by the great horn spoon by sid fleischman

With Praiseworthy’s help, he wins the race by a whisker. Jack and Praiseworthy befriend the ship’s Captain Swain, who is engrossed in a high-stakes race to San Francisco with another ship.

However, Praiseworthy soon exposes the thief, a passenger on the ship called “Cut-Eye Higgins,” with a clever stratagem, recovering their money. Jack and Praiseworthy’s meager savings are stolen by a pickpocket before they can book passage on the ship, hence their stowaway status. He finds a willing partner in Praiseworthy, whose devotion to Arabella is absolute: One of the few things the butler brings on the trip is a portrait of her, which he keeps in his coat, close to his heart. Having overheard that his aunt has fallen on hard times and may lose her house, Jack has resolved to save her by running away to California and joining the Gold Rush. Praiseworthy, though somewhat formal in his relations with Jack, is the closest thing the boy has to a father: Orphaned at a young age, Jack and his two sisters went to live with their Aunt Arabella at her mansion in Boston, where Praiseworthy helped raise them. The Gold Rush of 1848-1855 is at its peak, and the pair are on their way to California to try their luck panning for gold. Two stowaways are on board, hiding in potato barrels: 12-year-old Jack and his aunt’s English butler, Praiseworthy. In January of 1849, a sidewheeler ship leaves Boston Harbor on a five-month trip to San Francisco. This guide is based on the 2013 Little, Brown and Company edition.

By the great horn spoon by sid fleischman