During the Revolutionary war; women and children were left to fend for themselves as their men went off to fight for their new country's independence. Tommy forms a forbidden friendship with a Cherokee boy from a neighboring village which becomes known when his school mates are forced to defend their township from an invasion of British red coats. Tommy's Indian friend gathers other boys from his tribe to help. Tommy's dog, Liberty has been missing for several months, but is found by Tommy's brother, tagging along with a group of patriots. Liberty sacrifices his own life in order to save Nathan during a battle on the town's bridge.Together they save their settlement.