A boy recounts a summer on his family farm when a prized watermelon he has tended is stolen, prompting him and his close-knit gang of friends to investigate. Their nocturnal stakeouts, tent camping, and careful attention to garden features such as pumps and fences lead them into a broader mystery that brings them into contact with local authorities. Through small-town routines, resourceful detection, and the distinct personalities of companions nicknamed Poetry, Dragonfly, and Little Tom, they follow clues that culminate in the capture of a fugitive and a series of unexpected rural adventures.