[Illustration: THE LONG HORSEBACK RIDE OF THE MORNING HAD WHETTED THEIR
APPETITES.—_Page 125._]
Dave Porter Series
DAVE PORTER’S GREAT SEARCH
OR
THE PERILS OF A YOUNG CIVIL ENGINEER
BY
EDWARD STRATEMEYER
Author of “Dave Porter at Oak Hall,” “The Old Glory Series,” “Colonial
Series,” “Pan-American Series,” etc.
_ILLUSTRATED BY WALTER S. ROGERS_
[Illustration]
BOSTON
LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
Published, August, 1917
Copyright, 1917
BY LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
_All rights reserved_
DAVE PORTER’S GREAT SEARCH
Norwood Press
BERWICK & SMITH CO.
NORWOOD, MASS.
U. S. A.
PREFACE
“Dave Porter’s Great Search” is a complete story in itself, but forms
the thirteenth volume in a line issued under the general title of “Dave
Porter Series.”
As my old readers know, this series was begun some years ago by the
publication of “Dave Porter at Oak Hall,” in which my readers were
introduced to a wideawake, American boy at an up-to-date American
boarding-school. This was followed by “Dave Porter in the South Seas,”
where our hero had gone to find his father, and then by “Dave Porter’s
Return to School.” After that we had “Dave Porter in the Far North,”
where the lad went on a second journey looking for his parent; “Dave
Porter and His Classmates,” in which our hero was put to a most unusual
test; and then by “Dave Porter at Star Ranch,” in which he took part in
many strenuous adventures.
From the Wild West Dave returned again to school, as related in “Dave
Porter and His Rivals.” Then he took a sea voyage, as told of in “Dave
Porter on Cave Island,” and later still taught some of his school chums
a much-needed lesson, the particulars of which are given in “Dave Porter
and the Runaways.”
The lad had imagined his strenuous adventures were now at an end, but
this was not to be. He heard of a lost mine, and, with his chums, went
in search of it, as related in “Dave Porter in the Gold Fields.” Coming
back, he put in some fine times in the Adirondack Mountains, as related
in “Dave Porter at Bear Camp.”
By this time the lad had graduated from school, and he now took up the
study of civil engineering. There was another lad who looked exactly
like Dave, and this person caused our hero much trouble, as told of in
“Dave Porter and His Double,” where we last met him.
In the present volume Dave is still pursuing his calling of civil
engineering. He is at work in the mountains when he comes face to face
with one of his old-time enemies. Later still word comes to the youth
that his dearest girl friend, Jessie Wadsworth, and his sister Laura
have disappeared from home. One surprise is followed by another, and the
young civil engineer is confronted by many perils.
Once again I thank my young readers for the interest they have shown in
the various volumes I have written for them. I trust that the reading of
this book will benefit them all.
EDWARD STRATEMEYER.
_May 1, 1917._
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I IN THE MOUNTAINS 1
II SOMETHING ABOUT THE PAST 12
III A SURPRISE OF THE ROAD 22
IV WHAT PHIL’S LETTER TOLD 34
V NICK JASNIFF’S VISIT 45
VI NEWS FROM HOME 58
VII THE FIGHT ON THE TRAIL 68
VIII WHAT WAS MISSING 77
IX DAVE AT ORELLA 88
X WHAT THE GIRLS HAD TO TELL 98
XI THE OAK HALL CHUMS 109
XII ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP 120
XIII TO THE RESCUE OF SHADOW 130
XIV SOMETHING ABOUT BEARS 142
XV THE TRAIL TO NOWHERE 152
XVI WAITING FOR LETTERS 162
XVII BAD NEWS 172
XVIII ON THE WAY EAST 183
XIX THE DEMAND FOR MONEY 192
XX BEGINNING THE GREAT SEARCH 202
XXI STUCK ON THE ROAD 212
XXII THE FIRST CLUE 221
XXIII WHAT THE LITTLE GIRLS KNEW 230
XXIV ANOTHER CLUE 238
XXV WHAT HORSEHAIR HAD TO TELL 247
XXVI THE MOUNTAIN ROAD 257
XXVII TO THE RESCUE 267
XXVIII PRISONERS 277
XXIX TRYING TO ESCAPE 286
XXX THE ROUND-UP—CONCLUSION 296
DAVE PORTER’S GREAT SEARCH
CHAPTER I
IN THE MOUNTAINS
“What do you think of that sky, Dave?”
“It looks to me as if we were in for a storm, Roger,” answered Dave
Porter, a trace of anxiety crossing his usually pleasant features.
“Perhaps it is only wind,” vouchsafed Roger Morr, after he brought his
horse to a standstill so that he might scan the distant horizon
minutely. “You know they do have some terrible wind storms out here in
Montana.”
“Oh, yes. I remember the big winds we had when we were out at Star
Ranch,” answered Dave. “Don’t you remember once we thought we were in
for a regular tornado?”
“I surely do remember. Say, Dave, those were certainly great days on the
ranch, weren’t they?”
“Now that we’ve moved up here to Montana I hope some day to get the
chance to run out to the ranch,” continued Dave. “I would like very much
to meet Belle Endicott and her folks.”
“I’ll wager you’ll find Phil Lawrence sneaking out this way some day,”
laughed Roger.
“Can you blame him, Roger? Belle is an awfully nice girl.”
“Of course I shouldn’t blame him, any more than I’d blame myself
for—for——”
“Than you would blame yourself for sneaking off to Crumville to see my
sister,” laughed Dave.
“Humph! I guess you wouldn’t mind being back in Crumville this moment,
calling on Jessie Wadsworth.”
“I don’t deny it. But say, let us get on our way. Those black clouds are
coming up altogether too rapidly to suit me.”
“How many miles do you suppose we are from the camp?”
“Six or eight at least. You know we followed this trail for a long time
before we stopped to have lunch.”
“If that new branch of the M. C. & D. Railroad comes through this way it
will certainly follow a picturesque route,” declared Roger.
“That will suit the summer tourists, even if it doesn’t cut any ice with
the natives. But come on, we had better not waste any more time. Before
you know it it will be dark and that storm will be upon us.”
The two young civil engineers were high up on a trail among the
mountains of Montana. Far below them stretched a rugged valley,
containing more rocks than grazing lands. Off to the southward could be
seen a small stream which some time before had been shimmering in the
sunlight, but which now was almost lost in the sudden gloom that was
overspreading the sky.
“What a difference between the scenery here and that along the Rio
Grande,” remarked Roger, as the two chums made their way along the
narrow trail leading to the camp of the Mentor Construction Company.
“I’m glad of the change, Roger. I was getting tired of the marsh land
along that river, and I was also mighty tired of those greasers.”
“Not to say anything about the raids the Mexicans made on us,” laughed
the chum. “Say, we came pretty close to having some hot times once or
twice, didn’t we?”
“I hope, Roger, we are able to make as good a showing up here on this
railroad work as we did on that Catalco Bridge. That certainly was a
superb piece of engineering.”
Dave was silent for a few minutes while the horses trotted along the
stony trail. Then, pleased by a passing thought, his face and eyes lit
up with enthusiasm.
“Wouldn’t it be grand, Roger, if some day you and I could put through
some big engineering feat all on our own hook?” he cried. “Think of our
putting up some big bridge, or building some big tunnel, or some fine
skyscraper, or something like that!”
“I don’t see why we shouldn’t be able to do it some day. The men who are
at the head of the Mentor Construction Company had to start as we are
doing—at the foot of the ladder. What one man has done, some other
fellow ought to be able to do after him.”
“Right you are! But ride slow now. If you’ll remember, the trail is
rather dangerous just ahead of us.”
The admonition that had been given was not necessary, for both young men
knew only too well the danger which lay ahead of them. At this point the
trail became exceedingly narrow and wound in and out around a cliff
which towered at least a hundred feet above their heads. In some spots
the trail was less than a yard wide, and on the outer edge the rough
rocks sloped downward at an angle of forty-five degrees.
“If a fellow slipped down there I wonder where he would land,” murmured
Roger, as he held back his steed so as to give his companion a chance to
pick his way with care.
“If you went over there you’d probably tumble down several hundred
feet,” answered Dave. “And if you did that, you and your horse would
most likely be killed. You be careful and keep your horse as close to
the cliff as possible.”
At one point in the trail where it would have been utterly impossible to
pass another person, the young civil engineers stopped to give a long,
loud whistle, to announce to any one coming in the opposite direction
that they were approaching. No whistle or call came in return, so they
took it for granted that the trail was clear and proceeded again on
their way.
By the time the vicinity of the cliff had been left behind, more than
three quarters of the sky was overcast. Far off in the distance they
could hear a murmur which gradually increased.
“It’s the wind coming up between the mountains,” announced Dave. And he
was right. Soon the murmur had increased to a strange humming, and then,
in a moment more, the wind came rushing down upon them with a violence
that was anything but comfortable.
“Come on! Don’t linger here!” shouted Dave, as he urged his horse
forward. “We’ll soon be out on the regular road.”
A quarter of a mile farther brought them to another turn in the trail,
and in a minute more they went down a long slope and then came out on a
broad trail running to a number of mines and ranches in that part of
Montana. Here for over a mile riding was much easier, and the chums made
good progress in the direction of the construction camp at which they
were making their headquarters.
“Do you think we can make it before the rain comes?” questioned Roger,
as they dashed along.
“No such luck. Here comes the rain now,” answered Dave.
As he spoke, both of the young civil engineers felt the first drops of
the on-coming storm. Then the rain became a steady downpour which
threatened every minute to turn into a deluge.
Fortunately for the two young men, they were not hampered by any of
their civil-engineering outfit. They had been asked that morning by Mr.
Ralph Obray, the manager of the construction gang, to ride up the trail
and make sure that certain marks had been left there by the surveyors
for the railroad. The work done by the railroad had been merely of a
preliminary nature, but this preliminary work, crude as it was, was to
be used as a basis for the more accurate survey by the engineers of the
construction company.
“I don’t think we can make camp in such a downpour as this,” gasped
Roger, after another half-mile had been covered.
“Maybe you’re right,” responded Dave. “It certainly is coming down to
beat the band! But what are we going to do? I don’t believe in standing
still and getting ourselves drenched to the skin.”
“We ought to be able to find some sort of shelter near by. Come on, let
us take a look around.”
Both did this, sheltering their eyes from the rain with their hands. In
such a downpour the scenery on all sides was practically obliterated.
“Can’t make out a thing,” remarked Roger in disgust. “I suppose we’ve
got to go on and take what comes. By the time we reach camp we’ll feel
like a couple of drowned rats.”
“Never mind. We’ll have a chance to change our clothing, anyway,”
responded Dave lightly. “And we won’t have to take a bath or get under
the shower.”
“Take a bath or get under the shower!” repeated Roger. “Wow! If I had a
chance to do that I wouldn’t know myself,” he added with a grin. For
neither of the chums had seen anything like a bathtub or a shower for
several months. When they took a bath it was usually in a small stream
that flowed not far from where the construction camp was located.
Forward the young civil engineers went once again, the rain beating
furiously in their faces as they proceeded. The downpour was so severe
that presently they came to where a hollow on the road was completely
filled with muddy water.
“Stop, or you may get stuck!” cried Dave, as he brought his horse to a
halt. “I think we had better try to go around this pool.”
“Come on this way,” returned his chum quickly, and turned off to the
left.
And right here it was that the two young civil engineers made a big
mistake. Had they turned to the right they would soon have come out on
the road at a point where it would have been perfectly safe to proceed.
But the turn to the left led them downward, and almost before they knew
it they found themselves between the rocks and on the edge of a thick
woods.
“Hello! where have we landed now?” queried Dave. “I don’t believe we can
get back to the road from here.”
“Oh, come on, let us skirt the woods,” urged Roger. “We are bound to get
back to the road sooner or later.”
Somewhat against his better judgment, Dave allowed his chum to take the
lead, and on they went through the rain and increasing darkness. The
first rush of wind had now somewhat subsided, but in its place they
could hear the low rumble of distant thunder. Then a sudden flash of
lightning lit the scene.
“Say, I don’t like this!” cried Roger, as the thunder became louder and
several more flashes of lightning flared over the surroundings.
“Watch for the next flash, Roger, and maybe you can see the road,”
suggested Dave.
Both young civil engineers did as had been suggested, but, though they
waited not only for the next flash of light but also for the two
following, they were unable to see more than the rocks and trees in
their immediate vicinity.
“I’m afraid we’re lost down here,” said Dave at last. “And if that’s the
case, the only thing we can do is to ride back to where we came from.”
“Oh, let us go ahead a little farther. Maybe the road is at the edge of
the woods yonder.”
“If we only knew of some miner’s camp or some ranch-house around here,
we might get shelter, Roger. I don’t much like the idea of riding in
such a storm as this is getting to be.”
“True for you! But I don’t think there is any kind of shelter such as
you mention within a mile or two of this place. I didn’t see anything
that looked like a house or a cabin when we came up the trail.”
Once more Roger went ahead, and with increased unwillingness Dave
followed him, all the while thinking that it would be better to retrace
their steps to the point where they had found the roadway covered with
water.
“We might have skirted that pool somehow,” thought Dave. “Now we don’t
know where we’ll land.”
The two riders found a slight rise ahead of them, and this encouraged
Roger into believing that the roadway was not far distant. Less than a
hundred yards further on, however, they came to a sudden halt.
“Well, I’ll be blessed!”
“I think we’ll have to turn back now, Roger.”
“I suppose so. Isn’t it too bad?”
Without warning of any kind they had suddenly come to a spot where the
jagged rocks arose in front of them several feet higher than their
horses’ heads. Off to the left flowed a swift mountain torrent, bordered
on one side by a low, irregular cliff and on the other by the jagged
rocks and the tall forest. The rain was now coming down as steadily as
ever, while the thunder and lightning constantly increased in violence.
The sky was entirely overcast, so that when there was no lightning it
was almost totally dark at the edge of the forest.
“Maybe if we could get across that stream we might climb up to the
roadway,” suggested Roger, who hated to think of going back. “Anyway,
let us take a good look the next time it lightens.”
Roger had scarcely spoken when there came a tremendous crash of thunder
so close at hand that it made both of the young civil engineers start.
The horses too were badly frightened, and both gave wild plunges one
into the other. As a consequence, a moment later Dave found himself
unseated and thrown to the ground, and an instant later Roger landed
almost on top of him.
“Hi! Stop the horses!” gasped Dave, when he could speak.
To this Roger made no response for the reason that he had come down on
the rocks with such force that he was all but stunned. Dave attempted to
struggle to his feet and catch the plunging animals, but before he could
do so the two horses had bolted away in the semi-darkness, leaving their
former riders to their fate.