When great-grandfather Dearborn passes away leaving his decaying mansion to his family, painfully shy 11-year-old Lewis is initially thrilled - his new bedroom in a secluded turret gives him so much privacy! Then he discovers that in fact this is the least privacy that he's ever had, as the room is already inhabited by the ghosts of seven dead pirates who are frightened to leave the house. Firstly motivated by a desire for privacy, Lewis starts to encourage them to go out more. Soon, though, he finds himself both believing and practicing what he is preaching.