Motor Matt's Enemies

In Short

Motor Matt’s Enemies is a fast-paced 1909 dime novel that follows young mechanical genius Matt King as he navigates a series of treacherous confrontations around Madison, Wisconsin. Along with his loyal cowboy friend Joe McGlory, Matt attempts to help a straying youth, George Lorry, return ten thousand dollars to his wealthy father. Their mission hits constant roadblocks from a scheming gang of thieves, a treacherous friend, and an unexpected power boat delivered from San Francisco. Through mechanical skill, courage, and quick thinking, Matt foils multiple ambushes, survives lake storms, and repairs severed relationships.

The Story

The narrative opens on the road toward Waunakee, where the unscrupulous "Big John" sets a rope trap to ambushes young Matt King. Big John seeks a ten-thousand-dollar bounty held by George Lorry, a runaway rich kid who took the money under bad advice. Matt evades the initial snare and hitches a ride into Madison with George’s sister, Ethel Lorry, after fixing the stripped transmission on her runabout.

Upon reaching the city, Matt presents the returned ten-thousand-dollar draft to Mr. Lorry, the wealthy patriarch. The senior Lorry misjudges Matt, assuming he is in league with the scoundrels who led George astray. Refusing to listen, Lorry alerts the police to tail Matt. Shortly after, Matt is baffled by an express delivery notice for an eighteen-foot power boat, the Sprite, sent C.O.D. all the way from San Francisco by his acquaintance Ping. Needing a vessel to search the lakes, Matt pays the steep charges, hires a superstitious local named Pickerel Pete to help navigate, and sets out along the local waterways toward Whisky Creek.

Tragedy strikes when Pete flees out of fear, and Big John's criminal associates, Ross and Kinky, lay a trap aboard the Sprite. They overpower Matt, bind him, and attempt to drown him by abandoning the boat in an impending lake storm. Fortunately, Joe McGlory and a repentant George Lorry borrow a skiff, track down the launch, and rescue Matt just as the weather turns severe.

Hiding under an overturned boat near the shore, the trio overhears Ollie Merton, a double-crossing peer, bragging to Big John. Merton admits he convinced George to steal and run away so Merton could win an upcoming motorboat race without competition. Realizing he was manipulated, George abandons his hostility. Meanwhile, Big John reveals he left a false lead for Mr. Lorry, setting up a confrontation on the water.

When Mr. Lorry’s vessel, the Stella, heads into dangerous breakers near the cliffs during the storm, his engine fails. Motor Matt races the Sprite into the gale, navigating perilous waves to throw a line and tow the crippled boat away from the rocks. Face-to-face in the aftermath of the rescue, Mr. Lorry realizes Matt’s true integrity, leading to a complete reconciliation between father, son, and the young motor champion.

How It Unfolds

An ambush on the road Big John lies in wait with a riata to lasso Matt King as he walks toward Madison. Matt breaks free from the snare and hitches a ride with Ethel Lorry in her broken-down runabout.

A frosty reception Matt delivers a ten-thousand-dollar draft to Mr. Lorry, expecting gratitude for helping George. Instead, the angry father accuses Matt of being a rogue and alerts the police to track him.

Surprise at the express office Matt receives an unexpected eighteen-foot launch shipped C.O.D. from San Francisco by his friend Ping. Despite the heavy charges, Matt claims the Sprite and hires Pickerel Pete to help navigate the lakes.

Trapped on the creek After Pete panics and runs off, two criminals, Ross and Kinky, ambush Matt inside his own boat. They bind his hands and ankles, intending to leave him at the mercy of the rising storm.

Rescued by chums Joe McGlory and George Lorry follow the thieves in a small skiff and free Matt before the storm hits. Together, they pilot the disabled launch through mounting waves toward safety.

Eavesdropping on a plot Concealed under an overturned boat, the boys overhear Ollie Merton confessing that he tricked George into running away. George realizes his supposed friend betrayed him to eliminate him from a boat race.

A perilous rescue Mr. Lorry's boat, the Stella, faces destruction against a rocky cliff during the gale. Matt urges the Sprite forward, successfully throwing a tow line to save the elder Lorry from the breakers.

The People

• Matt King (Motor Matt): An athletic, honest youth with an extraordinary talent for mechanics. He wants to return stolen money and clear his name, driving himself into constant danger to protect his friends.
• Joe McGlory: A loyal cowboy whose humor and bravery make him Matt’s trusted partner. He wants to protect his friends, using his resourcefulness and quick action to rescue Matt from captivity.
• George Lorry: A headstrong, misguided boy who stole money under bad advice. Initially resentful, he grows to realize his mistakes, turning against his manipulative companions and seeking his father's forgiveness.
• Mr. Lorry: A wealthy, hot-tempered father who initially misjudges Matt as an accomplice in his son's wrongdoing. His anger softens into deep gratitude after Matt risks his life to save him from a shipwreck.
• Big John: A scheming criminal who alternates between hypocritical ideals and robbery. He wants to extort ten thousand dollars from the Lorry family, stopping at nothing to eliminate Matt as an obstacle.
• Ollie Merton: A deceitful rich boy who poses as George’s friend. He secretly sabotages George to secure his own victory in an upcoming local motorboat race.

In Its Own Voice

"The metal band encircling the low-gear drum had sustained a fracture."

Matt inspects the damaged transmission of Ethel Lorry's stranded runabout at the side of the road.

"Part of my work, sir, is to give you that."

Matt presents the ten-thousand-dollar draft to Mr. Lorry upon arriving at his house.

"Every once in a while little George, the child wonder, gets a bean on the right number."

Joe McGlory lightheartedly praises his cousin George's suggestion while navigating a pitching boat in the lake storm.

What It's Really About

Motor Matt's Enemies explores the tension between practical self-reliance and the corrupting influence of easy wealth. Through the contrast between Matt King’s hands-on mechanical skill and Ollie Merton’s underhanded schemes, the story argues that true character is built through labor, honesty, and loyalty rather than privilege. It also examines how peer pressure and miscommunication can lead impressionable young people astray, emphasizing that redemption is always possible when one takes accountability for past mistakes.

Why Read It Today

This text offers an enjoyable glimpse into early 20th-century juvenile dime novels, capturing the era's fascination with early automobiles and powerboats. Readers who appreciate historical pulp fiction, classic adventure tropes, and mechanical lore will find plenty to enjoy in its swift pacing and earnest hero.

The story moves briskly from one tight spot to the next, balanced by colorful period slang and expressive, eccentric supporting characters. While modern readers may encounter dated dialect and predictable melodramatic beats typical of early serial fiction, the narrative remains surprisingly engaging. Its focus on camaraderie, mechanical ingenuity, and clear moral choices gives it a durable charm that still entertains.