As a boy, Sam Gribley was always told stories about the Gribley family from his father. How his great-grandfather had owned a bunch of land, and how now the land was no place for a Gribley - Gribleys belonged at see. Nevertheless, when Sam informs his father that he wants to run away, his father laughs and tells him, "Sure, go try it. Every boy should try it."

Little did his father know, Sam was not joking. Armed with just a penknife, a ball of cord, an ax, flint and steel, and forty dollars, Sam starts on his venture to the Catskill Mountains. He lived off the land for about six months, accompanied by Frightful (his trained falcon), Baron Weasel (wild weasel) and Jessie Coon James (a raccoon). He intended to live there forever, but his mother wouldn't have it.

One great friend that Sam had was "Bando...