About this book

The Hunniwell boys and the platinum mystery

L. P. Wyman

he heard a whisper and knew that the animals were men. How many there might be he could not tell but that there was more than one was certain. He hesitated no longer but dropped to his knees and crept quickly toward the tents about thirty feet away. There he shook Rogers and Bill at the same time whispering to them to keep quiet. “There are some men close by,” he told them. “You sure?” Bill, now fully awake, asked. “Yes, I heard them talking.” “Did you see them?” Rogers whispered. “No, it’s too dark.” “We’d better get over close to the plane,” Bill told them. “Never mind the tents: we can leave them if we have to.” A moment later they were crouching close to the plane and straining their ears to catch the slightest sound. But none came and Bill was on the point of telling Gordon that he must have been mistaken, when, the latter whispered: “I saw one of them then. Look over there by that rock. See him?” “Yes,” Bill replied. “And there’s another just to his right.” “And another one about ten feet to his left,” Bill whispered. “Like as not there’s a dozen of them,” Rogers added. “Get in the plane, quick, and don’t make any noise,” Bill ordered. “Going to take off?” Gordon asked. “If we can,” Bill told him. “Make it snappy then. They’re coming nearer.” “All set?” Bill asked a minute later. “All set,” both Rogers and Gordon told him. Bill started the elevator and at the same instant, as though it had been a signal, there came a shout and a rush of dark forms. “They’re coming,” Gordon cried, at the same time firing his automatic into the air. He hoped that the shot would scare them but it only seemed to increase their speed and now they could see that there were at least a half dozen men rushing the plane. Bill had the switch on the last notch by this time and the propeller was spinning but the plane did not rise. “They’ll get us if you don’t hurry,” Gordon cried again firing a shot over the heads of the men. “She’s got it all,” Bill replied and just then the plane gave a slight lurch and the wheels left the ground. But two of the men were close at hand and, before the plane had risen far enough to escape them, they had grabbed hold of the side of the cockpit one on either side, and for a second it seemed they would pull the plane back to the ground. But Gordon on the one side and Rogers on the other brought the handles of their guns down on two separate heads and both men dropped without a sound as the plane seemed to leap into the air. “Good work,” Bill cried. “But, believe me, it was touch and go for a second,” Gordon told him. Down below they could hear the shouts of angry men whose prey had escaped them and for a moment they feared lest they would fire at them. But no shots came and, as Bill started the forward propeller, all breathed sighs of relief. “I reckon it’s just as well we kept a watch,” Rogers declared. “If we hadn’t we’d have had trouble,” Bill told them, “and probably lost the platinum.” “You win,” Gordon acknowledged. “By the skin of our teeth,” Bill chuckled. The weather continued all that they could have asked, and shortly before six o’clock the next afternoon, the Albatross landed just outside San Francisco. They lost no time in finding a place to park the plane for the night and, taking the box with them, they soon were quartered in a small hotel. “Now, I think it’ll be the best plan to sell the stuff to-morrow,” Rogers told them as soon as they had reached their room. “If we try to take it home with us we may lose it and we probably can get as good a price for it here as anywhere. What do you think?” “I think it’s a wise plan.” “Then first thing in the morning I’ll go to the chief of police and tell him who I am and get him to tell me the best place to take it.” This plan was carried out and before noon they had found a customer in one of the largest jewelry firms of the city. Of course it took some time to make settlement as they had to wait until the platinum was assayed. But the time did not hang heavy on their hands and two days later they received a check for one hundred and sixty-four thousand dollars. “Not a bad summer’s work,” Bill chuckled as they left the office. “Not half bad,” Gordon agreed. They left for home the next day and two days later the Albatross touched the ground behind the old homestead and two very happy boys received the hearty congratulations of their parents. “We dropped Steve off on Long Island,” Bill told them, “But he’s coming to make us a visit next summer.” THE END ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SAVE THE WRAPPER! If you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket——on the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt’s fine series of carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your convenience. Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the Publishers, will receive prompt attention. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE HUNNIWELL BOYS SERIES By L. P. WYMAN Author of “The Golden Boys” and “The Lakewood Boys” Series Bill and Gordon Hunniwell, two enterprising and inventive young Americans, have many thrilling experiences far above the clouds in the “Albatross,” their new electric airplane. Their adventures with the Secret Service and narrow escapes in the fog, when searching for the lost German aviators, are admirably described in this new series. THE HUNNIWELL BOYS IN THE AIR THE HUNNIWELL BOYS’ VICTORY THE HUNNIWELL BOYS IN THE SECRET SERVICE THE HUNNIWELL BOYS AND THE PLATINUM MYSTERY THE HUNNIWELL BOYS’ LONGEST FLIGHT A. L. BURT COMPANY, Publishers 114-120 EAST 23d STREET        NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Radio Boys Series BY GERALD BRECKENRIDGE A new series of copyright titles for boys of all ages. Cloth Bound, with Attractive Cover Designs PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH POSTAGE 10c EXTRA THE RADIO BOYS ON THE MEXICAN BORDER THE RADIO BOYS ON SECRET SERVICE DUTY THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE REVENUE GUARDS THE RADIO BOYS’ SEARCH FOR THE INCA’S TREASURE THE RADIO BOYS RESCUE THE LOST ALASKA EXPEDITION THE RADIO BOYS IN DARKEST AFRICA THE RADIO BOYS SEEK THE LOST ATLANTIS THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE BORDER PATROL THE RADIO BOYS AS SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Boy Allies (Registered in the United States Patent Office) With the Army BY CLAIR W. HAYES For Boys 12 to 16 Years. All Cloth Bound    Copyright Titles In this series we follow the fortunes of two American lads unable to leave Europe after war is declared. They meet the soldiers of the Allies, and decide to cast their lot with them. Their experiences and escapes are many, and furnish plenty of good, healthy action that every boy loves. - THE BOY ALLIES AT LIEGE; or, Through Lines of Steel. - THE BOY ALLIES ON THE FIRING LINE; or, Twelve Days’ Battle Along the Marne. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE COSSACKS; or, A Wild Dash Over the Carpathians. - THE BOY ALLIES IN THE TRENCHES; or, Midst Shot and Shell Along the Aisne. - THE BOY ALLIES IN GREAT PERIL; or, With the Italian Army in the Alps. - THE BOY ALLIES IN THE BALKAN CAMPAIGN; or, The Struggle to Save a Nation. - THE BOY ALLIES ON THE SOMME; or, Courage and Bravery Rewarded. - THE BOY ALLIES AT VERDUN; or, Saving France from the Enemy. - THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES; or, Leading the American Troops to the Firing Line. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH HAIG IN FLANDERS; or, The Fighting Canadians of Vimy Ridge. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH PERSHING IN FRANCE; or, Over the Top at Chateau Thierry. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH MARSHAL FOCH; or, The Closing Days of the Great World War. For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Boy Allies (Registered in the United States Patent Office) With the Navy BY ENSIGN ROBERT L. DRAKE For Boys 12 to 16 Years. All Cloth Bound    Copyright Titles PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH Postage 10c Extra Frank Chadwick and Jack Templeton, young American lads, meet each other in an unusual way soon after the declaration of war. Circumstances place them on board the British cruiser, “The Sylph,” and from there on, they share adventures with the sailors of the Allies. Ensign Robert D. Drake, the author, is an experienced naval officer, and he describes admirably the many exciting adventures of the two boys. - THE BOY ALLIES ON THE NORTH SEA PATROL; or, Striking the First Blow at the German Fleet. - THE BOY ALLIES UNDER TWO FLAGS; or, Sweeping the Enemy from the Sea. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON; or, The Naval Raiders of the Great War. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE TERROR OF THE SEA; or, The Last Shot of Submarine D-16. - THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE SEA; or, The Vanishing Submarine. - THE BOY ALLIES IN THE BALTIC; or, Through Fields of Ice to Aid the Czar. - THE BOY ALLIES AT JUTLAND; or, The Greatest Naval Battle of History. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH UNCLE SAM’S CRUISERS; or, Convoying the American Army Across the Atlantic. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE SUBMARINE D-32; or, The Fall of the Russian Empire. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE VICTORIOUS FLEETS; or, The Fall of the German Navy. For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Boy Scout Series BY HERBERT CARTER For Boys 12 to 16 Years. All Cloth Bound    Copyright Titles PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH Postage 10c Extra New Stories of Camp Life - THE BOY SCOUTS’ FIRST CAMPFIRE; or, Scouting with the Silver Fox Patrol. - THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE BLUE RIDGE; or, Marooned Among the Moonshiners. - THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL; or, Scouting through the Big Game Country. - THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS; or, The New Test for the Silver Fox Patrol. - THE BOY SCOUTS THROUGH THE BIG TIMBER; or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot. - THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES; or, The Secret of the Hidden Silver Mine. - THE BOY SCOUTS ON STURGEON ISLAND; or, Marooned Among the Game-Fish Poachers. - THE BOY SCOUTS DOWN IN DIXIE; or, The Strange Secret of Alligator Swamp. - THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA; A story of Burgoyne’s Defeat in 1777. - THE BOY SCOUTS ALONG THE SUSQUEHANNA; or, The Silver Fox Patrol Caught in a Flood. - THE BOY SCOUTS ON WAR TRAILS IN BELGIUM; or, Caught Between Hostile Armies. - THE BOY SCOUTS AFOOT IN FRANCE; or, With The Red Cross Corps at the Marne. For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK