Dave Porter in the Gold Fields or, The Search for the Landslide Mine   By: Edward Stratemeyer (1862-1930)

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.

[Illustration: "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 ANY OF MY UNCLE'S LANDMARKS."

PREFACE

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

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

There was at that time a cloud over Dave's parentage, and to clear this away 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 of in "Dave Porter's Return to School," in which he gave one of the local bullies a much needed lesson.

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

Dave had lived for years with a rich manufacturer of jewelry, and when this man was robbed it was our hero who followed the criminals in a long flight, as told in "Dave Porter on Cave Island." Then, with the booty in his possession, the youth returned home, to go back to school, from which he soon after graduated with honors, as shown in the volume preceding this, entitled, "Dave Porter and the Runaways."