"Living in Oklahoma Territory is a mite restrictive for a boy who wants to see the wide world about him."
So says John, termed 'Calamity John' by his long-suffering Aunt, his disapproving teacher and many of his classmates. His worst enemy (a girl) and his greatest foe (an older boy) both play their part in the outworkings of the arrival of the 'Baked Bean Bandits'.
Set in the late 1890s, it is a story of an ambitious and naive young man's experiences when confronted by criminals who would attack and hurt or even kill those dearest to him. This is a boy ready for adventure and armed with his main companion; his dictionary.