Burr Junior, by George Manville Fenn.
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I thought that it was unusual for Manville Fenn to set a novel in a
boys' boarding school, since I had become used to exotic settings in
Malaysia, or South America, for his tension-filled novels. Here he
certainly does not disappoint if it's tension and suspense you are
expecting of him. The last few chapters, in particular, are extremely
nail-biting, but the book is quite hard to put down at any point.
It is Burr who is telling the story, and from his first day at the
school he is friendly with Mercer, who is not good at his school work,
but who knows a great deal about natural history, and imparts it to
Burr, and of course to the readers as well. There is a gang of other
boys who are inclined to bully, and at first they make life misery for
Burr and Mercer--but this is soon got over.
Other important figures are Hopley, the gamekeeper; his daughter Polly;
the school Cook; Lomax, the school drill-sergeant; Magglin, a
ne'er-do-well and poacher; Dr Browne, the headmaster, and Mrs Browne;
Rebble and Hasnip, ushers at the school; Burr's mother, and his uncle,
Colonel Seaborough; and the local big landowner, General Sir Hawkhurst
Rye.
It was a very enjoyable book to transcribe, and I am sure you will enjoy
it.
NH
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