The Rambler Club's Aeroplane

The Rambler Club’s Aeroplane follows Bob Somers and the Rambler Club as they visit Cranny Beaumont in Tacoma before returning to Circle T Ranch. Cranny’s father, Mr. Beaumont, is troubled by his ward, Willie Sloan, a lazy, careless, discontented boy who seems unable to work in the real-estate office. Hoping that the energetic Ramblers and outdoor life may improve Willie, Mr. Beaumont permits Cranny and Willie to travel with Bob, Dave Brandon, Dick Travers, Sam Randall, Tommy Clifton, and Tim Lovell to Wyoming. Cranny is also to observe the growing town of Border City for his father’s business interests. At Border City the boys find great changes: new buildings, mills, a railroad terminal, gas works, and activity connected with Major Warfield Carroll, a financier promoting aviation. At Circle T Ranch they renew friendships with Mr. Follett, Jed Warren, Sam Skillet, Straight-backed Pete Sanderson, and others. Willie remains sarcastic, reluctant to ride bronchos or take part in ranch life, but he is fascinated by machinery. The Ramblers visit Lone Pine Ranch, home of the inventor Mr. Ogden and his sons Rob and Ferd. They inspect the Ogdens’ aeroplanes, especially the Ogden II, and most of the boys take their first flights. Bob proves calm and capable in the air and begins receiving flying lessons. Willie initially refuses to fly, but, angered by Tommy Clifton’s teasing, impulsively rides with Bob. Panic causes him to interfere with Bob’s controls and unfasten his strap; he falls onto a steer during an emergency descent and is carried off amid a stampede. The other boys and Pete Sanderson help stop the herd and rescue him. Willie’s lost red-covered book, Practical Mechanics, becomes the source of further quarrels with Tommy. The Ogdens ask the boys to remain at Lone Pine and guard their machines while they work at Border City. Willie dislikes the gloomy ranch-house and resents being excluded from the workshop. He leaves a mocking written “report” on the other boys, then secretly walks across the prairie to Border City. There Major Carroll recognizes his genuine mechanical interest, treats him seriously, and allows him to assist around the hangar. Encouraged rather than scolded, Willie becomes active, useful, and cheerful. He also writes to Mr. Beaumont about Border City and its prospects, taking over the responsibility that Cranny has neglected. Major Carroll eventually takes Willie aboard his dirigible balloon, the Border City, for a trial flight. The engine’s electrical apparatus fails, leaving the air-ship at the mercy of the wind. The dirigible drifts away from Border City toward the mountains. At Lone Pine, Bob and Cranny see it passing overhead and discover that Willie is aboard. Bob pilots the Ogden II after it, despite dangerous winds and mountain air currents. During the chase, an eagle attacks the aeroplane, but Cranny drives it away with harmless revolver shots. Meanwhile, Major Carroll and Kindale try to control the powerless dirigible by throwing out ballast and using an anchor. The wind carries them into the mountains. Their anchor repeatedly tears loose, and the Border City strikes and scrapes along the mountainside before becoming caught among pine trees. Although frightened, Willie shows courage. Major Carroll, Kindale, and Willie descend from the tilted car by a rope ladder and through the branches. The excerpt ends as they reach the ground safely, with Major Carroll saying that a difficult task still lies ahead.

By W. Crispin Sheppard · First published 1912 · Genre: Juvenile Adventure Fiction, Boys' Adventure, Aviation Adventure · 25 chapters · 64,525 words

First lines

"I tell you, Cranny, it's simply impossible to do anything with that boy; he hasn't a bit of energy. Whenever my back is turned, he's idling away his time. I do wish to goodness I could wash my hands of him."

Mr. Bolton Beaumont, real estate agent of Tacoma, Washington, paced the floor of the office, his round, good-natured face wearing a most gloomy and disturbed expression. Mr. Beaumont was a large man -- large in all dimensions -- height, breadth and rotundity. The light, too, which, in spite of his present displeasure, shone from a pair of keen gray eyes, indicated a kindly, sympathetic disposition.

• Open reader

Similar titles

• The Lakewood Boys On The Lazy S by L. P. Wyman
• The Rambler Clubs House Boat by W. Crispin Sheppard
• Sinclairs Luck by Percy F. Westerman
• The Air Splasher by Richard Howells Watkins
• The Boys Of The Puffin by Percy F. Westerman
• The Boys Of Columbia High On The River by Graham B. Forbes

Genres

• Juvenile Adventure Fiction — The novel centers on a group of boys undertaking energetic travel, ranch excursions, aviation-related exploits, and likely perilous episodes designed for young readers.
• Boys' Adventure — Its all-male youthful club, vigorous action, camaraderie, outdoor challenges, and emphasis on courage and self-reliance place it firmly in the traditional boys' adventure tradition.
• Aviation Adventure — Aeroplanes, aviators, experimental aircraft, a flying meet, and the boys' aspiration to gain and use an aeroplane are central to the book's premise and anticipated action.
• Western Adventure — Much of the narrative is set in Wyoming ranch country among cowboys, bronchos, cattle ranges, frontier towns, and plains landscapes.

Tags

juvenile fiction · adventure · aviation · early flight · aeroplanes · boys' adventure · friendship · club members · travel · exploration · mystery · danger

What this Textopian page supports

The Rambler Club's Aeroplane is listed on Textopian as a novel by W. Crispin Sheppard, dated 1912 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: W. Crispin Sheppard
• Date: 1912 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Juvenile Adventure Fiction, Boys' Adventure, Aviation Adventure, Western Adventure, Children's Fiction
• Length: 64,525 words
• Structure: 25 chapters, 2,171 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Rambler Club's Aeroplane by W. Crispin Sheppard
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Contents

• A Letter from Bob
• Willie Cannot Help It
• Cranny's Plan
• The Ramblers Arrive
• Preparations
• Border City once More
• At the Ranch
• At Lone Pine
• In the Air
• Bob Takes a Flight
• The Dirigible
• "he's a Puzzle"
• Willie Shows his Nerve
• Milling the Herd
• The Underground Passage
• The Astonishing William
• The Two in the Sky
• The Rescue Party
• The Eagle
• Over the Mountains
• Adrift
• Prisoners
• By Moonlight
• To the Rescue
• The Visitors

More by W. Crispin Sheppard

• The Rambler Club's House-Boat (1913)
• All works by W. Crispin Sheppard