Other editions of book Captain Bayley's Heir; A Tale of the Gold Fields of California

Bring history back to life through Jim Hodges' historically accurate, exciting, and edifying audio recordings. Frank Norris, accused of theft and unable to prove his innocence, leaves for excitement and adventure in the California gold fields of 1850s America. He sails the Atlantic, braves a storm while working as a barge man on the Mississippi, survives an Indian attack while crossing the plains with a caravan, strikes it rich in the California gold mines, and is finally able to clear his name and return to England to claim his rightful inheritance. A great adventure story that illuminates the trials and tribulations of many who traveled to California during the great Gold Rush! The Henty Historical Novel Collection, written by George Henty in the 1800s, covers many time periods in history throughout the world. In this collection you will learn history, geography, and vocabulary while also discovering hero characters for your children to emulate.

[Children's Historical Fiction (Ages 8-12)][Read by Jim Hodges] Bring history back to life through Jim Hodges' historically accurate, exciting, and edifying audio recordings Frank Norris, accused of theft and unable to prove his innocence, leaves for excitement and adventure in the California Gold Fields of 1850s America. He sails the Atlantic, braves a storm while working as a barge man on the Mississippi, survives an Indian attack while crossing the plains with a caravan, strikes it rich in the California Gold Mines, and is finally able to clear his name and return to England to claim his rightful inheritance. A great adventure story that illuminates the trials and tribulations of many who traveled to California during the great Gold Rush! [The Henty Historical Novel Collection, written by George Henty in the 1800s, covers many time periods in history throughout the world. In this collection, you will learn history, geography, and vocabulary while also discovering hero characters for your children to emulate.]

EXCERPT: A CRIPPLE boy was sitting in a box on four low wheels, in a little room in a small street in Westminster; his age was some fifteen or sixteen years; his face was clear-cut and intelligent, and was altogether free from the expression either of discontent or of shrinking sadness so often seen in the face of those afflicted. Had he been sitting on a chair at a table, indeed, he would have been remarked as a handsome and well-grown young fellow; his shoulders were broad, his arms powerful, and his head erect. He had not been born a cripple, but had been disabled for life, when a tiny child, by a cart passing over his legs above the knees. He was talking to a lad a year or so younger than himself, while a strong, hearty-looking woman, somewhat past middle age, stood at a wash-tub."What is all that noise about?" the cripple exclaimed, as an uproar was heard in the street at some little distance from the house."Drink, as usual, I suppose," the woman said.[10]The younger lad ran to the door."No, mother; it's them scholars a-coming back from cricket. Ain't there a fight jist!"The cripple wheeled his box to the door, and then taking a pair of crutches which rested in hooks at its side when not wanted, swung himself from the box, and propped himself in the doorway so as to command a view down the street.It was indeed a serious fight. A party of Westminster boys, on their way back from their cricket-ground in St. Vincent's Square, had been attacked by the "skies." The quarrel was an old standing one, but had broken out afresh from a thrashing which one of the older lads had administered on the previous day to a young chimney-sweep about his own age, who had taken possession of the cricket-ball when it had been knocked into the roadway, and had, with much strong language, refused to throw it back when requested.The friends of the sweep determined to retaliate upon the following day, and gathered so threateningly round the gate that, instead of the boys coming home in twos and threes, as was their wont, when playtime expired, they returned in a body. They were some forty in number, and varied in age from the little fags of the Under School, ten or twelve years old, to brawny muscular young fellows of seventeen or eighteen, senior Queen's Scholars, or Sixth Form town boys. The Queen's Scholars were in their caps and gowns, the town boys were in ordinary attire, a few only having flannel cricketing trousers.On first leaving the field they were assailed only by volleys of abuse; but as they made their way down the street their assailants grew bolder, and from words[11] proceeded to blows, and soon a desperate fight was raging. In point of numbers the "skies" were vastly superior, and many of them were grown men; but the knowledge of boxing which almost every Westminster boy in those days possessed, and the activity and quickness of hitting of the boys, went far to equalise the odds.Pride in their school, too, would have rendered it impossible for any to show the white feather on such an occasion as this, and with the younger boys as far as possible in their centre, the seniors faced their opponents manfully. Even the lads of but thirteen and fourteen years old were not idle. Taking from the fags the bats which several of the latter were carrying, they joined in the conflict, not striking at their opponents' heads, but occasionally aiding their seniors, when attacked by three or four at once, by swinging blows on their assailant's shins.Man after man among the crowd had gone down before the blows straight from the shoulder of the boys, and many had retired from the contest with faces which would for many days bear marks of the fight; but their places were speedily filled up, and the numbers of the assailants grew stronger every minute.

[Children's Historical Fiction (Ages 8-12)][Read by Jim Hodges] Bring history back to life through Jim Hodges' historically accurate, exciting, and edifying audio recordings Frank Norris, accused of theft and unable to prove his innocence, leaves for excitement and adventure in the California Gold Fields of 1850s America. He sails the Atlantic, braves a storm while working as a barge man on the Mississippi, survives an Indian attack while crossing the plains with a caravan, strikes it rich in the California Gold Mines, and is finally able to clear his name and return to England to claim his rightful inheritance. A great adventure story that illuminates the trials and tribulations of many who traveled to California during the great Gold Rush! [The Henty Historical Novel Collection, written by George Henty in the 1800s, covers many time periods in history throughout the world. In this collection, you will learn history, geography, and vocabulary while also discovering hero characters for your children to emulate.]

It was indeed a serious fight. A party of Westminster boys, on theirway back from their cricket-ground in St. Vincent’s Square, had beenattacked by the “skies.” The quarrel was an old standing one, buthad broken out afresh from a thrashing which one of the older ladshad administered on the previous day to a young chimney-sweepabout his own age, who had taken possession of the cricket-ballwhen it had been knocked into the roadway, and had, with muchstrong language, refused to throw it back when requested.

G. A. Henty was born in Trumpington, near Cambridge. He was a sickly child who had to spend long periods in bed. During his frequent illnesses he became an avid reader and developed a wide range of interests which he carried into adulthood. He attended Westminster School, London, and later Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he was a keen sportsman. He left the university early without completing his degree to volunteer for the Army Hospital Commissariat when the Crimean War began. He was sent to the Crimea and while there he witnessed the appalling conditions under which the British soldier had to fight. His letters home were filled with vivid descriptions of what he saw. His father was impressed by his letters and sent them to The Morning Advertiser newspaper which printed them. This initial writing success was a factor in Henty's later decision to accept the offer to become a special correspondent, the early name for journalists now better known as war correspondents.

CRIPPLE boy was sitting in a box on four low wheels, in a little room in a small street in Westminster; his age was some fifteen or sixteen years; his face was clear-cut and intelligent, and was altogether free from the expression either of discontent or of shrinking sadness so often seen in the face of those afflicted. Had he been sitting on a chair at a table, indeed, he would have been remarked as a handsome and well-grown young fellow; his shoulders were broad, his arms powerful, and his head erect. He had not been born a cripple, but had been disabled for life, when a tiny child, by a cart passing over his legs above the knees. He was talking to a lad a year or so younger than himself, while a strong, hearty-looking woman, somewhat past middle age, stood at a wash-tub. "What is all that noise about?" the cripple exclaimed, as an uproar was heard in the street at some little distance from the house. "Drink, as usual, I suppose," the woman said. The younger lad ran to the door. "No, mother; it's them scholars a-coming back from cricket. Ain't there a fight jist!" The cripple wheeled his box to the door, and then taking a pair of crutches which rested in hooks at its side when not wanted, swung himself from the box, and propped himself in the doorway so as to command a view down the street. It was indeed a serious fight. A party of Westminster boys, on their way back from their cricket-ground in St. Vincent's Square, had been attacked by the "skies." The quarrel was an old standing one, but had broken out afresh from a thrashing which one of the older lads had administered on the previous day to a young chimney-sweep about his own age, who had taken possession of the cricket-ball when it had been knocked into the roadway, and had, with much strong language, refused to throw it back when requested.

While hunting in India, General Mathieson escaped certain death when a courageous young man, John Simcoe, disrupt a tiger attack. Believed to have perished on a ship lost at sea some time later, the general is surprised and much pleased When Simcoe reappears in England twenty years later. However, Mathieson's niece Hilda Covington suspects that Simcoe may not be the man he claims to be. When the general's will is changed shortly before his suspicious death and the rightful heir, young master Walter is kidnapped, Hilda and her good friend Netta make it their mission unravel the mystery of John Simcoe. Can Mathieson's Hilda and Netta find out the truth about John Simcoe? Will they find Walter before it is to late? These and other questions will be answered in The Lost Heir by G.A. Henty. Set in mid-ninteenth century India and England, this book includes more than forty geographical, historical, and explanatory footnotes to aid the modern reader.