Nick Carter Stories No. 135. April 10, 1915; Straight to the Goal; Or, Nick Carter's Queer Challenge

Nick Carter finds himself camped beneath a jagged bluff with his trusted assistants, Patsy Garvan and Chick, and an uneasy assortment of guests—a wealthy New York shipowner, his high‑caste Hindu ally Jai Singh, and the servant Adil. The quiet is shattered when a spear whistles over the rocks, embeds in the earth, and reveals a silk necktie bearing the initials “L.A.” The group realizes it belongs to the missing son, Leslie Arnold, and Carter deduces that the spear is a grim message from Calaman, the high priest of the mysterious city of Shangore, warning that the boy is being held captive.

The detectives’ calm resolve turns the unsettling omen into a summons: the spear’s second message, scrawled in strange script, invites the party to Shangore itself. Carter’s sharp mind begins piecing together clues, setting the stage for a daring pursuit across hostile terrain, exotic cultures, and hidden danger. Listeners can expect a fast‑moving, early‑twentieth‑century adventure as Carter and his companions race against time to rescue the boy and outwit a secretive cult.