The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales of the Wonder Club, by
M. Y. Halidom (pseud. Dryasdust)

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Title: Tales of the Wonder Club
Volume I

Author: M. Y. Halidom (pseud. Dryasdust)

Illustrator: John Jellicoe
Val Prince

Release Date: September 9, 2010 [EBook #33688]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TALES OF THE WONDER CLUB ***

Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online
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TALES OF
THE WONDER CLUB.

BY
DRYASDUST

[Decoration]

ILLUSTRATED BY
JOHN JELLICOE AND VAL PRINCE,
AFTER DESIGNS BY THE AUTHOR.

HARRISON & SONS, 59, PALL MALL,
_Booksellers to the Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales._

_All rights reserved._

LONDON:
PRINTED BY A. HUDSON AND CO.,
16, WANDSWORTH ROAD, S.W.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

FRONTISPIECE --

TITLE PAGE --

THE PHANTOM FLEA 17

THE SPIRIT LOVERS 57

THE GLACIER KING 118

THE MERMAID 129

THE PIGMY QUEEN 202

THE SPIRIT LEG 314

LOST IN THE CATACOMBS 373

INTRODUCTION.

A PEEP AT THE WONDER CLUB.

Towards the close of the last century there stood in one of the Midland
counties of England, in the centre of two cross-roads, a venerable
hostelry, built in the reign of Elizabeth, and known by the sign of "Ye
Headless Lady." Its ancient gables were shaded by luxuriant elms and
beech trees. The woodwork of the building and its weather-stained walls
of brick were partially overgrown with thick ivy, while its high,
dingy-red roof was tinted with every variety of lichen. The windows were
narrow, and the framework heavy, as is usual in houses of that period.

The host of this establishment, one Jack Hearty, was one of the old
school of landlords--robust, j