Hailing from Montana, Chip is the daughter of the late Old Sandy Barrett, a member of Hayden's Exploration Expedition. She is described as a beautiful girl, around 18 at the time of the story, with a "round and symmetrical" form, medium stature, dark eyes, pearly teeth, curly brown hair and a cool, clear voice. She is also described as an "eccentric girl dandy" who dresses in a man's clothes, has a diamond upon her bosom, and carries a gold handled cane, which she twirls as she walks with a swaggering gait.