E-text prepared by Greg Weeks, Matthew Wheaton, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 37149-h.htm or 37149-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/37149/pg37149-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37149/37149-h.zip) FRITZ TO THE FRONT; Or, The Ventriloquist Scamp-Hunter. by EDWARD L. WHEELER, Author of "Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective," "Deadwood Dick" Novels, "Rosebud Rob" Novels, etc. Copyright, 1881, by Beadle & Adams. The Arthur Westbrook Company Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. [Illustration: FRITZ BEHELD AN OBJECT WHICH CAUSED HIM TO UTTER A GRUNT OF STARTLED ALARM] Table of Contents MADGE. CHAPTER I THE STRANGE MARRIAGE. CHAPTER II. THE BLUFF HOUSE. CHAPTER III. THE GHASTLY RELIC. CHAPTER IV. BILL BUDGE'S CONVERSATION. CHAPTER V. ON THE SCENT. CHAPTER VI. THE STRUGGLE. CHAPTER VII. ADRIFT. CHAPTER VIII. FRITZ'S DISCOVERY. CHAPTER IX. A DIVE FOR LIFE. CHAPTER X. A FATHER'S BRUTALITY. CHAPTER XI. A PITIFUL END. CHAPTER XII. CONCLUSION. CHAPTER XIII. FRITZ TO THE FRONT. CHAPTER I MADGE. One bright, hot August morning a cheap excursion was advertised to leave South Street wharf, Philadelphia, for Atlantic City--that lively little city by the sea, which is so fast growing in size and popularity as to rival the more noted of the Atlantic coast summer resorts. A cheap excursion which is within the means of the working class is ever a success, and this one was no exception; it gave the masses a chance to escape from the overheated city for a small sum, and they grasped at it eagerly. Bright and early the ferry-boat was crowded and still there was no cessation of the stream of humanity that surged toward the river front. There were representatives of every trade in the city, nearly, and likewise a mixture of several nationalities; there were young folks and old folks and little children; then there were roughs, bruisers, and bummers, an indispensable adjunct to summer excursions; and, all in all, a heterogeneous collection of humanity. Just as the hot August sun peeped up over Jersey's sandy horizon, the bell of the boat rung, and the huge ferry-boat began to move out across the Delaware, toward Kaighn's Point, where connection was to be made with the railway. It was a noisy crowd aboard the boat, there being a good many roughs among the pleasure-seekers, who were more or less under the effect of Dock Street "soothing syrup," and who were disposed to have something to say to every one.