Bret, seeking buried Confederate treasure in Elwood, Kansas, keeps running afoul of U.S. Marshal Mort Dooley. The marshal keeps running Bret out of town. Bret, in turn, keeps outwitting the lawman.

Bret and Bart's devotion to one another is tested when they're offered a deal that can mean $10,000 for one of them, but just one.

Bret Maverick suspicions are aroused when he is forced to leave Ten Strike, New Mexico. Determined to stand his ground, Maverick stays in Ten Strike long enough to uncover a bizarre plot of murder and blackmail. Two gunmen, Vic Nolan (Adam West) and Eddie Burke (William Gordon), try to scare Maverick out of town.

Bart meets a comical sheriff (Edgar Buchanan) who is dead serious about killing him.