
A sunny morning on a quiet farm sets the stage for a lively family dispute. Hiram Applegate, a gruff but good‑hearted farmer, is confronted by his son Jared, fresh from a stint on the Panama Canal. Jared is desperate for cash to settle debts incurred during his adventurous work, and he hints at a new venture that could change his fortunes—though he won’t yet reveal the details.
Meanwhile, the buzz of an electric automobile and the distant hum of canal machinery hint at a world far beyond the orchard. As the Applegates grapple with old promises, new technology, and the promise of the Boy Scouts’ daring exploits, listeners are drawn into a slice of early‑20th‑century life where ambition, ingenuity, and family ties intersect. The opening promises humor, colorful characters, and a glimpse of the bustling Panama Canal era.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (270K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2013-02-12
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1879–1917
Best known for fast-paced boys' adventure series about aviators, scouts, and wireless operators, this prolific writer helped shape early 20th-century popular fiction. He also worked as a journalist and used several pen names, leaving behind a surprisingly varied career in a short life.
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