5 h 5 minAudiobook15 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 5 h 5 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
Stolen pearls, daring escapes, and a girl who keeps her nerve: where will Ruth Fielding’s search for truth lead?
In Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies, published under the name Alice B. Emerson, a determined young heroine faces a mystery of stolen pearls. A puzzle and a chase keep the story moving, while Ruth brings the courage to act rather than stand aside when trouble comes her way.
This children’s classic offers an old-fashioned adventure built around courage, friendship, and the search for truth. Ruth is a heroine with clear purpose, and the story invites you to follow her through danger. Its portrayal of Romani people calls for care: the language and attitudes belong to its period.
What you’ll discover
- A heroine who acts Follow Ruth as she meets trouble with determination and keeps her nerve under pressure.
- The stolen pearls mystery Enter a puzzle where something precious goes missing and finding the truth demands action.
- Chases and daring escapes Feel the pull of an adventure that gives its heroine little room to stand still.
- Courage backed by friendship Discover the simple strength of keeping going when matters look bad and trouble presses close.
- A classic read thoughtfully Enjoy the mystery while keeping a careful eye on its period portrayal of Romani people.
Who will love it
Readers who love quick-thinking girl heroes, clue-filled mysteries, and school friendships will enjoy this book. It also suits those who like car journeys, campfires and warm humor.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A girl insists on rowing and the river answers
- A stray Gypsy boy and a hurt lamb
- Bats in the chimney drive off two ruffians
- A kind offer from a stranger and a queen who commands
- Escape fails, a disguise works, and a friend returns
- Independence matters more to Ruth than money
- Roberto shows that a person is more than a label
- A serial voice full of cliffhangers, jokes and symbols
Who’s who
- Ruth FieldingA plucky orphan raised at the Red Mill who wants to earn her own way, finish school and train her voice.
- Helen CameronRuth's nervous, warm-hearted school friend, the daughter of a rich merchant, who is easily frightened but loyal.
- Tom CameronHelen's twin brother, a cheerful, speed-loving schoolboy who drives the old car and will do anything for Ruth.
- Uncle Jabez PotterThe stingy, grumbling miller who pays for Ruth's schooling and says girls are no use, though he cares more than he shows.
- Aunt AlvirahThe miller's kindly housekeeper, who calls Ruth her pretty and is one of the few people who stand up to him.
- RobertoA strong young Gypsy who saves Ruth's uncle, cares nothing for money, and hopes to make a new life in America.
- Queen ZelayaThe old, sharp-eyed Gypsy queen, Roberto's grandmother, who rules her tribe, hoards treasure and wants a rich ransom.
- Nettie ParsonsA quiet new girl at Briarwood Hall, daughter of a sugar millionaire, whose aunt lost the stolen pearl necklace.
Formats and delivery
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- On your phone, tablet or computer, once the book texts are online.
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- The same book in bigger, clearer type, once the book texts are online.
- Audiobook
- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
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- The key ideas in about 15 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
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- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
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Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies
by Alice B. Emerson · 1915
Ruth Fielding survives a river accident, then meets a Gypsy queen with a hidden string of pearls.
Easy read5–10 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
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In short
What does a girl do when an old miller tells her that girls are of no use in the world, and then a river tries to drown him? In the first chapter, Ruth Fielding grabs an oar, climbs into an old boat, and finds out.
Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies at a glance
- Reading time
- About 2 h 55 min2 h 20 min fast, 3 h 30 min slow
- Length
- 41,500 words
- Library level
- Easy short sentences, plain words
- First published
- 1915by Alice B. Emerson
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A girl insists on rowing and the river answers
The story opens at the Red Mill, where Ruth lives with her great-uncle Jabez Potter, the miller, and kindly Aunt Alvirah. Today the miller is short of help, and four sacks of flour must cross the river to the store. Ruth offers to row with him. He snaps that it is no job for a girl, but Ruth will not give way.
Still, Ruth rowed in the first eight at her school, and she pulls her share. Then the old man swings the bow upstream, and his oar scrapes a hidden reef. The boat smashes into the rock, and the rotten planks cave in. Uncle Jabez goes overboard and strikes his head. Ruth climbs out after him and holds his bleeding head above the water while the flood drags at her.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 15 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1915
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 3 h 20 min
- Level
- Easy read
Cite this edition
Emerson, Alice B. Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/ruth-fielding-and-the-gypsies.
Emerson, A. B. (2026). Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/ruth-fielding-and-the-gypsies (Original work published 1915)
Emerson, Alice B. Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/ruth-fielding-and-the-gypsies.
@book{emerson2026ruth,
author = {Emerson, Alice B.},
title = {Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/ruth-fielding-and-the-gypsies},
note = {First published 1915}
}
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What is Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies about?
Ruth Fielding, an orphan raised at a mill, saves her uncle from drowning, is carried off by a Gypsy queen during a car trip, and later suspects that the queen's pearls are a stolen necklace with a large reward.
Who is Roberto in the Ruth Fielding books?
Roberto is a young Gypsy, tall and strong, who rescues Ruth's uncle from the river. He avoids work and money, loves woods and flowers, and later helps Ruth at real risk to himself.
Is Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies part of a series?
Yes, it is the eighth book in the Ruth Fielding series by Alice B. Emerson. A short recap in the second chapter tells new readers who the friends are, so the story can be enjoyed on its own.
The author
Alice B. Emerson
Collective pseudonym for children's writers
Alice B. Emerson is a pen name, used by a publishing syndicate for the Ruth Fielding series of girls' books. Several hands wrote under it, and the series followed Ruth from the Red Mill through school, camp, travel and adventures in the early twentieth century. The books belong to the tradition of lively American serials for young readers.
More by Alice B. Emerson
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