 Gideon Hale is a 9-year-old boy with a speech impediment; he stutters. Everyone at Walnut Grove School tease the boy, except for James. James decides to take Gideon under his wing and become his long-sought-after friend. However, when Gideon s back is turned, James (albeit reluctantly) goes along with the teasing. Unfortuately, James is unaware that Gideon is listening in. Gideon realizes that James is just like everyone else and, in tears, runs away. When their son fails to return home, Mr. and Mrs. Hale become very worried and enlist the Ingalls to help search for the boy. James realizes what he has done and is deeply sorry. Charles decides that, to get his mind off what he did, James should come along with him on a delivery run to Sleepy Eye. Along the way, a feral wolf tags behind the Ingalls wagon, staying with them at a camp. Later, in Sleepy Eye, two robbers overhear that Ingalls has thousands of dollars in his possession (payment from the delivery run) and plot to rob them that night at the hotel. However, the wolf - who has kept on the Ingalls trail - runs the two robbers off before they can break into Charles  hotel room; Charles and James are never aware of what might have happened. The wolf appears again later in their trip when a bear tries to attack Charles and James. Meanwhile, Caroline is able to track down Gideon and convinces him to come back home. In the end, James apologizes to Gideon; while Mr. and Mrs. Hale aren t ready to accept just yet, that crazy wolf who had kept on the Ingalls  trail all along appears again ... and makes quick friends with Gideon. Mr. Hale realizes that James is sincere in his apology and all is forgiven.