Young Rory O'Donnell and his widowed mother Kathleen are trying desperately to complete the drilling of an wildcat oil well on their rundown farm in Texas. The O'Donnells face opposition from Bill Hallitt, a ruthless oil baron who is determined to seize the land for himself. Hallitt's opportunity presents itself in the form of Hilary Harrington, an Englishman who lives by his wits. When the oil baron catches Hilary cheating in a card game, Hallitt offers him and his son David the choice of going to jail or working for him to steal the O'Donnell's land. Father and son reluctantly choose the latter and to pass themselves off as Londoners with banking connections in order to acquire the claim to the well. David wins Rory's confidence by saving the well when an accident threatens destruction, and the families become good friends. With his last penny spent, Rory mortgages Hilary the land for $3,000 and Hilary signs the note over to Hallitt. As Hallitt anxiously waits to foreclose, Hilary and David pitch in to help Rory while sending false reports to Hallitt about the progress of the well. On the night that Rory's driller, Mike Casey, discovers the cap rock layer that covers the oil, Hallitt learns of their progress and orders his men to wreck the O'Donnells' rig and equipment. Furious at the Harringtons' deception, Rory orders them off his land. In hopes of bringing in the oil before Hallitt can foreclose on the note, Mike detonates the well, and perishes in the explosion. Determined to risk everything to make up for the trouble they have caused, Hilary and David forge Hallitt's name on a check to buy new equipment and order it delivered to the O'Donnell ranch. Just as Rory brings in his gusher, the sheriff comes to arrest Hilary for forgery. As he leads Hilary away, the sheriff suggests to him that the law will be lenient because of Hallitt's crooked schemes, and Kathleen tells Hilary that she will be waiting his return.
