In 1937, bank robber Jeffrey Hillbrook was killed in a shootout with federal agents in the woods west of Clear Valley. His sizable stash of loot was never recovered. Old Man Humphrey, a hermit living in the woods at the time, was thought to have harbored the gangster during his final days. It is also believed that after Hillbrook's death, Old Man Humphrey took possession of the loot and hid it somewhere in the woods. But to this day, no one has found it. Now twelve year old Steve Jones is in the hospital. He and his brother Tom took on the school bullies - and lost. While recovering from a broken arm, Steve learns that his brother found a clue that could help them solve the seventy year old mystery. The only thing standing in there way is a series of deadly challenges laid out by Old Man Humphrey. They enlist the help of two friends, girls they know from school, and start on their quest. Along the way they will discover the sinister secret that caused Old Man Humphrey to live alone.