Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies; Or, the Missing Pearl Necklace

Ruth Fielding has never been content with a quiet life at the Red Mill with her gruff uncle Jabez Potter. When her attempt to row across the Lumano River ends in disaster, she's rescued by Roberto, a wild-looking gypsy boy whose people hold secrets Ruth is determined to uncover. The missing pearl necklace of the title draws her deeper into a world of traveling Romani, shifting suspicions, and old family grievances that no one else in town will speak of. Meanwhile, Ruth's friends invite her to Snow Camp for winter break, where a sullen runaway named Fred Hatfield becomes an unwilling traveling companion. When Fred jumps from the train near Scarboro, Ruth's impulsive chase leads to a hair-raising night in the wilderness: a stolen wagon, a panther's shriek, and rescue by a hermit living off the grid. At Snow Camp, Ruth keeps crossing paths with the mysterious Fred, ultimately helping reunite him with his family. These early 20th-century adventures pulse with genuine peril and a heroine who thinks on her feet. For readers who crave girls who act before they overthink, who trust their instincts even when adults dismiss them, this remains a satisfying thrill.