Jakop has been living by Peipsi for several generations. He is not the best fisherman and doesn't have much money.  One day, Jakop's nephew arrives at the yard. Jakop has a chance  get a thousand rubles if he agrees to make one small trip over  the lake and back. Namely, the nephew has a fugitive in the car who thinks that he is on the north coast.  But Jakop refuses the offer. However, he allows his nephew and  the refugee to stay with him for the night.  In the morning, however, the nephew leaves and leaves the speechless fugitive to Jakop's conscience. Jakop has to make a decision - whether he takes refugees across lake Peipus?  In the whirlwind of events, memories come to life in Jakop's dreams about his brother and his suicide. Jakop begins to see similarities between the lost brother and the fugitive.