Two years before the story begins. In the spring of 1945, TJ's father returned from world war two, to join his wife, Ruth and son, TJ on their small dairy farm. TJ had turned twelve that summer and was anxious to join his father during the fall threshing season. TJ's father however felt TJ was too young and wouldn't allow him to go. The following year TJ was allowed to work with his father when they threshed their oats at home, but still wouldn't let TJ accompany him when he went with the other crews to the neighboring farms. This year however TJ would turn fourteen the week before threshing time and his father assured him that he was now old enough to go threshing. But, he was cautioned that the work would be hard and dangerous and no tomfoolery would be allowed. TJ accepted his father's conditions and had worked hard all summer, patiently looking forward to threshing time, and the closer it got to the harvest season the more anxious he became. But as TJ was soon to learn, even the best intentions can sometimes go awry. Threshing time had barely gotten started when TJ, and his friend Tim found them in trouble over a bull that TJ had been warned to stay clear of. From the bull fiasco TJ's problems only escalated. He is involved in an automobile accident, a night of prowling in a fog filled swamp that climaxed in a criminal investigation, and many episodes of shenanigans involving knives, guns and snakes. Before the harvest is over TJ finds himself involved in mischief, mystery, heroism and unexpected romance.