BOOKS FOR BOYS

By CLAUDE GRAHAME-WHITE AND HARRY HARPER

Heroes of the Air

Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO; also from photographs.

This book deals with the labours and exploits of those who have played an Important part in bringing about the conquest of the air. It not only contains personal memoirs of the men themselves, but traces the progress of aerial flight from the early gliders to the aeroplanes of to-day. The story of the experiments of those who first essayed to fly--the problems that long baffled them and the difficulties they overcame--together with the accounts of the daring feats of modern aviators, make a stirring narrative, and carry the history of heroism and endurance a stage further forward.

"This will prove a great attraction to a mult.i.tude of readers who wish to read of deeds of great daring and very narrow escapes."--_Nation_.

With the Airmen

Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO, and with numerous black-and-white ill.u.s.trations and diagrams.

Mr. Grahame-White has not only repeatedly proved his skill and daring as a pilot, but the well-known type of biplane bearing his name shows that he is in the forefront of designers and constructors. With his practical and technical knowledge is combined the somewhat rare ability to impart his knowledge in a form acceptable to boys, as he has already shown in his "Heroes of the Air." This time he has written a vade mec.u.m for the young aeroplanist, who is conducted to the aerodrome and initiated into all the mysteries of flying. The structure of the aeroplane, the uses of the different parts, the propulsive mechanism, the steering apparatus, the work at a flying school, the causes of accidents, and the future of the aeroplane are all dealt with.

"It is surely one of the most entertaining books on a technical subject that have ever appeared, as well as one of the most instructive and comprehensive."--_Nation_.

By CAPTAIN CHARLES GILSON

The Sword of Freedom

A Story of the English Revolution. Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by FRANK GILLETT, R.I.

"The Sword of Freedom" deals with a critical period of English History: the downfall of the House of Stuart. In his grasp of the political situation in this country before the coming of William of Orange, as well as in his descriptions of contemporary life and manners, Captain Gilson shows himself to be not merely a recorder of stirring events, but an historian of no mean order. At the same time the story is exciting enough to please the most exacting, and the adventures of Sir Richard Vyse, who is arrested for complicity in the plot to bring over the Prince of Orange, and confined in the Tower, from which he makes a daring escape, will be followed with breathless interest.

"It is a most spirited tale and holds the reader from start to finish."--_Guardian_.

The Spy

A Story of the Peninsular War. Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.

To the work of story-writing Captain Gilson brings a remarkable combination of talents: an unrivalled knowledge of military history, an imagination that never flags, a dramatic literary style, and a keen sense of humour. These qualities are seen to perfection in "The Spy."

The hero, Sir Jeffery Jones, Bart., when a boy of sixteen, secures a commission in a famous foot regiment, then under orders to sail for Portugal under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. His first encounter with the enemy takes place before he is fifty miles from home, for on the road to London he pursues and comes near to capturing a spy in the pay of Bonaparte. Several times subsequently the paths of the two cross, and eventually Sir Jeffery is the means of thwarting the Frenchman's schemes. He takes part in much of the fighting in the Peninsula, and, at the storming of Badajoz and elsewhere, renders his country good service.

"Every boy who loves tales of war and perilous enterprise--and what boy does not?--will read 'The Spy' with unqualified enjoyment."--_Bookman_.

The Lost Empire

A Tale of Many Lands. Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO. With Map.

This is the story of a middy who was taken prisoner by the French at the time of the Revolution. While in Paris he obtained possession of Napoleon's plans for the capture of India, and, after many adventures, was the means of frustrating that ambitious scheme.

The Lost Column

A Story of the Boxer Rebellion. Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.

At the outbreak of the great Boxer Rebellion in China, Gerald Wood, the hero of this story, was living with his mother and brother at Milton Towers, just outside Tientsin. When the storm broke and Tientsin was cut off from the rest of the world, the occupants of Milton Towers made a gallant defence, but were compelled by force of numbers to retire into the town. Then Gerald determined to go in quest of the relief column under Admiral Seymour. He carried his life in his hands, and on more than one occasion came within an ace of losing it; but he managed to reach his goal in safety, and was warmly commended by the Admiral on his achievement.

The Pirate Aeroplane

Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by C. CLARK, R.I.

The heroes of this story, during a tour in an entirely unknown region of Africa, light upon a race of people directly descended from the Ancient Egyptians. This race--the Asmalians--has lived isolated from other communities. The scientific importance of this discovery is apparent to the travellers, and they are enthusiastic to know more of these strange people; but suddenly they find themselves in the midst of exciting adventures owing to the appearance of a pirate aeroplane--of a thoroughly up-to-date model--whose owner has learnt of a vast store of gold in the Asmalians' city. They throw in their lot with the people, and are able in the end to frustrate the plans of the freebooter.

"The story is a riot of adventure. There is the groundwork of a complete new novel on every page."--_Manchester Guardian_.

The Lost Island

Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by CYRUS CUNEO.

A rousing story of adventure in the little-explored regions of Central Asia and in the South Seas. The prologue describes how Thomas Gaythorne obtained access to a Lama monastery, where he rendered the monks such great service that they bestowed upon him a gem of priceless value known as Gautama's Eye. Soon after leaving the monastery he was attacked and robbed, and only narrowly escaped with his life. "The Lost Island"

describes the attempt of one of Thomas Gaythorne's descendants to re-discover the missing gem; and he pa.s.ses through some remarkable adventures before he succeeds in this quest.

The Race Round the World

An Account of the Contest for the 100,000 Prize offered by the Combined Newspaper League. Coloured Ill.u.s.trations by CYRUS CUNEO, and a map of the route of The Swallow.

Old Silas Agge has invented a new motor spirit, far more potent than petrol, and with this secret in his possession he has no doubt that he will win the 100,000 offered by a Newspaper League to the winner of the Aeroplane Race round the World. But a foreigner, with whom Silas has had business relations, succeeds in obtaining, first, the design of the aeroplane which the old man has built, and next, a sufficient quant.i.ty of the new spirit to carry him round the world. The race thus becomes a duel between these two rivals. Guy Kingston, a daring young aviator and nephew to Silas, pilots his uncle's aeroplane, and at every stage of the race finds himself matched against an unscrupulous adversary. The story of the race is exciting from beginning to end. Readers of Captain Gilson's earlier books will be particularly happy in renewing acquaintance with Mr. w.a.n.g, the great Chinese detective.

"Suggestive of Jules Verne in his most ambitious and fantastic vein."--_Athenaeum_.

"Boys will like it, and they will want to read it more than once."--_Scotsman_.

SCHOOL STORIES BY DESMOND c.o.kE

The Bending of a Twig

Ill.u.s.trated in Colour by H. M. BROCK.

When "The Bending of a Twig" was first published it was hailed by competent critics as the finest school story that had appeared since "Tom Brown." It is a vivid picture of life in a modern public school.

The hero, Lycidas Marsh, enters Shrewsbury without having previously been to a preparatory school, drawing his ideas of school life from his imagination and a number of school stories he has read. How Lycidas finds his true level in this new world and worthily maintains the Salopian tradition is the theme of this most entrancing book.