during the yukon gold rush, brothers wyatt and samuel set off to take in their estranged father, jebediah, who is rumored to have turned violent after the gold mine he was working dried up. samuel and his family are about to be evicted from their land, and sheriff snow suspects wyatt of a recent murder. wyatt desires to kill their father, but samuel insists they take him in alive. before they can leave, banker mr. howell alters the agreement he made with the brothers and insists they take colonel rupert thomas and his cargo with them. the brothers have no choice and reluctantly accept.