Bound to get there: or, A boy who could not be downed

About this book

"Bound To Get There" by Roy Franklin is a juvenile adventure novel written in the early 20th century. It centers on three plucky boys who flee harsh treatment in a small town and head to the city, where they stumble into a tangle of danger, opportunity, and a long-buried sea treasure mystery.

The opening follows Nick Collins and brothers Frank and Will Alden as they rebel against abusive guardians, rescue Will from a beating, and are then framed for arson by a spiteful rival, Jack. Nick is briefly captured by a reclusive sea captain who reveals a gripping backstory: Nick’s father died seeking a Pacific island treasure tied to a missing letter split in two and long pursued by an eccentric admiral. The boys slip out of town, save a wood train from derailment, reach New York, and bed down in the admiral’s now-deserted house, learning he recently sold it after claiming to find the lost letter. Nick lands a messenger job after foiling a street theft for a broker, then gets swept into a new intrigue when a mysterious “yellow package” swap leaves him holding $5,000, even as his employer and a sly clerk whisper about looming financial ruin.