"A great book for boys of all ages, and one that could have been written only by Charles G. D. Roberts."--_Boston Times._
Here are brought together some of Mr. London's best short stories, stories of adventure, of character, of unusual experiences in unusual places. Here will be found _The Turtles of Tasman_, a tale of two brothers as different in nature as it is possible for human beings to be, and raising the old question as to which got the most out of life, the one with possessions or the one with rich memories; here also _The Eternity of Forms_, a mystery story dealing with a crime and its expiation; here again _Told in the Drooling Ward_, a masterly bit of writing which gives a human insight into the life of the inmates of a home for feebleminded people. Among the other stories are noted _The Hobo and the Fairy_, _The Prodigal Father_, _The First Poet_, _Finis_ and _The End of the Story_.
From the opening chapter when Daidie Grattan revolts at the "eternal grind," defiantly destroys a valuable piece of machinery in the factory where she is employed, and runs out into the open, this story is brimful of action and character. In _The Shepherd of the North_ Mr. Maher demonstrated his ability to create tense situations. Here his skill is once again seen and in addition he makes the reader acquainted with a number of interesting people, not the least of whom are Daidie herself and her ardent lover.
This is the story of Betsy and her dog. Betsy is a little country girl who, after her mother's death, is taken into the family of her Aunt Kate, a wise and charming person whose duty it is to bring Betsy up properly, while Betsy in turn has to bring up Van, a fox terrier. It is the dog, of course, that proves to be the key to the shy girl's heart--an extraordinarily nice "pup" whose education is carried on simultaneously with Betsy's, only along different lines. Both as a dog story and as a girl story _The Key to Betsy's Heart_ is eminently satisfying, and it is safe to conjecture that there will be many little girls in real life and a few elders, too, who will be delighted with it.
Pilot is a roguish and cunning dog who is an inveterate poacher and has a distinct sense of humor. He always gets the best of the gamekeepers and other enemies and laughs in their faces. About him Mr. Green has woven a thoroughly enjoyable--and humorous--story. In addition to this the book includes a number of other tales, one or two dealing with fairies, with real charm and imagination, and others having to do with boys and fishing.