Twelve-year-old Emma Mae and her 10-old-brother Edward live with their family on a farm in rural West Kentucky in 1914. Most of the time, they live ordinary lives. Once in a while, though, exciting adventures come their way. This time the adventure begins on Halloween night on the railroad tracks near their home. They, along with their 14-year-old brother Clarence and their three-legged dog Jiggs, . . and two hobos . . . are swept up by a mysterious, almost-invisible train that carries them, screeching through the night, to a far away place, where they may "never again see light." It doesn't take the children long to learn that their lives are in danger. Then they make another unbelievable discovery. Some of their own family members live near the circus camp/prison where they have been taken, The many adventures they experience at the hands of the man in the brown suit with the black derby hat and his sidekick, the ringmaster at the circus, will leave the reader wondering if they'll ever be able to escape and return to their home. If so, what would they tell their family about the adventure? And would another adventure ever come their way?