Tom Chatterton is called a coward because he will not enlist in the Home Guard during the Civil War -- his mother is dying and he does not wish to leave while she is still alive. When she dies and the Yankees attack, he seizes command of the Home Guard and leads them to victory, proving himself a hero and dying in the process.

Juan Capella, the son of a poor Spanish tavern keeper, and his wife, learning of the discovery of gold on the American River near Sacramento, runs away from his parents and sweetheart to make his fortune. The tavern keeper is in debt and places a mortgage on the tavern in order to prevent it being seized to pay another debt.

Pierre Vignol, an artist wintering in Arizona, is bitten by a snake. He is taken by his friend, Tom Hornby, to Padre Francisco, who prescribes for the bite. Pierre, at the request of Tom, returns to his cabin and Tom takes care of him. Later Tom discovers a tube in Lost River. This proves to be a painting and Pierre takes it to Padre Francisco. The Padre reads him an interesting history of Fr. Bartolomeo. founder of the Mission, and of how the painting came to be discovered in Lost River, for it had been thrown there by a monk when the Mission was attacked by the Indians, owing to the abduction of the Chief's daughter by a villainous Spaniard. Tom takes the painting to New York where he sells it and gives the money to the wife of Tom, who has been too poor to bring her and the baby to Arizona.

Nina, a poor fisher girl, whose parents have been lost at sea, finds her one joy in life in the love of Glenn Morey. Miss Arnold, a young artist from the city, comes to the island. She is attracted to Morey's appearance and engages him as her model. He becomes infatuated with her. Nina, neglected and heart-broken, sees her happiness slipping from her.

Hafsa, a beautiful Arab girl (Lenore Ulrich), wants the right to choose her own mate, instead of the husband picked out by her father, Malik (Herschel Mayall). Naturally, the man she falls in love with is unacceptable, since he's an American.

A tale of gold discovery, betrayal, and romance set during the California Gold Rush. A dying Indian reveals a gold mine's location to settlers Eva and Ben, leading to conflict with Spike, a follower, and an Indian tribe, ultimately ending with Ben and Eva finding the mine, naming it "The Little Bear," and securing their future.

Captain Frank Marvin and Lieut. Bob Chase are army draftsmen in the Ordnance Department. Marvin is working on plans for a submarine that is expected to revolutionize warfare. One of the foreign governments is anxious to obtain the plans.