Chapter I A Strange Request Tom Swift closed the book of adventures he had been reading, tossed it on the table, and got up. Then he yawned. "What's the matter?" asked his chum, Ned Newton, who was deep in another volume. "Oh, I thought this was going to be something exciting," replied Tom, motioning toward the book he had discarded. "But say! the make-believe adventures that fellow had, weren't anything compared to those we went through in the city of gold, or while rescuing the exiles of Siberia." "Well," remarked Ned, "they would have to be pretty classy adventures to lay over those you and I have had lately. But where are you going?" he continued, for Tom had taken his cap and started for the door. "I thought I'd go out and take a little run in the aeroplane. Want to come along? It's more fun than sitting in the house reading about exciting things that never have happened. Come on out and--" "Yes, and have a tumble from the aeroplane, I suppose you were going to say," interrupted Ned with a laugh. "Not much! I'm going to stay here and finish this book." "Say," demanded Tom indignantly. "Did you ever know me to have a tumble since I knew how to run an airship?" "No, I can't say that I did. I was only joking." "Then you carried the joke too far, as the policeman said to the man he found lugging off money from the bank. And to make up for it you've got to come along with me." "Where are you going?" "Oh, anywhere. Just to take a little run in the upper regions, and clear some of the cobwebs out of my head. I declare, I guess I've got the spring fever. I haven't done anything since we got back from Russia last fall, and I'm getting rusty." "You haven't done anything!" exclaimed Ned, following his chum's example by tossing aside the book. "Do you call working on your new invention of a noiseless airship nothing?" "Well, I haven't finished that yet. I'm tired of inventing things. I just want to go off, and have some good fun, like getting shipwrecked on a desert island, or being lost in the mountains, or something like that. I want action. I want to get off in the jungle, and fight wild beasts, and escape from the savages!" "Say! you don't want much," commented Ned. "But I feel the same way, Tom." "Then come on out and take a run, and maybe we'll get on the track of an adventure," urged the young inventor. "We won't go far, just twenty or thirty miles or so." The two youths emerged from the house and started across the big lawn toward the aeroplane sheds, for Tom Swift owned several speedy aircrafts, from a big combined aeroplane and dirigible balloon, to a little monoplane not much larger than a big bird, but which was the most rapid flier that ever breathed the fumes of gasolene. "Which one you going to take, Tom?" asked Ned, as his chum paused in front of the row of hangars. "Oh, the little double-seated monoplane, I guess that's in good shape, and it's easy to manage. When I'm out for fun I hate to be tinkering with levers and warping wing tips all the while. The Lark practically flies herself, and we can sit back and take it easy....

"SLOW AND SURE" is a volume of the stories of New York street life inaugurated by Ragged Dick. While it chronicles the advancement of Paul, the young street merchant, from the sidewalk to the shop, a large portion of it is devoted to the experiences of a street waif, who has been brought up by burglars, and passed the greater part of his time among them, without being wholly spoiled by his corrupt surroundings. His struggles between gratitude and duty on the one hand, and loyalty to his vicious guardians on the other, will, it is hoped, excite the interest and sympathy of the reader. The author has sought to indicate some of the influences which make it difficult for the neglected street children to grow up virtuous and well-conducted members of society. Philanthropy is never more nobly employed than in redeeming them, and "giving them a chance" to rise to respectability.

A little story of Swiss peasant life by the author of Heidi. “The popular author of ‘Heidi’ here writes another charming tale of the Alps. Its scene is the Bernese Oberland, and its characters the simple mountaineers and village folk whom Miss Spyri knows so well. Toni, the central figure, is a little goat-herder who longs to develop his gift of wood carving. How his fondest wish is gratified is the theme of the story. Every child will like it for its direct simplicity – and older readers as well.” -Publishers Weekly “Another Alpine story by an author who has already become beloved by the children. Her stories are told in a simple, sympathetic way which holds the attention. The life of little Toni and his mother in their stone hut on the mountain side and later the opportunity which came to this gentle little boy to develop his passion for carving animals are brought out with the same charm which has characterized the earlier stories.” -American Childhood, Volumes 4-5, 1919 Toni, the Little Woodcarver will capture and hold children's interest while developing their reading skills and deepening their appreciation of the world's great stories.

The story of a very cheerful young man who loved his job and his flock with all his heart. Lovers of 'Heidi' will be glad to welcome another book by the same author. The clear, refreshing air of the Swiss mountains is in all Johanna Spyri's work. She is to the little folk of Switzerland what Louisa M. Alcott is to American children….There is a constant revelation of the wholesome joys and pleasures of peasant life. The author's selection of characteristic details gives to her pictures a reality which is rare I books written for children. CONTENTS I. ALL IS WELL WITH MONI II. MONI'S LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS III. A VISIT IV. MONI CAN NO LONGER SING V. MONI SINGS AGAIN

Leopold Classic Library is delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive collection. As part of our on-going commitment to delivering value to the reader, we have also provided you with a link to a website, where you may download a digital version of this work for free. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. Whilst the books in this collection have not been hand curated, an aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature. As a result of this book being first published many decades ago, it may have occasional imperfections. These imperfections may include poor picture quality, blurred or missing text. While some of these imperfections may have appeared in the original work, others may have resulted from the scanning process that has been applied. However, our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. While some publishers have applied optical character recognition (OCR), this approach has its own drawbacks, which include formatting errors, misspelt words, or the presence of inappropriate characters. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with an experience that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic book, and that the occasional imperfection that it might contain will not detract from the experience.

A Classic from a Master of Western novels. BM Bower...wrote some of the best known westerns. This is the LARGE PRINT EDITION.

In the not too distant future, the world is threatened with drought and starvation. Washington’s elite are invited to a mysterious gala at a giant old movie house. There, they become part of the entertainment, and meet the Primagnon, a more-than-human-being, who offers...The Alternative.

An university student, a boy needing a home, and a mother trying to fix her life. A sotry about courage, family, and love.After Emily Helsing died in a tragic accident, Amber Helsing, her mother, uncovers a letter that explains everything about emily's death. And the answer points to one specific boy. This boy holds the key to the universe, Emily's life, and Amber's heart.

From the preface: It is a proverbial truth that thunderstorms clear the air. And it would seem as though that eventful and terrible period of English history, known as the Wars of the Roses, had cleared the political air for the coming Reformation. How little those who took part in it realised the time to follow! To the men of that day it was either a wrestle for personal fame, or a passionate enthusiasm for the establishment of Right. To the women with whom it was not the latter, it must have been a meaningless agony—a passion with no visible end, and with no conceivable moral purpose. Alas for him who loses his faith in the providence of God, for the key of the world has dropped out of his hand. And happy are they who can calmly walk on in the dark by the side of the Father, it may be feeling the atmosphere painfully oppressive, yet willing to wait His time, and knowing that when they come forth into the light of the Golden City, they will be satisfied with it.

"We're not your best friend! We're not your little pets either!""The Truth about Faeries" brings the inside story of the faerie realm. Through six dark faerie tales, tied together with explanations by a fae narrator, we get a glimpse of the sometimes funny, often dark, and always fantastical, world of the fae.(Narration in Scots with English translations)Run, run, run as fast as you can—and that is exactly what Selene does when she discovers that the curse set on her family and emirate, destining them to eternal slumber, is solely her fault. But pasts are not so easily left behind.On Selene’s eighteenth birthday, her emirate falls to the enchantment and her jilted fiancé, the conniving Lord Gwydion drags her home. While Selene clashes with her fiancé, the ailing Queen of Ghalain summons the emirs to contest for the throne. Each emir has a claim, but the crown holds special meaning for Selene: as queen, she would have the leverage necessary to oblige the Pari to lift the curse.In Ghalain’s capital, Selene stumbles into the labyrinthine mire that is court intrigue. When political rivalries threaten to plunge the country into civil war, Selene must fight through magic and malice to emerge victorious. Her family’s fate swings in the balance.

In the tradition of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot, Cirque Du Freak is the frightening saga of a young boy whose visit to a mysterious freak show leads him on a journey into a dark world of vampires. Filled with grotesque creatures, murderous vampires, and a petrifying ending, Cirque Du Freak will chill, thrill, and leave readers begging for more.

Mario Vargas Llosa, the internationally acclaimed author of The Storyteller, adds his own finely-tuned poetic polish to this erotic exploration of carnality in one family. He turns the proverbial romantic triangle on its ear to create this New York Times bestselling erotic novel. French flaps and six full-color pages of classic artworks.

Somebody turned on the art room ceiling fans to their highest position and their wind ruined a beautiful work of art. Charlie Thomson gets the blame, so he sets out to clear his name in this mystery yarn which has a crime, suspects, a detective and clues. And this story, like all good mystery yarns, also has a denouement — the bit at the end where the detective unmasks the real culprit.This is a story about a small crime in a primary school. It’s hardly worth bothering about, but it worries Charlie Thomson. After all, Charlie’s the one who got the blame. So he sets out to do some detective work and find the real culprit, then clear his name.The tale has all the elements of a proper detective yarn, a whodunit. It has a crime and suspects with motives, means and opportunities. It also has a detective, who happens to be Charlie Thomson.It also has clues for the sharp-eyed reader to spot. And this story, like all good mystery yarns, also has a denouement — the bit at the end where the detective unmasks the real culprit.

At a sleepaway camp for the weekend, Nancy Drew searches for a lost camera.

Pompous Lord Crawley, dazzling Annabelle Harrison-Blythe and the charming Mr Banner are all looking for something; whether it be diamonds, a lost love, or just a good drink. Between the parties and occasions, they find themselves holding on to moments that refuse to stand still – and are swept away in the process.The courage of a kidnapped young girl is tested, but her strong will to live will not allow her to become a victim. This dark story of sustained suspense focuses on the thought process of this young woman as she awaits the return of her captor and culminates in a surprise ending. The Captive was selected by San Diego Writer’s Ink Anthology, Vol 4 as one of San Diego’s finest writers. The story lends itself to a quick, but intense read.

Sam embarks on a journey to Alaska fulfilling a life-long dream. After devoting all his energy to a career that now has no use for him he begins this journey believing he can escape from all he deplores. Yet a powerful force awaits him. One that is captivating and even bewitching. Alaska is more than a place it is a spirit. Will Sam allow Alaska’s spirit to re-kindle his own spirit?“Hex Addict” is short story #1 from Magic Flirts! which features five short, fun romances laced with enchanted elements. The stories stand alone, but are connected when read together. “Hex Addict” Short story #1: 9000 words Vicky is a witch who enjoys that special feeling she gets when casting love spells on humans. Handsome Drake is an enforcer in the witching world who opposes her work. When he accuses her of being a hex addict, her love spell backfires and hits the two of them. Now that these enemies are smitten, Vicky wonders whether she wants the spell reversed.Check out the rest of the stories in Magic Flirts! And look for Lisa's other collections: Flirts!, Beach Flirts!, Holiday Flirts!, Fairy Tale Flirts!, Wedding Flirts!, More Flirts!, Reunion Flirts! Fairy Tale Flirts 2!, and Office Flirts! Look for another Flirts! collection in late 2014 and check out Lisa's Willowdale Romance series.

Haven: Life Goes On is the second novel about a trials and adventures of community and it's individuals dealing with surviving and living in a post Zombie apocalypse world. They continue to learn to live and even thrive in a world with a population that is 99% Zombie.Haven: Life Goes On is the second novel about a community that adapts to surviving and living in a post Zombie apocalypse world. They continue to learn to live in a hostile world filled with mindless killers. The strong and able provide for the youngest, oldest, and weakest in order to survive. You experience the development of a community and its people as they work together. You meet new characters who appear to be adversaries but are really just trying to survive.

Have you ever wished that you could learn something in your sleep? Overnight you can do something new - instant knowledge on demand. The Implant is all that and more, but instant knowledge comes at a cost...The Implant was a piece of technological genius; a tiny microprocessor loaded with information that could be sub-dermally inserted against the skull. Overnigt it became the latest cosmetic fashion accesory. Overnight you can do something new - instant knowledge on demand. The Implant is all that and more, but instant knowledge comes at a cost...

This chapbook is supplemental material from the anthology Appalachian Undead edited by Eugene Johnson and Jason Sizemore. For more great zombie stories like the four in Mountain Dead, check out Appalachian Undead…Mountain Dead takes a look at the dark side of Appalachia, where the Undead walk, driven by old magic and worse, their hunger for us.Almost Heaven… or is it?The mountain’s enduring beauty holds something dark. Something dreadful. Something hungry for our flesh, our brains. Something dead yet not quite dead, driven by magic as old as the coal seams and the hills.

Dusty is a teenage girl, as normal as any of her friends... the Dryads, Faeries, Nymphs, Angels, Cherubs and half-demons like her.She has a dark past, her mother was killed by a Demon and now she is protecting herself in case that Demon comes back for her.In the meantime Dusty travels from this world to the Astral Plane and her adventures are legendary... amongst her friends at least.The first of the Dusty the Demon HUnter short stories.Dusty is a teenage girl, as normal as any of her friends... the Dryads, Faeries, Nymphs, Angels, Cherubs and half-demons like her.She has a dark past, her mother was killed by a Demon and now she is protecting herself in case that Demon comes back for her.In the meantime Dusty travels from this world to the Astral Plane and her adventures are legendary... amongst her friends at least.