Reese pretends to be a cattle buyer at Martha Tuforth's way station where outlaws Jack Hanks, Paco and Crazy John Holden are awaiting the arrival of Benny Murphy, who has their money to travel to Mexico with. Crazy John recognizes Reese as a ranger and they take him prisoner. Councilman Willburn and his wife Letty arrive shortly after and also find themselves hostages. Paco spends his time romancing Letty Willburn and Maryanne, Martha Tuforth's niece. Joe shows up disguised as a traveling salesman named Stanley. He is soon found out to be a ranger and joins Reese, tied to a chair. He tells Reese and the outlaws that Benny Murphy has been captured. Reese and Joe trick Crazy John into challenging Paco to draw and Paco kills him. Paco picks young Maryanne as the hostage to take with them along with the rangers when they leave. Martha breaks a glass and hands a broken piece to Joe who manages to cut through his ropes. A fist ensues and Reese and Joe capture the outlaws.

The four Rangers mission is to find out who has been raiding settlements, kidnapping skilled workers and killing the rest. Reese and Joe track the raiders for three days and are captured. Joe eventually becomes a gladiator second class and Reese a slave in the camp of Hannibal Rex, a would-be Roman-type emperor in Texas. Chad and Erik pose as a sculptor and an architect and are also abducted by Hannibal's henchmen. Hannibal's favorite wife Celeste invites Erik to her tent but he suspects a trap. Chad goes instead and is punished by being hung on a slowly heated metal pole that is suspended over a pit of poisonous snakes. Joe, Reese and Erik free Chad and they succesfully battle Hannibal Rex and his henchman. Erik ends up having a picnic with Celeste who he has handcuffed himself to.