Rip, through his inability to say "no" to a proffered drink, has become the ne'er-do-well of the village. Too shiftless to work and care for his wife and little daughter. Rip spends his time fishing. And selling his catch of the day, buys candy for the children instead of taking the money home to his family. His daughter reproaches him, laughingly, and starts home with him, but Rip meets an old friend, who invites him to have a drink. Despite his daughter's pleadings. Rip goes into the saloon, where he remains until he has spent all his money and is intoxicated. On the way home, when he finally does come home, some street boys taunt him, and he in retaliation, upsets a grocer's stand, and is taken off to the village calaboose, where he spends the night. In the morning, thoroughly sober, he sees his daughter, who has not forsaken him, and the pitiful sight stirs the latent threads of manhood in him, and he resolves to do better. He is finally liberated by the kindhearted grocer. Fearing his wife's reception of him, Rip goes fishing, leaving his daughter to placate her with a bit of ribbon which he has bought. While still on the pier, Rip suddenly sees a small child fall into the water, and not hesitating one moment, jumps in after her, and brings her to safety. For this heroism, he is acclaimed a hero, and led to his home in triumph, where his wife, who has prepared a warm reception for him, is led to forgive him. The father of the child, as a reward, gives Rip his first good job, and the end of this picture finds Rip, thoroughly reformed, and his wife and family happy and contented.