Book excerpt: This is the story of a most unusual hobo. His real name is Henry Best, but all those who know him call him by the moniker Lefty. In the beginning, Lefty is as emblematic a vagabond as thousands of others too, which roam the nation during the early parts of the twentieth century. That is, he was until time and a few particular experiences turn him into a remarkable hobo. He is a rather complicated character to begin with and also a shrewd and sharp one too. Lefty’s greatest enjoyment in life, besides traveling, is telling children tales of his travels while he and they are gathered around his campfires. Although it is great fun and entirely harmless, many adults frown upon this because they either see danger to their children from Lefty or generally dislike hobos. One day, Lefty discovers a box during one of his countless wanderings. It lay half-submerged in a creek and when he retrieves it he finds that he can’t open it because it is a so-called strong box. However, later on and with the help of some children friends, who brought him tools to his camp, he managed to get it open. To his and the children’s disappointment, the box only contains some pocket change and papers. He divides the money equally with the children and put the papers back into the box and hides it. Lefty went away after he got roughed up by some locals and travels thousands of miles, crisscrossing the nation. He goes through thick and thin during the following year. Lefty lives through numerous adventures and he is nearly killed a couple of times too. That strong box he had found will profoundly change his life and other people’s too. He just didn’t know it yet.