Pluck And Luck (no. 129) (1900 11 21)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
MIPLETE Ge} : ~_ STORIES OF ADVENTURE. Iocned Weekly—=By. Mtbecription, S250 pore year. Entered as Nerval {dass Maller uf the Xew York Pox Office, by-Frank ousey. No. 129. NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 21, 1900. Price 5 Cents. a a een en em Ry ALLAN ARNOLD. a yay DD fa Sse oa aoa OC ea Harry, seizing his rifle from its resting place in the well, was on his feet in an instant. popotami!” he shouted, and aiming right for the eye of the huge monster, discharged his piece, while Archie leaned over and was striking at the brute with the paddle.
Page 2
A Good Wa tch for One Dollar A. STEM. WINDER AND STEM SETTER | ‘ A Splendid Chance for “PLUCK AND Puce Readers to get a 00 _Time-piece. This Watch wisually retails’for $3.00, but| owing to the immense quantity we have] contracted for we procure them at such a} low figure that we can afford to dispose of| them to readers of our publications at the, extremely low price of $1.00. THIS IS A FAIRLY GOOD DESCRIPTION OF THE WATCH, ALTHOUGH IT HARDLY DOES IT JUSTICE. It is an American watch that will keep accurate time, and will not get out of order. This we guarantee. The Case is strongly made and carefully fitted to exclude dust. It | is Open Face with heavy polished bevel crystal. Case is heavily nickeled and presents a handsome appearance. Weight of watch complete 4% oz. The Movement combines many patented devices, including American Lever, Lantern Pinion, Patent Bscapement, ! and is a stem winder and stem setter, the same as any expensive watch. The cut, which | falls far short of doing it justice, exactly represents the watch three-fourths size. . HOW TO GET ONE OF THESE WATCHES, A ‘coupon will appear on this page of “Pluck and Luck” every week. Cut out. five of these coupons from any numbers of “Pluck and Luck” and send them te ; this office with $1.00 in money or pee stamps and we will send you the wateb | By return mail. 5! ‘THIS IS THE COUPON. “PLE AND LUCK” Wateh Compo, Send us five of these Coupons cut from any numbers of « Pluck and Luck ” and $1.00 in money or Postage Stamps and vou will “receive the watch by return mail.-2 >. 2. a Address your envelope plainly ‘to FRANK TOUSEY,. Publisher, 24 Union Square, New York. . . r
Page 3
7 _ PLUCK AND LUCK. | Complete Stories of Adventure. Iesued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Hntered November 7, 1898. ~ of Congress, Washington, D. C., No. No. 129. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1900, by Frank Tousey, 24 Union Square, New York s 4S NEW YORK, November oY 1900. as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office, in the office of the Librarian Price 5 ‘Cents. ? Through an Unknown Land OR, | The Boy Canoeists of the Quanza. : By ALLAN ARNOLD. CHAPTER I. THE BRIDEPORT CANOE CLUB. { | ek am of the opinion, gentlemen,” said Colonel Rodney, ris- ing at the meeting of .the Brideport Canoe Club, where hitherto he had been a silent listener. “I am firmly of the | opinion that the proper course for this club is to at once ap- Point some suitable person or persons to go out to Africa and inst ute search for Dr. Dennerilein, the lost explorer. Beside the | acts, known to all present, concerning the valuable scien- tific work accomplished by Dr. Dennerlein, it must not be for- gotten that he is our fellow townsman and an aces sd mem- ber of this club.” rs) is kept shut up in a filthy hut, and allowed intercourse with no one save the king himself and the attendants who supply him with food.” “Ts it certain that this ‘missionary tells the truth?” demanded . the chairman. Bit “By no means,” was the response of Colonel Rodney. “The report comes to us by the way of London, and may be entirely erroneous. In fact, another rumor—this time coming from! ‘ an Arabian merchant—says that Dr. Dennerlein succeeded in escaping from the king of the Umzielas, and when last seen was traveling with a small suite in the direction of the — Mountains of the Moon.” It was one of the most important ‘meetings the Brideport | i Canoe Club had ever held since the day its existence began. — EF In its way the Brideport Canoe Club - had become famous, oa “What is the amount of this” legacy?" asked the chairman, |} and all present felt that it would never do to allowa reputation who in commen with every member of the Brideport Canoe | Club- present, had been listening with intense interest to Colonel Rodney’ s remarks. ! Cee to go out to St. Paul de “Loanda, Sea and thence by way of HS. woke honorably acquired for courage and skill to lapse, for want of — a little effort now. The Brideporters were splendid candists. “ They had beaten the Quahog Club in a race from Bcidepere: = to the home of their rivals across Long Island Sound; they \ és had ascendus the Hudson river and descended the. Connecticut _ Ws in a body, making ‘an excellent record’ in the matter of. time. Al Beside this several picked members had made the descent % |0f the Ohio and Mississippi rivers; starting from Pittsburg - J and ending their Jong journey at New Orleans, to say nothin of winning a gold medal the summer’ previous to this meeting the prize. of the International Canoe race whic off = epee Sie the niveR Thames, Cr ‘prove themselves ; met had placed i
Page 4
7 2 THROUGH AN - UNKNOWN “LAND. = the clubhouse his wife and three small children were bemoan- ing his absence now. ; Dr. Dennerlein was a member of the club, as has been stated. So was Colonel Rodney, the rich shipowner-and merchant. So were half the rich men of Brideport beside. It behooved the membrs thén 1o show what sort of stuff _ they were made of, and in response to Colonel Rodney’s address, seyeral were upon their feet at once, full of enthusiasm, and offering to go out to the west coast, and undertake the ascent of the River, Quanza to the country of the Umzielas; where ‘all accounts agreed Dr. Dennerlein had last been séen, “Stay——stay, boys!” ‘eried’ Colonel Rodney, motioning for silence. “You can’t all go—that is certain. In the first place, - the money, which, by the way, is now stowed in our safe there in the corner, would not prove sufficient for the expenses of more than two; in the next, those of you who have parents might find it somewhat difficult to gain their consent to an undertaking involving so great a risk. I suggest that you select two of your number “who are without family ties, »and—” . “Harry Hinton!” shouted a voice in the background. “Yes, Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan!” were the cries heard on every side. . 4 Colonel Rodney looked pleased. _ Tt was evident that these were the very boys he had in mind. At that moment & young man of some twenty years, a great strapping fellow, strongly resembling the colonel, arose and loudly announced himself as entirely willing that the choice of the club should fall upon himself. “Sit down, Burt, and don’t make a fool. of yourself,” whis- -pered Colonel Rodney. “You know well engeEn that it. is im- possible for you''to go.” — out was Burt ‘Rodney, the rich man’ s only son. “T don’t know anything of the sort,” was the response, spoken in a loud voice, ay can go as well as Harry Hinton. ‘or Archie Ryan. f offer myself as a candidate, and——” “Sit down!” roared the colonel. “I tell you, Burt, it is Y impossible. You know your mother would never hear “3 it even oft. I were to give my consent.” f anys “He, he, he!” tittered old Isaac Leathersides, a regular i aracter in Brideport, who always’ made it a point to attend the pubjic meetings of the canoe club, addressing his nearest neighbor, “Colonel is ready enough to let Harry Hinton’ and , Archie’ Ryan go out to Africa to die of fever or. be eaten: att by lions, since one is an orphan and. vother the. son of the ‘town: drunkard, but when it comes to his own brat he means |: ‘to keep him to home.” - Fortunately, Colonel Rodney did’ not elon this yremark. If he had it. would have nettled tages Nh more so since- it | vas: actually. the truth, J viet the third time, a command which was sullcily oneyed: , : ‘The meeting progressed. Tale its sentiment seemed ‘unanimous’ “that Harry Hinton ati Arch Ryan showld be chosen to. represent the Brideport Canoe | Club in the matter of the search for Dr. presley the lost| ‘or’ was the choice a bad ASA, i a M3 ; y Hirton was poor, an orph the one member. of the 0 aut been a familiar cegubation from ER Pe iy Ng: ; hie sane up in the forests of Maine Ww herm: 7 carr a ‘ “ hse it was, he ‘peremptorily hres his son to sit down for a young fisherman, whose life had been spent on Long Island Sound. From Archie’s father, his only relative, no objeetion was et be thought of, since he rarely drew a sober breath during the short intervals when he found himself outside the Brideport jail, and had long ago abandoned all attempts 40 control ihe A movements of bis son. Then both boys were among the ayyette of the canoe club, and what was more, both had signified their willingness to go | : upon this perilous search, “Good!” cried Colonel Rodney, when the decision of the club was announced at last. “This is precisely as it should be. If you succeed in finding ‘Dr. Dennerlein, boys, it will — bring both of us name and fame. One of my vessels sails for Africa within a week. She will touch at St. Paul de Loanda, and you shall go on her. Gentlemen, I move we now adjourn.” “Don’t look so down in the mouth, Burt» Rodney,” said Sam Hillman, one of the club, to the rich man’s son upon meeting him outside the clubhouse where the members were Ci dispersing toward their several homes. “We can’t all turn — African ‘ explorers, you know, and you must jadmit that no _ better choice than Harry Hinton’ and Baues Ryan could otis sibly have been made.” “Don’t admit nothing of the sort, ” growled. Burt. . “If ee can’t go no one shall. The old man is trying to make a regu- | lar baby. of me; but mark my wen Sam Hillman—l’m going im all the same. zt ace What did this threat imply? ; At the time those who heard it only laughed. eer They laughed the other side'of the mouth next morning when, “a it was discovered that during the night the safe of the Bride-_ port Canoe Club—a poor, old second- hand affair—had been forced open by means of an iron bar, and that the $5, bie # bequeathed the club by Mrs. Pidge had been stolen. : Tay-S sailor. peleneore to Colonel Rodney's ship, then tag. week ‘the affair still rete ee a mystery. Then came another surprise. - : fea Burt Rodney, taking all his Puuabtes with him, beside. a. a ‘thousand dollars of his father’s money, ran away one nij and despite ‘of ergy. effort on the part of the sive iy o not -be found. | ; Tt was a bad pnsieae Their legacy stolen, the elub, ‘found themselves a eet % to act, \ ; . i . : What was to be ones Nobody knew. It began to look very much as though the annus Atel can explorer must: be abandoned to his fate, so farsas: the |Brideport Canoe pias “was concerned. ~ i, a7 fhe “CHAPTER on is fe PAULI bE LOANDA. s “Archie, I feel ceanetay aineeiaeet “the ‘tates against pad ei gpet pet undertaking of
Page 5
; “town of the Portuguese settlements at Angola, on the west - coast of Africa, is styled. _ They were the chosen representatives of the Brideport Canoe Club, Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan. More than two moyths had elapsed since the night of that memorable meeting, and in spite of every obstacle the young _canoeists and would-be explorers now found themselves upon é the eve of entering upon their dangerous undertaking. ‘This was all owing to Colonel Rodney. When the Fleetwing, the African trading bark, owned by ' the rich man of Brideport, finally sailed for Loanda, the two joys chosen by the club found themselves on board. Deeply chagrined by the rascally conduct of his son, to whom _ the safe robbery came to ‘be generally imputed, Colonel Rod- a “ney put his hand in his own pocket*and generously donated five thousand dollars to the club. *Goon your mission, boys,” he had said when shaking hands with Harry and Archie at parting on the deck of the Fleet- 3 ing. “If you succeed, as I hope and believe you may, you r will, bring credit to yourselves. and to our town. As for my son, ‘who has brought this disgrace ‘upon me, I never wish to Bee his face again.” ae _. Whus the’ young canoeists had started ‘tor Africa, Bieane ‘es “safely. at St. Poul de Loanda after a short and tg oa Std voyage. j ie The way now seemed plain. | z ; They were provided with two of the club’s largest canoes, specially arranged for the work before them, oak-built, and with plenty of towage room provided. with extra ‘sculls, pad- 2 dies, ‘sails and tackle, and in short, everything that seemed -desin able for the perilous undertaking in which they were ia a ab 1" 1t to engage, such as extra clothing, arms and ammunition, he canoes with the smallest possible sacrifice of room. “At Loanda’ it had been the intention of the boys to lay in geen, ris to procure a guide. who should take them as nda. “was ses ib Here innumerable obstacles were encountered. Kk seemed to Harry Hinton and his corapaition as ena ome evil ‘genius was at work against them. and evident, dislike. The United States Consul would scarcely speak to them, and even the Portuguese merchants. seemed oe 1 dispo: ed to sell them such articles as they sired. : is true they received positive information that Dr. Den- d been seen at Zumbo, the principal town of the oe tribes, within six months, but for some unknown wissima country, where their —— might be i 3 b -% nd other Fe ary : : 4. ai Re i era Se eae me ee ee _ : . 7)? eRouGH AW UNKNOWN. “LAND. ei OE eT The few Americans in the town treated them with rudeness q mud find no guide willing to accompany ‘them so | demanded sity) yas i 4 d ‘at i co TART wetrenG RESET” ee Why; Mr. ieee the consul, treated me like a thief when I called on him yesterday. I can’t understand it at all.” “Nor I,” replied Harry. “It is mysterious enough, but it must make no difference in our plans. We will go on board the St. Thome just as we are. At Donde, no doubt, we shall find things very different. Anyway, we must take our chances. , lf we can’t get a guide there we will go on without one. hese people laugh and sneer at the idea of our ascending the Quanza in canoes at all, much less penetrating to the country of the Umzielas, but we will show them what sort of: stuff we are made of. Archie Ryan, come along.” Gathering up such of their possessions as had not been taken on board the steamer the night previous, the boys now wended * their way through the narrow, dirty streets of the town in the direction of the wharf. ; On thtir way they were obliged to pass through the square at the back of the custoim house, the general market of Loanda. It was a curious scene, and one which, though not now ob- served for the first time, did not fail to make a deep impression on the minds of our two friends. ; The venders were méstly negro women lightly clad and wear- ing*great flapping straw hats as large as umbrellas. There were no bovths, each woman sitting on the ground with her wares placed before her in wooden dishes, which contained small | pieces of lean, measly-looking pork, cooked beans, horrible messes of, fish, cakes and pastry, ete., everything thickly coy- ered with black flies, and large blue bottles, while the jabbering of hundreds of voices rendered the entire square a verlteblg Babel of unknown tongues. £ i. As Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan were sihewtteh their way’ i: through the pressing throngs the former felt his arm sud- ‘| denly grasped from ‘behind. . Both boys halted, turning hastily. “It. was: a tall Portuguese who had stopped their progress, a man in whom they instantly recognized the captain: of the. coast steamer St. Thome to which they now were bound. “Good-morning, gents,” he said, in excellent English. “Are. nf you going on board my craft?” S “We are,” replied Harry, acting as En “We are on our way there now.” ay “Then let me tell you that you had best be plagued quick about it,” ng replied the captain of the St. Thome, offering them — “T don’t imow paid for a passage he 2 his’ package of cigarettes. with much politeness. you two any further than that you ha Dondo on my boat, but I do know t “What! Arrest us?” The exclamation came from both canoeists. _ They stood staring at the captain in dumfounded aioe if “That is what I said,” answered the Portuguese, imperturb- — ably. “Your business ain't my business, but I tell you what, I’m ready to sail, and if you’ll come aboard now I'll slip my cable. and be off at once. It’s the only thing that, will ; save tat t Briggs, the ‘American f consul, is going to arrest you this morning, If I had known where you ‘were stopping I'd come oe told you last aie ¥ i we + } vs a BPR you delay if you are ina hurry, for the consul is on the way ie 2 to arrest you now. You may be detained ean for weeks nee you fall. into ‘the hands of the law.” ‘ “But upon what ground | does ‘this man propose to arr. er ‘sin teak States Consul he ought to use i
Page 6
e2 aipeetn THROUGH AN UNKNOWN ‘TAND. . eke this inhospitable town from their feet the better it would be But though they had, thanks to the kindness of Captain Hs- for their plans. tanza, eseaped detention at LLoanda, it was with feelings of no Upon further talk with the captain of the St. Thome they | little disquiet that the boy canoeists settled down for the short discovered that much of his life had been spent in America— | voyage before them. hence his ready sympathy for themselves. ‘ Who had made these false charges against them? « He had been informed of their plans, andywas disposed to There lay the mystery. aid them in every way which lay in his power. Not until many days had elapsed were they destined to know He informed the boys further that he had been approached | the truth. by certain persons—natives of Loanda—who had offered him . money to hinder their movements all he could. a * What such persecutions could mean, the kindhearted Portu- j guese professed himself as much at a loss to imagine as the * boys themselves. amen cAts 3 Accompanying the captain, the boy canoeists now hurried to IX, DE ADLY PERIL. the whari, where a small boat lay in waiting to convey them j ‘ to the steamer, which lay at anchor beyond.the Barra da Night in an African jungle. : ‘ ty « Corimba, a point one mile south of the town, nearer than! Dense, impenetrable forest to the right, the left—everywhere; _ which it is impossible for craft of any draught to approach. | the glory of the stars above, thick tangled masses of “jungle Everything being on board the St. Thome, there was no | grass” under foot. ; ‘ cause for an instant’s delay, and at a word from. the captain From such a scene, at the early hour of three in the morn- an 3 ¢ ~ r 2a the naked boatmen unshipped their oars and pulled away. |ing, Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan on a certain day a little | “ “You've given old Briggs the slip and I’m glad of it,” said/ more than a week after their departure from St. Paul de the captain. “He’s a mean fellow, anyhow, and much dis-| oanda, found themselves emerging upon the bank of the river _ liked in Loanda—have another cigarette? Quanza at a point some miles above the trading post of Dondo. “What part of the States are you from?” he continued, after)! They had reached, at last the end of the preliminary stages 1 the cigarettes had been lighted. \ lof their journey, and canoe life on the Quanza was about to ba “Brideport, Conneeticut, ” returned Harry. begin. “Indeed, I lived in New Haven five years myself.! Used to| The voyage to Dondo had been accomplished in safety. run a restaurant for the college boys.. Upon my word I wish) Upon their arrival at’this insignificant settlement the boys. I was back there instead of in this wretched country. Car-| found, not a little to their disgust, that the same mysterious — OI: _ ramba! By the body of San Pablo! If there ain't old Briggs | influence which” had been éxerted so~strongly against them — making after, us, and the chief of police with him. I’m run-| at Loanda had apparently followed them to this remote place. ning a risk in harboring you two fellows, but——" |_| No one seemed.to want to have anything to do with them. - “Don’t get yourself into trouble on our account,” interposed ' Hyery one appeared disposed to refuse the nelpide hand. Archie,, “There is no reason whatever wee we should be} {[p spite of this, however, their preparations had been com- afraid of Consul Briggs.” Lax pleted at last, and upon the particular night of “which we pec aie : “Don’t you fret,” replied the captgat “My boys can their march into the interior began. t : _ - outrow their niggers two toone,* = - neni trie In Africa, owing to the intense heat, night traveling is often VAR And they did. H ". |a necessity. yi is By the time the boat. doieatetis the. consul and thio chief of A guide had: been procured at last, who was to take thi m - police had arrived’ alongside the steamer, the abies had al-| through the forest around the falls ‘of Cambambe, and thence oa ready ordered the anchor raised. by way of the river into the Roan ty of the nesoptal Quissimas — ad i 2 » “Hold on there, Qaptain Hstanza! ” roared the consul, ; in| a short distance beyond, i KH es "English, “We want those two persons eauesae on the forward| This was the journey which had just been SuconipHatiadss, ge qr ndeekc,? (2) 2 The canoes, which had been carried in advance by two dent ay ! In obedience to instructions fabeved saat the commander one of: the St. Thome, our friends maintained a discreet silence. . “What do you want them gaa asked hi nia ahi RY, Seaning over the rail. Tae : “They ¢ are a couple ‘of thieves trom the States. I BHO UOSe to fa “send them back.” Pa Ai i “What's that you say?” erled Harry Hinton, now goaded be- voy yond endure a have : aa fei ‘understand, Mr. Briggs, if that - Splash! ; f RB bt ee i The sentence remained as yet incompleted, when ns bucket i negroes, were even now resting upon ae asin of the cetale close to the bank. ; ’ ae It was with a feeling of. positive relief that the boys. now t surveyed them. shi Ri - They were now at the confines of civilization, aad the mys- thieee influence which had been hope yh against tiem, sure could be felt no more. “What do you: say, Archie? Shall we ‘begin our voyage ‘once or wait until morning?” demanded Harry, Hinton, a the bearers had been paid and dismissed for their return ‘Dondo and they found themselves with Mingo, the ileus ; V1 for pushing ahead, 1D) replied Archie, “There. Jee breeze. plowing up the. river. and by popiient we. will palin et good ten miles. We go ag : “Tt Was an impressive ‘seene which, now opened aarkty them. Hoh) ts vit Large trees grew thickly. down to the very ky | shading, the broad expense of the ond eae ‘their the ‘steamer's waist directly upon the: ‘head /of the Mdokiesd: onsul, causing m to, start backward, Jose hig“balance 2 and hal : ig a ae ut tf he pi aig the ‘Pro- pie a pie setts fi
Page 7
pal te r de | ~ i x ae 2 a 7 ls THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. ti’ xX Aided by the guide, the boys now launched their canoes. t The last chance was gone! The canoes were of the “double” and “single” build, being Harry Hinton shipped his paddle silently, and kept his eyes accommodation of two persons. Harry Hinton took “The Major,” as the smaller canoe was called. They were both provided with the most approved sailing gear, jackstays, bridles, downhauls, spinnaker halyards and topping lifts—in fact everything that long experience in cano- ing could suggest. The mainmast in each was placed well forward so as to allow the sails to pass clear of the “well, and jibs had been ' tabooed entirely, as unnecessary and likely to interfere w<t! the easy working of the craft. Mingo, the guide, was placed aft in Archie Ryan’s canoe, Fortunately for the boys, the black had picked up English enough at Liberia, the American settlement, to make himself easily understood—a fact for which they had not ceased to congratulate themselves since their departure a Dondo had been taken. “How far is it to the first of the Quissima villages, Mingo?” asked Archie, working his paddle cattiously as they pushed their way out into the stream from beneath the overhanging trees. “Much far, mars’. One—two—days troo de woods. One day by! de ribber. Hi! Dese funny boats. Neber see de like afore.” “We'll show you what they can do before ue: Mingo,” said Archie from his canoe. “Say, Harry,”—calling aloud—“aren’t you going to put up your mast? Mine is almost teady now.” . The canoes had taken the current by this time, and the i sharp eye of the guide had not failed to notice that they were ge moving down stream in spite of all the effort Harry Hinton could make. Pe _ “What’s the matter?” shouted Archie. make the slightest headway.” _ “Get up sail!” roared Harry. “I can’t. I don’t dare to stop paddling for an instant. You seem to have forgotten the falls.” } Forgotten the falls! : “No. Harry Hinton had not forgotten! Bee Too late, He now saw that the guide, either through ignor- ~~ ance or design, had brought them to a point on the Quanza at iS 5 which the preheee of the current was beyond their power ei to resist. " By daylight they might have dadeaeted their danger. As it was, they had chosen to launch at night, and now death stared them in the face in an awful form. if can’t seem to the black was an accident. _ Mingo sat crouching aft in the well of ie other canoe the picture of horror and despair. - “Cambambe! Cambambe!”\ he roared, rolling his eyes ‘idly. “Dis boat no good. I knowed it. Lordy! Lordy! De le Nick get us shuah!” \ eanwhile the two canoes were eaeey steadily. indi _ ae ] {al both ‘maintaining profound silence, plied their ? i desperately in the endeavor to work Re the ee Bai and still onward they went, the wien of their move- caer with every second of time. ‘ < a § A moment’s consideration showed Harry that the mistake of |. sth alls bei A ae NE See ia Eo to the wet, slippery surface of the rock, that ‘Har. camo es along at railrond “whose the Ros, [og Orage Ou oan ten and fifteen feet long respectively, and fitted up for the | fixed upon Archie, who was still struggling desperately in the effort to work the canoe nearer the shore. Hark! It was coming! Close behind him a dull, roaring sound could now be heard. Coming! It had already come! ‘ Death was behind them—the awful moment had arrived! There was a sudden rush—a whirl—a lunge forward and downward, : The canoe to which Harry’ Hinton clung desperately had passed over the Cambambe falls. CHAPTER IV. THE SCRAP OF PAPER. In the rush and roar which followed, Harry Hinton, for the first time since the discovery of his perilous situation, com- pletely lost his head. \ And there is little wonder. . True, the falls of Cambambe'on the river Quanza are no Niagara. They offer, nevertheless, an abruptness of descent quite euffi- cient to strike terror to the heart of the navigator unfortunate enough to be caught in the merciless current above. It seemed to Harry precisely as though the hand of some giant had seized him and suddenly, tearing him from his seat in the canoe and dashing him upon that rush of waters which was to hurry him to his death. F , A confusion of thought followed, an instant of almost com- ¥ plete unconsciousness, rudely broken by a series of sharp © atinging blows caused by the body of the young canoeist com- ing in sudden and violent contact with the sharp, projecting ‘surfaces of the rocks which choked the gorge at the foot of the falls. Though bruising legs and arms severely, this was a most 3 fortunate occurrence for Harry Hinton. ; It recalled him to himself. hie * With that quickness of movement for which the ‘boy had been noticed by his fellew canoeists in far-distant Brideport, —_ Harry flung his arms about a projecting slab of rock just before him, twisted his legs about it also, and for an inatant | hung suspended above the seething waters. 7 Then, with a mighty effort, twisting his dripping wos this ef way and that, he “sueceeded in working himself to a- pata) position’ upon the top of the stone. 4 He was saved! To his astonishment, there was “The Major” wedged a ae 3 two great rocks, close beside him. Be ‘But Archie Ryan? aciele a Harry Hinton from his position on the reck saw it. all. an It was a sight which time can never efface from his memory. ; i A great body of water rushing through a narrow gorge With. rf headlong fury, the whole stream below white with foam, while i a the scene was rendered more magnificently impressive by the — Aa dark shadows of the luxuriant tropical foliage on the banks. Bis a ‘Nothing could be heard but the noise of the cataract, yea A fine rain seemed to be falling! this, as. Harry afte ard knew, was only the spray. from the falls. And it was at that. very moment, when clinging oughts were mor for his -eompanio
Page 8
‘THROUGH AN ‘he fey. 704 a sar a “yr Sah, SFT ,, “UNKNOWN ‘LAN D.. a + > ae © es It was made in a manner wholly differing from his own. While “The Major,” Harry’s canoe, had overturned, the craft bearing ‘Archie Ryan ‘ané the black maintained: the upright, landing in that position in the midst of the seething pot below ' the falls. “The Major” was single built and far lighter than the “Lady' Pidge,” the two-man boat, rechristened upon the departure of the boys for Africa in honor of the benefactress of the Bride- port Club, Evidently Archie had prepared himself for what was to come, for as the prow of the Lady Pidge was seen to project over the verge of the cataract, the light craft appeared to.be thrown slightly upward and outward by the very force of the water’s descent, with Archie clutching the gun-wale on either side, holding on like grim death itself. ! Mingo lay crouching in the well, the top of his woolly skull alone visible. ) It all passed like a flash. “A single second and Lady EES had Mebane into the whirl- * pool “right | side up with care,” Archie still holding on un- harmed. , “Arch! ‘Arch! Grab my leg!” roared Harry, flinging him- self face downward upon the rock and thrusting his i) as far “as possible’ out into the stream. +5 At this unfortunate moment Mingo the black attempted to @) TI8e)S, rl : So great was ‘the force of the rapids that it had been all that “Archie could do to keep the canoe from overturning. ; . With the unlucky movement of Mingo Lady Pidge capsized instantly, shooting off into.the darkness, the wild cries of oe) black mingling with the roar of the falls. Fortunately for Archie Ryan his hands had Already etter the extended leg. a It was done. 2 i The firm pressure of Archie’s hands about his Sek iia limb sent a thrill of joy through the heart of Harry Hinton. Cautiously he drew his leg until Archie himself could grasp ie rock. ¢ “Thank - God! ” Tt was all he could utter. “The danger past, Harry found himself a prey to such ex- \ Pe sition. on the rock. By George, but it was ‘a narrow escape!” cried Archie, ne Aand as I live if here ain’t The ‘Mader. Where's Lady es re with wer a one canoe. & ay - could ae speak. . ' a 63 ioe I ajor coming over the falls.” ‘ anes and battered—that’s all.” “All! No itain’t, xt thing on the programme will be one of _thpse _ terrible v levers. _ ees we must “make the’ bank, and Zs can Vie. rou so 0 used. up that you can't ied ek Ste mi ight ina ‘moment, pele Tust let ie ua “a more ey Reena oe ou! recall Fe Liberian darky could tell the tale, the double, canoe with the another start. ; treme weakness, that he was searcely pane maintain his po-} one story then another, the substance of all being that when and Mingo?—gone to kingdom come, I suppose, | and we’ Was there ever. ach snfernal } | wilds the roar of the lion. - j Sens you hurt, old tate demanded ‘hls companion, bend-| “You must have stuck, mighty ‘close to The ; < Before the ers could decide upon any definite course. You are wet. to ‘the skin nae so am I.| |p alee on guard of “he Major; while Harry and < ¢ yi | . To their ‘intense satisfaction, | = foes edi strength. ‘ r our best canoe gone with all our provisions: and traps—what on earth are we going to do?” “Going to make the best of it,” answered Harry, hopefully, now that Archie had begun to take the downcast view, sheer- ing off upon the opposite track. “First thing of all is to build a fire’to keep off the wild beasts—I suppose the matches in the te waterproof pocket-case are dry—next to strip and wring out ie clothes,” 2 Such was the programme followed. | Gathering hastily such dry wood as they could discover along the edge of the forest, a fire was lighted in the open, fronting a secluded niche between two, great rocks. | f Ass Scarce had the ascent of the-blaze began than a wild shout was heard ringing through the gorge below them, followed by a tremendous scrambling over the loose stones of the sloping bank, ; : F Seizing their revolvers from their trousers pockets, the boys, who. were both reduced ‘to a state of undress, closely re- sembling the normal condition of old father Adam in the Gar- — den of Eden, both sprang to the edge of the cliff. ' “Mingo, Mingo! 'That you?” How breathlessly they awaited the answer. Ié came at last echoing through the gorge. “Oh, laws, yes, marse! Gosh! don’t I wish I’d staid fs Loandy! Every bless’ bone in my body’s busted—deedy ’tis!” A moment later and the sable guide, grunting and groaning, came imping into the line of the. firelight. “Where's the canoe?” were the first words spoken. But Mingo could not answer. \ Hither he in a most ungentlemanly, manner had deserted .| Lady Pidge, or Lady rises had deserted him—which, he could — not tell. 7iy At all events hag had become separated, and so far as the rifles, spare rigging, presents for the natives, and all the: ae visions, had met with an untimely fate. Tt was depressing—discouraging to the last ieee, Nothing remained: but ae return to Dondo and arrange 190 : Just how Mingo had hanes to save himself seemed some- a what misty. Thé black had clearly lost his head arcare for he told fits he recovered his senses after the first shock of the overturn Me he’ found himself sprawling Bee a flat bowlder at. oe dis- tante down the gorge, That night. the boys heard for the first time in its native yi uit. How néar the sounds were it was fregamsis to aay ay “Mingo alone y the little party on the rocks slept. chat -Harry- and Archie keeping the fire well aris sat a Mis an talking till morning dawned, lost. canoe. he My If Lady Pidge. proved to he safe, a portage ebose ‘the toile would be the must serious’ result of their disaster. eae Everything in the canoe had been arranged with refere to an overturn, hence there: youd ta possibility ihe mi might not prove to be so bad aft rc tT een ei oh ae ge With the first x, 8 of the rising sun Mingo was arouleed) lamber down the rocks in search of Lady. Pidge. ey discovered. the ¢ om upward
Page 9
THROUGH AN UNRNOWN LAND. rey = And so it proved. Upon righting the cance and conveying it to the bank above, * a careful examinatian was immediately had. = from having remained under the water all night., Shouldering the canoe betweel them, the boys now returned = to the place where they had passed the night. - ; Mingo awaited them with a face expressive of much concern, ' which expression disappeared at the sight of the canoe. f “Golly, mars’, you find de boat! Hi! dat lucky We want = to get out ob dis place mighty spry!” “Why, what’s the matter?” demanded Harry, as the Lady _ Pidge was dropped upon the grass. An answer the black pointed silently to a little heap of i ae lying upon the ground at.a point. some ten yards dis- tant from neg oe the boys had.lighted their own ‘fire the night before. . “Niggers ‘been here,” he said briefly. “Mebbe de Quissima, -mebbe de Commi men. De Commi men mighty bad niggars. ' Dey eat up if dey ketch us. Hi! Bet‘your life!” “By George, I believe Mingo is right!” exclaimed Archie; - movihg in the direction indicated. “hyo. you think so?” was Harry Hinton’s reply, as he pointed downward toward an empty tomato can lying upon the ground a littlé to one side, “No natives ever left that here, Arch, ~ Besides, don’t you see all this paper scattered about? Some ‘one has been here besides—— Thunder and lightning, what is : this?” | _ It was only a scrap of paper which Harry Hinton had picked up from beside the extinguished embers. Stil this in itself afforded the young conoeists of the Quanza ‘sufficient food for reflection. “4 The paper bore the name of Burt Rodney in the HAROWOERS si i: that individual himself. Sue. < ¥ E’ 2 « t cate = PRA _ CHAPTER V. ff ‘ “UP THE QUANZA—ATTACKED BY a HIPPOPOTAMUS. t “ \ What’ could it Peds Se ‘ ine las Burt Rodney in Africa and in advance of them? y pata. above the falls of Cambumbe se been accom- d not without difficulty. ook two to carry Lady Pidge, Harry and Archie ‘ans | pies The Major alone. 16s oned. safety was reached, goes without saying. : is was not attempted ‘until after nightfall, ihe s to pass. th hours of darkness upon. PEPER the dans ers of wild beasts on the shore. orable and it was’ resolved to take. ad. ‘| Otandos. — ° ye -| that the inysterious voyagers were Oquizis who sailed in canoes rapt of the Umziélas kpat as a tele’ trouble as they wa) ‘ a. long. rest before ‘starting, a ea preferring,’ of | - They were destined ¢ to ret et Q ‘the river rather Of.course The Major kept somewhat in advance, thus pro- j hibiting the possibility of conversation. Still Lady Pidge held her own, and as he sat reclining in the Few articles of value were missing, and fewer still injured} well, with Mingo snoring lustily, Harry Hinton silently watched the progress of The Major, listening to the strange sounds in the forest about him, wondering what the end of this singular journey was destined to, be. ? At sunrise next morning the visage of night travel was amply demonstrated. As the canoes shot past the mouth of the little stream, Harry caught sight of a lioness lying flat upon the bank—probably gorged—basking in the early morning sun; and eyen as he looked another dashed suddenly past, leaping with huge bounds toward a herd of antelope which had ventured to the river bank to drink. Se Two days in th¢ village of the Quissimas, shee up the river ~ again. Now the mystery of the scrap of paper was a mystery no longer, 1 Other canoeists—two in number—were but just ahead of. them, having remained among the friendly tribe two Bu ¥ weeks, leaving only a few days before. 35: Who were they? Beep oe From the description of these persons gained through Mingo, : who could speak the Quissima language, ‘it seemed highly prob- able that Burt Rodney was one of them. j Still this was something hard to tell. To the natives of this part of Africa all white men are sim- : ply Oquizis—white spirits. Names, cae for. nothing, and , faces for but little more. pee At the urgent solicitation of both of the Dove, Mingo, the. Liberian, agreed to continue with them. re A Quissima guide was also engaged and a native canoe pur- : chased for the accommodation of both the blacks. : Thus, traveling usually by night and resting by day, the boy canoeists of the Quanza continued to advance. _ ‘Through the country of the Ukwena, the Munjobar and the Witnesses to strange scenes, strange animals, and stranger She men, a hundred miles of the Quanza was left behind as the 5 days flew past. wei? are hss oP At all points they heard of the canoes of the explorers in ae advance of them. 7: i Ha 3 The testimony of each surrounding tribe being to the effect like their own. iM Thus far no serious obstacle had beh encountered since ihe: accident at the falis of Cambambe. The natives had bait friendly, the winds favoring asa rule, : well as could be pauses asked. we The health of both the oes dna to the medicine chest freely used when passing” through swampy jungles—remained Seneeads! and as they continued to’ advance, their apirite: rose overrated, and that they should be bie to push through t having now. c Baers troubles had et even begun. it the last 1 age of the sbrps ce
Page 10
3 THROUGH AN UNKNOWN. LAND. SS a ER TE say, Old man, do you really think it can be Burt Rodney? If | the hippopotamus sank beneath the surface of the river and for it should prove so, it would be a mighty singular thing.” “T can’t make anything else out of it, Arch,” was the reply of his companion. “Every description we get of the fellows tallies so far as one of them, at least, is concerned with Burt Rodney. You know he swore he would go in search of Dr. Dennerlein in any event, and he is reckless enough to keep his yow.” “Who do you suppose the other one is?” “Phat’s what I can’t make out,” returned Harry, medita- tively, “but it is my firm belief that before another sun has set we shall know the truth,” “If it should prove to be Rodney that might explain the treatment we experienced at Loanda,” muttered Archie. Here the conversation dropped. The journey that day was through a country more wildly _ beautiful than any which had preceded it. Still, it possessed the disadvantage of being the home of a particularly fierce tribe, the Nagoshi, against whom the ca- noeists had been warned by the Otandos, and, as a consequence, were particularly anxious to avoid. ; ~ It had been resolved accordingly to push on all night and endeayor to pass this unfriendly tribe, whose villages were for the most part far removed from the river bank, without being seen. “T think,” remarked Harry just before sunset, “that we had ‘better lay off for supper before long. About nine o’clock we can start again and put it through till morning. What do you “say?” ; “lm agreeable,” replied Harry, as with his paddle he di- rected the head of Lady Pidge toward a little cove. “Call to Mingo, will you—Great Caesar! what was that?” _ That was The Major, which, even as the last words left Harry’s lips, went bounding into the air like a cork, falling again to the surface of the river as suddenly, bottom upward, and with a tremendous splash. ; , _ At the same instant there appeared rising above the surface of the water a hideous black head of enormous, proportions with an elongated snout like a pig of tremendous length, great bulging eyes and a mouth.armed with teeth capable of crush- ing. Lady Pidge into splinters should they once come in contact _ with her sides, ‘The beast was swimming directly, toward them, opening and wiutitite’ its huge mouth with a sort of snorting, rumbling a noise, as though wondering who sok sera eat were and what. _ they wanted, At the same instant, warned by a ery from the Quissima 4 m4 guide, the boys spied another on the opposite side of the canoe, a evidently a female, since she pore a young one on her back. ; Harry, seizing his rifie from its resting place in the well, Was on his feet in an instant. ae , 3 She . hs “Hippopotami! ” he shouted, and aiming directly for nee eye of the huge monster, he discharged his piece, while Archie, DO less alarmed for the canoe, was leaning dangerously against Ae the gunwale, striking at the brute with yas sian in the en- i feavor. to turn hin to one side. ‘ the instant disappeared. Meanwhile Mingo and the Quissima had set up a tremendous shouting, and could be discovered paddling with ail their might toward the scene of action. : “Look out! He up in one minute!” roared the Liberian, while his savage companion seizing in his teeth the long as- segai, or spear which he invaribly kept close beside him in the canoe, plunged boldly into the river with the evident inten- tion of taking a hand in the fray, ; “Paddle for the cove, Arch!” cried Harry, sinking back into the well, lest, the canoe should be overturned. “We can’t af- ford to risk losing either Lady Pidge or The Major—no not for the satisfaction of capturing a whole herd of hippopotami! By thunder, the fellow is rising again!” A tremendous snorting had’ pre-announced the appearance of the hippopotamus. Streaming with blood, spouting in fourente from his mouth and nostrils, the huge brute now appeared on the surface only to receive thrust after thrust from the Quissima’s spear. : The skill with which the negro handled himself in the ein 2 was positively marvelous. i ; Attacking the hippopotamus now on the one side then on the other; thrusting at the eye, the ear, and even betweén. ; \ ‘those terrible jaws down the throat, it is probable that alone the Quissima might have ultimately succeeded in accomplish- ing his purpose had not Harry Hinton, finding himself in close ; range, brought the combat to an end by a well-directed palf ’ fi from his rifle, which must have pierced the animal’s heart. iv The hippopotamus, with a frightful bellow, sank instantly. It was not until their start two hours later that Harry knew to a certainty how accurate had been his aim, when one of the first things which attracted their attention upon paddling out | from the cove was the body of the huge river horse, ‘floating — upon its side in the thick sedge close by the bank. tA ‘Fear of approaching in too close proximity to the swarms — of alligators which they knew to haunt every overgrown part of the river deterred the boys from closer investigation. Congratulating themselves. upon the successful termination of the combat, and above all else upon the narrow escape of the 5 canoes, they paddled out into the stream to begin their night ri journey, which it was hoped would enable them to pass in safety the dreaded Nagoshi tribes before morning dawned. From the Quissima through Mingo, they had learned that the ae usual method of hunting the hippopotamus in the Quanza, is for two or more’ of the natives to take to’ the water, and by ie repeated spear’ thrusts drive the animal toward the bank. — ; As the hippopotamus is by natural disposition mild, and very slow to resent attack, there is little difficulty in this as a we rule. Once within throwing distance of the bank a harpoon jis cast by. thoxe lying in wait, and while some pull upon the | rope, which for safety is usually made fast to a tree, others throw sand in the eyes of the beast, blinding him, while others ‘still attack him furiously about the head with their spears. VE . All the Quanza tribes eat the flesh of the hippopotamus, and ‘ waite them likewise for their hide and ivory. The former from its exceeding toughness being mehly prized as a oe their shields. The night which succeeded was one of the most bapa ey tne iy young canoeists had experienced. | fs As it was lonely business for Archie eae peddling ae z ‘est craft was Hest in tow of ‘Lang Pidge, the folantis mal ’ | themselves as comfortable as circumstances would pel
Page 11
crack of the innumerable insects and hoarse-voiced frogs, the mournful cry of some night bird, occasionally intermingled with louder and stranger noises from the forest which skirted the bank, and again by the ominous splash which told of the presence of alligators on every hand. a “What are you thinking about, Arch?” ing the silence at last. “[ was wondering whether or no we should overtake those mysterious fellow canoeists of ours to-night, Harry; and you?” “Well, for my part, I've about ceased worrying my head over them,” replied Harry. “I was thinking of what thfe end of all this is to be. Here we are going further and further into an unknown ldnd, and thus far with the exception of our mishap at the falls, all has gone as serenely as though we had been doing the Hudson or the Connecticut. It can’t always be this way, and do you know, Archie, somehow the idea has a seized hold of me to-night that trouble ain’t very far off?” y “Nonsense; you are morbid, old man, You need a good dose of quinine. If you go to talking that way I shall think the - jungle fever is taking hold of you. Look on ahead there—did you ever see the fire flies so thick?” Harry Hinton turned his gaze in the direction indicated. ; From among the trees just around a sharp bend in the river % earths tiny lights could be seen flashing here and there. ‘For several moments Harry watched the lights without speaking. - “You are sure they are fire flies?” he asked at length. _ “Why, of course—what else should they be?” “T can’t tell,” returned Harry, doubtfully, they don’t look like fire flies to me. Hadn't we better hold up and ask the Quissima?” “Nonsense!” was Archie’s reply. “There you go with your Y morbid notions again. I tell you they are fire flies. Of course out here in Africa they are bigger than at home, be- sides don’t you see Mingo is doing the paddling. Probably _ the Quissima is asleep.” : Though still doubting, Harry said no more, and the canoes _ shot on toward the bend. _ The nearer they approached the latger the lights seemed to _ grow until all at once they disappeared entirely. “Now what’s become of your fire flies, Arch?” whispered J ‘Harry, as the canoe shot round the bend. “I tell you again, I don’t like it. I’m for a wait until the other canoe comes up. ef asked Harry, break- fidently, “though I still maintain my theory. Brace her, so we won't slip back with the current. Mingo’s canoe will be along in a moment, and then—- Lord help us! what a fool I am! We are in for it now.” At the point where the boy canoeists now found themselves the Quanza had narrowed suddenly. Scarce had the exclamation of Archie Ryan found utterance _ than from out of the shadow of the overhanging trees ital d dark forms came shooting forward toward them. Tt needed but a glance to divine their character. segais or native spears. © to rise before and behind them. = ow too late the boy canoeists realized the danger upon l ch they had fallen. 4 rayncenNgcvahy: were ‘upon them a hundred strong. CHAPTER vu. qa: “Chprunen By Sey “NAGOSHT, THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. DN ie Perhaps it would be better,” said ei speaking less con- | They were canoes filled with dusky figures, st geo with Jong} ing past them, “a hundred won't begin to tell their number, They seemed to spring from the bank to the right, the left these trees and keep as still as mice.” f : ‘corhpanied by a most terrific yelling. 9 the canoes of the fierce Nagoshi which had so suddenly spritng up about them. . Paddle, man, paddle! If we can gain that point we can take to the woods and may yet be able to escape.” “It ain’t any use to attempt to run away, Hal,” was the whispered response of Archie Ryan. “Sooner or later we have got to meet unfriendly natives, and we may as well face the music and take our first lesson now.” “But according to our Quissima guide these Nagoshi are can- nibals.” “Not a pleasant prospect, I grant you,” returned Archie, with a shrug. “But where is the Quissima? I can’t see the other canoe anywhere—it was close behind us when this thing be- gan.” “Blest if I can see it either,” said Harry, straining his eyes behind him. “Say, Arch, here’s a mighty singular thing. Those fellows in the canoes don’t seem to see us at all. They act precisely as though they were after some one else.” It was singular, but it was so. Sheltered beneath the deep shadows of the foliage which , covered the point referred to by Harry, the canoes, while easily enough seen by any eye sweeping the bank on that side, were yet in such a position as to be out of the range of vision of any one gazing directly up the stream. And such seemed to be the action of the native ganoeists who swarmed about them. They were paddling furiously up the Quanza, with attention rivited upon a white object; of which the boys could just catch a glimpse of among the dense growth ahead. / “They don’t see us, Arch!” breathed Harry. “Strange as it may appear they have not spied us yet.” “T can't belicve it possible, Hal. Nevertheless, we must act | on that theory. Gently now. Work her in short; if we can get under the shadow of that great overhanging tree they may pass and never spy us at all.” ; “Not likely, Arch, but all the same we will give them every chance to oblige us. What can have become of Mingo and the Quissima? I’d give a dollar to know?” “Now, never you mind Mingo and the Quissima,” returned ‘Archie, working his paddle noiselessly. “They know how to take /care of themselves & precious sight better than we do. What is that white thing ahead there—that’s what I want to know?” . “Looks mighty like a canbe sheet. ft “So it does. Can it be——” >, “Our mysterious canoeists!” breathed Harry. “There is scarce a doubt of it. See, the Nagoshi are making for that bend ahead there. If those are white men and in peril, ought we not go to their assistance?” “Burt Rodney?” muttered Archie. “Well, even so. We can’t sit idly. here and see him mas- sacred. Besides, we don’t know that it is Burt Rodney. and——” $ { \ “But look what a swarm of them there. are,” bbeathed Archie, - as, the canoes of the Nagoshi, four and five abreast, went shoot- — bghis No, no; our only chance is to stay here under the ‘shadow of . It was hard to distinguish features among the swarm pu ‘dusky forms which now shot past them, still there was suffi- “3h cient light to show the boy canoeists that these were negroes of _ a most savage and terrifying appearance, naked save at the; waist, and armed with assegais, larger and more formidable beats le any they had seen among the ‘tribes already passed. |. It was at this particular: moment that the loud ‘report of 2 rifle broke the stillness of the forest. — ' The report was followed by a second and a third, and ac it t the mysterious canoeists: Peel of them, an he
Page 12
wily Evidently the sound of firearms was no novelty to these savages. ‘Instead of deterring these in the hindermost canoes it seemed _ toact only as a2 spur to greater effort. ok It had likewise another and more startling effect, and one _ fatal for the continued security of our friends. : For whatever reason the torches of the Nagoshi, which “Archie Ryan had mistaken for fire-flies, had been extinguished, they, were now as quickly ee again. From many of the canoes: they shone forth, shedding a weird 3 radiance upon the surrounding scene. : “We are lost!” gasped Harry, as the sudden blaze disclosed their hiding place. “Arch, they see us! They see us! Look! - There they come! Now, what on earth are we going to do?” ' “Wight for it!” cried Archie, seizing his rifle from the well. “We'll give them a warm reception at all events. ‘Ha! share go those other fellows again! If they can fight so can we.’ “Put down that gun,” exclaimed Harry, earnestly. “I,tell you, Archie Ryan, it is useless. -us.. We can make more by trying to conciliate them than by a fighting. At best we could only kill a dozen or so. Keep cool now and let us try to make friends.” . There was no opportunity for further discussion, _ Four of the canoes of the Nagoshi were now making directly fe 2 LOR them with shouting savages, many of whom stood upright a0: and were brandishing their spears. ; Meanwhile the firing around the bend had ceased, and from the loud and triumphant shouts which could be heard in that _ direction it appeared that the merater ion canoeists had been + overpowered at last. Summoning all his courage, Harry Hinton: seized the paddle : and forced Lady Pidge toward the advancing blacks, Archie, if, : by his earnest request extending his nanos in token li friend- The effect of this, ‘maneuver was inatantani namie ah ; “Though the canoes continued tO advance the spears were : cos showing that the signs of submission, were well un- } ; Our friends ‘were surrounded instantly. i Amid a tremendous clattering they were dragged from Lady | ; | Pidgo. into te native canoes. i 1S the erehey We their faces curiously, chattering and ‘shout- I 1g as. they paddled up the stream. ate was a bad state of affairs: enough, ae 7 Ae tched side ty side at the feet of the ‘dusky row- ¢ e sounds about them there seemed no doubt a } es 4 the othe e ta Look at the numbers against ' eee: canoeists was Bees ah but flattering to say cea Se, j | immediately been undertaken. Not daring | to attempt to raise themselves the’ boys remained | me eas eee was all up with Vass Piage” va “he “Major.” i 4 i an The ‘Major shouldered Py powerfa sony Meanwhile the canoe was moving toward the bend with great rapidity. It rounded the point presently, and even in their S Sabatbenees position the boys could see that they were surrounded by ‘ther — canoes which had previously passed them, among which were — also two dainty crafts, constructed on'the same model as their — own. To whom did these belong? There lay the mystery. - It was a mystery destined to receive a speedy solution, for, when less than five minutes later a landing was effected in — 2 little cove on the north bank of the Quanza, and the young. ¢anoeists dragged out upon the shore, the first person upon whom their eyes rested was Burt Rodney, their missing fel- low member of the Brideport Club. : CHAPTER VIII. QUENGUEZA. “Say, Arch, are you alive?” Se “Alive! I should say so, though dear isuthhs how tong. either — cone-shaped hut. asleep after all.” “So haye I. It must be morning. There is another day b = fore us, and the question is what is to hapeeD next. It was a very serious question. Miles from the banks of the Quanza, Sieotahs in the prinet S Upon my peor: Hal, I believe ve es Still our friends had chosen the part of wisdom in ‘aber 0 ing to make friends with the wee Has cannibals. ore) They were, however, a numerous and raed ihe ¥ 10 lived in a state of perpetual warfare with their neighbors, from ‘whom the charces of escape were very slim indeed. fae Upon landing, a! march through the GEES to Quengueza I 1a? Plaecd © “between two powerful blacks, but not in any 9 confined, Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan had: toiled w }into the heart of the forest, reaching the principal vill e of the Nagoshi at ‘something after midnight. B + With Burt Rodney it had been quite different. Bot ; His hands had been bound behind him and he had been hu ried off in a advance of the others before either of our rien had qn oppor tunity to address him by so much as a WO! ae In the darkness amd confusion the’ boys had ‘becn discover Rodney’s companion. Ny Z _ Nor was anything seen of “Mingo and the: au “What they did see was their own elongings fr and carrie oh _| after fe on the march, , together with hose of sis e Just discov red the i A au - ae F
Page 13
- of a frightful méss of half-burned meal and warm foul-tasting water was passed in at times through the hole. 'To have broken out from theig prison would have been a task of easy accomplishment; at the first that the hut was surrounded by a guard of at least twenty of the Nagoshi, armed with long assegais, the boys con- cluded not to make the attempt. It was not until the evening of the second day that their situation changed materially. _ The fact was—although not until afterward did the boys dis- - cover it—the chief of the Nagoshi was absent on one of his _ warlike expeditions, and had but just now returned. _ It was just as our friends were preparing to settle them- selves for the night that the door of the hut was opened at last, _ and the sayage who had acted as their escort during the march _ through the forest appeared, and led them into the presence _, of the chief. - Now for the first time the boys had opportunity to see into ~ what sort of a place they had fallen, __- This appeared to be a compact mass of perhaps a hundred conical huts, constructed of dried grass fastened to a rude aN frame of poies in the very heart of the forest. In the centre of the group was an open space of considerable ate dimensions, in which sat upon the ground, surrounded by the elders of the tribe and numerous torch-bearers, the chief of the Nagoshi, a fiercé-looking’ savage, with face hideously painted, ears and nose adorned with great copper rings. ; A long palaver followed, of which the boys could, of course, understand nothing. iy A, seemed to relate principally to the, distribution of their own. property, and that whick ay have belonged to Burt Rodney. The canoes, it is true, were not visible, and probably: still _ Temained at. the cove, but rifles, boxes of beads, cloth and other articles intended to be used as presents for the natives during tieir journey, were all massed into one heterogeneous pile Nothing of Burt Rodney was to ne s6en;\s tad they. ‘killed him? | pon that score the boys could form no conclusion; nor did result of the sa serve to make their own future more Evidently no agreement as to the distribution. of the. eae red preperiy of the young canoeists was arrived at, and id the beating of tom-toms and after an infinite amount ngry wrangling, the whole affair was seemingly adjourned til some future occasion, Als the goods were conveyed to the rie mbit adjoining the - prison of ea and Archie, being aise there under. guard. i, Meanwhile the ight advanced, Th: 5 THROUGH AN _ UNKNOWN: ; window, no one entered the hut during the entire day nor | now?” said Archie Ryan, standing on tiptoe and straining his fi ' the night which succeeded, though food and drink in the shape | neck to catch a glimpse of the crowd in the open square... =) but as it had been discovered almost } oe lg had the two venturesonie members by the Bride- |’ LAND. ; : fan wn “Well, what do you see?” whispered - Harry, approaching close beside him. “That our guard. has vamoosed for one thing. The whole town is in the square having a jolly time, as near as I can make out. They are dancing around one of the funniest- looking specimens that you ever saw.” Harry thrust his face to the opening alongside that of his — friend. Certainly there had been no exaggeration on Arehie’ S part. In the centre of the crowding Nagoshi was to be seen a tall, gaunt negro with his long wool straightened with oil and hanging about his neck, : By the light of the flaming torches the boys could see ‘strung about his body the skins of birds, beasts and fishes, besides many other curious objects, the nature or purpose of Wid sis ira was wholly beyond their skill to divine. era From the head of this strangely- -clothed person a pair i! . branching horns projected, while a tail, evidently that of a lion, the skin of which was drawn shpat him, dragged upon the ground behind him. + be Immediately in the rear of this singular figure walked a lithe young negro, with his head, face and shoulders entirely enveloped in a leopard’s skin, wearing upon no other portion — of his body covering of any sort. iar “By gracious, if that ain’t the Old Boy himself it’s his. ; brother!” whispered Archie Ryan. “Look! See him whirl — himself around and throw up bis hands’ toward the sky. What — on earth do’ you suppose he is about?” eaeet Taga “Unless I’m greatly mistaken he’s a rain maker,” answered i Harry, who had read moré carefully upon the subject ‘of African explorations than his companion. “You know when — we were at the Quissima villages they told us that the whole — i country had been suffering from a fearful drought. That’s what he is, you may visite upon it; a rain maker from some other tribe.” £ : “Why not a Nagoshi?” F “Well, perhaps I should have dada from some other village. 4 \You heard that tremendous shout which went up Just after they brought us back here.” peer “Certainly I heard it. It was loud enough. itor’ A yo Fi “That was probably when the rain maker and his companion entered the village. But see here, Arch, the guards have ; left us and there’s nothing in the world'to seousncad oa gettin out of this wretched shanty.” : ae “And if we did—whiat then?” ; 4 ee “We might take to the woods; pene y ‘easily manage get a start before they Saw US, , since every man, woma child in the village is taken up with the rain make » “To Be eaten up by lions’ or stung to aeath by snak thank you. For ‘my part Vda rather be roasted ve once and — ‘have done with it.” Bo FoR : “But we pee ba ‘ene to find ‘our way “back to fhe
Page 14
12 : THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. The sound now heard from without the hut indicated but too| toward his companion whose head was buried beneath the plainly how well the fears of Archie Ryan were founded. ~ leopard skin, uttered a few rapid words. Nevertheless, Harry, who had moved back from the opening He of the leopard skin seemed to play the part of an oracle a moment previous, now thrust his face close to it again. for the words now spoken in answer were immediately com- Had the whole village gone mad? municated by the rain maker fo the assemblage. o Surely it seemed so. Their effect was instantaneous. Uttering wild shouts, and making the most fantastic ges- Leaving their prisoners unguarded save for the women and tures, the Nagoshi, to a man, were rushing toward the hut} children who clustered about them, the men of the Nagoshi in which the boys were confined. now rushed in a body toward the hut in which the goods taken from the canoes had been deposited, presently returning loaded — with the belongings of the canoeists which they deposited in . a heap at their feet at the same time eye utterance to the CHAPTER IX. wildest shouts. : At this moment a few drops of rain began to fall. THE RAIN MAKER AND THE ORACLE, The effect upon the assemblage was tremendous, © With frantic cries of joy they formed themselves into a Within the hut Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan stood gazing | Ting, and a wild, fantastic dance began. at each other with blanched countenances. Squatting in the centre of the circle the chief placed the “It’s no use mincing matters,” whispered the former, in a boys in the post of honor beside him. hollow voice, “Arch, there can’t be any doubt that it’s all up| Facing them and taking no part whatever in the perform- . With us now.” -|ance stood the rain maker, while the oracle in the leopard * “If we only had our rifles I’@ show them that we are game | Skin, gliding to one side, \disappeared. from view. ~ to the last,” muttered Archie, between his clenched teeth. The ornaments and scanty covering worn by the Nagoshi “But we haven’t, and even our revolvers, worse Backs; were thrown hastily to one side. _ we were fools enough to put in the locker of the canoe.” Led by a gigantic brave the rain dance—for such was the sdoahs But there was no time for further reflection. nature of this singular exhibition—now began. The last words of Harry Hinton were scarcely uttered than| Their stamping, and gestures were furious, their grinning — \ the door of the hut was torn violently open, and in stalked |and formidable white teeth glistened ferociously, their eruel _ the old chief of the Nagoshi, while hundreds of dusky forms black eyes flashed with seeming fury. — ' erowded behind him in the breach. Never until now had Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan so fully realized the true character of these savage men who held control of their fate. ; ; It was a hideous, almost demoniacal hurly burly. ite The young men and women kept apart, but all the old and ugly hags kept running around the circle waving flaming : torches, or makiug a harsh, cracking noise, horribly like the _ breaking of bones, by striking together flat pieces of wood, all of them joining in pouring forth the most frightful shrieks. : Fully expecting to be set upon instantly, Harry seized a rude - gort of stool—almost the only furnishing of which the hut could boast, and flung himself in front of his companion in the firm determination to sell his life as dearly as possible. A surprise, however, awaited him. _ Instead of attacking his prisoners, the chief of the Nagoshi . bowed before them so humbly that his woolly head almost touched the floor of the hut. OP Weael pack inikouis © ke. pala thres-tl ba ia The small boys helped them, too, in this, and in rushing . a—ka, bona, inkosi!” he said three times in quick succes- |». nticatly around the warriors. ; i _ sion—words not undergtood by, the young canoeists, but signi- Meanwhile, the fiendish black figures in the centre sprang fying in the Nagoshi language, we greet the illustrious strang: and whirled about in the wildest fury, stamping and dashing ers.”,. : ‘their feet to the ground, horridly contorting their bodies nd Though Rtapatite of comprehending ie Sooke of the Na- vociferating appalling yells. Z i é if me ¥ 3 ae ne es hoys ant fall:to understand: his ‘inanner, And all this so accurately together and in such perfect ‘ne : : =and: hastened to meet: it, halt way. , as to seem positively supernatural, and prove to the startied ‘hee Respect and Se aa ;were plainly depicted ‘upon his onlookers awfully oppressive in its ssiatay weird, unearthly sia countenance. : : savagery. ; _ Harry advanced toward him alo with spss raseccia” Meanwhile the chief never moved a muscle of his counte- a hands. 9 nance. : ‘ ‘The chief raising himself bowed ‘again ‘and, still again, As for Harry and Archie, they could only gaze spellbound. , ‘Then with a gesture he motioned to the boys to follow him, Tver had’ they. attempted to speak, so frightful ST and at the head of the throng which clustered about the door, din that th Bin COGS would have Hoan niet iy 1oats "led the way back into the open space, where the rain maker) 1+ was in the very midst of all this that Harry felt a hot and his apatetent stent “awaiting their approach as gan tins tis breath against his cheek. s statues. “Don’t ’ee turn round, don’t ‘ee » move, Mars Hinton,” a voice That can it all mean?” whispered Archie, curiously. from behind was heard to whisper. “You'se all right. We eae nage could answer, the man of horns ve to- save youse. tees you want dat oder feller eaved, too?” : CHAPTER X. ‘ eee aicunthe more than. a feat coincidence “SUCCESS OF THe Faget RUSE. the bisst oe “oe had ie: ablaze w with stars |
Page 15
i. . ode : 4 ie ee : THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND." fe E — —-——t -_— = —— 3 . Yet} when Harry turned his head, no one in any way re- | Though there ‘were occasional drops, and the clouds grew 4 sembling Mingo could be seen. y blacker and blacker, the. rain still obstinately held off. There was the rain maker’s oracle, his head covered with| The oracle in the leopard skin had now resumed his place - the’ leopard skin, standing close behind the chief, with con-] beside the rain doctor. -cealed features and folded arms. ‘% “Tt begins to look as though there were some hope for us,” Like a flash it occurred to Harry that beneath that leopard | whispered Archie Ryan, drawing nearer to his friend. skin must rest the well known countenance of the black, and} “Don’t be too sure, Arch, If the rain would only come one it is needless to say that the thought sent to his almost despair-|might think so. Look! Look! They are bringing Burt | ing soul ‘a thrill of hope. ; Rodney before the chief!” : ¥ It must be thus—it could not be otherwise. It was so. : There was no onc else behind them excepting the naked With arms bound behind him the son of the great man of : ; ; ; ; i Brideport was now led into the ring, and placed before the _ Nagoshi dancers, shouting, yelling and tossing their dusky | Bs go. He also must be saved it ac is still alive. OF course beh and Se were not slow to. respond im? Is he alone?”” } th * 1a ; in cone dem huts. . Far's I know | ¢ rudder Mi hard Job to get | a
Page 16
i F I Z ¢ . i 2 A THROUGH AN a a UNKNOWN LAND.- aa . r oy ———— ei hs a ceeded, Whe at last, by” great good fortune, they had en- i countered a rain doctor from a neighboring tribe, who was} on his way to thé Nagoshi village at the special invitation of! the chief. What they had done with this person the boys wisely re- frained from inquiring. Mingo assured them that they had not. harmed him, and With this assurance the boys deemed it best to let the matter ; drop. The ruse of Olenda had proved an entire success. To these faithful friends the boys owed their lives, and surely that was enough. “Look here, Harry, what’s to be our next move?” said Archie Ryan, When breakfast was over at last, Mingo and Olenda wete busying themselves with packing the belongings of the travelers into the smallest possible - eompass, while Burt,Rodney, who had kept himself in a fit of the sulks from the time of leaving Quengueza until now, had wandered away a short distance from the camp. ; “To hold a council of war, I say,” replied Harry; with all the cheerfulness possible. “We've managed to miss our way, which is certainly most unfortunate; but now we've got daylight to help us, perhaps we shall be able to find it again. First of all, Burt Rodney must be made to talk.” “The surly scoundrel,” said Archie, angrily. “Do you know, Hal, ir half’ wish the Nagoshi had refused to give him up. A ' dozen times I tried to talk with him, last night. The fellow has no more gratitude about him than a cat.” “You are right, Still he is here and we have got to travel together. Do you know that when I tried to find out how he came to be in that canoe, and who’ his companion was, all the satisfaction I got was to be told to mind my own business.” “My experience exactly.” .. “If our situation was less serious I would be for parting. “ss ‘company with him, ” replied Harry, meditatively, “but as it Sy tus ‘we must make the best. of the fellow. Remember, Arch, we 2 owe a great deal to Colones} Rodney and it won’t do to go back on his son.” ® Yes, we owe our present situation to the Sotetiol: bg replied hae Archie, gloomily. “For my part T almost wish——” -. “That he had never put up the money to take us to Africa. _ Look here, Archie Ryan, you are geiting nO meRe pe -. will never do.” ~ Ne yak “Well, ain’t it enough to discourage one?” . .,*Perhaps it is, but think of Dr. Dennerlein and his sttation: Ie Pretty rescuers of a lost explorer we shall make if we sive up at the first thisfortune.” act “It ain’t the first by a good déal, Hal. We’ye kad nothing a ‘but ‘trouble. ever since we landed in this wretched country——” : “Hush! ” whispered po , FA seba coe Burt; let me try a enses’ “by this time.” i, But Burt Hoarley: had evidently done nothing of the sort. In response to the eae inquiry of the boys, he atgstuiely: | refu ed to communicate | ‘any part beh the histoxy of his est i mloaiine Bader Ns se up ith this aftend ai he rataNed to sere) art a: een ae by the oe. ba ahs > Nagao, and faling Ket ie me had managed | to zet to Afiica »|in safety, and find our canoes all right, I for one, am going. | Nagoshi, could not be found. j s/n to. the roasting of a small-animar of the deer trib “Not by any means,” answered Harry. “I’ve been talking 4 to Olenda, and.he feels confident of finding the path, now that — it is daylight. If we reach the cove where we were captured, right on.” i j “Well, I shan’t go with you,” was the sour reply. “Wish. % you'd left me where I was. Might as well have died one way _ as another, It’s my. belief that we’ll never get out of these — woods alive. I was a blaméd fool to come to this beastly — country at all.” ltl 4 And, as a matter of fact, it began to‘look as time went on | as though Burt Rodney was right. ‘ir Day succeeded day and night. followed night until an ‘full | week passed, and still the boy canoecists remained hopelessly A lost. i Tt was a serious case. vi Their clothes were giving out, their provisions were getting 14 low. Even Olenda and Mingo had abandoned all hope. — The canoes they would never see again, of course; it would | be a matter. of thankfulness if their lives were preserved. © During these days of wandering a sort of armed neutrality had sprung up between Burt Rodney and our friends. _ This was rendered absolutely necessary by their perilo situation, j uh Though well satisfied that their earlier troubles were e tirely due to the false statements made to the authorities a Loanda by their surly-companion, the boys ge no allusi to the matter. : ' Burt Rodney held himself in a state of perpetual opposition to Archie Ryan, though with Harry he was more civil, an inclined to defer to him at times. in ph doy And so the days passed drearily on. y The effort now was to gain the country of the Ishogo, A friendly tribe, whose habitations were supposed to nS ‘aot where -to the hortheast. s ; f compass which would have stood them in such excellent stea in their present predicament was the one thing which, whe 1 - they came to examine their belongings, recovered from th | Its loss was the cause of all their troubles. _ i ! Burt Rodney had also lost his compass, claiming that ust have been left in the canoe, Possibly. he was Laie although, as few of the | goods belong it fell into the ends: of the satin at Quengueza. uD . Let it not be supposed, however, that these trying eos entirely without moments of bape art Eiallae beasts of which the very names were inet oseee It was on the morning of the eighth day, just as. our f and the suilen-Rodney were in the enjoyment of a b ] little stream by the side of which they had passed the that | the enone startling of these ape adventures: wh some distance away, in the hope ‘of being” ‘Ehils to spy ‘ol Ishogo villages, when Mingo, who was supposed to b common breakfast, came. dashing toward the bank of t stream, his eyes fairly | starting” from his head in ter * shouted Harry, swimming ton rd ‘a Beastee’ big, ‘as’ li right under my nose
Page 17
a heaven’s sake! If anything should happen to you, we might | as well all of us give up the ghost!” of the stream. *?Main’t lion!” shouted Mingo. as lion.” “Where’s. my rifle?” cried Harry, springing up the bank. “Oh, here it is. Come along, Arch. Don’t stop for your | clothes. Thank goodness there’s no one to steal them. If Mingo ain’t drawing the long bow we ought to be in for piss 3 a ‘sport.” _ *¥ou ain’t going to leave me here alone, are you?” roared - Burt from the water. _ “You'll have to come along, nodheye or be left behind, one or the other. We need all the provisions we have got, let ‘me tell you, and I don’t propose to have them stolen, either. i What sort of a creature was it, Mingo?” “Dunno, Mars Harry. Mehbe tiger.” : ' “Nonsense! There are no tigers in this part of Africa. You re sure it wasn’t a gorilla?” \ 4. De big man monkey?” queried Mingo, whose acquaintance erith African zoology was not as good as that of the well-read arry. t “ Yes. ” “Him no monkey, Mars. Him walk on four feet. Golly! How I know his name? It don’t make no difference, neder. He cotched de buck, and he’ll cotch you if you go back. pity ihk Be stay ‘long o’ Mars Rodney. Dis chile don’t care much *bout ein’ chawed up.” ! “We will soon see what sort of a customer we have to deal ith,” exclaimed Harry. h Slipping on his shoes as a precaution Aa sriakée: and ollowed by Archie Ryan, Harry now crept noiselessly along | a ihe bank of the stream toward a point where the smoke of _ the camp- -fire could be seen a ged among the trees, f “What I say is beastee big _ \ CHAPTER XI. A /FOREST cOMBAT—A pRieuTrct. DISAPPOINTMENT. aT ; W Wiiat, sort of a brute do you suppose it ‘is, Hal?” asked they crept along. an copard most likely,” was the \reply. “Lions aie seldom £ 2 ry _pivers and the open lands. 0 be a leopard as far as my knowledge goes.” _ “Here! Hold on, you fellows! dy, for I won’t he left! ” came the ‘voice of Burt Rodney, ting in their rear. staken, for——” ' ‘Do on’t talk so ariel, ” called Harry, ane { aie vet are coming, Rodney, you wan to make less f= 2 vans aN s ee ee Arehie Ryan s naked arm, Hams ya ene And while Archie Ryan followed Harry’s example in mak-} like a leaf. , ing for the bank, the colonel’s son ‘swam out izito the middle | buck. What we care? {such a baby! ‘ith in the dense forests. They haunt the banks of | of its misery,” the second and third 1 taking equal effect on the — This creature of Mingo’s ought | frightful snake. You -ain’t going to leave ‘me | the scene of the combat. — ‘ “If you bes 2 Vm airaia you're greatly | he catth me,” muttered Mingo, as the boys gathered aroun Sant over his ‘the bough “above, fell to the earth with a thud. oe mde i agpdecp and ° with pease crept after the ‘means to be despised. =~ Roe yb scarcely come in sent of the eatery when the eee to nothing. | igre it : “Sounds like @ a snake,” ‘suggested Rodney. “An’ dat’s jest what it is,” put in Mingo, who was therbiing “Better keep away, Mars Hinton. Let him hab de Guess you kin shoot anoder. Lor’s a - massy!’ Dere goes de critter again!” - But Harry was in no mood to abandon the hunt thus tamely. Creeping around toward an opening among the trees, the boy canoceists now found themselves witnesses to one of the most terrific combats it had ever been their fortune to behold. As they did so the roaring was repeated again and again, niingled with muffled, strangled, agonizing sounds ‘which told - them plainly that something far beyond the ordinary was tmanspiring behind the trees. And so, indeed, it proved. Peering through the opening, they beheld a young leopard of no great size locked in the deadly embrace of a huge python beneath the tree next adjoining the one under which the fire had,been lighted. Tt was a terrific sight. The python with its-tail coiled around a bough had somemeds himself, seizing the leopard, evidently unawares, while the latter had been in the act of devouring the half-roasted buck. , _ The unfortunate feline was held in such a way as to be entirely helpless, and was fast being strangled, before Lanseke its eyes starting furious and hideous from its head, its great - ‘red tongue swollen and extended while vainly gasping for breath. The struggle was accompanied by frightful. roars, bets ry) with the hideous hissing of the ‘snake. Crushing and squeezing with its huge and powerful folds, the boa would spring its arched neck and.head backward and - forward in fury, its long, thin, forked tongue darting in and eee out, and its horrible eyes flashing with a fierce and baneful a aspect like electric sparks, es “Jerusalem!” cried Burt Rodney. “I don’t stay here, = He sprang ‘back and would have fled prea naleiy had not Archie eatight his arm. is “Hold on, you fool!” he cried, disgustedly. “Who ever saw Hold on. Don’t you see Harry is taking aim? es His shot will put an ‘end to the combat, thongh for my ea, I'd like to see them fight it out, and——” Bang! Bang! Bang! , =A » vu Three shots from Harry Hinton’s ‘Winchester rifle awoke ‘the echoes of the forest even ae Archie's sentence WAR fen y se cat complete. 1 th The first, aimed with unerring tein put the jsupara out “Hurrah! Hal's done it!” shouted Asiehie; leaping, toward “Mis hty lucky ting dat ieoneas came along or. de snake the Wwrithing reptile, whose: huge tail, having lost its hol That day and the next the lost canoeists reveled in’ fresh meat, which, if somewhat strongly flavored, was still by n0_ _ Olenda’s: observations from the top of the hill ‘Braye v F Day succeeded day, and still the wanderers ae this ptr rest, footsore and déspairing, toiled wearily 5 RM Clearly they had lost theif bearings completely, = > ‘The aeq in mae with the forest, to which the Quis: ma m Quengueza oe jaid 80 strong, ; fo
Page 18
16 should ever azain emerge from the ghd of those never- ending trees. There is nothing endless. Even to this dreadful jungle there came an end at last. It was just at nightfall on a certain day of the third week after their departure from Quengueza. The shadows had become so dark that Harry, who had come | to be tacitly acknowledged as the leader of the little band, was just about to order a halt for the night andthe fires kindled as usual for the purpose of keeping off the wild _ beasts, when he suddenly perceived an increase of light ahead. Calling the attention of his companions to the light they hurried toward it. 2 Nor had they far to go. A hundred yards covered the intervening stretch of forests. This traversed, the canoeists found themselves face to face with a new discouragement which reduced the hopeful feel- ings which had suddenly sprung into being within them to the lowest ebb. Instead of a clearing and the huts of some native settlement, to which they had confidentially looked forward, there could ‘ be seen stretched out before them a trackless waste of burn- ing sand extending as far as the eye could reach. CHAPTER XIII. ‘ A DESPERATE SITUATION. For the space of many moments the boy canoeists of the Quanza stood gazing out upon the scene of desolation before them, too much overpowered to speak a word. Olenda, the Quissima guide—whose guidance had proven so utterly ineffective—had fallen upon his face, and ‘seemed mut- oy teting some sort of prayers. ; As for Burt Rodney, he was too deeply rota ee pay with i fatigue to upparently comprehend the new danger which now faced the. little party. _ For several days the colonel’s son had “been acting strangely 2 -—gso much so as to suggest a disordered mind, in point of fact , and now, instead of showing either curiosity or interest, Ny \ ae a awful expanse of sand. he seemed only to realize the fact that the day’s journey “had come to an end, flinging himself at full length under a giant palm, and immediately dropping off into a troubled sleep. “Look here, Hal, I'm afraid we've come to the end of our rope,” said Archie Ryan, at length, as with each succeeding 5 ‘moment the night shadows settled ower and lower upon that “T've tried to keep up my spirits, hop- is ing against hope, but now--—” eset ie aN posed Harry — 4 thousand miles of the Sahara, “The last state of that man is worse than the first,’ »‘inter- inton, quoting Scripture’ gloomily. frank with you, I doubt very much if we evek see Brideport i again. ” me RES “What. is it, Halthe Sahara, or gions desert?” “No, no. You forget your geography. We ain’t within a boy ightful country by way of a river in Lower Guinea. ae eoks now running among the trees with some sort of a ung Over his shoulder. Come, Hal, we have got our pper, at all events. We will, try and make hee best, of a Ta ee Cad alg aril BP nol LAND. : F “Tol be ‘ing night. ‘ Don’t forget that we. entered f It. may, be that Olenda knows something, | ! aa weary march. ‘dlode, behind us” a moment « or two ago-— There, 1 Ind ed, it was onl “And you know,” said Archie, “that I stand ready to fol- low you across that desert the instant you say the word. As for Burt Rodney, I don’t think he will trouble us much longer. The fellow is completely played out, and that’s a fact. Ifa fever should seize him now it would make short work of him, I’m afraid. Hello, Mingo! What have you got there?” “Some sort of kid, Mars Ryan. I seen it and managed to get a shot at um. -Hi, dar! Some one’s got to look out for’ supper. Olendy he done gone to sayin’ prayers, Mars Rodney no good, an’ you un’s all broke up. What a’ matter? Hain’t ‘ot to leabe de woods ‘less we want to, I guess. Plenty game abd water in forest. Mingo only one what keep him head.” The fact was Mingo had long since proved himself a good deal of a philosopher, and he did not belie his acquired repu- tation now. Supper was the next thing in order, desert or no desert, and a very acceptable addition to their failing larder the young goat proved to be. F Burt Rodney was aroused and made to eat with the rest. The short sleep and the food served to revive him slightly, and although he made but little attempt to join in the con- versation, it was evident that he was listening eagerly to the conversation between Harry and Olenda through the aid of Mingo, which took place during the progress of the meal. The questioning of the Quissima shed no ray of hope upon the gloomy prospects of the canoeists. Olenda had never heard of this desert, nor could he give the slightest information as to what lay beyond. f It was a desperate situation. y To plunge into the forest again meant death by starvation, for their ammunition was almost exhausted; to push on across ; the desert would, of course, be madness itself. The condition of the travelers had how become truly dea plorable. ’ Their clothing was im a dreadful condition, especially ‘their shoes, which had fared so badly on the rough road over which they had trayeled that it was only with the greatest difficulty that they could be made to stay on their feet at all. § ge a nd ‘¢ * de ‘" ‘ During the days that followed, Jmatters grew worse and bye worse. / Aira The course chosen by the little party lay to the southward, since by following that direction there seemed a ‘stronger Ly chance of striking the Quanza. ito Ye Sometimes heating their way through the tangled thifeiets, \ ina at others plodding wearily along the burning sand, | ey kept | oe on, hoping against hope, without the least alteration in their situation oceurring. ; é In some places the forest extended further ah into { desert, at others the sand seemed to have forced itself in among the trees. Over all an awful stillness reigned.’ \Birds and animals cena ie 4 e = Wes alike to shun the awful desolation, and in their search for. game they were, as a rule, obliged to penetrate into the woods FE to the distance of at least a mile. On the fifth day Olenda, the Quissima, was seized ‘rth a raging fever, and to the great sorrow of all, died the succeeds They buried the faithiul ae in the midst of a little eatin Night came again. and sonaki no debit ; With the reduction of their number the carrying Ca of our party had been so_ reduced that it now became necessar ‘to abandon the greater part of theit goods. i Harry, Archie and Mingo t it was only with the all.
Page 19
“I think, * said Harry, as they lay in camp just inside the tree line that night, “that we had better stay over here a day or two and try to recruit. It is no use for us to put in another day of this terrible march with Rodney in the condi- tion he is. Did you notice how ‘wildly he talked just before he dropped off? I tell you, Arch, if the fellow ain’t crazy already he will be soon.” — Harry Hinton was first to awake the next morning. Rising from his grassy couch bendath a spreading palm, he erossed the short stretch of woodland which intervened be- tween ‘the place of their encampment and the desert and paused to view the dreary waste once more. . A.surprise awaited him. Instead of the vast sandy plain of endless extent, there now j burst upon the vision of the.young canoeist a great sheet of water at apparently no great distance away, beyond which rose a chain of mountains of towering height, with fertile lowlands at their base covered with a heavy growth of nodding palms. 4 | CHAPTER XIV. OUT ON THE DESERT—MINGO’S DISCOVERY. _ “Archie! Ob, Archie!” The loud shout of joy which burst from the Abs of Harry ‘Hinton at the scene before him brought Archie bounding to ; hig side. ” What is it, Hal?” i “Look! Look! Don’t you see? Water—mountains—an oa inhabitated country. It can’t be over twenty miles away. One day will bring us there, and if by God’s mercy we fall among Ey: friendly people, at least our lives will be saved.” anton beneath his hand Archie Ryan pire out, + the “You are right. Om us ane up Rodney, the goed may do fine good. Hello, a you?. ‘Look out there, What do you think off ¢ it? ” Don’t tink much. ob it,” replied the Liberian after a mo- ent’s hesitation. big sand plains up in my country. I’ve seed sich t’ings before.” “What do you mean, you black rascal?” cried Archie, angrily. ven’t you. got. eyes to see?” } In course I has. See too good. Dem’s no mountains, neder dat ’ar water. Only ghoses, mars, py ghoses.” Wied “Ghosts! iM yf { be “Ghoses ob water and aedeh mountains, mars. é real. Better stick to de woods. ay Dey ain't anak we hab ‘nough . _ answer of the iilaek. “1 go whereber ze ey Ss Rodney. see Moy an’ dat’s what for he go,’ odney—what do you mean?” ae aoe both the boys. in q Mebbe THROUGH AN UNKNOWN “Don’t like de looks ob t’ings nohow. Dere’s | ae For the first few hours their way 1 ~ LAND. At sunset he had not returned. Long before the day came to a close the boys knew, to their intense disappointment, that Mingo had spoken the truth. With the rising sun the sheet of water and the mountain range beyond disappeared like so much mist. “TY tell you what it is, mirage or no mirage, I’m for pushing out into. the desert,” said Harry that night as they sat in camp. “And starve to death or perish of thirst,” replied Archie Ryan, gloomily. ; “Not at all. Of course you understand the nature of the mirage. There can’t be the appearance without something to back it up.” “Meaning,” said Archie, who was trying to fasten his shoe together by the aid of a jack-knife and the tough tendrils of a climbing vine, “that the mountains and the water are real things, after all, only a great deal further off than they appear.” “Precisely. At least so far as the mountains are concerned. The water may have been only an illusion. My eyesight is the best, as you know, and just at sunset I took a long look out upon the desert. It seemed to me that I could see real moun- tains among the clouds, which for days we have noticed hang- ing close to the eastern horizon. I’m for gathering together what food and water we can and'‘striking out bopily. If after a day’s journey we see nothing ahead of us we can at least come back.” “Tm with you, Hal, wherever you go,” was Archie’s reply. And so it was-arranged before they lay down to sleép. Two days elapsed before the boy canoeists put thiets new-plan into execution. By night of the second as large a supply of meat and edible roots as they could carry had been got together, the united result of a forest hunt on the part of Harry and Archie and the efforts of the black, whose acquaintance with the vegetable . productions of the woods was, of course, superior to their own, Two goat-skins, tied up at the head and legs, so as to form very respectable bottles, served to contain their stock of water, and into one small hamper, which they all proposed to take turns in carrying, beads, looking-glasses, and a few other | articles, intended to be used as presents for the native tribes — they hoped to encounter, were securely packed. Up to this time not the slightest trace of Burt Rodney had been found. ¥ Much as our’ friends disliked the aufely fellow, his mysterious absence caused them genuine sorrow. : _ Had he gone mad in the night and wandered away into the depths of the forest across the desert? It was all guesswork. They had searched for him everywhere, “pat in vain. | his account. They were off by sunrise. them on their way. . oa bis peak and. crag being, present before’ them, that it seemed ab- solutely impossible to believe that the sight was unreal. “ ‘Yet as the sun rose higher the vision faded, and by ten ‘| o’clock there was nothing to be seen before them save > the t | endless expanse of the burning sands. - “fs Harry and Archie walked side by side, | trom Brideport, to be used on short nibedan expe Mingo, with a goat-skin- of water slung over each the hamper containing such articles as: the b | to preserve between them, t toiled wearily. be ind Agee . ofa white It was clearly useless to delay their progress oe Toner on ry At the start the wonderful mirage was there agin to ‘cheer’ wi t So plainly could they see the Siaatias, every outline ot”
Page 20
‘THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. ne This had been the character of the sand ever /since their first encounter with the desert, and as it was impossible for “any one to tread upon it without leaving evidence of his pres- ence behind, it. was apparent that Burt Rodney could not have started directly into the desart, but if he had ventured there at all, must have gone either up or down through the forest for a considerable distance from the camp. i By noon the heat of the sun reflected upon the sand had grown intolerable. ; ; Although the boys protected their heads as well as they could by putting dampened cloths inside their hats, it was as much as they could do to bear it. Still they toiled manfully on: _ “We'll put in one day of it, at all events, Arch,” remarked _ | Harry to bis friend as they were resting in a hollow depression a foot or two below the surface of the plain. “I’ve been very eareful to take our bearings. The forest range is almost due We cannot make any mistake should we want to ch . | east of us. - yeturn.” ’ Mingo having gathered up the remainder of the provisions and repacked the hampers, the travelers started again, though but little refreshed. ! a the afternoon advanced the sand grew harder and harder, til it assumed a baked condition ‘as hard as any floor. ‘here was neither tree nor’shr ub—not so much as a blade of és snore No tracks of animals were visible, though flocks of birds oc- casionally passed at a great distance above them, keeping themselves removed as far as Revise from the blasting heat _ tadiated from the sand. - Just before, nightfall the boys aad another hollow some- _ thing larger than the one in which they had dined at noon. ie “We may as well call it a go and stop here, Hal,” said Arehie u _ Ryan, sinking down wearily. “I’m that tired that I can’t go a step further. i * sack, You won ‘t get me up again to- -night.” 7% Nor was Harry inclined to push his friend to further effort. _. Jt had been a terrible march, and one wholly without reward, uf since the supposed mountaintops had certainly drawn no nearer. It was still impossible to determine whether they were ; actually mountains or nothing but clouds. ie _ Resolved, however, to make the best of things to the inst, . Barry threw down his load and assisted Mingo to prepare _ such a supper as ut within ‘the’ possibilities of their slender The a0; which went dove: ina blaze of glory, found THe ‘boys, clining- on the ‘sloping side of the hollow indulging in a ot smoke. ire. i Sa big. visi, ‘Arch, id said Harry, x meditatively. z there must be fertile country to the ‘westward, but the great é ion is, how far? If we only had not lost our map we form gome conclusion; but as that. unfortunately was in £0 scover, we haye no guide. You ‘remember, though, often we looked over the map ‘together, Arch? Those | ' at least, they were Bolo dhe) The Mo- Hemel ahs yam in remember that was nda name oe ed Pp ee ~ Burt Rodney and no one else. ’ He lay partly on his side, with his hands pressed against, There, I’ve planked the old:gun and the knap- | ‘drink of water, for God’s sake. What's the matter wi “OF course. i Ryan whose nature was highly sympathetic, bi ee? The Major, which those infegnal savages did not by eButt; old man, we'll do all we can for you,” tn fi c “Mars Harry! Mars Ryan! Oh, for de good Lard sdké, come ‘ here! ” : Thé ery of the black came from the southerly stad ‘of “wee hollow, breaking upon that awful stillness in ringing tones. Without an instant’s delay the boys clambered up to the ue level. i The dark outlines of Mingo’s fighite could be easily distin guished at a short distance from them, bending over some object stretched upon the sand, which to their excited imagina- tion; seemed to take upon itself the form of a man. } CHAPTER XV. THE DEATH OF BURT RODNEY. Lost in wonder, the boy canoeists of the Quanza. haere toward the place where crouched the black. Ase Though neither spoke a word the thoughts of. both were : the same. f merit a The nearer they apprdsitied the more fully their aw ul sus- Picions were confirmed. \ e The “thing” on the sand was the body of a man. ~ Now they could distinguish the outline of its form aids It could be but one person. “God help us, this is awful!” ‘breathda Harry Hinton, think ¥ ie ing even,as he spoke that the time could not be far. ieee . when their own fate must be the same, [t was Burt Rodney. his head, breathing faintly, Bat evidently in a state of ipa: unconsciousness. : “Found him jist dis way minute eb,* whispered Mir ‘ “Oh, Mars Harry, les get back to de woods. Neber can got *cYOss dis desert. Ebery one of us” die jes’ so.”. “Hush,” answered Harry,: pushing | the black aside and ber ing over bis ‘wretched LOMPRDION,: “Rodney! Rodney! save you yet, 1 The ‘youth upon the anid uence: his eyes wearily. t : “Ig\that you, Hinton ? I’m burning up, [ think. ed nee oa canoe? I can’t seem to make any headway: Oh, dear, t my mother were here.” Le 4 { a “We must get him back to the hollow " whtspered Archie “He’s as crazy as a loon.” “Mingo, go.and ‘fetch the ,water skin baat " | Harry. “Tis no use to attempt. to move “him, Arch, he’ st ate ed =) near his end.” ° es AE rate OEE eng In spite of the contain in. which he held the fellow, z:% back the tears. kneeling at the side’ of the dying youth. f leave.us? ‘Surely you had nothing to gain by it?” There was no intelligible answer. ‘ se Burt Rodt ey. fe) not now seem ts any one ‘was with a, uttering » pitay
Page 21
— VO wT LY ie, eee YS «2° Se 2 oe wee oe si. 5"*% “ eS >=) ~ Se 4 bt ee ae am Ty ee ee ed oh a Ce, os ot et er vues > . aN es ed ay “ * ald ae shat 3 ach ih es 5A ; Sep ic Ngee Tok a : a LePrn ; : : ee x Z fa THROUGH AN TNKNOWN | LAND. ; 19) Ars 77 = — aad > . cs RNS) SE “Tm afraid ae are, Rodney,” was the sad reply. _ It was a sad office, but stern necessity compelled its quick _ There was a moment of awesome silence. performance, : ; _ Then raising himself slightly, Burt Rodney spoke: It was evident enough that the wretched youth had been ~ “It serves me tight,” he said, in a faint voice. “I have no|out of his mind when leaving his companions so abruptly. ps _ one but myself to blame. Hinton, if you and Ryan ever get| Not even a trace of the stolen articles could be discovered : back to Brideport, tell them—tell my father——” near the spot where Mingo had found him. teen “Yes, Rodney, yes.” Maddened with fever, perishing from hunger and thirst, | The voice was growing fainter now. It was painfully evident the only son of the rich man of Brideport had met his end. that the end was near. The last sad offices performed for their companion, the dis- / “Tell my father that it was I who robbed the safe in the | cussion between Harry and Archie was whether they shouid elubhouse. Cal Jenkins helped me. We came out to this | proceed or retreat. feariul country, and——” ~~. The rising of the sun settled this point. . “And it was this Cal Jenkins who was with you the night Now, for the first.time, the eastern sky was cloudless, and ~ “we were captured, Rodney?” they could plainly distinguish the long chain of the Mocambe. - ~* “Yes. We came together. I tried to hurt you, boys, and ’m]}Mouniains in the distance, apparently not more than one ‘sorry for it. I told ‘the consul at Loanda that you were a} hundred miles away. & couple of thieves, and——-” ' This time the appearance was no mirage, but an actual fact. | He stopped. Despairing entirely of ever being able to extricate them- ‘i ow ' Slowly the eyes closed and breathing ceased. selves from the forest which they had left behind them, the ca ete G0) ON5 Rodney,” whispered Archie Ryan. “What.made you| boys determined to push ahead boldly, believing that ‘they leave us?” could gain the mountains by the third day. But Harry, who had been watching the sufferer intently, now The first day’s journey was a terrible one, but our friends ~ , gently laid the head back upon/the sand. bore up under it well. ; ’ ; _ “He has spoken his last words, Arch,” he said, in a quiet} Hourly the mouutains seemed to draw nearer and nearer, fill- oe tone.. “Let us forget that we have anything to bring up| ing their souls with renewed hope. By noon the forest line ‘against him.- God knows how soon we may be called upon | disappeared. ae ae ‘to share his fate.” It was at the start next morning when the accident. happened. } Ms And above the body of their erring companion the boy Mingo, who had lagged behind, in running to catch” up man- = ay -canoeists of the Quanza stood side by ae beneath the stars. | aged to fall sprawling upon the sand, bursting both the water-> tout i Burt Rodney was dead. skins and every particle’ of the precious fluid was lost, ie gi i - Dead in an unknown. land. vt Here was nba sub dilemma. — Ds a ae Now they were in the middle of the desert, it was hard te: Seen, " | decide whether it was best to advance or ied a y, “ : They chose the former. CHAPTER XVL : The forest meant death sooner or later. Once they Pee 4 . gain the mountain range there was at least’ a chance pice bes their lives might be preserved. 5 So the boy canoeists toiled on and on over the sandy plains, Night brought no relief to their sufferings, and in addition — nae | to the lack of water, such of their food supply . as remained had a @ AN my become absolutely unfit to eat. i? n ‘ ad DESPAIR. iy “Hal, it’s ho use. 1 can’t go a step further. God help us! This night's ‘going to be our last, I’m afraid.” lars Ryan clean don’ up,” said Mingo, pityingly. gesagt iy 7 ile ms ee Sire ee ae oie De Or The third day had reduced fear toa condition when to ope, io i: And as Archie Ryan flung himself upon the burning sands of | “28 impossible. - the African desert, Harry Hinton sank beside him and buried They could go no further. face in his hands without speaking a word. , Before them rose the mountains in all their grandeur, ‘but S It was, only the Liberian who appeared to have retained | alas!. Still a weary day’S journey awa y ; ommand of himself; and he, with despair imprinted upon| Was he’ dying? eyery. feature of his dusky countenance, casting one look Harry Hinton, as he crouched beside his trusted frien? ntense pity upon the suffering youths to whom he had grown| firmly believed jit. 4s much attached as a faithful dog, started off in quest of | His tongue, swollen to twice its natutal size, clove to th wate er, which now alone could save -all three from death. | roof of his mouth. . His bones Were racked with pain, his hea n the midst of a trackless desert without water and scarce | burned with fever. { 5 norsel of food. | Darker and darker grew the desolate scene about ‘ihn? his ch was the desperate abiinnder’c ob the boy canoeists of the ‘head fell forward; his last remaining strength failed him. “nodW, on the third day Siete ‘to Burt Rodney’ Ss ‘Extending his hands, the wretched youth dropped face sath. : r at! ward upon the sand in a state of complete unconscious . se which had seized hola ‘apo, Marry Hinton “which foretold the: one on ft Archie Bean. re a most precatious | ough he had not allowed a murmur to ayworse ¢ condition than his t friend. nee come abor siden:
Page 22
20 - ‘PHROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. erases! a i z : > a RES os i SS was bending over him who pressed a cup of water to his lips. Harry drank eagerly. He did not even stop to raise his eyes to the face of the man until the last drops in the cup were quaffed, and even then the glance was but momentary, for a terrible weakness seemed to have gained full possession of him, and he closed his eyes and slept. | Now it was morning. The sun was just raising itself. above the edge of the desert, ushering in another day of that dreadful, scorching heat. This time it was Archie Ryan who.stood beside him with a curiously shaped vessel in his outstretched hand. “Do you feel better, old man?” “Yes—yes, I think so,” was Harry’s reply, as with difficulty he raised himself and stared about. “What’s the matter, Arch? Where did you get that water? Give me some more, for heaven’s sake. -Have I been very sick?” “Almost died,” answered Archie, shortly. “If Vd known how bad you were, Hal, I wouldn’t have given up last night the way I did. Our lives atc safe for the present at least. Look there!” Harry, drinking the water, turned his gaze in the direction indicated, and to his surprise saw, at a short distance away, a tent pitched upon the desert, before which a man in curious “garments calmly sat smoking a long-stemmed pipe. There were also two other men who seemed to be cooking something over a fire, and three camels standing behind the tent. . “Arch, who is it?” rah “An Arab trader, I guess,” replied Archie, shrugging his shoulders. “He came along last night just in time to save our ‘lives; though I am not at all certain that it would not have been just as well it he had let us die.” : “Why, what do you mean?” “T mean that he intends to make us his slaves. He has ap- ‘propriated our rifles and all our goods, and Mingo has already been taken off by his friends, who started an hour ago.” Be Harry buried his face in his hands and for a moment or two did not speak. Y hs ‘a _ “We were mad to come to this countr ry, he said at length. _ “Areh, what can we do?” , : : ; “Nothing! Nothing but to grin and bear ‘it. Hush! He is Keep as cool as you can now—it’s the coming toward us. nly way.” The man “who sat ‘pétore the tent had arisen, and pipe in oh nd now approached. “wives eet some words to the shige in a harsh, guttural vard the men about the fire, ito were in tie act of re- an eee pot ee toiat dhe a steaming, mass. ot A) the ground ‘between. ane boys, the ers ne the: Ble pul ae out a spiecs of | | had fallen was of a charaeter quite the reverse of this. © of tA are ‘ / poe the onee: ai did not intend to cra ae the ‘medicine of | a reddish “color from ¢ a silver flask. going to be so bad. The old graybeard was kind enough last night, and if it had not been eek the medicine he gave you I. believe you would have died.’ ene “When did he come?” asked Harry, wearily, as he followed, his friend’s example and .began to eat. f: “Something after midnight. Mingo and I were just wild about you. I made sure you were dying, and was trying in every way to revive you, when on at once I heard a noise behind us, and there they were.’ “Tf we could only make him understand us we might——" “Ismail,” said the old man, turning suddenly toward them, pointing toward himself and then at ey with a ee 5! air. “That ele be his name,” know yours.” “Harry Hinton,” said our hero, slowly pointing ome ; himself. t asf “O Spanniah?” \ : Harry shook his head. « ie, “O Francie?” aA, “He wants to know whether we are Spanish or “French, cs whispered Harry, shaking his head again. i “No—English,” he added, ‘and to his great joy the face of the Arab lighted instantly. “O, Ingles! O, Ingles!” he exclaimed. Where from?” The relief of the boys. was unspeakable. A long conversation now followed. Without much difficulty they were able to understand that” ee the old man had lived in the English settlements at Sierra Leone; on the west coast, above Loanda, and that he was a iat trader, now on his way to the tribes of'the mountain range ai: and beyond. Nor was this in the least singular. ay f Arab traders from the coast traverse the interior of; Africa’ “ey constantly. For the most part they are by nature more cruel even than the savages themselves. aint ‘Fortunately for our friends the man into whose hands they Ala at whispered Archie. “He wants to s . “Me know oe € er 4 { If his English was faulty his heart was kind, as the ‘boys © 3 afterward had reason to know. L tt proved to be a far easier task to anderstiid: Ismail boc it'was to make Ismail understand them, © ; “The old man, after much “questioning ‘concerning “ther BERS, informed UhGHE, that he bad no intention whatever . brother, who accompanied him, to start before daylight, che had sent Mingo and the hamper with him on OFS: remaini rei imself until Harry should awake. ig In his broken way he made the boys understand that turth than to carry them to the villages of the Apingi, as the near- z est of the mountain tribes were called, he pee do. wet jor at least two years.” “ Apingi good mens. , No hurt, Hi he sid. haps T come pack. One—' two—tree year. W f Lat was a discouraging prospect, but one for which no help. | ian pe “Breakfast completed. Ismail sani tuaied to Ha ne ; « “You ou ah
Page 23
THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. 21 E Now the prospect which had been raised before their eyes 4) by the wonderful mirage grew into reality. _ By nightfall they had gained the first of the Apingi villages - among the palm-covered lowlands at the foot of the mountain - range—a beautiful country watered by many streams—where _ they “were received by the people with every demonstration of _ kindness. _. They did not pause here, however, but pushed on until nearly midnight, stopping at last at the village of Ashira, situated _ at the very foot of the mountain, where Ismail’s brother was _ encountered and also Mingo, who was so overjoyed to see the boys again that he could scarcely speak. _ By the advice of Ismail, Harry bestowed upon the “Heads- - man” of Ashira—a vassal of the Apingi king, whose residence was back among the mountains—liberal presents of beads and cheap trinkets in return for which they were given a hut to sleep in and more food than they could eat. _ Noy, all this was an improvement on their former area Genie certainly. ; Nevertheless their hearts were inca when that night they ) lay down to rest. ; Should they ever see home and friends again? / It ‘was more than doubtful. a On the morrow the friendly Arab would have started on his way, leaving them pare strangers among a strange j 3 people. ‘ ‘Until his return, long on hence, if he ever came, how “could they hope to escape? Hseape was impossible. As completely as they had been in forest or desert, the boy canoeists of the Quanza were lost in an unknown land! CHAPTER XVIII. AN APINGI PROPHET. Bang! Whiz! € A fat buck falls dead as the loud report of a Tifle pe out é the mountain side. Poles, as a brawny ‘young fellow, teed 3 in a soft, ant leopard skin, with trousers of a curious sort of grass cloth, en fo wed by two half-naked negroes, leaps down a crag and his prize. ae j ae sure enough, but it leaves us just one dozen cartridges, fal, » ‘replies his companion, a young man of twenty-two, wear- 1s a heavy black beard and similarly clothed. “However, let’s ce the best of it and enjoy our dinner. We ‘still have enough give old sects Macondai a chance to hear the report of by night.” sf : “ oa, lay ee, down to sleep eat aa ang ry) yeh negroes: these two youre Americans have come to almost as gods, and every chelacs has been he way of their escape. plea a Bright de both, ate natural in e habitants of ‘the littl ‘village years have ‘passed since the night when Harry Hinton | j lessons in iron- working, and. instructed them in the manufac- ture and use of many toois. Naturally of a peaceful disposition, far-seeing and shrewd, | the Ashira Apingi kept the two young strangers closely con- fined to the limits of the village, in the fear that the king of their nation, who lived back among the mountains, at a town called Nomba-Ombana, should hear of the wonderful things they had done, and take possession of the wonder-work- ers himself. And for two years the lot of our friends had been cast among ‘4 these savages, provided with the best house in the village, with servants and everything the “Headsman” could bestow upon them except permission to depart. It was a monotonous, dreary existence, and the boys ical have willingly made any sacrifice to bring it to an end. Among their chief regrets was the loss of Mingo, the faithful. black having been sold asa slave to a neighboring tribe a few days after their arrival at Ashira. Of course they could never hope to see him again. Now, there was a prophet at Nomba-Ombana who was as highly prized by the king as were the white wonder-workers by the Headsman of Ashira. ' Who this prophet was and where he came ‘from seemed to be a mystery, and was something that Harry Hinton and Archie fi Ryan—who had_by this time become tolerably familiar with the Apingi tongue—had thus far been unable to learn. = Some said he was an Oguizi—white spirit—others thaf he Was as black as his followers. Two things were certain—first, that he had yatih captured from a distant tribe at war with the Apingi some time before — the coming of the boy canoeists into the country; and second, that no man save the king and his counselors was ever allowed to see his face, since they kept him confined in a cave, from the depths of which his prophecies were uttered, while Hick AF wondering natives listened above. On the morning preceding the particular day of Wihtbhs we write, a deputation had arrived from Nomba-Ombana with the | King’s command that the two white strangers of Ashira should be sent to that town forthwith. ae The order created intense excitement, but the cee of the Apingi king were absolute and must be obeyed. The prophet had ordered it, so it seemed, stating to the : king that unless the white men were brought a Net PERS a: ii ‘bana he could prophesy no more. Here was a change in their situation that our friends did not precisely relish, yet one for which there was no. heip. - bf _ Accompanied by the Headsman of Ashira, they had started Ki % next morning for the capital of the Apingi country over le mountains, the opening of our ord finding them indulg ue a3 in a little hunting*by the way.» | “What do you think of this prophet, Archie?” asked: ary a the town of Nombi: Ombana lay. path out before them. ee We) hard thing to say, ‘Hal. From all we have he about him ‘he must be a remarkable person. It is ce’ that he has taught the Apingi- Taany things pia e coming out of his cave.” + firmly ‘believe him to be a, white man, detained just a as we are,’ " said ‘Harry. i have had great hopes. aroused sin on we started. You see, I’ve been questioning the headsr and have managed to Bet a g0bd deal out. ati him. Poe ha and Archie Ryan have completaty| We've run right into a whole ‘it was: ;
Page 24
22 Ed eeare ee Ses ai ae LAND. cave by the king, who informed them that the prophet had demanded their presence as soon a s they should arrive. It was a new and peculiar situation for the boy canoeists. Let the reader picture to himself a collection of low huts at the foot of a precipice, arranged one either side of one long street and shrouded with giant palms. y It was to one of the largest of the huts situated at the ex- treme end of this street that the king conducted Harry and Arcbie. This was the, Apingi temple—the sacred edifice in which the hideously carved idols worshiped by the tribe were kept enshrined. Entering with his white guests, King Macondai shut the door in the face of the crowd of half-naked blacks who flocked after them. . “My prophet is there, Oguizi,” he said, addressing himself to Harry, and at the same time pointing downward toward a round opening in the floor, which was of solid rock. “Speak i to him, for he would speak with you. Do not fear him, he is a good prophet., I captured him from my enemies, the Ukam- bani, and he has brought me only good luck ever since.” With this speech—delivered with that child-like simplicity of expression common to all the West African tribes, Macondai - withdrew, having added that it was the desire of the prophet ) to talk with them alone. 7 “Nice place to keep a prophet in,” said Archie Ryan, peering into the opéning suspiciously. “Pah! How fearfully it smells! I tell you it’s a mistake, Hal, to even dream of any one but the blackest kind of a nigger living in a place like that.” “Tm afraid you are right, Arch, though I had’ hoped it might be otherwise.” ~ ‘ _ . “Afraid? Hoped it might be otherwise?” repeated Archie. _ “What on earth do you mean? You wouldn’t wish the meanest white man in existence consigned to such a fate as to be stuck ‘for three years at the bottom of a hole like that.” “J didn’t mean exactly that,” said Harry. “The fact is, I _ hadn’t told you all my suspicions——” “Bother your ‘suspicions, Harry, Hinton! It’s hotter than _ tophet in this shut-up place, and it must be ten times hotter ; down at the bottom of that hole. If there is a prophet down » there, I should say he must be ieee one. But here goes to - find out.” Thus speaking, Archie Ryan bent over Mes hole in the - floor. _ Nothing but blackness was to be descried below. ~ “Ig any one down there?” he called aloud. ‘There was no answer. i Bvidently Mr. Prophet is not talking to-day, or else he don’t better than I do. Suppose you give him a call, and——” ‘ “Who speaks to me in English?” ; A voice like suppressed thunder had pronounced these words Fh Oe peaking ae out of the ae of the Be ie 5 —- t ‘CHAPTER XIX. THE DISCOVERY OF DR. DENNERLEIN—HIS PLAN or ESCAPE, “Was that ; you who spoke, Harry?” exclaimed Archie Ryan, back from the mouth of the opening in the floor of temple as the thunderous mois. echoed through i Se hig! ‘ 4 ; certainly not ” replied Harry ne in agit: icpamiet pees ot there. God alone knows the joy it Sines me to hear a Chris- tian tongue once more!” “By Heaven! you were right, Hal!” breathed Archie. faa “There is a white man down there as sure as fate. What an — awful situation! We thought ourselves badly enough off, but — his fate is ten times worse.” . But Harry Hinton had not paused to listen to these reflec- ‘tions. Springing forward, he bent over the mouth of the hole and peered down. There was utter blackness beneath—blackness, foul pe : but nothing else, so far as he could see. “Who's down there?” he shouted. There was a sound of footsteps moving upon rocks. Then, % after a moment, the voice spoke again, almost directly be- neath him, but still nothing could be seen. “Gentlemen, I am a white man like yourselves, who for years have been confined in this frightful pit. I don’t know who you are, or what strange circumstance brought you among this people, but in the name of humanity I implore your aid.” You shall have what aid we can afford you, sir,” was Harry’s: instant reply, “although I fear it will amount to but little. Like yourseif, we are practically the slaves of the Apingi. We eame among them two years ago.” ‘3 é “Two years—two years!” answered the voice. . oniy known. Are you English?” “No, Americans.” 4) “America! I am a German by birth, but America was my home. Would that I had never left it. Spealk,. my friends. — Tell me who you are and how you came here. It is only re- cently that I learned of your presence among _ the Apingi. Jf ~ what the king has told me of your mechanical skill is ‘th } a way may be devised to enable us to effect our escape.” “My name is Harry Hinton and my companion here: is Archie Ryan. We are from Brideport, in the State of Con- necticut. We came out to Africa over two years ago in search of Dr. Dennerlein, the explorer-——” if “Dr. Dennerlein! I am Dr.. Dennerlein!” thundered th voice, louder even than before. ; Harry Hinton sprang to his feet. F 2, “If Ihad | ¥ s “You ‘See, Hal? I was bound to give your idea first trial. G ‘understand English. Look here! You speak the Apingi jargon - \had escaped at’ gl) only. to be ‘taken by the In his excitement he had almost fallen into the pit. “You—Dr. Dennerlein!” he exclaimed. | : “As I tell you,” repeated the voice. “Young ibn: I ha heard of you both. Brideport was my home before I started on my last: and most fatal expedition. Tell me, if you kno are my wife and children alive and well?” 7 “They were when we left Bridgeport ” called Harry, bes ing over the hole again. “And you came to Africa to rescue me?”, “We started with that intention.” . “Tt was: madness-—simply madness. From your ‘voice can be little more than a boy. But, perhaps, after all. by God’s direction. I await. your story, my courageous yo un, friend, with an anxiety which you can well understanc And bending over the mouth of the pit, Harry Hint his story—told of the action of the Brideport Canoe. their selection for the work of caneeinee its honored mer and of the various adventures through which they ha The tale related by the lost explorer was still more oxciti ‘Held during a considerable period by the Umzielas, who q come to regard him as a prophet. and magician, Dr. D Ukam | othe
Page 25
; THROUGH AN UNKN OWN LAND. tunate explorer—whose fame as a worker of magic had gone Yet up to a certain point, at least, it was successfully carried — _ before him—was confined in the cave in the prophet’s place, | out. % never seeing any one except Macondai and a few of the prin- The headsman of Ashira was forced to return to his village, - cipal men of the tribe. leaving the two white wonder workers behind him. During his residence there Dr, acitbit who could speak The prophet of the Apingi had spoken and war preparations the various African dialects with ease, had instructed the king | were immediately begun. in many useful arts. Time passed. So valuable had he proved himself to Macondai, that the Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan had now grown to be ro. shrewd savage had been deaf to all entreaties to permit him | garded by King Macondai almost as gods. ‘ to depart. _And no wonder. '_ ‘Tt was all a wonderful revelation to the boy canoeists of the Twenty large war canoes had been constructed under their a Quanza. direction, and together with those of ruder build already pos- : When they left the Apingi temple at last it was with hearts | sessed by the king, lay at the landing place at the eg of the - _ inspired with hope. - mountain pass. Pos This they owed to Dr. Dennerlein. All this was the work of many weary weeks. . “Listen,” the explorer had said, when at last his story was| Now at last the night of tle great war feast had come. - completed, “there is a way—and the only one—by which we Would the plan ef the mar whose face as yet they had never * _ - can effect our escape from the Apingi,.and, if fortune favors us, ] even been permitted to gaze upon prove successful? M fs reach the coast.” no Not since the night of their arrival had the boys been per- . _ ‘To what followed, Harry and Archie, bending over the mouth mitted to exchange a word with Dr. Dennerlein. sh of the caye, listened in rapt attention as may be well believed. So carefully was the hut above the prophet’ S cave guarded i Given briefly—and as we are compelled to hurry on to more | that they never had found means even to enter it, exciting matters we propose to be as brief as possible—the Since that night two months had passed. > plan of Dr. Dennerlein was substantially this: Was Dr. Dennerlein siill alive? Bae _ During his long residence in the cave the explorer had dis- a - covered an underground passage leading down the mountain % on the opposite side of the range from the desert which our _ friends had crossed. - This passage terminated on the banks of the Suali, a broad “and deep river which, flowing between rocky walls, emptied es the Quanza at a point not more than twenty miles dis- CHAPTER XX. - THROUGH THE MOUTH OF THE PIT. f ee “Now is our time, Harry. The jivalar (native African beer) has done its work. Every,man in Nomba-Ombana is too drunk to care what the ‘white spirits’ do. I vote we make a move.” “Hadn’t we better wait and see if King Macondai cannot be — induced to let us sleep in the sacred hut above the prophet’s cave?” whispered Harry in answer to his friend, who sat be- "3 z side him before the hut of Macondai himself, where for many ; hours both had been watching the wild orgies of ‘the Apingi — are war feast. rah S “Should they happen to catch us entering the temple se- toa cretly, there is no tellmg what might de agocmme hs false move will spoil it all.” “But this delay is just as bad,? was the reply of Keshia Si Ryan. “In another hour it will be daylight, and then the | Fs whole thing will have to be given up. How many times have you hinted to Macondai that you would like to ask the advice of the prophet about to-morrow’s expedition?” “By aid of this sienna: Dr. Dennerlein could have long ago made his escape had it not been for one reason. On either side of the river the walls of rock were perpen- ular and of great height. It was impossible to leave the passage except by the river, a without boat or raft advance was not to be thought of, _ since the perpendicular walls of rock extended for many miles “either side, P ay ‘Had it not been for this breathing spot I should hayé per- ished long ago,” the explorer had said to our friends. “Night r night I have stood by that rushing river longing for the ; freedom it could give me if I could only avail myself gf its. aid. It might have been my graye had you not come.” t the boys had come and Sacre more no one could ae ee Bi it seemed that the Apingi were contemplating : a secret aes “Three times since midnight, Arch. ¥ - ¢ ; 1 on base neighbors, the ener further up the Sauli, to] “And that is twice too many. I tell you, Hal, it’s now or : |never with us. Come, let us move among the’dancers and watch our chance to slip into the sacred hut. Ny 4 5 ‘It was as Archie Ryan had said—now or never. ; ; Powient: the final stroke must e given or the scheme of Dr. Dennerlein, which was to bring about their escape from the Apingi La be abandoned for evermore.’ ae No wonder the boys felt more than ever the tremendo mental strain under which their minds ‘had been Sony j ever. since their discovery of Dr. Dennerlein in ‘the person : ‘the Apingi prophet. : “They had been acting under the sdridtiens which had come thundering out from the echoes’ the man himself they had not even seen. _ How was it to be managed? 2 M6 re fifty war ca es at the: e landing, besides the t i os 8 au ised Macondai to send i for the white strangers who had st the b building, of the. canoes to. them. “As the doctor well Knew, when all was in readiness for the 7 exposition there would be a great feast proclatens for the it ‘ore the final start. ‘ 1 be eur ie EY , he had added only a moment “Build the: canoes, and Gee them in readiness at th mountain pass. The end see the eave passage is
Page 26
t had thought deeply, though of course they stood ready to risk E anything if only their escape could be effected from this un- known land. Barly that morning they had ‘taken the precaution to se- crete their rifles—almiost the only trace of their original outfit which remained in their possession, by the way—among the bushes at the back of the temple in the expectation of the ‘fulfillment of Dr. Dennerlein’s promise that the king should that night permit them to sleep in the hut. This promise had not been realized. - Now for many hours the war dance of the Apingi had been in progress, and the’king had not only failed to conduct them to the temple, as the boys had led themselves to believe might be his action, but had refused even to respond to Harry’s sug- gestion that an interview with the prophet was absolutely necessary to insure success against their enemies next day. He was a shrewd old darky, that same King Macondai. e Did he suspect their motive? i It began to look so. af Morning would soon be upon them, and with its coming— since it was the custom of the Apingi to drag their canoes far up into the mountain pass when not in use—all hope might as well bé banished at once. “You are right, we have no time to lose,” Harry had said : after. some moments’ contemplation; and both rising the boy ty canoeists mingled with the dancers who thronged the single street of Nomba-Ombana, slowly working their way toward the _ temple hut. - It was.a difficult undertaking, but they managed to accom- plish iat last. Little by little they contrived to separate themselves from the Apingi who pressed about them, finally gaining the en- trance to the hut, situated, as we A already stated, at the extreme end of the village. _ They had arrived at a fortunate moment. ‘The exterior of the hut was unguarded, the men usually sta-’ e ‘tioned to keep watch over the door having joined the dancers as they had hoped. =f ‘Securing their guns from the concealment in which they had previously placed them, the boys now silently undid the rude fastenings of ‘the door. =; “The hut was shrouded in total darkness. ape: of his friend. matches left, and at the risk of drawing the whole village down upon: us, propose: ‘to eee a light, or first thing we know one iso was the great opening in the rocky loo Barat as een it ‘on the occasion ¢ of their previous visit, now re ¢ on oe 10 know Ts can t bring myself to believe that ‘there is n down there?” whispered Archie Ryan as he closed the ind him, Van Meas thing happened so long ago that | the mouth: of the cave. oo aloud. nia profound | silence. : i | What if Re: had died! * wotepered Archie in a eg a a as Bae THROUGH AN UNKNOWN “phank: goodness, I have still a few) ‘see absolutely nothing, and placed it re under ee ee Ar a a me) aN? > PR Py Pin x 4 TEANDS i “Dr. Dennerlein! Dr. Dennerlein! 7 “Who calls me?” With the same thunderous echo the reply came as from a distance, far down in the depth of the cave. “T’d like to know how we are ever going to get down there,” queried Archie, seeing new obstacles now that the first great — fear was removed. Without heeding him, Harry repeated their names at the — mouth of the cave. Then, as before, footsteps were heard approaching. _ ; Presently, from a point directly beneath the opening, the voice of the explorer came again: ; “Thank God, you are come at last, my friends. Is every-— thing in readiness?” ate “The canoes are at the termination of the pass.” j “Yes—yes! Macondai has kept me informed. Why were you not here sooner?’ It must be almost morning.” : Harry explained. i ‘ Ae “Can he suspect our intentions?” came the voice aby be- | Ae low. “If so; we have not a moment to lose. Now, boys, mus- i : ter all your courage. You have got to drop into this hole—a — * distance of some thirty feet.” Here was no pleasant prospect, but the boys did: not ‘waver. Lowering himself into the opening, Harry Hinton, without _ a moment's hesitation, dropped into the darkness, atriking | with a force which well nigh stunned him upon the rocky floor beneath. ; “Are you hurt?” questioned a kindly voice beneath him, and Harry felt himself raised by the hands of a man whose form : he could not even discern. . “Not a bit.” ; '“Then let your friend follow. We will have a Be present- ly, and take'a look at each other, but not now.’ “T am thankful for that. “What a frightful place this is. Positively I don’t see how you managed to live here. at all. yr Oot “This is not where I stay the greater part of the time, ase sponded the voice from out of the darkness. “It is only entrance. My chamber is much more airy as you will presen ly see. But let us not delay a moment.” Why does not 18 friend follow you down?” Me opening, his veice reverberating in a fichasrbud” ‘mann “Come on-—why do you hesitate?” “What shall I do with the hee ea them? They wil b destroyed if I do.” : ““@uns!? exclaimed the doctor. wuts you got guns r lis for _ Here, rll fix that all right.’ : of the cave. | “Now drop the } guns,” he said. “Two. » z “And here’s one “of! them ove bit right y Now. “for tu other! 6 ie he second rifle was vapned idol the hole. ‘Searce had it fallen than a tremendous ‘shouting was | above them, a blaze of light. at they: same time ey L
Page 27
pe THROUGH AN een LAND. 25 ze tion over the rocky floor of the prophet’s cave. “ Macondat | | loud as you choose, there is not the slightest danger of our 4 and half his people are upon us. It’s all up now, unless——” | voices being heard in the cave. ; A hand pressed firmly over his mouth cut Archie’s speech “What I want to know is how they got down through the suddenly short. hole without jumping as we did?” asked Archie Ryan. “I “Follow’ and keep silent.” heard them coming just as I dropped the first gun, and you And as the voice of King Macondai was heard calling aloud | haa better believe I was scared. I expected nothing but to - throngh the opening, commanding the presence of his prophet, | have them leap after me and——-” _.Warry Hinton and Archie Ryan felt their hands grasped with “Were you seen, do you think?” asked \Dr. Dennerlein. firm pressure, and themselves led by their unseen guide fur- “T don’t think so. I dropped the instant I heard them at ther into the dark recesses of the cave. the door of the hut. The distance of a few hundred feet traversed, and their} “Then Macondai had himself lowered into the cave by a - hands were suddenly released. |} rope, in the usual manner. ‘That takes time, and is just what “Single file! Keep close to me!” whispered the voice ahead.| saved us. 1 doubt if he knows now that you are with me. Through a narrow passage, a short distance along an un-| Probably he came to consult me previous to starting upon his. even rocky floor,.and the boys suddenly emerged into a large,| expedition. You kuow the whole affair has been arranged by square apartment lighted by a flaring torch of a resinous ma-!|my advice.” es terial in common use among the Apingi, which enabled them | “And when he finds you missing?” suggestec Harry. _ for the first time to see the face of the man to rescue whom “He may suspect something, if he is not too drunk,” was f they had gone through so much. the reply of the doctor. “What remains for us to do is to i, 5 He was a tall, stately-looking German, with highly tatellec- | gain the landing-place at the foot of the mountain pass before tual features, hair and beard of great length—the latter reach- | the Apingi, if an attempt is made to head us off, once in the t ing almost to his waist--and both as white as snow. | canoes——” Nor did Dr. Dennerlein regard the boys less curiously, still; “Once in the canoes, we can defy them all! + eried Harry. | there was no time to waste in idle words. | “You shall see.” > F H i, < 1] Back in the recesses of the cavern out of which they had; By this time the passage had brought awe out into a lofty come could be heard the voice of Macondai shouting “Mbana! . avern, the floor of which had a sharp trend downward; so Mbana!” which Dr. Dennerlein hurriedly informed his visitors | | steep was it, in fa_t, as to call for the greatest care in making was the name of the defunct prophet who had once dwelt in | the descent, the cavern which the king had insisted on bestowing upon On, on they went, deeper and still deeper, until a full ait himself. hour must certainly have elapsed. “They are after us!” breathed Harry. “This place is a per- Everywhere the; most wondrous forms of stalactites hath trap—don’t you hear them coming? It would have been | rock crystals flashed back the light of the torch, but the boys better if we had never attempted this thing at all.” had neither time nor disposition to inspect them. “fe And indeed it looked so. Dr. Dennerlein, who had now assumed the lead, moved with ‘o all outward appearance there was no means of leaving | | great rapidity, and they had quite as much as they could. do y zi th apartment but by the way they had entered; still it was to follow close behind. , os erved by the boys—and this served to raise their drooping| ‘The atmosphere was frightfully hot and oppressive, strange. spiri its—that Dr. Dennerlein did not show the least alarm. rumbling sounds were heard at intervals beneath their feet. Dashing.to a rude chest in one corner, he hastily possessed | “J don’t like this,” muttered the doctor at last, as the sounds himself of a collection of papers and returned to the side of | continued to repeat themselves. “I have passed through here be : boys. _ {a thousand times. Usually this cave is decidedly cool. These nie ‘My journals!” he exclaimed; “they” must be saved at all| noises puzzle me—I never heard anything like them before.” azards. Macondai has seen the last of his prophet—he will | “T was just on the point of inquiring about them,” said " be ble to raise a hand to prevent our leaving the cave—| Harry. “What causes them do you suppose?” ess yu shall see!” The question had scarce been put when a loud report like ring toward a large flagstone which seemed to have been | muffled thunder resounded through the cavern, and the rock as a seat before 4 second and still larger fragment of | beneath their feet trembled like a ship in a storm. it Dr. Dennerlein raised it, revealing a small opening, bare- From the roof above came a perfect shower of stalactites V3 y large enough to admit the body of a man. and loose pieces of stone, several striking the travelers, 0 Sere Seize the torch and drop through that hole,” he whispered | wounding Archie Ryan sev erely on the head. 3 ; Tet Quick! #3 another instant it will. be too late. It is; “Heaven deliver us! It is an “earthquake!” breathed tl 7 “| doctor.. “If the passage fo the river should. be paaoeee be s done! LAG ci ean SOU ae ; : we are lost!” a Harry, with the torch, then Arente with ‘the guns, last| Pale and trembling he dashed ahead, calling ‘upon his co octor himself, and the great stone mel back into its | panions to follow with all p sible etait cs second shock far more violent than the first. — “So severe was it, that all three were flung down with great | violence, while from above and beyond these came a \ theme en oti himself hoarse.’ 2 aah the saoGies, jubil: (ous crash. i. i ae - ie “His Mbana_ will never answer him again.” What had happened? : ere le the. torch ar om Harry’s hand and led thee way From the sound it ‘seemed the mountains bov th low studded that the boys were obliged ee rent iw peeees +1 a FNS he St most “double to ‘prevent. Sante their |— : vo s ab fears $ as et
Page 28
26 THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. . : ' pat a See . them. With a shout of encouragement Dr, Dennerlein dashed his < torch to the earth and sprang toward the welcome light. + It was gained in a moment, and the boys found themselves | surmise, since from the position in which they stood its end standing upon a rocky shelf with a river beneath their feet. Crash! They were none too soon. Archie Ryan came out last, and he had scarce advanced three. feet beyond the mouth of the cave when the earthquake shock was repeated with tremendous force. aa The ground seemed to rise beneath their feet, and at the same instant a huge fragment of rock toppled from the over- hanging ledge, closing forever the passage out of the prophet’s ‘shouts echoing back from the surrounding cliffs. cave, through which they had but just emerged. “God help us, we are lost!” cried Dr. Dennerlein, as the shock | you make the attempt?” _ subsided. -. No, lost!” repeated the doctor, waving his hand before him. et “See, half the mountain has fallen into the rocky gorge -__ through which runs the river. We are in a perfect cul-de-sac. = ‘There are the canoes at our feet, but we cannot use them. i We have escaped from the cave only to be recaptured or perish | tottering piie. miserably in this horrid hole.” CHAPTER XXII. THROUGH THE JAWS OF DEATH-—THE END. “Mbana! Mbana! Mbana!” From above the heads of Dr. Dennerlein and the boy canoe- ists of the Quanza a ‘wild shout went up. “There! There! Look there! It is all up now! ” breathed T ‘Harry Hinton, directing the gaze of his companions toward the - mountain slope above them. All looked in the direction indicated. The line of the mountain’ pass by which the young canoe builders had so often descended during the past month ‘stretched above them, and by the light of the rising sun they could perceive Macondai and his Apingi warriors brandishing fe their spears and rushing down the pass with tremendous speed : shouting their prophet’s name. “We are lost, indeed,” murmured Dr. Danas. sadly. “We can a et advance nor retreat. However, do not fear for your lives, my young friends. My infiuence with the king i ‘4g great, and they will not harm us. It is as it is written from the depths of my heart, I thank you for: having risked your ves ‘on my account. If I could set you free at the expense of my own, I would do it willingly, but fate has willed it other- ow e—our escape is not to be. ” r ; ae aes say so?” ‘cried Hi ry, with a quick glance. about him. d rather die than live among this arbarous people any longer. See, doctor, there is one way -—_ nt asunder by the force of the earthquake shock, huge s of the coarse, disintegrated limestone which formed the ifs nm either side of the rocky gorge had fallen over into eo. stream, choking the passage above and below passage the faint light of early dawn could be seen ahead. Now the shock had paced and the way still lay open before | was what the brave fellow proposed. Bethel is hana toward the. river whieh lay almost be-| To embark in the canoes and shoot beneath this obstruction — Could they do this successfully. As to the extent of the toppling mass which threatened to settle down into the river bed at any moment, they could only ~~ could not be described. Still there was the passage under it, and freedom with all — its possibilities of escape from this unknown land lay beyond. » ‘ Dr. Dennerlein was sure that the thing was impossible: ; As they viewed it the passage lay beneath the rock, but could they be assured of what lay beyond. It was freedom or slavery—perhaps life or death. With every wasted second the Apingi drew nearer, their wild. “It’s now or never!” shouted Harry Hinton. *“Doctor, will “I cannot. refuse if it is your wish, my friends,” replied the explorer, sadly; ‘‘but believe me, we are going to our death: ite It is done! é ‘ Byen as the Apingi warriors gain the spot but just now va- cated, the boy canoeists and Dr. Dennerlein shoot beneath the AG eoea Fach have taken a canoe, chosing those of their, own build 2 rather than the ruder craft of the Apingi, and lying flat upon their backs, with their rifles beside them, launched themselves — upon the rushing stream. One moment of flashing sunlight with the shouts of ee { blacks ringing in their ears, and all opportunity for retreat has — cee vanished. ; ' Now all is darkness and rushing waters. Rock above—to the right, the left, As they fly onward they can feel it almost brush their faces now and again, so small is the intervening space. What if the space should be utterly annihilated? = What if some low, projecting point of the rock should we encountered in that awful blackness? : Then, of a certainty, would come the end. On and still on, now whirling this way, now. that, aise Shay glad cry from Harry Hinton, whose canoe had taken the leads tells his companions that the end has come. “Light ahead—light ahead!” It needs not the telling, for all can see it. ; It is scarce told then all three canoes shoot out into ghe op “Hurrah!” ‘eries Archie Ryan with a shout which pack from the towering cliffs upon ¢ither side of them, “we are afloat once more—afloat and homeward bound!” ; They had passed the rubicon, and not a moment too_ The echo of Archie’s shout had not yet died away with a dull crash, the great mass of rock beneath which the passage had been made settled down into the river's bed. sh re And as the force of the current swept them onward hh oy vn canoeists and the rescued explorer gazed at one another a blanched faces and thankful hearts. ; _ They had passed in safety through the jaws of earn * Cre * eT, * * * “Pm afraid,” said Colonel Rodney, who had risen dress the Brideport Canoe Club at a meeting held upo tain evening nearly three years after the ship be: ‘Hinton and Archie Ryan had sailed, away; “I am afrai may as well face the inevitable and admit tha ur fellow bers who so gravely risked their lives in the over Dr. Dennerlein, the | frican ‘explorer, é among the dead. For my own part, gentlemen, T me myself for having dent m
Page 29
ead ota e THROUGH AN UNKNOWN “y LAND. Away down at the other end of the long building the mem-! Colonel Rodney had long before the return of the canoeists q - bers of the Brideport Canoe Club who sat nearest the door ered about two deeply-bronzed, sturdy young fellows, who, to- gether with a venerable old gentleman of foreign appearance - had entered unperceived by the speaker. _ . It was Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan back again, and what _ Was more, there was Dr. Dennerlein, the lost explorer with _ them safe and sound. _ From that day the Brideport Canoe Club became the most famous organization of its kind in the land. ns * + * * * * * * Bt Reader, there have been many published accounts offered to the public professing to be true arid faithful narratives of n the discovery of the lost African explorer, Dr. Dennerlein, but _ ,the narrative herewith submitted alone records.the truth. : The journey down the river—which in honor of the famous explorer, was named the “Dennerlein,”—to its junction with ~ the Quanza, was performed in safety. Thence by the Quanza the little party made their way to Dendo, the entire journey consuming several weeks. Friendly tribes assisted their progress, and though their passage through this unknown land was marked by many _ singular happenings, no serious obstacle occurred to cause de- lay. 4 Warned by their past experience care was taken to pass through the Nagoshi country at night, which was accomplished in safety, and with their arrival at the Quissinda villages all “probability of mishap came to an’ end. At Dendo the boys found their old friend Captain Estanza just ready to sail for St. Paul de Loanda, and accompanying - him to that port embarked three weeks later for Liverpool on an English steamer. While at Loanda they were waited upon by the American onsul, who made ample apology for his rude treatment, and told how Burt Rodney and his companion arriving before them _ on the occasion of their former visit, had blackened their char- acters by his false statements, saying that it was the wish of is father—who was well known to the consul—that they should be placed under arrest and sent back to the United - States. t ae a sad affair. HAPPY ae contains 16 ae Pages. ; learned the truth. _ had sprung from their seats, and, with vociferous cheers, gath- | All Brideport gloried in the doings of her now famous sons, The learned societies of America, and of Europe to boot, showered their favors upon the canoe club and its LOulBecOne members. Colonel Rodney alone had cause for sorrow, for, although he never mentions his name, it is well known that he deeply mourns the sad fate of his wayward son. of course\ Harry Hinton and Archie Ryan received the med- als and the promised reward. This, of course, was pleasing, but it was nothing to the pleasure experienced in the feeling that through their efforts Dr. Dennerlein had been restored to the bosom of his family and honor bestowed upon their native town. The full details of the robbery of the canoe club safe were never known, Burt Rodney’s dying confession had explained this in part, but what disposition was made of such money as was left over after the outfit of himself and his companion had been pur- chased—and this must have been considerable—remains a mys- tery to this day. With the money received for their services in rescuing the lost explorer, Harry and Archie entered into busingss ROBO in Brideport. Though now thoroughly engrossed in the cares which a proper devotion to business must ever bring, it is safe to say that the boy canocists of the Quanza are not likely to forget the dangers they encountered so courageously in their journey THROUGH AN UNKNOWN LAND. THE END. Read “The BLUE DOOR.” A Romance of Mystery, by Richard R. Montgomery, which will be the next number (130) of “Pluck and Luck.’ SPECIAL NOTICH: All back numbers of this weekly are always in print. . If you cannot obtain them from any newsdealer, send the price in money or postage stamps by mail to FRANK TOUSEY, PUBLISHER, 24 UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK, and you will receive the ee . The ‘consul who had taken the trouble to communicate with | you order by return mail. : ‘Sample Copies: Sent Free a Ga eat It is Handsomely Illustrated. It has Good Stories of Every Kind. | z or It Gives Away Valuable Premiums pe Answers all sorts of ‘Questions in its Correspondence Columns, a Send us your Name and Address for a Sample Copy Free, - a re
Page 30
Issudd WeeklyBy Subscription $2.50 per yeur. Entered us Second Cluse Matler al the New-York Post Office, Uy Frank Lousey. No. 101 NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 9, ce Price 5 Cents, Loe By HALSTANOISH.. Orie SSN iY, ini! its TI Wie ge ad A Are alli A
Page 31
wi ‘ y ORK AND WIN. . INTERESTING WEEKLY FOR YOUNG AMERICA. 32 aa ‘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 lias made up his can be done, and have all the fun possible. ir mind to make his own way through life, and in Nias 3 so see everything to be seen, do all the good that oLbin fense to the most refined minds, and we feel assure¢ will be allowed in these stories that can give of- that the old as well as young will find both pleas- ure and profit in following the harmless adventures of this bright young man who always tries to do right, at the same time using every effort to keep on top. READ ONE AND YOU WILL READ THEM ALL. LATHST ISSUHS: 8 Fred Fearnot at Sea; or, A Chase Across the Ocean. 9 Fred Fearnot Out West; or, Adventures With the Cowboys. _ 10 Fred Fearnot’s Great Peril; or, Running Down the Counter- feiters. 11 Fred Fearnot’s Double Victory; or, Killing Two Birds with x! One Stone. 12 Fred Fearnot’s Game Finish; or, His Bicycle Race to Save a : Million. _ 13 Fred Fearnot’s Great Run; or, An Engineer for a Week. ~ 14 Fred Fearnot’s Twenty bess or, His Fight to Save His ei Honor. 16 Fred Fearnot’s Engine Company: or, Brave Work as a Fire- man. at 16 Fred Fearnot’s Good Work; or, Helping a Friend in Need. 17 Fred Fearnot at College; or, Work and Fun at Yale. 18 Fred Fearnot’s Luck; or, Fighting an Unseen Foe. 19 Fred Fearnot’s Defeat; or, A Fight Against Great Odds. 20 Fred Fearnot’s Own Show; or, On the Road With a Combi- r nation. 21 Fred Fearnot in Chicago; or, The Abduction of Evelyn. _ 22 Fred Fearnot’s Grit; or, Running Down a Desperate Thief. 23 Fred Fearnot’s Camp; or, Hunting for Big Game, 24 Fred Fearnot’s B. B. Club; or, The Nine that Was Never vine Beaten. 25 Fred Fearnot in Philadelphia; or, Solving the Schuylkill ve Mystery. ir 26 Fred Fearnot’s Famous Stroke; or, The Winning Crew of ei Avon. 27 Fred Fearnot’s Double; or, Unmasking a Dangerous Rival. 28 Fred Fearnot in Boston; or, Downing the Bully of Back Bay. d Fred Fearnot’s Home Run; or, The Second Tour. of His ine, ‘ 0 Fred Fearnot’s Side Show; or, On the Road With a Circus. 1 Fred Fearnot in London; or, Terry Olcott in Danger. Fred Fearnot in Paris; or, Evelyn and the Frenchman. 33 Fred Fearnot’s Double Duel; or, Bound to Show His Nerve. Fred Fearnot in Cuba; or, Helping “Uncle Sam.” 5 Fred Fearnot’s Danger; or, Three Against One, 86 Fred Fearnot’= Pledge; or, Loyal to His Friends. 387 Fred Fearnot’a Flyers; or, The Bicycle League of Avon. Fred Fearnot’s Flying Trip LOX, Around the ,World On ‘Record Time. Fred Fearnot’s Frolics; or, Having Fun With Friends and : Foes. Fred Fearnot’s Triumph; or, Winning His: Case in Court. _- 41 Fred Fearnot’s Close Call; or, Punishing a Treacherous Foe. 42 Fred Fearnot’s Big Bluff; or, Working for a Good Cause. 43 Fred Fearnot’s Ranche; or, Roughing It in Colorado. 1 Fred Fearnot’s RpPen ation: Sharks. Fred yet in the Clouds; or, Hvelyn’s Narrow Escape. Fred Fearnot at Yale Again; or, Teaching’ the College Boys New Tricks: ant Fearnot’s Mettle; or, Hot Work Against Enemies. d Fearnot in Wall Street; or, Making and Losing a ‘Million. 49 Fred Fearnot’s Desperate Ride; or, A Dash’ to Save Evelyn. ce Great Mystery; or, How Terry Eronedl Hig ‘earnot in the Klondike; or, Working the “Dark orae” Claim: La 3p or, Outwit ng the Land ‘98 Fred Fearnot’s Strategy ; or, Outwitting a Troublesome Dospler ut Pciteniot or sent postpaid on receipt. of 7} price, 5 cents per copy, 1 a RSeaES” E 54 Fred Fearnot’s Rival; or, Betrayed by a Female Bnemy. Fred Fearnot’s Defiance; or, His Great Fight at Dedham Lake. Fred Fearnot’s Big Cntiionct: or, Running a County Fair. Fred Fearnot’s Daring Deed; or, Saving Terry from the Lynchers. Fred Fearnot’s Revenge; or, Defeating a Congressman. Fred Fearnot’s Trap; or, Catching the Train Robbers. Fred Fearnot at Harvard; or, Winning the Games for Yale. Fred Fearnot’s Ruse; or, Turning Tramp to Save a Fortune, Fred Fearnot in Manila: or, Plotting to Catch Aguinaldo. Fred Fearnot and Oom Paul; or, Battling for the Boers. Fred Fearnot in Johannesburg: or, The Terrible Ride to Kimberley. Fred Fearnot in Kaffir-land; or, Hunting for Khe Lost Dia- mond. Fred Fearnot’s Lariat; or, How He Caught His Man. Fred Fearnot’s Wild West Show; or, The Biggest Thing on Earth. Fred Fearnot’s Great Tour; or, Managing an Opera Queen. Fred Fearnot’s Minstrels; or, Terry's Great Hit as an-End Man. Fred Fearnot and the Duke: or, Baffling a Fortune Hunter. Fred Fearnot’s Day; or, The Great Reunion at Avon. Fred Fearnot in the South; or, Out with Old Bill Bland. Fred Fearnot’s Museum; or, Backing Knowledge with Fun. Fred Fearnot’s Athletic School; or, Making Brain and Brawn. 4 Fred Fearnot Mystified; or, The Disappearance of Terry Ol- cott. Fred Fearnot and the Governor; or, Working Hard to Save a Life. Fred Fearnot’s Mistake; or, Up Against His Match, Fred Fearnot in Texas; or, Terry’s Man from Abilene. Fred Fearnot as a’ Sheriff; or, Breaking up a Desperate Gang. Fred Fearnot Baffled; or, Outwitted by a Woman. Fred Fearnot’s Wit, and How It Saved His Life. Fred Fearnot’s Great Prize; or, Working ard to Win. Fred Fearnot at Bay; or, His Great Fight for Life. Fred Fearnot’s Disguise; or, Following a Strange Clew. Fred Fearnot’s Moose Hunt; or, Adventures in the Maine Woods. 86 Fred Fearnot’s Oratory; or, Fun at the Girls’ High School, 87 Fred Fearnot’s Big Heart; or, Giving the Poor a Chance. 88 Fred Fearnot Accused; or, Tricked by a Villain. ; Fred Fearnot’s Pluck; or, Winning Against Odds. fi Fred Fearnot’s Deadly Peril; or, His Narrow Escape from Ruin. 5 ‘Fred Fearnot’s Wild Ride; or, Saving Ei Duncan’ ‘Ss, Lite. Fred Fearnot’s Long Chase: or, Trailing a Cunning Villain, Fred Fearnot’s Last Shot, and How It Saved a Life. f Fred Fearnot’s Common Sense; or, The Best Way Out ot Trouble. Fred Fearnot’s Great Pind; or, Saving Terry Olcott's For tune. Fred Fearnot and the Sultan; or, Riventieand on. the Ish and of Sulu, 97 Fred Fearnot’s Silvery Tongue: or, Winning an aioe Mob. t 99 Fred F Fearnot’s Little Joke; or, Worrying Dick and Terry. K 100 Fred Fearnot’s ‘Muscle; or, Holding His Own Agai Odds. } | 102 Ge Fearnot on Hand; or, Showing oe at the ‘Right - Time.
Page 32
oteriaa fesimisivi4 eeu cciuresine crn +/) _ACOMIC WEEKLY OF COMIC STORIES BY COMIC, Iisued WotklyexBy Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered ad Second Class Matter at the New York Post Office, by Frank Touseys No. 58 NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 14, 1900. Price 5 Conts, e..MAPPY FAMILY: PRM nt sa, ay OBR, y ' TWO BOYS, TWO COONS, A DOE AND AMULE. cpg —pOLPETER PAD. | '
Page 33
‘i se eee Fie i t i. nok ne ad ne 1 sua - re 4 “ Zo sont ‘LAUGH IN ‘EVERY CHAPTER | E Btoxics as PETER PAD, TOM TEASER, © sy i cover. <a Te binceet Se . LATEST ISSUES: _ 2-46 Cheéky Jim, the Boy From Chicago; or, Nothing Too © _.. Good for Him, ‘ by Sam Smiley 7 Skinny, the Tin Peddler, by Tom Teaser 8 Skinny on the Road; or, Working for Fun and Trade, Sa ALS ee 9 Tom, Dick ‘and Dave; or, Schooldays insNew York, 6%, by Peter Pad 10 Mulligan’s Boy; by Tom Teaser ma. Little Mike Mulligan; or, The Troubles of Two Runa- i ways, ’ by Tom Teaser Bria 12 Pouchemup Academy; or, Boys Who Would Be Boys, PE _by Sam Smiley 43 Sisld oat: the Solid Man, : by Tom Teaser _. 14 The Troubles of Terrence Muldoon, by Tom Teaser 45 Dick Quack, the Doctor's ‘Boy; or, A Hard Pill to , Swallow, by Tom Teaser ae “46 ‘One of the Boys of New York: or, The Adventures of Tommy Bounce, by Peter Pad 17 Young Bounce in Business; or, Getting to Work for 2 SEEN) by Peter Pad ~The Muleahey ‘Twins, by Tom Teaser Corkey; or, The Tricks and ‘Travels of a Supe, ‘ ; by Tom’ Teaser. 0 Out With a Star; or, Fun Before and Behind the | : Scenes, . “by wai Teaser 1 ily Bakicus, the Boy with the Big Mouth, by Com. Ah-Look horty in ‘Luck, : The Two Shortys; or, eee in Great Luck, by Peter Pad Bob Short; or, One of Our Boys, by Sam ‘Smiley, mmy Bounce, Jr or, A! Chip of the Old Biock, by Peter Pad 26. ‘The I Best of the Hots or, Going: His Father One Better, ; by Peter Pad indop Bob; or, An English Boy in America, by Tom Teaser le ‘Nip, the Imp of the School, _ Fun in Solid Chunks, _ by Tom Teaser oh ‘Jump 2 His Old Blind Nag, / by Peter Pad Spry, the New York Drummer; or, Business Be- fore Pleasure, by Peté ry and Spot; or, The Hustling Drummer and the ‘ by Peter oe 2snaPrs” Every number will consist of 32 LARGE PAGES, clear, bold type, and will be inclosed in a handsome i luminated , Each story will be complete in itself, and will be filled with | funny incidents and situations from beginning to end. ' If you enjoy a good laugh you should certainly place your Oor- der with your newsdealer for a copy of “SNAPS” every week. £ we by Tom Teaser } - ‘by Peter Pad} . | 54 The Bavhelor’s Boy; or, Worse Than a Yellow Dog, — i \ by Peter tan: 85 Truthful Jack; or, On Board the Naagy. ‘gmc by Tom Teaser |, 56 Two in a Box; or, The Long and the Short ef "tt, r Pad | 5g A Happy Family; ot, Two Boys, Two Coons, ry Dog” Ke ACOMIc WEEKLY OF GOMIC STORIES BY COMIC AUTHORS, . The Only Weekly Series of Funny Stories Pub- lished in the World. . ) “SNAPS” will be issued weekly and nd wits contain the cream of | humorous stories, written by such well known writers of Comic SAM SMILEY and Others. rinted in. at 33 24 35 Three Jacks; or, The Wanderings of a Waif, by Tom Teaser _ Tumbling Tim; or, Traveling with a’Circus, by Peter Pad Tim, the Boy ‘Clown; or, Fun with an Old-Fashioned x Circus. by Peter Pat 7) Sassy Sam; or, A ‘Bootblack’s Voyage Around the ~ ; World, by Commodore Ah-Look The Deacon’ s Son; or, The Imp of the Village, ry ; by ‘Tom Teaser - Old Grimes’ Boy; or, Jimmy and His Funny Chums, che By Tom Teaser es Muldoon’s Boarding House, by Tom ‘Teaser The Irish Rivals; or, Muldoon and His Hungry Board- a ers, 3 by Tom Teaser ‘The Muldoon Guard; o The Solid Man in Line, ‘by Tom Teaser Tommy Bounce, Jn, te College, by Peter Pad — A Rolling Stone; or, Jack Ready’s Life of Fun, by Peter Pad Black and White; or, Jack Ready’s Funny Partner, ~ by Peter Pad 5 Shorty Junior; or, The Son of His Dad, by Peter Pad 46 pa the Scenes; or, Out With a New York Combina- . . “by Peter Pad We 47 Before ‘the Footlights; or, The Ups and Downs of Stage ~ phe re Life, by Peter Pad ee 48 Cheeky and Chipper; or, Through Thick and Thin, eS .by Com, Ah-Loolk 49 Rob Rollick; or, What Was He Born For? by Peter Pad ~ 50 The Pride of the School; or, The Boy Who Was never — Found Out, by Peter Pad ye 51 Sassy Sam Sumner. A Sequel to “Sassy Sam,” by Commodore Ah-Lo 41 42 43 44 52 A Bad Bgg; or, Hard to Crack, 53 Sam; or, The Troublesome Foundling, y ‘Tom Tease py'Tom Te 67 Smart & Co., The Boy Peddlers, — ‘ by Peter P ad’ a ae ; ode | - : ‘ \
Page 34
‘These Books Tell You Everything! A COMPLETE SET IS A REGULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA Each book consists of sixty-four pages, printed on good paper, in clear type and neatly bound in an attractive, illustrated cover. Most of the books are also profusely illustrated, and all of the subjects treated upon are explained in such a simple manner that any child can thoroughly understand them. Look over the list as classified and see if you want to know anything about the subjects mentioned. THESE. BOOKS ARB FOR SALE BY ALL NEWSDEALERS OR WILL BE SENT BY MAIL TO ANY ADDRESS FROM THIS OFFICE ON RECEIPT OF PRICH, TEN CENTS EACH, OR ANY THREE BOOKS FOR TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. Address FRANK TOUSBY, Publisher, 24 Union Square, N. Y. SPORTING. No. 21. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH—The most complete hunting and fishing guide ever published. It contains full in- atructions about guns, hunting dogs, Ce gana a and fishing, ay ae with descriptions of game and fish 0. 26. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND BUILD A BOAT.—Fully illustrated. Hvery boy should know how to row and sail a boat. _ Full instructions are given in this little book, together with in- structions on swimming and riding, companion sports to boating. No. 47. HOW TO BREAK, RIDE, AND DRIVE A HORSE.— A complete treatise on the horse. Describing the most useful horses for business, the best horses a the road; also valuable recipes for ee tei bogies to the hors No. HOW TO BU ILD AND SAIL CANOES.—A handy _ book A boys, containing full directions for constructing canoes and the most popular manner of sailing them. Fully illustrated. By Cc. Stansfield Hicks. FORTUNE TELLING. No. 1. NAPOLEON'S ORACULUM AND DREAM BOOK.— Containing the great oracle of human destiny; also the true mean- g of almost any kind of dreams, together with charms, ceremonies, a i curious games of cards. A complete book. No. 23. HOW ‘TO BXPLAIN DREAMS.—Everybody dreams, from the little child to the aged man and woman. ‘This little book gives the explanation to all kinds of dreams, together with lucky and si aa days, and ‘*Napoleon’s Oraculum,” the book of fate. No: 28. HOW TO THLL PPORTUNES. -—Hyeryone is desirous of knowing what his future life will bring forth, whether happiness or misery, wealth or poverty. You can tell by a glance at this little ‘book. Buy one and be convinced. Tell your own fortune. Tell ' the fortune of your friends. No. 76. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES BY THE HAND— Containing rules for telling fortunes by the aid of the lines of the ‘hand, or the secret of palmistry. Also the secret of telling Seles eyents by aid of moles, marks, scars, etc. Illustrated. By A a derson. ~ ATHLETIC. ate: 6. HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE.—Giving full in- ‘struction for the use of dumb bells, Indian clubs, parallel bars, horizontal bars and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over sixty illustrations. Every boy can become strong and healthy by following the instructions ‘contained in this little book. No. 10. HOW TO BOX.—The art of self-defense made easy. Containing over thirty illustrations of guards, blows, and the differ- ent positicns of a good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of wih useful and nh ore books, as it will teach you how to box : ithout an instructor pis 25, HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST.—Containing full igeeeons for all'kinds of gymnastic sports and athletic exercises. 5 ibraste thirty-five illustrations. By Professor W. Macdonald. A ee and useful book. : 4 OW TO FENCH.—Containing full instruction for ie ae aa the use of the broadsword; also instruction in archery. _ Deseribed. with twenty-one practical illustrations, giving the best fmomielone in et A complete book. — Gg eeINO. TO BECOME A BOWLER. —A complete manual of sesciue. Containing full instructions for playing all the stand- aed American and German games; together with rules and systems — of sporting a use by the principal Boma clubs in the United | States By sedis sie ssid Sore 4 TRICKS WITH CARDS. No. 51. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Containing planations of the general principles: of sleight-of-hand applicable o card tricks; es card tricks with ordinary cards, and not requiring gle it-of-hand ; tricks involying sleight-of-hand, or the use of pains so of hie ae deceptive card tricks, with a lady in the an should have this book, — ee St ecationa! By. Ae And derso No. 74. HOW TO WRITE. LETEERS CORRECTLY, — } ee ay ca WITH | CARDS.— taining Taal | instructions for writing. ibis on eae any su lecep’ tive C eee rmec Seis acon ing, Copland also rules for peace i bape oS sition ; eer! with pecin d hom am ly it aoa i letters. : Taare, ee Thur Beg ths oe reall ss { eta oe ; aM =n yj 4 complete instructions for writing letters to ladies a all subject -| also letters of introduction, notes and r ‘ MAGIC. No. 2. HOW TO DO TRICKS.—The great book of magic and card tricks, containing full instruction of all the leading card tricks ‘of the day, also the most popular magical illusions as performed by our leading magicians; every boy should obtain a copy of this book, as it will both amuse and instruct. No, 22, HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT.—Heller’s second sight explained by his former assistant, Fred Hunt, Jr. Explaining how the secret dialogues were carried on between the magician and the. boy on the stage; also pixing all the codes and signals. The only authentic explanation of second sig No. 43. HOW TO BECOME a MAGICIAN. —Containing the grandest assortment of magical illusions ever placed before the public. Also tricks with cards, incantations, ete. No. 68. HOW 'TO DO CHEMICAL TRICKS.—Containing over _ one hundred highly amusing and instructive tricks with chemicals, — By A. Anderson. Handsomely illustrated. No. 69. HOW TO DO SLEIGHT OF HAND,—Containing over fifty of the latest and best tricks used by magicians. Also contain- ing the secret of second sight. Fully illustrated. By A. Anderson. No. 70. HOW TO MAKE MAGIC TOYS.—Containing full directions for making Magic ee and devices of many kinds. By ~ A. Anderson. Fully illustrated : No. 73. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH NUMBERS. —Showing many curious tricks eth figures and the magic of n mbers. By A. Fully illustrated. wy Anderson, No. 75. HOW TO BECOME A CONJURER. io Cenesinigy tricks with Dominoes, ie ope and Balls, Hats, ete. Boers ina ahy illustrations. Anderson. i : / 78. HOW TO DO" viet ‘BLACK ART. —Containing a com- apo “description of the mysteries of Magic and plight of Hand, — . Anderson. iis -MECHANICAL. ats No. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR.—Every boy — should know how inventions originated. This book explains them all, giving examples in. electricity, hydraulics, magnetism, optics, — pneumatics, mechanics, etc., etc. The most instructive book pub- 3 ishe : « No. 56. HOW TO BECOME AN ENGINEER -—Containing foll : instructions how to proceed in order to become a locomotive en- gineer; also directions for building a model locomotive ; together 1% with a full description of everything an engineer should know. : No. 57; HOW TO MAKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Full — ‘directions how to make a Banjo, Violin, Zither, Aeolian Harp, Xylo- | phone and other-musical instruments; together with a brief de-— Hi scription of nearly every musical instrument used in ancient — or modern times. Profusely illustrated. By Algernon S§. Fitzgerald, ~ * for twenty years bandmaster of the, Royal ed Marines. No. 59. HOW TO MAKE A MAGIC LANTERN —Containing a description o* the lantern, together with its history and inventi a Also full directions for its use and for painting slides. Handsome illustrated, at John Allen No. 71. HOW TODO MECHANICAL TRIOKS.—Containing complete instructions for performing over sixty Mechanical Tricks. By A. Anderson. Pully illustrated. \ LETTER WRITING. ea? “3 No. 11. HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS.—A most com: i picts little book, containing full directions for writing love-letters, and when to use them; also giving specimen letters for both patio a and old. “No. 12. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO ‘LADIBS. = Givi together with many wonderful experiments. Illustrated. Pope = uests No. 24. HOW TO;WRITER ‘LETTE $s TO GENTLEME — a Containing full Bek ar for writing to gentlemen on all subjects ; : also giving goree tee letters for insttuction. ie No. 53. WRITH LETTERS.—A wonderful. book, telling you ne to write to your sweetheart, your fathe if mother, sister, brother, employer; and, in fact, everybody and any- body you wish to write to. Every young man and er voun c
Page 35
Att 4 x ov ol 5 i ioe sf > 4 . ; is : a | TEN CENT HAND BOOKS.—Continued | | E STAGE. Soci ETY. 5 HE BOYS OF NEW YORK END MEN’S J (OKE| No. 3 HOW TO FLIRT.—The arts and wiles of flirtation are > ing a great variety of the latest jokes used by the fully explained by this little book. Besides the various methods of _No amateur minstrels is complete without | handkerchief, fan, glove, parasol, window and hat flirtation, it con- this ‘eaaantnl little. heck: tains a full list of the language and sentiment of flowers, which is W oe 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUMP SPHAKDR.— | interesting to everybody, both old and young. You carnot be happy ng a varied assortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch | without one. & Also end men’s jokes. Just the thing for home amuse- : No. 4. HOW TO DANCE is the title of a new and handsome teur shows. | little book just issued by Frank Tousey. It contains full instruc~ ou BOYS OF NEW YORK MINSTREL GUIDE | tions in the art of dancing, etiquette in the bali-room and at parties, JOK.—Something new and very instructive. Every | how to dress, and full directions for calling off in all poputar square eat obtal in this book, as it contains full instructions for or- | dances. g an amateur minstrel troupe. No. 5. HOW TO MAKE LOVE.—A complete guide to love, "eb, MULDOON’S JOKES. —This is one of the most original | courtship and marriage. giving sensible advice, rules and etiquette e books ever published, and it is brimful of wit and humor. It | to be observed; with many curious and interesting things not gen- Pe einine a large collection of songs, jokes, conundrums, etc., of | erally known. | Terrence Muldoon, the great wit, humorist, and practical joker of No. 17. HOW TO DRWSS.—Containing full instruction in the Py, very boy who | ei enjoy a good substantial joke should | art of dressing and appearing well at home and abroad, giving the i a copy immediate selections of colors, material, and how to have them made up. (9. How TO BECOME AN ACTOR.—Containing com- No. 18. HOW TO. BECOME BEAU TIFUL.—One © of the ikke. ssatruenotes how to make up for various characters on the busntace and most valuable little books ever given to the world, stage; together with the duties of the Stage Manager, Prompter, | Everybody wishes to know how to become beautiful, both male and ~ Scenic Artist and Property Man. By a prominent Stage Manager. ee The ae is mca io = ele costless. ‘Read this books * and be convinced how to become beautifu * } HOUSEKEEPING. No. 16. HOW TO KEEP A WINDOW GARDEN.—Containing BIRDS AND ANIMALS. structions for constructing a window garden either in town os country, and the most approved methods for raising beautiful cane rele rs po Se eae tes “Tike at home. The most complete book of the kind ever pub-j canary; mocking-bird, bobolink, blackbird. paroquet, parrot, ete. i 2 No. 39. HOW TO RAISE DOGS, POULTRY, PIGEONS: AND ¥ RABBITS.—A useful and instructive book. Handsomely illustrat- ed. By Ira Drofraw No. 40. HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS. —Including hinte on how to catch moles, weasels, otter, rats, squierdls and birds, com noe to cure skins. Copiously illustrated. BY. J. Harringtow ‘No, 50. HOW TO STUFF BIRDS AND ANIMALS.—4 yaluable book, giving instructions in collecting, preparing, mounting and bgrggt birds, animals and insects. ; ma es aie TO agp AND apps — ae com- T KE AND USE BLECTRICITY.—A de- | ple . ‘information as to t e manner and method of raising, keeping, a0. Fie ecndnetan, uses of electricity and electro magnetism ; taming, breeding} and managing all kinds of pets; also giving ful) ith full instructions for making Hlectrie Toys, Tat tteries, | instructions for making cages, ete. Fully explained by twenty-eight - George Trebel, . M,, M. D. Containing over fifty il: | illustr Howe, making-it the most complete book of the kind ever | publi ow a Mats BLEOTRICAT MACHINES one MISCELLANEOUS. directions fo: king electrical machines, induction| No § HOW TO BECOME A SCIENTIST.—A useful and i Comp ey a worked by electricity. structive book, giving a complete treatise on chemistry; also ex- 00 illus' L. TRICKS.—Containing a periments in acoustics, mechanics, mathematics, chemistry, and di- ly amusin “electric cal t =, ‘Tections for making fireworks, colored fires, and gas balloons. This eK. eaten. HOE ®, | book cannot be equaled. NTER TAINME - io. nea "tO Ms MAK® CANDY.—A complete hand- book for. 1 making all kinds of can eam, syrups, essences, etec., ete. ENTRILOQUIST.—By Harry No. 15. HOW TO mia ee nH. This Every intelligent boy rea ding ‘sents you with t professor (delighGag Iti- | noted and wealthy men in the world, including the se ] imitations), can master the | of our country. ‘he baek is edited by one of the mo: i men of the present age, whose own example i is in itself guide enough . ublished, snd ge re tailiions Sef fun) in it. the po th aspire to fame and money. book will she bine 5 A ; e@ sec 2 Bs de : ished tg poked compendium |,. No. 19, FRANK TOUSEY’S UNITED IST ions, comic recreations, ete., suitable TABLES, POCKET COMPANI D_ GUIDE.— Giving entertainment. It contains more for the official distances on all the railroads of the United State: Canada. Also table of distances by water to foreign ports i Oo plete and useful little fares in the. Ree gees ee ok ated pes nao bon ete., ma! it one of the most complete and handy books publishe: na a, dominoes, ete regulations of billiards, bagatelle, | it one of the most cot a Oe a etoR.—A r TO 8 fe) LV OC GONUNDRUMS. —Containing all derful beet wri ated Pieri oe Re informa’ ae in treatment of ordinary diseases and ailments common to ng ing comindrums ea the day, amusing riddles, curious catches family. py Nee ding Ae egene ant elective recipes a ‘general oS ow TO PLAY CARDS.—A complete and handy little _ ng the ee full directio: A for ‘oop: Euchre, Crib- | RO c ieee ever publishea ra contains recipes a ring meats, , game, and oysters ; also pies, puddings, cakes and all kinds of vi yy and a grand collection of recipes by one of our most popular HOW TO KEEP HOUSE. cart contains information for “aiid boys, girls, men and women; it will teach you how to make almost anything around the house, such as parlor ornaments, pak ackets, cements, Aeolian harps, and bird lime for catching birds. ELECTRICAL. ‘is wonde: her itaining over three hi s wonderful. Waa Wit bop sto same, -A| No. 65. HOW. DO ) And Sa | taining gaivar Y information. re} It fe wor -knov and ae r PHEI th Camera nd ho L
Page 36
‘ Pit UC KX A IN DD iLIwuckK. 29 30 : 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 66 67 68 CONTAINS ALL SORTS OF 32 PAGES. LATEST ISSUES es Swamp Rats; or, The Boys Who ae for Washing- Around the World on Cheek, by Howard Austin Bushwhacker Ben; or, The Union Boys of Tennessee, by Col. Ralph Fenton The Rival Roads; or, From Engineer to President, by Jas. C. Merritt The pear Volunteers; or, The Boss og: Company of the y Wx Fire C niet Warden rows TBpathinbk to Senator; or, Bound to ueake His Wa by Hal Standish Happy Jack, the Daring Spy. <A Story of the Great Rebel- by General Jas. A. Gordon A Story of Life in New York, by Howard Austin by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson Road, by Jas. C. Merritt Six New York Boys in the Wild by an Old Scout lion, Bob the Waif. Two Years on a Raft, Always Ready ; or, The Best HWngineer on the Out Wi With Buffalo Bill; or, The G SHosta of Black Cliff Hall, by Hal Standish The Island King; or, The Realms of the Sea, by Berton Bertrew Rory of the Hills ; or, The Outlaws of Tipperary, by Corporal Morgan Rattler Columbia; or, The Young Firemen of Glendale, by Ex Fire Chief Warden by Allyn Draper by Jas. C. Merritt Across the Continent in the Air, The Wolf Hunters of Minnesota, Larry Lee, the Young Lighthouse Keeper, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson The White World; or, The Slaves of Siberia, ny Howard Austin Headlight Tom, the Boy Engineer, by Jas. C. Merritt Th White Boy Chief; or, The Terror of the North Platte, by an Old Seout The he iam Fireman; or, The Mystery of Mark Howland’s by Ex Fire Chief Warden A Story of Exciting Adventure, by Howard Austin The Lost Treasure Ship; or, In Search of a Million in Gold, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson The Red Caps; or, The Fire Boys of Boylston, by Ex Fire Chief Warden A Scout at 16; or, A Boy’s Wild Life on "he i ie by an Old Scout Ollie, the Office Boy; or, The Struggles of a Poor Waif, by Allyn. Draper On Board the School-Ship St. Mary’s; a The Plucky Fight Li The Magic Mountain. of a Boy Orphan, y Capt. Thos. H, Wilson Fi Bting With Washington; or, The Boy Regiment of the evolution, by General Jas. A. Gordon Dashing Dick, the Young Cadet; or, Four Years at West Poin by Howard Austin Stanley's Boy Magician; or, Lost in Africa, by Jas. C. Merritt The Boy Mail Carrier ; or, Government Service in Minnesota, by an Old Scout Roddy, the Call Boy; or, Born to Be an Actor, —_ by Gus Williams A Wireman at Sixteen ; or, Through Flame and Smoke. by Ex Fire Chief Warden Lost at the South Pole; or, The Kingdom of Ice by Capt. "Thos. H. Wilson A Poor Irish Boy; or, Fighting H's Own Way, by aor bons Morgan Rattler Monte Cristo, Jr.; or, The Diamonds of the Borgias, by Howard Austin Robinson Crusoe, by Jas. C. Merritt Jack Jordan of ay "York ; or, A Nervy Young American, by Howard Austin The oe House Boys; or, The Young Pioneers of the Great by an Old Scout La 69. From. ‘Bootblack to Broker; or, The Luck of a ve} Street 70 «L 72 73 74 Boy Retired Broker Bi ghéeen Diamond Eyes; or, The Nine-Headed Taol of Cey- by Berton Bertrew Phil, ‘the Boy Fireman; or, Through F Snag to Victory, Ex ire Chief Warden The Boy Silver King; or, The Mystery e Two Lives, by Allyn Draper The Floating School; or, Dr. Bircham’s Bad Boys’ Meademny: by Howard Austin Frank Fair in Congress; or, A Bov Among Our Lawmakers, by Hal Standish For sale by all newsdealers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price, 5 cents a copy. FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, by “General Jas. A. Gordon ; STORIES. BE AUTIFULLY i ia ig COVERS. 130 EVERY STORY COMPLETE PRICE 5 CENTS. by a Retired Broker py ae Draper Jno. B. Dowd Dunning & Co., the Boy Brokers, The Rocket ; or, Adventures in the Air, The Virst Glass ; or, The Woes of Wine, «th Wiil, the Whaler, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilsor The Demon of the Desert, by Jas. C. Merritt Captain Lucifer; or, The Secret of the Slave Shiv by Howard Austin Nat o’ the Night, by Berton Bertrew The Search for the Sunken Ship, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson Dick Duncan; or, The Blight of the Bowl, by_Jno. B. Dowd Daring Dan, the Pride of the Pedee, _ by General Jas. A. Gordon The Iron Spirit: or, The Mysteries of the Plains, by an Old Scout Rolly Rock; or, Chasing the Mountain Bandits, by Jas. C. Merritt Five Years in the Grassy Sea, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson The Mysterious Cave, by Allyn Draper The Fly-by-Nights; or, The Mysterious Riders of the Revo- lution, by Berton Bertrew The Golden Idol, by Howard Austin The Red House; or, The Mystery of Dead Man’s Bluff, ‘ by Jas. C. Merritt The Discarded Son; or, The Curse of Drink, by Jno. B. Dowd General C rook’ s Boy Scout ; or, Beyond the Sierra Madres, by an Old Seout The Bullet Charmer, A Story of the American Revolution, by Berton Bertrew On a Floating Wreck: or, Drifting Around the Worid, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson The French Wolves, by, Allyn Draper A Desperate Game; or, The Mystery of Dion Travers’ Life, Dig Howard Austin The Young King; or, Dick Dunn in Search of His Brother, by Jas. C. Merritt ~~ Joe Jeckel, The Prince of Firemen, by Ex Fire Chief Warden The Boy Railroad King; or, Fighting tek a Fortune, by Jas. C. Merritt Frozen In; or, An American Boy’s cuck, by Howard Austin Toney, the Boy Clown; or, Across the Continent With a Circus, by. Berton Bertrew His First Drink; or, Wrecked by by Jno. B. Dowd The Little Captain; or, The Island of Gold, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson The Merman of Killarney; or, The Outlaw of the Lake; by Allyn Draper by Howard Austin Wine, In the Ice. A Story of the Arctic Regions, Arnold’s Shadow; or, The Traitor’s Nemesis, by General Jas. A. Gordon The Broken Pledge; or, Downward, Step by Step, by Jno. B. Dowd Old Disaster; or, The Perils of the Pioneers, by an Old Scout The Haunted Mansion. <A Tale of Mystery, by Allyn Draper No. -6; or, ‘The Young Iiremen of Carbondale, by Ex Vire Chief Warden Deserted; or, Thrilling Adventures in the Frozen North, by Howard Austin A Glass of Wine; or, Ruined by a Social Club, by Jno. B. Dowd The Three Doors: or, Half a Million in Gold, by Jas. C. Merritt The Deep Sea Treasure ; or, Adventures ee and Ashore, by Capt. Thos. H. Wilson Mustang Matt, The Prince of Cowboys, by an Old Scout The Wild Bull of Kerry; or, A Battie for Life, by Allyn Draper The Scarlet Shroud; or, The Fate of the Five, by owerd Austin Brake and Throttle; or, A Boy Mngineer’s Luck, by Jas. C. Merritt Two Old Coins: or, Found in the Elephant Cave, by Richard R. Montgomery The Boy Courier of Siberia; or, The League of the Russian Prison Mines. by Allan Arnold The Secret of Page 99; or, An Old Book Cover, by Allyn Draper Resolute No. 10; or, The Boy Fire Company of Fulton, by Ex Fire Chief Warden The Boy Scouts of og Susquehanna; or, The Young tees of the Wyoming Vall ey n Old Scout The Boy Banker; or, From a Cent to a Million, by H. oA Shackleford Shore Line Sam, the Young Southern Engineer; or, sare te in War Times, as. C. Merritt On the Brink; or, The Perils of Social Drinking, by Se B. Dowd The 13th of October, 1863, ae Draper Thspgte an Unknown Land; or, The Boy Canoeists’ of ti Quai mae Arnold The Blue ie TOE: A Romance of Mystery, by Rich’d ig semanas 24 Union Square, New ¥ork. THIS GIVES YOU FAIR WARNING! td That all the Numbers of the Best Weeklies Published are always in print and can be obtained from this office direct, if you. cannot procure them from any newsdealer. want and we will send them to you by return mail. eae. 'osm 6 sleala mi S1dkel~ oli eH at) 9\01b\'s.0 0) ¥e Oe ee: s 016 66 e010 Drar Str—Enclosed find . copies of WORK AND WIN, Nos........... . oe So Dene CHUMS RRs toa gt a a sae OF gees ih ORT ES AON) Dr) OG Sas ya ehtias wissa ave 8 CAT ASV | ae Sr ge han NU AS nename atheist ae chen ses « © Ten Cent Hand Books “ EERIE s baths eta . .... cents for which please ie Tac il) olden Se, Mele t em) S106 S,6) 9) C60 oes © 6) eis ape lenmeteds, Cut out and fill in the following Order Blank and send it to us with oie” of the books you POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MON FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 Union Square, New York. wiasaesiergiejs-noe LOO: send me: Cee meee ewer estore see ve was ore Oe LALO Bons eo az ke TOWN... 2...