As the impoverished Remy family arrive in the strange new world of New Orleans in 1743, they have only one idea — to make a fortune as quickly as possible so they can return to their old home in Paris. When Jules Remy, the father, hears rumors of silver mines to the west, he starts out in search of them, leaving Pierre to look after his mother, his little brother, and his two sisters. His mother sews for the ladies of New Orleans, and Pierre finally finds work in the shop of a locksmith and metal worker. There he grows to love his work and even the new world, in spite of the hardships and difficulties, for there are many exciting adventures in trying to make a home in America. Disaster, however, comes, when Pierre's little store of hard-earned money is stolen and his father returns penniless, never having found the mines. How Pierre finally catches the thief that stole his money and how his father decides to stay in New Orleans bring the story to an exciting climax.

Both Clara Ingram Judson, the author, and Lois Lenski, the illustrator, have been to New Orleans to collect material for this book, which is the second in a series of stories about foreign-born families who have become Americans and contributed to our American heritage.

From the dust jacket