Harbour Thieves

Joan McGrath is a Toronto Board of Education library consultant.

The adventures of those intrepid youngsters, Meg and Jamie Bains, continue in this fifth account of their trials and travails. When last heard from, they were deeply embroiled in the labour disputes of Troubles at Lachine Mill. Working their way eastward, they now find themselves in the grimy and comfortless lodgings that are the best they can hope for in the unfriendly Toronto of 1875.

The youngsters find just barely enough work selling newspapers to keep body and soul together, but their dire poverty puts them at risk. Soon Jamie is decoyed into the schemes of a heartless gang of thieves who use destitute children to do their dangerous dirty work of warehouse burglary. It seems that Jamie, in spite of all that his despairing sister can do to prevent it, is heading for trouble with the law. This latest, and plainly not final, installment of the Bains saga moves along at a good clip, is crammed with action, and indeed improves upon the earlier, prize-winning titles.