Dave Porter in the Gold Fields; Or, The Search for the Landslide Mine

by Edward Stratemeyer

  Produced by David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from scans of public domain materialproduced by Microsoft for their Live Search Books site.)

  Dave Porter Series

  DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS

  OR, THE SEARCH FOR THE LANDSLIDE MINE

  BY EDWARD STRATEMEYER

  Author of "Dave Porter at Oak Hall," "The Lakeport Series," "Pan-American Series," "Old Glory Series," etc.

  _ILLUSTRATED BY WALTER ROGERS_

  BOSTON LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.

  Published, August, 1914 COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. _All rights reserved_ DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS

  Norwood Press BERWICK AND SMITH CO. Norwood, Mass. U. S. A.

  "A NUGGET! A NUGGET OF GOLD!" CRIED DAVE.]

  CONTENTS

  PREFACE

  I. THE LANDSLIDE MINE

  II. DAVE PORTER'S PAST

  III. CAUGHT IN A STORM

  IV. A QUESTION OF STOCKS

  V. A TRAP FOR JOB HASKERS

  VI. ANOTHER SURPRISE

  VII. A GATHERING OF OAK HALL BOYS

  VIII. FIRE AND FIRECRACKERS

  IX. WHAT NAT POOLE HAD TO TELL

  X. DAVE AT HOME

  XI. OVERHEARD IN THE SUMMER-HOUSE

  XII. ON THE WAY WEST

  XIII. DAVE SEES SOMETHING

  XIV. IN BUTTE

  XV. AT ABE BLOWER'S HOME

  XVI. ON TO BLACK CAT CAMP

  XVII. ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL

  XVIII. THE STOLEN HORSES

  XIX. THE NEWSPAPER CLEW

  XX. THE EXPOSURE

  XXI. ON THE BACK TRAIL

  XXII. DAVE AND THE MOUNTAIN LION

  XXIII. IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE

  XXIV. SEARCHING FOR THE LANDSLIDE MINE

  XXV. CAUGHT IN A STORM

  XXVI. PROWLERS IN CAMP

  XXVII. THE TWO PRISONERS

  XXVIII. THE LOST LANDSLIDE MINE

  XXIX. ANOTHER LANDSLIDE

  XXX. THE NEW CLAIM--CONCLUSION

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  "A NUGGET! A NUGGET OF GOLD!" CRIED DAVE.

  AS DAVE LOOKED, HE SAW A CORNER OF A DISTANT FENCE FLY APART.

  "QUICK, SOMEBODY HELP ME! STOP THAT HORSE FROM FALLING OVER THE CLIFF!"

  "IF YOU LOCATE THAT MINE BEFORE WE DO, DON'T YOU DARE TO REMOVE ANYOF MY UNCLE'S LANDMARKS."

  PREFACE

  "Dave Porter in the Gold Fields" is a complete story in itself, butforms the tenth volume in a line issued under the general title of "DavePorter Series."

  The series was begun some years ago by the publication of "Dave Porterat Oak Hall," in which my young readers were introduced to a typicalAmerican lad at a typical American boarding school.

  There was at that time a cloud over Dave's parentage, and to clear thisaway he took a long sea voyage, as related in the next volume, entitled"Dave Porter in the South Seas." Then he came back to school, as told ofin "Dave Porter's Return to School," in which he gave one of the localbullies a much-needed lesson.

  During a vacation Dave journeyed to Norway, as related in "Dave Porterin the Far North," and then came back to Oak Hall, to win varioushonors, as recorded in "Dave Porter and His Classmates." Then came anopportunity to visit the West, and how our hero did this is set down inthe book called "Dave Porter at Star Ranch." When he returned to schoolmany strenuous happenings awaited him, and what they were will be foundin "Dave Porter and His Rivals."

  Dave had lived for years with a rich manufacturer of jewelry, and whenthis man was robbed it was our hero who followed the criminals in a longflight, as told in "Dave Porter on Cave Island." Then, with the booty inhis possession, the youth returned home, to go back to school, fromwhich he soon after graduated with honors, as shown in the volumepreceding this, entitled, "Dave Porter and the Runaways."

  In the present volume are related the particulars of another trip West,taken by Dave and his chums to locate a lost gold mine, willed to RogerMorr's mother by her brother. The boys had some strenuous happenings,and some of their old-time enemies did all they could to bring theirexpedition to grief. But Dave showed his common sense and his courage,and in the end all went well.

  Once again I thank my young readers for the interest they have shown inmy books. I trust that the reading of this volume will benefit them all.

  EDWARD STRATEMEYER. _February 1, 1914._

  DAVE PORTER IN THE GOLD FIELDS