Ricky.

Ricky and his mother emigrate from England to join his father in the new Colony of Sydney. On arrival there is no sign of his dad. Ricks mum uses the tiny amount of money they have left the get lodgings in a run down building. Things go from bad to worse when his mother dies and he is thrown out of the lodgings and all their possessions are confiscated by the caretakers. Ricky finds himself living on the streets of Sydney Town as a street waif. He finds safe places to sleep and befriends freed convicts who can help him survive. One day he finds another lost child and he helps reunite her with her family. These people try to help him but by his stubbornness he insists of doing things his way, but he has found a mentor and confidante. The story follows him through his life. He survives and turns his life around also helping others along way, some of whom he 'adopts'.