Read Ebook: The Motor Boys in Strange Waters; or Lost in a Floating Forest by Young Clarence Nuttall Charles Illustrator

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Ebook has 1589 lines and 49349 words, and 32 pages

"Do you s'pose he meant it?" asked Bob. "I'm very fond of cocoanut pie."

"Go ahead," remarked Jerry with a laugh. "You've got Chunky interested, Ned, as soon as you mention something good to eat."

"I guess Noddy was in earnest all right," went on Ned. "He insisted on showing me a lot of papers. It appears he bought the land through seeing an advertisement in a magazine. You pay so much down and so much a month, and the advertisement says you can make enough raising cocoanuts to meet all your monthly installments. Noddy said he had secured a big tract down there."

"Where'd he get the money?" asked Bob.

"From his father, I s'pose. Mr. Nixon is rich, and Noddy is the only child. That's what makes him spoiled."

"When's he going down to the land of the everglades?" inquired Jerry.

"He starts in a week."

"In what part of Florida is his cocoanut plantation located?" asked Bob.

"Near Lake Okeechobee."

"I'd like to go to Florida," observed Bob. "It's a nice place to read about. Lovely climate, nothing to do but gather oranges, bananas and cocoanuts, watch the manatees and turtles, lie in the shade and--and--"

"Get eaten up with sand fleas," put in Jerry. "They have 'em down there as big as sparrows."

"I guess if we're going anywhere we'd better be starting for school!" exclaimed Ned. "It's after nine o'clock."

The three chums left Bob's house and strolled along the street in the direction of the academy they attended. Ned continued his recital of his encounter with Noddy, the town bully who, on more than one occasion, had proved himself the enemy of the three friends.

"Oh, he talked a lot about how rich he was going to be," went on Ned. "He thinks his cocoanut grove is going to put our gold mine in the shade. Says he'll buy us out in a few months. He was so excited that I guess he forgot all about how he acted down at Harmon Beach last summer until I asked him if he calculated to wreck any steamers on the Florida coast. That made him mad and we had quite a discussion. That's what ruffled me up. I left him spouting about what he expected to do with his cocoanuts."

"I guess all the cocoanuts he'll raise wouldn't make enough pies to satisfy Bob's appetite," remarked Jerry. "But we'd better hurry, if we want to get to school before noon."

None of the chums realized what a part Noddy and his cocoanut plantation were to play in their experiences that summer, nor in what an unexpected manner they were to render the bully a service.

PROFESSOR SNODGRASS ARRIVES

The three chums quickened their pace and were soon at the academy, where they were greeted by a number of boy friends.

"Where are you fellows going this vacation? Out west, down to Mexico or the North Pole? Lots of fun--never say die--right side up with care--automobiles--motor boats--flying machines--don't stop--red flag--danger--never mind--go on--whoop!"

"Let up, Andy Rush!" exclaimed Jerry, laughing. "Give us a chance to catch our breath, please," and he looked at a small boy who, in the stress of excitement, , was trying to talk to the three chums at once.

"But I want to know," insisted Andy.

"We don't know ourselves," replied Bob. "Go get a drink of ice water, Andy. Your windpipe must be hot after all that."

There was a general laugh at the small boy's expense, and then the pupils went inside. While they are thus off the stage for a brief period opportunity will be afforded to make the reader better acquainted with them.

The three chums, who, because of their long association with each other, and the part an automobile and motor boat had played in their adventures, had come to be known as the "Motor Boys," lived in the town of Cresville, not far from Boston. They were Jerry Hopkins, son of a widow who was well-to-do, Ned Slade, whose father owned a large department store, and Bob Baker, the offspring of a rich banker.

In the first volume of this series, entitled "The Motor Boys," was related how the chums became possessed of motor cycles and how, by taking part in races, they won a large touring car. Their adventures on the motor cycles were more than equalled by those that happened to them when they had their auto, as was told in the second book, "The Motor Boys Overland." They conducted a successful search for a gold mine in Nevada, and aided an old prospector in securing it, though Noddy Nixon and his crony Bill Berry tried to get it away from them. It was on this trip that the boys became acquainted with Professor Uriah Snodgrass, a learned man whose hobby was collecting bugs and butterflies.

In recognition of their aid the boys were given shares in the gold mine, which paid well. It was this mine to which Noddy referred when he boasted to Ned of his cocoanut grove.

At the suggestion of Professor Snodgrass the boys decided to take another trip, as described in the third volume of this series, "The Motor Boys in Mexico." In this they discovered a buried ancient city, had fights with the Mexicans, and Bob was kidnapped but escaped.

Deciding to visit their mine on their way back to the United States, the three chums had rather a hard time of it. Their doings and the things that happened to them are told in the fourth book of the series, "The Motor Boys Across the Plains." They rescued a small boy from the hands of a bad gang of men, and this boy proved to be the son of a queer hermit, who lived on the shores of a lake.

But more exciting times awaited them. Their next vacation was spent at Harmon Beach, on the Atlantic coast, as recorded by me in "The Motor Boys on the Atlantic." There they made the acquaintance of "Salt-Water Sam," an old sailor and whaler, and with him made a successful chase after a whale and a shark. They also uncovered a plot to change the signals in a lighthouse, so that a steamer might be lured on the rocks, foiling the men, and aiding the aged keeper and his niece Jess.

Noddy Nixon, as the partner of Bill Berry had a hand in the lighthouse plot. As soon as it failed Bill Berry disappeared and Noddy was not to be found for some time. Then, as there was no charge against him, Noddy returned to his home. His father would believe nothing wrong concerning him, and the bully was soon as bold as before. Being well supplied with money he had spent some of it in buying land in Florida, as Ned has already related. Bill Berry did not come back to Cresville, which fact made the three chums rejoice, for they did not wish to see that rascal again.

"Closing exercises this afternoon, which will be short and sweet," observed Bob, as he and his friends came from the academy at noon, "and then to map out a summer campaign."

"Yes, we want to get busy," said Ned. "No use wasting time. You fellows come to my house to-night and we'll look over some maps and plan a cruise. The motor boat is better than ever with the improvements we put on her last fall."

"I'll be there," called Jerry, as he left his two chums. "I've got to go on an errand for my mother now, but I'll be on hand after supper."

"So will I," added Bob. "I may be a little late though, because--"

"Because he has to eat so much supper; eh, Chunky?" and Jerry laughed as he shot that parting shaft.

"I promise to provide a light lunch at ten o'clock if you'll stay that late," called Ned. "So long!"

The afternoon exercises passed off successfully, and with farewells from their teachers the three chums, as well as all the lads in the academy, bade good-bye to the place of learning and scattered for the long summer vacation. The motor boys, who were all in the same class, walked down the street, arm in arm, as three fine lads as one could wish for,--tall, strong, full of recourse in times of danger, brave and fearless--excellent types of the American Boy.

"Let's each think of some plan for a trip," proposed Ned, as they parted to go to their several homes. "We can talk 'em all over to-night."

A few hours later the three chums were at Ned's house. On the library table he had spread out a number of geographies, guide books and maps, and the boys were soon pouring over them. They talked a perfect babble, the only things that could be distinguished now and then being such expressions as:

"How about a trip to Maine?"

"What's the matter with doing the Gulf of Mexico?"

"We could go to Cuba if the weather kept good."

"The Bermudas aren't so very far off."

"Say, we'll never settle anything this way," called Ned after an hour had been spent in fruitless discussion. "I've got a plan."

"What is it?" asked Jerry.

"Let each one write on a slip of paper the place he'd like to go to. We'll drop the slips in a hat and one of us, blindfolded, can pull a slip out. We'll go wherever the slip says."

"Suits me," exclaimed Bob, and Jerry nodded assent.

Pencils and paper were provided, and the boys were about to write down their choices when there came a knock on the library door. A moment later the portal opened and Mr. Slade was looking in on the chums.

"A visitor to see you," he announced.

"To see who?" asked Ned.

"All three of you. Let me present Professor Uriah Snodgrass."

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