The Rover Boys out West; Or, The Search for a Lost Mine

“Excerpt: ...speeches, Dick,\" cried the younger brother half angrily. \"Boil it down and serve the extract in short order.\" \"Very well, I will. Firstly, Arnold Baxter is in jail. Secondly, he states his friends are going to ask the governor for a pardon. Thirdly, a friend in disguise comes to the jail with the supposed pardon. Fourthly, great joy of Baxter. Fifthly, he thanks his jailers and bids them good-by, as I said before. Sixthly, after he and his friend are gone the jailers inspect the so-called pardon. Seventhly, the jailers telephone to the governor. Eighthly, the pardon is pronounced a forgery, signatures, seal, and all. Ninthly, all the powers that be are as mad as hornets, but they can do nothing, for Baxter the elder has gone and has left no trace behind him.\" \"Phew!\" Tom emitted a long, low whistle. \"Say, but that runs like the half-dime novels I used to stuff myself with in my green days, doesn't it?\" \"That's right, Tom, excepting that this is strictly true, while the half-dime novels used to be as far from the truth as a howling dog is from the moon. But seriously, I don't like this,\" went on the elder Rover earnestly. \"Neither do I like it.\" \"Baxter at liberty may mean trouble for father and for us.\" \"I begin to see now what Dan Baxter meant,\" ejaculated Tom suddenly. \"I'll wager he knew all along what his father and the friend were up to.\" \"I wonder who the stranger was? He must have been a very skillful forger to forge the governor's signature and the other signatures too.\" \"He must be some old pal to Baxter. Don't you remember father said Baxter was thick with several fellows in the West before he came out here?\" \"Let us write to father about this at once.\" This was agreed to, and Dick began to pen the letter without delay. While he was at work Sam came in and was acquainted with the news. \"It's just like the Baxters,\" said the youngest Rover. \"After this, I'll be prepared to expect anything of them. I'd like to know where he has gone?...”