A group of marginalized boys at a summer camp initiates a dangerous mission to liberate a herd of buffalo destined for slaughter. Cotton, the self-appointed leader of the group, organizes his fellow outcasts to steal a pickup truck and embark on a cross-country rescue operation. The boys, all struggling with feelings of abandonment and inadequacy, view the survival of the buffalo as a mirror for their own struggle for dignity. The narrative follows their progression from passive victims of their circumstances to active participants in a high-stakes moral crusade, testing their physical endurance and psychological resolve against the harsh landscape of the American West.

Readers frequently highlight the stark contrast between the boys' internal vulnerabilities and their external acts of defiance. Discussion often centers on the author's ability to capture the specific anxieties of adolescence without resorting to sentimentality. Critics often point to the book's pacing, noting how the tension builds steadily as the boys move further from the safety of the camp. The work is frequently cited for its commentary on the treatment of both children and wildlife in mid-century American society. Many readers find the resolution of the story to be a significant point of reflection regarding the nature of success and failure.