The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-25
BY MAUD WALKER.

E DI MAUI " AIhEn- tHH U HEN Tommy Patten came to school on the first day of the fall term, his old-time comrades NN~ greeted him joyously. Hello
 Tomr' they cried. "Where have You been hiding all summerf We had home to the conclusion that you had
 nvented an aIrship and gone exploring 5Space"
 E Tommy shook his head, smile of con-
 entment on his bronzed face. I've
 peen having the greatest summer, kids.
 hat fellow could have" he explained.
 'But-there goes the second bell and l
 tan't even begin to tell my story till Nioontlme. It Is such a long one-and Nyants no Interruption during the telling. So, wait till we get at our lunch" K 'Oh, then you brought your luncheon,
 lid youT' cried Harry Heart, smiling in Participation of good time during the boon hour. Harry always carried his huncheon to school. living too far from
 he schoolhouse to go home for that tneal. But never before had Tommy Pat rN ten brought his luncheon with him. for
 he Pattens lived only five blocks from he schoolhouse and he could run home 1n few minutes.
 IN "Yep, I fetched something to sustain he inner man during the day." laughed Tommy. 1T knew you'd all want to hear about my summer vacation" |1 Then conversation stopped, for the 'poys had entered the schoolroom where |%rder was being called. At recess Tom- |fny would say nothing about his summer vacation, for, he declared, he would 'nave to quit before getting well launched Tn the story, for the recess lasted for 15 4ninutes only. The boys-Harry Heart, FNack Wilson. King Danby and Arthur Zones, were boys of Tommy's own age lind his pals at school. They had grown up | In the town together and were like broth Hrs, so, when Tommy went slipping away K Bitter the first week of vacation in the |epring, without telling one of them about Ihis plans, there was some wonder and |huestion. "Where could he have gone? And why had not he taken hls pals Into his confidence?" Then committee had been appointed to wait on Mrs Pat len, Tommy's mother. All the boys knew End loved her. She was one of the dear \ Rst women-so they all declared-in the |avorld. So to her they went to ask par ticulars concerning Tommy's sudden and ! |tnysterious disappearance. 1t was l known that Tommy had been seen by several persons as he boarded the west |Round passenger train one fine morning several days after school had closed for ! The summer.
 For three whole days the boys had waited developments. expecting each s1orning to receive a letter from their Runaway chum explaining his secret [feaRe-taking. But after that day, sus- sense became too great (Tommy not writ Ing any of them), and the committee Ayas sent to inquire for particulars from Hrs. Patten.
 When Mrs. Patten welcomed the boys
 ,he began at once: "Now, my dear boys,
 want you to ask me nothing about
 sommy's whereabouts nor his plans for .she summer. He made this request of ! he on his departure. Say nothing to kEny of the boys, Mamma; keep my secret till I return in the fall.' And eally, I am not quite sure as to his Hans yet" she continued. T have just
 lad one letter from him since he went'
 lway, and nothing had fully developed Rshen."
 So the weeks had worn away, and the Toys had ceased to bother themselves re-
 arding Tommy Patten's summer vaca-
 ion ''doings." If he wanted us to