In which a shrewd and experienced oil man, Mr. Ross, advises a fractious assembly of landowners on the perils and promises of oil leases, while young Bunny observes the bitter quarrels and diverse characters with wide-eyed acuity. Later, Bunny befriends Paul Watkins, a spirited runaway youth burdened by religious turmoil and hardship, lending him aid before the boy mysteriously vanishes, leaving Bunny to ponder the stark contrasts between their worlds.