In the second book in ‘The Boy Fortune Hunters’ children’s adventure series by L. Frank Baum, we are reunited with our hero Sam Steele. Now the captain of his very own ship, Sam is travelling around South America to California. The quirky inventor Duncan Moit is a passenger aboard the ship along with his latest invention, the Moit Convertible Automobile – a car which can travel on land and sea. When a storm forces Sam to make land off the coast of Panama they encounter the descendants of the Aztecs – and they do not welcome visitors. A thrilling adventure full of suspense, treasure, and excitement from the popular children’s author. The story was originally published under the title ‘Sam Steele’s Adventures in Panama’.

Lyman Frank Baum (1856 – 1919) was a prolific and well-known American writer. He is best known for his famous series of modern fairy tales set in the imaginary land of Oz. The first of the books, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ is widely considered to be the first true American fairy tale and was the basis for the hugely popular 1939 classic musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring Judy Garland. Born and raised in New York, Baum held a range of jobs including as a poultry farmer, clerk, and storekeeper before pursuing his talent for writing at the age of 41. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as over 40 other novels and over 80 short stories. He died in California in 1919.