Once again Miss Meigs expresses a period in the life of our country by telling a story. This time she lays her scene in 1835 on the waters of the Mississippi and one of its tributaries flowing through Minnesota. Her characters are engaged in logging and in rafting logs hundreds of miles downstream.

Christian Dahlberg, a youth of Swedish blood, living with his grandfather on the Goose Wing River in the wilderness of northern Minnesota, is inspired by a chance conversation to cut certain of his trees and float them in the spring flood down to the lumber market at St. Louis. This has never before been done, and besides bringing experience and money to Chris, reveals to the Governor at Washington the great value of the northern part of the vast territory newly acquired from France through the Louisiana Purchase.

This tale, filled with the sweep of great waters and the hazardous life of river pilots and raft hands, is worthy to stand with "The Trade Wind" and "Clearing Weather". It records much not otherwise set down, as Miss Meigs has gained most of her historical background by word of mouth from those whose forbears participated in these logging ventures.

From the dust jacket