Madge Morton's Victory   By: Amy D. V. Chalmers

[Illustration: Before the Hand Organ Danced a Little Figure. Frontispiece.]

Madge Morton's Victory

By AMY D. V. CHALMERS

Author of Madge Morton, Captain of the Merry Maid; Madge Morton's Secret, Madge Morton's Trust.

THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY Akron, Ohio New York

Made in U. S. A.

Copyright MCMXIV By THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE I. Commencement Day at Miss Tolliver's 7 II. How it Was All Arranged 16 III. Tania, a Princess 24 IV. The Uninvited Guest 37 V. Tania, a Problem 51 VI. A Mischievous Mermaid 58 VII. Captain Jules, Deep Sea Diver 65 VIII. The Wreck of the "Water Witch" 80 IX. The Owner of the Disagreeable Voice 90 X. The Goody Goody Young Man 100 XI. The Beginning of Trouble 112 XII. "The Anchorage" 124 XIII. Tania's Nemesis 131 XIV. Captain Jules Makes a Promise 141 XV. The Great Adventure 150 XVI. A Strange Pearl 161 XVII. The Fairy Godmother's Wish Comes True 172 XVIII. Missing, a Fairy Godmother 180 XIX. The Wicked Genii 198 XX. A Bow of Scarlet Ribbon 206 XXI. The Race for Life 215 XXII. Captain Jules Listens to a Story 224 XXIII. The Victory Over Fate 232 XXIV. The Little Captain Starts on a Journey 243

MADGE MORTON'S VICTORY

CHAPTER I

COMMENCEMENT DAY AT MISS TOLLIVER'S

"O Phil, dear! It is anything but fair. If you only knew how I hate to have to do it!" exclaimed Madge Morton impulsively, throwing her arms about her chum's neck and burying her red brown head in the soft, white folds of Phyllis Alden's graduation gown. "No one in our class wishes me to be the valedictorian. You know you are the most popular girl in our school. Yet here I am the one chosen to stand up before everyone and read my stupid essay when your average was just exactly as high as mine."

Madge Morton and Phyllis Alden were alone in their own room at the end of the dormitory of Miss Matilda Tolliver's Select School for Girls, at Harborpoint, one morning late in May. Through the halls one could hear occasional bursts of girlish laughter, and the murmur of voices betokened unusual excitement.

It was the morning of the annual spring commencement.

Phyllis slowly unclasped Madge's arms from about her neck and gazed at her companion steadfastly, a flush on her usually pale cheeks.

"If you say another word about that old valedictory, I shall never forgive you!" she declared vehemently. "You know that Miss Tolliver is going to announce to the audience that our averages were the same. You were chosen to deliver the valedictory because you can make a speech so much better than I. What is the use of bringing up this subject now, just a few minutes before our commencement begins? You know how often we have talked this over before, and that I told Miss Matilda that I wished you to be the valedictorian instead of me, even before she selected you."

Phil's earnest black eyes looked sternly into Madge's troubled blue ones. "If you begin worrying about that now, you won't be able to read your essay half as well," declared Phil impatiently. "Please sit still for a minute and wait until Miss Jenny Ann calls us."