Produced by Sean Pobuda
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
Or
Stirring Adventures in Africa
By Arthur M. Winfield
(Edward Stratemeyer)
INTRODUCTION
My dear boys:
This volume, "The Rover Boys in the jungle," is the third story ofthe "Rover Boys Series," and while a complete tale in itself,forms a companion story to "The Rover Boys at School" and "TheRover Boys on the Ocean," which preceded it.
In the former volumes I told you much of the doings of Dick, Tom,and Sam at Putnam Hall and during a remarkable chase on theAtlantic Ocean. In the present story the scene is shifted fromthe military academy, where the boys are cadets, to the wilds ofAfrica, whither the lads with their uncle have gone to look forAnderson Rover, the boys' father, who had disappeared many yearsbefore. A remarkable message from the sea causes the party toleave this country, and they journey to Africa, little dreaming ofall the stirring adventures which await them in the heart of theDark Continent. How they battle against their many perils, andwhat the outcome of their remarkable search is, I will leave forthe pages that follow to explain.
In conclusion, let me state that I am extremely grateful for thekind favor given the previous volumes of this series, and Isincerely trust that the present tale merits a continuance of yoursupport.
Affectionately and sincerely yours,
EDWARD STRATEMEYERNovember 10, 1899
THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE
CHAPTER I
UNPLEASANT NEWS
"Back to Putnam Hall again, boys! Hurrah!"
"Yes, back again, Tom, and glad of it," returned Dick Rover. "Ican tell you, the academy is getting to be a regular second home."
"Right you are, Dick," came from Sam Rover, the youngest of thethree brothers. "I'd rather be here than up to the farm, even ifUncle Randolph and Aunt Martha are kind and considerate. The farmis so slow--"
"While here we have our full share of adventures and more,"finished Tom. "I wonder what will happen to us this term? Theother terms kept us mighty busy, didn't they?"
"I'm not looking for any more outside adventures," said Dick, witha serious shake of his head. "Our enemies have been disposed of,and I don't want, to hear of or see them again."
"Nor I--but we'll hear of them, nevertheless, mark my words.The Baxters won't leave us rest. They are a hard crowd, and BuddyGirk is just as bad," finished Tom.
It was the opening of the spring term at Putnam Hall MilitaryAcademy, and the three Rover boys had just come up from Cedarvillein the carryall, driven by Peleg Snuggers, the general-utility manof the place. Their old chums, Frank Harrington, Fred Garrison,Larry Colby, and a number of others, had already arrived, so theboys did not lack for company. As they entered the spaciousbuilding genial Captain Putnam greeted each with a heartyhandshake, and a pleasant word also came to them from GeorgeStrong, the head assistant.
For the benefit of those who have not read the other books of thisseries, entitled "The Rover Boys at School" and "The Rover Boyson the Ocean," I would state that the Rover boys were three innumber, Dick being the oldest, Tom next, and Sam the youngest, asalready mentioned. Whether the boys were orphans or not was aquestion which could not be answered. Upon the death of theirmother, their father, a rich mine owner and geological expert, hadleft the boys in the care of his brother, Randolph Rover, aneccentric gentleman who devoted his entire time to scientificfarming. Mr. Anderson Rover had then journeyed to the westerncoast of Africa, hoping to locate some valuable gold mines in theheart of the Dark Continent. He had plunged into the interiorwith a number of natives, and that was the last heard of him,although Mr. Randolph Rover had made diligent inquiries concerninghis whereabouts.
All of the boys were bright, fun-loving fellows, and to keep themout of mischief Randolph Rover had sent them off to Putnam Hall, afirst class school, located some distance from Cedarville, apretty town on Lake Cayuga, in New York State. Here the lads hadmade numerous friends and incidentally a number of enemies.
Of the friends several have already been named, and others willcome to the front as our story proceeds. Of the enemies theprincipal ones were Arnold Baxter, a man who had tried, yearsbefore, to defraud the boys' father out of a gold mine in theWest, and his son Dan, who had once been the bully of Putnam Hall.Arnold Baxter's tool was a good-for-nothing scamp named BuddyGirk, who had once robbed Dick of his watch. Both of these menwere now in jail charged with an important robbery in Albany, andthe Rover boys had aided in bringing the men to justice. Dan, thebully, was also under arrest, charged with the abduction of DoraStanhope. Dora, who was Dick Rover's dearest friend, had beencarried off by the directions of Josiah Crabtree, a former teacherof Putnam Hall, who wished to marry Mrs. Stanhope and thus get hishands on the money the widow held in trust for her daughter, butthe abduction had been nipped in the bud and Josiah Crabtree hadfled, leaving Dan Baxter to shoulder the blame of the transaction.How Dora was restored to her mother and what happened afterward,old readers already know.
A winter had passed since the events narrated above, and beforeand after the holidays the Rover boys had studied diligently, tomake up for the time lost on that never-to-be-forgotten oceanchase. Their efforts had not been in vain, and each lad had beenpromoted to the next higher class, much to Randolph Rover'ssatisfaction and the joy of their tender-hearted Aunt Martha.
"The boys are all right, even if they do love to play pranks," wasRandolph Rover's comment, when he heard of the promotions. "Itrust they improve their time during the term to come."
"They are good boys, Randolph," returned Mr. Rover. "They wouldnot be real boys if they did not cut up once in a while. As totheir daring--why, they simply take after their father. Poorman. If only we knew, what had become of him."
"Yes, a great weight would be lifted from our shoulders, Martha,if we knew that. But we do not know, and there seems to be no wayof finding out. I have written to the authorities at variousplaces in Africa until I know not whom to address next."
"He must be dead, otherwise he would write or come home, Randolph.He was not one to keep us in the dark so long."
"I cannot believe my brother dead, and the boys will not believeit either. Do you know what Dick said to me before he left forschool? He said, that if we didn't get word he was going toAfrica some day to hunt his father up."
"To Africa! What will that boy do in such a jungle, and amongsuch fierce natives? He will be killed!"
"Perhaps not. The boy is uncommonly shrewd, when it comes todealing with his enemies. Just look how nicely he and Tom and Samserved Arnold Baxter and those others. It was wonderful doings--forboys."
"Yes, but they may not be so successful always, Randolph. Ishould hate to see them run into any more, danger."
"So should I, my dear. But they will take care of themselves, Ifeel that more and more every day," concluded Randolph Rover; andthere, for the time being, the subject was dropped.
"I wonder what has become of old Josiah Crabtree?" remarked DickRover, as he and his brothers walked around the parade ground toinspect several improvement which Captain Putnam had caused to bemade.
"I'm sure I can't guess," answered Tom.
"Like as not he became scared to death. I suppose you'll besatisfied if he keeps away from Dora and her mother in thefuture?"
"Yes; I never want to set eyes on him again, Tom. He worried thewidow half to death with his strange ways."
"I wonder how the Baxters feel to be locked up?" put in Sam. "Iknow Arnold Baxter is used to it, but it's a new experience f
orDan."
"Dan is as bad as his father," broke in Larry Colby, who hadjoined the brothers. "I was glad to hear that Mumps had turnedover a new leaf and cut the bully dead."
"Oh, so were all of us!" said Tom. "By the way, do you know whereMumps is now? In the mining business, out West, acting as somesort of a clerk."
"A spell in the West will take the nonsense out of him," came fromDick. "It was a great pity he ever got under Dan Baxter'sinfluence I wonder how Arnold Baxter is getting along? He wasquite severely wounded, you know, during that tussle on theyachts."
"He's about over that, so Frank Harrington says," replied Larry."I'll wager he is mighty bitter against you fellows for having puthim where he is."
"It was his own, fault, Larry. If a person is going to do wronghe must take the consequences. Mr. Baxter might today be a fairlywell-to-do mine owner of the West and Dan might be a leading cadethere. But instead they both threw themselves away--and now theymust take what comes."
"My father used to say it took all kind of people to make aworld," went on Larry. "But I reckon we could do without theBaxter and the Buddy Girk kind."
"And the Josiah Crabtree kind," added Sam. "Don't forget thatmiserable sneak."
"Perhaps Crabtree has reformed, like Mumps."
"It wasn't in him to reform, Larry," came from Tom. "Oh, how Idetested him, with his slick, oily tongue! I wish they had caughthim and placed him where he deserved to be, with the Baxters."
"Yes, and then we could--" began Sam, when he stopped. "Hullo,Frank, what are, you running so fast about?" he cried.
"Just got a letter from my father!" burst out Frank Harrington,as he came up out of breath. "I knew you would want to hear thenews. Dan Baxter has escaped from jail and the authorities don'tknow where to look for him."