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The Floating Press - Harry Castlemon

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160 pages

English

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Immerse yourself in a gripping tale from the golden era of action-adventure fiction. This fast-paced story from Harry Castlemon, a popular author of young adult fiction, is packed with cliff-hanging suspense and plenty of thrills and chills, without being too gory or complex for younger readers to enjoy.

Sujets

Children's

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Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 novembre 2011
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781775454564
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

THE HAUNTED MINE
* * *
HARRY CASTLEMON

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The Haunted Mine First published in 1902 ISBN 978-1-77545-456-4 © 2011 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Chapter I - The Sale of "Old Horse" Chapter II - Casper is Disgusted Chapter III - Julian is Astonished Chapter IV - Where the Box Was Chapter V - Casper Thinks of Something Chapter VI - A Mr. Haberstro Appears Chapter VII - A Plan that Didn't Work Chapter VIII - Claus Calls Again Chapter IX - The Master Mechanic Chapter X - Where Are the Valises? Chapter XI - In Denver Chapter XII - Casper Nevins, the Spy Chapter XIII - Getting Ready for Work Chapter XIV - How Casper was Served Chapter XV - How a Mine was Haunted Chapter XVI - Good News Chapter XVII - Mr. Banta is Surprised Chapter XVIII - Grub-Staking Chapter XIX - Going to School Chapter XX - Waterspouts and Blizzards Chapter XXI - The Camp at Dutch Flat Chapter XXII - The Haunted Mine Chapter XXIII - Haunted No Longer Chapter XXIV - "That is Gold" Chapter XXV - Claus, Again Chapter XXVI - Claus Hears Something Chapter XXVII - Bob Tries Strategy Chapter XXVIII - An Inhuman Act Chapter XXIX - A Tramp with the Robbers Chapter XXX - Home Again Chapter XXXI - Conclusion
Chapter I - The Sale of "Old Horse"
*
"Going for twenty-five cents. Going once; going twice; going—"
"Thirty cents."
"Thirty cents! Gentlemen, I am really astonished at you. It is adisgrace for me to take notice of that bid. Why, just look at thatbox. A miser may have hidden the secret of a gold-mine in it. Here itis, neatly dovetailed, and put together with screws instead of nails;and who knows but that it contains the treasure of a lifetime hiddenaway under that lid? And I am bid only thirty cents for it. Do I hearany more? Won't somebody give me some more? Going for thirty centsonce; going twice; going three times, and sold to that lucky fellowwho stands there with a uniform on. I don't know what his name is.Step up there and take your purchase, my lad, and when you open thatbox, and see what is in it, just bless your lucky stars that you cameto this office this afternoon to buy yourself rich."
It happened in the Adams Express office, and among those who alwaysdropped around to see how things were going was the young fellow whohad purchased the box. It was on the afternoon devoted to the sale of"old horse"—packages which had lain there for a long time and nobodyhad ever called for them. When the packages accumulated so rapidlythat the company had about as many on hand as their storeroom couldhold, an auctioneer was ordered to sell them off for whatever he couldget. Of course nobody could tell what was in the packages, andsomebody always bought them by guess. Sometimes he got more than hismoney's worth, and sometimes he did not. That very afternoon a manbought a package so large and heavy that he could scarcely lift itfrom the counter, and so certain was he that he had got somethingworth looking at that he did not take the package home with him, butborrowed a hammer from one of the clerks and opened it on the spot,the customers all gathering around him to see what he had. To thesurprise of everybody, he turned out half a dozen bricks. A partner ofthe man to whom the box was addressed had been off somewhere to buy abrickyard, and, not satisfied with the productions of the yard, hadenclosed the bricks to the man in St. Louis, to see how he liked them.The purchaser gazed in surprise at what he had brought, and then threwdown the hammer and turned away; but by the time he got to the doorthe loud laughter of everybody in the office—and the office wasalways full at the sale of "old horse"—caused him to arrest hissteps. By that time he himself was laughing.
"I'll tell you what it is, gentlemen," said he; "those bricks, whichare not worth a nickel apiece, cost me just two dollars."
He was going on to say something more, but the roar that arose causedhim to wait until it was all over. Then he went on:
"I have spent fifty dollars for 'old horse,' and if anybody ever knowsme to spend another dollar in that way I will give him my head for afootball. A man who comes here to squander his money for anything likethat is a dunce, and ought to have a guardian appointed over him. Iwish you all a very good day."
But in spite of this man's experience, Julian Gray had invested inthis box because he thought there was something in it. He did not carefor what the auctioneer said to him, for he talked that way toeverybody; but Julian knew there were no bricks in it, for it was doneup too neatly. The box was not more than twelve inches long and halfas wide, and by shaking it up and down the boy became aware that therewere papers of some kind in it. He paid the clerk the amount of hisbid upon it, picked up his purchase, and started for the door, payingno heed to the remarks that were offered for his benefit. There he metanother boy, dressed in a uniform similar to the one he himself wore,and stopped to exchange a few words with him.
"Well, you got something at last," said the boy. "It is not bricks, Ican swear to that."
"No, sir, it is not," said Julian. "Lift it. It contains papers ofsome kind."
"Why don't you open it, and let us see what is in it?"
"I won't do that, either. I am not going to have the whole partylaughing at me the way they served that man a little while ago. Comeup to my room when Jack comes home, and then I will open it."
"I would not be in your boots for a good deal when Jack sees thatbox," said the boy, hurrying away. "He says you have no business tospend the small earnings you get on such gimcracks as 'old horse.'"
"I don't care," said Julian, settling the box under his arm and goingaway in the opposite direction. "I've got the box, and if Jack doesnot want to see what is in it, he need not look."
Julian broke into a run,—he knew he had no business to spend as muchtime in that express office as he had done,—and in a few minutesreached the headquarters of the Western Union Telegraph Company, inwhose employ he was. He laid down his book of receipts for thedispatches he had delivered, then picked up his box again and stowedit away under the counter, where he was sure it would be out ofeverybody's way.
"I don't care," Julian repeated to himself, when he recalled what hisolder companion, Jack Shelden, would have to say to him when he foundthat he had been investing in "old horse." "I don't know that I expectto make anything out of it, but somehow or other I can't resist mycuriosity to know what is in those bundles. When you can get thepackages for little or nothing, where's the harm? But that is no wayto save my money. I will never go near that express office again."
With this good resolution, Julian took his seat among the other boysand waited in silence for the operator to call upon him to deliver adispatch. It came at last, and during the rest of the afternoon Julianwas kept busy. When six o'clock came he put his box under his arm andstarted for home. His duties were done for that day.
The place that Julian called home was a long way from the office, for,being a poor boy, he was obliged to room where he could get it ascheaply as possible. He passed along several streets, turned numerouscorners, and finally sprang up the stairs in a sorry-looking housewhich seemed almost ready to tumble down, and when he reached the tophe found the door of his room open. There he met his chum, who hadalready returned from his work, going about his preparations forsupper, and whistling as though he felt at peace with himself and allthe world.
"Halloo!" he exclaimed, as Julian came in. "What's the news to-day?Well, there. If you haven't been to that old express office again!"
These two boys were orphans—or at least Jack was. Julian had astepfather who, when his mother died, told the boy that he could notsupport him any longer, and that he must look out for himself. He nodoubt expected that the boy would find himself in the poorhouse beforehe had been long out of his care; but Julian was not that sort of afellow. He wandered aimlessly about the streets, looking for somethingto do, sleeping in dry-goods boxes or on a plank in some lumber-yard;and one morning, while passing along the street, wondering where hewas going to get something to eat, he saw a scene that thrilled himwith excitement. A span of horses was running away, and a telegraphoperator—Julian knew that he was an operator from the uniform hewore—in making an attempt to stop them, lost his footing and fell onthe ground right in front of the frantic team. Julian was nearer tohim than anybody else, and acting upon the impulse of the moment, butscarcely knowing why he did so, he dashed forward, seized the youngman by the shoulders, and pulled him out of the way. It was all donein an instant, and Julian shuddered when he thought of what he haddone.
"Thank you, my lad," said the man, when he got up, brushed the dustfrom his clothes, and looked after the flying horses. "You saved mylife, but you couldn't save the man in the buggy. Now, what can I giveyou?"
"I don't want anything, sir," said Julian. The man was neatly dressed,and looked as though he had some money, and Julian had more than halfa mind to ask him for enough with which to get some breakfast. But heconcluded that he would not do it; he would look farther, and he wassure that he could get something to do, such as sweeping out a store,and earn some breakfast in that way.
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