 Jamie Hunter, the orphaned 13-year-old son of a rainmaker, arrives in Virginia City to carry on his father s work, as part of a tour of the southwestern United States. And just in time - the area has been stricken by a massive drought that shows no signs of letting up. Jamie and his friend, Dusty, try selling their wares to anxious ranchers and farmers, but when the rainmaking equipment doesn t immediately help, the farmers grow angry and want to lynch the lad. Ben, however, learns that Jamie is orphaned and alone, and - needing someone to stick up for him - decides to allow Jamie to build a rain tower on the Ponderosa. The townspeople become angry that Ben has sided with whom they believe is a scam artist and that night, storm the camp. In the process, one of the farmers burns the rainmaking book that had belonged to Jamie s father. Ben consoles a deeply grieving Jamie (the book was his last physical link to his father) and warns the farmers off ... just as it begins to rain! An all-night soaker brings much needed life back to Virginia City. In the close, Ben invites Jamie to stay at the Ponderosa for awhile.