Jack Ranger's Western Trip From Boarding School to Ranch and Range

ready?" inquired a vo

rs! We're as ready as

rom a crowd of boys ga

all that eve

u speak again, above

rnly, "you will have to

on a fine tooth com

ppi

Nat, this time in the required whisper. "

it's getting late and we'll have to do this job quick and be back before Dr.

Washington Hall, but sometimes called Lakeside Academy, from the fact that it

armless, and ended in good-natured fun, for Jack was one of the best-hearted lads in the world. This time he had promised his chu

uth organ with you?" asked Jack,

how could he speak?" asked an athle

ented Jack, and he ducked just in time

o play?" a

ay in a hundred years,

. "But make a no

f you're so smart

using one of his characteristic express

"Give us a good marching tune. We're far eno

the score of boys behind

d Sam in a low tone, of Jack

o a certain character in this town," Jack answ

s beating his wife and h

th his fists on the little girl. Now if there's anything that makes me mad it's to see a

t is

f the Klu-Klux-

rn society that made

il

re going to be Klu-K

en't got an

claimed Jack in tragic tones, and he

heatricals?" asked Nat,

can pay off your orchestra," he add

Jack, and he told them

a

nd knows the significance of the thing. We'll throw a good scare into him, and maybe he'll let his wife and daughter alone. Now we

dkerchiefs!" exclaimed N

his he opened and showed a number of ghostly uniforms. He distributed these among

til I put the finishing t

ng flame lines around the holes cut for eyes,

d. Follow me, and, Fred, when you see me put my hand on my head that means I wan

" spoke Fred, in hollow tones

!" comma

en. If they had the prank would have cost the participators dear. But, after all, as Ja

bout me," he whispered. "I am goi

me distance from any other dwellings on a lon

, in answer, a few seconds

called Jack in deep tones. "W

n thrust his head furth

nd linger not

the Klan! They're after me!" excla

ve us drag ye out!" cried Jack

do?" wail

woman's voice could be heard to say. "Remember

drawn in, wit

e's coming,"

his shirt and trousers came out on the front steps, arou

s knees trembling, walked on until he sto

e stake!" comma

hammer it was driven into the ground. Then the man w

wood at the victims feet. A second later Jack had emptied the ph

me alive!" yelled

hanted Jack. At the same time he raised his hand to his head and Fred pl

good Mr. Klu-Klux-Kla

again. I promise

e great seal of the U

sepulchra

; I'll promi

more severe!" and with that Jack kicked aside the phosphorous covered st

bias crawled i

t she was not a little gratified that her husband h

e answer. "Oh, this

ber, Tobias Smelts, if thou dost so much as raise a finger to a woman or child

h, I'll be good!

-robed figures filed away into th

ort yet," said Sam, when t

aid Jack. "That old codger'll not

he masquerading Klu-Klux-Klan was a most effective remedy, and the whole vi

Movel to Jack, as the boys rid themselves

d say he was!" exclaimed Na

be getting back to

t take a notion to si

enjoyed a night's fun, which also had its useful side, we may tak

nds came to be at that seat of learning. Jack was a bright American lad, who lived with his three maiden aunts, Josephine, Mary and Angeline Stebbins, in the village of Dento

d Nat Anderson had before they were sent to the Academy. There things were even more livel

with the outline of a pine tree on it, and a lot of emeralds and rubies set around its center. This ring belonged to Jack's aunts, who had sent it to the j

and Professor Socrat, the French instructor, Jack made the acquaintance of one John Smith, a half-breed Indian who had come to the academy for instr

e. Nat discovered, in John's absence, a curious ring under a steam radiator. It was the exact counterpart of the one the burglar stole in Denton. Jack was m

r had given him the ring just before his death, and told him if he was ever poor

st country in the far north. There he had bought five thousand acres of valuable land. Some schemers had stolen the pap

father took a man named Clark and one called Roberts with him. Mr. Roberts, or Robert Ranger, which was hi

e land for Tevis. He gave them each ten thousand dollars for their work and had th

time the men or their relatives n

ed him a large sum to help them contest Tevis's title. He refused, but learned that, if they could get him into court, they could throw the timber cla

and then disappeared. He knew that if he could evade legal service for eleven ye

ho made an unsuccessful attempt to get his, thought they could, by use of the emblems

e was somewhere in the Rocky Mountains, in retirement. Jack having heard this story, resolved that he and John Smith, would, some

g Washington Hall, and walking quietly along. Jack and John Smi

were on it, and only for the subdued roar of the motor the car's approach would n

cried John S

n the path of the car, and was struck by one of the projecting springs. He was knocked to one sid

ou're going?" called an ang

cried Jack, springing

running without lights and then ask us wh

id Jack. "That voice

ot'

t sporty n

t's

er go a bit slow