Ellen Toliver is shocked to learn that her grandfather is a patriot spy. Then he's injured on the day of an important mission—and she's the only one who can take his place. It's the last thing shy, timid Ellen wants to do, but her grandfather, and her country, are depending on her.

It seems simple: Take a boat across New York Harbor and deliver a loaf of bread with a secret message inside. Disguised as a boy, Ellen finds courage she never dreamed she had. But things don't go as planned. First Ellen finds herself on a boat full of British soldiers, and then she lands at the wrong town. As she faces each obstacle on her journey, Ellen wonders—will she ever get her message through? And will she ever see her family again?

From the back of the Yearling edition