The Rover Boys out West | Page 4

School." "The Rover Boys on the
Ocean," and "The Rover Boys in the jungle," know that our three
heroes had already passed through many trying experiences and
thrilling adventures. From home they had been sent to Putnam Hall, a
military academy of high standing, and here they had made many

friends, including those already mentioned, and several enemies,
among the latter being one Dan Baxter, who was known as the school
bully, and John Fenwick, better known as Mumps, the bully's toady.
They had also made a bitter enemy of Josiah Crabtree, the headmaster
of the Hall.
But since those first days at the school many things had happened and
many changes had occurred. It was discovered that Dan Baxter was the
son of one Arnold Baxter, a rascal who had, years before, tried to
swindle the Rover boys' father out of some valuable mining property in
the West, and that the son was little better than his parent. Dan had left
the school in a hurry, and soon after this his father had been arrested in
Albany for a daring office robbery, and was now in jail in consequence.
The disappearance of Dan, and Josiah Crabtree's yearning for wealth,
had led to further complications. Near Putnam Hall resides the widow
Stanhope and her pretty daughter Dora, and Crabtree, who exerted a
sort of hypnotic power over the widow, tried to get the lady to marry
him, so that he might obtain the fortune she held in trust for her
daughter. But how the Rover boys fooled the grasping teacher, and how
Dora was saved from the plot Crabtree and Dan Baxter hatched up
against her, has already been told in "The Rover Boys on the Ocean."
Anderson Rover had gone to Africa to locate certain mines in that
country, and when many years passed and no word came from him the
three boys grew worried and wanted to go in search of him. At last
came a strange letter written by a sea captain, containing some
important information, and acting on this the Rover boys, accompanied
by their Uncle Randolph, set out for the heart of the Dark Continent to
find the long-lost. On the way they fell in with one Alexander Pop, who
had formerly been a waiter at Putnam Hall, who proved a valuable
friend when it came to dealing with men of his own ebony hue. In this
hunt they likewise ran across Josiah Crabtree, who was out with an
exploring party from Yale, and with Dan Baxter, and both of these
rascals tried to do them much harm. But the schemes of the rascals fell
through, and Crabtree only escaped after a severe whipping at the
hands of Dick Rover, while Dan Baxter fared little better. Soon after

this Mr. Rover was found, as a prisoner of a savage African tribe, and
rescued, and then the entire party returned to the United States.
Alexander Pop remained in the employ of the two elder Rovers, and the
three boys returned to finish the term at Putnam Hall.
These are a few of the things that had happened. But there were
countless others, which space will not permit being mentioned here.
There had been many contests, in baseball, football, and other sports,
and jokes that seemed to have no end, and there had also been a
disastrous fire, which none of the Putnam Hall cadets were likely ever
to forget--a fire as thrilling as the scene now being enacted on the road.
But I am afraid I have already left the boys in the runaway stage too
long, so we will return to them without further delay.
"The bridge is down!" The cry rang through the stage, bringing every
cadet to his feet on the instant.
"Don't jump!" cried Dick, as he saw several preparing to leap. "You
will break your necks!" For now the bushes were left behind, and on
either side of the road were jagged rocks, covered here and there with
withered vines.
As Dick spoke he pushed his way to the front of the stage and crawled
out on the driver's seat.
"The back -- drop off at the back!" came from Frank Harrington, and he
showed how it could be done. But the road was now rougher than ever,
and he landed on his knees and his face, giving himself an ugly cut on
the chin.
Dick was trying to reach the reins when Tom came down beside him.
"Can you make it?" asked Tom.
"I can try," was the desperate answer. "If only we could block those
wheels!"
"Block the wheels!" came from half a dozen, and one boy, who

happened to have a stout cane with him, thrust it out between several of
the spokes of the wheel on the left, in the