Three grown boys away from home for the first time meet on their way to south Texas. They hoped to land a job on a cattle drive. After reminding them about their lack of experience, the trail boss finally offered them a job, but they would only be paid half wages. Willie, the colored member of the trio, says, "I don't like the half pay, but I don't want to ride that old jackass back to Arkansas. At least they will have to feed us all the way to Kansas." The boys grew into men on the long drive helped along by hard work, wild horses, and a few wild women. All the cowboys but one learned to like the boys and the fun they brought to their long days and nights. The boys faced danger when they hunted down a mountain lion that started following the drive.

Max, a big German cowboy, never stopped trying to make Willie's life miserable. He hated what he referred to as "colored folk". Max could barely wait for the end of the drive when he planned to force Willie into a fight to the death. One of Willie's two best friends wanted to take his place in the shootout. Willie was determined to stand up for himself, so he reluctantly obliged old Max. After going their separate ways the three are brought back together again when they battle a gang of cattle thieves.