To
ALICE K. DOUGLAS
OF BEREA COLLEGE
whose helpfulness of spirit and enthusiasm for learning have inspired many a mountain boy and girl to a life of broad usefulness, this book is lovingly dedicated by
THE AUTHORS
CONTENTS
| I. | Dan Gooch Makes a Discovery | [9] |
| II. | Martin Surprises Goose Creek | [21] |
| III. | Talitha Solves a Puzzling Problem | [31] |
| IV. | The Storm | [42] |
| V. | An Unexpected Rival | [52] |
| VI. | Hunting a Varmint | [62] |
| VII. | The Jam Social | [74] |
| VIII. | The Master Key | [83] |
| IX. | The Baptizing | [98] |
| X. | Si Quinn Reveals a Secret | [119] |
| XI. | Christmas Doings | [131] |
| XII. | Goose Creek Plots Against the Schoolmaster | [137] |
| XIII. | The “Still” Cave | [150] |
| XIV. | Lost on the Mountains | [160] |
| XV. | The Walking Party | [173] |
| XVI. | The Mountain Congress | [186] |
| XVII. | Kid Shackley Gets a Glimpse of the World | [200] |
| XVIII. | Commencement Time at Bentville | [210] |
I
DAN GOOCH MAKES A DISCOVERY
“Do you reckon it’ll seem the same?” Talitha, quite breathless with the long climb, stood looking down at her brother, who was following more slowly up the scraggy slope of Red Mountain.
“Why not?” he answered. “But say, are you going to keep up this gait for long? If you do you’ll be plumb tuckered before we get home.”
The girl laughed, and then sighed. “I’m so anxious to get there, Mart; seems like I can’t wait. To think we’ve been away ’most a year! Do you s’pose Rufe and little Dock’ll know us?”