The story of this most popular play deals with Tom Brown's efforts to save his fiancée's "black sheep" brother Wilfred Kenyon, from disgrace. An unfortunate state of affairs exists between Wilfred and Marion Thorne, the sister of Gerald Thorne, a sturdy southerner, who is tutoring his way through college and incidentally stroking the varsity crew. This situation is misunderstood by all but Tom. Matters reach a climax on the day of the big boat race between Harvard and a champion English crew. Thorne as he is about to enter the boat is given an anonymous note to the effect that Marion is about to leave town with one of the college men. He throws the race and rushes to his sister, whom he finds in possession of Tom's check for an amount to cover her expenses. The check has been forged by Wilfred. Crazed with grief and anger he rushes back to the boathouse. In the meantime Tom Brown, Thorne's substitute, has stroked the Harvard crew to victory, and as he is carried into the boathouse by his admirers he is faced by the irate Thorne, who brands him as a scoundrel, producing the check to substantiate his charges. Brown remains silent, preferring to be misunderstood rather than expose his loved one's brother. Wilfred finally confesses and wrongs are speedily righted.