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The Third Warning: "A Mystery Story for Girls"
Look, Dave. See those strange clouds? Florence Huyler shaded her eyes to look away toward the horizon. Her face wore an expression of bewildered curiosity. Yes, I see them. They are queer! young Captain Davie, as everyone called him, replied as he wrinkled his brow. After giving the wheel of his motor-driven craft a turn, he studied those clouds. Scurrying along the horizon, he murmured, they roll quite a bit, don't they? Yes, and such a peculiar shade of yellow, Florence added. Oh well, clouds are different up here on Lake Superior. Nothing to worry about, I guess, said Dave, as once again he gave his attention to the wheel. As for Florence, at the moment she had nothing to do but think. And such bitter-sweet thoughts as they were! She was cruising on Lake Superior. That was grand! She had always loved the water. What was still more magnificent, she was landing twice a week on the shores of that place of great enchantment-Isle Royale. Then she breathed a sigh of relief...
Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2014
8 people want to read
About the author
Roy J. Snell
247 books8 followersRoy Judson Snell wrote more than 84 novels for young adults under his own name and also using the pseudonyms David O'Hara, James Craig and Joseph Marino.
His tales were mostly directed at boys, though he wrote at least one series of mysteries for girls. He also wrote some animal fantasy tales for younger children and they began with 'Little White Fox and His Artic Friends' (1916). He was later to say that he sold the book for "the great sum of $6.24".
He also wrote a series entitled 'Radio- Phone Boys', which began with 'Curly Carson Listens In' (1922).
Born in Laddonia, Missouri, Snell moved to the Sycamore area and there he learned his father's trade of erecting windmills. He entered Wheaton academy after his 19th birthday, graduated, and then worked his way through Wheaton College, finishing with the class of
1906.
His brother's death led to him entering the ministry and he accepted the pastorate of a small church in rural Southern Illinois. After only a year he became principal of a church supported
school in the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky. "A person could just as
likely get shot as not there," Snell once remarked, and he added, "It was a constant struggle to see who would
take over the school — the big boys or me." He eventually won and gained the respect of his students and their parents alike.
He then spent two semesters' graduate study at Harvard, after which he went as a Congregationalist missionary to Alaska. While there he was responsible for over 350 Eskimos and 2,500 reindeer. He returned to
the area the following year, and afterwards he earned his B.D. degree at Chicago Seminary and his master's degree from the University of Chicago.
He briefly served in France with the Y.M.C.A. during World War 1, service which interrupted his new-found writing
career. Once he returned to the United States he began to write in earnest.
A dozen books flowed from his pen, most of them on adventure and mystery themes for youngsters, and then the author began lecturing and for the following 30 years he gave illustrated talks about his many travels.
He had a lengthy career as a novelist, claiming that he often wrote 2,000 words per hour, and was later to say, "You have to develop a second personality to write. It's a hard thing to do. Oftentimes I felt like giving up the whole business."
He continued, "I had all the luck on my side. If I were a young man today, I'd hesitate going into a writing career. I wouldn't know where to start. Kids don't read as much today with TV and movies. No I've had my day and I got out of it just what I wanted."
Readers also got what they wanted for as a testimony to his skill, more than one and one-half million copies of his books were sold.
He died in Wheaton, Illinois.
His tales were mostly directed at boys, though he wrote at least one series of mysteries for girls. He also wrote some animal fantasy tales for younger children and they began with 'Little White Fox and His Artic Friends' (1916). He was later to say that he sold the book for "the great sum of $6.24".
He also wrote a series entitled 'Radio- Phone Boys', which began with 'Curly Carson Listens In' (1922).
Born in Laddonia, Missouri, Snell moved to the Sycamore area and there he learned his father's trade of erecting windmills. He entered Wheaton academy after his 19th birthday, graduated, and then worked his way through Wheaton College, finishing with the class of
1906.
His brother's death led to him entering the ministry and he accepted the pastorate of a small church in rural Southern Illinois. After only a year he became principal of a church supported
school in the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky. "A person could just as
likely get shot as not there," Snell once remarked, and he added, "It was a constant struggle to see who would
take over the school — the big boys or me." He eventually won and gained the respect of his students and their parents alike.
He then spent two semesters' graduate study at Harvard, after which he went as a Congregationalist missionary to Alaska. While there he was responsible for over 350 Eskimos and 2,500 reindeer. He returned to
the area the following year, and afterwards he earned his B.D. degree at Chicago Seminary and his master's degree from the University of Chicago.
He briefly served in France with the Y.M.C.A. during World War 1, service which interrupted his new-found writing
career. Once he returned to the United States he began to write in earnest.
A dozen books flowed from his pen, most of them on adventure and mystery themes for youngsters, and then the author began lecturing and for the following 30 years he gave illustrated talks about his many travels.
He had a lengthy career as a novelist, claiming that he often wrote 2,000 words per hour, and was later to say, "You have to develop a second personality to write. It's a hard thing to do. Oftentimes I felt like giving up the whole business."
He continued, "I had all the luck on my side. If I were a young man today, I'd hesitate going into a writing career. I wouldn't know where to start. Kids don't read as much today with TV and movies. No I've had my day and I got out of it just what I wanted."
Readers also got what they wanted for as a testimony to his skill, more than one and one-half million copies of his books were sold.
He died in Wheaton, Illinois.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 17, 2016
This is book #18, the final book in Snell's Mystery Story for Girls series. This book finds Florence Huyler back on Lake Michigan. Florence and her cousin, Dave, buy a charter boat, the Wanderer to ferry vacationers from the mainland to Isle Royale, which has just become a state park. However, not enough people know of the spot to come visit and they are barely making ends meet. Forest fires on Isle Royale is threatening to wipe out the primeval forests on the forty mile long island. She and Dave lend their help in fighting the fires, originally at first to save a camp of boys working for the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps- or the CCC- were developed during the Depression era of the 1930s to give men jobs.) Dave and Florence are joined by a stalwart strong young Finnish woman named Katie, who cooks for them on the ship, and once again Jeanne finds Florence by accident.
According to history, Isle Royale became a state park in 1931. The CCC Camp men arrived in August 1935 and set up their camps. The very real fires began in July 1936 and eventually destroyed 35,000 of the island’s 132,000 acres. The CCC existed on Isle Royale until September 1941.
The story focuses mainly on the fires consuming the islands and the firefighting of them. It is never determined if the fires are set or accidental, despite there being a suspicious young man in a crimson sweater. The title comes from the fact that Jeanne leaves 3 warnings for the suspicious man, as she says that gypsies always leave three warnings.
According to history, Isle Royale became a state park in 1931. The CCC Camp men arrived in August 1935 and set up their camps. The very real fires began in July 1936 and eventually destroyed 35,000 of the island’s 132,000 acres. The CCC existed on Isle Royale until September 1941.
The story focuses mainly on the fires consuming the islands and the firefighting of them. It is never determined if the fires are set or accidental, despite there being a suspicious young man in a crimson sweater. The title comes from the fact that Jeanne leaves 3 warnings for the suspicious man, as she says that gypsies always leave three warnings.
Displaying 1 of 1 review