Susannah Emmons receives a letter from Bethlehem Reid and decides that she must go see her. Bethlehem is dying. While Susannah and Mary, her granddaughter, travel by train to Toronto, Susannah tells the story of her friendship with Bethlehem. When Susannah's parents drown, Susannah is sent south to live with her Uncle Reid. Bethlehem becomes Susannah's slave. Taught to abhor slavery, Susannah resists Bethlehem’s care. The girls quickly become fast friends. Eventually, Susannah’s homesickness forces her to “steal away” home. To avoid Byron Reid’s amorous attentions, Bethlehem decides to go with her. Hoping that their disappearance will be blamed on slave stealers, the girls leave early one morning dressed as boys. As they move north, they do odd jobs to earn their keep. In Maryland, they see a notice about their escape. Susannah wants Bethlehem to live with her in Vermont, but after seeing the notice, Bethlehem realizes that Canada is her only safe haven. A knife wound, a loving Quaker family, and the Underground Railroad all play a part in Bethlehem's freedom.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com ( )

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