Hashknife Hartley, ingenious, whimsical, patient, cool, daring and a little mysterious, rides over the prairie rim to the town of Red Arrow with Sleepy Stevens riding at his side, a shy Sancho Panza, devoted and puzzled, but a strong arm and a quick trigger-finger at need. Red Arrow is a trifle excited. The Wells Fargo messenger has been held up and relieved of $132,000. "Slim" Caldwell, the sheriff, welcomes Hashknife's aid in solving the problem, and the resulting adventures of Hashknife and Sleepy are many and thrilling.