The story begins with the arrival of Nat Blake, a shy young orphan who used to earn a living playing the violin. There are ten boys at the school already; Nat, and later his friend Dan, join them, and soon after Nan arrives as a companion for Daisy, the only girl. Jo’s sons Rob and Teddy are younger than the others and are not counted among the pupils, nor are the two girls, Daisy and Nancy.All the children have their own gardens and their own pets, and are encouraged to experiment with running businesses. Pillow fights are permitted on. Children are treated as individuals, with a strong emphasis on gently molding their characters.