The narrative follows two young friends whose lives are altered by urgent telegrams and a western journey that leads them into remote woods and a secretive canyon where they face accidents, becoming lost, and encounters with masked robbers and other dangerous figures. They navigate hardship, family burdens, and moral choices while meeting new companions and pursuing clues through camps, dives, and hurried flights. A persistent local mystery about hidden passages and missing property propels exploration and skirmishes until investigation and brave action expose the truth. The tale concludes with confrontations resolved, relationships mended, and the principal mysteries laid to rest.