Billy is traveling with his father and his grandfather so his hounds can compete in a regional competition. They journey all day and stop at night to rest. They make camp and prepare an evening meal. Billy’s grandfather insists that he feed his hounds corned beef hash rather than the corn meal mush they ordinarily eat.

Sitting before the campfire with his grandfather, Billy and his father share stories about the hounds. For instance, Billy explains that Old Dan will not eat before Little Ann has the opportunity to do so. Billy’s father recounts an incident in which two biscuits had been thrown from the house into the yard. Rather than eat the biscuits, Old Dan picked them from the ground and carried them around the house to the dog house. Then he growled an alert to Little Ann, who came out of the dog house. Each dog ate one biscuit. Billy’s grandfather thinks the stories are remarkable and evidence a strong bond between the dogs.

As the conversation continues, Billy moves away from his father and grandfather to enjoy a singular experience. His grandfather had prepared coffee, and he gave Billy a cup of the strong brew. At home, Billy is never allowed to drink coffee. He feels that his grandfather’s gesture signals his approaching manhood. He sits near a tree stump to treasure the moment.

Billy is restless and has difficulty sleeping through the night. At one point, he thinks he hears the cries of two screech owls. According to local superstition, hearing two screech owls is a bad omen. The next morning at breakfast he tells his grandfather, who dismisses the belief as irrational. They clean up the camp area and continue their journey.

When they arrive at the official hunting grounds, Billy is astounded to see the number of contestants and the fine animals that have come to compete. The hunters are arrayed in fashionable sporting gear, and the dogs are beautifully groomed and primped for the event. Initially even Billy’s grandfather is taken aback by the numbers. To ease his anxiety, Billy strolls around the camp, observing all. He feels better when he hears a hunter comment on him and his hounds; he is proud that his reputation precedes him.

Billy’s grandfather encourages him to enter one of his hounds into a beauty contest of sorts. Billy decides to enter Little Ann, and he uses his grandfather’s grooming kit to prepare her for the contest. To his surprise, she wins the contest and he gets a silver cup. Following the contest, the head judge assembles the hunters to explain the rules and procedures for each night’s hunt. Using a lottery process, the twenty-five teams of dogs will compete against one another. Five teams of dogs will hunt in each night’s elimination round, then the winners of the rounds will compete against one another. Billy is excited to represent his team in the drawing. He draws the fourth night of the hunt and reports back to his father and grandfather.

The five teams begin the first night’s hunt, and the camp site is filled with excitement. Billy’s jubilation quickly turns to anxiety, however, when his grandfather discovers strands of red dog hair in his comb and brush. Billy panics and hides beneath the wagon, hoping that his grandfather’s annoyance will subside.