River of Peril

Jem Coulter thinks his family is just on a sightseeing trip to the big city of Sacramento. Then armed bandits hold up the stagecoach for the secret stash they’re carrying: gold for the Union Army fighting the distant Civil War! Suddenly war isn’t so far away; it’s right there on the road to Sacramento, with Jem’s father, the sheriff of Goldtown, fighting against the rebel army’s Knights of the Golden Circle.

When the family finally reaches the city, they think they’re safe at last. Setting out to see the sights, Jem, his sister Ellie, and their cousin Nathan make a new friend. But is Henry the pal they think he is? With a father who is a die-hard Confederate, could Henry be in cahoots with the thieves?

River of Peril gives readers ages 8 to 12 the fast-moving, exciting adventure they’ve come to expect in this series, as well as a glimpse into the history of post–Gold Rush and Civil War life in 1860s California, with stagecoaches, steamboats, stowaways—and lots of gold!

1. Opening Credits Chapter 1: The Secret
2. Chapter 2: Holdup
3. Chapter 3: Where's the Gold?
4. Chapter 4: Welcome to the City
5. Chapter 5: Delays and Disappointments
6. Chapter 6: Wharf Rats
7. Chapter 7: A New Friend
8. Chapter 8: The River Duchess
9. Chapter 9: Caught!
10. Chapter 10: The Chase Is On
11. Chapter 11: Missing
12. Chapter 12: A Frantic Search
13. Chapter 13: An Impossible Demand
14. Chapter 14: Jem's Daring Plan
15. Chapter 15: Stowaway
16. Chapter 16: Hide and Seek
17. Chapter 17: Disaster!
18. Chapter 18: Delivered
19. Historical Notes