Set in the 1850s, Robbery Under Arms is the story of two brothers, Dick and Jim Marston, who follow their father's footsteps into a life of bushranging through the influence of the charismatic Captain Starlight. The narrative sees the brothers set out on a series of escapades that include theft and robbery under arms. The story also explores the conflicting emotions that Jim experiences as his life leads him further away both from his mother and sister and from the life and love that he might have otherwise have experienced.