The Spirit and Gilly Bucket — Maurine F. Dahlberg

A pre-Civil War novel featuring an indomitable heroine

Not long after her pa goes off to look for gold, Gilly Bucket is transplanted from Missouri to Virginia, to the home of her late mother's sister. Gilly is bewildered by the fancy formality of life at Glencaren, and by the use of slaves to make it possible.
She knows her uncle needs help to run the huge farm, and her aunt to manage the household, especially with cousin Sarah's wedding approaching. But Pa taught her that slavery is wrong.

Although her aunt and uncle don't seem to take to the opinionated, irrepressible Gilly, Sarah is kind, and seven-year-old cousin Neddy is delighted by Gilly's wild stories. Still, it's the slave girl Rissy who saves Gilly from loneliness. Together, the girls learn about the underground railroad, and about the mysterious person, called the Spirit, who helps operate the system that frees slaves. Together, they begin Rissy's journey
to freedom.

This second novel by Maurine F. Dahlberg is an exciting story about the time when the United States of America was hardly united, as seen by an irresistible eleven-year-old whose enthusiasm and confidence may be her greatest liability.