A Young Inventor's Pluck; or The Mystery of the Willington Legacy Read online

  Produced by Al Haines.

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  "I'LL TRY MY BEST," REPLIED JACK, TAKING UP HIS KIT OFTOOLS.]

  A Young Inventor's Pluck

  OR

  THE MYSTERY OF THE WILLINGTON LEGACY

  BY Arthur M. Winfield,

  Author of "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE MISSING TIN BOX," "SCHOOLDAYS OF FRED HARLEY," etc.

  NEW YORK -- AKRON, O. -- CHICAGO THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO. 1901

  COPYRIGHT, 1901, BY THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO.

  INTRODUCTION

  _My Dear Boys and Girls:_--

  "A YOUNG INVENTOR'S PLUCK" relates the adventures of a wide-awakeAmerican lad of a mechanical turn of mind, who suddenly finds himselfthrown upon his own resources and compelled to support not only himself,but likewise his sister.

  Jack Willington's path is no easy one to tread. The bank in which thesister and brother have their little store of money deposited fails, andwith this comes the shutting down of the tool works in which our hero isemployed. To add to the lad's troubles, there is a large fire in thetown and the youth is accused of incendiarism.

  But Jack and his sister Deb are not without friends, and the fact thatthe boy is an inventor and has almost ready the model of a useful andvaluable invention, aids him to secure his release, and then he goesforth to run down his enemies and to solve the mystery connected with arich family legacy.

  Generally speaking, life in a factory town is thought to be dull andmonotonous, whereas the truth is, that it is usually full of interestand not devoid of excitement of a peculiar kind. In this tale I havetried to picture life in such a place truthfully, with all of its lightsand its shadows, and I hope that my story will prove more or lessinstructive in consequence.

  Affectionately your friend, ARTHUR M. WINFIELD.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER I. THE SHUT DOWN

  CHAPTER II. FOR THE SAKE OF HOME

  CHAPTER III. A RESULT OF A FIRE

  CHAPTER IV. BAD NEWS FOR DEB

  CHAPTER V. FINDING BAIL

  CHAPTER VI. HOME ONCE MORE

  CHAPTER VII. INTO THE RIVER

  CHAPTER VIII. SOMETHING ABOUT THE MODEL

  CHAPTER IX. MR. BENTON MAKES TROUBLE

  CHAPTER X. DRIVEN FROM HOME

  CHAPTER XI. ON THE RIVER ROAD

  CHAPTER XII. JACK'S DANGEROUS POSITION

  CHAPTER XIII. OVER THE FALLS

  CHAPTER XIV. MAX POOLER'S MEG

  CHAPTER XV. THE MISER OF THE ISLAND

  CHAPTER XVI. ON BOARD THE "KITTY"

  CHAPTER XVII. MEG TO THE RESCUE

  CHAPTER XVIII. DEB AT THE MILL

  CHAPTER XIX. IN CORRIGAN'S POWER

  CHAPTER XX. MONT TELLS HIS STORY

  CHAPTER XXI. CORRIGAN MAKES A MOVE

  CHAPTER XXII. HEAPS OF MONEY

  CHAPTER XXIII. THE MISER'S TREASURE

  CHAPTER XXIV. A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST

  CHAPTER XXV. CHASING ANDY MOSEY

  CHAPTER XXVI. PAPERS OF GREAT VALUE

  CHAPTER XXVII. "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES"--CONCLUSION