Read Condemned as a Nihilist: A Story of Escape from Siberia Page 22


  CHAPTER XVIII.

  HOME AGAIN.

  Godfrey felt in wild spirits as they hoisted their sail, for the end ofthe journey was close at hand, and, unless some altogether unforeseenmisfortune were to befall them, they would have accomplished anundertaking that had been deemed almost impossible. They kept well outfrom land, increasing the distance as they sailed west until they weresome ten miles out, for the map showed that some five-and-twenty milesfrom the point where they had camped a rocky peninsula jutted out. Inthree hours they could make out its outline, for the land was bold andhigh, and it took them another four hours before they were abreast ofits eastern point, Cape Navalok. Then they coasted along the peninsulauntil they arrived at Cape Kekour, its western point. They had now beenpaddling nearly twelve hours, for Godfrey was too impatient to becontent with the sail only. Just before they arrived at the cape, Luka,seeing a good place for landing, suggested a halt.

  "No, no," Godfrey said, "we will not risk another landing. We have beenmarvellously fortunate up to now, and it would be folly to run even theslightest risk when we are so near the end of our journey. We will keepon. There are only thirty or forty more miles to go, and then we shallenter the Voranger Fiord. Then we shall be in Norway. Think of that,Luka! We can snap our fingers at the Russians, and tell everyone we meetthat we have escaped from their prisons."

  "Who shall we meet?" Luka asked.

  "Ah, that is more than I can tell you. The sooner we meet some one thebetter. Norway is not like this country we have been passing along; itis all covered with great mountains and forests. I don't know anythingabout the coast, but I fancy it is tremendously rocky, and we shouldhave a poor chance there if caught in another storm from the north.There are Laplanders, who are people just like the Samoyedes, and whohave got reindeer; if we find any of them, as I hope we shall, we oughtto be all right. We have got a hundred silver roubles, and if you show aman money and make signs you want to go somewhere, and don't much carewhere, he is pretty safe to take you. Now you take a sleep, Luka. I willsteer. There is no occasion to paddle, the wind is taking us alongnearly three miles an hour, and time is no particular object to us now.You get three hours, then I will take three, and then we will set towith the paddles again."

  Eight hours later they could make out high land on the starboard bow,and knew that they were approaching the entrance to the fiord. They hadnot taken to their paddles again, for the wind had freshened, and theywere going fast through the water. Luka cooked a meal, and as it wasgrowing dark the land closed in on both sides to a distance of abouteight miles.

  An hour later they saw lights on their right hand. "Hurrah!" Godfreyexclaimed, "there is a village there. We won't land to-night. We mightfind it difficult to get a place to sleep in. One night longer on boardwon't do us any harm. Thank God we are fairly out of Russia at last, andshall land as free men in the morning."

  They drew in towards the shore a mile or so above the lights, andpaddled cautiously on until close to the land. There they dropped theiranchor overboard, and, wearied out by their long row, were speedilysound asleep.

  It was broad daylight when they woke. Godfrey, when he sat up, gave aloud cheer, which set Jack off barking wildly. "Look!" Godfrey shouted,"it is a town, and there are two steamboats lying there. Thank God, ourtroubles are all over. You had better get breakfast, Luka. It is of nouse going ashore till people are awake."

  Breakfast over the anchor was at once pulled up, and in a quarter of anhour they were alongside a quay. Their appearance was so similar to thatof the Lapps that they themselves would have attracted but littlenotice, but the canoe was so different in its appearance to those usedby these people that several persons stood on the little quay watchingthem as they came alongside. Their surprise at the boat was increasedwhen Godfrey came up on to the quay. No Laplander or Finn of his heighthad ever been seen, and moreover, his face and hands were clean. Theyaddressed him in a language that he did not understand. He replied firstin English, then in Russian. Apparently they recognized the latterlanguage, and one of them motioned to Godfrey to follow him.

  "You wait here till I come back, Luka. I daresay the people are honestenough, but I don't want any of our furs or things stolen now that wehave got to the end of our journey."

  He then followed his conductor to a large house in the principal street,where he went in to a sort of office and spoke to a man sitting there.Then he went out, and in a minute returned with a gentleman.

  "Do you speak English, sir?" Godfrey said.

  "I speak it a little," the gentleman replied in surprise at hearing thelanguage from one who looked like a Laplander.

  "Do you speak Russian better?" Godfrey next asked.

  "Yes," he replied in that language. "I know Russian well. And who areyou?"

  "I am an Englishman. I was resident in St. Petersburg when I was seizedand condemned to exile in Siberia as a Nihilist, although I wasperfectly innocent of the charge. I was taken to the mines of Kara inthe east of Siberia, but made my escape, descended the Yenesei, and havecoasted from there in a canoe."

  The man looked at him incredulously.

  "I am not surprised that you doubt my story," Godfrey said. "If you willcome down with me to the wharf you will see the canoe in which I madethe journey. I built it on the Yenesei. I have with me a Tartar whoescaped with me and shared my fortunes."

  The merchant put on his hat and walked down to the wharf.

  "It is a strange craft," he said, "though I have seen some atChristiania similar in form but smaller, built of wood, that Englishmenhave brought over. And is it possible that you have sailed from themouth of the Yenesei in her?"

  "There has been no great difficulty about it," Godfrey said. "We havekept near the coast, and have generally landed when bad weather came on.I have a gun, and with that and fishing there has been no difficultyabout food. The journey has been a long one. It is seventeen monthssince I left Kara. I am provided with Russian money, sir, and shall beglad if you can tell me what is my best way of getting back to England."

  "It is fortunate indeed that you did not arrive here two days later, forthe last steamer will sail for Hamburg to-morrow. She touches at manyports on her way, but I don't know that you can do better than go toHamburg, whence there is a steamer nearly every day to England. If youhad been two days later you would have lost her, for the season is justover, and you would then have had to travel by land and river down toTornea on the Gulf of Bothnia. But come up with me to my house; I am theagent here for the steamer. What are you going to do with your canoe?"

  "I shall take her home with me just as she stands," Godfrey said.

  "And the Tartar?"

  "Yes, the Tartar and the dog."

  "Very well. Stay here for ten minutes," he said to Luka, "I will send aman down to help you up with the canoe. We may as well put it in myyard," he went on as he started back with Godfrey. "The people are ashonest as the day, but they might be pulling it about and examining it,and it is just as well to stow it away safe. Well, this is a wonderfulescape of yours! During the twenty years I have been here, it has neverhappened before."

  "I wonder it has not been done many times," Godfrey said. "Canoes gofrom Archangel to the Petchora, which is quite half-way to the mouth ofthe Obi, and there is no more difficulty between the Petchora and theYenesei than there is on this side. The first thing to do now is to getsome clothes."

  "The first thing to do, I think, is to get some breakfast," the tradersaid.

  "I have already had some breakfast on board," Godfrey said; "but Idaresay I can eat another."

  "I will warrant you can. Your breakfast was probably of the roughest."

  "It was," Godfrey admitted. "I have not eaten a piece of real bread formore than a year. We haven't had much of anything made of flour since westarted in the canoe in June; but one gets to do without bread verywell."

  "I have not asked you your name yet," the trader said.

  "It is Godfrey Bullen. My father is head of a firm in London that does
agood deal of trade with Russia. He was Living in St. Petersburg a goodmany years. That is how it is that I speak the language."

  "I was wondering how it was that you spoke it so well. Now, then, let meintroduce you to my wife and family. This is an English gentleman,wife," he said in his own language to a pleasant-looking lady. "He doesnot look like it, but when I tell you that he has made his escape fromSiberia in a canoe it will account for it."

  Godfrey found that his early meal had in no way abated his appetite. Thebreakfast was an excellent one, but he confined himself to bread andbutter, and thought he had never tasted anything so good in his life. Helearned that his host was an importer of goods of all kinds, and did theprincipal trade at Vadsoe, besides supplying all the villages on thefiord.

  "If you had been here a few days earlier," he said, "you would havefound a countryman of yours, a Mr. Clarke, who almost monopolizes thewhaling trade here. He owns three steamers, and has a great melting-downestablishment. I myself send great quantities of cod to Hamburg bysteamer. Most of the boats here work for me."

  After breakfast Godfrey gave his host a sketch of his adventures.

  "It has been a wonderful journey," his host said when he concluded. "Ihave heard of one or two cases where men have made their way toArchangel, and thence by land to our frontier, but I never heard ofanyone attempting it by sea before. It was a perilous journey indeed,and required a knowledge of canoeing, which no Russian prisoner would belikely to have. Then you were certainly fortunate in having a companionwith you who was at home with those Ostjaks. Still, as you brought himwith you for that purpose, that was forethought rather than luck."

  "Which is the first port at which the steamer will stop that I can senda telegram from?"

  The merchant laughed. "If you go down-stairs into the office, and gothrough the door to your left hand, you will find yourself in atelegraph office."

  "Really?"

  "Yes, really. We have had the telegraph here for some little time."

  Godfrey rushed down-stairs, and sent off a telegram as follows:--

  "_Have just arrived here. Made my escape from prison at Kara, inSiberia. Seventeen months on the way. Am in first-rate health. Startto-morrow by steamer to Hamburg. Hope all are well. Have plenty ofmoney._"

  He directed it to his father's office, so that the news might be brokengradually to his mother. In the afternoon the answer came:--

  "_Thank God for His mercies. All well. I shall cross to Hamburg to meetyou._"

  While Godfrey was being made much of by the merchant and his family,and, indeed, by many of their acquaintances, who, upon hearing the news,came in to see him and inquire into the wonderful voyage, Luka was noless a centre of attraction to the fishermen, and was so generouslytreated that long before it became dark he was obliged to be assisted,in a state of inebriation, to a pallet that had been prepared for him.Godfrey was annoyed when he heard it; "but," as his host said, "afterbeing eighteen months, and, for aught I know, eighteen months beforethat, without touching liquor, very little would be likely to produce aneffect upon him. I daresay it is his talking as much as the spirit thathas turned his head; besides, you know, the lower class of Russians andTartars are all fond of spirits."

  "I shall not be angry with him in the morning," Godfrey said, "because Ido think that it is pardonable; but I shall talk seriously to him aboutit, and tell him that if he is coming home to England with me he mustgive up spirits. He has done without them so long that it can't be anyhardship."

  "What are you going to do with him?"

  "I have not the most remote idea," Godfrey laughed. "If he likes toreturn to his people I daresay my father would be able, through theRussian embassy, to get a pardon for him and permission to go back; butI don't think he has any notion of that. He lost his parents when he wasa child, and I never heard him express the slightest desire to go backagain. He has attached himself to me heart and soul, and I think looksupon it as a settled thing that he will be always with me. I don't knowin what capacity, still, I suppose, something will be found for him."

  The steamer was to start at nine o'clock on the following morning, andby that hour Godfrey, Luka, and Jack were on board and the canoecarefully stowed on deck. Both had obtained a complete fit-out from themerchant's stores, and although Godfrey's garments would scarcely havepassed muster in London, they did very well for the voyage. Luka wasgreatly amused at his own appearance in European garb, though Godfreythought he looked much better in his Ostjak costume.

  "We will rig him out fresh when I get him home," he said to themerchant. "I don't know what he looks like now in that greatcoat andbillycock hat."

  The merchant stayed on board until the last moment. As soon as he gotinto his boat the paddles began to revolve and the steamer started onher way. She was ten days on her voyage, ascending many of the fiords,landing or taking on board cargo or passengers.

  Godfrey enjoyed the voyage greatly. The scenery was magnificent, andeagerly as he desired to be at home, he was almost sorry when the endapproached. It had been so strange to have nothing to do but to sit andwatch the shore, to eat and to sleep. Luka had been very penitent overhis little excess at Vadsoe, and had solemnly promised Godfrey to abstainfrom spirits in future; and he, too, enjoyed the voyage in his way,eating enormously, and drinking vast quantities of tea and coffee.Godfrey had sent off one or two telegrams from the ports at which hetouched, so that his father might be able to judge when the ship waslikely to arrive; and when one morning early the vessel steamed up tothe wharf at Hamburg Godfrey saw him waiting there. It was a joyfulmeeting indeed, and it was not until they were alone together at anhotel, Luka being left down-stairs in charge of the canoe, that theywere enabled to begin to talk.

  "Did you know what had become of me, father?"

  "Yes, my boy. Petrovytch telegraphed to me that you had been missingthree days, and I at once went over to St. Petersburg. He thought thatyou had fallen into bad hands, and had been murdered and thrown into theNeva; but remembering that you had got into that silly scrape beforewith the police, I thought it possible that, coming, as your absencedid, directly after the affair at the Winter Palace, suspicion hadfallen on you again. I went to the head of the police; he declined togive me any information. Then I set the embassy at work, and they foundout that you had been arrested with some desperate Nihilists. At lastthey obtained a sight of the records of the court-martial before whichyou had been tried, and told me that the case was so strong against youthat nothing could be done; indeed, had it not been for your youth, andthe fact that you were a British subject, you would certainly have beenexecuted. I tried everything, but I found it absolutely useless. Theembassy recommended me to let the matter drop for the present, and intime, perhaps, when the Nihilist scare passed off, it might be possibleto interest some minister or other in your favour and obtain a reversionof your sentence. Then a few months later came the assassination of theCzar, and, of course, that rendered it more hopeless than ever, and allwe could hope for was, that in the course of years we might again movein the matter. Of course it has been a terrible business for us all. Butwe won't talk about that now. Thank God it is over, and that you havereturned to us. But what madness, Godfrey, to mix yourself up with thesepeople!"

  "Indeed, father, I was perfectly innocent, though I cannot blame thecourt-martial for finding me guilty." And he then gave his father thedetails of his connection with the two Nihilists Akim Soushiloff andPetroff Stepanoff, and of the circumstances of his arrest in their room.

  "I am very glad to hear that, Godfrey. Not that it makes any actualmatter now, but because, after the warning I had given you to avoid thesociety of any people holding extreme opinions, it seemed to me you musthave showed an incredible amount of wilfulness and folly in gettingyourself mixed up with these desperate conspirators. I am heartily gladto find that I was mistaken, and that, except as regards that foolishbusiness at the theatre, you have really not been to blame in thematter, and have been altogether a victim of circumstances. Now, tell mehow
you got away. And first, who is that queer-looking little fellowwith your canoe?"

  "He is my comrade and friend, father. He escaped from prison with me,and is devoted to me; but for him I should have had no chance whateverof making my way through all the difficulties of the journey." And hethen gave his father an outline of their adventures from the time oftheir leaving Kara.

  When he had finished, Mr. Bullen went down-stairs and saw Luka, andshook hands with him heartily, telling him in Russian that he had heardfrom Godfrey how much he owed to him, and assuring him that he need haveno fear for the future.

  Two days later the party arrived at home. There is no occasion to sayanything as to the joy of that meeting. The three years of hardship androughing it had converted the careless school-boy into a powerful youngfellow. His spirits were as high and he was as full of fun as of old;but the experience he had gone through had strengthened his character,had given him self-reliance and confidence, and had, as his father andmother soon saw, had a very beneficial effect in forming his character.

  Two or three days after his arrival Godfrey wrote to Mikail. It was avery guarded letter, because he knew that it would be opened by theprison authorities, but it thanked him for the kindness he had shown tohim while in prison, and expressed a hope that, now that he would haveobtained partial freedom, and would be united to his wife, he wouldsucceed and prosper. He inclosed a five-hundred-rouble note from hisfather as a present in return for the kindness he had shown him, and healso inclosed a directed envelope, so that he could acknowledge thereceipt of the letter.

  An answer written by the priest of the village--for Mikail was unable towrite--came at the end of five months. It was expressed in the mostgrateful terms. He had been released four months after Godfrey left, andthe governor had, as a reward for his good conduct, allowed him to workfor a farmer instead of in the mines. He said that he was perfectlyhappy, and that, as he should now be able to purchase a small farm forhimself, he should be sure to do well. "I have a boy," he said, "who wasborn three months ago; we have christened him Godfrey, in memory of thenight when you saved my life at the risk of your own."

  Luka was for some time a difficulty. He absolutely refused to return toRussia, and was for a time established as doorkeeper at the office, butin the spring after Godfrey's return the latter took him down with himto a house Mr. Bullen had just purchased near Richmond. Luka was sodelighted with the country that he was established there, and became asort of general factotum, assisting in the garden, stables, or house,wherever he could make himself useful, and being in special charge of asailing boat that Godfrey keeps on the river. He had picked up a gooddeal of English from Godfrey on their travels, and soon came to speak itfairly, and being regarded as a friend by all the family, he is in everyway perfectly contented with his lot. Four years after Godfrey's return,a clerk one day came into the office with the news that a gentlemanwished to speak to him, and Godfrey was astounded at the entry ofAlexis.

  "I have come," the Russian said. "You told me to come, and I have doneso."

  "I am delighted to see you, Alexis. I had thought of you as married andsettled among the Buriats."

  "I did marry," Alexis said; "but three years afterwards I lost my wife.What was I to do? I could not remain all my life a wandering shepherd,afraid ever to enter a town or to speak with a civilized being; so Isold my flocks and herds. You know my wife owned a third of those of theBuriat. He was a rich man and bought most of them, and for the rest Ifound other purchasers. Then he negotiated for me with one of the teamerchants, and I managed to go as a driver with one of his caravans toPekin."

  "And what do you mean to do, Alexis? I can still keep my promise, andmake a berth for you here in the office."

  "I thank you, my friend," Alexis said; "but I shall return to myprofession. I am a doctor, you know, and have my Russian diplomas. Ishall learn your language, and study in your hospitals for a time; thenI shall set up here. I believe you have many Russians in your poorerdistricts; and as, besides, I speak German, I should be able to obtain asufficient practice. Moreover, I have brought with me orders on a bankhere for five thousand pounds, which I paid into their branch atHong-Kong. I will get you to invest that for me, and you will see thatit will give me an income sufficient for all my wants."

  Alexis carried out his plans, and has now a large although not veryremunerative practice among the Russian and German colony in the EastEnd of London. He married the daughter of a clergyman there, and remainsfast friends with Godfrey, who has now set up an establishment of hisown, of which Luka is major-domo, and special guardian and playmate toGodfrey's little boys.

  Godfrey has not returned to Russia, but is his father's right hand inthe London business; at the same time he is free to visit St. Petersburgdid he wish to do so, as Mr. Bullen drew up a full statement of hiscase, and this having been forwarded by the Russian ambassador, with astrong recommendation on his part, a reversal of the sentence of thecourt-martial was obtained, and a full pardon granted to him. It is notprobable, however, that he will again set foot on Russian soil, hisexperiences as a prisoner in Siberia having been, as he says, ample fora lifetime.

  THE END.

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  G. A. HENTY

  -- Maori and Settler: A Story of the New Zealand War with 8 pageIllustrations by ALFRED PEARSE. 5s.

  The Renshaws lose their property and emigrate to New Zealand. Wilfrid, a strong, self-reliant lad, is the mainstay of the household. The odds seem hopelessly against the party, but they succeed in establishing themselves happily in one of the pleasantest of the New Zealand valleys.

  "A book which all young people, but especially boys, will read with avidity."--_Athenaeum._

  -- Beric the Briton: A Story of the Roman Invasion of Britain. With 12page Illustrations by W. PARKINSON. 6s.

  Beric is a boy-chief of a British tribe which takes a prominent part in the insurrection under Boadicea: and after the defeat of that heroic queen he continues the struggle in the fen-country. Ultimately Beric is defeated and carried captive to Rome, where he succeeds in saving a Christian maid by slaying a lion in the arena, and is rewarded by being made the personal protector of Nero. Finally, he escapes and returns to Britain, where he becomes a wise ruler of his own people.

  "He is a hero of the most attractive kind.... One of the most spirited and well-imagined stories Mr. Henty has written."--_Saturday Review._

  "His conflict with a lion in the arena is a thrilling chapter."--_School Board Chronicle._

  "Fu
ll of every form of heroism and pluck."--_Christian World._

  -- The Dash for Khartoum: A Tale of the Nile Expedition. With 10 pageIllustrations by JOHN SCHOeNBERG and J. NASH. 6s.

  In the record of recent British history there is no more captivating page for boys than the story of the Nile campaign, and the attempt to rescue General Gordon. For, in the difficulties which the expedition encountered, and in the perils which it overpassed, are found all the excitement of romance, as well as the fascination which belongs to real events.

  "_The Dash for Khartoum_ is your ideal boys' book."--_Tablet._

  "It is literally true that the narrative never flags a moment."--_Academy._

  "_The Dash for Khartoum_ will be appreciated even by those who don't ordinarily care a dash for anything."--_Punch._

  -- With Wolfe in Canada: or, The Winning of a Continent. With 12 pageIllustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 6s.

  Mr. Henty tells the story of the struggle between Britain and France for supremacy on the North American continent. The fall of Quebec decided that the Anglo-Saxon race should predominate in the New World; that Britain, and not France, should take the lead among the nations.

  "A moving tale of military exploit and thrilling adventure."--_Daily News._

  * * * * *

  G. A. HENTY

  -- Held Fast for England: A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar. With 8 pageIllustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 5s.

  The story deals with one of the most memorable sieges in history. The hero, a young Englishman resident in Gibraltar, takes a brave and worthy part in the long defence, and we learn with what bravery, resourcefulness, and tenacity the Rock was held for England.

  "There is no cessation of exciting incident throughout the story."--_Athenaeum._

  -- In the Irish Brigade: A Tale of War in Flanders and Spain. With 12page Illustrations by CHARLES M. SHELDON. 6s.

  The hero is a young officer in the Irish Brigade, which for many years after the siege of Limerick formed the backbone of the French army. He goes through many stirring adventures, successfully carries out dangerous missions in Spain, saves a large portion of the French army at Oudenarde, and even has the audacity to kidnap the Prime Minister of England.

  "A stirring book of military adventure."--_Scotsman._

  -- At Agincourt: A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. With 12 pageIllustrations by WAL PAGET. 6s.

  Sir Eustace de Villeroy, in journeying from Hampshire to his castle in France, made young Guy Aylmer one of his escort. Soon thereafter the castle was attacked, and the English youth displayed such valour that his liege-lord made him commander of a special mission to Paris. This he accomplished, returning in time to take part in the campaign against the French which ended in the glorious victory for England at Agincourt.

  "Cannot fail to commend itself to boys of all ages."--_Manchester Courier._

  -- A Final Reckoning: A Tale of Bush Life in Australia. With 8 pageIllustrations by W. B. WOLLEN. 5s.

  The hero, a young Englishman, emigrates to Australia, where he gets employment as an officer in the mounted police. A few years of active work gain him promotion to a captaincy. In that post he greatly distinguishes himself, and finally leaves the service and settles down as a squatter.

  "A stirring story capitally told."--_Guardian_.

  * * * * *

  "Young readers have no better friends than Blackie & Son."--_WestminsterGazette._

  Blackie & Son's

  Story Books for Boys

  G. MANVILLE FENN

  Dick o' the Fens: A Romance of the Great East Swamp. With 12 pageIllustrations by FRANK DADD. 6s.

  Dick o' the Fens and Tom o'Grimsey are the sons of a squire and a farmer living in Lincolnshire. Many sketches of their shooting and fishing experiences are related, while the record of the fenmen's stealthy resistance to the great draining scheme is full of keen interest. The ambushes and shots in the mist and dark, and the long-baffled attempts to trace the lurking foe, are described with Mr. Fenn's wonted skill.

  "Mr. Fenn has here very nearly attained perfection. Life in the Fens in the old ante-drainage days is admirably reproduced. We have not of late come across a historical fiction, whether intended for boys or for men, which deserves to be so heartily praised as regards plot, incidents, and spirit. It is its author's masterpiece as yet."--_Spectator._

  -- Nat the Naturalist: A Boy's Adventures in the Eastern Seas. With 8page Pictures by GORDON BROWNE. 5s.

  The boy Nat and his uncle go on a voyage to the islands of the Eastern seas to seek specimens in natural history, and their adventures there are full of interest and excitement. The descriptions of Mr. Ebony, their black comrade, and of the scenes of savage life sparkle with genuine humour.

  "This book encourages independence of character, develops resource, and teaches a boy to keep his eyes open."--_Saturday Review._

  -- The Golden Magnet: A Tale of the Land of the Incas. With 12 pageIllustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 3s.

  The tale is of a romantic youth, who leaves home to seek his fortune in South America. He is accompanied by a faithful companion, who, in the capacity both of comrade and henchman, does true service, and shows the dogged courage of an English lad during their strange adventures.

  "There could be no more welcome present for a boy. There is not a dull page, and many will be read with breathless interest."--_Journal of Education._

  * * * * *

  _From THE DIAMOND SEEKERS_ BY ERNEST GLANVILLE (See page 11)]

  Dr. GORDON STABLES, R.N.

  In the Great White Land: A Tale of the Antarctic Ocean. With 6Illustrations by J. A. WALTON. 3s. 6d.

  This is a most fascinating story from beginning to end. It is a true picture of what daring healthful British men and boys can do, written by an author whose name is a household word wherever the English language is spoken. All is described with a master's hand, and the plot is just such as boys love.

  "The narrative goes with a swing and a dash from start to finish."--_Public Opinion._

  ERNEST GLANVILLE

  The Diamond Seekers: A Story of Adventure in South Africa. With 8Illustrations by WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I. 6s.

  The discovery of the plan of the diamond mine, the dangers incurred in reaching the wild, remote spot in an armoured wagon, and the many incidents of farm and veldt life, are vividly described by an author who knows the country well.

  "We have seldom seen a better story for boys."--_Guardian._

  Capt. F. S. BRERETON, R.A.M.C.

  One of the Fighting Scouts: A Tale of Guerrilla Warfare in South Africa.With 8 Illustrations by STANLEY L. WOOD, and a Map. 5s.

  This story deals with the guerrilla aspect of the Boer War, and shows how George Ransome is compelled to leave his father's farm and take service with the British. He is given the command of a band of scouts as a reward for gallantry, and with these he punishes certain rebels for a piece of rascality, and successfully attacks Botha's commando. Thanks to his knowledge of the veldt he is of signal service to his country, and even outwits the redoubtable De Wet.

  "Altogether an unusually good story."--_Yorkshire Post._

  -- Under the Spangled Banner: A Tale of the Spanish-American War. With 8Illustrations by PAUL HARDY. 5s.

  Hal Marchant is in Cuba before the commencement of hostilities. A Spaniard who has been frustrated in an attempt to rob Hal's employer attacks the hacienda and is defeated, but turns the tables by denouncing Hal as a spy. The hero makes good his escape from Santiago, and afterwards fights for America both on land and at sea. The story gives a vivid and at the same time accurate account of this memorable struggle.

  "Just the kind of book that a boy would delight in."--_Schoolmaster._

  FREDERICK HARRISON

  The Boys of Wynport College. With 6 Illustrations by HAROLD COPPING.3s. _Ne
w Edition._

  The hero and his chums differ as widely in character as in personal appearance. We have Patrick O'Fflahertie, the good-natured Irish boy; Jack Brookes, the irrepressible humorist; Davie Jackson, the true-hearted little lad, on whose haps and mishaps the plot to a great extent turns; and the hero himself, who finds in his experiences at Wynport College a wholesome corrective of a somewhat lax home training.

  "A book which no well-regulated school-boy should be without."--_Whitehall Review._

  LEON GOLSCHMANN

  Boy Crusoes: A Story of the Siberian Forest. Adapted from theRussian by LEON GOLSCHMANN.

  With 6 page Illustrations by J. FINNEMORE, R.I. 3s. 6d.

  Two Russian lads are so deeply impressed by reading _Robinson Crusoe_ that they run away from home. They lose their way in a huge trackless forest, and for two years are kept busy hunting for food, fighting against wolves and other enemies, and labouring to increase their comforts, before they are rescued.

  "This is a story after a boy's own heart."--_Nottingham Guardian._

  MEREDITH FLETCHER

  Every Inch a Briton: A School Story. With 6 page Illustrations by SYDNEYCOWELL. 3s. 6d.

  This story is written from the point of view of an ordinary boy, who gives an animated account of a young public-schoolboy's life. No moral is drawn; yet the story indicates a kind of training that goes to promote veracity, endurance, and enterprise; and of each of several of the characters it might be truly said, he is worthy to be called, "Every Inch a Briton".

  "In _Every Inch a Briton_ Mr. Meredith Fletcher has scored a success."--_Manchester Guardian._

  EDGAR PICKERING

  In Press-Gang Days. With 4 illustrations by W. S. STACEY. 2s. 6d._New Edition._

  In this story Harry Waring is caught by the Press-gang and carried on board His Majesty's ship _Sandwich_. He takes part in the mutiny of the Nore, and shares in some hard fighting on board the _Phoenix_. He is with Nelson, also, at the storming of Santa Cruz, and the battle of the Nile.

  "It is of Marryat, that friend of our boyhood, we think as we read this delightful story; for it is not only a story of adventure, with incidents well-conceived and arranged, but the characters are interesting and well-distinguished."--_Academy._

  FRED SMITH

  The Boyhood of a Naturalist. With 6 page Illustrations. 3s. 6d. _NewEdition._

  Few lovers of Nature have given to the world a series of recollections so entertaining, so vigorous, and so instinct with life as these delightful reminiscences. The author takes the reader with him in the rambles in which he spent the happiest hours of his boyhood, a humble observer of the myriad forms of life in field and copse, by stream and hedgerow.

  "We cannot too highly recommend the book to all readers."--_Guardian._

  The World of Animal Life. Edited by FRED SMITH. Profusely Illustratedwith Engravings after F. SPECHT and other eminent artists. 5s.

  The aim of _The World of Animal Life_ is to give in non-scientific language an account of those inhabitants of the land, sea, and sky with whose names we are all familiar, but concerning whose manner of life the majority of us have only the haziest conceptions.

  "An admirable volume for the young mind enquiring after Nature."--_Birmingham Gazette._

  EDGAR PICKERING

  An Old-Time Yarn: Adventures in the West Indies and Mexico with Hawkinsand Drake. With 6 page Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE. 3s. 6d.

  The hero sails from Plymouth in the flagship of Master John Hawkins. Divers are the perils through which he passes. Chief of these are the destruction of the English ships by the treacherous Spaniards, the fight round the burning vessels, the journey of the prisoners to the city of Mexico, the horrors of the Inquisition, and the final escape to England.

  "An excellent story of adventure.... The book is thoroughly to be recommended."--_Guardian._

  CLIVE PHILLIPPS-WOLLEY

  Gold, Gold in Cariboo: A Story of Adventure in British Columbia. With 4Illustrations by G. C. HINDLEY. 2s. 6d. _New Edition._

  Ned Corbett, a young Englishman, and his companion set out with a pack-train in order to obtain gold on the upper reaches of the Fraser River. After innumerable adventures, and a life-and-death struggle with the Arctic weather of that wild region, they find the secret gold-mines for which they have toilsomely searched.

  "It would be difficult to say too much in favour of _Gold, Gold in Cariboo_. We have seldom read a more exciting tale of wild mining adventure in a singularly inaccessible country. There is a capital plot, and the interest is sustained to the last page."--_The Times._

  ROBERT LEIGHTON

  The Golden Galleon. With 6 Illustrations by W. RAINEY, R.I. 3s._New Edition._

  Gilbert Oglander, and his friend, Timothy Trollope, join in Lord Thomas Howard's expedition to intercept the Spanish treasure-fleet from the West Indies, and are on board _The Revenge_ in the memorable fight between that one little man-of-war and fifty-three great galleons of Spain. After the battle come storm and shipwreck, and the lads, having drifted for days, find refuge on board a derelict galleon, whence they are rescued and brought home to England.

  "A well-constructed and lively historical romance."--_Spectator._

  S. BARING-GOULD

  Grettir the Outlaw: A Story of Iceland in the days of the Vikings. With6 page Illustrations by M. ZENO DIEMER. 3s.

  A narrative of adventure of the most romantic kind. No boy will be able to withstand the magic of such scenes as the fight of Grettir with the twelve bearserks, the wrestle with Karr the Old in the chamber of the dead, the combat with the spirit of Glam the thrall, and the defence of the dying Grettir by his younger brother.

  "Has a freshness, a freedom, a sense of sun and wind and the open air, which make it irresistible."--_National Observer._

  C. J. CUTCLIFFE HYNE

  The Captured Cruiser: or, Two Years from Land. With 6 page Illustrationsby F. BRANGWYN. 3s. 6d.

  The central incidents deal with the capture, during the war between Chili and Peru, of an armed cruiser. The heroes and their companions break from prison in Valparaiso, board this warship in the night, overpower the watch, escape to sea under the fire of the forts, and finally, after marvellous adventures, lose the cruiser among the icebergs near Cape Horn.

  "The two lads and the two skippers are admirably drawn. Mr. Hyne has now secured a position in the first rank of writers of fiction for boys."--_Spectator._

  -- Stimson's Reef: With 4 page Illustrations by W. S. STACEY. 2s. 6d.

  This is the extended log of a cutter which sailed from the Clyde to the Amazon in search of a gold reef. It relates how they discovered the buccaneer's treasure in the Spanish Main, fought the Indians, turned aside the river Jamary by blasting, and so laid bare the gold of _Stimson's Reef_.

  "Few stories come within hailing distance of Stimson's Reef in startling incidents and hairbreadth 'scapes. It may almost vie with Mr. R. L. Stevenson's _Treasure Island_."--_Guardian._

  * * * * *

  _From ONE OF THE FIGHTING SCOUTS_ BY CAPT. F. S. BRERETON (See page 11)]

  * * * * *

  R. STEAD

  Grit will Tell: The Adventures of a Barge-boy. With 4 Illustrations byD. CARLETON SMYTH. Cloth, 2s. 6d.

  A lad whose name has been lost amidst early buffetings by hard fortune suffers many hardships at the hands of a bargeman, his master, and runs away. The various adventures and experiences with which he meets on the road to success, the bear-hunt in which he takes part, and the battle at which he acts as war correspondent, form a story of absorbing interest and after a boy's own heart.

  "A thoroughly wholesome and attractive book."--_Graphic._

  HARRY COLLINGWOOD

  The Pirate Island. With 6 page Illustrations by C. J. STANILAND and J.R. WELLS. 3s. _New Edition._

  By a deed of true gallantry t
he hero's whole destiny is changed, and, going to sea, he forms one of a party who, after being burned out of their ship in the South Pacific, are picked up by a pirate brig and taken to the "Pirate Island". After many thrilling adventures, they ultimately succeed in effecting their escape.

  "A capital story of the sea; indeed in our opinion the author is superior in some respects as a marine novelist to the better-known Mr. Clark Russell."--_Times._

  FLORENCE COOMBE

  Boys of the Priory School. With 4 page Illustrations by HAROLD COPPING.2s. 6d.

  The interest centres in the relations of Raymond and Hal Wentworth, and the process by which Raymond, the hero of the school, learns that in the person of his ridiculed cousin there beats a heart more heroic than his own.

  "It is an excellent work of its class, cleverly illustrated with 'real boys' by Mr. Harold Copping."--_Literature._

  JOHN C. HUTCHESON

  Afloat at Last: A Sailor Boy's Log. With 6 page Illustrations by W. H.OVEREND. 3s. 6d.

  From the stowing of the vessel in the Thames to her recovery from the Pratas Reef on which she is stranded, everything is described with the accuracy of perfect practical knowledge of ships and sailors; and the incidents of the story range from the broad humours of the fo'c's'le to the perils of flight from, and fight with, the pirates of the China Seas.

  "As healthy and breezy a book as one could wish."--_Academy._

  * * * * *

  Blackie & Son's

  Story Books for Girls

  ETHEL F. HEDDLE

  A Mystery of St. Rule's. With 8 Illustrations by G. DEMAIN HAMMOND, R.I.6s. _Illustrated Edition._

  "The author has been amazingly successful in keeping her secret almost to the end. Yet the mystery attending a stolen diamond of great value is so skilfully handled that several perfectly innocent persons seem all but hopelessly identified with the disappearance of the gem. Cleverly, however, as this aspect of the story has been managed, it has other sources of strength."--_Scotsman._

  "The chief interest ... lies in the fascinating young adventuress, who finds a temporary nest in the old professor's family, and wins all hearts in St. Rule's by her beauty and her sweetness."--_Morning Leader._

  "Into the dignified atmosphere of a northerly academic town Miss Ethel Heddle introduces a coil of events worthy of Wilkie Collins."--_Manchester Guardian._

  KATHARINE TYNAN

  A Girl of Galway. With 8 full-page Illustrations by JOHN H. BACON. 6s.

  When Bertha Grace is on the threshold of young womanhood, she goes to stay with her grandfather in Ireland, with the trust from her mother of reconciling him and his son, Bertha's father. Bertha finds her grandfather a recluse and a miser, and in the hands of an underling, who is his evil genius. How she keeps faith with her mother and finds her own fate, through many strange adventures, is the subject of the story.

  "Full of the poetic charm we are accustomed to find in the works of that gifted writer."--_World._

  CAROLINE AUSTIN

  Cousin Geoffrey and I. With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. PARKINSON.3s.

  The only daughter of a country gentleman finds herself unprovided for at her father's death, and for some time lives as a dependant upon her kinsman. Life is saved from being unbearable to her by her young cousin Geoffrey, who at length meets with a serious accident for which she is held responsible. She makes a brave attempt to earn her own livelihood, until a startling event brings her cousin Geoffrey and herself together again.

  "Miss Austin's story is bright, clever, and well developed."--_Saturday Review._

  ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS

  A Queen among Girls. With 6 Illustrations by HAROLD COPPING. Cloth, 3s.6d.

  Augusta Pembroke is the head of her school, the favourite of her teachers and fellow-pupils, who are attracted by her fearless and independent nature and her queenly bearing. She dreams of a distinguished professional career; but the course of her life is changed suddenly by pity for her timid little brother Adrian, the victim of his guardian-uncle's harshness. The story describes the daring means adopted by Augusta for Adrian's relief.

  "An interesting and well-written narrative, in which humour and a keen eye for character unite to produce a book happily adapted for modern maidens."--_Globe._

  -- A Girl of To-Day. With 6 page Illustrations by G. D. HAMMOND, R.I. 3s.6d.

  "What are Altruists?" humbly asks a small boy. "They are only people who try to help others," replies the Girl of To-Day. To help their poorer neighbours, the boys and girls of Woodend band themselves together into the _Society of Altruists_. That they have plenty of fun is seen in the shopping expedition and in the successful Christmas entertainment.

  "It is a spirited story. The characters are true to nature and carefully developed. Such a book as this is exactly what is needed to give a school-girl an interest in the development of character."--_Educational Times._

  FRANCES ARMSTRONG

  A Girl's Loyalty. With 6 Illustrations by JOHN H. BACON. Cloth, 3s. 6d.New Edition.

  When she was still but a child, Helen Grant received from her grandfather, on his death-bed, a secret message. The brief words remained fast in her memory, and dominated her whole career. She was loyal to her trust, however, and to her friends in the hour of their need. For the girl was possessed of that quick courage which leaps up in a shy nature when evil-doers have to be unmasked, and wrongs made right.

  "The one book for girls that stands out this year is Miss Frances Armstrong's _A Girl's Loyalty_."--_Review of Reviews._

  G. NORWAY

  A True Cornish Maid. With 6 page Illustrations by J. FINNEMORE. 3s. 6d.

  The heroine of the tale is sister to a young fellow who gets into trouble in landing a contraband cargo on the Cornish coast. In his extremity the girl stands by her brother bravely, and by means of her daring scheme he manages to escape.

  "The success of the year has fallen, we think, to Mrs. Norway, whose _True Cornish Maid_ is really an admirable piece of work."--_Review of Reviews._

  * * * * *

  _From A MYSTERY OF ST. RULE'S_ BY ETHEL F. HEDDLE (See page 17)]

  * * * * *

  ROSA MULHOLLAND (LADY GILBERT)

  The Girls of Banshee Castle. With 6 Illustrations by JOHN H. BACON.Cloth, 3s. 6d. _New Edition._

  Three girls, with an old governess, migrate from Kensington to the West of Ireland. Belonging as they do to "the ould family", the girls are made heartily welcome in the cabins of the peasantry, where they learn many weird and curious tales from the folk-lore of the district. An interesting plot runs through the narrative, but the charm of the story lies in its happy mingling of Irish humour and pathos.

  "Is told with grace, and brightened by a knowledge of Irish folk-lore, making it a perfect present for a girl in her teens."--_Truth._

  -- Gianetta: A Girl's Story of Herself. With 6 full-page Illustrations byLOCKHART BOGLE. 3s.

  The story of a changeling who is suddenly transferred to the position of a rich English heiress. She develops into a good and accomplished woman, and has gained too much love and devotion to be a sufferer by the surrender of her estates.

  ANNIE E. ARMSTRONG

  Violet Vereker's Vanity. With 6 full-page Illustrations by G. DEMAINHAMMOND, R.I. 3s. 6d.

  The heroine was an excellent girl in most respects. But she had one small weakness, which expressed itself in a snobbish dislike of her neighbours, the Sugdens, whose social position she deemed beneath her own. In the end, however, the girl acknowledged her folly, with results which are sure to delight the reader.

  "A book for girls that we can heartily recommend, for it is bright, sensible, and with a right tone of thought and feeling."--_Sheffield Independent._

  ALICE CORKRAN

  Margery Merton's Girlhood. W
ith 6 full-page Illustrations by GORDONBROWNE. 3s. 6d.

  The experiences of an orphan girl who in infancy is left by her father an officer in India--to the care of an elderly aunt residing near Paris. The accounts of the various persons who have an after influence on the story are singularly vivid.

  "_Margery Merton's Girlhood_ is a piece of true literature, as dainty as it is delicate, and as sweet as it is simple."--_Woman's World._

  ELIZA F. POLLARD

  For the Red Rose. With 4 Illustrations by JAMES DURDEN. 2s. 6d.

  A gipsy finds a little girl in the forest of Wimbourne, after the sacking of the castle by the Yorkists. He carries her to the camp and she is adopted by the tribe. The story tells how, when some years later Margaret of Anjou and her son are wrecked on the coast of England, the gipsy girl follows the fortunes of the exiled queen, and by what curious chain of events her own origin is discovered.

  "This is a good story, and of special interest to lovers of historical romance."--_Court Circular._

  MRS. E. J. LYSAGHT

  Brother and Sister: With 6 page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 3s. 6d.

  A story showing, by the narrative of the vicissitudes and struggles of a family which has "come down in the world", and of the brave endeavours of its two younger members, how the pressure of adversity is mitigated by domestic affection, mutual confidence, and hopeful honest effort.

  "A pretty story, and well told. The plot is cleverly constructed, and the moral is excellent."--_Athenaeum._

  ANNE BEALE

  The Heiress of Courtleroy. With 8 full-page Illustrations by T. C. H.CASTLE. 5s.

  Mimica, the heroine, comes to England as an orphan, and is coldly received by her uncle. The girl has a brave nature, however, and succeeds in saving the estate from ruin and in reclaiming her uncle from the misanthropical disregard of his duties as a landlord.

  "One of the very best of girl's books we have seen."--_Sheffield Telegraph._

  SARAH TYTLER

  A Loyal Little Maid. With 4 page Illustrations by PAUL HARDY. 2s. 6d.

  This pretty story is founded on a romantic episode of Mar's rebellion. A little girl has information which concerns the safety of her father in hiding, and this she firmly refuses to divulge to a king's officer. She is lodged in the Tolbooth, where she finds a boy champion, whom in future years she rescues in Paris from the _lettre de cachet_ which would bury him in the Bastille.

  "Has evidently been a pleasure to write, and makes very enjoyable reading."--_Literature._

  * * * * *

  _From THE FAIRCLOUGH FAMILY_ BY MRS. HENRY CLARKE (See page 24)]

  * * * * *

  GERALDINE MOCKLER

  The Four Miss Whittingtons: A Story for Girls. With 8 full-pageIllustrations by CHARLES M. SHELDON. 5s.

  This story tells how four sisters, left alone in the world, went to London to seek their fortunes. They had between them L400, and this they resolved to spend on training themselves for the different careers for which they were severally most fitted. On their limited means this was hard work, but their courageous experiment was on the whole very successful.

  "A story of endeavour, industry, and independence of spirit."--_World._

  ALICE STRONACH

  A Newnham Friendship. With 6 full-page Illustrations by HAROLD COPPING.3s. 6d.

  A sympathetic description of life at Newnham College. After the tripos excitements, some of the students leave their dream-world of study and talk of "cocoas" and debates and athletics to begin their work in the real world. Men students play their part in the story, and in the closing chapters it is suggested that marriage has its place in a girl graduate's life.

  "Foremost among all the gift-books suitable for school-girls this season stands Miss Alice Stronach's _A Newnham Friendship_."--_Daily Graphic._

  BESSIE MARCHANT

  The Secret of the Everglades. With 4 Illustrations by A. A. DIXON.2s. 6d.

  The father of the Osneys is supposed to have been killed whilst trapping in the Everglades of Florida. The family organize a series of expeditions to search for their father; but the secret of the swamp is hard to solve, and the end of the book is reached before the mystery is made clear.

  "A fresh and original story of incident and adventure in the mysterious Florida swamps. An excellent and engrossing story."--_St. James's Gazette._

  -- Three Girls on a Ranch: A Story of New Mexico. With 4 pageIllustrations by W. E. WEBSTER. 2s. 6d.

  The Lovell family emigrate from England to New Mexico, where they settle on a ranch. Mr. Lovell is delicate and unfit for farming, but the three eldest girls take upon themselves the burden of working the ranch. They have adventures of a perilous kind, and the story of their mishaps and how they overcame them is throughout both exciting and stimulating.

  "A story with a fresh, bright theme, well handled."--_Nottingham Guardian._

  "A rousing book for young people."--_Queen._

  MRS. HENRY CLARKE

  The Fairclough Family. With 6 Illustrations by G. D. HAMMOND, R.I.Cloth, 3s. 6d.

  It was matter for amazement when Ronald Hammersley fell in love with Kathy Fairclough, who was considered a blue-stocking, instead of with her younger sister Nell, whom Mrs. Hammersley had chosen for him. Why Mrs. Hammersley desired her wealthy stepson to marry one of Dr. Fairclough's penniless daughters was a secret. How the secret became known, and nearly wrecked the happiness of Kathy and Ronald, is told in the story. But all ends well, and to the sound of marriage bells.

  "One of those stories which all girls enjoy."--_World._

  J. M. CALLWELL

  A Little Irish Girl. Illustrated by H. COPPING. 2s. 6d.

  An orphaned family inherit a small property on the coast of Clare. The two youngest members of the party have some thrilling adventures in their western home. They encounter seals, smugglers, and a ghost, and lastly, by most startling means, they succeed in restoring their eldest brother to his rightful place as heir to the ancestral estates.

  "Sure to prove of thrilling interest to both boys and girls."--_Literary World._

  E. EVERETT-GREEN

  Miriam's Ambition. With illustrations. 2s. 6d.

  Miriam's ambition is to make someone happy, and her endeavour carries with it a train of incident, solving a mystery which had thrown a shadow over several lives. A charming foil to her grave elder sister is to be found in Miss Babs, a small coquette of five, whose humorous child-talk is so attractive.

  "Miss Everett-Green's children are real British boys and girls, not small men and women. Babs is a charming little one."--_Liverpool Mercury._

  EMMA LESLIE

  Gytha's Message: A Tale of Saxon England. With Illustrations. 2s. 6d.

  We get a glimpse of the stirring events taking place at that period; and both boys and girls will delight to read of the home life of Hilda and Gytha, and of the brave deeds of the impulsive Gurth and the faithful Leofric.

  "This is a charmingly told story. It is the sort of book that all girls and some boys like, and can only get good from."--_Journal of Education._

  * * * * *

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  STEWART ORR--JOHN BRYMER

  Two Merry Mariners. Pictures by STEWART ORR; Verses by JOHN BRYMER.Cover design and 24 pages in full colour. Picture boards, clothback, 6s.

  This delightful volume tells in picture and verse how Dick and his friend the Hare sailed to the Downy Isle, the adventures they met with in that strange country, their encounter with the Dragon, and their remarkable voyage home. Mr. Orr exhibits in these designs a rare combination of humorous invention with brilliant draughtsmanship and command of colour, and the author supports him with a series of racy verses.

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ester Courier._

  "The verses are very funny and original."--_World._

  JOHN HASSALL--CLIFTON BINGHAM

  Six and Twenty Boys and Girls. Pictures by JOHN HASSALL; Verses byCLIFTON BINGHAM. 25 pages in full colour, and 24 pages of letterpress.Picture boards, 9 inches by 11-1/4 inches, cloth back, 3s. 6d.; alsocloth elegant, 5s.

  Most of us know some at least of the little girls and boys portrayed by Mr. Hassall in this amusing picture-book. As depicted with Mr. Hassall's inimitable skill, and described in humorous verse by Mr. Bingham, they may challenge comparison with the classic Struwwelpeter. Each picture is not only attractive and amusing in itself, but furnishes a hint of virtues to be imitated or faults to be avoided.

  "Exactly hits the mark."--_Scotsman._

  "A most original picture-book."--_World._

  MRS. PERCY DEARMER

  Roundabout Rhymes. With 20 full-page Illustrations in colour by Mrs.PERCY DEARMER. Imperial 8vo, cloth extra, 2s. 6d.

  A charming volume of verses and colour pictures for little folk--rhymes and pictures about most of the everyday events of nursery life.

  "The best verses written for children since Stevenson's _Child's Garden_."--_The Guardian._

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  Gammon and Spinach: Pictures by STEWART ORR. Verses by JOHN BRYMER.Cover design and 24 pages in Full Colour. Picture boards,cloth back, 6s.

  In _Gammon and Spinach_ Mr. Stewart Orr has produced a picture-book unique of its kind. Nothing could be more droll than the situations in which he represents the frog, the pig, the mouse, the elephant, and the other well-known characters who appear in his pages. Little folk will find in these pictures a source of endless delight, and the artistic skill which they display will have a special appeal to children of an older growth.

  "Merry and handsome enough to make thousands of friends among little folk, what with its original verses and its amusing pictures."--_Literary World._

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  H. B. NEILSON--JOHN BRYMER

  Games and Gambols. Illustrated by HARRY B. NEILSON; with Versesby JOHN BRYMER. 26 pages in colour, and 24 pages of letterpress.Picture boards, 9 inches by 11-1/4 inches, cloth back, 2s. 6d.;also cloth elegant, 3s. 6d.

  Mr. Neilson surpasses himself in these irresistible colour pictures representing the animal world at play. The great test match between the Lions and the Kangaroos, Mrs. Mouse's Ping-Pong Party, Mr. Bruin playing Golf, Towser's Bicycle Tour, and the Kittens _v._ Bunnies Football Match, are a few among the many droll subjects illustrated in this amusing and original series.

  "Mr. Neilson has a positive genius for making animals comic."--_Academy._

  "Children will revel in his work."--_Daily Graphic._

  FRED SMITH

  The Animal Book. A Natural History for Little Folk. With a ColouredFrontispiece and 34 full-page Illustrations by F. SPECHT. Crown quarto,11-1/4 inches by 9-1/2 inches, picture boards, cloth back, 2s. 6d.

  This book consists of a series of bright and instructive sketches of the better-known wild beasts, describing their appearance, character and habits, and the position they hold in the animal kingdom. The text is printed in a large, clear type, and is admirably illustrated with powerful, realistic pictures of the various creatures in their native state by that eminent animal artist F. Specht.

  "A work of the greatest value to the young."--_Eastern Morning News._

  * * * * *

  _From SIX AND TWENTY BOYS AND GIRLS_ BY JOHN HASSALL--CLIFTON BINGHAM (See page 25)]

  * * * * *

  OUR DARLING'S FIRST BOOK

  Bright Pictures and Easy Lessons for Little Folk.

  Quarto, 10-1/8 inches by 7-3/4 inches, picture boards, 1s.;cloth, gilt edges, 2s.

  An interesting and instructive picture lesson-book for very little folk. Beginning with an illustrated alphabet of large letters, the little reader goes forward by easy stages to word-making, reading, counting, writing, and finally to the most popular nursery rhymes and tales.

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  Those Twins!

  With a Frontispiece and 28 Illustrations by S. B. PEARSE. Cloth elegant,2s. 6d.

  Two little rogues are the twins, Horatio and Tommy; but loyal-hearted and generous to boot, and determined to resist the stern decree of their aunt that they shall forsake the company of their scapegrace grown-up cousin Algy. So they deliberately set to work to "reform" the scapegrace; and succeed so well that he wins back the love of his aunt, and delights the twins by earning a V. C. in South Africa.

  "A merry story for young and old."--_World._

  A. B. ROMNEY

  Little Village Folk.

  With 37 Illustrations by ROBERT HOPE. 2s. 6d.

  A series of delightful stories of Irish village children. Miss Romney opens up a new field in these beautiful little tales, which have the twofold charm of humour and poetic feeling.

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  MY NEW STORY-BOOK

  Stories, Verses, and Pictures for the Little Ones. 290 pages, of which48 are in colour. Cloth, 2s. 6d.

  A treasury of entertainment for the nursery. The contents are extremely varied both as regards the text and the illustrations, and carefully designed to meet the tastes of the little ones. The many bright colour pictures will be in themselves a never-failing source of delight.

  "A fascinating little volume, well filled with stories and quaint and pretty illustrations."--_Guardian._

  * * * * *

  STORIES BY GEORGE MAC DONALD

  (NEW AND UNIFORM EDITION)

  A Rough Shaking. With 12 page Illustrations by W. PARKINSON. Crown 8vo,cloth elegant, 3s. 6d.

  Clare, the hero of the story, is a boy whose mother is killed at his side by the fall of a church during an earthquake. The kindly clergyman and his wife, who adopt him, die while he is still very young, and he is thrown upon the world a second time. The narrative of his wanderings is full of interest and novelty, the boy's unswerving honesty and his passion for children and animals leading him into all sorts of adventures. He works on a farm, supports a baby in an old deserted house, finds employment in a menagerie, becomes a bank clerk, is kidnapped, and ultimately discovers his father on board the ship to which he has been conveyed.

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  "Dr. Mac Donald has a real understanding of boy nature, and he has in consequence written a capital story, judged from their stand-point, with a true ring all through which ensures its success."--_The Spectator._

  The Princess and the Goblin. With 30 Illustrations by ARTHUR HUGHES, anda Frontispiece by LAURENCE HOUSMAN. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3s. 6d.

  In the sphere of fantasy George Mac Donald has very few equals, and his rare touch of many aspects of life invariably gives to his stories a deeper meaning of the highest value. His _Princess and Goblin_ exemplifies both gifts. A fine thread of allegory runs through the narrative of the adventures of the young miner, who, amongst other marvellous experiences, finds his way into the caverns of the gnomes, and achieves a final victory over them.

  The Princess and Curdie. With Frontispiece and 30 Illustrations byHELEN STRATTON. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3s. 6d.

  A sequel to _The Princess and the Goblin_, tracing the hist
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  * * * * *

  Some Children's Picture-Books (See page 32)]

  * * * * *

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  No child of six or seven should have any difficulty in reading andunderstanding _unaided_ the pretty stories in the 6d. series. In the9d. series the language used is slightly more advanced, but is wellwithin the capacity of children of seven and upwards, while the 1s.series is designed for little folk of somewhat greater attainments. Ifthe stories are read _to_ and not _by_ children, it will be found thatthe 6d. 9d. and 1s. series are equally suitable for little folk ofall ages.

  "GRADUATED" STORIES AT A SHILLING

  Holidays at Sunnycroft. By Annie S. Swan. _New Edition._ At Lathom's Siege. By Sarah Tytler. Fleckie. By Bessie Marchant. Elsie Wins. By Ellinor Davenport Adams Bears and Dacoits. By G. A. Henty. Crusoes of the Frozen North. By Dr. Gordon Stables. A Saxon Maid. By Eliza F. Pollard. Uncle Bob. By Meredith Fletcher. Jack of Both Sides. By Florence Coombe. Do Your Duty! By G. A. Henty. Terry. By Rosa Mulholland (Lady Gilbert).

  "GRADUATED" STORIES AT NINEPENCE

  Gipsy Dick. By Mrs. Henry Clarke. Two to One. By Florence Coombe. Cherrythorpe Fair. By Mabel Mackness. Little Greycoat. By Ellinor Davenport Adams. Tommy's Trek. By Bessie Marchant. That Boy Jim. By Mrs. Henry Clarke. The Adventures of Carlo. By Katharine Tynan. The Shoeblack's Cat. By W. L. Rooper. Three Troublesome Monkeys. By A. B. Romney. The Little Red Purse. By Jennie Chappell.

  "GRADUATED" STORIES AT SIXPENCE

  Hi-Tum, Ti-Tum, and Scrub. By Jennie Chappell. Edie's Adventures. By Geraldine Mockler. Two Little Crusoes. By A. B. Romney. The Lost Doll. By Jennie Chappell. Bunny and Furry. By Geraldine Mockler. Bravest of All. By Mabel Mackness. Winnie's White Frock. By Jennie Chappell. Lost Toby. By M. S. Haycraft. A Boy Cousin. By Geraldine Mockler. Travels of Fuzz and Buzz. By Geraldine Mockler. Teddy's Adventures. By Mrs. Henry Clarke.

  NEW CHILDREN'S PICTURE-BOOKS

  Each of these books contains many full-page and other illustrations, anumber of which are in colour. The text is printed in bold type, andcomprises bright and humorous stories and rhymes, specially written forthe purpose.

  IN DOORS AND OUT | STORY-BOOK TIME

  Each contains 38 colour pages, over 40 full-page black-and-whiteIllustrations, and a large number of Vignettes. Quarto, 10-1/8 inches by7-3/4 inches, picture boards, 2s. 6d. each; cloth, gilt edges, 3s.6d. each.

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  _Quarto, 10-1/8 inches by 7-3/4 inches_

  Faithful Friends. My Book of Nursery Stories. My Very Best Book Arm-chair Stories. My Very Own Picture-Book. Cosy Corner Stories. Our Darling's First Book

  Twenty pages in colour. Cloth, gilt edges, 2s.; picture boards, 1s.

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  _Quarto, 10-1/8 inches by 7-3/4 inches_

  Bow-Wow Picture-Book. Cats and Kits. Friends at the Farm. Once upon a Time. Long, Long Ago. Fairy Tales for Little Folk. Smiles and Dimples. Little Bright-Eyes. For Kittie and Me. As Nice as Nice Can Be. Round the Mulberry Bush. Little Rosebud. For My Little Darling. For Dolly and Me. My Own Story-Book. Play-time Pictures. Bed-time Stories. For Little Chicks.

  The cover and seven pages in colour. Picture boards.

  ONE SHILLING SCRIPTURE SERIES

  _Picture boards. Quarto, 10-1/8 inches by 7-3/4 inches_

  Stories from the Life of Christ

  Twenty pages in colour. Picture boards, 1s.; cloth, gilt edges, 2s.

  SIXPENNY SCRIPTURE SERIES

  Glad Tidings The Good Shepherd Gentle Jesus

  * * * * *

  TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

  Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully aspossible, including obsolete and variant spellings. Obvioustypographical errors in punctuation (misplaced quotes and the like) havebeen fixed. Corrections [in brackets] in the text are noted below:

  Inconsistent spelling?:

  Irkutsk (throughout) and Irkoutsk (pages 92, 94)

  Yuruks (page 287) and Yuraks (pages 220, 309)

  Mesentzeff (page 62) and Mezentsoff (page 66)

  Moskow (page 62), although Moscow elsewhere

  page 32: added quote

  "He is released from his suffering," Katia said solemnly. "Anything else, Akim?["]

  page 35: added quote

  as he entered. ["]It is a foolish business altogether, but if

  page 41: typo corrected

  "That is more cheerful by a long way," Godfrey said to himself as the man, who had mantained[maintained] absolute silence on

  page 46: added quote

  of being mixed up in the most remote way with politics, your best friends will shun you like the plague.["]

  page 61: extra quote removed

  grave. Nothing was said until the servant, having handed round the dishes, left the room.["]

  page 69: typo corrected

  Ireland. There are the Guards in London, but the populalation[population] is so large that you might go a week without seeing

  page 117: added quote

  political prisoners now. We might be honest peasants if it were not for these confounded heads of hair.["]

  page 122: typo corrected

  "we should have been down on the Selinga[Selenga] to-morrow, and we had calculated

  page 132: extra quote removed

  lifting the eyelid. "He is coming round now," he said at last.["] A few more passes and the child drowsily opened

  page 198: added hyphen

  On the fourth day they saw a small farm[-]house lying not far from the edge of the wood.

  page 240: added hyphen

  fishing, keeping holes broken in the ice and catching fish by torch[-]light. The men walked with the sledges, which only

  page 250: typo corrected

  "The isvostchiks[Isvostchiks] are often frozen in St. Petersburg in

  page 276: added comma

  "It may be either a fox or a bear," Luka said[,] making his way farther back into the hut, and returning with his

 
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