Transcriber’s Notes
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variationsin hyphenation have been standardised but all other spelling andpunctuation remains unchanged.
The table of contents was inserted by the transcriber.
FRANK READE, JR., IN THE GREAT AMERICAN DESERT.
The subscription Price of the Frank Reade Library by the year is $2.50; $1.25 per six months, post-paid. Address FRANKTOUSEY, Publisher, 34 and 36 North Moore Street. Box 2730.
FRANK READE, JR.,
With His New Steam Horse in the Great American Desert;
OR,
THE SANDY TRAIL OF DEATH.
By “NONAME,”
Author of “Frank Reade, Jr., With His New Steam Horse Among the Cowboys; or, The League of the Plains,” etc.
Table of Contents.
- CHAPTER I.
- CHAPTER II.
- CHAPTER III.
- CHAPTER IV.
- CHAPTER V.
- CHAPTER VI.
- CHAPTER VII.
- CHAPTER VIII.
- CHAPTER IX.
- CHAPTER X.
- CHAPTER XI.
- CHAPTER XII.
- CHAPTER XIII.
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CHAPTER I.
THE CASE OF BENJAMIN ASTLEY.
When it became noised about that Frank Reade, Jr., the distinguishedinventor, was about to make a trip to the far West with hiswonderful Steam Horse, public interest became greatly excited.
For those of my readers who may never have read any of the accountsof his wonderful adventures, I will state that Frank Reade, Jr.,was a wonderful inventor of marvelous things; that his father was afamous inventor before him, and that Frank, Jr., took to the trade asnaturally as a duck does to water.
Years ago, Frank Reade, Sr., had founded the town of Readestown,U. S. A.
And there had erected large machine shops, to which the youngerReade greatly added in later days.
The new Steam Man, invented by Frank Reade, Jr., had made agreat furore.
But apropos of this came the New Steam Horse, and for a marvelof ingenuity and mechanical skill, it simply could not be surpassed.
For the benefit of certain of my readers, I will give a brief descriptionof the New Steam Horse; a better idea of which, however, canbe gathered from a study of the artist’s picture upon the front pageof this book.
Then we will proceed to the exciting incidents of this story, whichwill describe a most exciting trip into a strange region.
The Steam Horse was the pattern of an ordinary equine done insteel. The body was made of steel plates, ingeniously fastened withvarious joints and bosses.
It is easy enough to make the likeness of a horse thus, but to makeit mechanical, to gallop and display oth