In 1886 the 20 years old Percy Fitzpatrick sets out from Kaapstad (Cape Town) for the Transvaal to dig for gold. On his way he prevents the weakly puppy Jock from being drowned and adopts him. But when they finally reach the destination of his journey, there's no gold there anymore. So Percy starts out as a foreman, and henceforth he and Jock live through many exciting adventures involving wild animals and slave drivers.