e that the Rover boys were three in
number, Dick being the oldest, fun-loving Tom coming next, and sturdy
Sam being the youngest. They were the sons of Anderson Rover, a widower,
and when at home, as at present, lived with their father and their
Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha at a pleasant place known as Valley Brook
farm, in New York state.

While their father was in Africa on a mission of importance, the three
boys had been sent by their uncle to boarding school, as related in the
first volume of this series, entitled, "The Rover Boys at School." The
place was Putnam Hall Military Academy, and there the lads had made many
friends and also a few enemies.

From school the boys had made a short trip on the ocean, and then
another trip into the jungle after their father. Then had followed a
trip out West, and another on the Great Lakes. Later the youths had
camped out in the mountains during the winter, shooting quite some game.
Then they had returned to school, to go into camp during the summer with
the other cadets.

The boys by this time thought their adventures at an end, but more were
soon to follow. There came a long trip on land and sea, and then a
voyage down the Ohio River, and soon after this the Rovers found
themselves on the plains, where they had some adventures far out of the
ordinary. From the plains they went further south, and in southern
waters--the same being the Gulf of Mexico--they solved the mystery of
the deserted steam yacht.

"Now back to the farm for me!" Sam had said at this time, and all were
glad to go back, and also to return to Putnam Hall, from which seat of
learning they presently graduated with honors. Then Mr. Anderson Rover
got word of a valuable treasure, and he and the boys, with a number of
their friends, went to Treasure Isle in search of it. They were followed
by some of their enemies and the latter did all in their power to cause
trouble.

Although the boys had finished at Putnam Hall, their days of learning
were not yet over, and soon they set off for Brill College, a high-grade
seat of learning located in one of our middle-western states. They had
with them an old school chum named John Powell, usually called
"Songbird," because of his habit of making up and reciting so-called
poetry, and were presently joined by another old school companion named
William Philander Tubbs, a dudish chap who thought more of his dress and
the society of ladies than he did of his studies. Tom