Fifteen-year-old Hans Richter travels far from home to find work in the locks of a river. His father had taught him that there is a Raft that will support him in the deepest waters and amid the fiercest storms. When Hans becomes the target among jealous peers, he learns that it is not always easy to "stick to the Raft." Mischief turns to maliciousness, and Hans is the recipient of a serious injury. Will he stick to his plans for vengeance, or will he "stick to the Raft?"