The Gold Bat facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | P. G. Wodehouse |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | A & C Black |
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Publication date
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13 September 1904 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
The Gold Bat is an exciting novel written by P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published on 13 September 1904 in London by A & C Black. Before becoming a book, the story was first shared in parts in a magazine called The Captain.
The story takes place at a made-up British boarding school called Wrykyn. It follows two students, O'Hara and Moriarty, who play a big prank. They sneak out and cover a statue of a local politician with tar and leaves. They manage to get away with it! But O'Hara had borrowed a tiny gold cricket bat from Trevor, who is the captain of the school's cricket team. After the prank, they realize the small bat is gone. This causes a lot of trouble and secrets among the friends. Trevor and his friends try to hide that the bat is missing. The book shows how they deal with this problem and other events during the school term. This includes exciting rugby games between different school houses and the sneaky actions of a secret group called "the League."
Wrykyn School also appears in other books by Wodehouse, like The White Feather (1907) and the first part of Mike (1909). It's even mentioned sometimes in his later stories.
Contents
What Happens in the Story
After the local mayor, Sir Eustace Briggs, says some unkind things about Ireland, two Irish students at Wrykyn School, O'Hara and Moriarty, decide to get even. They sneak out at night to cover a statue of Sir Eustace with tar and leaves. They are not caught, but O'Hara realizes he lost something important during their adventure. He lost a tiny gold cricket bat he had borrowed from his friend Trevor.
This small bat, only about an inch long, was a special trophy. Trevor had won it as captain of the winning cricket team. He is supposed to return it to the school before the next cricket cup. Trevor worries that if the gold bat is found near the statue, he might be blamed for the prank.
Meanwhile, there's an open spot on the school's main rugby team. Trevor, as captain, is thinking about choosing Rand-Brown. However, he prefers Barry, who is smaller but a much better player.
The Mysterious League
One day, the study room of a senior student named Mill is found completely messed up. A special card left behind says it was done by "the League." This name belonged to a group of students from years ago who used to bully others until they were expelled. It seems this secret society has started up again.
Trevor gets a letter warning him that the League does not want Barry to play for the school rugby team. Trevor knows the team will play better with Barry. So, he ignores the warning. Because of this, Trevor's own study is also messed up by the League.
Rand-Brown seems to have a reason to want Barry off the team. He also doesn't like Mill. But Rand-Brown couldn't have damaged Trevor's study because he was playing rugby at the time. O'Hara tries to find where the League meets. He thinks he's found their secret spot when he sees two figures in a basement. This basement is used to store extra chairs. But it turns out to be just two younger students, Renford and Harvey. They are secretly keeping two ferrets there.
More Trouble and Discoveries
Later, the study of another senior student, Milton, is also wrecked by the League. A student named Leather-Twigg, also known as "Shoeblossom," saw a white figure leaving Milton's study. Milton thinks the description of the figure sounds like Rand-Brown. Milton had insulted Rand-Brown during a rugby game.
Trevor then receives another letter from the League. This letter warns him that they now have the missing gold bat!
Barry sprains his ankle and cannot play in an important rugby match against another school, Ripton. So, Trevor has to choose Rand-Brown to play instead. However, Trevor suspects Rand-Brown is part of the League. He searches Rand-Brown's study for the gold bat. Rand-Brown denies being involved with the League, and Trevor doesn't find the bat. Rand-Brown plays very poorly in the important match. Because of this, Barry is given the permanent spot on the team once he recovers.
O'Hara and Moriarty investigate the basement again. This time, they only find several students secretly smoking. The students smoking are caught, and O'Hara and Moriarty barely escape through a secret trap-door. After this, the basement is kept locked. So, O'Hara helps Renford and Harvey move their ferrets to a new hiding spot behind the fives-courts.
The Truth Comes Out
The headmaster tells Trevor to search the studies in Dexter's House for hidden tobacco. While searching with his friend Clowes, they find the missing gold bat! It's in a drawer in the study of a student named Ruthven. Ruthven admits that Rand-Brown forced him to help form the League.
Trevor plans to settle his disagreement with Rand-Brown with a fight. But O'Hara, who is a boxer, knows Trevor isn't good at fighting. So, O'Hara arranges a boxing match between himself and Rand-Brown before Trevor gets a chance. Moriarty goes with O'Hara to help him. The fight happens near one of the fives-courts. Renford, who is on his way to feed his ferrets, finds the fight and agrees to keep time.
O'Hara wins the fight! It is also revealed that Rand-Brown is leaving the school because he was one of the students caught smoking.
Later, political protesters repeat the prank of covering Sir Eustace Briggs's statue with tar and feathers. It seems they were inspired by O'Hara and Moriarty's earlier prank. Sir Eustace Briggs had been suspicious of the school's students. He heard that a tiny gold bat was found near the statue and given to a student. But now he thinks the protesters were responsible for the first prank too. Trevor also carefully tells Sir Eustace Briggs that it was not his bat. He says his bat had been in a drawer for most of the term.
Main Characters
- Trevor: A senior student and leader of Donaldson's House. He is a top player in both cricket and rugby. Trevor also appears in The White Feather and Mike.
- Clowes: A close friend of Trevor in Donaldson's House. He also appears in The White Feather and Mike.
- O'Hara: An Irish student in Dexter's House. He is a skilled light-weight boxer. O'Hara also appears in The White Feather.
- Moriarty: Another Irish student in Dexter's House who is also a boxer. He is O'Hara's friend.
- Rand-Brown: A student in Seymour's House. He plays for the school's second rugby team and really wants to join the main team.
- Barry: An eager rugby player who starts on the third team. He shares a study with his friend M'Todd. Barry also appears in The White Feather.
- Renford: A fourteen-year-old student in Seymour's House. He helps Milton, a senior student, and secretly looks after two ferrets with his friend Harvey. Renford also appears in The White Feather.
- Harvey: A student in Seymour's House who keeps two ferrets named Sir Nigel and Sherlock Holmes with Renford's help.
- Leather-Twigg (Shoeblossom): A student in Seymour's known for causing trouble. He also appears in Mike.
- Ruthven: A student in Dexter's House. He knows Trevor but is not liked by Clowes.
- Mill: An unpopular senior student in Seymour's House.
- Milton: The head of Seymour's House.
- Sir Eustace Briggs: The mayor of the nearby town of Wrykyn. He is quite proud and self-important.
