George at the Wheel; Or, Life in the Pilot-House

A youth from a frontier ranche disappears after a violent encounter, prompting family worry and questions about guardianship and inheritance. The narrative follows his subsequent life aboard river vessels, concentrating on duties in the pilot-house and the rough camaraderie of sailors and river people. Episodes include captures and escapes, shifting loyalties, a stint on a coal barge, a posting on a larger vessel, and investigations that uncover a safe's key. The plot combines adventure, personal courage, and practical problem-solving as relationships and mysteries are resolved toward a final reconciliation.