
A lively train car becomes the backdrop for the Dreadnought Boys’ first taste of real‑world trouble. When a heated exchange erupts over a missing wallet, the red‑haired Herc Taylor and his cousin Ned Strong step in, displaying the blend of swagger and good‑natured restraint that defines their tight‑knit crew. Their quick wit and easy camaraderie turn a petty dispute into a showcase of the discipline and humor that bind these young sailors together.
The incident hints at a larger purpose: the boys are on “special duty,” traveling home while keeping an eye on a mysterious shipmate whose name and navy insignia surface in the chaos. As they gauge the stranger’s character and the significance of his presence, the boys sense that their ordinary trip may soon lead them into deeper naval intrigue, testing the very skills they’ve been training to master.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (258K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Demian Katz and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (Images courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University (http://digital.library.villanova.edu/))
Release date
2017-04-07
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.
View all books
by John Henry Goldfrap

by John Henry Goldfrap

by John Henry Goldfrap

by John Henry Goldfrap

by John Henry Goldfrap

by John Henry Goldfrap

by John Henry Goldfrap

by John Henry Goldfrap