Charles Brady s new novel is a story

of heartbreak and hope, a realistic

portrayal of the quest for new lives

among teenage delinquents-bud-

ding criminals-boys who it seemed

had lost everything and on whom

society had given up.

Steve Zebley-Chief Steve to the

boys of Maple Valley Camp-leads

ten emotionally disturbed campers,

some of whom would be in reform

school otherwise, to master the

wilderness and thereby to master

themselves. Paul, the bitter arsonist;

Randy, the poor little rich boy who

was an accomplice to murder:

George, whose obesity has causec

him to hate-all learn to work to

gether to survive, earning from th~

unique camping program rehabilita

tion that works and another chance

in life. By helping the boys learn

responsibility and win back their

self-esteem, Steve is able to forgive

himself for the great mistake of his

own life.

The novel reaches its riveting

c.limax as the group-like latter-day

Huckleberry Finns-takes a dramatic

thousand-mile raft trip .that ends in

New Orleans and leads to ti{e dis-

covery of the spark of goodness in

each of the boys.