The main character  in this story is Bud Caldwell.  He is an orphan who lives in a foster home in Flint, Michigan.  The story takes place in the 1930’s,  during the Great Depression.  Bud is tired of being mistreated and he decides to run away in search of his family.  Bud’s mother died and he is sure that his father is in a jazz band in Grand Rapids.  The only clues Bud has are a couple of flers and rocks with strange codes that once belonged to his mother.

After running away from the foster home, Bud goes to a soup kitchen.  He is given free food and meets up with his friend, Bugs, who ran away earlier. They decide to go west and get jobs picking fruit. Unfortunately, Bud misses the train and loses his best friend. Bud goes to a library and gets directions to Grand Rapids.  He believes that he can walk there.  On his way, he is stopped by a police officer who gives him a ride the rest of the way.

Bud enters the music hall and finds Herman E. Calloway, the man who he believes is his father. Herman does not believe that Bud is his son, but allows him to stay with the band.  The band members treat him very nicely and give him musical instruments and teach him how to play them. Unknowingly, Bud sleeps in a room that used to be his mother’s. 

When Herman sees the rocks that Bud has, he thinks that Bud stole them from his home.  Bud tells him that they used to belong to his mother, Angela Caldwell.  Bud soon discovers that Herman is his grandfather. Bud’s mother had run away from home long ago.  Herman never knew that his daughter had died.  The book ends with everyone still in shock about the death of Herman’s daughter, and the beginning of a new relationship between a boy and his grandfather.