The commander of the partisan detachment Levinson orders the orderly Morozka to take the package to another detachment. Frost does not want to go, he offers to send someone else; Levinson calmly orders the orderly to surrender his weapon and go on all four sides. Frost, having thought better of it, takes the letter and sets off, noting that he "cannot leave the detachment" in any way.
This is followed by the backstory of Morozka, who was a second-generation miner, did everything in his life thoughtlessly - thoughtlessly married a walking pacemaker Vara, thoughtlessly left in the eighteenth year to defend the Soviets. On the way to the Shaldyba detachment, where the orderly and drove the package, he sees a partisan battle with the Japanese; partisans flee, leaving a wounded kid in a city jacket. Frost picks up the wounded and returns to Levinson's squad.
The wounded was called Pavel Mechik. He woke up already in the forest infirmary, saw Dr. Stashinsky and nurse Varia (the wife of Morozka). Sword make dressing. In the background of Mechik it is reported that, living in the city, he wanted heroic exploits and therefore went to the partisans, but when he came to them, he became disappointed. In the infirmary, he is trying to talk with Stashinsky, but he, having learned that Mechik was close mainly with the Socialist-Revolutionaries, was not inclined to speak with the wounded. Frost did not like the sword immediately, did not like it later, when Frost visited his wife in the infirmary. On the way to the detachment, Frost is trying to steal melons from the village chairman Ryabets, but, caught by the owner, is forced to retire. Ryabets complains to Levinson, and he orders to take weapons from Morozka. A rural gathering is scheduled for the evening to discuss the behavior of the orderly. Levinson, having collided between the peasants, finally understands that the Japanese are approaching and he needs to retreat with the detachment. By the appointed hour the partisans gather, and Levinson sets out the essence of the matter, inviting everyone to decide how to deal with Frost. Partizan Dubov, a former miner, proposes to expel Frost from the detachment; it had such an effect on Frost that he gives his word that he will no longer disgrace the title of partisan and former miner. On one of the trips to the infirmary, Morozka realizes that his wife and Mechik had some kind of special relationship, and who had never been jealous of Varia, he felt anger both with his wife and his “mother’s son”, like he calls Mechika.
In the detachment, everyone considers Levinson to be a man of "special, regular breed." It seems to everyone that the commander knows everything and understands everything, although Levinson was in doubt and hesitation. Gathering information from all sides, the commander orders the detachment to retreat. The recovered Sword comes to the squad. Levinson ordered to give him a horse - he gets the “tearful, mournful mare” Zyuha; offended Mechik does not know how to deal with Zyuha; not knowing how to get along with the partisans, he does not see "the main springs of the detachment mechanism." Together with Baklanov he was sent to intelligence; in the village, they stumbled upon a Japanese patrol and killed three in a shootout. Having discovered the main forces of the Japanese, the scouts return to the squad.
The detachment needs to retreat, the hospital needs to be evacuated, but you cannot take the mortally wounded Frolov with you. Levinson and Stashinsky decide to give the patient poison; Sword accidentally hears their conversation and tries to stop Stashinsky - he yells at him, Frolov realizes that he is being offered a drink, and agrees.
The detachment retreats, Levinson during the night goes to check the guards and talks with the Sword - one of the sentries. Mechik tries to explain to Levinson how badly he (Mechik) is in the detachment, but the commander has the impression that Mechik is an “impassable mess”. Levinson sends Metelitsa to intelligence, he sneaks into the village where the Cossacks stand, climbs into the courtyard of the house where the squadron chief lives. He was discovered by the Cossacks, put him in a barn, the next morning he was interrogated and taken to the square. There, a man in a vest comes forward, leading by the hand of a frightened shepherdess to whom Metelitsa left a horse the day before in the forest. The Cossack chief wants to “interrogate the boy in his own way,” but Metelitsa rushes at him, trying to strangle him; he shoots, and the Snowstorm dies.
The Cossack squadron sets off on the road, partisans find it, ambush it and take the Cossacks to flight. During the battle, they kill the horse Frosts; Having occupied the village, the partisans, by order of Levinson, shot a man in a vest. At dawn, an enemy cavalry heads to the village, the thinned Levinson squad retreats into the forest, but stops, because there is a quagmire ahead. The commander orders to roll the swamp. Having crossed the gate, the detachment goes to the bridge, where the Cossacks ambushed. The sword is sent to watch, but it, discovered by the Cossacks, is afraid to warn the partisans and runs. Riding after him, Frost manages to shoot three times, as agreed, and dies. The detachment rushes to the breakthrough, leaving nineteen people.
