CHAPTER PAGE I. THE AIRSHIP STOLEN 1 II. AN UNCONSCIOUS WATCHMAN 11 III. ON A MYSTERIOUS TRAIL 17 IV. A FARMER’S CLEW 28 V. THE TELEGRAM 41 VI. THE AIRSHIP RECOVERED 51 VII. A TRACE OF MR. BELL 63 VIII. HOME IN THE AIRSHIP 71 IX. PROFESSOR SNODGRASS ON HAND 79 X. OFF FOR THE WEST 88 XI. A TOWN IN TROUBLE 95 XII. NEW USE FOR AN AIRSHIP 103 XIII. RUNNING THE CABLE 110 XIV. THE PROFESSOR IS MISSING 117 XV. AT THE MINING CAMP 123 XVI. THE MINER’S STORY 131 XVII. NODDY NIXON ARRIVES 139 XVIII. OFF FOR LOST VALLEY 146 XIX. WRECKED ON THE DESERT 156 XX. A LION IN POSSESSION 163 XXI. MR. BELL IS FOUND 172 XXII. OVER LOST VALLEY 183 XXIII. THE FLICKERING LIGHTS 195 XXIV. BUSHES OF DEATH 201 XXV. THE PROFESSOR’S COUSIN 208 XXVI. PLANNING THE ESCAPE 216 XXVII. IN DISGUISE 222 XXVIII. MYSTERIOUS RITES 227 XXIX. THE FIGHT 234 XXX. NODDY NIXON DEFEATED--CONCLUSION 240 THE MOTOR BOYS OVER THE ROCKIES CHAPTER I THE AIRSHIP STOLEN “Well, we ought to settle this question about our vacations, one way or another, fellows,” remarked a tall, good-looking lad, with something of an air of worriment, as he glanced at his two comrades who were stretched out in the shade of a big maple tree one hot afternoon. He plucked some blades of grass from the well-kept lawn, that extended back to a large, white house, with big pillars, put the spears of green into his mouth, and chewed them reflectively. Then he added: “Why can’t you and Chunky agree, Ned? What’s the use of disputing? It’s too hot.” “Of course it is,” answered the smaller of the two lads thus addressed. “Hot nothing!” puffed the stout youth, whom the first speaker had called “Chunky” in tribute to his fleshiness. “It’s only hot because you imagine it, Ned Slade.” “Bob says that because he wants to go South,” retorted Ned. “Eh, Jerry?” “Now don’t you agree with him, Jerry Hopkins!” cried Bob Baker. “Be on my side for once,” and he looked an appeal at his tall chum. “Ned wants to go to Canada.” “I’d like to go to the North Pole to-day,” responded Ned, turning over, as if to find a cooler place in the grass. “But, speaking seriously, I think I’ve got as much right to insist that the next trip we take in our airship shall be to some new locality, as Bob has to suggest that we go South.”