Whether they are encountering a tulip in the garden or gulls at the seashore, Uncle George encourages Tom, Frank, and Dolly to observe carefully, and make comparisons. He asks pointed questions, leading them to make discoveries on their own. In their travels these curious youngsters spot weasels and otters along a stream and mice in a cornfield. Closer to home, they witness the harvesting of grain and discover properties of hot air, and water in all its manifestations.