Department store magnate R. D. Spear and his son John, descendants of the House of Spear, established in 1872 by Roger Spear, are dedicated to preserving the family tradition of "the undying dignity of mercantile enterprise." Meticulous in every matter of business and faithful to their motto, "dignity always," R. D. and John pride themselves on their refined tastes and highbrow endeavors. So much so, that when they receive a message announcing the arrival of John's wayward brother Tony, who has been adventuring in the Orient on his boat the "Vagabond Lady," they take every precaution to insure that he be kept away from the classy store customers. "Spiggs" Spiggins, the store janitor who is always drunk, is an old school chum of R. D.'s, so though he threatens to fire him, he cannot bring himself to do it. While Tony has been away, Spiggs's daughter Josephine, also a store employee, has been dating John, who has proposed marriage to her. When the happy-go-lucky Tony finally arrives, straight from the docks, he sends his family into a panic as he disrupts the quiet operation of the store with his loudness and uncouth manners. Though Josephine, who used to take part in Tony's youthful escapades, now fashions herself to be a refined woman, she still is able to appreciate the reprobate's spontaneity and zest for life. John, however, shuns Tony's reckless lifestyle and insists that they all attend an opera show rather than a circus. The next day, when Tony tells John that he took Josephine to the circus instead of the opera, John tells him that he has proposed marriage to her. John then enlists Tony's help in convincing Josephine that, though he engages in less cultured activities, he actually believes in the virtues of "poise, culture and dignity." Tony obliges his brother, but when he takes Josephine to a boring lecture, she resists his newly found interest in intellectual pursuits and insists that he take her to see his boat. Later, to her father's delight, Josephine announces that she will not marry the stodgy John after all. Josephine soon changes her mind, however, when Tony embarrasses her at a diving exhibition. As a result, she accepts John's marriage proposal. Upset at the news of Josephine's marriage plans, Tony takes to the sea, only to be joined by the drunken Spiggs, who refuses to give his daughter away to John at her Westport wedding. Believing he is doing the right thing, Tony decides to hold Spiggs on board his boat until he can sober him up and deliver him to the wedding. But when Josephine arrives to fetch her father, she misunderstands Tony's motives and believes that he is trying to spoil her wedding. Unable to dislodge her father from the boat, Josephine stays with him as the boat sets sail into bad weather. Once at sea, Josephine and Tony quarrel bitterly, but end their fight in an embrace, professing their love for each other. The next day, when Josephine discovers Tony missing, she believes he has deserted her and decides to go ahead with her wedding plans. Meanwhile, Tony rushes to Westport to stop the wedding, and just as they are about to seal their vows, Tony interrupts the ceremony and convinces John that Josephine is not a suitable bride for him. Tony then steals Josephine away to marry her himself.