When his cattlemen abandon him for the gold fields, rancher Wil Andersen is forced to take on a collection of young boys as his cowboys in order to get his herd to market in time to avoid financial disaster. The boys learn to do a man's job under Andersen's tutelage, however, neither he nor the boys know that a gang of cattle thieves is stalking them.
John Wayne
as Wil Andersen
Roscoe Lee Browne
as Jebediah Nightlinger
Bruce Dern
as Long Hair
Colleen Dewhurst
as Kate
Alfred Barker Jr.
as Cowboy Fats
Nicolas Beauvy
as Cowboy Dan
Steve Benedict
as Cowboy Steve
Robert Carradine
as Cowboy Slim Honeycutt
Norman Howell
as Cowboy Weedy
Stephen R. Hudis
as Cowboy Charlie Schwartz
Sean Kelly
as Cowboy Stuttering Bob
A Martinez
as Cowboy Cimarron
