Dog Gone

Owen endures bullying from Dexter and his gang while delivering papers. He escapes into a forest hideaway where he tinkers with inventions and spins stories about a 'Mad Man of the Mountain'. The tales help him cope with a day filled with intimidation.

Dexter and his gang harass him by tossing his bike, newspapers, and even his pants off a bridge, escalating the harassment. The spectacle pushes Owen deeper into his forest world and his imagination about the Mad Man.

Unbeknownst to Owen, the thugs have a mistreated dog named Diamond and have hidden diamonds on her collar. With Owen's help, Diamond escapes from the thugs and Owen forms a bond with the canine.

Owen reads a newspaper account of the diamond heist and starts connecting the thugs to the crime. He realizes that the criminals are the prime suspects and that Diamond may be connected to the case.

The police doubt the Mad Man story and dismiss Owen's claims. He decides to guard Diamond at home and in the woods, keeping her safe rather than turning her over to them.

Dexter's gang comes to Owen's house and tries to force him to reveal Diamond's whereabouts. Owen escapes into the surrounding woods as Diamond slips away during the confrontation.

Back in the forest, Owen rigs a series of booby traps to deter the thugs. He warns them about the 'Mad Man' and uses his inventions to turn the chase in his favor.

The thugs catch up to Owen in the hideout and bind him to a chair while Diamond is searched for the diamonds. Blackie notices a band-aid on Diamond's stomach and begins to suspect Owen did something to her.

Owen misdirects the thugs to a canoe trailer belonging to the 'Mad Man,' hoping to mislead them. Bud and Arty fall into the boats and get stuck, while the criminals realize the diamonds aren’t where they expected. The real diamonds are inside Diamond's stomach, and Diamond becomes ill as they move through her.

After a chaotic chase, the thugs are thwarted and arrested by the police near a Mexican restaurant. The Mad Man of the Mountain is revealed to be a real, reclusive woodsman named Carl Westmeister.

With help from the Mad Man, Owen returns home with Diamond, who is sick but on the mend. At the vet, the stolen diamonds are removed from Diamond's body, and Owen learns the truth about the Mad Man.

Owen decides to give Diamond to the Mad Man on the mountain, since Lilly is allergic to dogs. He climbs up to deliver Diamond, and the Mad Man thanks him from afar as Diamond finds a new home.

On fireworks night, Owen and his girlfriend watch the sky as the Mad Man and the thugs look on. The pair share a kiss as the town celebrates, bringing a hopeful close to the adventure.