In trying to elude the police on believing he will not get a fair shake in a case of self defense in killing a man in Oklahoma, John Alexander is going by the assumed name Johnny Blake while he looks for work as a roughneck traveling from oil field to oil field across the country, he believing he can make some money while blending in with the crowd. In the process he meets and befriends an oil rig foreman, Hap O'Connor, that friendship on Hap's side because of Johnny coming to his aid, and despite Hap knowing about the police looking for him for the murder rap. In a later situation, Hap reunites with an old friend, Wildcat Chalmers, who is looking for men to help dig a new well, which is made all the more difficult in his arch enemy, Charles Hammond, doing whatever he can to prevent him from striking oil. In working for Hammond, Johnny is also reunited with Hap and changes his allegiances when he learns that Hammond's actions are meant to hurt Wildcat and by association his friend Hap, with who he also joins forces. Johnny and Hap's friendship is threatened when a love triangle forms, the third being Wildcat's daughter, Linda Chalmers, who grew up around the oil fields and knows her away around the men who work on such. While Hap has always been in love with Linda without really expressing it, Johnny also falls for her but doesn't act on it in knowing Hap's feelings for her. What happens with this triangle and Hap and Johnny's friendship is affected by Johnny's past and the goings on with the well, including if they strike oil.