The ransom of Red Chief

Description

Two small-time criminals, Bill and Sam, kidnap Johnny, the 10-year-old red-haired son of an important citizen named Ebenezer Dorset, and hold him for ransom. But the moment they arrive at their hideout with the boy, the plan begins to unravel. Calling himself "Red Chief", the boy proceeds to drive his captors to distraction with his unrelenting chatter, malicious pranks, and demands that they play wearying games with him. The criminals write a ransom letter to the boy's father, lowering the ransom from two thousand dollars to fifteen hundred at Bill's suggestion. The father, who knows his son well and realizes how intolerable he will be to his captors and how desirous they will soon be to rid themselves of the delinquent child, rejects their demand and offers to take the boy off their hands if they pay him. The men hand over the money and the howling boy – who had actually been happier being away from his stricter father and thus does not want to be "rescued" from his more-lenient captors – and flee after the father threatens to turn his son loose on them. (Wikipedia)

First Sentence

SAM [AS NARRATOR]: It looked like a good thing: but wait'll I tell you.

Description

Two men kidnap a mischievous boy and request a large ransom for his return.

Subjects

Series Statement

• Creative classic series

Other Editions

• The ransom of Red ChiefCreative Education1980-01-01
• The ransom of Red ChiefDoubleday, Page & company1918-01-01
• Ransom of Red ChiefHardcoverAmereon Limited1940-06-01
• The Ransom of Red ChiefHardcoverListening Library1995-01-01
• The Ransom of Red ChiefAudio CassetteListening Library1995-01-01
• The Ransom of Red ChiefPaperbackPages Publishing Group1995-08-01