Valys disguises herself as a boy with the name of Wil to protect her family's interests during an uncle's treasure-hunting expedition.

She makes both allies and enemies, the latter including a young man named Gardt who envies Wil "his" status, and demeans Will's red hair. After hard trekking and danger from vicious animals they reach the treasure site, where a majority of the hired crew take Valys hostage in a demand for the lion's share of the treasure. But Valys's uncle is too much the miser to agree, putting his faith in the mutineers returning to duty if he waits them out.

In the meantime one of the villains learns Wil's true sex, and violence breaks out in the mutineers' camp. Valys has only herself and a sympathetic mutineer to depend upon if she hopes to return home alive and un-scathed.