Beverly Gray in the Orient

I have to wonder about the following passage from page 78 in which Beverly describes her feelings as she holds her first book. The passage might mirror what Clair Blank felt when she saw her first Beverly Gray book in print:

Along with Connie's letter was a package, securely wrapped. This, Beverly discovered from the letter, was a copy of her own book, just as it had come from the presses weeks before. True to her word, Connie had sent her her copy. Beverly's eyes danced over the closely written pages of her friend's letter and then, with fingers that trembled with eagerness, she opened her first book.

It was a thrill that words could not express. In her hands she held something of her own creation, something that would endure, something she had molded from nothing at all. A sense of achievement swelled her heart with pride. The months of striving, discouragement, and tears were as naught. They did not matter now. Only the fact that at last she had given something to the world. No one could ever take away from her the pride in her first accomplishment. The book was a part of her and for years it would live on. People, unknown and untold, would read it, and through the printed page she would draw a little closer to them.

The artist's conception for the cover and frontispiece were original and intriguing. Connie had written that it was already exceedingly popular. That was an added source of satisfaction. Achievement, accomplished work, always meant more when one's work was appreciated.

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Beverly Gray in the Orient was the final volume published by A. L. Burt/Blue Ribbon Books. The series would have ended with this volume if it had been sold to Saalfield or World like the rest of the A. L. Burt/Blue Ribbon Books catalog. The Beverly Gray series is the one series that was sold to Grosset and Dunlap and was the only one that continued with new titles.

If Grosset and Dunlap had not purchased the series, this book would have left many questions unanswered. It is just one part of the continuing story of Beverly's cruise on the Susabella. If it had been the final volume, this is how the series would have ended:

The mention of Barney's name brought the discussion of Charlie Wong's mysterious house to the fore again. All of them tried to talk at once and the room was filled with the hubbub.

Later on, when some of them had quieted down, attention was turned to the map again. Anthony Anton was very much interested in it. Eagerly he agreed to join the hunt for the treasure.

"And Shanghai Pete will be our guide," Larry proposed. "He knows the islands around Fiji; he knows what sort of things we'll need."

"Hurrah!"

Lois and Lenora danced about in glee.

"On to the adventure!" Lenora cried brightly.

So, with new adventures beckoning just ahead, let us leave Beverly Gray and her friends to again join them in Beverly Gray on a Treasure Hunt, when we will discover to what the map did eventually lead them.

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It would have been very frustrating not to have known anything about the rest of Beverly Gray's adventures.