Gazing at the river outside her window, a child imagines all the places the river could take her from the city all the way to the ocean, and dreams of all that she would see.

"Lily the sailboat is small but sturdy, in a harbor full of enormous cargo ships, speedy fishing vessels, and bossy tugboats...Out on the lake, the tall ships are coming! To pass from the harbor to the lake, Lily must blow her horn and ask the lift bridge to rise...Finally, Lily slips under just before the bridge goes down, her sails fluttering with excitement as she spies the majestic barquentine, schooner, and other grand old ships heading toward...

A boy and his dog set sail in search of treasure, braving stormy seas, snowy mountains, and other challenging obstacles, before finally reaching the end of their quest: the treasure of Pirate Frank.