Lefty o’ the Blue Stockings by Burt L. Standish is a sports novel written in the early 20th century. It follows Lefty Locke, a rising southpaw in a tight pennant race, as he navigates pressure on the mound, a jealous veteran pitcher, a meddling new manager, and a tangle of affections that complicates his focus. The tone blends on-field strategy with clubhouse politics and hints of romance. The opening of the book plunges into a high-stakes game where starter Pete Grist unravels, owner Collier orders manager Carson to summon Lefty, and the cool young pitcher stops a Specters rally, duels sluggers, and then drives in the winning run. In the glow of victory Lefty meets Collier’s savvy daughter, Virginia, just as his true sweetheart, Janet Harting, arrives in town—leading to a painful misunderstanding when Janet spots Lefty escorting Virginia at the theater. Shut out from explaining, Lefty stews while Carson repeatedly uses him as a late-inning savior, fueling clubhouse friction and Grist’s resentment; Virginia notices the misuse and nudges her father. After a tense train-row with Carson, Lefty starts against the Specters, pitching in jittery bursts of brilliance and carelessness, leaving his teammates—and the reader—uneasy about his state of mind as the road trip begins. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Barbara von Tisenhusen : Liivinmaalainen tarina" by Aino Kallas is a historical novella written in the early 20th century. Cast as a 16th-century Livonian chronicle, it follows the noblewoman Barbara von Tisenhusen and the lower-born clerk Franz Bonnius, whose forbidden love collides with rigid class laws and family honor. Told by a pastor-narrator, it probes passion, piety, and the cruelty of patriarchal pride in a sumptuous yet decaying society. The opening of the novella adopts the voice of Pastor Matthaeus Jeremias Friesner, who recounts Barbara’s upbringing as an orphan at Rõngu amid Livonia’s opulence and moral laxity. A humiliating moment in Tallinn—after she is paraded in a gold dress—sparks her rejection of vanity and sympathy for the local peasantry; she even condemns a brutal bear-baiting. When the new clerk Franz Bonnius arrives, an immediate attachment forms, and Barbara resolves to marry him despite the Pärnu pact forbidding such misalliances. Her family refuses consent, the lovers flee toward Riga, and Barbara is captured near Sigulda and tried by her kinsmen, where she defiantly acknowledges her bond and shields Franz. The excerpt closes with her brothers taking her onto the frozen Lake Võrtsjärv as an ice hole is cut, while the pastor, forced to attend, prepares her for death. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"The strange transfiguration of Hannah Stubbs" by Florence Marryat is a novel written in the late 19th century. It blends domestic realism with occult intrigue, following an exiled Italian aristocrat in London, a pragmatic young doctor, and a country maid whose uncanny mediumship draws them into séances and supernatural tests. Expect a tale of jealousy, guilt, and the thirst for answers beyond the veil, with the title character’s latent powers promising unsettling transformations. The opening of the novel introduces Signor Ricardo, a reserved Italian language teacher in a Soho lodging-house, secretly using a black-draped room for occult experiments. Visited by Dr. Karl Steinberg, he confesses he is Paolo, Marchese di Sorrento, who killed his wife Leonora in a jealous rage and now longs to learn if she was guilty or innocent by summoning her spirit. After an unnerving séance that spooks Steinberg, the men discover their landlady’s new maid, Hannah Stubbs, an ingenuous village girl whose presence triggers poltergeist-like activity. They strike a deal to “treat” her, hold sittings, and hear a controlling voice called James speak through her, promising guidance and hinting that Leonora is near; soon Hannah herself reports seeing a veiled, black-eyed lady on the stairs and by her bed, setting the stage for deeper—and riskier—experiments. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Voittamaton : Kertomus suomalaisesta sisusta olympialaisissa kisoissa" by Kojo is a novel written in the early 20th century. Set in post–civil war Finland, it follows farm boy Matti Lassila, whose relentless self-training and quiet sisu carry him from local meets toward the national stage and an Olympic marathon dream. The story pits genuine perseverance and humility against vanity and excuses, while a shy romance with a nurse humanizes his drive. The opening of the novel traces Matti’s rise from a hardworking peasant’s son—stealing minutes to train, running hills at dawn, throwing between chores—despite family skepticism and village gossip. After serving as a brave scout in the civil war, he returns to competition, finds motivation in a boastful shopkeeper, and at a midsummer meet beats him on the track, sensing his own potential. Persuading his father to let him go to Helsinki by literally outrunning the family horse, he travels with two young athletes; at Eläintarha he places modestly in the pentathlon but surges to second in the 10,000 meters behind Nurmi, prompting Pihkala to hail him as a natural marathoner. A tentative bond with a wartime nurse flickers—letters fail, a chance reunion follows—while he doubles down on rigorous winter training through slush and snow, drawing amused reactions from townsfolk and police. As spring arrives, he launches a solo 40‑kilometer test run feeling light and strong, and the excerpt breaks off mid-race. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"The Belle of Bowling Green" by Amelia E. Barr is a novel written in the early 20th century. Set in New York City around the War of 1812, it blends historical romance and society drama as the admired Sapphira Bloommaert navigates love, family pride, and the mounting stir of war. Her growing attachment to Leonard Murray clashes with her father’s cool disapproval, while the social whirl around the Battery and Bowling Green frames questions of duty, heritage, and choice of heart. The opening of the novel celebrates Bowling Green as the city’s historic heart, then settles into the Bloommaert household: the dignified judge, his spirited wife Carlita, formidable grandmother, steadfast son Christopher, pretty cousin Annette, and “belle” Sapphira. War fever rises—flags fly, drums beat, the judge delivers an impromptu speech that rouses volunteers, and Leonard emerges as a gallant young leader. Domestic and social scenes follow: a lively tea, moonlit Battery promenade, and a cotillion in which Sapphira and Leonard’s mutual feeling quietly crystallizes, provoking the judge’s private resentment. Tensions flare when Leonard asks the women to choose his company’s uniform and when he sends Sapphira white roses; sharp words, Annette’s jealous mischief, and then a tender reconciliation at home mark the family’s strain. Soon news comes that Leonard’s company will man harbor defenses, and, as evening falls, Sapphira waits composedly for the inevitable farewell visit—the moment the excerpt reaches as his steps approach. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Luchana" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a historical novel written in the late 19th century. Part of the Episodios Nacionales, it dramatizes the political convulsions of Spain in the 1830s—especially the La Granja uprising and the liberal push to restore the 1812 Constitution—interwoven with the personal story of the young protagonist Fernando Calpena and those around him. Expect a blend of eyewitness chronicle, irony, and romantic undercurrents. The opening of the novel unfolds through a sharp, ironic letter from a “señora incógnita” who witnesses the tense hours at La Granja: soldiers murmur, the Himno de Riego rings out, and sargentos press the Regent, María Cristina, to proclaim the Constitution of 1812. Inside a drab archive room, two sargents—timid yet firm—debate the Regent and her courtiers; a naive soldier’s answers add comic pathos, and a minister’s legal quibble about the regency article briefly stalls things before the Regent yields and signs the decree. The scene shifts to Laguardia, where Fernando Calpena—recovering from a wound—reads these letters to a cautious local tertulia, then navigates household life with the pious Navarridas family. A subplot emerges: Demetria’s guardians arrange a grand match with the impeccably virtuous don Rodrigo de Urdaneta Idiáquez, while Fernando, skeptical of such perfection and intent on pursuing his beloved Aura, prepares to depart. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Death of a Hero: A Novel" by Richard Aldington is a novel written in the early 20th century. It follows George Winterbourne—from his Victorian-bred upbringing through his service on the Western Front—to dissect the hypocrisies of family, love, and patriotism, and the psychic wreckage of war, as told by a sharp, disillusioned friend-narrator. Expect a mordant anti‑war portrait featuring George, his self-dramatizing mother, ineffectual father, wife Elizabeth, and mistress Fanny, with the narrative doubling as an indictment of a generation’s moral bankruptcy. The opening of the novel sets its method and mood: in a letter-preface the author declares he will ignore conventional form—a “jazz novel” and a threnody for a lost generation—followed by a note on censorship. The prologue recounts George’s death near the Armistice and, with savage irony, shows how little he is mourned: his father retreats into mawkish Catholic piety and is soon killed in an accident; his mother turns the news into theatrical self‑pity and erotic consolation with a “clean, straight” officer, quarrels over George’s effects, and remarries; his wife receives the telegram while returning home tipsy with a Swedish painter and coolly notifies Fanny; Fanny later moves on and marries. The narrator recalls his frontline friendship with George, charts his nerve collapse after long service, and suggests his death may have been a form of self‑destruction; a spare, military funeral leads to the narrator’s vow to “atone” by telling George’s life. Part One then rewinds to 1890s England, sketching George’s parents: George Augustus, a timid solicitor dominated by his pious mother, and Isabel Hartly, vigorous but vulgar and poor; their marriage, built on pretence and sexual ignorance, begins with a painful wedding night, grinding dependence, and humiliations in the in‑laws’ house. Isabel’s resentment hardens, yet she becomes fiercely devoted to her baby—George—whose birth closes this opening canvas of origins. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Woodcliff" by Harriet B. McKeever is a novel written in the mid-19th century. It follows Madeline Hamilton, a spirited young heiress whose pride and impulses are challenged by the quiet strength and integrity of Roland Bruce, a poor boy of Scottish stock. Through seaside adventures, schoolroom trials, and domestic clashes, the story contrasts social rank with true nobility, emphasizing self-discipline, compassion, and Christian character. The opening of the novel introduces Madeline on the beach, where she defends poor children and befriends Roland after he stands up to two fashionable bullies, then later risks himself to stop her runaway horse and refuses payment. At home, her indulgent father and status-conscious aunt foster her willfulness until a strict governess briefly steadies her, only to be undone by Madeline’s spoiled cousin and finally resign. Sent to a local day school, Madeline bristles under firm discipline, but—prodded by Roland—humbles herself, applies to her studies, and publicly exposes a classmate who stole Roland’s exam, leading to his merited promotion. A vivid storm scene frames Roland’s tale of martyred Scottish ancestors, deepening the book’s moral and religious tone. Madeline then visits the modest Bruce cottage, offers practical help, and secures sewing work for Roland’s widowed mother, while her own French governess and pampered lap-dog provide comic contrast. These chapters set the arc of Madeline’s gradual moral schooling—away from vanity and toward courage, kindness, and true refinement. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Die Masken Erwin Reiners : Roman" by Jakob Wassermann is a novel written in the early 20th century. It appears to be a psychological and social study set in Vienna, following the delicate young scientist Manfred Dalcroze, his steadfast beloved Virginia, and his brilliant, wealthy friend Erwin Reiner, whose charisma and restlessness unsettle their bond. The book probes friendship, desire, class, and the deceptive “masks” people wear. The opening of the novel follows Manfred, ordered to spend two years at sea to heal his lungs, as he secures a berth on a deep-sea expedition and asks his admired friend Erwin to watch over Virginia in his absence. We see Manfred’s earnest love, Virginia’s cautious integrity, and the couple’s modest circumstances, set against Erwin’s opulent, disciplined, and worldlier life. A private confession from Virginia’s mother reveals Virginia’s illegitimate birth, deepening Manfred’s tenderness and anxiety. Before departure, Manfred shows Erwin Virginia’s photograph; Erwin is struck, and promises solemnly to protect her. After a restrained first meeting, Manfred leaves by train, and Erwin tactfully steps in—offering Virginia a ride, visiting regularly, and channeling her faltering art studies into a serious school, then guiding her through galleries and a fashionable exhibition. Virginia is both drawn and unsettled by Erwin’s magnetic presence and blunt cynicism about society and love, while he hints at jealousy over Manfred’s devotion. The excerpt closes with Erwin confiding how Manfred became his true friend and how that bond shapes his stance toward Virginia. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Sydämen ääni : Romaani" by E. Temple Thurston is a novel written in the early 20th century. It follows Sally Bishop, a young London typist, as she navigates wearisome office life, unsettling attention from a confident stranger, and a safe but loveless proposal from a respectable suitor, with themes of independence, desire, and social respectability in a foggy, modern city. The opening of the novel sets a moody London evening where Sally, exhausted after overtime at Bonsfield & Co., is watched from the street by Jack Traill, who later follows her onto a tram and presses a bold, teasing conversation that ends with an offensive “ten-pound” bet and Sally’s abrupt exit at Knightsbridge. At her Hammersmith boarding house she spars gently with her practical, skeptical roommate Janet Hallard about work, marriage, and the compromises of the stage. That night the house’s rising banker, Arthur Montagu, takes Sally for a riverside walk and proposes, offering comfort and status; she admits no love, promises only to think, rebuffs his request for a kiss, and later prays, conflicted. The scene then shifts to Traill: after a perfunctory dinner he encounters a worn former acquaintance and brings her to his rooms for talk, where her hopes of a place in his life surface as she begins suggesting how she would “warm” his cold bachelor flat. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Pelle Erobreren 1: Barndom" by Martin Andersen Nexø is a novel published in 1906. After his mother's death, young Pelle and his Swedish father Lasse move to Bornholm, where they work at the lowest rank on a large farm, living in a corner of the cow stable. Despite harsh conditions and hardships at the farm and village school, Pelle remains full of determination and zest for life. He dreams of conquering the world and making it better for his social class. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"The children of Old Park's Tavern : A story of the South Shore" by Humphrey is a children's novel written in the late 19th century. Set along Massachusetts’ South Shore before railroads, it follows spirited city girl Dolly Winslow and her cousin Ned Park through tavern life, salt marsh work, and small-town politics, blending wholesome adventure with regional color and a hint of mystery. Cameos by Daniel Webster and the enigma of a shipwrecked woman called the Little Madam give the tale both historical texture and intrigue. The opening of the novel introduces Dolly’s visit to Park’s Tavern in Byfield during a bustling Whig convention, where her secret peek into the meeting-house leads to an overnight misadventure and a brave, clever ruse that scares off would‑be robbers. When news arrives that her parents must sail for Europe, Dolly stays on and is cheered by a salt‑haying sojourn to the Marshfield marshes, where Skipper Joe spins sea tales, she learns to swim, and she and Ned roam in their punt, the Daisy. Lost at dusk among the creeks, they are found by Daniel Webster, who hosts them warmly and shows them his library, farm, and famed hospitality. Back home, they befriend the Little Madam—a tiny, gentle amnesiac rescued at sea who lives simply on Hemlock “Island” with her cockatoo—and Dolly is quietly charged with watching over her as local teasing stirs concern. Inspired by reading Ivanhoe, the children dream up a tournament, and as Dolly’s thirteenth birthday dawns, a carefully kept household secret culminates in a joyous surprise. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Three millions! : or, The way of the world" by Oliver Optic is a novel written in the late 19th century. It centers on Eugene Hungerford, a principled young New Englander suddenly enriched by his uncle’s immense fortune—on the condition that he marry and produce a son named John Hungerford—setting up a conflict between love, duty, and personal integrity. The story moves among Poppleton’s mills and harbor and the nearby islands, following Eugene’s feelings for Mary Kingman, the attentions of an ardent artist, Eliot Buckstone, and the counsel of his friend Dick Birch, as wealth collides with character and community. The opening of the novel recounts the rise and death of Baltimore magnate John Hungerford and the reading of his elaborate will: generous bequests to friends and charities, and the bulk—three million dollars—held in trust for nephew Eugene until age thirty, to be inherited outright only if he is married and father to a son named John; otherwise the estate is divided among family members and institutions. Eugene, his mother, and sister Julia return to Poppleton dazed by their new status, while Eugene wrestles with the idea of marriage on principle rather than for money, dreams of improving Pine Hill, and sketches modest philanthropic plans to build decent homes for the poor. His college friend Dick Birch arrives, becomes his adviser, and warns him not to let pride or the will’s “price” chill genuine love. Meanwhile, a marine painter, Eliot Buckstone, spots Mary Kingman adrift after losing her oars and swims out, but Eugene and Dick soon tow her safely in, leading to a visit at her family’s weathered house on The Great Bell. There, Eugene’s restraint and stiffness—born of his fear of seeming to buy love—leave Mary unassured, while the charming Buckstone shows keen interest, setting the stage for the social and romantic tensions to come. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Jibby Jones : A story of Mississippi River adventure for boys" by Butler is a children’s adventure novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows a crew of Riverbank boys who befriend the tall, literal, and endearingly odd Jibby Jones, a newcomer with an author father, as they dive into river mischief, fishing contests, and the tantalizing hint of a hidden pirate hoard. It’s a humorous, good‑natured tale of ingenuity, friendship, and life on the Mississippi. The opening of the novel introduces Birch Island’s stilted cottages and the boys—Tad, Skippy, Wampus, and the narrator—meeting Jibby, whose giant “jib” nose, calm logic, and far‑flung river anecdotes make him unforgettable. After Jibby fixes their balky motor and charms them with his offbeat thinking (like calling his too‑small clothes his “big suit”), the group pranks him with a tall tale about nose‑diving for pearls; Jibby dives anyway and, to everyone’s shock, surfaces with a large pearl that keeps his family on the island. A rainy‑day story from Jibby about the land pirate John A. Murrell—plus the clue “Riverbank” and the lone‑pine signal—spurs them to form a treasure‑hunting club, while a sapling‑catapult fishing stunt flings a carp into a tree, fueling comic debates about animals “climbing.” The boys then compete for Uncle Oscar’s fishing prize: Jibby seems to “smell” fish but actually wins by smart preparation—choosing a proven hole and “scouring” worms per Izaak Walton—before the section closes with the narrator’s dog Rover back home and howling, hinting that nightfall and new trouble lie ahead. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"The Corbin Necklace" by Henry Kitchell Webster is a mystery novel written in the early 20th century. It follows a prominent Midwestern family on the eve of Judith Corbin’s wedding, when an infamous pearl necklace becomes the center of danger, pride, and intrigue. Narrated by a nearby family friend confined with a broken leg, the story watches sharp-eyed young Punch, reluctant bride Judy, their formidable grandmother, their strained mother Victoria, and returning Uncle Alec as a vanished heirloom exposes hidden loyalties and fault lines. The opening of the novel sets the scene: Punch frets that newspapers have announced the pearls as Judy’s wedding gift, the neighbor-narrator sketches the Corbin dynasty and its iron-willed matriarch, and Judy arrives home ambivalent about her marriage to Bruce Applebury. At The Oaks, Punch discovers the safe once left unlocked; tensions flare between Victoria and Mrs. Corbin over who should have the necklace; Judy hints at her grandmother’s morphine use; and Uncle Alec reappears from the Philippines. On the day the guests arrive, Judy abruptly feigns a sprained ankle after a jolting encounter, and that evening Mrs. Corbin invites her to wear the pearls—but the case proves empty, prompting Victoria to urge secrecy while Alec argues for detectives. The party continues: Judy hides a hastily delivered note in a vase, Punch keeps a nocturnal watch, glimpses a man in torn, pale pajamas heading upstairs, and encounters Miss Digby in the hall, until morning brings Punch a sudden idea about where to look, cutting the opening on a taut cliff. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"The sailor boy : or, Jack Somers in the navy" by Oliver Optic is a juvenile adventure novel written in the mid-19th century. It follows Jack Somers, a spirited New England boy whose patriotism and love of the sea draw him into the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. Readers can expect brisk nautical action, moral lessons, and detailed shipboard routine as a young sailor learns courage, discipline, and duty. The opening of the novel shows Jack electrified by news of a Union naval victory while his widowed mother worries over losing another son to war. When a naval lieutenant, Bankhead, urgently needs a skilled boatman to reach Fort Warren in a gale, Jack pilots Captain Barney’s yacht through a furious night, later rescuing Bankhead after a near-collision sends him overboard. Grateful, the officer helps win Jack’s mother’s consent; Jack enlists in Boston as an ordinary seaman, receives his kit, and learns the hard edges of discipline on the receiving ship Ohio—including a clash with a bullying mess-cook and a crafty, rule-safe “payback” advised by veteran Tom Longstone. Soon drafted to the sloop-of-war Harrisburg with a few new friends, Jack is assigned stations and roles, and the narrative sketches the ship’s structure and hierarchy as he eagerly awaits getting under way. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Jérôme 60° latitude nord by Maurice Bedel is a novel written in the early 20th century. It blends romantic comedy with satirical travel writing as a young French dramatist journeys to Norway to stage his play and falls for a forthright Norwegian student, Uni Hansen. Expect a witty clash of ideals and realities—Nordic landscapes and sports, Parisian myths, and theatrical ambitions—filtered through a hero whose imagination outruns the world around him. The opening of the novel follows Jérôme aboard a steamer from England, where his exuberant imagination turns every sight into legend and where he instantly falls for Uni, a cool, lively astronomy student. In Bergen he’s mobbed by journalists and miscast as a pundit on everything, then on the train to Christiania he finds Uni again and learns her cheerful companion is her brother, Axel. In the capital he becomes a minor celebrity, is whisked by Axel to meet his translator-mother, Clara Krag (a reformist, vegetarian novelist), and the good-humored Minister Krag, then confers with the theatre director about staging his play. A Sunday at Holmenkollen shows the brisk, sportive Norway of his dreams; amid playful skiing and a clumsy compliment that lands awkwardly, Jérôme’s infatuation deepens, even as a boisterous dinner with newspapermen leaves him thinking only of Uni. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Korven raatajat : Kuvaus torpparioloista by Vilho Haanpää is a novel written in the early 20th century. It is a social-realist portrait of Finnish tenant-farmer life, following the determined Aatu and his wife Reeta as they hew a homestead from deep forest while bound to the whims of landlord Puikuliini, with the sharp-eyed suutari Eero and the landlord’s aspiring son Jori sharpening the work’s social conflict. The focus is on dignity, toil, and the pressures of unfair tenancy that test a family’s resolve. The opening of the novel follows Aatu’s first trek into the remote Luolakaarto to begin “his own work”: felling trees, staking out a house site, and trusting a generous-sounding but unwritten promise from Puikuliini. Shoemaker Eero appears to warn him to secure a proper contract and to see the power imbalance clearly, but Aatu, buoyed by pride and faith in his master, presses on. Aatu and Reeta build a sauna, navetta, and finally a bright new tupa; they name the place Metsola, fill their table with game, and settle into hopeful domestic life. As seasons pass, children are born and fields widen, but the rent in labor grows, Jori’s snobbish “education” collides with Eero’s blunt justice in a fiery debate about freedom and law, and—ten years on—the rising weekly work-levy to the estate stalls their farm and sours their prospects. When an exploitative lease clause is floated, Eero confronts Puikuliini, is sued for “honor,” and punished—signaling how the system moves to break those who speak for the torppari. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"Les Mémoires d'un Parapluie" by comtesse de Elisabeth Galos Houdetot is a children's novel written in the late 19th century. Told as the witty “memoirs” of a sentient umbrella, it follows its journeys from hand to hand, using everyday episodes to explore kindness, vanity, poverty, and integrity. Readers meet a range of owners—from a prudent schoolgirl to a struggling seamstress—while the umbrella observes human foibles with gentle humor and moral clarity. The opening of the story traces the umbrella’s “birth” in a shop, its education among veteran umbrellas, and its sale (after hard bargaining) to a mother for her daughter Marthe as a New Year’s gift. Loaned up the chain to a bureaucrat, it finds its way back, only for Marthe’s feckless brother’s gambling and theft to push the family into a raffle where the umbrella becomes the prize and is won by the careless Madeleine. Forgotten at a Guignol show and filched backstage by Fifine, it lands in a destitute household, proves too risky to use, and is pawned; at the Mont-de-Piété the umbrella witnesses a gallery of human misfortune, then is auctioned to a secondhand dealer who sells it cheaply to Marie, a devoted young worker buying a fête gift for her mother. Soon the mother falls ill after a humiliating incident at work, and, late at night, Marie bravely sets out alone to fetch a doctor, encountering a boisterous group on the quay just as the excerpt breaks off. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

"The loss of the Swansea: A story of the Florida coast" by W. L. Alden is a seafaring adventure novel for young readers written in the late 19th century. It follows Bristol brothers Jack and Tom, cast onto the Florida coast after a mutiny on the brig Swansea, as they face pirates, wild country, secret caves, and the lure of hidden treasure alongside a weathered ex-pirate ally. The opening of the story finds the orphaned brothers bound for America on the Swansea, where the drink-weakened Captain Fearing is overthrown by his mate, John March. Set adrift with the captain, the boys reach a Florida inlet, discover an abandoned pirate fort and a glittering cave, and endure a night of rattlesnakes and panthers. When another pirate gang appears and murders Fearing, the boys flee into the cave, are swept by an underground river to a hidden pool, and meet Bill Catchley, a marooned former pirate. With Bill’s help they blast open Blackbeard’s iron gate, wander a labyrinth, and narrowly find daylight again. They then slip upriver, steal back a boat, and push into the Everglades, where Bill reveals a long-buried treasure he once nearly unearthed. As they begin to dig at the marked spot, six armed Indians emerge and seize them. (This is an automatically generated summary.)