Set during the second Seminole War in Florida, Michael Delaney, a thief taker, sets out on a perilous journey of revenge and reward. Living in the Rubbles, a slum of New York City, he is offered a substantial reward to retrieve the daughter of a wealthy man. Michael joureys to Indian Key and the Everglades in search of the daughter, Winnie Wyatt, and brings to the forefront this historical time in Florida's history.