Jack Hall

Jack Hall is a lively thirteen-year-old American boy whose winter days overflow with mischief, rivalry, and restless energy. On Washington's Birthday, he turns snowball fighting into a neighborhood campaign, trading shots with a grocer's clerk, teaming with his friend Dubsy, and then retreating to candy and camaraderie after being outmaneuvered. Soon he and the boys are coasting the Common on their homemade sled, "Never Say Die," until a disastrous collision leaves them shaken but unbroken. With school out, boredom leads them into fresh mischief: a rooftop scheme with Bill French, improvised "cigarettes," a new silver watch, and the uneasy thrill of pretending to be older than they are. The fun turns sour when fear and regret follow, and the story shifts into Jack's proud family history, the Revolutionary heritage of his father's line, and Salem's old maritime power. At Utopia School, orderly meals, hard lessons, and moral reflections on health and nourishment frame Jack's growing place among admired classmates. When baseball captain Chalmers needs a third baseman, Jack watches with envy as Haseltine seizes the chance to play, proving that courage, status, and boyhood ambition are all part of the game. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.