At the Academy, Smith must come to terms with his own past with his upright father, Dr. Charles Addison Smith, an English teacher and a most distinguished former faculty member. He learns that as a lark several class members had started a rumor that Smith's brother, Jack, was homosexual causing him to be expelled. He subsequently committed suicide.

Smith is persuaded by several former classmates to solve the 25 year old Academy mystery. A group of young boys walked from the campus into the Old Oak Woods and disappeared. Their bodies were never found. He must probe into the past of his classmates, revealing secrets long buried. He is aided in his investigations by Rosemary Bartlett, a childhood friend newly reacquainted. The solutions bring a satisfying end to both mysteries.

This is a suspenseful plot with excellent characterizations. The atmosphere of the Academy and the members of the staff is fraught with politics and hidden emotions. The frustration of Smith in trying to prove his innocence and the obsession of Ledezma in trying to prove his guilt is well presented. The story is rich in emotions with warmth between Frank and Rosemary.