Bridget, the cook on the Hard-Up Ranch, is some eat specialist on everything but soup. This, the boys declare, is bad, and select "Alkali" as the martyr to so inform her. "Alkali" does the test he can, but is bombarded out of the kitchen by the irate Bridget, who proceeds to drive the boys to the shelter of the hayloft for protection. They watch her leave with weary faces, then draw straws to see who does the cooking. "Alkali" wins the high honor and takes possession of the kitchen. But the annoying boys cause him to empty all, the dinner over their heads in chasing them out, and consequently all they have is dry bread and not much of that. Next morning "Alkali" has the time of his life trying to root the sleepy boys from bed. Not until he has emptied the contents of a bucket of water over them do they condescend to get up, and, after breakfast, "Alkali" suddenly determines he has been the goat long enough. He relieves the boys of their weapons, then forces them to wash dishes and clothes, scrub the floor and dining-room table, while he exhilarates their actions with occasional shots from his gun and gloats over their new-found misery.