The Tennessee Slasher and his manager Professor Bates put up signs advertising the Slasher's prize fight and the Slasher announces that they'll match any amount of money against a challenger. Mason quickly takes over, and Jody watches from the crowd while Mason says that it'll be a fair fighter and the winner takes all. Yancy and Pahoo arrive and watch as Jody tests the Slasher's muscles. He uses it as cover to pick pocket the fighter but the Slasher catches on and grabs him. Yancy holds up his sword cane and tells him to let Jody go, and Yancy holds over the cane and tells him that fighting is illegal in New Orleans. The Slasher punches him and as the two men start to fight, Fry and his men arrive and arrest both of them, although Fry takes a punch to the jaw in the process.
At the calaboose, the jailer turns Yancy over to Henri, posing as a major. Henri says that Yancy is the only one being released because pirate queen Coco LaSalle wants to see Yancy on her island. Yancy and Yahoo row out to Coco's island, Frenchman's Island, and she yells at her cutthroats to smile for Yancy. They do so and Coco asks if Yancy is going to kiss her up. He sweeps her up and does so, and she and Henri take Yancy to her cabin. She sends Henri to get the Warrior, and she and Yancy talk about how she likes being the boss and if they got married, if Yancy would let her boss him around. Coco gets down to business and says that she knows about Yancy's brawl with the Slasher. She has some money to bet against Slasher and figures that if Yancy puts some in as well, they can win a fortune.
Henri brings in the Warrior and Coco introduces him to Yancy. She insists that the Warrior can cut Slasher to pieces, and she wouldn't risk her money unless she was absolutely sure of the outcome. Yancy warns that Slasher is good, and explains that Slasher and Bates hold their fights on a barge. If it looks Slasher is going to lose, they cut the barge loose and drift away from their investors. Coco explains that Yancy will be the stakeholder and they'll moor the barge to Yancy's landing in Waverly to make sure that it doesn't "drift off." She picks her gun and admits that she's asking as a personal favor, and Yancy throws a punch at the Warrior. He easily dodges it and knocks Yancy down, and Yancy concedes that the Warrior is pretty good. The Warrior says that he's beaten Slasher before when he used to work for him and Bates, and he lost so that they could win. One night he got mad and knocked Slasher cold, so they framed him with the law and put him on the run. Now he wants a big rich match, and a fight at Waverly will put it out of the city so John can't stop it. Yancy agrees and Coco hugs him, and says that she's going back to New Orleans with him.
That night, John summons Yancy to his office and demands to know where he's been since he sent a message asking him to see him urgently. Yancy explains that he met with Coco and John explains that Fry is in the hospital because of his broken jaw. Last month, the arsenal at Cairo was raided and 500 modern Spencer rifles were taken. They've kept it a secret and finally found the rifles...in East Texas, in the hands of the Comanche. They've raided East Texas twice, and the night before last, the arsenal at Port Hudson was also raided. John intends to stop the guns from getting to the Comanche, and he knows that they haven't crossed the Mississippi yet. He wants Yancy to do anything he can to find out who and how the rifles are being taken. As Yancy goes, John tells him that there are rumors of a prize fight being staged and tells Yancy to stay out of it.
Yancy goes to the club and Francine tells him to get his guests out: Bates and Slasher. Opal keeps letting Slasher win because she's afraid of what happens if he loses. Slasher challenges anyone to a fight, and recognizes Yancy. Yancy draws a gun on him and Slasher asks how he is with his fists. The gambler asks Bates if he'd like to make a deal with him in the back parlor. Jody is lurking outside the parlor window with Coco, disguised as a man. Yancy says that Coco has a fighter, and Coco is surprised to hear that they're putting up $20,000 with Yancy holding the stakes. Bates prefers a different stakeholder, and Coco tells him to take it or leave it. He quickly gives in and Yancy says that they'll hold it at the Waverly dock the next afternoon. Bates and Yancy shake on the deal,
Once the two men leave, Coco asks where the other $10,000 is coming from if they're putting up $5,000 each. Francine goes in for $5,000, and Jody demands a chance for the Bourbon Street crooks to put in $5,000 as well. However, Francine wants to see the fight if she's putting up the money. Coco agrees and Yancy says that they'll make her up to look like a man since women aren't allowed. The disguised pirate queen blows Francine a kiss and says that she'll see her then.
The next day, Jody "raises" $2,000 from his victims and turns it over to Yancy, who is with a disguised Coco posing as Marie's daughter as the flower booth. John comes over and Jody quickly leaves. Yancy tells him that he hasn't found out anything about the rifles yet, John orders a flower and Coco says that Marie is sick. She keeps her head down and John pays for his flower. Fry arrives and talks to John, and Yancy tells Coco about the raids. Coco points out that Bates and Slasher staged their last fight at Port Hudson. Yancy remembers that they were paying for chips the night before with Texas bank notes, and Coco says that she'll have her pirates check it out.
Later at the club, Francine dresses up as a pirate and Coco--back in her man disguise--assures her that she looks authentic. They go to barge at Waverly and Bates gives Yancy five minutes to get Slasher's opponent in the ring. He hands over $20,000 in Texas money, and Yancy assures him that there's nothing wrong with it. Meanwhile, Henri tells Coco that the Warrior is in cahoots with Slasher. Yancy comes over and Coco tells him that they've been had. She drops her male voice and Francine realizes who she is, and Bates says that they have one minute until they forfeit. Yancy says that he'll fight, and Slasher is glad to fight him.
The fight begins and Yancy does his best to try and avoid the biggest, slower, fighter. Henry whispers a message to Coco, while Slasher finally lands a punch on Yancy and knocks him down. Coco fires a shot into the air and declares the first round over, and she and Pahoo help Yancy back to his corner. As Jody spies on Slasher in his corner complain about his upset stomach, Coco tells Yancy that her pirates have traced the rifles to the barge. Pahoo goes to look for them, and Jody tells Yancy to beat Slasher.
Round two begins and Yahoo tries to avoid Slasher's punches. Meanwhile, Pahoo checks out the waterline and discovers a loose board. Jody yells to Yancy to punch Slasher in the stomach, and Yancy does so. Slasher finally goes down, and John, Fry, and their men watch from the bushes. John tells Fry to get Francine no matter what, figuring that she's Coco in disguise.
Bates draws a gun on Yancy and Coco and demands the stakes. The agents move in, and Yancy punches Bates. One of Bates' men cuts loose the barge, and Coco shoots him. Fry grabs Francine, and Pahoo signals to Yancy that he's found the rifles. Coco quickly restores his disguise just as John comes up and says that Yancy and his friends are under arrest. Yancy tells John that the rifles are in the barge, and John apologizes for misjudging Yancy. He figures that they got Coco, and Yancy and Coco quickly excuse themselves.
Later, Yancy and Pahoo meet Coco at the club. She gets her winnings and Yancy kisses her just as an angry Francine comes in. Coco wishes Yancy luck and quickly leaves. Yancy tries to explain, and Francine starts throwing things at him.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 10, 2017