Motor Matt's Double Trouble

In Short

Published in 1909 as part of Street & Smith’s dime novel series, this fast-paced juvenile thriller follows mechanical wizard Motor Matt and his loyal friend Joe McGlory as they try to recover the "Eye of Buddha," a priceless ruby stolen from the Mandarin Tsan Ti. Along the way, they contend with automobile thefts, treacherous allies, and a comedy of errors across rural New York. It survives as a vivid specimen of early twentieth-century popular pulp fiction, capturing the era's fascination with early automobiles and straightforward, high-spirited youth adventure.

The Story

The narrative begins shortly after the Mandarin Tsan Ti trickily hands mechanic Motor Matt King a bogus stone to throw off a syndicate of thieves, led by the smooth rogue Philo Grattan. After Grattan's gang realizes they have been duped with glass, Tsan Ti flees on a train toward Gardenville with the genuine jewel. However, his servant Sam Wing steals both the ruby and the mandarin's travel funds, leaving Tsan Ti to send an urgent, unpaid telegram to Matt begging for assistance.

Matt and his cowboy companion, Joe McGlory, set out in pursuit toward Gardenville, teaming up with a man named Martin to search for a blue six-cylinder car stolen by Grattan and his sailor associate, Bunce. Grattan's men hide the stolen vehicle in a remote mountain "pocket" and capture both McGlory and Tsan Ti. While held captive, Tsan Ti and McGlory manage to break their bonds; the mandarin escapes on a motorcycle, while McGlory eventually commandeers the stolen blue automobile and drives off to seek help.

Meanwhile, Matt tracks the fugitive Sam Wing on foot in a grueling cross-country footrace. Wing steals a mule from an elderly Black traveler named Neb Hogan, but Matt finally corners the thief in a farmer's barn with the aid of a formidable bulldog named Tige. Matt secures Wing and later discovers that Wing dropped the ruby along his flight path.

Reuniting at farmer Boggs's property, Matt, McGlory, and local law enforcement lay a trap using the recovered blue car. When Grattan and his accomplice Pardo arrive to retrieve the vehicle, Sheriff Banks and his deputy take them into custody. Neb Hogan returns to the scene after discovering the missing ruby along the road; Tsan Ti generously rewards Neb with a roll of banknotes for returning the sacred stone. Demonstrating mercy, Tsan Ti forgives Sam Wing and gives him funds to travel, while promising Matt that he will finally ship the ruby safely via an express company to Canton.

How It Unfolds

The Mandarin's Appeal Tsan Ti loses his money and the Eye of Buddha to the treacherous Sam Wing while traveling by train. Stranded at Gardenville, he sends a frantic telegram to Motor Matt pleading for help to retrieve the gem.

The Pursuit Begins Matt and Joe McGlory set off toward Gardenville alongside Martin, searching for clues regarding both the missing ruby and a high-powered blue motor car recently stolen by Grattan's gang.

Captives in the Pocket Grattan, Bunce, and Pardo ambush and tie up McGlory and Tsan Ti in a hidden mountain cove. Tsan Ti gnaws through McGlory’s bindings, allowing the pair to make a daring, separate escape from the lair.

The Cross-Country Footrace Matt relentlessly chases Sam Wing through woods and along country roads until Wing commandeers Neb Hogan’s mule. The pursuit culminates at the farm of Mr. Boggs, where a fierce bulldog named Tige pins the exhausted thief.

Setting the Trap Reunited with the recovered blue car and backed by Sheriff Banks, Matt and his allies conceal themselves in the vehicle to ambush Grattan and Pardo when the rogues come to claim it.

The Jewel Restored After the thieves are arrested, Neb Hogan arrives with the lost ruby he found on the road. Tsan Ti rewards Neb, pardons the repentant Sam Wing, and agrees to send the gem home securely through regular shipping channels.

The People

• Matt King (Motor Matt): A remarkably capable young mechanic and natural leader. Driven by a strong sense of justice and duty, he repeatedly steps in to solve complex dilemmas, outrunning criminals and planning clever traps to bring lawbreakers to justice.
• Joe McGlory: Matt's loyal cowboy chum whose colorful vernacular and humor enliven the adventure. Though impatient with the mandarin's constant trouble, his brave and quick-witted actions prove vital to escaping captivity.
• Tsan Ti: A Chinese mandarin of the Red Button who repeatedly finds himself in dire straits. Hindered by his insistence on carrying a fortune in his pocket, he depends entirely on Matt to rescue him from his own miscalculations.
• Philo Grattan: An educated, polished criminal mastermind who maintains a cool demeanor even under pressure. His ambition to possess the Eye of Buddha ultimately falls short against Matt's superior strategy.
• Sam Wing: Tsan Ti's former servant whose greed prompts him to steal the ruby. After leading Matt on a desperate foot chase, he ends up thoroughly humbled and repentant.
• Neb Hogan: An elderly traveler riding a mule who inadvertently becomes involved in the chase. His honesty in returning the dropped ruby earns him an overwhelming financial reward.

In Its Own Voice

"Sufferin' thunderbolts!" Matt awoke with a start and turned his eyes toward the other side of the room.

Joe McGlory greets the morning with his characteristic theatrical surprise after a night filled with bad dreams about their ongoing troubles.

"Again I call from the bottomless pit of distress," continued Matt, "and from this place named Gardenville announce the duplicity of Sam Wing, who suddenly absented himself from the train with my supply of cash and the Eye of Buddha."

Matt reads aloud the dramatic telegram sent by Tsan Ti after the mandarin realizes his trusted companion has robbed him.

"The more I see and learn about Motor Matt," declared Grattan, "the more I admire his shining abilities."

Even after being caught in Matt's cleverly laid automobile trap, the mastermind thief Philo Grattan cannot help but voice respect for his young rival's intelligence.

What It's Really About

Beneath its swift narrative of stolen cars and runaway mules, the book explores the tension between modern practical ingenuity and old-world superstition. Motor Matt represents the early twentieth-century American ideal of the self-reliant technician: cool-headed, adept with machines, and guided by straightforward ethical principles. In contrast, Tsan Ti's reliance on fate and the supposedly cursed "Eye of Buddha" continuously invites disaster until he adopts Matt's practical advice to trust modern commercial shipping instead. The story argues that clear thinking, physical stamina, and mechanical knowledge will consistently triumph over elaborate criminal schemes and superstitious panic.

Why Read It Today

This short novel offers a fascinating window into early 1900s American popular culture, back when automobiles were a novel sensation and weekly dime stories dominated youth reading. Readers who enjoy vintage adventure fiction will appreciate the brisk pace, the energetic dialogue, and the satisfaction of a tidy plot where resourcefulness beats trickery every time.

The prose reflects its era directly, featuring heavy period slang, colorful cowboy exclamations, and archaic ethnic caricatures and dialect common to 1900s pulp publishing. While these stereotypical depictions and dated characterizations require an understanding of the story's original historical context, the core narrative retains a breezy, nostalgic charm. It is a quick, entertaining read that clearly demonstrates why the "Motor Matt" series once captured the imaginations of young readers across the country.