Summary
In the desolate, famine-stricken reaches of Kentucky, a desperate populace is forced to abandon their canine companions, leading to the rise of a formidable foraging pack led by the elusive 'The Grey Ghost'. Amidst this stark struggle for survival, a human drama unfolds: the gentle, timid Steve finds himself in a bitter rivalry with his aggressive half-brother, Ben, both vying for the affections of Janet, the newly arrived schoolmistress. While Janet is drawn to Steve, she perceives his quiet nature as a lack of courage, a sentiment reinforced by the children's relentless taunts. A separate, tender narrative thread emerges when The Grey Ghost, wounded during a skirmish, seeks refuge near a stream where young Davey is fishing. A secret bond forms between boy and dog, culminating in the canine protector saving Davey from the very pack he leads. The human conflict escalates when Ben, consumed by jealousy, manipulates the local farmers against Janet and then, in a fit of rage, binds her to a canoe set adrift towards treacherous rapids. The Grey Ghost, intervening decisively, first saves Steve from Ben's violent assault, then heroically rescues Janet, bringing a harmonious, if somewhat abrupt, resolution to the intertwined sagas of man and beast.
Synopsis
In a famine-stricken section of Kentucky, the mountain people are forced to turn out their dogs. One dog, which becomes the leader of a foraging dog pack, is known as The Grey Ghost. Ben, a bully, and Steve, his shy and gentle half brother, vie for the attentions of Janet, their new schoolmistress, who likes Steve but considers him cowardly for enduring the children's' taunts. The Grey Ghost is injured in an attack and hides near a stream where little Davey is fishing. He permits the boy to bathe his wound and feed him. They secretly become friends, and The Grey Ghost saves the boy from an attack by the pack. In a jealous frenzy, Ben turns the farmers against Janet, then ties her to a canoe headed for the rapids. The Grey Ghost saves Steve from an attack by Ben and rescues Janet. All ends happily.
