This is the story of two young brothers from the backwoods of Maine ... Randy and Earl Portney. Having a difficult time financially, unable to pay their rent, even to keep on eating, they weren’t sure how to resolve their dilemma. Then, virtually out of the blue, they got an unexpected invitation letter from their Uncle Foster. He was going to head out for the big search for gold in Alaska and he wanted to know if the boys would go with him. For the brothers, that took care of their problem of “What do we do now?” Taking the trip to join their uncle in California and getting ready for the journey to Alaska was difficult. However, it was practically child’s play compared to what they encountered when they finally reached the far north in their quest for riches. Let’s listen from the beginning and learn what all happened leading up to the trip.
Edward L. Stratemeyer (1862–1930) was an American publisher, writer of children’s fiction, and founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate. He was one of the most prolific writers in the world, producing in excess of 1,300 books himself, selling in excess of 500 million copies.
John Rayburn is a veteran of over sixty years in broadcasting. He served as a news/sports anchor and show host, and his TV newscast achieved the largest share of audience figures of any major-market TV newscast in the nation. John is a member of the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame. He is well suited to bring fascinating stories to life concerning the people, places, and things that combine to present lively observations of our day-to-day lives.