"Newspaper stories, humorous columns, letters, speeches, and interviews, gathered together for the first time in one volume and providing a picture of the consummate writer, Mark Twain." --Cover.
Traces the little-known story of a volunteer fireman, marine engineer, and poker buddy of Mark Twain who inspired the character of Tom Sawyer, describing his pivotal contributions to the hunt for a serial arsonist in 1850s San Francisco.