At seventeen, Dot Pickett is young to be taking on the role of trail boss on a cattle drive. But his life has been hard, and he has become brave, resourceful - and occasionally ruthless. Now the drive is done, he is setting off for home with the saddle-bags of gold owed to the Texan ranchers. But Dot has fallen foul of a notorious outlaw family, and he knows that they will try to ambush him. When he goes to the aid of a young woman and the gold disappears, he must embark upon a quest to retrieve it.