Produced by Jim Ludwig
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This file has many errors—it is suggested that readers ignore thisversion and open PG ebook #13251 which is a much cleaner version of thistitle.
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THE SCRANTON HIGH CHUMS ON THE CINDER PATH
or
The Mystery of the Haunted Quarry
by Donald Ferguson
CHAPTERS
I. The Five Nut Foragers
II. On the old Quarry Road
III. Talking of Ghosts
IV. In Training for the Great Tournament
V. Treachery in the Air
VI. The Prowler
VII. Caught in the Act
VIII. Leon Promises to Reform
IX. Scranton in Gala Attire
X. When Muscles Counted
XI. The Crisis in Claude's Life
XII. Startling News from the Juggins Boy
XIII. To the Rescue of "K.K."
XIV. The Searching Party
XV. Prowling Around the Quarry
XVI. A Friendly Ghost
XVII. Scranton's "Open-House" Day
XVIII. The Great Marathon Race
XIX. On the Final Mile of the Course
XX. The Boy Who Won—-Conclusion
The bright October sun was half-way down the western sky one Saturdayafternoon. Two-thirds of the Fall month had already gone, and the airwas becoming fairly crisp in the early mornings.
All around the forest trees were painted various shades of brightscarlet, burnt umber brown and vivid gold by the practiced fingersof that master artist, the Frost-King. Flocks of robins and blackbirdswere gathering rather late this year, preparatory to taking theirannual pilgrimage to the warm Southland. They flew overhead at timesin vast numbers, making a tremendous chatter.
A noisy bunch of crows cawed unceasingly amidst the treetops as a large,lumbering old automobile passed along the country road, the same filledwith lively boys, and also a number of sacks stuffed to their utmostcapacity with what appeared to be black walnuts, shell-bark hickories,butternuts, and even splendid large chestnuts. Apparently, the strangeand deadly blight that was attacking the chestnut groves all throughthe East had not yet appeared in the highly favored region around thetown of Scranton, in which place the boys in question lived, andattended the famous high school where Dr. Carmack, also supervisor ofthe entire county schools, held forth.
The five tired lads who formed this nutting party we have met beforein the pages of previous stories in this series; so that to those whohave been fortunate enough to possess such books they need no lengthyintroduction.
First, there was Hugh Morgan, looking as genial and determined as ever,and just as frequently consulted by his comrades, because his opinionalways carried considerable weight. Then came his most intimate chum,Thad Stevens, who had played the position of backstop so successfullyduring the summer just passed, and helped to win the pennant forScranton against the other two high schools of the country, situatedin the towns of Allendale and Belleville.
Besides these two, there was included in the party a tall chap whoseemed to be acting as chauffeur, from which it might be judged thathe had supplied the means for taking this nutting trip far afield; hisname was Kenneth Kinkaid, but among his friends he answered to theshorter appellation of "K.K