n he
buckles on the harness and goes to the front, and becomes
successful, and then those who said he would bring up in
State Prison, remember that he always _was_ a mighty smart
lad, and they never tire of telling of some of his deviltry
when he was a boy, though they thought he was pretty tough
at the time. This book is respectfully dedicated to boys, to
the men who have been boys themselves, to the girls who like
the boys, and to the mothers, bless them, who like both the
boys and the girls,

Very respectfully,

GEO. W. PECK,

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE BOY WITH A LAME BACK--THE BOY COULDN'T SIT DOWN--A PRACTICAL JOKE ON
THE OLD MAN--A LETTER FROM "DAISY "--GUARDING THE FOUR CORNERS--THE OLD
MAN IS UNUSUALLY GENEROUS--MA ASKS AWKWARD QUESTIONS--THE BOY TALKED TO
WITH A BED SLAT--NO ENCOURAGEMENT FOR A BOY

CHAPTER II.

THE BOY AT WORK AGAIN--THE BEST BOYS FULL OF TRICKS--THE OLD MAN
LAYS DOWN THE LAW ABOUT JOKES--RUBBER HOSE MACARONI--THE OLD MAS's
STRUGGLES--CHEWING VIGOROUSLY BUT IN VAIN--AN INQUEST HELD--REVELRY BY
NIGHT--MUSIC IN THE WOODSHED--"'twas ever thus."

CHAPTER III.

THE BAD BOY GIVES HIS PA AWAY--PA IS A HARD CITIZEN--DRINKING
SOZODONT--MAKING UP THE SPARE BED--THE MIDNIGHT WAR DANCE--AN
APPOINTMENT BY THE COAL-BIN.

CHAPTER IV.

THE BAD BOY'S FOURTH OF JULY.--PA IS A POINTER, NOT A SETTER--SPECIAL
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY--A GRAND SUPPLY OF FIREWORKS--THE
EXPLOSION--THE AIR FULL OF PA AND DOG AND ROCKETS--THE NEW HELL--A SCENE
THAT BEGGARS DESCRIPTION.

CHAPTER V.

THE BAD BOY'S MA COMES HOME.--DEVILTRY, ONLY A LITTLE FUN--THE BAD
BOY'S CHUM--A LADY'S WARDROBE IN THE OLD MAN'S ROOM--MA's UNEXPECTED
ARRIVAL--WHERE IS THE HUZZY?--DAMFINO!--THE BAD BOY WANTS TO TRAVEL WITH
A CIRCUS

CHAPTER VI.

HIS PA IS A DARN COWARD--HIS PA HAS BEEN A MAJOR--HOW HE WOULD DEAL WITH
BURGLARS--HIS BRAVERY PUT TO THE TEST--THE ICE REVOLVER--HIS PA BEGINS
TO PRAY--TELLS WHERE THE CHANGE IS--"PLEASE MR. BURGLAR SPARE A POOR
MAN'S LIFE!"--MA WAKES UP--THE BAD BOY AND HIS CHUM RUN--FISH-POLE
SAUCE--MA WOULD MAKE A GOOD CHIEF OF POLICE

CHAPTER VII.

HIS PA GETS A BITE.--"HIS PA GETS TOO MUCH WATER"--THE DOCTOR'S
DISAGREE--HOW TO SPOIL BOYS--HIS PA GOES TO PEWAUKEE IN SEARCH OF HIS
SON--ANXIOUS TO FISH--"STOPER, I'VE GOT A WHALE!"--OVERBOARD--HIS PA IS
SAVED--A DOLLAR FOR HIS PANTS.

CHAPTER VIII.

HE IS TOO HEA