Justina Walker-a 28 year-old teacher of a Charity School. She is a strong-willed woman but often stressed out from her low wages and unruly students. She came from a poor family with barely enough to supply themselves; her father died in a war, her mother suffered a stroke, her brothers and sister had to work in their tobacco field before sunrise. Since her mother’s stroke and her sister’s elopement with a stranger, she had take care of herself from an early age, she promised herself that she would never end up like her mother or her sister. She has survived on her own, with her knowledge and wits, and with her pushiness and pessimism.
Sarah Clive-a 14 year-old Irish girl who moved to America with her parents, but they died in an accident and left Sarah on her own. She grew up in the streets learning English on her own, stealing from bakeries and fruit markets, sometimes begging and sometimes taking charity. Sarah is a tough girl, rude and self-justifying, but sensitive and sensible.
Melanie Barfield-a 14 year old teenager. She works in the bakery with her mother, but dreams of becoming an actress, a very good dream, but Melanie has a lot to show; she’s very stubborn and angry because of all the hard work she has to do, and because she’s prone to being impatient. But she doesn’t always mean to be mean-spirited, she just doesn’t want to be seen as this daydreamer with poor grades. Deep inside she is talented and self-assured. She even knows how to fence.
Barbara Hardy-a 13 year old girl and friend to Melanie. Barbara loves to read books and likes to draw pictures of jungles and native people, but she always base them on caricatures. She’s an intelligent girl, but often prone to envy and jealousy. Her family are neither rich or poor, but they can’t get everything Barbara wants. So she would retreat to her books and dream about politics and revolutions. She doesn’t socialize much but talks to Melanie whenever she’s lonely. She has a good skill in archery.
Corinne Bennett-a 12 year-old British girl. Corinne comes from a rich family, goes to a private school and has her own horse to ride. Corinne is pretty but greedy and selfish like her Banker Father. She likes going to parties and banquets but quickly tires of it. She is truly a deep thinker and lonely girl because she barely has any friends to talk to or play with, except for her snooty sister and frivolous classmates. She does enjoy going to America visit her cousin and talk to his friend’s sisters. She likes to play with knives often and even has her own secret pocketknife.
Lenny Tully-an 8 year-old English girl, a crybaby and whiner. Often ignored by her friends for her whining and complaining. She hates going outside in the dark, and sleeps with a small light in her room. She can be timid, quiet, and stubborn, but she has hidden confidence, dreams of adventure and likes to wander around new places.