[Mayne's] first published story was Follow the Footprints, the story of a "treasure hunt," a motif which William Mayne has developed with freshness and originality in the majority of his books. Caroline and Andrew Blake come with their parents to live in an old Tollhouse in Cumberland. From local legends the children learn of treasure hidden in the former abbey of Saint Elda and set out to find it…. The children are portrayed as being staunchly independent, clever, but never too clever, thank goodness, and neither precocious nor prigs. They are aware that independent action free from adult control can bring with it occasional discomfort and much hard work. (pp. 185-86)

This framework of well described country setting, local legends, excellently drawn pen portraits, sparkling dialogues and a plot rich in incidents is used by the author in his other "treasure hunt" stories. Framework is hardly the correct...