Howard Roger Garis

“ At first the wheel barely turned. Silas gave it another prod with the clothes pole and it moved more quickly. Then it released another spring and began to gather speed. Faster and faster it went, the iron balls rolling along the hollow spokes and dropping out with a noise like distant thunder.
"There she goes!" cried the old man, his chin whiskers vibrating in the intensity of his excitement. "There she goes!"
Faster and faster the wheel whizzed around. The balls began dropping with such a continuous noise that one had to shout to be heard.
"How do you stop it?" called Dick. ”

“ We rise at a certain hour, and we have our meals at certain hours. Folks that come to see us have to do as we do or they don't get any meals. I hope you understand that."
"Yes, sir," replied Dick, his heart sinking down deeper than ever. It was worse than he had thought. Still the idea of a meal, after his long ride, seemed good.
Mr. Larabee's fine country home was considered one of the best places in that part of the state. There was not a crooked fence on it, the gravel walks were as trim as though no one had ever stepped on their surface, and the grass was always cut to a certain length. ”

“ I've got to say good-bye to Grit. Poor fellow, he knows something's in the wind and he's trying to break his chain to come along. But I'm afraid something will happen to him in New York, so he's got to stay home."
"He thinks as much of that dog as if it was a brother," remarked Guy with something of a sneer, as the five youths entered the tonneau, for Dick had elected to ride with the driver.
"I don't blame him," said "Bricktop." "Grit's a dog worth having."
"I hope Dick brings plenty of money along with him," whispered Simon to Guy, as they followed Frank Bender into the machine. ”

“ Dick put in several notices that afternoon, offering to pay a reward of a hundred dollars for the return of Grit.
"Now we'll have to wait," said the millionaire. "Never mind, Dick; if Grit is gone you can get another dog," for Mr. Hamilton was as fond of animals as was his son.
"There'll never be another Grit," answered Dick, sorrowfully.
Meanwhile, Grit was being led across the country fields which stretched out back of the Hamilton mansion.
"I've got to keep off the roads," muttered the youth who had hold of the leash. "There's too many people as knows a dorg like this. ”

“ It's the way that you have been brought up."
"I guess my father brought me up in the way he thought best," fired back Dick.
"Well, his way is very different from mine—very different," and Mr. Larabee shook his head as though to indicate that a great mistake had been made. "Then there's your mother's will," he went on. "The idea of leaving that big fortune to a boy like you. It's wicked! It's a terrible risk! A terrible risk! What a foolish woman she was! But then it's all you can expect of a woman!"
"Look here, Uncle Ezra!" ”

“ Aunt Samantha said, as graciously as was possible. "Welcome to The Firs. We call our place The Firs," she went on, "because there are so many fir trees around it. It makes it dark and keeps the flies out."
It certainly made it dark, for as Dick entered the hall he could hardly see, and had to proceed by the sense of feeling.
"We never open this part of the house, except for company," Mrs. Larabee went on. "Ezra and I use the back door, as it saves wear and tear. Now, if you'll come with me, I'll show you to your room and you can take off your good clothes and put on a rough suit." ”

“ Dick stopped, on his way home, and called for Bricktop, Frank Bender and Walter Mead, inviting them to go for a ride in his trim little craft, which was in the boat house on Lake Dunkirk.
"Let's take our lunch and stay the rest of the day," suggested Bricktop. "It's too fine out doors to be around the house."
"Good idea," assented Dick. "I'll have our cook put us up a basket of stuff."
The eyes of the other boys glistened, for they knew from experience the good things that came from the Hamilton kitchen, and they had visions of cold chicken and turkey, fine cakes and big, thick, juicy pies. ”

“ A large crowd was waiting. It seemed that everyone in Hamilton Corners, who could, by any possibility get away from work, was there.
The airship was hauled from the barn where it had been during the night, closely guarded against possible accidents. It looked larger than ever as, almost at the last minute, the inventor261 had increased the size of some of the bat-like wings that extended on either side.
Herr Doodlebrod was the calmest person in the big crowd. He went about looking at the wheels, levers, rods, rudders and the propeller as if he was merely a spectator. ”

“ CHAPTER II A STRANGE WILL
"Well, I'm glad to see you are on time, Dick," said Mr. Hamilton, as his son, having left Rex at the stables, and sent one of the grooms on a horse to the aid of Henry, entered the handsome library. "Right to the minute. That is what I like to see. It speaks well for what we have in hand." ”

“ The bait is thrown all over the surface of the water. It attracts the fish, and when you throw in your line you have no end of bites. It's the greatest idea of the age! It will revolutionize fishing! It's simply marvelous!
"I have just perfected the invention, but I need money to put the machine on the market. You, sir," turning to Dick, "are just the person to help me. I read of your immense wealth and that you are fond of all sports. Fishing is a sport, therefore I came to you. All I need is ten thousand239 dollars and it will make both of us rich in a year. ”

“ CHAPTER IX A CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN
Dick and his friends went home in the big automobile a few days later, having crowded into their stay as much sight-seeing as was possible. Dick had just finished telling his father, the evening of his arrival, of his various adventures, including the one with the swindler, when the servant announced:
"Some one to see you, Master Dick."
"Who is it?"
"Henry Darby."
"Ah, there's a young man who will make his mark some day!" exclaimed Mr. Hamilton. "If his father was only like him Henry would have more chances." ”

“ Instead he hurriedly gathered up his papers and fairly raced from the room.
"Is he—is he a swindler?" asked Dick, faintly.
"One of the slickest in New York," was the answer. "His game is to sell fake bonds in companies that never existed, though some of them are legally organized. Once in a while, just to fool the police, he deals in regular stocks, but the kind he usually sells are fake ones. I'm the hotel detective," the man went on. "We have to be always on the lookout for such chaps as he is, especially when we have young millionaires stopping at the house," and he smiled at Dick. ”

“ Dick had generously arranged so that no boy or girl need pay, and hundreds of those in Hamilton Corners, as well as those in the surrounding suburbs, besides the orphans, saw the show free.
Dick wanted to go off with some of his chums and view the performance, but the head matron of the asylum asked him to sit with her in the midst of her little charges.
"They want to see you," she explained. "They think you own the circus, and that you are the most wonderful person in the world." ”

“ The water acted as a brake, and, so large was the opening the wrench had torn, that, in a few seconds, all danger was past of the burning boat colliding with other craft, the steersmen of which were too bewildered to get out of the course.
Foot by foot the scuttled boat sank. The water covered the engine now, but the motor still kept going, for enough gasolene remained in the pipe running from the exploded tank to keep it in motion. But the boat was merely floating along, all speed gone.
"Jump, Dick!" cried Bricktop, who, with the other boys, was swimming toward shore. "Jump!" ”

“ Dick what has happened, he being a partner in our enterprise—The International and Consolidated Old Metal Corporation."
"Yes, Dick!" cried Henry, unable to wait for his father to tell the news in his slow, pompous way. "Things are in fine shape. In fact the old metal business can now pay a dividend."
"A dividend?"
"Yes, you remember me telling you about a lot of old scrap-iron and steel dad bought, thinking it had platinum in it?"
"Yes, and it didn't have any in."
"Merely an error in judgment," murmured Mr. Darby. "Any business man, with large schemes on hand, is liable to make them." ”

“ If you devote some of the money you are to have to a wise and paying investment, you will, comparatively soon, come into possession of your mother's vast wealth, though, of course, the executors of the will, of whom I am one, are to have certain control over you. You have twelve months from to-day in which to make your try, Dick, my boy. ”

“ You're Richard, do you hear?"
"Yes, sir," answered Dick, meekly enough, though there was an angry light in his eyes.
"Now, then, Richard, you've come to visit us for a certain purpose," went on his uncle. "What it is we needn't discuss now. The train was a little ahead of time or I'd been here sooner." Mr. Larabee did not seem to think that he might be a little late. "I always make it a point to be on time," he added. "Now, jump in. Your aunt has a meal ready and she musn't be kept waiting. I want you to understand from the start that everything is done on time in my house. ”

“ Still Dick was not too much cast down. He knew he was a very wealthy young man, and he had no fear that his father's millions would be disturbed in the general hard times that would be sure to follow. But it hurt his pride that, with all his wealth, he could not do as much as little Tim Muldoon had done—start with nothing and make money. ”

“ He reminds me of a heap of old iron, sticking out seven ways from Sunday, as the old saying is. You see his bones stick out like so many points."
"They do, for a fact," and Dick looked at the horse, that presented more angles than he had ever before imagined a horse possessed.
"There's one consolation," went on Henry. "He's cheap, but there's another disadvantage, he looks it. So does the wagon. Whenever I start away from home to collect old metal I always tell dad not to worry if I don't get back that night. There's no telling which will break down first—the horse or the wagon. ”

“ On the back of Rex, Dick made a hasty tour of the immediate neighborhood, inquiring of various persons he met if they had seen the bulldog. Grit was well known about Hamilton Corners, for he was often seen in his master's company. But this time no one had noticed him being led off in leash by a young man who seemed quite afraid of the brute that was so handsome for his very ugliness. ”

“ The gold particles are shot into the rock a little way and it appears like real ore. They do this several times down the sides of a rocky mine and it looks very much like the real thing. After a man has bought the mine and begins to dig, he discovers it's all a fake."
"Wow!" exclaimed Tim. "T'ink of shootin' gold out of a gun. I wish somebody'd take a few shots at me. Easy ones, of course, so's I could live to enjoy it."
"There are other ways of making fake mines,"217 went on Dick, "but I didn't read much about them."
"Do you think the Hop Toad and Dolphin mines are fakes?" asked Frank. ”

“ Dick had decided that his first purchase with his new wealth should be an automobile. He wanted to get a big touring car, but his father suggested that he had better start with a runabout.
"It will be less expensive if you have a smash-up learning how to run it," counseled Mr. Hamilton, and Dick wisely agreed with him.
"When I get my car I'll take a run about the country and see what sort of an investment I'll make," said Dick. "I may want to go in for real estate. There's money in that, isn't there, dad?" ”

“ Going to look up some gold mines," and Dick laughed.
"If you find any lying around loose, or one that no one else wants—or even an old one that someone has thrown away—why just express it back to me," requested Henry. "I'd rather have a good gold mine than this old metal business, I think."
"How is it going?" asked Dick.
"Pretty well. Say, I don't think I ought to keep that hundred-dollar check you sent me for telling you that I'd seen Grit in the man's wagon." ”

“ Don't say anything about this bond business to any other reporters."
"I'm not likely to, unless they ask me to," replied Dick. "But why?"
"Because I want to get a beat out of it."
"A beat?" inquired "Bricktop," while the other boys looked puzzled.
"Yes. An exclusive story. I don't want the reporters for any other papers to get hold of it. If I have it all alone in the Leader it will be a feather in my cap. News that no other paper has is the very best kind."?
"Gilt-edged, I suppose," put in Dick.
"That's it," replied Larry quickly. "Now don't tell any other reporters, will you?" ”

“ Hamilton, who was used to facing business troubles. "He may be a swindler, but I think our mining stock is good. The reports of it are all from reliable men. But I'll make an investigation at once."
"What will you do?"
"I think I'll send for Mr. Vanderhoof and ask him to explain. We'll have your friend Tim in here. No doubt it is all a mistake. I wouldn't place too much faith in what a boy says."
"You don't know Tim," responded Dick. "He's as bright as they make 'em. I guess all New York newsboys are. But where does Mr. Vanderhoof live?" ”

“ They have some good acrobats in it, and I want to get a few points."
"I wonder why a circus never comes here," mused Dick, half to himself. "It's quite a trip to Parkertown."
"This place is too small," replied Frank.
"They have to have a big crowd to make it pay. A circus will never come here."
"No, I s'pose not," answered Dick. "Well, I wish I was going, but I've got to go down to dad's bank. I've got a little business on hand."
"So long," called Frank. "I must hurry to catch the train."
"I wish they'd have a circus here some time," continued Dick, as he walked along. ”

“ Larabee came near him out doors. But this was not often, as Dick's uncle was very much afraid of Grit.
Mr. Hamilton soon came home, and warmly greeted his wife's brother.
"I'm glad to see you," said the millionaire. "How would you like to take a run to Hazelton this evening to the theatre? They have a good summer company playing there and we can make a quick trip in Dick's runabout."
"I never go to theatres," said Mr. Larabee, in severe tones. "It's sinful, and a wicked waste of money. If there is a good instructive lecture in the village I would much rather go to that." ”

“ An inspiration came to Dick.
"Into the bucket!" he called. "It's big enough to hold us all and we'll be hauled to the top! We can escape that way!"
Tim and Frank needed no further urging. They clambered over the iron sides of the bucket, followed by Dick. And not a second too soon, for, as he set his feet on the iron bottom, the cable tauted and the bucket started upward.
"Come back here!" yelled Smith, reaching the bottom of the shaft just in time to see the conveyor disappearing. ”