在这部小无赖犯罪片中,16岁少年Boefje是鹿特丹水手聚集区的一个小混混，他的同伴叫Pietje Puck 。他被一位牧师盯上，把他送进感化院。Boefje从里面逃了出来，决定去美国，和Pietje Puck 一道。他从牧师家里偷了钱和一张地图，但他后悔了，却因为另一场他并没有参加的偷窃而被捕。获释后，他和牧师和好，决定重新开始生活。
Twelve year old Jan Grovers spends more time in the alleys of Rotterdam than with his family (though he occasionally looks after his tree younger sisters, all of whom are called Mientje). Together with his best friend and partner in crime Pietje Puk he plans to travel to America to get rich. When a local clergyman takes pity on the boy and tries to teach him good manners, Boefje at first rebels. However, once he is sent to a strict boarding school, he takes an interest in music, specifically the pipe organ.
