E-text prepared by W. R. Marvin
Or, The Strange Cruise of the Steam Yacht
by
1909
My DEAR Boys: This is a complete tale in itself, but forms thethirteenth volume of the "Rover Boys Series for Young Americans."
This line of books was started some ten years ago with the publicationof the first three volumes, "The Rover Boys at School … .. The RoverBoys on the Ocean" and "The Rover Boys in the Jungle." At that time Ithought to end the series with a fourth volume provided the readerswanted another. But with the publication of "The Rover Boys Out West,"came a cry for "more!" and so I added "On the Great Lakes," "In theMountains," "In Camp," "On Land and Sea," "On the River," "On thePlains," "In Southern Waters" and "On the Farm," where we last leftour friends.
For a number of years Tom, Dick and Sam have attended a militaryacademy, but now their school days at Putnam Hall are at an end, andwe find them getting ready to go to college. But before leaving homefor the higher seat of learning they take a remarkable cruise on asteam yacht, searching for an island upon which it is said a largetreasure is hidden. They are accompanied on this trip by their fatherand a number of friends, and have several adventures somewhat out ofthe ordinary, and also a good bit of fun for there is bound to be funwhen Tom Rover is around. They lose themselves and lose their yacht,and once some of them come pretty close to losing their lives, but inthe end—well, the story will tell the rest.
I cannot close without again thanking my many friends for all the nicethings they have said about the "Rover Boys" stories and the "PutnamHall" stories. I trust the present volume will fulfill every fairexpectation.
Affectionately and sincerely yours,
EDWARD STRATEMEYER
I Bound For Home
II An Important Telegram
III Fun On The Farm
IV A Midnight Search
V At The Old Mill
VI The Story Of A Treasure
VII In Which Something Is Missing
VIII The Rover Boys In New York
IX A Chase On The Bowery
X Dick Becomes A Prisoner
XI Aboard The Steam Yacht
XII Something About Firecrackers
XIII A Wild Automobile Ride
XIV What A Roman Candle Did
XV The Sailing Of The Steam Yacht
XVI A Row On Shipboard
XVII A Mishap In The Fog
XVIII The New Deck Hand
XIX Treasure Isle At Last
XX The Boys Make A Discovery
XXI Scaring Off The Enemy
XXII Prisoners In The Forest
XXIII What Wingate Had To Tell
XXIV A Missing Landmark
XXV The Trail Through The Jungle
XXVI A Dismaying Discovery
XXVII What Happened On The Steam Yacht
XXVIII A New Move Of The Enemy
XXIX The Hunt For The Treasure
XXX Homeward Bound—Conclusion
"HURRY Up, Sam, unless you want to be left behind!"
"I'm coming!" shouted Sam Rover, as he crossed the depot platform onthe run. "Where is Tom?"
"He went ahead, to get two good seats for us," answered Dick Rover. Helooked around the crowd that had gathered to take the train. "Hi,there, Songbird, this way! Come in this car, Hans!"
"Say, aren't you fellows coming aboard?" came a