In Urbien, war is raging. In the air raid shelter, Stefan and Thomas Morin ponder how children in other countries are able to sleep peacefully in their beds. They write a letter to the President of Terranien, asking him to take in the Urbien children for a time. The President's grandson, Michael, does everything he can to convince his grandfather of the plan. Soon, four ships full of children set sail for Terranien. On the fourth night, disaster strikes: the "Feuerland," the lead ship, sinks. The lifeboat, in which the Morin boys are sitting with nine others, breaks free and drifts on the ocean. After a terrifying night, the children wash up on an island. Thanks to their skill and ingenuity, the children manage to establish a well-organized community. As all attempts to find the children prove unsuccessful, the situation seems hopeless. Only Michael is determined to convince the adults that the children are still alive.