also a few enemies, the worst of the latter being Dan Baxter, a bully
who wanted his way in everything. Baxter was the offspring of a family
of low reputation, and his father, Arnold Baxter, was now in prison for
various misdeeds.

The first term at school had been followed by an exciting chase on the
ocean, after which the boys had gone with their uncle to the jungles of
Africa, in a search after Anderson Rover. After the parent was found it
was learned that Arnold Baxter was trying to swindle the Rovers out of
a valuable gold mine in the far West, but this plot, after some
exciting adventures, was nipped in the bud.

The trip West had tired the boys, and they hailed an outing on the
Great Lakes with delight. During this outing they learned something
about a treasure located in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, and
the next winter visited the locality and unearthed a box containing
gold, silver, and precious stones, worth several thousands of dollars.
During this treasure-hunt Dan Baxter did his best to bring the Rover
boys to grief, but without success.

After the winter in the Adirondacks, the boys had expected to return at
once to Putnam Hall to continue their studies. But three pupils were
taken down with scarlet fever, and the academy was promptly closed by
the master, Captain Victor Putnam.

"That gives us another holiday," Tom had said. "Let us put in the time
by traveling," and, later on, it was decided that the boys should visit
California for their health. This they did, and in the seventh volume
of this series, entitled "The Rover Boys on Land and Sea," I related
the particulars of how they were carried off to sea during a violent