Billy and Icky meet Kidder, the owner of the seemingly abandoned house. At first he agrees to let the boys stay for the night, but Icky breaks all of Kidders plates by skimming them off the stream when he is supposed to be washing them. They set out to find replacement plates and steal them from a local house. When they return they find a group of locals graffitiing the house. They chase them off, and eventually Kidder agrees to let them stay. Billy is beaten up by the local gang, and Kidder discovers Icky is illiterate.

Kidder continues to try to teach Icky to read, with limited success. While Billy and Kidder are away at the markets Icky finds the Liverpool boys at the campsite and brings them back to the house. They all get drunk and trash the house. Meanwhile at the markets Billy meets Jo, a local girl. When Billy gets back he finds Icky sleeping off a hangover and Kidder's money gone. They go back to the campground and get the money back from Rabbit. Kidder gives the boys handmade books about their adventures, and the three go to a local dance, where Billy kisses Jo for the first time.

After arguing with Billy, Icky returns to Liverpool. Billy and Jo's romance blossoms. Back in Liverpool Rabbit and the gang find themselves caught in an ambush by the Swanjacks gang, and Rabbit accidentally stabs one of the boys. Icky abandons the gang at the Southport fair and tries to drive back to Wales, but in his flight back, he is chased by a police car for evading the freeway toll, and tragedy occurs. Back in Wales Billy is shocked to learn why Kidder has become a recluse, but when the police arrive to take Billy back to Liverpool, Billy comes back to defend Kidder.