The Motor Rangers' Cloud Cruiser

In Short

First published in 1912, this installment in the Motor Rangers series blends nautical adventure, early aviation fiction, and lost-world romance. When young Nat Trevor and his companions rescue an eccentric scientist and a moving-picture cameraman from a sinking boat in the South Pacific, they join an expedition to search for a forgotten Inca city in Bolivia. Traveling by sea and then aboard the dirigible Discoverer, the crew faces hostile villains, wild wildlife, and natural disasters. It endures as a fascinating artifact of early juvenile science fiction, capturing the era’s fascination with airships, exploration, and mechanized adventure.

The Story

The narrative opens in the Pacific Ocean, where young Nat Trevor stands at the wheel of the gasoline-powered boat Nomad during a dangerous storm. After rescuing his friend Joe Hartley from the churning waters, Nat and his crew encounter Professor Grigg of the Smithsonian Institute and George Washington Tubbs, a famous moving-picture photographer. The duo had been observing volcanic phenomena when their island vanished into the sea with a burst of boiling water. Professor Grigg reveals the true goal of his mission: to locate a lost Inca city situated on an island in an Andean lake in Bolivia, accessible only by air after earthquakes destroyed all terrestrial roads.

Intrigued by the scientific quest, Nat, Joe, and their companion Ding-dong Bell agree to assist. However, trouble strikes early when the treacherous Captain Lawless and his mate Durkee attempt to derail their efforts. Lawless and Durkee trick local natives into buying their own schooner, attempt to trap the boys, and later engineer scheme after scheme to beat the expedition to the ancient ruins and claim its rumored treasures.

Upon reaching South America, Nat narrowingly escapes an ambush in a dark alley with the help of a local, while the team prepares the dirigible airship Discoverer, which had been shipped in numbered crates to Santa Rosa. Taking to the skies in their cloud cruiser, the party embarks on a flight across the South American wilderness. Their aerial voyage is fraught with peril: they survive an attack by hostile Caripunas natives on the ground using experimental acoustic and electric weapons, endure freezing temperatures that cause the airship's gas valve to jam at high altitude, and fight off a flock of furious condors that attack the airship's gas bag with sharp beaks and claws.

Guided by the guide Matco, the expedition eventually spots the Lost City shining on an island high in the Andes. Landing among the majestic white ruins and crumbling astronomical towers, the boys collect relics and sketch the architecture while Tubbs captures moving pictures. Exploring subterranean tunnels beneath an ancient temple, Nat and Joe are trapped, fearing they have encountered survivors of the lost civilization, only to discover their own companions entering from another passage.

Their triumph is brief, however. A cataclysmic volcanic eruption and earthquake destroy the island, sinking the ancient city into the lake before their eyes. Escaping safely in the Discoverer, the party returns north with their collected relics and film footage. The airship is ultimately sold to a syndicate for exhibition flights, while Nat and his fellow Motor Rangers look forward to their next thrilling adventure.

How It Unfolds

Rescue in choppy waters Nat Trevor steers the Nomad through a violent Pacific storm and leaps into the sea to save his drowning companion, Joe Hartley. Shortly after, they pick up Professor Grigg and news-cameraman Mr. Tubbs, who have just filmed an island disappearing into the ocean.

The aerial expedition planned Professor Grigg reveals his goal of reaching an isolated Inca city on a high Bolivian plateau using a dirigible balloon. The Motor Rangers agree to join the party and travel toward South America.

Trapped by maritime scoundrels Captain Lawless and his mate Durkee attempt to lock the boys below deck and steal their advantage, but the boys break down the door using a heavy blunderbuss. The villains sell their schooner to a native chief named Billy Bowlegs and travel ahead to Callao.

Narrow escape in South America Arriving on the South American coast, Nat faces an ambush by hired ruffians in a dark street. He escapes by throwing an oil lamp at attacking dogs and gaining the safety of a lighted public plaza.

Assembling the Cloud Cruiser The expedition unpacks the numbered crates containing the Discoverer at Santa Rosa. They launch the dirigible over dense savannahs and jungle canopies.

Battle on the savannah While anchored on a forest clearing, the expedition is surrounded by native Caripunas warriors. Professor Grigg tests an unusual experimental weapon, and the airship escapes into the night sky.

Peril in the upper atmosphere The ice-coated valve cord breaks at high altitude, forcing Nat to risk his life on the freezing deck to manually release gas and prevent the balloon from exploding. Shortly afterward, the crew defends the airship's gas bag against an attack by giant mountain condors.

Discovery and sudden destruction The team lands at the Lost City, collecting stone relics and moving-picture footage among ancient temples. Their exploration ends abruptly when an earthquake destroys the island, forcing them to flee as the city vanishes into the lake.

The People

• Nat Trevor is the cool-headed young leader of the Motor Rangers whose courage drives the expedition forward. He wants to navigate his companions safely through wild environments and uncovers every mystery they face; his quick thinking saves Joe from drowning and frees the trapped airship at frozen altitudes.
• Joe Hartley is Nat’s stout, devoted friend whose earnest enthusiasm often outpaces his physical agility. He wants to prove his worth to the team, and though he succumbs to panic while drowning and accidentally gets knocked off his feet by a blunderbuss recoil, his steadfast loyalty remains intact throughout their journeys.
• Ding-dong Bell is the excitable engine operator whose pronounced stutter marks his speech whenever danger arises. He wants to keep the mechanical engines running smoothly, facing every wild encounter with nervous energy and good humor.
• Professor Grigg is an absent-minded scientist representing the Smithsonian Institute who longs to discover lost historical ruins. Constantly lamenting the loss of his hats to ocean waves and chattering apes, his academic determination is matched by surprising resourcefulness when testing experimental inventions.
• George Washington Tubbs is a daring moving-picture photographer driven by the urge to capture unprecedented footage on camera. Having filmed wars, durbars, and sinking islands, he approaches dangerous airship maneuvers with lighthearted bravado.
• Captain Lawless and Durkee are greedy, unprincipled mariners who seek to profit from the expedition’s secrets, willing to use trickery, theft, and weapons to secure their goal.

In Its Own Voice

When the expedition encounters wild jungle animals among the ancient architectural ruins, Professor Grigg's persistent misfortune returns in comic fashion:

“T-t-t-there they go,” cried Ding-dong, as a dozen or more apes of the prehensile tailed type rushed off amidst the ruins, chattering and squealing and tearing and clawing at the professor’s unlucky headgear.

Later, as the airship ascends to dangerous heights and the valve mechanism freezes shut, Nat recognizes the immediate danger facing the entire crew:

“By hooky, if it’s to be done, you’ll do it, and if not, why then, I guess we’ll have to meet death as bravely as we can,” was Mr. Tubbs’ muttered remark, as Nat plunged out of the door.

Looking back on the tragic loss of the sunken ruins, Professor Grigg reflects on the preservation of historical dignity over modern commercialism:

“After all,” said the professor at length, “perhaps it is better so than if that noble city of a vanished race had become the resort of gossiping tourists.”

What It's Really About

Beneath its fast-paced sequence of escapes and mechanical wonders, the novel explores the impact of modern invention on human exploration. The dirigible airship, moving-picture cameras, and gasoline engines represent an era where technology promised to unveil the final uncharted corners of the Earth. The story juxtaposes this technological optimism with the fragility of ancient human achievements, as represented by the lost Inca civilization that vanishes into the earth almost as quickly as it is found. It touches on themes of comradeship, cool-headed bravery under extreme pressure, and the fleeting nature of historic discovery in a rapidly modernizing world.

Why Read It Today

The Motor Rangers' Cloud Cruiser offers readers an enjoyable window into the adventure fiction of the early twentieth century. Fans of vintage steampunk, early aviation history, and classic juvenile series like The Hardy Boys or Tom Swift will appreciate its period charm, straightforward morality, and energetic plotting.

Reading it today requires some patience with the era's stylistic conventions. The dialogue contains heavy phonetic renderings of stuttering ("bub-bub-beats the Sub-ub-ub-ubway!") and outdated period attitudes toward foreign cultures and native peoples typical of 1912 series fiction. The plot relies on convenient coincidences, such as villains repeatedly crossing paths with the heroes across vast distances.

Nevertheless, the story moves briskly and carries genuine narrative momentum. The novel’s visual descriptions—from fiery volcanic eruptions to high-altitude battles with giant condors—retain their cinematic energy. It remains an entertaining vintage read that illustrates how past generations imagined the thrilling future of air travel and scientific exploration.