Hazel has been drawing since she could hold a pencil, and has an exceptional talent for depicting life’s joys and sorrows through vivid, often humorous illustrations.
Hazel and her family have fallen on hard times in England, so when her aunt offers Hazel work in New York she knows it will be the gateway to a better life. Unfortunately she falls a few pounds short for an air ticket so with help from Charlie (a porter boy whom she met on her walk to Southampton), stowaway she travels.
Hazel arrives in America determined to fulfill her promise. She takes up employment in a dry goods store owned by Mr. McFarland and receives great praise from him; but he begins to suspect her, prompting Hazel to suspect the Mollisons hired her as an undercover spy against him. Utilizing Sylvia’s loan of a dress, Hazel uses upper class decks of Titanic as cover while talking with both an engineer and captain about its construction.
But when she learns of George’s promise of employment with a potential client, she persuades him to let her assume his position temporarily until he can secure promotion. Although initially reluctant, George eventually agrees because she reminded him that their family will benefit greatly and gave her a raise.