Jimmy Keenan, known as the "Abe Lincoln" of Ninth Avenue, runs a newstand by day and attends law school at night. Jimmy lives in a basement with Gimpy, the little handicapped boy he has adopted, and tries his best to keep his newsboys out of trouble. Jimmy's task is complicated by Spike Morgan, a street tough who wants to take over Jimmy's newstand. After Jimmy's boys are arrested for playing craps with Spike, Jimmy goes to court to defend his pals, and there meets and is befriended by Judge Carroll. Jimmy and his boys spend a wonderful Christmas with the Judge and his niece Anne, but Jimmy's happiness is soon shattered when his racketeer brother, Tap Keenan, kills two police officers and hides out in Jimmy's room. Jimmy orders Tap to leave, and in the ensuing fight, Gimpy is shot. Tap is finally captured and sentenced to the electric chair, and as Jimmy awaits Gimpy's return from the hospital, he tearfully continues his pursuit of the law.