Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
At the Ballantyne Press


[!-- [Pg vii] --]

[CONTENTS]

PAGE
[A FIGHTING MERMAID]. By Kirk Munroe[1]
Illustrated by Fred. T. Jane.
[THE VENTURE OF THE "BERTHA" WHALER]. By Henry Frith[39]
Illustrated by W. H. Overend.
[A FRENCHMAN'S GRATITUDE]. By Lieut.-Col. Percy-Groves[74]
Illustrated by J. Finnemore.
[THE BADGE OF THE FOURTH FOOT]. By Robert Leighton[115]
Illustrated by J. Ayton Symington.
[A DANGEROUS GAME]. By G. Manville Fenn[155]
Illustrated by C. J. Staniland.
[BY DEFAULT OF THE ENGINEER]. By Franklin Fox[203]
Illustrated by Gordon Browne.
[THE KING OF SPAIN'S WILL]. By John Bloundelle-Burton[236]
Illustrated by Enoch Ward.
[A NEW ENGLAND RAID]. By E. F. Pollard[271]
Illustrated by Gordon Browne.[!-- [Pg viii] --]
[SIR RICHARD'S SQUIRES]. By Charles W. Whistler[310]
Illustrated by R. Wheelwright.
[THE SLAVER'S REVENGE]. By Harry Collingwood[344]
Illustrated by Trevor Haddon.
[ON A MEXICAN RANCHE]. By G. A. Henty[383]
Illustrated by H. Bird.

[!-- [Pg ix] --][LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS]

"An Indian sprang up behind him"[Frontispiece]
PAGE
"The strange tow, slowly making its way up the harbour"[13]
"She hovered like a gigantic fish"[17]
"Then two dripping figures scrambled aboard"[29]
"The explosion, close under their bows, of a giant fire-cracker"[31]
"The Alfonso XIX. lay in a glow of diffused light that seemed to come from beneath her very keel"[33]
"Threw the whole harbour into an uproar of terror"[35]
"The captain, overbalanced, dropped overboard, and disappeared in the raging sea"[43]
"Hullo, my young spitfire! so you want a lesson, do you?"[47]
"What are those black things, Mr. Stevens?"[54]
"In the dim light two curious objects appeared"[63]
"The end appeared near"[69]
"I immediately ran forward to the scene of action"[77]
"Our gunners hammered away at Rosetta"[85]
"Very cautiously we made our way down the sand-hills"[91]
"As the fog cleared off, there appeared before us the Turkish army"[97]
"Our standing ranks gave them a rattling volley"[105]
"I dropped senseless to the ground"[111]
"Suddenly a fluttering book flew past his curly head"[117]
"Turned up a rusty old claymore"[124][!-- [Pg x] --]
"Alan refused to accept this offer of friendship"[135]
"Colin handed him the lantern"[146]
"Neil? my brother Neil?"[151]
"Whisked himself round and held his tar-kettle and brush out like a pair of balances"[160]
"Rev'nue cutter," said Hezz shortly[166]
"A vigorous cut divided the fishing-line"[171]
"A signal! came the next moment in answer"[181]
"For there below him, lit up by a few lanterns, he could make out the hull of a great lugger"[186]
"Oh," he cried, "there you are, sir!"[193]
"Master Lahnce, lad!" cried the old man, making a grab at the boy's hand[201]
"A quiet smoke"[205]
"This is a pleasant prospect"[209]
"Caught a firm grip of her dress"[214]
"Uttering a wild yell, rushed off towards the nearest hut"[228]
"Mr. Urquhart tried the effect of the nine-pounders"[233]
"Ran his finger along a map of France"[242]
"We are soldiers, not——"[251]
"Not so fast, mademoiselle, not so fast. What are you doing here?"[254]
The Rescue[265]
"A friendship that eventually ripened—"[269]
"I was afraid, and hid myself in the long rushes"[273]
"Quiet! Josiah Blackstone"[287]
"Be on your guard"[295]
"With a shout of triumph she leaped into the water"[303]
"He fell forward dead in the black swamp"[307]
"He came heavily to the roadside grass, where he lay stunned"[311][!-- [Pg xi] --]
"Sir Richard sat in his great chair on the daïs"[315]
"I know where I am not wanted, at least"[323]
"She seemed to care little"[327]
"The next thing I knew was that my good steed was down on his nose among the stones"[336]
"We were met by a ragamuffin crowd of swarthy, black-haired, fierce-eyed ruffians"[349]
"A gang of some fifty negroes appeared"[367]
"Borne aloft on a sort of rude throne supported upon the shoulders of eight stalwart negroes"[371]
"She waved her hand above her head by way of farewell"[375]
"Before he could pull the trigger I had struck up the weapon"[380]
"Horses, when required, could be lassoed"[385]
"Was often away on horseback with her dogs"[389]
"The great assemblage of all the cattle, known as the round up"[403]
"Shot an unusually fine mountain lion"[411]
"I struck Violetta sharply and she galloped off like an arrow"[418]
"A loud shout burst from the bushes as he issued out"[423]