Phoebe Daring by L. Frank Baum

In Riverdale, Phoebe Daring finds herself drawn into a tangle of loyalty, justice, and legal mystery when Toby Clark is left adrift after the sudden death of Judge Ferguson. Once a poor, overlooked orphan, Toby earned the judge's trust through courage, hard work, and the injury he suffered saving Ferguson's life, and he has grown into a thoughtful law student with a keen eye for details. But the judge's will leaves him with nothing, and Toby must face grief, prejudice, and the humiliation of selling fish simply to survive. As Phoebe and Cousin Judith look for a way to help without wounding his pride, a separate crisis unfolds around Mrs. Ritchie's blue tin box of money and private papers. Toby is caught between her impatience, the demands of probate law, and the calm integrity of young lawyer Mr. Holbrook, while rival attorney Abner Kellogg stands in sharp contrast. Meanwhile, an unexpected fifty-dollar gift to the Daring children's Marching Club seems to point toward the same hidden wrongdoing. With suspense, warmth, and quiet heroism, the story blends family feeling, social conscience, and old-fashioned charm. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.