The setting of the book takes place in Adenville, Utah, in 1896. The main characters are JD and his older brother TD. Their full names are John Dennis Fitzgerald and Tom Dennis Fitzgerald. This true story is told from, JD's point of view. It is about his older brother, The Great Brain. JD and TD's dad is known as Papa.

TD and JD's older brother Sywen, and TD are taking JD to the swimming hole, so JD can learn how to swim. On their way they meet the Jensen boys, Frank and Allen. Frank and Allen have brought their dog Lady. They say that they are going exploring. TD and the Jensen boys make an appointment so JD's dog Brownie can mate with Lady in the Jensen's barn. Later that night the Fitzgerald's get a phone call. It was Mrs. Jensen. She was wondering if anyone had seen her boys. TD told her that they had seen the boys that afternoon and that they said they were going exploring. The marshal, which was TD, JD and SD's Uncle Mark, came over and said they were arranging a search party for the Jensen boys in the morning. The next morning the town brought up tons of rope. They tied the rope to three people that would go into a cave they thought the Jensen boys were in. TD thought he could think of another way to save the Jensen boys, so he put his great brain to work. Later that day, TD came running out of the barn.
He told JD that he had found a way to save the Frank, Allen, and Lady. JD, TD, and Brownie went up to Skeleton cave to get Uncle Mark. TD said that since Lady is in heat, Brownie could sniff around her dog house to get her scent. After Brownie had sniffed out the Jensen boys and Lady, TD would give Brownie a piece of liver that had been rubbed on the soles of his shoes so Brownie could find his way out. And it worked!

I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to kids in 5th grade through 7th grade. This book has a lot of things happen in each chapter.