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—Y HAPPY
DAYS TT
“I thought so! ” said Dick, coolly. “So
that’s their game! I heard them rolling
that stone. We ‘i get another in a sec-
- ond. There you are!”
Again the bea stone was hurled
against the g:
It bulged end shook. Its builders: had
not.made it to withstand any such shock,
and, moreover, the fort was old and the
yrood rotten. Dick saw that the gate had
0 BO.
“It will never hold out against that
sort of business!” said Major Remington.
“This fort is a fearful old roost, anyhow.
. em at Washington that some
. day it would co come to this.
“Look t for the third,” said ‘Dick.
“Stand ready.”
They had not long to wait.
nce again the big rock was hurled
against the gate and this time it did the
business, inges snapped and the
bar broke in two, the gate falling iuward
and half a dozen Indians, yelling like de-
mons, rushed through the breach.
y had been armed with revolvers
it night ‘have been all up with the little
band of defenders in a mom
But the Indians were not ‘fixed that
way, while Dick and his companions
were,
All four fired simultaneously, for Dick
took care that they should be ready.
Two Indians fell. wounded, but the oth:
ers rushed on, while Dick and his com-
panions retreated toward the fort, firing
” paian dropped and_ this
he three ee remained managed to
get in one round with their rifles, doin;
no damage, and then beat a hurried re-
. treat.
. Dick sprang after them.
sKellow it up! Follow it up!” he
shouted.
They “all rushed out through the broken
gate and the wounded Indians followed
them, crawling away into the darkness.
his bold move on Dick’s part sent the
Navajos in full retreat to the rocks.
major, Wiggi ins and Ilenry
brought their rifles into play now and
sent a shower of shots after them, which
there was no attempt to return.
Just as Dick was about to start back a
horse was heard in the distance coming
down the ca nyon.
woman !” cried Major Remington.
“Alice!” gasped Dick. “She'll have to
Pass them! This will never do!”
ge
He saw the girl’s danger, for her way
lay directly past the rocks behind which
the Navajos had retreated.
t looked to be Alice surely, Even in
the dim light Dick was certain that he
recognized the girl.
“She must take
Major, Remington.
ow hat’s the reason I can’t? I must
and will!” echoed Dick, and away he
dashed up the canyon.
Death stared him in the face with
every step he took, but Dick kept straight
on.
“At least I can draw their fire,” he
* thought. “They had 1 rather shoot me than
her any day in the
He was right there: and not long in find-
ing it out, eitber.
Ale in ae moment the rifles were crack-
ing @
Bullet ts “and arrows came flying about
the brave boy’s head.
her chances!” cried
“You can do nothing,
CHAPTER XVIII.
ABOUT THE GIRL oe HID UNDER THE
If Dick had not. been absolutely fear-
s of danger he would most certainly
have followed the major and his men back fo
to the shattered g:
Dick was East “that kind.
Het dly on toward the approach-
ing horse, whieh, frightened at the firing,
ee stopped and was jumping about wild-
Alice seemed to have lost all control
over bim and herself, y
s a despairing yell and the
fair rider slipped from the saddlz.
Her foot caught in the stirrup and she
was 3 being dragged along, the horse mak-
. - {og a wild dash ahead, when Dick sprang
in front of the fri, ightened beast, caught
him by the bridle and brought him to a
alt.
“Help! Help! Help! Save me!” she
shrieke!
Dick disengaged her foot and was in
- the act of helping her up when a bullet
took the horse and the: poor ‘brate fell
over almost without a groan.
“On to the fort, ‘Ace! Fly!” cried
Dick, seizing her arm and hurrying her
she. pulled herself away and ran like a
deer, gaining the gate before Dick could
overtake her.
Major Remington, bad not been idle,
Hle had managed to find another bar
and a hammer and strong nails were
ready.
“In with
you!” he shouted, and even as
he spoke a shot lodged in the woodwork
over his head.
ick bounded in and the gate was
pushed back into position, where ay iggins
hastily put the new bar into -
“By gracious, Dick, you’vye Bot 3 a harder
nerve than any fellow I ever saw!” he ex-
gore “Wow can you face fire as you
“Guess it’s in the blood,” panted Dick,
all breathles
- “I wish T Shad a regiment of just such
fellows. as you un ler my ‘comman
added. the major.
lows. Where did she go, major? Where
did she go?”
“The el? Blest if 1 know. Never
saw any one half so scared in all my
life. made a bee line for the fort.
Great Scott! how she did run, and .her
skirts all dropping off her, too.”
ick started for the fort, wondering
what had come over Alice all of a sud-
den. .
“It doesn’t sound like her to act this
way,” he muttered. “I thought she had
more, courage. She must have gone in
here.
The open door of the mess room was
right in front of him and Dick dashed in.
swinging lamp hung over the long
table, but he could see nothing of Alice
until all at once there was a dismal groan
under the table and Dick caught ight at
the corner of a ness sticking o
i ” he called.
“Gosh ermighty, don’t let
them get me! Oh, gee! I wouldn’t have
come if I'd a- thought they was going to
make a target outer me!” was the an-
swer that came bac
“Come out of that?” shouted Dick.
He caught hold of a foot which pro-
jected from under the dress and dragged
out, not Alice, but Bill Struthers, in
Alice’s clothes!
he redoubtable Bill was scared out of
his seventeen senses, as the saying goes.
With the skirts all dropping off of
im and his teeth chattering that famous
Indian fighter stood befere Dick shaking
from head to foo!
“Well, I declare! ” eried Dick. “Where
in the world did you come from? Brace
up and stop that shaking. Where did you
et those clothes
“Wh IT came from Alice” stam-
mered Bill. “Say, she sent me warn
the folks at the fort that the Black
Riders were coming down onto them!
Gee! I had a deuce of a time getting in
here, but I was too late, after all! What’s
that? What's that? I hear firing. Oh,
they are coming, | Dick lide me! Hide
e! Ton’t let * me. I wish I'd
azed with them. Rae eion that’s what I
cstop your noise, you great idiot !” re-
turned D yhat Ww you are mak-
ing. Where did you “yeave Black Wolf
and the band?
“Over in one of these yere canyons. 1
don’t know jest which one, but I 'spose I
could find it. I didn’t want to live along
with the Indians after you were dead,
and that's what they all thought you
were. I sneeked away and got a-wander-
ing about till at last I struck « hut built
up against the rocks, Alice was there
and she put these clothes on over mine
and hustied me away to the fort. Blame
these skirts, anyhow. It was bad enough
to ride in them, but when it comes to
walking around I hain’t in it—no.
Come out here!” cried Dick.
“Not in these here blame petticoats,”
retorted Bill, dropping them on the floor.
Major on came hurrying in be-
ore Dick could get Bill outside.
elfo! A boy instead of a girl! I
thought as much,” he exclaimed, meeting
them in the doorway. “Where. are you
rom, young man?
“rom Alice Dewar,” answered Dick,
speaking for Bill. - “I haven’t quite got
ie bottom of the story yet, but Alice
or tne to have sent him here to warn you
that the Black Riders: and a Indians
are coming down upon the
“Not coming, for they’ve already come,”
said the major, coolly. ‘‘There’s forty
men, red and white, outside the stockade.
{TO BE CONTINUED.]
$0 a —__
OUR WATCHES KEEP GOOD TIME.
OTHERWISE *“*HAPPY DAYS’? WOULD
NOT OFFER THEM AS A PREMIUM.
a
Dentists in Germany are using ‘false
teeth made of paper. hese paper teeth
are said to be very satisfactory, as they
do not break or chip, are not sensitive to
Vish you had any other ‘kind of fel-|.
10,000 WILES FROM HOME,
THE BOY Ivory HUNTERS
OF THE CONGO.
. BY P. T. RAYMOND, —
Author of ‘Lost Hopes Mines,” “ His
Own Master,” “The limberdale
wins,” ** Rob - Roliston one,” .
“Lhe Nine Wonders,”
- “The Ninein
Blue,” ete.,
CHAPTER VII.
WHO IS IN THE ENGINE ROOM?
“Jack! we shall be burned to death!”
cried Inez, as the contents of the fireballs
went fying about the deck.
“No, we won't,” said Jack, stubbornly.
“Pil read these Belgians a lesson. The
blood this way! From all I’ve heard it’s
just like them, though. Look out ‘There
comes another, Inez. Oh, if I only-hada
rifle! Wouldn’ tI “fx that fellow. with the
big_ beard.”
Now there might have been a dozen
rifles on board the Princess for all Jack
knew, but certainly there was no time to
look for them, for the immediate danger
was great.
downstairs inthe engine
room oblivious to all that was transpiring
gn deck and Jack did not even wait to call
Take that bucket, draw some water
and put out the fire, Inez!” cried Jack.
“[’m going to drive those fellows away.”
Inez flew to obey and Jack, throwing
off his coat, hat and shoes, plunged over-
oard, rose to the surface, and, with his
revolver between his teeth, struck out
boldly for the launch.
¥ alth officers and their men saw
the whole operation and shouted to him
to keep off.
“I won't keep off,” yelled Jack. “I'm
coming aboard. ITll bring the gmall-pox
to you if you don’t sheer off. Take t! his
present first, confound you Ill teach
you to come around me with your murder-
ing firebalis.”?
Then Jack took the pistol out of his
mouth, and, treading water, blazed away
at the launch.
It was a case of life or death. We had
no alternative. The plucky Yankee boy
was talking to the ‘Belgians in the only
language they could understand.
One shot ‘struck the bearded man in
the arm and he gave a yell and tumbled
over backwar
Where the rest went Jack never knew
and he did not care much, for he had al-
ready turned the tide in his own favor.
Several fireballs were flung at. him and
more shots went back in answer.
Jack was getting pretty close now and
probably it was as much the fear of the
small-pox as it was of the revolver which
sent the launch to the rightabout face.
Whatever the cause’ may have been, it
steamed away-up the river and when Jack
saw that’it was actually going he gave
up and swam bagk to the Princess, where
Inez had already succeeded in putting out
the fire and Tom was on hard to throw
him a rope.
“Wooray for our side!’ shouted Tom,
triumphant. “By gracious, Jack, you set-
tled their hash. Don’t you long to get
there once your mad is uw oo
“Some one has got to act,” gasped Jack,
looking at his dripping garments rather
dubiously. “Those fellows won't trouble
any more for the present and before
they get round to us again I hope to be
out of their way.”
“You had better take off those wet
clothes,” said Inez. “You'll have the fever
if you don’t.”
“Easier said than done,” replied Tom.
“What is he going to, change to? He has
no others and he can’t wear the captain’s
clothes.”
“I’m going to, though,” said Jack, “I’m
going right ahead just as though there
never had been. any small-pox on the
Princess.
The mind has got a lot to oo with this
business and I’m going to keep mine off
of smallpox, ou bet. How’s the steam?”
“All r'
“Can teh Start any time?”
“Of course we can. All we’ ve got to
do is to raise the anchor and go.
“What’s your plan?” asked Inez. “Do
you really intend to run past, Banana and
make for the Upper Cong
“Why I don’t Bee auythong else to do,”
replied Tack. After what has happened
we might as well sign our death warrant
as to try to land at Banana. Before we
get to opoldvilie we can make up our
minds what to do, but the truth of the
peculiar composition they are yery cheap.
matter ig it will be just as bad up there.
idea of their trying to murder us in cold | P!#!
We've put ourselves against the laws ‘of
the Belgian Company and we’ye got to
keep out of their way, that’s all, but as
far as you are concerned, Inez, you don’t
have to go with us. Tom and'I are ri ipe
for any adventure, but I'll try and jand
you at Banana if you say the word.”
“No,” replied Inez. “I don’t say the
word and I never will, I’m ready for any
adventure, too. My father is dead and I
haven’t a friend i. in the world. If you will
let, me go with you
Why, of course, we will,” cried Jack,
as Inez paused and looked “doubtfully at
him. “We are all in the same boat
More senses than one and it is my honest
belief that the Belgians would kill you if-
you went ashor
This was trae enough, perhaps. Health
on the Congo settlements is the first con-
sideration and the Belgian Company’s of-
ficials go to the most tremendous length
to maintain it. All this Jack had heard
from the sailors on'the Pentland Castle
and he understood the desperate situation
they were in better than he cared to ex-
Tt. “was all settled now and the boys
went to work with a will.
The first thing to do was to get up the
anchor,. rather a difficult task for two
boys, but Inez helped and they succeeded _
in getting it out of the mud at last.
“Now to start her!” cried Jack. “One
of us has got to run the engine and the
other do the steering. I don’t know which
is the most difficult job.”
nd don’t know a thing about
either,” slehed Tom. “The Congo is full
of shallows, I suppose.”
“Shallows and snags and sand bars and
false channels and everything else to fiake
navigation difficult and dangerous. Wel
we've got to take it as it comes. I know
a little of both parts of this business and
all there is to it we’ve got to makei that
little coal go ‘as far as it will. Ther
less chance that you will blow up t
boiler, Tom, than there is of your;
ning the Princess aground and spo: Hug
the whole shooting match, so I suppose
you had better go below.”
“Anyt hing 2° you say,”
replied {'cr.
“You're th
“What about. “me?” asked, Inez. }°I'm
sure I want to do m,
“You'll have.to be cook, replied Jack,
“and we'll all have to be crew. Come into
the pilot house, Tom. First thing of all
you’ve got to learn about the bells; and
uw won ’t take but a minute to show you
at.
“Can we pass Banana before daylight?”
asked, Tom, as they hurried along the
eck.
“SBasily, I think.”
‘And once we are past there what
en
“Why, then we run into a wild region
where we shall be all right if we «don’t
run foul of some Belgian gunboat. Never
mind, Tom.: It’s a wild undertaking, any-
how. Don’t let’s think about We
can only take our chances,
now,’
They had reached the pilot house and
Jack gave the starting signal on the bell
Here you are
2
3
his astonishment the big steam
wheel of the Princess began turning over, .
and over and the Princess started up the
river.
OW, ho’s in the engine room?” cried
“Best if I'll ever tell you!’ cried)
seizing the wheel. “Maybe it is th:
gineer’s ghost, but we'll be on that
spit in a moment if we don’t look she
It was Jack’s same old luck. Alth ..
knowing nothing of the trend of the :
spit under water he missed it by not :
six inches if he had only known it, .°-!
away they went shooting up the CG
the engine doing its work as regular
though controlled by a master hand.
+ CHAPTER VIII.
THE ESCAPE FROM THE QUARANTI}
“Run and see what it all means, T:
cried Jack. “T mustn’t let go the
ow.
“T heard some one shoveling coal own
there,” said Inez, who had hurried for-
ward. “Oh, Jack, who can it be?”
“Give me a minute to find out an*4'!!
let you know,” s said Tom, hurrying tewerd
the engine roo:
He got no ther r than the door,wicn .
he drew back in alarm.
man “with face hideously
scarred with small-pox pits, but partly
healed, was moving about the engine-at-
tending to his duties like an old hang.
“Who are you?” called
The young man turned and “waved bim
Sy
2
£3.
’t come near me!” he said, faintly. ©
Bon
“I'm Ed Nice, the engineer. I’m over the
most of it, but they gsay that’s jus
time to give the small-pox to others.
don’t know just who you are, but
Sp 2 EE RANA ROS LAR RRR I iy!
Oe ee