The Scranton High Chums on the Cinder Path

The Scranton High Chums on the
Cinder Path
by Donald
Ferguson

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Scranton High Chums on the
Cinder Path
by Donald Ferguson This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at
no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg
License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: The Scranton High Chums on the Cinder Path
Author: Donald Ferguson
Release Date: July 19, 2004 [EBook #12941]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ON THE
CINDER PATH ***

Produced by Jim Ludwig

THE SCRANTON HIGH CHUMS ON THE CINDER PATH or The
Mystery of the Haunted Quarry
by Donald Ferguson

CONTENTS
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
CHAPTER I
THE FIVE NUT FORAGERS
The bright October sun was half-way down the western sky one
Saturday afternoon. Two-thirds of the Fall month had already gone, and
the air was becoming fairly crisp in the early mornings.
All around the forest trees were painted various shades of bright scarlet,
burnt umber brown and vivid gold by the practiced fingers of that
master artist, the Frost-King. Flocks of robins and blackbirds were
gathering rather late this year, preparatory to taking their annual
pilgrimage to the warm Southland. They flew overhead at times in 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 filled with lively boys, and also a number of sacks stuffed to their
utmost capacity with what appeared to be black walnuts, shell-bark
hickories, butternuts, and even splendid large chestnuts. Apparently,
the strange and deadly blight that was attacking the chestnut groves all
through the East had not yet appeared in the highly favored region
around the town of Scranton, in which place the boys in question lived,
and attended the famous high school where Dr. Carmack, also
supervisor of the entire county schools, held forth.
The five tired lads who formed this nutting party we have met before in
the pages of previous stories in this series; so that to those who have
been fortunate enough to possess such books they need no lengthy
introduction.
First, there was Hugh Morgan, looking as genial and determined as
ever, and just as frequently consulted by his comrades, because his
opinion always carried considerable weight. Then came his most
intimate chum, Thad Stevens, who had played the position of backstop
so successfully during the summer just passed, and helped to win the
pennant for Scranton against the other two high schools of the country,
situated in the towns of Allendale and Belleville.
Besides these two, there was included in the party a tall chap who
seemed to be acting as chauffeur, from which it might be judged that he
had supplied the means for taking this nutting trip far afield; his name
was Kenneth Kinkaid, but among his friends he answered to the shorter
appellation of "K.K." Then came a fourth boy of shorter build, and
more sturdy physique, Julius Hobson by name; and last, but far from
least, Horatio Juggins, a rather comical fellow who often assumed a
dramatic attitude, and quoted excerpts from some school declamation,
his favorite, of course, being "Horatio at the Bridge."
It was "K.K." who got up the annual foraging expedition on this
particular year, and promised that they should go in style in the
antiquated seven-passenger car belonging to his father, who was a
commercial traveler, which car "K.K." often used, when he could raise
the cash to provide sufficient gasolene at twenty-five cents per gallon.
But on this momentous occasion each fellow had chipped in his share

pro rata; so that the generous provider of the big, open car was not
compelled to beg or borrow in order to properly equip the expedition.
For ten days and more previously some of the boys had industriously
interviewed the farmers who stood in the market-place during the early
mornings, selling the products of their acres. Doubtless numerous good
mothers wondered what caused such an early exodus from warm beds
those