The only daughter of an old landowner has died in Italy after leaving her family 15 years ago. Her son now returns home to Denmark. He threatens the landowner's nephew for his inheritance, prompting the nephew to devise several plans to discredit the boy in the eyes of his grandfather. The plans almost succeed, but thanks to help from the priest, among others, the story ends with a reconciliation between the grandson and his grandfather.

Landowner Martin Kaas lives with his grandson Martin at Næsbygård. Martin is an avid horseman. One day, his horse loses a shoe, so Martin goes to see the village blacksmith Mortensen, where he meets the blacksmith's foster daughter Elise. The blacksmith is known to be an honest and religious man, but no one but Elise knows how brutal and cruel he really is. Elise discovers that her foster father, together with the estate's manager Hermansen, is involved in many shady deals that are not in the best interests of the estate. Martin, who often feels lonely, forms a warm friendship with Elise. One day, Martin disappears, and a letter left on his bed reveals that he has been kidnapped and that only a large ransom can bring the boy back.

At the Næsbygaard estate, the old landowner misses his grandson Martin, who is on a cattle farm in Texas learning about agriculture. The estate's shooter is ill, so the stud master has to take care of his job as well. This comes at a time when he is training hard for the gallop race for the King's honorary prize. To help lift their spirits, they are visited by some children from Copenhagen who are on vacation. When serious problems arise involving poaching on the estate's land, the children help to solve the case. The stud farm manager is injured, and it looks as if the estate's horse will not be able to participate in the big gallop race. But luckily, young Martin returns home from Texas just in time....