In the early 1940's a young, unemployed father of three with an ill wife is drafted into the Marines and goes to fight in the Pacific. While gone, his wife succumbs to cancer. Before she dies, the oldest boy hears her tell relatives, "Tell my husband to keep the kids together." The Red Cross tries to locate the father to return him to his children. They do, but too late; he is dead. To spare the kids, the authorities don't tell them he's dead. Relatives can't provide for them and they are sent to an orphanage. After six months the two youngest are adopted. Before they leave, the older one vows to find them again. At 16, he lies about his age and enlists in the Marines. Now at age 31 and on his second tour on Okinawa, he has not forgotten his promise to his siblings and refuses to give up his search.

In August 1649, Oliver Cromwell invades Ireland to subjugate it. He begins slaughtering Irish men. To escape death, Donal O'Laorcan allows himself to be caught by men rounding up Irish lads for the crew of an English merchant fleet anchored in the harbor. Donal has promised his pregnant new wife he will return the moment Cromwell leaves. He splits a "groat," a coin with harp imprint, and gives half to her and keeps half. He says, "When the harp is joined we will be again one family." At sea he learns he is on a merchant war ship owned by the East India company going to the Indies to trade or fight for spices. His many adventures in the islands and in India cannot dispel the thought that he must return to the woman he loves in Ireland and a child he has never seen. But, he has no way of knowing whether Cromwell has left and no way of returning home in any case.