Narrative Summary of Bones in London

Overview:

I’m Augustus Tibbetts, but everyone calls me “Bones.” I inherited a fortune from my miserly uncle and decided to become a businessman in London. I have no experience, but I’m surprisingly good at making money, often through sheer luck and a bit of intuition. I’m also quite naive and easily taken in by scams, but I always manage to turn things around. My partner, Hamilton, is a former officer who’s always trying to keep me out of trouble, but I’m usually too busy dreaming up new schemes to listen. This text tells the story of some of my adventures in the city and how I make money despite my lack of experience and sometimes against my own better judgment.

Main parts:

The Fairy Line: I buy a struggling shipping line from my late uncle, only to find out that the two most valuable ships are practically worthless. This leads me to meet Fred Pole, a broker who tries to buy the ships back from me, and I make a thousand pound profit off him and his brother.
The Treasure of Lomo Island: An old sea dog, Dibbs, comes to me with a map and a handful of Spanish gold, convinced I’ll finance his expedition to find a hidden treasure. I invest fifteen thousand pounds and end up discovering that the “treasure” is actually stolen gold, and my partners are in cahoots with the thief.
Stivvins’ Wharf: I’m offered a derelict metal refinery with a vault, and I end up discovering a hidden cache of gold. This leads to a series of scams from the original owner and competing buyers. I end up buying the wharf and then giving it back to the original owner.
The Plover Light Car: A friend of mine, Hamilton, is swindled into investing in a failing car company. I buy the company back from the scammer, saving Hamilton’s investment, and then wind up selling it again at a profit.
A Deal in Jute: I buy a large supply of government-owned jute, only to find out it’s spoiled and I’m going to lose money. This is actually a scheme by two women, who attempt to defraud me by using a blank check.
Siker’s Detective Agency: I buy a detective agency from a young man who’s a musician and doesn’t want to run it. I use it to investigate people, but I end up discovering that my own investigation into a scam involving a man named de Vinne is actually a front for another one.
The Tibbetts-Jelf Motor Lamp: I’m tricked into buying an invention called the “Tibbetts-Jelf Motor Lamp” by a scammer named Jelf, who exploits my interest in cars. I use it on my car, but the lamp malfunctions constantly and almost causes an accident.
The Lynhaven Railway: I’m convinced to buy a failing railway from a member of Parliament, hoping to turn it around. I drive the train myself and end up almost crashing it, putting the entire system out of commission.
The Mazeppa Trading Company: I buy a failing trading company on the West Coast of Africa, saving my friend Sanders from a scam. I end up buying the remaining shares from the scammers who orchestrated the deal, exposing their scheme.

View on Life:

Bones: Believes in luck and intuition. He’s an optimist who believes in the “goodness” of people and the power of dreams. This often makes him vulnerable to scams.
Hamilton: Skeptical and practical. He sees through Bones’ schemes and tries to warn him against them, but ultimately accepts his partner’s impulsiveness.
De Vinne: Cynical and greedy. He’s a master of scams and enjoys outsmarting others, even his own partners.
Fred Pole: A man of sentiment who has a moral compass, but he’s also easily swayed by the potential for profit.

Scenarios:

A man tries to sell me ships that are practically worthless.
I meet an old sea dog who claims to have discovered a hidden treasure.
I find myself in a bidding war over a derelict metal refinery with a vault.
I’m tricked into investing in a company that’s making cars that don’t exist.
I try to buy a large supply of jute, but it turns out to be worthless.
I buy a detective agency that’s being used for illegal activities.
I’m tricked into buying a motor lamp that doesn’t work properly.
I buy a failing railway that I almost crash.
I try to buy a trading company in Africa, but I’m unknowingly the target of a scam.

Challenges:

Convincing people that I know what I’m doing in business.
Saving my friend Hamilton’s money from scammers.
Recognizing and avoiding scams.
Staying out of trouble due to my impulsive nature.
Dealing with the consequences of my own naivete.
Learning to drive a car and a locomotive.

Conflict:

Bones versus the City: Bones is constantly being tricked and swindled by various characters. His biggest challenge is to learn how to navigate the tricky waters of London business and avoid getting caught in scams.
Bones versus himself: Bones is constantly trying to convince himself that he knows what he’s doing, even when he doesn’t. He’s caught between his naive optimism and his desire to succeed in business.

Plot:

The story follows Bones’ journey as he stumbles into various business deals, often through accidental encounters and a lack of common sense. The story arc can be broken down into a series of episodes, each with its own individual plot:

Introduction: Bones inherits a fortune and embarks on his business career.
The Fairy Line: He buys a shipping line and sells two of its ships for a profit.
The Treasure of Lomo Island: He’s tricked into financing a treasure hunt and uncovers a gold heist.
Stivvins’ Wharf: He buys a property that’s part of a larger scam, but he discovers the gold and escapes with his money.
The Plover Light Car: He rescues a friend’s investment by buying and selling a failing car company.
A Deal in Jute: He’s tricked into buying worthless jute, but the scheme backfires.
Siker’s Detective Agency: He buys a detective agency, only to discover it’s being used for unethical purposes.
The Tibbetts-Jelf Motor Lamp: He’s tricked into buying a defective motor lamp by a scammer.
The Lynhaven Railway: He buys a failing railway, but nearly crashes it while driving the locomotive himself.
The Mazeppa Trading Company: He saves his friend from a scam and exposes the scammers behind the deal.

Point of view:

First Person: The story is told from Bones’ point of view, which gives us a unique and sometimes naive perspective on the events. We see the world through his eyes, which allows us to experience his humor and his vulnerability.

How It’s written:

The text uses a lively, conversational tone, with a lot of humor and exaggeration. This is typical of Edgar Wallace’s writing style. Here’s an example:

“I’ve got a rare nose for a bargain…”

Tone:

The tone is lighthearted and satirical. The author uses humor to poke fun at the characters and their exploits, and to highlight the absurdity of the situations. However, there is also a sense of suspense, as Bones is constantly on the verge of disaster.

Life choices:

Bones: Chooses to enter the world of London business, even though he has no experience. He makes risky investments and often gets caught in scams, but he always manages to turn things around.
Hamilton: Chooses to be Bones’ partner, even though he often disapproves of his actions. He tries to guide Bones, but ultimately accepts his impulsive nature.

Lessons:

Be careful who you trust in business: The story highlights the dangers of trusting people who are not who they seem.
Don’t be afraid to take risks: Bones’s success is often due to his willingness to take risks, even when he’s not sure what he’s doing.
Be cautious of people who seem too good to be true: Many of the characters in the story are con artists who prey on Bones’ naivete.

Characters:

Augustus Tibbetts (Bones): A naive but wealthy young man who stumbles into the world of London business. He’s a dreamer with a good heart, but he’s also gullible and prone to making mistakes.
Captain Hamilton: Bones’ partner, a former military officer who’s more practical and skeptical. He’s always trying to keep Bones out of trouble, but he ultimately trusts his instincts.
Harold De Vinne: A master of scams, he’s constantly trying to swindle Bones out of his money.
Fred Pole: A well-meaning broker who tries to buy the ships back from Bones, but ends up being tricked.
Marguerite Whitland: Bones’ secretary, a smart and beautiful young woman who’s often the voice of reason in the story.

Themes:

The dangers of greed: The story highlights the destructive nature of greed and how it can lead people to cheat and deceive others.
The importance of experience: Bones’ lack of business experience makes him vulnerable to scams. The story underscores the need for caution and knowledge in the world of finance.
The power of friendship and loyalty: The friendship between Bones and Hamilton is the heart of the story. They support each other, even when they disagree.

Principles:

Trust your instincts: Although Bones makes many mistakes, he’s often able to get out of trouble because he trusts his gut feeling.
Be careful who you trust: Bones learns the hard way that not everyone is trustworthy.
Never give up on your dreams: Despite his failures, Bones remains optimistic and continues to pursue his goals.

Intentions of the characters:

Bones: Wants to make money and experience the excitement of business. He also wants to impress his secretary, Marguerite.
Hamilton: Wants to help Bones succeed in business, but he also wants to protect him from himself.
De Vinne, Fred Pole, and other scammers: Want to take advantage of Bones’ naiveté and steal his money.
Marguerite Whitland: Wants to be independent and successful, but she also cares about Bones.

Unique Vocabulary:

“Jolly old”: Bones uses this phrase constantly to emphasize his enthusiasm and optimism.
“Dicky Orum”: Bones uses this expression as a way to dismiss criticism and remind himself and others of his “innocent” intentions.
“Typewriter”: Bones frequently refers to his secretary as “the typewriter,” which is ironic given her intelligence.

Anecdotes:

The story of the treasure of Lomo Island: Illustrates Bones’ naiveté and his willingness to believe in tall tales. It also shows how he can use his intuition to turn a scam into a profit.
The story of the Tibbetts-Jelf Motor Lamp: Highlights Bones’ obsession with cars and how he can be easily tricked by a clever con artist.

Ideas:

The importance of having a good partner: Bones’ relationship with Hamilton is a testament to the importance of having a loyal and supportive partner in business.
The dangers of blindly trusting people: The story shows that not everyone is who they seem and that it’s important to be careful who you trust, especially in business.
The importance of having a sense of humor: Bones’ ability to laugh at himself and his mistakes helps him get through difficult situations.

Facts and Findings:

The government was trying to sell off surplus jute after World War I.
Siker’s Detective Agency had a long and successful history in London.
The Mazeppa Trading Company was a failing business with a history of corruption.

Statistics:

Bones inherited a fortune worth over three hundred thousand pounds.
The Mazeppa Trading Company had a share capital of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds.
Bones made a profit of seventeen thousand five hundred pounds by buying and selling Browns’ Boot Shops.

Points of View:

The story is written from Bones’ point of view, which allows the reader to see the world through his eyes. This perspective gives us a humorous and sometimes naive take on the events. We see the world from the point of view of someone who is both an optimist and a bit of a fool.

Perspective:

The perspective of the naive businessman: Bones is a novice in the world of business and often gets caught in scams, but he also has a unique perspective that allows him to see opportunities that others miss.
The perspective of the experienced con artist: De Vinne and the other scammers in the story are able to take advantage of Bones’ naiveté because they understand the ways of the city better than he does.

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