Trilogy IV.

The Nip and Tuck Gang

*(NOTE TO READERS: For editorial purposes, this is book #1 of the Trilogy IV book, but appeared chronologically in newspapers before the previous book: The Return of the Skinny Guy.)

Summary:  The boys of the Fair and Square Club rent their shack in the hollow to a hunter named Larry King.   Larry King gives his fine rifle to Hawkins, an incident mentioned in earlier books when referring to this rifle (Stoner’s Boy page 58, Red Runners page 28, Knights of the Square Table page 88, Red Castle pages 103 and 105, and White Bat page 30). Yet Shadow Loomis is a member of the Club in this book, Jeckerson features in this story, and the Nip and Tuck gang are using the dugout on Burney’s Field as a hideout.

*(For editorial purposes, this is book #2 of Trilogy IV.  It consists of three short stories published in sequence in the newspaper as follows:)

a) The book starts off with the single chapter story “The Goldfish”.  Bill Darby’s Uncle Joe has returned from an around the world trip with a gift of Japanese goldfish for Bill.  Booby Warren of the Pelhams sets up an elaborate ruse to steal the goldfish, but Hawkins in Sherlock Holmes-like fashion figures it out and they get the goldfish back.

b) The book continues with the three chapter story “The Harmonica King”.  In this story, it is stated that the (apparently new) shack in the hollow was constructed by the F&S Club boys (pages 103 and 113).  They meet the Harmonica King, William (Bill) Henry Harnsworth, bumming on the riverbank.  He teaches them how to play the harmonica, and when they perform at a charity bazaar in their town, it makes news in the local papers.  This reunites him with his family and his fiancé.

c) The book finishes with the two chapter story “The Trickster”.  The seasonal houseboats have returned to the river bank near the clubhouse.  A boy, called “Junior” by his mother, comes to the clubhouse and with a few simple card and coin tricks wins some books from Hawkins.  They figure out the tricks, and go to the houseboat to demand the books back.  They find a very ill Junior, being tended by Doc Waters, and learn that he had intended to return the books, and enjoyed having his mother read them to him.  They agree to lend him some more books.  This story is a message to readers of the Seckatary Hawkins stories that it is important to read books.

(This is book #3 of the Trilogy IV book, and the last and final new story that was printed in newspapers.  The final chapter was in the newspaper on 26 April, 1942.  After that, repeats of earlier books and short stories were printed in newspapers until the last serial style run of Seckatary Hawkins stories came to an end on 25 November 1951.)

Summary:  Jamie Usher and his Gang of Usher have come down from Watertown, and are causing trouble on the riverbank.  The gang includes his cousins Evan Keys and a boy named Hammerstone.  The three cousins are seeking a treasure from the Usher branch of the family, hidden by the great-grandfather of Evan Keys during the Civil War, someplace on the Hammerstone family property.  They eventually make peace with the boys of the Fair and Square Club, and Hawkins helps them piece together the clues to the hiding spot of the treasure.  The buried treasure chest contains many objects of great historical value, including the silver serving sets of the Confederate White House.