The narrative follows two teenage brothers who leave military college for a vacation at their father's lumber camp in northern Maine, where they reconnect with life on lakes and in the woods. Scenes depict camp routines, hearty meals, athletic contests such as a celebrated wrestling match between two lumbermen, and the boys' easy competence in outdoor skills. Relationships among camp hands evolve from rivalry to respect after the brothers intervene to save a man, and the work and seasonal changes on the lake, including ice breakup and raft operations, provide the backdrop for a series of rural adventures and coming-of-age experiences.