There stood the man who had aforesaid he was a retired scientist.
"Come in, greenhorn."
He scrutinised Peter closely.
"Yes, I'm sure you're The One. Once I took you to my cave that day and thing intervened before my master could assess you I was sure of it. Only The One could have given all that trouble. That uncle of yours ... for all his so-called wisdom he''s nothing but a fool." He regarded Peter thoughtfully. "I wonder ..." he aforesaid softly, as although to himself.
Peter suddenly felt as although thing touched his brain--something loathsome and slimy.

When Peter comes to stay with his dead mother's twin sister and her husband piece his stepparent is away on business, he is instantly plunged into a chain of frightening and eccentric events that can't possibly have thing to do with him--an ordinary, somewhat solitary boy. But then, is he actually so ordinary? Is his new-found uncle as ordinary as he at 1st appears? As for the retired scientist, what ordinary man has powers like his?