Rough and Ready

In the crowded streets of New York, Rufus Martin—better known as Rough and Ready—makes his living as a sharp, resourceful newsboy with a gift for reading people as well as headlines. Hardworking, self-reliant, and only fifteen, he supports his family after his mother's death, caring especially for his little sister Rose while they endure a brutal tenement life under their drunken stepfather, James Martin. When James steals the clothes Rufus has saved for Rose and sells them for liquor, Rufus is forced to act, taking Rose away from the misery and into the dangerous maze of Baxter Street in search of what was lost. As the story unfolds, Rufus's world of sidewalk trade, streetwise bargaining, and fierce loyalty reveals a larger moral struggle: in a harsh city, character matters more than privilege. Helped by Miss Manning, he finds moments of tenderness and hope, including a joyful outing to Greenwood Cemetery and the chance to build a safer life for Rose. But James Martin is still hunting them, using a street boy to track their hiding place and waiting for the right moment to strike, turning the novel into a tense battle between greed and devotion, corruption and courage. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.