Randy of the River; Or, The Adventures of a Young Deckhand

At fourteen, Randy Thompson trades schoolbooks for the bustling decks of a Hudson River steamboat, eager to earn a wage for his family’s needs. His days are filled with the honest toil of loading cargo, shoveling coal, and learning the rhythms of the river under a seasoned crew. Yet beyond the hard work, Randy finds moments of freedom on the water, casting his line with friend Jack Bartlett and discovering that patience often yields the best catch.

The young deckhand’s modest upbringing in Riverport shapes his plain‑spoken honesty and strong sense of duty. While his mother worries about his summer vacation, Randy embraces the chance to help pay his father’s medical bills, proving that idle hands lead to trouble. Listeners will follow Randy’s early adventures as he balances school‑room ambition with the gritty reality of river life, learning that perseverance and a good heart can turn even the raggedest circumstances into steady progress.