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“STHAPPY
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But be pretended to sympathize with
Huxley in his loneliness, and presently
with Dick Brent he passed out o! the rude
woods, and the croaker followed,
entered the woods Jack cast a quick glance
over his shoulder, and he saw Huxley
watehing them from the window, over
which he had partially drawn the curtain,
so that his face was almost concealed.
Inside the woods line the lads paused |e
where a clump of bushes served to shield
them from the sight of anyone at Hux-
ley’ '3 dwelling. :
“Tt’s our game to watch the house, As
we are certain that one of the men we are
after is init, we may take it for granted
that he will come forth by and by,” said
“know I cannot be mistaken in the
voice of the man { heard talking with Hux-
ley before we entered. He is one of the
rascals who tried to hold me up the day I
came here alone to pay the recluse the
money my father owed him, If you ha
unluckily knocked down the fs pole oor
haps we might have overheard something
worth while,” he
“Tt looks as though Huxley was a friend
of the rascals, Be certainly did not want
“us toknow that there was anyone sav:
himself in the house How cool y he lied, .
replied Die!
and now Iam pretty sure that
the einen we suspect were really concerned
inthe bank robbery, and that they have
remained in hiding here since the bank
was looted, meaning, no doubt, not to at-
~ tempt flight until the hue and ery that
has Been raised for them has subsided,”
Jack replied.
The two lads crouched side by side, and
eering through the bushes watched the
Be rmit’s dwelling attentively, and the
while, they continued conversing almost
in w ispers
“Tl bet those chaps who robbed the
bank made straight for the island after
the job jas Gone,” sai
: o doubt, and it’s reasonable “to sup:
pose that tee brought their, Plunder bere,
and, of course, they know what has be-
layton,” replied The
ack! It'stento one that
the robbers have hidden all the money
they stole from the bank somewhere on
the island.”
“‘That’s my opinion, and m azbe you and
’ Tare the ones who are destined to find it.”
** And solve the mystery of Ro, Clay-
ton's strange disappearance, said
“I “only hope it may turn out so, but w
are undertaking a mighty dangerous job
in trying to find out the truth, However,
do not mean to be deterred by the dan-
er, But—ah—there he is now. That fei-
low is one ef the men who tried to rob
me here on the island !” said Jack, in an
excited whis:
At that moment the man whom the lad
positively recognized came out of the her-
mit’s house,
He was acco mpanied by Huxley, The
two men paused before the door and
seemed to exchange a few words, ‘which
the concealed boys were unable to over-
hear, however. Then the stranger walked
straight toward the woods, taking acourse
which threatened to bring him directly to
the bushes behind which crouched the
youthful com:
‘Understanding tha: t they were in im-
minent danger of discovery, they crept in-
to the bushes, and drew the thick “trailing
branches over their recumbent forms,
The stranger passed close by their cover
without detecting their presence, it ap-
peared, and when he had gone the lads
arose, and pete eded to follow him
stealthily. In a moment or sothey caught
ht of his recedin Sgure among the| plate.
trees, and still undeteste they continued
. to trail him until, among the wooded hills
that traversed the island from north to
uxley’s
se, and having returned his ax they
left the island,
CHAPTER IX:
THE CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL GAME,
“EVIDENTLY the bank robbers,
think we may now conclude the strangers
really are, have their hiding place some-
where in the hill range of the island. And
are seeking for them,”
his 5 companion were rowing away from the
sha
Yes, 3, and it’s strange that you and I,
who know the island so well, could not
findthem, But what do you mean to do
now? Shall we rit the police what we
have found out?” replied Dick,
“Maybe we ought to do so, but I am in-
clined to keep the matter a secret between
ourselves for a time at least, in the hope
that, unaided, we may yet find the hiding
place of the robbers. Then we can bring
rh do. jist as you advise,”
said the croaker, who had great faith in
y | Jack's w
When they vreached town the lads met a
paper boy who was crying the Evening
Gazette, a leading local newspaper.
“*Evenin’ Gusset! All about the’ big re-
ward offered fer the bank robbers !” shout-
the lad.
“ Hello, ! That's something we're inter-
ested in,” said Jack, and he stopped the
newsboy and bought a paper.
“Here it is—the reward notice, Just
“Great Scott! And wouldn't we be the
real thing if we could cause the robbers
to be taken with their plunder? You're
right, Jack; we'll keep mum and g0 i in for
that reward on our own account,” said
« We can’t do anything more in that di-
rection at present, though, for to-morrow
morning we have got to et out with our
Nine and practice for the championship
game we have to play with Broo! kdale in
baseball ground, ich was of course a
part of the athletic field attached to their
new clu .
There was, a grand stand, and plenty of
cheaper, uncovered seats or ‘“ bleachers,”
and the home club always realized a nice
sum from the sale of tickets to the games
of the Tri-State League.
Saturday was a fine day, and long before
four o'clock in the afternoon, at which
time the game was to be called, the rand
stand was well filled and the “ “bles ers”
were crowded with men an
There were ma ny ladies in: "ihe grand
stand, and among them the you: ad girls of
the town were well represente ‘There
was an unusual degree of public interest
in the coming game between the Stars of
Ashford, and the Brookdale Nine, because
the two Clubs were now tied for frst place
in the series of Tri-State League games
that had already been pla ved this season.
he > game to-day would decide which
clu o take est pla
They Brookdale Club Pame into the field
at half after three, led by Tom Porter, their
captain, and clad in brand new white an
blue uniforms, They were certainly a tine
athletic-looking Nine, were
we|cheered lustily, for of course Brookdale
was well represented in the audience, and
the people from that town evidently meant
to “root "for their home team the best
they Rnew h We
The Stars came on the grounds a little
ater while the Brookdales were practic-
ing to get limbered up, and also to acquire
a knowledge of the grounds. Though the
Stars did not wear new uniforms they re-
ceived an ovation from the crowd, and
each member of the Nine was inspired to
do great things, particular! as they knew
their “best girls” were in the grand stand,
Jack saw Mattie there with a group of
young girls, and he doffed his cap to her
as he passed on his way to the field. His
watched their rivals critically as they
practiced about the field.
Jack was captain of the Stars, and pres-
ently he won the toss with Porter with
whom, however, he disdained to exchange
* the 1a ucky captain phose to bat first, and
while the Brookdales were taking t!
places for the game, Dick Brent, who
came first to the bat, picked out a club
that suited him and walked up to the
‘The umpire called the game, and the
play began.
Jack stood outside the line, between the
plate and first base to act as coa
Dick called for low ball, and the pitcher
delivered a red hot out shoot. Dick knew
it was too far out for him_to reach it, and
not strike, But the umpire
yelled “one strike !”
A roan of protest went up from the
bleaches, and some one shoute: “take yer
time, Croak
he a Gait ras a little nearer, but
still Dick did not dare chance it. Again
he umpire shouted “strike two.”
ve the batter a chance!”
elled the voice that had before sounded
rom the bleachers,
he pitcher signaled the catcher, (ond
the latter put_on his mask and got up
slgse pecking | Dick.
twist on ex! .
looked asif he thought Dick was to be an
easy victim.
But crack: 1 went the bat against thedrop
ball, and as the white sphere whizzed low
between first and secon , passing the right
fielder, Dick started around to second base,
was one of those “ safe” players who sel-
dom took desperate chances.
the afternoon on our own grounds,” re-
plied Jack,
The Stars had an excellent, inclosed | ¢
men took possession of the bench and |"
Joe Carr came next to fhe: bat, and the
crowd laughed when, peculiag
Ey ueaky voice, he called for “hig ball,”
The pitcher seemed to bea pit rattled, and
he gave Joe his base on
Now, as Ned Dudley sw: aggered up tothe
late, Joe signaled Dick, and the latter
egan to play well off second. But it was
no use, The pitcher watched him, and
tried to throw him out, Several times he
had to‘ “dive” for the bag, and narrowly
escaped an ‘out,
Ned knocked a fly, and it was caught,
The next man of the Stars struck out.
With two out and two men on bases,
lexander Nailor, or “ Nails,” to give him
his is popular cognomen, went to the bat.
r up, old man, and bring Dick
home I” said Jack,
But Nails couldn't ‘ get onto” the Brook-
dale pitcher the way he wanted to, and
after knocking three or four fouls, much to
but just as the um mpire opened his m
to yell out!” the ball pene through the
tielder’s hands, It seemed so easy that he
was careless, and Nails flew down to first,
Dick went to third, and Joe Carr took sec-
onda,
The crowd was now wrought up toa high
pitch of excitement, and there was a tre-
mendous cheer when, with all bases full,
wo men out and no runs scored, Jack Fair
went to the
e knew that if he failed to make a base
hit of course the first, inning would result
in a “goose egg” for the Stars, and he
meant to “hit her up” if it was in him to
Jack squared himself at the plate, and
the first ball whigzed out so far that the
umpire eri eried “one bal
t ball wasn "t much better, and
the umpire called “two balls,” Of course
the pitcher didn’t want to give Jack his
base on balls, as that would bring Dick
Brent home from third, and insure one run
at least to the o he gave Jacka
fairly good ball at the third pite!
Jack found the ball that time for a vicious
bee-line grounder, It whizzed close by
the pitcher, passed the short stop, who
tried to scoop it, and escaped the second
baseman, who di The
through his hands, and on it we:
tnever meant to stop, untilit reached the
fence,
And so Jack made a home run, and
brought in the three men on bases. Thus
the Stars scored 4, But in the second
half e first inning the Brookdales
scored | 3, “ind as the Stars made no more
runs after Jack struck, the score stood 4
to3in the Stars’ favor. ~
When the Stars took the field Nails
was pitcher; Dick Brent, the croaker, was
catcher; Ned Dudley, short stop; Sack,
rst base; Sam ‘Turner, second base, ‘and
a tall lad called Ben Smith was third base-
man, The three other men of the Nine
filled the places in the out d.
In the second inning the Stars failed to
score, and Brookdale scored 1. e third
and fourth innings ended with the score
unchanged—4 for each clu
The fifth inning opened with the Stars
at the bat, desperately determined to break
e tie.
‘Bu t thou gh each man did his best, the
Stars failed” to score, but had to let the
Brookdale score one run.
. ixth and seventh innings were
quickly pla paged and resulted in Boose eggs
The ciekth inning opened with ‘the score
5to4in favor of Brookdale, and in that
The Brookdale contingent among t
audience now went wild with delight, and
the friends of the Stars were pretty down-
hearted. Jack knew t! a game was
pever lost until it was won, and so, though
his Nine now had to make thre win,
with only one inning to do it in, he did nos
spair, forhe was alw: ays a hopeful chap.
ie Stars wont to the t
inning, and they had bad luck at first.
Two men were pat outin one, two order,
Then Nails made a base hit, Brent did
the same, and little Ned. Dudley made a
home run hit, three runs were
scored by the Stars. The score stood 7 to
6 in favor of the 3. But the Brook-
dales yet had t nares their chance at the
bat for the last half of the ninth, and if| on
they got in a single run they would tie the
score, and of course if they made two runs
they would win, The critical moment of
the game had almost come.
[To BE CONTINUED.)
ee en
JUST OUT! ** SECRET SERVICE." CON?
He might possibly have made third, but he,
TAINING STORIES OF OLD KING BRADY
AND HIS ASSISTANT *“*YOUNC KING
BRADY," THE TWO CREATEST DETECT=
IVES EVER KNOWN. 32 PACES. PRICE
E
(This story commenced in No, 223.)
THE —
Timberdale Twins;
The Boy Champion Skaters
of Heron Lake.
By P. T. RAYMOND,
Author of * Rob Rollstone,” “ The Nine
Wonders,” “The Nine in Blue,” “ The
Little Bass,” “Tomand the Tiger,”
“*That Boy Bob,” ete, etc.
CHAPTER X,
TWO GREAT RAC A TRIOMPIE FOR TIM-
“GET a move on ow, Fred I" shouted Joe
2
&
‘Mark Deane laughed.
“Don’t you see he is moving?” he said,
benied all “Only he’s moving further
behind all the time.”
“Don't you want Fred to win?” asked
Ida Lester, who was annoyed at Mark's
ords, ‘‘Surely you would rather see the
championship 80 to a Timberdale boy than
to a stranger,
“T want tosee the best man win,” an-
swered Mark, who was able by this reply
to avoid committing himself, ““Don't you
agree with me, Mr. Fay
Mark appealed to the father of the
Twins, who was near by looking on at the
brace with a most woeful as)
“Sure, sure,” answered the farm
“And you will,” muttered Mark, as he
skated away, “‘Ha, ha! the bubble s will
burst to-day, To-morrow the Timberdale
Twins will” be numbered with the ‘has
ens,’”
Bob _ Dalton was a long way ahead of
re Fay still, but here a change took
place, The distance between the two grad-
ually lessened, and before another tee
of a mile was run not more than fift:
yards separated them.
acane spectators began to be interested
“A Vhen they had seen Bob Dalton run
away from Fred Fay they had looked upon
the race as being merely a walk over for
the Canadian,
Now all was different.
The Timberdale people grew enthusias-
tie, and encouraged Fred with theirshouts,
Mark was not frightened, He had not
changed his opinion as to the result of the
ie What do you think of it?” he asked of
the schoolinaster when the two were near
eac!
_He can win just as he pleases.”
t ster, Annie Reed,
some other girlsand a number of boys w ere
standing,
“ Deane cried Joe Reed,
“Well?”
“Pred Fay's moving differently now,
isn’t he?”
Can't see that he is”
ut he’s winning.”
went grinned. .
“ Qvhat makes 7 say that?" he asked,
“Say i Why, a blind man could see
that Trea’ ‘ catching up at every stroke.”
“Then nust be worse than blind, for I
don’t see it,
“What do you see, if 1 may venture to
pat a question to your majesty?” said Joe
Reed mockingly. He was angry at Mark,
and did not care if he show
“T see, Joe Reed, that. Sob" Dalton is
sim. ly playing with Fred,”
laying with him?”
“Yes, can win without a doubt,
only he doesn’t want to win by too much.
He doesn’t care to make a show of
as he’s only a boy, It’s like this, Reed?
Fred is not going any faster than he was
when the race was starte
“Well, I say he is,” answered Joe Reed,
angrily, "“eand open the race is over we'll
Sen And Pred
nd Fred’s going to win, too,” cried
Isn't he Annie f’ , ,
**T hope s
Fred Mas now not more than twenty
yards behind Bob Dalton, and there w.
about a third of a mile to be run.
The champion was falling back gradual-
yea and when the two were about two hun-
d yards’ from the winning post, Fred
was at Bob Dalton’s elbow,
The excitement was tremendous now,
Quiet, sober people were shouting them-
selves hoar:
Most of thein had known Fred Fay ever
since he wa: rn, and naturally they
wanted him to win, for his own sake, and
for the honor of Timberdale,
‘Fred wins !” shouted the crowd,
Still Mark was not uneasy, He and
Tloward Robson, the schoolmaster, ex-
Oe career