Frank Reade

“ Frank shook hands warmly with Mr. Buckden.
‪“I feel sure that you will rescue my son,” declared the agonized father. ‪“Heaven will aid you.”
‪“I will do all in my power,” said Frank, earnestly.
The schooner cast loose from the levee and shot down into the current. A band played, the people cheered, and Frank Reade, Jr., Barney and Pomp and the Steam Man were really off upon their trip to Central America. ”

“ In some way the shock had disconnected the lever, and the electric lights were extinguished.
All was darkness aboard the submarine boat.
For a few moments a literal panic reigned.
Frank Reade, Jr., was the first to recover.
He ran into the pilot-house and quickly produced light. By this time the others had recovered.
“For the love of Heaven! what has happened?” gasped Von Bulow.
“We have been run into by a whale!” averred Captain Bell.
But Frank shook his head.
“No,” he said; “it is worse than that!”
The young inventor knew well enough what the trouble was. ”

“ THE ABDUCTION. Chief Harmon of the Vigilants was not wholly content to abandon the trail of the cowboys, just here.
He indulged in quite an argument with Frank Reade, Jr.
His remarks were not without logic.
“Why, only look at the sense of the thing,” he declared, “It is by no means possible that the soldiers are going to have an easy time with Cliff and his men. They may turn the tables on them yet. I tell you it was a premature thing for that colonel to do, to set us adrift so quickly.”
“Yet he ought to know his own strength,” said Frank. ”

“ Frank picked up a club, and Barney an iron bar. Nobody can handle a weapon of the sort better than an Irishman.
“Whurroo! bad cess to yez fer a pack av omadhouns,” cried Barney, dealing one of the cowboys a crushing blow on the head.
Before one could think, the iron bar came down upon the head of another. Both sank senseless to the floor of the wagon.
Frank Reade, Jr., had knocked Cliff senseless. Only one of the foe was left, and he was quickly knocked out.
In a twinkling, as it were, the tables were turned.
Barney and Frank Reade, Jr., were now masters of the Steam Man once more. ”

“ There is but one heir, and he is a nephew, Artemas Cliff, who is a stockman, somewhere in the Far West. It could not be him.”
“Could not?” Frank Reade, Jr., sat down and dropped into a brown study. After a time he aroused.
“I am interested in this case,” he declared. “And my Steam Man is at the disposal of justice at any time. But you spoke of the prairies. Is there a clew in the West?”
“The only clew possible to obtain at present,” declared Mr. Reade, Sr. “You see detectives tracked two suspicious men to Kansas. There they lost track of them. Everybody believes that they were the assassins.” ”

“ Frank Reade, Sr., did not display surprise at this statement of his son.
“Now you have the whole thing in a nutshell, my boy,” he said. “Of course, you can do as you please, but if you wish to take any kind of a journey with your new invention, here is a chance, and a noble object in view. That object should be to track down the murderers, and clear Jim Travers. It may be that the nephew, Artemas Cliff, is the really guilty one, but in any case, I believe that it is in the West you will find the solution of the mystery.” ”

“ As a favor I beg of you to write me at once to Campeachy. And now, my dear Frank, hoping to hear from you soon and favorably, I am as ever your friend.
Tony Buckden.”
Frank Reade, Jr., drew a deep breath as he finished reading this stirring epistle.
His eyes shone like stars and his whole being was stirred up.
It was certainly just the kind of a trip he would fancy. His adventurous spirit was fired and he muttered:
‪“That is a new field to explore. Ah! I would like to try it. But let me see! This letter has been coming by lazy stages and has been three weeks on the way. ”

“ The ranch was a heap of ashes.
For these crimes Artemas Cliff was responsible. But Bessie Rodman was yet in his power. Travers was near the gallows.
These two people must be saved.
Frank Reade, Jr., saw the mission, as did Harmon.
Instinctively they clasped hands.
“I reckon we both know what to do,” declared the Vigilant captain tersely. “P’r’aps we kin work together. I’ll help you all I kin.”
“And I will help you,” replied Frank. “We will bring Cliff to justice if the Steam Man can help us to do it.” ”

“ And through it all Frank Reade lay under the wagon senseless, his head just a few inches back of the hind hoofs of the Steam Horse.
Some of the men who had shot at him, supposing him to be dead, wished to secure the wonderful suit in which he was habited.
Three of them had shot at him, three white men, and one of them now called to the others:
“Go for the boy. If he’s dead we want his suit, and if he’s only wounded, we want his body. We can wipe this crowd out easy enough.” ”

“ In his hand he carried a huge club, and he was regarding the Explorer with much of surprise.
Our voyagers gazed upon him with deepest wonderment.
“Heavens!” gasped Frank Reade, Jr., “what a powerful fellow that is!”
“He is a shade heavier than an Esquimau,” said Roger.
“I should say so!”
“Bejabers, did yez iver see the loikes?” cried Barney, excitedly. “Shure, if he iver got a hold upon us he’d crush the loife out of us.”
“Golly, I done fink we bettah stay on board de boat!” cried Pomp.
“I think we will stay on board until in a safe position,” said Frank. ”

“ Like a flash the snake’s coils went twining about the wagon. They began to draw powerfully, and the metal work began to groan and crack.
‪“Quick, boys!” shouted Frank Reade, Jr., ‪“Cut the folds in two wherever you can.”
But Barney and Pomp needed no bidding. They already had their knives unsheathed, and where the snake’s body was exposed at the loopholes began to slash and cut.
Frank with his rifle tried to get a shot at the reptile’s head. ”

“ Frank Reade, Jr., and Barney and Pomp went back to Readestown. Frank at once began work upon a new invention.
Captain Bell recovered his gold by diving for it, but the Dart was never raised, and to-day sleeps at the bottom of the English Channel.
And this, dear reader, brings to a propitious end our story of submarine adventure.
THE END.
Read “FRANK READE, JR.’S DESERT EXPLORER; OR, THE UNDERGROUND CITY OF THE SAHARA,” which will be the next number (36) of “The Frank Reade Weekly Magazine.”
SPECIAL NOTICE: All back numbers of this weekly are always in print. ”

“ A DARING ESCAPE. A cry of despair welled up from Harding’s agonized bosom. He realized only too well the truth of Frank’s words.
Death most awful confronted them.
There seemed no power at hand to save them. That the brigand chief would execute his threat there was no doubt.
Harding was not a coward, but he was the more disposed to yield to fate than Frank Reade, Jr.
The young inventor was constantly on the lookout for some way out of the dilemma. He quickly hit an idea. ”

“ Five human lives hung in the balance.
The result was instantaneous.
All that the voyagers could ever remember of the affair afterward was that there was a terrific shock, a confused jumbling of ideas and incidents, and then——
Frank Reade, Jr., opened his eyes and looked about him.
Wonder of wonders!
It was broad daylight.
They were on the surface of the sea. All about them was one heaving expanse of blue.
“Great whales!” cried Captain Hartley. “What sort of a transformation do you call this, mates?”
23“We are saved!” cried Clifford.
“Begorra, it’s on the surface we are,” averred Barney. ”

“ Then he went into the pilot-house. Frank and Barney were puffing like beavers, amid a heap of debris.
“How is it?” asked Wade.
“You are a brick!” cried Frank. “There is only one more nut to adjust. What did you do?”
Wade told his story.
31Frank was delighted.
“We will send him an answer,” he said. “I will write it.”
He sprung into his private cabin and wrote a hasty note as follows:
“Dear Captain Poole: My friend Wade has brought me your terms. They are hardly liberal enough. However, if I decide to accept them, will let you know at an early day. Very respectfully,
Frank Reade, Jr.” ”

“ The happy life companion of Artemus Cliff. When I get my hands onto Uncle Jim Travers’ millions, we’ll travel the world over, my daisy.”
Bessie did not appear to heed his words, though her face increased a trifle in its pallor.
“Monster!” cried Frank Reade, Jr., with intensity. “You will never succeed. Heaven will not permit it.”
“Heaven don’t have much to do with me,” cried the villain, with a lurid oath. “The devil has been a good friend of mine, and I ain’t afraid of his place either.”
“Begorra, they wudn’t have ye even there,” cried Barney. “Yez are too wicked for avin that place.” ”

“ I can travel around in great style. Oh, Mr. Frank Reade, Jr., I’ll dance on your grave yet.”
“Monster!” cried Frank, writhing in his bonds. “You’ll never succeed. A righteous God will never permit it.”
The villain gave his men carte blanche to make camp and indulge in a carousal.
They did so until daybreak, and then Cliff stated that it was his purpose to go back to Ranch V.
It did not lake him long to understand the mechanism of the Steam Man.
He quickly found out how to use the throttle reins. He was aided by the fact that he had once been a locomotive engineer. ”

“ Over yez go!”
But as Pomp went down he brought Barney also, and thus the unequal struggle went on.
It was terminated finally by the appearance of Frank Reade, Jr., on the scene.
Finally the last bolt was driven, the last rivet cut, and the Dolphin floated in the waters of the big tank, completed.
Then Frank sent a telegram to New York, worded thus:
Dear Stanhope,—The Dolphin is finished. If you wish to participate in the trial trip, report at once. Shall expect you by Thursday sure. Please reply. Yours ever,
Frank Reade, Jr. ”

“ They stepped into the light craft and rowed away over the dancing waves.
A moment later they were ascending the gangway of the Southampton.
The captain met them at the head of the stairs. He was a genial-featured son of Britain.
“I greet you, gentlemen,” he said. “I am Theodore Briggs, captain of this ship.”
“I am Frank Reade, Jr., captain of the Dolphin,” replied Frank. “This is my friend, Mr. Stanhope.”
This formality over, the captain of the Southampton led the way to his cabin.
“You will share my hospitality,” he said. “A glass of old Madeira.” ”

“ I wish I had!” agreed Captain Uriah. “Poverty at home is better than riches here.”
“But we are here,” said Frank Reade, Jr., pluckily, “And we must make the best of it.”
“Oh, certainly,” agreed Stanhope, readily. “I am not squealing, Frank. I took my chances and now I’ll stand by ’em.”
At this moment the report of a gun was heard at the edge of a small lake near.
Barney had fired into a flock of ducks and had killed three. Presently he came up with his prize.
“Begorra, it’s a foine shot I med!” he cried. “I thried for one, and, be me sowl! hit tree av thim. ”

“ Biff! Bang! Thump! went his fists like pile drivers, and every time they struck a man went down.
“When people of your stamp fool around Frank Reade, Jr., you generally get left!” muttered the gallant stranger.
The sailors swore as they got up, and the captain drew a pistol.
“Cuss yer!” he growled, as he leveled the weapon at Frank’s head. “I’ll blow yer brains out fer them welts!” ”

“ The savage is never the one to stand in open field and fight. At once a panic seized them.
It was the moment for the charge, and Harmon’s men rushed forward.
Up over the rocks they went. In a twinkling the savages were driven from their entrenchments and utterly routed, and completely dispersed.
Frank Reade, Jr., and Barney saw their opportunity, and rushed upon two of the savages who had Bessie Rodman in charge. ”

“ Suddenly from the distance beyond the temple doors there came a thrilling and yet familiar sound.
It was a prolonged shriek, a distant note from the ear-splitting whistle of the Steam Man.
CHAPTER XII.
WHICH IS THE END.
Frank Reade, Jr., gave a great cry of surprise and joy.
‪“They have found the Man,” he cried. ‪“We are in luck.”
‪“No,” said Tony, putting a hand on Frank’s arm. ‪“You are wrong. That is not so. Listen!”
The shrill whistle of the Steam Man was still going.
‪“I have it,” said Buckden, positively. ”

“ The Steam Horse was the pattern of an ordinary equine done in steel. The body was made of steel plates, ingeniously fastened with various joints and bosses.
It is easy enough to make the likeness of a horse thus, but to make it mechanical, to gallop and display other evidences of life, is by no means so easy.
Frank Reade, Jr., realized this, but he was not one to be baffled in a given undertaking.
He was some while in studying out the problem.
But it came at last.
Of course, to go with the Horse there must be a wagon.
But first Frank designed the mechanism of the Horse. ”

“ Then upon an eminence beyond he saw the form of a man making excited gestures.
There was no mistake.
Even at that distance Barney recognized his employer, Frank Reade, Jr.
“Be me sowl! av it ain’t Misther Frank!” he cried. “Shure an’ he’s telegraphin’ to us.”
“Massy sakes alibe! dat am a fac’,” cried Pomp. “We’s done gwine to his help, sah, fo’ suah!”
“Yez kin bet on that!” cried Barney, rushing to the anchor rope.
In a few moments the anchor was lifted. The Kite went sailing above the brigands, and Pomp dropped an electric bomb in their midst. ”

“ Many of the Vigilants were wounded, and Captain Harmon was angry.
“Confound an Injun!” he muttered, in disgust. “They have sich a sneakin’ way of fighting. They allus attack one after dark, an’ hain’t got the pluck to come out in the open an’ fight.”
Everybody was bound to acknowledge the logic of this.
But the savages kept up the same mode of attack until Frank Reade, Jr., made a diversion.
Barney had succeeded in getting up steam once more in the Steam Man, and now Frank Reade, Jr., approached Harmon.
“Give me five men,” he declared, “and I will whip the foe for you.” ”