THE AMBUSH--THE ESCAPE--RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE--AND CONCLUSION.
An hour before the appointed time, Ole Thorwald, under cover of a dark
night, stole out of his own dwelling, with slow and wary step, and
crossed the little plot of ground that lay in front of it, with the sly
and mysterious air of a burglar rather than that of an honest man.
Outside his gate he was met in the same cautious manner by a
dark-skinned human being, the character of whose garments was something
between those of a sailor and a West India planter. This was Sambo,
Thorwald's major-domo, clerk, overseer, and right-hand man. Sambo was
not his proper name; but his master, regarding him as being the
embodiment of all the excellent qualities that could by any possibility
exist in the person of a South Sea islander, had bestowed upon him the
generic name of the dark race, in addition to that wherewith Mr. Mason
had gifted him on the day of his baptism.
Sambo and his master exchanged a few words in low whispers, and then
gliding down the path that led from the stout merchant's house to the
south side of the village, they entered the woods that lined the shore,
like two men bent on a purpose which might or might not be of the
blackest possible kind.
"I don't half like this sort of work, Sambo," observed Thorwald,
speaking and treading with less caution as they left the settlement
behind them. "Ambushments, surprises, and night forages, especially when
they include Goat's Passes, don't suit me at all. I have a strong
antipathy to everything in the way of warfare, save a fair field and no
favor, under the satisfactory light of the sun."
"Ho!" said Sambo, quietly; as much as to say, "I hear and appreciate,
but having no observation to make in reply, I wait for more from your
honored lips."
"Now, you see," pursued Thorwald, "if I were to follow my own tastes,
which, it seems to me, I am destined not to be allowed to do any more in
the affairs of this world, if I may judge by the events of the past
month,--if I were to follow my own tastes, I say, I would go boldly to
the prison where this pestiferous pirate captain lies, put double irons
on him, and place a strong guard round the building. In this case I
would be ready to defend it against any odds, and would have the
satisfaction of standing up for the rights of the settlement like a man,
and of hurling defiance at the entire British navy, at least such
portions of it as happens to be on the island at this time, if they were
to attempt a rescue--as this Bumpus hints they are likely to do. Yet it
seems to me strange and unaccountable that they should thus interest
themselves in a vile pirate. I verily believe that I have been deceived;
but it is too late now to alter my plans, or to hesitate. Truly, it
seemeth to me that I might style myself an ass, without impropriety."
"Ho!" remarked Sambo; and the grin with which the remark was accompanied
seemed to imply that he not only appreciated his master's sentiment,
but agreed with it entirely.
"You've got eleven men, I trust. Sambo?"
"Yes, mass'r."
"All good and true, I hope--men who can be trusted both in regard to
their fighting qualities and their ability to hold their tongues."
"Dumb as owls, ebery von," returned Sambo.
"Good! You see, my man, I _must_ not permit that fellow to escape; at
the same time I do not wish to blazon abroad, that it is my friend Henry
Stuart who is helping him. Neither do I wish to run the risk of killing
my friends in a scrimmage, if they are so foolish as to resist me;
therefore I am particular about the men you have told off for this duty.
Where did you say they are to meet us?"
"Close by de point, mass'r."
A few minutes' walk brought them to the point, where the men were
awaiting them. As far as Ole could judge, by the dim light of a few
stars that struggled through the cloudy sky, they were eleven as stout
fellows as any warrior could desire to have at his back in a
hand-to-hand conflict. They were all natives, clothed much in the same
manner as Sambo, and armed with heavy clubs; for, as we have seen,
Thorwald was resolved that this should be a bloodless victory.
"Whereabouts is the boat?" whispered Ole to his henchman, as he groped
his way down the rocky slopes toward the shore.
"'Bout two hondr'd yards more farder in front," said Sambo.
"Then I'll place the men here," said Ole, turning to the natives, who
were following close at his heels. "Now, boys, remain under cover of
this rock till I lead you on to the attack; and, mind what I say to
you,--_no killing_! Some of the party are my friends; d'ye understand? I
don't want to do them a damage; but I do want to prevent their letting
off as great a villain, I believe, as ever sailed the ocean under a
black flag--only his was a red one, because of his extreme
bloody-mindedness, no doubt, which led him to adopt the color of blood.
We will attack them in the rear; which means, of course, by surprise;
though I must confess that style of warfare goes much against the grain
with me. There are just four men, I am told, besides the pirate. Our
first onset will secure the fall of at least two of the party by my own
cudgel; and, mark me, lads, I don't say this in a spirit of boasting. He
would indeed be but a poor warrior who could not fell two men when he
took them unawares and in the dark. No; I feel half ashamed o' the work;
but I suppose it is my duty. So you see there will be just two men and
the pirate left for us to deal with. Four of you ought to be able to
overcome the two men without drawing blood, except, it may be, a little
surface fluid. The remaining nine of us will fall on the pirate captain
in a body. You will easily know him by his great size; and I have no
manner of doubt but that he will make himself further known by the
weight of his blows. If I happen to fall, don't look after me till you
have overcome and bound the pirate. The ropes are all ready, and my man
Sambo will carry them."
Having delivered this address to his followers, who by their "Ho's" and
grins indicated their perfect readiness to do as they were bid, Ole
Thorwald left them in ambush, and groped his way down to the beach,
accompanied by Sambo.
"Did you bring the chain and padlock. Sambo?"
"Yis, mass'r. But you no tink it am berer to take boat away--pull him
out ob sight?"
"No, Sambo; I have thought on that subject already, and have come to the
conclusion that it is better to let the boat remain. You see they have
placed it in such a way that as long as daylight lasted it could be seen
from the settlement, and even now it is visible at some distance, as you
see. If we were to remove it, they would at once observe that it was
gone, and thus be put on their guard. No, no, Sambo. I may not be fond
of ambushments, but I flatter myself that I have some talent for such
matters."
The master and servant had reached the beach by this time, where they
found the boat in the exact position that had been indicated by John
Bumpus. It lay behind a low piece of coral rock, fastened to an iron
ring by means of a rope, while the oars lay in readiness on the thwarts.
Sambo now produced a heavy iron chain, with which the boat was speedily
fastened to the ring. It was secured with a large padlock, the key of
which Ole placed in his pocket.
This being satisfactorily accomplished, they returned to the place of
ambush.
"Now, Mister Gascoyne," observed Thorwald, with a grim smile, as he sat
down beside his men and pulled out his watch, "I will await your
pleasure. It is just half-past eleven; if you are a punctual man, as Jo
Bumpus led me to believe, I will try your metal in half an hour, and
have you back in your cage before one o'clock! What say you to that,
Sambo?"
The faithful native opened his huge mouth wide, and shut his eyes,
thereby indicating that he laughed; but he said nothing, bad, good, or
indifferent, to his master's facetious observation. The other natives
also grinned, in a quiet but particularly knowing manner, after which
the whole party relapsed into profound silence, and kept their midnight
watch with exemplary patience and eager expectation.
At this same hour the pirate captain was seated in his cell on the edge
of the low bedstead, with his elbows resting on his knees and his face
buried in his hands.
The cell was profoundly dark,--so dark that the figure of the prisoner
could scarcely be distinguished.
Gascoyne did not move for many minutes; but once or twice a deep sigh
escaped him, showing that, although his body was at rest, his thoughts
were busy. At last he moved, and clasped his hands together violently,
as if under a strong impulse. In doing so, the clank of his chains
echoed harshly through the cell. This seemed to change the current of
his thoughts; for he again covered his face with both hands, and began
to mutter to himself.
"Aye," said he, "it has come at last. How often I have dreamed of this
when I was free and roaming over the wide ocean! I would say that I have
been a fool did I not feel that I have more cause to bow my head and
confess that I am a sinner. Ah, what a thing pride is! How little do men
know what it has cost me to humble myself before them as I have done!
yet I feel no shame in confessing it here, where I am all alone.
Alone?--_am_ I alone?"
For a long time Gascoyne sat in deep silence, as if he were following
out the train of thought which had been suggested by the last words.
Presently his ideas again found vent in muttered speech.
"In my pride I have said that there is no God. I don't think I ever
believed that; but I tried to believe it, for I knew that my deeds were
evil. Surely my own words will condemn me; for I have said that I think
myself a fool, and does not the Bible say that 'the fool hath said in
his heart there is no God?' Aye, I remember it well. The words were
printed in my brain when I learned the Psalms of David at my mother's
knee, long, long ago. My mother! what bitter years have passed since
that day! How little did ye dream, mother, that your child would come to
_this_! God help me!"
The pirate relapsed into silence, and a low groan escaped him. But his
thoughts seemed too powerful to be restrained within his breast; for
they soon broke forth again in words.
"Your two texts have come true, Pastor Mason. You did not mean them for
me; but _they were sent_ to me. 'There is no rest, saith my God, to the
wicked.'--No rest! I have not known rest since I was a boy.--'Be sure
your sin shall find you out.' I laughed at those words once; they laugh
at me now. I have found them out to be true, and found it out too late.
Too late! _Is_ it too late? If these words be true, are not all the
words of God equally true? 'The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth
us from _all_ sin.' That was what you said, Pastor Mason, on that Sunday
morning when the savages were stealing down on us. It gave me comfort
then; but, ah me! it seems to give me no comfort now. Oh that I had
resisted the tempter when he _first_ came to me! Strange! I often heard
this said long, long ago; but I laughed at it,--not in scorn; no, it was
an easy indifference. I did not believe it had anything to do with _me_.
And now, I suppose, if I were to stand in the public streets and cry
that I had been mistaken, with all the fervor of a bursting heart, men
would laugh at me in an easy way--as I did then.
"I don't fear death. I have often faced it, and I don't remember ever
feeling afraid of death. Yet I shrink from death _now_. Why is this?
What a mystery my thoughts and feelings are to me! I know not what to
think. But it will soon be over; for I feel certain that I shall be
doomed to die. God help me!"
Gascoyne again became silent. When he had remained thus a few minutes,
his attention was roused by the sound of footsteps and of whispering
voices close under his window. Presently the key was put in the lock,
the heavy bolt shot back, and the door creaked on its hinges as it
opened slowly.
Gascoyne knew by the sound that several men entered the cell, but, as
they carried no light, he could not tell how many there were. He was of
course surprised at a visit at such an unusual hour, as well as at the
stealthy manner in which his visitors entered; but, having made up his
mind to submit quietly to whatever was in store for him, and knowing
that he could not hope for much tenderness at the hands of the
inhabitants of Sandy Cove, he was not greatly disturbed. Still, he would
not have been human had not his pulse quickened under the influence of a
strong desire to spring up and defend himself.
The door of the cell was shut and locked as quietly as it had been
opened; then followed the sound of footsteps crossing the floor.
"Is that you, jailer?" demanded Gascoyne.
"Ye'll know that time enough," answered a gruff voice, that was not
unfamiliar to the prisoner's ear.
The others who had entered along with this man did not move from the
door,--at least, if they did so, there was no sound of footsteps. The
man who had spoken went to the window and spread a thick cloth over it.
Gascoyne could see this, because there was sufficient light outside to
make the arms of the man dimly visible as he raised them up to
accomplish his object. The cell was thus rendered, if possible, more
impenetrably dark than before.
"Now, pirate," said the man, turning round and suddenly flashing a dark
lantern full on the stern face of the prisoner, "you and I will have a
little convarse together--by yer leave or without yer leave. In case
there might be pryin' eyes about, I've closed the porthole, d'ye see."
Gascoyne listened to this familiar style of address in surprise, but did
not suffer his features to betray any emotion whatever. The lantern
which the seaman (for such he evidently was) carried in his hand threw a
strong light wherever its front was turned, but left every other part of
the cell in partial darkness. The reflected light was, however, quite
sufficient to enable the prisoner to see that his visitor was a short,
thick-set man, of great physical strength, and that three men of unusual
size and strength stood against the wall, in the deep shadow of a
recess, with their straw hats pulled very much over their eyes.
"Now, Mr. Gascoyne," began the seaman, sitting down on the edge of a
small table beside the low pallet, and raising the lantern a little,
while he gazed earnestly into the prisoner's face, "I've reason to
believe--"
"Ha! you are the boatswain of the Talisman!" exclaimed Gascoyne, as the
light reflected from his own countenance irradiated that of Dick Price,
whom, of course, he had seen while they were on board the frigate
together.
"No, Mister Pirate," said Dick; "I am _not_ the bo's'n of the Talisman,
else I shouldn't be here this night. I _wos_ the bo's'n of that
unfortunate frigate, but I is so no longer."
Dick said this in a melancholy tone, and thereafter meditated for a few
moments in silence.
"No," he resumed with a heavy sigh, "the Talisman's blow'd up, an' her
bo's'n's out on the spree, so to speak--though it ain't a cheerful
spree, by no means. But to come back to the p'int (w'ich was wot the
clergyman said w'en he'd got so far away from the p'int that he never
_did_ get back to it), as I wos sayin', or was goin' to say w'en you
prewented me, I've reason to b'lieve you're agoin' to try for to make
yer escape."
"You are mistaken, my man," said Gascoyne, with a sad smile; "nothing is
further from my thoughts."
"I don't know how far it's from yer thoughts," said Dick, sternly, "but
it's pretty close to your intentions, so I'm told."
"Indeed you are mistaken," replied Gascoyne. "If Captain Montague has
sent you here to mount guard, he has only deprived you of a night's rest
needlessly. If I had intended to make my escape, I would not have given
myself up."
"I don't know that,--I'm not so sure o' that," rejoined the boatswain,
stoutly. "You're said to be a obstinate feller, and there's no sayin'
what obstinate fellers won't do or will do. But I didn't come here for
to argify the question with _you_, Mister Gascoyne. Wot I com'd here for
wos to do my duty; so, now, I'm agoin' to do it."
Gascoyne, who was amused in spite of himself by the manner of the man,
merely smiled, and awaited in silence the pleasure of his eccentric
visitor.
Dick now set down the lantern, went to the door, and returned with a
coil of stout rope.
"You see," observed the boatswain, as he busied himself in uncoiling-and
making a running noose on the rope, "I'm ordered to prewent you from
carrying out your intentions--wotiver these may be--by puttin' a coil or
two o' this here rope round you. Now, wot I've got to ask of you is,
Will ye submit peaceable like to have it done?"
"Surely, this is heaping unnecessary indignity upon me!" exclaimed
Gascoyne, flushing crimson with anger.
"It _may_ be unnecessary, but it's got to be done," returned Dick, with
cool decision, as he placed the end of a knot between his powerful
teeth, and drew it tight. "Besides, Mister Gascoyne, a pirate must
expect indignities to be heaped upon him. However, I'll heap as few as
possible on ye in the discharge of my duty."
Gascoyne had started to his feet; but he sat down, abashed on being thus
reminded of his deserts.
"True," said he; "true. I will submit."
He added in his mind, "I deserve this;" but nothing more escaped his
lips, while he stood up and permitted the boatswain to pass the cord
round his arms, and lash them firmly to his sides.
Having bound him in a peculiarly tight and nautical manner, Dick once
more went to his accomplices at the door, and returned with a hammer and
chisel, and a large stone. The latter he placed on the table, and,
directing Gascoyne to raise his arms--which were not secured below the
elbows--and placed his manacles on the stone, he cut them asunder with a
few powerful blows, and removed them.
"The darbies ain't o' no use, you see, as we've got you all safe with
the ropes. Now, Mister Gascoyne, I'm agoin' to heap one more indignity
on ye. I'm sorry to do it, d'ye see; but I'm bound for to obey orders.
You'll be so good as to sit down on the bed,--for I ain't quite so long
as you, though I won't say that I'm not about as broad,--and let me tie
this napkin over yer mouth."
"Why!" exclaimed Gascoyne, again starting and looking fiercely at the
boatswain; "this, at least, must be unnecessary. I have said that I am
willing to submit quietly to whatever the law condemns me. You don't
take me for a woman or a child, that will be apt to cry out when hurt?"
"Certainly not; but as I'm goin' to take ye away out o' this here limbo,
it is needful that I should prewent you from lettin' people know that
yer goin' on yer travels; for I've heerd say there's some o' yer friends
as is plottin' to help you to escape."
"Have I not said already that I do not wish to escape, and therefore
will not take advantage of any opportunity afforded me by my friends?
Friends! I have no friends! Even those whom I thought were my friends
have not been near my prison all this day."
Gascoyne said this bitterly, and in great anger.
"Hush!" exclaimed Dick; "not quite so loud, Mister Pirate. You see there
_is_ some reason in my puttin' this on your mouth. It'll be as well to
let me do it quietly, else I'll have to get a little help."
He pointed to the three stout men who stood motionless and silent in the
dark recess.
"Oh, it was cowardly of you to bind my arms before you told me this,"
said Gascoyne, with flashing eyes. "If my hands were free now--"
He checked himself by a powerful effort, and crushed back the boastful
defiance which rose to his lips.
"Now, I'll tell ye what it is, Mister Gascoyne," said Dick Price, "I do
believe yer not such a bad feller as they say ye are, an' I'm disposed
to be marciful to ye. If yell give me your word of honor that you'll not
holler out, and that you'll go with us peaceably, and do wot yer bid,
I'll not trouble you with the napkin, nor bind ye up more than I've done
already. But" (here Dick spoke in tones that could not be
misunderstood), "if ye won't give me that promise, I'll gag ye and bind
ye neck and heels, and we'll carry ye out o' this, shoulder high. Now,
wot say ye to that?"
Gascoyne had calmed his feelings while the boatswain was speaking. He
even smiled when he replied, "How can you ask me to give my word of
honor? What honor has a pirate to boast of, think you?"
"Not much, pr'aps," said Dick; "howsomdever, I'll be content with wot's
left of it; and if there ain't none, why, then, give us yer word. It'll
do as well."
"After all, it matters little what is done with me," said Gascoyne, in a
resigned-voice. "I am a fool to resist thus. You need not fear that I
will offer any further resistance, my man. Do your duty, whatever that
may be."
"That won't do," said Dick, stoutly; "ye must promise not to holler
out."
"I promise," said Gascoyne, sternly. "Pray cease this trifling; and, if
it is not inconsistent with your duty, let me know where I am to be
taken to."
"That's just wot I'm not allowed for to tell. But you'll find it out in
the coorse of time. Now, all that you've got to do is to walk by my
side, and do wot I tell ye."
The prisoner made no answer. He was evidently weary of the conversation,
and his thoughts were already wandering on other subjects.
The door was now unlocked by one of the three men who stood near it. As
its hinges creaked, Dick shut the lantern, and threw the cell at once
into total darkness. Taking hold of Gascoyne's wrist gently, as if to
guide, not to force him away, he conducted him along the short passage
that led to the outer door of the prison. This was opened, and the whole
party stood in the open air.
Gascoyne looked with feelings of curiosity at the men who surrounded
him; but the night was so intensely dark that their features were
invisible. He could just discern the outlines of their figures, which
were enveloped in large cloaks. He was on the point of speaking to them,
when he remembered his promise to make no noise; so he restrained
himself, and followed his guard in silence.
Dick and another man walked at his side, the rest followed in rear.
Leading him round the outskirts of the village, towards its northern
extremity, Gascoyne's conductors soon brought him to the beach, at a
retired spot, where was a small bay. Here they were met by one whose
stature proved him to be a boy. He glided up to Dick, who said, in a low
whisper:
"Is all ready?"
"All right," replied the boy, in a whisper.
"The ooman aboard?"
"Aye."
"Now, Mr. Gascoyne," said Dick, pointing to a large boat floating beside
the rocks on which they stood, "you'll be so good as to step into that
'ere boat, and sit down beside the individual you see a-sitting in the
stern-sheets."
"Have you authority for what you do?" asked Gascoyne, hesitating.
"I have power to enforce wot I command," said Dick, quietly. "Remember
yer promise, Mister Pirate, else--"
Dick finished his sentence by pointing to the three men who stood
near--still maintaining a silence worthy of Eastern mutes; and Gascoyne,
feeling that he was completely in their power, stepped quickly into the
boat, and sat down beside the "individual" referred to by Dick, who was
so completely enveloped in the folds of a large cloak as to defy
recognition. But the pirate captain was too much occupied with his own
conflicting thoughts and feelings to bestow more than a passing glance
on the person who sat at his side. Indeed, it was not surprising that
Gascoyne was greatly perplexed by all that was going on at that time;
for he could not satisfactorily account to himself for the mystery and
secrecy which his guards chose to maintain. If they were legitimate
agents of the law, why these muffled oars, with which they swept the
boat across the lagoon, through the gap in the coral reef, and out to
sea? And if they were _not_ agents of the law, who were they, and where
were they conveying him?
The boat was a large one, half-decked, and fitted to stand a heavy sea
and rough weather. It would have moved sluggishly through the water had
not the four men who pulled the oars been possessed of more than average
strength. As soon as they passed the barrier reef, the sails were
hoisted, and Dick took the helm. The breeze was blowing fresh off the
land, and the water rushed past the boat as she cut swiftly out to sea,
leaving a track of white foam behind her. For a few minutes the mass of
the island was dimly seen rising like a huge shade on the dark sky, but
soon it melted away, and nothing remained for the straining eyes to rest
upon save the boat with its silent crew and the curling foam on the
black sea.
"We've got him safe now, lads," said Dick Price, speaking for the first
time that night in unguarded tones. "You'd better do the deed. The
sooner it's done the better."
While he was speaking, one of the three men opened a large clasp-knife,
and advanced towards Gascoyne.
"Father," said Henry, cutting the rope that bound him, "you are free at
last!"
Gascoyne started; but before he had time to utter the exclamation of
surprise that sprang to his lips, his hand was seized by the muffled
figure that sat at his side.
"O, Gascoyne! forgive us--forgive _me_!" said Mary Stuart, in a
trembling voice. "I did, indeed, know something of what they meant to
do, but I knew nothing of the cruel violence that these bonds--"
"Violence!" cried Dick Price. "I put it to yourself, Mister Gascoyne, if
I didn't treat ye as if ye wos a lamb?"
"Wot a blissin it is for a man to git his mouth open agin, and let his
breath go free," cried Jo Bumpus, with a deep sigh. "Come, Corrie, give
us a cheer--hip! hip! hip!--"
The cheer that followed was stirring, and wonderfully harmonious; for it
was given in a deep bass and a shrill treble, with an intermediate
baritone "Ho!" from Jakolu.
"I know it, Mary--I know it," said Gascoyne; and there was a slight
tremor in his deep voice as he drew his wife towards him, and laid her
head upon his breast.
"You have never done me an evil turn--you have done me nothing but
good--since you were a little child. Heaven bless you, Mary!"
"Now, father," said Henry, "I suppose you have no objection to make your
escape?"
"No need to raise that question, lad," said Gascoyne, with a perplexed
smile. "I am not quite clear as to what my duty is, now that I am free
to go back again and give myself up."
"Go back!--free!" exclaimed John Bumpus, in a tone of withering sarcasm.
"So, Mister Gascoyne, ye've got sich an uncommon cargo o' conceit in ye
yet, that you actually think ye could go back without so much as saying,
By your leave!"
While Jo was speaking, he bared to the shoulder an arm that was the
reverse of infantine, and, holding it up, said, slowly:
"I've often had a sort o' desire, d'ye see, to try whether this bit of a
limb or the one that's round Mrs. Stuart's waist is the strongest. Now,
if _you_ have any desire to settle this question, just try to put, to
shove, this boat's head up into the wind--that's all!"
This was said so emphatically by the pugnacious Bumpus that his
companions laughed, and Corrie cheered in admiration.
"You see," observed Henry, "you need not give yourself any concern as to
this point; you have no option in the matter."
"No, not a bit o' poption in it wotiver; though wot that means I ain't
rightly sure," said Dick Price.
"Perhaps I ought to exercise my parental authority over you, Henry,"
said Gascoyne, "and _command_ you to steer back to Sandy Cove."
"But we wouldn't let him, Mister Pirate," said Dick Price, who, now that
his difficult duties were over, was preparing to solace himself with a
pipe; an example that was immediately followed by Bumpus, who backed his
friend by adding:
"No more we would."
"Nay, then, if Henry joins me," said Gascoyne, "I think that we two will
not have a bad chance against you three."
"Come, that's good: so _I_ count for nothing!" exclaimed Corrie.
"Ha! stick up, lad," observed Bumpus. "The niggers wot you pitched into
at the mouth o' yon cave didn't think that--eh! didn't they not?"
"Well, well; if Corrie sides with you, I feel that my wisest course is
to submit. And now, Henry," said Gascoyne, resuming his wonted gravity
of tone and demeanor, "sit down here and let me know where we are going,
and what you mean to do. It is natural that I should feel curious on
these points, even although I _have_ perfect confidence in you all."
Henry obeyed, and their voices sank into low tones as they mingled in
earnest converse about their future plans.
Thus did Gascoyne, with his family and friends, leave Sandy Cove in the
dead of that dark night, and sail away over the wide waste of the great
Pacific Ocean.
* * * * *
Reader, our tale is nearly told. Like a picture it contains but a small
portion of the career of those who have so long engaged your attention,
and, I would fain hope, your sympathy. The life of man may be
comprehensively epitomized almost to a point, or expanded out _ad
infinitum_. He was born, he died, is its lowest term. Its highest is not
definable.
Innumerable tomes, of encyclopedic dimensions, could not contain, much
less exhaust, an account of all that was said and done, and all that
might be said about what was said and done, by our _ci-devant_
sandal-wood trader and his friends. Yet there are main points, amid the
little details of their career, which it would be unpardonable to pass
over in silence. To these we shall briefly refer before letting the
curtain fall.
There is a distant isle of the sea, a beautiful spot, an oceanic gem,
which has been reclaimed by the word of God from those regions that have
been justly styled "the dark places of the earth." We will not mention
its name; we will not even indicate its whereabouts, lest we should
furnish a clue to the unromantic myrmidons of the law, whose inflexible
justice is only equaled by their pertinacity in tracking the criminal to
his lair!
On this beautiful isle, at the time of our tale, the churches and houses
of Christian men had begun to rise. The natives had begun to cultivate
the arts of civilization, and to appreciate, in some degree, the
inestimable blessings of Christianity. The plow had torn up the virgin
soil, and the anchors of merchant-ships had begun to kiss the strand.
The crimes peculiar to civilized men had not yet been developed. The
place had all the romance and freshness of a flourishing infant colony.
Early one fine morning, a half-decked boat rowed into the harbor of this
isle, and ran alongside the little quay, where the few natives who
chanced to be lounging there were filled with admiration at the sight of
five stalwart men who leaped upon the rocks, an active lad who held the
boat steady, and a handsome middle-aged woman, who was assisted to land
with much care by the tallest of her five companions.
There were a few small bales of merchandise in the boat. These being
quickly tossed ashore, one of the natives was asked to show the way to
the nearest store, where they might be placed in safekeeping.
This done, the largest man of the party, who was clad in the rough
garments of a merchant captain, offered his arm to the female, who was
evidently his wife, and went off in search of the chief magistrate of
the settlement, leaving his companions to look after the boat and smoke
their pipes.
The handsome stranger introduced himself to the magistrate as Mr.
Stuart; stated that he intended to settle on the island as a general
merchant, having brought a few bales of merchandise with him; that he
had been bred an engineer and a shipwright, and meant also to work at
his old trade, and concluded by asking for advice and general
information in regard to the state of trade on the island.
After having obtained all the information on these subjects that the
magistrate could give,--insomuch that that functionary deemed him a
perfect marvel of catechetical wisdom and agreeable address,--the
stalwart stranger proceeded to inquire minutely into the state of
religion and education among the natives and settlers, and finally left
the charmed magistrate rejoicing in the belief that he was a most
intelligent philanthropist, and would be an inestimable acquisition to
the settlement.
A small trading-store was soon built. The stranger was not a rich man.
He began in a humble way, and sought to eke out his subsistence by doing
the ordinary work of a wright. In this latter occupation he was ably
assisted by his stout son, Henry; for the duties of the store were
attended to chiefly by the lad Corrie, superintended by Mr. Stuart.
The mysterious strangers were a source of much gossip and great
speculation, of course, to the good people of Green Isle, as we shall
style this gem of the Pacific, in order to thwart the myrmidons of the
law! They found them so reserved and uncommunicative, however, on the
subject of their personal affairs, that the most curious gossip in the
settlement at last gave up speculating in despair.
In other respects, the new family were noted for kindliness and
urbanity. Mrs. Stuart, especially, became an intimate friend of the
missionary who dwelt there, and one of his hardest working parishioners.
Mr. Stuart also became his friend; but the stern gravity of countenance,
and reserved, though perfectly well-bred and even kindly manner of the
stranger forbade close intimacy. He was a most regular attendant at
church, not only on Sundays, but at the weekly-prayer meetings and
occasional festivals, and the missionary noticed that his Bible looked
as if it were a well-thumbed one.
At first the two seamen, whom people soon found out, were named
respectively Jo and Dick, wrought in the wright's workshop, and at all
kinds of miscellaneous jobs; besides making frequent and sometimes long
voyages in their boat to the neighboring islands. As time flew by,
things seemed to prosper with the merchant. The keel of a little
schooner was laid. Father, and son, and seamen (as well as the native
servant, who was called Jako) toiled at this vessel incessantly until
she was finished--then Henry was placed in command of her, Jo and Dick
were appointed first and second mates, two or three natives completed
the crew, and she went to sea under the somewhat peculiar name of the
Avenger.
This seemed to be the first decided advance in the fortunes of the new
family. Business increased in a wonderful way. The Avenger returned
again and again to the Green Isle laden with rich and varied commodities
for the successful merchant. In course of time the old store was taken
down, and a new one built; the Avenger was sold, and a large brig
purchased; the rather pretty name of which--"Evening Star"--was erased,
and the mysterious word Avenger put in its place. Everything, in short,
betokened that Mr. Stuart was on the high road to fortune.
But there were some mysteries connected with the merchant which sorely
puzzled the wisest heads in the place, and which would have puzzled
still wiser heads had they been there. Although it soon became quite
evident to the meanest capacity that Mr. Stuart was the richest man on
the island, yet he and his family continued to occupy the poor, shabby,
little, ill-furnished cottage which they had erected with their own
hands when they first landed; and although they sold the finest silks
and brocades to the wives and daughters of the other wealthy settlers,
they themselves wore only the plainest and most somber fabrics that
consisted with respectability.
People would have called them a family of misers but for their goodness
of character in other respects, and for the undeniable fact that they
were by far the most liberal contributors to the church and to the
poor--not only in their own island, but in all the other islands around
them.
Another thing that puzzled the mercantile men of the place extremely was
the manner in which Mr. Stuart kept his books of business. They soon
began to take note that he kept two ledgers and two distinct sets of
books--the one set small, the other set very bulky. Some of the more
audacious among his customers ventured to peep over his shoulder, and
discovered that the small set contained nothing but entries of boats
made, and repairs to shipping executed, and work connected exclusively
with the shipwright department of his business--while the large books
contained entries of those silks, and sugars, and teas, and spices,
etc., which turned so much gold into his coffers.
It thus became evident to these men of business that the merchant kept
the two departments quite separate, in order to ascertain the distinct
profits on each. They were the more amazed at this when they considered
that the shipwright work must necessarily be a mere driblet, altogether
unworthy the attention of one so wealthy. But that which amazed them
most of all was, that such a man, in such circumstances, could waste his
time in doing with his own hands the work of an ordinary mechanic--thus
(as they concluded) entailing on himself the necessity of devoting much
of the night to his more lucrative concern.
These long-headed men of business little knew the man. They did not know
that he was _great_ in the highest sense of the term, and that, among
other elements of his greatness, he possessed the power of seizing the
little things--the little opportunities--of life, and turning them to
the best account; and that he not only knew what should be done; and how
to do it, but was gifted with that inflexible determination of purpose
to carry out a design, without which knowledge and talent can never
accomplish great things. The merchant did not, as they supposed, work
late at night. He measured his time, and measured his work. In this he
was like many other men in this struggling world; but he _stuck_ to his
time and to his work, in which respect he resembled the great few whose
names stand prominent on the page of history.
In consequence of this, Mr. Stuart wrought with success at both
departments of his business, and while in the one he coined thousands,
in the other he earned more than the average wages of a working-man.
The Avenger was erratic and uncertain in her voyages. She evidently
sailed to the principal islands of the South Seas, and did business with
them all. From one of these voyages, Henry, her captain, returned with a
wife,--a dark-haired, dark-eyed, lady-like girl,--for whom he built a
small cottage beside his father's, and left her there while he was away
at sea.
It was observed by the clerks in Mr. Stuart's counting-room, that their
chief accountant, Mr. Corrie, was a great letter-writer,--that when one
letter was finished, he invariably began another, and kept it by him,
adding sheet after sheet to it until the Avenger returned and carried it
off. Once Mr. Corrie was called hurriedly away while in the act of
addressing one of these epistles. He left it lying on his desk, and a
small, contemptible, little apprentice allowed his curiosity so far to
get the better of him, that he looked at the address, and informed his
companions that Mr. Corrie's correspondent was a certain Miss Alice
Mason!
Of course, Mr. Corrie received voluminous replies from this mysterious
Alice; and, if one might judge from his expression on reading these
epistles (as that contemptible little apprentice _did_ judge), the
course of _his_ love ran smoother than usual; thus, by its
exceptionality, proving the truth of the rule.
Years passed away. The merchant's head became gray, but his gigantic
frame was as straight and his step as firm as ever. His wife, strange to
say, looked younger as she grew older! It seemed as if she were
recovering from some terrible illness that had made her prematurely old,
and were now renewing her youth. The business prospered to such an
extent that, by becoming altogether too wonderful, it ceased to be a
matter of wonder altogether to the merchants of the Green Isle. They
regarded it as semi-miraculous,--the most unprecedented case of "luck"
that had ever been heard of in the annals of mercantile history.
But the rich merchant still dwelt in the humble, almost mean cottage,
and still wrought as an engineer and shipwright with his own hands.
In the little cottage beside his own there were soon seen (and _heard_)
three stout children, two boys and a girl, the former being named
respectively Gascoyne and Henry, the latter Mary. It is needless to say
that these were immense favorites with the eccentric merchant.
During all this time there was a firm in Liverpool which received
periodical remittances of money from an unknown source. The cashier of
that firm, a fat little man, with a face like a dumpling and a nose like
a cherry, lived, as it were, in a state of perpetual amazement in regard
to these remittances. They came regularly, from apparently nowhere, were
acknowledged to nobody, and amounted, in the course of time, to many
thousands. This firm had, some years previously, lost a fine vessel. She
was named the Brilliant; had sailed for the South Sea Islands with a
rich cargo, and was never more heard of. The fat cashier knew the loss
sustained by this vessel to a penny. He had prepared and calculated all
the papers and sent duplicates on board; and as he had a stake in the
venture, he never forgot the amount of the loss sustained.
One day the firm received a remittance from the unknown, with a note to
the following effect at the foot of it: "This is the last remittance on
account of the Brilliant. The value of the cargo, including compound
interest, and the estimated value of the vessel, have now been repaid to
the owners."
The fat cashier was thunderstruck! He rushed to his ledger, examined the
account, calculated the interest, summed up the whole, and found it
correct. He went home to bed, and fell sound asleep in amazement; awoke
in amazement; went back to the office in amazement; worked on day after
day in amazement; lived, and eventually died, in a state of unrelieved
amazement In regard to this incomprehensible transaction!
About the same time that this occurred, Mr. Stuart entered his poor
cottage, and finding his wife there, said:
"Mary, I have sent off the last remittance to-day. I have made amends
for that evil deed. It has cost me a long and hard struggle to realize
the thousands of pounds that were requisite; for some of the goods had
got damaged by damp in the cavern of the Isle of Palms; but the profits
of my engineering and shipwright business have increased of late, and I
have managed to square it all off, with interest. And now, Mary, I can
do no more. If I knew of any others who have suffered at my hands. I
would restore what I took tenfold; but I know of none. It therefore
remains that I should work this business for the good of mankind. Of all
the thousands that have passed through my hands, I have not used one
penny. You know that I have always kept the business that has grown out
of the labors of my own hands distinct from that which has been reared
on the stolen goods. I have lived and supported you by it, and now,
through God's blessing, it has increased to such an extent that I think
we may afford to build a somewhat more commodious house, and furnish it
a little better.
"As for the mercantile business, it _must_ go on. It has prospered and
still prospers. Many mouths are dependent on it for daily bread. I will
continue to manage it, but every penny of profit shall go in charity as
long as I live. After that, Henry may do with it as he pleases. He has
contributed largely to make it what it is, and deserves to reap where he
has sown so diligently. Do you think I am right in all this, Mary?"
We need scarcely remark that Mary did think it all right; for she and
Gascoyne had no differences of opinion _now_.
Soon after this, Corrie went off on a long voyage in the Avenger. The
vessel touched at San Francisco, and while there, some remarkable scenes
took place between Jo Bumpus and a good-looking woman whom he called
Susan. This female ultimately went on board the Avenger, and sailed in
her for Green Isle.
On the way thither they touched at one of the first of the South Sea
Islands that they came in sight of, where scenes of the most
unprecedented description took place between Corrie and a bluff old
gentleman named Ole Thorwald, and a sweet, blue-eyed, fair-haired maiden
named Alice Mason!
Strange to say, this fair girl agreed to become a passenger in the
Avenger; and, still more strange to say, her father and Ole Thorwald
agreed to accompany her; also an ancient piece of animated door-matting
called Toozle, and a black woman named Poopy, whose single observation
in regard to every event in sublunary history was, "Hee! hee!"
On reaching Green Isle, Corrie and Alice were married, and on the same
day Bumpus and Susan were also united. There was great rejoicing on the
occasion. Ole Thorwald and Dick Price distinguished themselves by
dancing an impromptu and maniacal _pas de deux_ at the double wedding!
Of Captain Montague's future career we know nothing. He may have been
killed in the wars of his country, or he may have become an admiral in
the British navy, for all we know to the contrary. One thing only we are
certain of, and that is, that he sailed for England, in the pirate
schooner, and seemed by no means to regret the escape of the pirate
captain!
Years rolled away. The head of Gascoyne became silvery white; but Time
seemed impotent to subdue the vigor of his stalwart frame, or destroy
the music of his deep bass voice. He was the idol of numerous
grandchildren as well as of a large circle of juveniles, who, without
regard to whether they had or had not a right to do so, styled him
"Grandfather."
Little did these youngsters think, as they clambered over his huge
frame, and listened with breathless attention to his wild stories of the
sea, that "grandfather" had once been the celebrated and much-dreaded
Durward, the pirate!
Nothing could induce Gascoyne to take a prominent part in the public
affairs of his chosen home; but he did attempt to teach a class of the
very smallest boys and girls in the missionary's Sunday-school, and he
came in time to take special delight in this work.
He was never so happy as when telling to these little ones the story of
redeeming love. In the choice of subjects for his class, he was somewhat
peculiar as well as in his manner of treating them. He was particularly
emphatic and earnest, used to fill his little hearers with awe, when he
spoke of the danger of sin and the importance of resisting its
beginnings. But his two favorite themes of all--and those which dwelt
most frequently on his lips--were, "God is love," and, "Love is the
fulfilling of the law."
THE END.
* * * * *
A.L. Burt's Catalogue of Books for Young People by Popular Writers,
52-58 Duane Street, New York.
BOOKS FOR BOYS.
Joe's Luck: A Boy's Adventures in California. By HORATIO ALGER, JR.
12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
The story is chock full of stirring incidents, while the amusing
situations are furnished by Joshua Bickford, from Pumpkin Hollow, and
the fellow who modestly styles himself the "Rip-tail Roarer, from Pike
Co., Missouri." Mr. Alger never writes a poor book, and "Joe's Luck" is
certainly one of his best.
Tom the Bootblack; or, The Road to Success. By HORATIO ALGER, JR.
12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
A bright, enterprising lad was Tom the Bootblack. He was not at all
ashamed of his humble calling, though always on the lookout to better
himself. The lad started for Cincinnati to look up his heritage. Mr.
Grey, the uncle, did not hesitate to employ a ruffian to kill the lad.
The plan failed, and Gilbert Grey, once Tom the bootblack, came into a
comfortable fortune. This is one of Mr. Alger's best stories.
Dan the Newsboy. By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price
$1.00.
Dan Mordaunt and his mother live in a poor tenement, and the lad is
pluckily trying to make ends meet by selling papers in the streets of
New York. A little heiress of six years is confided to the care of the
Mordaunts. The child is kidnapped and Dan tracks the child to the house
where she is hidden, and rescues her. The wealthy aunt of the little
heiress is so delighted with Dan's courage and many good qualities that
she adopts him as her heir.
Tony the Hero: A Brave Boy's Adventure with a Tramp. By HORATIO ALGER,
JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Tony, a sturdy bright-eyed boy of fourteen, is under the control of
Rudolph Rugg, a thorough rascal. After much abuse Tony runs away and
gets a job as stable boy in a country hotel. Tony is heir to a large
estate. Rudolph for a consideration hunts up Tony and throws him down a
deep well. Of course Tony escapes from the fate provided for him, and by
a brave act, a rich friend secures his rights and Tony is prosperous. A
very entertaining book.
The Errand Boy; or, How Phil Brent Won Success. By HORATIO ALGER, JR.
12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
The career of "The Errand Boy" embraces the city adventures of a smart
country lad. Philip was brought up by a kind-hearted innkeeper named
Brent. The death of Mrs. Brent paved the way for the hero's subsequent
troubles. A retired merchant in New York secures him the situation of
errand boy, and thereafter stands as his friend.
Tom Temple's Career. By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated,
price $1.00.
Tom Temple is a bright, self-reliant lad. He leaves Plympton village to
seek work in New York, whence he undertakes an important mission to
California. Some of his adventures in the far west are so startling that
the reader will scarcely close the book until the last page shall have
been reached. The tale is written in Mr. Alger's most fascinating style.
Frank Fowler, the Cash Boy. By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth,
illustrated, price $1.00.
Frank Fowler, a poor boy, bravely determines to make a living for
himself and his foster-sister Grace. Going to New York he obtains a
situation as cash boy in a dry goods store. He renders a service to a
wealthy old gentleman who takes a fancy to the lad, and thereafter helps
the lad to gain success and fortune.
Tom Thatcher's Fortune. By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth,
illustrated, price $1.00.
Tom Thatcher is a brave, ambitious, unselfish boy. He supports his
mother and sister on meagre wages earned as a shoe-pegger in John
Simpson's factory. Tom is discharged from the factory and starts
overland for California. He meets with many adventures. The story is
told in a way which has made Mr. Alger's name a household word in so
many homes.
The Train Boy. By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price
$1.00.
Paul Palmer was a wide-awake boy of sixteen who supported his mother and
sister by selling books and papers on the Chicago and Milwaukee
Railroad. He detects a young man in the act of picking the pocket of a
young lady. In a railway accident many passengers are killed, but Paul
is fortunate enough to assist a Chicago merchant, who out of gratitude
takes him into his employ. Paul succeeds with tact and judgment and Is
well started on the road to business prominence.
Mark Mason's Victory. The Trials and Triumphs of a Telegraph Boy. By
HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Mark Mason, the telegraph boy, was a sturdy, honest lad, who pluckily
won his way to success by his honest manly efforts under many
difficulties. This story will please the very large class of boys who
regard Mr. Alger as a favorite author.
A Debt of Honor. The Story of Gerald Lane's Success in the Far West.
By HORATIO ALGER, JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
The story of Gerald Lane and the account of the many trials and
disappointments which he passed through before he attained success, will
interest all boys who have read the previous stories of this delightful
author.
Ben Bruce. Scenes in the Life of a Bowery Newsboy. By HORATIO ALGER,
JR. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Ben Bruce was a brave, manly, generous boy. The story of his efforts,
and many seeming failures and disappointments, and his final success,
are most interesting to all readers. The tale is written in Mr. Alger's
most fascinating style.
The Castaways; or, On the Florida Reefs. By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth,
illustrated, price $1.00.
This tale smacks of the salt sea. From the moment that the Sea Queen
leaves lower New York bay till the breeze leaves her becalmed off the
coast of Florida, one can almost hear the whistle of the wind through
her rigging, the creak of her straining cordage as she heels to the
leeward. The adventures of Ben Clark, the hero of the story and Jake the
cook, cannot fail to charm the reader. As a writer for young people Mr.
Otis is a prime favorite.
Wrecked on Spider Island; or, How Ned Rogers Found the Treasure. By
JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Ned Rogers, a "down-east" plucky lad ships as cabin boy to earn a
livelihood. Ned is marooned on Spider Island, and while there discover a
wreck submerged in the sand, and finds a considerable amount of
treasure. The capture of the treasure and the incidents of the voyage
serve to make as entertaining a story of sea-life as the most captious
boy could desire.
The Search for the Silver City: A Tale of Adventure in Yucatan. By
JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Two lads, Teddy Wright and Neal Emery, embark on the steam yacht Day
Dream for a cruise to the tropics. The yacht is destroyed by fire, and
then the boat is cast upon the coast of Yucatan. They hear of the
wonderful Silver City, of the Chan Santa Cruz Indians, and with the help
of a faithful Indian ally carry off a number of the golden images from
the temples. Pursued with relentless vigor at last their escape is
effected in an astonishing manner. The story is so full of exciting
incidents that the reader is quite carried away with the novelty and
realism of the narrative.
A Runaway Brig; or, An Accidental Cruise. By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth,
illustrated, price $1.00.
This is a sea tale, and the reader can look out upon the wide shimmering
sea as it flashes back the sunlight, and imagine himself afloat with
Harry Vandyne, Walter Morse, Jim Libby and that old shell-back, Bob
Brace, on the brig Bonita. The boys discover a mysterious document which
enables them to find a buried treasure. They are stranded on an island
and at last are rescued with the treasure. The boys are sure to be
fascinated with this entertaining story.
The Treasure Finders: A Boy's Adventures in Nicaragua. By JAMES OTIS.
12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Roy and Dean Coloney, with their guide Tongla, leave their father's
indigo plantation to visit the wonderful ruins of an ancient city. The
boys eagerly explore the temples of an extinct race and discover three
golden images cunningly hidden away. They escape with the greatest
difficulty. Eventually they reach safety with their golden prizes. We
doubt if there ever was written a more entertaining story than "The
Treasure Finders."
Jack, the Hunchback, A Story of the Coast of Maine. By JAMES OTIS.
Price $1.00.
This is the story of a little hunchback who lived on Cape Elizabeth, on
the coast of Maine. His trials and successes are most interesting. From
first to last nothing stays the interest of the narrative. It bears us
along as on a stream whose current varies in direction, but never loses
its force.
With Washington at Monmouth: A Story of Three Philadelphia Boys. By
JAMES OTIS. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price
$1.50.
Three Philadelphia lads assist the American spies and make regular and
frequent visits to Valley Forge in the Winter while the British occupied
the city. The story abounds with pictures of Colonial life skillfully
drawn, and the glimpses of Washington's soldiers which are given shown
that the work has not been hastily done, or without considerable study.
The story is wholesome and patriotic in tone, as are all of Mr. Otis'
works.
With Lafayette at Yorktown: A Story of How Two Boys Joined the
Continental Army. By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges,
illustrated, price $1.50.
Two lads from Portmouth, N.H., attempt to enlist in the Colonial Army,
and are given employment as spies. There is no lack of exciting
incidents which the youthful reader craves, but it is healthful
excitement brimming with facts which every boy should be familiar with,
and while the reader is following the adventures of Ben Jaffrays and Ned
Allen he is acquiring a fund of historical lore which will remain in his
memory long after that which he has memorized from textbooks has been
forgotten.
At the Siege of Havana. Being the Experiences of Three Boys Serving
under Israel Putnam in 1762. By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, ornamental cloth,
olivine edges, illustrated, price $1.50.
"At the Siege of Havana" deals with that portion of the island's history
when the English king captured the capital, thanks to the assistance
given by the troops from New England, led in part by Col. Israel Putnam.
The principal characters are Darius Lunt, the lad who, represented as
telling the story, and his comrades, Robert Clement and Nicholas Vallet.
Colonel Putnam also figures to considerable extent, necessarily, in the
tale, and the whole forms one of the most readable stories founded on
historical facts.
The Defense of Fort Henry. A Story of Wheeling Creek in 1777. By JAMES
OTIS. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1.50.
Nowhere in the history of our country can be found more heroic or
thrilling incidents than in the story of those brave men and women who
founded the settlement of Wheeling in the Colony of Virginia. The
recital of what Elizabeth Zane did is in itself as heroic a story as can
be imagined. The wondrous bravery displayed by Major McCulloch and his
gallant comrades, the sufferings of the colonists and their sacrifice of
blood and life, stir the blood of old as well as young readers.
The Capture of the Laughing Mary. A Story of Three New York Boys in
1776. By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, price $1.50.
"During the British occupancy of New York, at the outbreak of the
Revolution, a Yankee lad hears of the plot to take General Washington's
person, and calls in two companions to assist the patriot cause. They do
some astonishing things, and, incidentally, lay the way for an American
navy later, by the exploit which gives its name to the work. Mr. Otis'
books are too well known to require any particular commendation to the
young."--Evening Post.
With Warren at Bunker Hill. A Story of the Siege of Boston. By JAMES
OTIS. 12mo, ornamental cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1.50.
"This is a tale of the siege of Boston, which opens on the day after the
doings at Lexington and Concord, with a description of home life in
Boston, introduces the reader to the British camp at Charlestown, shows
Gen. Warren at home, describes what a boy thought of the battle of
Bunker Hill, and closes with the raising of the siege. The three heroes,
George Wentworth, Ben Scarlett and an old ropemaker, incur the enmity of
a young Tory, who causes them many adventures the boys will like to
read."--Detroit Free Press.
With the Swamp Fox. The Story of General Marion's Spies. By JAMES
OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
This story deals with General Francis Marion's heroic struggle in the
Carolinas. General Marion's arrival to take command of these brave men
and rough riders is pictured as a boy might have seen it, and although
the story is devoted to what the lads did, the Swamp Fox is ever present
in the mind of the reader.
On the Kentucky Frontier. A Story of the Fighting Pioneers of the
West. By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
In the history of our country there is no more thrilling story than that
of the work done on the Mississippi river by a handful of frontiersmen.
Mr. Otis takes the reader on that famous expedition from the arrival of
Major Clarke's force at Corn Island, until Kaskaskia was captured. He
relates that part of Simon Kenton's life history which is not usually
touched upon either by the historian or the story teller. This is one of
the most entertaining books for young people which has been published.
Sarah Dillard's Ride. A Story of South Carolina in 1780. By JAMES
OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
"This book deals with the Carolinas in 1780, giving a wealth of detail
of the Mountain Men who struggled so valiantly against the king's
troops. Major Ferguson is the prominent British officer of the story,
which is told as though coming from a youth who experienced these
adventures. In this way the famous ride of Sarah Dillard is brought out
as an incident of the plot."--Boston Journal.
A Tory Plot. A Story of the Attempt to Kill General Washington. By
JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
"'A Tory Plot' is the story of two lads who overhear something of the
plot originated during the Revolution by Gov. Tryon to capture or murder
Washington. They communicate their knowledge to Gen. Putnam and are
commissioned by him to play the role of detectives in the matter. They
do so, and meet with many adventures and hairbreadth escapes. The boys
are, of course, mythical, but they serve to enable the author to put
into very attractive shape much valuable knowledge concerning one phase
of the Revolution."--Pittsburgh Times.
A Traitor's Escape. A Story of the Attempt to Seize Benedict Arnold,
By JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
"This is a tale with stirring scenes depicted in each chapter, bringing
clearly before the mind the glorious deeds of the early settlers in this
country. In an historical work dealing with this country's past, no plot
can hold the attention closer than this one, which describes the attempt
and partial success of Benedict Arnold's escape to New York, where he
remained as the guest of Sir Henry Clinton. All those who actually
figured in the arrest of the traitor, as well as Gen. Washington, are
included as characters."--Albany Union.
A Cruise with Paul Jones. A Story of Naval Warfare in 1776. By JAMES
OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
"This story takes up that portion of Paul Jones' adventurous life when
he was hovering off the British coast, watching for an opportunity to
strike the enemy a blow. It deals more particularly with his descent
upon Whitehaven, the seizure of Lady Selkirk's plate, and the famous
battle with the Drake. The boy who figures in the tale is one who was
taken from a derelict by Paul Jones shortly after this particular cruise
was begun."--Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Corporal Lige's Recruit. A Story of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. By
JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
"In 'Corporal Lige's Recruit,' Mr. Otis tells the amusing story of an
old soldier, proud of his record, who had served the king in '58, and
who takes the lad, Isaac Rice, as his 'personal recruit.' The lad
acquits himself superbly. Col. Ethan Allen 'In the name of God and the
continental congress,' infuses much martial spirit into the narrative,
which will arouse the keenest interest as it proceeds. Crown Point.
Ticonderoga, Benedict Arnold and numerous other famous historical names
appear in this dramatic tale."--Boston Globe.
Morgan, the Jersey Spy. A Story of the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. By
JAMES OTIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
"The two lads who are utilized by the author to emphasize the details of
the work done during that memorable time were real boys who lived on the
banks of the York river, and who aided the Jersey spy in his dangerous
occupation. In the guise of fishermen the lads visit Yorktown, are
suspected of being spies, and put under arrest. Morgan risks his life to
save them. The final escape, the thrilling encounter with a squad of red
coats, when they are exposed equally to the bullets of friends and foes,
told in a masterly fashion, makes of this volume one of the most
entertaining books of the year."--Inter-Ocean.
The Young Scout: The Story of a West Point Lieutenant. By EDWARD S.
ELLIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
The crafty Apache chief Geronimo but a few years ago was the most
terrible scourge of the southwest border. The author has woven, in a
tale of thrilling interest, all the incidents of Geronimo's last raid.
The hero is Lieutenant James Decker, a recent graduate of West Point.
Ambitious to distinguish himself the young man takes many a desperate
chance against the enemy and on more than one occasion narrowly escapes
with his life. In our opinion Mr. Ellis is the best writer of Indian
stories now before the public.
Adrift in the Wilds: The Adventures of Two Shipwrecked Boys. By EDWARD
S. ELLIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Elwood Brandon and Howard Lawrence are en route for San Francisco. Off
the coast of California the steamer takes fire. The two boys reach the
shore with several of the passengers. Young Brandon becomes separated
from his party and is captured by hostile Indians, but is afterwards
rescued. This is a very entertaining narrative of Southern California.
A Young Hero; or, Fighting to Win. By EDWARD S. ELLIS. 12mo, cloth,
illustrated, price $1.00.
This story tells how a valuable solid silver service was stolen from the
Misses Perkinpine, two very old and simple minded ladies. Fred Sheldon,
the hero of this story, undertakes to discover the thieves and have them
arrested. After much time spent in detective work, he succeeds in
discovering the silver plate and winning the reward. The story is told
in Mr. Ellis' most fascinating style. Every boy will be glad to read
this delightful book.
Lost in the Rockies. A Story of Adventure in the Rocky Mountains. By
EDWARD S. ELLIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Incident succeeds incident, and adventure is piled upon adventure, and
at the end the reader, be he boy or man, will have experienced
breathless enjoyment in this romantic story describing many adventures
in the Rockies and among the Indians.
A Jaunt Through Java: The Story of a Journey to the Sacred Mountain.
By EDWARD S. ELLIS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
The interest of this story is found in the thrilling adventures of two
cousins, Hermon and Eustace Hadley, on their trip across the island of
Java, from Samarang to the Sacred Mountain. In a land where the Royal
Bengal tiger, the rhinoceros, and other fierce beasts are to be met
with, it is but natural that the heroes of this book should have a
lively experience. There is not a dull page in the book.
The Boy Patriot. A Story of Jack, the Young Friend of Washington. By
EDWARD S. ELLIS. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, illustrated, price $1.50.
"There are adventures of all kinds for the hero and his friends, whose
pluck and ingenuity in extricating themselves from awkward fixes are
always equal to the occasion. It is an excellent story full of honest,
manly, patriotic efforts on the part of the hero. A very vivid
description of the battle of Trenton is also found in this
story."--Journal of Education.
A Yankee Lad's Pluck. How Bert Larkin Saved his Father's Ranch in
Porto Rico. By WILLIAM. P. CHIPMAN. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price
$1.00.
"Bert Larkin, the hero of the story, early excites our admiration, and
is altogether a fine character such as boys wall delight in, whilst the
story of his numerous adventures is very graphically told. This will, we
think, prove one of the most popular boys' books this season."--Gazette.
A Brave Defense. A Story of the Massacre at Fort Griswold in 1781. By
WILLIAM P. CHIPMAN. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Perhaps no more gallant fight against fearful odds took place during the
Revolutionary War than that at Fort Griswold, Groton Heights, Conn., in
1781. The boys are real boys who were actually on the muster rolls,
either at Fort Trumbull on the New London side, or of Fort Griswold on
the Groton side of the Thames. The youthful reader who follows Halsey
Sanford and Levi Dart and Tom Malleson, and their equally brave
comrades, through their thrilling adventures will be learning something
more than historical facts; they will be imbibing lessons of fidelity,
of bravery, of heroism, and of manliness, which must prove serviceable
in the arena of life.
The Young Minuteman. A Story of the Capture of General Prescott in
1777. By WILLIAM P. CHIPMAN. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
This story is based upon actual events which occurred during the British
occupation of the waters of Narragansett Bay. Darius Wale and William
Northrop belong to "the coast patrol." The story is a strong one,
dealing only with actual events. There is, however, no lack of thrilling
adventure, and every lad who is fortunate enough to obtain the book will
find not only that his historical knowledge is increased, but that his
own patriotism and love of country are deepened.
For the Temple: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. By G.A. HENTY. With
illustrations by S.J. SOLOMON. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1.00.
"Mr. Henty's graphic prose picture of the hopeless Jewish resistance to
Roman sway adds another leaf to his record of the famous wars of the
world. The book is one of Mr. Henty's cleverest efforts."--Graphic.
Roy Gilbert's Search: A Tale of the Great Lakes. By WILLIAM. P.
CHIPMAN. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
A deep mystery hangs over the parentage of Roy Gilbert. He arranges with
two schoolmates to make a tour of the Great Lakes on a steam launch. The
three boys visit many points of interest on the lakes. Afterwards the
lads rescue an elderly gentleman and a lady from a sinking yacht. Later
on the boys narrowly escape with their lives. The hero is a manly,
self-reliant boy, whose adventures will be followed with interest.
The Slate Picker: The Story of a Boy's Life in the Coal Mines. By
HARRY PRENTICE. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
This is a story of a boy's life in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. Ben
Burton, the hero, had a hard road to travel, but by grit and energy he
advanced step by step until he found himself called upon to fill the
position of chief engineer of the Kohlnoor Coal Company. This is a book
of extreme interest to every boy reader.
The Boy Cruisers; or, Paddling in Florida. By ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE.
12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00
Andrew George and Rowland Carter start on a canoe trip along the Gulf
coast, from Key West to Tampa, Florida. Their first adventure is with a
pair of rascals who steal their boats. Next they run into a gale in the
Gulf. After that they have a lively time with alligators and Andrew gets
into trouble with a band of Seminole Indians. Mr. Rathborne knows just
how to interest the boys, and lads who are in search of a rare treat
will do well to read this entertaining story.
Captured by Zulus: A Story of Trapping in Africa. By HARRY PRENTICE.
12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
This story details the adventures of two lads, Dick Elsworth and Bob
Harvey, in the wilds of South Africa. By stratagem the Zulus capture
Dick and Bob and take them to their principal kraal or village. The lads
escape death by digging their way out of the prison hut by night. They
are pursued, but the Zulus finally give up pursuit. Mr. Prentice tells
exactly how wild-beast collectors secure specimens on their native
stamping grounds, and these descriptions make very entertaining reading.
Tom the Ready; or, Up from the Lowest. By RANDOLPH HILL. 12mo, cloth,
illustrated, price $1.00.
This is a dramatic narrative of the unaided rise of a fearless,
ambitious boy from the lowest round of fortune's ladder to wealth and
the governorship of his native State. Tom Seacomb begins life with a
purpose, and eventually overcomes those who oppose him. How he manages
to win the battle is told by Mr. Hill in a masterful way that thrills
the reader and holds his attention and sympathy to the end.
Captain Kidd's Gold: The True Story of an Adventurous Sailor Boy. By
JAMES FRANKLIN FITTS. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
There is something fascinating to the average youth in the very idea of
buried treasure. A vision arises before his eyes of swarthy Portuguese
and Spanish rascals, with black beards and gleaming eyes. There were
many famous sea rovers, but none more celebrated than Capt. Kidd. Paul
Jones Garry inherits a document which locates a considerable treasure
buried by two of Kidd's crew. The hero of this book is an ambitious,
persevering lad, of salt-water New England ancestry, and his efforts to
reach the island and secure the money form one of the most absorbing
tales for our youth that has come from the press.
The Boy Explorers: The Adventures of Two Boys in Alaska. By HARRY
PRENTICE. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Two boys, Raymond and Spencer Manning, travel to Alaska to join their
father in search of their uncle. On their arrival at Sitka the boys with
an Indian guide set off across the mountains. The trip is fraught with
perils that test the lads' courage to the utmost. All through their
exciting adventures the lads demonstrate what can be accomplished by
pluck and resolution, and their experience makes one of the most
interesting tales ever written.
The Island Treasure; or, Harry Darrel's Fortune. By FRANK H. CONVERSE.
12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Harry Darrel, having received a nautical training on a school-ship, bent
on going to sea. A runaway horse changes his prospects. Harry saves Dr.
Gregg from drowning and afterward becomes sailing-master of a sloop
yacht. Mr. Converse's stories possess a charm of their own which is
appreciated by lads who delight in good healthy tales that smack of salt
water.
Guy Harris: The Runaway. By HARRY CASTLEMON. 12mo, cloth, illustrated,
price $1.00.
Guy Harris lived in a small city on the shore of one of the Great Lakes.
He is persuaded to go to sea, and gets a glimpse of the rough side of
life in a sailor's boarding house. He ships on a vessel and for five
months leads a hard life. The book will interest boys generally on
account of its graphic style. This is one of Castlemon's most attractive
stories.
Julian Mortimer: A Brave Boy's Struggle for Home and Fortune. By HARRY
CASTLEMON. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
The scene of the story lies west of the Mississippi River, in the days
when emigrants made their perilous way across the great plains to the
land of gold. There is an attack upon the wagon train by a large party
of Indians. Our hero is a lad of uncommon nerve and pluck. Befriended by
a stalwart trapper, a real rough diamond, our hero achieves the most
happy results.
By Pike and Dyke: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic. By G.A.
HENTY. With illustrations by MAYNARD BROWN. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges,
price $1.00.
"Boys with a turn for historical research will be enchanted with the
book, while the rest who only care for adventure will be students in
spite of themselves."--St. James's Gazette.
St. George for England: A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. By G.A. HENTY.
With illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price
$1.00.
"A story of very great interest for boys. In his own forcible style the
author has endeavored to show that determination and enthusiasm can
accomplish marvellous results; and that courage is generally accompanied
by magnanimity and gentleness."--Pall Mall Gazette.
Captain Bayley's Heir: A Tale of the Gold Fields of California. By
G.A. HENTY. With illustrations by H.M. PAGET. 12mo, cloth, olivine
edges, price $1.00.
"Mr. Henty is careful to mingle instruction with entertainment; and the
humorous touches, especially in the sketch of John Holl, the Westminster
dustman, Dickens himself could hardly have excelled."--Christian
Leader.
Budd Boyd's Triumph; or, The Boy Firm of Fox Island. By WILLIAM P.
CHIPMAN. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
The scene of this story is laid on the upper part of Narragansett Bay,
and the leading incidents have a strong salt-water flavor. The two boys,
Budd Boyd and Judd Floyd, being ambitious and clear sighted, form a
partnership to catch and sell fish. Budd's pluck and good sense carry
him through many troubles. In following the career of the boy firm of
Boyd & Floyd, the youthful reader will find a useful lesson--that
industry and perseverance are bound to lead to ultimate success.
Lost in the Canyon: Sam Willett's Adventures on the Great Colorado. By
ALFRED R. CALHOUN. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
This story hinges on a fortune left to Sam Willett, the hero, and the
fact that it will pass to a disreputable relative if the laddies before
he shall have reached his majority. The story of his father's peril and
of Sam's desperate trip down the great canyon on a raft, and how the
party finally escape from their perils is described in a graphic style
that stamps Mr. Calhoun as a master of his art.
Captured by Apes: The Wonderful Adventures of a Young Animal Trainer.
By HARRY PRENTICE. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.
Philip Garland, a young animal collector and trainer, sets sail for
Eastern seas in quest of a new stock of living curiosities. The vessel
is wrecked off the coast of Borneo, and young Garland is cast ashore on
a small island, and captured by the apes that overrun the place. Very
novel indeed is the way by which the young man escapes death. Mr.
Prentice is a writer of undoubted skill.
Under Drake's Flag: A Tale of the Spanish Main. By G.A. HENTY. With
illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1.00.
"There is not a dull chapter, nor, indeed, a dull page in the book; but
the author has so carefully worked up his subject that the exciting
deeds of his heroes are never incongruous nor absurd."--Observer.
By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War. By G.A. HENTY. With
illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1.00.
The author has woven, in a tale of thrilling interest, all the details
of the Ashanti campaign, of which he was himself a witness.
"Mr. Henty keeps up his reputation as a writer of boys' stories. 'By
Sheer Pluck' will be eagerly read."--Athenæum.
With Lee in Virginia: A Story of the American Civil War. By G.A.
HENTY. With illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges,
price $1.00.
"One of the best stories for lads which Mr. Henty has yet written. The
picture is full of life and color, and the stirring and romantic
incidents are skillfully blended with the personal interest and charm of
the story."--Standard.
By England's Aid; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604). By
G.A. HENTY. With illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE. 12mo, cloth, olivine
edges, price $1.00.
"It is an admirable book for youngsters. It overflows with stirring
incident and exciting adventure, and the color of the era and of the
scene are finely reproduced. The illustrations add to its
attractiveness."--Boston Gazette.
By Right of Conquest; or, With Cortez in Mexico. By G.A. HENTY. With
illustrations by W.S. STACEY. 12mo, cloth olivine edges, price $1.50.
"The conquest of Mexico by a small band of resolute men under the
magnificent leadership of Cortez is always rightfully ranked among the
most romantic and daring exploits in history. 'By Right of Conquest' is
the nearest approach to a perfectly successful historical tale that Mr.
Henty has yet published."--Academy.
For Name and Fame; or, Through Afghan Passes, By G.A. HENTY. With
illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth olivine edges, price $1.00.
"Not only a rousing story, replete with all the varied forms of
excitement of a campaign, but, what is still more useful, an account of
a territory and its inhabitants which must for a long time possess a
supreme interest for Englishmen, as being the key to our Indian
Empire."--Glasgow Herald.
The Bravest of the Brave; or, With Peterborough in Spain. By G.A.
HENTY. With illustrations by H.M. PAGET, 12mo cloth, olivine edges,
price $1.00.
"Mr. Henty never loses sight of the moral purpose of his work--to
enforce the doctrine of courage and truth, mercy and loving kindness, as
indispensable to the making of a gentleman. Boys will read 'The Bravest
of the Brave' with pleasure and profit; of that we are quite
sure."--Daily Telegraph.
The Cat of Bubastes: A Story of Ancient Egypt. By G.A. HENTY. With
illustrations. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1.00.
"The story, from the critical moment of the killing of the sacred cat to
the perilous exodus into Asia with which it closes, is very skillfully
constructed and full of exciting adventures. It is admirably
illustrated."--Saturday Review.
Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. By G.A. HENTY.
With illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price
$1.00.
"Ronald, the hero, is very like the hero of 'Quentin Durward,' The lad's
journey across France, and his hairbreadth escapes, makes up as good a
narrative of the kind as we have ever read. For freshness of treatment
and variety of incident Mr. Henty has surpassed himself."--Spectator.
With Clive in India; or, The Beginnings of an Empire. By G.A. HENTY.
With illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price
$1.00.
"He has taken a period of Indian history of the most vital importance,
and he has embroidered on the historical facts a story which of itself
is deeply interesting. Young people assuredly will be delighted with the
volume."--Scotsman.
In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy. By G.A.
HENTY. With illustrations by J. SCHÖNBERG 12mo, cloth, olivine edges,
price $1.00.
"Harry Sandwith, the Westminster boy, may fairly be said to beat Mr.
Henty's record. His adventures will delight boys by the audacity and
peril they depict. The story is one of Mr, Henty's best."--Saturday
Review.
The Lion of the North: A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus and the Wars of
Religion. By G.A. HENTY. With illustrations by JOHN SCHÖNBERG. 12mo,
cloth, olivine edges, price $1.00.
"A praiseworthy attempt to interest British youth in the great deeds of
the Scotch Brigade in the wars of Gustavus Adolphus. Mackey, Hepburn,
and Munro live again in Mr. Henty's pages, as those deserve to live
whose disciplined bands formed really the germ of the modern British
army."--Athenæum.
The Dragon and the Raven; or, The Days of King Alfred, By G.A. HENTY.
With illustrations by C.J. STANILAND. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price
$1.00.
"In this story the author gives an account of the fierce struggle
between Saxon and Dane for supremacy in England, and presents a vivid
picture of the misery and ruin to which the country was reduced by the
ravages of the sea-wolves. The story is treated in a manner most
attractive to the boyish reader."--Athenæum.
The Young Carthaginian: A Story of the Times of Hannibal. By G.A.
HENTY. With illustrations by C.J. STANILAND. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges,
price $1.00.
"Well constructed and vividly told. From first to last nothing stays the
interest of the narrative. It bears us along as on a stream whose
current varies in direction, but never loses its force."--Saturday
Review.
In Freedom's Cause: A Story of Wallace and Bruce. By G.A. HENTY. With
illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1.00.
"It is written in the author's best style. Full of the wildest and most
remarkable achievements, it is a tale of great interest, which a boy,
once he has begun it, will not willingly put one side."--The
Schoolmaster.
With Wolfe in Canada; or, The Winning of a Continent. By G.A. HENTY.
With illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price
$1.00.
"A model of what a boys' story-book should be. Mr. Henty has a great
power of infusing into the dead facts of history new life, and as no
pains are spared by him to ensure accuracy in historic details, his
books supply useful aids to study as well as amusement."--School
Guardian.
True to the Old Flag: A Tale of the American War of Independence. By
G.A. HENTY. With illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 12mo, cloth, olivine
edges, price $1.00.
"Does justice to the pluck and determination of the British soldiers
during the unfortunate struggle against American emancipation. The son
of an American loyalist, who remains true to our flag, falls among the
hostile red-skins in that very Huron country which has been endeared to
us by the exploits of Hawkeye and Chingachgook."--The Times.
A Final Reckoning: A Tale of Bush Life in Australia. By G.A. HENTY.
With illustrations by W.B. WOLLEN. 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price
$1.00.
"All boys will read this story with eager and unflagging interest. The
episodes are in Mr. Henty's very best vein--graphic, exciting,
realistic; and, as in all Mr. Henty's books, the tendency is to the
formation of an honorable, manly, and even heroic character."--Birmingham
Post.
* * * * *
For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
publisher, A.L. BURT, 52-58 Duane Street, New York.