The book narrates the adventures of a cowboy, Jack Burns. A transient worker and a temporary ranch hand, he is representative of much of the cowboys of old.
Burns refuses to let the modern society validate his existence, resisting integrating himself into the new society. He defies modern authorities in every conceivable way and rejects modern technology completely. Moreover, he refuses to let the government create his existence with the help of political documents like driver’s licence or Social Security card. Burns also defies the authority entirely even when it came to registering for the draft.
Soon, his friend Paul Bondi, a philosophical anarchist, is sent to prison in Albuquerque in New Mexico, as he too had refused to register for the draft. Burns now has to get him out of prison and intentionally gets arrested to help his friend escape.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Burns himself has to run from the law. Bondi rejected the idea of escape and awaited transport to federal prison. Soon, it is discovered by the police that even Burns had never actually registered for the draft. They decide to send him to trial but Burns escapes, even though he is unable to break his friend out of prison. The police do everything they can to catch him including bringing out the helicopters of Air Force. They seem to know his every move and attempt to prevent him from escaping in any way possibly
