- Spoiler alert: This book starts at the bottom of the heap and ends at the, er, bottomer of the heap.
- The book opens with violence (get used to it). A ragamuffin named Jimmie is fighting with other Bowery neighborhood urchins to represent Rum Alley—a seriously down-and-out area—against the thugs from Devil's Row.
- These kids don't pull any punches, and Jimmie is good to go, though he's outnumbered. Luckily, a bigger kid named Pete come to the rescue… sort of. At least he provides some cheerleading. Pete's too cool for school, with a sneer and a cigar stump, but he helps Jimmie, so how bad can he be?
- Another fight flares up with some more kicking and pounding, but this time Jimmie's dad arrives on the scene and gives his son a swift kick to the head.
- With that, it's time to go home.