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i Bz ? No. 134.

NEW YORK, February 20,

1915. Price Five Cents.

 

HL Or, MYSTERIOUS MR. LEE.

- ‘

CHAPTER 1.
IN THE GYM.

The big German liner Kronprinzessin Cectlie, was near-
ang the coast of England, when she was notified by wire-
fess that war had been declared between England and
Germany, and she was ordered to return at full speed to
America, to avoid capture by English warships.

- She was crowded with passengers sailing for England
and Europe, dnd carried a vast treasure of gold that
S being shipped by America to European banks.
With her lights out, and under full steam, the great
‘liner swung about and made a record and reckless run
© ack across the Atlantic, plunging blindly through fog,
a ae and through the perils of icebergs. Fearing capture if
1), on tried to reach either New York or Boston, she sought
Shelter in the insecure waters of Bar Harbor, on the
» coast cf Maine. Months later she was convoyed by Amer-
~ iean war vessels to her winter berth in Boston.
But what has all this to do with Fardale Academy?
Let us see.
A number of husky young fellows were amusing
i themselves, as well as getting good_exercise, in the Far-
ries dale gym, always a popular place, and particularly so in
rl "winter and early spring.
Lh 9) Frank Mer’iwell, junior, known to his friends as Chip,
“a ee was playing a merry drumbeat with the punching bag, for
Withe instruction of Jake Jelliby, who was trying to take
PP earnest note of every movement, though at times Chip’s
by rapidity ‘baffled even his keen gray eyes.
Other young fellows were on the horizontal bars, on
Se the ladders, or practicing with the flying rings.
| Gertain others, having ambitions for running and sprint-
a ing records, were pounding round and round the big hall
pon the running track. While still others were leaping,
>of pulling at weights. In a. far corner, where there was

   
   
  

    

x

 
  

  
    
   
     
 
  
 

By BURT L.. STANDISH.

a cinder bed, an athletic fellow was practicing at putting
the shot.

It was, altogether, a busy and cheerful scene, and
there was much light talk and laughter. :

Owen Clancy had just come in, bringing a breath of
the outdoors, and was calling merrily to the friends he
saw here and there. He even spoke to the Duke and
Bronson Avery, though he did not like them, and they
knew it.

“Hello, Kess!” he called to the stout German lad, who

was bending forward and back, and up and down side-:

wise, while he. toed a mark on the floor. “Are you try-
ing to imagine that you’re a contortionist, or a human eel?
If you should succeed in tying yourself into a knot, you'd
stay that way forever.”

“T am reducing mein fattiness,” said Kess;
der toctor he saidt I musdt exercise or die-et, und I ton’dt
vant to die-yet. Aber I ton’dt——”

“You'll make me die yet, if you crack any more jokes
like that,” said Clancy.

“Vos dot a shoke? I tidn’t mean idt. Der toctor vos
wery earnesdt und insensiple vhen he saidt it.”

Chip Merriwell had stepped back, and was coaching
Jelliby in the use of the punching bag; and was given a
stare of freezing displeasure by the Duke.

Not so long before that any one there could forget it,
the Duke had given Jelliby a severe whipping, in a straight
stand-up fight. Jelliby was the larger and stronger, and
if appearances counted for anything he ought to have

knocked out the Duke with one hand tied behind him, yet:

the Duke had easily given him a terrible trouncing. The
Duke had ‘skill, and Jelliby had only strength and awk-

- wardness.

The Duke knew that since then. Chip Merriwell had
been coaching Jelliby in various exercises, sparring, box-
ing, wrestling, and the like, and it seemed to be gener-

 
  

“vhen I seen .

~~

  
2 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

ally known that some time or other Jelliby and the Duke
would have to meet again, when the conditions of the
contest would not be go unequal.

“Just itnagine you are standing up for a fight,” coached
Chip; “stand about the same distance off that you would
then, see?”

Jelliby got into position.

‘This ‘ere thing can’t hit back, though,” he urged.

“Oh, it can’t?” said Chip. “You'll find out that it can,
if you don’t look sharp!”

“Haow’s this?”

“All right. Now step in lightly with your left foot,
anid, as you do so, swing, and put your weight behind it.
The bag will come back at you. So you must duck your
head to the left to keep from being hit. Now,

Jelliby followed instructions, and struck the bag hard.

He was not quick enough in ducking his head, and it
banged him on the right cheek.

“It can’t hit back, eh?” cried Chip, with a laugh.

“Waal——”

“Try it again. This time, as soon as you’ve delivered
your blow and ducked, get right into position and do it
ovér again. Lively, now!”

Jelliby went at the punching bag as if he meant to kill
it, for by nature he was of the hammer-and-tongs kind,
and he soon succeeded in letting it rap him 80 hard on
the nose that the blood came.

”
go!

But he wiped it away, and pluckily went at the work

again.

“My,” he yelled, after getting in a satisfactory blow
and avoiding the return, “ef thet had been the head of
any feller it’d knocked him aout; I was jest imaginin’
that it was some feller’s eye!”

“Now try the left lead,” said Chip.

He directed again:

“This time you’re to hit out with your left, and drive

. straight for the bag, and your head goes to the right,

to avoid the return. Your right forearm goes across
your breast, you know, to guard. Now try that.”

Jelliby/ was not so successful as when he was swing-
ing with his right. He had been brought up to heavy
work in the country, and while that had made him strong,
it had given him an uneven development, and he was nat-
urally right-handed.

“That’s all for your benefit, old chap, donchuknow!”
said Avéry, itt an aside to his friend, the Duke.

Duke Basil sneered.

“It’s amusing, weally. Chip Merriwell knows that J
know what he is up to. But it’s a joke, donchuknow.
He might coach that calf from the alfalfa pastures for
a year and he would still be only a bawling calf. Chip’s
wasting his time.”

When awkward Jelliby got a terrific smack in the face
from the punching bag the Duke waved his hand airily.

“Vou won’t do, Jelliby—you won't do!” he called across
the room, “If you’re paying Merriwell anything for in-
structing you how to toy with that thing, you’re losing
your money. Merriwell doesn’t know mucii about it him-
self, donchuknow! But you're amusing, Jelliby—mighty
amusing, so ¢o on! I'll stand here and watch you.’

The Duke had come into the gym after Chip and Jel-
liby were already at this practice, so they had not thought
it. well to stop, merely becattse he and Avery had en-
tered. But now Chip’s face grew red, and jelliby’s flamed
with anger.

“This is aour own little séance,” said Jelliby; “yeou :
ain’t invited to look on, ye know. I’d advise ye tiot tew,
if it hurts yer eyes.” SS ee

“Oh, go on!” the Duke begged. “You're better than ”
a turn in vaudeville. I-didn’t mean to stop you, donéliu- ~
know.” e

The Duke affected elegance, and imitated what he
thought were the mannerisms of the English. One @x
pected to see a monocle stuck in his face any day. He
considered himself one of the bluest of bluebloods.

Yet there was another side to the Duké-in fact, sev-
eral sides. He was an ambitious and natutal leader, a
fine athlete, and a master of nearly every form of school
and college sport.

At Brightwood Academy, from which he had éome to
Fardale, he had stood at the top, had led in everything,
and had a host of adherents atid: imitators.

But after he had been at Brightwood a year it Rad
soaked through him that the place was a little fresh-water.

school, and far and away inferior to Fardale in every

respect. Tor that reason, and because he had believed he ©
could switig things at Fardale as he had at Brightwood,
he had come over to the more popular school.

He ought to have remained at Brightwood. At Far
dale, during the first half of the year, he had come up
against the leadership and opposition of Owen Clancy,
And in the second half against the leadership and cn
sition of -Chip Merriwell. MS

Angered and humiliated because he had been deprives’
of what he considered was his due, he had used dishon- —
orable and unfair tactics to gain what he could not
achieve by fair ones; some of the things he had dome Rave
ing been too villainous for words,

Yet he had gathered round him at Fardale a strong
circle of fellows, of somewhat similar propensities—feh
lows who did not like Owen Clancy, and others who did
not like Chip, with those who believed that because Ghip
was a Merriwell, he had been given, and continued to, Te-
céive, ufifair advancement. fig re

A school like Fardale tends to divide into cliques @iNE
hatch rivalries, and this year it had been so there alflost
beyond precedent.

“Pay no attention to him, Chip,
pleased with the Duke’s comment.

“Oh, I’m not!” said Chip,
ahead, Jelliby!”

Jake Jelliby went on with the bag punching, and Che
Mertiwell with the coaching.

At length there was interruption.

_In at the front entrance two strangely contrasted figures — ;
had wandered.

One was a man of middle age, who had a shrewd fagel”
and twinkling dark eyes, and who carried a queer Objege™
undér his arm, hidden by his coat, and in his Rand fi’
soiled leather bag.

The othér was a small boy who was so dlegan
dréssed that he seemed to have stepped out of ther
pages of a fairy book, with his yellow hair falling on
his collar, his bright and glancing blue eyes, and the vel
vet and silk and flashing jewlry which adorned him,

“[’'m looking for Mr. Jacob Jelliby,” the man an
nounced.

“And I’m looking for the Duke,”
a high musical voice.

, a , * a “4
” some one called ‘Mot

“Ge
}

with a grim laugh,

the child piped in,

 
ea

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 3

CHAPTER II.
THE TALKING HEAD.

“] want tew know!” cried Jelliby.
“Here I am,” said the Duke.
They hurried forward, and drew with them and after
‘them® nearly every fellow in the gym.
‘ “Why, you little rascal!” the Duke shouted. “What
re ‘are you doing, here?”
Flinging into the Duke’s outstretched arms, the child
~ looked about with a glance of laughing defiance.
“Tye runned away,” he cried.
_- Jelliby glanced from the man to the child, and back
+ again.
ae, s my name,” he said; “if yeou’ve been lookin’
» for Take Jelliby you’re naow lookin’ at him. I’m him.”
/ Phe man put out his hand.
+ @im Simeon Lee,” he said.
: elliby’s gray eyes rounded.
ii ae tew know! Thought you was in England?
aal-——’

; be
et ae
- of oe

© > T set out for England, as in my letter I told you I
meant to,” the man explained; “but—J didn’t get there!
* ts bee a passenger on the Kronprinzessin Cecilie, the Ger-
2 fan passenger steamer that was turned back to America
}wireless at the opening of the war. So I didn’t get
© England ; but I’m hoping to in time, Mr. Jelliby. That
“indie fortune over there——”
Jelliby flushed, and glanced nervously about
» “Weill jest go intew my room in the barracks here and
4h talk that over,” he urged; “this ain’t no place fer it!”
“That is a good idea,” said the man.
_ He glanced at the child snuggling in the arms of the
Duke.

_“The kid was on the train,’ he explained, “and the
conductor put him off here, and I just brought him along,
_ as he seemed to have no one to look out for him. He
| Said he wanted to find the Duke. I told him there wa’n’t
_ Mone this side o’ England, but he said there was one in
 Fardale Academy.
© “Ks 1 was looking fer a young fellow in~Fardale
Academy. I just took him under my wing. He said he
i} away from somewheres. But no kid like him
‘ought to be round loose, with all them glitterin’ gems
and gold rings and things. I had a notion to swipe ’em
myself, and might ’a’ risked it if I hadn’t thought they
must be paste and brass.”

f “Well, they aren't,” said the Duke in a lofty tone.
But it’s a funny thing about the Prince—I mean about

Dukes and princes,’ commented the man. “I must
' been dreamin’ that I didn’t get over to England.”
e just call him that at home, donchuknow,” the Duke
xplained frostily.

“At home,” said the child, “he’s the Duke and I’m the
'rince.. But mamma is dead now, and so I’ve been livin’
© "with nurse and the governess; and I just runned away.”

“Still, he isn’t my brother,” the Duke explained, “but
my ‘ittle nephew. He has been in fine hands, with a
splendid nurse and governess, in Boston——”

“She .ain’t nice—she’s a hateful old thing! And the
governess is never there. So I runned away. And I’ni
going to stay here. I like all of you,” he added, as he
swept the circle of faces. “But you ought to see what

the man has got, tucked under his arm, with his coat held
over it. It’s the funniest thing! And it can really talk!”

The man produced what he had been apparently con-
cealing. -

“It can talk, all right,” he said. “I been giving little
exhibitions with it. Thereby I wheedle out of some old
farmer a few meals, or earn a few cents or a few dollars
now and then, to help me along. When I landed in Bar
Harbor from the Kronprinzessin Cecilie I was dead broke,
and but for this talking head I guess I should have
starved.”

He brought it forth, with this explanation—one of those
effigies used by ventriloquists. A wooden head carved
to resemble that of a negro, and painted black, was the
thing most noticeable about it. But there was a body,
and dangling legs, the whole clothed fantastically, like a
negro minstrel.

Squatting on the floor of the gym, with that ring of
young fellows round him, the man set the queer wooden
figure on his knee, and, pressing’a spring at the back,
made the huge mouth open and close with a jerk that
brought a scream of laughter from the child.

“It’s got a mouth, hasn’t it? And it can talk!
it talk.”

Bending over the effigy, the man lowered his head, and,
with a sort of ventriloquial croaking, and movements of
the yawning mouth, he made the head seem to say:

“Good mawnin’ to you-alls!’ Dis is what I calls scrump-
tious winteh weatheh. But ef’t hadn’t been, fo’ de fool
wat totes me roun’——”

The man smacked it heavily in. the face.

“You mustn’t speak about me in that manner, Alonzo!”
he corrected. “How many times must I tell you to speak
of me only as’ Mr. Lee?”

“Dat fool, Mr. Lee, wat totes me roun’——

Smack!

The elfin laughter of the child rose to a screech of
delight. M

“Goodness tuh gracious, w’at does you want me tuh
say?” the head protested.

“Gr-r-r-r-r—woo-f !”

The man jerked his head round.

“Where’s that dog?” he asked nervously.

A titter ran round the circle. ‘

“You’ve got a dog in that box!” the man declared. “Is
he chained? I’m afraid of dogs?”

“He’s chained,” said Chip, finding it hard to keep his
face. straight.

The man stood up and looked at the box, and at Chip
crouching on the floor by it.

Make

”

“Tell the black man what you want him to say,” the
child piped.

“Perhaps you was going to ship the dog,”
man, “the box seems to be closed?”

He was much relieved by the discovery, and, dropping
down, he began again the “patter” of his conversation
with the talking’ head.

The box shook suddenly behind him, as if it was about
to overturn, and the dog broke in:

“Gr-r-r-r—woof ! i

said the

Woof—woof!
The man leaped up in sudden fright.
“That dog will break out!’ he exclaimed. “He came
near doing it then. Take him out of the room, or I can’t
do anything.”

}
{

 
   

    

 

A titter ran round the room. Chip laughed.
the box round, then, and showed that it was. empty.

.The man stared.

“No dog in there!” he cried. “Well,

“You acknowledges yo’sclf dat you is a fool,
yuh?” said the head.

It was not the man who had made it say this,. and
he jumped, and stared at the head.

“Oh, doan’ look at me dat way, white man!” the head
protested. “You makes me blush!”

The man forced a laugh, and glanced round.

“There’s a better ventriloquist in this room than J am,”
he admitted. “Who is he?”

“Chip Merriwell,” said Clan;
his!”

“Dot iss righdt,” cried Kess.
me tink I am dalking myselluf. Vun dime I am a dog
under my bedt; und anodder dime, oudt in der basture,
I am a goat vot iss going to butt my prains oudt behint
me, und I am yoomping to climb a dree pefore I know
IT am idt, und dot Chip iss mit me by himselluf making
der noises.”

“It’s one of Chip’s old games here,” explained Clan.

“Then I'll stop,” said the man, and lifted the talking
head from his knees.

“No, go on,” Chip urged;
I'll keep still.”

“You've got to go on, you know!” declared the piping
yoice of the child. “But I‘want to see where the dog
was.” '

He squirmed out of the Duke’s arms, and, coming
-round, looked gravely at the empty box and at Chip.

“T like you,” he said to Chip.

“You’re a dandy,” said Chip, and gave him a squeeze.

“No, I’m a Prince,” he said, and went back to the
arms of the Duke, shaking his yellow curls, while the rings
on his little. fingers, and the jewels at his throat and in
his clothing flashed their alluring fire.

Mr. Simeon Lee had to start his “patter” all over again.
in order to go through it without a break, and he gave a
performance of the talking head that was so highly sat-
isfactory to the Prince that at the end the Duke gra-
ciously put a five-dollar bill in his hand.

“Yours to command,” said the man, rising and looking
at him strangely. “I’ve been hearing that this place was
a den of millionaires, and here’s proof of it. I’m glad the
Kronprinzessin Cecilie brought me back, and now I’m
going to stay here.”

“We ain’t all so rich, Mr. Lee,” Jake Jelliby corrected.
“I’m poor as a church mouse myself, and I got a lot o’
company in this academy, tew, so I don’t feel nowise
lonesome.”

“Oh, well,” and the man flung him a glance, and
laughed, “when you come into the Jelliby fortune, you
know! If it hadn’t been for the Kronprinzsessin-—-”

  
  
   
   
   
 
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
  
  
  
   
   
   
 
  
  
    
  
  
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
   
    
   
  
  
   
    
   

I'm a fool!”
does

“that’s an old game of

“Somedimes he iss make

“we really want to hear it.

“Cut it aout!’ protested Jelliby. “Yeou’re goin’ tew
make me the larfin’stock o’ this hull academy.”

“The Jelliby fortune?” remarked the Duke. “I hadn’t
heard of that.”

“Nobuddy else,” said Jelliby.

“Oh, now, Jelliby, you can’t turn it off that way,” the

“So you might as well tell it.”

“Waal, | dunno whether it’s so er not,” said Jelliby
apologetically; “and this man knows more’n | dew abaout
it, anyhow, but the’s a fortune in England thet belongs

Duke urged.

4 NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY,

 

He turned

 

   
    

   

tew the Jelliby heirs, and as I’m one of ’em, I’d Tike tew
Mr. Lee, here, he’s a Jelliby,

        
 
  
 
  
  

   
   
 
  
   

 

 

pull in my share, ye know.
on his mother’s side, and he’s th’ one whut has the thing.” ‘
in charge, and was goin’ tew England tew look into it fer
all the other heirs. Them payin’ him suthin’, so that he
could dew it. And he was, it seems, on thet German
steamship whut couldn’t git acrost, and had tew come. :
back, and-——~” 1. i
He stopped abruptly. +
“Waal, I s’pose thet’s all. You've heard him tell haow
he couldn't git over there.” th Bh 2 :
“But I’m going yet,” said Lee; “and the fortune is {ac .
there, in the chancery court, awaiting proof from hey e g
heirs; it’s been there a long time.” i” A
“And it seems,” said Jelliby, starting up again, after ite :
had decided to stop, “thet the first an’ orig’nal Jelliby ey.
come over intew England with William the Conqueror, nd f
the Jellibys have been some punkins there ever sense th n, a
and a good deal o’ property has been piled up, and na Wity z ¢
all th’ Jellibys in England aire dead, and only - them: ae:
America——” Soy ee a SI
Again he stopped abruptly. i 8
“Aw, whut am I doin’? I dunno nothin’ abaout if, on n
whut Mr. Lee writ me, and the printed proofs whut fe
sent, and the like o’ thet. I ain’t got the money vic labdl +o
I’m needin’ it bad. I writ tew Mr. Lee, when I tearnéd
thet he was gittin’ on track o’ the thing, and thet's re
way of it. But he’s back naow——” t hi
“But I shall start again,’ said Lee confidently, #) |
% |
CHAPTER III. Ly st
JELLIBY’S REQUEST. j 2
The entrance upon the scene at Fardale of Simeon Lee
and his talking head, and of the Duke’s diminutive ata
nephew gave a fillip of excitement to the entire cadet WH of
body at a time when more stirring interests were away - co

on a vacation. 4 at

There had been tremendous enthusiasm and intense ; ] to
rivalry at Fardale recently. The alluring sport of ice? - 1 an
yacht racing had held the attention of everybody. An iced, . to
yacht crew, led by Chip Merriwell, had contested with one tu
led by the Duke in building and racing on the 1 ha
‘ice yacht that should represent Fardale in a stillyg ! ge
race with a yacht built by the school at Fairport. i

Chip and his friends had made a plucky fight for

 

 
 
   
  
 
  
 
 
   
   

square and honest sport, and had won against the schem- a
ing and treacherous opposition of the Duke and his friends. ak 4
and certain scoundrels among the Fairport crew. . a
Much bad blood had been brewed, and the end wag 4 “Wy
yet. There was simply a lull in the strife. A battle Gage ,
not be waged all the time. It is against nature, Re au als
tion always follows action. In a campaign there are i v3
and truces. In business there are slack periods and
time for taking account of stock. 7 get
The rival forces at Fardale were taking stock. Each’ ‘
side was estimating its chances in the struggles that werg”
sure to come, Chip was strengthening and heartening his” es
friends. The Duke was working to get a better foot- mt
hold at Fardale and win over more adherents, oe
In short, the battle lines were forming again. tha
In the midst of this. at a time when diversion of a
thought was needed, Mr, Simeon Lee had dropped in with pm
his talking head, and there had also come the Prince, the’ a

   
 

   

bright-eyed and charming little runaway, glittering and
    

ae ee oP.) ee eee
PDS c é

 

 

‘ing the American heirs.

 

him all round, he’s

NEW TIP

 

sparkling and dancing as if his feet had tripped down the
path from fairyland.

That the Duke could have any one so charming: who
was rightfully his relative was, at first blush, almost in-
conceivable. If any one had ever thought of the Duke’s
relatives, knowing that he was wealthy, they had thought
of them as supercilious and purse-proud, and, altogether,
even worse, if possible, than the Duke himself.

Yet here was a little fellow whom anybody could love,
though it could be seen that he was willful and prankish,
or he would not have run away from his nurse and
governess; and the jewels which flashed on his cloth-
ing upheld the general Fardale idea that the Duke's peo-
ple were rolling in wealth, and were of a kind to make
a great display of their possessions.

That Jake Jelliby, heretofore supposed to be shrewd
and hard-headed, who needed every dollar he had or
could carn, who was literally working his way through
Fardale, and was known to be saving to the point of
stinginess, had “fallen” for Mr. Simeon Lee’s “fortune”
gtaft, was the most surprising thing of all, and furnished
no end of talk.

No sooner did Chip and his friends drop the subject,
than some one was sure to take it up again.

“They were still talking about it that evening in the
room which Chip shared with Clancy, and to which Kess
had come for a bit of social chat.

“It gets my goat!” said Clancy.

» “Same here,” said Chip. “About every new moon a
story is started about a great fortune in England await-
Sometimes the fortune is in
France of Spain.”

“Castles in Spain,” Clancy chirped.

“Now it’s the Jelliby fortune. The story was started,
of course, by this man Lee, for grafting purposes. He
contrived to get into communication with all the Jellibys
and Jelliby descendants he could get track of, and set out
to make them think a great fortune was awaiting them,
and that it was only necessary for them to raise money
to send him over there to look into it and get the for-
tune for them. Jelliby has admitted to me that he has
had his leg pulled twice by Mr. Lee, and is out, alto-
gether, fifty dollars of his hard-got earnings.”

“dot hafing
vhen he iss

“Und der quensequences iss,” said Kegs,
peen so successful, Lee iss came here now,

_ broke, to pull Chelliby’s leg again some more dimes.”

“I'm afraid he'll do it, too,” Chip declared.

“Jelliby’s a fool,” was Clancy’s uncharitable assertion.
“Would you think he could be ‘worked’ so dead easy?”

“Well, you know that Jelliby is always floating some
kind of scheme by which he is going to make big money.
I think that explains it. Jelliby wants to get rich, and
get rich quick. Lee approached him on his weak side.”

“But Jelliby is no get-rich-quick grafter |”

“No, he’s honest,” Chip admitted; “that is, he's as hon-
est as a fellow of his type can be.
for chances, and when he sees what he thinks is a good
one, he’s apt to forget his strict honesty. He's the kind
that would skin you out of your eyes in a horse trade,
and think himself cute in getting the best of you. Yet
he thinks he’s all right, and he means all right, and, take
a mighty good fellow. He'll stand by
a friend.”

There was a gentle tap on the door.

He's always looking,

TOP WEEKLY. | 5

Jelliby stood there, when Clancy opened it. He came
in smiling, but looking a bit confused.

“I heerd ye takin’ my name in vain,” he admitted; “ye
oughtn’t talk so laoud.”

“We've just been figuring out how many kinds of a fool
idiot: you are,” Clan brazenly confessed. “Take a chair,
there, Jel. How’s the fortune in England?”

“Waal, I ain’t got it yit. That’s whut I came to see
ye abaout, tew. I was a two-ply idiot fer speakin’ aout
as I did in the gym this afternoon. I was kind of sur-
prised intew if, let all holts go, and was fallin’ before I
knowed it. But naow that the cat’s aout o’ the bag, the’
ain't no sort o’ use tryin’ to tuck the animile back in
ag’in. It can’t be did.”

Having accepted the seat, he looked about uneasily.

“I want tew raise twenty-five dollars, and I don’t know
where else’ to go except tew yeou fellers. I allaowed
mebby that between ye yeou c’u’d help me aout that much.”

“Mr. Lee is pulling your leg again,” said Chip. “I
thought you walked lame as you stepped through the
doorway !”

Jelliby tried to laugh.

“Naw! My knee is still lame séme, at times, frum
that crack I got on the ice when the ice yacht went
over.”

“But you want the money for Lee?”

“Waal,” said Jelliby, “he allaows if he c’u’d raise a
hundred dollars he could git acrost to England, and still
have somethin’ left over to work with when he got there.
There was a muddle at Bar Harbor, he says, and he was
left stranded—didn’t have a cent, and’s been workin’ his
way daown the coast ever sense, on his way tew Boston.
Jest bummin’ along, and manigin’ tew git enough to eat
by givin’ exhibitions: with his talkin’ head. He’s a good
ventriloquist, he says, and if he was onct in England he
c’u’d manige tew git along there by givin’ exhibitions in
the small taowns. He’s as much int’rested in that Jelliby
fortune as I be——’

“Which is sure a whole lot,” said Clan.

“He allowed,” Jelliby went on, “that if I ¢’u’d raise
him twenty-five dollars, he knows of some more Jelliby
heirs aout of whom he c’u’d mebby raise seventy-five
more, er the like of that, and then he’d go acrost in the
fust steamer goin’, and hope fer better luck.”

“How much money did he set out with before?” asked
Clan,

“He had two hundred dollars, but it was stole from him
on the bo’t. And when he c’u’dn’t git any of his passage
money back at Bar Harbor, he was strapped,”

Jelliby’s gray eyes were big and almost luminous. This
dream of a fortune had gripped him hard.

“Jelliby,” said Chip, “we'd try to raise that money for
you, if we weren’t sure that Mr. Lee-is deliberately
swindling you. We'd try to raise it if you wanted it for
a board bill or tuition or clothing or even for athletic
expenses—any old thing except to hand it over to that
man Lee.”

“For we don’t believe there is any Jelliby fortune in
England, to put it plain,” added Clancy. “That’s an old
game, Jelliby--and you ought to have heard of it. The
first thing is always a call for expense money, and then
more expensé money, until the deluded heirs are bled
white. I’m your friend, Jelliby, and that’s why I drive
straight out from the shoulder.”

It could be seen that Jelliby was disturbed, but he re-

 
6

fused to let his faith in Simeon Lee and the attractive
fortune in England be shaken.

’ He was about to retreat from the room, when again
there was a knock on the door.

This time Lee stood there.

“Hello!” he said, sidling in softly. “I got permission
to come up here and see Mr. Merriwell.”

He had his soiled leather bag, and, dropping it to the
floor, he took from it the talking head.

“T want you to keep this,” he said to Chip. “I got a
letter out o’ the post office here a while ago, and ’twas
from Boston, and I may go there to-night, or soon.”

He fixed his shrewd eyes on Jelliby.

“It was from that one of the heirs in Boston I was
tellin’ you about,” he observed; “he thinks maybe he can
raise me a little money. If I can get started, you know,
and have funds enough to go on and see two or three
of the heirs I have in my mind, I believe I could raise
a fund big enough to do some good. But I'll talk about
this to you some other time, Mr. Jelliby—if you haven't
time now.”

Jelliby got out of his chair.

“Anything yeou’ve got tew say can be said naow as
well as some other time, I allaow,” he said, and followed
Lee out of the room.

CHAPTER IV.
THE BURGLAR.

“He’s got his hooks in Jelliby, all right,” Chip Merri-
‘well commented, and turned to look at the talking head.

“Why was this half of the Punch and Judy show con-
fided to thy care?” Owen Clancy asked lightly.

“Yoost because he can make idt dalk to me,”
surmised.

“Maybe you're right, Kess, for it would, be lonesome
if it-had nobody to talk to. One ventriloquist has a kind
and brotherly feeling for the other ventriloquist, and
‘leaves him his talking head. Wind it up, Chip.”

Chip went through the motions of winding up the
effigy, and instantly the room became filled with the
“gr-r-r-r” and barking of a small dog.

‘Doggy, doggy—don’t bite!” Clancy coaxed.

“Gr-r-r-r! Woof—woof! Gr-r-r-r! , Woof—woo- th
| Grer-r-r-r——”

A’step was heard outside, and the door flew open.

The cadet guard of the evening looked in.

Kess

“No dogs are permitted in any of these rooms,” he-

said sharply.
Chip had chucked the talking head out of sight be-
hind him and dropped an old cadet cloak over it.
“Dogs are barred!” said the guard, looking hard at
him.
“He iss gone,” said Kess; “I seen him fly oudt by der
 vinder in.”
: “We haven’t any dog in here,” Chip declared.
-. “T heard a dog in here, and I heard Mr. Clancy speaking
pate |») aK SS
_ “But there is no dog in here,” Chip insisted.
“Do you want me to take you to the guardhouse, and
prefer charges against you for lying and violating the
- Fules” ‘
“You're welcome to do that,”

said Chip, “if you can

find a dog in here.” cope SNe et lied aA Sie

|

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

The guard came in, glanced round the room, looked
under the cots, and in every place where a dog might be
concealed, but he did not look under the old cloak, which _
lay almost flat on the floor, for at a glance it seemed no
dog could be hidden there. ‘

He retreated, red-faced.

No sooner had he closed the door behind him than:

“Gr-r-r-r! Woof—woof!”

“Keep that dog quiet, or we shall all be pinched; e Clan :
whispered _shrilly. ie
The door flew open again. ager
“There is a dog in here!” the guard snappefl “T heard ©
him distinctly, and heard Mr. Clancy urge you to keep

him quiet. Now, show me that dog, or to the guardhouse

you go, and Colonel Gunn shall hear of this.” oe
“But it isn’t a dog!” said Chip. BA
“T know better! Out with it! Where is it? Show i it

to me this minute!” : r

This particular cadet guard was no friend of Chip, any-
way. ¢ %
“Here it is,” said Chip, with a chuckle, and put his
hand behind him.

“So there is a dog, and you lied about it, just as a1”
thought! I shall prefer serious charges against you,
and-————” i

Chip pushed the old cloak aside, and lifted into view
the black talking head, as they called the fantastic effigy. @

While the cadet guard stared, Chip gave the imaginary .
key a turn, and growls and suppressed barking filled the tt
room: E
Woof—woo-f!

“Gr-r-r-r! Woof—woof!

”

Gr-r-r-r-ry

The guard had neglected to close the door thé last time}
a

he bounced into the room, 'and the dark-faced Spanish
instructor, passing through the corridor, flashed in a look,
and saw the effigy and what was going on. He hesitated, —
stopped; as if he meant to ask a question, but suddenly —
hurried off.

“Gr-r-r-r! Woof—woof!”

Chip held out the effigy.

“You see what it is, sir,” he said apologetically, to the
guard, suppressing with a great effort his laughter. “Just
a little fun and amusement, sir. A little nonsense now ©
and then is relished by the wisest—guard.”

“Oh, I hope so,” Clancy moaned; “I hope so, sir!” .

The face of the cadet guard had become\as red as a
beet. a
“You are insufferable,” he said, with cutting severity
drawing himself up frigidly.
ported.”

But though he hurried out as fast as his military —
rigidity permitted, as if he meant to hasten away |to.
prefer charges, they knew he would do nothing of the —
sort, and that he would be deaf the rest of the evening —
to any “dog” that might be in the room occupied by them. 4
His charges would be laughed at, and he was of the kind |
who cannot stand ridicule. ve ae

“Gy-r-r-r! Woof—woof!” the imaginary dog was bark- —
ing even while he retreated from the door 9 the « cor
ridor. |

“Sing idt somet’ing,” Kess suggested.

“Oh, this is a rere too,” cackled -Claney.

 

“You deserve to be re- 4%
      

 
  

the head began to move its jaws and sing:

  
   
 
  
  

Ho “Theré once was a guard on this landing—
10 A cadet without understanding,
4 Who said, ‘Where’s the dog?”
_ Then was lost in the fog—
‘> A fellow like that needs a branding!”
, _ “He iss oudt daré again,” Kess whispered.
ee “Oh, that’s all right,” Chip remarked;

 

é “T can’t keep this
head from singing the things that have been taught it;
blame Mr. Lee.

“Ay guard who is lacking in humor—
Who has for a head a big tumor,
Can look for that dog,
Ae ne While he’s lost in the fog,
ds id ee Or fancy he heard just a rumor.”

    
  
  
   
  
  
 
  
   
  

The guard walked on with heavy, dignified tread. '
“Some day, Chip, you're going to get killed,” Clancy
warned, enjoying immoderately the cleverness with which
Chip hit off the offensive guard, who was disliked by them,
anyway, principally, perhaps, because he was one of the
Duke’s supporters.
“Dot's righdt, der fool killer is looking for me,” Kess
added, “Aber I couldt make oop boetry like dot mitoudt
uff my headt I vouldn’t care uff I am foolish. Sing idt
viinee more.”
% ss But the guard was gone beyond hearing, and Chip
made the head sing something else.
_ A number of other fellows dropped in, and there was
‘a hilarious evening. The little dog growled and woofed,
a pig squealed under a gate, and there were a number of
imaginary dialogues between Chip and Alonzo, of the
talking head, some so ridiculously funny that Kess rolled
in afl agony of laughing on the coty which was serving him
as @ seat.

- The guard came to the door again, when the fun grew

 

is

 

 

 

 

ly ae 8 length too noigy:

} “Gentlemen, gentlemen! Don’t forget Senraaiege f
“You will have to take this thing away, sir,” said
Chip; “ft insists on talking and singing all the time.”

fie d if “J shall report you, if I do,” said the guard severely.
ee “Yah, yah!” the head was laughing, as the door closed
see Fs ati. _ and the guard moved along the hall.
eee “Go ‘way back Trouble,

c Pee ‘An’ come anotheh time;

a ae Fo’ Trouble’s nevah gwine tuh trouble me!
a i Go along, Trouble,

te ad i. At’ lemme sing mah rhyme,

While de honeysuckle’s callin’ tuh de bee.”

The fellows who had come into the room to enjoy the
evening with Chip and Clancy lingered there until-the end
of the very last allowable minute, then went away regret-
' fully, for as entertaining hosts Chip and Clan had no
equals at Fardale. It seemed good to be in their com-
pany; one could always count on having a great time;

 

      
   
    
       
     
    
   

  

    

  
 
 

 
 

i Chip twanged an imaginary guitar over the effigy, and

and that was, in part, the secret of thelr papules which .

‘) desperate r measures were ean

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. fee ae

So it was not the cold air entering the room that
awakened Chip. Yet something awakened him out of a
sound sleep, and he had the feeling that some intruder
was either in the room or was trying to enter it.

Without moving, he could look at the window.

The sash had been raised as far up as it could be
lifted. And some one was in the room! Chip saw the
man, who, at the moment, was feeling about near the
head of the cot. As the intruder was fully dressed, even
to his cap, Chip knew he was not looking at Clancy; and
Clancy’s heavy breathing sounded from the other cot.

Then the man stood up and moved over to the desk.

When he did so he passed: full between Chip and the
window, and, as there was a fair light outside, Chip had
not only his profile against the window, but could see
his face teasonably well.

“Alvord !”

It was the name of the Spanish instructor who had
passed along the corridor while the guard of. the evening
had the door of the room open, and who had looked in
and seen Chip with the talking head on his knee. Alvord
had stopped and hesitated in the corridor, then had hur-
ried on.

And now he was in this room, and had entered from
the outside, through the window, by stealth!

What did it mean?
‘While these thoughts were storming through Chip’s
mind, Alvord laid his-hand on the talking. head, turned
to the window,. ducked quickly and passed through, and
dropped softly to a ladder which he had there hoisted.

Chip was out of his cot instantly.

He did not stop to dress, or put on anything, but, pull-
ing a blanket from his cot as he rose, he drew it round
him and plunged toward the window.

The man was still at the top of the ladder, and, with
a reach of his hands, Chip tried to catch hold of him.

“Clan!” he called.

But if he had waited for Clancy he. would have been :
too late.

Clan started up with a snort, yelled out a. bewildered
question, then rolled out of-his cot.

The man began to descénd the ladder rankdti, looking
down, and not up, as if he sought the ground, or peated
to let his face be seen.

“Stop, there!” Chip called shatply. “Halt!”

By. that time the. man was fairly tumbling down the
ladder.

Chip swung through and out with quick agility, and
as soon as his feet were on the ladder he jumped.

The distance was enough to. deter many another fel- —
low, and it. might have. deterred Chip Merriwell, if. he
had permitted himself to stop long enough for. serious
thought, for he had nothing on but his pajamas and
blanket.

He fell like a plummet, straight down into the snow that
was heaped by the side of the wall of the barracks. —

At the same instant the man reached the bottom o!
the ladder, and sprang for a good ee with oo 1
tention of darting off. -

“Halt!” yelled Chip.

The man swerved to pass him. eed

Chip leaped and swung. There was fo oie » que
tion that the fellow, whoever he was, was a a thief. A
  

     

Chip’s blow landed heavily, ‘striking the man in the eye,
and knocking him backward.

The next instant the man turned and was running
blindly. But Chip’s slashing blow had jarred him so that
he dropped the thing he had taken out of the room.

Chick picked it up out of the snow.

It was the talking head.

Chip was shivering with the cold. He was standing
in snow, and the blankets he had drawn round him had
been flicked off as he dropped from the ladder.

Overhead, he heard Clancy shouting questions.

“What’s the matter?” Clan called down.

“Stop your yelling,” said Chip; “T’ll be with you: in
a minute.”

It was useless and foolish to think of following the
runner, who had already disappeared round the corner
of the barracks.

Climbing the ladder to the window, carrying the head
and the blanket, Chip crawled through, and stood  shiv-
ering.

“Somebody came into our room and swiped Alonzo,” he
ne explained. “He came up to the window on that ladder!”
Bete “The talking——”

a “But. I got it. Here\it is! He had it in his arms,
when I gave him a sidewinder, and he dropped it and
ran.”

Chip threw the blanket round him again,
téaning from the window.

and stood

“Give me a match,” he requested. “Doa’t turn onthe
lights.”

Clancy was asking a dozen questions a minute.

Scratching the match, Chip held the flame of it out
of the window, and got a look at the top of the ladder
before the wind blew the match out.

“A ladder from PRES VSTE READS the manual-train-
ing room.”

He lifted the top of it, and pitched it out into the dark-

ness. They heard it fall with a lumbering thud in the
snow. Chip closed the window. ~
“Br-r-r-r! I’m froze,” he said. “That sure was a

queer go.”
He turned to his astonished pard.
“T saw that thief, Clan, and I’m almost dead sure it
was that Spanish instructor, Alvord.”
“Alvord!” Clancy gasped.
“He saw Alonzo in here this evening, you'll remember.”
“But why would he want to steal it?”
“T don’t know.”
“Phew! Alvord!
Chip!”
“T know it doesn’t.”
“You couldn’t: make anybody believe that.”
“T don’t intend to try.”
“You couldn't have been «mistaken ?”
“It’s just’possible, though I don’t believe I was. How-
ever, the light wasn’t good. But he was right between
me and the window, and I had the benefit of what light
there is. If it wasn’t Alvord it looked amazingly like
tase aot And he knew the talking head wasiin this room?”
‘ “But what would he want with it? What could he do
on ‘qth it?”
“I don’t. know.”
eA you had said some thief got in and swiped the
talking head because he couldn’t find any anne: else to
ee But Alvord!”

That doesn’t sound reasonable,
é

 

   

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

of their low rating | he told 6s i rather et the. Lae

 
     

Chip pulled the blanket round him close, and moved

      
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
     
  
 
 
   
   
  
 
    
    
   
  
   
    
  
   
    
 
   
  
 
    
    
    
 
    
 
   
    
 
 

 

over to the radiator, which still had some heat in it. _ ti

“Switch on the lights for a minute, Clan, and look S
round, Perhaps he took something else. I’ve got to warm / tl
up. Say, when I dropped into that snow it felt hot. ee b

Honest it did! That sounds funny. But it was only as I
went into+it. Soon it was cold enough. Br-r-r-r! He'll
be afraid to come back f or that ladder, and we'll get a
look at it in the morning.”

“Where is Alvord boarding?”

“IT don’t know—never paid attention; bag out in town a ;
somewheres.” ,

“Not at, Mrs. Winfield’s?”

“No.” *

Clancy searched about the room, ‘when bi had ‘hee
lights on. ae

“Nothing missing, so far as I can see,” he reported.

“He came for the talking head, and nothing else, for
there’s nothing in this room he’d want but that. And I.
should never have: thought of him wanting that, if he
hadn’t taken it.” '

*, fe

CHAPTER V.

THE MYSTERY.

- When Clancy had switched off the lights, he and Chip
sat talking earnestly in the darkness of their room over
the sudden mystery which had been presented. %
As they viewed the subject from different angles, their
conclusions became even more uncertain. The man who — aoe:
had entered the room may not have been Alvord, though
so mach resembling him. And he may have sought some- ee cc
thing else, rather than the talking head, and made a

 

 

: ce

mistake in the darkness. ;
But always, after these mental wanderings and wild _—_ ti
\threshings, Chip Merriwell came round to the belief that | =m

the man was the Spanish instructor, and that he had been
seeking the talking head.

 

 

There was nothing else in the room that, apparently, ie av
could want. } de
They discussed Alvord’s personality and history. > 96
Not much was known about him, so far as they were Al
aware. He was a new man at Fardale. He had ap- | _—_s th
peared at the old school during the Christmas vacation, hae
and had been taken on by Colonel Gunn and the govern-,
ing board as instructor in Spanish, to fill the vacancy made PA th
by the illness and enforced vacation of\ the regular go
instructor. |
As the European war had emphasized the importance we
of South American trade to the people of the United | op
States, Colonel Gunn was earnestly urging the study of = tp,
the Spanish language, which is the language of all the ter
countries of South America, except Brazil, where Portu- ra:
guese is used; and he was trying to find a good Portu- | ta:
guese instructor. a |
Chip and Clancy had taken up Spanish at the tegieiaiiae ‘sis
of the previous year, and had found it easy, because of —
the practice they had been given in its use in the South- Be
west. ae de
But since Alvord had become Spanish instructor ihe Be tak
marks they had been able to gain in Spanish had been | Ais

   

startlingly low. And it seemed to make no difference how
well their papers were prepared.
When they tried to talk with Alvord on the diliniace i

    
     
 
      
  

trouble was with the Spanish they had picked up in the
- Southwest; that it was an injury rather than a benefit to
them, as it was filled with Indian words, and was but
_ butchered and botched Spanish at its best.
Yet they had a feeling that this was not strictly true,
and was not at all the reason of their low marks in
Spanish.
» About Alvord himself there was something which gave
Chip did

   

 

“® Chip Merriwell a chill whenever he was near.

 

   
 

 

 

 

         
     

town gp not know what it was, and could not account for it. But

- } he was sure that more than once he had seen Alvord

looking at him in a way that seemed almost murderous.

} ~ Naturally, Chip did not go near the Spanish instructor

the oftener than he had to, and in time he began to accept
his low marks without much surprise, even though he
k could not understand the matter, since he felt sure his
, for papers were better than the average, and that the Spanish
he had picked up was a very real and great benefit to him
in this study.

Once Chip had seen Alvord talking closely with Byron
_ Gaines, who was the most influential member of the ath-

etic committee.

- Normally, that would have been nothing to notice par-

Be _ ticularly. But Gaines was often seen, at about the same
Chip time, in close conversation with the Duke, and the Duke
over was Chip’s open and avowed enemy. Yet that would not

% Dihaye been very suggestive, either, if rumors had not
their | began to circulate that Chip Merriwell and Clancy would
who | _ be barred from any chance to make the baseball nine or
ough = ~—s the _ crew or any athletic team, as they would surely be
some= conditioned on‘account of the low marks they were re-
dé 28 ceiving in some of their studies.

F Neither Chip nor Clancy would have. paid .much atten-
wild = _—_—‘ tion _to these rumors, if it had not been for the very
f that. noticeable growth of the Duke’s influence with the ath-
been letic committee and the baseball coach.

Though the time for baseball was still some distance
ly, he away, it had been talked about all winter. Now that the
. Fi days were growing so noticeably longer, and spring was

ze _ so certainly coming, interest in the subject had quickened.
were _. Already there was more or less informal practice, both in
d ap- the cage and out, whenever a few fellows got together and
ation, a baseball was handy.
yvern= | Candidates for the regular nine and the scrub nine were
made / thick as blackberries in August. Fardale had a lot of
gular good baseball timber.

In turning this fact over in their minds, neither Chip
rtance nor Clancy could see that the personal or professional
Jnited opinion of Alvord could have ‘an influence; nor could
dy of © * they believe that their low ratings in Spanish would ma-
ithe | _ terially affect the matter, or that Alvord gave them low
Portu- ratings with that purpose in view. That was too fan-
Portu- | _tastic.
oe : : “Yet I know that Alvord doesn’t like me,” Chip in-
inning | sisted, when they had threshed the old straw over and
er of | over again.
south- _ That simple restatement brought an idea, and the won-

oh ; - der that he had not thought of it before:
or the | “Ts it a foolish notion, Clan, that Alvord may be want-
| ae tg ‘ing to get me into trouble with Simeon Lee?”
Sr ares Clancy, sitting on the edge of his cot, clad only in
ih] eee Pajamas, looked at his pard.
sat “T hadn’t thought of that. Dear old Alonzo was left

at the

   

would be satisfactory, if Alonzo was gone?

in 2 Bait end could yee have ‘said to ue that

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. es 9

 

Still, that
negro rag doll can’t be worth much.”

Chip laughed.

The next instant Alonzo was protesting from the desk
whereon he lay:

“Ki-yi! He’p me up, so’s I kin git at dat white man
what calls me a niggah raig doll! He gwine tek dat
back mighty quick, or I gwine t’ biff him on de kisser,
yo’ heah me!”

It was impossible, after that, for Chip and Clancy to
get back to a serious discussion of Alvord’s possible and
far-fetched connéction with the athletic committee and the
Duke, and the apparently silly notion that he was pulling
strings to keep them off the nine that spring.

“We'll lay that idea away in. moth balls,’ said Chip;
“there’s nothing in it. The only thing I’m sure of is that
Alvord dislikes me.”

“And that he got in here and tried to steal Alonzo?”

“No, I’m not sure of that.”

“Somebody was gwine t’ kerry me outer dis place, any-
how!” Alonzo squealed, as he lay on the desk. “Um-
huh! Yes, sir! He done toted me frough de winder.”

Chip was too full of the high spirits of youth to stop
what Clan called his “nonsense,” even at this time.

“Well, I’m going back to bed,” Clan announced at last.
“We aren’t getting anywhere.”

“Tek me tuh baid wid yo’;
Alonzo requested.

“No, you lie there, you black rascal!” said Clan, hardly
able to evade the feeling that Alonzo was a person.

“T’ll call de cadet gyard, ef yo’ doan’t,” Alonzo re-
monstrated. “He won’t lack it, fo’ me to be layin’ heah
freezin’ all night! Dis ain’ no fitten baid fo’ ”

I'll be col’, layin’ heah,”

Alonzo!

Both Chip and Clancy went to bed at last, laughing,
and so wide awake that they feared they would get no
more sleep that night.

Yet in less than half an hour they were sleeping
soundly, and Alonzo lay silent, neglected and forgotten,
on the desk.

They were not again disturbed. Even if the thief had a
desire to try his burglarious method again he possibly
lacked the courage, doubtless arguing that they would be
awake and watchful throughout the rest of the night.

In the morning they found the ladder gone, though the
marks it had made in the snow were there, and also the /
footprints of the thief.

They took careful measurements of the footprints, and
wrote them down. Also, they reported the invasion of
their room. But they did not express an opinion as to
the identity of the burglar, nor tell that he had got out
of the room with the talking head in his arms.

As soon as it became known that their room had been
invaded by some one who had mounted a ladder against —
the window, the grounds out there were filled with the
curious, who looked at the tracks in the snow, and the ©
imprints of the ladder, and fired batteries of questions i :
both Chip and Clancy. ,

That morning the Spanish instructor, Pedro ae
came to the lecture room with a badly damaged eye. It
was so much inflamed that the white showed a turgid red,
and under the eye was a black half. moon that, with all’:
his efforts, he had not been'able to efface.

Alvord’s dark face was now pale, giving him a sickly,
yellowish look.

To any one who Panctia him he aie! eagerly ‘the

   
   
   
 
 
     
      
      
 
  

    

 

Statement. that in the night,

lently against the corner of a tall desk.
“It still pains me very much,” he said.
3 His yoice was low-toned and foreign in_ its
- @ ciation, and he was prone to gesture violently at times.
Chip became aware that Alvord gave him a deadly look
that morning. He saw the yellowish pallor turn to a
dirty tallow color, and a flame like fire burn in the man’s
dark eyes. He’ did not know that Chip saw the glance.
Chip went away from the lecture room convinced that
the Spanish instructor had been the invader of the night.
Yet that did not simplify the matter, and the ques-
tion remained: What was Alvord’s object?

 

   
  
  
   
   
   
   
   
  
     
   
  
   
   
    
  
  
    
 
   
    
   
  
   
   
      
   
 
 
  
  
 
  
   
  
 

pronun-

CHAPTER VI.
MYSTERIOUS MR. LEE.

It, became known that forenoon that Jake Jelliby had
borrowed money of the Duke to give to Simeon Lee,

Few things could have been more astounding. The
news left Chip and Clancy temporarily gasping and word-
less.

Jelliby and the Duke were at swords’ points. The
_. Duke had insulted him, whipped him, and then, by night
- masquerading, had tried to throw on him the odium of
criminal acts, so that he might be disgraced and driven
- out of the school, Jelliby had been so frantic in his
hate and dislike. that he had begged’ Chip to give him
some training, that he might be in shape to go against the
Duke ina “mill,” and properly punish him,

And now Jake Jelliby had borrowed money of the
Duke!

“Oh, this is tog much,” cried Clancy; “hand me the
_ smelling salts, quick, else I faint! Or am we dreaming?”
_ That they were not dreaming became quickly clear, for
Jelliby came to their room with the information himself
a short time afterward.

His big, broad face and gray eyes looked troubled.

“Of course, yeou fellers aire goin’ tew want tew kick
me fer that,’ he said, “but I had tew dew it, Yeou
wouldn’t let me have any money, and the Duke has allers
- got money fer anybody whut wants it.”

“For anybody who is willing to feel under obliga-
tions to him,” snapped Clancy; “that’s what you mean!”

“Take a seat,” Chip invited, “and let us hear about it.”

» “Yeou'’ve heard it already; I reckon.”

“Not your version of it,”
“Waal, that’s all there is tew tell, only, there wa'n'’t a
word abaout obligations of any kind. And I wasn’t the
_fust to mention it, besides, Seems like the Duke had

}

been overhearin’ suthin’ Mr, Lee said, which put him:on
the track thet I’d been tryin’ raound to borrer some money,
so’s I could give it to Mr, Lee, so’s he c'n’d go on tew
Boston. They wuz together, walking erlong, and as they
- come up ‘tew me the Duke says, sezee, ‘I can let you have
3 few dollars, Jelliby, if you want it, he says. And whut
wuz I tew dew? There was Mr. Lee needin’ the money,
and the Duke offerin’ it.”
_ “And a fool named Jelliby ready to take it,” said Clan.
FE: “A blithering idiot, who didn’t sée that it was a frame-up.”
said | Jelliby, refusing to be offended by Clan’s
m; ‘I don’t believe ‘twas any frame-yp. The
ready to hand aout his money—he’s got —

don’

  

  

   

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

  

in the darkness of his room,
having risen to get a drink, he had struck his eye vio-

 

 
    

  

cost him nothin’ tew be generous. So he is allus ready

           
    
   
   
 
  

: ; ae
to shell aout jest at a word.”
“And you said the word!” . h

“Waal, whut else was I tew dew? If that fortune in
England-———” a

Chip found it hard to be offended with homely and ie
honest old Jelliby. He sat, smiling and nodding, as if he —
understood the state of Jelliby’s mind at the moment,
which, in truth, he did. Sen

“What about that great fight you were going to ‘pai .
off with him, now?” he suggested. “You can’t afford to nie
bruise up a fellow who has been generous, and helped you
when you thought you needed it, when others you had ~
called your friends had refused?”

“No, I reckon I can't,” Jelliby admitted ;
feel different toward the Duke, kinda.
natcherel.”

“Sure it is,” said Clan; “and the Duke knew it!
winning over to his side every fellow he can get.
he buys with money—like you.” per

“He ain’t bought me. It's jest a loan. I'll pay it feed 5
all right. If ever that fortune in England——’ — -

“Wow! What's the use talking with a fellow like you!”
Clan exploded. “When my castle in Spain floats over
here on an aéroplane, and lands in the Fardale campus,
you'll get that fortune in England, and not before.” ‘

“Clan is peeved,” said Chip, laughing. P

“Haven't I a right to be? I put it to you, Jelliby. —
Here we’ve been planning to get you, aswell as our-
selves, on the nine, in the spring. The Duke is opposing
us, and has a lot of backers. Now you as good as join
him.’

“Not at all,” Jelliby objected; “nothin’ of the kind!
It’s jest a loan, and I’m goin’ tew pay him back. I ain't
under any obligations tew him at all.”

“Oh, you ain’t? I guess I don’t know what the word
means, then,”

“Pass it up,” Chip advised.
back, Jelliby ?”

“T dunno?”

“it makes me a
I allaow thet’s

He's ;
oe

“When is Mr. Lee coming :

 

“We'd like to get word to him, that some one came = “
into our room in the night and tried to steal the talking H
head.” : avi Si.

“Yes, dear Alonzo was near flying the coop!” said wa:
Claney. “Oh, you'd heard of it? Those are the facts, sup
Though what any one wants with the thing gets me!” hea

Chip glanced at Alonzo, whe was in plain view on the I
desk. yee ic 3

“Oh, don’t set that thing to ‘talking ageln,” said oe den

4 |

“This is serious business now.”
“If Misteh Lee doan’ come back, it’s gwine be serious =
bizness wif me,” remarked Alonzo! “'cause you-alis doan' ae Hai
give me nuffin’ to éat.” a
“Can you be sensible, Chip?” Clan demanded.
“No,” said Chip, laughing.
Clancy addressed Jelliby again. anc.
“Tel,” he said, “I’ll put in your hands the money 10) ES

 

 

 
    
   
 

and pay to the Duke now every cent he let you have, ] “A
don’t want it to stand as it is. How much was it?” to |
Jelliby’s face flushed, rere whe
“T don’t care tew insult the Duke, ‘a the

“Not naow,” he said.
and you wouldn’t help me when yeou could, ye know. ©
I don’t mean no offense, y’ understand. Maybe I’
_ tew = help. from yeou later, tew pay off th

thank yeou if | eee ies

4
,

   

    
    

    
  

   
 

 

: ported it to you,” Chip apologized, and urged him to accept
1 a a seat.
ie “No, I ain’t got but a minute to stay. I want to get
Bh Alonzo out of here, into a safe place. This thing has
rs upset me.” é
he “Tt’s queer,” Chip remarked.
b Ge _ Lee glanced at him, as if wondering if the sentence had
ces ee 1 be aa double meaning. }
ing 5 eS it is queer ! IT don’t understand it.”
i, He shifted from one foot to the other, and looked nerv-
ously about.
id! i “Now, on the Kronprinzessin Cecilie ——’ he began, but
n't af stopped abruptly.
7 “Some one tried to steal it from you there?” Chip
SH st 4 inquired.
; ¥ “N-tto—no! But there’s a man here at this academy
ing that I saw yesterday who looks very much like a man who
» made trouble for me on the steamer. But, of course, I’m
mistaken—it can’t be the same man.”
me, 4 “Do we know him, Mr. Lee?”-Chip asked.
ing ae “Well, I was told, when I inquired, that he was the
| Spanish instructor, whose name is Alvord. But that
aid wasn't the name of the man on the steamship. I don’t
cts, suppose that it was Alvord ‘who tried to steal the talking
” head ?”
the His dark eyes were boring into Chip.
yee _ “How long has Alvord been here at this academy ?” he
bets 3. demanded.
ak “Only since the new year.”
. “Ah! So? «The Kronprinzessin Cecilie put into Bar
Harbor long enough before that—long before that! But
there is no Alvord in the lists of her passengers. I took

 

 
 

   
  

 

 

They talked over the Duke’s “shrewdness,” when Jel-
_ liby was gone. They had here been given a very forcible
_ object lesson of the manner in which the Duke won and
held friends, and disarmed enemies.
That evening Mr. Simeon Lee reappeared in Fardale.
He was now at Mrs. Winfield’s boarding house, where
_ he was doubtless paying his way with some of the money
. which Jelliby had furnished.
The first that Chip and Clancy knew of his return was
when he appeared.at their room in the barracks. At the
boarding ‘house he had heard a garbled report of the
} invasion of the room and the attempt to steal the talking
head.
He came in softly and gingerly, very much as if he
thought he was walking on eggs. His eyes were big and
startled, and his face was ghastly. He seemed to be
trembling with suppressed excitement.
“TY heard. about that,” he said, looking about for a
place to deposit his hat.
- Chip took it and hung it up.’
. “We didn’t know you had returned, or we’d have

   
  
   
    
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
   

Tc-

 

 

 

 

the trouble to look into that matter while I was in
Boston.”
He looked about again, and lowered his voice.
“T don’t mind saying to you, on the quiet, that the man
on the steamship who resembled this mau Alvord tried
to kill me. He caught me round the waist, one night,
when I was on the after deck, and tried to hurl me into
the sea: He denied it, when I charged him with it, and
I couldn’t have sworn absolutely it was him, though I
feel sure it was. Yes, sir, he tried to kill me!”
“Why was ths if you don’t mind saying?” Clancy

  

  

   
       
     
        
   

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. | .

 

II

  
   

 

Lee glanced round again, cautiously and slyly, much:
as if he feared being overheard, and dropped his voice.

“It concerned that fortune in England—the Jelliby for-
tune. The talking head—— Well, I'll not say anything
about that. But the man on the steamer tried to steal
it. Yes, Pll say this much: The talking head holds the
papers, some of them, by which I expect to prove that
the Jelliby fortune belongs legally to the American Jel-
libys. The man on the steamer claimed that, rightfully,
the fortune belonged to him, and that he was an English
Jelliby—the English Jelliby. So you can see why he
would want to get and destroy those papers.

“But this Spanish professor, or instructor——”

He jerked his head round again, and moved toward
the desk.

“So I'll just take Alonzo.”

A smile swept over Chip’s face.

Instantly Alonzo began to protest, from the desk on
which he lay.

“Naw, suh—naw, suh! I doan’ want t’ go wif you,
Misteh Lee. I’s ve’y well dissatisfied whe’ I is, Misteh
Lee. Lemme stay heah.”

Mr. Lee stopped with a jerk.

Then he laughed. It was a forced cackle, for he was
too much shaken to feel mirth.

“Very good,” he said approvingly, “very good! It quite
startled me for the moment. That makes me think of
tricks I have played with Alonzo at various times, and
makes me know how the surprised party feels.”

Alonzo emitted a bellow of wailing protest, when Lee
picked him up from the desk.

“T ain’ gwine wif you—naw, suh!” he protested.

Lee shook the effigy, and laughed.

“Shut up, Alonzo!” he said.

Then he tucked the effigy under his coat, and hastened

‘away. ;

Chip and Clancy sat looking at each other.
“Mysterious Mr. Lee!” Chip commented.

CHAPTER VII.

CHIP MERRIWELL’S HEROISM.

“Tf the burglar calls on us to-night,’ Chip remarked,
“he will find Alonzo gone. Further, I’m beginning to
understand how Mr. Lee made Jelliby so sure about that
English fortune. I was almost believing in it myself,
when he was talking here.”

“Well, if I’d known that Alonzo had sualiowed valuable
papers, I’d have made him cough ’em up, so I Shes
have read ’em.’

“No, you wouldn’t, for it wouldn’t be like you. The
talking head was intrusted to our care,’ Chip urged.
“To your care, you: mean.”
“It’s just the same.” :
“*So’ we're one,’ as the bride said to the exdiiccniss ca
and the bridegroom said to the bride: ‘which one?” =
“Aw, saw off! What do you think about that man

_on the steamer who tried to kill Mr. Lee, and looked so_

like Alvord ?”

“It could have been Alvord, all right—so dre as the!

time goes. The steamship put in. at Bar Harbor soon —
after the war broke out, and Alvord didn’t appear here —
at Fardale until around New Year’s Day. If it was |
Alvord on the steamer, he might have been broke, too, —
as Mr. Lee says that he was; and he came here to seek

 

 

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

a position. As luck would have it, the regular Spanish
instructor was sick, and Alvord slid easily into his berth.
And now Mr. Lee comes trailing along, having been greatly
delayed by the necessity of playing the hobo act and col-
lecting eats with the aid of Alonzo; and Alvord again
tries to get his talking head. How’s my dope?”

“A nice little tragedy—it would make a play; with Jel-
liby whirling in the spotlight, at the center of the stage,
as the wronged heir.”

“But what do you think of it?”

“It’s fine.”

“Ts it true

“I don’t kndw. I was almost ready to believe every
word of it, as Mr. Lee stood here talking. But that’s an
odd place to hide valuable papers—in the breast of Alonzo,”

“Could there be a safer place?”

“Perhaps not. Yet the man on the steamer, whoever
he was, discovered where the papers were.”

“And climbed into our room last night for the purpose
of stealing them. He got a most artistic eye, as the sole
pay for his trouble. Chip, that’s the right dope. And Mr.
Simeon Lee is not only now in trouble, he’s in danger.
I am almost ready to speak to Jelliby about it, and have
him arrange for a guard outside of Mrs. Winfield’
boarding house to-night.”

Yet he didn’t. It sounded foolish.

It was past midnight, when they were aroused by the
clanging of a fire bell, and a roar in the rooms and
corridors.

When they sprang up, their first impression was that
the barracks were on fire. But they discovered that the

' fire was over at the boarding house.

Dressing in sprinting time, they left their room, got
out of the barracks, and raced across the campus and
street, with a number of other students.

Both Chip and Clancy thought of Mr. Lee, and of what
Clancy had said early in the evening.

The fire engine came up, with galloping horses, by. the
time they reached the house. Making connection with
the nearest hydrant, it began to shoot a stream of water
upon the roof of the boarding house.

_ Chip and Clancy made their way round to the front,
amid a scene of wild confusion,

Getting into the front hall, which was filled with smoke,
Chip hurdled some trunks that were being. slid down the
stairs—an attempt was being made to get some of the
stuff out of the house—and groped his way to the second
story, f
He thought, at the moment, that Clancy was at his heels,
7 but Clan had been shouldered aside in the hall, and had
a) lost sight of Chip in the thick smoke.

The fire was in the wing, at the end, overlooking the
street. Toward it Chip began to make his way. The
confusion was great, and once he was knocked down by
some one who collided headlong with him in the upper
hall, while hurrying to get out of the house.

“There was a deafening and bewildering roar of the fire
_and the flying stream of.water, combined with the shouts
and cries of many people, the loud commands of fire-
‘men, and the resounding blows of axes that were being

ased to hew a way through the roof, so that a hose could
A on the fire,
‘wice as he went, on eee the coridor, » i had to

filled the upper part of
volumes that breathing was nearly impossible.
Chip had known, or rather had assumed,

in this wing of the house, for the very good ‘reason that
it was the only part of the house where there were any
rooms not regularly occupied.

Chip had boarded
for his Christrnas vacation; he knew Mrs, Winfield well,”

and had only that day, in talking with her, been told that

the only vacant rooms were at this end of the house. —

There had been no “time, and no chance, for an_ in- 8

quiry as to correctness of this surmise.

It can be seen that Chip was assuming that the fire vets
probably had some connection with Mr, Lee, and that Lee |
was in danger. It was not knowledge; and, judged by sane
and quiet standards, Chip was now doing a very foolish |
thing, in taking this perilous risk.

Without knowing that he did it, Chip was now “terete

that singular Merriwell intuition, so manifest in both his —

father and his uncle, guide him, and that intuition was

sending him to this part of the threatened house, to the:

relief of Mr. Lee.
When analyzed, this intuition, as it has tieeti called,

can be seen as not really intuition, but a quick grasping
of the truth, as revealed by a number of circumstances, “y
some of them apparently obscure, yet all pointing ai ze

takably in one direction,
That conclusion was, that the man who had, with dach®
reckless courage, invaded Chip’s room, could be shine

to follow the talking head to any place, and even to com-

mit crime to gain possession of it.

And that he had
now committed crime here, :

The blows of the axes were hammering like heavy
drumbeats on the roof, when Chip came abreast of the
first of the rooms, one of which, he was sure, held Mr, ;

Lee; if, indeed, he was there.

Chip pounded loudly on this door, then ran to other ;
He tried the knobs, —

doors, thumping with his knuckles.
All but two of the doors were unlocked, the rooms, to.
which they led were unoccupied:

Chip tried the first of the locked doors. Unable to.

unlock it, he made a battering-ram of his body and struck —

the door with his shoulder.
In the same way he tried the next door.
The smoke was creeping thickly into this wing. Chip

was coughing and becoming soméwhat dizzy, and it seemed —
ae rane é

that his lungs were being cut into with knives.
he could not tarry there.

Casting about, he saw, by the light of the flames at_
the end of the corridor, a heavy stepladdér. Getting it,
he hammered the door with it, and, by desperate pound-
ing, he broke the lock, or loosened it, so that he drove
the door open.

There was a flare of fire as he stumbled into the room
—the whole room seemed on fire, as though here» was,

‘where the fire had started. shit:

Lying on the floor, close by the bed, was a man.
When he tried to lift the man, and half turned him, his
surmise became a certainty; the man was Lee.

Lee was too heavy a man for Chip to either lift. es
carry, though by dragging, oe ae him ok, on

room to the door.
eee ran to Mes or of the

the corridor with such | acrid

without in- v2
quiry, that Lee would be given a room on this floor, and

d here, when he came on to Fardale é

we
49

 

 
 

call ‘to the firemen, trying to acquaint them with the
situation.
The uproar was too great; apparently he was not even
\ heard. The hammer rain of the blows of the axes was
\ deafening there, close under the roof.

_ Chip ran. back to the room where Lee lay.

- Lee was rousing. He tried to roll over, and grasped
at the wall as for support. He saw Chip, then, but seemed
ot at first to recognize him.

“Let me help you,” said Chip; “I’m Merriwell!”

_ “Merriwell? Oh, it’s you!” It seemed to wake him-up.
“Get—get Alonzo,” he said; “find Alonzo!”

With the room filled with smoke and flame, it seemed a
foolish waste of time to make a search in it for the talking
head.

“Let it go,” Chip urged; “here, let me help you! We've
got to get out of this.”
_ With Chip’s aid, Lee got on his feet.
- Though almost too weak to stand, he turned about, into
he room. '
“T’ve got to

“I’m going to look for Alonzo,” he cried;

ook for Alonzo!”
He made a wavering search, and, in the midst of it, fell
sprawling. Chip ran to him and tried to lift him.
“Look for Alonzo,” he moaned; “look for Alonzo!”
_ Chip made a hurried search, to satisfy him, peering
through the smoke under the bed, and running about the
- room.
“It’s gone!” he announced.
“Gone !” ,
_ “Now let me help you. We've got to get right out, or
we'll be burned to death in here.”
‘Yet even as Chip tried sturdily to aid him, Lee tumbled
forward in a dead faint.

_ Chip’s cry for help arose—a choked, if frantic cry,

‘punctuated by heavy coughing. Even while’ he uttered
his calls, he was pulling desperately at the heavy man,
_ trying to drag him to the door and out into the cor-
- ridor.

The axes above broke through the roof. Chip heard
men jump through, and heard them begin to rain blows
on the ceiling of the room. An ax blade cutting through,
sent splinters and plastering all about. This was fol-
lowed by another shattering blow.

Chip yelled for help again, and again made desperate
efforts to get Lee out of the smoke-and-fire-filled reom.
He was heard.

“We'll bé with you in a minute,” was yelled down to
him, “Just get out of the way of the hose!”
-. A-stream of water poured into the room. Its effect, as
it struck the fire in the corner, was to fill the place with
- blinding and choking steam.
_ Chip’s choked cries had also been heard by another,
That other was Owen Clancy.
. He had climbed the stairs, over the débris of trunks
sad hurdled furniture, and had come groping along the
_ big corridor, seeking for Chip. Clancy’s face appeared in
_ the doorway of the room, wreathed in the smoke.
“Ah! Here you are!” he yelled.
_ “Help here, Clan,” Chip shouted; “help me lift him!”
_ Clancy fell to with a will. Between them they got the
vy man out into the corridor, and began to drag him
ard the stairway,

he hose, shooting, a heard stream af water ta, the

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

t “13 x

room, regardless of who was in it, was putting out. the
fire. :

Chip. was swaying about, ready to. fall, by the time the
head of the stairs was gained. His exertions had been
tremendous, and his strength was nearly spent.

Nevertheless, he continued to drag at Lee’s clothing,
and. with Clancy’s aid Lee was got. down the stairs, as
far as the wall of obstructing trunks that had been hurled
down there, and then had been abandoned. by their
frightened owners.

Some firemen were in the hall helow, sia out in the
street.

“T—I can’t—get any farther, Clan!” Chip gasped.

Clancy climbed over the trunks, and fairly’tumbled down
into the hall.

“Here—help!” he yelled;
I want help!”

The firemen came without question, following Clancy, as
he turned about.

When they got up to the trunk barricade they found
that Chip Merriwell had tumbled down beside the uncon-
scious form of the man he had tried so hard to rescue.

Clancy climbed over and lifted Chip.

“Help here!” he called.

The stairway was full of smoke, and the fire above
seemed to be following down on top of them.

How he got Chip on his back, Clan did not know. He
seemed to wake up, on top of the. trunks, with Chip on
his shoulders, while the firemen were swarming over the
trunks to reach Lee.

Clan got down into the hall with his burden and stag- —
gered through to the outside.

A moment later the firemen came out, carrying the”
unconscious Lee.

“help! Some men here, quick;

CHAPTER VIII.
CONSTABLE BUTTINSKI.

Chip Merriwell was forced to “cut” lectures and aban-
don study the next day. He remained in his room, and in
bed much of the time. To Clan he confessed that he was
“all in.” 7

Scores of students seemed ready to storm the door, |
to get in and have a talk with Chip about the fire and
his connection with it. But Clancy turned them away, -
when he was there; and when he wasn’t there, the door was
kept locked.

Clancy brought news that the fire had been confined to
the wing of the house, where it had started, and that it had
been extinguished soon after he and Chip and Lee were —
out of the building. Insurance adjusters had been there,
and carpenters had already begun on the repairs. The

-water had done almost as much damage as the fire.

No one had been hurt, so far as Clancy could learn,
except Lee, who, it was currently reported, had pe
overcome in, his room by the smoke.

The firemen who had helped get Lee down. the stairs
were responsible for his story.

Whenever Clancy was in the room pone Chip, they

talked about the fire, and what neg felt to be the mys-

tery connected with it.
The people of the town, even Meé, ‘Winfield, did no

know how the fire had started. The insurance adjust

advanced the He that, a ep had ae ove urned,

 
 

14 NEW

or had exploded, in Lee’s room. But it was said that
_Lee denied this. '

However, the reports that Clancy brought in made it
clear that Lee was not doing much talking. He had been
in bed all day, in another room furnished him at Mrs.
Winfield’s, and had been chary in his comments. He
claimed that he knew nothing much, and was too ill to
talk,

In the evening Chip got up and dressed, and, with
Clancy, he went over to Mrs. Winfield’s, their object being
an interview with Lee. Owing to what they had done for
him, they thought he would not refuse to see them. The
talking head was supposed to be still missing. Possibly
it had been consumed in the fire; and that, of itself,
seemed to furnish a basis for plenty of talking during
the proposed interview.

Neither Chip nor Clancy had yet been converted to the
belief that Jake Jelliby was in danger of being smothered
under any huge fortune that might drop on him from
England, even though Lee had declared that the necessary
proofs had been concealed in the wooden bosom of black-
faced Alonzo. Papers setting forth claims are not proofs,
and a swindler working the old “fortune” game could
be expected to have reams of such papers.

It seemed a queer turn in the affair, that Alvord was
involved, and had wanted the papers; had even been des-
perate enough in his desire to get them to commit crime,
if their present view of the matter was right.

They wanted to hear more about that phase of it—
about Alvord’s claim to the Jelliby fortune, and why
those concealed papers were so important to him.

On the face of the matter, as it now stood, Alvord
had forced his way into Lee’s room at Mrs. Winfield’s,
had assaulted Lee, to get the talking head; then had,
started a fire in the room, where Lee lay unconscious,
in order to burn the house, and Lee in it, to cover up
what he had done.

That seemed almost too horrible for belief.

In addition, there was the question:
Alonzo?

The simplest plans have a trick of going awry.

When they arrived at Mrs. Winfield’s, they found,
first, Jake Jelliby; then the queer old constable, Zenas
Gale, whom they sometimes irreverently called Constable
Buttinski. Jelliby was at the outer door, prepared to enter.
Gale was inside, in the front hall.

“Great dewin’s,” said Jelliby, reaching to grasp and
wring Chip’s hand; “’cordin’ tew th’ general tell, yeou
was right on the job last night, and if’t hadn’t been f’r
yeou, Mr. Lee would ’a’ gone up in smoke, and tuck.my
chances at that English fortune with him. I’m jest goin’
in naow, t’ see if I can git to see him.”

“We're headed in the same direction,” said Chip.

Then they entered together, and found the constable.

He had been hammering at a bell in the hall,.and Mrs.
Winfield had come in a flushed hurry to answer the
insistent bell.

“The’s a man upstairs some’eres that I want to see,”
Gale announced; “name’s Mr. Simeon Lee; the man what
got cot in the fire last night, and come nigh gittin’
singed.”

He turned to look at the young fellows who had en-
tered behind him.

“Why, hello!” he said, his face lighting when he saw
Chip Merriwell. “Behold the conquerin’ hero comes,

Where was

aih “LOR: WEEKLY.

jedgin’ from all I hear. Them firemen’s been singin’
hallelujahs to-ye all day. They say that you drug Lee
outer the fire, and then yer friend here, come, and to-
gether ye got him down through th’ smoke and onto the
stairs. Some society with a long name is goin’ to plaster
ye all over with medals fer that! I’m chuckin’ my bouquet
at ye, see?”

“I don’t know that Mr. Lee will want to talk with any

one,” Mrs. Winfield was trying to explain to him. “He

has been refusing to see any one.”
“He won’t refuse me,” said Gale pompously; “I’m
y;
the constable!”

“Dear me!
him.”

I hope you don’t mean any harm to

“I’m jest goin’ to ask him some questions. It’s said
round now that this fire was sot by a incendiary, and I
want to know about it. I want to know’ about some
other things, reports o’ which is now beginnin’ to float
round. You jest tell him the constable wants to see
him. Later, I’ll want a talk with you.”

Instead of waiting until a servant could be sent to Lee’s
room with this message, Gale labored up the stairs, right
at the servant’s heels.

“Shall we float along?” said Chip.

They “floated,” and ascended behind the constable.

Gale did not wait at Lee’s door until the servant came
out, but pushed his way into the room, while the servant
was stating the errand, and stood staring at Lee, who had
got up and dressed. and was sitting in a chair.

Lee looked startled when he saw the constable and the
familiar faces of the young fellows behind him.

“Why, come in,” he said, “seeing that you’re coming!”

But he was not pleased.

The startled servant retreated hastily.

“Waal, it’s about the fire, and some other things, rumors,
and the like,” said the constable, helping himself to a chair
without invitation; “and, seein’ that I’m the constable,
charged with lookin’ after law voilations, I reckon I
gotta ask you some questions. These youngsters didn’t
accompany me; they’re jest here.”

Lee glanced at the “youngsters.”

“Take seats,” he said, “if you can find them.”

He turned an inquiring face to Gale.

“Waal, ye see, the’s rumors going round that this fire
was sot by a incendiary, and that the aforesaid incendiary
robbed ye, and tried to kill ye, and sot the said fire to
kiver it up. What you got to say about it?”

“Nothing,” said Lee.

“Y’ain’t. I call that sing’lar! You let a man come
in ’ere and hammer ye up, and take away what don’t be-
long io him—which is a little head of a nigger that you
use in yer exhibitions; and then he sets fire to your room.
And y’ain’t got nothin’ to say?”

“Who told you all that?” said Lee. He looked startled.

“It’s runnin’ all round town on four legs, jest like
a gallopin’ dog. It’s been told to me by a dozen diff’rent
people.”

“I haven’t reported anything of the kind.”

“Besides,” added Gale severely, “the name o’ the man
what done it has been giv’ to me, and I’ve made out a
writ fer his arrest, which I’m now asking you to sign.
Then Ill forthwith go and ’rest him. We can’t have
none o’ these-’ere kind of doin’s goin’ on in Fardale,
Might burn the old town up.”

 

 

 

 

 

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“T shall make no complaint against any one,” said Lee
positively.
"Ye’re afraid to?”
“T don’t know anything!”
Gale stepped to the door, and caught the servant listen-
ing in the hall.
“Here,” he said, “take this messige down to Mrs, Win-
field.. Tell her she’s wanted to onct in Mr. Lee’s room.”
When Gale came in again, he camped down, with his
back toward the door, and his chair tipped so that no
one could get out of the room.
Lee looked even more startled.
“JT don’t understand this—outrage,” he protested.
“Outrage, is it?’ Gale snapped. “Ain’t I got to purtect
the town o’ Fardale? I’m a citizen o’ this place now—
"moved in last week, Besides, I’m constable. The’s goin’
ito be charges agin’ the proper person, er I'll know why.”
» “Who is the proper person?” Lee demanded. “You
“must know more about this than I do,”
oe “Want me to read to ye the writ l’ye drored up fer
ee you to sign?”
~~ He pulled it out of his coat pocket with a flourish.
44 - “YI jest tell ye what it charges, leavin’ out the legal
"preliminaries, which aire all in print, anyhow, I'll jest
give the charges, and the name,”
_. He began to read:

“Charging the aforesaid Pedro Alvord, instructor in
Spanish and other languages at Fardale Academy, with
- having criminally attacked and assaulted the aforesaid
' Simeon Lee, with malice aforethought, after having robbed

the said Lee of one nigger of wood and cloth, which held
within its interior vallyble papers; and then setting fire
to the room in which the said Lee liyed and resided, with

‘intent to burn and slay and destroy him, the said Lee;
: all within the town and village of Fardale, and against
the statutes in such cases made and provided.”

 

Hé held it forth,

“To be signed by you, Mr. Lee, and swore to by you;
. ‘and then I’ll go and git him, the said Alvord.”
- Lee’s face had become as white as a cloth.

/, >» Chip and his friends, Clancy and Jelliby, sat staring and
‘bewildered. Though Chip and Clan had reached the
‘conclusions set forth in Gale’s blundering, unsigned affi-

~ dayit, that these things were known all over Fardale was

I, an astonishing disclosure. Yet such seemed to be the

m.*/ .Case.

“T’ll sign nothing of the kind,” said Lee.

>) you get your supposed facts?”

“You told ’em!” said Gale.

“Where did

m4 " He arose, and opened the door,
> : “Ah, here is Mrs, Winfield, looking as young and
| Randsome as a chirrupin’ medder lark, even though she

Came nigh havin’ her house burned down on’y last night!
Come in, Mrs. Winfield,”

The lady named came into the room, flushed and em-
barrassed, but dimpling.

“Mrs, Winfield,” said Gale, with a judicial air, “you
know me, and you know the man settin’ over there, by
the winder. And, of course, so long’s it’s true, and you

~ have reported it, you'll be willin’ to say, right here and
now, that while Mr. Lee lay right there in this bed, to-day,
hein’ at the time and moment out of his head in a
way, you heard him declarin’, in a loud voice, that he
had been attackted and assaulted by one Pedro Alvord,
who had stole away his talkin’ head, and tried to burn

 

 

 

oe . NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 15
|

him down with the house, to cover up this ’ere crime,
You'll say all that, Mrs. Winfield?”

Mrs. Winfield looked trapped and confused,

“I did hear Mr. Lee say that, or something of the kind,” |
she admitted, knowing she was in a corner, “but, when —
I told it in confidence toa friend, I didn’t think it would
be repeated.”

“And you heard him sayin’ that the nigger head held
certain vallybles, Mrs. Winfield, which the aforesaid Al-
vord took dnd stole and carried off?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Winfield fluttered, “I can’t deny that I
heard that.”

“And you'll be willin’ to sign an affidavit to that
effect ?”

“T—I’d rather not, Mr. Gale,” said the lady, in a troubled
voice. “As I said, when I repeated that to a friend, I
thought——”

“No matter what you thought, it’s what és,” Gale de-
elared, assuming his most lawyerlike air; “we are dealin’
with what is.”

“But I’d rather—not, Mr, Gale!” she palpitated.

“Oh, well, it reely doesn’t matter. T’ll make out this
affidavit myself, as I’ve a right to, Then, when I’ve landed
Alvord, and he is brung up for trial.on these charges, I'll
jest have you and Mr, Lee placed on the witness stand,
where, under oath, you'll have to tell what ye know, and
all that ye know, And the same way with these young
fellers here. They’ll be made to say what they know,”

“We don’t know anything,” said Clancy.

“Them papers, though,” said Jelliby; “them vallyble pa-
pers abaout that English fortune, ye know—are they stole
away, sure?” he demanded of Lee,

“Don’t get overheated,” said Lee, now cool enough;
“don’t get overheated, Mr, Jelliby!”

“Um-huh!” grunted Gale, “So there is somethin’ un-
derneath all o’ this? I knowed it!”

He rose pompously.

"All right. It’s gittin’ a case started that’s the difficult
thing sometimes. But now I’m started, and the trail grows
hot, I'll have this Spanish feller in jail inside of an hour,
and then we'll take the lid off, and git a look at ali the
hidden machinery.”

He opened the door, stepped into the corridor, and
hastened away toward the stairs.

Chip, Clan, and Jelliby trailed after him,

CHAPTER IX,
TRAPPING ALVORD.

When they got down into the yard they found the Duke
there, in an excited and anxious frame of mind,

‘You haven’t seen anything of Cyril?” he asked.

The constable stopped abruptly, as he was on the point
of hurrying away-

“What's that?” he demanded.

*My little nephew, Cyril; you’ve seen him, have you?
He has a trick of*running away, and I’m afraid he has
done it again. He ran away from Boston, and eame down
here, you know. Just cut out, little as he is. I haven't
seen him for more than an hour, and don’t know where
he is. He has been with me in my room in the bar-
racks.”

“Ye don’t say?” said Gale, sniffing another case of some
kind. “He has been kidnaped and stole, likely! The’ was
enough jew’lry glitterin’ on him to tempt any thief. 1

 
é

16 NEW
recollect him. The little feller you called the Prince.
Princes and dukes, and money and jew’lry, seems to run
in your fam’ly.”

The Duke drew himself up stiffly.

“Waal, I know where there’s one thief,” said Gale.
“Mebby if he’d steal a wooden nigger head he might steal
a live white one, if’t was hung all round with rings and
diamonds. I wouldn’t put it past him! I’m goin’ over
to arrest the critter right now, and if you want to tag
along and see how it’s done, I ain’t keerin’, But mebby
you'll find the fam’ly jew’lry establishment wanderin’
round town some’eres; seems most likely.”

He set off again. And seeing that Chip and Clan and
Jelliby were trailing after him, the Duke went along
with them. .

“What's all this about?” he asked.

Jelliby, who had been warmed by the Duke’s money,
began to explain.

“Alvord! Well, I never liked that fellah, donchuknow!”
the Duke observed. “But it’s a foolish accusation. You
say Lee declared there was nothing in it? I don’t think
there is, either. Alvord isa bright man, donchuknow.”

There followed a sharp walk to Alvord’s boarding
house.

“Waal, here we aire,” said Gale, a bit nervously, as they
drew up before it. “If this critter has done the things
that Lee told about, when Mrs. Winfield overheard him,
then he’s a desprit character, and will put up a fight.
That’s one reason I didn’t object when you tagged along.
I’m goin’ to use ye now as my posse, understand?” He
lifted his hand. “In the name o’ the law, I command ye
to help me capture him! There, it’s done; you’re my
posse. Come along now, all o’ ye—I command ye.. We'll
jest take the bull by the horns.”

He rapped loudly on the door.

“To see Mr. Alvord,” he said,
opened.

“He said he was not to he seen this evening,”
in the door objected.

“That’s all right,” snapped Gale; “you jest stand aside,
in the name o’ the law; I’m the constable!”

The man stood aside.

when the door was

the man

Gale entered, and began to climb the stairs he saw be-
fore him.

Stirred by excitement, the young fellows he now called
his “posse” climbed the stairs after him.

Gale seemed to know where to go. No doubt he had
made sure of that before he went to Mrs. Winfield’s. He
stopped before a door, and hammered on it peremptorily.

There was no response, though the boys thought they
heard a movement in the room.

“Open in the name o’ the law!” Gale bellowed.
ye don’t, I’ll break the door down.”

When the door was opened, Alvord stood there, pale
and agitated. He opened the door only an inch or two,
and it could be seen that he held something behind
him.

“What do you want?” he demanded roughly.

“That’s all right; what ye got behind ye—the nigger
head?”

“Tis me,” a shrill little voice piped.
nigger head under the bed.”

“The Prince!” the Duke gasped.

“Oh, is that you, Uncle Anselm?” said the Prince,
going to make the nigger head talk in a minute!”

cTF

“He’s tucked the

“THe’s

_ jew'lry truck, ditto.

Tit TOR W EER,

“Open in th’ name o’ the law!” cried Gale, and rammed

his heavy shoulder against the door with such force that © Li

Alvord and the Prince were hurled backward into .the
room, as the door flew inward. ih
Before Alvord could recover, the constable was stand-
ing in the doorway with a revolver gripped in his hand.
“Stealin’ nigger heads and white boys, and I dunno
what all! I’ve come fer ye. What ye got to say?”

“T—I don’t understand you,” Alvord stammered.

“Oh, ye don’t? It’s usually th’ case. ~Jedgin’ by the
words 0’ voilators o’ the law like you, I’m the hardest
man to understand in seven counties.”

The Duke was pushing in past him. ;

Seeing him, the Prince darted out from his position
by the bed, and flung himself into his arms. he

“Fle’s goin’ to make the head talk, Uncle Anselm!” the
boy shouted, in his shrill way. Naeem ‘this man go away,
so he can make the head talk for me,’

The Duke folded the little fellow in his arms.

“How'd that kid git here?” Gale snapped.

“He was wandering on the street, and I brought
in here, with, the intention of returning him to Mr. Basil,
Alvord explained. “

“No!” said the sharp, high voice of the Princes” “That
wasn't the way of it. I was down by the barracks, ‘an
you said if I’d go with you you’d show me somethi
in your rooms. And when we got here it was tte’ hea
and you said you’d make it talk.”

“Stop your lies!” shouted the infuriated man, wh’ ‘stood
at bay. es
The Prince’s baby-blue eyes filled with tears of indigna: ;
tion. it

“Tt isn’t any lie,” he said, eiibiae. “And now e goings)
to tell what you did!” he flashed angrily.

Alvord glanced round with a hunted look.

“You was cutting off my diamond buttons. That's wha ey
you were doing! And I don’t believe you was goM

Aes

give ’em back to me, like you said. You’ re a bad man— ‘

for I don’t tell lies, and I don’t like you.” ni \
The Duke looked at Cyril’s clothing—the outer clothing ©
being silks and velvets; and he saw that some of the. me
glittering gems that had been sewn on for buttons were
gone. Pe
The Duke’s blue eyes flared hot and hateful, as often
Chip Merriwell had seen them flare.
“Thief!” he said to Alvord, his voice contemptuous.
“Um-huh!” grunted Gale. “Stealin’ from the kid, too!

I reckon I got a good case ag’inst ye, Mr. Alvord, even if

t’other one falls down.”

He glanced at the bed, and tried to see under it.

“One nigger head of wood, stole; diamonds and other ~
Stand up there, you—and hear me ~
read ye this warrant fer yer arrest! I ain’t swore to it ©
yit, but I can take ye jest the same, and swear to the
warrant later, after I lug ye to the jail.” Stand up there
now, and hear this!”

He mouthed out the words of the warrant, full-yoiced.

The tallow-white face of the accused man became death- _
like.

“What ye got to say?” demanded Gale.

Alvord coughed and strangled, then controlled himself
with an effort. He looked vindictively gt Chip Merri-
well.

“ft know whom to thank for this,” he said, his
trembling. “But I ought to have expected it.

 

ords ja !
I ought &
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 17

ie killed you as soon as I knew you belonged to the
_ viper brood of the Merriweils.”

'“Here, here!” Gale objected; “what ye sayin’ ?”

“He knows what I)mean!” said Alvord.

“Tm sure I don’t,’.Chip declared.

“You didn’t recognize me by name?. Bah! Dick Mer-
riwell hasn’t spoken to you a hundred times about me—
about the Valdivian colonel, Pedro Alvord?”

Chip fell back, wide-eyed.

“You're a Valdivian?”

“Ha! I knew you had recognized me—that you recog-
nized me by name from the first, and if I had known
that you were to be here in Fardale I should never have
applied for my position! But you came. , And you have

“ruined me. Wasn’t it enough,” he raved, “that Dick Mer-
-riwell should ruin me financially by his revolution in
Valdivia and make me a wanderer on the face of the
earth? Wasn’t it enough, without you hounding me here,
-and making me if ;

’ Here, here!” yelled Gale. “However all that was—and
site interesting, he‘ didn’t make ye attackt Lee, and steal
fis nigger head that held vallyble papers concernin’ the
\Jelliby fortune, and then set fire to his boarding house

K 5 “to burn and consume him and turn him and all the ev’dence

to smoke and: ashes and cinders! He didn’t do that. And
‘ es didn’t make ye steal jew'lry frum a child, neither. I
guess I’m going to prove them things on ye, Mr. Alvord,
too!

“Voilators o’ the law don’t fool me none whatever.

; You was strippin’ the brilliant trimmin’s off this kid, be-,

: cause you was gittin’ ready to slide out of town, and you
thought you could git money fer ’em from some thieves’

fence in the city; and you was wantin’ the money. You
Swed that I was hot on yer track. You can’t fool

can’t?” yelled Alvord.
hand had dropped unobserved to the back of a

Cyril, the Prince, alone escaped, for the chair went over
"his head. And as the Duke fell, knocked over by the fall
 6f the constable, Cyril was shot forward into the room.

In the scramble that followed, Alvord caught up the
child and leaped to the window.

This was followed by a shiver and crash of breaking
’ glass, as Alvord smashed the window and leaped out
with the little boy, a long drop, into the snow.
€

CHAPTER X.
THE WILD PURSUIT.

Zenas Gale, the constable, came to his feet, howling,

~ and rushed to the window.

He was not alone in his rush.

_» Clearly in: the starlight, on the white snow, Alvord was

0 be seen, running. He had got out of the yard, to the

"street, and was sprinting for the shelter of the farther
It could be seen that he carried the boy in

~~ Gale lifted his revolver.
"+ * “Don’t shoot, you fool!” yelled the Duke, and caught
‘the constable’s arm. ‘“Can’t you see you're likely to hit

Ordinarily, it would so have enraged Gale to be spoken
to in that manner that he would at least have threatened to
arrest the offender, but now his arm came down, with
only a mumbled protest.

He stared at the figure flying into the darkness, his head
thrust throw the broken window.

“Anybody killed?” he grunted. “No! Waal, he’s gittin’
away. We got t’ git out o’ this quick’s scat, ef we’re ever
goin’ to head him off, er do anything.”

He limped toward the door, rubbing his elbow, which
tingled from the flailing blow of the chair.

Chip and Clancy were already in the hall, and the Duke
and Jelliby were following, so that they had started, and
were in advance of the constable. But he was close at
their heels as they broke for the stairs and ran down
to the front door.

“What’s the trouble?” a man was demanding, in the
lower hall.

“Smashed yer winder, and got away,” yelped Gale. “Ef
he ain’t paid ye, you’re out a board bill, fer that critter
ain’t comin’ back!”

“Who do you mean?”

“Alvord, yer star: boarder. He’s gone, cut out, ske-
daddled, flew th’ coop. Mebby we c’u’d ketch him if we
had wings.”

Then they were all outside, and in the street, running
wildly in the direction taken by Alvord, across lots.

It was soon seen to be a hopeless chase. He had dis-
appeared in the darkness, and could readily, by a change
of direction, defeat capture in that manner.

However, the Duke and Jelliby kept on.

The constable turned back toward the academy and
Mrs. Winfield’s, and with him went Chip and Clancy.

“Got to git to a telefoam,” said Gale, panting heavily
as he ran; “and’ stop him from gittin’ out o’ the country.
I reckon you fellers had better raout out.yer stewdent -
friends. We're goin’ to need every man we can git, if
we're to take that feller. Got a half a dozen cases ag’inst
him, I have now; last one bein’ kidnapin’ of a child and
stealin’ of his diamond buttons. Yit it was a shinin’ in-
vitation, to go round wearin’ buttons like that.”

A run of a short distance brought them to a pay-tele-
phone station, and Gale darted into it.

“Better hustle out your friends,” he called, as he van-
ished.

Chip and Clancy hurried on.

Though they had not said so to Gale, it was quite
clear to them that a regard for a whole skin, as well
as a longing for the diamond buttons, had urged Alvord,
when he caught up the child and made that wild leap
from the window of his room. He could be sure that no
shot would be sent to stop him while he held the boy
in his arms.

Following up the street to Mrs. Winfield’s, they turned
there, at the corner, and shot into the academy grounds,
and soon were at their particular end of the dormitory,
which they called the barracks. .

Though the winter days were lengthening toward spring,
night still came early; and there was time yet to call
out all the students tiiey could find, and have a thorough
search made before the barracks were closed for the
night. ~ . :

Yet, suddenly, as Chip and Clancy came up to the steps,

* they stopped, hit in the face by the thought of what they

 
 

18 NEW
were about to do-—spread through the academy that blast-
ing accusation against the Spanish instructor!

All the evidence was against him. He had been caught
red-handed, apparently. Cyril’s statement that he had
thrust the talking head under his bed in his room
seemed proof positive that he had stolen it from Lee,
at Mrs, Winfield’s. And.that carried the further con-
clusion that he had sought to rob and kill Lee, and set
fire to the boarding house to cover up these crimes. Also,
he had declared to Chip his hatred and fear of the Mer-
riwells.

And yet-—

He was the Spanish instructor at Fardale, It was no
crime to be a Valdivian. He might have been able to ex-

plain the presence in his room of the talking head and

make other satisfactory explanations.

They felt, suddenly, that they did not want to be the
heralds of the disgrace of Fardale, for it was a disgrace
to Fardale to have her Spanish instructor revealed as a
villain.

They concluded to let the constable spread that—he
could be trusted to sow it broadeast, while they would
speak to only a few of their close friends, who could be
trusted, like Kess and Billy Mac and O’Neill and others.

Having, with hasty words, reached this decision, they
now hurried into the barracks and went in search of their
friends.

Five minutes later they were outside again, with Kegs,
Mac, O’Neill, and some others, all haying assembled
quietly.

The town of Fardale lay silent, under the starlight,
wrapped round with its blanket of snow. It was hard to
believe, as one looked off at the twinkling street lights,
that grim tragedy stalked there,

The young fellows did not stop to speculate on this.
They were tingling for action, and Chip led them on to
the street before Mrs, Winfield’s

They were no more than there before Zenas Gale came
puffing up to them, staring at them keenly.

*Oh, it’s you--and you’ve got yer friends! Waal, I’ve
been telefoaming all round, and no news yit. But I
hardly expected there would be. I’ve got him ringed in,
though. All the towns round and about has been no-
tified, and the police in them places will be on the look-
out. Same way down at the station, if he tries to take
a train there. Also, I’ve hired two men to ga gut over
the ro’ds in sleighs, and beat round fer him in that way.
The’ ain’t no chance fer him to git away.”

Jelliby came up, and joined them.

“That nigger head,” said Jelliby; “’twas left in that
room, ye know, under th’ bed, and I s’pose it’s there
now.” ;

“Waal, you jest leave it there,” commanded Gale; ‘it's
ey’dence, I'll ’tend to that nigger head.”

“The’s papers in it, ye know—vallyble papers, ahaout
that Jelliby fortune in England, ” Jelliby reminded.

“Waal, L won’t steal ’em, If they’re there, they’ i be
thére. P

“Whut I was thinkin’, though,” Jelliby explained, shift-
ing neryoysly, “is that Alvord may come back there and
git ’em. He was too sca’t, when he jumped out the winder
tew take ’em with ’im; but he may come back.”

“You can go down and guard the house,” said Gale, “if
you want ta.

 

TIP TOP WEEKLY,

But you jest keep out o’ that room, I’ye -

got to see the ev’dence in that room before anybody else
invades it.”

Jelliby went down there, with O'Neill arid Billy Mace.

When the Duke appeared, which he did soon, he was in
a wildly anxious state of mind. He had separated from
Jelliby, to make their search more comprehensive, but had
discovered nothing.

“T hope he won’t harm Cyril!” he said to Gale.

“Jest rest easy. He won't.» He tuck him to purtect
himself, and because he hadn’t got through appropriatin’
them diamond buttons. If a prince is sent round wearin’

diamond buttons, the people what is fools enough to se

send ‘im can expect that there will be mortals who'll
fergit that he is a prince, and strip off the jew’ls. To
deck a kid out that way makes a great showin’ for the
amount of the old man’s alfalfy bales, but not much fer
his sense,”

“You're insulting,” said the Duke.

“Think so? I’m jest sorry fer ye, and sorry fer the kid
that has been thrown so foolishly into danger. But we'll
git him back, That feller is goin’ to be rounded up, and
he ain’t goin’ to take no long chances on goin’ to the
‘lectric chair fer murderin’ a kid like that.
up.”

Gale was laying plans as he talked, ‘

Seon he was directing the young fellows where to go;
and seattered them out for a thorough beating of the’
Fardale streets and the country close round the village, —

CHAPTER XI.
ALVORD’S ACCUSATION.

When Chip Merriwell returned to the corner near Mrs:
Winfield’s, with Owen Claney and Villum Kess, Jake

 

Jelliby was also with him, Jelliby having grown tired. of > it

his fruitless watch,
They stood on the corner, talking.

As they did so, they became aware that something was es

wrong in the new room which Simeon Lee occupied im.
the boarding house, The window of the room was almost: ©
over them, and suddenly the sashes jarred, and a Pri
thump sounded, indicating that a: heavy body had fallen —
on the floor, or that a struggle was going on.

“Mysterious Mr. Lee is throwing another fit,” said
Claney, though he did not think that explained it.

Chip started to run round to the front of the house,
and the others followed him on the jump,

The front door was not locked, and there was a light
in the hall, Owing to the apparent exigency, they did —
not stop to ring the doorbell, but pushed right in.

Chip Merriwell made for the stairs as soon as the door
closed behind them.

The others still trailed him.

Those stairs were familiar to Chip, He had not. only
been over them a number of times, but yery recently he
had helped to pull Mr. Lee down them, and had fallen“
there, behind the barricade of trunks,

Though that had been so short a time before, so many

things had happened since, it) seemed that the time had
been a week.

They did not see even a "servant on the stairs or in the
halls, and hurried on toward the room which Lee now
occupied,

As they emerged into the upper corridor, they iabadl
and listened. But they heard nothing.

fa tah ‘ , 4 p Yah
Tega tek a Ng a KS

Jest chirk —

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a
open.

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. Co ae

“We'll just have a look-in on Mr. Lee, anyway,” said

me Chip.

. But when Chip tapped lightly on the door of Lee’s room
_ there was no response. .

_ Chip flashed a queer and questioning look at Clancy,
who: stood by him.

_. “Something wrong here, too, Clan?” he whispered.
“Likely. Any old thing is likely.”

_ Then, within the room, they heard a shuffling move-
ment, and a ‘groan.

Chip gwung the knob round, and pushed the door

A wild-eyed man stood in the middle of the room,
and another man lay, gasping, on the bed; the first being

Alvord, and the other Simeon Lee. In Alvord’s eyes

gleamed a desperate fire, that was almost of insanity.
The head of the man on the bed was lifted.

“Don’t let him get away,’ he cried; “he’s got my—

_ papers!”

A hollow laugh tattled in the throat of Pedro Alvord.

_. He looked at Chip, and at the young fellows who were
- crowding the doorway behind Chip.

“My dear Spanish students, you have come to greet me
and wish me bon voyage. So kind of you—so very kind
of you!”

He flung his head, with a Spanish jerk, in the direc-
tion of the man on the bed.

“My dear Jelliby,’ he said, “Mr. Lee says I have got
his papers—your papers. Oh, I’ve got them—but not
papers! And I’m going out of this room with them.
Tye but this minute armed myself with Mr. Lee’s own
revolver, and as my case seems at this moment extremely
desperate, I shall shoot any one who tries to stop me.”

His burning eyes were on Jelliby.

- “ve got your papers, Jelliby!”

_ “I want tew know!” Jelliby gasped.

“Only—they happen to be diamonds!”

“Dia——” The word stuck in Jelliby’s throat.

-“T’m explaining this, because I don’t want to shake off
the snow of Fardale without making it clear to all of
you that Jelliby’s dear friend and attorney for the mythical
Jelliby fortune is one of the most notorious confidence men
‘and swindlers in this ¢ountry, aiid a diamond thief and
smuggler as well. He has tried to put me in bad, But I
know all about him, and I want to expose him.” \

Simeon Lee lifted himself in the bed. He was in his
street clothing.

“It’s all a lie,

”

friend Jelliby,” he declared. “Believe
nothing this madman says. You know he has tried to
kill me and burn the ‘house down ever my head. And he
came here to-night to rob me of—the papers. I had taken
them out of the talking head, which he stole away the
other time; and he came here to get them, and nearly
killed me.
now——”
A revolver shone itt Alvord’s hand, and Lee dropped
; oh back.
 “Hlere‘are the papers, Jelliby—the valuable proofs that
you are entitled to a fortune in England.”
He held up a leather bag, and putting his hand into it,
fe he drew up a handful of big, glittering diamonds, and let
; slide back through his fingers, and as they fell, they
were like drops of white fire.

“The. diamonds of Sefiora Guitterez, wt the City of ©

But I’m living yet, and unless he finishes me

Mexico—worth a king’s ransom. I was down in Mexico,
fighting the revolutionists, when this man filched these
diamonds there, and tried to get out of the country with
them.

“T followed him, and fourld that he had taken passage
for England on the Kronprinzessin Cecilie. I became a
passenger, too, under a disguise and a false name. I
tried to get the diamonds on the way over. Then the
steamer was turned back, and put in at Bar Harbor. I
thought I could get the diamonds there, but this man gave
me the slip.

“When, after long search, I failed to find him, I came
here,‘and secured the position of Spanish instructor, for

all my money was gone, and I had to live.

“Then fate played a game with me, and sent Lee here,
as you know. He came with the diamonds concealed in
the talking head. And though he thus had in his pos-
session a fortune, he was at the same time penniless, for
he dared not offer a single one of them for sale, and he
got his food and lodgings by giving his silly exhibitions.

“He came to Fardale because there was a fool named
Jelliby here, to whom he had been writing; Jelliby, who
had already coughed up money for him, and he held the
idea, no doubt, that Jelliby was wealthy.

“He thought he could milk a few more dollars out of
foolish Jelliby. And I heard that he did. But other
things happened. You know what they were, so I don’t

need to recount them.”

Simeon Lee was trying to slip out of the bed. He had
dangled his legs over, and had lifted his’ body. It was
plain to the young fellows in the doorway that he meant
to spring upon Alvord.

Alvord knew it.

The muzzle of the revolver swung round.

“T wouldn't,” he admonished. “It isn’t wise to take the
risk !”

He turned again to the amazed youths.

“Now I’m going out,” he said, as quietly as if a moment —
before he had not been speaking in another key. “I’m
going out. Stand ont of the way.”

Chip and those with him hesitated. They wished that
Gale was there. It was perhaps the only time they had
really longed for the presence of the constable.

The glittering revolver was lifted.

“l’m a desperate man,” said Alvord, in the same quiet
tone. “I’m going out of this house, and out of this
town, and whoever stands in my way pays the penalty.
I mean just that. I know what it will mean if I am taken,
and I don’t intend to be taken.”

When Chip still hesitated, the muzzle of the revolver
dropped to a level with his breast, and Chip saw the man’s
finger touching the trigger. :

“Stand out of the way!”

“Don’t let him get out!” said Lee, again dangling his -
legs over the edge of the bed.

But Chip was shrinking back, and those who were with ©
him were ducking out into the corridor.

“I’m going out,” said Alvord; “whoever tries to stop
me gets lead!”

“But—where is the boy?” Chip demanded. * Pe

“Out in the streets, somewhere—I don’t know where, be
I let him go! Stand back!” eu

Chip Merriwell stood back. There was cee else for
him to do.

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

CHAPTER XII.
HOW IT ENDED.

Alvord’s threatening revolver cleared the’ way to the
front door, and held the would-be pursuers at bay.

Having passed out, he locked the door behind him, with
the key taken from the lock.

Simeon Lee was one of the first to get to the foot of
the stairs and to the door at, the end of the front hall.
As soon as he heard the door close, and knew that the

dreaded revolver was beyond it, he fairly trod down
the young fellows who were hurrying in the same direc-
tion, hurdled over them, and then—found the door locked.

“Another key!” he yelled. “Where is Mrs. Winfield?
Here—bring another key for this door.”

He kicked at the door, and at the lock, and rammed
the door with his shoulders, but as it was the heaviest
door in the house, guarding the front entrance, he could
not budge it.

Chip Merriwell was the first to recall that there were
other doors and exits, and he turned toward the rear
of the house.

“Here, Clan, Kess, Jelliby!” he shouted, as he ran.

What he could do when he got out of the house he
did not stop to inquire.

Lee was still banging and raving at the front door,

_ when Chip and his friends got out of the house and rushed
at a wild run round into the street.

Of course, Alvord was not there.

The street was quiet.

“Perhaps the constable is down this way,”

Chip; “anyhow, the telephone station is.”
They sprinted away, hoping to see Gale, or some one who
— could get word to him, and made for the telephone station,
intending to send out word of what had happened.

They did not encounter Gale, nor any one else,

_ “Gale was right in thinking that Alvord was still in town,
or close by,” said Chip, as they drew up at the pay
_ Station.

. _ Hurrying into it, they began to feed it nickels and dimes,
and called up various places, spreading their story. They
also inquired for the constable, and tried to start out
searchers for him.

_ “We're the boss boneheads!” cried Chip suddenly.

-“How’s that?” said Clancy.

“Why, we’ve let Lee get away!”
Clancy fell over against the wall.

_ “I guess you're right—if he wanted to get away!”

_ “Wouldn’t he, after that exposure of him? Anyway, if
; “Alvord took those diamonds from him, and I think he did,
“he’d want to follow Alvord, wouldn’t he? Somebody
fan the tail of my coat with his big boots! I ought to
be kicked all over the lot.”

Chip started back to Mrs. Winfield’s at a sharp run,
feeling that, though he might not have been able to keep

e from leaving the house, he could doubtless have re-
ported it to some one; and even at Mrs. Winfield’s, tele-
phone calls and announcements could be sent out.

Me But, perhaps Lee had not left!

When they arrived at Mrs. Winfield’s, they found that

Mr. Simeon Lee had ReneS » from the Place so quietly

suggested

open, and strange telephone inquiries had begun to pour
in on her, which she feared to try to answer, even though
she had known a good deal’ of what had been happening
in the past few hours.

Chip and his friends were not forced to canine the in- ee

vestigation of Lee’s room, for Zenas Gale arrived, and
did that.

Gale was furious with disappointment,

Yet, in a measure, the gratification of his curiosity com-
pensated for something that was lost. This gratifica-—
tion was furnished in the story told him, of Alvord’s
amazing declarations about Lee and the diamonds.

“Everything’s gone, don’t yeou know,” said Jelliby.

“Even the fortune in England,” observed Clancy. >

“I didn’t mean that, and yeou know I didn’t,” pro- |
tested Jelliby. “I wonder if that nigger head ain’t gone,
tew ?”

The Duke arrived, from a prolonged and fruitless —
search for Cyril, and made known his fears again.

Chip comforted him by telling him that Alvord Had Face

said the boy was somewhere in the streets.
“He'll go to the barracks, if that is so,” said the Duke.

“He’s going to be made ill, for he isn’t properly clothed © i
‘to be out in the night, in such weather.”

They went to the barracks, while Gale was trying to
get a line on the flight of Lee and Alvord, but they
could not find the boy at the barracks.

“He may have returned to that house where Alvord had
him, thinking we would be there,” suggested the Duke.

Forthwith they hastened off again.

The Prince was not at the house.

“Well,” said Chip, thinking of the talking head, “can
we look in Alvord’s room upstairs? He seems to have
left the town.”
“Jumped a board bill and smashed that window,” wailed
the man of the house. “Whatever property he has in
that room I claim as compensation, though I know he
hasn’t got much.”

With the man’s permission they went upstairs and into
the room which showed the shattered window,

Chip pulled the talking head from under the bed,

“Tll take this, if you don’t mind,” he said; “it’s of
no great value, yet I’m willing to pay you for it, if you
think I ought.”

They began to look for the hiding place of the ‘ eater
papers.”

After a little they hit on the idea of unscrewing the
head from the body, and thereby they found the inner
receptacle, though it now held nothing,

“The papers are gone, Jelliby,” said Clancy,

“Cut it out,” said Jelliby; “I was a fool, but the’s no
use rubbin’ it in.’

Chip gave the talking head a shake, as he held it to his
ear.

“No diamonds inside now,” he declared.
He had known, of course, there would be none,

“T'll surrender this head to the constable, if he wants _
it,” he said to the man, when they were ready to take _

their departure. a
When they got back to the barracks, they found Cyril

_ there, minus all his diamond buttons, but unharmed.

_In cid room at the barracks that evening, as

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

to the fact that he had been in the center of whirling
events.
"Yah, yah!” he cried.
ole night!”

“Vas, sah; dis has been a wil’
THE END.

__ Further adventures of Chip and his chums with some
of the strange characters, that have taken up their atten-

| tion in this story, will be found in “Frank Merriwell,

Junior, and the Prince; or, The Crooked Trail of Bully
Carson,” which is the title of the story that you will
find in the next issue of this weekly, No. 135, out Febru-
ary 27th.

-When Courage Wins;
Or, The Old Farm’s Treasure.
By EDWARD 5S. ELLIS.

! (This interesting story was commenced in No. 132 of the New Tip
Top WEEKLY, Back numbers can be obtained from your news
dealer or the publishers.)

CHAPTER VII.
A MOONLIGHT RAID.

You will remember that Scipio Shanks was the bound

boy of the miserly Squire Lapp, who was so absorbed
in his life work of making money that he paid little
attention to the colored youth. It was understood that
he was to do all the chores about the place,. under the
direction of the gentle wife, whose spectacles often failed
to tell her of the chronic indolence of the youth.
Since Fielder Keating had obtained a vacation for Scip
that afternoon, he was not scolded. because of his pro-
longed absence. Enough work was awaiting him to keep
him busy until meal time. He was very hungry, but he
bravely held himself in leash, and no murmur escaped
him.

Fortune favored Scip in one respect: The couple had
not seen him take away the flintlock, and months passed
before they noticed its disappearance from the deer’s
antlers over the fireplace. By that time the youth’s igno-

-rance was accepted as genuine, and he never was called.
~ to account.

After giving. the matter full consideration, Scip decided
to defer his visit to Deacon Bisland’s watermelon patch
until the following evening. His experience of the after-
noon had made him tired, and he sank into slumber within
a few minutes after creeping into bed, not opening his
eyes until he heard the call of the squire from the bot-
tom of the stairs the next morning. When the long day
wore away, he was ready and eager to make his raid upon
the fruit which is so alluring to his race.
Tt was “lights out” at the squire’s every night except
when there was an occasional business caller, At that
hour all was darkness in the faded dwelling. Scip climbed
to his little bedroom. over the kitchen, but did not lie down

vecause he was afraid of falling sleep. He seated himself

"clock, that being the hour he had fixed upon for his
‘start, He nodded once or twice, but did not fully lose
consciousness. The blissful moment came at last, and he

ounted, with a thrill of expectancy, the ten soft, musical
chim of the eight-day peat in the hall petew.

It would have been easy for him to steal down the stairs
and out-of-doors. But he shrank from the risk. .
inclined to 4umble over chairs in the darkness, and if the —
squire should investigate and find the door unlocked, there
would be a rumpus, the thought of which made Scip
shudder.

What more inviting line of travel can a boy ask at

night than the sloping roof of the kitchen of the house
where he lives? True, the incline was so sharp in the

case before us that Scip, when the shingles were wetted — x

by rain, was unable at all times to check himself from
tobogganing to the eaves and bouncing off to the ground.
The distance, however, was so slight that he did not mind
the jarring., ey
Had any one been looking at that side of Squire Lapp’s _|
home late that evening, he would have seen a big, bare
foot thrust through the raised window, followed by a
goodly sized leg, and, finally, by the whole body of Scipio
Shanks, He gingerly felt his way down the short slope
and dropped upon his feet, Everything was propitious. ‘
The cornfield containing the fine growth of sweet, juicy

watermelons lay between Widow Martin’s home and the _

Corners. Since Squire Lapp’s dwelling was in the opposite
direction, the raider had to pass the vine-covered cottage
where Budd Martin and his mother lived. He kept to the
highway until this was effected, His sharp eyes and ears”
would have been quick to detect any stranger, but he saw
none. Finally, he climbed over the fence, and a few paces
brought him among the tall growth. of corn,

Scip had kept a stealthy watch upon that luscious growth.
of fruit for weeks past, and had marked a goodly number
as his own. He sniffed with contempt at the painted
sign which confronted every one from the edge of the
field, warning off all trespassers under penalty of the law.
What did he care for a little thing ‘like that? ;

“De deacon don’t do right to plant dem watermillions
and expect fellérs like me to let ’em alone. Why, it’s on-
possible,” he added, as if arguing with the owner; “de
colored chap dat: don’t like watermillions ain’t fit to ~
and dat ain’t ame.”

One fact was not ‘only a puzzle to the prowler, but gave
him vast satisfaction, Deacon Bisland never liked dogs,
and had refused the urging of his neighbors to keep such
a protection against tramps and the predatory visits to
his melon patch and apple orchard. If he had been prudent .
enough to retain a canine guardian, he might have given
no thought to thieves, when, from the nature of things,
the deacon was helpless. f

No phantom glided more noiselessly between the tall —
rows of corn than did Scipio Shanks, as‘ he directed |

his steps to the quarter of an acre of open space where

several scores of the delicious fruit had already Oe

and others were close to ravishing maturity. Standing
for a minute on the margin, Scipio smacked his lips,

“IT think I kin git away wid ’bout five ob de biggest;
den J won’t want any more ob de dessert till to-morrer ::

no resistance when Scip snapped it apart. fie n
thumped the beauty with his knuckle. The responsive

ears. Bing
Then he drew out his Barlow iia: opened the a
blade, and pushed it down through the soft, crackling wa
marking the four sides of “- tapering aybes ae

 

He was
he had ever shown before.

anatomy.

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

point of the blade as a lever, he pried up the cap, grasped
it with his thumb and forefinger, and carefully drew it
ut.’ White under the rind, it turned to a blood red as it
sharpened to a point, which held a few clinging black seeds.
The colors were not clear in the moonlight, but eyesight
was not necessary in this instance.
yielding titbit between his teeth and fairly moaned with
ecstacy.
“Um-um! dat’s heben!”
The melon was too big to be handily carved with his
small knife. So Scip raised it from the ground and
struck it across his knee. It was so ripe that it fell apart,
seemingly of its own weight, and displayed the ravishing
sweetness within. He gouged a hunk from the center,
buried his teeth in it, and the cool juice squizzled down
_the corners of his mouth.
“Dis will aS fur a start;
fill me up
An icy shiver passed through ime at sight of the most
terrifying object upon which his eyes could rest. A black
dog, seemingly as large as a horse, stood only a few
paces away, looking at him as if uncertain of his identity.
Quick, however, to recognize an intruder, he galloped

it'll take. free-four more to

—« toward him.

Unsuspected by Scipio Shanks, Deacon Bisland had pro-
vided himself with a tremendous dog with which to guard
his melon patch. The deacon had had him only two days,
and this was his first job.

Scip had been told that if one looks squarely into the
eye of a wild beast or dangerous brute, he will quail. He
did not think of anything of that nature, but leaping to
his feet, bounded through the corn at a faster pace than
Nothing encourages man or
animal more than the sight of a fleeing object, but the
canine in the present instance needed nothing of that na-
ture. With a bark, he organized the pursuit.

In his blind panic, Scip gave no thought to his line of
flight. He started toward the side of the cornfield which
_ adjoined the stretch of wood at the rear of Widow. Mar-

tin’s home, and put on all steam. He made good progress,
but almost any dog can outrun the fleetest boys. Scip
_ knew the canine terror was at his heels, and expected every
moment to feel his fangs in the most inviting part of his
It was this dread which caused the fugitive to
make a leap upward every few steps, in the hope that the
teeth would .miss him. 5

The fact that Scip covered a hundred yards without
attack, gave him a throb of faith that possibly he might
escape the horrible creature, whose ‘odd barking continu-
ally smote his ear. He dashed the obstructing under-
‘ growth aside and tore onward with unabated speed. No
matter how vivid the moonlight may be, however, it must
-be dark when the beams are shut out by intervening
foliage. Scip could not see distinctly, and he had no time
to use his eyes when patches of illumination gave him
glimpses of the course he was following. Thus it came
about that the limb of a large maple; which put out’ at
right angles from the trunk, slipped under his chin and
fairly lifted him from the ground,

“Gee whiz!” he exclaimed; “dat took my head. off!”
He actually reached upward to learn whether his crown
was still on his shoulders. Learning that it was, he re-
_ sumed his flight, and a few minutes later burst from the
wood into the open meadow at the rear of Widow Martin’s

By this time the dog had come up with him, and Scip, ne
believing he was doomed unless he could get help, dashed
for the house, emitting the wild appeals which have been
recorded.

Fielder Keating and Budd Martin, from the window ~
where they were on watch, not only heard the call, but
recognized the voice. Dropping the useless musket, the
boys dashed downstairs and from the rear door hurried
to the aid a the panic-stricken Scip.

“Sabe me! sabe me!” wailed the lad, staggering forward
and hardly able to keep his feet.

“Save you from what?” asked Keat.

“Dat dog! doan’ yo’ se he’s gwine to chaw me up?

Budd Martin broke into laughter. .

“That’s Deacon Bisland’s Vic; he won’t hurt a fly.”

The animal was frisking about, showing no desire to
use his teeth. He frolicked from one boy to the other,
rising on his hind feet and pressing his forepaws against
first one breast and then another, whisking his tail so
vigorously that it swayed his haunches in unison. Evi-
dently he liked boys, and was delighted to make their —
acquaintance. When Scip scurried off, he followed, sup-
posing it was a challenge to a race.

CHAPTER VIII.
AN ODD VISITOR.

Some minutes passed before Scipio Shanks compre-
hended that he not only was in no personal danger, but
had not been in any that evening. The dog kept up his
frolicking with the different lads, and the time came when.
the Anglo-African youth actually patted his head and called}
him pet names.

Truth to tell, Deacon Bisland was so kind-hearted that
when he bought a dog with which to guard his fruit, he
made sure the brute would not bite unless in self-defense.
He shdudered at the thought of any animal of his man-
gling or seriously injuring a person, even if he was a thief.
The deacon was guaranteed that Vic would not use his
teeth except.upon some other brute or in the event of being
driven into a corner. Such being the disposition of the
canine, the incident just described will be understood,

Fielder Keating “read between the lines.”

“Scip,” he asked, “how came you to be mixed up With
Vic?”

“What’s dat. got to do wid it, huh?”

“A good deal; you must tell me.”

“Waal, de way ob it was dis way: I’d been’ down to °
Oberbrook on an arrant fur Aunt Tilly——”

“What was the errand?”

“Why—why, she wanted a dozen eggs for settin’.”

“She has plenty of hens; she sells eggs in town, and
would never send you to buy them at this time of night.
That yarn won’t go down.” ;

“Waal, neber mind if yo’ knows more ’bout it dan I
does. I was coming home, tendin’ to my own. bus’ness,
when dat blamed dog bounced over de fence and dived fur

‘me. He didn’t tell me he wouldn’t bite colored folks, so.

T lit out.”
“But you came from the woods; how was. that?” ;
“I thought I mought hide among de trees,” promptly re-
sponded Scip, vastly relieved at the ingenious explanation —
which flashed upon him. All might have gone well had —
not the insistent Fielder called Scip’s. attention to. the —
fact that Squire Lapp’s home was between the widow’s

 
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. — ee

“and Biarhrook. consequently Scip had passed it, as well
as Mrs. Martin’s, in order to reach the place where Deacon
Bisland lived. Without giving Scip time to collect his
_ slow wits, Fielder pressed his advantage:
“Where are the eggs you bought in Overbrook?”
"TT had ’em in a paper bag, and I was so scared that I
_ dropped *em and den fell on ’em and squashed ebery one;
dere warn’t no use in bringin’ de shells home,”
“You haven’t explained why you came’ by your own
- home and this one.”

_“Waal—waal—I wasn’t thinkin’ and didn’t notice——”

: Fielder smartly slapped the shoulder of the stammering
_ youth.

_"“Scip, it is always best to stick to the truth. It never
_ pays to lie, especially when you don’t know how to de-
ceive the one you are lying to. You are so swollen up

in front that I know you have been eating watermelons.”

"Dat ain’t so,”» was the indignant protest; “dat blamed
_ Vie come pokin’ his nose round afore I got a fair bite.”

. “Now go back to your home and to bed. Never look
ye upon Deacon Bisland’s melon patch again, unless you get
his permission. He is one of the kindest of men and will
- give you some big slices from the fruit if you ask him.
- Of course, you can’t expect him to fill you up every time
you feel the yearning, for his stock wouldn’t last more
than a few days. If you ever steal so much as an apple
- from him, I shall let him know, and your fate will be

a good deal worse than if his dog takes a:notion to nip
you. Do you ecateh my drift?”

“Yas, sir,” was the meek reply, as Scipio slunk off toward
the highreoad. Fielder and Budd quietly laughed when
they saw Vic trotting beside him, as if the two had always
been friends. The dog kept him company all the way to
Scipio’s house, and showed a disposition to stay with him.
That might have brought complications and caused the lad

-embarrassment, so he gently ordered the animal to go |

back, and he obeyed as promptly as all good dogs do.
The racket had roused Mrs. Martin, who was waiting
downstairs to learn what it meant. It was quickly ex-
plained, and the boys went to their room again and re-
sumed their duty as sentinels.
“Budd, what do you make of what we noticed just
before Scip entered upon the seene?”
“We certainly saw a man who had come out of the wood
near where Scip showed himself, but he must have dodged
away before we got downstairs.”
“Did you observe anything singular in his appearance
as shown in the moonlight?”
“Nothing, except he seemed to: be very slim of build and
more than six feet tall.”

“TY was struck by those peculiarities.
idea who he was?”
“I have never seen any one in Overbrook or this neigh-
‘borhgod that looked like him, He must be a stranger.”

Have you any

_ “What does he mean by prowling around at this time

night?”
ea looks as if we shall have to find out for our-

And heard every word. You struck straight from the

"shoulder, Keat.”
Seip. deserved it; it would have served him right if
ha nipped him, instead of making eet with a

_ “The joke’s on him,” chuckled Keat.

watermelon crank. It strikes me as likely the stranger has
gone and we shall see him no more——”
“By George, there he is!” whispered Budd excitedly.

At that moment the tall, excessively slim man came into —

the moonlight and seemed to be studying the rear of the 3

cottage.

“Tt can’t be he is a burglar,” commented Keat.

Budd sprang from his chair, more excited than before.

“Keat, there’s something the matter with that man!”

He was acting in an extraordinary manner. It was seen
that he grasped a heavy cane in one hand, upon which
he leaned as if he needed its support. He took two or
three paces toward the house, then halted and staggered,
as if about to fall,

“He is drunk,” whispered Budd.

“He doesn’t act like that. He appears to be suffering
from some kind of a hurt.”

Steadying himself for a moment, the stranger slowly
sank to the ground, as if unable longer to sustain his
weight.

“He needs help,” said Keat; “come on.”

This time the two moved so stealthily downstairs and

out of the kitchen door that Mrs. Martin was not dis-
turbed. All resentment toward the stranger vanished at

sight of his distress. Each lad was a boy scout for the
time. It took them but a few minutes to hurry across
the open meadow to where they had seen the stranger
collapse,

But he had disappeared. He must have roused himself
and fled during the “brief interval taken ky the friends in.
hastening to his assistance. They looked around and —
peered among the shadows of the trees. Keat ventured
to call:

“Don’t be afraid to show yourself, whoever you ara
if you are in need of help, we are ready to do what
we can for you.”

They listened, but there was no response,
had vanished as if he had never been.

“Well,” remarked Fielder Keating, as they slowly went
back to the house; “he knows we are ready to be his
friends. We can do no more,”

And little did the speaker suspect the results that were to
flow from that kindly aet of his. oe

Budd Martin had an inspiration, which he explained
upon their cautious return to their room. rs

“He’s pretty certain to show up again, after he thinks —
we're out of the way. When he does, we'll sneak out of -

The stranger

the front door, slip round behind him in the woods, and

head him off before he can come the grand sneak again.
Then we'll make him show his colors,”
“A good idea; he is acting so curiously that ne deter-
mined to find out what it means,”
The watchers resumed their seats by the window, where _
they were so well back in the shadow that no one could
see them from the outside, The old musket was lean-_
ing in the corner, since it could be of no use to either,
and the lads made themselves comfortable. .
When a full hour had dragged past without bringi
a glimpse of the unknown, Keat said, in an undertone;
“Tt looks as if he has really left. What do you thinks,
Budd ?”
But Budd did not reply. His companion repeated the

question, slightly raising his voice. Listening for the an-

swer, he heard the soft, regular breathing of his
: “He's a fin

 
  

   

tinel who can’t keep awake half the night! He’ll hear of
this in the morning.”

_ Such being the decision of Fielder Keating, he proceeded
to sink into a deep, refreshing slumber within the same
half hour, and did not open his eyes until roused by the
call of Mrs; Martin to breakfast. As both sleepers rubbed
their eyes and yawned, they agreed that it was not worth
while to indulge in any criticisms.

“Do you suppose he showed up while we weren’t watch-
ing?” asked Budd sheepishly.

“There’s no way of telling, unless,”
_ing, with a start,
dreaming.”

Uneasy over the peculiar actions of the man, the boys
went to the spot where he had been seen? and scrutinized
the surrounding earth. Believing he was suffering from
some grievous hurt, they were rélieved beyond measure
to discover no traces of blood on the grass. They could
make out the faint imprints of his shoe, but nothing
more.

Straightening up, Fielder Keating quoted: ’

added young Keat-
“he robbed the house while we were

“They shall fold their tents like the Arabs
And as silently steal away.”

CHAPTER IX.
A MATTER OF BUSINESS.

The broad highway which stretches from the Corners
_ to the little town of Overbrook, five aniles away, runs al-
most due east and west. It will be recalled‘ that when
Bowman Powell steered his automobile from before The
Traveler’s Rest, he took an easterly direction—that is,
directly away from the homes of Squire Lapp, Widow
Martin, and Deacon Bisland. It looked as if he were
about to bid farewell to the different parties in whom we
are interested, but such was far from the case.
The fact that he did not don his motor coat or goggles
indicated, as has been said, that he did not expect to go
far. He dropped to low gear and may be said to have
felt his way, glancing keenly to the right and left, as
if on the watch for some one.
In the dust ahead he caught sight of a team of horses,
_. driven by a farmer who leaned forward on his seat as if
asleep, but the honking of the auto’s horn caused him
to start up. His animals, which had been as drowsy as
himself, pricked their ears, snorted, and one shied to the
right and the other to the left, with little progress on the
part of either.
“Whoa! Consarn you! Why don’t you turn out?’
roared the old man, in high dudgeon.
A Powell had already veered to the ditch and announced
the fact in stentorian tones.
240 *Come ‘on; there’s nothing to seen those old crow-
baits of yours.”
“They ain’t scared at the buzz Wisin: but your face:
that’s enough to give ’em the pregeg “whoa; darn
_ you!”
_ The driver had come to his feet and was yanking the
‘reins. The sleepy steeds, now fully roused, reared and
began trying to climb to the stars. Instead of pulling
apart, they did the opposite and strove to their utmost to
crowd each other off the earth. Finally they assumed the
horizontal and galloped past the machine, which is more
terrifying to many of their species when standing still than
oe. in ‘motion, ere ithe: back into the nha road,

 
  

   

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

_ Yerkes, who, for one in his situation, was showing a strik-—

 
   
    

and was about to strike his former pace, when, chancing 4
to look after the farmer, he saw a surprising sight.

The burst of speed shown by the team of the farmer
did not last. A vigorous sawing of the reins and they
dropped down to their usual lagging gait. At the moment _
of their doing so, a man leaped lightly from the rear
of the wagon, stared about, and walked toward the autoist,
who, looking back, observed him. He stopped his machine
and waited.

The other was tall, emaciated, and miserably dressed.
He wore a pair of frayed trousers, held by a belt around
the thin waist, an alpaca coat, a hickory shirt without tie,
and a wool hat in the last stages of dilapidation. ;

Bowman Powell pushed open the door of his tonneau
and motioned him to get in.

“Hello, Yerkes, I was looking for you.”

“And here I am.” - f

The voice of the frowsy vagrant was husky and strained. -_
His beard was scraggly and his sunken face almost corpse- —
like in its paleness. ¥

“You got my letter?” was the inquiring remark of
Powell, as the man stepped into the ma¢hine and sat down ©
on the rear seat. —

“Yes; you said you would meet me at about this time
on the road to the east of the Corners, and I took a chance ©
at a ride.”

“Didn’t you see me coming?”

“I must have got into a doze, from which I was roused
by the shouts betWween you and the old farmer and by the
sudden start of his horses. Then, when I recognized you,
I dropped to the ground, and—well, here I am.”

“Don’t hold any post-mortems; let us attend to business.”

“I’m listening,” replied: Scott Yerkes, compressing his
thin lips and pulling himself together ; “say what you want

     
       
         
     
     
     
     
       
 
 
         
      
        
      
      
       
      
       
     
   
   
 
 
   
   
  
   
    
 
    
   
   
  

 

 

 

 
  

  

to say.”
“Are you sure there’s no mistake about. it?” | 2
“Almost,” was the startling reply. a ae
The auto was creeping along the road to the eastwérd.

It moved so gently that little attention to it was required, Ei

and the two could talk better. than when motionless. . |

Powell started and looked sharply at the cadaverous face | +

at his elbow. a
“What the deuce do you mean?” a
“What I said. I am almost ready to swear to the truth i :

of what I told’you, but I must have one more test before
can be positive.” j
The autoist uttered an angry expletive. .~ oi?
“Why didn’t you say that in your letter?” fk
“My doubt came after I had mailed you the letter.” a
“What caused it?” ea
“You wouldn’t understand if I told you.” eT
“You can try—but never mind,” added Powell, into. Y

   
 

  

whose mind entered a suspicion that roused all the evil ine
his nature,
“T prefer not to, but I shall make it clear very soon.”
“Tt isn’t necessary; I understand.”
“Perhaps you will then explain yourself,” ‘remarked: a

 
     
   
    
     
    

ing independence of character.
“You are dickering with some one else, and intend
throw me down.”

 
        
  
  
 

“There isn’t a spark of truth in ‘that, and you pet
. x
'“T advise you to be more careful with your words,
Yerkes,”

 
 
     
 

   
eat this morning.

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

It is not I but you who need to put a guard on your
“mouth; what was my proposal to you?”

“You would tell me the location of a gold mine on con-
dition that I paid you one hundred dollars.”

“Your recollection. is correct,
condition.”

“What's that?”

“You were to send me twenty dollars on account. If
you did, I didn’t receive it, and I can tell you I want

it mighty bad.”

except you forget one

~ “T didn’t unloose.
the spondulicks.
his bond.”

“So is mine,” remarked Yerkes, with grim irony; “for
my bond is worthless. You must rely on my pledge not
to demand the hundred dollars until I lay the proof of
what I claim before you.”
ao Anats all I ask,”

“Meanwhile I’ll trouble you for twenty dollars.”

“Not much. You won’t trouble me for twenty cents.”

“As you please, but I’m hungry, Powell.”

“You can get plenty of hand-outs in this part of the

world. Where did you sleep last night?”
“In that farmer’s barn, and his wife gave me a bit to
If I had even a few dollars, I could
buy a clean shirt, a pair of socks, and a hat. My shoes
will hold out a little while longer.”

He lifted one foot, showing the patched and torn shoe
and the absence of hose.

“T don’t see but what you’re doing well enough. Who
has a finer life than the professional tramp? He doesn’t
do a stroke of work, grows rugged and strong by sleeping
in barns and outhouses, and when! the folks won’t give
him bread and butter or pie or fried chicken, he can
steal them.”

Scott Yerkes looked into the bloated face that was
turned most of the time toward him, as the machine moved
like a snail over the highway.

“That’s the way I have lived for ten years.
be willing to do as much?

“Mebbe I will.”

“‘Never put off till to-morrow what can be done
‘to-day.’”

Deliver your goods and I'll produce
Bowman Powell’s word is as good as

Would you
If so, why don’t you do it?”

The autoist felt they were wandering from the bine

“Drop all that rot. How long will it take you to
_ bring me the proof you have been blowing about ?”

“One day.”

“I should like to know why the deuce you can’t do it
at once, but have it your own way. Report to me to-mor-
row, about this time, and as near here as you can hit it.

You'll admit you are hardly in evening costume.”

_ The other made no reply or comment. His pale face
flushed, and a venomous gleam crept into the faded eyes.
‘His reflections were as bitter as death itself.

Scott Yerkes was a man of excellent English family,
well educated, and with bright prospects, but, like many
another thus placed, he fell a victim to strong drink. He

descended lower and lower, until he was turned out of |
a responsible situation and became a vagrant and tramp; —
with only the ambition to gratify a thirst, whose long-.

ing never ceased to burn. His relatives bought him a
ticket to America, not daring to trust him with the money,
ecause of his weakness.

On this side of the ocean he made a brave effort, and

for several months acted a man’s part. Then the news
of his mother’s death bowled him over. He went to —
pieces, took to the road, and, as he told his patron, had
been a tramp for ten years.

“You speak of my giving you twenty dollars,”
Powell, feeling it was time to end the interview. “Sup-
pose I should hand you the money, what would you do
with it?”

“None of your business,” was the sullen reply.
“I don’t s’pose it is; but I know you would strike a
bee line for the nearest tavern, and hit it up till the jim- —
jams grabbed you. They might last a week, and there’s
no saying what secrets you would jabber. Whether you
did or not, you would be of no use to me. Wait till you
finish your job, and then you may drink yourself to

death for all I care.”

TO BE CONTINUED,

COLLECTIONS.‘

When Master Harold Grubbyface comes in late for tea
on Saturday afternoon, after an expedition in search of
birds’ eggs—which he generally hasn’t found, by the way
—his people exclaim:

“Bless the boy, what in the world does he want to go
and get in that mess for after a lot of stupid birds’ eggs!
Why couldn’t he stop at home and help us arrange the —
flowers?” :

The fact is women cannot see the attraction of collect-—
ing anything—unless it is rags in a rag bag. Some men
are collectors, but, as a matter of fact, boys are facile —
princeps in this profession. There is nothing under the
sun they haven’t started collecting—birds’ eggs, stamps, —
crests, monograms, postmarks, shells, leaves, seaweed, fos- _
sils, butterflies, moths, flowers, grasses, ferns, coins, penny
toys bought in the streets, autographs, cigarette pictures,
railway tickets, matches—in fact, every object imaginable.

I have inspected many curious collections in my time,
but one I was shown the other day with much pride by ©
its indefatigable collector certainly took the cake for —
originality, and, I may add, for horridness. It was a col-
lection of thumb nails. This lynx-eyed young man used to
keep a sharp lookout on everybody’s finger nails, both at —
school and wherever he went, and when he came across —
a particularly fine specimen on a thumb he would go up
boldly and say:

“Oh, do let me have your thumb nail—I collect hem.”

He had certainly got a good collection, if numbers
count for anything, and there were several specimens he
was especially proud of; but the cabinet was not a pretty
sight.

A great many people think that bird nesting is ex- ei
‘tremely cruel, and do all they can to stop boys collecting
birds’ eggs.

JI am sure this is a mistake. Many boys, it
is true, cannot see a bird’s nest without experiencing a
longing to pull it down. They don’t care about the eggs,
but they think-it is good sport—why, goodness only knows.
—to destroy it. Such brutes are not worthy the name of
boys—they ought to be thrashed till they can’t stand.
But boys who really go in for collecting eggs go about it
in a very different spirit. Youngsters, when they first start’
collecting, and understand very little about it, knowing,
probably, next to nothing about the ways and habits of
birds, do many foolish and even cruel things; but it 18:

 

growled © “a
wasn’t fond of birds-and animals.

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

only when they first start collecting. When they have got
two or three eggs, they buy books to know what eggs they

are, and then they at once begin to take an interest in

birds. They begin to know about their habits<-where they
build, what they feed on, how they may tell the different
species, and everything else about them. It follows, with

perfect certainty, that the more they learn about birds

the more interest they will take in them, the fonder they
will be of them; the more will they be ready at all times
to champion their cause.

Who among the boys you know has got the best col-
lection of birds’ eggs—that he collected himself, I mean,
of course, not that some one gave him, or that he bought?
What is your opinion of him? Should you call him a
cruel chap? Is he cruel to dumb animals generally, and
to birds in particular? I'll be bound to say he is the very
opposite. I never met a boy yet: who had got a good
collection of eggs—that he had collected himself—who
It is because I am con-

vinced that collecting birds’ eggs brings about this result

that I advocate strongly all boys going in for this pursuit.
Having disposed of the question of birds’ eggs, we
thay go on to speak of stamps. Now stamp collecting is
very much the same as egg collecting—only quite different.
~ What I mean is this, that the benefit derived from collect-
ing them does not consist in simply having a book full of
stamps that you can show to your friends; but in what
you are brought into contact with while you are. col-
lecting them. No book that ever was written will teach
- you 80 much about geography as you will learn by collect-
ing stamps. Of cotirse, it is no good if you simply go and
buy stamps, and stick them in your book, and don’t take
‘the slightest interest.in them, and don’t trouble your head
_ iit the least to find out what part of the world they come
_ from, or anything whatever about them. But I take it
that few sensible boys do that—certainly those that you
always find with the best collectiotis, as in the case of
. birds’ eggs, do not go about it in this way.
You should never put a stamp in your book without
‘finding out what country it belongs to, and if you don’t
_ kfiow where the country is, look it out in an atlas, In this
- ‘way, when you have been collecting for a very short time,
_ you will have every corner of the globe at your fingers’
ends. If you like to go further, and learn something about
each couritry you are thus, a8 it were, brotght into con-
tact with—-about the people and the governtnent and the

religion and the animals, and so on—well and good. I

tan tell you this much; when you get older you will be

glad you did it, for information gained in that. sort of
Way is fot readily forgotten, atid it will be useful to you
as long as you live.

_», Apart from this incalculable advantage, however, this

sensible way of going to work will make your collection

ten thousand times more interesting. You will then have
> an interest in each individual stamp in yotr album; and
without making yourself cocky about itit will be. no
Tittle satisfaction to you, when showing your collection
to people, to feel that you can answer any questions they
ask about them, and even give a good deal of information
that, they don’t possess themselves.
_ Postmarks are unsatisfactory things in many ways to
collect, because you never get to the end of them. The
you get, the fewer you seem to have. Still, it is
hing to know where a great number of towns are,
: & ae it aa will do if you go in for aie

postmarks; for, as in the case of stamps and eggs, yo
won't be such an idiot as simply to collect them for the

sole purpose of sceing how many you can get, without —

taking enough interest in them to find out something she
about their origin. If you only want to know how many
you can accumulate, why not go in for collecting pebbles: Orta
blades of grass at once?

Coins are all very well in their way, but as you can’t
get them without buying them, or at any rate giving some
equivalent, it is a very expensive hobby. :

Fossils are a capital thing to take up if you care for ae

geology at all, especially if you happen to be located in a
neighborhood for finding specimens. The beauty of it is
you can never tell what you may come across, and ah

afternoon’s ramble sometimes may be the means of

putting money in your pocket. I knew a boy who used to —
make a good deal of money by selling fossils which he
found himself, but then he knew something about thetn, ©

and knew a good specimen when he saw it, and how much ~
Still, he wasn’t born with this knowledge.
He must have learned it somehow, and what one boy can

it was worth.

learn, other boys can learn, too. i

Ferns, flowers, leaves, grasses, and seaweeds are all
capital things to collect. Some collections I have seen —
collected by boys—have been really magnificent. I don't —
know anything that makes more show with comparatively _
little material’ You get ample satisfaction for your trou-
ble. Apart from that, too, you get a lot of benefit in an —
indirect way. Collecting things of this sort means long -
walks into the country; it means Opening your eyes to all
the beauties of trees and flowers, and hedges; it means
health and enjoyment for both mind and body.

The only other specific objects I shall refer to in the —
matter of collections ate autographs. Perhaps, in them-
selves, autographs aré the most interesting things any one
can collect—especially if you succeed in getting not only
the bare signatures of well-known people, but character- —
istic letters written by them. There is more excuse in —
buying autographs than in buying anything else in the
way of a collection, because in this case the object is really
to have the autographs. In fact, unless you did buy them,
or swapped other things for them, your collection would
necessafily be a very limited one, sifice autographs, like ©
stamps, have a definite commercial value.

Railway tickets, cigarette pictures, used United States .
postage stamps, and all that sort of thing—including
thumb nails—are stupid things to collect. 5

Finally, I must strongly advise you to go in for collect-
ing something or other.

will also teach you a tremendous lot that will be useful
to you every day of your life. You very seldom meet
a boy, who is good for much, who doesn’t collect some-
thing or other. You may safely put him down as mote
or less of a milksop if jhe tells you that “he doesn’t take
any interest in that sort of thing.” aja

\

WHAT HE ASKED.
‘Little Dick—-“Miss Antique is ’most forty years old’ n
Mother—“I told you to stop asking was their ages.
“T didn’t.”
“Then how do you know she is obi forty?” .
“T asked her how many times she had seen) the sevent
year locusts. *y s3'

 

Stich a collection will give you
something to do at all times when you are at home, and |
Back to the Fold.

‘Dear Eprtor: I am an old Tip Top reader, but dropped

out a few years ago, when Frank and his old crowd was
dropped. A few months ago I was agreeably surprised
to see, by accident, that there was to be a gathering of
the clan, and-since then I have found much enjoyment
‘in renewing old Tip Top acquaintances.
_ The old bunch that have so far been introduced are
_as good as of old, and I see that the next issue will bring
back. one of the old favorites, Bart Hodge. He was
-always a great favorite of mine, and, I think, of most
of the old readers, so I am impatiently waiting for the
_ next number.

I think it is a good idea to run a series of three, alter-
nating between the Merriwells and their friends. .

Please send me a set of your cards.

Trusting we hear more of Frank and Bart Hodge, and
wishing the author and publishers a prosperous new year,
I am, yours truly, C. H. Smirz.

107 South Franklin Street, Brazil, Ind.

Bags Game at Ninety.

Teh Gantz, of Lewistown, Pa., the oldest hunter of his
section of the country, who has passed his ninetieth birth-
day, got several rabbits on the trail this season. One day
_he tramped over eleven miles on the hunt. John is one
of the best-preserved men of his age in the State.

Likes Chip Best.

oe Epvitor: I have been a reader of the Tir Top for
a time, and I like it first-rate. Frank and Dick are all
right, but Chip has them both beaten.

Will you please tell me what. measurements I should
have? I am 18 years old, 5 feet 5.2 inches in height. I
have a “chicken breast.” Is there any way to get rid
of it? :

‘Hoping to see this in print, I remain,

_ Newburyport, Mass.

Stand up straight. Take me breaths.
cises that will broaden your chest.
- Your measurements should be: Weight, 123 pounds ;
baa. 13.2 inches; chest, contracted, 32.3. inches; chest,
expanded, 35.2 inches; waist, 27.4 inches; forearms, 98
2 inches ; upper arms, down, 9.6 inches; upper arms, up, II
inches; thighs, 18.8 inches; calves, 12.8 inches.

CHIP.

Take exer-

Cut “Medicine Bill’s’? Hair,

_ Tears ee, down the checks of William ery:

well below his shoulders, was cropped close by direction
of the superintendent of the Bertillon room in the Ohio
penitentiary.

He had. been committed as a white slaver on an in-
determinate sentence of from three to twenty years. His
cup of woe was filled when his mustache was removed.

“It took me eighteen years to raise that hair,” said
he, “and I am worrying more about its loss now than I
am about my prison term.”

We Hope So, Too.

Dear Epitor: I have been a reader of Tip Top and of
New: Medal Library books for some time. I have taken —
great pleasure in reading both.

I would like very much to have a set..of your cards
and also a New Medal Library catalogue.

This is my first letter to you, but I hope it is not the —
last one. As I have never seen a letter of any kind
from our town in Tip Top, and very few from our
State, I would like to see this one in print soon.

What should the measurements be for a boy 13 years
old; height, 5 feet 8% inches?

I remain, a loyal Tip Topper,

Hughesville, Pa.

P. S—I would like to correspond with some Trp Top
readers.

ELton EDKIN.

Your correct measurements should be:
pounds; neck, 14.5 inches;

Weight, 147.7 a
chest, contracted, 35.2 inches;
chest, expanded, 38.7 inches; waist, 30.7 inches; forearm,

inches; upper arm, up,
10.9 inches; thighs, 21.2 inches;

10.9 inches; upper arm, down, 11.2
12.6 inches; forearms,
calves, 14.3 inches.

Prohibition Gains in Congress.

The surprisingly large strength for prohibition which
was shown in the vote on the Hobson resolution in the
House recently, has enthused the dry forces and alarmed
their opponents. The Hobson resolution, which provided
for the submission to the States of an amendment to the

national constitution prohibiting the manufacture, sale,
and importation of alcoholic drinks, won a majority of

eight votes, but failed to receive the two-thirds vote nec-
essary to adoption. The vote was 197 to 189. The drys
assert their expectathoris were more than fulfilled, and
they will continue the fight, predicting an early victory.

Antiprohibitionists admit that the vote surprised them.
They had counted on a much weaker showing on the part
of the drys in their first contest on the floor of Con-
gress.

/ In his final speech in the debate, Cities Hobson

 
 

 

   

28

 

declared: “If this resolution is not adopted by this Con-
gress, the Sixty-fourth will be compelled to adopt it.”

The debate on the Hobson amendment ‘lasted ten hours
and was one of the most stirring in years. The gal-
leries were packed and all during the day crowds pleaded
vainly for admittance. The galleries applauded several
times, and Speaker Clark finally was obliged to give no-
tice that such demonstrations must cease. Party lines
were broken down in the final vote on the bill, The
Democratic leader, Mr. Underwood, and the Republican
leader, Mr. Mann, who led the opposition forces, were
seen fighting shoulder to shoulder against the resolu-
tion.

Of the 197 standing for the resolution, 114 were Demo-
crats, sixty-eight were Republicans, eleven were Pro-
gressives, and four were independent.

“Article 1, Section 1—The sale, manufacture for sale,
transportation for sale, importation for sale, exportation
for sale of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes in
the United States and all territory subject to the juris-
diction thereof and exportation for sale thereof, are for-
ever prohibited.

“Section 2—The Congress or the States shall have power
independently or concurrently to enforce this article by
all needful legislation.”

Although a resolution similar to the Hobson resolution
is pending in the Senate, introduced by Senator Shep-
pard, of Texas, administration leaders in Congress ex-
pressed the belief that it would not reach a vote at this
session as a result of the action of the House.

4

Liked Clancy Stories Best.

Dear Eprror: I have read about one hundred and ten
Tip. Tors, and | like the Clancy stories best, but I would
have liked them better if Chip had been there, too.

I am a boy scout and I am going to try to get the
rest of the boy scouts here to read more of your fine
books.

Will you please send me a set of the Tie Tor post
cards and a catalogue of your weeklies?

I have heard something about your weeklies being
stopped. Is this true?

Hoping this letter ‘will miss the waste-paper basket,
I remain, yours truly, Lyte SHANK.

Clayton, Ill.

No, Lyle, as you see, the weekly has not been stopped,
nor is it going to be. We can’t imagine how you ever
heard of such a thing.

Does Anybody Know Why?

Nearly all the American world knows that the national
election and nearly all of the State elections occur on the
first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, but
probably not one in all the millions of voters and non-
voters can tell “why” that date was selected for the
choice of electors. The “when” is easy of discovery,
but that is another story. It is always the first Tuesday
after the first Monday, but anybody who looks at the
calendars of several years in November will see that the
date varies almost every year, .

Years ago, FE. W. Lightner says, he inquired of many
of the most learned Congressmen in Washington as to
the “why” of the mystery. Not one could answer ex-
cept to say: “Bless me, I don’t know.” Harry Smith,
who for long years was journal clerk of the House of

NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

 

   

 

Representatives, was almost a magician in dragging to
light those little mysteries associated with the history
of the country. He sought high and low as to the “why”
actually for months, and then gave it up.

It is really one of the curiosities of our national legis-
lation. H. H. B. Meyer, of the Congressional Library,
says: ;

“As to why the first Tuesday after the first Monday
in November, instead of the first Tuesday in November;
was fixed for the date of presidential elections, we have
to report that no satisfactory answer can be given.”

Loved by Aff.

Dear Epitor: A word about Tip Top, king of weeklies,
written by Burt L. Standish, king of writers.

Tip Top is read by millions of good, elean American
boys, and they all love the weekly. Many an interesting
hour I’ve spent reading Tip Top, as the reading is so
clean and wholesome.

Of course, the stories are all too short, but all good
stories are short but sweet.

I think that Tre Top can be, or should be published in

a different form, and I think that it could be improved’

anyway by putting Frank and Dick on each side and Chip
in the middle of the cover. Yours truly, Bos.
Massachusetts.

Pardon Eighteen Yeats Too Late.

Governor Earl Brewer, of Mississippi, it is learned, re-
cently pardoned a convict. who has been dead eighteen
years. The pardon was issued to Jim Johnson, a negro,
sentenced to twenty-five years. In an endeavor to serve
the papers for Johnson’s release, it was discovered that
the negro died in 1896.

Father and Son.

Dear Epitor: I have been reading Tre Top for some
time, and all that I have read are good. My father tells
me that he has read every one published, from the first
that was out to the present. He has got them in his
travels from Maine, through all of the States, to Florida,
and from Virginia, through all of the States, to Nebraska.
He says that all of them are fine.

Pleas¢ send a set of those cards, and tell me the cor-
rect measurements for a boy 4 feet 9% inches tall and
14 years old. Good-by. ALFRED Lee JorDAN,

1509 Taylor Street, Lynchburg, Va.

Your measurements* should be: Weight, 155.7 pounds;
neck, 14.9 inches; chest, contracted, 36.2 inches; chest,
expanded, 39.8 inches; waist, 31.7 inches; forearm, 11.2
inches; upper arm, down, 11,8 inches; upper arm, up, 13.1
inches; thighs, 21.7 inches; calves, 14,8 inches.

Sees Ghost in the \Cemetery.

“I's seed dat ghos’ ebry night foh a week,” declared
Henry Locksmith, a Pottstown, Pa., colored man, as he
stood with chattering teeth on North Hanover Street,
late in the evening, with his eyes riveted on a white object
in Pottstown cemetery. Henry was frightened, sure, and
Robert Hawk, a printer, to whom he had told his story,
saw, too, the ghostly figure.

Hawk, however, ridiculed the idea of such things, and

the colored man became angry, but finally agreed to ac.
company him into the cemetery. The “ghost” never

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NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY.

red, and this caused Locksmith to tote along very
lo" ly behind. Hawk endeavored to brace him up with

ds of encouragement.

‘Be brave, man, be brave; nothing will, harm you.”
‘Yas, sah, I am, but when mah min’ says ‘go ahead,’
th legs say ‘run away.’’

hen they came close to “the thing in white,” they

id that it was a highly polished granite monument,

n which the reflection from a distant are electric light
d played and made it seem pure white.

Wants to Cortespond.
Dear Epiror: Having been a reader of both the new
ind old Tip Top for nearly eight years, I thought it about
ne you heard ftom this city. Tre Tor is well liked
: Pasi J hope it always will be.
& would like you to send me a set of cards and also
837 and 838, so I may review Omaha Oliver’s
reer.
oping to see this published,
per,
?. O. Box 30, Haverhill, Mass.
S.—Would like to correspond with any Tip Topper

I remain, a true Tip
Harry G. Fass.

It is almost impossible to buy batteries for pocket
lectric torches and lamps in Switzerland just now. All
have. been bought we by the recently mobilized Swiss
rmy.

“Why do not American manufacturers step in?” say
the Swiss storekeepers. “We would readily buy hun-
reds of thousands of batteries if they were offered

Best Weekly.

Dear Eprror: As I have not written to you before, I

li say that I have read Tre Tor about four years, and ,

hatyit is the best of the weeklies.
like the Merriwells the best.
ou have any post cards, please send me a set and
alogue of the New Medal Library.
ith three cheers for Burt L. Standish and Tir Top, I
, yours truly, ALEXANDER Booru.

ny peasants whose customary pursuits have Sailr
fered with by the war are ee their time to

From a Yankee in Canada,

-Eprtor: I am not a subscriber to Tie Tor, but 1

n buying it at the news stand for the last couple
rs, and as I have been reading the Compass let-

thought I might as well get into the game also,
+ estimation, I think there is no magazine. that

‘dined at a restaurant.

his joke de resistance,

is as widely circulated and popular with the boys as
Tip Top WEEKLY.

How about issuing a yearly book,
magazine in it?

I would be pleased to receive a set of post cards if
you have any more.

Thanking you in advance and trusting to see this in
print and not in the wastebasket, I remain, very truly
yours, Mitton Payne.

507. Bethune Avenue, Peterborough, Canada.

P. S—I am an American boy, although in Canada, and
appreciate all American magazines. The Canadian boys
do, also.

Glad that. the Canadian boys like Tip Top, too. Burt
L. Standish has promised us a series of stories about
some adventures of the Merriwells in Canada. I hope he
writes them soon.

with week's

cach

Swallows False Teeth.

Herman Baumeister, of Staunton, Ill, is now equipped
with a double set of teeth, one in his mouth and one
in his stomach.

Baumeister was in Sorento on business last week and
Sauerkraut was on the bill of fare,
and, as Baumeister is fond of it, he ordered a generous
quantity. It was while enjoying the kraut that his false
teeth slipped and went down his throat.

Baumeister hurried back to Staunton and consulted
surgeons, but they found that the teeth were beyond
reach. They are not troybling Baumeister, and, as he
has a new set, he has ceased to worry about them.

Humming Bird Kills Hawk.

An. unusual story has come to light at Davella, Ky.,
when Thomas Hale returned from a hunting trip and
told of finding a humming bird with its beak run through
a large hawk’s head. Both birds were dead. Appar-

ently the humming bird had flown at the hawk with such —

force that it drove its beak into the hawk’s head, enter-
ing at one*eye and coming out at the other, and was —
unable to extricate itself.

Mayor Saw the Joke.

Jester J. W. Thompson, gray, gay, and noisy, who lives —
in’ San Francisco, Cal, and who fought in the great —
naval encounter between the Kearsarge and Alabama back

in the sixties, was annoyed by the boastful chatter of —

Chef de Cuisine Tom King in the restaurant where both”
are employed. Tom’s pet boast is that he can shoot any-
thing from a slung shot to a forty-two-centimeter siege
gun and never score a miss, “I can eat gunpowder,” he
was fond to say.

Jester Thompson, who has probably eaten as much old- a 2

fashioned smoky powder as any man now alive, tiring —
of the chef’s boasts, bethought himself of a joke. —
Some time ago a crew was engaged in blasting out

stumps in the. Forest Hill tract, and by his association —

with the blasters, Jester Thompson became possessed of
a stick of Raven's. a piece of fuse, and two percussion
caps. - 5
So when Chef King, ensheawed on a kitchen table, ee

coursed on guns-—~pop, hop, shot, and siege—some even _

ings ago, Thornpson chucklingly, withdrew and prepared
He put a. oe over the end bs

 
30 NEW: TIP TOP WEEKLY.

the fuse, fastened it into about two inches of dynamite,
stuck the dynamite under Chef King’s table, and iit the
fuse. ;

Then he sat back and waited for the hig laugh.

It came.

Bang!

“Haw! haw!” screeched the chef’s helper.

But the laugh was all his own.

King’s table rose right up in the air. The chef went
ceilingward, breaking his suspenders, several of the com-
mandments, and sections of his epidermis.

The floor of the restaurant kitchen directly beneath the
dynamite drew away abruptly.

King could not see the joke. He had the Civil War
hero arrested, and Thompson was brought before Judge
Shortall for malicious mischief, disturbing the peace, in-
citing a riot, restraining trade, and otherwise making
life miserable for one perfectly good cook.

Judge Shortall could not see the joke, either. He
did not appreciate Jester Thompson’s sense of humor.
But he did consider his years and his war record, also
his potato-peeling record, and let him off with five days
in jail.

But the mayor saw the joke. He laughed. He patted
the old warrior on the back. Then he laughed some
more. The mayor has a sense of humor.

Jester Thompson is going to be sent to the Old Soldiers’
Home, where sturdy old warriors fear not little jokes like
dynamite explosions.

Nine Apples in Hornet Nest.

Apples and hornets make a queer combination, but when
William Walden, of Lynnfield Center, Mass., was pick-
ing his apples this fall he discovered nine full-sized Bald-
win apples embedded in a hornet’s nest on one of his
apple trees. The nest had been built around the cluster
of apples.

Mr. Walden ran across this freak of nature late in
September, but was unable to pick the apples until the
_ hornets evacuated the nest about a month later, when
the weather began to get too cold for them.

The nest is unusually large, and scattered about the
outside are six of the apples. The other three are com-
pletely covered by the nest, but despite this fact they grew
to their usual size.

Hardships of Wats.

When you measure what the soldiers of the past suf-
fered as they marched to death, wounds, agony, hardship,
hunger, and exposure, the endurances and experiences
of present-day warfare are flowery beds of ease by com-
parison, writes one of our own veterans, from a South-

ern soldiers’ home, Campaign rigors have been scienti-
fically minimized as operations have been modernized. Al-
though war still means death in the ultimate, those who
are its most calloused advocates would hold up their hands
in horror if men had to be manipulated prior to their kill-
ing in the old-fashioned way now denounced as_ bar-
barous.

Robinson Crusoe had the habit of writing in one column
of his diary the naked truth about his unfortunate posi-
tion and condition. Then he placed in a parallel column
the more unfortunate things that might have happened
to him and the worse places he might have been in.
And from this he deduced a system of gratitude. In the

midst of wholesale death and lingering slaughter, ‘dilere
is sure cause for thankfulness that sickness, suffering, ex-
posure, and hunger have been lessened from twenty-five
to fifty per cent, measured by the awful records of the
past. Terrific as the conflict is in total, there are positive |
comforts enjoyed by -the soldier of 1915 as compared—
with his brother’s experiences of previous wars. x f

Chief of these comparative comforts is the revolution
in roads. The automobile has done it; but it makes no
difference what the cause was, the good road is a fact.
Read the marching feats of armies in the past and you
will wonder that a human being could perform them.
Thousands and thousands and thousands did not perform
them, but fell dead on the line of march.

And in the equipment measure the modern comfort of
warfare with the soldier’s accouterments and furnish-
ings in the past. No report comes that the armies are
insufficiently clothed or booted or armed.
fact with the statement of a soldier attached to the Cons” »
federate Army of northern Virginia during the winter oft
1863-1864, on the eve of the campaign of the Wilderness 27%

“The gray jackets of the men hung in shreds. In fact,. it
there were thousands without jackets, an extra ragged
shirt over one just as ragged next the skin being the onl
distinctive mark of uniform. The rést of the attire o
these undaunted soldiers was made up of patches and flute %
tering strings. Thousands were absolutely without cover
ing for head or foot. They slept in straw and made
covering with a blanket that probably bore the ‘U. S. Aim
stamp—the captured trophy of their valor on some*thard-—
fought field. a

“They were, without a bit of exaggeration, half starved. | zs
A quarter of a’ pound of fat pork, with a little meal or
flour, was the portion assigned daily to each man, and
most of the time only one of these two articles of the
slim menu was doled out. Very frequently it was only
a bundle of crackers, as palatable as sawdust and per-
haps little more nutritious.

“When we marched into the Wilderness that May of
sixty-four, I heard brave fellows joke as they walked
along, barefooted, saying they were in luck because the
soles of their feet had become so calloused they would
be under no expense for shoe repairing.

“The nights of those awful spring days were far from
warm, and soldiers whose bare breasts and arms and —
legs could be seen through their tattered clothes grimly)
gave thanks that the Wilderness was on) fire in place
as ‘it made it a trifle warmuh.’ I’ve seen soldiers shiver=

ing through lack of foot and body covering cheer “Marse ~ z

Bob’ as General Lee rode by, and ask him to ‘Please
hurry up the trouble, so we can git a-goin’ and gi

999 ‘ a

warm.
Ball Players to Lose Soft Jobs.

A lot of big-league ball players will have to either go
to the minor leagues or resume their old trades. The new =
economy rule of the big leagues, cutting each club’s listyy
of players to twenty or twenty-one men, means that’ oversee
four hundred players will quit eating in expensive hotels
and riding in sleeping cars. Each of the big-league clubs —
is carrying an average of forty men. It is up to the man-—
agers now to prune the number down. The American
and National Leagues have ordered the club rosters re-
duced to twenty-one and the Federal League has ordered
its lists cut to twenty.

Walter Johnson, star pitcher of the American League, is

 

Compare this 7 :
NEW TIP TOP WEEKLY. 31

Wn now as the “Kansas Grasshopper.” Johnson’s
. fe is in Kansas. As to the “hopper” part, he gets that
io \ title because of his sudden jumping from the American
League to the Federal, and then right back again. Walter
startled the baseball world when he quit the Washington
Senators to join the Chicago Federals.
again the other day when he signed a contract for three
years to play with the Washington club.

The antiouncement that the pitcher had re-signed with
the Washington team came after he was visited by Mana-
ger Clarke Griffith. The latter made a special visit to
Kansas City, where he had the star meet him, and three
lawyers acceptable to Johnson. The legal men convinced
Johnson that the optional clause to his contract with the
American League team was legal. On this advice, he
signed with Griffith for three years.

| Johnson’s salary is said to be $12,500, considerably less

an that he was promised by the Chicago Feds. He at-
ched his name to a signature with Joe Tinker, Chicago
Y lahager, a few weeks ago at a salary calling for $17,500
1 year and also received Sen as a bonus. Even this

Vashington.
ccording to Manager Griffith, the famous twirler is

: ot to get a cent more than he received last season. He

; Ace spted this gracefully because he was shown that the
Sption clause in his last season’s agreement was sufficient
s bind him. He was satisfied to go with the Senators
& the amount offered him, Griffith said.

Johnson had worried since he jumped to the Feds, and
Mformed Manager Griffith that when he signed with Joe
Pinker he did so while in a fit of peevishness.

“The Federal Leaguers have a fine right to yell about

‘this,’ said Manager Griffith, “just because I reclaimed a

pitcher who rightfully belonged to the Washington club
nd who was under a legal contract to work with me they
complain, and offer threats. Johnson never had a. charice
Fin the world to pitch for the Chicago Federal League
team.
' “Tt was all right for the Federal Leaguers to grab such
> stars es Chase, Marsans, and others in midseasons, in an
attempt to wreck certain clubs, I suppose, but when we
go after a player who rightfully belongs to us, in winter-
3 time, giving them three months in which to recuperate,
- they yell.”
)) The Federal Leaguers are making ready to put up.a
"bitter battle for Johnson, and it may end in his losing
. out generally. The case will go to court. The Federals

felt when they signed the great hurler they had made.

_ the one big stroke of their career, As tatters now stand,

_ they are in danger of losing Johnson and with him will go

all that prestige which the Feds gained when they secured
“his name to one of their documents.

_Johnson’s actions and the court proceedings which will

ollow will not benefit the game in any way, but will

Bnly add to the stigma which has already been placed

upon it by the fighting between the leagues. The base-

» ball fans are tired of hearing of players breaking their

> “contracts and then rebreaking the new ones.

- Blind Man Auto Expert,

Among the expert authorities on automobiles is A. B.
Germany, of Mexia, Texas. Germany lost his sight
in 1891. He has attracted a great deal of attention
teeetout the Soutliwest demonstrating his astonishing

a

He shocked it

Cooksey if Mr. McAdoo was in.

skill in dismantling and rebuilding cars, and in this has
actually excelled nearly all other expert mechanics who
have their vision. Germany says: “I am comfortably situ-
ated as far as living is concerned, but have nothing in
particular to pass my time away, and since I lost my
sight I have become very much interested in machinery
and automobiles.

Notable Engineering Feat.

Exactly eleven minutes after a Pennsylvania train moved
over a 720-foot three-span stéel bridge, weighing 7,000,000
pounds, which was in a temporary position, another train
passed over the bridge, which had been moved sidewise
forty-seven feet to its permanent place. Between the
breaking of the rails and reconnecting them ten minutes
and seventeen seconds elapsed. The new bridge spans the
Muskingum River at Tyndall, Ohio.

Says “Give Evety Child a Pig.’

“A pig for every child” will solve more of the farm-
life problems than the man looking through purely scien-
tific glasses may realize, says Secretary Jewell Mays, of
the State Board of Agriculture, at Columbia, Mo.

“Give every child a pig,” he advises, “and let that pig
belong to that child in fact, not.a play pig. The practical
pig club in every home will buy more ponies and books
and new clothes and send more boys to agricultural col-
legs than all other clubs combined. The boy and girl with
money in bank and a pen of pigs at home are not so anx-
ious to ride on street cars and limousines, and dandle
away their lives on hard streets that lead to No Account
Avenue, The boy who sticks to the hog game is headed
down Prosperity Avenue faster than the speed limit in
Frog Eye.”

McAdoo’s Hungry Face.

Senator Bankhead, of Alabama, in a hurry to see Sec-
retary of the Treasuty McAdoo, walked into the secre-
tary’s outer office and. inquired. of Private Secretary

said. Mr.
“I am expecting him to return from. lunch at
atiy moment.”

“T don’t know about that,” replied the senator. “When
any. man who is as hungry looking-as Secretary McAdoo
goes out to eat there is no telling when he will return.”

“Step right into the secretary’s private office,”
Cooksey.

Apple Ttee Planted in 1797.

Captain Dan Fisher, of Oil City, Pa. has been giving
his friends apples, this season’s crop, from a tree planted
at Eagle Rock in 1707 by Pat McCrea, a native of Ireland,
who was the only white settler at that day along the Al-
legheny River, in this section. He was the first Catholic
settler in Venango County. He built himself a long cabin
eighteen by twenty feet. The tree from which the apples
were picked is still in a good state of preservation.

Economic Move by Minets.

A unique reli¢f fund is maintained by Jermyn & Co. at
their collieries at Rendham, Lackawanna County,  Pa.,
by means of the sale of its empty powder kegs
for eight cents apiece. This sale nets from $125 to $150
a month, and out of this sum is paid $1 a day to employees
injured or ill.

The. twelve hundred Jermyn & Co. employees formerly

 
 

32

took the empty kegs to the nearest saloon and exchanged
them for drinks, but now it is a crime for an employee
to take one off the property.. The mine workers take
an interest in this relief fund, and guard its interests
jealously.

If a man is killed, every employee of the company is
called upon for a dollar, the company contributes four
hundred dollars, and the wife or nearest relative of the
deceased is presented with a check for one thousand dol-
lars.

How Rowland Got His Nickname.

The first name of Manager Rowland, of the White
Sox, Chicago’s American League ball club, is Clarence,
but he does not go by that name on the diamond. His
nickname, given him in Dubuque, Iowa, his home town,
is “Pants.” At the age when he had just graduated from
short pants into long trousers, Rowland was managing
a kid ball team. Somebody taunted him about his at-
tire, and it peeved him so much that he decided to fight.
But before “sailing into” his tormentor he carefully took
off the fine new long trousers and placed them over:a
ferice. After whipping the offending youngster, he donned
the trousers again. And the name Pants has remained
with him,: though those beautiful new articles have long
departed to their rest,

To Beatd the Lion in His Den,

Coon and rabbit hunters will now know just what to
do should a huge lion spring from his den and menace
them in the Jersey jungles or in the wilds of some other
States.

While three cars, carrying cages of wild animals, stood
on the tracks in Jersey City, a huge lion forced one of
the bars of his cage, squeezed his body halfway through,
and-then roared ferociously.

It looked as if there was going to be a real-for-sure
lion racing through the streets. A crowd gathered, but
as the lion roared louder, ie onlookers began to draw
back in great alarm.

Then one of the animal ‘iaenein came along. He gave
the roaring lion a real saucy slap in the face with his
hand. The animal whimpered, crawled back in his cage,
and Jersey was quiet again.

Twitls $33 into Rivet.

An unknown woman, humming the latest rag: melody
and twirling her Jeather hand bag in unison with the
swing of the tune, was about in the center of the bridge at
_Lewistown, Pa., when the handle of the bag became de-
tached and the bag sailed over the fron railing, far out
into the stream.

Sam Jordan and his son obtained an old scow, and,
while one bailed out the water with his hat, the other
propelled the boat with a board and recovered the purse,
which contained thirty-three dollars and two railroad
tickets to Greensburg. They received thirty cents reward.

Blow Brings Back Sight.

Stone-blind for nine years and practically sightless for
nine years before that, Frank H. Haynes, of Hyde Park,
Boston,. now can see, Arising from bed and groping
about with his hands, he struck his head on the bedpost.
A few minutes later he could see as well as ever.

“I continued dressing as well as I could,” said Haynes,

NEW “TIP “TOP

 

WEEKLY,

describing his experience. “Soon I sBiiced what aang :
to be the shadow of my hand. Then I saw a towel was”
holding. Then I saw the whole room. I went to the :
mirror to see myself for the first time in nine years. Le +;
could hardly believe what I saw was myself.”

Haynes was once a famous horse racer. ‘

Rides in Auto to Hetd. His Cattle,

With the passing of the old cattle ranges many changes
are taking place. The contrast is well illustrated by the” ;
modern method of Louie Dulski, a rancher, in McKenzie © ‘
County, North Dakota, who uses an automobile to herd
his cattle. Dulski- found that his automobile enabled
him to traverse as much ground as could be covered by
two men with horses, and he has since used his car
almost constantly on the ranges in southern McKenzie
County. 4

a

 

 

GREENBACK)

Pack of $1,000 Stage Bills, 10c;3 packs 25e.
for a pack and show the boys what a WA D} a
. ¥.

  
  
  
  
    
 
  
  

 

 

 

C ACHOO! MAKE the whole family and ‘all yon

carry. €. A. NICHOLS, Jr., BOX 59, CHILI,
friends “just sneeze their heads “of?
without knowing why, with CACHOO,$he

new long distance harmless snuff. Sentanywhere for 10c. 3 for!

Cc. A. NICHOLS, Jr... Box 59, CHILI, N.=}

 

WONDER BUTTON-HOLE LA

Cutest thing out. Wear itin your button-hole. You wil &”
make a sensation. Burns any’ oil. Makes a bright light)”
seen for blocks. Boys go wild over it. By mail, postpaid, 156,

Cc. A. NICHOLS, Jr.. Box 59, CHILI, N. W

 

VALUABLE OUT-OF-PRINT WEEKLIES, TIP TOPS, BAC ,
es year 1896. For 15¢. will send a good bunch for .

tion. ERVIN WRIGHT, RUSSELLVILLE, ARKANSAS.

 

 
  
  

BANISHEDin >
in ‘
3) ;

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No craving for tobacco in any
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Don’t try to quit the spaces habit un-
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NEWELL PHARMACAL COMPANY, a
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