The Go Ahead Boys and the Mysterious Old House

Author of “The Search for the Spy,” “The Air Scout,”
“Dodging the North Sea Mines,” “With Joffre on
the Battle Line,” “The Go Ahead Boys
on Smugglers’ Island,” “The Go
Ahead Boys and the
Treasure Cave,”
etc., etc.

BARSE & HOPKINS

PREFACE

In almost every rural community in the older parts of our country there is a house which some of the country folk have believed to be “haunted.” As a rule this house is old and perhaps has fallen into partial decay. The children passing on the country road move to the opposite side when they draw near the building. Stories are current of scenes which have been witnessed and sounds heard in the vacant dwelling. Perhaps even the older people have not altogether outgrown their feeling of timidity when they are near it. How baseless all such stories are and how easily most of the unusual sights and sounds can be accounted for is of course clearly understood. In this story I have tried to interest my young readers in the attempts of four normal, go-ahead boys to solve the mysteries connected with a venerable house near the home of one of them, which was shunned by many of the simple country people. I have endeavored to avoid all sensationalism and yet to interest the boys and girls in a stirring story of the experiences of my heroes. I am not without hope that the final solution of the mystery of the old Meeker House may help my young readers a little more courageously to face other problems, perhaps equally mysterious or perplexing, which may be presented to them in other forms. At all events I sincerely hope that the spirit and determination of the Go Ahead Boys will remain in their minds after the story itself shall have long been forgotten.

—Ross Kay

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I—THE OLD MEEKER HOUSE
CHAPTER II—COWBOYS AND SKINNERS
CHAPTER III—INTO THE HAUNTED HOUSE
CHAPTER IV—FLIGHT
CHAPTER V—A SURPRISE
CHAPTER VI—A PRISONER
CHAPTER VII—AN ESCAPE
CHAPTER VIII—THE LOST CAR
CHAPTER IX—ANOTHER FLIGHT
CHAPTER X—THE CAPTURE IN THE PASS
CHAPTER XI—THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING CAR
CHAPTER XII—A HASTY DEPARTURE
CHAPTER XIII—WORD CONCERNING THE LOST CAR
CHAPTER XIV—DISAPPOINTED
CHAPTER XV—A FAMOUS SPOT
CHAPTER XVI—ANOTHER LOSS
CHAPTER XVII—LEFT BEHIND
CHAPTER XVIII—THE ARRIVAL
CHAPTER XIX—AN INVITATION
CHAPTER XX—THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY
CHAPTER XXI—AN EXPLANATION IN PART
CHAPTER XXII—A DARE
CHAPTER XXIII—LED BY A MAN
CHAPTER XXIV—THE END OF THE HOUSE
CHAPTER XXV—A TALK WITH THE TRAMP
CHAPTER XXVI—CONCLUSION

THE GO AHEAD BOYS AND THE MYSTERIOUS OLD HOUSE

Clyx.com