Thirteen-year-old Alice Truelove can't take another day of her father's cruelty. Better a life on the streets than being constantly blamed for her mother's sad death or that's what Alice thinks as she packs up her meagre possessions. But fending for herself in the Black Country town of Wednesbury is not as easy as she expected and it soon hits her that without help she will quickly be hungry and cold. Bertram Jordan or BJ to his friends became an orphan much too young after his parents were stolen away by influenza. Growing up on the streets has not been easy but BJ has learnt to survive and when he meets Alice alone and desperate he's happy to take her under his wing. As Alice learns the tricks of the pick-pocketer the best ways to charm the stallholders on the market and the skills to get by the two children become firm friends. So when BJ makes a fatal mistake Alice can't bear the thought that she might lose her only friend - forever . . .