Luis Senarens

“ His body was frightfully mutilated, and Frank stooped down and turned him over.
Casting a glance at his face he staggered back.
An exclamation of intense astonishment escaped him, and seeing his three companions approaching he turned excitedly toward them and said:
“This isn’t Murdock!”
“It isn’t?” cried Reynard, in astonishment.
“No. It’s the sailor we once rescued.”
They all glanced at the man’s face and saw that Frank had told the truth about his identity. ”

“ It struck the forward tube of the rotascope frame, there sounded a crash as the upright broke, and the next moment the helices all stopped, as the electric wire that gave current to them was severed.
Down into the sea plunged the Pegasus.
A cry of alarm escaped her crew when they felt her falling, and the next moment the ship dissolved from view into the thick fog bank.
Down rushed the Pegasus like a meteor. ”

“ Frank then allowed them to pass, and going aboard the Pegasus with his friends they started her up.
They now had evidence enough of the cunning of the man they were chasing, for he gave them the slip at every turn.
“He seems to anticipate every move we make,” said Frank, in thoughtful tones. “Now he will make better time on the water. As we don’t know what boat he is in, and there may be scores of them on the river, it will be like hunting for a needle in a haystack to find him.” ”

“ Frank caught him by the neck, interrupting him.
“That will do!” he cried, angrily. “Insane people don’t usually do such very practical and profitable things as you have done. Consider yourself my prisoner, sir.”
“I’ll be hanged if I will!”
“You can’t escape from here.”
“I can’t, eh? Well, I’ll own the engine!”
As he said this a desperate light leaped into his eyes and he pulled a knife from his breast-pocket.
Making a rush at Frank he aimed a stab at him, which the young inventor barely had time to avoid by stepping back. ”

“ Martin Murdock was sentenced to prison for his rascality.
Tom Reynard returned to his official duties, pleased at the way the affair had terminated, and Frank, Barney and Pomp went home.
They had their long chase around the world for nothing, but did not regret it, as the perilous adventures they encountered just suited them.
They all were in good spirits.
The loss of the Pegasus incited Frank to invent another machine, and it was ultimately built and proved to be a means of bringing him and his friends into the most exciting adventures. ”

“ The crews were curious about the strange airship.
Foreseeing that he would be pestered by them, Frank went into the pilot-house and raised the engine 500 feet.
She then sped away.
“We know where the villain has gone, at any rate,” said Frank, grimly. “By to-morrow we will reach the Dead Sea in Palestine, and meet the beggar in the Holy Land.”
“He probably imagines he has escaped us now,” said the detective, “although he must know that we mean to dog him if we have to go all around the world to catch him.” ”

“ All of them looked like Arabs.
There were seven in the party, and every one men.
Frightened by the air engine, the camels got upon their feet and plunged about the oasis in the wildest manner.
Frank keenly eyed the Arabs.
“All natives,” he commented.
“Mayn’t Murdock be in a tint?” asked Barney.
“I doubt it, but I’ll see.”
“Can you speak to them?” asked Reynard.
“Not in their tongue.”
Just then the airship alighted on four flanges and stood on the ground perfectly rigid near the Arabs.
Frank alighted with Reynard. ”

“ My stepfather, Martin Murdock, is a wicked man. He lured me to a wretched tenement in West Randolph street, where an Italian villain has been keeping me a prisoner. But after a month of captivity I escaped from there to-night, and now I have come back to make Martin Murdock tell me why he did this?”
“Oh, the rascal!” indignantly cried the girl. “He told us that he sent you off to boarding-school. Come in, Joe, come in.”
“Is my stepfather in the house?”
“Yes; you will find him in the front parlor.”
The boy entered the mansion and disappeared from the detective’s view. ”

“ Riveting his attention intently upon it he suddenly cried:
“By thunder, there’s a man in the water!”
“Whar?” gasped Pomp, in startled tones.
“Astern of that steamer to the southeast.”
“Surah ‘nough! It am a man!”
“Barney, steer for that steamer!”
“I will that!” and off went the engine on another tack.
When she drew close to the man she paused, and they saw that he was almost naked and clung to a broken plank.
Down settled the Pegasus, and when she drew near the surface of the water Frank shouted:
“Ahoy there!”
“A voice!” cried the man in the water, joyfully.
“Catch this rope and come aboard!” ”

“ Frank was kept in durance vile for several days, and his friends had to produce proof by telegraph from Havre that the chief of police there sanctioned Frank’s work.
The inventor was then reluctantly released from custody.
His friends bore him off in triumph.
They lost no time getting aboard the Pegasus and sending her up into the air after that.
As she sped away over the beautiful blue sea Frank said:
“It seems as if fate were against us. We have lost three days. It will be impossible to reach Alexandria, in time to beat the steamer. I’m afraid Murdock has got the best of us.” ”

“ Pomp prepared breakfast, but they had scarcely partaken of it when the voices of men were heard outside.
“Natives!” said Frank, listening to their talk.
“Savages?” asked the detective, quickly.
“The Malays and Dyaks are the worst kind. They subsist chiefly by hunting, fishing and piracy, are partly Mohammedans and partly heathen, and are cruel, crafty and wild,” said the inventor.
Frank went out on deck.
Glancing down he saw an army of the natives around the engine, loudly talking and gesticulating toward her. ”

“ It surprised the sailor.
When the inventor finished, he said:
“Ain’t it queer that you should find me and get on his track again?”
“Very,” assented Frank. “Now, I’ve got a plan to propose to you.”
“What is it?” queried the sailor, curiously.
“I’ll put you back aboard the Rover. You can tell your captain what happened. They will arrest the man. Then we will take charge of him. Will you do it?”
“Gladly. I want to get even with him, badly.”
“All right. Say, Barney, overhaul the steamer.”
All the rest had overheard the sailor’s story, and the Celt steered the engine after the steamer. ”

“ Tom Reynard had learned how to manage the Pegasus and stood at the wheel, steering, about eight o’clock, when suddenly he descried several twinkling lights ahead.
“Vessel ahead!” he shouted out the door.
“What do you make her out to be?” cried Frank, running in.
“Holy smoke! how can I make out in this gloom?”
“I’ll direct the searchlight upon her.”
It was very dark down below, but through the gloom Frank plainly saw the twinkling lights on the moving vessel.
He turned the searchlight by means of a lever, so that it was directed toward the vessel.
Then he switched on the electric current. ”

“ Wonder if I could hear what goes on in the parlor if I get up on the stoop?”
He saw that the parlor windows were partly open at the top, and mounting the stairs he crouched in the doorway.
Joe had gone into the parlor.
A well-built man, in stylish clothing, stood in the room.
It was Martin Murdock.
He was apparently about forty years of age and wore a black mustache, had dark hair and black eyes, an aquiline nose, and upon his left cheek a V-shaped, livid scar.
A cry of astonishment escaped his lips when he saw the boy.
“Free!” he gasped. “How did you get away, you whelp?” ”

“ You are simply pretending to be a crank in order to avoid punishment.”
“That’s a daisy game!” laughed the detective.
“Oh, but you’re mistaken!” said the man, in injured tones. “I just escaped from the asylum. I’m a dead bug; on the level, I am.”
“What induced you to enter my shop and stow yourself away aboard of this airship—a desire to navigate the clouds?”
“No,” replied the stranger. “You carried me up before I could get off again. I—hey! Give me that——”
“What is this book?” queried Frank, hauling it out of the man’s pocket and glancing at the pages. ”

“ Birds of paradise, flamingoes, swallows that built edible nests, peacocks and various other birds abounded in vast numbers; every bird, beast and reptile filled with fear of the storm.
Their cries all around the fallen engine raised a fearful din.
“The hull and flying apparatus is intact,” said Frank, when he had finished his inspection.
“Do you think she is safe for the present?” the detective asked.
“We can’t get her out in this storm.”
“Bettah turn in, den,” Pomp suggested.
An examination of the oil engine was made, when it was found that the shaft of the flywheel had snapped in two. ”

“ The detective and Frank descended the ladder to the deck.
Here they were met by the captain, the watch on deck and many of the cabin passengers.
“This is an amazing call,” said the captain.
“We are here on business, sir,” replied Frank.
10“That is very strange.”
“Not at all. We have come from Readestown.”
“What! Can it be possible! What for?”
“To make a prisoner of one of your passengers.”
“I am more and more astonished.”
“The man is a murderer!”
A murmur of surprise ran from lip to lip at this remark. When the captain recovered from the shock he asked:
“What is the man’s name?” ”

“ The best thing we can do is to get to work and repair the damage at once. The sooner we fix the wheel the quicker we can pursue the steamer.”
Barney and Pomp were called down.
They worked like beavers all night long, and it was long after daybreak before they had the wheel replaced by a new one, and the machinery put in order.
Pomp prepared breakfast, after partaking of which they took turns at sleeping.
Frank stood first watch.
He raised the Pegasus in the air.
The new dynamo wheel acted stiffly at first, but finally got into good working order and the engine traveled properly again. ”

“ Down she sank until she was close beside the steamer.
Barney did not let her sink into the water, but held her so that the two decks were flush with each other.
All the watch on the German steamer’s deck had seen the airship come down.
They now crowded to the side, and, staring at her in amazement, they began asking questions about her.
Frank satisfied their curiosity, and then asked them:
“When did your ship come in?”
“Yesterday,” was the reply of the mate.
“Did you have a passenger named Murdock from Marseilles?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
“We wish to see him on business.”
“Describe the man.” ”

“ Besides the various methods of handkerchief, fan, glove, parasol, window and hat flirtation, it contains a full list of the language and sentiment of flowers, which is interesting to everybody, both old and young. You cannot be happy without one.
No. 4. HOW TO DANCE is the title of a new and handsome little book just issued by Frank Tousey. It contains full instructions in the art of dancing, etiquette in the ball-room and at parties how to dress, and full directions for calling off in all popular square dances. ”

“ Both hands grasped the railing, convulsively, and he could not let go.
“Oh! Ouch! Oh-h-h-h!” he yelled, wildly.
“Bedad, I have him!” roared Barney, delightedly.
“Stop it!” screamed the stranger. “I’m a dead man! I’m a dead man!”
“Faith, I’ll take yer measure for a coffin!” chuckled Barney.
“Let up there, will you? Oh! oh! oh!”
“Divil a bit! It’s electrocuted I’ll have yez in wan minute!”
The man raved, swore, begged and wept.
Barney kept the current on, though.
Finally Frank cried:
“That will do. He’s punished enough.”
“I’ll let him go, then,” returned the Irishman.
He cut out the current. ”

“ The flying machine sank down over the ships in the harbor, and the searchlight flashed down upon them.
All the crews were frightened.
Frank carefully examined every one of the ships until he found the one he wanted.
It was the Khedive.
Over her the airship paused. ”

“ He pointed out a rocky gorge, and the engine descended.
All travelers to Bagdad had to pass through it.
They remained there until the following day, when the coon descried some camels approaching.
In an hour the caravan reached them, and our friends saw that they were the very men they wanted.
But there were only four in the party.
Each man rode a camel.
As they drew near the airship Frank and his friends, armed with rifles, confronted them.
“Halt!” cried the inventor. ”

“ A cry of delight now escaped Frank, for he recognized the steamer to be the Rover.
“That’s her!” he cried.
“Shure, they’ve hauled to.”
“Ain’t they lowering a boat, Barney?”
“They are that, an’ rowin’ fer shore. Be ther powers, there’s a man in ther boat wid thim sailors dhressed in citizen’s clothes, who, I’ll take me oat’, must be Martin Murdock!”
“Can they be carrying him ashore to escape us in the jungles? It looks like it.” ”

“ See here!”
“Money!”
“Yes—one hundred dollars for every man who stands by him.”
“That settles it. He remains unharmed, sir.”
“You bet he will! Tell the rest of the crew.”
The men hastened away to comply.
In a few minutes all the crew were apprised of the news, and the man Frank saved felt disgusted over the result.
Matters had terminated just as he feared, but he could not do anything, unaided, to help the aeronauts.
Murdock was exultant.
He discreetly remained below out of Frank’s sight.
The young inventor became impatient when he found that nothing was done to produce the rascal. ”