PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTENTS
I.[A Mysterious Message]
II.[Uncle Tod Is Missing]
III.[The Telegram]
IV.[Off for the West]
V.[Ruddy Gives Warning]
VI.[A Wild Ride]
VII.[The Lonely Cabin]
VIII.[“gone!”]
IX.[The Pursuit]
X.[A Strange Discovery]
XI.[Uncle Tod’s Camp]
XII.[Lost River]
XIII.[The Dry Mine]
XIV.[Into the Cavern]
XV.[Uncle Tod Gives Up]
XVI.[Rick Draws Something]
XVII.[On Their Own]
XVIII.[Into the Dark]
XIX.[Mysterious Noises]
XX.[A Strange Camp]
XXI.[Scouting Around]
XXII.[Solving the Secret]
XXIII.[Carrying the Good News]
XXIV.[Turning Lost River Back]
XXV.[The Ruddy Mine]

RICK AND RUDDY OUT WEST

CHAPTER I
A MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE

“What’s your hurry, Rick? Going to a fire?”

Chot Benson called to his chum Rick Dalton who was racing down the Belemere street with every appearance of being in great haste. He was not going to a train—that was evident, for he was hatless and coatless—and though Rick and the other boys of the seacoast town often went without these pieces of wearing apparel, still they did not start train journeys in this style.

And there was no fire—Chot was sure of that, for he would have heard the whistle of the pumping engine at the water tank had there blaze.

Still Rick Dalton was in a hurry.

“Wait a minute!” called Chot.

“Can’t!” flung back Rick, over his shoulder. “I’ve got to see about Ruddy!”