Mr Winkle has been challenged to a duel by the ferocious Dr. Slammer.

Mr Winkle is in disgrace after accidentally shooting Mr Tupman on a rook-hunting expedition. Mr Pickwick and his friends have decided to go to the cricket match at Dingley Dell.

Mr Pickwick, Mr Wardle and Mr Perker (Pickwick's lawyer) have succeeded in catching up with Mr Jingle and Rachel at the White Hart Inn. With the help of Sam Weller, they confront the unsuspecting runaways.

Mr Pickwick re-encounters Mr Jingle at Mrs Leo Hunter's breakfast party, but Mr Jingle evades him. Accompanied by Sam Weller, Mr Pickwick pursues Jingle to Bury, determined to track him down.

After escaping from the pound, Mr Pickwick sets off for London to see Messrs Dodson and Fogg, to demand an axplanation of Mrs Bardell's writ for breach of promise.

Due to an unfortunate mishap Mr Pickwick has placed Miss Witherfield in an embarrassing position and quarrelled with Peter Magnus. Miss Witherfield fears the quarrel may result in a duel, and decides to take action.

Mr Pickwick and his companions have extricated themselves from their predicament with Mr Nupkins and are setting off to spend Christmas with Mr Wardle at Dingley Dell.

The case of Bardell vs. Pickwick comes to court, and Mr Pickwick prepares for his ordeal.

Mr Pickwick has lost the case of Bardell v. Pickwick; costs and heavy damages have been awarded against him. Outraged at this injustice, Mr Pickwick declares that sooner than pay one penny to Dodson and Fogg he will go to prison.

Mr Pickwick, holding to his resolution not to pay the damages awarded against him, is in the Fleet prison, where he is shocked and saddened by the misery around him. It seems he has even lost the services of Sam Weller.

Mr Pickwick has paid the costs of his court case, securing his own, and Mrs Bardell's release. He now has to sort out the problems caused by Mr Winkle's runaway marriage.