The hero of this story is 10-year-old George Peel who lives in London's East End.

His Uncle Herbert has been assigned guard duty on the building of the Crystal Palace, and one day he takes him along to see the progress.

George is looking at the dinosaurs on the geological island when he is approached by an elegant gentleman with a foreign accent.

They talk about the future. The man seems very knowledgeable about technology. Later, Uncle Herbert gets tickets for the opening of the Great Exhibition.

George and his family manage to get to the front of the crowd and close enough to see the Queen and Prince Albert going past into the Crystal Palace.

George recognises him as the man he talked with on the geological island.