Wonderfully written and factually presented, the story follows the twins north from West Virginia with the help of a family of escaped slaves. Along the way, Laura and Luke learn about the southern argument for secession, the northern goal for a union, and the disputed issue of slavery. They also discover that 50,000 Canadians were involved in the American Civil ward as soldiers, abolitionists, and members of the underground railway.

The journey comes to an end in Canada West where Luke and Laura visit the African settlement in North Buxton. For many escaped slaves, Buxton was the last stop for their journey on the underground railway.