Chuckles Howard, a former circus clown who now runs a hotel, has kept his son Happy away from all contact with the circus, but unknown to his father, Happy has been practicing tumbling and is nurturing a secret desire to join the circus. When the circus is in town, Happy sneaks away to see it and ends up seated next to his father. Enjoying the show, Happy sees a small child, Dickie, run into the path of the oncoming horses and rescues him. Alice Madison, a trapeze artist, who appears to be Dickie's mother, thanks him profusely. Happy becomes enamoured with "Millie La Tour," one of the bareback riders, unaware that she actually is a man dressed as a woman. Thinking that it is a good joke, Millie encourages Happy's attentions. Despite his father's wishes, Happy runs away with the circus. He continues to be the butt of everyone's jokes, however, and his only friends are Dickie, Alice and the lions. Happy asks Alice to intercede with Sheldon, the owner of the circus, to get him a job. When he overhears her pleading with Sheldon to give someone a chance, he assumes she is talking about him, but she actually is asking for a second chance for her brother Frank, Dickie's father. From inquiries, Happy learns that Frank started drinking after his wife fell out of his hands to her death. He also learns that Dickie is not Alice's child and that Alice is not even married. By accident, Happy performs his tumbling act in the ring, where Sheldon sees him and offers him a contract. Everything seems to be going well until Happy sees Frank take a drink before his performance. He enters Frank's tent and takes the bottle away from him, but when Alice follows him inside, he pretends that he was the one drinking, so that she will not worry about her brother. Unused to drinking, Happy gets drunk and Sheldon fires him. Happy returns home, but misses the circus so much that he decides to make Frank tell Alice the truth about what happened. He finds Frank drunk, knocks him out and takes his place in the show. Happy does the routine perfectly, and realizing what happened, Alice gives him a big kiss at the end of the show.