The depredations of the huge wolf Gray Cloud have caused a fabulous price of $2500 to be put on his head when Dave Reagan, considered in that part of the range as little better than a half-wit, discovers the monster held fast in his traps. Something in the fearless animal’s eyes keeps young Dave from killing the wolf, and he instead carries him home.

Dave expects that this capture will earn him the respect of his cousins. But his cousins don’t feel anything of the kind. As far as they are concerned, this is the time to put a bullet in Gray Cloud, cut off his paws and head fur, and claim the reward. They didn’t anticipate that Dave would object.

In fact, Dave subdues his cousins and escapes with Gray Cloud to the wilderness, where the two become indelibly attached to each other. It was an error, however, for Dave to think that men would not intrude on them, and now the wolf and the man must cooperate to survive.