From the publisher:
Balsar, a pioneer lad, enters manhood at the age of 13 when he encounters a great bear while fishing on the river and proves his mettle. This book, full of harrowing adventures, great danger, and many acts of valor, tells of Balsar's subsequent encounters with bears, wolves, Indians and the legendary one-eared 'demon' bear, offering a dynamic portrait of the daily life in Indiana during the 1820s.