The Chums of Scranton High on the Cinder Path

aturday afternoon. Two-thirds of the Fall month had already go

gers of that master artist, the Frost-King. Flocks of robins and blackbirds were gathering rather late this year, preparatory to

with what appeared to be black walnuts, shell-bark hickories, butternuts, and even splendid large chestnuts. Apparently, the strange and deadly blight that was attacking the chestnut groves all through the East had not ye

e pages of previous stories in this series; so that to those who have been

ried considerable weight. Then came his most intimate chum, Thad Stevens, who had played the position of backstop so successfully during the summer just

his name was Kenneth Kinkaid, but among his friends he answered to the shorter appellation of "K. K." Then came a fourth boy of shorter build, and more sturdy physique, Julius Hobson by name; and last, b

her, who was a commercial traveler, which car "K. K." often used, when he could raise the cash to provide sufficient gasolene at twenty-five cents per gallon. But on this momentous o

ings, selling the products of their acres. Doubtless numerous good mothers wondered what caused such an early exodus from warm beds those days,

uernsey Woods for blacks; plenty of shagbarks, and some shellbarks to be gathered over at the old Morton Place, where no one had lived these seven years now; an

oods, and often these outings yielded considerable sport, besides being profitable to the nutters. On one momentous occasion the boys had even discovered the hive of a colony of wild bees, cut the tree down, fought the enraged denizen

ugh the morning these same lads had been hard at work on the open field where Scranton played her baseball games, and had such other gatherings as high-scho

s could be seen diligently practicing at all manner of stunts, from sprinting, leaping hurdles, engaging in the high jump, with the aid of p

ide of another week-a monster affair that included entries from all other schools in the coun

to place his name on the records, and go in for training along a certain line. Those who could not sprint, leap the bars, throw hammer or discus, or do any other of the ordinary stunts, might, at least, have some chance of winning a prize in the climbing of the greased p

, like the one they were fetching home, cannot be gathered, no matter however plentiful they may be

soiled handkerchief bound around his left thumb, which he solicitously examined every little while. He had, somehow, managed to catch a frisky little squirrel, which, wishing to take home, he had imprisoned in one of his side pockets that had a flap; but, desirous of fondling the fur

y long distance for boys to run, by the way, and hardly advisable under ordinary conditions), and one of the registering places where every contestant had to sign his name to a book kept by

letting you in. I know something about this country up here, and have traced on a surveyor's chart the ordinary course a fellow would be apt to take in passing from the second tally post, that old tavern back of us, along this road to the canal, and from there across the old logging road to Hobson

ce; and, naturally, they began to figure on how they might take advantage of Hugh's discovery. It was all for the honor and credit o

me, Hugh," said Julius, "o

lius?" demanded

gh mentions, we'd have to pass close to that deserted ston