A mother and her two surviving children, Sean and Annie, can no longer hold out against the terrible famine in Ireland.

Near to death, the mother sends the children out to America, to track down their father who has gone in search of the fertile land of Grass Valley in California.

They take with them a gold necklace, which has been a lucky talisman in the family for generations.

On their voyage across the sea, they meet a fiddler who teaches Sean to play and Annie to dance, which not only keeps their spirits up, but proves to be a valuable source of income when they reach Boston.

As they journey across America, they are helped by people they meet, although more than once, a glimpse of the gold necklace is enough to ignite the greed of thieves.

At last, they reach Grass Valley, California, where their father is waiting, as he promised, and also, in a wonderful final surprise, their mother.