singing cowboy gene autry (gene autry) and his fellow ranchers in whippasaw are outraged to learn that the purchasing agent for the grantley b. johnson packing co., thomas mccoy (edmund macdonald), is only offering them $65 per head of cattle. unknown to the ranchers, mccoy is a gambler in debt to a bookie who sent his henchmen horace dunston and the pigeon to ensure that mccoy pays up. mccoy plans to raise the money by pocketing the difference between what he is offering the ranchers and what the packing company sent him. gene encourages the ranchers to stick together and wait while he travels to the city to speak directly with the packing company owner, grantley b. johnson (thurston hall).