The Missing Chums
Original 1928 edition
|
|
| Author | Franklin W. Dixon |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Hardy Boys |
| Genre | Children's literature/Young adult literature |
| Publisher | Grosset & Dunlap |
|
Publication date
|
original edition 1928, revised edition 1962 |
| Pages | 175 |
| OCLC | 1866271 |
| Preceded by | The Secret of the Old Mill |
| Followed by | Hunting for Hidden Gold |
The Missing Chums is volume 4 in the original The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap. The book ranks 108th on Publishers Weekly's All-Time Bestselling Children's Book List for the United States, with 1,189,973 copies sold as of 2001[update]. This book is one of the "Original 10", generally considered to be the best examples of the Hardy Boys, and Stratemeyer Syndicate, writing.
The plot concerns the disappearance of the Boys' chums, Chet and Biff, when they take a motorboat trip down the coast. When Frank and Joe finally find them, they are all captured. In the end, they triumph over the bad guys on mysterious Hermit Island.
This book was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Leslie McFarlane in 1928. Between 1959 and 1973 the first 38 volumes of this series were systematically revised as part of a project directed by Harriet Adams, Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. The original version of this book was rewritten in 1962 by James Buechler resulting in two different stories with the same title.
The original version of this title is noted for being the first Hardy Boys book in which Aunt Gertrude makes an appearance.
At the beginning of the book the boys take their new boat, the Sleuth, out on the bay. While they are cruising on the bay another boat nearly rams them. They are unable to give chase because of a damaged steering mechanism on boat, and the boys end up going around in circles. It turns out that the boat that nearly rammed them had a purpose for doing so, but the reason why is not revealed until the end of the book.
Soon after, the boys prepare to go to Callie Shaw's costume party. They inadvertently stumble upon another part of the unraveling mystery as they see some unknown men in Mr. French's Costume Shop, who appear to threaten him.
...
Wikipedia