THE FIGHTING STARKLEYS _STORIES BY_ _Captain Theodore Goodridge Roberts_ _Comrades of the Trails_ _$1.50_ _The Red Feathers_ _1.65_ _Flying Plover_ _1.35_ _The Fighting Starkleys_ _1.65_ _THE PAGE COMPANY_ _53 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass._ [Illustration: "HE SAW HIS BOMB BURST BESIDE THE STUMP OF CHIMNEY." (_See page 194_)] _The_ FIGHTING STARKLEYS _Or, THE TEST OF COURAGE_ BY CAPTAIN THEODORE GOODRIDGE ROBERTS Author of "Comrades of the Trails," "Red Feathers," "Flying Plover," etc. ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE VARIAN [Illustration] BOSTON THE PAGE COMPANY MDCCCCXXII _Copyright, 1920_, BY PERRY MASON COMPANY _Copyright, 1922_, BY THE PAGE COMPANY _All rights reserved_ Made in U.S.A. First Impression, April, 1922 PRINTED BY C. H. SIMONDS COMPANY BOSTON, MASS., U.S.A. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE CALL COMES TO BEAVER DAM 1 II. JIM HAMMOND DOES NOT RETURN TO DUTY 29 III. THE VETERANS OF OTHER DAYS 56 IV. PRIVATE SILL ACTS 80 V. PETER'S ROOM IS AGAIN OCCUPIED 109 VI. DAVE HAMMER GETS HIS COMMISSION 131 VII. PETER WRITES A LETTER 155 VIII. THE 26TH "MOPS UP" 178 IX. FRANK SACOBIE OBJECTS 203 X. DICK OBLIGES HIS FRIEND 225 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE "HE SAW HIS BOMB BURST BESIDE THE STUMP OF CHIMNEY" (_See page 194_) _Frontispiece_ "'I CAN'T MAKE YOU OUT,' SAID THE SERGEANT" 23 "'I'M HIT, BOYS!' HE SAID" 50 "'HERE'S ONE OF THEM, SIR; AND THERE'S MORE COMING,' SAID THE MAN OF MUD" 150