A developing friendship between Wolfie and Kate makes everyone uneasy. The Snowy is beginning to reveal its ugly side with gamblers in the camps and cattle thieves in the mountains — events which combine to provide Stuart with a fateful opportunity to exact vengeance for the death of his sons.

In an effort to get closer to Max, still under suspicion for Wolfie's disappearance, Bernie asks him to help in his efforts to rid the camps of their criminal elements. Kate and Bernie go to Island Bend and end up in trouble, spending the night in the bush together. Eva arrives from Germany and is devastated to discover that Wolfie is missing.