Professor Godfrey St. Peter

Professor Godfrey St. Peter, the main character of the novel, is an accomplished professor and chair of European history. The story focuses upon one year of his life, but the reader is able to glimpse a picture of St. Peter's entire life through the use of flashbacks. St. Peter has finished the major work of his life, an eight volume work, The Spanish Adventurers in North America. He and his wife, Lillian, have two married daughters, Kathleen and Rosamond. He has recently built a new house, and is having trouble leaving his old house behind. Leaving his old house makes him think of many things, including his friendship with Tom Outland.

He met Tom when Tom showed up at his house one day. Tom wanted to meet St. Peter and get advice about enrolling at Hamilton. Tom became friends with St. Peter's family and eventually...