Harper's Round Table, October 1, 1895

In a sleepy New England village at the turn of the century, a tight‑knit group of boys calls itself the Ready Rangers. After a winter of skating and sledding, they set a single, concrete goal: each member will own a bicycle, the prize promised by a local merchant if they can fund it themselves. To make that happen, they pool their talents—collecting nuts, catching ice fish, chopping wood, and even delivering mail—into a shared fund guarded by their honorary elder, Pop Miller.

Their ingenuity soon spills onto the town stage. Led by the record‑breaking rider Reddy Cuddeback, the Rangers stage a minstrel show, a talk on improving local roads, and a lively two‑act sea drama they write themselves, parodying the popular operetta they once saw in the city. The productions draw crowds from nearby towns, filling the fund and bringing the boys one step closer to the gleaming bicycles waiting at Mr. Burgess’s shop.