Johnny Dorset (also known as Red Chief)
Johnny Dorset is a ten-year-old boy, described as having red hair and freckles, who Sam and Bill kidnap and hold for ransom. Rather than fear his captors, Johnny plays make-believe with the men, pretending that he is a Native American warrior called Red Chief who has captured Sam and Bill. When not pretending to be Red Chief, Johnny relentlessly asks questions and talks about how he prefers camping out with them instead of being home and going to school. Johnny terrorizes the men over the course of the story, particularly Bill, who Johnny injures while play-fighting. By the end of the story, the kidnappers agree to pay Johnny's father to take the boy away from them.
Ebenezer Dorset
Ebenezer Dorset is an affluent citizen of Summit who Bill and Sam target by kidnapping his son. In response to their ransom letter, Dorset makes a counter-proposition in which he turns the tables on the kidnappers by demanding that they pay a ransom to him for the privilege of being rid of his trouble-making son.
Sam
Sam is the story's narrator and protagonist. Sam and his partner in crime, Bill, kidnap Johnny Dorset and hold him for ransom. Although Sam initially is confident that the scheme will be seamless, Sam's confidence is shaken when the boy's father rejects the ransom and demands that Sam and Bill pay him to take the boy back.
Bill Driscoll
Bill Driscoll is Sam's partner in crime. While Sam takes care of aspects of the kidnapping that involve leaving their cave hideout, Bill stays behind to keep Johnny occupied. However, Johnny's sadistic, rambunctious way of playing make-believe wears down Bill's patience and sanity. By the end of the story, Bill convinces Sam that they should take Dorset's deal to pay the man $250 to take Johnny back from them. Sam describes Bill as fat and somewhat bumbling.
