Happy Days: Tom Taylor, The Boy Who Worried Blanco — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a - a ed ee Jam > 6 | ale a ance gy act” Ce ee hae eed eaeglRalaie oy nhl) pagan ee bs rote fe: * pin ong y! - rd dl . “ ~ Ae ESE NO ATSB ES OLED TIE GY a TET EN GB. wm creer Tae or o 5 . anes aa =». thats where you are right. ee ee ee ~“T Pi +. 3 it eh airs were strewn about, the remains of > clothes, mattresses, bedding and other ‘things, with here and there a skeleton --forr bg © “and don’t you forget it. “« : _* . - » the clerk's office, and havin ) stairway he and Billy went a: wer deck. Bis wy e's re? ui Bie? g , a e » > ~ 3 * » — (aA... * 4 “4Sgos 4 pa i * . * ie % Re of ¥ ’ . "Us * 2 »® * - sy * «a % a ' 4 “ n ~~ De yousuppose we can get down into ea i should suppose that the pur- Bne Cates ? el "5 office was the place to look.” Be DAU’ Trouble # to know how to get into the purser's Wiice. You see, there’s only about six eb square of the deck exposed, and the ip is banked in all around everywhere e the rest. Confound it! there’s a hs work ahead of us before we can @ to clear a way here, and which side we go? The cabin stairs may be on Pieht, aud then again they may be on ft. Ofcourse, you see for yourself, , that thergs no way of telling which = theyre on. If we only knew which @stern of the steamer and which 2: Dow, we might have some guide y; bul you see we don’t—we don’t nothing about it, and what's more, Haven’ got time to find out,.for to- orrow is the day of the auction, and if Ont make our haul to-night old . - rr & ‘ as Bae der is dead sure to get the half acre ‘his elutches, and of course the wreck “Sulgan goes with it, and the gold -with the wreck, and——’” in, drop on it—drop on it!” cried Billy. % & needle and thread and sew up one SE. your mouth, Tom! Don’t talk any —*Thunder! What’s the matter with uf? replied Tom, in atone of mild pro- if. “it ain’t saying nothing, am =a fellow be allowed to speak ?” | want to be allowed to work while Sa chance,” growled Billy. ‘‘ What’s Pemattey with getting an ax, and——” “And cutting off a couple of lengths of ‘fon a4 Now, Billy, don’t be too hard "és i. ST sp en 4 ae feliow ~ 4 [didn’t say anything of the sort, and I t rr it. What’s to hinder us from 1 Fy saT “Fe = G0bting a hole in the deck?” “$ "ihe very thing I was coming atif you'd w let me speak.” Jo you approve?” fhen hoist me up and I'll come down in the ax.” ~ Tom did so, and Billy let down the ax, “ond then returned himself. ~ fom was already at work chopping away We deck timbers. They were as rotten as » punk, ‘There was no tumble at all in = fencing his way through them. > ima few moments the boy had a large hole hewn out, and was abletolook down, it was too dark to see much, but when Tom lowered the lantern at the end ofa "String, he cliscovered that he was looking wh into she main cabin of the Sultan. Was a strange sight. Tables and 1, to add to the horror of the scene. a Gee whiz! ‘They must have gone “down sudden!” cried Billy. ‘Some of ‘those poor wretches did not even have ‘time to get on deck.” ' “fm going down sudden,” said Tom, . The sight of a 'féw skeletons can’t scare me.” | » AG was an easy matter to drop down into , Baw Lg _ sbhe* cabin, and the boys immediately did mae they had supposed this proved to be ‘the main saloon, They walked from one ty. to the other, counting fifteen of the e's keletons. It wee Fist that the Sultan ha pons down su “hy tas denly. Tom declared is belief that there were more skele- tons on deck, buried under the weight of rth which had settled over the wreck. >) Very likely he was right, but there was 0 present means of proving it. » What Yalking Tom wanted was tostrike found the own to the _’ Here there were no skeletons, Every- hie was black and decayed, and at least s@wo feet of slimy water overspread the -the boys waded through it toward tle window above which was a sign fing the word “clerk.” The ground Wiass was closed dosvn, but the door along: 23 dey ielded readily as Tom took hold of 4° Now then, Billy,” he said, in a hoarse gper, ‘‘our time has come! Now we'll wknow whether the gold was taken off asa critical moment. , We Poor Billy sly dared to breathe as ‘Mom flashed Jantetn into the little office. Thare was no safe—no sign of one. There pte tierk’s desk, his bunk, a table, a haar ma various odds and ends scattered ie) ‘im the water on the floor. IG ht look very promising,” said Billy. mitrseo any gold here,” Old Gp!’ said Tom, “I don't give in = > = > ~ = yet, mot by a good deal, Perhaps there is 2 . ‘ 5 2 easure room. It don’t follow that there ~ i810 gold on the steamer because there is ié here, and—hello! What’s this?’ By Nae | han ~ Pent hurried across the room and pointed <eyhole in what appeared to be just he partition wall. “That's a closet, sure!” he exclaimed, x hard upon the woodwork which ebacka hollow sound, ‘Give us the Billy! I'll blame soon rip that open, —T HAPPY DAYS Fe There she goes! Now hold the lantern! Oh, Billy! Billy! My dream is realized ! Here’s the gold !” CHAPTER XI. SqGETTING OUT THE GOLD, It was a wonderful piece of luck that had happened to Talking Tom. From the poorest boy in Jericho he had suddenly been transformed into the richest, for the gold was there. Yes, it was there in the clerk’s little treasure room, all that Tom had antici- pated and more, There were bags upon bags of it, piled one on top of the other, Each bag had a little leather label attached, which had doubtless had the owner’s name written upon it, but the water had done its work, and every label was now washed clean, It was with feelings of awe that the boys overhauled the bags, wondering who they could have belonged to, thinking of the long days of toil and labor they represent- ed. Butthere was no clew to their owner- ship. Perhaps the clerk had kept a rec- ord and perhaps he hadn’t, At all events the books of the office could alone furnish evidence, and the clerk’s desk was empty. Had he seized his books and run on deck with them when the crisis came ? Who could tell? Probably no one now living on earth. : The subsequent events of that rainy Wednesday night were always like a dream to Tom, He and Billy toiled like slaves until early morning. To follow them through all the details of their work will be impossible ; we can only speak of the final result. First, the gold had to be hoisted up into the shed—that was done. Next, it had to be carried across the flats to the old farm- house and hidden in the cellar—that was done, too. By this time it was three o’clock in the morning, and Tom had still work to do, ‘‘Tf old Grinder wants to find out the truth, let him work forit, Billy,” said Tom. ‘*‘ Are you good for another hour or so?” ‘‘Good for a year,” declared Billy, who was wild with excitement, ‘‘ What’s next, Tom ?” ‘¢ We fill up the hole and then burn the shanty.” ‘* But*hawve we got it all?” ‘‘Blest if I know, and [ll be hanged if I eare. If there is any left Grinder can have it, but I’ll make another haul out of him—you'll see.” Tom was inno talking mood now—the working fit was still strong upon him, and he and Say pitched in bravely and act- ually did fill up the hole. The next move was to brin of dry brush wood from the farm, which was piled inside the shed, There was still half an hour before daylight, and while Billy watched outside, Tom touched a match to the brush, ran out and locked the door. ‘‘Scoot, Billy!” he said. “A man may have a right to burn his own property if it isn’t insured, but we don’t want to beseen round here. Run for your life !” They ran up on theroad instead of cut- ting across lots to the farm. By the time they were on top of the bluff, the interior of the shed was a roar- ing furnace, For a moment they paused and watched the flames come ae through the roof, ‘‘She’s a goner!” cried Tom, and away they went like the wind toward the farm- house, é The fire bells were ringing down in Jert- cho by the time they reached it, Tom looked back at the reflection of the fire against the sky, and then went in and locked the door, “Done!” he cried. ‘‘By gracious, we are rich, Billy! We've got the buried gold |” How much was therein the bags, some of which contained coin, but more dust ? Of course that was the next question with the boys, and they spent another hour trying to answer it, The gold was weighed upon an old gro- cer’s scale, whick Tom happened to have in the house, and the avoirdupois weight reduced to troy weight, and after it was all done, Tom declared that they had taken between two hundred and fifty and thr: > hundred thousand dollars’ worth of gold dust off the wreck of the Sultan, He was a little confused about the reduction of weights, and could not get any nearer than thaf. “It’s enough anyhow,” he declared, “and I shall stick to my agreement, Billy, One-third of it is yours,” Billy protested, but Tom insisted. ‘All I want is for you to leave the whole bus- iness in my hands a week,” he said, “‘ Then I'll pay you in hard cash—no dust.” What was Tom’s scheme? He would not tell when Billy asked him. Let us hurry over tho evonts of the next few days, and it will be made plain, All the boys in Jericho turned out to the fire, and within fifteen minutes men came around the eee knocking on the door, and calling for Talking Tom, down a lot But Tom never answered—never paid the slightest attention to them. He and Billy were down in the cellar at the time with the light hidden so that it could not be seen from the road—they were busy weighing gold, When morning dawned there was noth- ing but a heap of blackened ruins where the mysterious shed had been, and all traces of Tom's digging were pretty much obliterated. Billy went home alone, and Tom sneak- ed down by way of the flats and came npon old Grinder and several others poking about SS the ruins, ‘‘Hello! Here’s Tom Terry now !” cried one, and then old Grinder tackled the boy. ‘‘Hey there, young Terry. Where you been? Didn’t you know your shanty was afire,,hey ?’ drawled the oid miser in his cracked voice, ‘‘ Yes, I did,” replied Tom, stoutly. ‘I set it afire myself. I ought to know.” ‘What! What!” cried the old man. ‘“ What did you set it afirefor? Don’t you know it’s against the law to commit arson, hey ?” ‘* Well, mebbe there’s a law for this case and mebbe there isn’t,” replied Tom. ‘If you want to know wh set the fire, I don’t mind telling you. It was soit would burn up. What's that? None of my fool- ing? Are Be a judge, or a jury, or what are you? Look here, Grinder, I built that building because I wanted to build it, and I was a fool for doing it, because there wasn’t time enough for meto carry out the plan I had inmind, This is your day; I suppose before night you'll have taken the old farm away_from me, I was determined you shouldn’t have the shanty because it would be bss what you wanted. What's that? What did I build it for? Wait till you get the farm and then find out.” It was rather a short speech for Talking Tom, but he had said all he wanted to say which being the case, he turned on his heel and walked away. CHAPTER XII. TOM TESTS HIS FRIENDS. _. JERICHO had something else to think of besides worrying itself over the destruc- tion of Tom Terry’s little shanty, for the town was pretty well knocked out by the oma and people were busy talking over their losses and getting ready to build. Therefore no one paid any particular at- tention to the ragged youth, who. hurried up Mainstreetan hour later. Why should they? It was only Talking Tom! Tom steered straight for Colonel Crock- ett’s handsome mansion, and opening the gate started up through the garden toward the front steps, when all at once the door flew open and out came Miss Carrie Crockett dressed for a walk, ‘Oh, Mr. Terry!’ she exclaimed, with her usual sunny smile. “I’m so glad to see you! Why haven't you been here be- fore? Really, papa has taken it quite to heart. You saved bur lives, and—and Here Carrie paused, for Tom, though blushing Spscep ¢ held himself in a way which made her half ashamed to speak of reward, as she intended to do, ‘“T’ve been very busy, Miss Crockett,” he replied. ‘‘ Really, 've had no time for calling, but this morning I’ve come to see your father on business. Is he at home?” ‘* Well, he is,” replied Carrie, with a lit- tle pout on her pretty ae *T thought you’d come to see me, and I was going to tell you how awfully glad I was to see you, and how glad Edith would he, but— ah! here’s papa now.” ‘‘ Hello, Tom Terry! How are you this morning?’ exclaimed the colonel, in his usual bluff and hearty way, for the mag- nate of Jericho now appeared at the front door. ‘* Why in thunder haven’t you been up to see me before ?” “T was just telling Miss Carrie how busy I’d been, sir. I-——’” ‘Now, then, boy, what can I do for you?” broke in the colonel, ‘“* You want something. Out with it, for I’m in a hur- ry. Don’t be bashful, I’m going to do the right thing by you, and if you don’t ask for enough you'll hear from me.” ‘‘I didn’t come here to—” began Tom, when the colonel broke in upon him again, “Oh, spitit out! Spitit right out! Vil help you. My gate eh life and my life are not things I value lightly. Come, Tom, Il intend to settle ten thousand dollars on you—is that enough ?” Tom smiled, “TI don’t want your money, colonel,” he said, proudly. “What I want is your name.” ‘‘My name!” cried the colonel, looking puzzled, ‘‘ Yes, sir. The sale of our place comes off to-day at noon, I want to bid it up above the mortgage so I voy | get some- thing out of it, I want you to be there and back me up in my bids,” ‘* Hello!” said thecolonel, “I don't know about that. The farm ain’t worth much, and from what I’ve heard of youl should say you were no farmer and never would be one, ey not take me up on my offer and let her rip?” ‘‘T intend to let her rip, sir, but [| ame © to make old man Grinder pay all I cjg" * What's the mortgage?" i* ‘Five thousand,” ‘He won’t bid a cent above course,” ‘*T think he will, sir.” ** And wht e” ** Because he believes in the story aut ae oe coee of the Sultan being under Our, and, | ‘“Pshaw! Nonsénse! shine,” ** He don’t think so, colonel. AsIunder- stand the law, every cent he bids above the mortgage comes to me.” ** That's right, but you'll never grow rich out of what you get out of old Mose Grinder, I tell you that.” ‘*T’d like to try, sir.” ‘* Help him, father—do help him!” said Carrie earnestly, ** All right,” said the colonel, with care- less indifference. ‘I’ve no objection if your heart is notinit, Tom, Ill be at the sale. “Stop a bit and talk to Carrie, who has been dying to see you ever since that night—that night I shall never forget. Good-by! I'll see’ you leter at the sale,” and having said this Colonel Crockett hur- ried away. Of course Tom could not run after him, so, bashful as he felt about it, he had to stay and do the agreeable to Carrie Crock- ett, but he got away as soon as he oould. [TO BE CONTINUED, } ue pf That's all moon- at Answers to Correspondents. F. W. L.—We can still supply the following numbers of The Wide Awake Library: From 1,200 to 1,352, with the exception of six or seven numbers, which are out of print. 2 We cannot say at present when we shall have another sto- ry of that kind; all new stories will be duly an- nounced from one to two weeks in advance of publication. EDGAR F.—The word “ Morro” means a prom- ontory; an abrupt projection of land into the sea. The Spanish build forts on promontories and call them castles, consequently there are Morro forts or castles at Havana, Santiago de Cuba and San Juan, Porto Rico, and many other places fortified by the Spanish at the en- trance to harbors, CONRADE.—The Oongressman from your dis- trict will inform you when the next vacancy will occur in West Point; write him for infor- mation. 2 The Red River rises in the northern part of Texas, is the dividing line between Tex- as and Indian Territory, flows through the southwestern part of Arkansas and through Louisiana to the Mississippi about fifteen miles below Natches, Wm. Moorge.—Thé watermark on a postage stamp can be discerned in various ways, as fol- lows: By looking on the back of the stamp, by dampening the stamp, by holding it up to the light, and by soaking it in baundrie—ei than way may bring it to light; in some cases, where the watermark is large and covers several stamps, it is sometimes difficult to findit unless yéu have part of a sheet of stamps in one block. BoBOLINK.—The following is said to be an ex- cellent recipe to make home-made ginger ale: Take nine gallons of water, ten pounds brown or white sugar cleven ounces of bruised ginger, ine ounces lemon juice, one-half pound hone and three pints of yeast. Boil the ginger half an hourin a gallonof the water, then add the rest of the water and the other ingredients and set it aside. When cold, strain it and ada the white of one egg beaten and one-half ounce es- erat of lemon. Let it stand four days and then e. DruGGIsts.—No. 135 of this paper contained “The Boy Railroad King,” ‘“‘The Winnin Nine,” “The Boy Senator,” “Fighting witt Gomez,” “Six Months on the Wheel,” and “Tony, the Torment.” No, 150 contained “The Quaker Boy Spy,” “Tony, the Torment, at School,” *‘ Young Thomas T,.” ©The Camping Out Club,” “Tom Barry, of Barrington,” ‘*‘ The Two Flyers,” and ‘‘The Boy Prospectors.” 2 The price of back numbers of Happy Days is five cents per copy, postage free; we cannot make any reduction. Mrs. H. F. Havucit.—We do not know of any place where you can purchase silk worms in the United States. They have to be imported to order. 2 You can purchase books relating to the culture of silk worms and the silk indus- try from dealers in scientific books, or you can order such from the American News Co., 39 and 41 Chambers street, New York. 3 By corre- sponding with the secretaries of the leading silk mills of Paterson, N. J., you can get full infor- mation as to the market for silk cocoons and what is required of the producer. Unless this business is indulged in on alarge scale, we do not think it would be remunerative. DRUMMER.—There are schoolships in Phila- delphia, New York and Boston. They are for the purpose of training boys in seamanship for the mercantile marine, and have nothing to do with the United States Navy. The term is two years, and when finished, the boy is fit to enter the merchant service asa petty officer, but the schoolships do not guarantee him any position. Only boys who reside in the State in which the schoolship is situated are eligible for appointment, An apprentice in the navy is en- listed at any navy yard or naval recruiting sta- tion. He must be between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, have the consent of parent or ruardian, and pass a physical and mental exam- nation. He must serve until he is twenty-one, and the pay is $9, $10 and $11 a month, accord- ing to the length of service, At the end of his term, if he re-enlists, he is paid $19a month, and may get a petty officer’s berth, with wages up to $40 a month, (Fc. _° "*titional Correspondents see 3rd Page. } ” ¢ Se ae me er e a be aoe Be Ly, LS ee eed C25 Ge ee ee ee . an. 2 * we * ~ a - * nf é