An old man observes a boy bullying his playmates and treats him to a morality lesson. The man tells the story of the epic cross-country race between a young Mark Twain and his rival, Mike Fink. The bulk of the film depicts the race, which proves to be more a test of character than of stamina
Ben Sunday, a long-in-tooth gunfighter forms an uneasy alliance with a Catholic nun. The single-minded sister wants to erect a sanctuary for a group of Apache orphans. Ben Sunday picks an ideal spot, right in the center of town--the local saloon and "bawdy house".