Part 1 (1/2)

The Rover Boys on the Plains.

by Arthur Winfield.

INTRODUCTION

My Dear Boys: ”The Rover Boys on the Plains” is a complete story in itself, but forms the tenth volume of a line known under the general t.i.tle of ”The Rover Boys' Series for Young Americans.”

Ten volumes make a great number, and, as I look back, I wonder how I have been able to write so many. As I have said before, when I started this series I had in mind to pen three volumes and possibly a fourth. But no sooner had ”The Rover Boys at School,” ”The Rover Boys on the Ocean,” ”The Rover Boys in the Jungle” and ”The Rover Boys Out West” appeared than there was a demand for another volume, and then more, and so I have had to take the boys from time to time, ”On the Great Lakes,” ”In the Mountains,” ”On Land and Sea,” ”In Camp” and ”On the River,” where we last left them.

The present tale tells of adventures on the mighty Mississippi River, and then on the great plains, where d.i.c.k, Tom and Sam, and some of their friends, have a variety of adventures and a.s.sist in unraveling the mystery surrounding a lonely ranch. Of course, their old enemy, Baxter, is bound to make himself known, but the Rover boys do not fail to take care of themselves, as of old.

Again, I thank the many thousands who have shown their appreciation of my efforts to amuse and instruct them. I earnestly hope the present volume will not disappoint them.

Affectionately and sincerely yours,

ARTHUR M. WINFIELD.

THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS

CHAPTER I

ON THE HOUSEBOAT

”Say, Tom, what's that big thing coming down the river?”

”I'm sure I don't know, Sam. It's big enough to be a house.” replied Tom Rover.

”Maybe it is a house,” came from d.i.c.k Rover, who was standing beside his brothers on the rear deck of the houseboat which was taking them down the Mississippi River.

”A house?” broke in a distinctly German voice. ”Did you mean to said dere vos a house floating der rifer town, d.i.c.k Rofer?”

”Why not, Hansy, my boy?” replied fun-loving Tom Rover, before his big brother could answer. ”Hasn't a house got a right to take a float if it wants to? Perhaps it's out for its health.”

”Ach, you vos choking, Tom!” cried Hans Mueller. ”Of a house been der rifer on, dere peen somedings wrong mit him alretty.”

”It's a lumber raft, Hans,” said d.i.c.k. ”And a whopping big one, too,”

he added, as he took another look at the object that was approaching the houseboat.

”Hope it doesn't give us such a close shave as that raft we met two days ago,” said Sam anxiously. ”I was almost certain they were going to run into us.”

”They have got no business to run so close to this houseboat,” grumbled Tom. ”They know well enough that we can't turn out of our course very well. I think some of those lumbermen are the toughest kind of citizens.”

”If they get too close, I'll shout a warning through the megaphone,”

went on d.i.c.k, after a brief pause. ”It certainly does look as if they intended to crowd us,” he continued anxiously.

”Oh, d.i.c.k, do you think there is any danger?” came from a girl who had just joined the crowd.

”Not yet, Dora.”