THE GLAND STEALERS WHAT THIS STORY IS ABOUT Gran'pa is ninety-five, possessed of £100,000, a fertile imagination, and a good physique. He sees in the papers accounts of the theory of rejuvenation by means of gland-grafting. Nothing will satisfy him but that the experiment should be made upon himself. He acquires a gorilla, a hefty murderous brute, and the operation is performed with success. That is only the beginning. He next determines to dig out an old love, and make her young, too; and Sally, a dear old lady of seventy, arrives upon the scene. Inspired to philanthropy by the thrill of regained youth, Gran'pa decides to take a hundred or so old men to Africa, capture a like number of gorillas, and borrow their glands. There are thrilling adventures with the gorillas, whilst the old gentlemen supply the comedy--there are not enough glands to go round. The result of the operations is a surprise to all, particularly to the old gentlemen themselves. THE GLAND STEALERS BY BERTRAM GAYTON [Illustration] PHILADELPHIA & LONDON J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1922 COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY PRINTED BY THE J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY AT THE WASHINGTON SQUARE PRESS PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. TO MARGUERITA CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. GRAN'PA HEARS THE NEWS 9 II. GRAN'PA BUYS A MONKEY 24 III. WE INSPECT ALFRED 38 IV. THE AVENUE HAS A SURPRISE 53 V. THE DUG-OUT IN THE GARDEN 72 VI. GRAN'PA REFORMS 86 VII. MR. STRINGER COMES TO BREAKFAST 98 VIII. WE SET OUT FOR BRISTOL 114 IX. GRAN'PA DIGS UP AN OLD ROMANCE 132 X. THE MASSING OF THE ANCIENTS 151 XI. THE GORILLA COUNTRY 169 XII. IN THE JUNGLE 189 XIII. THE GORILLA AT HOME 217 XIV. THE CAPTURE OF LITTLE WILLIE 237 XV. A GORILLA BREAKS LOOSE 254 XVI. THE ANCIENTS CAST LOTS 274 XVII. SALLY SLIPS BACK 294 THE GLAND STEALERS CHAPTER I GRAN'PA HEARS THE NEWS I have never been able to understand why my great grandfather--an American, born and bred--left the States at the decrepit age of ninety-four and came to live with me in England. His own explanation was that the decision arose from a natural desire to end his days with his only living relation--even if such an action entailed residing at the North Pole!