Produced by Suzanne Shell, Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: "EDRED OBEYED, AND THE MOULDIESTWARP LEANED TOWARDS HIM AND SPOKE IN HIS EAR" _Frontispiece._] [_Page 260_] HARDING'S LUCK _By_ E. NESBIT Author of "The Wouldbegoods," "The Treasure Seekers," Etc. [Illustration] WITH SIXTEEN FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY H. R. MILLAR NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1910, by FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY Copyright, 1909, by E. NESBIT BLAND _All rights reserved_ _September, 1910_ TO ROSAMUND PHILIPPA PHILIPS WITH E. NESBIT'S LOVE Contents CHAPTER PAGE I. TINKLER AND THE MOONFLOWER 1 II. BURGLARS 31 III. THE ESCAPE 58 IV. WHICH WAS THE DREAM? 82 V. "TO GET YOUR OWN LIVING" 115 VI. BURIED TREASURE 144 VII. DICKIE LEARNS MANY THINGS 178 VIII. GOING HOME 208 IX. KIDNAPPED 228 X. THE NOBLE DEED 250 XI. LORD ARDEN 275 XII. THE END 300 Illustrations "EDRED OBEYED, AND THE MOULDIESTWARP LEANED TOWARDS HIM AND SPOKE IN HIS EAR" _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE "'GIMME,' SAID DICKIE--'GIMME A PENN'ORTH O' THAT THERE'" 6 "'IT _IS_ A MOONFLOWER, OF COURSE,' HE SAID" 12 "'HERE, HUMPHREYS, PUT THESE IN A JUG OF WATER TILL I GO HOME'" 16 "HE LAY FACE DOWNWARD ON THE ROAD AND TURNED UP HIS BOOT" 24 "'IT ONLY PAWNS FOR A SHILLIN',' SAID DICKIE" 38 "THREE OR FOUR FACES LOOKED DOWN AT DICKIE" 70 "HE MADE, WITH TRIPLE LINES OF SILVERY SEEDS, A SIX-POINTED STAR" 80 "''TIS THE PICTURE,' HE SAID PROUDLY, 'OF MY OLD SHIP, "THE GOLDEN VENTURE"'" 98 "THE GALLEY WAS DECKED WITH FRESH FLOWERS" 102 "'AN' I OFF'S WITH ME COAT, AND FLOPS IT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PUDDLE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GAL'" 134 "'OH, WHAT A LONG TIME SINCE I HAVE SEEN THEE!' DICKIE CRIED" 148 "IT HURT, BUT DICKIE LIKED IT" 158 "'ELFRIDA!' SAID BOTH BOYS AT ONCE" 272 "'I HAVE KILLED A MAN,' HE SAID" 290