Christmas in New Orleans, and Yancy and Pahoo are walking down the street and Pahoo spots a man following them. Yancy has already spotted him but doesn't know who he is. They go to the office of Yancy's uncle Henry. Henry says that Yancy looks a lot like his father, and Yancy introduces Pahoo. He asks if Yancy has his dog Dizie back, and Yancy admits that he hasn't seen the dog in seven years. Henry says that a few minutes ago someone came in and asked about Dixie. he asks if Yancy found the treasure that Yancy's father buried, and Yancy never heard of it. As Henry says that his father came to him with an idea, someone at the window shoots him dead. Yancy shoots the killer, and Pahoo goes out on the balcony and sees their follower run off.
Later, the police arrive and John comes with them. he tells Yancy that Henry was working on the plates for a $100 greenback, and they're gone. Yancy vows to find the man responsible for Henry's death and make him pay.
Yancy and Pahoo go to Waverly, and Obadiah decorates the Christmas tree. with popcorn and tells Pahoo not to eat it. Yancy is clearly distracted, and Obadiah says that Yancy's father would be the one making spiked eggnog. Cheering up, Yancy helps the two men decorate the tree. They hear a dog bark and Yancy admits that he thought that for a minute it was Dixie. He remembers the Christmas of '61 that his father gave Yancy Dixie. Senior had Henry engrave a dog tag for the dog, naming it Dixie, and figures that Yancy will soon be going off to war. He tells Yancy to come back to Waverly afterward where people love him.
The dog barks again and Yancy realizes that it is Dixie. Obadiah opens the door and the older dog jumps on Yancy. Yancy's uncle Jerrison Ames has brought Dixie, and says that he came there to tell Yancy that he's a rude unprincipled scholar and never wants to see him again. He complains that Yancy sent a servant to pick up Dixie without a thank you after he's looked after the dog for seven years. Yancy insists that he didn't know Jerrison or Dixie were alive, and says that he hasn't sent a servant. Jerrison explains that he sent the servant packing the day before. but Yancy has no idea what he's talking about.
Relieved, Jerrison explains that someone posing as Yancy's servant came for the dog. Dixie knows where Senior buried the Berringer treasure. When Senior heard that Admiral Farragut was down river, he told Jerrison that he was going to get some gold and hide it from the Yankees. Obadiah remembers that he was there with Senior, Dixie, and Nellie, David's wife and Yancy's sister-in-law. Jerrison figures that she went back to her family in Memphis after David was killed in action. Senior told them to ask Dixie and he'd tell them where the treasure was buried. Yancy has Pahoo remove Dixie's collar, but there's nothing on it.
That night, Yancy, Pahoo, and Dixie go to the club. Pahoo spots the same man that followed them earlier, and stays outside with Dixie. Francine greets Yancy and buys him a drink, and Yancy asks her if she knows the man, who is playing poker. She identifies him as Dean Salisbury, a stranger in town, and Yancy invites her to Christmas dinner at Waverly. Francine tells him that she has other plans but agrees to have dinner with him.
Outside, a man shoots at Dixie and misses. Pahoo shoots him, and Yancy and Francine run out. They find $500 on the cutthroat's body and Yancy figures that someone hired him. Salisbury comes out and sees the dead man, and quickly goes back inside. Meanwhile, Yancy figures that the same man hired both killers. He tells Francine to give the money to the police, and figures that someone is trying to kill Dixie before he leads Yancy to the treasure.
When Waverly gets back to Waverly, Obadiah tells him that Nellie has arrived. They go to greet her and Salisbury is with her. Dixie growls at Nellie and Salisbury, and Obadiah apologizes for the dog's behavior. Nellie introduces Salisbury as her cousin, and Salisbury says that he was at the club the night before. She says that Salisbury is taking her to California and they arrived late the prior day, but she wanted to celebrate Christmas at Waverly like old times. once they go, Pahoo signs to Yancy that Salisbury was the man outside of Henry's business. Yancy figures that Salisbury is lying about when he arrived, and wonders what Nellie is doing with him.
Later, Francine arrives at Waverly and tells Yancy that Salisbury is a card shark and a thief, and a gun for hire. She kisses him and heads back to the club, and Yancy checks with Obadiah to see if he's sure that Nellie is the Nelle he knew. The servant insists that she is, but points out that Dixie used to love Nellie. When Yancy mentions Henry's death, Obadiah reminds him that Henry gave Senior a gold pin with the Declaration inscribed on its head. Finding Dixie, Yancy uses a magnifying glass to check the tag and finds very small directions to the treasure inscribed on it.
That night, Obadiah and Pahoo go out and dig up the treasure. Inside, Salisbury tells Nellie that time is running out and they need to get on with it. She reminds him that he promised no one would get hurt, just before Yancy comes in. Dixie growls at Nellie, and Yancy tells it to be quiet. Nellie invites Yancy to have some of the punch that she made.
Pahoo tells Obadiah to take the treasure around the back.
Yancy passes out from the spiked punch, and Dixie runs off before Salisbury can grab it and get the collar. Salisbury draws a gun and goes after the dog, ignoring Nellie's protests. Meanwhile, Pahoo finds Yancy inside and wakes him up. He tells Yancy what happened and they hear the dog outside. When they go out, they find Dixie on the lawn. One of Salisbury's bullets grazed his skull, and the collar is missing.
After the dog recovers, they go inside and check the treasure chest. There's Confederate notes inside, and Salisbury and Nellie come in. Salisbury holds them at gun point, and Salisbury calls "Alithea". The real Nellie--identical in appearance to Alithea--comes up behind them with a gun. Dixie jumps on Salisbury, knocking him down the stairs, and Yahoo throws a knife into the man's chest.
John arrives and tells Yancy that they found the plates locked up in Henry's safe. Yancy explains that Salisbury hired the two killers, and the treasure is worthless. There are two bathing mugs, engraved to Yancy and David, and Yancy figures that there's a treasure after all. He goes back upstairs and tells Alithea to head to California like she said. She quickly leaves, and Nellie says that she knew the "treasure" was worthless. Yancy shows her the mugs and welcomes his sister-in-law home.
On Christmas Day, Obadiah takes Yancy to the dining room. All of his friends are there, and they wish him a Merry Christmas. Francine says that her date was with Yancy, and Yancy promises to explain it all to Yahoo later. They share a toast to Senior.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 22, 2017