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BRAVE AND BOLD. 5
CHAPTIZR III.
IN PERIL OI’ IIIS LIFE.
After that Tom and the pretty ll'0ri’zi correspondent
had many talks together. Miss lily unfolded to our hero
all the details of her proposed journey, and the boy en-
tered into her plans with an enthusiasm that delighted
her.
"By Jove, Miss Bly!" he said, one day. “I-,wiSh the
World people had taken it into their heads to send me on
that trip!”
“Well. your time is your own,” replied the young
lad . “Why don’t you try it on your own account?"
“I'll do it!" exclaimed Tom, almost before the words
were out of her mouth. “I’ll try a race around the
World with you, and if I can beat you I'll do it.” .
“Agreed!” laughed Miss Bly; and the two friends
shook hands on the bargain.
During the remainder of the
nothing but the proposed race.
toria reached Southampton he was
about the scheme. . ,
He had expected to spend much time in viewing the
many wonders of the Old World. but all that was for-
gotten now-his only thought was to accomplish the
journey in the allotted time. I
Immediately after the arrival of the Augusta Victoria
at Southampton, Tom lost sight of Miss lily.
The plucky World correspondent had but one object -111
View--the accomplishment of her task-and she permit-
ted no individual considerations to stand in the way of
her success. .
Tom understood,- too, that this was the only way in
which the journey could be made in the allotted time,
so it was with perfect good humor that he took his place
in a first-class carriage on the train for Londpn.
“I suppose she is somewhere on the tfillll,‘ he mused.
"If she should happen to miss it, and by S0 fl0mfI “I155 ll“
connection with the India Mail. I should have laugh
on her. But she wont: Sl1C'5 “)0 Slmrl’ ff“ that
The train was about to‘ start, and our hero was con-
gratulating himself on having secured a compartment
all to himself, when the guard suddenly threw thC d001’
open, shouting:
“ ’Ere you hare, sir."
The next moment a man, appa
of age, entered the compartment and so
posite Tom. As he took his place the tra
“Bound for London, my friend?" said the newcomer.
familiarly. .
Our hero replied in the affirmative. .
“VVhere have I heard that voice before.‘ l1c'3S1<C(l mm’
self. “It seems strangely familiar. h‘.’ls.'tlll.lS‘. ll)l'i“-11 one
of the passengers on board the .‘fIIg’I(.If(I 1 Iclmiu.‘
Suddenly it flashed upon him that his coiiilmllm‘ was
no other than Duffield in disguise.
He had managed to “freeze out"
when the passengers disemharkcd.from
fellow did not offer to accompany him. . ’
But here he was again. like the proverbial h.":<l l’Cml.‘1-
After sitting in silence for some minutes, loin san.
suddenly :
vovagc Tom thought of
When the zlugilsia Vic-
wild with enthusiasm
rentlv about thirty years
ated hiinself op-
iii started.
‘his roommate. so that
the vessel the
“W'ell, Mr. Duffield, what is your purpose in mas-
querading in this way?"
His companion started; then he said. as he removed his
beard: ,
“So you've found me out, eh? Ha! ha! ha! I was
trying to play a trick on you, but I see that you are
too sharp to be taken in."
“A trick ?" repeated Tom.
“Yes; only a harmless little joke, so don't get on your
high horse, old man. VVell."‘ he continued. quickly, as if
to change the subject. “were on our way to London. and
I anticipate a high old time there. But I'm sorry we
haven’t got Dr. Haughton and his charming little
daughter as companions. They remain in Southampton
21 week. don't they?”
“Yes," replied Tom, laconically.
Duffield tried to start a conversation, but his compan-
ion's responses were so unsatisfactory that he finally
relapsed into silence.
Our hero made several attempts to read an English
newspaper that he had purchased, but they were pro-
ductive only of the usual result of such efforts-he fell
asleep.
Awaking suddenly with a start, he found Dufheld
stanrlinq over him. In his hand the fellow held a long,
keen-edged knife; .1 baleful light gleained in his eyes.
As Tom opened his eyes the weapon swiftly descended.
The boy quickly moved to one side. and the knife was
buried in the cushion behind him. He had awakened
just in time to save his life.
The next moment he sprang to his feet, and. seizing
the knife, hurled it from the open window.
As he did so Duflield sprang upon him.
Then began a struggle for the siipi‘e1iiacy.
Tom saw now that his suspicions of his roomniate had
been well founded, and that the fellow would undoubt-
edly have murdered him on shipboard, had it been pos-
sible for him to do so without detection.
The two youths were evenly matched. Although Duf-
field was the elder and larger. Tom was inoi'e wiry, and
held his own. to his anta5:onist’s evident surprise.
“Ciirse you!" panted the young villain. “I st:irted out
to put a quietus on you as a matter of business; but I’ve
got an account of my own to settle with you now-and
with the New York II'0rId, too. Neither you nor that
woman. Nellie Bly, shall ever reach the end of your
journey.
These words, uttered in short, disjointed sentences,
convinced Tom that he had been on the l'll,flll scent, and
that the projector of the “inatter of husines.<' refsrred
to was no other than his worthy uncle, Mr. Daniel
Crawford.
lint our hero did, not propose to he l)‘.'T o:it of the way i
quite so easily. lie i'e<lo'ihl<'d his elIu:'t>‘, and Dutiield
had all he could do to defend liiiiiself.
Iy a sudden and unexpected niovriuent. T0m’s an-
tagonist threw him violently against the door.
The lock yielded. the door flew open. and had not Tom
siuldenly grasped the metal railing which t‘X'l(‘ll<lI3(l along '
the side of the car, both he and his oppnneiit would
have fallen from the train, which ‘yes then inovinrr at
the rate of at least fifty miles an hour. I
In another moment the struggle was renewed under