Quebec Bill Bohomme is a tenacious schemer and dreamer who, desperate for funds to keep his endangered herd alive over the impending winter, resorts to whiskey smuggling, a traditional family occupation. Quebec Bill embarks on a voyage with his son, Wild Bill. Additionally, Henry Coville, an enigmatic whiskey smuggler, and Rat Kinneson, Quebec Bill's chronically depressed ex-con hired man, are present. They cross the border together and spend four unforgettable days "filled with terror, filled with wonder" in the huge Canadian countryside.