Chapter XXII: Cleared at Last (1)

THE following day, after lunch, Captain Bayley and Frank drove round to Westminster. Football was going on in Dean's Yard, and Frank recognised among the players many faces that he knew. It seemed strange to him to think that while he had gone through so much, and had grown from a boy into a man, that they had changed so little, and had been working away regularly at the old round of Euripides and Homer, Terence and Virgil. The carriage stopped at the entrance to Dean's Yard, and, alighting, they walked across to Mr. Richards'.

Captain Bayley had written a line to the master, asking him if possible to remain at home, as he wished particularly to see him, and he and Frank were ushered straight into the master's study. He shook hands with Captain Bayley, whose acquaintance he had made while Frank had boarded with him, and then looked at Frank; for a minute he did not recognise him, then he exclaimed in surprise, "Frank Norris!"

"Yes, it's I, sir," Frank said; "I don't ask you to take my hand, for you believe me guilty of the crime of which I was accused here. I can only say now, as I said then, that I am innocent. I know now that I was a fool to run away instead of facing it out, but I was desperate, because every one thought me guilty."

"Your schoolfellows did not, Norris," Mr. Richards said. "I don't think that I did, even at first; a few hours afterwards I almost knew you were innocent, and had you not run away I could have gone far to prove it."

Frank gave an exclamation of joy, and Captain Bayley exclaimed indignantly--

"Then why did you not prove it, sir? Why did you allow my nephew to remain with the foul disgrace on his name?"

"I did not act without consideration," Mr. Richards said calmly. "Norris had gone, and I resolved if he returned again to say what I had learned; but my proofs were not absolute. We had made, it seemed to me, a terrible mistake, and I did not wish to cause ruin to another boy unless it was absolutely necessary to do so to clear Norris. Now that he has returned I can no longer hesitate; but before I begin I must ask you both whether your suspicions have fallen on any one else?"

"It is not suspicion, sir, it is certainty," Captain Bayley said; "we have no doubt whatever that the whole thing was the work of Frank's rascally cousin, Fred Barkley. He was, you know, a sort of rival of Frank for my favour, and he had reason to believe that I had determined that Frank should inherit the larger portion of my property; thus he had a motive for bringing disgrace on him. It was just as probable that he should have stolen the money and sent it to Frank as that Frank should have stolen it himself; so far it seemed to me that it might lie between either of them.

"What has settled the case in my mind is that I have learned that Fred was intrusted with a letter by Frank to me, declaring his innocence, which, as you know, I never doubted until Frank left without writing to me. That letter I never received, and I believe that it was suppressed. In the second place it was Fred who persuaded his cousin to take that ruinous step of running away, and pressed upon him money to enable him to do so, although he had refused to lend him a halfpenny when Frank required it to pay that broken-nosed tailor to hold his tongue."

"Very well," Mr. Richards said, "then I can speak freely; my silence was caused to some considerable extent by regard for your feelings. You had lost one nephew, who had gone away with a cloud of disgrace surrounding him--for aught I could tell, Norris, in his despair, might have committed suicide, or he might have so cut himself off from you that you might never have heard from him again--thus, then, I felt that it would be cruel indeed to prove that your other nephew was a villain, unless by so doing I could restore Norris to you. So, after much thought and deliberation, I determined to hold my tongue until I heard that Norris had either returned or had been heard of.

"On the morning when it was discovered that Frank had fled, I called up one by one the whole of the boys in the house. Even after his flight I could not believe that Norris had done this thing, it was so absolutely contrary to all that I knew of his disposition, and I determined to sift the matter to the bottom. From the elder boys I learned nothing, although I questioned them most closely as to everything that had taken place in the house during the past week. I was not disappointed, for I had hardly expected to learn much from them.

"It was from the four boys who were the fags of the four who had been in Frank's secret that I hoped to learn something, and I was not mistaken. From the three in the house I learned nothing; but when I came to Pearson, who was Barkley's junior and fag, I met with even more success than I had expected. At first, of course, the boy did not like to say anything; but I told him that unless he answered my questions freely I should have him up before Doctor Litter, and he then told me all he knew about it.

"The more willingly, for, like most other boys in the School, he was fond of Norris, while Barkley was by no means a kind master. He said that twice Barkley had got into a rage with him about things which didn't seem of any importance. The first occasion was a week previous. He had gone into Barkley's study to ask him to explain some difficulty in his Cæsar; the door was not fastened, and as he had been working with his shoes off, Barkley did not hear him till he was close to the table. The boy noticed that he had a sheet of writing-paper before him, on which he was writing, not in his usual hand, but in printed characters. He would have thought nothing of it had not Barkley, on looking up and seeing him standing there, jumped up in a sudden rage and boxed his ears furiously, calling him a prying little sneak. The boy could not fix this to a day, but it was certainly just about the time when this letter was posted to you.

"The other affair had happened the day previously. He had gone into Barkley's room with his books on coming down from school at twelve o'clock, and seeing on his table a letter stamped and ready for the post, he supposed that as usual he was to post it, and was running downstairs with it in his hand when he met Barkley coming up. 'What have you got there?' he asked. 'I am taking your letter to the post,' he said; whereupon Barkley flew into another rage, called him an officious little beast, gave him a box in the ear, and took the letter from him. I asked the boy if he noticed to whom the letter was directed. He said he had, and that it was to you. Knowing nothing about the suppression of a letter of Norris's, and thinking that perhaps Barkley had written to his uncle about the matter, and had then changed his mind about posting it, this second affair did not strike me as having any importance whatever. The first matter, however, seemed important, for that just at the time when a letter was sent to Norris written in printing characters Barkley should have been seen writing a letter of that sort, struck me as most remarkable; and although I did not know exactly how the two lads stood in reference to yourself, it struck me at once that it was at least possible that we had been wrong, and that it was Barkley after all who took the note.

"Had I suspected for an instant that he had done it to bring disgrace upon his cousin, I should at once have communicated with Dr. Litter, and have probed the affair from the bottom; but I thought that he had taken the note with the intention of helping his cousin out of his difficulty, and that when the note was traced, and the matter became public, he had in a base and cowardly manner allowed Frank to bear the blame. This would have been bad enough in all conscience, although comparatively venial to his deliberate attempt to bring disgrace upon Norris.

"However, the matter seemed bad enough to me as it stood; but, as I said, I shrunk from causing the ruin of another young fellow unless it was necessary to clear Norris. I hesitated for a long time whether, knowing as much as I did, I ought not to take some steps in the matter; but for the reasons I have told you I determined to wait, hoping that you would soon have Norris back again, and knowing that I should hear of his return from some of the boys who were his special friends. Barkley must have seen from my manner that there was something wrong between him and me; but he never asked me the reason for the change in my manner to him, and completely ignored my coolness. It was a relief to me when the time came for his going up to the University, for I then felt that some of the responsibility was off my shoulders, and that I was no longer shirking my duty to expose him.

"That is all, Captain Bayley; but I think that this, with what you have told me, is quite sufficient to bring the guilt home to the true party, and to completely clear Norris."

"Quite sufficient," Captain Bayley said, "and I am thankful indeed that you obtained the one missing link of evidence necessary to prove Frank's innocence. I am greatly obliged to you, Mr. Richards, for the kind and thoughtful manner in which you acted, which was indeed in every way for the best; for had I at the time been made aware that Fred was the culprit, I should have gone half out of my mind at the injustice we had done Frank, and at not knowing where to find him or how to communicate with him. And now what is to be done next? I do not want this unhappy lad to be punished, but at the same time it is absolutely necessary that Frank's innocence shall be publicly proclaimed. Fred will no doubt brazen it out."

There was silence for a minute or two, and then Mr. Richards said.

"If you like, Captain Bayley, I will take the matter in hand. I will write to Barkley and tell him that Norris has now come home, and that I must therefore take up the matter at the point at which I dropped it. I will recapitulate to him the reasons that there are for supposing that he stole the money,--first, his interest in Frank's disgrace; secondly, the fact that he was seen writing a letter in printed characters on the day on which the note was sent to Norris; thirdly, his suppression of the letter to yourself; fourthly, the part he took in persuading Norris to run away; lastly, the hints which you say he gave you that Norris had confessed his guilt.

"I shall tell him I have had this interview with you; that you are thoroughly convinced of his guilt and of Norris's innocence; and that while you are determined that Norris shall be vindicated, you are desirous that his act of treacherous villainy shall not be made public; if, then, he will write a confession, saying that he took it, this confession shall not be made public.

"I shall of course show it to the Doctor, and explain the whole circumstances to him, and ask him to make a public statement in school to the boys, to the effect that it has been found out that Norris was not guilty of the act of which two years ago he was charged, and that the real thief has been discovered, but that as he is no longer at school it is unnecessary now to mention his name, and that, moreover, he has been heavily punished for the crime--which indeed is the case--by his loss of your favour and of the fortune which he looked to obtain under your will.

"I shall tell Barkley that if he refuses to confess it will be necessary, in order to clear Norris, that the affair should be investigated in a Public Court, and that Dr. Litter will at once apply for a warrant for his apprehension on the charge of theft, and that the whole matter will then be gone into in a Police Court. I cannot doubt but that he will accept the first alternative, for the second will be ruin to him."

Captain Bayley cordially assented. Three days later Frank received a letter from Dr. Litter asking him to call upon him.

"I am truly sorry, Norris," the head-master said, as he entered, "for the injustice I did you; truly and heartily sorry. The affair caused me intense pain at the time; it has been on my mind ever since. Over and over again something has told me that you were innocent; and yet, thinking the case over again, my reason has always convinced me for the time of your guilt, for I could see no other possible solution of the mystery. I am glad indeed to find that I was mistaken, and that you were a victim of a piece of what I can only term villainy. The affair will be a lesson to me for my life, and henceforth I will never allow appearances, however apparently conclusive, to weigh against a uniformly excellent character. I trust that you will forgive my terrible error."

"I don't see that you could have acted otherwise, sir," Frank said, "for even at the time, although I knew that I was innocent, I perceived that the proofs against me were so overwhelmingly strong that my guilt must appear a certainty to every one. I am happy indeed that I am cleared at last; and, after all, it has done me no harm. I have, of course, lost the University education which I looked forward to; but I think, after all, that the three years I have spent in America have in many ways done me more good than the University could have done."

"Very likely, Norris," the doctor said; "they have in every sense of the word made a man of you, and a very fine man too, and I sincerely trust that no further cloud will ever fall upon your career. And now I want you to come up School with me, for I must publicly make amends for my error, and set you right before the School."

As Frank followed Dr. Litter into the great schoolroom he felt infinitely more nervous than he had done in any of the dangers he had passed through in his journey across the plains. When the head-master was seen to enter the School accompanied by a gentleman, a silence of surprise fell upon the boys, for such an event was altogether unprecedented there. As in the stranger, who stood nearly as tall and far broader than the doctor, many of the boys in the upper forms recognised Frank Norris, a buzz ran round the School, followed again by the silence of excited expectation. Dr. Litter walked to his table at the further end of the School and then turned.

"You will all stand up," he said. "Boys," he went on, "all of you in the Fifth Form, and those above it, and some of you in the under forms, will recognise in the gentleman who stands beside me your former schoolfellow Norris; those who do will be aware of the circumstances under which he left, and will be aware that I charged him with stealing a note of the value of ten pounds from my desk. I am happy to say that it has been proved that charge was entirely false."

A sudden burst of enthusiastic cheering broke from the upper forms. Norris's innocence had been a matter of faith among his schoolfellows, and even his running away had not sufficed to shake their trust in him. They stood upon the forms and cheered until they were hoarse. At last a wave of the doctor's hand restored silence, and he went on.

"I wish now, before you all, boys, to express my deep regret to Norris, and to apologise to him most heartily for the accusation which I made. I have now in my hand the confession of the real culprit. I shall not mention his name; he has long since ceased to be among you, and I may say that he has been punished severely, though to my mind most insufficiently, for his crime, and as Norris is desirous that the matter shall be dropped, the least I can do is to give in to his wishes. And now, as I think that after this you will scarcely do any useful work this afternoon, you may as well go down at once."

A fresh roar of cheering broke out, and then the boys who had been at school with Frank jumped from their forms and crowded round him, each striving to grasp his hand, and all shouting words of welcome and congratulation.

It was some time before Frank could reply to these greetings, so shaken was he by the scene. On emerging from the schoolroom his old house-mates urged him to go up to Richards', and the Sixth were invited to accompany him. Although contrary to the usual rules, an unlimited supply of shandy-gaff was sent for, and for an hour Frank sat and chatted with his old schoolfellows, and to their great admiration gave them an outline of his adventures on the Mississippi, his journey across the plains, and as a gold-digger in California; then with a glad heart, and a feeling that he was at last cleared of the cloud which had so long hung over him, Frank returned to Eaton Square.

His path in life never afterwards crossed that of his cousin. The latter, after passing through the University with credit, entered the Bar. Somehow he was not successful there. That he was clever all allowed, but a cloud seemed to hang over him. The tale of Frank's reinstallation had gone up from Westminster to the University; his old schoolfellows there had talked the matter over, and although nothing was known for certain, somehow the belief that Barkley was the culprit spread among them.

He had never been popular, and now his old schoolfellows gradually drew aloof from him. Nothing was ever openly said. The thing was talked of in whispers, but even whispers, sometimes, are heard; and during his last year at the University Fred Barkley stood alone among his fellows. The whispers found their echo in town, and Fred Barkley found that a cloud rested on him which all his efforts were unable to dissipate. After some years of useless attempts to make his way, he was glad to accept the offer of a petty judgeship in India, and there, ten years later, he died, stabbed to the heart by a Mahomedan dacoit whom he had sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

A year after his return from America Frank married Alice. Turk, for some time after his arrival in England, had steadily declined all advances which she made to him, perceiving clearly in his heart that she was a rival in his master's affection. He had at last, however, the good sense to accept the situation; but to the end of his life, which was a long one, he never accorded her more than toleration, keeping all the affection of his great heart for his master, although in his old years he took to his master's children, and endured patiently, if not cordially, the affection which they bestowed upon him.

Frank sits in Parliament at present, as member for the county in which the broad estates which came to him with his wife are situated. It was rather a disappointment to her that he did not distinguish himself greatly in Parliament, but he was fonder of the country life of an English gentleman than of the squabbles at Westminster. He can always be depended upon to vote with his party, and he occasionally makes vigorous and indignant attacks against any policy which he believes to be lowering the prestige and position of his country; but, except upon occasions when subjects of national interest are being discussed, he is seldom to be found in the house, and his wife is now well content with his reputation as one of the best masters of fox-hounds, one of the best landlords, and one of the most popular country gentlemen in England.

Captain Bayley died but ten years ago, at a great age, and his grandson, long since able to dispense with his crutches, is one of the most prominent members in the House of Commons. He could, had he chosen, have long since had a place in the Ministry, but he declined, as it would have taken too much of his time from the favourite subject which occupies the chief part of his thoughts and life, namely the effort to ameliorate the condition of the poorer classes in the great towns.

Evan Holl is a distinguished engineer. The business of John Holl, Dust Contractor, is still carried on under that name by the children of John and Sarah, who died within a few days of each other, some twenty years since, full of happiness and contentment.

"More suitable books, especially for boys, it
would be impossible to imagine. Whether of
adventure, school life, or domestic interest,
every story is alike marked with those wholesome
and robust characteristics which form so valuable
a feature in juvenile literature."--_Christmas
Bookseller_.

* * * * *

SCRIBNER & WELFORD'S

CATALOGUE OF BOOKS

FOR

YOUNG PEOPLE.

* * * * *

INCLUDING NEW WORKS

BY
G. A. HENTY, G. M. FENN, S. BARING-GOULD, F. FRANKFORT MOORE,
HARRY COLLINGWOOD, ROSA MULHOLLAND, SARAH DOUDNEY,
ALICE CORKRAN, AND OTHER POPULAR AUTHORS.

* * * * *

743 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Here we have Mr. George Henty--the Boys' Own
Author."--_Punch._

* * * * *

_WITH LEE IN VIRGINIA:_

A Story of the American Civil War. By G. A. HENTY.
With 10 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE,
and 6 Maps. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine
edges, $1·50.

Few great wars have been fought out by each side with greater intensity of conviction in the rightness of its cause or with more abundant personal heroism than the American civil war. Of this heroic clash of opposing conviction Mr. Henty has made admirable use in this story of a young Virginian planter, who, after bravely proving his sympathy with the slaves of brutal masters, serves with no less courage and enthusiasm under Lee and Jackson through the most exciting events of the struggle. He has many hairbreadth escapes, is several times wounded and twice taken prisoner; but his courage and readiness and, in two cases, the devotion of a black servant and of a runaway slave whom he had assisted bring him safely through all difficulties.

"The story is a capital one and full of variety,
and presents us with many picturesque scenes of
Southern life. Young Wingfield, who is
conscientious, spirited, and 'hard as nails,'
would have been a man after the very heart of
'Stonewall' Jackson."--_Times._

"This is one of the best stories for lads which
Mr. Henty has yet written. The picture is full of
life and colour, and the stirring and romantic
incidents which marked the struggle are most
skilfully blended with the personal interest and
charm of the story. Any lad of mettle is certain
to revel in this fascinating historical
romance."--_Standard._

_BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE:_

A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. By G. A. HENTY.
With 12 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE.
Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, $1·50.

The adventures of the son of a Scotch officer in French service who had secretly married the daughter of a noble. The boy, brought up by a Glasgow bailie, is arrested for aiding a Jacobite agent, escapes in a Dutch ship, is wrecked on the French coast, reaches Paris, and serves with the French army at Dettingen. Having discovered the convent in which his mother is imprisoned, he establishes communication with her, and succeeds in obtaining through Marshal Saxe the release of both his parents. He kills his father's foe in a duel, and escaping to the coast, shares the adventures of Prince Charlie, but finally settles happily in Scotland.

"Ronald, the hero, is very like the hero of
_Quentin Durward_. For freshness of treatment and
variety of Mr. Henty has here surpassed incident,
himself."--_Spectator._

"A historical romance of the best quality. Mr.
Henty has written many more sensational stories
than _Bonnie Prince Charlie_ but never a more
artistic one."--_Academy._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty is one of the best of story-tellers for
young people."--_Spectator_.

* * * * *

_BY PIKE AND DYKE:_

A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic. By G. A.
HENTY. With 10 full-page Illustrations by MAYNARD
BROWN, and 4 Maps. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant,
olivine edges, $1·50.

A story covering the period when the Netherlands revolted against the attempts of Alva and the Spaniards to force upon them the Catholic religion. Mr. Henty has added a special attractiveness for boys in tracing through the historic conflict the adventures and brave deeds of an English boy in the household of the ablest man of his age--William the Silent. Edward Martin, the son of an English sea-captain, enters the service of the Prince as a volunteer, and is employed by him in many dangerous and responsible missions, in the discharge of which he passes through the great sieges of the time. He ultimately settles down as Sir Edward Martin and the husband of the lady to whom he owes his life, and whom he in turn has saved from the Council of Blood.

"Ned Martin comports himself throughout the
struggle as a hero should. The story has, of
course, plenty of life, and the maps and plans are
excellent."--_Athenæum._

"Boys with a turn for historical research will be
enchanted with the book, while the rest who only
care for adventure will be students in spite of
themselves."--_St. James's Gazette._

_CAPTAIN BAYLEY'S HEIR:_

A Tale of the Gold Fields of California. By G. A.
HENTY. With 12 full-page Illustrations by H. M.
PAGET. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges,
$1·50.

A frank manly lad and his cousin, who is of the plausible scheming type, are rivals in the heirship of a considerable property. The former falls into a trap laid by the latter, and while under a false accusation of theft foolishly leaves England for America. He works his passage before the mast, becomes one of the hands on a river trading-flat, joins a small band of hunters, crosses a tract of country infested with Indians to the Californian gold diggings, and is successful both as digger and trader. He acquires a small fortune, is at length proved innocent of the charge which drove him from home, and returns rich in valuable experiences.

"A Westminster boy who, like all this author's
heroes, makes his way in the world by hard work,
good temper, and unfailing courage. The
descriptions given of life are just what a healthy
intelligent lad should delight in."--_St. James's
Gazette._

"Mr. Henty is careful to mingle solid instruction
with entertainment; and the humorous touches,
especially in the sketch of John Holl, the
Westminster dustman, Dickens himself could hardly
have excelled."--_Christian Leader._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty's books for boys have long been
recognized as amongst the very best things of
their kind."--_Court Journal._

* * * * *

_THE LION OF ST. MARK._

A Tale of Venice in the Fourteenth Century. By G.
A. HENTY. With 10 full-page Illustrations by
GORDON BROWNE. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine
edges, $1·50.

A story of Venice at a period when her strength and splendour were put to the severest tests. The hero, the son of an English trader who has taken up residence in the city, displays a fine sense and manliness which carry him safely through an atmosphere of intrigue, crime, and bloodshed. In his gondola on the canals and lagunes, and in the ships which he rises to command, he is successful in extricating his friends and himself from imminent dangers, and contributes largely to the victories of the Venetians at Porto d'Anzo and Chioggia. He is honoured by the state and finally wins the hand of the daughter of one of the chief men of Venice.

"Every boy should read _The Lion of St. Mark_. Mr.
Henty has never produced any story more
delightful, more wholesome, or more vivacious.
From first to last it will be read with keen
enjoyment."--_Saturday Review._

"Mr. Henty has probably not published a more
interesting story than _The Lion of St. Mark_. He
has certainly not published one in which he has
been at such pains to rise to the dignity of his
subject."--_The Academy._

_THE LION OF THE NORTH._

A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus and the Wars of
Religion. By G. A. HENTY. With 12 full-page
Illustrations by JOHN SCHÖNBERG. Crown 8vo, cloth
elegant, olivine edges, $1·50.

In this story Mr. Henty gives the history of the first part of the Thirty Years' War, a struggle unprecedented in length, in the fury with which it was carried on, and in the terrible destruction and ruin which it caused. The issue had its importance, which has extended to the present day, as it established religious freedom in Germany. The army of the chivalrous King of Sweden, the prop and maintenance of the Protestant cause, was largely composed of Scotchmen, and among these was the hero of the story. The chief interest of the tale turns on the great struggle between Gustavus and his chief opponents Wallenstein, Tilly, and Pappenheim.

"As we might expect from Mr. Henty the tale is a
clever and instructive piece of history, and as
boys may be trusted to read it conscientiously,
they can hardly fail to be profited as well as
pleased."--_The Times._

"A praiseworthy attempt to interest British youth
in the great deeds of the Scotch Brigade in the
wars of Guatavus Adolphus. Mackay, Hepburn, and
Munro live again in Mr. Henty's pages, as those
deserve to live whose disciplined bands formed
really the germ of the modern British
army."--_Athenæum._

"A stirring story of stirring times. This book
should hold a place among the classics of youthful
fiction."--_United Service Gazette._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty's books never fail to interest boy
readers."--_Academy._

* * * * *

_FOR THE TEMPLE:_

A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. By G. A. HENTY.
With 10 full-page Illustrations by S. J. SOLOMON:
and a coloured Map. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant,
olivine edges, $1·50.

Mr. Henty here weaves into the record of Josephus an admirable and attractive story. The troubles in the district of Tiberias, the march of the legions, the sieges of Jotapata, of Gamala, and of Jerusalem, form the impressive and carefully studied historic setting to the figure of the lad who passes from the vineyard to the service of Josephus, becomes the leader of a guerrilla band of patriots, fights bravely for the Temple, and after a brief term of slavery at Alexandria, returns to his Galilean home with the favour of Titus.

"Mr. Henty's graphic prose pictures of the
hopeless Jewish resistance to Roman sway add
another leaf to his record of the famous wars of
the world."--_Graphic._

"The story is told with all the force of
descriptive power which has made the author's war
stories so famous."--_Church Times._

_WITH CLIVE IN INDIA:_

Or the Beginnings of an Empire. By G. A. HENTY.
With 12 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE,
in black and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant,
olivine edges, $1·50.

The period between the landing of Clive as a young writer in India and the close of his career was critical and eventful in the extreme. At its commencement the English were traders existing on sufferance of the native princes. At its close they were masters of Bengal and of the greater part of Southern India. The author has given a full and accurate account of the events of that stirring time, and battles and sieges follow each other in rapid succession, while he combines with his narrative a tale of daring and adventure, which gives a lifelike interest to the volume.

"In this book Mr. Henty has contrived to exceed
himself in stirring adventures and thrilling
situations. The pictures add greatly to the
interest of the book."--_Saturday Review._

"Among writers of stories of adventure for boys
Mr. Henty stands in the very first rank, and Mr.
Gordon Browne occupies a similar place with his
pencil. . . . Those who know something about India
will be the most ready to thank Mr. Henty for
giving them this instructive volume to place in
the hands of their children."--_Academy._

"He has taken a period of Indian History of the
most vital importance, and he has embroidered on
the historical facts a story which of itself is
deeply interesting. Young people assuredly will be
delighted with the volume."--_Scotsman._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Surely Mr. Henty should understand boys' tastes
better than any man living."--_The Times._

* * * * *

_THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN:_

A Story of the Times of Hannibal. By G. A. HENTY.
With 12 full-page Illustrations by C. J.
STANILAND, R.I. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine
edges, $1·50.

Boys reading the history of the Punic Wars have seldom a keen appreciation of the merits of the contest. That it was at first a struggle for empire, and afterwards for existence on the part of Carthage, that Hannibal was a great and skilful general, that he defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake Trasimenus, and Cannæ, and all but took Rome, represents pretty nearly the sum total of their knowledge.

To let them know more about this momentous struggle for the empire of the world Mr. Henty has written this story, which not only gives in graphic style a brilliant description of a most interesting period of history, but is a tale of exciting adventure sure to secure the interest of the reader.

"The effect of an interesting story, well
constructed and vividly told, is enhanced by the
picturesque quality of the scenic background. From
first to last nothing stays the interest of the
narrative. It bears us along as on a stream, whose
current varies in direction, but never loses its
force."--_Saturday Review._

"Ought to be popular with boys who are not too ill
instructed or too dandified to be affected by a
graphic picture of the days and deeds of
Hannibal."--_Athenæum._

_WITH WOLFE IN CANADA:_

Or, The Winning of a Continent. By G. A. HENTY.
With 12 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE.
Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, $1·50.

In the present volume Mr. Henty gives an account of the struggle between Britain and France for supremacy in the North American continent. On the issue of this war depended not only the destinies of North America, but to a large extent those of the mother countries themselves. 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 of Europe; and that English and American commerce, the English language, and English literature, should spread right round the globe.

"It is not only a lesson in history as
instructively as it is graphically told, but also
a deeply interesting and often thrilling tale of
adventure and peril by flood and
field."--_Illustrated London News._

"A model of what a boy's story-book should be. Mr.
Henty has a great power of infusing into the dead
facts of history new life, and his books supply
useful aids to study as well as
amusement."--_School Guardian._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"The brightest of all the living writers whose
office it is to enchant the boys."--_Christian
Leader._

* * * * *

_THROUGH THE FRAY:_

A Story of the Luddite Riots. By G. A. HENTY. With
12 full-page Illustrations by H. M. PAGET, in
black and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine
edges, $1·50.

The author in this story has followed the lines which he worked out so successfully in _Facing Death_. As in that story he shows that there are victories to be won in peaceful fields, and that steadfastness and tenacity are virtues which tell in the long run. The story is laid in Yorkshire at the commencement of the present century, when the high price of food induced by the war and the introduction of machinery drove the working-classes to desperation, and caused them to band themselves in that wide-spread organization known as the Luddite Society. There is an abundance of adventure in the tale, but its chief interest lies in the character of the hero, and the manner in which by a combination of circumstances he is put on trial for his life, but at last comes victorious "through the fray."

"Mr. Henty inspires a love and admiration for
straightforwardness, truth, and courage. This is
one of the best of the many good books Mr. Henty
has produced, and deserves to be classed with his
_Facing Death_."--_Standard._

"The interest of the story never flags. Were we to
propose a competition for the best list of novel
writers for boys we have little doubt that Mr.
Henty's name would stand first."--_Journal of
Education._

_TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG:_

A Tale of the American War of Independence. By G.
A. HENTY. With 12 full-page Illustrations by
GORDON BROWNE. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine
edges, $1·50.

In this story the author has gone to the accounts of officers who took part in the conflict, and lads will find that in no war in which American and British soldiers have been engaged did they behave with greater courage and good conduct. The historical portion of the book being accompanied with numerous thrilling adventures with the redskins on the shores of Lake Huron, a story of exciting interest is interwoven with the general narrative and carried through the book.

"Does justice to the pluck and determination of
the British soldiers during the unfortunate
struggle against American emancipation. The son of
an American loyalist, who remains true to our
flag, falls among the hostile redskins in that
very Huron country which has been endeared to us
by the exploits of Hawkeye and
Chingachgook."--_The Times._

"Mr. G. A. Henty's extensive personal experience
of adventures and moving incidents by flood and
field, combined with a gift of picturesque
narrative, make his books always welcome visitors
in the home circle."--_Daily News._

"Very superior in every way. The book is almost
unique in its class in having illustrative
maps."--_Saturday Review._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty is the king of story-tellers for
boys."--_Sword and Trowel._

* * * * *

_IN FREEDOM'S CAUSE:_

A Story of Wallace and Bruce. By G. A. HENTY. With
12 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, in
black and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine
edges, $1·50.

In this story the author relates the stirring tale of the Scottish War of Independence. The extraordinary valour and personal prowess of Wallace and Bruce rival the deeds of the mythical heroes of chivalry, and indeed at one time Wallace was ranked with these legendary personages. The researches of modern historians have shown, however, that he was a living, breathing man--and a valiant champion. The hero of the tale fought under both Wallace and Bruce, and while the strictest historical accuracy has been maintained with respect to public events, the work is full of "hairbreadth 'scapes" and wild adventure.

"Mr. Henty has broken new ground as an historical
novelist. His tale is full of stirring action, and
will commend itself to boys."--_Athenæum._

"It is written in the author's best style. Full of
the wildest and most remarkable achievements, it
is a tale of great interest, which a boy, once he
has begun it, will not willingly put on one
side."--_The Schoolmaster._

"Scarcely anywhere have we seen in prose a more
lucid and spirit-stirring description of
Bannockburn than the one with which the author
fittingly closes his volume."--_Dumfries
Standard._

_UNDER DRAKE'S FLAG._

A Tale of the Spanish Main. By G. A. HENTY.
Illustrated by 12 full-page Pictures by GORDON
BROWNE, in black and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth
elegant, olivine edges, $1·50.

A story of the days when England and Spain struggled for the supremacy of the sea, and England carried off the palm. The heroes sail as lads with Drake in the expedition in which the Pacific Ocean was first seen by an Englishman from a tree-top on the Isthmus of Panama, and in his great voyage of circumnavigation. The historical portion of the story is absolutely to be relied upon, but this, although very useful to lads, will perhaps be less attractive than the great variety of exciting adventure through which the young adventurers pass in the course of their voyages.

"A stirring book of Drake's time, and just such a
book as the youth of this maritime country are
likely to prize highly."--_Daily Telegraph._

"Ned in the coils of the boa-constrictor is a
wonderful picture. A boy must be hard to please if
he wishes for anything more exciting."--_Pall Mall
Gazette._

"A book of adventure, where the hero meets with
experience enough one would think to turn his hair
gray."--_Harper's Monthly Magazine._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty's books for boys are always
admirable."--_Birmingham Post._

* * * * *

_ONE OF THE 28TH:_

A Tale of Waterloo. By G. A. HENTY. With 8
full-page Illustrations by W. H. OVEREND, and 2
Maps. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges,
$1·50.

Herbert Penfold, being desirous of benefiting the daughter of an intimate friend, and Ralph Conway, the son of a lady to whom he had once been engaged, draws up a will dividing his property between them. At his death the authorized search for the will fails to bring it to light. The mother of Ralph, however, succeeds in entering the house as a servant, and after an arduous and exciting search secures the will. In the meantime, her son has himself passed through a series of adventures. He enters the army, and after some rough service in Ireland, takes part in the Waterloo campaign, from which he returns with the loss of an arm, but with a substantial fortune.

"Written with Homeric vigour and heroic
inspiration. It is graphic, picturesque, and
dramatically effective . . . shows us Mr. Henty
at his best and brightest."--_Observer._

"_One of the 28th_ contains one of the best
descriptions of the various battles which raged
round Waterloo which it has ever been our fate to
read."--_Daily Telegraph._

_THE CAT OF BUBASTES:_

A Story of Ancient Egypt. By G. A. HENTY. With 8
full-page Illustrations by J. R. WEGUELIN. Crown
8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, $1·50.

In availing himself of the pictured records of Egyptian life and history, Mr. Henty has produced a story which will give young readers an unsurpassed insight into the customs of one of the greatest of the ancient peoples. Amuba, a prince of the Rebu nation on the shores of the Caspian, is carried with his charioteer Jethro into slavery. They become inmates of the house of Ameres, the Egyptian high-priest, and are happy in his service until the priest's son accidentally kills the sacred cat of Bubastes. In an outburst of popular fury Ameres is killed, and it rests with Jethro and Amuba to secure the escape of the high-priest's son and daughter. After many dangers they succeed in crossing the desert to the Red Sea, and eventually making their way to the Caspian.

"The story is highly enjoyable. We have pictures
of Egyptian domestic life, of sport, of religious
ceremonial, and of other things which may still be
seen vividly portrayed by the brush of Egyptian
artists."--_The Spectator._

"The story, from the critical moment of the
killing of the sacred cat to the perilous exodus
into Asia with which it closes, is very skilfully
constructed and full of exciting adventures. It is
admirably illustrated."--_Saturday Review._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty is one of our most successful writers
of historical tales."--_Scotsman._

* * * * *

_IN THE REIGN OF TERROR:_

The Adventures of a Westminster Boy. By G. A.
HENTY. With 8 full-page Illustrations by J.
SCHÖNBERG. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine
edges, $1·50.

Harry Sandwith, a Westminster boy, becomes a resident at the chateau of a French marquis, and after various adventures accompanies the family to Paris at the crisis of the Revolution. Imprisonment and death reduce their number, and the hero finds himself beset by perils with the three young daughters of the house in his charge. The stress of trial brings out in him all the best English qualities of pluck and endurance, and after hair-breadth escapes they reach Nantes. There the girls are condemned to death in the coffin-ships Les Noyades, but are saved by the unfailing courage of their boy-protector.

"Harry Sandwith, the Westminster boy, may fairly
be said to beat Mr. Henty's record. His adventures
will delight boys by the audacity and peril they
depict. . . . The story is one of Mr. Henty's
best."--_Saturday Review._

"The interest of this story of the _Reign of
Terror_ lies in the way in which the difficulties
and perils Harry has to encounter bring out the
heroic and steadfast qualities of a brave nature.
Again and again the last extremity seems to have
been reached, but his unfailing courage triumphs
over all. It is an admirable boy's
book."--_Birmingham Post._

_ST. GEORGE FOR ENGLAND:_

A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. By G. A. HENTY.
With 8 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE,
in black and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant,
$1·50.

No portion of English history is more crowded with great events than that of the reign of Edward III. Cressy and Poitiers laid France prostrate at the feet of England; the Spanish fleet was dispersed and destroyed by a naval battle as remarkable in its incidents as was that which broke up the Armada in the time of Elizabeth. Europe was ravaged by the dreadful plague known as the Black Death, and France was the scene of the terrible peasant rising called the Jacquerie. All these stirring events are treated by the author in _St. George for England_. The hero of the story, although of good family, begins life as a London apprentice, but after countless adventures and perils, becomes by valour and good conduct the squire, and at last the trusted friend of the Black Prince.

"Mr. Henty has developed for himself a type of
historical novel for boys which bids fair to
supplement, on their behalf, the historical
labours of Sir Walter Scott in the land of
fiction."--_Standard._

"Mr. Henty as a boy's story-teller stands in the
very foremost rank. With plenty of scope to work
upon he has produced a strong story at once
instructive and entertaining."--_Glasgow Herald._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty is the prince of story-tellers for
boys."--_Sheffield Independent._

* * * * *

_A FINAL RECKONING:_

A Tale of Bush Life in Australia. By G. A. HENTY.
With 8 full-page Illustrations by W. B. WOLLEN.
Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, $1·50.

In this book Mr. Henty has again left the battlefields of history and has written a story of adventure in Australia in the early days of its settlement.

The hero, a young English lad, after rather a stormy boyhood, emigrates to Australia, and gets employment as an officer in the mounted police.

A few years of active work on the frontier, where he has many a brush with both natives and bush-rangers, gain him promotion to a captaincy, and he eventually settles down to the peaceful life of a squatter.

"Mr. Henty has never published a more readable, a
more carefully constructed, or a better written
story than this."--_Spectator._

"Exhibits Mr. Henty's talent as a story-teller at
his best. . . . The drawings possess the uncommon
merit of really illustrating the text."--_Saturday
Review._

"All boys will read this story with eager and
unflagging interest. The episodes are in Mr.
Henty's very best vein--graphic, exciting,
realistic; and, as in all Mr. Henty's books, the
tendency is to the formation of an honourable,
manly, and even heroic character."--_Birmingham
Post._

_THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE:_

Or, With Peterborough in Spain. By G. A. HENTY.
With 8 full-page Illustrations by H. M. PAGET.
Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, $1·50.

There are few great leaders whose lives and actions have so completely fallen into oblivion as those of the Earl of Peterborough. This is largely due to the fact that they were overshadowed by the glory and successes of Marlborough. His career as General extended over little more than a year, and yet, in that time, he showed a genius for warfare which has never been surpassed, and performed feats of daring worthy of the leaders of chivalry.

"Mr. Henty has done good service in endeavouring
to redeem from oblivion the name of the great
soldier, Charles Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough.
The young recruit, Jack Stilwell, worthily earns
his commission and tells his tale with
spirit."--_Athenæum._

"Mr. Henty never loses sight of the moral purpose
of his work--to enforce the doctrine of courage
and truth, mercy and loving kindness, as
indispensable to the making of a gentleman. Lads
will read The Bravest of the Brave with pleasure
and profit; of that we are quite sure."--_Daily
Telegraph._

"In describing the brief, brilliant, most
extraordinary campaigns of this chivalric and
picturesque commander Mr. Henty is in his element,
and the boy who does not follow the animated and
graphic narrative with rapture must sadly lack
spirit and pluck."--_Civil Service Gazette._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Among writers of stories of adventure for boys
Mr. Henty stands in the very first
rank."--_Academy._

* * * * *

_FOR NAME AND FAME:_

Or, Through Afghan Passes. By G. A. HENTY. With 8
full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, in black
and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, $1·50.

This is an interesting story of the last war in Afghanistan. The hero, after being wrecked and going through many stirring adventures among the Malays, finds his way to Calcutta, and enlists in a regiment proceeding to join the army at the Afghan passes. He accompanies the force under General Roberts to the Peiwar Kotal, is wounded, taken prisoner, and carried to Cabul, whence he is transferred to Candahar, and takes part in the final defeat of the army of Ayoub Khan.

"Mr. Henty's pen is never more effectively
employed than when he is describing incidents of
warfare. The best feature of the book--apart from
the interest of its scenes of adventure--is its
honest effort to do justice to the patriotism of
the Afghan people."--_Daily News._

"Here we have not only a rousing story, replete
with all the varied forms of excitement of a
campaign, but an instructive history of a recent
war, and, what is still more useful, an account of
a territory and its inhabitants which must for a
long time possess a supreme interest for
Englishmen, as being the key to our Indian
Empire."--_Glasgow Herald._

_BY SHEER PLUCK:_

A Tale of the Ashanti War. By G. A. HENTY. With 8
full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, in black
and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, $1·50.

The Ashanti Campaign seems but an event of yesterday, but it happened when the generation now rising up were too young to have made themselves acquainted with its incidents. The author has woven, in a tale of thrilling interest, all the details of the campaign, of which he was himself a witness. His hero, after many exciting adventures in the interior, finds himself at Coomassie just before the outbreak of the war, is detained a prisoner by the king, is sent down with the army which invaded the British Protectorate, escapes, and accompanies the English expedition on their march to Coomassie.

"Mr. Henty keeps up his reputation as a writer of
boys' stories. 'By Sheer Pluck' will be eagerly
read."--_Athenæum._

"The book is one which will not only sustain, but
add to Mr. Henty's reputation."--_The Standard._

"Written with a simple directness, force, and
purity of style worthy of Defoe. Morally, the book
is everything that could be desired, setting
before the boys a bright and bracing ideal of the
English gentleman."--_Christian Leader._

BY G. A. HENTY.

"Mr. Henty's books are always welcome visitors in
the home circle."--_Daily News._

* * * * *

_FACING DEATH:_

Or the Hero of the Vaughan Pit. A Tale of the Coal
Mines. By G. A. HENTY. With 8 full-page
Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, in black and tint.
Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, $1·50.