AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I INTRODUCING "MUMBLES"
II UNCLE JOHN'S IDEA
III MYRTLE DEAN
IV AN INTERESTING PROTÉGÉ
V A WONDER ON WHEELS
VI WAMPUS SPEEDS
VII THE CHAUFFEUR IMPROVES
VIII AMONG THE INDIANS
IX NATURE'S MASTERPIECE
X A COYOTE SERENADE
XI A REAL ADVENTURE AT LAST
XII CAPTURED
XIII THE FIDDLER
XIV THE ESCAPE
XV THE ROMANCE OF DAN'L
XVI THE LODGING AT SPOTVILLE
XVII YELLOW POPPIES
XVIII THE SILENT MAN
XIX "THREE TIMES"
XX ON POINT LOMA
XXI A TALE OF WOE
XXII THE CONFESSION

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCING "MUMBLES"

Major Gregory Doyle paced nervously up and down the floor of the cosy
sitting room.

"Something's surely happened to our Patsy!" he exclaimed.

A little man with a calm face and a bald head, who was seated near the
fire, continued to read his newspaper and paid no attention to the
outburst.

"Something has happened to Patsy!" repeated the Major, "Patsy" meaning
his own and only daughter Patricia.

"Something is always happening to everyone," said the little man,
turning his paper indifferently. "Something is happening to me, for I
can't find the rest of this article. Something is happening to you,
for you're losing your temper."

"I'm not, sir! I deny it."

"As for Patsy," continued the other, "she is sixteen years old and
knows New York like a book. The girl is safe enough."

"Then where is she? Tell me that, sir. Here it is, seven o'clock, dark
as pitch and raining hard, and Patsy is never out after six. Can you,
John Merrick, sit there like a lump o' putty and do nothing, when your
niece and my own darlin' Patsy is lost--or strayed or stolen?"

"What would you propose doing?" asked Uncle John, looking up with a
smile.

"We ought to get out the police department. It's raining and cold,
and--"

"Then we ought to get out the fire department. Call Mary to put on
more coal and let's have it warm and cheerful when Patsy comes in."

"But, sir--"

AUNT JANE'S NIECES AND UNCLE JOHN