A boy who spends his seasons on a Maine hill welcomes a visiting family for summer, and the children fill long days exploring shore, woods, and a wrecked schooner that comes ashore. They go lobstering, keep watch from trees, confront a mysterious fire in the woods and investigate a figurehead with a hidden secret, learning to combine practical seamanship, curiosity, and quiet domestic care. The episodic narrative blends suspense and natural detail to highlight resourcefulness, companionship, and the rhythms of coastal life as the youngsters grow through shared adventure.