Only young Phil Holt suspects that the distinguished-looking Mr. Tate is looking for more than poetry in old Miss Goddard's library. Miss Goddard thinks the self-styled poetry expert is charming. But Boz, the dog, takes an instant dislike to the elderly "e;scholar."e; And Phil is sure he has seen Mr. Tate outside Miss Goddard's house in the middle of the night, talking with a sinister stranger.The unusual setting -- Portland, Maine's famous Longfellow Square -- and the reality and appeal of the characters make this one of Mrs. Jane's best stories. Family skeletons, a dognapping, and some furtive figures lurking in a closed-up church add to the excitement, as Phil proves that "e;bookish"e; boys can also be brave!