Before he was killed by Mark Foster's men, Bud Lawton willed part ownership in his ranch to Hoppy and his two pals. When the three arrive they find a fake posing as Lawton. When they expose the imposter, Foster gets the Sheriff to jail them for Lawton's murder.

When Ranger Hoppy's falsely accused young ranger friend is killed while supposedly trying to escape from jail, Hoppy is blamed and drummed out of the Texas Rangers.

Hoppy and new sidekick California Carlson head to California to help out Lucky Jenkins.

Buck Peters arranges for Hoppy, California, Johnny and other cowboys to go to the aid of friends whose cattle are being rustled. Hoppy and California locate the rustlers' hideout and join the gang by posing as outlaws themselves, but must find a way to let the rest of the posse know where they are.

Hoppy, California and Lucky arrive at a remote inn, where Lucky expects to be married - but finds the bride-to-be in distress over her uncle, who has suddenly disappeared from the inn. Then Hoppy finds the uncle's body in the shaft of his nearby mine...