Hallie is dismayed when she learns her family will be moving away, and tries to understand why her pa and ma want to give up their old farm and go to some strange new place to live. The story opens the day before the Bells leave their home in South Carolina, join two other families, and begin their long journey to Texas in covered wagons.

Though she's sad to leave, Hallie discovers early in her travels that she likes the trail and is always anxious to see what's over the next hill, or around the next bend. She is a bright, friendly and inquisitive girl, who is not easily daunted by life's twists and turns.

Though a few interesting things happen to the children in the first two chapters, they also explain, to a small extent, the children's chores, the animals and the details of living from day to day on the trail. Afterwards, the story centers mainly on the characters.

Hallie's two younger brothers and older sister, as well as most of the others in the wagon train, are included in the adventures. Hugh Bell is nine years old, level headed and responsible, and good buddies with his seven year old brother, Joey. They are typical, fun loving boys, who love to tease Hallie. Shep, the family's lovable and faithful dog, is the children's constant companion.

Perhaps the saddest of all to leave their home is Susan, Hallie's seventeen year old sister. She becomes more reconciled to the move, however, when she meets Matt Parker, a young man in the wagon train.

Mr. and Mrs. Bell are better educated than most farm parents of that era, and are determined to educate their children as well as possible. They also see to it that religion is an important part of their lives, though religion is not emphasized in this story.

The Bell children are happy to find a girl and boy near their age in one of the other wagons. Hallie becomes close friends with the sweet, shy, Tess Collins, and after a rocky beginning for Hugh Bell and Billy Collins, the three boys become friends, too. There is also a precocious four year old, Robbie Parker, who tries to keep up with the older children. The boys and girls often find themselves in humorous, wild, or scary predicaments throughout the story.

Near the beginning of the journey, Billy is saved from serious injury, or possible death, by an Indian, and later, Hallie almost drowns but is rescued by Clinton Marlow. Farther down the trail, the children discover a monster in the woods. These are a few of the adventurous episodes in the first half of the book.

The families spend about a month in Jackson, Mississippi, and while there, Hugh hires on as a paper boy, and also, Hallie becomes acquainted with the governor. Traveling on, they cross the Mississippi River. Seeing it for the first time and crossing the huge river on a ferryboat, is a wonderful experience for the children.

Not far into Louisiana, Hugh has a close call when he is chased by a bull. Later, Mr. Bell and his wife learn of a farm for sale in central Texas and decide they should take a look, so the wagons head for the town of Sharon.

The adventures continue into Texas, including, Joey being kidnapped and Hallie playing an important role in his rescue, and farther down the trail, Robbie and Hallie become lost in the woods.

Matt finally asks Susan to marry him, and in the last chapter, the simple wedding takes place in Sharon, Texas. A happy time for all.

The travelers meet many interesting characters on the road between their South Carolina and Texas homes, most of them friendly and nice, and a few, not nice at all, but Hallie knows she will always remember each and every one.

There are more episodes related in this story, with enough excitement, sadness, humor and near tragedy, to keep one's interest until the happy end of the trail.

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