
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER X.
Reuben Roy lives in a modest white‑washed cottage crowded with siblings, laundry, and the endless rhythm of field work. His mother runs a laundry to support the family, while he and his father tend the strawberry fields that surround their village. Though regarded as plain‑spoken and slower than his younger brother, Reuben is dependable and quietly proud of his humble roots.
One night Reuben is tasked with guarding a prized patch of strawberries, a job that drags him into the dark beyond the familiar farmhouse. When three desperate men break in, he must choose between fear and the courage his Sunday‑school lessons urged him to summon. With a shrill whistle and a fierce refusal to be silenced, he confronts the intruders, setting the stage for the trials that will shape his coming of age.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (124K characters)
Release date
Jun 13, 2025
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1852–1907
Writing under the memorable pen name Eglanton Thorne, Elizabeth Emily Charlton became a prolific Victorian author of stories for children and young readers. Her books combine lively adventures and domestic drama with the moral seriousness of the era.
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