Ruth Darrow in the Coast Guard
By: by Mildred A. Wirt; illustrated by John M. Foster.
Contributors: John M. Foster (Illustrator)
Edition: [1st edition]
Series: Ruth Darrow Flying Stories #4
Publisher: Barse & Co.
Published: 1931
Place of publication: New York, NY; Newark, NH
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 216
Subjects: Darrow, Ruth (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction.; Women air pilots -- Fiction.
Genres: Juvenile mystery fiction
Description: Sandy Marland has taken a job with the Coast Guard in Orville Beach.  Coincidentally, Jean's parents plan a vacation in Orville Beach, and Ruth and Jean fly in the Silver Moth to join them.  Soon after Ruth and Jean arrive, Ruth rescues a young girl from certain death, and the girl's father gives Ruth a brand-new seaplane equipped with a radio.

Ruth and Jean devote much time to learning how to use the radio.  They also explore the coast in the seaplane and take an avid interest in the actions of the Coast Guard.  Sandy confides that the Coast Guard is working to crack open a ring of smugglers who smuggle in illegal immigrants.

Ruth and Jean also discover a mystery at a nearby lighthouse.  The keeper refuses visitors and appears to be keeping his niece a prisoner at the lighthouse.  Pete Walters threatens Ruth and Jean when they ask to explore the lighthouse.

Could Pete Walters be involved in some type of illegal activity?  Ruth and Jean soon learn the truth, and it is only Ruth's skill with the radio that saves Ruth and Jean from a grim fate.
Darrel Vandervort does everything in his power to make the expedition a failure, even though he himself stands to gain if the expedition is successful.  Why does Vandervort behave so strangely?  After Colonel Darrow fails to return from an excursion with a group of natives, it is up to Ruth, Jean, and Sandy to discover Vandervort's secret and find Colonel Darrow before time runs out.