The Merry Five

The Merry Five are off to Santa Luzia, and their summer begins in a whirl of trunks, teasing, and family commotion. Molly, Kirke, Weezy Rowe, and the Bradstreet twins, Paul and Pauline, fill the opening scenes with lively energy as the Rowes pack for the seaside, welcome visitors, and juggle plans for camping, swimming, and long-awaited reunions. But the cheerful bustle keeps turning dramatic. Baby Donald vanishes and is found trapped in a locked trunk, rescued just in time after a frantic search that gives way to relief and a sobering lesson about danger. Soon afterward, the family's plans are tested again when Mrs. Rowe insists that Harry Hobbs, a shy and awkward boy, be treated with kindness rather than dismissed for spoiling the children's fun. At Santa Luzia, the children settle into Mrs. Kitto's boarding-house and launch into beach adventures, swimming lessons, and fishing outings. Weezy's fearless independence leads to comic near-disasters, including a plunge into the ocean that sends the household into panic before she is found safe, sunning herself in blissful ignorance. Through every mishap, the story blends humor, suspense, and affectionate family life, while exploring generosity, vanity, bravery, and the bonds that hold the children together. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.