start could be made, and the bad weather was followed by real winter,
that set in early in November, "the freezing moon," as Nangotook called
it. The lads soon realized that they had made the crossing from Minong
just in time. Had they delayed longer, they could not have reached
Grande Portage until the lake froze over between Minong and the shore.
Some winters solid ice did not form clear across, and even when it did,
crossing on snowshoes, with the winds sweeping the ice, and a blinding
storm liable to come at any moment, was a perilous undertaking. Jean and
Ronald shuddered when they thought what a winter on Minong, without warm
clothes, food supplies or ammunition, would mean. They were lucky indeed
to have reached the trading post.
Father Bertrand was due at an Indian mission on the south shore, and
insisted on trying to reach it. He succeeded in engaging a canoe and
four Indians to make the trip, but he positively refused to take the
boys with him. Even after they reached his destination, it was not
likely, he said, that they could find any one willing to go on with them
to the Sault. The mission was probably not any too well supplied with
food, and he could not carry enough extra, traveling rapidly in his
small canoe, to feed the two lads throughout the winter. The Indians who
wintered near the mission might be well supplied and they might not.
That depended on the fishing and the wild rice crop. Often famine came
upon them before spring. At the Portage there were ample accommodations
and supplies, and the boys would be far better off. Etienne agreed with
the missionary and urged the lads to remain. As far as he was concerned
he would be glad, he said, to accompany them back to the Sault and even
to Montreal, but he counseled them not to attempt the journey, which
would be one of extreme hardship, if they were able to get through at
all. So on his advice, and that of the men at the post, the boys decided
to remain where they were until spring. At the first lull in the bad
weather, the brave priest bade the lads farewell, gave them his blessing
and started on his dangerous journey.
A number of weeks after the departure of the priest, when winter had
settled down in earnest, a half-breed messenger, starved, frozen, almost
dead, arrived with letters from Montreal and the other posts. The man
had had a terrible time getting through, and when the boys heard his
tale they were glad they had remained at the Portage. He brought Jean
letters from his father and mother, and Ronald one from his uncle. Since
the necessity for strenuous action had ceased, the two boys had grown
very homesick, especially Jean, who had been tormented with the fear
that something might have gone wrong with his father, mother or sisters
during his absence. The letters, showing plainly the anxiety those at
home had been enduring for months, served to deepen the two lads' sense
of wrong-doing. When word had arrived of their disappearance from the
Sault, both Ronald's uncle and Jean's father had done everything
possible to find them or learn their fate. They had gone to the Sault,
but had found only one clue. Jean's father learned that Etienne had been
at the post the same day the lads disappeared, and felt a little
comforted, surmising that Jean might have gone away with the Ojibwa on a
hunting expedition or for some other purpose. But he was at a loss to
understand why the lad had kept such a trip secret. Nevertheless the
elder Havard asserted that he was not going to give up hope until he
found the Indian and learned definitely that the boys were not with him.
His search for Nangotook was fruitless, of course, but he became more
and more convinced that they must have left the post together, for what
purpose he could not imagine. Word was sent to all the Northwest
Company's posts to be on the lookout for some trace of the three. Only
one bit of information was obtained, however. An Indian, a Man of the
Woods, and his family, who arrived at the trading station at the Pic
River, told of having met a canoe, going west, with three men who
answered in a general way to the descriptions of Nangotook, Jean and
Ronald. Shortly after the arrival of these Gens de Terre Indians, news
reached the Pic of a deed of violence that had occurred in a small bay
farther to the west. A half-breed trapper had been attacked and his furs
stolen. Two Indians entering the bay late at night had found the body of
a man lodged on a sand-bar. In spite of the fact that he had been
stabbed in several places and then thrown into the water, he was alive,
though unconscious. The Indians had carried him in their canoe to the
Pic, where he had recovered consciousness and had told how he had been
attacked by two men, an Indian and a white man with a twisted leg. From
the half-breed's description, the agent at the Pic was sure the white
man must have been Le Forgeron Tordu, who was wanted by the Company for
breaking his contract and deserting the fleet. When Ronald's uncle, who
had learned from Big Benoît of the lad's fight with Le Forgeron, heard
that the Blacksmith had deserted a few miles beyond the Sault and was
back on Superior, he wondered if there was any connection between that
fact and the disappearance of the boys, and his fears for Ronald were
increased. When week followed week with no further news, the anxious
relatives almost gave up hope, and Jean's mother became ill from grief
and anxiety.
The wrong the boys had done in stealing away secretly on their mad
quest, without telling any one where they were going or leaving some
word to allay the anxiety of those at home, had been strongly impressed
upon them by Father Bertrand. Grateful though he was to them for his
rescue, he did not let that gratitude interfere with a severe reprimand
of their wrong-doing. Because God had brought good out of evil and had
allowed them to serve Him by saving the life of one of His servants,
they need not think, he reminded them sternly, that what they had done
was right or that their sin was forgiven or would be forgiven until they
had made all the amends possible. God had been merciful to them, said
the priest, because they were ignorant, foolish and thoughtless lads,
but if they did not profit in the future by the lesson of this
experience, it was not likely He would be so patient with them again. So
earnestly did he talk to them, that both acknowledged their wrong-doing,
and admitted that they had not deserved to come through their adventure
so well. The letters from home only strengthened their feelings of
regret at what they had done, and Jean especially made up his mind to
make up to his mother, for her suffering on his account, in every way
that a loving son could.
In their letters the lads had told of the discovery of the silver and
Ronald had sent his uncle a bit of the ore, with many injunctions to the
messenger not to lose the little package. In his reply the uncle said
that the bit of metal had proved to be high grade silver, and that from
Ronald's description he thought the mine might be a rich one. He had
talked the matter over with Monsieur Havard, and the latter had agreed
to accompany him to the Grande Portage in the spring. The boys were
instructed to wait for them. The uncle would bring with him an expert in
metals and the necessary tools for prospecting. He would obtain the
Northwest Company's permission to use one of their sailing vessels for
the short trip across to Minong, or, if he failed to get such
permission, they would cross in canoes. They would make a thorough
examination of the little island and its surroundings, and if the
prospects looked good, they would get the necessary government
permission, and form a mining company in which the two Havards, Ronald,
his uncle and the Indian should have the largest shares. They would also
put aside a share of the profits for Father Bertrand, who had so
generously waived all rights to his discovery. If he would not take the
money for his personal needs, he would at least be willing to accept it
to carry on his work among the Indians.
Jean and Ronald were enthusiastic over the plan, and, in spite of the
waves of homesickness that swept over the former every time he looked at
his mother's letter and thought of the many miles of wilderness between
him and his home, the two settled down for the winter with high hopes of
the fortune the spring was to bring. In the meantime they were glad to
be of what help they could to the clerks at the post, while their spare
time could be passed in hunting in the snow-covered woods or fishing
with nets or lines set under the ice. In such ways the winter, though it
looked long ahead of them, would wear away at last, and spring would
bring the returning fleet and with it the other partners in their
mining venture, the exploration of their find, the trip home again and
preparations for working the silver mine. If the winter days dragged
slowly sometimes, there was, at least, much to look forward to.
THE END
THE BOMBA BOOKS
By ROY ROCKWOOD
[Illustration]
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. With Colored jacket._
_Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents additional._
_Bomba lived far back in the jungles of the Amazon with a half-demented
naturalist who told the lad nothing of his past. The jungle boy was a
lover of birds, and hunted animals with a bow and arrow and his trusty
machete. He had a primitive education in some things, and his daring
adventures will be followed with breathless interest by thousands._
1. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY
2. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE MOVING MOUNTAIN
3. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE GIANT CATARACT
4. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON JAGUAR ISLAND
5. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN THE ABANDONED CITY
6. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON TERROR TRAIL
7. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN THE SWAMP OF DEATH
8. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AMONG THE SLAVES
9. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON THE UNDERGROUND RIVER
10. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE LOST EXPLORERS
11. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN A STRANGE LAND
12. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AMONG THE PYGMIES
13. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE CANNIBALS
14. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE PAINTED HUNTERS
These books may be purchased wherever books are sold
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
THE JEWEL SERIES
By AMES THOMPSON
[Illustration]
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in color._
_Price 50 cents per volume._
_Postage 10 cents additional._
_A series of stories brimming with hardy adventure, vivid and accurate
in detail, and with a good foundation of probability. They take the
reader realistically to the scene of action. Besides being lively and
full of real situations, they are written in a straightforward way very
attractive to boy readers._
1. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ VALLEY OF DIAMONDS
In this book they form a party of five, and with the aid of a shrewd,
level-headed sailor named Stanley Green, they find a valley of diamonds
in the heart of Africa.
2. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ RIVER OF EMERALDS
With a guide, they set out to find the River of Emeralds. But masked
foes, emeralds, and falling mountains are all in the day's fun for these
Adventure Boys.
3. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ LAGOON OF PEARLS
This time the group starts out on a cruise simply for pleasure, but
their adventuresome spirits lead them into the thick of things on a
South Sea cannibal island.
4. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ TEMPLE OF RUBIES
The Adventure Boys find plenty of thrills when they hit the ruby trail,
and soon discover that they are marked by some sinister influence to
keep them from reaching the Ruby.
5. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ ISLAND OF SAPPHIRES
The paths of the young jewel hunters lead to a mysterious island where
the treasures are concealed.
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES
By LESTER CHADWICK
[Illustration]
_12mo. Illustrated. Price 50 cents per volume._
_Postage 10 cents additional._
1. BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS
_or The Rivals of Riverside_
2. BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE
_or Pitching for the Blue Banner_
3. BASEBALL JOE AT YALE
_or Pitching for the College Championship_
4. BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE
_or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher_
5. BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE
_or A Young Pitcher's Hardest Struggles_
6. BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS
_or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis_
7. BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES
_or Pitching for the Championship_
8. BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD
_or Pitching on a Grand Tour_
9. BASEBALL JOE: HOME RUN KING
_or The Greatest Pitcher and Batter on Record_
10. BASEBALL JOE SAVING THE LEAGUE
_or Breaking Up a Great Conspiracy_
11. BASEBALL JOE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM
_or Bitter Struggles on the Diamond_
12. BASEBALL JOE CHAMPION OF THE LEAGUE
_or The Record that was Worth While_
13. BASEBALL JOE CLUB OWNER
_or Putting the Home Town on the Map_
14. BASEBALL JOE PITCHING WIZARD
_or Triumphs Off and On the Diamond_
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
ADVENTURE STORIES FOR BOYS
By JOHN GABRIEL ROWE
[Illustration]
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Colored Jacket._
_Price 50 cents per volume._
_Postage 10 cents additional._
_Every boy who knows the lure of exploring and who loves to rig up huts
and caves and tree-houses to fortify himself against imaginary enemies
will enjoy these books, for they give a vivid chronicle of the doings
and inventions of a group of boys who are ship-wrecked and have to make
themselves snug and safe in tropical islands where the dangers are too
real for play._
1. CRUSOE ISLAND
Dick, Alf and Fred find themselves stranded on an unknown island with
the old seaman Josh, their ship destroyed by fire, their friends lost.
2. THE ISLAND TREASURE
With much ingenuity these boys fit themselves into the wild life of the
island they are cast upon in storm.
3. THE MYSTERY OF THE DERELICT
Their ship and companions perished in tempest at sea, the boys are
adrift in a small open boat when they spy a ship. Such a strange
vessel!--no hand guiding it, no soul on board,--a derelict.
4. THE LIGHTSHIP PIRATES
Modern Pirates, with the ferocity of beasts, attack a lightship
crew;--recounting the adventures that befall the survivors of that
crew--and--"RETRIBUTION."
5. THE SECRET OF THE GOLDEN IDOL
Telling of a mutiny, and how two youngsters were unwillingly involved in
one of the weirdest of treasure hunts,--and--"THE GOLDEN FETISH."
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Cupples & Leon Company, Publishers New York
THE BOY HUNTERS SERIES
By CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL
[Illustration]
_12mo. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors. Price 50 cents per volume.
Postage 10 cents additional._
_Captain Ralph Bonehill is one of the best known and most popular
writers for young people. In this series he shows, as no other writer
can, the joy, glory and happiness of outdoor life._
FOUR BOY HUNTERS
_or The Outing of the Gun Club_
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.
GUNS AND SNOWSHOES
_or The Winter Outing of the Young Hunters_
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.
YOUNG HUNTERS OF THE LAKE
_or Out with Rod and Gun_
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.
OUT WITH GUN AND CAMERA
_or The Boy Hunters in the Mountains_
Takes up the new fad of photographing wild animals as well as shooting
them. An escaped circus chimpanzee and an escaped lion add to the
interest of the narrative.
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
THE BOB DEXTER SERIES
By WILLARD F. BAKER
Author of "THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES"
[Illustration]
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in colors. Price 50 cents per volume.
Postage 10 cents additional._
_This is a new line of stories for boys, by the author of the Boy
Ranchers series. The Bob Dexter books are detective stories, yet they
are without the objectionable features of the impossible characters and
absurd situations that mark so many of the books in that class. These
stories deal with the up-to-date adventures of a normal, healthy lad who
has a great desire to solve mysteries, and the volumes relate in an
entertaining way how he does it._
1. BOB DEXTER AND THE CLUB-HOUSE MYSTERY
_or The Missing Golden Eagle_
This story tells how the Boys' Athletic Club was despoiled of its
trophies in a strange manner, and how, among other things stolen, was
the Golden Eagle mascot.
2. BOB DEXTER AND THE BEACON BEACH MYSTERY
_or The Wreck of the Sea Hawk_
When Bob and his chum went to Beacon Beach for their vacation, they were
plunged into a strange series of events, not the least of which was the
sinking of the Sea Hawk.
3. BOB DEXTER AND THE STORM MOUNTAIN MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the Log Cabin_
Bob Dexter came upon a man mysteriously injured and befriended him. This
led the young detective into the swirling midst of a series of strange
events and into the companionship of strange persons.
4. BOB DEXTER AND THE AEROPLANE MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the Jint San_
Bob and his chums witness the mysterious disappearance of an aeroplane
and find excitement in their exploration of an unknown cave. The
adventures which result are packed with thrills.
5. BOB DEXTER AND THE SEAPLANE MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the White Stones_
Bob Dexter, while on a vacation, captures a band of criminals, and
solves a mystery in which millions of dollars in gems and jewelry had
been stolen.
6. BOB DEXTER AND THE RED AUTO MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the Flying Car_
A story of a mysterious red auto is packed with many hair-raising
adventures. Bob comes to the rescue and captures the criminals.
These books may be purchased wherever books are sold
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
THE MOTOR BOYS SERIES
By CLARENCE YOUNG
[Illustration]
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors._
_Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents additional._
_Bright up-to-date stories, full of information as well as of
adventures. Read the first volume and you will want all the others
written by Mr. Young._
1. THE MOTOR BOYS
2. THE MOTOR BOYS OVERLAND
3. THE MOTOR BOYS IN MEXICO
4. THE MOTOR BOYS ACROSS THE PLAINS
5. THE MOTOR BOYS AFLOAT
6. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE ATLANTIC
7. THE MOTOR BOYS IN STRANGE WATERS
8. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE PACIFIC
9. THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE CLOUDS
10. THE MOTOR BOYS OVER THE ROCKIES
11. THE MOTOR BOYS OVER THE OCEAN
12. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE WING
13. THE MOTOR BOYS AFTER A FORTUNE
14. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE BORDER
15. THE MOTOR BOYS UNDER THE SEA
16. THE MOTOR BOYS ON ROAD AND RIVER
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
Jerry Ford Wonder Stories
By FENWORTH MOORE
[Illustration]
A new series with plenty of action and adventure. It is lively and full
of real situations that relate in an entertaining way how Jerry Ford
overcame his obstacles.
12 mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors.
Price, per volume, 50 cents. Postage 10 cents additional
1. WRECKED ON CANNIBAL ISLAND
Or Jerry Ford's Adventures Among Savages
Jerry Ford's inheritance was stolen by an unscrupulous lawyer, and he
had many thrilling adventures before the thief was finally captured.
2. LOST IN THE CAVES OF GOLD
Or Jerry Ford Among the Mountains of Mystery
The finding of the trunks in which the stolen fortune was hidden, and
the discovery of a Pirate's treasure in some underground caves.
3. CASTAWAY IN THE LAND OF SNOW
Or Jerry Ford Among the Polar Bears
While returning home with the treasure, the ship is captured by pirates
in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Plenty of action and excitement
follows.
4. PRISONERS ON THE PIRATE SHIP
Or Jerry Ford and the Yellow Men
This story offers a thrill in a life time. Jerry Ford, and his pals,
recapture the pirate ship and again secure their missing treasure.
These books may be purchased wherever books are sold
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES
By WILLARD F. BAKER
AUTHOR OF "THE BOB DEXTER SERIES"
[Illustration]
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors._
_Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents additional._
_Stories of the Great West, with cattle ranches as a setting, related in
such a style as to captivate the hearts of all boys. Attention has been
paid to accurate descriptions of western customs, and in each volume
there is, as a background, some definite historical or scientific fact
of value, about which the tales hinge._
1. THE BOY RANCHERS
_or Solving the Mystery at Diamond X_
2. THE BOY RANCHERS IN CAMP
_or the Water Fight at Diamond X_
3. THE BOY RANCHERS ON THE TRAIL
_or The Diamond X After Cattle Rustlers_
4. THE BOY RANCHERS AMONG THE INDIANS
_or Trailing the Yaquis_
5. THE BOY RANCHERS AT SPUR CREEK
_or Fighting the Sheep Herders_
6. THE BOY RANCHERS IN THE DESERT
_or Diamond X and the Lost Mine_
7. THE BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_or Diamond X and the Chinese Smugglers_
8. THE BOY RANCHERS IN DEATH VALLEY
_or Diamond X and the Poison Mystery_
9. THE BOY RANCHERS IN TERROR CANYON
_or Diamond X Winning Out_
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
THE GREAT MARVEL SERIES
By ROY ROCKWOOD
[Illustration]
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors._
_Price, per volume, 50 cents._
_Postage 10 cents extra._
_Since the days of Jules Verne, tales of flying machines and submarine
boats have enjoyed increasing popularity. Stories of adventures, in
strange places, with peculiar people and queer animals, make this series
noteworthy and popular._
1. THROUGH THE AIR TO THE NORTH POLE
The tale of a wonderful cruise to the frozen north and adventures with a
degree of reality that is almost convincing.
2. UNDER THE OCEAN TO THE SOUTH POLE
A marvelous trip from Maine to the South Pole, telling of adventures
with the sea-monsters and savages.
3. FIVE THOUSAND MILES UNDERGROUND
A cruise to the center of the earth through an immense hole found at an
island in the ocean.
4. THROUGH SPACE TO MARS
This book tells how the journey was made in a strange craft and what
happened on Mars.
5. LOST ON THE MOON
Strange adventures on the planet which is found to be a land of
desolation and silence.
6. ON A TORN-AWAY WORLD
After a tremendous convulsion of nature the adventurers find themselves
captives on a vast "island in the air."
7. THE CITY BEYOND THE CLOUDS
The City Beyond the Clouds is a weird place, full of surprises, and the
impish Red Dwarfs caused no end of trouble.
8. BY AIR EXPRESS TO VENUS
Our heroes are captured by strange inhabitants of the inside world and
have a series of adventures as wonderful as they are absorbing.
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York