Jack Armstrong #6

Jack Armstrong and his friends join Dr. Spears on an archaeological expedition to locate the legendary Emerald Scarab, a priceless jewel hidden in an ancient tomb—though legend warns that anyone who removes it will fall victim to a deadly curse. When Jack decodes a secret cipher revealing the vault's location, he discovers that danger lurks beneath the temple in ways far more sinister than ancient superstition, and his friends have already been drawn into a trap. Now Jack and Billy must navigate treacherous passages and uncover a shocking conspiracy before the curse—or something worse—claims another victim.

Ten-year-old Bobby Tatum of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, faces a terrifying emergency when a lightning strike hits his family’s home, injuring his sister and igniting the flames. In the chaos, he acts with courage and quick thinking to rescue her.

Vic Hardy races to a five-alarm fire at a plastic-toy factory to investigate what fire marshal Douglas suspects is arson, only to uncover a twisted scheme involving the factory owner, Mr. Barton. Using scientific analysis of evidence from the scene—charred wood testing positive for naphtha and cans of metallic sodium planted in the basement—Hardy pieces together how the fire was deliberately set, leading to a shocking confession about insurance fraud.

Jack Armstrong and his friends are vacationing at the Lazy L Ranch when word of an upcoming rodeo—with a thousand-dollar prize purse—stirs excitement across Rattlesnake Range, but the ranch's owner, Jim Elliott, faces a mounting debt to the ruthless Frank Flynn that threatens to force a sale. When mysterious rustlers strike and steal Elliott's entire herd the night before the rodeo, Jack decides to enter the bronc-busting competition himself, suspecting Flynn's involvement and hoping the prize money can buy time to recover the cattle. As Jack competes and uncovers the truth behind the theft, a showdown at Flynn's Flying F Ranch awaits.

When outlaw Bedouins raid Ali's caravan, he escapes on Mazir, a swift white camel of legendary endurance, and rallies a hundred warriors to pursue the thieves into the desert. Ali confronts the outlaws' chief in single combat and, when his opponent flees, discovers that Mazir's great stamina will prove decisive in the desert chase that follows. This tale of honor, courage, and the remarkable speed of the Arabian desert pits man and beast against those who would prey on honest travelers.

Betty Fairfield attends a rodeo where she meets Ricky Walsh, a spirited young cowgirl new to the circuit, and warns her that the local cowboys are planning a practical joke. When a sabotaged saddle sends Ricky flying during the bulldogging event, her quick thinking and rodeo skills turn a dangerous mishap into an unexpected triumph that earns her the respect of everyone around her.

Billy Fairfield brings home a puppy from the dog pound, but his father H. H. Fairfield won't hear of it—until the pup's behavior at a crucial Citizens' Club rally changes everything. When Billy's clever scheme backfires in the most unexpected way, even the grumpiest pop can't stay mad at the little black pooch who's won over the whole town.