प्लॉट

Returning to his estate in North Carolina, Judge Slocum Price, a member of Congress in 1830, finds that his wife has taken their child and eloped with David Gatewood; and the domestic tragedy causes him to become a vagabond. Five years later, the judge and his companion (Solomon Mahaffy) on a Mississippi River boat meet a child known as Hannibal, accompanied by Bob Yancy. The judge suspects Hannibal to be his missing son. Colonel Fentress, an outlaw leader, has the boy kidnapped from Yancy, but Hannibal escapes and takes refuge on a skiff; meanwhile, the judge, who has been arrested for innocently passing counterfeit money, escapes, finds Hannibal on the river, and discovers that actually Fentress was the abductor of his wife. Betty Malroy, a friend of Hannibal's, marries Charley Norton, her childhood sweetheart; but Fentress has him shot on their wedding day. Following the rescue of Betty and Hannibal from Fentress, the judge challenges him to a duel. Solomon schemes to go in the judge's place and is mortally wounded; but the judge arrives and shoots Fentress. The judge regains his fortune, and Betty is won over to the affections of Bruce Carrington, who is trapped with her in the rapids.—AFI

Judge Slocum Price Turberville is at the height of his political career in North Carolina when he learns that his wife has eloped with David Gatewood, and taken their son with her. With his career ruined, Turberville becomes a wanderer with his long-time friend Solomon Mahaffy.

Years later, the pair meet Bob Yancy and a child known as Hannibal aboard a riverboat. Hannibal carries a rifle marked with the name "Turberville," which leads the judge to suspect the boy is his son. Also on board the boat are Betty Malroy, who owns a plantation in Tennessee, and Bruce Carrington, a river pilot, who is going to Tennessee to partner with his friend Charley Norton. The boat puts in at the town of Pleasantville. There, Colonel Fentress, leader of a gang of outlaws, plots to kidnap Hannibal from Yancy. Yancy is beaten and flung into the river, but Hannibal escapes and takes refuge aboard a skiff. Meanwhile, Yancy's life is saved by Cavendish, whose family is floating down the river in a houseboat. Turberville is jailed on charges of passing counterfeit money. One of Fentress' men is also arrested, and when Fentress breaks him out of jail, the judge also escapes. The judge and Mahaffy find the skiff where Hannibal is hiding. The three then wander west to Raleigh, Tennessee, where they meet Betty, who arranges for the judge to use a house in town. Betty and Charley Norton, childhood sweethearts, get married, but as they come out of the church, Norton is shot and killed. The judge posts a reward for Norton's killer. When Carrington hears of his friend's death, he returns to Raleigh to protect Betty.

Betty and Hannibal are taken by Fentress' men. The boat carrying Yancy lands at Raleigh, and he heads for Betty's plantation. The judge and Cavendish get a confession from one of Fentress' men. Turberville and Mahaffy catch up with Fentress and discover he is really David Gatewood, the man who had run off with the judge's wife. Turberville challenges Fentress to a duel. But before it happens, Mahaffy gets Turberville drunk, and takes his place at the duel. Mahaffy is killed. The judge arrives, and as Fentress tries to escape, the judge shoots and kills him. Yancy and Cavendish rescue Betty and Hannibal, and Carrington promises to marry Betty.