Jack Stevens, a young man from New York, is spending a short vacation at the Housetop I Ranch, owned by Mrs. Elliott, a widow. The cowboys treat him cordially and the widow’s daughter, Elsie, is his constant companion. The boys start for the round-up and Jack expresses a wish to Elsie to see this interesting phase of Western life. His opportunity comes some time later, when Mrs. Elliott asks him to take the money for the pay roll to the foreman at the round-up. En route, he passes through the town and sees a sign posted by the Sheriff, offering $5000 reward for the capture of Rattlesnake Ike, a dangerous bandit that has been terrorizing the ranchmen of the country. After a conversation with the sheriff, Jack is given a map of a short cut to the camp. He starts out again and follows a fence as indicated in the map. A half-hour later, he is back at his starting point. Puzzled, he places his handkerchief on a post near the gate and once more completes the circuit of the circular fence, coming back to the gate. He passes through the gate, making his way to a hut to study his map and get his bearings. Rattlesnake Ike, hidden among some rocks, sees the stranger pass, and follows him with the intention of robbing him. Jack arrives at the hut, and hanging his gun on his saddle, gets his pack and starts to open it. Rattlesnake Ike comes up and engages him in conversation. Jack asks him the way to the round-up, explaining that he has the pay roll. Ike covers him with his gun, and robbing him of the money and map, escapes on Jack’s horse. He rides back over the trail and inadvertently gets inside the circular fence. Like his predecessor, he makes the circuit of the fence, coming back to his starting point. He hangs Jack’s gun on the gate and starts out again. Jack, making his way back over the trail on foot, finds the gun hanging on the gate, and securing it, conceals himself, knowing that when Ike has completed the circuit, he will surely pass the place again…