Historic Boys Part 31

A tale of the naval and military services in the early part of the present century. The hero enters the Royal Navy just after the rupture of the Peace of Amiens. After a short but eventful career afloat, he returns home, and subsequently joins the sister service, being appointed to a second lieutenancy in the old 95th Rifles. The ex-"reefer" takes an active part in the opening scenes of the Peninsular War, and meets with varied adventures in Portugal and Spain. After the battle of Coruna he once more returns to England. The story has an historical interest as well as a plot of exciting adventure, and a spice of humour which will commend it to the attention of lads who admire the stories of Captain Marryat.

#BY JOHN C. HUTCHESON.#

"Mr. Hutcheson bids fair to take a prominent place among our best writers of boys' books."--_The Academy._

_THE WHITE SQUALL:_

A Story of the Sarga.s.so Sea. By JOHN C. HUTCHESON. With 6 full-page Ill.u.s.trations by JOHN SCHoNBERG. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3_s._ 6_d._

Commencing amid the fairy-like scenes and surroundings of a West Indian home, this story pa.s.ses to Tom Eastman's setting sail from the Windward Islands on a voyage to England. At first the good ship _Josephine_ glides buoyantly through the balmy waters of the Caribbean Sea, but getting out into the broad Atlantic, calm and whirlwind are succeeded by a gale which drives her to the confines of the Sarga.s.so Sea, that meadow-like portion of the ocean, between the Azores and Bermuda, which is constantly covered with the fibrous tentacles of the gulf-weed. Here a sudden and unexpected "white squall" a.s.sails her--the _Josephine_ is turned over on her beam-ends, and the captain and crew climb up on the ship's keel for shelter. How they extricate themselves from this terrible predicament, and how the _Josephine_ is righted and pursues her voyage safely to the English Channel, the reader will discover in the book.

_THE WRECK OF THE NANCY BELL:_

Or, Cast Away on Kerguelen Land. By JOHN C. HUTCHESON. Ill.u.s.trated by 6 full-page Pictures by FRANK FELLER, in black and tint.

Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 3_s._ 6_d._

This is a book after a boy's own heart. The story narrates the eventful voyage of a vessel from the port of London to New Zealand, and the haps and mishaps that befell her, culminating in the wreck of the _Nancy Bell_ on Kerguelen Land. There is no lack of incident. From the opening chapter, with the cowardly steward's alarm of "a ghost in the cabin," to the end of the story, which details the rescue of the shipwrecked pa.s.sengers, one engrossing narrative holds the attention of the reader.

"A full circ.u.mstantial narrative such as boys delight in. The ship so sadly destined to wreck on Kerguelen Land is manned by a very life-like party, pa.s.sengers and crew. The life in the Antarctic Iceland is well treated."--_Athenaeum._

_TOM FINCH'S MONKEY_

And other Yarns. By JOHN C. HUTCHESON. With 2 full-page Ill.u.s.trations in black and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 1_s._ 6_d._

"Short stories of an altogether unexceptionable character, with adventure sufficient for a dozen books of its size."--_United Service Gazette._

#BY JOHN C. HUTCHESON.#

"Mr. Hutcheson is master of a capital style for boy readers."--_Scotsman._

_PICKED UP AT SEA:_

Or the Gold Miners of Minturne Creek; and other Stories. By JOHN C.

HUTCHESON. With 6 full-page Pictures in tints. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 3_s._ 6_d._

The story of a young English lad, rescued in mid Atlantic from a watery grave, and taken out west by a party of gold-diggers to the wild regions of the Black Hills in Dakota. Here, after warring with the elements during months of unceasing toil in their search for the riches of the earth, and having the result of their indefatigable labour well-nigh torn from their grasp when on the verge of victory, success at last rewards the efforts of the adventurous band.

"A capital book; full of startling incident, clever dialogue, admirable descriptions of sky and water in all their aspects, and plenty of fun."--_Sheffield Independent._

"This is the first appearance of the author as a writer of books for boys, and the success is so marked that it may well encourage him to further efforts. The description of mining life in the Far-west is true and accurate."--_Standard._

_TEDDY:_

The Story of a "Little Pickle." By JOHN C. HUTCHESON. With 3 full-page Ill.u.s.trations. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 2_s._

This is the story of a little fellow, who, while brave and fearless, is always in mischief, and a torment to everyone connected with him, by reason of his natural exuberance of animal spirits. As Teddy cannot manage to steer clear of hot water on sh.o.r.e he is sent to sea, in the hope that discipline and duty will tame down the rough points of his character, and teach him to be a n.o.ble and good man. Although a "little pickle" at the beginning of his career, Teddy turns out a little hero at the close of the story, as the reader will find out if the wonderful adventures of the "young torment" be followed to the end.

_THE PENANG PIRATE,_

And THE LOST PINNACE. By JOHN C. HUTCHESON. With 3 full-page Ill.u.s.trations. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 2_s._

Deals with the pirates who infest the great water-highways of the East, and tells how a party of Malayan freebooters were caught in their own toils and how the gallant ship _Hankow Lin_ voyaged from the Canton river through the straits of Sunda. Both stories are founded on fact.

"A book which most boys will thoroughly enjoy. It is rattling, adventurous, and romantic, and the stories are thoroughly healthy in tone, and written by a skilful hand."--_Aberdeen Journal._

#BY MRS. R. H. READ.#

_SILVER MILL:_

A Tale of the Don Valley. By Mrs. R. H. READ. With 6 full-page Ill.u.s.trations by JOHN SCHoNBERG, in black and tint. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3_s._ 6_d._

The story of a girl and boy. The chief interest centres around Ruth, who is supposed to be the orphan child of a working-man, but who eventually turns out to be the daughter of the cynical, though essentially kind-hearted, owner of Silver Mill. In tracing the character of Ruth as she develops from an impulsive girl to n.o.ble womanhood, the author has drawn a picture at once pleasing and suggestive.

"Another of those pleasant stories which are always acceptable, especially perhaps to girls standing on the debatable ground between girlhood and young ladyhood."--_The Guardian._

"A good girl's story-book. The plot is interesting, and the heroine, Ruth, a lady by birth, though brought up in a humble station, well deserves the more elevated position in which the end of the book leaves her. The pictures are very spirited."--_Sat.u.r.day Review._

_DORA:_

Or a Girl without a Home. By Mrs. R. H. READ. With 6 full-page Ill.u.s.trations. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3_s._ 6_d._

The story of a friendless orphan girl, who is placed as pupil-teacher at the school in which she was educated, but is suddenly removed by hard and selfish relatives, who employ her as a menial as well as a governess.

Through a series of exciting adventures she makes discoveries respecting a large property which is restored to its rightful owners, and at the same time she secures her escape from her persecutors.

"It is no slight thing, in an age of rubbish, to get a story so pure and healthy."--_The Academy._

"One of the most pleasing stories for young people that we have met with of late years. There is in it a freshness, simplicity, and naturalness very engaging."--_Harper's Magazine._

_FAIRY FANCY:_

What she Heard and what she Saw. By Mrs. R. H. READ. With many Woodcut Ill.u.s.trations in the text, and a Frontispiece printed in colours. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2_s._

The tale is designed to show the influence of character even among little children, and the narrative is such as to awaken and sustain the interest of the younger readers.

"The auth.o.r.ess has very great insight into child nature."--_Glasgow Herald._

"All is pleasant, nice reading, with a little knowledge of natural history and other matters gently introduced and divested of dryness."--_Practical Teacher._

_OUR DOLLY:_