The Woodranger: A story of the pioneers of the Debatable Grounds: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Woodranger: A story of the pioneers of the Debatable Grounds: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Woodranger: A story of the pioneers of the Debatable Grounds is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Browne, George Waldo (1851–1930).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
The Woodranger by George Waldo Browne is a historical adventure novel written in the late 19th century. Set on the colonial frontier along the Merrimack River, it follows the Scotch‑Irish youth Norman McNiel, his foster‑sister Rilma, and their Highland grandfather as they navigate land rivalries between Massachusetts grantees and Londonderry settlers. With the enigmatic Woodranger acting as scout, guide, and moral compass, the story mixes wilderness hunts, frontier justice, and community contests. The opening of The Woodranger frames the 1740s “debatable grounds” dispute between New Hampshire and Massachusetts before plunging into action: Norman watches a wounded deer leap from Rock Rimmon after a shot by Christo, a lone Pennacook, and is then seized by Gunwad, a zealous deer‑reeve, for killing game out of season. Woodranger intervenes, and a horn from Norman’s grandfather pulls him home, where he saves Rilma from a wildcat attack—finished by a timely shot from young Johnny Stark—then accepts an invite to a coming canoe match. At dawn, Woodranger escorts him to be tried locally by ’Squire Blanchard; along the way a comic stop with Zack Bitlock (who has mistakenly cultivated mullein for tobacco) lightens the mood. In court, Woodranger shows the bullet is Indian‑made and that the deer died from its fall, not Norman’s hand; the dog’s role can’t be proved, and Norman is acquitted. When Gunwad slanders Norman’s lineage, Woodranger silences him, and the crowd shifts to the eagerly awaited shooting‑match—signaling that personal grudges, local pride, and frontier tests will drive the tale forward.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Woodranger: A story of the pioneers of the Debatable Grounds
- Author credits: Browne, George Waldo (1851–1930)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Adventure stories
- Animals -- Juvenile fiction
- Boundary disputes -- Juvenile fiction
- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
- Frontier and pioneer life -- Juvenile fiction
- Hunters -- Juvenile fiction
- Hunting stories
- New England -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Juvenile fiction
- Outdoor life -- Juvenile fiction
- Parent and child -- Juvenile fiction
- Youth -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
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Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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