Annie Verne, a widow, is left with six children to support the family's only income from her late husband's barge business. The barge is fraudulently claimed by Annie's cousin, who almost leaves them destitute and homeless. Her eldest daughter Sally takes on the family's role as provider and mainstay by operating the barge in a male-dominated business. No one expected a slip of a girl to run the business herself. When it became evident this was her intention. Sally faced; threats, vile insults, and harassment. Thirteen-year-old Sally is made of sterner stuff and leaves them in doubt that she's there to stay.