Synopsis
Gary Paulsen's popular Western saga continues in the fourth novel about Francis Tucket.
Things look grim for Francis and his adopted family, Lottie and Billy. Without horses, water, or food, they're alone in a prairie wasteland, with the dreaded Comanchero outlaws in pursuit. Death can strike at any moment -- but so can good fortune. When they stumble upon an ancient treasure, it takes teamwork, courage, and wit to hold on to it. By sticking together, Francis and his family wind up rich beyond their wildest dreams, and ready to head west to find Francis's parents on the Oregon Trail.
KLIATT
To quote KLIATT's Nov. 1999 review of the hardcover edition: As the latest installment of Francis Tucker's adventures opens, the fifteen-year-old is hiking across a vast western plain accompanied by the two children he had found in an abandoned wagon, Lottie and Billy. They have no food or water—and they can only hope they have managed to shake the ruthless Comanchero outlaws off their trail. The action never lags in this exciting tale: in short order, the three stumble across treasure, capture packhorses, Francis gets bitten by a rattler, and they find shelter in a beautiful Indian village high atop a butte. Francis still wants to find his family, however, so they head out west for the Oregon Trail. When Francis' old enemies Courtweiler and Dubs come across him and try to steal their gold, Billy's fine archery, learned from the Indians, helps save the day. Full of details of wilderness survival (how to make moccasins, for example), this brief and thrilling tale will please Tucker's fans. For those who haven't read the previous volumes, enough is summarized here so that they can dive right in. A good choice for reluctant readers. (Book Four of the Tucket Adventures) KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students. 1999, Random House/Dell Yearling, 102p, map, 20cm, $4.50. Ages 13 to 15. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick; May 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 3)