
The three Motor Boys—Jerry, Ned and Bob—are always on the lookout for a new thrill, and this time a curious professor whispers of a hidden cache of radium on a lonely island deep in the Colorado River’s Grand Canyon. Fueled by the promise of a valuable and mysterious metal that can even set diamonds alight, they ready their motorboat for a daring trek into uncharted waters. Their enthusiasm is tempered by the professor’s warning that radium’s invisible rays can burn flesh and warp the mind, adding a palpable sense of danger to the hunt.
The journey quickly turns perilous when they discover that their trusted vessel has been seized by the unscrupulous Noddy Nixon, a rival who will stop at nothing to claim the prize for himself. As they navigate snaking river channels, strange “ghost” lights flicker over the canyon walls, hinting at hidden hazards they must decipher. With quick wits, teamwork, and a dash of daring, the boys race to reclaim their craft and reach the enigmatic Snake Island before the treasure slips away.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (273K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2014-11-22
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Best known as the name behind the fast-paced Motor Boys adventures, this was actually a Stratemeyer Syndicate house pseudonym rather than one single writer. The books helped define early 20th-century boys' series fiction, mixing cars, travel, and cliffhanger action.
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