Quincy Drew (Garner) and Jason O'Rourke (Gossett) travel from town to town in the south of the United States during the slavery era. A flashback in the movie shows both men first met when Quincy sold Jason a horse- a ''stolen'' horse belonging to the local Sheriff. They meet again in jail after pulling various con jobs [in comic relief both end up with a Ace of Spade card from a crooked deck[!]; both then develop a con together in which Quincy claims to be a down-on-his-luck slave owner who is selling his only slave [Jason]. Quincy gets the bidding rolling, selling Jason, and the two later meet up to split the profit. Jason was born a free man in New Jersey and is very well educated. The twist comes when Jason is sold to a slave trader who is very savvy and intent on taking him down south to make a profit.