After the death of shipping magnate William Reardon, his young partner, Steve Walker, becomes executor and manager of his shipyards, in accordance with his will. Reardon's spoiled niece, society girl Pamela Herrick, will inherit her uncle's entire estate on condition that she hold a job at the shipyards for a year on her own merit. Steve is to be the sole judge of her actions and decide whether she will receive her inheritance.

Horse breeders Adams and Brock are vying for the Army contract. When Adams is killed trying to ride his horse Trigger, Roy saves the horse from being shot. He trains him and then plans to ride him in the race to win the contract.

Criminals aboard a train to the infamous penitentiary plot an escape, and receive outside help in their attempt.

Insurance Investigator Roy is looking for Weston and the missing money he supposedly obtained in a robbery. When he catches him and listens to his story, he changes his mind about him. A freak accident locates the missing money box and they find the seal unbroken. Roy then announces the box will be opened at the showboat that evening.

Around the turn of the century, two young men, Johnnie Bennett, a composer and Steve Adams, an artist, go to New York City to make their fortune. They both fall in love with the same girl, Patricia O'Neill. The artist paints a picture of her which outrages her father's sensibilities; but, as a result of the picture, she wins a chance to star in a Broadway play. She soon learns that the artist is just a trifler; and she turns to the composer, who loves her sincerely

A millionaire's brain is preserved after his death by a scientist and his two assistants, only to create a telepathic monster.

Stevie Carson, a newspaper reporter, and Danny Butler, the "morgue" manager on the same newspaper, set out to track down the killer of a colleague, a book-reviewer who was involved with a group of rare book forgers and whose sister has been convinced her editor-fiance, Bill Monroe, killed him.

Sue Farnum inherits a circus, but her dead father's partner is trying to take it away from her. Roy and Bob Nolan are filming a movie on location at the circus. They and a number of other western movie stars come to Sue's aid, putting on a show and catching the bad guys.

A young boy is struck by lightning, and discovers afterwards that he has the power of telepathy.

FBI Agent Kendall Gaige goes undercover on a South Seas island in order to expose the underhanded and exploitative business practices of Steve Landrau. In the course of his investigation Gaige is introduce to the Paris-educated native princess Tahia, who believes that he has arrived to save her people from poverty. A romance, of course, ensues as Gaige attempts to expose Landrau before his cover is blown.