The story takes place on Terschelling, which is closed off from the rest of the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century. Sil Droeviger, farmer in Oosterend, supplements his income for his family, consisting of his wife Jaakje and sons Jelle and Wietse, with beachcombing. One day a strong storm arises and Sil rescues a girl from a sunken dinghy, while the mother drowns. The ship is from Sweden and because the child's name is not known, Sil takes the girl and raises her as his own daughter. He calls her Lobke, just like their daughter who died shortly after birth. When Sil comes to register her as his own daughter at the registry office, this causes the necessary problems.