It is an unfortunate day for John Hadley when he protects Doris Jackson from the unwelcome advances of the boss's son, for it results in his discharge. It is doubly unfortunate as Hadley is a married man with an infant daughter, Janet. Not satisfied with discharging Hadley, the vengeful boss succeeds in preventing him from securing other employment. Matters go from bad to worse until at last starvation stares the little family in the face. Driven at last to desperation, Hadley finds himself at the docks where the waters of the swiftly flowing river seems to suggest a way out of his difficulties. Plunging blindly off the end of the pier, he lands in a rowboat which at that moment comes from under the pier. In it are three river pirates who think that Hadley is spying on them. They capture him and take him to a nearby yacht which is owned by J. Harvey Hall, the leader of a band of crooks, who demands that Hadley join them.