The two Beaudine brothers refuse rancher Hatcher's offer to go on his cattle drive but change their minds when he is shot. So they head out with six other riders, a cook and a recuperating owner heading 1500 cows towards Colorado 1000 miles away. Along the way they will face accidents, Indians, two of the riders aiming to rustle some of Hatcher's cattle and flee, squatters demanding money, a stampede, and a lack of water.