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“Sos a”
53 WIZARD WILL, THE WONDER WORKER
CHAPTER XXIII.—Wizarp Wit1’s Luce.
TX S soon as he left the cell of Ellis; the kidnapper of Willie
Bs Rossmore, Wizard Will went directly home, for he was
- anxious abont his motker. c
But he was delighted to find her much better, though weak, and
the iron will of the unfortunate woman was doing much to build her
up again, after her determination not to give up and leave her .
children alone in the world. .
“Mother, Captain Daly has increased my pay to fifty dollars a
month, so we will move to a pleasant little cottage out on- Long
Island, which belongs to him, and there is no rent to pay, and it ig
furnished, and has five acres of land, with a fine garden, a cow, and a
borse and buggy.
“Then there are plenty of flowers, and chickens, and though the
cottage has but five rooms in it, it must be a lovely: place, for the
eactain’s brother lived there until a few days ago, when he went
West, and left it to him,’? and Will’s enthusiastic description of the
little home got Mfrs. Raymond quite excited over it, while Pearl was
wild with joy. .
“© And you say there is no rent to pay, Will?” asked his mother.
“The captain said he was just going to arrange with a man living
near there, to give him the use of the horse, cow and garden, to take
care of the place, while he’ll give it to us if we go there to live, and
he can get me a pass on the railroad, so that will cost nothing, and it
is not half an hour’s run to thestation where our home is, so yon
must cheer up, mother, for life is getting brighter for us.”
‘* But are there any schools, my son?”
** Yes, mother! one only a hundred yards away, where Pearl can
go; and the captain is good enough to say I can hare two hours each
day to study here in town, while he’ll not put me on night work if it
can be avoided, and only on special-detective service then.’’
bien is most kind of him, Will, and I must see him and thank
im.
“‘ And mother,”’ proceeded Will, whose enthusiasm increased as he
continued to enumerate,‘ Captam Daly says Dll have a chance to
earn special feesif lam successful in my -wonk, so that we need not
stint ourselves in living, and I suggwsted an idea to him that he was
delighted with, and said I might carry it out.” ;
“What was that, my gon?” .
Well, you know that I am pretty,well'acqusinted with New York,
and I said I wonld like to form a jeague of. ‘Boy Detectives,’ for I
feel that I could do a great deal of good with them, and he said he
- thought so teo, and I should be captain.”’
- “Ah! my son, I fear you are taking a very heavy weight upon your
young shoulders.” oe ; :
“T can stand it, mother.’’
*You’ye always said, mother, that brother had an old head on
young shoulders; but he’s got broad shoulders, too, and can stand
it,’ Pearl remarked in her quaint way, for she would wager her life