Miles is a house slave on the Tillery Plantation. He was caught looking at a book and sent off to the "Breaking Ground" so that his spirit and curiosity will be beaten and worked out of him. House slaves live a much better life than field slaves and Miles is used to proper speaking, clean clothes, good food, and better treatment than the overseers usually hand out. The breaking grounds are an education for Miles in how owners expect slaves to act. Elijah, another slave at the breaking ground, gives Miles a very different sort of education by teaching him to read and write and how to use cunning and appearances (looks and actions) to deceive.

When Miles is returned to his owners' land, he speaks like a field hand and asks to be sent out of the house into the fields with the other slaves. Elijah has led Miles to believe that being out in the fields will make it easier to escape to freedom. Miles loves his surrogate mother, Mama Cee, and cannot leave her behind but will Elijah understand? Are there slaves who will betray the freedom seekers?