Ferrers Locke was a "Master Detective" who operated in England around the early 20th century. He investigated cases involving an international cadre of criminals, and he was responsible for saving several school boy adventurers, including Tom Merry, Roderick Sylvester and Teddy Baxter, when they were abducted. He briefly became the guardian of Baxter, until the boy's father was found. Eventually, Locke gained a young assistant named Jack Drake, who was a student at Greyfriar's school.