Clarence Young

“ Mallison laughed, but set off after the rest of the party.
As they approached the place where Jerry had seen in the glare of lightning the landslide the night before, they all observed some blue rocks scattered about. It was as though some great shell had exploded, scattering the oddly colored stones.
“I don’t believe we’ll ever find a treasure chest here,” Ned was saying, but his words were lost in a rumble and roar that filled the air. Instinctively they all glanced up toward the top of the mountain.
Trees, bushes and a mass of earth seemed slowly moving.
“Look out!” yelled Jerry. ”

“ It was shut off from the thoroughfare by a frail wooden fence.
“I’m going to steer into the grass!” cried Ned. “It’s our only chance!”
The next instant there was a splintering sound as the auto crashed through the fence, which offered no more resistance, because of the great speed, than a paper hoop does to a circus performer. Then it seemed to the travelers as though they had been plunged into a tossing, waving sea of grass.
The tall Pampas plumes and the stems wrapped themselves about the boys and the professor, almost choking them by the pollen that was shaken off. ”

“ THE BIG SNAKE
Dangerous indeed was the plight of the travelers. In the darkness, and with the storm at its height, they were entangled in the patch of saw-grass, and could not discover which way to escape from it. The wind lashed the keen edges across their hands and faces again and again.
“Stand still!” cried the professor. “The more we move the worse it is! Has any one any matches?”
“I have!” cried Bob, “but I don’t believe I can light ’em in this downpour.”
“Try,” suggested Mr. Snodgrass.
Bob tried, but with no success. Then Ned uttered a cry. ”

“ It seemed as if the new craft would clear the Comet, and that Noddy would make good his boast.
But just as Jerry got the propellers in motion, and as the motorship was slowly moving to one side the Winner topped her. Right over the heads of our heroes flew Noddy.
Then came an ominous ripping, tearing sound, a hissing as from compressed air, and the Comet began to sink.
“He’s torn a hole in our gas bag! We’re going down!” yelled Jerry, as he leaped toward the motor room. “Ned—Bob! Start the vapor machine or we’ll crash to earth!” ”

“ Forward, into the recaptured town, marched Ned, Bob, Jerry, and their comrades in arms. With tears in their eyes the French people watched the Americans come. It was the day so long prayed for.
Near one of the half-ruined houses, which had been their abode—their prison, in fact, since their capture,—stood Professor Snodgrass and the two young ladies.
“Oh, can you believe it, Gladys!” exclaimed Miss Gibbs. “It doesn’t seem possible, does it, that we are saved?”
“No, but I am beginning to believe that it is not a dream any more. Those American soldiers are real, aren’t they?” ”

“ The gale howled about them. Below the waves were whipped into sudden foam, and they tossed themselves on high as though reaching for the Comet, which rushed on through the storm like a frightened bird.
“Some blow!” panted Bob, as he jumped aside in time to avoid the contents of the scalding hot coffee pot on the galley stove. “Some blow!”
“Yes, and it’s getting worse every minute!” Jerry cried. ”

“ The water at the stern of the Dartaway was churned into foam.
“We’re drifting back!” cried Bob from the stern. “We’ll go over the dam!”
“Here’s for full speed ahead!” cried Jerry as he threw the lever over to the last notch, and swung the gasolene and spark handles well forward.
The foam at the stern became thicker and whiter. The Dartaway trembled from bow to rudder. The rope creaked with the strain.
“Hurrah! We’re gaining!” cried Ned. “We’re moving!”
The powerful motor boat had triumphed over the current and was pulling the occupants in the small craft out of danger. ”

“ The inventor had lost control of it in the powerful wind that was now blowing.
“Look out! Here she comes!” was the general cry.
There was a scramble on the part of the throng to get to a place of safety, but there was no place to go. The narrow flight of steps, more like a ladder than anything else, leading from the ground to the top of the platform, was jammed by those seeking to escape.
“It’s going to land right here where we are!” cried Andy Rush. “Let’s jump off!”
“Stand still!” shouted Jerry. “If you jump you’ll be killed. Stand still! He may get control of it again.” ”

“ Bob, who had, by a sudden sprint, approached nearer to Jerry than Ned, saw what was up. Without an instant’s hesitation Bob sent his wheel crashing full into Jack’s from the rear, and, amid a roar of surprise and terror from the spectators, the two boys went down in a heap on the track.
“He’s killed. They’re killed!” cried scores.
Jerry, with grim determination in his eyes, rode on, never looking back. Noddy cast a frightened glance over his shoulder, and, when he saw what had happened his heart grew faint. He nearly lost control of his wheel. ”

“ Then, almost as though an order had been given by some one in command, the ranks of steers parted, right at the point where the snakes were reared ready to strike.
To right and left the cattle passed, increasing their speed as they became aware of the danger they were escaping. The boys and the professor stood on the little eminence of land, as if they were on an island in a sea of cattle. The angry snakes hissed and rattled, but did not glide away, or what had proved a source of safety for the travelers, might have been instrumental in their death. ”

“ Whether the sudden darkness, following the vivid flash, confused Jerry, or whether, involuntarily, he twisted the steering wheel, was not made certain. But, an instant later the big car gave a lurch, and in the light of the next flash the boys saw, with horror, that they were headed for the edge of the road, where a frail wooden rail alone separated the highway from a sheer descent. The car poised for an instant, the front wheels on the very brink, while, all about the thunder crashed, the lightning blinded them, and the rain came down in torrents. ”

“ Standing on the sloping deck of the Altaire, sloping from a slight list the vessel had assumed because of a shift of the cargo, Jerry Hopkins and his fellow refugees stood for a moment looking at the strange and wonderful sight of the school of whales attacking the ship. Or, if not attacking, at least trying to ascertain by bumps of their huge heads the character of the strange creature in their midst. And as Jerry’s shout to use the bow gun rang out, there came another tremor of the vessel, caused by what seemed the hardest blow yet delivered. ”

“ Suppose the hydroplanes should not work?
“Here we go then!” announced the tall lad. He yanked the lever toward him. There was a hissing sound, and the Comet, whose propellers had ceased revolving, shot downward.
With a quick motion Jerry straightened out the toggle-jointed arms that held the hydroplanes. They slipped into place, as the bicycle wheels moved out of the way.
A few seconds later the Comet, with a little splash, had settled down upon the surface of the lake as gracefully as a wild swan, and floated as gently and as lightly as a cork.
“Hurrah!” cried Jerry. “She floats! She floats!” ”

“ There came a loud pounding at the door.
“Who’s there?” asked Jerry.
“’Tis I, the landlord,” was the answer. “What is it? Have the brigands come? Is the place on fire? Why did the señor yell, as if some one had stuck a knife into him?”
“It was only me,” called Bob. “The professor caught a new kind of fly on my nose.”
“A fly! On your nose! Diablo! Those Americanos! They are crazy!” the innkeeper muttered as he went away.
“Well, we’re up; I suppose we may as well stay up,” said Ned, stretching and yawning. ”

“ Somewhat puzzled at the little man’s words, Jerry sat still. His companions saw on his back the little brown butterfly that had escaped from the tire.
Quickly the little man brought his net down on Jerry’s shoulders. Once more the meshes were eagerly grasped, and this time it seemed with success, for the little man set up a yell of delight and capered about like a boy who has found a hornets’ nest. ”

“ As it approached nearer, cries of wonder could be heard, and then, as the craft swept straight for the settlement, with Jerry in the pilot house looking for a smooth place to make a landing, the whole population turned, and fled as though some pursuing demon was after them.
“They’re scared out of their wits!” cried Ned. “I guess they never saw an airship before.” ”

“ Seeing how matters were going, the others who had crowded up drew back as well as they could in the aisle of the swaying car, to give room to the struggling ones. If there was to be a fight it was no more than right that it should be a fair one.
“Let me up!” spluttered Pug Kennedy.
“Not until I get ready,” answered Ned coolly.
He could afford to be cool. For he had dodged what Pug had thought was going to be a “knockout blow” in such a clever way that the bully was disconcerted, and now Kennedy was held down in such a position that he could not use his strength to advantage. ”

“ Blank looks replaced those of pleasant anticipation on the faces of Ned, Bob and Jerry. Slowly they glanced at one another, then Ned burst out with:
“Say, Dad, that’s all wrong! Don’t be so hard on us. If we have to go to college the best one in the world for us will be Boxwood Hall, because we’ll have such a good friend in Professor Snodgrass.” ”

“ In this country men sometimes shoot first and inquire afterward."
"How will I know the high peak when I see it?" asked Jack.
"You can hardly mistake it," Mr. Tevis remarked. "But you can be sure of it, because, just at sunset, you will see it envelop in a golden glow. That is what gives the name to the mountain range. It seems there is a mass of quartz on top of the peak, and the sun, reflecting from it just before it sets, shines as if from burnished gold. I think you will have no trouble in finding the peak, and, though it may be hard, I hope you will find your father. ”

“ The motor was “finding itself” and was working more smoothly with every revolution. Obedient to helm and throttle the craft went spinning up the stream like some big river horse.
As the boys in the boat swung around a sharp bend, the turn being hidden by thick trees, they almost ran into a small schooner that was beating up against the wind.
“Look out!” cried Ned to Bob, who was steering.
Bob swung the wheel well around and started to reverse the engine, when Jerry sprang forward from the stern, where he had been sitting.
“Keep on, full speed ahead!” he called. ”

“ Behind them, some distance back, was a dense forest, and, nearer to them was the dreadful saw-grass. Over the stretch of water myriads of birds were flying, while, every now and then, a splash and a shower of glistening drops told that a hungry fish was trying to get an early breakfast. ”

“ Look! If some one hasn’t been up here on a bicycle I miss my guess!”
“A bicycle!” exclaimed Bob. “Do you mean to say that the robbers rode a bicycle up here?”
“There are the marks of the rubber tires plain enough,” replied Jerry, pointing to them.
“That’s no bicycle track!” declared Ned.
“Why not?” the tall lad wanted to know.
“Or, if it is, the fellow rode on one wheel, or else is more expert than anyone I ever saw. See, there’s only one straight mark, and the best rider in the world turns his front wheel every now and then, making a separate track from the rear one. That’s no bicycle mark.” ”

“ Thus cried Professor Snodgrass about half an hour after he had entered the auto with the boys.
“What’s the matter?” demanded Ned, doing as requested, and bringing the machine to a sudden stop. “Have you lost your hat, Professor?”
“Easy now! Don’t talk or move! Keep perfectly quiet!” Speaking in a whisper, the scientist slid from his seat with his small butterfly net in his hand. Gliding forward like a hunter intent on making a shot at big game, the little man, his eyes fairly glaring through his spectacles, made his way cautiously to a small bush beside the roadway. ”

“ The rumble and roar made a terrifying sound. It was not like thunder, though it was akin to it. Nor was it like the blast of the tempest, though, in a measure, it filled the air with that awful howling. ”

“ They laughed and shouted and seemed to be talking of the automobile, for Noddy had brought his machine up to the camp of the horsemen.
“What are they talking about?” asked Noddy of Vasco.
“They are making a wager that the one who loses the game must ride, all by himself, in the automobile,” replied Bilette.
“But I don’t want them to do that,” said Noddy. “They don’t know how to run the car.”
“That’s the trouble,” went on Vasco. “No one wants to lose, for they’re all afraid to operate the machine. But if one of them tries to do it, you’d better let him, if you don’t want to get into trouble.” ”

“ Jerry, Ned and Bob had risen to go to the engine room, when Grace, who was standing near one of the glass windows in the side of the cabin gave a startled cry:
“What is it?” asked her father.
“Look!” she gasped. “A whale—a great whale, and he seems about to hit us! Oh, tell Dr. Klauss—quick!”
She pointed to the window where could be seen, keeping pace with the submarine, a monster whale that was fairly rubbing against the side of the boat. ”

“ For a moment the startled throng was silent, and then, as before their very eyes the seemingly impossible feat had been accomplished, they set up a great cheer, which came faintly to the ears of the motor boys.
“And now for the valley of the sixty nuggets of gold!” exclaimed Mr. Brill, there being none but friends to hear him.
“Not quite yet,” said Jerry, with a smile; “She needs a little adjusting before she answers to her rudders perfectly. But we can do that to-morrow, stock up the next day and set off.” ”

“ And together he and Jerry rushed on, followed by Ned and Bob—a quartette acting as one man.
It was the first really big battle in which the Cresville chums had taken part. They had been out on skirmish work and on night patrol, and they had come in conflict with parties of Germans, but no large bodies. They had even each been wounded slightly, but never before, in all their lives, had they had a part in such a hailstorm of death, such a turmoil of blood, mud, smoke, gas and flying bullets as now. On and over the rough shell-pitted ground they rushed toward the German trenches. ”

“ The train was about to start.
"Where have you been?" asked the conductor as the boys and the miner got aboard.
"We've been having a race with death and it nearly won," replied Mr.
Post, more solemnly than he had yet spoken.
"What's the matter with him? Is he one of those religious fanatics?" asked the conductor, as the miner hurried into the car.
"Not much," answered Jack. "We had as narrow a call as I ever want to experience." While the train was getting under way he told the ticket-taker what had happened. ”

“ IN THE GULCH
“Now, boys,” began Jerry Hopkins, who seemed to take the leadership in this crisis, “we’ve got to map out a plan of work for ourselves. It won’t do to go at this thing haphazard, or hit and miss. We’ve got to have a system.”
“That’s right, old man!” exclaimed Ned. “Go on, map it out, and we’ll be with you.”
“Why don’t we yell—fire guns—build a signal fire—climb a tall tree—find the professor that way!” cried Andy Rush, with his usual impetuosity. ”

“ But the professor was wrong in his surmise that they were the only inhabitants of the underground city. No sooner had a series of snores proclaimed that every one was sleeping than from a dark recess on the opposite side of the temple to that where the automobile stood there came a strange figure, clad in white. If Bob had seen it he surely would have said it was a ghost.
“So you found my ancient city after all,” whispered the figure. “You know now that the Mexican magician was telling the truth, and you realize that you found the place sooner than you expected, and in a strange manner. ”

“ Everyone on the Terror listened intently. From the broad stretch of water before them, borne on a wind which had shifted and was coming down the river, the faint puffing of a motor boat could be heard.
“That’s the Dartaway!” exclaimed Jerry. “I know her exhaust!”
“I hope you’re right!” said the chief grimly. “Put a little more speed on,” he said to the engineer, and the Terror leaped ahead under the influence of more gasolene and an advanced spark.
A minute later they rounded a turn in the river and saw the Dartaway just as her engine came to a stop. ”

“ Down the road, dimly seen through the mist of the rain, was a bobbing light.
“If that’s an auto it’s either got the blind staggers, or else it’s steering itself,” remarked Ned.
“It’s a man with a lantern,” declared Bob.
“And he’s coming this way,” added Jerry.
“That settles it,” went on Ned, throwing the jack back into the tonneau.
“Settles what?” demanded Jerry.
“This repair job. I’m going to wait until morning. We can’t do anything in the storm and darkness.”
“What are we going to do? Stay out here all night, stuck in the mud?” asked the tall lad. ”

“ On came Noddy, his horn wildly tooting, and his cut-out muffler thundering like a battery of small guns. His machine was increasing its speed every moment.
“He’d better look out on the turn,” said Jerry to his chums, as he slowed up.
With a whizz and a roar the machine of the bully passed the one containing our heroes. This was at a point on the road where there was a big puddle. Into it splashed the big-tired wheels of Noddy’s car, and instantly a shower of dirty water was sprayed all over our friends, drenching them, and soiling their trim car. ”

“ Silence fell over the Motor Boys when they heard this confession of vain regret from the old miner. They could appreciate his feelings, knowing Noddy Nixon and Jack Pender as they did.
“Do you mean he really came to you with an offer to hire you to guide him to the place where the treasure chest fell over the cliff at Blue Rock?” asked Jerry at length.
“He did that!” said the miner. “Offered me a good sum, too. Why, hasn’t Noddy any money?”
“Oh, yes, he has money—that’s one of the bad things against him,” stated Ned. “He can do things because of his money that other fellows can’t do. ”

“ He wanted to get a glimpse of Professor Ali Baba.
At last his turn came. Carefully keeping his face concealed, John was shown into a room gaudily decorated with tinsel and cheap hangings.
"Who seeks the knowledge the stars alone possess?" asked a deep voice.
Jack started. He recognized at once the tones of the recent Professor Punjab. An instant later he had a glimpse of the pretended astrologer's face and knew he could not be mistaken.
"Draw near," said the fakir. "I know what thou seekest. It is that which thou hast lost, and it is more precious to thee than rubies." ”

“ The man who had broken away from his captors rushed toward the end of the building where Ned, Bob and Jerry had last seen the reptile, which was now out of sight under some bunks.
“Don’t shoot him! Don’t shoot my pet! He is worth thousands of dollars!” cried the reputed spy.
And then, to the surprise and fear of all save the Motor Boys, who had an insight into the truth, the man fairly threw himself forward on the serpent, as a football player falls on the ball. ”

“ Sometimes, as you doubtless know, the simplest actions result in the most remarkable complications. When Jerry Hopkins picked up a lump of common-looking clay on some swamp land that his mother owned he had no idea what a strange series of events was to transpire from his simple act. Before he realized it he and his chums were involved in a strange secret, and they had set off on a trip that had, as its ultimate object, the saving of the life of Professor Snodgrass. ”

“ Jerry and Ned were awakened early the next morning by hearing Bob moving about the airship. It was so very early that it was scarcely light, and, for a moment they could not imagine what was going on.
“I say, what’s up, Chunky?” demanded the tall lad, leaning on his elbow in the comfortable bunk of the aircraft. “It can’t be time for breakfast; is it?”
“It isn’t light yet,” added Ned. “What’s the matter, Bob? Can’t you rest?”
“I can sleep as good as you fellows,” was the retort, “and I don’t see why, every time I move around, you think I have either got to eat a meal, or start cooking one. ”

“ The Mexican glanced at the auto which, with throbbing breath, as the engine still continued to vibrate, seemed to fill him with terror. Suddenly he dropped to his knees and began to pray.
“Be not afraid,” Professor Snodgrass called to him, speaking in the Spanish language. “We are but poor travelers like yourself. We will not harm you.”
“Whence do you come in your chariot of fire?” asked the old man. “Ye are demons and no true men!”
“We will not hurt you,” said the naturalist, again. “See, we bring you gifts,” and he held out to the Mexican a package of tobacco and a small hand-mirror. ”

“ Then several soldiers were seen to rush out as though something had chased them.
“What in the world is up now?” asked Jerry of his chums.
They pressed forward toward the door from which the excited soldiers had emerged, and one of them, seeing that the three chums were about to enter, cried:
“Don’t go in there!”
“Why not?” asked Bob.
“Did the spy try to shoot any one?” Ned wanted to know.
“Don’t go in!” yelled another lad. “There’s a snake in there as big as a barrel, and he’s skipping around as lively as a kitten! Keep out if you don’t want to meet sudden death. Oh, boy! ”

“ For a while the Dartaway skimmed along, there being no other craft near. The water lapped the sides and broke away in a ripple of silver waves.
Suddenly Jerry threw out the gear clutch, and began spinning the wheel around. At the same instant Bob and Ned, who had been looking to the rear, turned around and saw a big black shape in front of them.
“Ahoy there! Schooner ahoy!” called Jerry. “What do you mean by cruising about without a light. You’ve no right to do that. Look out there. You’ll foul us!”
The sound of feet running about on a deck could be heard. ”

“ As they looked there came a shower of others through the air. Several of them hit on the rock, broke, and a shower of white scattered all about.
“What in the world are they?” asked Bob.
He ran toward the professor. No sooner had he emerged out of the dense forest into the clearing than a regular hail of the round objects fell all about him. One struck him on the shoulder and the boy was glad enough to retreat.
“What’s it all about?” asked Ned.
“The monkeys are bombarding the professor with cocoanuts,” said Bob, gasping for breath after his run. ”