , BR a 4 thing; and hoped that he would get no _after all, if you are eats a oes black tomcat!” Then catching the hast S| up in his arms, Ted hugged and ¢ cal joy. hike i: The sound awoke the others, and they feared at firs the poor fellow had gone mad, but when he told them w happened, they could noi wonder at his conduct.’ The bird which Grim, had kflled and brought to the some kind of sea-fowl, very plump and fat, and, though ee a decidedly = Taste, not ee Z his thr oat and choke him, ‘k, though as downcast as the rest, had no hard words for aut in, but said that he was sorry a man would so far for- self, lapse hoped that there was, pardon for ent a . said nothing, but as he ote shee RS the the black: and barren coast, heaved a sigh |)

Page 30

DESERTED. fyin’ hisself and .bringin’ that bird to us afore he touched a| tottering, and they presented, in all, a most wretched and pit fe bit of it. If you don’t stuff him and put him under a glass case _ when he dies, Tad, you'll be the ungratefulest creatur’ I ever - gee, and ’ll deserve to g6 hungry all yer life.” _ “You won’t want to make a rabbit stew out of him any more, will you, Sam?” asked Frank, with a laugh. “Bet you I won't. Grimalkin, you black rascal, you’re a iable sight, and one that no one could behold unmoved. They sank down upon the bare rocks, unable to go another step, and as the wind howled among the ragged bowlders and monster bergs floating down the stream, it seemed as. though it were singing their dirge. So the day passed cheerlessly enough, and night was com: : brick, and I shouldn't wonder at seeing you fetch in a Polar! ing on with promise of-worse sufferings, when, as the sun was bear to-morrow.” - He didn’t do that, put on the morrow our friends came upon some sea-fowls simflar to the one which he had brought to them, and got near enough to knock over Ralf a dozen of them _ before: the rest took to flight. Better than that, they came upon several ‘of their nests among the rocks, and found a great number of eggs, many of which were good, and made excellent eating. They gathered as many as they could find and put them in ‘one of the sleeping-bags, so that they might not be broken. i ‘There was no means of making a fire, and nothing to make it of if there had been, so that they were obliged to eat all their food raw; but that was betfer than having none at all, and so - nobody complained. i _. There were eggs enough to last them several days, and they “hoped at the end of that time to find more, or come upon-some es other kind of food to take their place. “Next day the fog cleared up} and’ the sun came out bright and on melting the snow and making the walking most disa- They eenad often break through the crust and sink up to their necks in a mixture, half snow and half water, which was , bitterly cold, and which would penetrate even - their fur gar- ents. , _ -Bometihies, when wet to the skin, they went be obliged to . Thon, ‘too, they Would ete have is make wide detours in rder to get around the little’ creeks and bays with which the ‘e was indented, when, had these been frozen over, they ight have crossed’ them without difficulty, thereby saving h time and labor. 7 They had not seen Tyrrell.g since they started, although he could not make as quick time as they, having to walk with a and they wondered greatly if they should ever see gs tals their supply of oka out entirely, and they at a on. of the coast which appeared utterly barren pad devoid ERR the first, and they sank down ie the black rocks over- maint day they ‘biied t to ue on but thelr a oriaine gave |* sinking to rest, there: suddenly: dashed into, their midst a black | eat, famished and gaunt, and looking more like a shadow than anything else, while close behind followed half a dozen sturdy tars, who looked with awe upon their suffering brethren, caught them in their arms, and shed tears of joy. ise , : } * CHAPTER XXVII. ar Se, Ns THE LAST OF ALL. Yes, the castaways had been rescued, and rescued by black Grim—only a cat, to be sure, but as faithful a creature as ever walked on four feet, or two, either! He had not found food, but he had found the crew et whaler, whose captain had ventured into the north so early order to be the first on the ground. ; ines The presence of a cat was so PUPELISIE that the cap per ordered his men to follow. : The faithful creature would not touch any food ee. near, but kept ahead of the men, aS if to lead them on, getting out of sight, but always maintaining a good lead. food and water in’ the boat, for it was likely enough that he would be needed. ; The meeting between rescued and rescuers cannot be quately described, for no pen could picture the deep em ‘the one, the heart-felt gratitude of the other. Strong ‘men wept like little children, grizzled old t braced one another and cried as though they had gone the tenderness with which the castaways were lifted iD borne to the boats” exceeded anything ever imagined. ¢ Food and proper clothing, kindness and de a wonderful change in our friends, and even wh | reached the whaler, before going aboard at a th like new. men. — Here they gradually «recovered their health Spirits, making a welcome addition to the crew, short, owing to three of the men mene been lost ven ina gale. ie aie Fd There never was a cat, not even’ the pampered ; Fifth avenue or Murray Hill, who had ev received § tention as Grim did after coming aboard the whaler. — He Baa so in and ae feat the many good, thi sold cli

Page 31

It was with light hearts, therefore, that Captain Chicks and his friends entered upon the last stage of their voyage home, : for they now had health, wealth, and happiness, three things which really comprise everything we can look for in this world. _ ‘Tyrrell they never saw again alive, but one day a small ice- berg drifted slowly by them, upon which lay something which resembled a human form. They lowered a boat, and Chicks, Frank, Ted and Jack made a part of the crew which rowed alongside. p 3 There, frozen stiff, his haggard face glaring at the leaden 4 sky, his wasted limbs exposed to the pitiless wind, lay all that » was mortal of Spencer Tyrrell, the misguided man who had ‘ been the cause of so much misery to them all. He had died of starvation, as his sunken cheeks, hollow eyes and wasted form attested, and falling upon the ice, which had in time become detached and floated away, had at last come _ Into the presence of those he had deserted. ; His selfishness had proved his ruin; his crimes had reacted upon himself; his curses had come home to him; his life of sin be remembered but in mockery. | They “wrapped the form in sail-cloth, tied a heavy weight to e feet, and let it down into the depths, to rest forever, no ears being shed, no expressions of condolence exchanged, no ords of pity uttered; only Jack Clayton, standing near, with wed head, RES softly to himself as he tightly clasped: idee e ee ee a “be not judged,’ it ohare’ been in me fix as they say he is, in the other world, if I hadn’t a round turn on my eable and ae es up Anes h is ones in deserting the esutatn receiving that fast con- f ion arhich it dati from all classes. Bante sweet sallow. n to recollect the name. ee ae a fellow was he? aa who educated him, ted by robbing him of several thousand dollars.” Me $ Ts ‘you ever see him? on ce knocked him down for his insolence to me, when 1 n the Mississippl, He wa i Piedt DESERTED. and evil-doing had ended in a ree death, and his name will | he also knew that I would not forget him. never discovered the motive which animated as evihearted ell?” sh tad Mr. “Anderson—"Spencer areiteenis ‘i -ahalta) and when young he was stable boy to a ‘ and whose kindness thet eS ashore, he shook his fist at me, twisted his yellow goat: beard, and Hissed: ‘ “7: ae “As sure as my name’s Bill Spence, I'll get-even with you, | — Frank Anderson, for this—if not on your head, on that of him you love best.” ; “Then that explains his hatred of me.” “Yes; though you were but a baby when that took place. Your mother died soon afterward, and I had no more children, ~ so that you were indeed the one I loved best. Well, the scoun- drel is dead, it seems. Without meaning to be uncharitable, I must say that the world is better off without him, and that his departure from this life was a decided good riddance, for he never did a good deed in all his days, and he don’t deserve thes Ey least pity.” gt ft Frank and Ted made many voyages after that, though they gave up the idea of trying to find the Pole, being quite satisfied to meet the dangers of the deep in other climes. 4 Sam Salt got to be head cook on one of thp great ocean steamers, and if he did not feed well ‘there he had no one to Xi blame but himself; but we know he did, for we saw him the ‘i other day, and he was as fat as a friar, and as contented, so his - hungry days must have passed away long ago. aan? Captain Chicks has peuEes, Jack Clayton is master Oty) than he is never fed a quarter-deck. ast of all, where is Grim, that same old cat, that ~e have heard so much about? . ‘ : : that iy was wring about his former master, Ted Freeman, me We presented him to me upon starting on his last voyage, and as f te Neither have I, Grim, old fellow—ch? Purr-rr-rr! y THE END. SOCIAL CLUB,” tes Ino. B. Dowd, which will be su ee a "SPECIAL NOTICE: All ack nombre of» ‘are always in print If you cannot obtain them

Page 32

‘Auer TN EVERY CHAPTER 2“ SsN A S’ & ‘ACOMIG WEEKLY OF COMIC STORIES BY COMIC AUTHORS, The Only Weekly Series of Funny Stories Published in the World. “SNAPS” will be issued weekly and will contain the cream ‘of x ogre stories, written .by such well known writers of Comic 2 - Stories as oN PETER PAD, TOM TEASER, SAM SMILEY, and Others. — Every number will consist of 32 LARGE PAGES, printed in elear, bold type, and will be inclosed in a handsome illuminated : Each story will be complete in itself, and will be filled with oe incidents and situations from beginning to end. ue ee Me enjoy a good laugh you should certainly place your or- 5 ae | der" wit h your newsdealer for a copy of “SN APS” every week. soto vga Tommy Bounce, the Family Mischief, by Peter Pad : 22 Shorty in Luck, by Peter a Pies _ 2 Tommy Bounce At School; or, The Family Mischief at 23 The Two Shortys; or, Playing in Great Luck, 3 Work and Play, by Peter Pad] . . by Peter Pad : EB ‘Two Dandies of New. York; or, The Funny Side of | 24 Bob Short; or, One of Our Boys, by Sam Sealey pias ‘Everything,’ te by Tom Teaser | 25 Tommy Bounce, Jr.; or, A ‘Chip of the Old Block, 4 Shorty; or, Kicked Into Good Luck, by Peter Pad by rae 9 — Shorty on the Stage; or, Having all Sorts of Luck, 26 The Best of the Lot; or, Going His Father One Better j by Peter Pad yRDy Peter 6 Cheeky Jim; the Boy From Chicago; or, Nothing Too | 97 London Bob; or, An Wnglish Boy in wasacibay ' by Sam Smiley by Tom Tea a: 5 by Tom Teaser | 93 Nimble Nip, the Imp of the School, by Tom Teaser Sag Skinny on ‘the Road; or, Working for Fun and Trade, 29 Two Imps; or, Fun in Solid Chunks, — by Tom Tease by Tom Teaser | 39 Joseph Jump and His Old Blind Nag, “by Peter Pad — Tom, Dick and Dave; or, Schooldays in New York, ; by Peter Pad 383i Sam Spry, the New York Drummer; or, Business Be- by Peter P by Tom Teaser fore Pleasure, y r ad i “Little Mike Mulligan; or, The Troubles of Two Runa- | 82 Spry and Spot; or, The Hustling Drummer and the ways, ‘ by Tom Teaser Cheeky Coon, by Peter _|88 Three Jacks; or, The Wanderings of a Waif, ‘by Sam Smiley hive! by Tom Tease: 13 J WER D the Solid Man, by Tom Teaser 24 Tumbling Tim; or, Preveting with a Circus, by Peter F Troubles of Terrence Muldoon, by Tom Teaser | 35 Tim, the Boy Clown; or, Fun with an Old-Fashioned i ick Quack, the Doctor's sk or, A Hard Pill to Circus, _ vby- Peter: Pad by Tom Teaser |36 Sassy Sam; or, A Bootblack’s Voyage Around the of the Boys of New York; or, The Adventures of : World, ‘by Commodore Ah-] _ Tommy Bounce, — é _ by Peter Pad) 37.The Deacon’s Son; or, The Imp of the Village, me ng Bounce in Business; or, Getting to Work for ares ‘by Tom Te ee ‘ 3 by Peter Pad | 3g Old Grimes’ Boys or, Jimmy and His Funny Chums, ~ e Mulcahey Twins, : : by Tom Teaser ' aide of The Tricks and Travels of a Supe, me Re 39 Muldoon's Boarding House, : by Tom Teaser | 49 The Irish Rivals; or, Muldoon and His Hungry Boar th a Star; or, Fun Before and Behind the ers, tA _by Tom ce ‘Tom Teaser | 41 The Muldoon Guard: or, The Solid Man in Line, ih 42 Tommy Bowes: I in College. ; all n ewndealors or bene be sent to any. padsere on ee ; of mone tage sta: pipeaaaiks Spee

Page 33

. A Weekly Story of the Adventures of Two Boys and a me ‘ t These stories are written around the lives of two boys and a girl who are thrown soar _ by fate, and form a compact to stick ve each other secu thick and thin, ‘and ve ihe every case “ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL.” 4 is 82 Pages in Size, Has a Beautifully uminated Cover, and Sells for Cents. 1 Three Chums at School; or, All for One and One for All. Three Chums’ Scare; or, Dorothy’s Wonderful Dream, : ‘Three Chums’ Return; or, Back at School. i , : ‘ ee : Three Chums in Denver; or, Pleasing the Westerners, © 3 Three iciige at Ff cotball; or, Hot Times on the “Gridiron. _ ‘Three Chums’ Con rages or, Playing th the Mines. i ‘Three Chums Defeated; or, Ben Bright’s Unlucky Accident. Three Chums’ ‘Terrible Trip; or, Exploring Death Valley. 5 Three Chums Aroused; or, Squaring Accounts with Sea- Three Chums Robbed; or, Tracking the Stolen Grip. Three Chums’ Nerve; or, Playing at the Golden Gate. Three Chums Captured; or, Dorothy Held for Ransom. Three Chums’ Great “Find”; of, The Secret of ‘the Cliff” Dwellers. : Three Chums Home Again; or, The Return to School. Three Chums’ Hard Fight; or, The Draw with Seabright : Three Chums’ Resolve; or, Bound to Have Some Sport. 4 Three Chums’ Reputation; or, Making Themselves Know Three Chums’ “Fun”; or, Beating a “Swell Head” Ning, Three Chums’ Great Game; or, A League Team “Shut gue Three Ghums’ Venture; or, Entering the League. ; Three Chums’ Great Task; or, The Tail-bad Team. is Three Chums Succeeding; or, Upward Round by Round. 4 Three Chums’ Fine Work} or, Worrying the Leaders. bright. ‘Three Chums’ Triumph; or, Winning the Championship. ‘Three aioe Accused; or, The Burning of Raymond Acad- -emy. - _ ‘Three. Chums at Work; or, Getting Ready for the Road. “Three Chums’ ” Success; or, The First Production of the | nee Chums’ Danger; or, Playing to the Moonshiners, ree Chums’ ead or, Lost in the Mammoth Cave. _ Three Chums Still Winning; or, Forging to. the Bron.

Page 34

AN INTERESTING WEEKLY FOR YOUNG AMERICA. 32 PAGES. COLORED COVERS. Price 5 cents. Issued every Friday. Every number will contain a well written story, detailing the interesting, startling and humorous adventures of FRED FEARNOT, a bright, honest, independent sort of chap, who has made up his mind to make his own way through life, and in doing so see everything to be seen, do all the good that — can be done, and have all the fun possible. Nething will be allowed in these stories that can give of _fense to the most refined minds, and we feel assured that the old as well as young will tind both pleas- ure and profit in following the harmless adventures of this bright young man who piraye tries to do right, at the same time using every effort te keep on top, READ ONE AND you WILL READ THEM ALL. 1 Fred Fearnot; or, Schooldays at Avon 44, Fred Fearnot’s Speculation; or, Outwitting the Land Sharks 2 Fred Fearnot, Detective; or, Balking a Desperate Gaile: 45 Wred Fearnot in the Clouds; or, Eyelyn’s Narrow Escape. 8 Fred Fearnot’s Daring Rescue; or, A Hero in Spite of Himself. 46 Fred Fearnot at Yale Again; or, Teaching the College Boys New 4 Wred Fearnot’s Narrow Escape; or, The Plot that Failed. Tricks. ise 1 5 Fred Fearnot at Avon Again; or, His Second Term at School. 47 Wred Fearnot's Mettle; or, Hot Work Against Bnemies. 6 Fred Fearnot’s Pluck; or, His Race to Save a Life. : 48 Fred Mearnot in Wall Street ; or, Making and Losing a Million, 7 Wred:Fearnot as an Actor; or, Fame Before the Footlights. 49 Wred Fearnot’s Desperate Ride; or, A Dash to Save Evelyn. we 8 Fred Fearnot at Sea; or, A Chase Across the Ocean, 9 Fred Fearnot Out West; or, Adventures With the Cowboys.

a =) Fare

Page 35

Le N CENT HAND ‘BOOKS.—Continu ge Zor , THE... STAGE. No, M1. THD BOYS OF NEW YORK END MEN’S JOKE BO —Oontaining a great variety of the latest jokes used by the nies® famous end men. No amateur minstrels is complete without this wonderful little book. ~ No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUMP SPEAKER.— Containing a varied assortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch and Irish. Also end men’s jokes. Just the thing for home amuse- ment and amateur shows. f Wo. 45, THM BOYS OF NEW YORK MINSTREL GUIDE AND JOKH BOOK. Something new and very instructive. « Eyery boy should obtain this book, as if,contains full instructions for or- ‘}ganizing an amateur minstrel troupe, + No. 65. MULDOON’S JONES.—This is one of the most original | 1 joke hooks ever published, and it is brimful of wit and humor. It contains a large collection of songs, jokes, conundrums, ete., of ‘Terrence Muldoon, the great wit, humorist, and practical joker of % }the day. Wyvery boy who can enjoy a good substantial joke should >? obtain a_copy immediately. aps Poy No. 79. HOW TO BECOME ‘AN ACTOR.—Containing .com- ¥ 7 plete instructions how to make up for various characters on the f ataee! together ‘with the duties of the Stage Manager, Prompter, / Scenic Artist and Property Man. By a prominent Stage Manager. Bf HOUSEKEEPING. j No. 16. HOW TO KEDP A WINDOW GARDEN.—Containing full.instructions for constructing a window garden either in town or country, and the most approved methods -for raising beantiful flowers at home. he most complete book. of the kind. ever pub- lished. 7 No, 30. HOW TO COOK.—One of the most instructive books . On cobkting ever published. It; contains recipes for cooking meats, fish, ame, and oysters: also pies, puddings, cakes and all kinds of pastry, find a grand collection of recipes by one of our most popular Oks. : Mo: 87-HOW TO KEEP HOUSH.—It contains information for eyerv body, Hors, girls, men and women; it will teach you how to make almost anything around the house, such as parlor ornaments, praekets, cements, Acolian harps, and bird lime for catching birds. ELECTRICAL. No.6. HOw 7O MAKE AND USE BELYCTRICITY.—A de- Ssemimpuion of the wonderful uses of electricity and electro magnetism ; together with full instructions for making Wlectric Toys, Batteries, etic. By George Trebel, A. M., M. D. Containing over fifty il- juatrations. ho. Gh. HOWTO MAKE ELECTRICAL MACHINES.—Con- “aiming full directions for making electrical machines, mduction Gills) dytiamos, and many-novel: toys to be worked by electricity. By tt. A. kt. Bennett. Fully illustrated. . No. OF. HOW TO-DO ELYCTRICAL TRICKS.—Containing a Vagee colicemonsottinshinictiveraud-highly-amusing electrical tricks, . tofetherowith illustrations. ‘By A. Anderson. ENTERTAINMENT. 19. HOW TO BECOME A VENTRILOQUIST.—By Harry | cay.) Phe secret given away. yery intelligent boy gweading bok OF instructions, by a practical professor (delighting multi- every night with his wonderful imitations). can master the nd create any amount of fun for himself and friends. It is the égt book ever published, and there’s millions (of fun) in it. aoe 20. LOW TO DNTEDREAIN AN AVUNING PARTY A yeuy valuable little book just published, A complete compendium of Zames, sports, card diversions, comic recreations, etc., suitable fof patlor or drawing-room entertainment, It contains more for the money than any book published. No. 35. WOW TO PLAY GAMUS.—A complete and useful little Wook, containing the rujes and regulations of billiards, bagatélle, packvanunon, croquet, dominoes, etc. Wo. 36. HOW TO SOLYH CONUNDRUMS.—Containing® all the leading conundrums of the day, amusing riddles, curious catches and Wiltx sayimes, ; No. 52. HOW TO PLAY GARDS:-—A complete and handy little book, giving the rules and full directions for playing Duchre, Crib- bate; Casino, Norty-Pive, Rounee, Pedro Sancho, Draw Poker, Auction Pitch All Fours, and many other popular games of cards. No, 66. HOW TO DO PUZZLES — Containing over three hun- pe dred interesting puzzles. and conundriims, with key to same, A complete book. Tully illustrated. By A. Anderson. . ETIQUETTE. No. 13. HOW. TO DO IT: On, BOOK OF HLIQUHTTE: =—A valuable book, giving instructions in collecting, preparing, mounting and preserving birds, animals and insects. No. 54. HOW TO KEEP AND MANAGH PHTS.—Giving com- plete information as to the manner and method of raising, keeping. - taming, breeding, and managing all kinds of pets; also giving full instructions for making cages, ete. | Wully explained by twenty-cight illustrations, making it the most complete book of the kind»ever published. MISCELLANEOUS. No. 8 HOW TO BECOME A SCIEN TIST.—A. useful and in- ktrvuctive book, giving a complete treatise on chemistry; also ex- periments in acoustics, mechanicsymathematics, chemistry, and di- rections for’making fireworks, colored fires. and gas balloons, This | book Carnot be equaled. } No. 14. FJIOW TO MAKHW CANDY—A complete hand-hook for. making all kinds of candy, ice-cream, syrups, essences, etc), ete. . No. 15. HOW WO BECOMD RICGH.—This wonderful book pre- sents you with the example and life experience of some of the most noted and wealthy men in the world, including the self-made men of our country. The book is edited by one of the most snecessful men of the present age, whose own example is in itself guide enough for those who aspire to fame and money. The book will give you the secret. No. 19, FRANK TOUSEY’S: UNITED STATES DISTANGH TABLES, POCKET COMPANION AND GUIDE—Giving the official distances on all the railroads of the United States and Canada. Also table of distances by water to foreign ports, hack fares in the principal cities, reports of the census, ete., ete, making it one of the most complete and handy books published. No. 38. HOW TO BECOME YOUR OWN DOCTOR——A. won- derful. book, containing useful and practical information in the treatment of ordinary @iseases and ailments common to, every family. Abounding in useful and effective recipes for general com- Nainis. . No, 41. THE BOYS! OF (NEW .YORIK END MEN'S JOKH BOOK.-—Containing a great varicty of the latest jokes used by the most famous end men. No amateur minstrels is complete without this wonderful little look, " No. 5d. HOW. TO: COLLECT STAMPS AND COLNS—Con- taining valuable information regarding the collecting and arranging of stamps and coins. _Wandsomely illustrated. i No, 58. HOW TO BH A DETHCTIVI.—By Old King Brady; the world-known detective, In which he lays: down some valuable and sensible rules for Deginners, and also relates some adventures and experiences, of well-known, deteetives. No; GO. HOW TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER: —Contain- ing useful information, regarding the Camera and low to work it; also how to make Photos ie Magie Laniern Slides and other Transparencies. Handsomely, illustrated. By Captain W. De W. } ey. 2 ae @. HOW TO BECOME A WEST POINT, MILITARY CADET.—Containing. full explanations, how to gain admittainn, course of Study, Examinations, Duties, Stafl of Officers Post : Guard, Police Regulations, Fire Department, and all a lov shout know to be a Cadet. Compiled, and written by ‘lu Senarens, Author of “How to Become a Naval Cadet.” é No. 68. HOW-TO BECOME “A NAVAL CADET—Coninlete.in- structions -of how to. gain admission to’ the Annapolis Nayal Academy, Also cohtaming the confse of instruction.” deseriptions of crounds and buildings, historical sketch; and everything a ov should know to become an officer in the Mnited States Navy. | Coni- piled and written by La Senarens, aut hor of “How to Become a Weat Point Milisary Ondet-” iy

Page 36

ER Ta ae ee ye PAPO Se ke é } : PLUCK uf LUCK ; CONTAINS ALL SORTS STORIES. EVERY STORY COMPLETE, Fighting His Own Way, % by Corporal Morgan Rattler or, The Diamonds of the Borgias, by Howard Austig A Poor Irish Boy; or, Ce ISSUES. 18 Fred Flame, the Hero of Greystone No. 1, oft by Ex Fire Chief Warden: 65 1) Harry Dare; or, A New York Boy in the Navy, Monte Cristo, Jr.; “. That allthe Numbers of the Best Weeklies Published are always in print and can be obtained fron * this office direct, if you cannot procure them from any newsdealer. Cut out and fill in the following “3 Order Blank and send it to us with the price.of the books you want and we will send them to you #$ by return mail. by Col. Ralph Fenton! 66 Robinson Crusoe, Jr., ~ by Jas. C. Merri 2 Jack Quick, the Boy Engineer, by Jas. C. Merritt i 67 Jack Jordan of New York; on A Nervy Young American, 21 Doublequick, the King Harpooner; or, The Wonder of the a ait P ay , i ; y Howard Aust «™ Whalers, by Capt. Thos, H. Wilson | 68 The Block House Boys; or, The Young Pioneers of the Great 22 Rattling Rube, the Jolly Scout and Spy. A Story of the soo ya daaikes. < uf A by an Old Sco Revolution, by General Jas. A. Gordon! ©9 From Bootblack to Broker; or, The Luck of a on all Street Service; or, Dick Sherman in Russia, Boy, a Retired Brok 23 In the Czar's by Howard Austin 24 Ben o' the Bowl; or. The Road to Ruin, ‘by Jno. B. Dowd Kit Carson, the King of the Sconts, by an Old Scout The School-BGoy Explorers; or, Among the Ruins of Yucatan, by Howard Austin The Wide Awakes ; Halliday, the Pride of the Volunteers, by Ix Fire Chief Warden The I’rozen Deep; or, Two Years in the les, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson ape Cae cages Rats; or, The Boys Who Fought tor Washing- by General Jas. A. Gordon 36 27 28 or, Burke 0 E ighteen Diamond Eyes; or, The Nine-Headed lao! of Cey- 73 The Floating Schoal; o ) 6 The Rocket : y Berton Bertre , Through Plames to V foe by Ix Fire C or, The Mystery of Two ee y Allyn Drapg r, Dr. Bircham’s Bad Boys’ ie ademy, x by Howard Austin ~ or, A Bov Among Our Lawmakers, by Hal Standis by a Retired rok Jon, 1 Phil. ‘the 30y Iireman ; or, The Boy Silver King; Frank Fair in Congress ; Dunning & Co., the Boy Brokers, 30 Around the World on Cheek, by Howard Austin 6 The Re ; or, Adventures in the Air, _ qth 81 Bushwhacker Ben; or, The Union Boys of Vennessee, 7 The First Glass; or, The Woes of Wine, by Col. Ralph Fenton] 78 Will, the Whaler, 32 Vhe Rival Roads; or, From Engineer to President, 9 The Demon of the Desert, by Jas. G. by Jas. C. Merritt 30 Captain Lucifer; or, The Secret of the Slave Ship, 383 The Boy Volunteers; or, The Boss Fire Company of the by Howard Austi Town, by Ex Wire Chief Warden| 81 Nat o' the Night, by Berton Bertrev 34 From Bootblack to Senator; or, Round to Make His Way, 82 The Search for the Sunken Ship, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilsoi aie by Hal Standish] 88 Dick Duncan: or, The Blight of the Bowl, y Jno. B. Dow 85 Happy Jack, the Daring Spy. A Story of the Great Rebel- 84 Daring Dan, the Pride of the Pedee, by General oes A. Gordo lion, by General Jas. A. Gordon| 85 The Iron Spirit; or, The Mysteries of the op eas no # 36 Bob the Waif. A Story of Life in New York. by Howard Austin Id Seou 87 Two Years on a Raft. by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson | 86 Rolly Rock : or, Chasing the Mountain carey Ae Phas ¢ Merrit 88 Always Ready; or, The Best Kngineer on the Road, S87 Vive Years in the Grassy Sea, y Capt. Thos, ii. Wilson by Jas. C. Merritt | 88 The Mysterious Cave, by Allyn Drape 89 Out With Buffalo Bill; or, Six New York Boys in the Wild 89 The Fly-by-Nights; or, The Mysterious Ricers of the Réevo- West, by an Old Scout | ¢_ _, lution, by Berton Bertrew 40 The Ghosts of Black Cliff Halt, by Hal Standish | 90 The Golden Idol, by Howard Austi 41 ihe Island King : or, The Realms of the Sea, by Berton Bertrew | 91 The Red House; or, The Mystery of Dead Man’s gs : 2 Ror E ; or, The ws iN rar i a ERLE DE RED: ee % by Warner Morgan Rattler 92 The Discarded Son: or, The Curse of Drink, by Jno + Columbia: or, The Young Firemen of Glendale, by Ex Ales Chief Warden 44 Across the Continent in the Air. by Allyn Draper’ 94 The Bullet Charmer. 45 The Wolf Hunters of Minnesota, __ by Jas. C. Merritt | yen Be 46 Larry Lee, the Young Lighthouse Keeper, 95 On a Floating Wreck; or, Drifting Around the W. orl y Capt. Thos. H. Wilson by Capt. Fae, Et: Wi a Search eras a ae SNye® of Siberia, ie Bova oe 6 The I'rench Wolves, by Allyn Dr eadlig’ om, the Boy Engineer, as. C. Merritt] ,¢ y x i . 49 ‘he White Boy Chief ; or, th e Terror of the North Platte. 97 A Desperate Game; or, The Mystery of Dion Travers’ Life, : \ y an Old Seout 50 it emg Fireman ; or, The Mystery of Gs Berets | - re ¥ J by Ex Wire Chief Warden! 99 Joe Jeckel, The Prince of Firemen by Ex Fire, 51 The Magic Mountain. ry of n atu ts & fount A. Story Wxeiting. Ady By Tp Austin | 100 The Boy Railroad King; or, Fighting for a Fortune, 52 The Lost Treasure Ship; or, In Search of a Mitten in Gold, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson | 191 Frozen In; or, An American Boy's Luck, 53 The Red Caps; or, The Fire Boys of Boylston, 102 Toney, the elegy Clown; or, Across the spe Boe a by Ex Fire Chief Warden Circus. Berton Bertre 54 A Scout at 16; or, A Boy’s Wild Life on ie Frontier, 108 His First Drink ; or, Wrecked by Wine, re Jno. B. Dow by an Old Scout | 104 The Little Captain; or, The Island of Gold, 55 Ollie, the Office Boy; or, The Struggles of a Poor Waif. by Capt. Thos. H. W Iso by Allyn Draper | 105 The Merman of Killarney: or, The Outlaw of pt. Lake, 56 On Board the Spec -Ship St. Mary's; or, The Plucky Fight ® by Allyn Drape of a Boy by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson | 406 In the Ice. A Story of the Arctic Regions, by Howard Austin 57 Fi nthe With ay eahitgton y or, The Boy Regiment of the 107 Arnold's Shadow; or, The Traitor’s ipa Revolution, by General Jas. A. Gordon y General Jas. A. Gordon 58 Dashing Dick, the Young Cadet; or, Four Years at West 108 The Broken Pledge; or, Downward, Sten by Step, Point, by Howard Austin by Ino. Dow 59 Stanley's Boy Magician; or, Lost in Africa, by Jas. C. Merritt | 109 Old Disaster: or, The Perils of the Pioneers, by an old Scout 60 The Boy Mail Carrier; or, Government Service in Minnesota, 110 The Haunted Mansion. A Tale of Mystery, by Allyn Drape by an Old Seout | 111 No. 6; or, The Young Firemen of Carbon dite 61 Roddy, the Call Boy; or, Born to Be an Actor, by Gus Williams by Ex Wire Chief Warden 62 A Fireman at Sixteen ; or, Through Flame and Smoke, 112 Deserted ; or, Thrilling Adventures in the Frozen North. by Ex Fire Chief Warden Lost at the South Pole; or, The Kingdom of Ice, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson For sale by all newsdealers. or sent postpaid on receipt of price, 5 cents per FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher. General Crook's Boy Scout; or, Beyond the. Sierra aa by an Old Sco, A Story of the American evolution, i by Howard The Young King; or, Dick Dunn in Search of His Ec ag aoe as by Howard Aust D copy, 24 Union Square, New York THIS GIVES YOU FAIR WARNING! FRANK TOUSRY, Publisher, 24 Union Square, New York. cents for which please send me: ... copies of SECRET SERVICE, Nos..., Dear StR—Enclosed find. .... ... copies of WORK AND WIN, NOS... +. eee eeeeeee “ * THREE CHUMS SEER ate ‘€ © PLUCK AND LUCK “ ites Gaver everest eae i a ey EN an Gist a by SSake biel ec Bint oes Postage Stamps taken the same as money. Role <martona ea TCC ER: MA teatp p's « oF i ac 1 alte AW MgO ayienar ais last gee EH BE cahit tit alant ce ce “< SNAPS eee “ Ten Cent Hand Books “ . “