When twelve-year-old Angel Palma left his life among the street orphans of early San Francisco to travel to the Gold Fields with the eccentric singing teacher, Professor Quinn, he really had no intention of developing his gift for music as the Professor wished. He had once been befriended by the famous bandit Joaquin Murieta. Now Angel intended to join the band of "The Avenger," as he was called.
But Angel learned that the reality of the men who lived by stealing was different from the romantic stories. When he did actually encounter his hero again he found himself torn by loyalty to some of his new friends—to the young miner called Red, to the Professor's patient wife and bossy but likable daughter Rowena, even to the fussy Professor himself.
This is a fast-moving story of a boy's struggle with divided loyalties, rich in historical background and local flavor.
The mother of two daughters, author Evelyn Sibley Lampman is a graduate of Oregon State College and was Educational Director of the Port- land, Oregon, NBC radio station for a number of years. Several of her radio scripts have won national awards, and her stories have appeared in many popular magazines.
Mrs. Lampman's first book for young people was published in 1948, and since then she has written many books for children—demonstrating her amazing versatility by writing fantasy, historical fiction, and contemporary fiction with equal skill and success.
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