It all starts out with Tom Shaw fighting with his sister, Fan, to go to the station to pick up Fan's friend. Fan does not wish to go because her curls will get ruined in the rain. Finally, Tom agrees to go, and runs to the station. There, he expects to meet a fashionable, breezy young lady, but is instead met by a young girl with a bright face, and simple clothes. Her name is Polly. This first book is about Polly having to deal with irritating Tom, who is sometimes nice and sometimes mean, her own simple country clothes being made fun of by Fan's friends, and temptations that come her way.