Robert Peary was a true State-of-Maine boy, so he shouted "Hurrah!" when blizzards raged and piled up drifts at his home in Cape Elizabeth and at his Uncle Eben's in Fryeburg. Let the older folks hug the stove! He wanted to be outdoors where the icy wind stung his cheeks.

It was great fun to go sledding with his cousins. Sometimes the sled coasted to the bottom of the hill right side up. But when it crashed head on into a drift and overturned—that was far more fun!

Snowfalls brought work too. There were five paths to be cleared at Uncle Eben's, and the one to the road was by far the longest. "Come on, boys!" Cousin Frank shouted. "Let's draw straws to see who's the goat!"

Robert stood with his uncles and cousins and drew. "Bert got the long straw!" everybody whooped. "Bert must shovel the path to the road."

How heavy the powdery snow seemed when Robert finally reached the end! Mrs. Peary hadn't been surprised when he turned down Uncle Eben's offer to do half. "When Robert Starts a thing he finishes it!"

After Robert enrolled in school in Portland he had grand times with his new chums. They played games in the schoolyard, games Robert had never heard of, and he had to practice hard to keep up with the boys.

They jumped from rock to rock out into Casco Bay to fish. When Robert's best friend, Ned, fell and struck his head on a rock, Robert towed him to shore and saved his life.

They had a glorious overnight adventure on Eagle Island. Robert not only organized supplies and the building of the fire and all the usual camping needs but he tactfully took care of a homesick and scared youngster as well.

These boys recognized in young Robert Peary a bright, quick-thinking leader just as Peary's followers did after he grew up and became an Arctic explorer. These men vowed they'd go anywhere with a man of such daring and at the same time such consideration for their health and safety.

But Peary didn't want to go just "anywhere." His goal was the North Pole, four hundred miles farther north than any explorer had ever gone. His motto was always "I shall find a way or make one." Five times the hardships of the harrowing Arctic ice and snow pushed his expeditions back, but he always tried again, undaunted. On the sixth strike north he succeeded.

Electa Clark is the author of several popular books for boys and girls. Her first contribution to the Childhood of Famous Americans Series is a lively, colorful story of the spunky, adventurous, resolute Maine lad who became one of our greatest explorers.

From the dust jacket