"Molly's a real Flynn, that's what she is," said her grandfather. "Born on the water, cradled on a boat. She cut her first teeth on a towline."

Molly was proud of the Buttercup, the bright yellow canal boat that was her home. She was proud to be the only girl driver on the Erie Canal, and she loved Hannibal, the wise old mule that hauled the Buttercup and its load.

Most of the time there was nothing much to do except ride on Hannibal's back and watch the little farms along the canal — and dream. After the last trip to Watertown, Molly had a special dream, about a golden-haired blue-eyed china doll at Mr. Higgins' store at Watertown.

Getting a load to take back to Watertown was the first step in making Molly's dream come true, and Molly herself finds a load of flour bound for Watertown. There were miles and miles of Erie water between Molly and her dream, and there were floods and broken dikes along the way. When her beloved Hannibal gets sick, Molly learns that sometimes you have to give up one wish in order to get another. But there is a satisfying ending to this story of life on the canal in the 1870's.

From the dust jacket