Elam Storm, the Wolfer; Or, The Lost Nugget

"Elam Storm, the Wolfer; Or, The Lost Nugget" by Harry Castlemon is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around the character Elam Storm, a skilled wolf hunter with a mysterious past, and his quest for a lost nugget of gold that is tied to his missing father. Set against the rugged backdrop of the American West, the narrative explores themes of adventure, survival, and the pursuit of lost fortunes. At the start of the novel, the action takes place within a snowy cabin where characters Uncle Ezra, Ben Hastings, and Carlos Burton gather as a blizzard rages outside. Uncle Ezra shares the lore of Elam Storm and recounts the history behind a rumored treasure from a lost army paymaster train, which sparks the intrigue of the boys. As they settle in for the night, the conversation reveals Elam's background, his enigmatic nature, and his relentless pursuit of the nugget, setting the stage for the unfolding adventure rooted in Western folklore and the persistent search for glory amidst the elements. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Charles Austin Fosdick, better known by his nom de plume Harry Castlemon, was a prolific writer of juvenile stories and novels, intended mainly for boys. He was born in Randolph, New York, and received a high school diploma from Central High School in Buffalo, New York. He served in the Union Navy from 1862 to 1865, during the American Civil War, acting as the receiver and superintendent of coal for the Mississippi River Squadron. Fosdick had begun to write as a teenager, and drew on his experiences serving in the Navy in such early novels as Frank on a Gunboat (1864) and Frank on the Lower Mississippi (1867). He soon became the most-read author for boys in the post-Civil War era, the golden age of children's literature.