The Flight of Pony Baker / A Boy's Town Story

A series of episodic tales centers on Pony Baker, a neatly dressed boy chafing under his mother's coddling and the rough freedoms of his companions, with family dynamics prompting repeated plans to run away. Accompanied by friends such as Jim Leonard and his cousin Frank, he becomes involved in a string of misadventures — a narrow escape from drowning, schemes to reach an Indian reservation by canal-boat, circus temptations, Fourth of July exploits, and a raft expedition — most of which are aborted or go awry. The episodes collectively examine boyhood loyalties, peer pressure, the tug between dependence and independence, and the difference between childish schemes and practical consequence.