



Produced by Curtis Weyant, Sue Fleming and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)







  [Illustration: ON THE MISSOURI STEAMER. Page 11.]




                                ONWARD
                                  AND
                                UPWARD
                                SERIES

                            PLANE AND PLANK

               FIELD & FOREST-PLANE & PLANK-DESK & DEBIT
           CRINGLE & CROSS-TREE-BIVOUAC & BATTLE-SEA & SHORE

                              Illustrated

                             LEE & SHEPARD

                                BOSTON




                    _THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._




                           PLANE AND PLANK;

                                  OR,

                      THE MISHAPS OF A MECHANIC.


                                  BY

                             OLIVER OPTIC,

    AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,"
     "THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE STARRY
                    FLAG STORIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE
                             SERIES," ETC.


                     WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.


                                BOSTON:
                           LEE AND SHEPARD.

                               NEW YORK:
                        CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM.




       Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871,

                         BY WILLIAM T. ADAMS,

      In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.




                          ELECTROTYPED AT THE
                      BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY,
                            19 Spring Lane.




                                  TO

                            MY YOUNG FRIEND

                           _GEORGE W. HILLS_

                               This Book

                      IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.




  PREFACE.


"PLANE AND PLANK" is the second of THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES, in
which the hero, Phil Farringford, appears as a mechanic. The events
of the story are located on the Missouri River and in the city of St.
Louis. Phil learns the trade of a carpenter, and the contrast between a
young mechanic of an inquiring mind, earnestly laboring to master his
business, and one who feels above his calling, and overvalues his own
skill, is presented to the young reader, with the hope that he will
accept the lesson.

Incidentally, in the person and history of Phil's father the terrible
evils of intemperance are depicted, and the value of Christian love
and earnest prayer in the reformation of the unfortunate inebriate is
exhibited.

Though the incidents of the hero's career are quite stirring, and
some of the situations rather surprising, yet Phil is always true to
himself; and those who find themselves in sympathy with him cannot
possibly be led astray, while they respect his Christian principles,
reverence the Bible, and strive with him to do their whole duty to God
and man.

  HARRISON SQUARE, BOSTON,

                   _June 7, 1870._




  CONTENTS.


  CHAPTER I.
                                                                    Page
  IN WHICH PHIL MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF MR. LEONIDAS
  LYNCHPINNE.                                                         11

  CHAPTER II.

  IN WHICH PHIL MEETS WITH HIS FIRST MISHAP.                          22

  CHAPTER III.

  IN WHICH PHIL SLIPS OFF HIS COAT, AND RETREATS IN
  GOOD ORDER.                                                         33