Peter, a ten year old city boy, is going on his first fishing trip with his father, a true outdoorsman. He is beginning to enjoy himself when they notice the animals and birds are acting funny. They prepare to leave when an earthquake strikes. Trees and branches fall around them injuring his father. Peter is faced with the challenge of getting them to safety away from an injured hungry wolf. Peter builds a raft to take them down the river. They endure hunger, cold, exhaustion, and rapids trying to escape the wolf as Peter uses his knowledge from books to get them to safety.