The Motor Boys Overland

or, A Long Trip For Fun and Fortune by Clarence Young
1906
PREFACE.
Dear Boys:
HERE we have the second volume of "The Motor Boys Series," a line of books relating to the doings of some bright and up-to-date youths, on wheels, at home and abroad.
In the first volume of the series, called "The Motor Boys," the writer told how Bob, Ned and Jerry won several important races, including that which brought to them a much-wished-for prize, grand touring car.
The car won, there was nothing to do but to take a long trip, and in this present book, "The Motor Boys Overland," are given the particulars of a journey in the automobile to the great West. On the way the boys fall in with an old miner, who has the secret of a lost gold mine of great value. The lads decide to take the miner to the lost mine in their touring car, and the long and perilous journey among the mountains is begun. Enemies also hear of the wonderful lost mine, and then begins a wild race, to see who shall get there first and claim the riches.
This "Motor Boys Series" will be continued by a third volume, to be called "The Motor Boys in Mexico." I earnestly hope the boys will find the stories to their liking. I can assure all it has been a pleasure to pen them, for the writer is something of an automobile enthusiast himself, and some of the experiences on the road have been taken from life.
Clarence Young.
March 22, 1906.
THE MOTOR BOYS OVERLAND.

CHAPTER I.
AN AUTOMOBILE RACE.
THERE was a whizz of rubber-tired wheels, a cloud of dust and the frightened yelping of a dog as a big, red touring automobile shot down the road.
"You nearly ran over him, Chunky!" exclaimed Jerry Hopkins, to the stout youth at his side.
"That's what you did, Bob Baker!" chimed in Ned Slade, leaning over from the rear seat of the auto. "I thought you said you were an expert."
"I didn't come within five feet of the pup," answered Bob Baker, giving the steering wheel a twist to avoid a chicken that scooted across the country road.
"Never mind -- miss as good as a mile -- we certainly are skating along -- never say die -- hit a dog, biff! bang! up in the air -- down again -- bust a tire -- break your leg -- kill the animal -- off again -- whoop!"
"Say, Andy Rush, if you're going to talk as fast as that the first time Chunky speeds the machine, I'm going to get out!" cried Jerry, with a laugh. "There's excitement enough without you making any more."
"All right, fellows, I'll keep quiet," agreed Andy, who was a small, nervous chap, never still for a moment, and so full of energy that he talked, as Jerry sometimes said, "like a house afire."
Bob leaned forward and pulled one of the levers. The auto slowed down, as the low-speed gear came into play, and bowled along under a stretch of shady trees.
"Fifteen miles in thirty minutes," remarked the stout lad, pulling out his watch. "Not so bad for a starter, eh, Ned?"
"The machine certainly can go!" observed Jerry.
"I didn't have the full-speed lever on, either," remarked Bob, who was called "Chunky" by his companions, because of his fleshiness. He turned off the gasolene as the auto came under a large chestnut tree, and the four boys stretched out comfortably on the Leather-upholstered seats.
There was Bob Baker, a lad of fifteen years, son of Andrew Baker, a rich banker; Ned Slade, sixteen years old, the only son of Aaron Slade, a department store proprietor, and Jerry Hopkins, the son of a widow, Mrs. Julia Hopkins.
These three were faithful chums, seldom apart. With them was a mutual friend, Andy Rush. All the boys lived in the village of Cresville, not far from Boston.
The three first named had, the week before the story opens, come into possession of a fine touring car, which they had won as the first prize of a motor-cycle meet, given by the Cresville Athletic Club, as related in the first volume of this series, entitled "The Motor Boys."
In that was told how they had incurred the enmity of Noddy Nixon, a town bully, who had robbed the mill of Amos Judson of one thousand dollars, which crime the Motor Boys were instrumental in fastening on Noddy.
In consequence of the pending disclosure of his guilt, Noddy had fled from town, a short time before the races, in his father's automobile. Bill Berry, a town ne'er-do-well, accompanied him. Not long after Noddy had fled in the terror of his guilt being found out, he sent back a letter threatening vengeance on the three boys, whom he accused as being responsible for the fact that he had to leave home.
But the Motor