the mostly true adventures of homer p figg by rodman philbrick

Homer accepts and soon becomes a sensation as the snarling, snapping Pig Boy during the Carnival’s nightly performances. Fleabottom offers Homer a job in his show as the Amazing Pig Boy, so that he can stay near the army and continue his search for Harold. At the New York docks, Homer is rescued by Professor Fenton Fleabottom, director of the Carnival of Miracles, a traveling circus and medicine show that entertains Union soldiers and sells them a cure-all elixir that’s mainly whiskey. Brewster books passage for Homer to New York City, where the lad can continue his search for Harold. Brewster knows about Smelt’s plan and tells Homer to meet with Smelt that night as if nothing’s amiss while Brewster devises a plan to defeat the bounty hunters. Smelt threatens to kill Homer unless he helps them find runaway enslaved people, who he believes are hidden in the Brewster home-a station on the Underground Railroad that helps enslaved people escape to freedom. They hold hostage a Black man named Samuel Reed-a conductor on the Underground Railroad-and plan to kill him.

Immediately, Homer is kidnapped by bounty hunters Stink and Smelt, who are searching for escaped enslaved people that they can return to the South for cash. Homer decides to chase after Harold and save him. Harold is 17, too young to serve, but Squint insists the boy is 20, and they take Harold away. Squint retaliates by having Harold arrested and forced into the Union army. Harold protects Homer from Squint’s worst behavior, and one day he saves his brother from a beating by knocking Squint into a pig sty. They’re in the care of their mean and angry Uncle Squinton “Squint” Leach, who works them hard, barely feeds them, and locks them up in the barn at night. Homer Figg, 12 years old in 1863, lives on a farm in Maine with his older brother, Harold.

The mostly true adventures of homer p figg by rodman philbrick