Scout: The Sailing Sleuths (#4) (Piet Prins)

Scout: The Sailing Sleuths

Book 4 of the exciting Scout series!

While Tom and his two friends are making plans for a vacation, Carl’s father announces that he has acquired a sailboat, as part of a business deal. The three boys see the chance for a very unusual holiday.

Their peaceful sailing trip is sabotaged when they run into a gang of notorious carnival followers who put on sidewalk shows as a cover for more profitable sidelines. After a confrontation with the gang, the three sailors and Scout find themselves in trouble with the police. Their attempt to clear themselves leads to a wild chase through rivers, canals, and lakes. When at last the boys come face to face with the gang and its ruthless leader, they are stranded on an island in the middle of an isolated lake. In the showdown they are all alone — except for Scout.

Other Books in the Scout series:

• The Secret of the Swamp
• The Haunted Castle
• The Flying Phantom
• The Treasure of Rodensteyn Castle
• The Mystery of the Abandoned Mill
• Scout’s Distant Journey

About the Author

Pieter (Piet) Jongeling (1909-1985) was also known by the pen name Piet Prins. He was a Dutch politician and author of numerous popular children’s books. He was a member of the Reformed Political League and of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands.  Jongeling worked as a journalist for the anti-revolutionary newspaper Nieuwe Provinciale Groninger Courant. In 1941, during the German occupation of The Netherlands, the publication was banned, and in 1942, Jongeling was sent to the Nazi concentration camp at Amersfoort, from which he was later transferred to another at Sachsenhausen. After his release at the close of World War II, Jongeling became editor of Nieuwe Provinciale Groninger Courant. He later left to become editor of De Vrije Kerk.

Jongeling was elected to the House of Representatives in 1963 and served until 1977.  He was a passionate opponent of the legalization of abortion. He wrote numerous children’s books, always under the pen name Piet Prins, and The Scout Series are the most famous of these (known as “Snuf” in the original Dutch).  Other series of his include The Four Friends and Wambu.