When Henry decides to sell bubble gum to all the kids at school to earn money to buy his own bicycle, he gets plenty of trouble, but very little money.

Young Hawk, living in a time before the white men came, is the chief's son and it is around him that the activities of the small Rio Grande pueblo swing. But there is news of the first Spanards' approach and the last chapters are a telescoped history of the tragedy of conquest and present day pueblo life.

A troublemaker meets his match when he pushes the quietest girl in the class too far.