PAY DIRT
Dolt Haven seemed unable to answer for a few moments. Cromley gave
him another drink of water, and then the man was able to gasp out
directions for finding Noddy and his crony who, it seemed, were partly
buried under a mass of rock, trees and dirt about half a mile away.
“We’ll do what we can,” offered Jerry, as he started off, followed by
the others. And then Ned expressed a doubt that was in the minds of all
when he said:
“Suppose this is a trick to get us away from the gold in the cave so
they can sneak around and make off with it. Hadn’t one of us better
stay on guard?”
Tinny considered this for a moment. Ned had voiced his thought apart
from Dolt, who was slowly walking along with Cromley, to show the place
where Noddy and Jack were caught.
“I think Dolt is telling the truth,” said the mine owner. “No man would
injure himself the way he is injured just to put over a fake story.
Besides, we’ll take him with us, and if there is any crooked work we’ll
hold him for a hostage.”
Dolt seemed to guess that something like this was afoot, for as he
limped along he said:
“You needn’t be afraid--we’re through. We played a rotten trick on
Bill, here, and I hope he forgives me. But we’re through! If ever I get
back East again I’ll never have any more to do with Noddy Nixon or Jack
Pender. They’re crooks, that’s what they are. I thought it was a square
game they were playing, even when they kidnaped you,” and he looked at
Cromley. “I know better now.”
This settled it, and, leaving the gold well hidden in the cave, they
hastened to the place where Noddy and Jack had been caught under the
landslide--a different one from that which had revealed the treasure
chest.
It needed but a glance to show that Haven’s story was true. Noddy
and Jack were in great danger. Both had been struck on the head and
partially stunned, which made them unable to help themselves. And Haven
was so weak from loss of blood and so unnerved from the shock that he
was of little value as a rescuer.
With pieces of wood and tree limbs, for they had no shovels, the
rescuers dug, pried, pushed, and pulled until they had lifted or cast
aside most of the débris that covered Jack and Noddy. As in the case
of themselves, some interlocking tree branches and bushes, forming an
arch over the twain, had alone saved them from being crushed to death.
As it was, they were badly bruised, scratched, and cut, but no bones
were broken.
“Whew!” gasped Noddy, as he was pulled out. “That was awful! Who’d you
get to help us, Dolt?”
He appeared dazed, and evidently did not know his rescuers. But when he
saw the Motor Boys, Bill, and Tinny and realized that it was to them he
owed, perhaps, his life, as did Jack Pender, the bully had the grace to
blush.
“You fellows need help and a doctor, I should say,” observed Tinny.
“There’s some sort of settlement about five miles from here. We’ll do
what we can for you until help comes.”
“Who’s going to get help?” gasped Dolt Haven. “I can’t--I’m all in!”
“I’ll go,” offered Tinny. “I know the roads best,” he said, as Jerry
was about to speak. “I can go more quickly.”
In about three hours a wagon was brought up the trail and the three
conspirators, who really were sorely in need of medical attention, were
taken away. The reaction after their rescue seemed to be too much for
them, and they were all in a fainting condition as they were laid in
the wagon.
That was the last the Motor Boys saw of Noddy Nixon and his two
companions for a long time. It was decided that it was not worth while
to prosecute them for kidnaping Cromley.
While getting assistance for Noddy, Jack, and Dolt, Tinny also engaged
a wagon to come and get him and his friends, and to transport the gold.
Nothing was said of the finding of the treasure chest, it being given
out that the sacks of gold were merely some specimens of ore taken from
a prospect the party was interested in.
It was learned that Noddy and his two companions were making their way
toward what they believed to be the location of Blue Rock when the
landslide caught them. Dolt had, by good luck, merely stumbled upon the
party at the cave, as he had no knowledge that they were there.
“Well, it sure does seem good to be back,” observed Jerry the next
day, as, lame and stiff, weary and worn, they approached the cabin at
Leftover. “I wonder how Hang Gow is getting along?”
“And I wonder if anything’s left of our mine,” said Tinny. “It seems a
month since I last saw it.”
“There’s Hang Gow now!” exclaimed Ned, as the Chinese cook came from
the cabin. At the sight of his master and friends the Celestial gave
vent to a shrill cackling laugh and cried:
“Glub soon leddy! Glub alle sammee leddy soon lite quick!”
He vanished into his kitchen, from which soon issued a rattling of
pots and pans that argued well and which brought a smile of peace and
happiness to the face of Bob.
The bags of gold were unloaded from the wagon, the driver paid and sent
away, and then the Motor Boys, Tinny and Bill breathed freely. They had
brought their treasure home.
Out of the cabin, in the sunset glow of the evening, strolled Professor
Snodgrass. He saw the sacks piled on a bench. Springing toward one he
cried:
“Oh, you found it! You found it, didn’t you? Where was it?”
“What--the treasure?” asked Bob. “Well, it was in the chest at Blue
Rock, but----”
“Treasure! I wasn’t speaking of treasure!” cried the little scientist.
“I mean this _pseudotinea_--it is a bee moth--one of the rarest in this
country!” and from a sack of gold he caught up a small butterfly with
which he disappeared into the cabin.
“Well, wouldn’t that freeze your ice-cream!” cried Bob. “Here we come
back after a wonderful trip--been gone nearly a week and find a
million dollars’ worth of gold--and all the professor cares about is a
bug that happens to light on a bag of nuggets! Can you beat it?”
“We can’t--and we’ll not try,” remarked Ned.
Bob was wrong, however, about there being a million dollars’ worth of
gold in the treasure chest of Blue Rock. There was a large sum, though,
and Bill Cromley was given his full share when the division was made.
For, after so many years, it was found impossible to trace the real
owners of the treasure.
Hang Gow’s wonderful meal made them all feel better, and even Professor
Snodgrass when he got over his rapture at finding the _pseudotinea_
condescended to partake of a little. He looked about the table at his
friends--the glow of health having replaced the pallor of his face that
had been so noticeable when he first came to Leftover--and then he
remarked casually:
“Where have you been all day?”
“All day!” shouted Jerry, with a laugh. “Don’t you remember that we
went off nearly a week ago to rescue Bill? The kidnapers took him--the
same ones that bound you. Noddy Nixon----”
“Oh, yes, I do seem to remember something about it,” said the
professor, in dreamy tones. “But I have been so busy with my----” His
voice trailed off, his eyes were fixed on something crawling up the
wall, and, making a dive for it, he captured another bug.
“There’s no use telling him anything,” decided Ned, and the others
agreed with this.
A good night’s rest put them all in fine shape the next morning. Tinny
was making arrangements to send the treasure to the nearest bank for
safe-keeping when a shout arose out at the mine shaft.
“What’s that?” cried Jerry.
“I hope no accident,” murmured Tinny.
They were reassured a moment later when one of the men came rushing in,
his face alight with joy, and, as he held out some specimens, he cried:
“Pay dirt, boss! Pay dirt! We’ve struck the richest vein I ever saw!
Leftover is going to run five thousand dollars to the ton!”
“Hurray!” cried Tinny.
“Hurray!” shouted the Motor Boys.
Professor Snodgrass looked out of the room where he kept his specimens.
“Did you see another _pseudotinea_?” he asked, blinking through his
spectacles.
“No,” answered Jerry softly, and the little scientist went back to his
notebooks and specimens.
Of course the streak of pay dirt, or ore, uncovered in Leftover did not
assay five thousand dollars to the ton, or anything like that. But the
mine did prove valuable, and the Motor Boys telegraphed home the good
news together with word of the finding of the treasure chest of Blue
Rock.
“And, now that our adventures are over and Thunder Mountain seems
to have settled down, I think we can give our whole attention to
mining--that’s what we came out here for,” said Ned one day, about a
week after they had received word that Noddy Nixon and his cronies had
gone back East.
“You said it!” agreed Jerry. “The folks at home were complaining that
we couldn’t settle down after the war. Well, we’ll show ’em!”
“That’s what!” added Bob. “I could live here forever--that is, as long
as Hang Gow cooks the way he does.” And then he had to dodge a chunk of
dirt thrown at him by Ned.
So, having accompanied the lads through the dangers and adventures of
helping Tinny to develop Leftover and having been with them on their
quest of the treasure chest, we shall take leave of the Motor Boys.
THE END
[Illustration: Polly says “JELL-O for me”]
If cast upon a desert isle
Like Crusoe long ago,
How dull the diet soon would be
How jaded you would grow!
Your gun would get you meat enough,
Your line would catch your fish,
But what a hunger you would have
For some nice snappy dish.
Then just suppose one sunny day,
While striding on the beach,
You’d hear your jolly Polly give
A most delightful screech.
And this is what old Pol would say--
For he’s a jolly fellow--
“I don’t want crackers, no-sir-ee,
When I can feast on Jell-O.
“We’ve lots of nuts on this here isle;
Go pick ’em, Mr. Crusoe,
We’d like to eat a good dessert,
Get busy and we’ll do so.”
There are six pure fruit flavors of Jell-O: Strawberry, Raspberry,
Lemon, Orange, Cherry, Chocolate. Every child wants the little book,
“Miss Jell-O Gives a Party,” and we will send it free upon request, but
be sure your name and address are plainly written.
_America’s most famous dessert_
[Illustration:
JELL-O
THE JELL-O COMPANY, Inc.
Le Roy, N. Y.
Bridgeburg, Ont.
_Reprinted by
permission of
John Martin’s Book,
the Child’s Magazine_
]
THE MOTOR BOYS SERIES
BY CLARENCE YOUNG
_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid_
[Illustration]
THE MOTOR BOYS
_or Chums Through Thick and Thin_
THE MOTOR BOYS OVERLAND
_or A Long Trip for Fun and Fortune_
THE MOTOR BOYS IN MEXICO
_or The Secret of the Buried City_
THE MOTOR BOYS ACROSS THE PLAINS
_or The Hermit of Lost Lake_
THE MOTOR BOYS AFLOAT
_or The Cruise of the Dartaway_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE ATLANTIC
_or The Mystery of the Lighthouse_
THE MOTOR BOYS IN STRANGE WATERS
_or Lost in a Floating Forest_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE PACIFIC
_or The Young Derelict Hunters_
THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE CLOUDS
_or A Trip for Fame and Fortune_
THE MOTOR BOYS OVER THE ROCKIES
_or A Mystery of the Air_
THE MOTOR BOYS OVER THE OCEAN
_or A Marvelous Rescue in Mid-Air_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE WING
_or Seeking the Airship Treasure_
THE MOTOR BOYS AFTER A FORTUNE
_or The Hut on Snake Island_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE BORDER
_or Sixty Nuggets of Gold_
THE MOTOR BOYS UNDER THE SEA
_or From Airship to Submarine_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON ROAD AND RIVER
_or Racing to Save a Life_
THE MOTOR BOYS AT BOXWOOD HALL
_or Ned, Bob and Jerry as Freshmen_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON A RANCH
_or Ned, Bob and Jerry Among the Cowboys_
THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE ARMY
_or Ned, Bob and Jerry as Volunteers_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE FIRING LINE
_or Ned, Bob and Jerry Fighting for Uncle Sam_
THE MOTOR BOYS BOUND FOR HOME
_or Ned, Bob and Jerry on the Wrecked Troopship_
THE MOTOR BOYS ON THUNDER MOUNTAIN
_or The Treasure Box of Blue Rock_
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
THE BOB DEXTER SERIES
BY WILLARD F. BAKER
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors_
_=Price per Volume, $1.00, postpaid=_
[Illustration]
_This is a new line of stories for boys, by the author of the Boy
Ranchers series. The Bob Dexter books are of the character that may
be called 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._
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. How Bob Dexter turned himself into an amateur
detective and found not only the mascot, but who had taken it, makes
interesting and exciting reading.
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 summer vacation,
they were plunged, almost at once, into a strange series of events, not
the least of which was the sinking of the Sea Hawk. How some men tried
to get the treasure off the sunken vessel, and how Bob and his chum
foiled them, and learned the secret of the lighthouse, form a great
story.
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, not
the least of whom was the man with the wooden leg. But Bob got the
best of this vindictive individual, and solved the mystery of the log
cabin, showing his friends how the secret entrance to the house was
accomplished.
_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, PUBLISHERS New York
THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES
BY LESTER CHADWICK
_12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid_
[Illustration]
1. BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS
_or The Rivals of Riverside_
Joe is an everyday country boy who loves to play baseball and
particularly to pitch.
2. BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE
_or Pitching for the Blue Banner_
Joe’s great ambition was to go to boarding school and play on the
school team.
3. BASEBALL JOE AT YALE
_or Pitching for the College Championship_
In his second year at Yale Joe becomes a varsity pitcher.
4. BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE
_or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher_
From Yale College to a baseball league of our Central States.
5. BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE
_or A Young Pitcher’s Hardest Struggles_
From the Central League Joe goes to the St. Louis Nationals.
6. BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS
_or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis_
Joe was traded to the Giants and became their mainstay.
7. BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES
_or Pitching for the Championship_
What Joe did to win the series will thrill the most jaded reader.
8. BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD
_or Pitching on a Grand Tour_
The Giants and the All-Americans tour the world.
9. BASEBALL JOE: HOME RUN KING
_or The Greatest Pitcher and Batter on Record_
Joe becomes the greatest batter in the game.
10. BASEBALL JOE SAVING THE LEAGUE
_or Breaking Up a Great Conspiracy_
Throwing the game meant a fortune but also dishonor.
11. BASEBALL JOE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM
_or Bitter Struggles on the Diamond_
Joe is elevated to the position of captain.
12. BASEBALL JOE CHAMPION OF THE LEAGUE
_or The Record that was Worth While_
A plot is hatched to put Joe’s pitching arm out of commission.
13. BASEBALL JOE CLUB OWNER
_or Putting the Home Town on the Map_
Joe developes muscle weakness and is ordered off the field for a year.
_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York
Transcriber’s Notes:
--Copyright notice provided as in the original printed text--this
e-text is public domain in the country of publication.
--Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_); text in
bold by “equal” signs (=bold=).
--Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.
--Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
--Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.