The Ransom of Red Chief

Petty criminals Bill and Sam decide to kidnap 10-year-old Johnny for ransom money from his wealthy father. The plan turns on its head, however, when Johnny “Red Chief” Dorset decides he likes his captors better than his father. Their plan for ransom quickly turns into a desperate attempt to be rid of the boy, whose father seems relieved rather than worried that he’s missing. This entertaining short story is a perfect example of poetic justice and hijinks gone wrong.