Indiana Jones describes to two truant boys his early life with his family and his dog. In Oxford 1908, Indy meets Helen Seymour, whom Henry requests to teach him on their voyage to Egypt. After an expedition to the pyramids, T. E. Lawrence invites Indy to the excavation of Ka's tomb, where he meets his friend Rashid, assistant to archeologist Howard Carter. The next day, Rashid is found murdered and the jackal headpiece stolen. Dimitrius, the chief blaster of the excavation, is revealed to be behind this, but he flees. In Mexico 1916, Indy is captured by Mexican revolutionaries, but is rescued by a Belgian called Remy. As Indy gets involved in the war, he recognises Dimitrius, who is collaborating with the US. After hearing how hypocritically the revolutionaries act, Indy and Remy decide to leave but not before Indy fights and defeats Dimitrius, to recover the jackal.

During a Thanksgiving dinner, professor Indiana Jones entertains his great-grandchildren by recalling a visit to China he made as a boy. While his father was working with the Chinese translator Yen Fu, young Indy, his mother and his tutor went sightseeing with their guide, Mr Li. After visiting the Great Wall of China, Indy fell ill during a rain storm and the travelers were taken in by a poor Chinese family. Dispite his mother's misgivings, she consented to have a local doctor treat her boy using acupuncture.

When Indy goes on leave in Paris and engages in a torrid affair with infamous spy Mata Hari and she shows him that love isn't always grand.