In this fifth episode of the family oriented teleseries, Jeff and Fenimore (the Schultz twins) are out exploring while their big brother Clayt is searching nearby for game. They come across a wounded animal and call brother Clayt to look.
Clayt finds what appears to be a large white dog, which has been shot and is slowly bleeding to death, wishing to be merciful, and finding the wounded animal suspicious and hostile, Clayt raises his rifle to "put the animal out of its suffering". But his brothers beg him to spare the animal and attempt to save it.
Against his better judgment, Clayt agrees and they bring the dog home. Nursing it back to health, the dog is still distrustful at first, but learns to accept them.
Some time later, Ruel Jaxon (Jim Westmoreland) and a Cajun man named Hasner (Albert Salmi) from the Mapoy company ride by the Monroe cabin and ask if they have seen a wild dog that had recently raided their camp for food, and was possibly shot while escaping. They inform Clayt the dog is dangerous and they wish to shoot it. Monroe denies seeing the dog, but later when they are gone, he tells the boys that the dog must go, that since it survived without help before the dog will be alright on its own. He asks Jim to help him take the dog far away to the base of the grand Tetons (Wyoming) and let it go free there, hoping it will not return to the area now that others want to kill the animal.
Jim sagely tells his friend that the "Spirit Dog" will not be put off no matter how far they go, the dog will return. Not believing Indian legends, Clayt (and Jim) go and turn the dog loose after riding all night to the mountains. When he returns the next day, he is visited by Sleeve (Ben Johnson) who tells him that Hasner is accusing Clayt of hiding the dog. Sleeve also reminds Clayt that it is important for him to remain on friendly terms with the Major. Clayt tells him the dog is not there, and after looking around from his horse, Sleeve departs saying he will report to the Major that he has not seen the dog.
Back at the cattle camp, Hasner has tried to get the Major interested in a business proposal, but the Major is not interested and eventually tells the man to leave his employ. The angry man leaves, but he seeks a way to get back in the Major's good graces.
Scarcely has Sleeve departed, when the twins Jeff and Fenimore return to the cabin followed closely by "Snow" as they have dubbed the white dog. Clayt angrily asks the dog (rhetorically) why he had to come back. But unbeknownst to Clayt, Hasner, has returned and was watching the cabin. He sees the dog and returns to Major Mapoy and again accuses Clayt of hiding the animal and lying about it.
Now uncertain whom to believe, and wishing to give young Clayt the benefit of the doubt, the Major goes to the Monroe cabin with Sleeve and Hasner, to ask Clayt bluntly about the dog. He tells Clayt that during the previous night, the dog attacked and killed a young calf with witnesses who shot at it, and he wants the dog killed.
Angrily Clayt tells the Major that it could not have been the dog "Snow" since he and Jim had taken the dog away and had been miles away from the cattle camp at the time and that the dog had only just returned a few moments after Sleeve's visit - a trip which had taken all night to make. At this point, the Major realizes that this cannot be the "White Lobo" that the Cajun man, Hasner, had reported and dismisses the man from his employ (again). He warns Clayt that if their dog is ever seen near the cattle it will be shot on sight, but allows them to keep the dog, which he sees is gentle with the children, but hostile toward only Hasner, who had shot him.
Interesting story of a boy (grown boy) and his dog. Suitable for viewing by the entire family, although younger children may be upset by the wounded dog in the opening sequence and Clayt pointing his rifle at the animal.
Clayt finds what appears to be a large white dog, which has been shot and is slowly bleeding to death, wishing to be merciful, and finding the wounded animal suspicious and hostile, Clayt raises his rifle to "put the animal out of its suffering". But his brothers beg him to spare the animal and attempt to save it.
Against his better judgment, Clayt agrees and they bring the dog home. Nursing it back to health, the dog is still distrustful at first, but learns to accept them.
Some time later, Ruel Jaxon (Jim Westmoreland) and a Cajun man named Hasner (Albert Salmi) from the Mapoy company ride by the Monroe cabin and ask if they have seen a wild dog that had recently raided their camp for food, and was possibly shot while escaping. They inform Clayt the dog is dangerous and they wish to shoot it. Monroe denies seeing the dog, but later when they are gone, he tells the boys that the dog must go, that since it survived without help before the dog will be alright on its own. He asks Jim to help him take the dog far away to the base of the grand Tetons (Wyoming) and let it go free there, hoping it will not return to the area now that others want to kill the animal.
Jim sagely tells his friend that the "Spirit Dog" will not be put off no matter how far they go, the dog will return. Not believing Indian legends, Clayt (and Jim) go and turn the dog loose after riding all night to the mountains. When he returns the next day, he is visited by Sleeve (Ben Johnson) who tells him that Hasner is accusing Clayt of hiding the dog. Sleeve also reminds Clayt that it is important for him to remain on friendly terms with the Major. Clayt tells him the dog is not there, and after looking around from his horse, Sleeve departs saying he will report to the Major that he has not seen the dog.
Back at the cattle camp, Hasner has tried to get the Major interested in a business proposal, but the Major is not interested and eventually tells the man to leave his employ. The angry man leaves, but he seeks a way to get back in the Major's good graces.
Scarcely has Sleeve departed, when the twins Jeff and Fenimore return to the cabin followed closely by "Snow" as they have dubbed the white dog. Clayt angrily asks the dog (rhetorically) why he had to come back. But unbeknownst to Clayt, Hasner, has returned and was watching the cabin. He sees the dog and returns to Major Mapoy and again accuses Clayt of hiding the animal and lying about it.
Now uncertain whom to believe, and wishing to give young Clayt the benefit of the doubt, the Major goes to the Monroe cabin with Sleeve and Hasner, to ask Clayt bluntly about the dog. He tells Clayt that during the previous night, the dog attacked and killed a young calf with witnesses who shot at it, and he wants the dog killed.
Angrily Clayt tells the Major that it could not have been the dog "Snow" since he and Jim had taken the dog away and had been miles away from the cattle camp at the time and that the dog had only just returned a few moments after Sleeve's visit - a trip which had taken all night to make. At this point, the Major realizes that this cannot be the "White Lobo" that the Cajun man, Hasner, had reported and dismisses the man from his employ (again). He warns Clayt that if their dog is ever seen near the cattle it will be shot on sight, but allows them to keep the dog, which he sees is gentle with the children, but hostile toward only Hasner, who had shot him.
Interesting story of a boy (grown boy) and his dog. Suitable for viewing by the entire family, although younger children may be upset by the wounded dog in the opening sequence and Clayt pointing his rifle at the animal.