Dickie Harding

Mr. Beale

Mr. Beale is Dickie's harsh and exploitative master, forcing him to work as a crippled beggar and later as a servant.

Father

Father is Dickie's loving and protective parent in his alternate life as Dickie Arden.

Lady Talbot

Lady Talbot is Dickie's kind and aristocratic grandmother in his alternate identity as Dickie Arden.

Edred

Edred is Dickie's cousin and close companion in the Arden family, sharing adventures with the Mouldiwarp.

Elfrida

Elfrida is Dickie's cousin and loyal friend, often joining him and Edred in magical quests.

Dickie Arden

Dickie Arden and Dickie Harding are the same person living parallel lives, with the Mouldiwarp enabling their consciousness to shift between identities.

Lord Arden

Lord Arden is Dickie's stern but ultimately caring grandfather in his alternate life.

Mother

Mother is Dickie's gentle and nurturing parent in his alternate life as Dickie Arden.

Mrs. Markham

Mrs. Markham is the housekeeper at the Arden estate, caring for Dickie and the other children.

Jim

Jim is a fellow beggar boy and loyal friend to Dickie in his impoverished life.

Mouldiwarp

The Mouldiwarp is a magical mole who guides Dickie and his cousins through time and alternate realities.

Sebastian

Sebastian is a cruel and bullying figure in Dickie's life, often tormenting him.

Harding’s Luck

The protagonist, a lame orphan boy living in poverty with his aunt and uncle.

I: Tinkler and the Moonflower

A lame orphan boy who speaks in a book-learned language and treasures his rattle Tinkler, which has been pawned by his aunt.

II: Burglars

Acts as the burglar's accomplice, opening the door, but feels shame and tries to stop the crime.

III: The Escape

Determined to escape Lady Talbot's house to protect Mr. Beale from the police; uses his wits to win Markham's help.

To Get Your Own Living

Dickie recounts his dream to Mr. Beale, expresses desire for honest work, and shows attachment to his old house and the memory of The Dream.

VI: Buried Treasure

Resolves to establish Mr. Beale in an honorable calling before returning to the dream world; learns woodcarving and dog-keeping; successfully returns to the Jacobean world.

VII: Dickie Learns Many Things

Resolves to help Edred and Elfrida and Mr. Beale; attempts magic and wakes in a new dream setting; feels frightened but is comforted by his nurse; has lessons with his tutor and is punished for drawing a caricature; plays with Elfrida in the garden.

Going Home

Dickie works hard, earns money, and helps manage the dog-trade. He persuades Beale to visit his father and feels a strange connection upon hearing the name Arden.

IX: Kidnapped

Kidnapped by two familiar voices; later reunited with Edred and Elfrida; learns he is a rightful Arden but chooses to stay with Mr. Beale.

X: The Noble Deed

Kidnapped and held in a cave; rescued by Edred and True; learns he is the rightful Lord Arden.

Lord Arden

Now living as Lord Arden's adopted son, happy at Arden Castle, no longer wishing to escape to the past. Visits Lady Talbot and struggles with the moral weight of displacing the current Arden family.

XII: The End

Now Lord Arden, he grapples with guilt and decides to return to the past forever.