Col. Jessup of Mayville does not waste any affection on his young wife, who finally runs away with a theatrical company, taking her son with her, but leaving her baby daughter. Later, she dies, and the boy, known as Byron Bennett, is leading man for a theatrical company playing one night stands. The season, however, has been disastrous, and the company is about to disband, when they receive word that the house is sold out for the performance at Mayville; so they hang on. However, the manager collects the receipts for the performance, and takes the first train, leaving the company stranded. Byron, who is known as Buddy, secures a position as Instructor for the Jessup Volunteer Hose Company which is to give an amateur theatrical performance. He persuades Grace Jessup`s father to allow her to take the leading part in order to out-do Hose Company No. 1, which also plans a performance. Grace becomes interested in Percy Pennington, a traveling salesman.