Kavik, a champion sled dog, who has just won a race in Alaska, is sold for $4000 to George Hunter, a ruthless businessman from Seattle, who has local business interests.
The crash site is found by Andy Evans, a young boy who lives in the nearby fishing settlement of Copper City.
He struggles to get the dog home and begs his parents to let him ask the local doctor to take a look at Kavik.
But Hunter arrives on a regular trip and claims back the dog, taking him to a kennel in his palatial Seattle home.
Andy's father, Kurt, equally angrily claims that the dog will be happier with them than with Hunter.