Opening material

THE YOUNG VIGILANTES

[Illustration: Walter and Bill tramping across the Isthmus.--_Page 132._]

THE YOUNG VIGILANTES

A STORY OF CALIFORNIA LIFE IN THE FIFTIES

BY

SAMUEL ADAMS DRAKE

Author of "Watch Fires of '76," "On Plymouth Rock," "Decisive Events in American History Series," etc.

_ILLUSTRATED BY L. J. BRIDGMAN_

[Illustration]

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. A NARROW ESCAPE 9 II. WALTER TELLS HIS STORY 18 III. AND CHARLEY TELLS HIS 30 IV. WHAT HAPPENED ON BOARD THE "ARGONAUT" 37 V. ONE WAY OF GOING TO CALIFORNIA 45 VI. A BLACK SHEEP IN THE FOLD 66 VII. THE FLIGHT 82 VIII. OUTWARD BOUND 100 IX. ACROSS NICARAGUA 117 X. THE LUCK OF YANKEE JIM 141 XI. SEEING THE SIGHTS IN 'FRISCO 154 XII. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING 165 XIII. IN WHICH A MAN BREAKS INTO HIS OWN STORE, AND STEALS HIS OWN SAFE 182 XIV. CHARLEY AND WALTER GO A-GUNNING 203 XV. THE YOUNG VIGILANTES 215 XVI. RAMON FINDS HIS MATCH 231 XVII. A SHARP RISE IN LUMBER 241 XVIII. A CORNER IN LUMBER 250 XIX. HEARTS OF GOLD 262 XX. BRIGHT, SEABURY & COMPANY 274

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Walter and Bill tramping across the Isthmus (_Frontispiece._) 132 Walter rescuing Dora Bright 42 Waiting for the opening of the mail 160 The hunters hunted by a grizzly bear 208 Ramon made to give up his stealings 236 Arrival of the _Southern Cross_ at Sacramento 254

THE YOUNG VIGILANTES