In this, his fourth collection of satirical academic misadventures, Professor Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld finds that his rival Detlev-Amadeus Unterholzer has been garnering undeserved recognition—a situation that must be remedied immediately. Later, a romance with the charming Frau Benz (a widow possessing a fleet of prized autos) seems headed for the curb before it even gets started, while in the Alps, the professor's unexpected 3,000-foot plunge into mountaineering history leads to a series of inspirational lectures. But it is at a dinner party where Dr. von Igelfeld truly shines, when he aids a dachshund amputee whose sticky wheels need a bit of lubrication.