BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION

So much of my time is given to reading boys' books that, when I read books for grown-ups, now and again I find myself saying, "What a bully story for boys to read!" Latterly, I have been putting down the titles of such stories. When the list began to lengthen, it occurred to me, why not make a book for boys containing stories like that: stories written for grown-ups but also of interest to boys in their early teens.

Such a collection of stories could not be made, however, without the consent of the authors and publishers, but since everybody loves a boy, I didn't have much trouble in convincing them they ought to grant permission to use their stories for such a purpose and, as a result, I am pleased to present to the boy readers of our country the Boy Scouts Book of Stories.

Looking over the list, I find it covers pretty well the reading interests of boys. There are stories about boy scouts, school stories, stories of the sea and "wild west" stories, detective and mystery stories; most of all, though, a goodly number of humorous stories, and I am willing to hazard the guess there will be no regrets on the part of readers because the selections happen to abound in stories of the latter sort.

How about it, boys?

CONTENTS

PAGE
I.The Great Big ManOwen Johnson[1]
II.A Twilight AdventureMelville Davisson Post[27]
III.Tad Sheldon, Second Class ScoutJohn Fleming Wilson[45]
IV.The Red-Headed LeagueArthur Conan Doyle[71]
V.The Ransom of Red ChiefO. Henry[108]
VI.The Honk-Honk BreedStewart Edward White[125]
VII.The Devil-FishNorman Duncan[140]
VIII.The Jumping FrogMark Twain[155]
IX.BingismBooth Tarkington[165]
X.Concho Curly at the Op'raEdward Beecher Bronson[191]
XI.The LieHermann Hagedorn[206]
XII.Story of the BandboxRobert Louis Stevenson[229]
XIII.The Hero and the CowboyJoseph C. Lincoln[265]
XIV.The DollarMorgan Robertson[289]
XV.The Mascot of "Troop 1"Stephen Chalmers[315]
XVI.The Lion's SmileThomas W. Hanshew[330]
XVII.The Roll-Call of the ReefA. T. Quiller-Couch[361]
XVIII.The House and the BrainLord Edward Bulwer-Lytton[386]