Mark Twain and party travel on the Northern Pacific Railway from Missoula, Montana to Spokane, Washington, through Idaho. We hear about the Arlee Pow Wow, the Missoula floods and Clara plays a Chopin nocturne. Mark still shows his bigotry towards American Indians by his annoyance with "squaws" foraging and begging in the back streets of Spokane.

Mark Twain and Major Pond depart Anaconda and travel to Helena, first joining the ladies in Butte. An acquaintance of Sam's from the Silver City days arrives at the Montana Club for a settlement but the situation is diffused by Senator Sanders.

Twain's party travels to Missoula, comparing the time taken just twelve years earlier. They are the guests of the soldiers at Fort Missoula and are treated to the marching band of the Twenty Seventh United States Colored regiment.

Mark Twain and Major Pond take the train to Anaconda, Montana. It was a small audience. The narration includes the creation of the Anaconda spur of the Montana Central Railroad and the antics of the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific.