Gus is top dog of the shearing team. David is a young hopeful from the city seeking acceptance from the bush and from its people. After a hard morning's work, they drift to the shearer's quarters for morning smoko. Before smoko is finished a third shearer, Will, arrives. Someone has left the gate to the sheep paddock open and, according to Will, 800 sheep have escaped. Gus suspects Dave has left the gate open. Determines to discover the truth, Gus commences his own unique style of interrogation.