THE RUNAWAY EQUATOR [Illustration: “They saw the Equator making off, a mile or two away”] THE RUNAWAY EQUATOR And the Strange Adventures of a Little Boy in Pursuit of It BY LILIAN BELL AUTHOR OF “THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF AN OLD MAID,” “THE EXPATRIATES,” “ABROAD WITH THE JIMMIES,” “HOPE LORING,” “AT HOME WITH THE JARDINES,” ETC. _Illustrated by_ PETER NEWELL [Illustration] NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS _Copyright, 1910, 1911, by_ THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY _Copyright, 1911, by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages, including the Scandinavian_ _September, 1911_ TO JIMMIE BELL, JUNIOR SECOND INFANTRY, U.S.A. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. IN WHICH BILLY MEETS NIMBUS 3 II. THE ENCHANTED TROLLEY CAR 13 III. THE EQUATOR IS LOOSE 23 IV. THE EQUINE OX AND THE EVENING STAR 37 V. IN PURSUIT 47 VI. ON THE PASSIVE VOLCANO 55 VII. JACK FROST 63 VIII. THE COMPASS 73 IX. THE TRAIL OF THE RUNAWAY 83 X. WHERE NIGHT IS SIX MONTHS LONG 93 XI. THE END OF THE CHASE 105 XII. ACROSS THE RAINBOW 115 ILLUSTRATIONS “THEY SAW THE EQUATOR MAKING OFF A MILE OR TWO AWAY” _Frontispiece_ Facing Page “WE’LL TAKE THIS SUNBEAM WITH US” 6 “NIMBUS FOLDED THE TRANSFER INTO A TINY WAND AND SAID: ‘THIS CAR FOR THE EQUATOR!’” 10 “BOTH THE PLUMBER’S APPRENTICES JUMPED HASTILY TO THE GROUND” 14 “STRAIGHT INTO A GREAT PILE OF SNOW WENT THE CAR” 28 “PRESENTLY THEY BEGAN TO CRY AS HARD AS EVER THEY COULD” 32 “NOW, SIR, WHERE IS THAT EQUATOR?” 40 “THERE SUDDENLY APPEARED SEVEN LITTLE CHAPS” 48 “WITH A GREAT CRACKLING NOISE THEY SHOT INTO THE VOID” 50 “BILLY TOOK A SHARP STICK AND POKED THE EQUATOR SMARTLY” 60 “SEATING HIMSELF ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF, HE SANG” 66 “CONFRONTING THE EQUINE OX WAS THE CONDUCTOR, WAVING HIS HANDS AND SHOUTING” 76 “THEY TIED THE TROLLEY ROPE TO HIS HORN AND SECURED HIM TO THE CAR” 78 “A METEOR DROPPED AMONG THEM” 80 “‘LISTEN,’ SAID THE EQUINE OX, AND THROWING BACK HIS HEAD, HE SANG” 84