Publisher's Synopsis
For Andy and Franz Tzweki, sons of Polish immigrants of the Catholic faith, whose early years were spent at a British Columbia logging camp high in the mountains it seemed that everything they did, or even thought of doing was a sin. For nine years their only contact with the outside world came by way of their fathers employees who periodically took it upon themselves to teach the boys English. In 1916 they are discovered by School Authorities for the coal mining town of Nugget. At ages nine and six respectfully they are suddenly thrust onto a train and taken to a thriving town filled with streets; stores; houses; churches; people with eccentric superstitions and prejudice; a school full of children and spinster teachers who re-name them Andy and Frank. During his first few days in school Andy meets ten year old Ted Lundell who will become his mentor and life-long friend.
It was a life of discipline at home, school and in the church where an all-seeing God saw sinners everywhere. For Andy, thoroughly convinced he was awash in sin, this new life brings the apprehension of learning a new language and making hilarious mistakes along with exhilaration that comes through new experiences fraught with new sins lurking arond every corner. In 1918 at the age of twelve he returns to the bush as a flunky where he learns about hard work and how to get along in a closed community for a long period of time. The experience helps him to decide what kind of work he would like to do and how to achive that goal.
