The water bubbled up clear and cold, forming a small but deep pool fringed with tall grass. Brad had not been to the spring since the day before, and he saw that since then the grass on the far side of the pool had turned purple. Looking more closely, he saw that the bright sun had brought hundreds of violets into bloom. Brad dipped his pail in the spring. As he raised it, brimming with water, he noticed a large sheet of birch bark pinned to the trunk of the willow overlooking the spring. Where in the world had that come from? Who had pinned it there? Brad was so startled that he let go of the handle of the pail and let it sink in the spring as he ran to the tree.

Brad and his father paddle up the river to land they have just purchased in the wilds of Maine. After building a simple cabin and starting a garden, Brad's father leaves to get the rest of his family. Brad is brave and industrious while his father is gone, but the young teenager starts to worry when he sees signs of Indians passing through the area. Things, however, go terribly wrong for Brad, and it appears his father may never return. Will he need the help of the Indians to survive? 

Based loosely on a true experience, this exciting book shows how two very different teenage boys, both who think they are superior to the other, learn important life lessons about respect, tolerance, humility, brotherhood, hard work, and appreciation. 

"Beautiful writing, wonderful messages, an engaging plot, and fantastic educational value make this book a fantastic pick. This is just the kind of book that engenders the love of reading worthwhile, uplifting books." (Jenny Phillips)