The Varmint

A restless young man named Stover steps off the train at Trenton, a chaotic bundle of trunks, mismatched clothing and a handful of mysterious trinkets clinging to his coat. His disheveled appearance—salmon‑pink tie fighting a lavender shirt, torn cuffs and over‑large trousers—contrasts sharply with the innocent, cherubic look in his bright eyes. The narrative opens with a wry, almost theatrical description of his arrival, hinting that he’s no ordinary student but someone carrying a past as tangled as his luggage.

On the coach to Lawrenceville, Stover’s banter with the driver Jimmy and a curious fellow passenger quickly reveals a darker edge: a recent dismissal for brandishing a knife and a whispered tale of a mother lost at sea. The dialogue crackles with humor and tension, setting the stage for a story that blends mischievous adventure with the looming question of whether his new “backwoods school” will tame his wild streak or simply feed it.