鼓王马长贵在比赛中失败，让张六金夺去头彩。他让一心学医的儿子马金槐接替鼓槌遭到反对。“梅花惨案”使马金槐觉醒，主动接过鼓槌，并在八路军连长王文华的帮助带领下，把藁城战鼓队发展成一支抗日力量。

During the British Raj, Captain Carruthers works under cover to track smuggled shipments of arms on the restless Northwest Frontier of India. He fears a full-scale rebellion is brewing. To forestall this, the British governor signs a treaty with the friendly, peace-loving ruler of Tokot, a key kingdom in the region, which is described as four days' march northward from Peshawar. Meanwhile, the king's son, Prince Azim, befriends Carruthers and a British drummer boy, Bill Holder, who teaches him how to play the instrument.