Chance Jameson, an almost-thirteen-year-old orphan, discovers he is a natural-born leader when Oak Hill Orphanage is faced with a terrible crisis. Miss May, the much-loved orphanage director, dies in a freak accident, leaving the orphanage in the hands of the greedy, ruthless Whipley twins whose goal is to use the orphans as a slave labor force. Much to his surprise, Chance finds that he can see and communicate with the ghost of Miss May. Through teamwork, they devise a daring scheme to free Oak Hill from the clutches of the wicked twins. With clever trickery, a few supernatural forces, and the help of all the orphans, they stage a fabulous haunting. The outcome is thrilling, and the victorious orphans reclaim Oak Hill, the best orphanage in the world.