Chapter I: Preface

Only a few of the kindly reviewers of the earlier editions of Crowded Out o' Crofield have suggested that it has at all exaggerated the possible career of its boy and girl actors. If any others have silently agreed with them, it may be worth while to say that the pictures of places and the doings of older and younger people are pretty accurately historical. The story and the writing of it were suggested in a conversation with an energetic American boy who was crowded out of his own village into a career which led to something much more surprising than a profitable junior partnership.

W. O. S.

NEW YORK, 1893.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I.--THE BLACKSMITH'S BOY
II.--THE FISH WERE THERE
III.--I AM ONLY A GIRL
IV.--CAPTAIN MARY
V.--JACK OGDEN'S RIDE
VI.--OUT INTO THE WORLD
VII.--MARY AND THE _EAGLE_
VIII.--CAUGHT FOR A BURGLAR
IX.--NEARER THE CITY
X.--THE STATE-HOUSE AND THE STEAMBOAT
XI.--DOWN THE HUDSON
XII.--IN A NEW WORLD
XIII.--A WONDERFUL SUNDAY
XIV.--FRIENDS AND ENEMIES
XV.--NO BOY WANTED
XVI.--JACK'S FAMINE
XVII.--JACK-AT-ALL-TRADES
XVIII.--THE DRUMMER BOY
XIX.--COMPLETE SUCCESS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

The Sorrel Mare was tugging hard at the Rein . . . _Frontispiece_

The Runaway

Along the Water's Edge

Fighting the Fire

"Run for Home"

He listened in silence

"There won't be any _Eagle_ this week"

Just out

"I'm the Editor, sir"

"There," said Mr. Murdoch, "jump right in"

"Your map's all wrong," said Jack

The hotel clerk looked at Jack

His traveler friend was sound asleep

On Broadway, at last!

"How would he get in?"

Coffee and clams

Jack is homesick

"I've lost my pocket-book"

"Ten cents left"

Jack dines with Mr. Keifelheimer

Buying a new hat

Jack speaks to the General

The return home

CROWDED OUT O' CROFIELD.