Motor Matt's Hard Luck - The Balloon house plot

MOTOR STORIES - THRILLING ADVENTURE MOTOR FICTION.

Characters that appear in this story:

Matt King: concerning whom there has always been a mystery—a lad of splendid athletic abilities, and never-failing nerve, who has won for himself, among the boys of the Western town, the popular name of "Mile-a-minute Matt."

Carl Pretzel: a cheerful and rollicking German lad, who is led by a fortunate accident to hook up with Motor Matt in double harness.

Dick Ferral: a Canadian boy and a favorite of Uncle Jack; has served his time in the King's navy, and bobs up in New Mexico where he falls into plots and counter-plots, and comes near losing his life.

Helen Brady:Hector Brady's daughter, who helps Motor Matt.

Hector Brady: a rival inventor who has stolen his ideas from Hamilton Jerrold. His air ship is called the Hawk and is used for criminal purposes. Brady's attempt to secure Motor Matt's services as driver of the Hawk brings about the undoing of the criminal gang.

Hamilton Jerrold: an honest inventor who has devoted his life to aëronautics, and who has built a successful air ship called the Eagle.

Jameson: a rich member of the Aëro Club, who thinks of buying the Hawk.

Whipple, Pete, Grove, Harper: members of Brady's gang who carried out the "balloon-house plot," which nearly resulted in a tragedy, and finally proved the complete undoing of Hector Brady.

Ochiltree: an ex-convict whose past record nearly got him into trouble.

Harris: a policeman of South Chicago who aids Motor Matt in his work against the Bradys.

Dennison and Twitchell: police officers of Grand Haven, Michigan, who take a part in the final capture of Brady.