D.J. Dillon’s life is suddenly turned upside down when an outlaw bear attacks the family’s small farm and kills their livestock. His father has forbidden the lonely boy to have a beautiful collie dog as a companion, but now decides that D.J. should have a hound to trail the bear.

Against his will, D.J. is forced to accept an ugly mutt that is supposedly experienced at hunting bears. But at the first encounter with a bear, the dog is afraid and runs away. Instead of allowing D.J. to get rid of the dog, the father insists that the boy keep the dog and train him. This sets up suspenseful situations that plunge boy and dog into life-threatening experiences throughout the series.

In this first book in the D.J. Dillon series, the mutt proves his courage in a final catastrophic encounter. In the process, D.J. learns a life-lesson about judging people.

A glossary is included in the back of the book.