 The story of Roulette Ruby, a limping and terrified spinster who "works" the boats plying Lake Winnipeg, taking on any gambler, staking herself against the cold cash of her partner. She loses a particularly high-stakes tourney to a tough old Northern Manitoba fried chicken trader, who takes her as his mistress back up to a frosty little white hell on the shores of Hudson s bay. A "flying boat" aviator makes a forced landing there and immediately falls in love with Ruby. The new couple battle wolves, bears, frostbite and a giant puffin as they flee the vengeful chicken trader.