Humphrey Bold: A Story of the Times of Benbow

"Humphrey Bold: A Story of the Times of Benbow" by Herbert Strang is a historical story that follows the life of a young orphan named Humphrey Bold after his parents pass away, where he is then taken in by Mr. John Ellery, a gentle farmer. The story looks into childhood problems, dealing with bullies, and the hard path to becoming a man, with a focus on Humphrey's growth as he learns to stand up for himself and deal with the people around him. At the beginning of the story, Humphrey is eleven years old, and he thinks back on his childhood with both fondness and amusement. He remembers being picked on by his classmates, especially Dick Cludde and Cyrus Vetch, and how his adopted father kept him safe by focusing on his education and happiness. We see when Joe Punchard steps in to help him against the bullies, which leads to a funny situation involving a barrel, which sets the scene for Humphrey's future adventures. As he overcomes personal and social obstacles, this beginning lays the groundwork for his future character development, suggesting even more developments in his adventure.