The narrative follows a boy named Clare Skymer through a turbulent childhood and adolescence, tracing his shifts from family life to orphanhood, placement with various guardians, and itinerant adventures. He forms bonds with companions, defends the vulnerable, navigates poverty, encounters rough authority, and assumes responsibility for younger children. Episodes move between rural work, urban hardship, and encounters with entertainers and animal menageries, including perilous confinement with a puma, while relationships with figures such as a stern aunt, sympathetic hosts, and a mentor-like Miss Tempest shape his moral growth. The arc emphasizes resilience, compassion, improvisation, and the learning of practical skills amid social obstacles.