This is the thrilling true tale of Hadji Ali (Americanized into Hi Jolly), a fugitive young Syrian camel driver who sought refuge in America with his loyal companion, Ben Akbar, the magnificent riding camel. Hadji helped survey a wagon road across the desert land between Fort Defiance and the California border, bridging the final gap in a transcontinental highway.

Jim Kjelgaard did on-the-spot research for his fascinating book, discovering the grave of the real Hadji Ali in Quartzite and "visiting every place in the Southwest where there'd ever been a camel or even a rumor of a camel."