Frank R. Stockton's A Jolly Fellowship launches with a boy's-eye view of travel, trouble, and growing independence. Sixteen-year-old Will Gordon is headed out from New York on a steamer, having chosen experience over an immediate college path, and he is unexpectedly paid to look after his mild, loyal companion, Rectus, whose quiet goodness first won Will's gratitude in a near-drowning rescue under a wharf. Their voyage begins in laughter and quickly turns into a string of comic disasters, from overenthusiastic school friends crowding the ship to a humiliating realization that the boys have sailed far past their intended stop. As the adventure widens, danger and invention mix with humor: stormy uncertainty, awkward negotiations with ship officers, and the constant need for quick thinking. Along the way, Will encounters memorable figures such as Mr. Chipperton and Goliah Brown, and the boys' schemes range from practical rescues to an improvised royal pageant for Poqua-dilla, an elderly African woman they hope to honor as queen. Full of lively dialogue, eccentric characters, and affectionate satire, the novel celebrates courage, friendship, and the fellowship that forms when boys face the world together. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.

À propos de l'auteur

Stockton, Frank R.

Frank R. Stockton was an American writer born in Philadelphia in 1834, the son of a minister, and he spent much of his life balancing practical work with a steadily growing literary career. After early jobs in engraving and journalism, he found his true voice in fiction, becoming one of the most distinctive humorists of the late nineteenth century. He wrote novels, short stories, and children’s tales marked by wit, imagination, and a gentle but sly understanding of human nature. His most celebrated achievements lie in his inventive storytelling, especially his playful use of irony, surprise, and moral ambiguity, which gave his work a freshness that still feels modern. Stockton often explored questions of chance, social expectation, individuality, and the absurd rules people create for themselves, all while maintaining a light touch that made his stories entertaining as well as thoughtful. His influence endures because he helped shape American comic fiction into something both clever and humane, and his best writing continues to reward readers who enjoy stories that are whimsical on the surface but perceptive underneath. Today, Stockton remains especially appealing to readers who appreciate classic humor, imaginative plots, and fiction that gently exposes the quirks of society without losing its warmth.