Harry Prentice was one of several pseudonyms used by American journalist and prolific children's author James Otis Kaler (1848-1912). Kaler got his first job on the Boston Globe aged 13 and three years later was providing coverage of the American Civil War. He went on to work as a journalist or editor for various newspapers, as a superintendent of schools, and as a publicity man for a circus. In 1880 he wrote his first children's book, 'Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus', and following its success authored many further titles, mostly historical and adventure novels, his known output numbering around 200. This story was first published by A L Burt in 1892 and includes three illustrations.