The protagonist of this novel is a Metiathe half-breed son of an Indian princess and a white trader known as a Hivernant, or aWinter Man, a who lives year-round with his adopted tribe. Their son, Bienvenue, known to his friends as aDanny, a develops in stature as he grows from an Indian boy in loin cloth to a highly respected trader in his own right. Danny has many adventures as he roams the country from Detroit to Kaskaskia, to New Orleans, to Philadelphia and back to Detroit.