Gold Rock was a ghost town. The gold rushers had abandoned it, and then the timber men left. But to Ty Jackson, Gold Rock was home. He liked collecting rocks in the canyon, and riding King in the wide-open spaces.

He did not want to move to the city, but his parents said they had to leave. No one came to shop in their grocery story any more, not even the ranchers from the nearby valley. But the very day Ty's parents decided to move, he heard that his pen pals from Ohio were coming to visit.

Paul and Nora Connor knew all about Gold Rock. Their great-grandfather had scouted for gold there many, many years ago. He kept a diary which they read over and over. When Paul and Nora came to Gold Rock, they brought along the diary. It continued an amazing secret.

This secret led Ty and his friends to explore the mysterious canyon. There they found something entirely unexpected, and their discovery affected Ty's life in a most surprising way.

Clyde Robert Bulla knows exactly what young people like in a story: mystery and suspense presented in a plausible and realistic plot. His rhythmic sentences and simple words are a joy to book lovers, as well as an encouragement to those who are beginning to read.

From the dust jacket