In the early days of Boy Scouts of America, the focus was on building men from the boys. The boys learned honor, discipline, brotherhood, and the many facets of Woodcraft: the skills needed to survive and thrive in the wild. Walter Upton comes to this remote camp eager to put his 'book learning' to use. He learns that, though the information in the books has some value, real learning comes from experience in the wilderness and from striving alongside his fellow Scouts. Along the way, he also gets to teach others the importance of character and the hope it brings to the rest of life's endeavors.