The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Motor Boys Overland, by Clarence Young

Nestor was soon snoring, and Broswick began his vigil. The moon began to move over toward the west, and the only sounds heard were the hoots of owls or the barking of foxes.

Suddenly the hunter paused in his walk about the camp. His trained ear told him somebody or something was approaching. He could hear the breaking of twigs and the rattle of stones as they were stepped on.

“That’s a human being,” decided the hunter. “No animal would be as clumsy as that in making an approach.”

“If it’s some one coming to rescue Stoneham they’ll get a warm reception,” he whispered to himself.

The noise came nearer. Then the bushes off to the left parted cautiously, and Broswick heard a soft whisper:

“It’s that Noddy Nixon chap,” Broswick muttered. “He must have come back in his automobile after the deputy sheriff released him at sundown. Now I wonder what I’d better do?”

“Hey, Bill!” Noddy called, in a little louder whisper, “can you sneak away? I have the machine ready.”

This time a movement near where Bill Berry and Pender were lying told that they had heard the summons. Broswick silently drew back into the shadows and waited to see what would happen. He did not think it necessary to arouse the others yet.

Berry rose to his feet and peered about him. Jack followed. They were trying to locate Noddy’s whereabouts.

As quietly as they could, Pender and Berry began sneaking off to one side, avoiding the light cast by the camp-fire.

“Shall I let ’em go or stop ’em?” debated Broswick with himself. “Guess I’ll let ’em go. We don’t want ’em, for they’re more trouble than they’re worth. But I’ll give ’em a good scare.”

He raised his gun and fired two shots in the air, over the heads of the escaping man and boy. Their frightened yells told how startled they were.

In an instant the camp was in confusion. Every one awoke, Nestor standing ready with a revolver in either hand.

The hunter raised his hand to indicate silence. A crashing of the underbrush told in which way the fugitives were heading.

“What’s the use?” asked Nestor. “If we had them arrested it would only make trouble for us. Let ’em go. I got some of my gold back from Pender.”

All listened. The faint chugging of an automobile was heard, gradually dying away in the distance.

Once more quiet settled down on the camp, and there were no other disturbances that night. The shining of the sun through the trees awoke the campers, and soon coffee was made and a simple breakfast ready.

“Now if one of you will run down to town in the automobile, with me and my friend Stoneham here,” said the sheriff, “I’ll be obliged to you.”

Jerry agreed to make the trip, and Nestor said he would go along, as he wanted to do some business at the Government Assay Office. The mine was left in charge of Broswick, Professor Snodgrass, Ned and Bob.

“Don’t let anybody jump the claim,” cautioned the miner with a laugh, as he rode off, Jerry steering the automobile down the valley.

“There’ll be trouble if they try it,” said the hunter, looking at his gun.

No accidents occurred during the automobile trip. Town was safely reached, and the sheriff lodged his prisoner in jail. Nestor transacted his business with the Government agent, and then Jerry headed the machine back for the camp. There they found everything in good shape.

“Now that our troubles are about over, an’ we’re in possession of our mine, it won’t be a bad idea to dig out a few nuggets for luck,” said Nestor.

“Why, sure, Chunky,” replied the miner. “The claim’s part yours, jest as it is mine. We’re goin’ to share an’ share alike in this deal. I’d never have got to this mine if it hadn’t been for you boys. Have a nugget? Well, I guess yes.”

They went to the top of the hill, and Nestor and Jerry descended the shaft. This second trip more than confirmed the first view of the richness of the mine. The rocky sides of the shaft were fairly studded with small nuggets. Nestor dug out some with his knife, and Jerry did likewise.

“There’s about one hundred dollars,” remarked the miner after half an hour’s work, showing a handful of dull, golden pebbles. Jerry had about the same amount.

“Now we’ve got to git ready to work this claim,” said Nestor. “I’ll attend to all that, seein’ as how I’m familiar with the business. But, first, we’ll go up an’ show the others what we have.”

As they neared the top of the shaft they heard quite a commotion on the surface. The voices of men in dispute could be heard.

Coming out of the shaft he found the summit of the hill surrounded by fifty or more roughly dressed men, all bearing mining tools on their backs. They stood in a circle while Broswick, with cocked rifle, was holding them at bay.

“Excuse me, pardner,” spoke one of the crowd, who seemed to be a sort of leader, addressing his remarks to Nestor. “I take it you’re in charge here?”

“Waal, we ain’t goin’ to jump nobody’s claim. We’re a bunch of miners, an’ we’ve come all the way from Spread Eagle Valley to this region, hearin’ as how there was good claims here. Are we right?”

“You be,” replied Nestor, “an’ you’re welcome. There’s the stakes of our claim,” and he indicated them.

“All filed reg’lar an’ ’cordin’ to law, I s’pose?” went on the spokesman.

“Right,” answered Nestor. “You can locate anywhere you like outside of my claim.”

“That’s all we wanted to know,” went on the other. “Come on, boys!” he called to his companions. “It’s all right!”

The whole valley was soon a scene of great activity, with miners staking claims on every side. They were eager with the desire for gold.

Within a week the whole region fairly swarmed with the gold seekers, for the section was rich with the precious metal. But no claim was as valuable as that of the lost mine which Nestor and the boys had found.

Arrangements were made for working the claim, machinery was ordered, and soon pay-dirt was being taken out in large quantities. A more comfortable log cabin was erected in place of the rude shack that served as a temporary shelter, and the boys began to enjoy life in the new diggings.

One of the first things they had done when they were sure of the possession of the mine was to write back home and tell their parents of the good luck.

Jerry suggested that in the missives each one should ask permission to remain at the gold mine for some time longer, and perhaps make a further trip before returning to Cresville.

“I wonder if we’ll get any letters by this mail?” asked Ned one evening, when, after the day’s work was done, they all sat about the camp-fire.

“We’ll soon know,” said Jerry. “Here comes Nestor back from town, and it looks as if he had something in his hand.”

“Here’s the postman!” he cried, waving some papers in the air. “Letters for each of ye!”

Three anxious boys opened three envelopes and soon were busy reading the missives. Then came three simultaneous whoops of delight.

“I don’t blame your folks for lettin’ ye stay,” put in Nestor. “You’re makin’ money here every day out of this mine.”

The parents of the boys had wisely concluded that it would be a good experience for their sons to develop the mine further, since they seemed to be in good hands under Nestor’s guidance, and able to take care of themselves.

“We’ll have no end of good times,” said Bob, trying to turn a handspring on the grass, but tumbling down in the effort.

“I’d feel better if I was sure we had seen the last of Noddy and Pender, as well as Bill Berry and that Dalsett chap,” spoke Jerry.

“Oh, they’ll never bother us again,” came from Ned. “They’re running like scared rabbits. We’ll never see them again.”

But Ned was wrong. They did meet Noddy and his three companions once more, and under strange circumstances, as will be related in the next volume of this series, to be entitled “The Motor Boys in Mexico; or, The Secret of the Buried City.”

“Let’s go to bed,” suggested Jerry, as the camp-fire died out. And they went to their bunks in the log cabin as the moon rose over the trees and cast a silver gleam over the machinery at the shaft of the gold mine.

Handsomely illustrated. Bound in cloth, stamped in colors. Price per volume, 60 cents.

In this volume is related how the three boys got together and planned to obtain a touring car and make a trip lasting through the summer.

With the money won at the great motorcycle race the three boys purchase their touring car and commence their travels.

From our own country the scene is shifted to Mexico, where the motor boys journey in quest of a city said to have been buried centuries ago by an earthquake.

How the lads foiled the bad men who wanted to wreck a steamer by means of false lights is dramatically related.

You will love Jack Ranger—you simply can’t help it. He is so bright and cheery, and so real and lifelike. A typical boarding-school tale, without a dull line in it.

In this tale Jack gets back to Washington Hall and goes in for all sorts of school games. There are numerous contests on the athletic field, and also a great baseball game and a football game, all dear to a boy’s heart. The rivalry is bitter at times, and enemies try to put Jack “in a hole” more than once.

This volume takes the hero and several of his chums to the great West. Jack is anxious to clear up the mystery surrounding his father’s disappearance. At the ranch and on the range adventures of the strenuous sort befall him.

Here is a tale of the bounding sea, with many stirring adventures. How the ship was wrecked, and Jack was cast away, is told in a style all boys and girls will find exceedingly interesting. There is plenty of fun as well as excitement.

A fine, breezy story of the woods and waters, of adventures in search of game, and of great times around the campfire, told in Captain Bonehill’s best style. In the book are given full directions for camping out.

In this volume the young hunters leave home for a winter outing on the shores of a small lake. They hunt and trap to their hearts’ content, and have adventures in plenty, all calculated to make boys “sit up and take notice.” A good healthy book; one with the odor of the pine forests and the glare of the welcome campfire in every chapter.

Another tale of woods and waters, with some strong hunting scenes and a good deal of mystery. The three volumes make a splendid outdoor series.

Bart’s father was the express agent in a country town. When an explosion of fireworks rendered him unfit for work, the boy took it upon himself to run the express office. The tale gives a good idea of the express business in general.

This tale will appeal strongly to all lads who wish to know how a newspaper is printed and published. The two boy publishers work their way up, step by step, from a tiny printing office to the ownership of a town paper.

Here we have a story covering an absolutely new field—that of the mail-order business. How Frank started in a small way and gradually worked his way up to a business figure of considerable importance is told in a fascinating manner.

This relates the ups and downs of a young storekeeper. He has some keen rivals, but “wins out” in more ways than one. All youths who wish to go into business will want this volume.

Transcriber’s Note:

A List of Illustrations has been provided for the convenience of the reader.

Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.

Archaic and variable spellings have been preserved.

Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.

CHAPTER XXX. AN ESCAPE—CONCLUSION.

CHAPTER XXX.
AN ESCAPE—CONCLUSION.