By CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON
The Sword of Freedom
A Story of the English Revolution. Illustrated in Colour by FRANKGILLETT, R.I.
"The Sword of Freedom" deals with a critical period of English History:the downfall of the House of Stuart. In his grasp of the politicalsituation in this country before the coming of William of Orange, aswell as in his descriptions of contemporary life and manners, CaptainGilson shows himself to be not merely a recorder of stirring events, butan historian of no mean order. At the same time the story is excitingenough to please the most exacting, and the adventures of Sir RichardVyse, who is arrested for complicity in the plot to bring over thePrince of Orange, and confined in the Tower, from which he makes adaring escape, will be followed with breathless interest.
"It is a most spirited tale and holds the reader from start tofinish."--_Guardian_.
The Spy
A Story of the Peninsular War. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
To the work of story-writing Captain Gilson brings a remarkablecombination of talents: an unrivalled knowledge of military history, animagination that never flags, a dramatic literary style, and a keensense of humour. These qualities are seen to perfection in "The Spy."The hero, Sir Jeffery Jones, Bart., when a boy of sixteen, secures acommission in a famous foot regiment, then under orders to sail forPortugal under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. His first encounterwith the enemy takes place before he is fifty miles from home, for onthe road to London he pursues and comes near to capturing a spy in thepay of Bonaparte. Several times subsequently the paths of the twocross, and eventually Sir Jeffery is the means of thwarting theFrenchman's schemes. He takes part in much of the fighting in thePeninsula, and, at the storming of Badajoz and elsewhere, renders hiscountry good service.
"Every boy who loves tales of war and perilous enterprise--and what boydoes not?--will read 'The Spy' with unqualified enjoyment."--_Bookman_.
The Lost Empire
A Tale of Many Lands. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. With Map.
This is the story of a middy who was taken prisoner by the French at thetime of the Revolution. While in Paris he obtained possession ofNapoleon's plans for the capture of India, and, after many adventures,was the means of frustrating that ambitious scheme.
The Lost Column
A Story of the Boxer Rebellion. Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
At the outbreak of the great Boxer Rebellion in China, Gerald Wood, thehero of this story, was living with his mother and brother at MiltonTowers, just outside Tientsin. When the storm broke and Tientsin wascut off from the rest of the world, the occupants of Milton Towers madea gallant defence, but were compelled by force of numbers to retire intothe town. Then Gerald determined to go in quest of the relief columnunder Admiral Seymour. He carried his life in his hands, and on morethan one occasion came within an ace of losing it; but he managed toreach his goal in safety, and was warmly commended by the Admiral on hisachievement.
The Pirate Aeroplane
Illustrated in Colour by C. CLARK, R.I.
The heroes of this story, during a tour in an entirely unknown region ofAfrica, light upon a race of people directly descended from the AncientEgyptians. This race--the Asmalians--has lived isolated from othercommunities. The scientific importance of this discovery is apparent tothe travellers, and they are enthusiastic to know more of these strangepeople; but suddenly they find themselves in the midst of excitingadventures owing to the appearance of a pirate aeroplane--of athoroughly up-to-date model--whose owner has learnt of a vast store ofgold in the Asmalians' city. They throw in their lot with the people,and are able in the end to frustrate the plans of the freebooter.
"The story is a riot of adventure. There is the groundwork of acomplete new novel on every page."--_Manchester Guardian_.
The Lost Island
Illustrated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.
A rousing story of adventure in the little-explored regions of CentralAsia and in the South Seas. The prologue describes how Thomas Gaythorneobtained access to a Lama monastery, where he rendered the monks suchgreat service that they bestowed upon him a gem of priceless value knownas Gautama's Eye. Soon after leaving the monastery he was attacked androbbed, and only narrowly escaped with his life. "The Lost Island"describes the attempt of one of Thomas Gaythorne's descendants tore-discover the missing gem; and he passes through some remarkableadventures before he succeeds in this quest.
The Race Round the World
An Account of the Contest for the L100,000 Prize offered by the CombinedNewspaper League. Coloured Illustrations by CYRUS CUNEO, and a map ofthe route of The Swallow.
Old Silas Agge has invented a new motor spirit, far more potent thanpetrol, and with this secret in his possession he has no doubt that hewill win the L100,000 offered by a Newspaper League to the winner of theAeroplane Race round the World. But a foreigner, with whom Silas hashad business relations, succeeds in obtaining, first, the design of theaeroplane which the old man has built, and next, a sufficient quantityof the new spirit to carry him round the world. The race thus becomes aduel between these two rivals. Guy Kingston, a daring young aviator andnephew to Silas, pilots his uncle's aeroplane, and at every stage of therace finds himself matched against an unscrupulous adversary. The storyof the race is exciting from beginning to end. Readers of CaptainGilson's earlier books will be particularly happy in renewingacquaintance with Mr. Wang, the great Chinese detective.
"Suggestive of Jules Verne in his most ambitious and fantasticvein."--_Athenaeum_.
"Boys will like it, and they will want to read it more thanonce."--_Scotsman_.