Frank Hunter's Peril

"Frank Hunter's Peril" by Horatio Alger, Jr. is a tale that throws a young boy named Frank Hunter into a whirlwind of distrust and uncertainty in his own home. The story begins when Frank's buddy, Ben, brings up his mother's budding romance with a man named Mr. Craven and this sets off Frank's worries about this man becoming his stepfather. This sets the stage for a struggle with themes of family loyalty and Frank’s growing into adulthood as we see Frank's discomfort grow as he witnesses Craven's increasing presence in his life, with Craven's intentions becoming clearer and his intentions seemingly disingenuous. The narrative uses Frank's point of view to examine the shifting family as a dark future begins to form for both Frank and his dog, Pompey, all because of the menacing Mr. Craven.