Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders on the Lost River Trail

—A Mystery of the Night

“There is peril in the air,” warns the guide. Overlanders take flight. Emma says the suspense is killing her. “The worst is yet to come,” promises Stacy Brown. Threatened by a forest fire. The Overland Riders hasten to the relief of imperilled villagers.

—In the Demon’s Grip

Inhabitants of Silver Creek deride Ham White’s warning. Aroused at last. The fire demon roars. Miss Briggs narrowly escapes. “The fire is yonder! Work, you thick-heads!” A woman’s scream starts a panic among the villagers.

—A Rain of Fire

Ham White directs the fire-fighters. Great tongues of flame. The panic increases. Grace urges village women to the creek. Danger in the water. Elfreda Briggs is carried away on the current. Land at last. The Overland girl utters a thrilling cry.

—The Lost Cabin

The village is saved. Overland horses are missing. “Run, girls! Run!” cries Grace. Ham White is excited. Searching parties are organized. Emma concerned for her “Hamilton.” Another member of the Overland party is missing. “Help! I’m dying!” groans Elfreda’s caller.

—A Fruitless Quest

Overland girls search the village for their missing companions. Ham White hears more bad news. The guide fears the worst. “There is another peril!” Only the lieutenant knows that one of his party has slipped away looking for the missing.

—Facing a New Peril

The wounded prospector tells his story. “Oh, you poor man,” cries Elfreda Briggs. “They shot me for gold!” A grave duty to perform. Miss Briggs’ legacy. Sam Petersen’s horse hidden. Mountain bandits pay a visit to Lost Cabin.

—The Discovery

“Hawk Murray!” breathes Elfreda Briggs. The Overland girl keeps her nerve. Ready to defend herself. Startled by the return of a bandit. “Lady, what about the saddle over there in the brush?” he asks. Elfreda in the toils. A strange thing happens.

—Stacy Takes a Hand

“I’ll show you you can’t steal my beans and fish!” howls the fat boy. Stacy proves himself a hero. Mysterious shots put the caller to flight. “They’ve shot him!” cried the girl. A voice from the shadows of the Lost Cabin. An amazing disappearance.

—Mysteries Multiply

The journey to Silver Creek begun. Stacy helps himself to beans. The welcome home. “Lost River” an Indian legend. Words fail the fat boy. Miss Briggs confides in Grace. Elfreda’s gold turns to stone. Sam Petersen’s diary whisked from Grace Harlowe’s hand.

—The Man from Seattle

“Hands up!” Peanuts are great civilizers. Overlanders regard their guest with suspicion. Emma makes the fat boy laugh. “Just another mystery.” “Now who are you, and what is your game?” demands Ham White sternly. Stalked by a shadow. “Quick! Something has happened to Elfreda!”

—Believers in Safety First

Guns bang and Stacy lies low. Struck on the head. “I felt a hand under my pillow,” explains Miss Briggs. The guide is disturbed. Emma offers to “demonstrate” for him. Stacy alarmed for his trousers. Jim Haley makes a mysterious disappearance.

—A Successful Experiment

Elfreda’s experience leaves her pale. More than one man involved in the attack. White finds a trail of blood. Stacy Brown votes himself the cross of war. The fat boy up to mischief. Another shadow stalks the Overland tents. A near panic in the camp.

—The Camp is Invaded

Bears on the rampage. Ponies snort in fright. “We’ve got them going!” cries Ham White. Havoc worked by marauding beasts. One bear is killed. Stacy confesses that he called the bears. The savagery of Nature let loose. “They are coming! Move cautiously.”

—The Battle of the Beasts

Howls are mingled with snarls. Coyotes attack the dead bear. Wolves add to the uproar. A sight that thrilled. The battle brief. Grace takes a shot and misses. Stacy downs a lion. Slinking forms stalk the ponies. Beady for trouble. A wounded man staggers into camp.

—A Rude Awakening

“It’s Jim Haley!” exclaims the guide. The mountain ruffians wanted peanuts. White refuses to double-cross the Overlanders. Ham White sees the “Forest Eyes.” The old prospector’s secrets studied. Interrupted by an intruder. “Who says a woman can’t throw a stone?”

—Bandits Take Their Toll

Hippy and the guide search for a prowler. Guarding the camp. An Overlander is missing. An anxious watch. The search abandoned. Nora reassured by the guide. Ham White admits that he has made a discovery. “Stacy Brown has been forcibly removed!” is the startling announcement.

—A Test of Courage

Two Overland Riders now missing. Hamilton White is apprehensive. An all-night vigil. The guide sends wigwag signals in the early morn. “Great danger to both!” Grace Harlowe reads the fluttering message. A girl’s clever strategy. “Hamilton White, I have you now!”

—The Flaming Arrow

Hippy finds himself in the toils. Visited by his captors. “Keep quiet and listen to me!” warns a hoarse voice. A long and trying hike. The Overlander restored to his friends. “Isn’t that just like a man!” A guest who is doubly welcome. A flaming messenger drops into camp.

—His Fate in the Balance

A letter from Stacy. The fat boy to “be shot at sunrise.” In the hands of desperate men. A sudden flash lights up Tom Gray’s eyes. Bandits’ demands are met. The guide takes a hurried departure. A mysterious mission. “It isn’t safe to say a word.”

—“I’m Shot!” Cries Emma

Tom leads in the long night journey. Battle sounds in the air. Grace makes a pleasing discovery. A warning against the mountain bandits. The Overland party awakened by the crash of a rifle. The camp in confusion. Emma Dean falls a victim.

—Stacy Seeks a Change

Carried away on a horse. In the hands of rough men. The fat boy forced to write a letter. His bluff is called. Bandits hear bad news. Stacy takes advantage of his opportunity.

—A Strange Visitor

Emma misses an opportunity to “demonstrate.” A battle is fought over the Overlanders’ heads. A thrilling duel in the mountain meadow. “Something terrible is going to happen!” An exhibition of great courage. A bandit’s career ended.

—A Thrilling Discovery

Cat-foot Charlie arrives. A fallen hero. The arrival at Three Mile Pass. The key to many mysteries. Sunlight yellows the pass. “Look! Oh, look!” Grandma and the Children! Elfreda Briggs comes into her own. A final good-bye to forest and mountain trails.

—The House of Happiness

Overlanders visit Haven Home. A joyous Christmas reunion. Stacy Brown makes a sensational entrance. The pink and white bundle in the nursery. Surprises come thick and fast. What the snowbird said to Emma and Stacy.

GRACE HARLOWE’S OVERLAND RIDERS ON THE LOST RIVER TRAIL

“Listen, Lieutenant! There is peril in the air,” answered Ham White. “I don’t know where it is, but I do know there is trouble afoot, and that instant action is necessary. I don’t think it advisable to let the others of our party know, so long as there probably is no immediate danger.”

“Humph! You men of the forest make me weary. Everything is a mystery—a peril and so forth and so on. Ham, you’re a good fellow, but you remind me of Tom Gray—always looking for trouble. What is the big idea?”

Hamilton White placed his lips to Hippy’s ear and whispered. A little distance from them the camp was sleeping soundly. Not a sound disturbed the forest night save the faint whisperings of the tree-tops and the occasional twitter of a bird high up among the branches.

“You don’t say!” exclaimed Hippy, sitting up awake and thoroughly on the alert. “Are you positive?”

“Yes. It may be a matter of hours; then again minutes may cover the time.”

“What shall we do?” questioned Hippy.

“Move at once,” answered the guide with emphasis. “We will lay our course to the northeast and get as far away from here as possible in the shortest possible time. We’ve got to break camp now, Lieutenant!”

Hippy Wingate sprang to his feet and began dressing. While doing so he asked how they were to explain their hurried departure to the others of the party, unless the whole truth were told. White said he would attend to that.

Hippy shook his head.

“Ham, you have the Overland Riders sized up wrong. They aren’t tenderfeet, not by a long shot, nor are they shying at danger any more than you are,” declared Hippy with some heat.

“Turn them out!” ordered Ham. “We can’t afford to waste a moment.”

“All right, Buddy, I’ll turn them out. You will have to do the rest, though. Turn out, you sleepy-heads!” roared Hippy.

The response was almost instantaneous. The Overland Riders bounced out of their tents, rubbing their eyes, staggering a little, for they were not yet fully awake, and demanding to know what had happened. Ham White, who was already engaged in packing their belongings, paused long enough to reply.