CHAPTER XVII.
“DID WE DREAM IT ALL?”
The search of the ruins was prosecuted with vigor for several days morebefore they stumbled upon anything in the way of “te-ter-treasure,” asDing-dong Bell called it. But during that time the boys’ eyes had beenso satiated with wonders of ancient architecture and carvings, thatthey had almost forgotten about the more material part of their quest.
One afternoon Nat and Joe had set forth to explore a temple which,hitherto, had not been entered. The professor would have accompaniedthem, but he was busy working up his field notes into his journal, andcompiling in systematic form descriptions of the wonders of the island.Mr. Tubbs and Ding-dong had gone off making photographs, of which agoodly number had been taken, not forgetting several motion pictures,showing the explorers at work.
“Suppose we take a look over that queer, oblong building,” said Joe, asthey set out, indicating a smaller building than the others, not sovery far removed from the grand circle of structures fronting on thecircular Sun Temple, which formed the “hub” of the island.
“Very well,” said Nat; “but I don’t suppose it contains anything but areplica of what we’ve seen already.”
“Well, inasmuch as the professor has made up his mind not to leave theisland till everything has been explored and recorded, we might as wellsee what we can see in there,” went on Joe.
So the two lads set forth on their tour of exploration. The door of thetemple they had elected to investigate was in fairly good preservation,the lintel post not having cracked, as was the case with most of theother buildings. The usual condition was an evidence of the severity ofthe earthquakes that must, from time to time, have shaken the island.
Passing through the entrance they found themselves in pitchy darkness.But, as they had long since found electric flashlights needful articlesin searching the ruins, they soon had drawn out a couple of these andilluminated the gloom.
“This is a queer sort of place,” remarked Nat, looking about him asthey flashed the lights hither and thither, “I wonder if the samepeculiar feature about it has struck you as it has me.”
“What is that?” asked Joe.
“Why, in every other one of these old temples and ruins we have seen,there was every provision for the admittance of light; in fact, the oldIncas were sun worshippers.”
“I see what you mean now,” cried Joe eagerly. “This place hasn’t awindow in it.”
“No; that’s odd, isn’t it? I wonder if, by any chance, this can be theTemple of the Moon that the professor was anxious to discover.”
“By George! I shouldn’t wonder if you’ve hit on the explanation, Nat.”
“Do you think so?”
“I do.”
“Well, let’s carry on our investigations.”
“By all means. We may be on the verge of a great discovery of somesort.”
“I hope we don’t discover any more snakes.”
“Same here. Those beasts get on my nerves.”
“We’ve seen enough of them in the last few days to make you getaccustomed to them.”
“That is true; but just the same, the more I see of them the less Ilike them. These ruins all seem to be alive with them.”
“I guess they are common in every part of this country.”
“Ugh! I can never think of that one that almost got poor Ding-dongwithout a shudder.”
“Well, let’s push on. This place seems to have a sort of dome for aroof.”
As he spoke, Nat flashed his light up till its beam of radiance showeda finely modeled but low dome above them. As the light fell on theconcave structure, the lad gave a cry.
“Look, Joe! Look!”
“What? Where?”
“Up there, right above us!”
“Why, it’s a huge silver moon embossed on the dome!”
“That’s what it is. There is almost as much silver there as there isgold on the sacred dome. Those old fellows were not sparing withprecious metals.”
“I should say not. But what’s that over there, Nat? Surely it’s a door.”
“Looks like one, anyhow. Let’s try it and see.”
The two lads crossed the stone floor, upon which the dust of the ageslay thick and rose in choking clouds, and reached the portal which Joehad pointed out. The great ring affixed to one side of it was of somepeculiar sort of metal, not unlike bronze, and was untarnished.
Not without a faster beating of his heart, Nat turned the ring. Itmoved easily, and as it did so the door swung outward. It was of stone,and massive as the living rock itself.
Within they made out a flight of stairs that led steeply upward intothe darkness.
“Are you game to try them?” asked Nat.
“Am I? I wouldn’t go out of here without seeing where they lead.”
“Well, go easy. They might give way. Heaven only knows how old theyare.”
But the stairs proved solid. They wound upward steeply, worming theirway around a central pillar covered with carvings. At last the boysemerged on a kind of platform at the top, which was roofed in by anirregularly shaped covering. Right in front of them were two roundholes placed at some distance apart, and at their elbows were somecurious-looking bits of apparatus. One of these looked like a giganticbellows, and another was not unlike a megaphone in form.
“Well, where on earth are we now?” gasped Joe.
“I don’t know, but light is coming in through these holes. Let’s lookout and see.”
The boys each took one of the circular windows and peered out. To theirastonishment they looked into a vast cavernous chamber, lighted fromthe summit which admitted sunshine, the roof of which was supported bypillars. It was so vast that it took the breath away almost, to gazeinto its great distances and heights.
The floor of this place was marked with a circle, about which wereinscribed signs at regular intervals.
“Must have been their equivalent for the signs of the zodiac,” breathedNat, awestruck at the enormous spaces before him.
“Then this was a temple,” said Joe looking down from his window at thegreat floor, which was fully twenty feet below where the boys stoodpeering.
“It must have been,” gasped out Nat, “and—and—Joe, we are in the veryholy of holies of this island.”
“What do you mean?”
“Can’t you see? Look below you. We are peering out of the eyes of ahuge idol made out of the rock. That stuff at the head of the stairsmust have been the apparatus the priests used to make the idol speakand utter terrifying noises.”
There was no question but that Nat was right. Both boys could now makeout beneath them, the rounded outlines of a huge squatting figure. Inthe head of this monstrous figure—its eyes, in fact—were the twocircular holes through which they were looking.
“Gracious, what a sight it must have been when that temple was full ofpeople of the vanished race, adoring this great idol,” murmured Nat, inawestruck tones.
“And what a job the priests must have had fooling them through thatmegaphone and that big bellows,” said Joe, the practical.
“That wouldn’t have detracted from the grandeur of the scene. It musthave all been very real to them. Why, this place must be as vast as thehugest cathedral.”
“It gives me the shivers,” said Joe. “Hark, how your voice goes echoingoff there among the pillars.”
“I wish there was some way of climbing down through these eyes. I’dlike to explore that temple. I wonder where the entrance is.”
“Must be on the other side of the island. In the meantime, let’s lookat the head of the stairs there, and see if we can discover anythingelse.”
The boys flashed their lights about among the pile of mouldering relicsand machinery of the ancient priests. Suddenly Nat gave a shout oftriumph.
“What do you make of this?”
“This” was a huge chest, the lid of which, bound and embossed withdully glittering metal, was open. I
t was full of various articles, someof which gleamed and flashed with gems. Nat plunged in his hand anddrew out a golden breastplate. Joe followed this discovery by drawingforth a cup of what seemed to be pure turquoise. Various head-dressesof precious metal, more cups and vessels of gold, all jewel studded,followed.
“Well, we’ve found it,” breathed Nat; “we’ve found it, Joe, old boy.”
“Yes, and now we have, let’s take what we can of this stuff and get outof here,” said Joe. “We’ll come back with more lights and company. It’sgetting kind of creepy and lonesome in the dark here.”
The boys loaded themselves with all they could carry, including theturquoise cup, and stumbled down the stairway. It did not take themlong to retrace their steps and dump down their prizes in front of theastonished professor. He declared that the value of the turquoise cupalone was inestimable, while the jewels in some of the breastplates andvessels were worth more than he dared to name.
“I should say that what you have here would fetch two hundred and fiftythousand dollars in the value of the jewels alone,” he said. “As towhat they are worth as relics of a vanished race, I am not prepared tosay.”
Half an hour later, while they still sat awed and silent about the pileof wonderful relics, Ding-dong Bell appeared lugging an armful ofphotographic plates.
“We got some dandy pictures,” he began, “we—— Wer-wer-well, I’ll bejer-jer-jer-jig-gered!”
For the first time in his life Ding-dong Bell was fairly taken abackand bereft of all speech. He could only stand and blink in owl-likefashion at the marvelous display laid out before him.
* * * * *
“Nat! Nat! wake up!”
The voice sounded in the ear of the leader of the Motor Rangers, andwas accompanied by a violent shaking of his shoulder.
“What is it, Joe? Here, quit shaking my bed, I——”
“I’m not shaking your bed, Nat. It’s the whole island that’s shaking!Quick, help me arouse the others!”
Nat was awake in a flash. As he hastily drew on some clothes a strangemoaning noise filled the air. It was followed by a rushing soundoverhead.
“It’s an earthquake!” exclaimed the professor, as soon as he wasawakened.
As he spoke the whole structure of the _Discoverer_ was shaken as if bya giant hand beneath her.
At the same instant the voice of old Matco was heard calling out as ifin prayer.
“Get her loose, for heaven’s sake!” cried Mr. Tubbs, “or we’ll bedestroyed!”
“It is the vengeance! The vengeance!” cried old Matco in Spanish,bursting into the cabin.
“Switch on the lights,” ordered the professor.
Joe sprang into the pilot house and threw the switch. A blaze of lightillumined the aircraft. It showed a strange scene in her cabin.Half-dressed, and wholly bewildered, the adventurers were being thrownabout like so many ninepins. The substructure of the _Discoverer_ shooklike an ague-stricken human being, as the earth beneath her rocked andrumbled.
Nat and Joe, the most self-possessed of any on board, sprang out uponthe decks. The ropes had been tied, it not having been anticipated thatthey would want to leave in a hurry.
“Cut them!” shouted Nat above the hubbub about them.
The sky was being ripped and seared by livid lightning, while theflashes of light showed the lake to be a mass of white foam. The airwas filled with a strange, roaring sound.
It was the voice of the earthquake. Nat had heard it once before inCalifornia.
As the boys’ knives fell on the ropes, the _Discoverer_ shot upward. Upand up into the lightning-riven sky she arose, while beneath them theearth shook and rocked and rumbled.
“Great Scott!” cried a voice,—it was Nat’s,—“if ever we get struck by aflash of that lightning,—good-bye!”
The words sounded flippant, but the danger was real. The boy recalledreading of the fatal disaster to the great Zeppelin dirigible in athunder-storm. But still they could not seek a refuge on the earth, atany rate not on the island. The air was the only place for them to seeksafety.
The noise all about was nothing less than terrific. Voices could not beheard unless raised to a shout. The rigging of the dirigible creakedand groaned as the great bag swayed, and added to the distractingturmoil.
Paralyzed by the very suddenness and utter unexpectedness of it all,the adventurers for a time merely clung to the rails of their swaying,madly careening craft. How that night passed, none on board was exactlyable to tell in after days.
They got the engine going, and held the big cloud cruiser as close tothe earth as they dared, using the descending planes to steady herunder the wild swaying of the great gas bag. A furious wind accompaniedthe earthquake, and when the lightning died away it seemed as if therewas to be fresh and even more deadly peril, from the possibility of thegreat gas container being ripped bodily from the substructure.
But the rigging held tightly, and dawn found the disturbance almost atan end. It was a shaken, white-faced crew that regarded one another inthe gray light. The night had been one to try the nerves of a man ofiron, and the Motor Rangers were only youths.
However, the storm died out almost as swiftly as it had come, andbreakfast and hot coffee heartened them wonderfully. Even old Matcoplucked up his spirits, although, during the night, he was certain thatthey were bound to perish in the anger of the old gods of his country.
After the morning meal they began to look about them. They found that,during the night, they had been blown far to the southward of the siteof the lost city, but they could still make out the ragged peaks thatmarked its locality.
The professor called a meeting, and it was unanimously decided to wingback and find out how the island of the dead had fared. They reachedthe spot by noon, and sailed over the peaks and gazed down into theplace where the island should have been.
But no island was there!
It had vanished as completely as if it had been a dream. Only thewaters of the lake rippled as placidly as of yore, hiding forever undertheir azure surface the city that had been and now was not.
Silent and stunned the adventurers turned the _Discoverer’s_ prowtoward the westward once more.
“If it wasn’t for those relics in the cabin,” said Nat pensively, “Ishould think that we’d dreamed it all.”
As he spoke he looked back toward the far horizon. Already the raggedpeaks were fading on the sky and soon would be out of sight.
“After all,” said the professor at length, “perhaps it is better sothan if that noble city of a vanished race had become the resort ofgossiping tourists.”
And in after days they agreed with him; but with Nat and Joe it waslong a bitter thought that they had left in the Temple of the Moon someof the most marvelous remains of an ancient civilization everdiscovered.
* * * * *
The untimely ending of the existence of the wonderful island put an endalso to the Motor Rangers’ aerial adventures, for the professor decidedto abandon all attempts at relocating it and employing divers, as hadbeen his first intention.
The voyage north was made on the staunch old _Nomad_, and Mr. Tubbs andthe professor accompanied the boys. Old Matco received a substantialreward, and decided to spend his last days in the shelter of Boliviancities rather than to take once more to the life of the forest.
As for Captain Lawless and his rascally mate, they were last heard ofroaming about Bolivia, still seeking for the lost city, of whosedestruction they were not aware. They had engineered an expedition withtheir remaining money for this purpose, but not, of course, till aftertheir release from prison for firing at the airship. But as this wasonly a brief incarceration, it did not delay their plans much. Thepresent chronicler is not in a position to state their ultimate fate.
It may be of interest to state here, that the crew they had so baselydeserted, managed to regain their schooner from the rascally old islandchief and sail her home, wher
e they collected salvage from the owners.
The Motor Rangers enjoyed a long rest at home and then visited New Yorkto aid in classifying and arranging the pictures and relics of the lostcity. The cloud cruiser was sold to a syndicate, which long used her asa passenger craft at fairs and exhibitions, and it is safe to say thatnot one of her passengers ever dreamed of what the airship that carriedhim had passed through.
Their exciting adventures above the earth will ever remain to the trioof boys among their most thrilling recollections, says Nat; but in arecent letter to a friend he hints that tiring of inactivity he and histwo chums have already started out in search of fresh incident andadventure.
From what Nat says the tale of their experiences should form a suitablesequel to the other volumes of this series, and it will be called: THEMOTOR RANGERS’ WIRELESS STATION.
THE END.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reasons why you should obtain a Catalogue of our Publications
_A postal to us will place it in your hands_
1. You will possess a comprehensive and classified list of all the beststandard books published, at prices less than offered by others.
2. You will find listed in our catalogue books on every topic: Poetry,Fiction, Romance, Travel, Adventure, Humor, Science, History, Religion,Biography, Drama, etc., besides Dictionaries and Manuals, Bibles,Recitation and Hand Books, Sets, Octavos, Presentation Books andJuvenile and Nursery Literature in immense variety.
3. You will be able to purchase books at prices within your reach; aslow as 10 cents for paper covered books, to $5.00 for books bound incloth or leather, adaptable for gift and presentation purposes, to suitthe tastes of the most critical.
4. You will save considerable money by taking advantage of our SPECIALDISCOUNTS, which we offer to those whose purchases are large enough towarrant us in making a reduction.
HURST & CO., _Publishers_, 395, 397, 399 Broadway, New York.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=MOTOR RANGERS SERIES=
=HIGH SPEED MOTOR STORIES=
By MARVIN WEST.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE MOTOR RANGERS’ LOST MINE.=
This is an absorbing story of the continuous adventures of a motor carin the hands of Nat Trevor and his friends. It does seeminglyimpossible “stunts,” and yet everything happens “in the nick of time.”
=THE MOTOR RANGERS THROUGH THE SIERRAS.=
Enemies in ambush, the peril of fire, and the guarding of treasure makeexciting times for the Motor Rangers—yet there is a strong flavor offun and freedom, with a typical Western mountaineer for spice.
=THE MOTOR RANGERS ON BLUE WATER; or, The Secret of the Derelict.=
The strange adventures of the sturdy craft “Nomad” and the strangerexperiences of the Rangers themselves with Morello’s schooner and amysterious derelict form the basis of this well-spun yarn of the sea.
=THE MOTOR RANGERS’ CLOUD CRUISER.=
From the “Nomad” to the “Discoverer,” from the sea to the sky, thescene changes in which the Motor Rangers figure. They have experiences“that never were on land or sea,” in heat and cold and storm, overmountain peak and lost city, with savages and reptiles; their ship ofthe air is attacked by huge birds of the air; they survive explosionand earthquake; they even live to tell the tale!
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=BOY INVENTORS SERIES=
=Stories of Skill and Ingenuity= By RICHARD BONNER
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE BOY INVENTORS’ WIRELESS TELEGRAPH.=
Blest with natural curiosity,—sometimes called the instinct ofinvestigation,—favored with golden opportunity, and gifted withcreative ability, the Boy Inventors meet emergencies and contrivemechanical wonders that interest and convince the reader because theyalways “work” when put to the test.
=THE BOY INVENTORS’ VANISHING GUN.=
A thought, a belief, an experiment; discouragement, hope, effort andfinal success—this is the history of many an invention; a history inwhich excitement, competition, danger, despair and persistence figure.This merely suggests the circumstances which draw the daring BoyInventors into strange experiences and startling adventures, and whichdemonstrate the practical use of their vanishing gun.
=THE BOY INVENTORS’ DIVING TORPEDO BOAT.=
As in the previous stories of the Boy Inventors, new and interestingtriumphs of mechanism are produced which become immediately valuable,and the stage for their proving and testing is again the water. On thesurface and below it, the boys have jolly, contagious fun, and thestory of their serious, purposeful inventions challenge the reader’sdeepest attention.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=BORDER BOYS SERIES=
Mexican and Canadian Frontier Series
By FREMONT B. DEERING.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL.=
What it meant to make an enemy of Black Ramon De Barios—that is theproblem that Jack Merrill and his friends, including Coyote Pete, facein this exciting tale.
=THE BORDER BOYS ACROSS THE FRONTIER.=
Read of the Haunted Mesa and its mysteries, of the Subterranean Riverand its strange uses, of the value of gasolene and steam “in runningthe gauntlet,” and you will feel that not even the ancient splendors ofthe Old World can furnish a better setting for romantic action than theBorder of the New.
=THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE MEXICAN RANGERS.=
As every day is making history—faster, it is said, than ever before—sobooks that keep pace with the changes are full of rapid action andaccurate facts. This book deals with lively times on the Mexican border.
=THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS.=
The Border Boys have already had much excitement and adventure in theirlives, but all this has served to prepare them for the experiencesrelated in this volume. They are stronger, braver and more resourcefulthan ever, and the exigencies of their life in connection with theTexas Rangers demand all their trained ability.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=FRANK ARMSTRONG SERIES=
=Twentieth Century Athletic Stories=
By MATHEW M. COLTON.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 60c. per vol., postpaid
=FRANK ARMSTRONG’S VACATION.=
How Frank’s summer experience with his boy friends make him into asturdy young athlete through swimming, boating, and baseball contests,and a tramp through the Everglades, is the subject of this splendidstory.
=FRANK ARMSTRONG AT QUEENS.=
We find among the jolly boys at Queen’s School, Frank, thestudent-athlete, Jimmy, the baseball enthusiast, and Lewis, theunconsciously-funny youth who furnishes comedy for every page thatbears his name. Fall and winter sports between intensely rival schoolteams are expertly described.
=FRANK ARMSTRONG’S SECOND TERM.=
The gymnasium, the track and the field make the back
ground for thestirring events of this volume, in which David, Jimmy, Lewis, the “WeeOne” and the “Codfish” figure, while Frank “saves the day.”
=FRANK ARMSTRONG, DROP KICKER.=
With the same persistent determination that won him success inswimming, running and baseball playing, Frank Armstrong acquired theart of “drop kicking,” and the Queen’s football team profits thereby.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=OAKDALE ACADEMY SERIES=
=Stories of Modern School Sports=
By MORGAN SCOTT.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 60c. per vol., postpaid
=BEN STONE AT OAKDALE.=
Under peculiarly trying circumstances Ben Stone wins his way at OakdaleAcademy, and at the same time enlists our sympathy, interest andrespect. Through the enmity of Bern Hayden, the loyalty of Roger Eliotand the clever work of the “Sleuth,” Ben is falsely accused, championedand vindicated.
=BOYS OF OAKDALE ACADEMY.=
“One thing I will claim, and that is that all Grants fight open andsquare and there never was a sneak among them.” It was Rodney Grant, ofTexas, who made the claim to his friend, Ben Stone, and this storyshows how he proved the truth of this statement in the face of apparentevidence to the contrary.
=RIVAL PITCHERS OF OAKDALE.=
Baseball is the main theme of this interesting narrative, and thatmeans not only clear and clever descriptions of thrilling games, but anintimate acquaintance with the members of the teams who played them.The Oakdale Boys were ambitious and loyal, and some were evendisgruntled and jealous, but earnest, persistent work won out.
=OAKDALE BOYS IN CAMP.=
The typical vacation is the one that means much freedom, littlerestriction, and immediate contact with “all outdoors.” Theseconditions prevailed in the summer camp of the Oakdale Boys and made ita scene of lively interest.
=THE GREAT OAKDALE MYSTERY.=
The “Sleuth” scents a mystery! He “follows his nose.” The plotthickens! He makes deductions. There are surprises for the reader—andfor the “Sleuth,” as well.
=NEW BOYS AT OAKDALE.=
A new element creeps into Oakdale with another year’s registration ofstudents. The old and the new standards of conduct in and out of schoolmeet, battle, and cause sweeping changes in the lives of several of theboys.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=DREADNOUGHT BOYS SERIES=
=Tales of the New Navy=
By CAPT. WILBUR LAWTON
Author of “BOY AVIATORS SERIES.”
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON BATTLE PRACTICE.=
Especially interesting and timely is this book which introduces thereader with its heroes, Ned and Herc, to the great ships of modernwarfare and to the intimate life and surprising adventures of UncleSam’s sailors.
=THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ABOARD A DESTROYER.=
In this story real dangers threaten and the boys’ patriotism is testedin a peculiar international tangle. The scene is laid on the SouthAmerican coast.
=THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON A SUBMARINE.=
To the inventive genius—trade-school boy or mechanic—this story hasspecial charm, perhaps, but to every reader its mystery and cleveraction are fascinating.
=THE DREADNOUGHT BOYS ON AERO SERVICE.=
Among the volunteers accepted for Aero Service are Ned and Herc. Theirperilous adventures are not confined to the air, however, although theymake daring and notable flights in the name of the Government; nor arethey always able to fly beyond the reach of their old “enemies,” whoare also airmen.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=BUNGALOW BOYS SERIES=
=LIVE STORIES OF OUTDOOR LIFE=
By DEXTER J. FORRESTER.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS.=
How the Bungalow Boys received their title and how they retained theright to it in spite of much opposition makes a lively narrative forlively boys.
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS MAROONED IN THE TROPICS.=
A real treasure hunt of the most thrilling kind, with a sunken Spanishgalleon as its object, makes a subject of intense interest at any time,but add to that a band of desperate men, a dark plot and a devil fish,and you have the combination that brings strange adventures into thelives of the Bungalow Boys.
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS IN THE GREAT NORTH WEST.=
The clever assistance of a young detective saves the boys from theclutches of Chinese smugglers, of whose nefarious trade they know toomuch. How the Professor’s invention relieves a critical situation isalso an exciting incident of this book.
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES.=
The Bungalow Boys start out for a quiet cruise on the Great Lakes and avisit to an island. A storm and a band of wreckers interfere with theserenity of their trip, and a submarine adds zest and adventure to it.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=MOTOR MAIDS SERIES=
=Wholesome Stories of Adventure=
By KATHERINE STOKES.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE MOTOR MAIDS’ SCHOOL DAYS.=
Billie Campbell was just the type of a straightforward, athletic girlto be successful as a practical Motor Maid. She took her car, as shedid her class-mates, to her heart, and many a grand good time did theyhave all together. The road over which she ran her red machine had manyan unexpected turning,—now it led her into peculiar danger; now intocontact with strange travelers; and again into experiences by fire andwater. But, best of all, “The Comet” never failed its brave girl owner.
=THE MOTOR MAIDS BY PALM AND PINE.=
Wherever the Motor Maids went there were lively times, for these werecompanionable girls who looked upon the world as a vastly interestingplace full of unique adventures—and so, of course, they found them.
=THE MOTOR MAIDS ACROSS THE CONTINENT.=
It is always interesting to travel, and it is wonderfully entertainingto see old scenes through fresh eyes. It is that privilege, therefore,that makes it worth while to join the Motor Maids in their first’cross-country run.
=THE MOTOR MAIDS BY ROSE, SHAMROCK AND HEATHER.=
South and West had the Motor Maids motored, nor could their educationby travel have been more wisely begun. But now a speaking acquaintancewith their own country enriched their anticipation of an introductionto the British Isles. How they made their polite American bow and howthey were received on the other side is a tale of interest andinspiration.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=MOLLY BROWN SERIES=
=College Life Stories for Girls=
By NELL SPEED.
&
nbsp; Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 60c. per vol., postpaid
=MOLLY BROWN’S FRESHMAN DAYS.=
Would you like to admit to your circle of friends the most charming ofcollege girls—the typical college girl for whom we are always lookingbut not always finding; the type that contains so many delightfulcharacteristics, yet without unpleasant perfection in any; the natural,unaffected, sweet-tempered girl, loved because she is lovable? Thenseek an introduction to Molly Brown. You will find the baggage-master,the cook, the Professor of English Literature, and the CollegePresident in the same company.
=MOLLY BROWN’S SOPHOMORE DAYS.=
What is more delightful than a re-union of college girls after thesummer vacation? Certainly nothing that precedes it in theirexperience—at least, if all class-mates are as happy together as theWellington girls of this story. Among Molly’s interesting friends ofthe second year is a young Japanese girl, who ingratiates her “humbly”self into everybody’s affections speedily and permanently.
=MOLLY BROWN’S JUNIOR DAYS.=
Financial stumbling blocks are not the only things that hinder the easeand increase the strength of college girls. Their troubles and theirtriumphs are their own, often peculiar to their environment. HowWellington students meet the experiences outside the class-rooms isworth the doing, the telling and the reading.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY - Publishers - NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=GIRL AVIATORS SERIES=
=Clean Aviation Stories=
By MARGARET BURNHAM.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE GIRL AVIATORS AND THE PHANTOM AIRSHIP.=
Roy Prescott was fortunate in having a sister so clever and devoted tohim and his interests that they could share work and play with mutualpleasure and to mutual advantage. This proved especially true inrelation to the manufacture and manipulation of their aeroplane, andPeggy won well deserved fame for her skill and good sense as anaviator. There were many stumbling-blocks in their terrestrial path,but they soared above them all to ultimate success.
=THE GIRL AVIATORS ON GOLDEN WINGS.=
That there is a peculiar fascination about aviation that wins and holdsgirl enthusiasts as well as boys is proved by this tale. On goldenwings the girl aviators rose for many an exciting flight, and metstrange and unexpected experiences.
=THE GIRL AVIATORS’ SKY CRUISE.=
To most girls a coaching or yachting trip is an adventure. How muchmore perilous an adventure a “sky cruise” might be is suggested by thetitle and proved by the story itself.
=THE GIRL AVIATORS’ MOTOR BUTTERFLY.=
The delicacy of flight suggested by the word “butterfly,” themechanical power implied by “motor,” the ability to control assured inthe title “aviator,” all combined with the personality and enthusiasmof girls themselves, make this story one for any girl or other reader“to go crazy over.”
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=BUNGALOW BOYS SERIES=
=LIVE STORIES OF OUTDOOR LIFE=
By DEXTER J. FORRESTER.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS.=
How the Bungalow Boys received their title and how they retained theright to it in spite of much opposition makes a lively narrative forlively boys.
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS MAROONED IN THE TROPICS.=
A real treasure hunt of the most thrilling kind, with a sunken Spanishgalleon as its object, makes a subject of intense interest at any time,but add to that a band of desperate men, a dark plot and a devil fish,and you have the combination that brings strange adventures into thelives of the Bungalow Boys.
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS IN THE GREAT NORTH WEST.=
The clever assistance of a young detective saves the boys from theclutches of Chinese smugglers, of whose nefarious trade they know toomuch. How the Professor’s invention relieves a critical situation isalso an exciting incident of this book.
=THE BUNGALOW BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES.=
The Bungalow Boys start out for a quiet cruise on the Great Lakes and avisit to an island. A storm and a band of wreckers interfere, with theserenity of their trip, and a submarine adds zest and adventure to it.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY - Publishers - NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=BORDER BOYS SERIES=
Mexican and Canadian Frontier Series
By FREMONT B. DEERING.
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL.=
What it meant to make an enemy of Black Ramon De Barios—that is theproblem that Jack Merrill and his friends, including Coyote Pete, facein this exciting tale.
=THE BORDER BOYS ACROSS THE FRONTIER.=
Read of the Haunted Mesa and its mysteries, of the Subterranean Riverand its strange uses, of the value of gasolene and steam “in runningthe gauntlet,” and you will feel that not even the ancient splendors ofthe Old World can furnish a better setting for romantic action than theBorder of the New.
=THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE MEXICAN RANGERS.=
As every day is making history—faster, it is said, than ever before—sobooks that keep pace with the changes are full of rapid action andaccurate facts. This book deals with lively times on the Mexican border.
=THE BORDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS.=
The Border Boys have already had much excitement and adventure in theirlives, but all this has served to prepare them for the experiencesrelated in this volume. They are stronger, braver and more resourcefulthan ever, and the exigencies of their life in connection with theTexas Rangers demand all their trained ability.
Any volume sent postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=BOY INVENTORS SERIES=
=Stories of Skill and Ingenuity=
By RICHARD BONNER
Cloth Bound. Illustrated. Price, 50c. per vol., postpaid
=THE BOY INVENTORS’ WIRELESS TELEGRAPH.=
Blest with natural curiosity,—sometimes called the instinct ofinvestigation,—favored with golden opportunity, and gifted withcreative ability, the Boy Inventors meet emergencies and contrivemechanical wonders that interest and convince the reader because theyalways “work” when put to the test.
=THE BOY INVENTORS’ VANISHING GUN.=
A thought, a belief, an experiment; discouragement, hope, effort andfinal success—this is the history of many an invention; a history inwhich excitement, competition, danger, despair and persistence figure.This merely suggests the circumstances which draw the daring BoyInventors into strange experiences and startling adventures, and whichdemonstrate the practical use of their vanishing gun.
=THE BOY INVENTORS’ DIVING TORPEDO BOAT.=
As in the previous stories of the Boy Inventors, new and interestingtriumphs of mechanism are produced which become immediately valuable,and the stage for their proving and testing is again the water. On thesurface and below it, the boys have jolly, contagious fun, and thestory of their serious, purposeful inventions challenge the reader’sdeepest attention.
Any volume sen
t postpaid upon receipt of price.
HURST & COMPANY—Publishers—NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=The Famous Alger Books=
By Horatio Alger, Jr. The Boy’s Writer
------------------------------------
A series of books known to all boys; books that are good and wholesome,with enough “ginger” in them to suit the tastes of the youngergeneration. The Alger books are not filled with “blood and thunder”stories of a doubtful character, but are healthy and elevating, andparents should see to it that their children become acquainted with thewritings of this celebrated writer of boys’ books. We publish thetitles named below:
Adrift in New York. A Cousin’s Conspiracy. Andy Gordon. Andy Grant’s Pluck. Bob Burton. Bound to Rise. Brave and Bold. Cash Boy. Chester Rand. Do and Dare. Driven from Home. Erie Train Boy. Facing the World. Five Hundred Dollars. Frank’s Campaign. Grit. Hector’s Inheritance. Helping Himself. Herbert Carter’s Legacy. In a New World. Jack’s Ward. Jed, the Poor House Boy. Joe’s Luck. Julius, the Street Boy. Luke Walton. Making His Way. Mark Mason. Only an Irish Boy. Paul, the Peddler. Phil, the Fiddler. Ralph Raymond’s Heir. Risen from the Ranks. Sam’s Chance. Shifting for Himself. Sink or Swim. Slow and Sure. Store Boy. Strive and Succeed. Strong and Steady. Struggling Upward. Tin Box. Tom, the Bootblack. Tony, the Tramp. Try and Trust. Wait and Hope. Walter Sherwood’s Probation. Young Acrobat. Young Adventurer. Young Outlaw. Young Salesman.
Any of these books will be mailed upon receipt of =35c., or threecopies for $1.00=. Do not fail to procure one or more of these famousvolumes.
=A Complete Catalogue of Books Will Be Sent Upon Request.=
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=HENTY SERIES=
An entirely new edition of these famous Books for Boys, by G. A. Henty.This author has reached the hearts of the younger generation bycleverly amalgamating historical events into interesting stories. Everybook illustrated. 42 titles. Price, 35c.
------------------------------------
Among Malay Pirates. A Story of Adventure and Peril.
Bonnie Prince Charlie. A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden.
Boy Knight, The. A Tale of the Crusades.
Bravest of the Brave, The. With Peterborough in Spain.
By England’s Aid; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604).
By Pike and Dyke. A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic.
By Right of Conquest; or With Cortez in Mexico.
By Sheer Pluck. A Tale of the Ashanti War.
Captain Bayley’s Heir. A Tale of the Gold Fields of California.
Cat of Bubastes, The. A Story of Ancient Egypt.
Cornet of Horse, The. A Tale of Marlborough’s Wars.
Dragon and the Raven; or, The Days of King Alfred.
Facing Death. A Tale of the Coal Mines.
Final Reckoning, A. A Tale of Bush Life in Australia.
For Name and Fame; or, Through Afghan Passes.
For the Temple. A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem.
Friends, Though Divided. A Tale of the Civil War in England.
Golden Canon, The.
In Freedom’s Cause. A Story of Wallace and Bruce.
In the Reign of Terror. Adventures of a Westminster Boy.
In Times of Peril. A Tale of India.
Jack Archer. A Tale of the Crimea.
Lion of St. Mark, The. A Story of Venice in the Fourteenth Century.
Lion of the North, The. A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus and Wars of Religion.
Lost Heir, The.
Maori and Settler. A Story of the New Zealand War.
One of the 28th. A Tale of Waterloo.
Orange and Green. A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick.
Out on the Pampas. A Tale of South America.
St. George for England. A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers.
Sturdy and Strong; or, How George Andrews Made His Way.
Through the Fray. A Story of the Luddite Riots.
True to the Old Flag. A Tale of the American War of Independence.
Under Drake’s Flag. A Tale of the Spanish Main.
With Clive in India; or, The Beginnings of an Empire.
With Lee in Virginia. A Story of the American Civil War.
With Wolfe in Canada; or, The Winning of a Continent.
Young Buglers, The. A Tale of the Peninsular War.
Young Carthaginian, The. A Story of the Times of Hannibal.
Young Colonists, The. A Story of Life and War in South Africa.
Young Franc-Tireurs, The. A Tale of the Franco-Prussian War.
Young Midshipman, The. A Tale of the Siege of Alexandria.
------------------------------------
=ANY OF THESE BOOKS WILL BE MAILED UPON RECEIPT OF 35c., OR THREE COPIES FOR $1.00=
Be sure you have one of our complete catalogues; sent anywhere when requested
HURST & CO. Publishers NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=Mirthful Books Worth Reading!==_Peck’s Books_==_of Humor_=
No author has achieved a greater national reputation for books ofgenuine humor and mirth than GEORGE W. PECK, author of “Peck’s Bad Boyand His Pa.”
We are fortunate to be able to offer, within everyone’s reach, three ofhis latest books. The titles are
=Peck’s Uncle Ike,= =Peck’s Sunbeams,= =Peck’s Red-Headed Boy.=
=CLOTH Binding, 60c., Postpaid.= =PAPER Binding, 30c., Postpaid.=
By failing to procure any one of these books you lose an opportunity to“laugh and grow fat.” When you get one you will order the others.
=Send for our Illustrated Catalogue of Books.=
HURST & CO., Publishers, 395-399 Broadway, New York.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=Log Cabin to White==House Series=
A famous series of books, formerly sold at $2.00 per copy, are nowpopularized by reducing the price less than half. The lives of thesefamous Americans are worthy of a place in any library. A new book byEdward S. Ellis—“From Ranch to White House”—is a life of TheodoreRoosevelt, while the author of the others, William M. Thayer, is acelebrated biographer.
FROM RANCH TO WHITE HOUSE; Lif
e of Theodore Roosevelt.
FROM BOYHOOD TO MANHOOD; Life of Benjamin Franklin.
FROM FARM HOUSE TO WHITE HOUSE; Life of George Washington.
FROM LOG CABIN TO WHITE HOUSE; Life of James A. Garfield.
FROM PIONEER HOME TO WHITE HOUSE; Life of Abraham Lincoln.
FROM TANNERY TO WHITE HOUSE; Life of Ulysses S. Grant.
SUCCESS AND ITS ACHIEVERS.
TACT, PUSH AND PRINCIPLE.
These titles, though by different authors, also belong to this seriesof books:
FROM COTTAGE TO CASTLE; The Story of Gutenberg, Inventor of Printing. By Mrs. E. C. Pearson.
CAPITAL FOR WORKING BOYS. By Mrs. Julia E. M’Conaughy.
Price, postpaid, for any of the above ten books, =75c.=
A complete catalogue sent for the asking.
HURST & CO. Publishers, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=C. A. Stephens Books=
An author whose writings are famous and whose stories are brim-full ofadventure. Boys delight in reading them.
We publish six of his best.
=CAMPING OUT= =FOX HUNTING= =LEFT ON LABRADOR= =LYNX HUNTING= =OFF TO THE GEYSERS= =ON THE AMAZON=
Sent anywhere, postage paid, upon receipt of Fifty Cents.
Our complete list sent you upon receipt of a postal.
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOOKS BY
=Charles Carleton Coffin=
Author of=“Boys of ’76”==“Boys of ’61”=
Charles Carleton Coffin’s specialty is books pertaining to the War. Hiscelebrated writings with reference to the Great Rebellion have beenread by thousands. We have popularized him by publishing his best worksat reduced prices.
=Following the Flag.= Charles Carleton Coffin
=My Days and Nights on the Battlefield.= Charles Carleton Coffin
=Winning His Way.= Charles Carleton Coffin
=Six Nights in a Block House.= Henry C. Watson
Be sure to get one of each. Price, postpaid, Fifty Cents.
Obtain our latest complete catalogue.
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=BIOGRAPHICAL= =LIBRARY= =Of the Lives of Great Men=
A limited line comprising subjects pertaining to the careers of men whohave helped to mould the world’s history. A library is incompletewithout the entire set.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, LIFE OF—American Statesman and Discoverer of Electricity. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, LIFE OF—Discoverer of America. DANIEL BOONE, LIFE OF—Famous Kentucky Explorer and Scout. DANIEL WEBSTER, LIFE OF—American Statesman and Diplomat. DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN ORATORS—Who Have Helped to Mould American Events. EMINENT AMERICANS—Makers of United States History. JOHN GUTENBERG, LIFE OF—Inventor of Printing, NAPOLEON AND HIS MARSHALS—Celebrated French General and Commander. ORATORS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION—Whose Speeches Ring With Patriotism. PAUL JONES, LIFE OF—American Naval Hero. PATRICK HENRY, LIFE OF—Distinguished American Orator and Patriot. PHILIP H. SHERIDAN, LIFE OF—“Little Phil”; Famous Union General During the Civil War. WASHINGTON AND HIS GENERALS—First President of the United States, Revolutionary Army General and Statesman.
Any book mailed, postage paid, upon receipt of 50c.
Send for Our Complete Book Catalogue.
HURST & CO. Publishers, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=Books by==Edward S. Ellis=
One of the most popular writers of boys’ stories in America to-day.This author has the happy faculty of pleasing the boys with writingswhich are noted for their animation and excitement. A select list isnamed below:
=_Famous American Naval Commanders_= =_Golden Rock_= =_The Jungle Fugitives_= =_Land of Mystery_= =_Old Ironsides; Hero of Tripoli and 1812_=
Any book sent postage paid, upon receipt of Fifty Cents.
A POSTAL BRINGS OUR COMPLETE CATALOGUE TO YOU
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
=Oliver Optic==Books=
Few boys are alive to-day who have not read some of the writings ofthis famous author, whose books are scattered broadcast and eagerlysought for. Oliver Optic has the faculty of writing books full of dashand energy, such as healthy boys want and need.
ALL ABOARD; or, Life on the Lake. BOAT CLUB; or, The Bunkers of Rippleton. BRAVE OLD SALT; or, Life on the Quarter Deck. DO SOMETHINGS; a Story for Little Folks. FIGHTING JOE; or, The Fortunes of a Staff Officer. IN SCHOOL AND OUT; or, The Conquest of Richard Grant. LITTLE BY LITTLE; or, The Cruise of the Flyaway. LITTLE MERCHANT; a Story for Little Folks. NOW OR NEVER; or, The Adventures of Bobby Bright. POOR AND PROUD; or, The Fortunes of Katie Redburn. PROUD AND LAZY; a Story for Little Folks. RICH AND HUMBLE; or, The Mission of Bertha Grant. SAILOR BOY; or, Jack Somers in the Navy. SOLDIER BOY; or, Tom Somers in the Army. TRY AGAIN; or, The Trials and Triumphs of Harry West. WATCH AND WAIT; or, The Young Fugitives. WORK AND WIN; or, Noddy Newman on a Cruise. THE YANKEE MIDDY; or, The Adventures of a Naval Officer. YOUNG LIEUTENANT; or, The Adventures of an Army Officer.
=Any of these books will be mailed, postpaid, upon receipt of 50c.=
Get our complete catalogue—sent anywhere.
HURST & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transcriber's note:
Inconsistencies in capitalization of the name "Ding-Dong" vs "Ding-dong" have been left as is.
Several pages of ads are duplicated in the original text; they have been left as is.
page 72 - moved apostrophe in "Ranger's" ...changing the course of the Motor Rangers' vessel.
page 82 - changed period to comma at end of quote I’ve got an idea." said...
page 83 - capitalized sentence ...said Mr. Tubbs. "we haven’t got any weapons, and those rascals...
page 110 - added comma at end of speech ...when you see it flying in a foreign port" observed...
page 120 - added period to chapter title to be consistent the other chapter titles XIII. "SOUTH AMERICAN JUSTICE"
page 163 - changed "inqury" to "inquiry" ...to the professor’s inqury.
page 171 - changed "head-gear" to "headgear" to be consistent with other usage in this book
page 249 - added "in" after "candle" ...pocket lantern here, too, with a candle it. Shall...
page 256 - changed "It" to "If" It you don’t get me...
page 275 - changed "awe-struck" to "awestruck" to be consistent with other usage in this book ...Nat, in awe-struck tones...
page 281 - changed "Zepplein" to "Zeppelin"
page 284 - changed "Macto" to "Matco" ...the boys. Old Macto received a substantial...
no page number - "Molly Brown Series" advertisement changed "sophmore" to "sophomore"
no page number - "Girl Aviators Series" advertisement changed "terrestial" to "terrestrial" ...
many stumbling-blocks in their terrestial path, but they...
no page number - "Girl Aviators Series" advertisement changed "abiltity" to "ability" ...the mechanical power implied by “motor,” the abiltity to...
no page number - "The Famous Alger Books" changed comma to period ...Sam’s Chance,...
no page number - "The Dreadnought Boys" changed "Areo" to "Aero" Among the volunteers accepted for Areo Service are Ned...
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends