Even before she came to Belton, Minty Cane had known that she was a witch, or something very like it.' Sometimes she saw shadowy figures, sometimes she heard footsteps. She was so used to it all that it didn't worry her, but when she came through the gates of Belton House, old World, the lodge-keeper, saw it at once. 'The minute I clapped eyes on you, I knew. That's the one to turn the key.'

It was perhaps because Minty herself was so unhappy during those strange days in Aunt Mary's cottage that she was able to understand the secret of the moondial and carry out the special task that awaited her in the great house.

Minty has heard stories of strange happenings in the big house across the road from her Aunt's cottage. And when she walks through the gates, the lodge-keeper knows it is Minty who holds the key to the mysteries. She has only to discover the secret power of the moondial, and she will be ready to carry out the dangerous mission which awaits her...

'Moondial!' As Minty spoke the word, a cold wind went past her, and her ears were filled with a thousand frightened voices. She shut her eyes and put her hands over her ears — and the voices and the wind went away. Minty opened her eyes...and knew that she was in a different morning, not the one she had woken up to. And so Minty's strange adventure begins — a journey through time into the past, where she finds Tom, and Sarah...and the evil Miss Vole.

'Moondial!' As Minty spoke the word, a cold wind went past her, and her ears were filled with a thousand frightened voices. She shut her eyes and put her hands over her ears — and the voices and the wind went away. Minty opened her eyes...and knew that she was in a different morning, not the one she had woken up to. And so Minty's strange adventure begins — a journey through time into the past, where she finds Tom, and Sarah...and the evil Miss Vole.