A U. S. Marines dog is returned to his young owner in the small town of Monrovia at the end of WWII, but a grouchy neighbor believes the animal's military training makes him a threat to the community and files charges to have the dog destroyed.
A horse called Brilliant is the only one who knows the location of a gold mine. When Brilliant's owner is killed, the trio known as the Three Mesquiteers (Bob Steele, Tom Tyler and Jimmie Dodd) are mistakenly arrested for the murder.
Universal's Ragtime Cowboy Joe is a modern western with a dash of music, not unlike the standard fare at Republic Pictures. The title character is a confused cowhand played by Fuzzy Knight, while the hero is Steve (Johnny Mack Brown), an undercover detective on the prowl for cattle rustlers.