One day, three farm boys come upon a wounded outlaw named Harry Spikes. They take him to one of the boys' barn, nurse him back to health, shield him from a sheriff's posse, and let him go on his way. Later, to escape the tyrannical discipline of their parents, the three boys run away from home in search of adventure and excitement. In the first town they come to, they bungle a bank robbery, and shoot and kill a state senator by accident. Then, with the law in hot pursuit, they flee across the Texas border into Mexico. Upon arriving there, they happily reunite with Harry Spikes. He takes the boys under his wing, teaches them the outlaw's trade, and the four of them cross the border back into Texas. After careful preparation, they attempt a bank robbery that goes horribly wrong. Tragically, the boys discover that Harry Spikes is not the genuine hero that they thought he was. Lee Marvin, Gary Grimes, Ron Howard, and Charles Martin Smith star in this thrilling Western tale that examines the tragic consequences of hero worship and the loss of youthful innocence.