John R. Allan was brought up on a farm in Aberdeenshire at the beginning of the century. Through his child's eye we are allowed a view of the little world called Dungair, with its extended family of colourful characters – among them the Old Man, Uncle Sandy, Captain Blades and Cuddy Manson. We are given a vivid, yet unsentimental account of the boy's explorations of his surroundings, his early schooldays, his first visit to the town and his awareness of the outbreak of the Great War. New material continues John Allan's life story.