 Deke (Jack Chaplain), a runaway orphan from a boy s home, is arrested when he prevents Art Finney (Leslie Bradley), a trainer for a wealthy California dog breeder, Andrew Garrett (Richard Webb), from shooting "Rock", a renegade English setter and alleged animal killer. Garrett has Deke remanded to his custody and gives him a job assisting the (highly) resentful Finney and also working with "Rock", whom Deke insists has the makings of a fine hunting dog. The trainer and owner/breeder don t think so, but they accept the word and non-experience of a 17-year-old orphan? Sure they do, and that s the way this one goes, after bringing in Garrett s motherless 15-year-old daughter, Elaine (Heather North), who is spending her first vacation with a father that gives her everything but attention and love.