The Red Brotherhood: The Twelve Avengers

"The Twelve Avengers" by W. J. Hamilton This serial adventure opens with exposition about the legendary Red Dukite, a venomous South Sea serpent said to pursue those who kill its companion. The narrative follows the Delisle family—father, mother, two sons (Oscar and Walter), and daughter Mabel—aboard a ship near San Francisco, fleeing the islands where Oscar killed a member of a secret society called the Red Dukites. The organization, named after the serpent, operates as a vendetta brotherhood led by a mysterious white man, sworn to avenge fallen members. Despite reaching San Francisco safely, Oscar foolishly challenges their pursuer, who sends a threatening image of the Red Dukite. In Tampa City, Walter is approached by a noble Californian who reveals knowledge of their enemies and invites him to his ranch. Walter accepts and learns the full backstory: Oscar's fatal shooting of a Dukite officer during a sandalwood-collecting expedition triggered relentless pursuit, including two kidnapping attempts Walter thwarted. The society has tracked them across continents, their vengeance continuing through symbolic warnings.