It was originally serialised in several Australian newspapers in 1897, (including The Age, The Adelaide Observer, The Evening Journal and The Queenslander) before it was then published in book form in the United Kingdom by Ward, Lock and Bowden in 1898.
"Using that information the boss made himself rich, living a high life in London, while Pennethorne remained penniless.
"[1] Following the book's initial newspaper serialisation, and then publication by Ward, Lock and Bowden in 1898[2] it was subsequently published as follows:[1] The novel was translated into Danish (1916).
[1] A reviewer in the Australian Town and Country Journal noted that the book "will certainly not rank among the best of his works, being indeed of an obviously pot-boiler type–even shipwrecks, gold rushes, and attacks by Matabele are apt to pall, and excursions from England to Australia and back again, and thence to South Africa, provide a species of variety which may become simply monotonous."
"[4] The reviewer in the Sydney Mail agreed: "though as chock full of adventure as previous volumes — much more so, in fact — does not mark any advance in his art, and is certainly not up to the standard of Dr.