Reuben Stone's discovery

“It ain’t no use to talk, Rube, that bill has got to be paid.” Mr. James Jackson brought his fist down on the little desk in one corner of the mill with such force that everythi...

I was both astonished and dismayed to see the large sloop go over and precipitate its passengers into the water. The catastrophe happened so quickly that for a moment I knew not...

For a moment I could not believe the evidence of my own eyes. I had fully expected to find the large sloop in the spot I had left her, held there by the anchor that must have fa...

The shock of the news, coming as it did so unexpectedly, completely staggered me. The only parent that had been left to me was gone, and I was left to fight the battle of life a...

His assertion that my father’s estate was indebted to him to the amount of six hundred and fifty dollars astonished and dismayed me. What had my parent done with the greater par...

I could hardly believe that Mr. Norton intended to strike me. I had not been struck for a long time; in fact, as far back as I could remember, and I did not intend to submit.

I was astonished to find myself face to face with Andy Carney, whom I knew to be one of the toughest characters that infested the north shore of Rock Island Lake.

With my gun ready for use, I picked my way back to the rock nearest to my boat, intending to embark at once. The man was probably not alone on the island, and had gone off for a...

The discovery I made was totally unexpected, and for the moment I did not know what to make of it. Darrow noticed my peculiar look, and asked what was up.

I was never so astonished in my life as when I heard one of the new-comers in the boat order the constable to arrest me at once. I had done no wrong, and I could not make the ma...

It was plain to see that Mr. Norton was deeply angered; indeed, he seemed to be in as violent a rage as it is possible for a man to attain. His teeth were tightly closed, and hi...

I saw the pistol, and I was properly alarmed. It is said that there are those who can look in the barrel of such a weapon unflinchingly. If so, I am not one of the kind.

“Reuben, I don’t believe your story,” he cried at length. “You’ve taken that valise yourself, and put away the other things to make your story appear plausible. Now, I want you...

“I didn’t even see them. Carney has the valise, as well as the other things; and if you want to get the stuff back you had better go after him.”

How they had come to track me I did not know; but I realized that the fact of my having that diamond in my possession, would carry much weight against me.

I was a prisoner in the Bend Center jail. It was far from being a pleasant situation, and with a heavy heart I sank down into a seat and gave myself up to my bitter feelings.

For the moment there was intense excitement among the half-dozen men who were present. The escape of a prisoner from Bend Center was an unheard-of occurrence, and for a while no...

No sooner had he left me than I began to tug at the ropes that bound me. But Mr. Norton had done his work well, and at the end of five minutes I found myself as secure as ever.

Then I ran around to the other side of the building, where a long ladder was lying, and raised this up to the shed top. By this time Ford had the water; and climbing up I poured...

I was astonished by Ford’s words and came very near uttering a sudden cry; but my helper pressed his hand over my mouth, thus effectually preventing any sound from coming forth.

The announcement that the person in the other boat was the very one for whom we and the detectives were hunting, was so surprising that for a moment Ford could hardly believe it...

The sight of the three men with the stolen diamonds spread out between them was an interesting one to Ford and myself. The trio had a lantern, and in the rays of this the precio...

Near the tree up which I was hiding was another tree much larger. Without making any noise I swung from one to the other, and got out on a limb that extended fully twenty feet a...

I do not claim to be over brave, and the darkness and the loneliness of my position sent a shiver through my frame. How long must I remain in that dismal spot?

I now found myself face to face with one of the most dangerous positions into which it had ever been my misfortune to stumble. The wolf that had attacked me was both large and f...

I came to my senses with a start. The cooling waters were dashing over my right arm. A wave broke over my face, and I sat up in a dazed fashion.

Rounding the corner I saw my guardian fully a block up the street, and running as fast as his long legs would permit. I gave chase, and soon began to close the distance between us.

I walked out upon the platform, but managed to keep out of sight as much as possible, fearful that if Mr. Norton saw me he would leave the vicinity at once.

And to finish the farce, I reached out and pulled on the heavy beard. It came off without much trouble, and Mr. Norton was revealed to the gaze of the half-dozen passengers who...

It did not take us long to reach Loadhead. Here we found both Captain Harley and Captain Pointer. Nothing had been seen of Avery, but they felt confident that he would be captur...

“Then he is some first-class fraud,” I went on; “for he came to Bend Center about a week ago, and pretended to be my uncle, and said that my father had appointed him as my guard...

“He came to the mill and introduced himself as Enos Norton, and said he had been appointed my guardian by my father, who had lost his life by falling over a ravine. Now he is in...

“I certainly won’t help you if you don’t,” was the reply. “Tell me all; and I will see to it that you have a lawyer when your case comes to trial.”