There's only one thing Jem wants for his eighth birthday: a two-week prospecting trip with his grown-up friend Strike-it-rich Sam. But this trip doesn't go as planned. Finding gold is hard work! There are more tall tales from Strike than there are gold nuggets. An injury and other problems endanger the two adventurers. Will they bring home treasure or return empty-handed? Or worse ... will they not make it home at all?