While their father was in the heart of Africa, their Uncle Randolph had sent them off to Putnam Hall Academy.

Here they had made many friends among the boys and also among some folks living in the vicinity, including Mrs.Stanhope and her daughter Dora, a girl who, according to Dick Rover's idea, was the sweetest creature in the whole world.
They had also made some enemies, the worst of the number being Dan Baxter, a fellow who had been the bully of the school, but who was now a homeless wanderer on the face of the earth.

Baxter came from a disreputable family, his father having at one time tried to swindle Mr.Rover out of a rich gold mine in the West.

The elder Baxter was now in prison suffering the penalty for various crimes.
A term at school had been followed by an exciting chase on the ocean, and then by a trip through the jungle of Africa, whence the Rover boys had gone to find their long-lost father.

After this the boys made a trip West to establish their parent's claim to the gold mine just mentioned, and this was followed by a grand trip on the Great Lakes in which the boys suffered not a little at the hands of the Baxters.