On the way to meet up with his mysterious friend Old Surehand, our narrator Old Shatterhand enters a boardinghouse while stopping in Jefferson City, and starts listening to the stories being told by the patrons there. The yarn these Men of the West spin brings to life evildoers like Canada Bill, the Black Captain, and the Count of Rodriganda, but at the same time also recounts the brave deeds of the likes of Old Shatterhand, Sam Firegun, Winnetou, and even Abraham Lincoln. These stories, which make up the major part of the book, tell us of cardsharps, a man risen from the dead, treacherous pirates, a "speaking" piece of leather, and a hidden treasure, while at the same time also introducing us to new characters like Inspector Treskow and the Inverted Toasts. At the end of the day Old Shatterhand realizes that a familiar foe, the `General,¿ has once again crossed his path, and together with a new set of companions he sets out to hunt him down