CHAPTER XXIII
AN UNLOOKED-FOR PROMOTION
Several days later, Steve and Bob were invited to the home of the chiefengineer to spend the evening and to take dinner with him. They weregreatly surprised at the invitation. At the same time they were informedthat permission had been obtained from the superintendent for them toremain away from their work.
The Iron Boys were pleased, yet they did not exactly like the idea oflosing a night's work. They were not there for social reasons; they wereat the mills for a well-defined purpose--a purpose with which nothingmust interfere.
The boys talked over the invitation for some time before finallydeciding to accept. Steve thought that perhaps it were best. Mr.Phillips had taken such a kindly interest in them. The boys valued thefriendship of the chief engineer and the superintendent, and they werebeginning to look to the latter for advice and suggestions relating totheir personal affairs.
"All right; we will go," decided Rush. "Behave yourself, Bob," hewarned.
"Don't I always?" demanded Jarvis.
"You're open to suspicion, at times."
That night found them at Mr. Phillips' home, dressed in their best.Their host was justly proud of his young guests. He introduced them tohis family, consisting of his wife and two daughters; and the Iron Boysappeared as much at their ease as though quite used to going out insociety. They surprised even Mr. Phillips. Bob Jarvis never had appearedto better advantage, though he had not yet grown a fresh crop ofeyebrows since his entanglement with the hang-over at the top of numberfour.
After dinner the boys were invited to the engineer's library, where theblue prints of the new plan lay spread out on a flat-top desk. Steverecognized them at once, and he drew the swift conclusion that theirinvitation there that evening had to do with the proposed improvements.
Cigars were brought out and offered to the boys, which they politelydeclined, whereat Mr. Phillips nodded approvingly.
"There are a few questions I should like to ask you about certain phasesof this work," he said sitting down and drawing the blue prints towardhim.
Steve and Bob stepped up to the desk. Mr. Phillips asked them how theywould guard against this or that contingency; how many men could workto advantage, and questions that Steve Rush knew very well the chiefengineer could answer better than they possibly could.
"He's putting us out on the firing line for some reason," thought theboy. "He is getting at something. I wonder what it is?"
Jarvis was beginning to arrive at the same conclusion, for Bob was ashrewd boy, too, and could read between the lines, if the lines were nottoo close together.
Other questions of a similar nature were asked, all of which the boysanswered, discussing the work intelligently and to the point.
From that the engineer went on to a discussion of the mines where theIron Boys had been employed before coming to Steelburgh. Little bylittle he drew out the story of their work and experiences on the ironrange in the north country. He became deeply interested, and before thelads realized that they had done so, the story of their career, up tothe present, had been told.
"Then you both have had experience in managing men?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," answered Steve.
"I am glad of it, for it makes easier what I wish to do. My invitationto-night was not wholly without purpose."
"I am aware of that, sir," smiled Rush.
"Oh, you are, eh?"
"Yes, sir."
"What is my purpose?"
"I am sure I don't know. I knew you were drawing us out for some reason.I did wonder what it was."
"You are shrewd. Yes, I have been drawing you out, partly because I knewyour story was an interesting one, and also because it might have abearing on what I had in mind."
"Yes, sir."
"Would you lads consider dropping your mill work for a time?"
"What to do, sir?"
"To help put through this new plan of yours, to come directly to thepoint. When the work is finished you may return to your mill jobs if youwish, though I should like to make a proposition to you to join mydepartment. There is a prosperous future in it."
Steve reflected over what the engineer had said. There were reasons whyhe wanted to accept, and others why he did not believe it would be wise.Jarvis left the whole matter in the hands of his companion, and he saidso when Steve asked him for his ideas on the subject.
"Very well, Mr. Phillips; if you think we shall be of any service toyou we shall be glad to aid you to the best of our ability. I am afraidyou are overrating our abilities. This will be new work for us and theprobabilities are that we shall not make a very brilliant success ofit."
"I am willing to take the risk. You don't ask what I want you to do?"smiled the chief engineer.
"It doesn't matter. Whatever you think we can do best we will gladlydo."
"That's the sort of talk that I like to hear. I'll tell you what I wishyou to do. I am going to make you two young men foremen in full chargeof the work, under myself and my assistant engineers, of course. Howdoes the proposition strike you."
"Why--why, Mr. Phillips," stammered Steve.
"This is so sudden," murmured Jarvis under his breath; but the chiefengineer heard him and laughed, much to Bob's confusion.
"I am afraid you have given us a rather large contract, sir," continuedRush. "Don't you think you could find some one much better fitted forthe work than we are?"
"I am taking all the chances. That I am willing to do so should beevidence to you that I know what I am doing."
"Very good, sir; we shall do our best to merit your confidence. Is thereany time limit on the work?"
"That is the point exactly. The work must be done within the next twoweeks. The board has fixed that time limit. Now that they find they willbe able to save money by the new arrangement, they are anxious to getthe plan in working order at the earliest possible day. It is my plan tomake each of you a foreman, and to let you arrange the work to the bestadvantage. How will you work it?"
"Work from opposite sides of the river," answered Steve. "Jarvis on oneside and myself on the other. While the men are building the abutment inthe middle of the river we can be running the line to the furnaces andto the gas engine house on the other side. In the meantime your expertscan be making the connections at each end, so that there shall be noloss of time at any given point."
"Fine, fine!" nodded Mr. Phillips. "That is a most excellent plan. It'sgood generalship, and that is what counts in the battles of theindustrial world, as well as the battles between the armed powers of theworld."
"When do you wish the operations to begin?"
"To-morrow morning."
"Will Mr. Keating permit us to drop our work at the furnaces?"
"That has been arranged. You are free to start in to-morrow."
"Is there any increase in pay for the new work? Of course it is worthmore than what we have been doing."
"Certainly. You are perfectly right in raising this question. I took itup with the superintendent this afternoon. We decided that twentydollars a week would be a fair figure for the work while you are at it.Will that be satisfactory."
"Yes, sir," answered the Iron Boys together. "I presume you will havethe men assigned from the different departments. You see, we do not knowthem and should not be able to gather a force suited to ourrequirements."
"That has been attended to also."
"One other thing Mr. Phillips; you will leave us free to get rid of anymen who do not measure up to the work, will you not?"
"Yes, sir. Any man that you do not want on the job, get rid of him. Ithink I see two gangs working as perhaps they never worked before,"added the engineer with a smile.
"They will have to earn their wages, just as we intend to do," announcedSteve.
Mr. Phillips nodded approvingly. He considered himself especiallyfortunate in getting two such live young men to fill the particularplaces to which he had assigned them. For the rest of the evening thethree discussed the plans f
or pushing the work to completion in theshortest possible time. When at last the boys rose to take their leavethey had outlined thoroughly in their own minds what they intended todo.
The next morning the Iron Boys were out bright and early. Their firstwork was to see to it that the material was gotten out and put at theproper places so as to be ready when the work of running the line wasactually begun. The material, of course, was picked out by theengineers, as this required technical knowledge that Steve and Bob couldnot be expected to possess.
At the same time a gang of men had started in on the abutment out in themiddle of the river. All day long Steve, on one side of the river, andBob on the other calmly directed the work of the men. Mr. Phillips madea trip over the ground on both sides of the river. He was well satisfiedwith his inspection. He was convinced that he had made no mistake inchoosing his two young foremen.
Chainmen had run the distances and staked them off, so that by noon theroute to be followed by the pipe line was all laid out and ready forthe detailed placing of the material. Places where the piping had to beraised or lowered were also marked out. Late in the afternoon Steve andJarvis went over their respective contracts with blue prints in hand,fixing every detail of the work in their minds.
"I think we are ready to do business to-morrow," said Steve as the chiefengineer came up. "Will you order the full gang to report early in themorning?"
"Yes; that's what I wanted to know--if you would be ready for them."
"We are ready for the great battle," smiled Rush.
On the following morning nearly a hundred men, all told, were working onthe two sides of the contract, including the experts who were changingover the furnaces to make possible the installation of the new system.
It was early in the forenoon when Bob Jarvis, on his side of the river,made an interesting discovery. There were two men working for him whoattracted his attention at once when he got a chance to look his workmenover and measure his force.
"Foley and Kalinski," muttered the boy. "A fine pair! It does seemimpossible to get away from these fellows. They bob up in the mostunexpected places and at the most unexpected times." Jarvis grinnedbroadly. "But this is the time the tables are turned. I'd like to seethem cut up any of their fancy tricks on this job. There'll bemusic--loud music--if they try!"
The two men were working side by side. Bob strode over to them.
"You," he said, poking Kalinski with a stiff thumb.
The Pole started up angrily, and was about to make reply, but quicklyrestrained himself.
"I want you to go over there and help put up those braces. You arehaving a pleasant visit and I hate to break it up, but the best offriends must part, you know. Let me give you a little advice, Kalinski.If you know what's best for you you will not spend much time visiting onthis job. Don't forget for a minute, that I am the boss here, and thatyou are going to toe the chalk mark every minute of the time. As long asyou are on the square you are going to get square treatment, but theminute you begin to travel in circles you'll fall off the earth!"
Bob wheeled and, walking over to Foley, delivered much the same adviceto him. After that he saw to it that the men did not get together,though of course he could not prevent their doing so at the noon hour,nor was it any of his business what they did at that time. However,none of the crew on that side of the river found time for visitingduring working hours. Jarvis saw to that. He kept his men on the jumpconstantly.
The same state of affairs existed on Steve's side. The Iron Boy washere, there and everywhere. Nothing about the work appeared to be tootrivial for him to require his attention. The result was that when thatfirst day's work was ended, the amount accomplished on both sides of theriver made the officials exchange satisfied comments.
Late on the following day the abutment in the middle of the river hadprogressed so far that the iron framework that was to hold the pipescould be put in place. Steve Rush took charge of this. He knew nothingabout iron work, but it did not take him long to get the knack of it.
As fast as a piece of tubing was braced he would be up near the top witheyes on everything. After an hour or so of this he returned to theshore. Work there had not progressed so rapidly since he had divided hisoversight.
Rush called the men to a halt and lined them up before him.
"Men, you're loafing on the job," he said. "If I come ashore again andfind that you haven't been doing your work the whole lot of you will besent to the time-keeper with your time, and you will be done working inthese mills for good and all. Do you understand? My word goes here, andso will you if you don't do an honest day's work. I am not going to askimpossibilities of you, but I shall expect you to do a full day's work.Now, fall to and get to work."
The Iron Boy did not even wait to see if they did so. He walked back tohis river job. Three hours later he came strolling back with his handsin his pockets. Steve smiled softly. His lecture had not been withoutresults. The men had done more than he had expected.
"Fine, boys!" he shouted. "That's the way to do it. Now go at it! Eat itup! Don't let the men on the other side of the river put it over you.They can't reach your present gait, and I know you are going to keep itup."
Mr. Keating was in the vicinity, though Rush did not know of hispresence, and the superintendent dodged in behind a building afterlistening to the remarks of the young foreman, then went on his waygrinning broadly.
"I guess we didn't make any mistake; no, we didn't make any mistake," herepeated to himself.
By the end of the third day the line was laid down to the river bank onboth sides. Then began the placing of braces to hold up the pipinguntil it should reach out to the abutment in the middle of the river.
A temporary staging had been erected to hold the work in place until itcould be permanently located. Many of the men were working high abovethe river now. Some were too light headed to make that safe, so Steveand Bob sent these men back to run the rest of the line up to thefurnaces.
Each contract was working in three sections now, the boys havingdisposed their forces to the best advantage possible, so that when theyclosed that day's work their job was in good shape.
Steve consulted the skies.
"I hope we are not going to have a storm," he decided. "I hope not, forI do not believe either the staging or our construction would stand muchof a blow in its present condition."
After supper he went back to the yards to look over the work, and tosatisfy himself that it was safe for the night. The moon was shining, sohe decided to go out to the abutment. Removing his shoes the lad walkeda narrow brace all the way out. The structure trembled under his weight,but he had no fear. He knew that it would hold him. If it did not hefelt that it would serve him right to go down with it, for it was hisbusiness to see to it that it was made safe for the men.
Rush carefully made his way across the river. He trod more lightly, now,that he might not throw any more strain on the structure than wasabsolutely necessary.
He reached the other side, stood on the bank a few minutes, then beganto retrace his steps. He had gone about half way from the shore to theabutment when a sound reached his ears that caused him to halt andlisten--to bend over and peer down into the shadows below.
"That sounds to me like a metal saw," muttered Steve. "It may be an echofrom the shore, but I could almost swear it was down there somewhereabout the abutment."
The river was so dark that he could see nothing at all, while thestructure itself was in the bright moonlight. The Iron Boy crept along alittle further, then lay down on his stomach, and began wriggling hisway along in that position.
Reaching a point right over the abutment he placed his ear to the ironand lay listening.
"Rasp, rasp, rasp!" The sounds were clearly borne to his ears.
"Somebody is down there, as sure as I am alive! What can he be doing? Ibelieve there is something going on here that I ought to know about. IfI try to get down from here I shall be discovered, and there will be nochance of learning what I want to fin
d out."
After a moment's reflection Rush started back toward the shore, huggingthe girder as closely as possible to avoid discovery.
He reached the bank, scrambled down to the water's edge and stoodpeering out into the shadows. Not a sign of a human being could he makeout, for the river was too wide at that point.
Steve hesitated not a moment. He removed his coat, vest, shoes andshirt, binding his suspenders about his waist for a belt; then he lethimself down into the water without making the slightest splash.
CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
Instead of swimming straight for the abutment in the middle of theriver, Rush headed directly up stream, keeping just a little way outfrom the shore. His object, at the time, was not apparent. It was alittle later, when, after having swum up the river some fifteen rods, hemade an abrupt turn and struck out for the centre.
All this time he was swimming without making a single splash, his handsand feet being constantly under water.
Rush was pretty sure that some rascality was going on, or he would nothave gone to so great pains.
Reaching a point directly in line with the abutment the boy turnedagain, this time heading down stream, floating along with the tide,making just enough movement with his hands to keep him on his course.
The abutment was outlining itself in the shadows more plainly everyminute, now, and Steve was straining his eyes in an effort to make outwhat was going on.
All at once the rasping sound ceased and he saw a man straighten up andlook about him. Something bright glistened in the hands of the man underthe abutment trestle. Steve settled down in the water as low as hecould. Then the man resumed his task.
"I believe he is sawing the abutment supports down with a metal saw!"gasped the Iron Boy. "The scoundrel! He's fixing the place so it will godown when all the men get out there to-morrow."
A great wave of indignation swept over Steve Rush. He was so angry that,for the moment, he nearly forgot his prudence. His first inclination wasto shout at the man over there sawing away so industriously. But the boyquickly realized the foolishness of doing any such thing. His purposewas to capture the man. There would be time enough to cry out after hehad done that.
"Who could do such a thing?" Steve muttered, beginning to rise a littlehigher in the water as he took wide strokes, driving himself along at asgreat a speed as was possible.
Steve permitted himself to drift around the side of the abutment, sothat he might climb up to it as far away from the man as possible.Otherwise the scoundrel might get the advantage of him. Steve's cunningwas worthy of an Indian.
At last the boy's fingers grasped the edge of the abutment. He pulledhimself up slowly, allowing the water to drip from him little by littleas he rose from the river. Right beside him was a flat-bottomed puntmoored to an iron pillar. It was in this that the man had gotten out.
Steve rose and listened; then, hearing no sound, he made his way overthe cement and pieces of piping that littered the surface of theabutment.
He was bothered by hearing no sound. He wondered if the man haddiscovered his presence.
"I must be cautious," thought the boy. "I shall get myself into a fix,and perhaps have the whole structure down on me if I don't look sharp."
A sound to the right of him caused Steve to straighten up suddenly. Hesaw the figure of a man approaching him.
"Stand still. I've got you!" cried the boy.
At the same instant he sprang forward. He was not afraid to tackle theman. What he feared was that the fellow would get away from him beforethe boy got a chance to down him.
Steve's leap carried him within three feet of his prey. The Iron Boy waspreparing to strike out hard, when something was swung in a half circleabout the head of the other man. The object was the metal saw that thefellow had been using for his nefarious purpose. It caught Steve a blowon the side of the head, lifting the boy from his feet sideways anddropping him to the abutment. As he fell, Rush, who was not knockedsenseless, fastened about the ankles of his enemy with both arms.
The result of this move was that the man went over too. He toppled overbackwards with Steve holding to him tightly. In an instant the two werefighting desperately. Blows were struck on both sides; breaths cameshort and sharp.
All at once the support slipped from beneath them and the two fightersrolled over into the river, where the battle was continued with renewedvigor. But Rush had been weakened somewhat by the blow from the metalsaw and was not at his best.
"You villain!" he shouted. "I've got you now. I've----"
A blow on the side of the jaw caused the Iron Boy's head to droop to oneside. One more swift blow, and he dropped limply from the arms of hisadversary. With a growl of triumph the man started to swim away. Stevedrifted a few yards struggling manfully to regain his senses, which hedid in a measure a few seconds later, though his body seemed to be numbfrom head to feet. The lad managed to get his hands over the edge of thesmall boat as he drifted alongside of it. Off on the river he could hearthe fellow splashing toward shore.
"Help!" shouted Steve. "Catch him!"
He hoped some one might hear his voice and capture the escaping man. Asit chanced some one was on shore, and that some one was Bob Jarvis, who,learning at the house that Steve had gone down to the works, followedon. He was standing there when Steve called, and he was on the bankpeering down when the man came splashing ashore and started to run away.
Bob grabbed the fellow by the collar.
"Hold on, old man, what's doing around here! What----"
The stranger launched a blow at Jarvis, whereupon Bob knocked the manflat on his back.
"Police!" shouted the boy. Three Iron and Steel Police came running tothe scene. "Take this man into custody! He's been up to some deviltry.Hello, I should say so. It's that fiend, Kalinski. I'll make a chargeagainst him after I find what he has been up to."
Shaking Kalinski, Jarvis demanded to know if he had seen Rush, but thePole would not answer a word. Bob got a boat and hurried out to theabutment after seeing Kalinski safely in the hands of the police. AsJarvis neared the abutment, calling out the name of his companion, heheard Steve's faint answer.
"I knew it, I _knew_ it!" fairly shouted Bob. "That scoundrel has beendoing Steve up! Oh, I ought to have wrung his neck while I had thechance!"
Rush was quickly taken ashore; and, accompanied by Bob, went to thepolice station and made the charge against Kalinski. The engineer wasrouted out, and an examination was quickly made of the foundation. Itwas found that Kalinski had partially sawed in two, half of the uprightsthat held the framework, so that, with additional weight upon it, thestructure would have collapsed. The men were called out at once. Therewas no sleep for the Iron Boys that night. By daylight the work had beenshored up and made safe for the time being.
The boys were highly complimented for their vigilance, though by somemiscarriage of justice, Kalinski got off scott-free and quicklydisappeared from the mills.
As for the contract, Steve Rush and Bob Jarvis pushed it along withrenewed vigor. By this time the men had come to like their youngoverseers and all worked at high pressure. The result was that thecontract was finished some days before the time named by the officials,and Steve, proud and happy, had the pleasure of seeing the plan thatwas the product of his own brain put into successful operation.
Bob and Steve still continued to board at the Brodskys. On the strengthof Steve's recommendation, Ignatz received a promotion and an increasein wages. The bestowal of this mark of favor upon her son caused Mrs.Brodsky fairly to worship the Iron Boys, and Ignatz became their devotedshadow.
A few days after finishing their contract the boys were detailed to theopen-hearth furnaces, where they were promoted to melter's assistants.This sounded much better than it really was, for the boys were to faceanother trying experience there. In fact, they were destined to facemany trying experiences in other parts of the mills ere they hadcompleted their education amid the roar of the ponderous machinery, thethunder of t
he giant cranes and the deafening reports of explodingmetal.
But all this will be told in a following volume entitled, "THE IRON BOYSON THE STEEL RAIL JOB; Or, Juggling With Life and Death in the RollingMills."
THE END.
* * * * *
Transcriber Note
Obvious spelling and punctuation errors have been corrected.
The following words spelled differently throughout the book have been left unchanged: 1. flare-back and flareback 2. gate-keeper and gatekeeper
Page 194 - as printed in the book, unchanged:
This is the fellow who got us into trouble the other time and he is trying to get Steve in again.
Possible that printer or author intended:
This is the fellow who got us into trouble the other time and he is trying to get Steve in trouble again.
* * * * *
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2 DAVE DARRIN'S SECOND YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; Or, Two Midshipmen as Naval Academy "Youngsters."
3 DAVE DARRIN'S THIRD YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; Or, Leaders of the Second Class Midshipmen.
4 DAVE DARRIN'S FOURTH YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; Or, Headed for Graduation and the Big Cruise.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
The Young Engineers Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
The heroes of these stories are known to readers of the High School BoysSeries. In this new series Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton prove worthy ofall the traditions of Dick & Co.
1 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN COLORADO; Or, At Railroad Building in Earnest.
2 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN ARIZONA; Or, Laying Tracks on the "Man-Killer" Quicksand.
3 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN NEVADA; Or, Seeking Fortune on the Turn of a Pick.
4 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN MEXICO; Or, Fighting the Mine Swindlers.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
Boys of the Army Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
These books breathe the life and spirit of the United States Army ofto-day, and the life, just as it is, is described by a master pen.
1 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE RANKS; Or, Two Recruits in the United States Army.
2 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS ON FIELD DUTY; Or, Winning Corporal's Chevrons.
3 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AS SERGEANTS; Or, Handling Their First Real Commands.
4 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE PHILIPPINES; Or, Following the Flag Against the Moros.
(_Other volumes to follow rapidly._)
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
Battleship Boys Series
By FRANK GEE PATCHIN
These stories throb with the life of young Americans on to-day's hugedrab Dreadnaughts.
1 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS AT SEA; Or, Two Apprentices in Uncle Sam's Navy.
2 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS FIRST STEP UPWARD; Or, Winning Their Grades as Petty Officers.
3 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS IN FOREIGN SERVICE; Or, Earning New Ratings in European Seas.
4 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS IN THE TROPICS; Or, Upholding the American Flag in a Honduras Revolution.
(_Other volumes to follow rapidly._)
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
The Meadow-Brook Girls Series
By JANET ALDRIDGE
Real live stories pulsing with the vibrant atmosphere of outdoor life.
1 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS; Or, Fun and Frolic in the Summer Camp.
2 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS ACROSS COUNTRY; Or, The Young Pathfinders on a Summer Hike.
3 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS AFLOAT; Or, The Stormy Cruise of the Red Rover.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
High School Boys Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
In this series of bright, crisp books a new note has been struck.
Boys of every age under sixty will be interested in these fascinatingvolumes.
1 THE HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMEN; Or, Dick & Co.'s First Year Pranks and Sports.
2 THE HIGH SCHOOL PITCHER; Or, Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond.
3 THE HIGH SCHOOL LEFT END; Or, Dick & Co. Grilling on the Football Gridiron.
4 THE HIGH SCHOOL CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM; Or, Dick & Co. Leading the Athletic Vanguard.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
Grammar School Boys Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
This series of stories, based on the actual doings of grammar schoolboys, comes near to the heart of the average American boy.
1 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS OF GRIDLEY; Or, Dick & Co. Start Things Moving.
2 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS SNOWBOUND; Or, Dick & Co. at Winter Sports.
3 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN THE WOODS; Or, Dick & Co. Trail Fun and Knowledge.
4 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER ATHLETICS; Or, Dick & Co. Make Their Fame Secure.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
High School Boys' Vacation Series
By H. IRVING HANCOCK
"Give us more Dick Prescott books!"
This has been the burden of the cry from young readers of the countryover. Almost numberless letters have been received by the publishers,making this eager demand; for Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin, Tom Reade, andthe other members of Dick & Co. are the most popular high school boys inthe land. Boys will alternately thrill and chuckle when reading thesesplendid narratives.
1 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' CANOE CLUB; Or, Dick & Co's Rivals on Lake Pleasant.
2 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER CAMP; Or, The Dick Prescott Six Training for the Gridley Eleven.
3 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' FISHING TRIP; Or, Dick & Co. in the Wilderness.
4 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' TRAINING HIKE; Or, Dick & Co. Making Themselves "Hard as Nails."
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
The Circus Boys Series
By EDGAR B. P. DARLINGTON
Mr. Darlington's books breathe forth every phase of an intenselyinteresting and exciting life.
1 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE FLYING RINGS; Or, Making the Start in the Sawdust Life.
2 THE CIRCUS BOYS ACROSS THE CONTINENT; Or, Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark.
3 THE CIRCUS BOYS IN DIXIE LAND; Or, Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South.
4 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI; Or, Afloat with the Big Show on the Big River.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
The High School Girls Series
By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
These breezy stories of the American High School Girl take the readerfairly by storm.
1 GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshman Girls.
2 GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and Athletics.
3 GRACE HARLOWE'S JUNIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, Fast Friends in the Sororities.
4 GRACE HARLOWE'S SENIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, The Parting of the Ways.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
The Automobile Girls Series
By LAURA DENT CRANE
No girl's library--no family book-case can be considered at all completeunless it contains these sparkling twentieth-century books.
1 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT NEWPORT; Or, Watching the Summer Parade.
2 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS IN THE BERKSHIRES; Or, The Ghost of Lost Man's Trail.
3 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS ALONG THE HUDSON; Or, Fighting Fire in Sleepy Hollow.
4 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT CHICAGO; Or, Winning Out Against Heavy Odds.
5 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT PALM BEACH; Or, Proving Their Mettle Under Southern Skies.
Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c.
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