ng John Wesley Ned Carter, an eighteenth-century boy of thirteen, has been working in the dangerous coal mines in northern England since he was five. He desperately wants to save his little brother Pip from the same fate. Like so many poor English families of the day, even the young children of the Carter family must earn money to pay the bills. Now Pip is turning five and Ned must find a way to prevent his parents from sending Pip into the coal mines. But when Ned has an accident, Pip's fate seems sealed-without Ned's income, his father is sure to act. But instead of the mines, little Pip is "sold" to be trained as a chimney sweep. Before Ned can intervene, Pip has vanished-forever! Despite his injury, Ned determines he must find Pip and try to buy him back. But where has Pip been taken and how can Ned ever earn the ransom money without his father knowing it? What might the preacher, John Wesley, do on Pip's behalf? Was no one there to care or to help?