"There's the outpost making signals, Elmer," said Mark, about three o'clock in the afternoon.

Two of the scouts, who were pretty well up in wigwag work, had been dispatched to a knob part way up the mountain, from which a fine view of the lower lake could be obtained, as well as the zigzag course of the connecting Paradise Creek.

"Looks like they must have sighted our scout master, then," declared Elmer, as he left what he was engaged in doing to hasten over to where the balance of the signal flags lay.

Snatching one up he began to wave it in certain eccentric movements which Red Huggins, who held the book, knew to be a query as to what the outposts or videttes had discovered.

"There! he's starting to answer. Everybody watch sharp, and write down what you make it!" exclaimed the scout leader.

Pencils and paper had been made ready, though most of the scouts carried small note books in which they entered such things as they wished to preserve.

For some little time they watched each deliberate motion of the distant waving flag, no one saying a word. When finally the sign was given that the message had reached its end, every scout started to scribble at hot speed.

Then Elmer walked along the line, examining the various records.

"Pretty well done," he said after he had completed his examination, "but of course it was the easiest of tests, for we all felt sure the report would be that they were in sight. They are crossing Jupiter Lake right now. That means they will be with us inside of an hour and a half, for Ginger is rowing stoutly, Matty says, and Mr. Eggleston seems to be getting ready to take the second pair of oars himself for the pull up Paradise Creek, which you may remember is no cinch, fellows."

"That's right," declared Larry Billings, rubbing his arm, the muscles of which had been more or less sore ever since that strain.

"It's going to be a long hour and a half," said Jasper Merriweather.

"Oh! rats, just go and play with the monkey, to kill time," laughed Lil Artha.

"I'm just wild to see what Ginger does when we take him to meet his 'debble,'" observed Toby, who had of course been hovering over that magical balloon pretty much all the morning; indeed, so long as that was around they could hardly get the ambitious amateur aviator to do anything worth while.

"Somebody coming back yonder; I saw 'em flit past that open place," remarked Nat Scott, pointing upward.

"Yes, that's Ted and Chatz, returning from the lone cabin. They promised to be back early, because they didn't want to miss the fun when Ginger came," declared the scout leader.

Within the next half hour not only did Ted and his companion arrive, but the two videttes and signal men reached camp. Having discharged the duty to which they had been assigned, Matty Eggleston and Jack Armitage had lost no time in heading once more down the mountain.

Now an hour had gone, and the half was passing slowly. All eyes were turned down the lake to the spot where the creek began, anticipating seeing the boat shoot into view.

"Hurrah! there they come!" shouted one who had climbed a tree, the better to get the first glimpse of the returning couple.

As the boat slipped out on the silvery surface of the lonely lake, so well named Solitude, the cheers that arose must have been particularly pleasing to the young man who was devoting so much of his time to the task of trying to make the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts the best troops in the county.

But it was Ginger who deliberately dropped his oars, to rise to his feet, and with his black hand over his heart, make several salaams. He came near taking a header over the side of the boat in his eagerness to return the compliments which he really believed the boys were meaning for him, at which of course there was an uproarious laugh all around.

Then came the landing. Ty Collins made sure that the boat contained a lot of packages, and his eyes shone with pleasure as he saw that one of them bore the unmistakable outlines of a whole ham.

"This way, Mr. Garrabrant, we've got a surprise for you!" laughed Elmer.

"You come along, too, Ginger," called Lil Artha, "and make the acquaintance of an old friend of yours. He's been fretting like everything because you were so long getting here. Diablo, here's Ginger coming to shake hands with you!"

Of course they had heaps of fun watching the look on the face of Ginger, as he found himself confronting the hairy thief whom he had seen under such strange conditions, and believed to be a visitor from a warm country where pitchforks are said to be in fashion.

But it required considerable urging for Ginger to actually take the extended hand of the big monkey. Eventually, however, they became quite good friends. Ginger was forever supplying the captive with tidbits, and on his part Diablo seemed to recognize in the dark-skinned man a boon companion.

Of course, after they had their little frolic, and the story of Diablo's capture had been fully told, the boys were eager to know whether Mr. Garrabrant had succeeded in turning the two bad men over to the Rockaway authorities, also if he had happened to run across any of their folks while in Hickory Ridge.

"Make your minds easy, boys," he had replied, laughingly. "Jim and Bill are safely lodged behind the bars in Rockaway jail. I saw Colonel Hitchens, and he paid me the reward that was offered for their capture, which goes to the troop. Later on you boys shall take a vote as to what to do with the money, though I imagine I can give a pretty good guess where it'll go from what I heard you say before about Abe and his kiddies."

"Did you happen to mention the fact that we believed we had his runaway monkey up here as a neighbor, sir?" asked Elmer.

"I certainly did, and he at once declared that if you could only manage to get hold of that rogue, Diablo, it would be another hundred dollars reward," answered the scout master.

"Hurrah!" cried Lil Artha, boisterously, "but the honor goes to Elmer and Mark. They not only did the entire trick, but managed to get a flashlight picture of the monkey going up in the air, with one of his hind legs gripped in the loop of a rope. It's the greatest thing I ever heard about! Wait till you see the picture, sir."

"But how about Hickory Ridge, sir; I suppose it's still on the map?" asked Elmer, who knew only too well that every fellow was just dying to hear whether the scout master had happened to run across any of their home folks, and what they had said in sending word.

"Well," replied Mr. Garrabrant, with a smile and a nod around; "I've got a pleasant surprise for you all. Having some time on my hands after I had carried out my little business affairs, I just thought it would be nice if I took my car and ran around to the home of every scout who is in camp here on old Solitude!"

"Bully for you, sir!"

"That was mighty fine of you, Mr. Garrabrant, and did you see my folks, sir?"

"Three cheers for our scout master, fellows; ain't he all to the good, though?"

Now, Mr. Garrabrant knew boys and was not in the least offended by such crude ways of expressing their appreciation. He knew it sprang straight from the heart, and was prouder to have won so lasting a place in their regard than he would have been to take a city.

"Yes, I saw the folks of every lad, and bear messages that will please you, I am sure," he observed. "Here they are, just as they were sent by mothers and fathers. And you may be sure they were delighted to learn how well things were going. They want you to stay your time out, and come back, ruddy and brown, better fitted to take up your school duties when vacation ends."

After the packet of little hastily scribbled messages had been distributed, care having been taken by the thoughtful scout master that not a single one might feel neglected, there was a strange silence in camp. Undoubtedly several of the boys were rather perilously near the breaking point, as they began to once more experience the grip of that terrible malady—homesickness.

But Mr. Garrabrant knew, and he it was who began to play with the captive monkey, causing more or less sport, that presently had all the boys laughing uproariously. And so the threatened eruption was avoided. When supper time came they had managed to recover their former steadiness of purpose to stick it out to the end.

But there was not a single member of the troop who did not treasure that little slip of paper, bearing only a few cheering loving words in a familiar hand, during the rest of the stay in camp.

As to what else befell the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts, and particularly those members of the Wolf Patrol in whom we have had especial interest, time and space will not allow my attempting to narrate here. Later on the opportunity will doubtless arise, so that we shall once more make their acquaintance, and accompany them on other fields of outdoor life, where they continue to imbibe the secrets of Nature that are calculated to make them better fitted to take care of themselves, and be of service to their fellows.

No serious calamity came to pass as the days slipped along. They continued to take toll of the obliging trout that dwelt in Lake Solitude, long acquainted with the hooks and devices of civilized man. And Mr. Garrabrant seldom allowed even a single day to pass without endeavoring to foster in his boys the manly spirit all American lads should possess.

The day before they expected to break camp a party went over to the cabin of Abe Morris and brought him back with them, he being so far recovered, thanks to the treatment of the proud amateur physician, Dr. Ted, that he could limp, with the aid of crutches, and the stout as well as willing arms of the boys to lean upon.

Of course the manly boy, Felix, and the useful maiden, Little Lou, came along, for the hut was being abandoned forever.

They had places in the boats when the camp was left behind. The wagon as well as a carriage awaited them at exactly the same place where had burned the first camp fire of the expedition, this latter being for the use of Abe and his "kiddies," and the clumsier vehicle for the camp luggage.

As for the scouts themselves they scorned such a means of travel. Browned and healthy, they felt able to walk twice the seven miles that lay between the Sweetwater and Hickory Ridge. And besides, were they not headed for home, with all that that implied in their enthusiastic boyish hearts?

We could not, even if we would lift the veil, betray the emotion some of the valiant scouts exhibited when clasped again in the loving arms of a mother or a father. But everybody declared that the change in the boys was wonderful, and that they really seemed to have taken a great step forward in the journey toward manliness. Jasper Merriweather in particular hardly seemed like the same weak, timid boy. He had drawn in a big breath of "outdoors," and glimpsed the goal toward which he was now determined to set his course.

And in Hickory Ridge that night, there was a consensus of opinion to the effect that the Boy Scout movement was by long odds the best thing that had ever happened to quicken the better element lying dormant in every growing lad.

Abe Morris was easily placed in a paying position, and the boys never lost their interest in the boy Felix and Little Lou. Just as they had declared, the rewards coming to them for having effected the capture of the two bad men, as well as the runaway monkey valued so highly by Colonel Hitchens, were paid over to Abe, and went toward starting the little Morris family in a cottage of their own within the limits of the town of Hickory Ridge.

Doubtless the thoughts of those lads would many times go out to the camp fires which had marked their first outing after organizing. And as they looked over the numerous fine pictures Mark had secured, they would live again the days when they experienced the strenuous life under canvas.

A new edition, 5 × 7¼ inches, bulk one inch, 330 pages, from new plates, with new illustrations, two titles or stories to each volume, sewed, cloth bindings, with picture covers in colors, in several designs.

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The characters are college boys in everything but their ability to play baseball. Each represents one of the leading players who are now playing in the American and National Leagues with names slightly changed, but the reader will soon discover that he is reading the early exploits of one of his baseball favorites.

The whole range of interesting features about a ball team and the game itself is covered in successive chapters. One of them contains the secrets of what is known as "inside baseball" and "signal work" with illustrations showing how to do it.

Through the twenty chapters are interwoven many of the stories of actual plays, famous catches, thrilling episodes of games, tricks pulled off and some that did not work, which have come within the author's experience.

A good story of college life runs through the book. The hero gets into trouble and his friends get him out in the usual strenuous style of college life stories.

It is a live book about baseball, with live characters, and written by the one man who knows more about the men who are playing it to-day and the methods by which games are won than anyone else in the sport.

"EDITOR'S NOTE—The Daily News makes no apology for placing in this position of honor on the first page the opening chapters of a serial story dealing with baseball events and baseball heroes.

"The Daily News believes in clean athletic sports, believes in encouraging them and in keeping them clean. Baseball is the national game. It is not only the most popular sport in the United States, but it is national in the sense that it expresses the ingenuity, the energy and the agility of the typical American. Viewed in this light, baseball possesses a dignity of its own and an entertaining and informing piece of literary work about it cannot be trivial. What is elevating, what is interesting, and what is dignified cannot but make a strong appeal to the appreciation of every reader."—The Chicago News, March 21, 1910.

"The best baseball story ever written."—The Evening World, New York, N. Y., March 14, 1910.

"I have read WON IN THE NINTH with much interest and it has been very entertaining."—Charles W. Murphy, President Chicago National League Baseball Club, Chicago, April 8, 1910.

"WON IN THE NINTH is a great book, and one that every lover of the game should read."—Charles A. Comiskey, President Chicago White Sox American League Baseball Club, Chicago, April 7, 1910.

This series contains those books for young folks that are without question conceded to be the most popular of this class. Each title has a distinctive cover design in colors, and in addition to being equal to the New York Book Company's other cloth-bound books each volume contains twenty to sixty illustrations.

Every boy and girl knows the Oliver Optic Books, and The New York Book Company's Edition is the lowest priced cloth-bound edition. It is better in many ways than some of the higher priced editions. The covers are stamped in colors, in different and attractive designs. Frontispiece; decorated lining papers and title page; size, five by seven and a quarter inches.

Magazine size, paper-covered novels. Covers printed in attractive colors. List of titles contains the very best sellers of popular fiction. Printed from new plates; type clear, clean and readable.

Books for children that are not only picture books but play books. Beautifully printed in four colors. Books that children can cut out, paint or puzzle over. More entertaining than the most expensive toys.

A new series, containing the best stories of the most popular writers. Size 5 × 7¼ inches; bulk one inch; 380 pages and a frontispiece in colors; printed from new plates, sewed, cloth bindings, gilt back, with decorated inlaid covers in colors.

Each of the following volumes, which are now ready to deliver, contains the two complete books, of which the titles are given in the list, as they were written by the authors, without condensation or abridgment.

The following volumes, each containing the two stories as listed, are ready to deliver:

The lowest price for any single title or story in the above list in any other cloth-bound edition is double our price. The two titles or stories contained in each volume gives more reading matter and better value for the price than has been offered heretofore in cloth-bound books for girls.

A new series of novels, containing the great books of the greatest novelists, with either two novels in one volume, or, in the case of some of the very long novels, two volumes combined in one volume.

Size 5 × 7¼ inches, bulk one inch, 380 pages, from new plates, sewed, cloth bindings, with decorated covers in colors and other attractive features.

The following volumes, each containing the two stories as listed, are ready to deliver:

The two titles or stories contained in one volume gives more reading matter and better value for the price than has been offered heretofore in cloth-bound fiction books.

Of equal importance are the sections of this work which deal with food values, the treatment of infants and invalids and the proper service of various dishes.

The recipes are planned for two persons, but may readily be adapted for a large number. The book is replete with illustrations and tables of food compositions—the latter taken from the latest Government statistics.