"This is the first of the clues to follow:
  Look for a man whose head is hollow,
  With the battered-est hat you ever saw
  With big black boots and legs of straw."

The Graham family, looking for a quiet country home in New England where Professor Graham can finish writing his book, find themselves caught by the charm and the mysteries of the Red House. Carefully planned clues lead young Nina and Jeff to an old well, a box of rare jewels, and an elaborate birthday party, set up, but never attended. Their landlord, Kent Clark, deeply involved in an important research project, refuses to help at first, but finally comes to the rescue—solving the mystery and reuniting a family.

From the dust jacket