THE MEDAL LIBRARY
FAMOUS COPYRIGHTED STORIES
FOR BOYS, BY FAMOUS AUTHORS
PUBLISHED EVERY WEEK
───────────────────────────
This is an ideal line for boys of all ages. It contains juvenile
masterpieces by the most popular writers of interesting fiction
for boys. Among these may be mentioned the works of Burt L.
Standish, detailing the adventures of Frank Merriwell, the hero,
of whom every American boy has read with admiration. Frank is a
truly representative American lad, full of character and a
strong determination to do right at any cost. Then, there are
the works of Horatio Alger, Jr., whose keen insight into the
minds of the boys of our country has enabled him to write a
series of the most interesting tales ever published. This line
also contains some of the best works of Oliver Optic, another
author whose entire life was devoted to writing books that would
tend to interest and elevate our boys.
───────────────────────────
To be Published During January, 1905
295—Cris Rock By Capt. Mayne Reid
294—Sam’s Chance By Horatio Alger, Jr.
293—My Plucky Boy Tom By Edward S. Ellis
292—Frank Merriwell’s Hard By Burt L. Standish
Luck
To be Published During December
291—By Pike and Dike By G. A. Henty
290—Shifting For Himself By Horatio Alger, Jr.
289—The Pirate and the Three By Captain Marryat
Cutters
288—Frank Merriwell’s By Burt L. Standish
Opportunity
287—Kit Carson’s Last Trail By Leon Lewis
To be Published During November
286—Jack’s Ward By Horatio Alger, Jr.
285—Jack Darcy, the All-Around By Edward S. Ellis
Athlete
284—Frank Merriwell’s First By Burt L. Standish
Job
283—Wild Adventures Round the By Gordon Stables
Pole
* * * * *
282—Herbert Carter’s Legacy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
281—Rattlin, the Reefer By Captain Marryat
280—Frank Merriwell’s Struggle By Burt L. Standish
279—Mark Dale’s Stage Venture By Arthur M. Winfield
278—In Times of Peril By G. A. Henty
277—In a New World By Horatio Alger, Jr.
276—Frank Merriwell in Maine By Burt L. Standish
275—The King of the Island By Henry Harrison Lewis
274—Beach Boy Joe By Lieut. James K. Orton
273—Jacob Faithful By Captain Marryat
272—One of Horatio Alger’s
Best Stories.
271—Frank Merriwell’s Chase By Burt L. Standish
270—Wing and Wing By J. Fenimore Cooper
269—The Young Bank Clerk By Arthur M. Winfield
268—Do and Dare By Horatio Alger, Jr.
267—Frank Merriwell’s Cruise By Burt L. Standish
266—The Young Castaways By Leon Lewis
265—The Lion of St. Mark By G. A. Henty
264—Hector’s Inheritance By Horatio Alger, Jr.
263—Mr. Midshipman Easy By Captain Marryat
262—Frank Merriwell’s Vacation By Burt L. Standish
261—The Pilot By J. Fenimore Cooper
260—Driven From Home By Horatio Alger, Jr.
259—Sword and Pen By Henry Harrison Lewis
258—Frank Merriwell In Camp By Burt L. Standish
257—Jerry By Walter Aimwell
256—The Young Ranchman By Lieut. Lounsberry
255—Captain Bayley’s Heir By G. A. Henty
254—Frank Merriwell’s Loyalty By Burt L. Standish
253—The Water Witch By J. Fenimore Cooper
252—Luke Walton By Horatio Alger, Jr.
251—Frank Merriwell’s Danger By Burt L. Standish
250—Neka, the Boy Conjurer By Capt. Ralph Bonehill
249—The Young Bridge Tender By Arthur M. Winfield
248—The West Point Boys By Lieut. Frederick Garrison,
U.S.A.
247—Frank Merriwell’s Secret By Burt L. Standish
246—Rob Ranger’s Cowboy Days By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
245—The Red Rover By J. Fenimore Cooper
244—Frank Merriwell’s Return By Burt L. Standish
to Yale
243—Adrift in New York By Horatio Alger, Jr.
242—The Rival Canoe Boys By St. George Rathborne
241—The Tour of the Zero Club By Capt. R. Bonehill
240—Frank Merriwell’s By Burt L. Standish
Champions
239—The Two Admirals By J. Fenimore Cooper
238—A Cadet’s Honor By Lieut. Fred’k Garrison,
U.S.A.
237—Frank Merriwell’s Skill By Burt L. Standish
236—Rob Ranger’s Mine By Lieut. Lounsberry
235—The Young Carthaginian By G. A. Henty
234—The Store Boy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
233—Frank Merriwell’s Athletes By Burt L. Standish
232—The Valley of Mystery By Henry Harrison Lewis
231—Paddling Under Palmettos By St. George Rathborne
230—Off for West Point By Lieut. Fred’k Garrison,
U.S.A.
229—Frank Merriwell’s Daring By Burt L. Standish
228—The Cash Boy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
227—In Freedom’s Cause By G. A. Henty
226—Tom Havens With the White By Lieut. James K. Orton
Squadron
225—Frank Merriwell’s Courage By Burt L. Standish
224—Yankee Boys in Japan By Henry Harrison Lewis
223—In Fort and Prison By William Murray Graydon
222—A West Point Treasure By Lieut. Frederick Garrison,
U.S.A.
221—The Young Outlaw By Horatio Alger, Jr.
220—The Gulf Cruisers By St. George Rathborne
219—Tom Truxton’s Ocean Trip By Lieut. Lounsberry
218—Tom Truxton’s School Days By Lieut. Lounsberry
217—Frank Merriwell’s Bicycle By Burt L. Standish
Tour
216—Campaigning With Braddock By Wm. Murray Graydon
215—With Clive in India By G. A. Henty
214—On Guard By Lieut. Frederick Garrison,
U.S.A.
213—Frank Merriwell’s Races By Burt L. Standish
212—Julius, the Street Boy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
211—Buck Badger’s Ranch By Russell Williams
210—Sturdy and Strong By G. A. Henty
209—Frank Merriwell’s Sports By Burt L. Standish
Afield
208—The Treasure of the Golden By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
Crater,
207—Shifting Winds By St. George Rathborne
206—Jungles and Traitors By Wm. Murray Graydon
205—Frank Merriwell at Yale By Burt L. Standish
204—Under Drake’s Flag By G. A. Henty
203—Last Chance Mine By Lieut. James K. Orton
202—Risen From the Ranks By Horatio Alger, Jr.
201—Frank Merriwell in Europe By Burt L. Standish
200—The Fight for a Pennant By Frank Merriwell
199—The Golden Cañon By G. A. Henty
198—Only an Irish Boy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
197—Frank Merriwell’s Hunting Burt L. Standish
Tour
196—Zip, the Acrobat By Victor St. Clair
195—The Lion of the North By G. A. Henty
194—The White Mustang By Edward S. Ellis
193—Frank Merriwell’s Bravery By Burt L. Standish
192—Tom, the Bootblack By Horatio Alger, Jr.
191—The Rivals of the Diamond By Russell Williams
190—The Cat of Bubastes By G. A. Henty
189—Frank Merriwell Down South By Burt L. Standish
188—From Street to Mansion By Frank H. Stauffer
187—Bound to Rise By Horatio Alger, Jr.
186—On the Trail of Geronimo By Edward S. Ellis
185—For the Temple By G. A. Henty
184—Frank Merriwell’s Trip By Burt L. Standish
West
183—The Diamond Hunters By James Grant
182—The Camp in the Snow By William Murray Graydon
181—Brave and Bold By Horatio Alger, Jr.
180—One of the 28th By G. A. Henty
179—The Land of Mystery By Edward S. Ellis
178—Frank Merriwell’s Foes By Burt L. Standish
177—The White Elephant By William Dalton
176—By England’s Aid By G. A. Henty
175—Strive and Succeed By Horatio Alger, Jr.
174—Golden Rock By Edward S. Ellis
173—Life at Sea By Gordon Stables
172—The Young Midshipman By G. A. Henty
171—Erling the Bold By R. M. Ballantyne
170—Strong and Steady By Horatio Alger, Jr.
169—Peter, the Whaler By W. H. G. Kingston
168—Among Malay Pirates By G. A. Henty
167—Frank Merriwell’s Chums By Burt L. Standish
166—Try and Trust By Horatio Alger, Jr.
165—The Secret Chart By Lieut. James K. Orton
164—The Cornet of Horse By G. A. Henty
163—Slow and Sure By Horatio Alger, Jr.
162—The Pioneers By J. F. Cooper
161—Reuben Green’s Adventures By James Otis
160—Little by Little By Oliver Optic
159—Phil, the Fiddler By Horatio Alger, Jr.
158—With Lee in Virginia By G. A. Henty
157—Randy, the Pilot By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
156—The Pathfinder By J. F. Cooper
155—The Young Voyagers By Capt. Mayne Reid
154—Paul, the Peddler By Horatio Alger, Jr.
153—Bonnie Prince Charlie By G. A. Henty
152—The Last of the Mohicans By J. Fenimore Cooper
151—The Flag of Distress By Capt. Mayne Reid
150—Frank Merriwell’s By Burt L. Standish
Schooldays
149—With Wolfe in Canada By G. A. Henty
148—The Deerslayer By J. F. Cooper
147—The Cliff Climbers By Capt. Mayne Reid
146—Uncle Nat By A. Oldfellow
145—Friends Though Divided By G. A. Henty
144—The Boy Tar By Capt. Mayne Reid
143—Hendricks, the Hunter By W. H. G. Kingston
142—The Young Explorer By Gordon Stables
141—Ocean Waifs By Capt. Mayne Reid
140—The Young Buglers By G. A. Henty
139—Shore and Ocean By W. H. G. Kingston
138—Striving for Fortune By Horatio Alger, Jr.
137—The Bush Boys By Capt. Mayne Reid
136—From Pole to Pole By Gordon Stables
135—Dick Cheveley By W. H. G. Kingston
134—Orange and Green By G. A. Henty
133—The Young Yagers By Capt. Mayne Reid
132—The Adventures of Rob Roy By James Grant
131—The Boy Slaves By Capt. Mayne Reid
130—From Canal Boy to By Horatio Alger, Jr.
President
129—Ran Away to Sea By Capt. Mayne Reid
128—For Name and Fame By G. A. Henty
127—The Forest Exiles By Capt. Mayne Reid
126—From Powder Monkey to By W. H. G. Kingston
Admiral
125—The Plant Hunters By Capt. Mayne Reid
124—St. George for England By G. A. Henty
123—The Giraffe Hunters By Capt. Mayne Reid
122—Tom Brace By Horatio Alger, Jr.
121—Peter Trawl By W. H. G. Kingston
120—In the Wilds of New Mexico By G. Manville Fenn
119—A Final Reckoning By G. A. Henty
118—Ned Newton By Horatio Alger, Jr.
117—James Braithwaite, The By W. H. G. Kingston
Supercargo
116—Happy-Go-Lucky Jack By Frank H. Converse
115—The Adventures of a Young By Matthew White, Jr.
Athlete
114—The Old Man of the By George H. Coomer
Mountains
113—The Bravest of the Brave By G. A. Henty
112—20,000 Leagues Under the By Jules Verne
Sea
111—The Midshipman, Marmaduke By W. H. G. Kingston
Merry
110—Around the World in Eighty By Jules Verne
Days
109—A Dash to the Pole By Herbert D. Ward
108—Texar’s Revenge By Jules Verne
107—Van; or, In Search of an By Frank H. Converse
Unknown Race,
106—The Boy Knight By George A. Henty
105—The Young Actor By Gayle Winterton
104—Heir to a Million By Frank H. Converse
103—The Adventures of Rex By Mary A. Denison
Staunton
102—Clearing His Name By Matthew White, Jr.
101—The Lone Ranch By Capt. Mayne Reid
100—Maori and Settler By George A. Henty
99—The Cruise of the Restless; By James Otis
or, On Inland Waterways,
98—The Grand Chaco By George Manville Fenn
97—The Giant Islanders By Brooks McCormick
96—An Unprovoked Mutiny By James Otis
95—By Sheer Pluck By G. A. Henty
94—Oscar; or, The Boy Who Had By Walter Aimwell
His Own Way,
93—A New York Boy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
92—Spectre Gold By Headon Hill
91—The Crusoes of Guiana By Louis Boussenard
90—Out on the Pampas By G. A. Henty
89—Clinton; or, Boy Life in By Walter Aimwell
the Country
88—My Mysterious Fortune By Matthew White, Jr.
87—The Five Hundred Dollar By Horatio Alger, Jr.
Check,
86—Catmur’s Cave By Richard Dowling
85—Facing Death By G. A. Henty
84—The Butcher of Cawnpore By William Murray Graydon
83—The Tiger Prince By William Dalton
82—The Young Editor By Matthew White, Jr.
81—Arthur Helmuth, of the H. & By Edward S. Ellis
N. C. Railway,
80—Afloat in the Forest By Capt. Mayne Reid
79—The Rival Battalions By Brooks McCormick
78—Both Sides of the Continent By Horatio Alger, Jr.
77—The Perils of the Jungle By Edward S. Ellis
76—The War Tiger; or, The By William Dalton
Conquest of China,
75—The Boys in the Forecastle By George H. Coomer
74—The Dingo Boys By George Manville Fenn
73—The Wolf Boy of China By William Dalton
72—The Way to Success; or, Tom By Alfred Oldfellow
Randall
71—Mark Seaworth’s Voyage on By William H. G. Kingston
the Indian Ocean,
70—The New and Amusing History By F. C. Burnand
of Sandford and Merton,
69—Pirate Island By Harry Collingwood
68—Smuggler’s Cave By Annie Ashmore
67—Tom Brown’s School Days By Thomas Hughes
66— A Young Vagabond By Z. R. Bennett
65—That Treasure By Frank H. Converse
64—The Tour of a Private Car By Matthew White, Jr.
63—In the Sunk Lands By Walter F. Bruns
62—How He Won By Brooks McCormick
61—The Erie Train Boy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
60—The Mountain Cave By George H. Coomer
59—The Rajah’s Fortress By William Murray Graydon
58—Gilbert, The Trapper By Capt. C. B. Ashley
57—The Gold of Flat Top By Frank H. Converse
Mountain
56—Nature’s Young Noblemen By Brooks McCormick
55—A Voyage to the Gold Coast By Frank H. Converse
54—Joe Nichols; or, By Alfred Oldfellow
Difficulties Overcome
53—Adventures of a New York By Horatio Alger, Jr.
Telegraph Boy,
52—From Farm Boy to Senator By Horatio Alger, Jr.
51—Tom Tracy By Horatio Alger, Jr.
50—Dean Dunham By Horatio Alger, Jr.
49—The Mystery of a Diamond By Frank H. Converse
48—Luke Bennett’s Hide-Out By Capt. C. B. Ashley, U.S.
Scout
47—Eric Dane By Matthew White, Jr.
46—Poor and Proud By Oliver Optic
45—Jack Wheeler; A Western By Capt. David Southwick
Story
44—The Golden Magnet By George Manville Fenn
43—In Southern Seas By Frank H. Converse
42—The Young Acrobat By Horatio Alger, Jr.
41—Check 2134 By Edward S. Ellis
40—Canoe and Campfire By St. George Rathborne
39—With Boer and Britisher in By William Murray Graydon
the Transvaal,
38—Gay Dashleigh’s Academy By Arthur Sewall
Days
37—Commodore Junk By George Manville Fenn
36—In Barracks and Wigwam By William Murray Graydon
35—In the Reign of Terror By G. A. Henty
34—The Adventures of Mr. By Cuthbert Bede, B. A.
Verdant Green,
33—Jud and Joe, Printers and By Gilbert Patten
Publishers
32—The Curse of Carnes’ Hold By G. A. Henty
31—The Cruise of the Snow Bird By Gordon Stables
30—Peter Simple By Captain Marryat
29—True to the Old Flag By G. A. Henty
28—The Boy Boomers By Gilbert Patten
27—Centre-Board Jim By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
26—The Cryptogram By William Murray Graydon
25—Through the Fray By G. A. Henty
24—The Boy From the West By Gilbert Patten
23—The Dragon and the Raven By G. A. Henty
22—From Lake to Wilderness By William Murray Graydon
21—Won at West Point By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
20—Wheeling for Fortune By James Otis
19—Jack Archer By G. A. Henty
18—The Silver Ship By Leon Lewis
17—Ensign Merrill By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
16—The White King of Africa By William Murray Graydon
15—Midshipman Merrill By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
14—The Young Colonists By G. A. Henty
13—Up the Ladder By Lieut. Murray
12—Don Kirk’s Mine By Gilbert Patten
11—From Tent to White House By Edward S. Ellis
10—Don Kirk, the Boy Cattle By Gilbert Patten
King
9—Try Again By Oliver Optic
8—Kit Carey’s Protégé By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
7—Chased Through Norway By James Otis
6—Captain Carey of the Gallant By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
Seventh,
5—Now or Never By Oliver Optic
4—Lieutenant Carey’s Luck By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
3—All Aboard By Oliver Optic
2—Cadet Kit Carey By Lieut. Lionel Lounsberry
1—The Boat Club By Oliver Optic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
_The Radium of All Humor_
_Comical
Confessions
of Clever
Comedians_
By F. P. PITZER
~EDITED BY~
DEWOLF
HOPPER
Search the world over and you cannot find more genuine, original humor
than that contained in “Comical Confessions of Clever Comedians.”
This little volume has been compiled after the fashion of a continuous
performance. There is an All-Star Cast, or we might say a regular
“Whoop-De-Doo,” introducing such well known comedians as DeWolf Hopper,
Francis Wilson, Lew Dockstadter, Frank Daniels, Dave Warfield, Joe
Weber, and others. Just imagine what there is in store for the reading
public when a glance at the title page reveals the fact that DeWolf
Hopper, the hero of “Wang,” is the editor or manager of this All-Star
Vaudeville Company.
Issued in a very attractive cloth binding. Price, 75c. postpaid.
Street & Smith, Publishers, 238 William St., New York City
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FRANK MERRIWELL
ON THE ROAD
OR
The All-Star Combination
BY
BURT L. STANDISH
AUTHOR OF
“_The Merriwell Stories_”
Publisher’s Logo
_STREET & SMITH PUBLISHERS_
_79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York_
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright, 1898
By STREET & SMITH
─────
Frank Merriwell on the Road
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FRANK MERRIWELL ON THE ROAD.
─────
CHAPTER I.
A LUDICROUS MEETING.
“Stop dot tonkey!”
Boom-te-boom-te-boom-boom!
The bass drummer of the band at the head of “Haley’s All-Star
Combination and Mammoth Uncle Tom’s Cabin Company” did not miss a beat
when the three “fierce and terrible untamed Siberian bloodhounds” darted
between his legs in pursuit of the escaping donkey.
But when the fat Dutch lad, who had been leading the donkey, attempted
to follow the dogs, there was a catastrophe.
The excited Dutch lad struck the drummer squarely, and the drummer
uttered a yell of astonishment and terror. Into the air he flew, down he
came, and—boom! bang! slam he went through the head of the drum.
“Shimminy Gristmas!”
The Dutch boy was startled by the havoc, but he quickly recovered and
started once more in hot pursuit of dogs and donkey.
“Hee-haw! hee-haw!” brayed the donkey, joyously whisking its heels in
the air.
“Hear dot tonkey laugh!” shouted the Dutch boy.
The dogs set up a wild baying, and there was no end of commotion on the
street along which the parade had been making its way toward the Thalia
Theater. Among the spectators, some of the men laughed, while many of
the women screamed and made a scramble to get out of the way of the
terrible “bloodhounds.”
“Stop dot tonkey!”
The pursuing lad waved his short arms wildly in the air, his face
flushed with excitement, his eyes bulging from his head.
The donkey made for a small fruit and cigar store, seeming bent on
rushing straight through the large window where the goods were
temptingly displayed.
A young man standing near the store placed himself squarely in the path
of the little animal, and skillfully caught the dangling halter by which
the creature had been led.
The donkey halted abruptly, while the dogs came up and leaped around it,
still baying.
Puffing like a pony engine, the Dutch boy dashed up and grasped the
donkey’s tail with both hands, shouting:
“Vot der madder vos mit you, ain’d id? I can’t run avay you from uf you
vant me to! Now, don’d try any uf my tricks on yourseluf, for uf you do,
I vill——Wow!”
Up flew the donkey’s heels once more, and the little beast lifted the
fat lad and sent him whirling over in the air.
The creature had seemed to kick with the force of a pile driver, and he
fairly flung the Dutch boy into the air.
Down came the lad, plunging headfirst into a garbage barrel that had
been standing on the curb, awaiting the arrival of the garbage
gatherers.
Into the barrel plunged the boy. Fortunately the barrel was not quite
half filled. Down he went till he stuck fast, his fat legs kicking
wildly in the air.
The youth who had stopped the donkey now released the animal and started
to extricate the boy from the barrel.
A tall, awkward youth, who had been with the parade, forming one of the
band, rushed up, brass horn in hand.
“Darn my pertaturs!” he shouted, dropping the instrument. “That ’air
donkey will be the death of that feller yit!”
Then he made a grab at the legs of the lad in the barrel and received a
kick behind the ear that knocked him over in a twinkling. He struck in a
sitting position on the ground, and there he remained, rubbing his head
and looking dazed.
The youth who had stopped the donkey succeeded in getting hold of the
legs of the unlucky fellow in the barrel, and dragged him out, after
upsetting the barrel.
By this time everybody on the street was roaring with laughter, and the
donkey joined in with a ridiculous “hee-haw.”
“There, my friend,” said the rescuer, as he released the lad he had
extracted from the barrel, “you are all right now.”
The Dutch boy sat up beside his friend who had started to pull him out,
and a most wretched spectacle he presented.
“Oxcuse me!” he exclaimed, clawing dirt out of his eyes. “I don’t like
dot kindt uf peesness!”
“Waal, what in thutteration did yeou want to kick the head offen me for
when I tried to pull yeou aout?” snapped the other lad, glaring at him.
“Yeou made me see mor’n four bushels of stars, an’ there’s many’s four
hundrud an’ seventeen chime bells a ding-dongin’ in my head naow.”
“Who id vos kicked my headt off you?” spluttered the Dutch boy. “You
nefer touched me. Vot der madder vos, anyhow?”
The youth who had extracted the Dutch lad from the barrel laughingly
said:
“I see you fellows are up to your old tricks. You are quarreling, as
usual.”
“Hey?” cried the tall lad.
“Vot?” squawked the Dutch boy.
“How are you, Ephraim?” laughed the rescuer.
“Jeewhillikins!” yelled the tall youth, jumping to his feet, his face
fairly beaming. “Jee-roo-sa-lum! Yeou kin beat my brains out with a
feather duster ef it ain’t Frank Merriwell!”
“Shimminy Gristmas!” howled the Dutch boy, wildly scrambling up. “I hope
I may nefer see your eyes oudt uf again uf dot ain’t Frank Merriwell!”
“Right,” nodded the rescuer. “I am Frank Merriwell, just as sure as you
are Ephraim Gallup and Hans Dunnerwurst.”
“Whoop!” roared Ephraim.
“Wa-ow!” bellowed Hans.
Then they made a rush at the handsome fellow, who had given his name as
Frank Merriwell, flung their arms about him, and literally danced as
they hugged him.
The spectators looked on in astonishment.
“Oh, great jumpin’ grasshoppers!” shouted the Yankee lad. “Ain’t this
the gol dingdest s’prise party I ever struck!”
“I peen so asdonished I vos afraidt you vill die heardt vailure uf
britty queek alretty!” gurgled the delighted Dutch lad.
“Break away!” laughed Frank. “You’ll have me off my pins if you keep
this up.”
“Gol darned ef I ever saw anybody whut could git yeou offen your pins
yit,” declared Ephraim Gallup.
“Yaw, dot vos righdt,” put in Hans. “Nopody peen aple got your pins off
you a hurry in.”
“Oh, Jimminy!” squealed the Vermonter. “This is too good to be true!”
“Yaw!” agreed the Dutch boy; “dot vos shust righdt! Id peen too true to
peen goot!”
“Haow in thunder is it we find yeou here?” asked the overjoyed Yankee.
“Dot vos vot you’d like to know,” declared Hans. “How id vos you
happened to foundt us here?”
“Well, I’d like to know how you two happen to be here,” said Merriwell.
“Have you turned showmen?”
“Yaw.”
“Yeou bet.”
“We peen dwo uf der sdars der ‘All-Star Gombination’ in.”
“We’re hot stuff, b’gosh!”
“Efy blays der paratone horns.”
“An’ Hans plays the donkey when the donkey gets sick and can’t come on.”
“Id vos a greadt shnap. We ged our poard vor our glothes.”
“An’ we’re havin’ a high old time travelin’ around over the kentry.”
“Well,” smiled Frank, as they clung to his hands, “I never dreamed of
seeing you chaps traveling with a show.”
“We nefer knew vot you had pecome uf since der college left you.”
“An’ we was talkin’ abaout yeou last night.”
“Yaw. We said how you would enjoy yourseluf if dese show vos dravelin’
aroundt mit you.”
“There’s a heap of fun in it, Frank. Whillikins! yeou’d oughter be with
us.”
“You come to der theater und let der show seen you to-night,” invited
Hans.
“That’s it!” cried Ephraim. “Won’t you do it?”
“Oh, I think so,” smiled Merry. “But I want to see you chaps before
that. Have you taken dinner?”
“No.”
“Then take dinner with me, and we will have a jolly time talking over
old times. Will you do it?”
“You pet my life!” shouted the Dutch boy.
“By gum, we will!” vociferated Ephraim. “Jest yeou come up to the
theater, an’ we’ll be reddy to go with yeou inside of twenty minutes.
Come on.”
“All right. Go ahead.”
One of the other members of the company had secured the donkey and dogs.
The little donkey was turned over to Hans again, with a warning not to
let the creature get away. Ephraim recovered his horn and took his place
in the band. The procession formed, the band struck up vigorously, minus
the bass drum, and the “All-Star Combination” moved along the street as
if nothing had happened.
In fact, this little affair of the escaping donkey and dogs was regarded
as an incident that would serve to help advertise the show, and that was
exactly what satisfied and pleased Barnaby Haley, owner and manager of
the organization.
------------------------------------------------------------------------