Thirteen-year-old Douglas Spaulding, his younger brother and their friends declare war on the elderly men of Green Town, IL, in an effort to stop the clock on top of the courthouse building, believing that in doing so, they could hold onto their youth and the last days of summer. Doug and his friends find themselves equally matched by town elder and school board member, Mr. Calvin C. Quartermain, and his elderly cohorts.

October first, the air is still warm, but fall is rolling in. Thirteen-year-old Douglas Spaulding, his younger brother Tom, and their friends take advantage of these last warm days, tormenting the girls ... and declaring war on the old men who run Green Town, IL. For the boys know that Mr. Quartermain and his cohorts want nothing more than to force them to grow up. If only, the boys believe, they could stop the clock atop the courthouse building. Then, surely, they could hold onto the last days of summer and their youth. But the old men were young once, too. And Quartermain, crusty old guardian of the school board and town curfew, is bent on teaching the boys a lesson. But before the last leaf turns, the boys will teach him the importance of not being afraid of letting go.