The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Young Outlaw, by Horatio Alger

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Title: The Young Outlaw or, Adrift in the Streets

Author: Horatio Alger

Release Date: July 9, 2008 [eBook #26016]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG OUTLAW***

E-text prepared by Gary Sandino from digital material generously made available by Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org/index.php)

Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive American Libraries. See http://www.archive.org/details/theyoungoutlaw00algerich

THE YOUNG OUTLAW;

Or,

Adrift in the Streets.

by

HORATIO ALGER, JR.,

* * * * * *

Horatio Alger's Successful Books for Boys and Girls.

"Half a million of readers shows how popular they are."

Ragged Dick Series.

Complete in Six Volumes—in a Box.

  I. RAGGED DICK; or, Street Life in New York.
 II. FAME AND FORTUNE; or, The Progress of Richard Hunter.
III. MARK, THE MATCH BOY.
 IV. ROUGH AND READY; or, Life Among New York Newsboys.
  V. BEN, THE LUGGAGE BOY; or, Among the Wharves.
 VI. RUFUS AND ROSE; or, The Fortunes of Rough and Ready.

Price, $1.25 per volume.

Tattered Tom Series.

A Continuation of the Ragged Dick Series.

FIRST SERIES, Complete in Four Volumes—in a Box.

  I. TATTERED TOM; or, The Story of a Street Arab.
 II. PAUL, THE PEDDLER; or, The Adventures of a Young Street
     Merchant.
III. PHIL, THE FIDDLER; or, The Young Street Musician.
 IV. SLOW AND SURE; or, From the Sidewalk to the Shop.

Price, $1.25 a volume.

SECOND SERIES.

  I. JULIUS; or, The Street Boy out West.
 II. THE YOUNG OUTLAW; or, Adrift in the World.
III. SAM'S CHANCE, and How He improved It.
 IV.

Price, $1.25 a volume.

Campaign Series.

Complete in Three Volumes—in a Box.

I. FRANK'S CAMPAIGN. II. PAUL PRESCOTT'S CHARGE. III. CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE.

Price, $1.25 per volume.

Luck and Pluck Series.

FIRST SERIES, Complete in Four Volumes—in a Box,

  I. LUCK AND PLUCK; or, John Oakley's Inheritance.
 II. SINK OR SWIM; or Harry Raymond's Resolve.
III. STRONG AND STEADY; or, Paddle your own Canoe.
 IV. STRIVE AND SUCCEED; or, The Progress of Walter Conrad.

Price, $1,50 per volume.

SECOND SERIES, Complete in Four Volumes—in a Box,

  I. TRY AND TRUST; or, The Story of a Bound Boy.
 II. BOUND TO RISE; or, How Harry Walton rose in the World.
III. RISEN FROM THE RANKS; or, Harry Walton's Success.
 IV. HERBERT CARTER'S LEGACY; or, the Inventor's Son.

Price, $1.50 per volume.

Brave and Bold Series.

To be completed in four Volumes.

I. BRAVE AND BOLD; or, The Story of a Factory Boy.
II. JACK'S WARD: or, The Boy Guardian.
III. SHIFTING FOR HIMSELF.

Price, $1.50 per volume.

Each volume sold separate from the set.

LORING, PUBLISHER, BOSTON.

* * * * * *

[Frontispiece: the deacon asks directions of the street Arab.]

[Series Title Illustration]

THE YOUNG OUTLAW;

Or,

Adrift in the Streets.

by

HORATIO ALGER, JR.,

Author of "Ragged Dick,"—"Tattered Tom,"—"Luck and Pluck,"—"Brave and Bold," Series.

Loring, Publisher,
Cor. Washington and Bromfield Streets,
Boston.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by
A. K. Loring,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

Rockwell & Churchill, Printers and Stereotypers, 39 Arch Street, Boston.

To

MY YOUNG FRIEND,

HARRY L. DE VISSER,

THIS VOLUME

IS

AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.

PREFACE.

"The Young Outlaw" is the sixth volume of the Tattered Tom Series, and the twelfth of the stories which are wholly or mainly devoted to street-life in New York. The story carries its moral with it, and the writer has little fear that the Young Outlaw will be selected as a model by the boys who may read his adventures, and be amused by the scrapes into which he manages to fall. In previous volumes he has endeavored to show that even a street-boy, by enterprise, industry and integrity, may hope to become a useful and respected citizen. In the present narration he aims to exhibit the opposite side of the picture, and point out the natural consequences of the lack of these qualities.

This may be a proper occasion to express gratitude for the very remarkable favor with which these stories of humble life have been received throughout the country. The writer is glad to believe that they have done something to draw attention to a neglected class of children, whom it is important to elevate and redeem.

NEW YORK, March 25, 1875.

THE YOUNG OUTLAW;

OR,

ADRIFT IN THE STREETS.

CHAPTER I.

THE YOUNG OUTLAW.

"Boy, is this Canal Street?"

The speaker was evidently from the country. He was a tall man, with prominent features, and a face seamed and wrinkled by the passage of nearly seventy years. He wore a rusty cloak, in the style of thirty years gone by, and his clothing generally was of a fashion seldom seen on Broadway.

The boy addressed was leaning against a lamppost, with both hands in his pockets. His clothes were soiled and ragged, a soft hat, which looked as if it had served in its varied career as a foot-ball, was thrust carelessly on his head. He looked like a genuine representative of the "street Arab," with no thought for to-morrow and its needs, and contented if he could only make sure of a square meal to-day. His face was dirty, and marked by a mingled expression of fun and impudence; but the features were not unpleasing, and, had he been clean and neatly dressed, he would undoubtedly have been considered good-looking.

He turned