A young drifter is found stealing food at Horse Davis' ranch by Boatwhistle, the cook.

Given the nickname Cooncat by the cook, the boy explains that he was wrongfully accused of murdering a man named Shell and has fled from the law.

Boatwhistle is killed by Smiling Man, and Cooncat flees the ranch before the rest of the family gets home.

Cooncat comes back and talks to Meagan through her window before returning to the trading post to look for the body of Jim Shell.

Horse starts to go into the trading post to ambush who he thinks is Cooncat, but is really the Roper and Smiling Man.