Lightning Express

Lightning Express: Or The Rival Academies is a novel written by Oliver Optic and published in 1871. The story revolves around two rival academies, the Woodville Academy and the rival Rockville Academy. The protagonist of the novel is Paul Duncan, a student at Woodville Academy. The story begins with a race between the two academies, where the winner will receive a prize of $500. The race is won by the Woodville Academy, but the victory is short-lived as the prize money is stolen. Paul and his friends set out to find the thief and recover the stolen money. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles and challenges, including a fire at the academy and a dangerous river crossing. The story also explores the themes of friendship, loyalty, and perseverance.The novel is set in the mid-19th century and provides a glimpse into the life of students at academies during that time. It is a fast-paced adventure story that will appeal to readers of all ages. The characters are well-developed and the plot is engaging, making it a classic in children's literature.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.