The story takes place in the late 1760s.

The northeast coast of America has already been settled by Europeans, and the colonists are gradually cutting down forests, establishing farms, and pushing the Native Americans into Canada.

Twelve-year-old Matt Hallowell is alone in the woods of Maine. He and his father have cleared some land and built a log cabin, while his mother and sister have remained in Quincy, Massachusetts. As the novel opens, it is summer and Matt's father has gone to fetch the rest of the family, leaving Matt to look after their new home for several weeks.