From the privilege and security of an English school education, Two life long chums Pierce Errington and Ted Burroughs find themselves sent to run remote trading posts deep inside China on a stretch of river plagued by villainous rogues and under constant threat from the German forces who are looking to take a foothold in the territory prior to the outbreak of war.
Allegiances are formed and subsequent enemies made as the young men fumble their way in a strange land full of superstitions and alien customs; helped and sometimes hindered by their two squabbling Chinese man-servants Chin Tai and Lo San, and a wise old friend of their father's Mr. Ting.
Before long, one of them falls into gambling debts and the unscrupulous clutches of the local money lenders and a German named Reinhardt.
But, When Bandits take control of the region Errington is captured and faces the imminent wroth of an old adversary.
The only advantage the lads have is a custom built Hydroplane which Burroughs hopes to make use of in a daring escape. But with the entire river under the rule of the Bandits on one side the Germans on the other and River Pirates thwarting their every move, what chance do the lads have!
The use of Chinese Pidgin English throughout the book adds another level of intrigue, which thoughtfully the authors have chosen to make more coherent with interspersed footnotes for the benefit of the reader.

P.s. Keep a look out for a hilarious charade involving a stolen German moustache ! I can't explain further without giving too much away, but it had me in stitches reading it.

This is a worthy piece from the golden age of Boys Adventure Fiction. My battered old cloth-bound reprint from 1917 is practically falling apart having been read time and time again. It's one of those stories that you simply can't put down.

The book is illustrated by Thomas Cantrell Dugdale, the renowned portrait painter and war artist. ( )