The Motor Boys on the Pacific; Or, the Young Derelict Hunters

ure!" exclaimed Jerry Hopkins, to

o's the letter from'?" for Jerry

letter. It's

claimed Bob. "Wh

ed, wrecked, demolished, destroy

ho

boat, the

and Ned and Bob crow

ime, I'm afraid. You know we thought once before she ha

t happen?"

ou?" cried Bob. "What

ou'll give me a chance I'll tell you all I know. I just got t

ight wreck just outside Jacksonville. Boat total loss, buried under several fre

o it," added Jerry, fo

uch!" exclaimed Bob. "Aren't you g

bserved Jerry. "Maybe they'll pay the claim wi

see Mr. Hitter," suggested Ned. "He can tell

dn't be so bad if she had gone down on the Atlanti

Sam," interrupted Ned. "But to think of her being buried u

it! No more rides in her! Say, we ought t

Let's go see Mr. Hitter. He has charge of all the freight that come

r us to do," decided Jerry, and the thr

ons ever since they could remember. Bob Baker was the son of a wealthy banker, while Jerry Hopkins's mother

f you who read this book first, I will say that, in the first volume, called "The Motor Boys," there was related a series of happenings that followed the win

n the second book of this series and, incidentally, managed to locate a rich mine belonging to a prospector, who, to reward them, gave them a number of shares. While out west the boys met a very learned gentleman, Professor Uriah Snodg

the series, entitled, "The Motor Boys Afloat," there was set down what happened to them on their first cruise on the river, during which they solved a robbery mystery. Finding they were well able to manage t

pped their boat by rail from St. Augustine to Cresville. Or, rather, they saw it safely boxed at the freight station

me rather anxious and had written to the railroad officials in St. Augustine. In resp

rked Bob, as the three lads hurr

artaway this trip," said Jerry.

ad pay for it, and we'll get

get a larger one, and a more powerful one, but never a better one, She served us

t think of the good times we had in her, not onl

Bob, with something like a sigh. "I

the Seabury girls," put in

med Bob. "I guess you were rat

ked Jerry with a laugh. "They

t," said Ned

t the everglades and adjacent rivers and lakes. He was in his houseboat Wanderer, traveling for his health. Mr. Seabury o

t developed that it adjoined Mr. Seabury's hotel property and, as he wi

Wanderer from the strange waters, had stopped for a

after a pause, during which the boys tur

" ask

abury f

r-er-the girls

," replied

e other day," rema

!" excla

?" asked B

just the suspicion of a blush. "It was from Nellie, and she sa

a?" exclaimed

them. The climate of Florida did not do him any good, and they are going to try what Cal

e pretty slim," remarked Bob. "Our motor boat'

ell cross the continent in her, even if we had the Dartaway, and she was rathe

tly know himself. "We can't go anywhere right away. School opens

e boys now were and, after a momentary stop, steamed on again. A man leaped from the steps of a parlor car and ran into

a hurry," o

ad, for the Boston Express never stops here," sa

it they found the stranger in conversation with Mr. Hitter

dressed to X. Y. Z., to he held unt

agent, pointing to several sm

" and he pulled out a pocketbook, disclosing a roll of bills. As he did so he hurried to the door and looked up and down the depot platform, as if afraid of being observed. He

raid we would steal some

y more about those boxes," supplemente

ms realized how, a little later, they were to take part in an adventure i

ut hurried off down the street, putting some papers into his pocket book, which, the b

Hitter what to do about

ent counting over

cheerfully. "Guess I'd better tel

he didn't want to be found out. First he was going to ship his stuff by fast freight, and then he

he?" as

., and I done it. That's the way them boxes come, several days ago, from Boston. They arrived by express, consigned to X. Y. Z., and was to be called f

n em?" as

git that out of him, either, though I hinted that I o

he say?" i

expressage, and seemed quite anxious to know just when I could ship the boxes, and when they'd arrive in San Fr

was afraid some one would see him. An' he shut the door, jest as if you boys would bother him,-Wel

ot seen the last of the strangely acting man, who

went on the freight agent, when

aimed Bob. "We want damages for

rs were confronting him. "You can search me. Nary a boat have I got, an' you can turn my pocke