Old Shatterhand is riding to the North to meet his blood brother, Winnetou, and Winnetou's friend, Old Firehand. On his way, he visits an oilfield at the time of depressed oil prices. When he meets Winnetou, he finds out that the Ponca are planning an attack on the railways with the leadership of their white chief. Winnetou, Old Shatterhand, and Old Firehand do what they can to protect the passengers of the train. From there, they travel to Old Firehand's “fort”, where white trappers and hunters live. However, they do not know that the Ponca are following them. After the battle, Winnetou and Old Shatterhand try to find a trader who would buy all the furs and pelts that the hunters collected. During their journey they have to deal with a band of the Oglala, and, unexpectedly and unfortunately, they meet an old acquaintance.
This unabridged English translation retains the exciting adventures, and the strong moral conviction of May's original book, while modernising the style, and editing parts that were erroneous or may evoke bad associations. With this editing the core of May's world, the action, the dreaming of heroic deeds, and the struggle for a kind of justice have become more emphasised, and more accessible to the modern reader.
