THE TELEGRAPH MESSENGER BOY

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. On a Log 1
II. The Collision 8
III. The Office Boy 16
IV. A Message in the Night 22
V. In Storm and Darkness 29
VI. "Tell Mother I Am All Right" 36
VII. A Thrilling Voyage 43
VIII. The Cipher Telegram 50
IX. The Translation 57
X. Farmer Jones 64
XI. The Value of Courtesy 71
XII. A Call 78
XIII. At the Grandin Mansion 85
XIV. The Conspiracy 93
XV. An Affray at Night 99
XVI. The Third Telegram 106
XVII. Decidedly Mixed 113
XVIII. Between Two Fires 120
XIX. Baffled! 127
XX. Watching and Waiting 134
XXI. "Lay Low!" 141
XXII. The Battle of Life 148
XXIII. Face to Face 155
XXIV. Startling Discoveries 160
XXV. In the Nick of Time 169
XXVI. Conclusion 176


CHAPTER I

ON A LOG


I made the acquaintance of Ben Mayberry under peculiar circumstances. I
had charge of the Western Union's telegraph office in Damietta, where my
duties were of the most exacting nature. I was kept hard at work through
the winter months, and more of it crowded on me during the spring than I
could manage with comfort.

I strolled to the river bank one summer afternoon, and was sauntering
lazily along when I noticed a young urchin, who was floating down-stream
on a log, which had probably drifted thither from the lumber regions
above. The boy was standing upright, with a grin of delight on his face,
and he probably found more real enjoyment in floating down-stream in this
style than any excursionist could obtain in a long voyage on a palace
steamer.

He had on an old straw hat, through the crown of which his brown hair
protruded in several directions; his pantaloons were held up by a single
suspender, skewered through them in front by a tenpenny nail--an
arrangement which caused the garments to hang in a lopsided fashion to
his shoulders. He was barefooted, and his trousers were rolled up to his
knees. He wore no coat nor vest, and his shirt was of the coarsest
muslin, but it was quite clean.