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Vanderdecken

  • Free to read
  • 4 hours to read
  • 39 chapters
  • Reading level: 5th grade

"Vanderdecken" by H. De Vere Stacpoole is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story begins with George du Cane, a wealthy orphan who is about to inherit a large fortune, and introduces a cast of characters including Hank Fisher, a quirky and adventurous man from the Bohemian Club. The narrative unfolds around the chase of a notorious yacht raider named Vanderdecken, whose exploits capture the attention of the protagonist and his companions as they concoct a plan to hunt him down. The opening of the novel introduces George du Cane in the Bohemian Club, where he navigates conversations about the criminal activities of Vanderdecken, a figure of infamy associated with yacht raiding. Amidst the discussions about the dwindling state of social activities due to Prohibition, Hank Fisher's determination to pursue Vanderdecken becomes evident as he reveals a personal motivation to earn the reward for capturing the pirate. As the plot thickens, both George and Hank become entangled in their quest, which leads them to acquire a decrepit yacht, the "Wear Jack", to brave the waters in search of the elusive raider. The tension builds as they face challenges and interpersonal dynamics, hinting at the adventures and mishaps that await them on their daring escapade.

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Chapter I

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN

George du Cane was writing a letter in the smoking room of the Bohemian Club, San Francisco.

George was an orphan with guardians. Twenty-four years and five months of age, his property would not be decontrolled for another seven months when, on his twenty-fifth birthday, he would find himself the actual possessor of something over two million, five hundred thousand dollars. Old Harley du Cane, George’s father, had made his money speculating. He had no healthy business to leave to his son and no very healthy reputation. He had ruined thousands of men whom he had never seen and never heard of, he had escaped ruin countless times by the skin of his teeth, he had wrecked railways; his life was, if logic counts, a long disgrace, and in a perfect civilization he would have been hanged. All the same he was a most lovable old man, generous, warm-hearted, hot-tempered, high-coloured, beautifully dressed; always with a cigar in his mouth and a flower in his buttonhole, his hat tilted on one side and his hand in his pocket for any unfortunate.

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Contents

Show all 39 chapters
  1. Chapter I
  2. Chapter II
  3. Chapter III
  4. Chapter IV
  5. Chapter V
  6. Chapter VI
  7. Chapter VII
  8. Chapter VIII
  9. Chapter IX
  10. Chapter X
  11. Chapter XI
  12. Chapter XII: Out
  13. Chapter XIII
  14. Chapter XIV
  15. Chapter XV
  16. Chapter XVI
  17. Chapter XVII
  18. Chapter XVIII
  19. Chapter XIX
  20. Chapter XX
  21. Chapter XXI
  22. Chapter XXII
  23. Chapter XXIII
  24. Chapter XXIV
  25. Chapter XXV
  26. Chapter XXVI
  27. Chapter XXVII
  28. Chapter XXVIII
  29. Chapter XXIX
  30. Chapter XXX
  31. Chapter XXXI: “Tommie’s Gone!”
  32. Chapter XXXII
  33. Chapter XXXIII
  34. Chapter XXXIV
  35. Chapter XXXV
  36. Chapter XXXVI: “Candon”
  37. Chapter XXXVII
  38. Chapter XXXVIII
  39. Chapter XXXIX

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About this edition

This free edition of Vanderdecken by H. De Vere Stacpoole comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #54473, released 2017-04-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Adventure, Novels.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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