Pluck And Luck (no. 791) (1913 07 30)
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PLUCK AND LUCK Stories of Adventure Tssued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Y., under act of March 8, 1879. of Congress, Washington, D. 0., No. 791. Entered according to Act of Congress by Frank Pousey, Publisher, 168 West 23d St., NEW YORK, JULY 30, 1913. Entered as Second-Class Matter February 10, 1913, ae the Post Ojfice at New York, in the year 1918, in the office ee the Librarian New York, Price 5 Cents. THREE TREASURE WRECKS — OR, The Remarkable Cruise of the “Red, White and Blue” CHAPTER I. “CAPTAIN KIDD'S TREASURE.” 4 “T tell you it is so, Adam Easy. You can believe. me or not, just as you like; but my great-grandfather told me that his great-grandfather told him that———” “Come, now, come now, Tom Tuttle, that’s getting too far back!” “Haven't we got to get batk as far as Captain Kidd, if we want to find the buried treasure?” “Huh!” growled Adam. “As though-you would ever find it. My father says that your folks hain’t never done no work for the last twenty years——” “He lies!” Tom broke in excitedly. “He doesn’t do any- thing himself but pick up wood on the beach.” “And that’s no lie, and I’ll own up to it,” said Adam, coolly; “what I was going to say was that my father says your folks hain’t done no work in the last twenty years ex- cept to hunt for Captain Kidd’s buried treasure, that’s all.” A frightful gust of wind put an end to the conversation for the time being. It struck the old house on Bad Egg Harbor beach with ‘tremendous force, causing it to*tremble from rafter to sill; ‘indeed Adam Easy declared that a little more and it would have shaken him out of bed. It was indeed a frightful storm, and while the wind is howling about the two hundred year old house whieh stood just above high-water mark, let us explain something about the hamlet and its people, especially the two boys who lay under the old, pateh-work quilt listening to the storm. It was away down on the South Jersey shore. Between Egg Harbor and Little Hgg Harbor there stood in those days, at the head of a small indentation in the low sandy beach, a cluster of old- time houses, which seemed to be- long to a past age and to have been overlooked by the march of time. This was “Bad Egg Harbor,” as everybody called it, for the very good reason that here was no harbor at all, but just about one of the most dangerous anchorages on all the Jersey © coast. iv Here dwelt half a dozen fishermen who picked up their i) Uiving the best way they could; poor enough in all conscience, but every man, woman and child among them lived in hourly "expectation of becoming suddenly wealthy through the dis- ' covery of Captain Kidd’s buried treasure, for it was’ one of the legends of Bad Egg Harbor that the famous pirate had _ once landed there and hidden several chests of treasure in one of the houses. | Every one believed in the legend, put there was a ‘dispute of at least a hundred years’. standing between the Hasy _. family and the Tuttle family as to which house the pirate had chosen for the hiding-place of his ill-gotten gold. But it ngs died out of ie So siew as the Tuttles were Se ele once before in his’ hid uae dune that: the: water By CAPT. THOS. H. WILSON, cerned, for Tom’s father and mother were dead, and there was only Tom left to talk of the family legends, and he had not enjoyed the chance to say much about it, as he had been away three years at school in Philadelphia, where he was supposed to have received a famous education, and since his” return to Bad Hgeg Harbor he was looked upon as quite a dude. Tom ‘Tuttle was nineteen and “as smart as they make ’em.’ It was the intention of his guardion, who was also an sinclél to make a business man of him by taking bim into his big iron warehouse in Philadelphia, but as the boy’s health had — been rather poor of late, owing to hard study, Tom had been sent, down to the old home to see if he would not pick up, and with him came one of the neatest little crafts, half sail-. boat, half yacht, in miniature, that the Bad Bgg Harborians hau ever laid eyes on. Adam Wasy declared that it was a perfect dandy, and as Adam had been out in it several times he certainly ought to be somewhat familiar with the sailing qualities of the “Red, White and Blue.” Adam was a, little younger than Tom, and as in former _ years they had been particular chums, it was not strange that their acquaintance had been renewed now; and as Tom was living all alone in the old house, cooking for himself and spending most of his time on the water, Adam had been sleep- ing with him to keep him company; indeed they had been together most of the time since Tom’s return, and it is thus that we tind them together on the night of the big storm The wind blew so that the boys had been unable to sleep, and as they lay in bed it was very natural that the con- — versation should drift back to the old legend of the buried treasure. As the night wore on the storm increased in fury, the wind — blowing harder and harder. The sea under the double in- fluence of a rising tide and the terrific gale had already crept up further on the beach than it had ever been known to come within the memory of the oldest inhabitants, and’ was. still rising, for it was not high water yet. ; The boys had fallen asleep now, and they slept right on through all the roar and racket of the storm until. about. halt- f past four, when suddenly Tom was awakened by hearing a : frightful crash on the roof overhead. vb He sprang to the floor with a startled ery, uncertain. for 3 the moment if it was not all a dream. Running to the window which overlooked the beach | An peered out and witnessed a sight which he was destined no to forget. All around was water. The beach had vanished, the little pier in front of the house had utterly disappeared. treat waves were sweeping toward the old house, and aa Tom looked one broke against it, sending a shower of ‘spray up against) the window-panes, and above the sound of the splash Tom could hear the swashing ‘of water dow bien pir ie which told him that the same thing had happened i owls ib ga ie
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2 (THREE TRE ASURE WRECKS, . f come into the lower rooms, and the old home of the Tuttles was in danger of being swept out to sea. “Great Scott! this is an interesting state of affairs!” gasped Tom. “Lucky thing that we dragged the Red. White and Blue out of the water last night and made her fast to the house. What time is it? Only half-past four? [4 won't be high water for half an hour yet. That must have been the chimney that blew down. . Wake up, Adam! Wake up! We are going to be swept out to sea!” : Adam sprang up in bed and rubbed his eyes. “What in thunder is the matter, Tom?” he asked ‘sleepily. “What are you making all that noise about?” “We want to get out of here at once!” cried Tom.“ Hustle on moe clothes, Adam! I tell you we are being swept ont to seal” “Well. b’gosh, we've got the ets White and Blue, hain’t we?” said Adam, jumping up. %Laucky thing we pulled her up,” “As if the Red, White and Blue would be any use in a storm like this.” replied Tom. “Still we may be able to sail up to the village in her. Tfeavens! how the wind blows! his is like the big storm of 1855 that I used to hear my father i tell about. Phere! Did you hear that? That was a waye striking against the house} I tell you, Adam,-the old roost won't stand many such,” did) oh . Adam had his’ trousers on by this ‘time, avd he looked out the window, giving ufterance to many exclamations of sur- . prise. “Why. the water is all up around the door, Tom!” he cried. “ere comes another—a monster. Look! Look! It is higher than the top of the house. If it breaks over us, it will smash the roof in, sure!” Tom van to the window and looked out. A wall of weter fully forty feet, high was advancing toward the old house. “Into the back room with you. Adani!” he shouted. “That fellow means business! it’s going to break the roof in!” ‘She boys grabbed the vest of their clothes and ran for their lives into the other room. ; They were hypel in time, for scaree had they crossed the threshold. wher the waye struck the 9, aa home of the Tuttles, ‘tearing out a great hole in the shing © voot, knocking down - the chimney breast and spreaging the water all over the floor. “We are lost!” gasped Adam, as the water came swirling around their feet and went pouring down the stairs. “We must make for the Red, White and Blue!” cried. Tom. ae is our only chance. but there ave some things in the other roomy that’ 1 must get first!” A scene of destruction met Tom Tuttle's gaze'as he’ ran inea the room they had just left, but what riveted. his atten- tion the instant he crossed the threshold was something which lay among the bricks of the fallen chimney: breast. It was an oblong irdn box of ancient pattern, studded with appar iivets and hound het by two bands of brass. } . find!” cried Tom. “Oh, Adam, look here! Captain Kidd's treasure-box, sure!” : . — CHAPTER ITI. id THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE STARTS ON HER CRUISE: latter it *. Adam was close at Tom Tuttle's heels when the iy Blekea up the iron box. ~* / Tt was decidedly Heavy and was coyered with ” looked what it was-very. “very old. “Tf it isn’t Captain Kidd's treasure I'm sure I don’t know what it can be,” said Tom, “but this is no time to stand around talking about. it. with us, and we must go right now.” “You het, if we want to go at all!” evied Adam, who was peering out through the front window again. “Here comes “another wave.” ; “Yes, and 2 monster!” ec hoed ‘Pout., “Let's go, downstairs i and see if we can’t climb out the sitting-room window and get into the Red, White and Blue!” _ With the iron box under his arma, Tom dashed, downstairs with Adam right behind him, | ' ‘The water was a foot dee threw open the sitting-room ee 4 \“Why don't the ware, br eak?” panted Adam. fIt's time!” “Tt has “broken!” ered Tome) *Tt must have broken short the howe, Ane that is whet Fite extra rush means. Let's rust; ’ me on the floor, and when Tom oor {t came rushing out like Whatever the old thing is it goes. 1 get the shutiers open. What in the world we are to do if the Red, White and Blue has gone adrift. I'm sure I don’t know!” Tom threw up the sash’ ‘and dashed open the/shutters. The house was right out in the ocean to all appearances, E but there was the boat still fast to its ring, bobbing up and down like a cork. “Better put something to eat into her,” something seemed to say to Tom. “You may be swept out to sea.” He ran to the cupboard, and, seizing his fishing-basket, tumbled balf-a boiled ham, a couple of loaves of bread ‘and some other things into it, while Adam leaned out, caught, the rope and drew the boat closer in. 5 Tom tossed the iron box into the cockpit, threw git basket after it and was just about to climb upon the window-ledge w hen all at once the water suddenly rose up around his neck. “Gee!” cried Adam, w ho found himself in the same fix. “What's the matter now?’ “We're afloat!” shouted Tom, his voice scareély audible the storm...“The old house has been We are being swept out! to sea!” wave came rolling in figs ibe e the howling of washed off its foundation. At the same instant another them. It deluged the boys and threw them off their feet, and: the next they knew their heads were ‘under, water, while the house chreened over to one side and went sailing out upon the ocean, watehed by everybody in the little hamlet of “Bad Keg Harbor.” if the boys had only known it. Located. on higher ground, the other houses as yet Nas sate; but it was quite impossible to reach the Tuttle house. . although nothing but the fact that he was held back by his ic neighbors prevented Adam's father from putting off in his \ boat. We would have accomplished fatten, even if he had done so, for the old ‘Luttle house had now sheen swept seaward and =~ was rapidly sinking, and who could answer for it in thate storm that, the two boys who went with it would ever see Bad Kgg Harbor again? But although everybody gaye them up for lost; Tom and Adam had no sort of idea of giving up the ghost while the Red, White and Blue remained aftoat, and she’ still did. There was no chance to stand up, but as both the boys | {could swim, there was no trouble whatever in getting hold of the window-sill. : : ; “Climb up. Adam! Get into the boat some old way?” Tom. “Is she still there?” “You bet she is!” sputtered Adam, blowing the: salt tater out of his mouth. “You can't sink the Red, White and Blue!” He caught the rope and drew the boat closer; then tumbling into it “for fair,” going face down ‘into the water, which, filled the cockpit, and wetting his clothes still further, if such a thing had been possible, which it was not. | Tom lost no time in following Adam's example, although he | managed to land in the boat a littte more gracefully. oon They were none too soon: The house was rapidly settling. before the boys could straighten up the window out of: which they had just crawled was all under water, and the Red, White and Blue was tugging at its light hawser almost on 4 leyel with the, roof. ‘ Gast off! Cast off, or we shall be pulled under!” sputtered : Adam. “I'm ding it!” panted Tom. “We want our line, if we can; get it, and this knot sticks like wax. ‘There she goes! “Now we ere off! Look! Look, Adam! We can neyer get ashore ee erled : -It did not need any one to tell Adam that. A gest line-of breakers lay between them and. the hamlet. Pe A new sandhbar .ad already begun to form, over Which the, breakers were tumbling furiously. I At the same instant the house sank out of sight, Red. White and Blue, caught tn the sweep of enotee ing wave, was carried far out to sea. ¢ \ : Seine “Bail! Bail for your life!" cried om. “Once we get be- | yond the breakers we are all right. The only trouble’ 18 to, eM, ‘keep off shore now!” 4 It looked xo theng ‘The Red, White and Blue was heing — swept out to sea simply by the force of the retreating Waves and the utain trouble, as Tom said, was how to keep from - being swept back in among the breakers’ by ‘the next ble F pe that came, aided by the fearful force of the wind.» He had no more idea then of what was actually going to. bappen than Adam had, and Adam's thoughts at that moment were confined solely to. getting the water out of the boat. But while they were still hailing ‘a. change suddenly came. ‘The great cyclone sweeping up the Atlantic. coast was als sweeping around in a circle, as gyclonaK do, and the wind was just bisgaat about to change. a and ‘the retreat- ; het a At % a
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. t THREE TREASURE WRECKS.. | an aeaae [SS TN SEN TPS ro Suddenly the rain, which “had‘been pouring in torrents,; “There she is again! Look! You can see her deck now!” © ceased, and there was a lull, the end seeming to die com- It had brightened up a little, and eek om the steamer had pletely down, approachea nearer: ' “Say, Tom, it’s going, to close up!” cried Adam. Tom got out forward, and, holies on*by the mast, in- *Don't you believe it!” seid Tom. “It has only stopped Tel Pek her carefully. Mate ips moment. We are getting the water down now. Keep at! “Probably up. from Cuba or Porto Rico,” he said. “Most it, Adam. We want to get her clear, and then we will throw | likely she is a fruiter. She is no regular liner, that’s sure.’ oe the oars and try to work up shore and make a landing “What's the matter with her, can you make out?” asked somewhere. I guess we can get in at Five Mile. creek.” Adam, sticking close to the tiller which Tom had left in hts “You wouldn’t dare to run up the sail, Tom?” charge. “No, no! It would be madness.” , “No, I can’t. She seems to set low down in the water, and . “But the wind has died down. There's just about enough. everything on deck has been swept off Bren clean.” ' to fill it. Wouldn’t it bean easy matter to run up the shore? | “See any people?” “Adam, you don’t understand about these ceast storms,” “I ean see the pilot, and there is a big. fellow in oilskins said Tom. “Ir I know anything, the storm center is right over' pacing up and down the deck. ‘I can’t make out anybody us now, and the first thing we know the wind will blow wight, olse. Oh, yes, I can, too!’ Mhere’s a man forward at the gun. off shore.” | He's going to fire again. There she goes!” ! But Adam was not to be convinced. He knew nothing about | There was a puff of smoke, and then after a little the re- the theory of storms and cared less. .He stuck to his point so | port came, tenaciously that Tom was half convinced, and as the moments| “She must be sinking,” said Adam. passed and there was no change, he allowed himself to be; “Hither that, or they think so. See, siotels three or persuaded and ran up the sail. four men coming on deck now! They see us! They are mak- He had no more than done/so when the change which he} ing signs to each other. I suppose the wind must blow harder had fully anticipated came. over there from the way they act.” There was a puff of wind from the west, which sent the, For some moments the boys continued to watch the aleniser sail’ flapping, then another, and then, with a rush and a roar, | in silence. the storm came sweeping down upon them from the opposite} It was soon evident that she was settling lower and lower direction. in the water. Tom had barely time. to drop the sail when it was aaa The men seemed to be greatly excited about. something. them in full force. They were six in number, and they kept on making signs to It was quite impossible for the little craft to stand up: each other in the most peculiar way, the boys thought, until against it. , j all at once Tom solved the mystery in one word. For. better or for worse the Red, White and Blue was being} “Dumb!” he cried, swept out to sea. + “Right you are!” shouted Adam; “deaf and dumb ae eards But see, Tom, her stern is dropping down lower than her bow. She’s sinking. be CHAPTER III. “You bet she is, and not a boat on board. See that eller : fiying about with the axe! Is he going to kill somebody? No, ABOUT THE TABLE THAT WAS THROWN OVERBOARD. I guess he is going to try to build a-raft.” . ‘ « “Look at the other two!” cried Adam, “What are they — “Gan you see her now. Adam?” i bringing to the rail? By thunder, it’s a big table! They are “I thought I saw her pipe, Tom, but I may be mistaken.” | Seing to lower it down!” “Heavens how it blows! Its As dark as midnight, too. Ropes were attached to the table, and it was lowered over Was there ever such a storm?” the side, legs upward. k “It’s a tough one,” groaned Adam. “The Red, White and h It was too dark for the boys to see very distinctly, and they Blue is doing nobly, but I suppose she is bound to go under, Were not able to make out whether or not there was aay Cisey at last.” ion the table. : ' “Cheerful! I'd like to bet she won't. There was no better! It soon fell astern of the steamer, which had now changed boat of her size ever made on the Delaware, and that’s its course and was heading for the Red, White and Blue. right.” All at once a dismal shout came sweeping over the water, ” Mcaiend she is again!” shouted Adam, suddenly. Tom and Adam knew what it meant before it reached them, Tom looked off in the direction of Adam’s pointing finger. The steamer was sinking. . The smokestack of a small steamer could just be discovered’ No time now to build a raft to take the place of the boats through the gloom, and at the same moment a gun boomed, Which had been swept away. then the darkness seemed to come between them, and they | Once more the gun boomed, and then the darkness increas- could see it no more. ing ‘for the moment, the steamer was lost sight of. It was not night. Only two hours had passed since the}. When it cleared she had vanished. Red, White and Blue had been swept out to sea. | It was nothing but the black sky ods and the heaving sea But they had been two terrible hours, in every sense of the: below. and the table which. with its four legs sticking up word. | in the air, was floating toward the Red, White and Blue. With the change in the wind came a viole st thunder storm. “She has gone down with all on board” cried Tom. “Adam, It grew as black as midnight; the lightning foshed most ‘it is terrible, ‘yet we could not have done anything to have : vividly, the thunder crashed and rolled as though the end of lielped those poor fellows, even if we had tried.” the world had come, while through it all.the wind blew off “That's right,” replied Adam. “There wasn’t never no | shore so violently that the only wonder was the dainty little chance. We have got all we want to\do to look after the Red, craft was not swamped a dozen times over, and yet, thanks to, White and Blue.” Tom's skillful handling, she escaped. f . It grew lighter and lighter. At last the storm seemed to be There had been no: chance to exdmine the iron box which | actually passing over. , a was supposed to contain the pirate's treasure; no chance todo’ ‘The wind was dying down, too, and the little Red, White anything, in fact, except ie the boys to hold on to life the: and Blue, which had weathered the storm so nobly, was’ hav- best way they could. ing an easier time of it, That they had been swept far out to sea Tom knew yer ‘With a little chance to think now, the boys naturally turned Well, but he still had hopes that they might weather the their attention to the table, which had by this time approached storm and get back again. and yet fo one knew better than so near that they could get a good view of it. he did how hopeless it all was, for they had no compass,and Instantly Tom saw what he had not seen before, that there — the chances were that when at last it did clear, they would was somebody lying stretched out upon the table as it bobbed | find themselves far ot of sight of land. up and down on the he: aving sea... Such was the state of affairs when the boys first caught’. “Look, Adam! Look! It’s a girl!” he cried. : sight of the steamer, and they had not improved any by the. “Hang me if it isn’t!” replied Adam. “Is she, dead?” ‘time they heard the signal gun. . “Looks so. | No! I saw her move. She half_ sat ba at “and — } \ “She’s in distress, Tom! There is no doubt, about that, Re then dropped back again—didn’t you see?” ' suppose?” Adain remarked. -Of course I did. Say, Tom, we can help her anstiow. “Not the least in the world,” replied Tom; “but it's mighty What's the matter with running up the sail?” Fy (ash little we can do for her, even if she was to go to pieces right “Nothing now, I ghess, Lets try it, anyhow. — T guess ; before our eyes.” : the Red, White and Bluevwill take this: 5 wind all righ nt
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4 THREB TREASURE WRECKS. ; eee, — stood for the table. “Get out that small line, Adam,” he said. ¢ t) lasso the legs in a moment. There! trying to get up again.” “Blame it all. why she isn’t much older than we are!” cried Adam, “and mighty _good- looking, too. Give her the hail, Tom. ‘See what she says.” “Hello! Hello! hai ahoy!” yelled Tom. The girl made no response, but staggered to her feet, and holding on by the table legs, looked toward the Red, White , and Blue. ' She. was plainly dressed, and her wet clothes clinging to her slight form as they did made her look younger than she really was, perhaps, but certainly she did not seem to be over sixteen or seventeen years old. “Hello!” shouted Tom. “We are going to save you. right now!” Still the girl just stared and made no answer. By this 4ime the Red, White and Blue had approached “We may be able Look! The giyl is ra It’s all pretty close to the table, and the boys could not understand | why its fair occupant did not show some desire to be re- leased from her disagreeable situation; but she still stood there and made no move and uttered no sound. , “Dake the. tilles, Adam,” said Tom. “I can throw the rope all right now.” He stood up and. having made a slip noose, swung the im- promptu lasso about his head once or twice and then let. it fly. ; The rope went whirling toward the table, but fell short of it. : : Tom drew it in, watching the girl wonderingly. for she ‘Stood Uke a statue staring at the Red. Whité and Blue. “Is she crazy?” eried Adam. } “There is, something the matter with her, sure,” replied LPO * ’ ' Once more he flung the lasso, and this time with better success, for it dropped over one of the table Jegs, and Tom, pulling in, drew the strange we siht toward the Ked. White and ‘Blue, | ; ; CHAPTER Ly. a OPENING THE IRON BOX.» > Poni Lad srececeted in capturing the table, but to save bin “he did net know what to make of the girl. t » She just stood there holding on to the table legs, watchinz ‘every move he made, intently showing her interest in all, but never saying a word. “Say, she’s deat and dumb, too, that there f Adam Easy. “I’m betting on it—you will see.” _) “Won't bet against you, 4 replied ‘Lom. “I wouldn't wonder at all if you were right.” ~ “Tf she wasn’t, she’d a-hollered,” added Adam. “Say, Ton, she’s danged pretty. Queer fish for us to catch, dang me if it hain’t.” i “Attend to your ee Adam. I must say [ don’t relish the idea of having a girl on board the Red, White and Blue.” “T, neither, Tom.” | “She'll have to have the cabin giyen up to her; where will owe bunk in the meantime?” '., “That's what.) Still we can’t cut the BH and let her float away?” « oh “Certainly not. Who ever suggested such a thing. Keep - that long tongue of yours. still, Adam. 1 want to ate strictly to business now.” 1t was an old habit of Tom's to talk to Adam in this strain, sand far from resenting it, Adam rather liked it. - Entirely uneducated and not overgifted svith intelligence, \dam Hasy was fond of Tom ‘Tuttle much in the way that ‘a big dog is of its master. But such friends are often the fastest kind of friends, as everybody knows. Tom was certainly not much of a “ladies’ man,” and Adam “Just: hated gals,” he always declared; gal is,” ‘said able loose, old man, consequently neither Ot ‘the boys looked forward with any great enthusiasm to re- A ivying their lady’ passenger on the Red, White and Blue, but = was no help aig it, and Tom drew the table close to the at.» Ms “Are you: deat ere Lone ‘byea pac intently ag seetned to. understand ‘by | taking a spoonful. ‘hau come. ‘breath of wind, either, and as the sail is only getting and. wetter F suppose we may as well let it down.” otion. of his lips. : ne aaa ‘to her ears ; and then to her best ins and then! eect The sail was speedily run up, and ‘Tom taking the fiilde) anonk her head sadly, all, of whieh told the story quite as well as words: Tom extended his han@jand heaged her poses the deck of ste: Red, White and Blue. ~ It is easy to write this—it only takes a few inde Dawe it is necessary to understand that it was quite a difficult under- * taking and required no little skilh The instant it was accomplished, Tom cast off his line and let the table drift away. “Well, well, well!” grumbled Adam. “his is a nuisanec, — Whatever are we going to do with that gal?” : “The best we can,” replied Tom. * “The wind is pretty well down now, but it is getting so dark again that upon my word I don’t know which way the shore lies. You are a better weather sharp than Iam, Adam. Give your attention to that yery important matter, while I see if I can find out anything . about this young lady who is trying to stare me out of coun- tenance, though I’ll be blest if 1 know how to begin.” i The girl herself, however, saved 'Tom any trouble. She was * fumbling in her pockets as she sat there on the edge of the cockpit, and now she drew out a small slate with a pencil attached and wrote rapidly for a moment, then handing the slate over to Tom. “My name is Grace Benftly., What is yours? Can you talk deaf and dumb language with your fingers?” “My name is Tom Tuttle, and this is my friend, Adam Easy. I can’t talk with my fingers. Tell me what steamer” that was, and all about it. I want to know just who you are.” “Tom Tuttle. Adam Easy,” repeated the girl slowly, in Ne that queer strained voice that the educated deaf and dumb always use. She said the names over two or thret times. Hyidently she — had been taught to talk a little, but it was painful for Tom as to hear her. Then she wrote: 3 “Tam up from Savannah. The steamer was the Sandia bound for New York, Two friends of mine, both deat mutes, were with ime. My father gnd mother are dead. I ae Sgatomgen relations. I was going to New York to try to get work! They Vai put me on the table because the steamer was sinking. 1 LCR you will be good to me and take me ashore.” ‘ Tom's answer to this was: ' “This is the Red, White and Blue. We were blown out to. sea. “We will certainly be good to you. We will take you ashore, if we can get there ourselyes. You had better go into the cabin, take off your wet clothes and put on an old suit of mine that I will give you. Lf you don’t do this, you will get cold and be sick. You must not mind us a bit. We are going to do everything for you that we can, but we are in. trouble ourselves, and I don’ t know that we will ever be: able to get ashore.” - a Tom took up the whole side of ithe slate before he got wi through writing this message, which Grace read very. “care fully. Ss When she was througli she wiped it off and said: J “Thank ‘you, Tom Tuttle. Thank you, Adam Rasy. hands.” * “Gee! she can talk some, it seems,” said Adam, as he Shook » hands in his turn. “Wonder if She can’t hear a little, too.” Tom put the question on the slate, and the girl rapidly — wrote: “I could not hear a cannon if it were fired right in this boat, They taught me to talk a little in the asylum, but 1 can only say a few simple words. If you will let me, I will put on your clothes. I am. very cold. I don’t want to get sick. That would only make more trouble for you.” ‘Tom led the way into. the little cabin, got out the clothes, eke Poon happened to be one of his best suits, and gave them sig ner Me had a flask of whisky in the locker, which he -alwa: : carried in case ‘of emergency; and he insisted: upon the girl? Then, he closed the cabin door and re- — turned to the cockpit: to find that a sudden and decided charges Sitemtares “Great Scott! how claimed. “Well, now, hasn’t it?” replied | iden “TE came rolling ine on us all in a moment. . Bad job, Tom. I don’t know no- more where we are'than a goose. Let this weather hold for twen four hours, and the is knows where we will fetch’ Bee a bad job.” “That's what it is,” replied Tom, “doleruily, qnick the fog. has come | in!” he ex “There salt rett “You'd better,” said Adam. _ at ae her ‘Ai Welt, Td rather: bia he i
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. THREE TREASURE WRECKS. shore with some folks I know. I’m sorry for my poor mother, though, Oh, won’t she worry. Now don’t look at me as though T was going to keep on, talking about these dismal things all the time, for I hain’t. It’s the last time I'll speak of them. Weare in a fix, and we have got to stay in a fix till Wwe can, get out—that’s all. Is that gal going to dress up in your clothes?” “She is,” replied Tom. “It’s all she can-do, poor thing, unless she wants to get her death.” “How about erub? It’s mighty short for two. about three?” “Well,” said Tom, “we s.all have to eat up what we have got and trust to luck for more, I suppose. Say, Adam, here’s that box. We can’t do anything else, so suppose we try to open it? Tf we have struck our everlasting fortune in the chimney, it would be just as well to know that, too.” Thus saying, Tom took up the box which had been kicking about the pockpit at his feet and proceeded to examine it Abe ak a little more attention than he had bestowed upon it efore. “I suppose we shall have a sweet time opening it without a key,” he said, shaking it. “Infact, I don’t just see how we are going to do it, unless—hello! It is open! Here she goes!” Suddenly the lid came up, and the box itself dropping down, the contents went tumbling at Tom's feet. “Geel” cried Adam. “Look at them big glass beads! Hi her e hain’ t no money in the box, though!” ~ What CHAPTER V. i LOST IN THE FOG. “Glass beads! These are no beads!” eried Tom. Adam; these are diamonds of the purest water. fortune right here at my feet.” It was a highly interesting discovery. p The contents of the iron box when gathered up proved to be a strange mixture. Here is the inventory, just as Tom wrote it out later on: Sixty-three small diamonds, largest about the size of a pea. Twenty large diamonds, from the size of a pea up to that of, a hazel nut. Two large diamonds, each about the sizé of a pigeon’s egg, Seyen old-fashioned gold watches. Ten silver watches. Six breastpins. : Hight pairs of earrings. Hour gold rings, plain. Twenty gold rings with stonés removed. Two combs. One hairbrush. One small brush—perhaps a nailbrush. i One needlecase, full of needles, ~ One paper of pins. i One small looking-glass. ji a3 ‘ee One pipe, with jeweled stem. . One ivory miniature, with gold frame, representing a man in naval officer's uniform. One manuscript tied up with a piece of rotten tape. This’ was. all. } ~ Adum had looked upon the watches and “bits of jewelry. 1s n fortune, but Tom had seen enough to know that the dia- monds were genuine stones of no little value. “Why, There’s a “They must be. worth several thousand dollars. a) he de- c lared. ~., @aa* Ts*pose. they are, rey plied Adam, grumblifgly, “but, I Henge sure the box was full of gold.” * } ey “We can’t have everything we want,” said . Tom, cand neither, gold nor diamonds would do us muck good in ‘our present ‘position. WN: hat’s this paper, I wonder? Pshaw! it Suis all faded: out.” Tom opened the yellow, “ran over the leaves. - he writing had indeed faded away. and almost every- “where was entirely illegible. It was written in a small, erabbed hand, and even where the letters still remained it was thy possible to redd it. for it was written in French, of which Tom, hee SORE just enough’ to be able to anake out what it iT might aa, We well be in Peal oe i he exclaimed. fcSh: hoa thing.” i ON aay is otyeras : z to have been able to put her hand on everything. time-stained manuscript and vial ad of dishés having all been ee into” ser: ? z too his. } post out agdin and motioned to Tom to come in, which he aid. ‘in shes eabin. ——S$ “Well, if you can’t, then I’m sure I can’t,” replied Adam. “Chuck the old thing overboard.” “Indeed I shan’t.” ° “What good is it?” ; “Well, if we can’t read it, there are others who can, and I expect to get back on shore sometime. Hello! What have we got here? I can read this.” Tom had come to the last page, and there, written. in a full,. round hand, was the following, all as plain as print: - “Upper Egg Harbor, Jan. 10, 1810. “This is the story of the French pirate who came to my house. He read it to me just before he departed. but as I can’t read French I can’t translate it. It is about the wreck: of three Spanish ships loaded with Mexican dollars, bound from Vera Cruz for New Orleans, consigned to ‘Napoleon's agent, Vincent Nolte. The ships were captured by the pirates and tacked together, but his vessel became separated from them in a terrible gale. Their names were the San Mateo, the General Del Rio and the Marshal Morazan. ‘The estimated value of the three cargoes of dollars was about a million fu our money. I belieye this story to be true, and from the way the pirate described the ships and the condition in which he left them, it would not at all surprise me if they were still — afloat. If IT were a younger man I would, certainly go in search of these three treasure wrecks, but as it is——” ! Here the writing abruptly ended, but some one else, had written lower down the sheet: ¥ t “This was written by Ira Tuttle on the night of his death. | There is no doubt that the Frenchman whom he took in and sheltered giles him before he ran away ee JOHN TUTTLE." ©.” “Well!” exclaimed Tom, who had been reading aloud, “thin just beats the band!” “Who was Ira Tuttle?” demanded Adam, in a tone full of interest. “My great-grandfather, * replied. Tom. “He was found dead on the floor of the very room where we discovered the box.” “And John Tuttle?” — ie “Was his elder son, my grandfather, who died Just before I was born.” : *Well, where does Captain Kidd come in, Tom?” “I guess he don’t come in at all, seeing that he was piney a hondred years before this paper was written, but I can seo 7 now where the family legend got its start.” “Gee! I wish we thight’ find them three treasure - ictal ¥ Yom. That would be great, but I BueORE they, have sunk — long ago.” ire “They must have,” replied Tom. “Although these old: dere. licts do last a long time In some instances; but, of course, it — is impossible after almost a hundred years.” " He Tom put the manuscript and the diamonds in his: pocket, the other things he restored to the box and «set it in the corner of the cockpit, and for some time the boys remained 5 diseussing their strange find. - — A little later the cabin door opened, and a very ene Joking, young fellow stepped out. “Grace!” exclaimed Tom. “By Jove, Adam, she makes a fine boy!” et Grace. Blashed as deeply as though she had heard: axe was said ‘and touched her ears, as much as say: “Don’ t about me behind my back just because I can’t hear.” — ce “She's right.” cried Tom. “No remarks, Adam. I wonder if she’s hungry?” and he wrote the question on the slate, “No, I am not hungry, but if you are, I'll set the table, While I am on this boat I ‘ghee to Rie - Leave all these things to me.” ¢ She returned to the eabin ea in a few moments look ali a a Grace had made the most of her opportunities and hint air The table was neatly sét, Tom’s ‘tablecloth and small stock, In short, everything, Ipaised og Rarer aes to think that after all it was not. SO” bad to haye 4 board, even if she did dress in boy's elo \ ’ Adam took his turn after T vas thro Bt much refreshiet ;
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6 After Grace had cleared away the things, she came out and fat on the edge of the cockpit. At first Tom thought it necessary to keep writing soime- thing on the slate, and so trying to talk to her, but the girl's answers were brief, and she did not seeni disposed to talk yery much about herself beyond what she*had told already, f0 at Jast Tom gave it up and just let her sit there watching |. hin while he talked to Adam, which seemed to please her a great deal better. Later in the afternoon Ga: ice retired to the cabin, and lying down in Tom’s bunk, went to sleep, which certainly was a yelief, for it made Tom. decidedly nervous to haves her sit there staring at him the way she did. The fog still held on; the Red, White and Blue went bob- . bing about idly on the waves. she lad slept. loaf of brea At last it began to grow dark, and ‘still there was no change, nor did any come by the next’ morning. All through the gloomy hours of darkness the boys just sat there, sleeping by turns, one ready at any moment to take advantage of anything that would show them their position, but when daylight came again there they still were lost in the Tog. CHAPTHR VI. THE MAN WITH THE MEGAPHONE, AND WHAT HE LEFT “ello, Adam! By gracious, again!” , “That’s what you have, Tom. You have been sound asleep for the last two hours, and you might as well have just kept on sleeping, for all the good you can do.” “I’m afraid that is so,” replied’ Tom, rubbing his eyes. and looking around him. “Still foggy. No sign of a let-up for all Ivecan see.” , “No, sir! You bet there hain’t,” grumbled Adam, “and that’s not the worst for it. When we eat our breakfast this morning there vgill be nothing left but the ham bone and one #1. don’t want to croak and say that we are going to starve to death here on the Red, White and Blue, but Tl be hanged if it don’t look very much that way.” “Never mind,” said Tom, “Where’s our friend Grace? Has she shown up yet?. “Not much... She’s as sound asleep as ever. her, Tom?” i “Not by any means! What's the good of disturbing her? I want a bath. Just turn the key in the cabin door and Pi pull off my clothes and tumble overboard. It will make a hew man of me, and I shall want all the strength I can have to-day.’ “You can try it if you want to,” said Adam, “but for my. part I don’t care about interviewing the sharks.” Tom laughed at the suggestion. Pulling off his clothes, he dove into the water and had a most refreshing swim. It seemed to lighten a bit while he was dressing himself. He had searcely finished when Grace was heard trying the cabin door. She came out, looking much refreshed. “Good-morning, Tom Tuttle. Good-morning, Adam WBasy,” slie said, in her slow, thick way. and then pointed off at the fog and shook her head. ; “Tom wrote good-morning and asked her in addition how I must have been asleep Shall I wake /“Splendidly,” was’ the answer. “I am all right. Shall I » get breakfast now?” ag mes, if you can find anything to give us,” ;wrote Tom. Grace smiled and wrote: “YT have always had enough to eat and always expect to get it. We shan’t starve.” ‘But by noon it looked very much as if they might have to come to it, for the fog still held. ; Toward three o’clock it grew a little lighter and a breeze “sprang up. Tom now took the tiller and began steering to the westward, for the position of the sun could be just made out. He had scarcely settled himself to business when the boys were both startled by hearing a thunderous yoice call out through the mist: “Hello: Hello! Ahoy! Anybody that hears me, ahoy!” “Great smokes, what’s that!” eried Adam, springing up. wee the matter?” wrote Grace, who was sitting beside ‘om ‘ \ _ “Some one calling,” replied Tom. : “Say, Adam, it must be lite off our starboard bow.” Gey st ) ; THREE TREASURE WRECKS. “Sounds as though it was right in the boat,” replied Adam. “T never heard no such voice as that.” “Give him the answer,” said Lom. further than mine. “Helio! Hello!” bawled ti loud enough to be heard half. a mile away. But the shouter did not answer although Adam repeated it several times, and Tom tried it, too. mea watched them intently ant kept her eyes fixed off in the fog All at once the ery was heard again. “Hello! Hello! Hello! Ahoy. anybody! “It’s a megaphone!” exclaimed Ton. “What's that?” asked Adam. g “Why, have you never heard of the new style of speaking trumpet t? That fellow may be a mile away.’ “There comes the sun!” cried Adam. “Hooray!” It cleared off all in a moment, the sun bursting out in a blaze of glory, while the fog banks drifted off to the south- west. ‘ At the same time the thunderous voice was heard again, and the boys saw off to the eastward a small boat bobbing up and down at a great distance away. There seemed to be’ only one man in it, and Tom imme- diately perceived that he was’ the man with the megaphone, for he threw up the clumsy object and began bellowing through it again. , “Another castaway!” erled Tom. “By gracious! misery loves company! We may as well change our course, Adani, and find out wlio he is.” “Say, we don’t want no more passengers on the Red. White and Blue,” replied Adam. “We are crowded to death as‘it is. I-don’t know what we shall do if we have to take that fellow aboard... “All the same we have got to go and see if he needs help © nd to give it to him if he does,” replied Tom. “Hello! Say, he’s tumbled over backward into the boat. Poor wretch! He seems to be very weak.” Twice as they watehed the man they saw him try to rise, but he immediately fell back again, and the last time he did. not attempt to get up again. ; Grace, who had watched it all, took the slate avid wrote: “That man acts as though he’ were drunk.” “T wonder if he’ is,” said Adam, looking over Tom shoulder “Your voice carries Ahoy!” ras he took the slate. “She's mighty shatp,” replied Tom. “I’m getting over there as fast as I can, so we shall soon know.” 9 As they drew near the boat they could see that \it was loaded down with boxes and barrels, which stunk it ‘almost to the water line. The man, who was a rough-looking, heayily-bearded fellow dressed like a sailor, lay flat on his back with his bare head — resting on the bow seat, clutched the megaphoné in his hand and seemed to be either asleep or dead. The boys shouted themselves, honrse, but could get no an- swer until they were almost up to the boat. when the man suddenty straightened up and stared at them in a stupid"way, reeling from side to side. ; “Drunk, by thunder!” cried Adam. / ‘ j | He had scarcely spoken when the man, clapping the mega- phone to his mouth, staggered to his feet. “Hello! Ahoy! Saye me!” he bellowed, and then piteh- ing forward, went down head first into the w ater, the mega- phone flying out of his hand. It was all dane. so suddenly that the boys were completely taken by surprise. The man was evidently very drunk. When he sank he did not rise again. ‘fom and Adam looked in every direction, but. no trace of" / him was to be seen, , Not a doubt that the nfan with the megaphone had been — too drunk to save himself; still his pockets must have been ns heavily loaded as his head, to carry him down s ; He was gone. but he had left a valuable legacy behina hin, for Tom saw at a glance that the boat was loaded with pro- visions of every kind. Adam reached out and caught the gunwale, drawing the boat up tothe Red, Miguse and Blue. CHAPTER VII. ‘ OVERBOARD IN THE STORM. Who was the drunken man in the boat? : 3 That was something which neither the captain’: nor the crew hes of mhe Red, White and Blue ever found out. si s Vis 4 {4 roped? a gto Hy Ripe ic: Ree are
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THREE Gasdasetsa WEEE ? The man sank before their eyes and never rose again, and the boat, instead of haying a name painted on her stern as most boats do, had nothing at all to indi¢ate to what vessel it had once belonged. It looked like a new boat. and probably it was, and the owners had neglected to paint on the name, Of course there was no time spent in grieving for a drunken mun by Tom and Adam: When it became, certain that the poor wretch was actually drowned, Tom set about trying to find out something about the cargo of the boat. which had been so strangely thrown into their haads. Adam lost no time in making it fast to the Red, White and Blue, and he then climbed over into it and made an examina- Ton, “By thunder, Tom! there’s a lot of stuff here,” he called out. “T believe every one of these cases contain grub.” “What about those kegs and that barrel?” asked Tom, “1 don’t see now the ,thing kept afloat, big as it is, with such a load as it has on board.” “Well, the barrel is a water barrel all right,” replied Adam; “as to the kegs I don’t know. way it smells, and the other has got rum or whisky or some kind of liquor into it. Guess that fellow must have drank most of it up. It seems rather light.” “Come back here, Adam, and I'll go over and take a ‘Jook. What is it, Grace?” os : Grace had touched him on the arm. “I think that stuff was on board of our steamer.’ I be- lieve that was one of our boats,” she wrote on the slate. It may have, been so, but they could not prove it. Grace declared in writing. that she had not. been able to get a good look at the drowned man’s face, and so could not tell whether he was one of the crew of the lost steamer or not, so the matter remained a mystery of the sea, for Tom came to the conclusion that while Grace might be right, she night just as well be wrong. He climbed over into the boat and found that the cargo was indeed a most valuable one to them in their present fix. There were cases of canned soup, canned meat and fish and several kinds’ of vegetables, besides a barrel of water, a keg of salt fish and one partly filled-with rum, besides a tub of butter, a number of tins of ship’s biscuit and various odds and ends, all immensely valuable to them if they should re- main long adrift. As the boat was so heavily loaded that the wonder was it did not sink, the boys at once proceeded to lighten ship, and. 2 good part of the cargo was stowed away on the Red, White and Blue. The water barrel they were not. able to move, so that had to be left in its place in the bow, while the rum keg Was tumbled overboard, ‘ All danger of starvation had now passed, and:Tom found himself ready to face the situation with a lighter heart, “We will stand due west, Adam.” he said, “and if this weather only holds, of course it can’t be long before we make land somewhere.” “Dunno,” said Adam, uneasily. was going to be another blow.’ The clouds were gathering inthe west, and there certainty were some signs of a storm. Tom did. not see it, however; he thought it’ only the »re- mains of the storms which had just passed away, and as the flay wore on and brought no change, he laughed at Adam's fears and declared that he was right. There was very little wind, and the sail flapped idly the greater part of the day. (Grace proved a great help. She took right hold and con- stituted herself cook, and at noon put a splendid dinner on the table. followed by as pha a little supper at ‘night as any one could ask for. In the evening, although they had made but little headway, the party in the Red, White and Blue was.a cheerful one. Tom was a good singer, and as Adam loved to hear him, he sang song after song while Grace sat and watched them silently. “Tooks to me as if there Although she could not hear, she declared. that she eould |. feel music in a certain way, but the boys found it pretty hard to understand what she could mean by thht. “Tm first watch to-night, Tom,” said Adam. sleep till midnight. When the clock in the cabin strikes twelve [ll wake you up and turn in.’ Adam might just as weil have said, etna down.” for’ Tom j Rolled! himself up in a ‘big, blanket and lay down on the seat One is salt fish, I guess, by the’ “Take your |. in nie cockpit, for although Grace protested against it, the. boys iusisted that she should haye the cabin to herself. Tom slept as sound as a top, ‘but after a while he began to dream that they were out in the storm again, and the Red,» White and Blue was sinking. He dreamed that he had been washed overboard and that Adam was trying to pull him out of the water, and he thought he was trying to grab the guiwale, when all at once he awoke to find Adam shaking him and the boat, tossing about tre- mendously. “Wake up! “Wake up. Tom!" Reign shouted, his yoice scarcely audible above the howling of the wind. “The mast~ has gone by the board ‘and carried. the sail with it! We are being blown te blazes! What in thunder shall we do?” . Now Adam Easy belied his. name, for hes was. just no good at all in an emergency, and there was an emergency. of the worst kind on hand now. Tom staggered to his feet, and throwing tae blanket aside, stared about. A furious gale was sweeping the Red, White and Blue still further ont to sea. $ The niast lay flat, breken off short, just above the deck: line, and the sail was: flapping wildly in the water, laying the staunch little ¢raft over on her beam ends. “The axe, Adam! The axe!" shouted Tom. lighten ship! We have got to cut away here. Lively or we are lost!” Adam sprang for the axe which was in a locker forward, while Tom made one wild effort to secure the suil.. And, strange as it inay seem, that Was the time Tom's dream came true, for before he knew where he was athe was swept overboard and found himself all mixed up with, the flapping sail. “We've got to Lively now! CHAPTER VIII. LOST IN THE GRASSY SEA. The first part of Tom's dream had come true, and the see- ond part was speedily realized, for Adam sprang to the gum- wale, eaught Tom by the collar and held on for dear life. “Catch hold! Catch hold!” he cried. “I can’t hold on but a minute, the old thing bobs about so! Oh, Tom, what shall I do?” , ‘ “Keep cool! Hold on, that’s all!” replied Tom. “ We'll, get there. "That's the talk. Now ‘the axe, Adam, or we shall all go to Davy _ Jones.” Tom climbed into the boat agaim and seizing the axe which Adam had dropped upon the deck at the great gisk of haying it washed overboard, cut the mast free. ‘ It was instantly swept away, sail and all, and the: Red, White and Blue righted. Yom shook ‘himself, sigs around and tried to grasp the situation. It was not raining, but the foree of the wind was ire- mendous, Fact was, the boys were on the edge of a northeaster’ and “Without either . being rapidly blown out to sea. “We are in the soup now!” groaned Adam. mast or sail what are we going to do?” “Row,” said Tom, “I don’t give up. The little boat ‘is standing it well.” ; “Can't row, because the oars were swépt overboard,” re- plied Adam. “Like a fool I left them on deck.” “And there are no oars to the small boat! Well, we are in a fine fix for fair. But say, Adam, didn’t you see it. coming? How came you to lose your sail?” ‘ “Tt came all in a minute,” replied Adam, dolefully, “and, well, I suppose I might as well own up, Tom. I was asleep. I dropped off without knowing it, but I don’t think I slept a great whilé.” Tom said nothing. He did not like to repwoach Adam for. his negligence, but, however long or short the time he had slept at his post, it had been long enough to do the baa and here they were helpless in the storm. ; It was the beginning of trouble. ; All night long the gale continued, although the best oes ot the-time the stars were out. . Grace neyer woke up until morning, and the. wind was. blowing just as hard-when she finally put in an. ap oe and what is more it, continted 9. blow for ‘three Ys two more nights. | By this time the Red, Ee and Bits: vel dois. bat
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We can live for weeks. 8 THREE TREASURE WRECKS, ice on the trackless ocean. and Tom began to realize how des- | perate their situation really was. When the wind finally died down it turned blazing hot, and the water had assumed a bright-blue appearance which told , its own story. | The little craft with its small boat in tow had been blown far down into the tropics, hundreds of miles from the place wahere the boys had started out. 4 And besides the intense heat there.was another sign which | told its story. The water was full of gulf weed. It was light yellow in color and occurred in large patches and assumed the most beautiful forms. Grace thought that they were nearing Cuba or some other one of the West India Islands, but two more days passed and still there was no sign of land. Without mast, sail or oars, the Red, White and Blue was_ now entirely at the mercy of the wayes, and kept on drifting _ sometimes in one direction and sometimes in another, accord- ing to the wind. As the days wore on, there was less and less wind, and the gulf weed grew so thick that there were times when they could scarcely see the water. One morning when Tom awoke—his had heen the first watch | ‘the night before—he found the whole surface of the water covered with vegetation. “Tt extended for miles and miles. There was not a trace of | water anywhere as far as the eye could reach. “Well! Well! Well!” cried Tom, in astonishment, isa great sight!” ““Tsn’t it,” replied Adam. “I’ye been looking at it for ne hour. There don’t seem to be any end to the stuff as far as; I can see.” | _. “Nor any current either, ”" said Tom. “tt looks bad, Adam. | * Mighty bad!” ; : “ Why? gu. wt “Whiy? Can you ask? Tow are we to get through all this? “Wie boat don’t appear to move at all. There is no fun in lying here with k blazing hot sun beating down upon us; but ; | r “this ; that’s what we Are booked for. or I greatly miss my mark. _ We must have @rossed the Gulf Stream long ago, and there | can be only one explanation of all this.” “It has been your idea from the first that we crossed the ; Gulf Stream during the second storm,” said Adam. “I never | said you were not right, but I always heard that this weed | grew thick in the Gulf Stream.” “Not as thick as this.” Pres mighty thick, Tom, but say, old man. you are worried. J can see it in your face. There has been something on your mind for the last twenty-fotr hours. Why don’t you spit it}: out?” ; “Well, I don’ t want to scare you, Adam, but I do feel*blue.” “Pitch inf! Don't be afraid of Searing me? We are both in ih _ the same boat, I guess.” — “Three in a boat, and here comes the third. looking fresh ‘as a daisy, as she always does!” cried Tom, as Grace emerged Pater ‘the cabin.” ; “Grace is troubled. too,” said Adam. “I believe she does ai lot of thinking all to herself. Pity she can’t talk.” : 4 “Why, she must live in her own thoughts,” replied Tom. “Tt is always so with these meat and dumb people; but see, she as going to write.” { Grace took up her slate and wrote two words. » They were words which Adam did not understz et but Tom did, and they only increased his uneasiness. “The Saragossa,” was what Grace wrote on the ‘slafe: : om nodded. v _/*Never mind!” wrote Grace. AM Keep up a good Mente, Tom Tuttle. - We shall yet be saved.” Hee 1 “What does she mean?” asked Adam, “ Wiiat’s she trying | to Say?” | “She says what's true,” replied Tom, dismally. Saragossa. ‘We are lost in the grassy sea!” “There is Bienty on board yet.. “yt is the i CH: APTER IX: a el » HE sins ey i hs GRAVEYARD Adam dat aati on the oe ‘of the cockpit and tried to look . too, but it was not. easy, for he took a pretty cheerful riew of things asa rule. iS raiting for some. one to tell me what the Saragossa ;and seldom or never any wind. no masts” neither. is,” he said. “As for this grassy sea business@the sea hasn't | been anything but grassy for the last three days, so I pend see as we are any worse off than we were before.” “That's where you are wrong,” replied Ton. “Wwe are worse off. Ever so much so. for we-are liable to stop for the next three months among these weeds, and indeed it wouldn't be at all surprising if we died here, aud the boat stayed in- , the Saragossa till she rots away.” “Well, that’s pleasant; but the thought don’t seem to hinder Grace from getting breakfast.” replied Adam. “There she ts working away same as usual, but what's this Saragossa—- that’sswhat I want to know?” “Why, this is it,” replied Tom. “If Grace is right, and I believe she is, you see it all around you. The Saragossa is 2 place out in these seas where the weeds grow just as you |see them now, and owing to some peculiarity of the ocean currents they always remain in position and the whole mass mores around in a vast circle. In the middle of this circle there is almost no current. and it is said to be full of floating wrecks which have drifted into the Saragossa and there re- mained for years and years. I have read that some navigators haye seen ships there of anc lent pattern which seemed to be — 'a hundred years old or more.’ “Geel” eried Adam. drift out?” “YT told you why. cireular, “That's: agr menIe: _ The general. movement of the weed i# and in the center there is little or no movement, They simply can't get out. They call it the Graveyard on account of these wrecks.* “Pleasant. And are’ we in the center, do you suppose?” “Probably not, or we should see the wrecks;.we seem to be moving slightly. though. and as we don't get out of the weed I can’t help thinking that we are going: round and round in a circle, but another day will tell the story. so I suppose there is no use worrying. Anyhow it can’t be helped.” It was red-hot that day, and when night Game on the sun went down like a vast fiery ball. leaving the scorching atmos- _ phere searcely changed. Tom had first watch, and when Grace went into her cabin 'at nine o’clock Adam Jay right down and went to» ‘sleep. ; It Was useless to try to steer now; the boys had given it up long ago, and the watch was only kept *up as’ a matter of- } form. The hours dragged slowly on. -Tom had al! he could do. to keep awake, still he forced himself to it. in the faint hope that he might see a sail, or what would be more welcome still, a trail of black smoke from some stenmer’s funnel. Tt was the latter which was the most probable also, for, only steamers attempt to ‘cross the Grassy Sea... The little clock in, the cabin had struck twelve, and Ton. was just beginning to: think of waking Adam, when all at- once a strange sound caine across the water which made Tom. wonder if his imagination was playing tricks with him in - the silence of the moonlight night. He listened intently. There was no mistaking it. tap hy: it seemed as if he could hear music. and it sounded like ; banjo in the far distance. He was just about to call Adaia ian something else occurred more startling still, which dr ove the supposed music ont of his head. and that something was just what he had been longing for these many days. Tom had been sitting with his face toward the stern of the Red, White and Blue, but now in the effort to make out from. | which “direction the supposed banjo playing came, he turned and looked forward, when to his intense surprise, he saw the. black hull of a ship at no great distance away, but consider- | : ably off toward the east. Tom férgot all about the banjo playing instantly haa: Inir- riedly awakened Adam. Though the iiawement of the boat was slow, -known for some time thaf it was constant, and he ‘Saw that they were likely to drift past the ship. ahs Pes EN Adam tumbled up ina great state of extitement.: “There’s some sort of a eraft out there, that’s certain,” said, “but it’s a queer one. Where are her. masts? at don’t” ‘see no sails.” ° “She don’t seem to have any “ieee replied hana’ VAS near as I can make out she is ‘a wreck and—gracious, Adam! There’s another one right behind her. Look! Look!” ty “Blamed if you hain’t right, Tom! The other one hain’t. got Queer there should be two wrecks. 30. close together.” “4 “phere? s another away over there!” erted Tom, get ng mor and more excited. rare ya he Far in the. ¢ alscasice another hull could be seen a id hey. saw others—fow' or five’ ibe! ‘them, a i ioe Why don't they ; Cer- Tom had. he ; 7
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THREE - TREASURE WRECKS. 9 ERT RT “It’s the Graveyard!” cried Tom. “We have. worked our}; way into the center of the Saragossa at last. It was the most dismal scene imaginable; to sit there look- ing off at all those wrecks in the moonlight was yery depress- ing, but the boys had -no time given them to think about it, for just then the Red, White and Blue had so shifted -her position that they could look beyond the second of the two hulks which had first attracted their attention. Behind the second was a third hulk trailing after. All were mastless. and asythe boys now had a better view of them they saw that they were of ancient pattern, with high sterns and windows on the sides of the hull. “Regular old timers,” said Tom. “What if—but no, that’s nonsense, I won't allow myself to think about it, for it’s sim- ply absurd.” “Wark!” eried Adam. “So do 1.” cried Tom. “I heard it before, and I thought | was going looney. What's it sound like to you?” : “Like a banjo. , Oh, I hear it plain enough.” “And so dol. it can’t be imagination with both of us, that’s a sure thing.” The boys listened in silenee for a long time. continued for a while, and then suddenly ceased. Heard there in the moonlight with the floating wrecks all around them there was something weird about Fa strange music, Adam shuddered and looked queer. . “I don't like all this,” he muttered» “See, Tom, there are ten wrecks visible now. Count ’em for yourself if you don’t believe it, old man.” . “T’'ve counted them,” said Tom. “We are light, and we move faster than they do. We are going to see more and more of them as the night wears on.” “Geel” eried Adam, suddenly, “What if we should happen to strike those three treasure wrecks that your great-grand- fniher’s paper, tells about? It has just come into my head that--—” ‘Look!” broke in Tom. “It's absurd, of course, but look! The paper says the three wrecked treasure ships were fast- ened together. What about those over there?” ‘Yom pointed to the three hulks which had first attracted his attention, now at no great distance away. There they were trailing one after the otHer. and the moonlight striking down upon them now showed the boys great hawsers between them, Were they the three treasure wrecks which the paper told about? They certainly looked ancient enough to be anything. ‘But nearly a hundred years had passed. f It could not be! As Tom said, it was too absurd. “T hear music.” CHAPTHR:&X. : A HUNDRED aes ADRIFT. Tom and Adam had cametue made a strange discovery, let the explanation be what it might. They had drifted into the famous Graveyard of the Grassy Sea. if rumor was to he believed, many a poor datlor had been there before them, although few have ever sonny out by tell the tale. “Gan those really be the wrecked treme re ships, Tom?” asked Adam, looking off at the old hulks with silent awe. “Now don’t say that again!” eried Tom, briskly, “I tell you what it is, Adam, right now is our time to work. We can - do more at night than we can under the blazing hot sun. Let's pitch in and see what we can find in these old wrecks.” Now Adam was a born wrecker—he came of an old family of wreckers who had followed the business from away back, and his spirit was aroused to the highest piteh by seeing all these wrecks around him now, “Say. Ton, i; thing, *» he declared. “I’m in it, boy. : to raise a: -saik out of it and a pair of oars or two. This means ~~ good business, and it may mean getting out of this blamed 2 slow snap we'ye fallen into.” ' “Weare dvifting past the wrecks,” said Mora, dolefully. don’t see what we are going to Talay fevey: «*There’s the small boat.” suggested Adam. . “But what can we do with that w shouts oats, any, better than the Red, White ae Blue?” i Ky »The sound we ought to get a fortune ‘out of this here ; Anyhow we'll. be sure | | but Tom pulled vigorously, and it was a strong ‘oar on ail es the least aie nig “There’s them seats,” suggested | Adam. the opadlond “There hain’t no need of more than one to sit on. We can knock the others out and row with them, I suppose?” “And leave Grace behind? Suppose the Red, White and Blue drifts away?” pee “She moves so blamed slow, Tom.” “She moves fast enough to get out of the way most beauti- fully if we spend any time on the wrecks, but what we might do is to work the rowboat around in front and make her fast to the Red, White and Blue. It will be a pretty heavy tow, ‘of course, but still I guess we can manage it. At all events'I am going to try.” It was high time that they tried something, if they expected to have a look at the inside of the three wrecks, for they — were slowly but surely drifting past them. The water of the Grassy Sea appears to move in circular — currents, which causes the wrecks in the Graveyard to move round and round each other. it-is a strange state of aftatrs altogether, and but little - Tom now started to put his plan into action. He climbed over into the rowboat and knocked out the two middle seats, substituting for them two empty boxes, and then casting off iby aid of the seats he managed to, propel the boat through 'the tangled mass of seaweed around in front of the, Red, White and Blue, where he threw the line to Adam, who made fast at the bow. © “That's the talk!” oried Adam. Tom?” “They work, and that’s about all. -I don’t think I shall try to take out a patent on thenr. Looks to me rather doubtful if we are able to tow the Red, White and Blue.” j “Wecan make a try at it, anyhow. I’m coming over, ':om.” “Come ahead. We are getting pretty well past the wrecks. Whatever is to be,done has got to be done right away.” y Adam climbed over into the rowboat and the boys began their toilsome work. The seaweed would itself around the boards in the most discouraging fashion. It was next to impossible to take | a regular stroke, but after a long struggle the boys managed to “work pretty close to the floating wreck. Now during all this time the banjo music had ceased to be heard, and Tom found it very hard to believe that, it was anything but imagination. Adam talked about ghosts on the wrecks and declared that he wouldn’t go aboard for a hundred dollars, and although ‘Tom laughed at his fears, there was certainly something _ weird about the strange old hulks with their high sterns and windows. | yo Aithough Tom had often seen pictures of just such ships, a was another thing to be able to sit there aad actually look at these relics of a bygone age.’ “Look at the barnacles,” eried Adam; “by gracions, the sides are just covered with them. . Tnever saw such big ones in all my life.” “Yes, ahd think how many years it has taken for them {to grow there. That's a century’s work sure.” “Do you really think those ships’ can be a hundred years ola. Tom?” ey. “There can’t be the noe doubt ‘that they are nearly that, — Adam. Took at the build of them. Did you ever see ships 1 like those before?” ed “Never in all my life. ever got in front of my eyes, aboard of them, that's flat.” | 1g Adam had searcely made this ‘emphatic atatement; whee the . banjo music broke out again louder than ever, and ‘they could An distinctly hear a man’s yoice singing an AECompaniment: 3 to : the tune. “Great Scott! What can it riba oneal Tom. ‘ “Tt means ghosts, that’s what it means!” said Adam, ett ba a shudder. “Let’s get out of here, Tom! By thunder, all the tas dollars that were ever made iw Mexico wouldn’t tempt me to ‘go aboard those wrecks!” : “that’s all right for you,” said Tom, “put I don’t seare for a cent. Pull, Adam! Pull a few strokes more, and we can get a sight of the stern. T’m dying with Serle, Bec to ae at name. “Adam’s hand shook so that he could. scarcely real the ‘seat, | hey ae understood. , | “How do the oars work, ‘They are the queerest old arks that You don’t ao me going ‘side that was needed to throw the boat. around 80 wae could see the stern of the wreck. © | The moon was at its full. 1 fone up the scene the brightness of day, and se as able. to ‘see Hi |
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10 _ THREE TREASURE W RECKS. “Marshall Morgan—Cadiz,” was the way it read. Tom looked up at the old hulk.with silent awe. It was one of the three treasure wrecks mentioned in the document found in his grandfather's iron box. Yor almost a hundred years it had been floating round and round in the Grassy Sea: CHAPTER XI. ‘ | ‘ ADAM GOES DOWN INTO THE CABIN OF THE WRECK. “Tt's the ship!” said Tom, it awed tones. “It is one of the three treasure wrecks and of course there can’t be any doubt that those are the other two hitched on astern.” “Listen!” said Adam. “Listen to the music! the yoice so plain now T can almost make out the wéfds.” “Never mind the music.” replied Tom, half-angrily. “Let it go. It doesn’t come from this ship. Anyhow, Adam, you can talk up your ghosts all you like. I’m going aboard.” “Don’t do it, Tom! Please don’t.” “Rats! Rubbish! Whose afraid? There are all kinds of mysteries on the sea. and that music is only another of them. I’m not going to bether my head about it at all. What non- sense to believe in ghosts.” “IT don’t say it’s ghosts,” mumbled Adam, “but if it hain’t it’s something worse.” ~What. you ridiculous fellow?” “Mermaids, Tom. That’s what. of them. but Iam. I-don't want to be Orageed down to the bottom of the ocean and eaten up.” Dom laughed heartily. “Oh, it’s. mermaids now, is te he said. “Well, stick to your theory; it don’t do me any harm. Help me work in between the ships here. I’m going rboard the second... I can climb up by the bow anchor that’s hanging down there with- out any trouble at all.” “My unele seen a mermaid once,” said Adam, stubbornly. “Oh, yes! Ofcourse. She was sitting on a rock and comb- ing her green Jair and looking in a looking-glass. That’s the way mermaids alw. ays do.” “You can laugh as much as you like.” persisted Adam. “Fie seen her off the coast of (Brazil; sfie was singing; too, and playing on a harp. That's right.” “What kind of ~hisky dia your uncle drink? ?” laughed Tom, I can hear . plying the seat vigorotisly. put Adam was not to be downed so, and he képt prosing away while Tom worked the boat into position directly under the bow anchor of the second ship. “Hold on now, Adam! Shut up about the mermaid for a few minutes!” he cried. “Light the Jantern. Give me tbat small line. I’m going aboard.” ‘Adam continued to protest vigorously, but Tom did not pay the: slightest attehtion to him. He made the line fast about his waist, and instructing Adam to send. up the lantern as soon as he got aboatd he gave a quick spring upward, caught the anchor and pulled himself up upon the flukes. “Can you get up by the chain?” called Adam. “Yes, of course I can, easy enough; and I'm going to ao- it, too. Good-by, Adam! Here goes! I'm. going to x base bpelig your ghosts!” “Then Tom went up the anchor chain like a monkey, dna - almost before Adai knew if he was on the deck. . Make fast; Adam.- - ter of you. eel ‘ “Hello!” cried Adam.“ What's “Nothing. Deck swept clean! up there, Tom?” f No merinaids! No ghosts. Rup. mé up the lantern. Say, you had better come up, too, and see what all this is going to lead to. Remember the dollars in the hold.” Adam made fast and ran up the lantern before replying. “Hey, Tom!” he sung out then. “Well?” said Tom, untying abe lantern from the rope. ‘ap m a-comin’.” “T thought so. That old dattasity of yours has got the bet- ; Come on. No ghosts here!” “Let up, will you! I never said nothing about ghosts, it was you. Here I come!” : It did not take Adam long. to get on deck. A dreary scene bi, met his gaze. Yom had make no mistake w hen he said that there was | nosing on the deck, for of all that once had been there re- mained only heaps of rotten wood and odds and ends of iron, ‘The deck timber, sie shrunken so that wide seams lay open between them. in wunany. places: they alse had — fotted away and saan Mebbe you ‘hain’t afraid | Nigavihe great gaps tnrauey which siladdees of the cabin could be had, and at ether points the planks trembled so as the boys tiptoed over them that they were seriously afraid of falling into the cabins themselves: “It's a terrible pokerish place, Tom,” whispered Adam. “Wish [was back in the boat.” : “Go, then, I’m going to put it through.” “But I don’t want to leavé you alone here,” : “Oh. shut up. Come ‘on. We are going to find noes dollars. I feel it all-over me.. Now then! Now then! Look where you step. Hello! What's this? A sign which must have been on one of the deck houses. Here we have the name; Adam. Yes, it is just as 1 suspected: This is another of elk treasure wrecks.” Tom flashed the lantern down upon eh rotten old piece of wood. “General Del Rio—Cadiz,” was the way the letters read. The case was no longer doubtful. This was the second of the treasure wrecks, and there could not be the slightest doubt that the third, the San Mateo, was _ trailing astern. “This is buginess!” cried Tom. “Now we go at it,’ Adam. “We have got to get down into the hold. » ‘ “Here’s the stairs,” said Adam. “Show your light, Tom, . and VL go down!” “TWello! Hello!” cried Tom. “We are picking up, courage, are we? Ghosts in the cabin. Adam! Mermaids swimming in.the bilge water, playing on harps and combing their hair.” “T don’t care,” replied Adam, stoutly. “Ul show you that. I’m no more of a coward than you are. Show the spat Tin going down!” , ¢ And Adam did go down with a vengeance. ‘ Searcely had he descended three steps when the whole stairs suddenly collapsed and went rattling down into the darkness below. el CHAPYER XII. NAPOLHON’S DOLIVARS. “Adam! Adam!” shouted Tom; half paralyzed with the suddenness ot the catastrophe. “Are you hurt, old man?” : There was a grunt and a groan and a surgle, ‘and then Adam “in scared tones called out: “Well, no! 1 hain't burt none, I guess, but ’'m under a lot of timber all right. I can’t get out, Tom.” “Keep still!” eried Tom. “ll fix you! Here, I'll leave the lantern. Can you see it? Can you see me?” “Can't see nothing,” was the reply. “Um stuck under the stairs. The avhole business is resting on my legs,” “All right! I'll fix it!” cried Tom, and he ran forward and returned with the rope. It was a good stout one, and Tom felt no hesitation in trusting his weight to it. There was a big iron ring near where the top of the stairs had vested. to which he made it fast, and then taking the lantern in his teeth he went down hand over hand, landing on the broken stairway in the cabin. There was not a sound except Adam’s groaning. No rats went skurrying away; there was no signs of life anywhere. Queer old articles of furniture were ‘se attered about tonsy- tutvy. Many had rotted and lay in fragments. It was ruin and decay wherever Tom's eyes rested, but the scene, whue it would, have been a prize for an artist, would take entirely too long to dese tribe, with Adam lying under the broken stairs; so we mu8t get him out of his disagreeable position as soon as possible. Tom simply did it, so there is no more to be said, Adam was considerably’ bruised, although not bart ati all; but he was very “mad” with the stairs. “Phe blamed old thing went right down under me.” ie growled, shaking his fist at it. “The only comfort there is in it, Tom, is that it was Ine instead of you.” . “Dm taking my chances, Adam. T lead the way after this.” “Wish you would. Um always tumbling into something or — other, dear knows. Say. Tom, this is a queer old joint. You — can't blaine a fellow for thinking of ghosts here.” ' “(hosts be hanged! I'm after the dollars. What we want. you is the hold, and I-don’t suppose there is any way of gettine — into it from here. More than likely we have. got to go on — deck again; and tackle the main hatch, but anyhow we will he ave a look.” fe “Took dut for skeletons. Some of diet old Spaniards may have died here. Lhe Pee hes Fe
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THREE TREASURE WRECKS.. 11 “Maybe so. about keeping prisoners much in those days. When the pirates captured a ship they cut the throats of the erew, tumbled them overboard ‘er hung them to the yardarm.” The boys now started off on a regular tour of exploration. There were three cabins, one connecting with the. other, and all sorts of queer things were found in them, but there were no skeletons and nothing to show that there had been any- body on board the General Dél Rio at the time she was aban- doned. -” At last the boys came to a little room well forward, and upon opening it. found themselvés in®a sort of gangway with movable doors instead of windows on the sides. Tom opened one of these doors. wich let in a flood of moon- light, and then they found what they were looking for, a hatch set in the deck. it had been nailed fast, but the frame was so rotten that there was no difficulty in raising it, the whole frame coming away with the hatch. A frightful stench came rushing out. The boys drew back, half smothered, and the lantern flickered with a yellow glare. “Gee! We can’t never go down there!” eried Adam. “Let's get back, Tom, and take it in the daylight. Besides, if Grace happens to wake up and finds us missing, she will be scared half to death.” “T don’t back out.” replied, Tom. through, and I’m going to do it.” “You'll Smother down there sure,” “Give it ten minutes to clear itself. There must be airholes somewhere in the old hulk. It can’t be so bad.” “Better try it with the light and see,” Ng “That's easy done. lt won’t take a minute, either, We will take off the glass and let the lantert down slowly. There isn’t a breath of air stirring, so it can’t go out.” Tom tried it, but befere he had lowered the lantern two yards it did go out, and all he was able to see was the ladder RP stcher “to the deck below the trapdoor and leading down into the hold. “The air is pretty bad, after all, I guess,” said Adam. had better give it the ten minutes, Tom.” They waited, and. then tried it again, this time with com- plete success. the lantern descending until it came to a pile of small kegs, where it rested, burning with that same richly yellow glare. # “There they, are! excitement now. — “That’s what,” exclaimed Tom. “Look, Adam; this isn’t the main hold. It is too small. It is just a little place partitioned off to receive those kegs. The rest of the hold is ballasted, L suppose, Hold on now! I’m going down.” “Look out the ladder don’t break under you, same as the stairs did with me.’ | “Pm going to chance it. I'll jump if I feel it going. Here’s fora start. Don’t you put a foot on it till I am down.” Then Tom swung himself through the hatch and dropped upon the ladder, It trembled, but it bore his weight. and in a moment he stood upon the kegs. Putting’ the glass in place upon the lantern, He seized the first one he could lay his hands on, and tried to pull it out of the pile. Instantly the keg fell apart. and out rolled a stream of. silver coins. u “Hooray!” shouted Tom. “We've struck it, Adam. Here’s Napolean’s dollars! I don't doubt that every keg is full!” “lye undertaken to put it “We There they are!” eried Adam, full of I doubt it, though. They didn’t use to bother At the present price of silyer they were not worth more than half the amount that Tom’s great grandfather had esti- mated them at. Instead of being worth a dollar each, their actual value. was but a little over fifty cents. Still if the kegs were all full, and if each hulk had its store, of kegs, the total value must amount to a large fortune, as Tom very well knew. But here they were in the Graveyard of the Grassy Sea. How were these dollars to be removed? Tom could not enthuse over them as much as he otherwise would have done, for there seemed no possible way of escap- ‘ing from this dreadful pore, and even if they could have done so, how were they to and Blue? ; ‘ “Why,” said Adam, dolefully, “we could not, even carry ‘a third of this pile of kegs without swamping us and what about all the rest, if all three wrecks are loaded down alike?” “That's the snag,” said Tom. “Mighty little good they ara ee to do us, but still it is a satisfaction to have found them.” _. “adn’t we better look into one of the other kegs?” gaan Adam. | break as soon as we touch them.” This was not so, however. The kegs were strongly made, and althou 9 the boys tum- bled them around considerably, no other br As they had nothing to open them with, it oe not possible to sample them further, so the boys had to satisfy themselves with filling their pockets and returning to the Red, White and Blue, where they passed the remainder of the night, sleeping like respectable eitizens, for now that they were fast to the General Del Rio, which had floated about for nearly a century undisturbed, Tom could see little use in keeping-up the watch.. Tom was first awake, and he took nie morning tumble in among the. gulf, weed. ‘ It was queer bathing, but better than nothin , for it served to cool him off, and the night had been a fea ully hot one. After he had resumed his clothes, Tom took the dollars and arranged them in a row on the cabin table, curious to see how Grace would take it when she came out of her stateroom and saw them, ; Men This happened about six o’clock. - Adam was still asleep when Grace suddenly came through. the cabin. door with her ‘Good-morning, Tom pattie,” bess then. she stood there staring about in surprise. ‘ ier And well she might. Not only were the boats made fast to a great towering ship, ‘ but off in the distance wrecks floated on all sides of them. Tom had. already counted twenty-six, and owing to their posi- tion under the bow of the General Del Rio he felt sure that- he did not see them all. What is it?” wrote Grace. “What ships are ‘theen? Sysiel did we come here? What is the meaning of that mone the table? What have you. been doing during the night ” It took Tom. a good half hour to write out the: agape: to. all the questions written., . At last Grace, with a sigh, wrote. carry the dollars on the Red, White “Well, we can’t get away with all this money, so I- don’t ne : what good it is going to do us,” and then she went down into the cook room and began her morning work. , Tom did not try to tell her cok about the mysterious music, for he felt that it would be next to impossible to make her understand it, and so he just didn’t try. The OFBIRE wore on and brought further discoveries with’ vr Adam wake up. about breakfast. time. and chatted away. .|about the dollars as they sat about the little table. CHAPTER XIII. DOLLARS! ponLARS! poL.arst Tom had made a big discovery® and in his excitement he shouted until the echoes of the hold were aroused again and again, while Adam came hurrying down the ladder to have a look for himself. There was no imagination about Napolean’s dollars at all exents, whatever there might be about the mysterious music. The boys picked up great handfuls of coins and examined them more closely by the lantern’s light. They all bore the head of the Spanish King on one side and the Arms of Spain, a shield with castles and lions between i de two pillars on the other, and were what are known as Spanish “pillar dollars, dapeoh nay “pieces of eight, ” meaning eight Reais in Kalua Grace’ watched him with her usual inquiring look, ybut. she did not write anything, for she never tried to hold any com- munication with Adam, except to say. good- -morning in her usual way. / It was hotter than ever that day, but this did not: prevent [the boys from exploring the other wrecks. Right away after breakfast the Red, White and Blue was — moved down to the next hulk, and the boys went aboard, Here the destruction was not so complete, the deck house. was still standing, and the name “San Mateo,” was ro nently displayed, Grace was very anxious to come aboard, so Tom ‘rigged i board a sort of “boatswain’s chair,” by means of a piece of and rope. and then hoisted her up. ‘ : While the search for the dollars was. being made, Grace searched the cabins and found many things in the way of dishes, Knives and forks and cooking. utensils. that she PHA : oy; 4 * A! “I suppose they are all just as rotten and they will
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12 THREE TREASURE WRECKS. would be useful to her, and she had just brought them all up on deck when Tom came hurrying up to her and led her forward and’ down into just such another treasure room as they had found on the General Del Rio. It was well filled with kegs, just the same as the other one had been. Tom had brought the axe along with him this time, and he lost no time in opening several of the kegs. \ They were all filled with the silver dollars. The outside layers were much tarnished, but in the middle of the keg the dollars were as bright as on the day they were minted. It was impossible to count, the kegs, they were so wedged in, but there were a great many of them, and when later on they were aboard of the Marshal Morgan, another treasure room with its store of dollars was also found. “We are rich, Adam!” cried Tom, when at last they re- turned to the Red, White and Blue; “but a lot of good it is going to do us. We can’t get out of the Graveyard ourselves, much less get away with the three treasure wrecks.” CHAPTER XIV. “ABOUT THE MAN WHO RAN AROUND IN THE GRAVEYARD, The day passed and night came again, It had been a day of wonderful discoveries; from the deck of the Morgan the boys counted forty-four wrecks floating in the Graveyard, but whether they had passed out of sight of the ones they had seen the night before, or not, they could not determine. All seemed to have a slow motion, ae the Red; White and Blue now moved with! them. fom would have liked very much £6 have explored some of the others, but that was next to impossible, for it would have required the greatest effort to work either the Red, White and Blug or the rowboat through the gulf weed, even to the nearest¥of them, and no one thought of making the attempt. “IT see-a way out for aiwolpast though,” Tom remarked to ‘Adam that evening as they sat talking together in the coek- pit, after Grace had retired. “We have got plenty of wood now, and it won’t take us any great length of time to make a couple of pairs of oars. With their hélp we ought to be able to work our way out of the Graveyard, and perhaps escape from the Grassy Sea altogether. We will make a big try for it, anyhow. : Adam highly approved of the plan, and then. they fell to talking about the mysterious music again, and they were still talking about it when all at once the twang of the DERIO was heard again. ‘Tom was on the alert at once. tery!” he eried. “Let’s so © aboard, Adam! ‘view of the Graveyard from the deck of the ship.” At this time they were hitched to the Morgan, and they lost no time in climbing upon her deck. It was just as bright as the night before, ' see a long distance over the weedy expanse. “You go astern, Adam, and see what you can discover in that direction,” said Tom, “I'll take it here forward. “We _ ‘will watch just as long as the music keeps up. Hello! There’s the singing again! . Your mermaid has got to work. ‘Long and earnestly 'Tom strained eyes and ears to make out “Tm going to solve this mys- and they cotld "the meaning of these mysterious sounds, which certainly did ' not seem to come from any great distance away. At last, after Adam had called out several times that he could see nothing, Tom was suddenly startled by seeing some- thing rise up out of the weeds, apparently, which looked very much like a man. © “Adam! Adam!” he shouted. “I see your mermaid at last!” “Gee!” cried Adam. “You don’t say! ‘Well, I’ve struck something, too, which are worth all the i ation in crea tion! Oh, Tom, look here!” ‘Tom gave a joyful shout as Adam rene running toward him ey with a pair of oars. “J found them hidden under a lot of puppied astern there!” - eried Adam, “and there are two more pairs besides. Oh, Tom! - This hi what we want! We can get out of the Grayeyard now.” ee MICs a big find!” cried Tom. “«pPixed as we are now, it is worth more than all the dollars on the three treasure wrecks, but look of: there, Adam, ‘and tell me what you see.” ~ ie We can get a better The music SigG Bs ge ROM and the voice of the anysterious: singer was no longer heard, but Tom thought he saw some- thing that he wanted Adam to confirm, for he could Scares, believe the plain evidence of his own eyes. Adam looked in the direction toward which Tom pointed, and then suddenly exclaimed: “Gee! I don’t understand this! I seem to see a man run- ning!” < That’s right. Running over the weeds. There’s your mer- maid, Adam, only it’s a he one, a merman, so to speak!” “Say, I wonder if ’m os. crazy,” muttered Adam. “TI do see it, though, Tom.” “So do I. Can’t A Fe it. on, has he?” “That's the way it looks to me.” “And he is running to the left now.” : “Yes; now he turns and is running the other way.” “That’s just what I see,” said ‘Tom, “so it can’t be any delusion.. I wish I could understand it, but Vl be blessed if I can.at all. How far away should you say it was, Adam?” “Why, not over half a mile. Of course it is mighty hard to make out distance in the moonlight, but that is the way it looks to. me.” d “Just what I think. I’m going to give him the hail. I don't know as my voice will carry that far, but I’m. going to try.” Thus saying, Tom put both hands against his mouth and gave a screech loud enough to wake all the dead in the Grave- yard, if, indeed, dead men have ears to hear. The; effect was instantaneous, and it knocked the bottom square out of the ghost theory; which Adam secretly be- lieved. The man who was running about the Graveyard instantly stopped and looked all around. Then he put his hand against his mouth, and in a minute the boys heard floating across the Graveyard: “Ahoy! Ahoy! Ahoy!” — He hasn‘t got any clothes CHAPTER XV. WHAT'S IN THE WIND? “Tt’s alive!” cried Adam. “Oh, Tom! it’s alive!” “You bet it is!” replied Tom, “but what is hg standing on? That’s what beats’ me!” The hello now came again, and the man, stooping down, raised up with something which looked like a bit of white cloth and waved it violently, but as he waved it in the wrong direction, it was pretty certain that he did not see the boys on the Morgan. '“Ffe’s not on #0 us yet,” said Tom, “let’s give him another ~ eall.” They shouted. ate shouted, and the man shouted back and kept waving the white rag, and at last he seemed to catch sight of the, boys, for he threw up ik hands wildly and ran forward a short distance, and there stopped and began to wave again. * “tT sees us,” said Tom. “He’s all alive, whoever he is. Adam, we have got to make a try to get over there.” “I knew you’d say it,” replied Adam, “and I’m ready. I suppose we'can do it, too, now that we have:the oars.” “He must be standing on some sort of a raft,” said Tom. . “Tt can’t be anything else.” “Phen it must be an almighty big one.” “That's what it must. We shall soon know, though. for taking the small boat and making a try for it now.” “As well now as any time. Y stand what we are going to do.” He: pointed to himself and then he ““Pll try,” said Adam. the man several times. In answer the man began beckoning to them. He pointed to his-mouth, ane then to his stomiach,, and en é shook his head. “He wants to tell us ee he is starving” cried Tom. “We must get a move on us. Whoever the follow is, Adam, he is evidently in a worse fix than we are, and we have got to help him if we can.” The boys now returned to the Red, White and Bitte. taking Wy the oars with them. Their first move was to empty the small poat of its poxes, which were piled on deck, and then when all Was ready Tom cast off and they started to row through the gulf weed in _ ‘the direction of the music, which had. started up. again. BEARS They were now too low down in the water to sée the man, and although they strained their eyes, to their: Ba they : could not cateh a GS ae Nap him. plies I wish I could make him under-
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hee Tom had laid out a course for himself before coming down from the deck of the Morgan. i He had sighted the wreck of a large schooner which lay i directly in the line of where they had seen the man, but . somewhat beyond him, and keeping this in his eye, he pulled as. vigorously as possible, making very slow headway through the weed. It was terrible hard pulling, and no mistake. The weed wound itself’ around the oars and clung to them vered, and at Jast Adam sung out that he could see the “flag. ie Tom caught sight of the man at the same instant. He still seemed to be standing directly on the weed and kept waving the white rag. Little by little, as they drew nearer, the boys were able to see the outlines of something which looked like an immensely long raft, extending in both directions away from the man. “Why, it must be a big timber raft!” he exclaimed. “That's it, Adam! V’H bet you what you like it is a big raft of Georgia pine, which has been blown away over into the Grassy Sea in some gale off Hatteras. That’s the explanation of it.’ There can’t be any other. You will find that I am right.” A little more pulling, and they were near enough to hear what the man said, when he shouted, as he kept doing-from _* time to time. . “Hello! Hello! Who are you? cry across the weeds. ‘ “We are a couple of Jersey boys!” yelled Tom. “We have drifted into the Grassy Sea. Do you hear what we say?” “IT hear!” came the answer. “My name is Tim Tolliver. I'm from Brunswick, Georgia. Do you see my raft?” “We see it now!” yelled Tom, “but we didn’t before.” Who are you?” came the “It's a big one!” came the answer. “We lost our tug off Hatteras. We were bound for Norfolk, Virginia. T’ve been in here among the weed for two whole months. My mates are all dead, and I’m almost starved to death. Can you do anything for me, boys?” “Lots!” replied Tom. “We have got a sailboat over there and plenty of grub and water. We will take good care of you, Tint!” rae , : The man sank down out of sight, then the boys worked their way up to the raft, where they found the poor wreteh just. coming .out of a fainting fit, from which they helped to revive him. Tim Té@lliver had no elaborate story to "tell. He was just a sailor who had shipped on the big lumber raft to help take care of it and work it upto Norfolk, Va, There had been four of them, he said. Two were washed overboard in the storm, and the third died after the raft drifted into the Grassy Sea, leaving Tim alone. As long as bis supply of provisions held out, poor Tolliver had remained hopeful. There was a small shelter on the raft, where he was in the habit of sleeping during the heat of the day, but when It came night, he took off his clothes to cool off, and amused himself by playing on his banjo and singing. It was now a week since his supply of, provisions had be- eome exhausted, but for a long time before that Tim had put himself on an allowance of a cracker a day, and that with water, of which he had plenty, formed his only food. ‘It is hardly necessary to say how joyfully he weleomed the boys. but he did not_seem to like the idea of leaving the raft. It's grorte $60,000, Tora Tuttle,” he said, “That's big sal- f vage, boy! If we could only tow her into port it would make © us three rich.” ye Tom looked at Adam meaningly. He had already autioned '’ him to say nothing about the dollars until he gave pérmission, ’ “and he was’ thinking that he could tell Tim Tolliver about ' bigger salyage than the timber raft if he chose. We can’t very well tow her over to the Red, White and Blue,” he said, “but we can work our boat over to the raft, > and ie there would only come up a little wind, We might tow her out of the Grassy Sea altogether.” “It’s coming!” said Tolliver, oracularly. i “Clouds!” eried Adam: “Oh, Tom!” = 9 AIt was the first sign of wind they had seen in a week. ; Far in the distance over the Graveyard, dark clouds were toute py bteh were working their way up toward the moon. - Wind would come with the clouds SAapubtcaie: but who could tell what would come with the wind? It might mean escape from the Graveyard, or it: might, mean | “Look off there. yi THREE TREASURE WRECKS. /understand what I mean?” a o these unfortunates oye here in; aes Grassy Sea. ’ CHAPTER XVI : WORKING IN THE GHAVEVARD: A storm in the Grassy Sea is about as unusual a thing as a storm in the desert of Sahara, and yet in both places storms do sometimes come. ' “Often and often I have seen it rain and blow like thunder so that it could scarcely be broken off, but the boys perse-|on all sides of me, but never a drop of water or a breath of, air in the Graveyard,” Tim Tolliver declared to the boys. “Don't feel too sure that we are going to have a blow now. It may never touch us at all.” ts : And so it preved. Tom and Adam now witnessed strange phenomena. The sky grew as black as night. The lightning flashed, and the thunder crashed, and they could see torrents of rain descending. But it was all outside of the charmed circle of the Grave- —. yard. Mi There all remained as before, and morning dawned with the same intense heat and the sun beat down upon the wiecks« with the same old coppery glare. Tim Tolliver abandoned the raft and went over to the White and Blue in the boat with the boys. Great was Grace’s astonishment when she found that there was a new one to cook for. The unfortunate raft man was pretty well used up. It took two days of careful feeding to bring him back to ; anything like health and strength, for when not eating he . slept most of the time sprawled out upon the deck of the Med, i White and Blue. All this time Tom and Adam were laying their plans, “It’s a big thing, Adam, finding that raft.” said Tom, next mor. ning after Tim Tolliver had gone otf asleep. ; “Doesn’t do us any more good ‘than finding the dollars,” . grumbled Adam. “There’s a terrible big lot of timber, there, and it’s worth a pile of money, of course, but how are we going to get it out of the Graveyard any more than, we can the three treasure wrecks.?” "> “We are going to work for it,” replied Tom. emphaticailly, “{ don’t believe in sitting down and sucking one’s thumb. I believe in work every time, and if you will listen to me, Adant,’ I will show you just how the thing ean be done.” ee be m a-listening,” said Adam. “Wire away.” Grace was listening, too—with her eyes. She sat as she often did, on the edge of the cockpit, wateh: ing the movement of Tom’s lips. | - Tom took the slate, and as he talked to Adain kept serie bling down sométhing of what he was saying, passing it to Grace, rubbing out, writing more, and all mechanically. and talking all the while. HAAS “Tere’s my scheme, Adam,” he said. “That raft, once we can get it started, can be worked out of the Grassy Pie What we want are long sweeps. “There are three of us now, and Grace can pan an oar, Se if necessary. and that’s four. We must make these sweeps if it takes us a week to do it. Then about the dollars. There’s nothing to hinder every keg being put on the raft. The thing has such a degree of buoyancy of itself that we need not fear _ the weight of the dollars sinking it. Perhaps we can rig up a sail, and once we are out of the Graveyard the wind will help us. I believe that the way of escape is open to us, if we, only wérk.” “I’m ready,” said Adam. this man about our find?” . “We certainly have, and he will have to come in for ane full aah share if we escape.” a “That's all right, but I don’t see where you are going to get the tools to do, this work: You talk about a. sail, too, Where are you going to get one, when we haven’t even got a : sail for the Red, White and Blue?” “We are going to work for it. Work, work, work! That's the remedy for all our troubles. Hyerything comes to the’ man who is willing to work.” ) ; “But that don’t answer my question, Tom.” “Qan’t you guess, Adam? Look all anes Don't you ReA, a “Of course we have got to tell t: “No, I'll be hanged if I do.” “Well, then, here’s the first thing on is programme; tiene! are some forty wrecks around us. We can work our way to any of them if we try. Do you suppose for an instant th xv i ‘we are not going to find tools on some one of them? Do you , ‘Dre. suppose that we are not going to find. ‘sails. and more ‘visions Bed all BOL oF things?” 4
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14 THREE TREASURE WRECKS. “Hooray!” cried Adam. “Of course we are! Of course it can be done. Bully for you, Tom!” Tt will take time,” continued Tom, “but in the end suc- cesseis certain. We will go right at it, and make it a job for’ every night. “I suppose it better be done in the night,” said Adam. “It is so blazing hot daytimes, that it will just about kill us to try it ‘in the sun. Well, I’m with you. I’m ready to do my share.” ; “First of all we have got to explain the whole situation to Tolliver,” said Tom, and that is what they did as soon as the | raft man awoke. ‘Tim's amazement and interest knew no bounds. But the poor fellew was too far gone to do much work, so. he did not join in the different cruises among the wrecks. The first trip was made the next night. Picking out the nearest wreck to the three treasure ships, whith was an old brig lying perhaps two miles away, Tom and Adam started to pull over to her through the gulf weed. It took four solid hours of the hardest kind of work to make those two miles, but at last the boys drew near along the brig, which proved to be the Three Sisters, of Bristol, England, and alimbed upon her déck. Adam was the first on board, and he gave a loud shout as ; he threw himself over the rail. “Skeletons, Tom! Skeletons!” he cried, the dead men at last! “We have struck | CHAPTER XVII. GETTING READY FOR A START. “Never mind the dead men, Adam!” eried Tom, cheerfully. “We are here for what we can gét, and an army of dead men isn’t going to scare me away.” And, after all, it was only four skeletons bleached white by} long exposure to the sun. One lay on its back nedr the wheel, another was close to the companiontfay, one near the galley aoe and the last lay by the rail. “Starved to death, I suppose. the whole buneh of them,” _ said Tom. “Poor wretches! They have been out of. their troubles these many years. I don’t believe we are going to strike-anything here, Adam. It all looks as old as the three treasure wrecks.” Tom was right. Nothing to the least value was found. Sails there were below stowed away in a large closet. Evidently they had been new spare sails in their day, but they crumbled to dust as soon as the boys tried to unfold them. ~There were six altogether, but they were all alike. the rest there was nothing discovered on the ship slightest value. The cargo in the hold consisted entirely of logwood, which accounted for the floating of the ship. As for of the “See that old three-masted schooner over there, Adam, * said. ‘Tom, when at“last they gave it up. “That looks decidedly more modern. I vote we give that a call.” “Oh, gee!” groaned Adam. “Mote pulling through the weeds! Well, if you say so, Tom, I suppose it has got to be.” “That's the last for to-night,” said Tom. “How plain. we can see the raft from here. oid doesn’t seem to have moved one bit.” ‘ > - “According to you the whole business is moving, Toni.” ~ “That's what it is. All going round in a cirele. Never ' mind. Let her go!. Come along, Adam, we have got to fight the old gulf weed again.” f It. was the same hard pulling, but the boys were beginning \to learn how to handle their oars in the weed better now, and it was not nearly as hard as it had been at first. Half an hour took them over to the old schooner. Here good luck camé at the very start. Two first-rate sails were found, and there was a regular tool chest in the fo’castle. It was well filled with hammers, saws, planes, ete.; there were also nails and screws of every kind, and what was better | _ than all, the foremast of the schooner was still in place, and’ as fine a stick of timber as any one could ‘wish to see. “Plenty of work ahead now, Adam!” said Tom. “We may ‘as well make a night of it and do our resting to-morrow. First of all we want this mast.” » v There were two good axes in the fo'castle near the tool ‘chest and ropes of all kinds were scattered about. ; pena bers got a Mpe secured around the mast, and mae " , the other end fast, they went at it with the axes and soon had the mast overboard amongst the weeds and in tow of the boat. The tool chest was then lowered into the boat, and iKey started on their return, reaching the Red, White ‘and’ Blue shortly before daylight. That was the first night’s work. To describe the progress of the dext few days would re- | quire entirely too much space. It was slow, but the advance waSs steady, ;and as scon as Tim Tolliver was able to help, things jumped along. The boys tore up great pieces of the deck plank Of! the Morgan. It was of oak and not nearly as rotten as the planks on the | other wrecks. Tim took the planks and, in the course of two days, Had): made four first-rate sweeps, which he declared were strong enough for any work. | One evening just after sundown the whole party—for Grace insisted upon going, too—started for the raft. The mast had already been towed over and made fast along- side the watér-logged timbemy and the new sweeps were on | board. The boys worked until morning, and ‘by the time the sun ' rose ajl was ready, the mast was in place, the little hut ou the raft had been put in thorough repair and another built | for Grace’s occupation. , Great slots had been cut for the sweeps, and’ when the boys tried them they found that they penetrated through the weeds and worked with comparative freedom in the water below. “She moves!” cried, Tim. “Tom Tuttle, you have got a’ great head. We are going to get out of Titi ‘snap sure.” Talk about hard work! It came then. It was noon before the big raft came abrenst the three treasure wrecks. Grace did her share for awhile, but was soon obliged to give it up and devoted herself to preparing breakfast ‘and | dinner, while the boys and Tim stuck to their work. That ended it. for one day, for every, one was eioroushly tired out. 7 Work did not begin again until midnight, when the unload: ing of the treasure room on the Morgan was begun. This was the slow and tedious job. The kegs had to be hoisted out of the hold, rolled across the deck and lowered down upon the raft. Byery now and then one would break and scatter the dollars evetywhere, which d@lways threw Tim Tolliver intee great state of excitement. At first he commenced to secretly pocket the coins. but he | soon had to give it up, for they weighed him down so that he could hardly work, and Tom ¢aught him in the act of throwing them all back on the pile of loose coins which were heaped up op the raft. ‘ Day succeeded day until a week had glided by before eee fairly realized it. The work was all done now. ; A The three treasure wrecks were unloaded, and just in ine: for during the night Tom was suddenly aroused by a queer noise for which he could not account. He sprang up and looked along the line of the old hulled There were only two now. The big hawser was dangling behind the Del Rio. The San Mateo had sunk beneath the bi teats any was seen no more. ees ~ CHAPTER XVIULI. \ THE NIGHT OF THE, BIG STORM. . “Do we start to-morrow, ‘Tom Tuttle?” Grace wrote on the ‘slate that night just before she retired to the cabin, and the answer Tom “wrote was “Yes.” The time had now come to make the great struggle which — might mean life and might mean death to. all on hoard the’ great timber raft. Hundreds of miles lay between ‘them and eo land that Tim Tolliver knew anything about. Of course they could not hope that the unbroken ¢alm of the Graveyard was going to last forever. Storms were ‘bound ‘to-come as soon as they ‘passed out of that charmed cirele, ¥ and it must be confessed that Tom was rather nervous as to a what the fate.of the raft might be, and the sudden disap- pearance of the pot Payee made him think about it, all the. parte 5 oe { Nr sg
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+ +4 ij : 4 THREE TREASURE WRECKS. But every one else was asleep when it happened, and Tom did not disturb them. By the time they woke up he was as calm and indifferent about it as though nothing had occurred. “We are all ready now, Adam,” he said, after breakfast was over. “Run up the flag on the Red, White and Blue. It is. good-by to the old Graveyard. We are going on with our cruise.” At nine o’clock all went 6n board the raft and took posses- sion of their new quarters, and then it was good- by to the treasure wrecks. - The lines were cast off, and the sweeps thrown out, and work begun in earnest. Grace did the steering, and Tom set her a direct westerly course. All day long the pulling continued. There was no haste—no excitement. Slowly but surely the huge raft moved away from the old treasure ships, and when at last the sun went down they were no longer visible, nor was any one of the other wrecks. They were out of the Graveyard at last. For three days the weather held just the same. Little wind, a cloudless sky and the gulf weed as thick as ever. On the morning of the fourth day a strong wind set in- from the east, and Tom: and Adam lost. no time in running up their sails. The effeet was immediate, of course. “By thunder, she’s off Mke a lady!” cried Tim, as the sails filled and the raft began to move with.a rapidity, many times as great as the motion they had beeh able to produce with the swéeps. which were now laid aside. \ Tim got out his banjo, and seating himself on an old stool, began to play and roar out comic songs and. sailor’s “shan- tees,” his deep, rich voice gt Wie? music that was really worth listening to, and the boys joined in the choruses, of course. This was all very fine, but the wind was only the fore- runner -of a storm, as Tom fully anticipated. It began to cloud up shortly after sundown. By nine o'clock it was blowing great gales and raining in torrents. The raft was now labgring fearfully, and Tom’s anxiety was intense. Of ‘course the Sails had been lowered and stowed away, and everything movable except the kegs of dollars made secure in the little huts. Tom took up his Station forward, and Adam remained on the watch at the other end of the long raft, while Tim paced up and down, examining the lashings and tightening knots and keeping the sort of lookout upon everything that he alone knew how to do. At a little after midnight he came up to Tom with a troubled look upon his face. “Well?” roared Tom, his words almost blown away by the wind. “She's laboring fearfully,” said Tim. night the tugs went down.” “What do you think?”’ danger?” The answer was not very encouraging. “Well, now there is the greatest danger. I don’t know what to think. The lashings had got to be mighty dry. Once then begin to give it As all day with us, but all this weed is in our favor.” | “Mhink so?” -“T'm sure of it. doybt about that.” “Well, take it easy,” sald Tom. “Anyhow we have got the Red, White and Blue to fall back on. She has stood one storm, and I guess she will stand anather. I don’t despair. e “Yes, but them dollars,” replied Tim, dolefully. “Who wants to lose a fortune once he has it in hand? We couldn’t stow more than three or four kegs on board the Red, White. and Blue with any kind of safety. You know. that year “Twas no worse the bellowed Tom. “Is there any Helps to hold us together. There isn’t any Tom.” “You're right, there. If the raft goes, the treasure goes with it. Oh, look here, Tim!” \ Tom pointed over the side. The raft was tossing about so that it was decidedly danger- ous te stand near the edge, but Tim was quite near enough to see what Tom saw. “Clear water!” he muttered ia mhiie weeds at last.” “Phat’s what's the matter. “We are out of, the We have seen the last of ihe Grassy Sea.” + TSA TRS “And what next?” muttered Tim. “Well, we have got to take our chances. tello! Here comes Adam running for all he is worth. There’s something wrong astern, and I am afraid I know pretty well what it is,” “Tom! Tom!” shouted Adam, as he drew near enough to make his yoice heard. “The raft is all going to pieces astern! The lashings have given away. and the planks are dropping off like anything. Come and see!” Tim seized his axe and ran for dear life, elosely followed by both the boys, “What's he going to do?” oneal Adam. “Cut away.” replied Tom. “He told me all about it © He cuts away till the break is all cleared, and then makes new \ fastenings. Ue will want all the Bes we can give him. Heaven! what was that?” There was: a noise like thunder, “and the boys peering: through the darkness saw a huge section of the raft separate from ‘the rest and go off by itself. “Tim! Timy’ shouted Tom. “Tim! Are you there?” CHAPTER XIX. THE END OF TIM. Tom Tuttle’s shouts to Tim, the raftman, brought no an- swer; indeed it is doubtful if they could have been heard, $0. fiercely did the wind blow. “Tt hain’t ~o use talking, Tom!” bawled Adam. “He has been washed away sure, and the whole raft is going to pieces; best thing we can do is to get aboard the Red, White aug Bt ete ie “T don’t give up!” shouted Tom. running back along the e raft. “VM look for Tim. You get aboard the boat and make eyerything ready. Fly around, Adam! To lose the raft means to lose the treasure, and I don’t want to do that now.” Adam turned aside to go to the Red, White and Blue, which was lashed to the raft on the starboard side, while om ran on astern, picking his way as carefully as he could, and ex- pecting every moment to be brought up with a. round turn... And so he was when he reached a point halfway betwepn: the raft house and what had been the stern. Jtrom here on all had ‘vanished, and Tim was nowhere to be seen. It gave Tom a eneek that he never quite got over. He strained his eyes into the darkness and thought he could eatch a glimpse of a big section of” the raft floating away astern. Still he could not be certain, for the waves were, dashing upon the raft with such fury that he did not dare to” go near the edge. That he was wise in keeping back was shown in a minute, for even while he stood there looking, more of the lashings’ yielded, and six or eight of the big tree trunks were washed away. “Tim! Tim! Tim!” roared Tom, making a dpbidethe dna pet of his hands. He got his answer then. “Lost! Lost!” The word was twice borne back to him on the et and then all in the same instant what Tom took to be the other section of. the raft disappeared and was seen no more: Tom drew back sick with horror. The Red, White, and’ Blue might live the gale out, pitt Tom. saw that the raft certainly would not, as matters Stood, He flew back to the raft house, opened the. door and looked in. ‘ a ‘ Grace was quietly sleeping in her bunk. It was really won- derful how easily the poor dumb girl took everything. Noth- ing ever seemed to disturb her, but how in this terrible storm she could sleep calmly on was more than Tom could tell. He carefully closed the door and went. over to the Red,’ White and Blue, where Adam was bailing out the cockpit and looking dismal enough. “I suppose Tim is gone,” he said dolefully, hy 2 take it you didn’t find him, Tom?” “Yes, he’s something is not done,” was the dismal reply; “but I’m going to make a big fight to save the treasure, Adam. I don’t de- spair of doing it yet.” “You can’t. She’s all going 46 pieces astern. ‘Golly, I’m ee glad I didn’t stay. there, but I’m cates sorry about poor Oil eh 8 | Tim.” ' gone, and we shall follow him in a moment: if Pay ce
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“Come aboard!” shouted Tom. “Lend me a hand. going to give up so.” Adam threw down his bailing can and sprang on hoard the raft. “What's the scheme, Tom?” he asked, quietly enough, veas- sured Ly the calm manner of the young captain of the Red. White and Blue. “The raft is too big to stand the gale, Adam,” replied Tom. “As it is now, we can't hope to save it, but if we can cut away the biggest part of the old thing and tie up the balance w here the treasure is, I believe we could make it weather the gale.” “Trouble is the lashings are all dried up, Tom. The ropes are as rotten as cheese.” “Tt know it is so in places, but not everywhere. We want the ropes—all we can get of them. We can work them over the ends of the logs that we propose to save. Buckle down to work, Adam. We may as well die in the harness as any other way.” 4 Adam jwmped right into ft: The boys got axes out and go- jng astern began to cut away the logs, taking @are to save the pieces of rope wherever they could. Soon they had reduced the raft considerably, ‘aga they then set to work to secure the remainder as well as they could. and they worked to such advantage that the washing away of the . logs stopped and fully half the raft still remained intact. About this time the wind began to go down, and just before daylight it died away altogether, and the clouds rolling off to the southeast, the sun rose blazing hot over a calm sea. The storm was oyer, and they were saved, but it made them . sad to think of the fate of poor Tim. Grace came out of her house just after daylight. After her usual good-morning she wrote: “Where’s Tim? What has happened to the raft?” on the slate, and the poor girl was ereatly troubled she learned what, had occurred. ‘This, however, did not hinder her from getting up one of when her famous breakfasts, but the boys were hardly in the mood ‘to enjoy it, for other troubles were upon them besides the loss. of ‘Tim, ‘ ' The mast y gone. That part of the raft upon which. it stood had been Seaahed away. The sail had gone with 1, and the Red, White and Blue and her consort were now entirely at ay siti oes of the winds and waves. Four days of dreary drifting followed: : Of course all hope of ever seeing anything of poor Tim Tol- liver again had to be given up. Jf was a question now if they would be able to save them- selves, and so matters stood when one night, while Tom was fisleep.on the logs near the deck house, Adam suddenly shook his arni, calling in anxious tones for him to get up. has “What's the row?” eried Lom, Shringing' to his feet. “other storm?” . “No, no! Breakers!” cried Adam. “They are right ahead of us! It’s my opinion that we are going to run on a. coral reef,” “T can hear them!? cried Tom, “and yet L can’t see a pane: ‘Yes, l can. too. There they are!” ' He pointed off to the castward where a white ae’ coat / Just be distinguished. The dull roar of the surf could be ‘distinctly heard as they listened. : “We are drifting right on them.” said‘Adam, “TI think we shall have to’ abandon the raft. Tom, and take to the Red, White and Blue.” , “ An- i 2 sf the darkened sky. Ee Wor a single instant everything was as bright as day; and oi Tom knew their danger before darkness closed in upon then) - geain and the thunder came. ake ed. Oot COR ARTE RN 4 BLOWN. ASHORE IN THE RED, WHITE AND BL UB. “What's to be done, Tom?” asked Adam, gloomily. “The storm. is right upon us. It may not amount to much more than oe shower, hut when the wind rises it’s pone to drive us rghit on to those reefs.” “There's only one way out ot it, Raise ” replied Tom, ave simply got to take to. the! Red, WwW nite and Blue.” “And abandon the ise aags tet Be 1 oe if F Of course.” ie a Sten Shee AT seams; hard.’ ty } / is THREE TI LEAST RES rm not “As Adan spoke, a brilliant flash of lightning’ broke upon | | their companion now for's ‘many days, and nmep yy) badd CRE. “It's almighty hard after all we have gone Uirwauis put it is. either that or death.” ; “Shall I wake up Grace and tell her?” “Not now. We will get ‘all ready first. long as she Gan, poor thing.” 9 “Do you think there is an island lying inside the reefs?” . “T am almost certain of it. Still it might not, be so. It is just impossible to tell.” : Just then another flash came. It showed the boys the ; breakers again, and still more plainly. . Great white crests of foamprose high in! the air and tumbled Let her sleep ag backward with, an ever increasing, roar. ) “Get out the small sail, Adam,” said Tom; “get everything | ; ready. I’ uy put three or four kegs of dollars ee as many . as I dare.” “And the mighty low. safe about leaving it in the small boat.” : “It willehave to stay there,” said Tom, decidedly; no room for it on board the Red, White and Blue,” Lively work followed. } The sail, which had been carefully fitted to the Red, White and Blue when. it was, first taken from the brig, was now made ready for instaat use by Adam! \ Tom rolled two. kegs of dollavs over on deck and transferred them to the cabin. It was all the little craft could bear with safety. unless her ballast could be taken out and thrown overboard, but it was so stowed away that it was hard to get at, and Tom decided to leave it alone. p By the time these arraiigements were completed the storm broke and the rain, began to come down in lively style. * The wind rose at the same time. Jt-was nothing extiaor- dinary—nothing like what it had been on the night the raft broke up, but it blew from the southwest, and’ this was the fatal direction, for it sent the raft flying toward the breakers. By the time Tom got the second kegvof dollars aboard he ~~ saw that there was no possible chance of ean De if they) re- : 1 | jnained on the taft. “We must get Grace aboard at gnéet? he‘ exe laimed., “Make. & ready with your line, Adan; we want to. Deval, ready to cast ; and the water. cask? Its getting but it is all we have, and IT don't feel altogether pro visions “there's oft,” wy 5 Adam was arranging for that. ‘He had ‘loosened’ ait ‘the ote fastenings but one, and this single rope held the Red, White and Blue to the raft. As Tom spoke, Adam uttered a ‘sharp cry of. dismay, for the rope suddenly, parted and the Red White Hid Blue went flying away from.the raft.: “Oh. Tom! We are’ loose,” shouted Adam. trying to sea a the dangling end of the rone. Tom threw himself flat on the dai, and reaching tear as far as he dared, did his best to catch the batt timbers, Neither succeeded. The wind was’ too strong for them, While they were still trying, the Kedy White and Blue shot. away from the raft, and all chance of tetwning to it. Was gone, “GrRee!. done!” fa ties Tom: did net reply: He could not. The calamity whieh had so. snddenly come upon him w as too appali ng for words: all. he eould do was to work. ; : PEt Te lt be He sprang to the sail and ran it up. “Get to the tiller. Adam,” he shouted. make the raft yet!” : “Never!” gasped Adam. “It can't be dene.” It was So. The instant Tom brought her ne into the ‘wind the sail was torn to ribbons. Not onty was all chance of reaching, the wats gone, but, it looked, pretty doubttul if they could save tlremselves.) / Adam clutched the tiller desperately. while ‘Lom ank. down into the cockpit and. buried his face in his hands. where } needless ot the Guace:” shouted Adam, “Oi, Tom, what have I~ “We ‘may * ae ‘yemained in silence for sev rot moments, drenching rain. | “Tom! Tom! Forgive me. outs “TL coulan’t help. ‘Adam. “The rope parted vight im my hands.” “It’s too late to talk about it,” ‘replied ‘Tom, “There she goes drifting rmght on to the reefs save her. The raft will go to pieces sure.’ eed Adam groaned. He was handling his tiller boys had become very fond of the patient girl wh fate which assailed her affected them de eras there wilt no er etevae. a
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* ing-her, oss There it goes again!” THREE TREASURE WRECKS, 5 i attend to that properly, Tom unde in aud seized the tiller, for they were almost upon the breakers now. The lightning flashed, and the crashing thtndém was some- thing awful to listen to, but above all the roar of the breakers covld-be heard. ; ; The wind had continued to rise, until, now it was blowing with great fury, driving the Red, White and Blue towhrd the reef. AS for the raft, it was too dark to see it any longer. Tom felt certain that he would never see’ it again, and as for the Red. White and Blue, he expected idthing else than to see the staunch little craft which had carried them safely through so Many dangers dashed to pieces among the breakers, which were now dose at hand, But it did not'turn out that way. the line of breakers just at the right place, where, as’ for- fine would have it, thera was a break in the coral reef. It shot through like lightning. Beyond was calmer water, and right ahead Jay a long, low island coyered with a’ thick growth of palms: fea The wind blew so wildly, and the Red, White and Blue gained such headway that there was no such thing as check- and she went flying toward the sandy beach. Caught by a great wave then. she was thrown high and dry upon it and ‘fell oyer on her side, throwing Adam on his back in the ceekpit, while Tom lost his hold on the tiller and went fuinbiing ovor the stern:rail, narrowly missing the small boat. The boat came up against CHAPTER XXT. é THE CAVE UNDER THE HILL, ‘eo0-h00! .Too-hoo! Too-hoo! “Then silence for a moment. wide y Too? hoo! Too-hoe! Too-hoo! + ‘Phe deep blast of the horn was. heard again -1ts dismal croak ‘sounded weird and ‘ghastly as it came reshing out from among the palin trees, | carried toward Tom and Adany by the wind.’ Probably jtwo worse Dirge ee never existed in any quarter. of the globe. ; 4 They had heard the blast.of the horn from the first moment after they picked themselves up from their strange landing rs ou the island; it had been vepeated at short intervals every. few moments, and now, after half an hour; still. ; ae “What in the world ne you suppose it ean be, Tom?” asked Adam, for perhaps the tw entieth time. as the boys stood to- gether beside the poor Red, A hite and Blue, listening to the strange sour dL. Tae “Wha t's thes heard it the use of asking me, Adam?" replied Tom, “Haven't T told you over and over again that I don't know? It sounds like a fog horn, but there isn’t any fog, “and there “don't seem to’ be any people ners so solve the my stery if you cain’ if “That’ sow bat ya like co do,” ‘tepled Adam. / while that old thing keeps tooting away. Let's see what it all means. pat can “t rest Cone on: Tou, i “I suppose we might as well.” replied ‘Tom. ty We can’ n't do any good here. eS at hier ‘full, making it an easy matter to see the long, low ‘coral reef, ovhich seemed to extend all around the island and} had a light, diene about halt a-mile a cote a ait ‘the shore. ; Listen to the blamed old blow ext, Use those lotig-range eyes of yours ‘again, | the. same moment, ‘half expecting some one. to ry Adam, and tell me if you can see pag idl ct of the tet out} him, but all. Was silent inside. ® , _ there on the reef. id 2 “The: ‘storm had how passed away, ne he" inoon was out. this thing through. Woy If the raft was there, it seemed as though they ought to.be © ~ able to see it, but it was newhere visible, and yet it appeared to Tom as though they could look right over the reef. “T can’t make her out,” said Adam, dolefully, after a long, earnest look, “I’m afraid she has, gone to re, Ton.” e ¥ “It looks so, don’t it?” ” ed “Certainly it does. Poor Grace! It breaks “my heart to think of ber. And what must she have thought of us when the shock came?” “Thought we were a couple of | mean snoozers hint went off and left her, I suppose,” replied Adam; “and for my part I don’t blame her a bit... Say, Tom, I don’t care nothing about the treasure now. It is gone and let it go, but I wonld, oha to see that girl again,” “Come,” said Tom, brokenly. “Don't let's talk be about it. There goes the tooter again. We'll push ahead among the trees and see if we can’t solve the mystery. Sg as well do that as anything else.” The break extended back from the shore: for several hee; dred yards, and there the fringe of palms began. ¢ Just as the boys reached the tree line, the horn Grated again louder than ever, and the sound seemed to come | ‘from no great distance away. Be: iets Ri : . “It’s over this way,” said Adam, diving in among the treed. mi the right. The pale stood wide apart, and there was Soe difficulty in making one ‘s way between them. ¥ “There it is!* cried Tom, suddenly. “Well, this is Seratigel® Right before them stood a rude sort of tower made of the Ne timbers of some wrecked vessel, and hung at the top in such | a way that it caught the stiff breeze which was sweeping over the island at its. mouth was a ‘queer-looking tin horn of 6x~ traordinary size. ; ee Just as the boys came up to it, the horn swung exountd’ into * the breeze, and its dismal eroak was heard again, the a carrying the sound far out to sea, “Well!” exclaimed Tom, “this is a queer ay ntcienaeds tt means people, Adam. We are not alone on oe ‘island. There’s something else beyond this.” “Here's a kind of path,” said Adam, pointing down. to. ne well-worn footpath in the sand, “We had better follow. vg ; I expect it will bring us into more trouble, but we cre as well, ein know the worst.” 4 Fe Tom felt equally uneasy. The sede aupasseaaey a ‘the 4 wy Vy tower was against its having sone eonstructed by any wea inhabitants of the island. It looked mor © like the wi rk of shipwrecked sailors, anions ae | ad to attract the attention of some passing craft. peu 4 ‘But rom Aad no disposition to hold back. “Come on. Adam.” he ex laimed. “ We will soon solve . this ; mystery. J dot believe we have very far to go. Ji si i is This proved to be the case. Before they had staal hundred yards they dame to” rising ground, and thete, alle to io the side of ithe hill, was a« door which seemed to h eo been part of a ship's cabin. ae ; ie ra 4 There Was a Ww indow set in the rude frame w ork the door, bit no sign’ of lite aout the. place. , and deserted, as ff it had been there for many ye rs ma Gy or a moment Tom hesitated. Something . seemed to te ‘him that this meant trouble ahead. ‘Then plucking: ap ‘courage he: seized hold of the door and flung it open, drawing | ‘back " en p00 foneetae y “Going. ‘in, Ton?” whispered i naie oe ‘“mnat’ s What I mean to do.” replied. "Tom ) Its ssh dark as ‘a pocket. nside ¥ ey res and—
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fo o { a ee ae : ae THREE TREASURE WRECKS. PASS ss | 1 “Hello! Who's there!” cried a hoarse voice inside the caye|these youngsters to understand just how they are fixed. I at the same instant. _ There came the sound of shuffling feet. Pa Ly voice ealled out: 3 «Wake up! Wake up! Where’s some one at the door!” “Geel Let’s get out of this!” breathed Adam. “Hold on!” replied Tom, catching hold of him as he would have started’ back, |. ~ “We have been shipwrecked on the island!” he called ont. “We don’t mean any harm to any one.” ; “The deuce you don’t!” cried a tall, ragged man, with wild- looking eyes and long hair, rushing out at them, brandishing a ‘ long sword. “Stand your ground there, you youngsters! Give an account of yourselves or by the marlinspike of Moses I'll run you through!” There were three others behind him, all equally fierce looking. ‘They sprang upon Tom and Adam and without ceremony dragged them into the cave ‘under the hill. Ie —=$_ _CHAPTER XXII. o GaPruRED BY THE SUBTLE CATCHERS. “It looked for a moment as though death had come pretty Close to Tom and Adam. ¢ _- he men were fierce-looking fellows, and the way they _ Hustled the captain and crew of the Red; White and Blue » wbout was most alarming. ; % Nothing bu‘gTom’s coolness saved them, Sch He burst ct laughing, and tearing himself away from the man who seized hold of him, said in a careless tone: ) “Say, boss, what are you trying to do?: Do you think you wl make anything by killing two poor snoozers like me and my partner? You are away off. If there is anything in find- dng. us atall, it is in letting us live.” : The men stopped their’ chattering and seemed disposed to listen. ; “What do you mean by that, boy?” demanded the one who P had dragged Tom into the underground house, which was a es mere hole in the hillside, fitted up as a dwelling in the rudest ‘wort of fashion. “Speak right out if you expect to make terms with me. “Tell me who and what you are?” “That's 8 easy done and won’t take long,” replied For, “put “I want you fellows to keep your hands off us while we talk.” ? “Agreed to,” replied the man, turning up the ship’s lantern, which he had hurriedly lighted, “providing you: telleus what _ good it is going to do us to let you live.” ‘ is 34 do it| I am Tom Tuttle. My friend here. is pare a oid Easy. We were. washed away in a small poat from a little town in New Jersey, and have been beating’ abont ever since.” ‘Where’ s New Jersey?” asked one of the men. “Taint one of ‘the Cartibees; ‘is it one of the Bahama Islands, boy?” “Why, ° it is one of the United States,” sung out Adam. “Don’t 73 you know?” “Never, heard of it,” growled the man. .“How should I? ‘ Never was away from the Carribees, except once to go over “to Maracaibo. Where's your boat?, Did it go to Biers, in the ‘storm ?” : PRO; it didn’ t}" ‘replied Tom, “It’s down onthe shore here. Aw iN show. you where its. We've got a lot of money with us. Wwe. got it. off a wrecked’ ship. It’s. yours if you will let us alone ‘and help us to get away from this place.” i This: threw ‘the men into a great stdte of excitement. ome “were for going for the igloo at once, but the long- naited man held them back. ° #86 ortiz: Ss yftly,. mates,” he said, - 4 : I want [ “Time dabugh |-were to the turtle catchers. : want them to know ‘that we mean to have their money any: bow, and that it hain’t no sort of use in trying to make a bar- gain with us.” . He heSitated for a moment, ahd then went on is say: “Tom what’s-yer-name, I'm. Jack Barlow; I hail from Bar- buda, so does Pete Roe here alongside of me, and the rest of ; my mates. Want to know who we are? Well, we are turtle catchers. This here hut is our home. It was built years ago by some shipwrecked sailors,, but we live in\it. now. Want to know what that there horn means, what most likely drew you up to this place? Well, that’s to let the Barbuda steamer know that we’ve got turtles to sell. We expect her along any day now, and when she hears the horn she puts in here 10 get them. That's the way the eat jumps, but it is only right to tell. you that we are men who don’t stand on trifles. If. you've got dollars, why they are ours—that’s all.” : “Hxactly what I’m saying,” replied Tom, coolly. “If you get our dollars you can put us aboard the turtle steamer of course. What island is this, anyhow? Just take what we have got and let us alone till the steamers comes. We have got grub and water enough. We don’t want anything from you.” we At that speech the men all broke out into a hearty iaugh. “That's right, that’s right. Speak your mind, boy,” ‘said Barlow. “I don’t blame you. This here is Turtle Island, one of the Carribees. As to putting you on the turtle steamer. we'll see about that. when she comes. We are a hard lot, we ” are. May take a notion to knock you on the head and tumble you overboard, Can't tell. But come along now,, and show us; them dollars. Then we'll decide what'to do next.” It looked bad. Adam was tremendously frightened and clung to Tom as they walked along. When they reached the Red, White and Blue the men ‘dot up a wild shout and ran toward it in a state ie tees Seip ment. , They Seemed all at once to have gone ies and ts nave'tor gotten théir prisoners. They ran around the boats, examining shout by the light of si: the Jantern; they climbed into the Red, White and Blue atid - made themselves generally at home, oy “Let's scoot, Tom, ” peiispers’ Adam, » kill us if we don’t.” They'll kill us anyhow, I’m afraid, ” replied Resta “This island is most likely. only a small affair. I don’t believe we ; can possilly escape them, but I’m willing to try:” eat It Was an easy matter to take the attempt. All the boys had to do was to, slip back pen i palms and run for their lives, and they did it. No attempt was made to interfere with them, i Mig i They were not even followed, and they ran on until becom- ing completely exhausted, they were glad to drop down. on the sand, where they lay panting, all out of: breath. © iy Their danger was far greater than they knew. fe These men were simply criminals, murderers and thiev 2 éxiled from the Island of Barbuda,’ ; Z Bakke Put upon the island by the government, their pasties was | to gather turtles and keep them until a small steamer came over from Barbuda to get them. Por this work they received _ no pay, but were given a fresh supply of provisions. If any of them were to attempt to: board the ore boats they would. be instantly shot. : toes e If the boys had known this, they wodla have realized what a valuable prize the Red, White and Blue and the small. ‘boat | nas ; y ar “By gosh! they'll They now had the meats of escape from the island | wi er ee had been aaa for several years. ve)
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THREE TREASURE WRECKS. n an one way or the other, so long as they did not interfere with their plans. | Morning dawned. It was red hot, but a breeze blew across the island, which made the heat in some degree endurable. The horn had “been taken down and had not sounded since the boys made their escape. ~Looking along the beach Tom and Adam could see the turtle catchers at work on the Red, White and Blue. They had dropped her into the water and were evidently fitting her ; up for a cruise. * Iurther along the beach in the other direction a headland projected boldly into the ocean. and right in front of then) the coral reef came within two hundred. yards of the shore; the waves were breaking over it, and,’as the boys looked out along its line, Tom suddenly gave a wild shout: f “The raft, Adam!” he eried. “The raft! There. it is outside the reef! Don’t you see it bobbing up and down?” 4 \ CHAPTER: XXIII. BACK ON THE RAFT stoke MORE, ‘ It was surely the raft or a part of it at least, ‘The discovery was a most important. one, and regardless of the danger of being seen by the turtle catchers, the boys ran down to the water's edge. “She's grounded on the coral,” said Adam. Don’t look as bree shé was hurt any. out there, Tom,” x 1 “So do I,” replied Tom, “and what's more, I’m going.” “But how can’we ever get Grace back, even if she is alive?” “7 @don’t know that I shall even try to get her back,” re- plied Tom. “I had rather any time take my chances on the vaft than with these men. Come on, Adam, strip off part of your clothes. I am-going to try to reach the raft, if you are willing to make the try with me. If you are afraid I suppose I shall have to give it up.” . “Who's afraid!” cried Adam, “Don’t you suppose I would risk «anything for Grace? But we mustn’t let them see us, Tom. .If they only knew what ‘was on board the raft our chance of ever reaching it would be mighty slim.” “You're right, and 1 don’t think they have seen us yet.” replied Tom. “We will undress’ under the palm trees and “make one rush down the beach into the water, but don’t raise your hopes too high, Adam. The raft has been beating about there all. qnight. It’s a chance.if Grace is! still alive, and as for the kegs of dollars most of them haye roles: off into the sea, more than likely.” } “That's your way of looking at it, but it isn’t mine,” re- plied Adam. “I believe we shall find Grace alive. We will know more about it after we get there, POWER: Int all ready whenever you are, Tom,” Str ipped to their undershirts and drawers and with their clothes tied in tight bundles and secured to ‘their heads, the ‘poys made a quick rush down the beach and plunged into the water, 3 ; E To Tom’s ‘ “See her rise! I believe’ we can get ‘ - _ Of course they only, swam the faster, Looking back the boys» ‘could see the turtle catchers hur- riedly completing their pre i nicee 8 to start off in the Bed White and Blue. “This “means more trouble,” thought Tom. der eat we are going on the reef for and will follow us sure.’ a The boys, swam on. “They. had now passed around an eh spur of the reef, over whieh the Wwayes were breaking hie Jess fury than on the ongelde. ips caer aty eat great disgust they were seen, and the turtle catchers shouted after them to stop. ; “They will won- Rube taft, and the Situation had somewhas changed. — ask Here the coral rose just high enough to prevent them from” seeing the Red, White and Blue, so they could hot tell bao the turtle catchers were doing. i Every moment they were drawing nearer th ‘the main rect, and Tom could see the-end of the raft distinctly, every time © it was projected up above the coral, but he saw nothing of the hut until they had almost reached the reef, when it’ suddenly Hi came into view, and there stood Grace leaning against it. , Adam gave ‘a shout, forgetting in his excitement that the |poor girl could not hear, while Tom threw up one hand and — wayed it at her. but Grace did not seem to see. “She’s there, ‘tom! She's there!” cried Adam, is alive!” “And so are the turtle catchers!”Tom called pack. behind you, Adam. White and Blue.” This was so. Ina moment more Tom: saw the Gauges they ah cue i Look. { were in, for the boat was being headed out toward the reef. “Ths going to. be a fight for ts “Waster! Waster!” eried Tom. Grace now, Adam. Whether we can beat them back or, not’ I’m sure I don’t know, but if they attempt to harm that poor ~ girl, as far as I am concerned, it will be a fight to ene death.” “We have got the axes, Tom.” , : “Yes, if they are not washed overboard; a “t don’t believe anything has been“washed overboard. ean see the pile ot kegs all right. Bi sigs belle one 08 ies is gone.” “She sees us! Grace sees us!” cried Tom, ahd in apne of: the fatigue he was beginning to feel, ‘aye pushed on with bolder é; stroke. f h f Grace had at last eaught sight of them. She did not change her position, for the raft was’ laboring fearfully, but while holding on to the deck, house with one hand, she waved at them with the other and seemed ‘to én- courage them to keep up their efforts, which it is needless to as say they did. As they neared ‘the reef ‘Tom saw that there was a narrow, f break in it, just beyond the point where the raft appeared, Heading for this and closely followed by Adam, he swam - through, narrowly escaping the jagged branches of the coral more than once; until at ct they were right alongside eee raft. gy It was no easy matter to climb upon the logs as they iene: up and down among the breakers, but: Tom’ succeeded at ast ‘ and helped Adam up. vy They were glad to make a quick run for the hut,- Grace calling out as they came aboard: « ' “Oh, Tom Tuttle! Oh, Adam Easy! ‘ Good- morn, ‘Tom Tuttle!’ Good-morning, Adam Hasy!” _ Poor thimg! . It wasall she could say to show her joy, but her eyes gave the boys the hearty welcome. “Look, Tom! of kegs to steady himself. ‘ “They are coming! . We have ‘ale our hands full! There’s the Red, White and Blue o: - > iin hick, he. CAPT SRY ie : CONCLUBION, fb) Sager “Get the axes! Be ready to ‘repel boarders! | ‘Stand frm now. Adam! This is a fight for lifeor death!” yes Twenty minutes had elapsed since Tom and Agail ew iuietiée up a the reef. The abtieat of ithe wave brew it pacts asslh a and ‘to ‘Tom They are 7 puttiiis offi in the. 27ed, ae Pe if , 7 Look!” cried Adam, as he clutched the pile :
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ae. i [20° THREE TREAS SU RE WV RECKS Een thiine satisfaction eter the big mass of timbers free of the _ coral. The raft. floated, and the boys’ hopes were raised to the highest pitch, only to be dashed again a moment later on. It was the bend of the headland that did it. '' It formed a sort of bay rull of reefs into which the tide slowly drove them. They were as far as ever from getting ‘out to sea, ? “Meanwhile the turtle catchers had rigged up a bit of old - sail which they probably brought from the cave, and were bearing down upon them under a stiff breeze. Of course they had seen Grace by this time, and equally of course they had seen the pile of kegs and knew that they probably contained dollars like the ones found in the cabin ‘of the Red, White and Blue. _ “We. are going to drift right up against the head, Adam.” said Tom, dolefully. “There's no help for us. We have got to fight.” : ’ _ Grace seized her slate and hurriedly wrote. There had been a good deal of writing on the slate since the boys came on board, for, of course, they had to explain all that had occurred. “Tet me fight, too, Tom Tuttle. Giye me an axe!” what Grace wrote now; and held up before Tom. “So you shall,” cried Tom, “and I beers you will at as well as any of us.” _ He hurried to get the third axe, which he placed in Grace's hands. / He had no more than done so when the raft was thrown _. high upon another spur offthe reef with a force which threw rt; them all down, _. ‘'Prowble he come! For the first time the pile of kegs slipped and began rolling about on the raft. Hire e the fore part of the raft was high upon the coral, the kegs began rolling off into the water. “Stop. them! Stop them!” shouted Barlow. dollars go, or by thunder we'll kill you all!” The Red, White and Blue was now close upon ‘them, and ‘he confilet could not be much longer delayed. Ai Tom, Adam and Grace scrambled to their feet and backed up against the hut ready for business. : - It was simply impossible to stop the fall of the kegs; more “thah half of them rolled down the raft into the sea and in- j stantly sank, increasing the rage of the turtle catchers, who drew their swords, which in all probability they had found concealed somewhere in the cave, and prepared to board the yin Patt. 5 4 (a They were swearing horribly, and calling upon the boys to surrender, when all at once Adam gave a wild shout. .. “& steamer! A steamer! Oh, Tom! Can they, save us! Try and make them hear!” } For the first time since the Red, White and Blue parted with the sinking steamer from which Grace had been rescued, a sail had come into view. — ek was a Jarge man-of-war standing around the head as hagsn in shore as she dared to conic. _ Her decks were crowded with men, and’ Tom could see was “Don't let them ie oP w many glasses turned upon them. That the steamer was near |. enough ‘git aap in all that was going ‘on was way eroner to be e seen. : The > than eGiue answered with a hoarse whistle, and Tom ey a could | see men crowding about one of the guns. es The effect ‘on the turtle catchers was most startling. hy Gi They, are. on to us, boys!” “cried Barlow. “We've got to “is 2 store at Egg Harbor, where he still lives and is doing well. end f af Hse a Why = here. _ We've got to. get inside ¥ the feefs nat SENGER; OR, THE BOY. ‘WHO WAS SHUT aN THE the break in the passed. The move came too late. “Suddenly there was a puff of smoke, and then the report. “They are firmg on them!” eried Tom, and he had scarcely spoken when the Red, White and Blue was struck by the sot, It tore her clean in two, and ‘Toi saw three of ‘the men, including Barlow, thrown violently into the water, They instantly sank, and the fourth dove from the wreck, and the next the boys knew he was dashed apeR the reef, and with a wild yell disappeared. It was the end of thejturtle catchers and of the Red, White and Blue also; the wreck sank and nothing of it was seen again. By this time a boat was lowered from the man-of-war, and an officer with seyen®men pulled straight for the raft, where Tom received them and told his story. ‘ The man-of-war. it appeared, was the British Cruiser, Cen- r taur. : . Three days before she had Bea a. boat tb the island with four men in search of water, all of Ride were murdered by the turtle catchers. ‘ “We don't mince these wetted " Lieutenant Browning Sail to. Tom. “The storm drove us off, but we came back again, Those men were all the worst kind of criminals; they have met: with their just reward, and it gives me great yn y to think that we arriyed here. just in*tine to save you.” The remarkable cruise of the Red, White and Blue was over, and our story has come to its end, Hit Of course Lieutenant Browning took Tom, Adam and Gree: : on board the cruiser and what was left of the, dollarsewent aa with them, while the raft, valuable as it was, had to be aban- ‘ reef through which ‘Tom and Adam had a OE Se TEM ee ee eT eer ee ees doned on the reef. : Wed The castaways were kindly receiyed by the commander of _ the eruiger, and a few days later he landed them at Kingston, Jamaica, safe and sound. q In return for the service rendered, Tom left ten kegs of — ~ dollars to be divided among. the crew of the Centaur, while ; the rest, by the assistance of the American Consul, were 34 turned into a bill of exchange for $60,000. 4 It was but a small part of the treasure, but as our three castaways were able. to draw the. cash when they finally — reached , Philadelphia, it in a measure. compensated them ‘for what the: y had been through. Tom remained in Philadelphia, Adam went back to; ‘Bad, Egg Harbor, and Graee went on to her friends in New York, each with a share of the treasure. ; ey a7 a { “Two years later Adam niwaieid Grace and started a country a Tom remained in Philadelphia and went into the shipping m business with his little eee and has doubled it many times since. i 7 és) Not a word was ever H Heated! of poor Tim Tolliver, and there can be no doubt that he perished on the night of the storm, Tom owns a fine steam yacht now, for he has “become — a wealthy man. a Her name is the Red, white and Blue, and next year her ee owner proposes to make a trip down to Turtle Island Nae his friends, Mr. and Mrs. Easy... sie ay { They will take a professional diver with Hien: ana every apparatus necessary for the work they propose to en ge in) which is to try and recovér the lost kegs of Spanish dollars taken from the three. treasure wrecks. ° S i 45 ang m y Next week’s issue will contain “BILLY, THE BANK MES-_ VAULT.” By, Richard R. Montgomery:
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PLUCK AND LUCK. CURRENT NEWS: ee Steamers often load cargoes of wood pulp. at Chicoutimi, | and helpless from their stings: Finally he became uncon- at the head of navigation on the Saguenay river, that woh-j scious and was found by hig son three hours later lying « on derfully picturesque tributary of the St. Lawrence which flows, out of Lake St. John, and take their freight straight to Manchester, England. The voyage begins on the deep- est river in the world, in the Canadian wilderness and ends with nearly 40 miles of canal, through the mill districts of | England, Neweastle, Cal., would not have had a Fourth of July celebration had it not been for Japanese residents. Most of the Americans had gone to neighboring cities, so the Japanese built’ a platform in a field, decorated it with American flags and Japanese lantérns, invited Americans to attend and provided day and night fireworks and free refreshments. -A Japanese acted as master of ceremonies and introduc cy the speakers, several of ae were Ameri- cans. Workmen in the “Narrows” at Lew vistown, Pa., were mystified at seeing a. aaa boat with a single ceeupant traveling rapidly down the stream, without apparent power. Finally the craft slowed down and the lone occu- pant was seen to reach over the side with a net and lan a: monster carp.’ The fisherman was A: S.-Henkles, who, when he found he had caught a monster, decided to let the fish pull the boat around. until it was exhausted. The carp weighed 25 pounds-and towed the boat four miles. ~ Ohe of the most sacred places in China, the “altar of heaven,” has been thrown open to the public. For cen- turies it was jealously guarded as a place where none but the son of heaven could sacrifice. It was sealed from the people and regarded with holy reverence on their part. But when permission was at last given for. vulgar eyes to _ pry into the mysteries of the holy of holies, greati multi- tudes from Peking poured out of the city to see the sight, - which shows the ‘modern trend of affairs in the new republic. The remarkable flight of Marcel G. Brindejone des Mou- linais, who left Paris June 10, was completed at Villa-Cou- blay July 2, after traveling 3, 110 miles in the same aero- plane. Going by way of Berlin and Warsaw to St. Peters- ' burg, he averaged ninety-three miles an hour, while from , - Wanne to Berlin he actually. achieved 140 miles an hour in’ a gale. He beat all previous records, making the trip in thitteen hours, thus beating one of the fastest trains in the world, the Nord Express, which does the Pane Wek: Ba journey in twenty-seven hours. Unknowingly, because of poor sight, J eremiah retees seventy-two, a farmer, of Pittsburgh, Kan., ran into a big onto his face and long whiskers. He yelled for. help and | quarters in the stables to her home for the night. swarm of bees which were about to settle in ‘his wagon shed i however, ate every vestige of woodwork, _ warping” th f the other morning. The bees, enveloped K Kramer and piled ought ‘the bees as 5 best he ul Dut bey was soon ania’ #150, Os BATTER ot aoe the wagon shed floor, with myriads of bees on his head, arms and neck, which were swollen to twice their 2 eae size. Kramer. died that. afternoon. itor e As a substitute for glass, sea shells are used to splendid - |advantage in the Philippines. The windows in the main | entrance of a large building in Manila’ are probably as fine a modern ‘example of the use of sea shells as can be ob- ‘tained. The sea-shell ‘windows may also be scen at,their best in old churches. Manila alone uses in the neighbor- — hood of 5,000,000 Kapas shells each year for windows. The largest-sized shells will square about three inches. These — sell. for from $4 to $5 per 1,000, according to quality. Shells that will form panes of about two square inches sell anywhere from $1.50 to $3 per 1,000, and are usedifor ordinary purposes, in dwellings, stores and the like. The shells are translucent and the light comes through them tn a soft pearl- “gray tone. { Dr. J. Novak, a prominent Austrian physician, i ina dis- cussion in a Vienna médical journal of the care of feet on walking tours, marches, etc., ‘suggests that. blisters and erosions from the shoes can be very easily cared by anoint- — ing the region with salve or tallow. and applying a bandage which will protect the skin from all rubbing and friction. A pad of cotton spread thick with salye is applied over the lesion, and above this a bandage’of soft gauze is wound so tight that it cannot slip. The bandage takes up no more | room than a stocking and can be worn with ordinary shoes. Tt is astonishing, he remarks, how the foot can be used aftcrward and the walking tour resumed without any further plan or disturbance of any kind from this source. Tf the bandage is left undisturbed two or three days the lesion will generally be found healed over when it is Te- moved, Uae The main stable on, any D. Rockefeller? 8 vate: at Pocantico Hills, N. Y. ,with his marble lined garage and — other luxurious features, was burned late the other night. The fire started in a hayloft and had: gained much headway before the fire department got on the scene, and the failure — ‘of the private Rockefeller water system completed the havoc. One of the first to arrive was John D. Rockefeller, \ Jr. Dressed in an old overcoat’ and slouch hat, he ran witl r ladders, rolled out barrels of oil and gasolene: and helped > ‘save the automobiles, carriages and’ farming implements x which filled large sections of the building. Mrs, Rocke feller arrived later and took the four families which “h ; stable was constructed of steel with tiled roofs, and no the ing but the interior fittings was inflammable. The flames, stee beams so badly that. they g gave way under the weightt.of th f roof and ‘superstructure. ~The damage was mor 7 Thad if
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night before I Bic: to tear myself away from the ham- _ down to the floor and struck it. N ‘no other prospect, I turned my horse over to Tibboo, threw | a PLUCK AND LUCK. hs heard the growl that told.how he resented having missed CAUGHT, LIKE A RAT IN A TRAP. his prey. Lying face downward on the springs I saw a path pass light suddenly shine on the floor beneath the bed, and By Kit Clyde. peeping out I beheld Tibboo standing in the door ‘with a ° lamp in his hands. T have a little story to tell in connection with my visit to} “Help, Tibboo, help!” I shouted as loud as I could, but Tndia two years ago, says a writer. | instead of waiting to help Tibboo set the lamp down upon Thad started on a visit to a friend in an interior town,| the floor and ran. I felt that it would be a very short time and, through an accident that befell one of the natives who) indeed that I would be able to keep them away from me accompanied me, I was detained several hours and forced} with the paltry protection of a thin wool mattress. They to proceed very slowly when the band again started, the| walked over me again and again, their huge bodies crushing ' injured man being borne on a rude litter by four of his} me as I lay there helpless. hey made several endeavors companions. So it. came about that it had grown dark be-| to get under the bed, but the bedstead wag a low one, and fore we reached our destination. they were not able to get under. Then they nosed about the About nine o’clock at night we reached the town, andj edges of the mattress. *Every moment was an age. What inquiring for the bungalow of my friend, found it on the} a horrible thing—to be caught like a rat in a trap and torn furthest outskirts of the village. I rode out there, leaving| to pieces in the very room in which I had, thought myself the others to put up at a public house. When I reached] so safe. . the bungalow, what was my chagrin and disappointment to| But still, for some unaccountable reason, my fate was find that my friend and his family were off on a sea voyage,| delayed. They both mounted upon the bed again and went’ and had left the place in charge of a single servant, a na-| prowling over it, growling fiercely at their failure to reach’ tive, who had lived with them since they first came to the) me. And they were both standing on my helpless body, country. when I heard presently a shot that was so near it sounded — “But the house #% yours, Sahib, with all that it contain? like the yery crack of doom: said Tibboo, with his profoundest bow, and so, as there was; With a wild, snarling scream, the two leopards leaped from the bed. I threw aside the mattress and looked out to myself into a hammock under the trees, and proceeded to} catch a glimpse of Tibboo’s form flying through the shrub- enjoy a little rest, for I was tired out. It was near mid- | bery. He had slipped up to the window, fired one shot and | mock and go 9 me. “There is no need of closing the windows,” said Tibboo. “In this country they all sleep with the windows open— though I have seen countries where it was otherwise.” I think it must have been about 2 o’clock when I was at, last startled wide awake. I said that ordinary noise Thg and dying. The other stood by it, nosing it over, lick- ing its wounds and making’ a low moan that was half a growl. It paid no attention to me when I looked out. I saw that Tibboo had left me to my fate again, and that now or never was my time to get my gun. If I failed in this atempt my last chance was gone. ~ Slowly and carefully.I dragged myself from bhenidath the the room which Tibboo had prepared for 4 fied for his life. On the floor lay one of the leopards, gasp- would have roused me. What I heard was not an ordinary mattress, and prepared to spring without further hesita- = 8 “noise. It was a sound of something creeping softly about| tion. Jnstias T was ready it turned at me with a growl the room. The footsteps were too soft for those of a dog,| that would have daunted a far stowter heart than mine was but still I thought it was.a dég, and raising myself on myj at that moment. I sprang for the-gun, notwithstanding, elbow, I shouted: “Get out of here! Begone, sir!” but a blow from one of those terrible paws as I passed it The response was a low, deep growl, certainly not a dog’s | brought me to my knees. Still I gat the gun. I owe it to growl. I reached under my pillow for the box of matches | that fact that T am here to= day. I got the gun. T had placed there when I. went to bed, got one out, reached | The beast was upon me so quickly that I had not time | to bring the weapon to my shoulder, but was forced to de- Never will I forget the sight,that met my eyes. Across| fend, myself by thrusting the muzzle into its mouth. Then tet the toom stood an enormous leopard, its fiery eyes gleaming | L reached down and! pulled the trigger. It was as queer a_ in the light, its tail gently waying to and fro as it watched. shot as ever was made, I should think, but it broke the ~ me, and, just. behind it, at one of the open windows, the| leopard’s ne¢k, and he rolled away from me, and was dead head of its mate was visible, looking in from the veranda. | before he quit rolling. I gazed as if fascinated, too horrified to move until the} Then Tibboo came hack, rascal that he wae, sa asked, {65 ' match burned down to my fingers, and I dropped it. And| with that low bow of his: the leopards struck the place where I had been lying the} and showed the two leopatds to a mob of half-dressed na- - minute patos, and I felt ine tales weight upon me and tives ans ae two shots had aroused from their bed : ‘edge of the mattress T rolled*back on the springs‘and pulled} . “Because my gun has but one barrel.” there I was in the dark with two leopards for company. I| “Will the Sahib please take another room, for this one gaye a shout that might easily have waked the seven sleep-| needs attention?” ’ ers, and that rang through the silent house with.a terrible; “You miserable wretch !” t cried, éghy did you shoot roar, and at the same’ time threw myself to the back side of | but one of the leopards and leave me at the merey of the ‘the bed next to the wall. The moment I struck the wall,| other one?” however, I thought of something else, and jerking up the} And Tibboo replied with immovable calm: U the mattress down over me. At the same mornent one of After which I went to bed, while Tibboo remained UB. 4
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~ than my very life! only hold you in my arms, and tell you how dearly T love PLUCK AND LUCK. ® 23 THE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND seems) Sra re THE HERO OF THE 7th By J., P.. RICHARDS, 7 (A. Serial. Story) CHAPTER XIII. (Continued): The old home where she was born and reared was sold under a mortgage, passing into strange hands, and poor Freda, who was brought up in the midst of wealth and Juxury, was thrown upon the cold, heartless world, forced to earn the bit of bread necessary to keep life within her or starve. “T can’t go to Win tnd ask her to give me food and | shelter, for in the first place she has none too much for herself, and-in the next I could not face her with. that | awful stain upon: me, for I—I am nameless, and Win would never overlook that. No, I must keep away from the ones who once loved-me, and it will end some day—ah, thank heaven it will end some day !” How little she knew Winona Avery’s generous nature! She had seen those cruel, heartless tumors in-the papers, but before she could get around to write to Freda, or to see her either, she had disappeared as completely as if the earth had opened and swallowed her up. In vain did she search high and low for her. Jack Navarro, too, came to see her, only to find she had been gone from her old home for over a week. So en- srossed was he with the affairs of the regiment that he hardly took time to read the papers, and he did not dream that the Judge May, whom he read about,,was the father of the girl wha was his promised wife. He even advertised in all the daily papers, but he might as well have attempted -to look for a needle in a RSET as the old saying goes. In spite of his efforts he did not find the slightest trace of her, and he realized that he was never likely to. “She has drifted out of my life forever,” he said sadly to himself one day, as he sat in’ his office idly toying with ‘a paper-cutter. “She knew how dear she was to me, and when trouble overtook her, she ran away and left me alone. J would never have forsaken her.. kinder, truer, tenderer than ever, when she’ was in the midst of trouble. But now, I shall never see her again. I shall never look upon her?face, heaven’ bless her. Oh! Freda, Freda, how you have wronged and misjudged me! You think [am like all the rest of the world. Cold, heart- less, ready to turn my back upon one who is, dearer to me Oh, if I could only sée you; if T could you. But, no! That blessed privilege is denied me!” He used to look back to that week spent in camp as the happiest one of his whole life, and he often, wondered if such golden days would ever come again. | — f bi “did not appreciate those days at the time,” he mur- mured, with a sigh of regret, “for I thought they would Jast forever. ie take.” , ~~ Thus lost in sorrowful n musings, he did not hear the door of his office open softly, , and the first time he realized that i; che was not alone was when the meek, dank-eyed messenger na ieg rs : AD. eo But now,. pee it is too late, I seerty mis- “‘-,) ) APT veyed OR 4 Sh ne ~~ | - WP 16 , rat. ( I would have been boy stood before him, holding in his hand a yellow covered envelope. The dark eyes were familiar, the features well remem- bered, and the voice had a familiar ring. The message,was from the colonel of his regiment, in- forming him that they were likely to be ordered to, the front at any moment, and also deploring the fact that their favorite drummer boy had been taken suddenly ill, and would not be able to go with him. “Ah, what a pity!” the young man murmured, ashe onughed the yellow envelope in his hands. “And he was such a clever boy, too. I am more than sorry.” “What is it, sir?” the messengerasked eagerly, his dork eyes glowing, his nostrils dilating. “Something about a drummer boy, was 1t not?’ '“Yes, the drummer boy of Company D has been taken seriously ill, and if the regiment is ordered to the front we shall be without a drummer boy, and I don’t know where to find another one equal to him.” “Tet me go in his place, sir,” the messenger said) with sudden eagerness. “I know all about a drum, I can beat’ all the calls and reveilles, and yee will soon find that you have made no mistake.” « All right, my boy, as tate will have it ‘hie a is a Sin’ right here in this very office,” and as he spoke Jack dived into an interior closet, bringing forth a well-battered drum. Now go on and show us what you can do, and if’ you come up to the mark we will let you go with us.” The boy did not falter for a single instant. His hand- some face grew pale, but taking the drum in his hands he hung it about his neck. His hands trembled slightly, but | setting his teeth tightly together he beat a boots and’ saddle, a roll call, in fact all the calls from beginning to ae “You are a treasure, my boy, a treasure,” and Hand- some Jack, as the fellows in the regiment used to call him, bent forward and clasped the boy by the hand. “You are really better than the boy we had at first, and we consid- ered him an artist. Now, do you realize what you will have ~ to put up with if you go-to the frontier with the 7th? The hardships and dangers, the privations ? Mtoe long enough to consider before you make the jump.” “T vealize it all, sir,” was the low modest. reply. “yo realize it from beginning to end, and I am anxious, aye, more than anxious to go. For I am weary of this life—so weary that even ‘danger has a charm for me.” - “All right, my boy, then you shall go,” and as he spoke good-natured Jack leaned forward, laying one hand upon ‘that of the messenger boy. Yon. are pluck to the back-~ bone, and I am glad that'I know you.” ~ | So it came to pass that when the trouble among the Te dians grew worse, and the 7th Regiment; was ordered to the frontier, the pretty, girlish-faced messenger ‘hoy went with them*as drummer Voy, and not one in the whole ~ company guessed hig identity. Not even Jack Navarro, the handsomest man in the th, the admiration of all the ag girls, “the pet of all the ladies,” the man who did not know the meaning of the word fear, Had he known who | the gitlish-faced. messenger was, it would have made a dite ference 4 in his whole life, ne alas, for him, tate bis suas and would not lift her mystic veil! Ups, (To be continued) Ree es par Se rt by! ee ad
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24 PLUCK AND LUCK. ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST Sitting in a hammock that was swung under a tree, Miss Lillian Gaul, who lives on a farni a mile to the south of Sunbury, Pa., fell asleep with a small harvest apple in her hand. She awoke and was horrified to find a small garter snake in her lap, trying to swallow the apple, which had rolled from her hand. With the book she had been reading she brushed the reptile to the ground and ran screaming to her home. Her father killed the snake. After breakfasting’. under the first navel orange tree planted in America—a tree that came from Bahia, Brazil, in 1875—Dr. Lauro Muller, special envoy of Brazil, left Riverside, Cal., for the Grand Canyon of Arizona. ‘Thence he will go through to New York. Dr. Muller accepted the invitation extended to Brazil to take part two years hence in the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the found- - ing of the navel orange industry in’ Southern California. Patrick N. Ford has entered ais for $10,000 sunt ides against Urling Brothers, dentists, of Pittsburgh, Pa., for ‘a broken jaw. Ford complains that he will never again ‘have the proper use of his jaw and that the injury is of such nature that his whole nervous system is impaired be- yond remedy, Jin his bill of complaint Ford asserts that he went to the dentists to have a tooth extracted and his jaw- - bone was broken. He had expected to have it done pain- iapeats- eit In a Common ‘Pleas Court decision rendered the other: _ day, Judge A. C. Risinger, of Eaton, Ohio, allowed a per- petual injunction order restraining the negro organization known as the Improved Benevolent, and Protective Order of Elks of the World from making further use of the nanie “ks” or any of the designated or emblematic possessions of the white Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in ‘the State of Ohio. - strain the negro lodgemen from usurping the Hes, in- d signia, badge, “etc, of the white organization was made last Application for an injunction to re- August to the court here through the grand lodge, and the decision has been pending since the hearing of the case in atts deel ee. this se oy - Sixteen men, in ae charge of Oscar St. Mary rode through a solid halt mile of burning country on a logging oe railway and nearly lost their lives while trying to fight off ~ forest fires which ‘vere surrourfling Camp No. 5 ‘of the a Oconto Lumber Company.. “The camp, which was located at ‘Lakewood neat Oconto, Wis., became surrounded by fire and the crew fought until it was seen that it could not be ‘saved. They boarded aslogging train, but found the track afire. drive: through the flames, the engineer went ahead on the rickety logging road at a rate of forty miles an hour. The Realizing the only hope: of saving the men was to igineer. did not. slacken even when he saw a tree had fallen Nee es track. |ordinary ‘barriers aré turned down. tions. fast table. Several eae of the crew were un- Caius Cxgar Caligula was the third Emperor of Rome. He was born at Antium on August 31, A. D. 12, and was put to death in Rome January 24, A. D. 41, in revenge for his numerous cruelties. He possessed»an insane thirst for blood. He rarely slept more than three hours out of the twenty-four, and often paced the halls of his palace all night, longing for the day to come. He caused many inti- — mate friends to be put to death on the most frivolous pre~ texts. When ill, some friends had vowed to the gods to ~ give their lives for his; when Caligula recovered he ordered — them to commit suicide. When there was no criminals to be torn by the beasts in the arena, he ordered victims to — be selected from the spectators, and had their tongues cut out that they might make no outery. That his heals might § » be made more enjoyable, he sometimes ordered men to be a put to death before his eyes, and while he ate he insanely : laughed at their moans and derided their cries for merey. He built a temple in which there was a life-size statue of himself as the presiding deity and priest. He made his horse a consul and had the animal attended by lictors and — arrayed in all the appointments of office. He finally medi- tated the slaughter of half the Senate, and a large number — of the nobles, when he was assassinated by some of those 5 he had doomed to death, in the fourth year of his reign. It might be supposed that the President of the United — States is surrounded with so many. barriers preventing — close approach unannounced that the ordinary solicitor for — money would obtain little chance of asking the Chief Bxec— ; utive personally for cash. Such is the ease ordinarily, but‘ this does not prevent many men and women engaged in — philanthropic and other enterprises gaining the Presiden- / tial ear to préss their claims for cash recognition. The i other day President Wilson gave a check for $300 as ses “+4 of a popular fund being raised for an emergency hospital. The President declared he was sorry that he could not make the check larger. He has had other calls along the same line, although very little is known of the fact. Very. $ frequently Have all of the Presidents contributed toward | something that has been placed specially. before them. Naturally a large number of requests breaking through ai They have to’ be. | News that the President has contributed just once is an : invitation for hundreds of additional solicitatiois.. A check that President Grover Cleveland drew for $250. fayor of an Odd Fellow project, deluged him with applica- tions from almost all the fraternal orders. Many of those soliciting, contributions from . the President | do not ap proach nee directly. They seek an entry by, way of his household. , It’has been so under a number of administra- Tt does not seem to be so much of a “holdup” when i; the Administration ladies are apprised of a worthy charity — first and break the news gently at the White House. break- be sehen for Lew dd n as he is, oft In the aggregate it ean that cash deinands on the "Presid he ta ‘hima for sums of three and four figu Hea) Cee 3 f
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PLUCK AND LUCK. ps Oa the. Wheel ioe a Fortune jEUALLEY y= pokes “The Wonderful Adventures of a Boy Bicydlist By WILLIAM WADB. (A Serial Story) CHAPTER XIII. (Continued). “True enough. The thing is beyond me. I can offer no explanation, and the mystery of the appearance of the strange man in the valley and his singular vanishment, without seeking to trouble us, is just as much of a puzzle,” he answered. When night came, recognizing the futility of remain- ing longer at the lookout rock, the young couple descended | » and went to the eabin. There Sylvia set about preparing their simple evening meal. Presently she found the water bucket enipty. Horace took it, saying: S&F will, go: to the spring and ‘fill it i The spring was at but a short distance from the cabin and behind a large moss-grown rock from beneath whieh its pure, cool waters gushed forth in a natural basin. Horace reached the spring and filled the bucket; return- ‘ ing he entered the cabin; then he paused abruptly. He » say nothing of Sylvia; the door of: the inner toom was ~ open; he looked beyond it; the girl was not there. While a deadly fear seized upon him he quiekly assured himself that Sylvia was not in the cabin; then he vainly - called her, At last hetexclainfed in despair: MS “Sylvia has, gone to meet the same mysterious fate as i Hester! T am alone, alone!” .n CHAPTER XIV. THE MAN IN THE V. ADLEY, Horace’s brave heart was almost brokenby this last calamity. He knew then how dear the little maiden who had shared his many perils had become to him—how she had entwined herself about his heart, He knew not what todo, Outside the darkness might ‘hide a score of foes. The same unknown fate that had _ befallen Hester and his girlish sweetheart might be'in store for him. He knew at last the valley must hold some strange mystery which he had not even suspected. Horace asked hintself how Sylvia could have been ‘ spirited away during the few momenta, of his absence at the spring. He could not explain it. struggle. But he knew in his a abducted. ‘He stared about the. room. that seemed. so desolate: and empty now that Sylvia was gone. Then he moaned bitterly. “Oh, Sylvia, my lost one, gone from me, ag for- shi, ver, and to. what toe Ke y 3 : ek oe Kites ; He aaa mat oa il acts an effort. ‘But un last. his 4 in- man crept around the corner and crouched down. ws fe was no evidence of a’ heart that Sylvia had been He felt that he was assuming a craven’s part to remain inactive. He caught up a rifle and crept out of the cabin —out into the gloom that might hide lurking foes. The lad had scarcely 'a definite idea of what he meant to do. He only had the vague determination to find Sylvia without knowing how he should seek to accomplish — his purpose. As he erept away he’ bepani to think. Gradually his mind became more composed. He seized upon every PHe ; of the situation with mental grasp. The abductor of Sylvia might and probably would re- turn for him, The unknowh would naturally look for him at the cabin. Then why not hide near it and watch and wait, » Horace halted with these Hetitegs in mind. The stern determination came to him, that if the ab- ductor of Sylvia came within range of his rifle he would kill him on the spot or make him lead the way to the maiden, : Two hours sigan while Horace crouched at the edge of a little thicket of flowering shrults near the cottage enveloped in the darkness, The light still burned in the ealkny a aibuetr foe would think there was some one within. Every sound made Horace start and listen hte At length he became aware that some one was approach- . ing. How his heart beat as he Jistened. How he vainly sought to penetrate the gloom. | Nearer came the sounds of footsteps.. Then a shadowy figure glided by.. of Horace clutched his rifle. He waited motionless for a moment and then areet atten, the night prowler Wich a sound. 4“ Presently he saw him by the light from the Guba win- dow and knew him for the same man whom he had seen in the valley the night before. its The stranger crept to’ the cabin window and peered in cautiously. Horace thought he was looking for him. ; The lad’s first impulse. was to cover him with ‘his rifle, ; and make him throw up his hands. oe at coe Then he suddenly thought of a new plan. Ry. The stranger would eventually go back to the place pe whence he had come—to which he had probably ae ail Sylvia. Why not wait and follow him? eS ORM ae Horace decided to do so. i wie Rao tue ey After he had glanced in at the window the mysterious “Tfe has seen that L was’ not in the cabin, Now he is” Waiting for me. He means. Pe surprise ae the bo thought. ‘ For a long time the stranger remained at the corner the \cabin silent and motionless. But at last his pee seemed exhausted and he moyed swiftly away. a th ys Horace observed that he proceeded in the directi Ww Tea a had come, and ae he ae after him, x nS te ; f The darkness divert cen in his purpose se the stranger secretly. southern end of th
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PLUCK AND LUCK, NEWS PARAGRAPHS The entire town of Scobey, Mont., will be moyed this fall, as a result of the construction of the Great Northern’s Plentywood extension. Every building will be hauled two miles to a new townsite on the railway. The contract for the remoyal of the town has just been let to a Minot man. Hereafter finger prints of persons arrested for vagrancy and drunkenness will be taken and placed on file in Police Headquarters, New York. The Board of City Magistrates of the first division met the other day and besides discuss- ing this matter decided that hereafter all women arrested after one o’clock A. M. shall be remanded for trial at the Women’s Night Court in Jefferson Market. Thirty thousand employees in government departments were, alarmed recently by reports that President Wilson and his cabinet are considering making working hours be- gin at 8 a. m. instead of 9.. From ima immemorial the clerks have been “getting on thé job” at 9 and quitting at 4,30. Until eight years ago they quit at 4. A saving of ~ $1,000,000 a year is said to bevpossible if an extra hour is added. | : | - red rays prevent it. swallowed his own tongue. It is probable that inthe near future all milk willbe delivered in rofl bottles, for it has just, been discovered that while ordinary light hastens the “spoiling” of milk, the The violet’ rays, on the contrary, cause the milk to turn. Pure, fresh milk, or sterilized and pasteurized milk, if placed in ay uncolored glass bottle and left in the full sunlight, is completely spoiled by evening. But substitute a red glass bottle, or wrap the ordinary bottle in red paper, and milk is perfectly good after stand- - ing ten hours in the sun. One of the strangest incidents in the annals of medicine occurred recently w then Charles Arioro, of No. 8, 123 Mingo avente, Philadelphia, choked to death in bed. He literally His sister, Mrs. Anna Mario, called Dr. S. MeCoriniék, but the man was dead when the physician reached him. Arioro had been suffering from epileptic fits, and it is believed that this brought on. his death. The coroner will probably attribute the death to some disease with a long name, but the plain fact is that ~ throat. ing a worm inside as well as outside. ‘home it forces the lower end of the hollo Arioro’s death was caused, by his tongue sticking in his ee attaching rails to ties on railroads a Frenchman has invented a screw that is said to hold tighter than anything yet devised. It is in two parts: first a hollow screw, open at the lower end, slit a short distance up the sides and hay- This is serewed into the hole in the tie., Into it is screwed the second part, which is a solid screw, conical inshape. As this is driven screw apart, making it spread and become wider below than above, thus _ biting the wood of the tie i a Py that makes it inex- maatse a ; | borne, who was serving .a sentence of eighteen years for a >but. was recaptured, ‘also used this cohen Lagat a foes Mhanselves.s over the ¢ It was learned the other day that the Stock Exchange seat of William Robinson, which was transferred to Orme Wilson, Jr., was sold for $40,000. ‘This beats the previous ; low record of $1913 by $1,000, and is the lowest price at which an Exchange seat has sold since 1900;-when one was purchased for $37,500. The highest at which a seat om the Exchange has sold this year was $53,000, against a high price in $1912 of $74,000. The largest price ever received for a seat was in 1909, when $96,000 was paid. . It was er- roneously reported several weeks ago that a seat had sold — for $38,000. : English girls are once again dressing and looking like English girls. No longer is the young g gil a replica of her mother in dress. *She is simply just herself. Extreme sim- plicity indeed is the keynote of girls’ dresses to-day. The change is due tothe influence OF the Queen and her dress- ing of Princess Mary in the simplest of stylés. And now thies simple style of dressing which Princess Mary affects is infimencing the fashions. For several séasons young girls have been ‘almost exact imitations of their mothers, but all | this is now changed. The return Of the young girl to sim- ple dress should help to abolish the fashion of “makeup,” which even girls have adopted. © Ke thy {= An earnest appeal for legislation to Saale young men to secure promotion to flag rank i in the United States Navy was made by Colonel Robert M, Thompson, of Philadel- . phia, at a session of the Navy League. He reviewed the present system, declaring that when an officer reached the rank of admiral he was too old to be of any real use. “Mhe admiral must be to the fleet what the captain is to the — ship,” declared Colonel Thompson. “As the moving power _ and: the inspiration he must: have exacting skill gained by — actual experience. One cannot learn to maneuver a fleet by studying tactics. Every marine nation in the world, f except our own, has learned this and has taken steps to secure young, vigorous, and highly qualified men, and to — give them the necessary experience to fit them for supreme @ command,” An all-day search for Richard Osborne and Walter Lay- man, convicts, who made a daring escape from the federal prison at Leavenworth, Kan., recentl¥s was fruitless, Os- robbery committed in Washington, had-made three pre-— vious efforts to escape. Layman, his cellmate, serving three years for counterfeiting in (Califor. escaped once from MeNeil Island, the government prison on the Pacific Coast, The escaping convicts crawled i through the cellhouse’ window and lifted themselves to the roof by an ingenious contrivance resembling a mechanie’s rule. Slats of wood were riveted end to end, and when un- folded the conviets were able to catch the eaves with a hook — attached to the contrivange and pull themselves up, They — prison eae
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THE KING’S BIGGEST TIP. Kang William IT of Wurtemberg is Europe’s most demo- cratic sovereign, now that George of Greece is no more. He will wander ‘around the countryside and go boating on Lake Constance just as the fancy takes him. One day recently he stopped for refreshment at the little Swiss village of Rohrschach. Ordering a mug of beer he threw down a mark, telling the maid not to bother about the change. Presently he ordered another mugful, which was brought by an old woman. Another mark was thrown down. A third drink was brought by an old man. Order- ing two more beers he placed them on one side. “Now,” he said, “I think I have tipped the whole fam- ily, so good day.” : “No, you haven't,” came a child’s voice. “I was going to bring you the next. It’s always the way. Very few visitors take six drinks, and I’m the sixth waiter.” . The King turned. and took the little boy in his arms, “Well, you shall have a bigger tip than any,” he replied; pressing a gold piece inte the child’s hand. v A WONDERFUL SHIP. With a groks tonnage of 50,000 and a 98-foot beam, the : Hamburg-American liner, Imperator, which landed her nen 500,000,000 inhabitants. passengers at Hoboken for the first time on June 19, meas- ures 919 feet in length and has five captains, headed by Commander-in-Chief Hans Ruser. The vessel’s bridge looms 90 feet above the water. Her three funnels reach 69 feet over the upper deck. Her wireless, managed by three operators, transmits messages 1,500 miles. She has three anchors, the heaviest weighing 26,445 pounds. Of her ten decks, seven are for first-class passengers. Among her up- to-date features are a Roman bath, Turkish and electric baths, chiropodists’ and manicures’ room, glass-inclosed” private decks, bedrooms larger than hotel ¢ hambers, a tele- phone — system including; every stateroom, varied restaur- ant and grillroom facilities, and every arrangement for the handling and preservation of food supplies in quantities. The ‘crety number 1,180. The first voyage’s passengers were 3,450, and provisions for the on included 48,500 pounds of fresh meats, 48,000 eggs, 121,000 pounds of} potatoes, 27,500 pounds of tradi vegetables, 12,500 quarts of milk and cream, 10,500 pounds of fowl and g game, 9,000 pounds of fish, 7,000 pounds of coffee, 400 pounds of tea, 500 pounds of ‘chocolate, 4,000 cans of preserved fruits and 6,000 cans of preserved vegetables. ' THE PR ATRIB DOG COLONY t rm prairie dog settlement in Colorado is eatiaanted to con- Were the snakes, owls, rab- bits, lizards and horned toads which live with the dogs to be counted in, the pepe en of the oe ace would reach the _ billion mark. The figures are not baniotly ee for the government: has never counted these dogs in the census, who has seen such a city knoWs there are over one hun- But any one PLUCK AND LUCK. INTERESTING TOPICS 27 dred dogs to the acre, and this city is one hundred and forty miles long by fifty wide, containing 4,480,000 acres. They dig deep burrows with so many chambers that the railroad which is being put through their city will have to destroy a large niimber of dogs and their homes in order . to avoid accidents from eaving in of tracks. ‘This city was founded centuries ago. It has been eanibi io be about its present size for fifty years. Families grow rapidly and the young ones stay at home till there is. not room enough for all and some are a out to dig pecan / for themselv res. They live on four kinds of fhe cactus, roots of wire- grass, tender green shoots of sagebush and greasewood. These are the only speciniens of plant life found in the western deserts where prairie dogs are natives. In spite of the sameness of their fare they manage to keep sleek and fat on food which a ground squirrel wound consider ataive- tion .diet. . A STRANGE DUEL. Recently a peacock, and buffalo had a duel to the death at the zoo in Philadelphia, in the presence of hundreds of persons thronging the gardens. The peacock was the challengér and drew first blood, but the buffalo. trampled the bird under hodf and brushed the form into the earth. There was no possible way for the - keepers to stop the battle. The trouble began when Headkeeper Manley chased a flock of a dozen peafowl, allowed to strut at will about the gardens, away from ‘his flower beds. i battle with the buffalo flew into that animal’s private en* closure, of the spot. - The buffalo, who is a dignified sort of a. beast, didn’t like the way the peacock acted. He gave a mild bellow of warning. The peacock croaked a few uncomplimentary remarks and fanned his tail in insulting fashion. Then the buffalo charged. The bird sidestepped ‘and jabbed viciously at the animal’s eye and caught iiss buffalo in - soft part of the nose. That was a little too much for the buffalo. angrily, he rushed again: The bird eseaped by flying to. the top of the fence about the enclosure. ‘There he in- sisted upon croaking more unpleasantries. The buffalo withdrew a short distance, blowing the dust and pawing . '|the enclosure he flew again, spread his wings and shrieked the ground. The peacock avasn’t warned, however, a challenge. It was soon over. bird and trampled it to death. The bird that did spread its tail, croaked its unmusical ery and . plainly informed the buffalo that he was no longer owner — Bellowing © The buffalo charged, cornered. the The many persons who | witnessed the struggle were not anxious to have the battle — ended. They were. too excited. as they would have cheered the small boy who tackles the big bully. The keepers tried to ‘coax the bird from the. buf. falo’s home, but the so wouldn’t elas sh of their coaxing. ‘ ~ v Ms . et They cheered the ene
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PLUCK A FEW GOOD ITEMS f ‘ » LILLIAN RUSSELL-MOORE GETS. $105,000. Mr..and Mrs. Alexander P. Moore, of Pittsburgh, Pa., sailed for Europe by the White Star liner Cedric on their - annual vacation abroad. Mrs. Moore, who: ordered ‘her name on the passenger list‘appear as Mrs. Lillian Russell Moore, signed a contract with John Cort just before going aboard. The contract is for the services of Lillian Russell for an American tour next season -for $105,000, The famous actress wrote the amount herself, so the reporter made no mistake. “Don’t forget even. if 1 am_ fifty-two ‘years old I am worth $105,000°a scason,” she said laugh- ingly. “TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC IN A MONOPLANE. Frank Clifford, the Kuglish aviator, who plans to make a flight from Atlantic City to London in his monoplane by the use of frozen petrol, arrived in New York, recently, accompanied by his wife. would be able to make the oversea journey successfully from ‘coast to coast in thirty’ hours. It owill have ‘tobe made in that’ time, he declared, or not at all, THis miond- plane, he said, could easily maintain an average speed of 100 miles an hour; and “by -st flopping. once in mid- ‘Atlantic ~ for more’ ‘tuelghe thought Mis theory could be made a reality. ee Yam familia® with the air currents of the Atlantic,” as. he said, “and by. using frozen petrol there will be little; a danger of f losing my equilibrium through the shifting of “ Hiquid fuel.. I ¢an put the petrol in my monoplane in a frozen block and melt it as I-need. it for power. IT shall arrange to have a vessel with plenty of frozen fuel on board “jsomewhere in mid-Atlantic, and will replenish my power hy alighting in the: water near this'ship. * 100. stig an hour in my machine, and -by taking the short ‘ course to the north should be ‘able to -eoast within thirty hours after I leave Atlantic City, T “expect to fly from my landing place in Ireland over to London; using a edurse along the outskirts of the city. _ By doing this I will not violate we law forbidding Aight : Ke over, ie, British’ eS i | eed THE NATIONAL LEAGUE: ee For' thirty-seven long years, the National League of - teen of these has the organization had’ a rival, long time that the league has been in operation there has heen change after change, the most important coming with the dropping of such cities ag Providence and Baltimore ‘and ne pebshitetine of sohubs in. meas with a danger pon ‘ the eacataett ee wak teineii in 1900, the N a- onal had a monopoly, on major league ball. It was only he ounger circuit, the powers of thé order g that with. gupta ee peat ai woul go mp es rmation of AND LUCK. Nee 0% He expressed confidence that: he | T can easily make: last ae of the lexidey, aS Ix: land on the. Trish | seasons than one, while others ‘grabbed it off one year an especially true in the younger days of the game when baseball clubs has een. in operation, and during igh thir- - In .the | joie and Cobb, who hold top honors in the i apr! Ss ayer of. ae is buon | Was lived Plena tg iy fter a hard fight that the old. cireuit gave in and permitted | ——$_— The’ National ‘clabs are! wifortunately: ides by a num- ber of moneyed men, who; unfortunately, are a bit hard ~ to please, and this has caused much trouble for the’ ‘differ- ent aah When you get a bunch like Charles Wak ‘Murphy, ie, C. H. Ebbets and Barney. Dreyfuss mixed up in the same — undertaking there is bound to be a lot of squabbling. Al : these men wish to'have their own way, and when. eee Wa crossed you Nave to watch out. Perhaps the biggest squabble in the league in : tecent é years came some three years ago over the “election of a president, Some, wanted. one man while’ others favored another, and for a time it looked as if the ‘league would — split. Finally, However, all differences were patched’ up, — and Tim. Lynch was named as the ruling power. AS i however, is in mame only. ,., Unlike the American League, the older organization, has: a pennant-winning monopoly of three clubs, namely, New Y¥ark, Chicago and, Pittsburgh., In the past twelve years these clubs have won every pennant, always being: aloe bunched for the first three places, with the remaiming~ teams far in the rear. ‘I'his serves to lessen the interest in the race, and by the ‘time the season is about, to. close. all. the interest that caiebe stirred up is in the the ee towns tha have a look-ia. j * Since 1900 there have been, ins aneane races, | and : ll have been won by Pittsburgh, New "York and Chicago, i the three splitting. the flags three ways. Before the time — of the pennant-winning trio many clubs shared in the’ Pp nant-winning habit. First Boston would win, then Brook lyn, Providenve) Baltimore and even Detroit. In late years however, the Boston and Brooklyn clubs haye dropped 41 pennant-winning habit, and are usually seinen 1 i th been ae 8 ‘a score: or moré mites no one nue d monopoly on the honor. Many have won the honor m bi eh This was then dropped almost. completely out of baseball. men as Gore, Dalrymple, Barnes and White held top ] ees distinction te te the Renews batting: ave! id dni who hit for an average oft 438, back in player is the only one who ever beat out: ‘the This, however, was so far back nee ae ae W be and A. Ss ‘An eee his iphesk ae el Anson ees the cireuit ae roar’ in 188
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. PLUCK “AND LUCK NEW YORK, JULY 30, 1913. J ERAS TO SUBSCRIBERS Sirighe Copiers) sissy duh de ame dw seasons grees osenes .0os Cents single co ‘Whree Months ........ FewtaNioweess .65 Cents One: Copy: Six Months. 6.0. [uve eabeigs bees stheceaeyie et ane $1. One -VopyOhe Year. (os. oii dicdaclacetacsseeseehes e.svenbe $2.50 “Postage 'Free. HOW TO SEND MONCtY-~ Atcur risk send P.O, Money Order, Check or Keistered Letter; remittances id gny other way are at your Visk. Wo accept Postaye St: amps the same as cash. When sending silver wrap the Coin in a separate pivee of paper to avoid cutting the envel- ope. Write your ndme and address pluinty., Address letters ty rape aa t Frank Tousey, Publisher Vee K, NYLANDER, jpustetary ie West 25d St ey N. Y. ~TTEMS OF CURRENT NEWS Private advices reaching Nogales, Ariz., report that the commander of the two federal gunboats in Guaymas har- bor espoused the insurgent cause. The boats were said to have turned their gung on the federal positions in Guay- ‘mas, declaring all of Ojeda’s troops prisoners of the con- stitutionalists. General Ojeda was reported to have’ ae hoarding the boats at the time.’ ut THe A large eagle in captivity at San Angelo, Neb., at ‘the City Hall Zoo severely injured Benjamin Haxrisotis a local printer, who was teasing the bird while it was out of ‘its cage. It struck at him and cut a large gash in his nose with its claws. It then sprang upon him and sank its claws into his left wrist.and hand. Men used pliers to get | the eagle’s talons out of Harrison, A Vilas,:an amateur aviator of Chicago, made tl the first aeroplane flight across Lake Michigan. His trip in a hydro- aeroplane from St. Joseph, Mich., to Chicago consume.t ‘ove hour and thirty-four minutes. “He was ‘accompanied by Lnae at of Bentor Harbor. Vilas follayred the steamship lane, the distance being about fifty-eight miles. He Haile have crossed from shore to shore within an hour, he said, had not shifting air currents compelled him fre- quently to'change the level on: which he was flying. “The discovery of fossil bre of a camel within the arctic circle in Alaska was announced by the Smithsonian In- stitution. The find tends to support the theory, experts ‘say, of the éxistence of a wide Axiatic-Alaskan land con- nection of comparatively “1 recent date, which Jength of time served as a lighway for the migration of _ mammals from the Old Werld: to America. Copely Amory, Jr., found’ the fossils last: summer while collecting speci- ~ mens for the United States Alaskan Museum. 5K Crow Riv er in Yukon territory, Canada. + é A ae of Indian shell mounds hits ae found in the cypress swamps in Ascencion and Livingston parishes, Ta Interesting relics have been unearthed, ineluding some old Spanish coins, Indian arrows and spear heads and ; - similar articles. It is an accepted theory that the: | ‘ere the laet homes of es rae tribe of Indians, inst aa Piet PLUCK AND LUCK. for a great}. "The find. was. located about fifty thiles from thé mouth of the. Ole 20° heard of at Grand Lake, Louisiana, in 1828. The Indians disappeared mysteriously, and it is thought they went into the dense swamps to avoid being neighbors of the en- | croaching whites, and there perished of famine. A few. . ie ao have been found. “ Shooting sa from an pions is the cae est sport I ever had,” declared F. A. Massee, who, with his, family, has just returned from a tour of Central Oregon. “We found innumerable rabbits in the region near Madras, ‘and in thyee days’ shooting killed. more than 100 of the long-eared bunnies.” Mr. Massee, who is a local orchardis?, is: raising a family of hunters. His small sons’ handle their diitoniatios with skill and Mrs. Massee took a hand in toppling over’the rabbits. The ranchers of Central Oregon will devote their energies to killing off jackrabbits, which inerease very fast and have become a decided pest in some pia ages Captain rE iia Fleming Day, the American who piloted the motorboat Detroit across the Atlantic last sum- mer, will probably be selected as the navigating officer on’ — : the yacht which Sir Thomas Lipton will send to San ‘Fran-: ciseo to compete in the races there during the Panama- ‘Pacific International Exposition. The yacht will be called) the Shamrock, and will be the fifth of that ilk if the. New York Yacht Club gives Sir Thomas the privilege of sailing Shamrock IV, for the America Cup. The yacht will cross the Atlantic under its own sail, be towed through the Panama Canal, and go thence up the Pacific coast to San - Francisco, again under its own canvas. The racer will be conveyed by Sir Thomas’ steam boage Erin. Le i ie PGs AES In Russia a tax of 2M cents per fant is henceforth, to, Of be levied on all moving picture films, whether Russian ~ made of imported. Boys and girls under sixteen must now or be refused admittance to picture shows not’ especially, adapted’ ‘to young people. There is also a project for cosy, ing down all movies at 8 P. M., but this would. sacar hankruptey for them. In some. ities, especially where bulk of the population is non-Russian, movies pay ee . sixth of their gross profits to the Imperial Theaters, The © Minister of Education has reported that the movies are to blame for the enormous increase of infantile crime and. suicides, The new regulations are expected to make a. dif. S Schoolboys are no longer to be. admitted, into ‘e vaudeville shows and night cafes, ne Levi Lytie of eg Mich., had an ausine the ‘his; ms night with half a dozen rats that had attacked his horse. The horse had been sharp shod and had calked_ ‘itself x0 it bled a trifle from one foot. Attracted to the barn by the pounding of the horse, Lytie found the rats lacerating ‘the — frantic animal’s legs with their sharp teeth. Where the blood had trickled from the puncture caused, by the alk. | ) ‘ : they had torn the flesh and bad worked up the: joint, then iy pattacking the leg on the opposite side and causing injuries that may cripple the horse permanently. When » ‘Lytie at. tacked the rats with a stick they turned on him and one of the rodents scrambled up his leg and fastened its teeth above the knee, while the others bit at the farmer's ankl ; hy tie ake maanaged to kill two rats and rout the «
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a0 PLUCK “AND ‘LUCK. __ THE NEWS IN SHORT ARTICLES ) BEAR MOUNTAIN. PARK. A part of the new Bear’ Mountain Park, a few. miles south of West Point, N. Y., is now one n to the public. The announcement was made by George W. Perkins, president of the New York Palisades fetes Park Commission. Mr. Perkins gays: “The work lias Progrésse od far enough so that arrangements have heen made to run an excursion hoat ‘each week day from New York, leaving the Battery at 9.30 A. M., West Twenty-third street at 10 A. M., West |, 129th: street at 10.30 A. M., and Yonkers at 11.80 A. M. Hessian Like is in this park, and boats have been placed tpon-it.. The trip to the park takes one along the. Pali- sades.” LONG, CHASE AFTER “BAD MAN.” The horse thief and stickup man that has been making (Tree avith. the peace of three vgisiad was apprehended at Galena, a,ranger-station about thirty-five miles north of . Ketchum, Idaho. Eee fellow, who was given a different mame every time} che was askedystole a Fcc and saddle from a barn at Bliss, ‘rode from: there to Camas prairie and held wp: a_ saloon. ” He tex returned to Bliss, via the shearing corrals in the oe niowntains, Me he raised cain generally. ‘ - Constable’ kham of Bliss, notice that he answered iddeseription of the man wanted, arnested him and took him to the hotel and phoned for Sheriff Bliss at Gooding. “While phoning, the prisoner walked out and when pursued took a shot at Pinkham with his rifle, of which the con- stable had neglected to relieve him. _. Pinkham abandoned. the chase and nothing was done till. Sheriff Bliss took up the trail. He tracked ¢he man “by. means of an oddly shape horseshoe and followed him - nearly - ‘to Gooding , thengnorth over the’ Sawtooth Moun- \tains and up W illow Creek. The forest’réngers were noti- . fied to watch for the man and horse, and w hen he showed up. ‘at Galena he y was. invited to stay all night. Tt was his. intention to do so until a seconil ranger ap- peared on the ‘scene/ but when he attempted to leave the m invitation was repeated at the point of a revolver. The “sheriff arrived half an hour later. . ¢ ak GERMANY AND CANADA. -. The two weakest spots in the worldeto-day are Germany ant Canada, says Colonel R. M. Thompson, who is on his annual visit to the British Isles. “What affects Germany,” he declared; “is ‘the tremend- ous-armament ona huge scale and the vast amount of the on - inoreased standing army, which dtaws so many individual ‘units: out of the industrial life of the nation. Its activities “necessarily are seriously impaired and are unable to ex- pand,: France is a country with 2 huge amount of reserve ott ie arse and is constantly, drawing more from Germany. ° - “Canada ig in-a more serious onthibinn than the world a large realizes. Immigration. has been boomed so heav- bees the Cae now feels the strain. Statistics show | vexatious delays of weeks, 4. a Pet Aa ' |-clothes, Trailways extension. itéw ‘towns and ‘so. on, and people are now going so fast'to Canada that the Portnoy jis really hard pressed. to get money. Last* year im gre tion cost Canada the'staggering,sum of 460;000, 000. “'Ihese nations may be weak at present, ‘but there is no reason for any one to be afraid. of conditions in America. Uncertainty over tariff conditions has naturally produced a temporary interference with business and trade, but that is nothing more than a state of mind: © People are holding on, and once the tariff bill is passed, readjustment is bound to follow, because the Americaniis such an adaptable man. There is a natural financial unrest all over the world right now, but the United States is by no means a weak spot.” eis ee UATE DATR OF INTEREST TO-ALL. The new jute substitute called textilose, of which great things seem to be expected in England, is apparent ya, “paper twine ‘coated with mucilage, | then drawn » “2 agape waste and spun. ;Previous to 1900 Morocco had practically no. public i im- proy ements, but the international ‘conference of Algeciras — has forced them upon it. hea it i is to have Herbory ie houses and reads. ui a The following unique advertisement ‘appeared adsatly in a Hanoverian paper: “Lo&t, from an aeroplane, gold watch and chain; was last seen disappearing in large’ ack of Tye on @ cs near Ulzeni ing reward for dats of same.” i G Nae selina, place the developed: water power in the United States at 5,356,680 horse pover, the unde- veloped. power. at. present available at 66,518,500 horse power and the possible ultimate development at. ay ‘8 800,00Q horse power. { , In-dry seasons one may, now travel throughout Brugia in an automobile, the’ large rivers being crossed on ferries, the smaller streams forded. In wet seasons the smaller — streams . becéme impassable, sometimes causing travelers i , In Stockholm: the street-ear conductors sell hatpin pro- i tectors for a cent apiece to all women who wish. to buy. ; The implements do not protect the ‘hatpin. They are fastened to the point and prevent a hatpin from doing» damage to the person or propeaty of men and 1 women ate ting’ or standing near by. | . , Doctor S. Weir Mitchell, a, 8 neurologist. it aa of many books of science and ction, recently: celebrated his eighty-fourth birthday i in Philadelphia. e is.in’ splen-— did health and is’ actively engaged in the practice of medi- - cine, as srell as in literary and. scientific: work. Doctor Mitchell has been a prodigious worker all his life, ay During his life the late Hy J. Adams, an Englishman, A spent fully $200,000 in collecting butterflies and moths. | - The collection, ‘pelievdd to be the most valuable’ of its, kind x in the world, has just been presented to the Natural His- tory Museum at South Kensington. About. 150, 000 spe vas mens are contained in sixty-seven beautifully a mabo any eabnets ° i: Ser cet
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CHANGING MONEY TRICK BOX. ° With this trick box you can make money change,. from. @ penny into a dime or vice’ versa, Also make dimes appear and dis- appear. at your command. Price, 10c. each by mail, postpaid: Y H. ¥.. LANG, 1815 Centre 5St., B’klyn, N. ¥. The sreatest fun-maker @t chem all, A smal ameunt ef this pewder, when blewn in a ‘roem, will cause everyehe to sneeze without anyone knowing where it comes from. “It ig very light, will fleat in the air for some time, and penetrate every neolk ‘and cerner ef a room. It is perfecttly harm- less. Cachee is put up in, bottles, and one bettle contains enough to be used from.10 te 15 times. Price, by mail, 10c, each; 3 for 25a, WOLKE NOVELTY CO,, 29 W. 26th’‘St.. N. ¥, HINDOO FLOWER-POT TRICK With this trick you can make @ piant grow right.up in a flower-pot, Defore , the eyes of your audience. An ordinary empty earthen flower-pot is handed to the spectators tor éxaminatjon. A handkerchief is then placed over it, and you repeat a few magic .words, and : Wave your wand over it, When the S > handkerchief is removed there is a \—") beautiful plant, apparently in full bloom, in 'the pot. Full directions with each outfit, Price, 15 cents by mail, postpaid, Mf, V. GALLIGAN, 419 W. 56th, St., N. ¥, ” 2h NOISY HANDKERCHIEF. A great deal of amusement may be had .with this, little article. It imitates the blow- ing of the nose exactly, except that the noise is magnified at least a dozen ‘times, « and sounds like the bass-horn in a , German band, This device ig used “by simply placing it between ‘the teeth and blowing. The harder t blow the louder the noise. Price, 10¢. each by matl, postpaid. WOLF) NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St, N. x. NEW MASKS Half-face masks with mov- able noses. A» distinct nov- elty which will afford no end of amusement. They. come in 6 styles, each a different face, such as Desperate Desmond, etc., and are beautifully colored and splendidly finished, with patent eyelets to prevent tearing. Price 15 .cents apiece, by mail, postpaid. H. F. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. ¥. TAR ANESE WAT FLOWERS Without exception, most beautiful ‘and in- teresting things on the market®. They consist of a dozen dried-up sprigs... neatly encayed in handsomely decorat- ed envelopes, just as they are imported trom Japan. Place one sprig in a bowl .of water, and it begins to exude various bright tints. Then {ft slowly opens our into various shapes of exyutsite flowers. They are of all colors of the rainbow, It is very amusing to Watch them take form. - Smali size, price 5 cents; sarge size, 10 cents a package, by mail, postpaid. “M, ¥. GALL IGAN, 419 W. 56th St., N. ¥. YOU ALL WANT THIS MEDAL! “You Can Get One for Six Cents’ the Has a picture of Fred Fearnot on one side and — Wvelynoon the other.>” The chief characters of ‘“HORK. AND WIN’: benutifullyfire-gilt. In order that every reader of this “Weekly muy secure one or more of these medals, we have put.the price away below cost, as you will see when you receive it. Send to nus THREE Two- CENT POSTAGH STAMPS, and we’ _ Will send the medal to any address, postage paid, by return mail, You can ‘secure as : many medalsas you mee ik ant. : vidharbas tare envelope plainly to. FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher > 468 West 23a Street, 2 New Fork The Medals are |: REMEMBER! | Penetration The World’s Record Holders Remington-UMC .22 cal. cartridges have broken two records in two years. The Remington-UMC cubs make a find ~ The present world’s 100-shot gallery record, 2484 ex 2500, held by F Arthur Hubalek was made with these hard hitting .22’s-or under | Any article and it will go off when the ar- ticls is opened or removed. It can be used as a funny joke by being placed {n a purse, ‘cigarette box cr’ between the leaves of a magazine, also, under any movable article, such as a book, tray, dish; ete: The BINGO can also be used as a Burglar Alarm or as® a Theft Preventer by being placed in a drawer, money till, under a door or window, or under any article that would be moved or disturbed should a theft;be attempted. Price 15 cents each, by mail, postpaid. . WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥, eoer LUCK CUN FOB ‘Lhe real western article, carried by the cowboys. It is made of fine ‘leather, with a highly nickeled buekle, The holster, con- tains a metal gun, of the same pattern as those used by all the most famous scouts, Any boy wearing one of these fobs will at- tract attention. - It will give him’an air of western romance. The prettiest and most serviceable watch fob ever made. Send for oue to-day. Price 20 centg ori it mail postpaid. V. GALLIGAN, as W. 56th Sti, N. ¥. G00D LUCK BANS, Ornamental as well as yseful. Made of highly nickeled brass. Ut held-; just One Dellar. When filled it opens itself. Remains locked unti refilled. Can be used ‘@& a watchcharm. Money refund- oF it malt setlfed. iia 108. % t ’ * ‘ | Wizard Repeating peru LIQUID PISTOL | Will stop the most vic- | lous dog (or man) with- out permanent Injury, Perfectly safe tocarry without danger ofieakage, Wires and recharges by | a. pulling the trigger. Loads at bartridges required. Over ranote f os ae | All dealers, or b; aia Oc. Pistol ‘with ered holster. 5. Holsters fs separate, 10c. | Sex | money order. No postage stamps Or coins accept PARKER, STEARNS &CO., 273 6 GEORGIA AVE., BROOKLYN, K, . ba We. Bie ToBaceo HABITS: ' improve your hea‘ch. prolong your life. aie a trouble, no foul breath, no heart weakness. Regain. een vigor, calm nerves, ‘slear eyes and soperior .nental ye Whether you chew; or smoke olgars, teresting Tobacco Book. Wek bee wi nse alle E, J. WOODS, 634 Sixth Ave.,228 C. New York. N.. Y. x PERFUMECARDS RPE Something new. Exquisite scent. Lasts forever. 1, L. FELIX IMPORTING CO, 224 H. Huron St. Chicage. -———-—— Rides Agents wend rp ineach senior Bi soi peeripls y “7 bieycles. Write for our Finest Guaranteed 1813 Modols ) with. eae Brakes, I “Socond = Ham Gul makes and models, 3 OOd BS NEWsscesseneesessone fo (\e) et pala a CLEARING pie We Shin on Approval 4 without @ Gt deposit, sa tie REE th ant Y 10 DAY Fires, Le Rae oft yy lamps, aoe rts and repairs at half prices. BUY until Pou eee Sur's pees end offer. OF rite nome : bil AD CYCLE ae Dept R188 Almost anyone ‘can Jearn {t at hoe cost. Send to-day 2-cent stamp p for part and proof, ©. A. SMITH, Room _ Bigelow. Bip Paoria, Mh :
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JAPANESE DIVER The strangest toy on the market. ‘They are made In Japan and look =; jike a ttle red mandarin. Nach manikif is furnished with @ car- tridge to which a pair of legs are attached. By making two pin-holes jn the cartridge,/attaching it to the figure, and immersing it in a glass of ‘water the little figure will dart \ up and down for an hour like a Br real diver. Price, by mail, 25 cents each, postpaid. HF. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. xX. \ VANISHING CIGAR. Ee This cigar is made in _ exact imitation of a good one. Et is held by a rub- ber cord which, with the attached safety pin, is fastened on the inside of the sleeve. When offered to a friend, as it is about to be taken, it will ‘instantly disappear. Price, 10c, each by mail, postpaid. C. BEHR, 150 W. 62d St., New York City. PIGGY IN A COFFIN. This is a wicked pig that died at an early age, and here he. is in. his coffin ready for ) burial. There will be a great many mourners at his funeral, : ‘ for this coffin, pretty as it looks, is very tricky, and the man who gets §t open will feel real grief. The coffin is made of metal, perfectly shaped and beautifully Mwcauered. The trick is to open it to see the pig. The man that tries it gets his fingers ed feelings hurt, and. piggy comes out to grunt at his victims. The tubular end of the » Goffin, which everyone (in trying to open) ‘presses inward, contains a needle which stabs _ the victim in his, thumb or finger every time. This is. the latest and a very “Impressive” trick. It can be opened easily by anyone in the secret, and as a neat catch-joke to save ourself from a boré is unsurpassed. Price, 0c.; 3 for 25e., postpaid; one dozen by ex- press, T5c. - » WOLFF NOVELTY CO,, 29 W. 26th St., N. X. WHISTLING BIRD. It consists of a long, thin rubber tube to be con~- cealed under the clothing. On one end is a rubber ball to .be held in the pocket. At the other end is.a metal. bird’s head with a movable underjaw, whieh can be put through a lapel button hole. When you squeeze the bulb, the bird begins to chirp and sing and whistle in the | “most life-like manner. ihe Price 25 cents each, by mail, postpaid. > M. V. GALLIGAN, 419 W, 56 St, N.Y. BUBBLER. ‘ } “ The (greatest invention of the ‘age. The box contains a blow- pipe of neatly enameled metal, dnd five tablets; also printed di- rections for play- ing numerous Floating Bubbles, soap-bubble games, such a he Boxers, Lung. Tester, Supported Bubbles, Rolling Bubbles,’ Smoke Bubbles, Bouncing oor and many others. Ordinary bubble- lowing, with a pipe and soap water, are not dn it with this scientific toy, It produces largér, more beautiful and. stronger bubbles the you can get by the ordinary method. 6) games are intensely interesting, too. \ fi, F. LANG, 1815 Centre rice; 12¢.. by. mall. St., B’klyn, N. ¥. | \ RATEST GIANT TYPEWRITER.’ y z Itisstrongly made, but simplo in construction, so that any one can Sd learn to perate it, and write as rapidly as phabet most fre y a ahie, vone 3 ie 51.00, ‘OL epeaters, Surprise Bubbles, Double Bubbles,. THE BUGHOUSE PUZZLE. .- Tt is the most myst!- fying puzzle ever .in- vented, and consists, of 14 pieces of metal, packed in a neat little box. With them. you can form a checker board—that is, if you know how. ‘he trick is to do it, and a tougher job you never tackled. Several ether interesting combinations are possible. Get a box and see how many you can do, Price 12 cents each, by mail, postpatd. ‘I, F, LANG. 1815 Centre St.. B’klyn, N. Y. i POCKET WHISK-BROOM This is no, toy, but a. real whisk-broom, 6% inches high, Tt is made of imported Japanese pristles, neatly put together, and can easily be carried in the vost pocket, ready for use at any mo- ment, for hats or clothing, etc. Price 10 cents each, by mail, postpaid. Cc. BEHR,.150 W. 62d St.. N. Y- LITTLE GIANT MICROSCOPE. This powerful little instrument : — Is made of oxidized metal, It if stands on two. supports mado = e the exact length, to get a sharp, SS l-inch focus on the object to be magnified. There is a_ high- powered lens of imported glass } mounted in the circular @¢ye-piece. It can be | used to detect impurities in lquids, for, ex- amining cloths, or to magnify any object to | enormous size. Can be carried in the vest pocket. Price, 6c, each, postpaid. M, V. GALLIGAN, 419 W. 56th Bt., N.Y. SLICK TRICK PENCIL. This one is a hummer! It 1s to all appearances an ordinary, but expensive’ lead_ pencil, nickel trimmings. If your friend wants your pencil for a moment, hand it to him. When he at- tempts to write with it, the end instantly turns up, and he cannot write a stroke: Price, 10¢., postpaid. H. F. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. ¥. IMITATION FLIES. | Absolutely true to Nature! A dandy scarf-pin and a rattling good 7 joke. It is impossible to do these ping justice with a description. You have to see them to -understand how lifelike they are. When people see them on you they want to brush them’ off. They wonder ‘why that fly sticks to you’ so persistently. This is the most realistic novelty ever put on the market. It is a distinct ornament for anybody's necktie, and a decided joke on those who try to chase it. Price, 10c. by mail postpaid. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 24th St., N.Y. f i THE X-RAY REVOLVER With one of these guns you can defy the Sullivan Yaw with impunity, It is used/to scare, and not to shoot. It is -impossl- ble to detect the fact that 4 it is not a genuine revol- ver. Can be used as a . paper-wéeight, an ornas ment, or in other ways. Price, by mail, 45 eents each, postpaid. f M. V. GALLIGAN, 419 W. 56th St., N. ¥. ~ PUBBER TACKS. They come six in a box. A wonderful imitation of the real tack. Made of rubber, The box in which they come is the ordinary tack box. This is a great parlor entertainer and you can play a lot of tricks with the tacks. Place them in the palm of your hand, point upward. Then slap the other hand over the tacks and it will seem as {f you are committing suicide, Or you can ‘show the tacks and then put them in your mouth and chew them, making believe you have swallowed them. | Your friends will think you are a magician. Then, again. you can exhibit the tacks and then quickly push one in your chéek or somebody else's cheek and they will shriek with fear. Absolutely harm- less and a very practical and funny joke Price by mai’, 10¢. a box of 6 tacks; 3, fo. bal | WOLER NOVELTY CO., 20 W. 20th 8t., N.Y. ‘ XZ 1 with | ‘ \) WHISTLEPHONE, (© This is one of the > NEW TEN-CENT FOUNTAIN PEN. One of the most peculiar and mystifying pens on the market. It requires no ink, All you have to do fs to dip it im water, and it will write for an indefinite period. The secret can only be learned by procuring one, and you can make it a source of both pleasure and amusemient by claiming to your. friends what it can do and then demonstrating the fact. Moreover, it-is a good pen, fit for practical use, and will never leak ink into your pocket, as a defective fountain pen might do, ay Price, 10c. each by mail. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. % SLIDE THE PENCIL. % The pencil that keeps them guessing. Made of wood and, lead just like an ordinary pen-) ell, but when your victim starts: to write with it—presto! the lead disappears. It is so con- structed that the slightest pres- sure on the paper makes ‘the ~ lead slide into the wood. Very funny and a’‘practical joke. Price, 10c, each by mail, postpaid; 3 for 25e. H. F. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. Y. oe ee BLACK-EYE JOKE, P New and amusing joker. The victim is told to hold the tube close to his eye so as to exclude all light from the back, and then to remove the tube until pictures appear in the center, In trying to locate the pictures he will re- ceive the finest black-eye you ever saw. We furnish a small box of blackening preparation. with each tube, so the joke can be used in- A ' definitely. Those not in the trick t will be caught every time. Abso- lutely harmless. Price by mail 15¢e. each; 2 for 25¢. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St.. N. Y¥. THE TINA NIC DISASTER, sf t It is a “memorial of the terrible shipwreck portrayed in rhyme by ‘a celebrated poet. These verses are founded on fact and x#ive @& beautiful dSnteresting pleture of the most appalling shipwreck that ever happened. Price 10 cents a copy. hy mail. postpatd. H, F. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. xX. . TRICK CIGARETTE BOX, “This one is a corker! Get @ pox right away)$if you want to have abarrel of joy. Here's the Secret: It looks like an ordt{- nary réd box of Turkish ciga-, rettes. But it contains a trig-. ger) under which you place & paper cap. smoke and he raises the ‘lid of the box. That explodes the cap, and if you are wise you will get out of sight with the box before ue sete over thinking he was shot. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. X. ) LIGHTNING TRICK BOX, we A startling and pleasing illu- sion! ‘The ways of the world are devious,” are admitted to be puzzling and uncertain. You take off the lid : and show your friends that it is Chey full of nice candy... Replace the ld, when you can solemnly assure your friends that you can instantly empty the pox in their presence without opening i taking off the lid again, sure enough the candy } has disappeared. Or you 1 candy into a piece of money by Nee the. directions sent with each box. ‘This is the negtest and best cheap trick ever invented. rice, only 10c.; 3 for 26c., mailed, postpaid, — M. V. GALLIGAN, 419 W. 56th St., N. ¥. . greatest Musical ine ple arg ‘éver panroors ed. It is made e ari hi for either song or plano accompaniment or _ by itself alone. You place the whistlep one ly” Price, ‘15e., postpaid. _ says Matthew Arnold, — put the ways of the Lightning Trick Box when properly handled can change tho — , Offer your friend a. . ‘ itz and « 9 u
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PLOoOCHE AND X10 CFF Chief Warden. Allyn Draper. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - - 168 West 23d St., New York. IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS of our weeklies and cannot procure them from newsdealers, they can be obtained from this office direct. Write out and fill in your Order and send it to us with the price of the weeklies you want and we will send them to you by return mail, POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. : FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - - 168 West 23d St., New York. No. 1. NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND DREAM BOOK.—Containing the great oracle of human destiny; also the true meaning of almost any kind of greams, together with charms, ceremonies, d curious games of No. 2. HOW TO 'TTRICKS.—The great book of magic and card tricks, containing full instruction on all the leading card tricks of the day, also the most popular magical illu- sions as performed by our leading magicians; every boy should obtain a copy of this book. No. 3. HOW TO FLIRT.—The arts and ‘cards. _wiles of flirtation are fully explained by this litle book. Besides the various methods of handkerchief, fan, glove, parasol, window and hat flirtation, it contains a full list of the language and sentiment of flowers. No. 4. HOW TO DANCE is the title of this Httle book. It contains full instructions in the art of dancing, etiquette in the ball- room and at parties, how to dress, and full directions for calling off In all popular square dances, No. 5. HOW TO MAKE LOVE.—A com- plete guide to love, cou>tship and marriage, giving sensible advice, rules and etiquette to be observed, with many curious and interest- ing things not generally known. No. 6. HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE. —Giving full instruction for the use of dumb- bells, Indian clubs, parallel bars, horizontal bars and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over sixty illustrations. No. 7% HOW TO KEEP BIRDS.—Hand- somely illustrated and containing full instruc- - tions for the management and training of the canary, mockingbird, bobolink, blackbird, paro- oquet, parrot, etc. No. 9. HOW TO BECOME A VENTRILO- QUIST.—By Harry Kennedy. Every intelli- gent boy reading this book of instructions can master the art, and create any amount of fun for himself and friends. It is the greatest book ever published. No. 10. HOW TO BOX.—The art of self- defense made easy. Containing over thirty {llustrations of guards, blows, and the differ- ent positions of a good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of these useful and instruc- tive books, as it will teach you how to box without an instructor. No. 11. HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS, —A most complete little book, sontaining full directions for writing love-letters, and when when to use them, giving specimen letters for young and old. No. 12. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO IES.—Giving complete instructions for writing letters to ladies on all subjects; also jetters of introduction, notes and requests. "No. 18. HOW TO DO IT; OR, BOOK OF FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - HTIQUETTE.—it is a great life secret, and one that every young man desires to know about. There’s happiness in it. No. 14. HOW TO MAKE CANDY.—A complete hand-book for making all kinds of candy, ice-cream, syrups, essences, etc., etc. No. 18. HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL. —One of the brightest and most valuable little books ever given to the world. Every- body wishes to know how to become beauti- ful, both male and female. The secret is simple, and almost costless. No. 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EVEN- ING PARTY.—A complete compendium of games, sports, card diversions, comic recita- tions, etc., suitable for parlor or drawing- room entertainment. It contains more for the money than any book published. No 21. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH.—The most complete hunting and fishing guide ever published. It contains full instructions about guns, hunting dogs, traps, trapping and fish- ing, together with description of game and fish. No. 22. HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT.— Helier’s second sight explained by his former assistant, Fred Hunt, Jr. Explaining how the secret dialogues were carried on between the magician and the boy on the stage; also giv- yo all the codes and signals. o. 28. HOW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS.— This little book gives the explanation to all kinds of dreams, together with lucky and unlucky days. J No. 24. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO GENTLEMEN.—Containing full directions for writing to gentlemen on all subjects. No. 25. HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST.— Containing full instructions for ,all kinds of gymnastic sports and athletic exercises. Em- bracing thirty-five illustrations. By Professor W. Macdonald. No. 26. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND BUILD A BOAT.—Fully illustrated. Full inatructions are given in this little book, together with in- structions on swimming and riding, companion sports to boating. No. 27. HOW TO RECITE AND BOOK OF RECITATIONS.—Containing the most popular selections in use, comprising Dutch dialect, French dialect, Yankee and Irish dialect pieces, together with many standard readings. No. 28. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES.— Everyone is desirous of knowing what his fu- ture life will bring forth, whether happiness or misery, wealth or poverty. You can tell by a glance at this little book. Buy one and be convinced. No. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVEN- TOR.—Every boy should know how inventions originated. This book explaina them all, giv- ing example in electricity, hydraulics, magne- tism, optics, pneumatics, mechanics, ete. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be gent to any address on rece!pt of price, 10 cts. per copy, HOW TO COOK.—One of the most. No. 30. instructive books on cooking ever published. ies 7 “ Regtips ISSUES 178 _ ao = Beco canoer or, The Search for the Lost Gold overnor Gus; or, e War on No-Man’s Isl f 8. y AD cout. 762 Lost on the Pirate's Tele ors THe! Ship a Ai 6 ore ay 179 Madcap, the Miday ; or, Tracking a Pirate's Treasure. By Captain ap’t. Thos. H. Wilson. t ORs eon 763 A Wizac of Wall Street; or, Th 780 Captain Columbia; or, The Wonderful Adventures of a Young igen ey ek stad ee American. By Berton Bertrew. ; 764 Little B. B.; or, The Boy With the Bear. By Allyn Draper. 781 The Young Rip Van Winkle. A Story of Adventure. By Richard 765 Fred the Foundry Boy; or Fighting the Iron Kings. By Richard R. emery. Prag Tes omery. eae = 782 Noung, Mone meee: or, The Millions of the Sunken Island. 76 e e World; or. The Slaves of Siberia. By H s Sonne agen eens Uae 767 ee ae of pees or, The Boy Miners of Biiseard Bay. By 783 me sacares. Toll House; or, The Ghosts of the River Road. , erritt. y n Draper. 768 ig tein His Double; or, The Church Under the River. By Allan | 784 pe Dead, Duelist; or, The Hero of the Elba, By General Jas. : . Gordon. 769 General Crook’s Boy Scout; or, Beyond the Si 785 Down on the Old Farm; or, A Brave Boy’s Fight for a Home. An Old Scout, 4 aighinc rata oe! By Allan Arnold. 4 est 770 The Big Blue Diamond; or, The Boy Elephant Hunters of Ceylon. | 786 The Nine of Nineveh; or, The Boys Who Beat the League. By By_ Berton Bertrew. H. K. Shackleford. 771 Me Paes Boys or, Cutting Their Way to the Pole. By | 787 penne he 9 Jack; or, The Boys of the Panhandle Range. By P. T. : , Wa ee son. ymond. 3 772 That Boy of Brown's; or, The Wreck of the Denver Mall. By | 788 Three Strikes and Out; or, The Boss Battery of the Boss Ball Club. Berton Bertrew. 789 On the Square; or, The Only Way to Win. By Allan Arnold. 773 The Rival Automobiles; or, A Race for a Hundred Thousand. By | 790 Sam and His Shadow; or, The Mystery of the Other Boy. By Allyn Draper. Berton Bertrew. 174 tg et al or, The Young Prince of the Throttle. By Jas. |791 Three Treasure Wrecks; or, The Remarkable Cruise of the ‘Red, 775 Nat. the B . White and Blue.’””’ By Capt. Thos. H. Wilson. at er oy Wonder; or, Downing the White Robed Band. By | 792 Billy, the Bank Messenger; or, The Boy Who Was Shut in the 7716 Th en rnold. Vault. By Rickard R. Montgomery. By Mier rented or, the Pride of the Boss Boarding School. | 793 ae ye pape Wye a Strange adventures of Two American Boys. , . y Gen. Jas. A. Gordon. 777 Hero Forty-Four; or, The Boy Fireman of Ashland. By Hx-Fire!794 Hal, the Lighthouse Boy; or, The Mystery of Ragged Rocks. By It containg recipes for cooking meats, fith, game, and oysters; also and all kinds of pastry, tion of recipes. No. 31. HOW.TO BECOME A SPEAKER. —Containing fourteen illustrations, giving the different positions requisite to become a good speaker, reader and elocutionist. Also con- taining gems from all the popularmuthors of pies, puddings, cakes and a grand collec- prose and poetry. No. 32. HOW TO RIDE A_ BICYCLE.— Containing instructions for beginners, choice of a machine, hints on eas etc, A com- plete book, Full of practical illustrations. No. 35. HOW TO PLAY GAMES.—A com- plete and useful little book, containing the rules and regulations of billiards, bagatelle, backgammon, croquet, dominoes, etc. No. 36. HOW TO SOLVE CONUNDRUMS, —Containing all the leading conundrums of the day, amusing riddles, curious catches and witty sayings. y No. 38. HOW TO BECOME YOUR OWN DOCTOR.—A wonderful book, containing use- ful and practical information in the treatment of ordinary diseases and ailments common to every family. Abounding in useful and effec- tive "recipes for general complaints, No. 39. HOW TO RAISE DOGS, POULTRY, PIGEONS AND RABBITS.—A useful and in- structive book. Handsomely illustrated. No. 40. HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS, —lncluding hints on how to catch moles, weasels, otter, rats, squirrels and birds. Also how to cure skins. Copiously illustrated. No. 41. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK END MEN’S JOKE BOOK.—Containing a great va- riety of the latest jokes used by the most famous end men. ‘ min complete without this wonderful little book, No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUMP SPEAKER.—Containing a varied as- sortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch and Irish. Also end men’s jokes. Just the thing for home amusement and amateur shows. No, 43. HOW TO BECOME A MAGICIAN, —Containing the grandest assortment of mag- ical illusions ever placed before the public, Also tricka with cards. incantations, etc. No. 44. HOW TO WRITE IN AN = BUM.—A grand collection of Album Verses suitable for any time and occasion; embrac- ing Lines of Love, Affection, Sentiment, Hu- mor, Respect, and Condolence; also Versea Suitable for Valentines and Weddings. No. 45. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK MIN- STREL GUIDE AND JOKE BOOK.—Some- thing new and very instructive. Every boy should obtain this book, as it contains full {nstructiong for organizing an amateur min- strel troupe. or 8 for 25 cts., in money or postage stamps, by New 7 - 168 West 28d St., No amateur minstrels is