True, Anton Spelec (Vlasta Burian) is by trade a producer of musical instruments, but in his heart and soul he is a sharp-shooter. In a little provincial town arrangements are being made for a large parade during which the worthy sharp-shooters will be decorated with medals. Anton believes that this time the council will come to him but he is disappointed, for they are one medal short and he must wait for another year. Then in the pub he drinks so much that he insults the emperor for which he is sentenced to jail. It is necessary, however, to fulfill the order, so Anton decides to send his employee Josef Kukacka (Jindrich Plachta) in his stead while he works secretly at home alone. But even Kukacka doesn't want to go to jail and he sends there in his place a vagabond who would like to wait out the winter in a jail cell. As luck would have it, the vagabond dies while serving the sentence. So it comes about that Anton is officially dead and in the town a solemn funeral is planned.