A Jack-of-all-trades Mountain man and hired guide Will Barlow has his hands chock-full. He's leading a caravan of downright ornery pioneers. He forages for the group's food. He breaks up fights among his charges. And it's not easy to keep his mind on the job when the lovely pioneer women get lonely. Even so, Barlow is confident (perhaps too confident) that the troupe will make it, safe and sound, up the Oregon Trail . But the hurdles he's met so far pale in comparison to a much greater threat. On the trail, Barlow runs into an old friend from his mountain days, a Shoshoni Indian called White Bear, whose family has been kidnapped by the Crow Nation. And since White Bear once helped Barlow with endless generosity, so must Barlow return the favor-and help his friend take down the Crows who did this. But even though he'd put down his life for his Indian friend, Barlow can't let his pioneers down...