Schoolgirl Connie wants to learn science, not deportment, and gets her chance when she takes a broken clock to eccentric inventor Professor Branestawm, who offers to teach her. However snide councillor Haggerstone wants to knock down Branestawm's house and replace it with Mr Bullimore's giant munitions factory. The townsfolk are against the idea until the professor's tea-making machine causes chaos at a council meeting and he is forbidden to invent anything until his inventor's permit is found. Evil Bullimore attempts to steal the permit and burn down the town hall blaming Branestawm but the tea-making machine proves to be a superb fire extinguisher and Branestawm is declared a hero