Because of his effeminacy, Percival and Mildred are humiliated wherever they go. After some very distressing incidents in a restaurant, on the boardwalk and on the beach, she becomes thoroughly disgusted, and breaks off the engagement, saying she wants to marry a real man. Percival is almost heartbroken and confides his troubles to a friend, who suggests he make a hero of himself by fighting "Young Hickey," a pugilist. Hickey advertises that any man lasting three rounds with him will receive one hundred dollars. At the fight club, they see Hickey back his opponent up against a curtain, swing at him and the fellow drops like a log. Then Percival is shoved forward as the next "victim." The fighter stops behind the curtain and tells the husky standing there with a big mallet, that another "easy mark" is ready for the slaughter. Hickey returns to the ring, the gloves are adjusted, and after some fancy sparring, Hickey backs Percival into the corner in front of the curtain. He starts a vicious swing. Percival ducks and the prize-fighter bumps into the curtain. The man in back does not know it is Hickey, and the big mallet descends with crushing force just as Percival slaps the fellow's face. Hickey goes down and out, to everyone's bewilderment. Percival receives the 100 dollars and suddenly becomes famous, also very tough. Mildred is afraid of him and his new disposition. After securing a full measure of revenge on all his old enemies, he escorts Mildred to the seashore, where he makes ardent love to her. She repulses him and indignantly announces, "The man I love must be a gentleman." Percival is stunned, and exclaiming, "What's the use?" leaps overboard.