List of Illustrations

The knife dropped from the man's hand...... Frontispiece "I will go today, Mr. Barriscale," responded Hal.

He helped to lift Chick into the car....

Facing p. 154

..Facing p. 302

The Guardsman

CHAPTER I

and mischief give life and color to the name. But in the mind of the American boy mischief is the predominating thought when the name is spoken. It is still a mystery why this particular night should have been chosen for indulgence in that form of juvenile pleasure which consists chiefly in removing loose property of Mr. Smith to the front yard of Mr. Jones. But that it has been so chosen no early promenader of the streets on the first morning in November will have the temerity to deny. Convincing evidence of such transfers may be seen in almost every block.

HALLOWEEN! Religion, romance

The boys of the city of Fairweather were not different from the boys of other American cities and villages in this respect. So it was that on Hallowe'en in the year 1909, groups of these young citizens, on mischief bent, were plainly visible to

the discerning eye. In the well-lighted and peopled streets they paraded boisterously, through the darker ways they stole quietly with whispered words.

It was not a pleasant night to be out, rain had fallen during the day, and with the cessation of the storm had come a mist that shrouded the town, blurred the lights, and made the wet air heavy and lifeless.

A small group of boys, perhaps a half dozen, ranging in age from twelve to sixteen years, moved quietly up a side street and approached the business quarter of the city. If they had been in mischief the evidences of it were not visible among them. If they contemplated mischief, only a reader of minds could have discovered that fact.

It was past midnight. Few people were abroad. A loitering policeman stopped at a street-corner as the boys went by and carelessly scanned the group. They were not openly violating any law nor breaking any city ordinance, therefore it was not his duty to interfere with their proper use of the highway, nor to investigate their proposed activities. So he swung his club back against his forearm, hummed under his breath a tune that he used to know as a boy, and went placidly on about his business. But if he had been suspicious, and had stealthily followed them, he might have seen something that would have aroused within him a measure

of zeal in the performance of his undeniable duties. For, passing down the main street of the city, not three blocks distant from the corner where they had met the guardian of the public peace, these young American citizens came to a cobbler's shop on the door-casing of which hung a board sign inscribed with the words:

"PUPPIES FOR SALE HERE."

"That sign," said Halpert McCormack, the apparent leader of the group, "ought to come down. In my opinion a cobbler has no business to be selling puppies. Shoemaker, stick to your last!' That's a proverb we parsed in Miss Buskin's class this morning. What do you say, fellows?" "Sure it ought to come down," was the immediate and unanimous response.

"Besides," added Little Dusty, the youngest boy in the company, "his puppies is no good anyway. My cousin Joe bought one off of him last week, and he can't even bark yet."

One member of the group, inclined to be facetious, inquired:

"Who can't bark? Joe or the dog?"

"Neither one of 'em," was the quick reply. "But the puppy's got fleas an' Joe ain't."

"That settles it," said Hal McCormack, gravely. "A man that will sell puppies with fleas on 'em deserves no consideration from us."